Asian Cult Cinema: Worldwide Exploitation Films and DVDs

Mermaid Legend [Ningyo Densetsu](1984) Toshiharu Ikeda directs

6035DVD

original Japanese title: NINGYO DENSETSU [Mermaiod Legend]

director: Toshiharu Ikeda
starring: Mari Shirato · Kentaro Shimizu · Jun Etô · Seiji Miyaguchi · Junko Miyashita

Based on a gekiga (an adult-oriented manga) written by Takashi Ishii [prolific filmmaker of FLOWER AND SNAKE, SWEET WHIP and the GONIN series], this was director Ikeda's first movie after leaving Nikkatsu over a creative disagreement.

Here is a film with a split personality, a great-looking, smart movie that accelerates into a very bloody vengeance pic for the last half. A fisherman is dramatically opposed to the construction of a beach resort [the real agenda is a nuclear power plant]. He gets murdered by a gang of political extremists working for the corrupt contractor. His wife Migiwa concocts a plan of revenge and slaughter.

Toshiharu Ikeda started his career with Nikkatsu Studios. After working as an assistant, he [co-] directed RAPE! and ANGEL GUTS: RED PORNO. Toshiharu would later develop into an A-List horror director, responsible for the resurgence of Japanese terror films, with EVIL DEAD TRAP and its second sequel EVIL DEAD TRAP: BROKEN LOVE KILLER. Sadly, Mr Ikeda committed suicide by drowning in December 2010 at age 59.

A Japanese film, with optional ON/OFF English subtitles; uncut 110 min, widescreen,
DVD encoded for ALL REGION NTSC WORLD FORMAT; extras include selected trailers.

Nudity, Graphic Violence, Gore, Rape, Sexual Brutality
for Mature Audiences

$19.95