“Imprint” succeeds where many other full-length horror movies fail. Miike mixes brutality and beauty in ways that most American audiences aren’t familiar with.

Last year, Showtime aired a 13-episode horror anthology series aptly titled “Masters of Horror,” and now, the second season is about to begin.

The title couldn’t have been more appropriate. “Masters of Horror” featured hour-long outings from genre heavyweights like John Carpenter, Mick Garris, Tobe Hooper and Dario Argento.

However, one episode was deemed too violent for cable broadcast. That episode, “Imprint,” comes from Takashi Miike. He’s a relative unknown in American horror, but a cult phenomenon in his native Japan.

“Imprint” is finally seeing the light of day thanks to a DVD release from Anchor Bay. After watching the 63-minute short, it’s easy to see why Showtime banned it from broadcast.

“Imprint” is hands down the most shocking installment of “Masters of Horror.” Set in 19th-century Japan, it follows an American journalist (Billy Drago) to a brothel on a Japanese island. He seeks the prostitute he fell in love with. Unable to locate her, he hires a prostitute (Youki Kudoh of “Memoirs of a Geisha”) to tell him the story of his lost love.

Seems like your typical melodrama, right? Wrong. Miike crafts a story that is visceral, violent and at times unbearable to watch.

Anyone familiar with some of Miike’s previous work like “Audition” (2001) will immediately recognize his style. Like “Audition,” Miike frames the story of a man seeking love. His penchant for crafting seemingly harmless melodramas into the stuff of nightmares is uncanny, and he plays it to the hilt in “Imprint.”

After the first half hour, “Imprint” takes off and doesn’t let go. It’s filled with all sorts of gruesome images including a torture sequence that makes mainstream American horror movies like Eli Roth’s “Hostel” (2006) seem tame.

Miike doesn’t stop there. There are also scenes of rape, incest and a 19th-century abortion clinic. You mean this wasn’t allowed on cable?

“Imprint,” however, is unintentionally laughable at times. The cast is weak. Drago’s performance as a lovelorn journalist in a strange world is one-dimensional and almost embarrassing at times.

Similarly, Kudoh seems to be uncomfortable in her role. It’s clear horror isn’t her forte. Her flat performance is all the evidence you need. She finds a way, however, to avoid the overly corny moments that Drago frequently falls victim to.

Miike doesn’t typically work with American actors or speak much English; thus, the cast’s weak performances are understandable. “Imprint” is so narrative driven that it’s easy to overlook these problems.

“Imprint” succeeds where many other full-length horror movies fail. Miike mixes brutality and beauty in ways that most American audiences aren’t familiar with. “Imprint” is filled with vibrant colors that are used masterfully. The film doesn’t look like a made-for-TV movie and that’s one of its greatest strengths.

Haunting, violent and disturbing, “Imprint” will stick with you long after you turn your DVD player off.

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