A sultry film noir from the director of The Mermaid's Revenge
AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON BLU-RAY
A young woman throws herself off a bridge in a torrential downpour. Witnessing the scene, Esaka rushes into the water to save her. After taking her home, he learns that the woman, named Akiko, ran away from home to escape an abusive husband, and decides to take her in while she recovers. Esaka quickly falls under the spell of his charge, but discovers that Akiko's story is more complex than it seems…
Scent of a Spell marks the prestigious collaboration between Directors Company, the influential Japanese filmmaking collective that defined the 1980s, and the Japanese studio Nikkatsu, with its famous "Roman Porno" series. Three years before their classic Evil Dead Trap , the duo of director Toshiharu Ikeda ( The Mermaid's Revenge ) and screenwriter Takashi Ishii (the Angel Guts series) strike the perfect balance between thriller, eroticism, and tragedy. Discover it for the first time in its new 2K restoration!
SCENT OF A SPELL by Toshiharu Ikeda
(1985 - Color - 90 min)
New 2K restoration
Original version with French subtitles
Blu-ray Edition
Never before released on Blu-ray
SUPPLEMENTS
INTERVIEW WITH SHOZO ICHIYAMA (23 min)
Shozo Ichiyama, programming director of the Tokyo International Film Festival, looks back on the workings and renown of the short-lived Directors Company, before discussing the films of Toshiharu Ikeda and his screenwriter Takashi Ishii.
" SCENT OF A SPELL " : THE LINK BETWEEN THE PORN NOVEL AND THE DIRECTORS COMPANY (16 min)
In this video essay, Matthew E. Carter, a lecturer in film studies, analyzes the relationship between the Roman Porno phenomenon and the independent production company Directors Company.
ORIGINAL TRAILER
--- ------------------------------ --- --
BD 50 • HIGH DEFINITION MASTER • 1080/23.98p • AVC ENCODING
Original Version DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 • French Subtitles
Aspect ratio 2.00 preserved • Color • Film Length: 90 minutes
Release date: January 20, 2026
