The Eel(1997)
Synopsis
A businessman kills his adulterous wife and is sent to prison. After his release, he opens a barbershop and meets new people, talking to almost no one except for an eel he befriended while in prison.
Directed by Shōhei Imamura
Where to watch The Eel
Availability in US · data from JustWatch via TMDB
Stream
Included with subscription
Trailer
Cast
Koji Yakusho
Takuro Yamashita
Misa Shimizu
Keiko Hattori
Akira Emoto
Tamotsu Takasaki
Fujio Tokita
Jiro Nakajima
Mitsuko Baisho
Misako Nakajima
Show Aikawa
Yuji Nozawa
Ken Kobayashi
Masaki Saito
Sabu Kawahara
Seitaro Misato
Etsuko Ichihara
Fumie Hattori
Tomorowo Taguchi
Eiji Dojima
Chiho Terada
Emiko Yamashita
Sanshō Shinsui
Doctor
Koichi Ueda
Detective Keiji
Ken Mitsuishi
Detective
Hiroyuki Konishi
Medical Examiner
Shoichi Ozawa
Gynaecolology Clinic Doctor
Makoto Satō
Jukichi Takada
Shinsho Nakamaru
Emiko Yamashita's Boyfriend
The Eel — frequently asked questions
Where can I watch The Eel?+
The Eel is available to stream on Criterion Channel. Availability varies by country and changes over time.
When did The Eel come out?+
The Eel was released in 1997.
How long is The Eel?+
The Eel runs for 117 minutes (1 hour and 57 minutes).
Who directed The Eel?+
The Eel was directed by Shōhei Imamura.
Who stars in The Eel?+
The Eel stars Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Akira Emoto, Fujio Tokita and Mitsuko Baisho.
Is The Eel worth watching?+
The Eel holds a 6.9/10 rating from 135 TMDB users, and is best suited to fans of drama and crime.
More like The Eel
Recommended by people who watched this
7.4FilmThe Unforgivable
2021
6.8FilmSiberian Education
2013
6.2FilmTrue Believer
1989
6.3FilmMob Town
2019
6.3FilmA Crooked Somebody
2018
7.1FilmAbove the Rim
1994
6.3FilmRogue Agent
2022
6.7FilmThe Devil You Know
2022
6.1FilmBlood Ties
2013
6.2FilmPanic
2000
7.0FilmThe Enforcer
2022
6.2FilmAll Day and a Night
2020
6.8FilmBeyond a Reasonable Doubt
1956
6.2FilmThe Most Hated Woman in America
2017
5.9FilmGeorgetown
2019
6.2FilmThe Public Eye
1992
7.4FilmThe System
2022
6.5FilmThe Valachi Papers
1972
7.3FilmBarron's Cove
2025
7.3FilmCape Fear
1991
Similar titles
FilmLeptocephalus
2026
FilmThe Eel
2004
FilmMoray Eels: Alien Empire
2008
1.0FilmEeling
2010
4.1FilmRazortooth
2007
7.7FilmPartly Cloudy
2009
8.0FilmMoray
1994
5.2FilmDeep Shock
2003
FilmThe Mystery of Eels
2013
FilmFollowing the Traces of the Eels
1958
7.3FilmThe Fishing Bear
1940
5.9FilmDeep
2017
7.0FilmCyclone
2026
10.0FilmMaster Shakespeare, Strolling Player
1916
10.0FilmThe Blood Barrier
1920
9.0FilmReno
1923