It's Confirmed: Takashi Miike's Imprint Will Not Be Screened As Part of The Masters of Horror.

Back on the 15th we posted a piece here commenting that all signs were that Takashi Miike's Imprint had been dropped from Showtime's Masters of Horror. Well, word came out today that our speculations were absolutely correct. Word has been whipping around the net at a furious pace but all signs seem to point back to this piece in the New York Times as the breaking point for the news.

There are full details in that piece but what it breaks down to is the producers feeling that Miike's piece is too graphic to be aired, though they are sure to point out that they will still be releasing it uncut on DVD. Personally, I think it's all a PR stunt to get the floundering show some press before the DVD release. Here's why:

First, Miike is a known quantity. Is anybody surprised that he turned in a graphic piece of work after being hired by a US cable network for a show geared entirely around giving horror directors free rein? I'm certainly not and I don't believe for a second that the producers were.

Second, the producers say themselves they were fully aware of the objectionable material at the script stage. If they were really uneasy with it, they would have dealt with it then.

Third, Showtime is cable. They can show pretty much whatever they want to. Broadcast standards are a non issue, as they are not a broadcast network. The show has been failing not because it has been crossing lines but because it has not been transgressive enough so the idea that this piece has gone 'too far' seems simply ridiculous. They knew what they were getting, funded it anyway, and are under no broadcast standards obligations.

So why drop it? Hucksterism, baby. This is the equivalent of having medics on standby in theater lobbies and planting a few fainters in the audience to create buzz at the premiere. "Sure, most of the episodes sucked, but wait 'til you see what we couldn't show you ..." At least that's my take on it ...

Thanks to the raging horde of you who sent the news in ... too many to mention, you filled my inbox up real good ...