A Nikkatsu Roman Porno and Directors Company collaboration between director Toshiharu Ikeda (Mermaid Legend) and writer Takashi Ishii (Evil Dead Trap), Scent of a Spell starts with Tetsuro Esaka (Johnny Okura) walking home from the bar as rain falls. He glances at the bridge just in time, as Akiko Takimura (Mari Amachi) jumps into the water, hoping to escape her life. He saves her and soon discovers the abusive situation that she’s in. But this movie takes cues from film noir, so perhaps our protagonist is in over his head.

Is Akiko just as jealous as her husband? Are men who try to be white knights destined to fail? Why would Tetsuro think she was trying to kill herself when that bridge is just a few feet tall? So many questions and luckily, this gives you the answers.

The Third Window Films Blu-ray release of Scent of a Spell has extras, including an interview with Tokyo Intl. Film Festival programming director Shozo Ichiyama, a feature-length audio commentary by Samm Deighan, a video essay by Matthew Carter, a slipcase with artwork from Gokaiju, and comes in a 2,000-copy Directors Company limited edition with an insert by Jasper Sharp.

You can get this from Terracotta or Diabolik DVD.