Written & Directed By: Makoto Teduka
Music written By: Haruo Chikada
Cinematography: Eiichi Osawa
Editor: Mari Kishi and Makoto Teduka
Cast: Shingo Kubota, Kazuhiro Takagi, Issay, Kyoko Togawa, Kiyohiko Ozaki, Kiyoshi Kurosawa
In 1985, Makoto Tezuka, the son of manga genius Osamu Tezuka, was still a film student with a few experimental shorts to his credit and who was entrusted with the mission to turn an album by Haruo Chikada into a musical film.
Strange, inventive, surreal, and fun. There are no exact words to describe this film and do it justice. If you are a fan of movies like PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and SHOCK TREATMENT.The story behind the film is just as wild and creative as the film. that a musician Haruo Chicada wrote an album full of songs, Essentially meant to be a soundtrack for a film that didn’t exist and that was the extent of the project until writer-director Makoto Tezka discovered it and decided to make a film based around it adapting it with a full storyline.
So much talent In Front of and behind the scenes. As the director sought out musicians and artists of all kinds for the film. After all, this was his first full-length film. After just graduating from film school and making only experimental shorts. He considered himself a visualist more than just a director.
The result is a movie that plays like a series of music videos or montages built around the songs with a story connecting it all. So truly a musical at heart without so much choreography and show-stopping staging. though plenty of musical-themed montages when the main characters aren’t singing.
Almost like a mean-spirited movie version of THE MONKEES TV show. only not surrounding a band but a singing duo and focusing on the branding and corporate ownership of the two and being forced to sing the songs their Svengali manager gives them and him always watching. They also lose fame to rivals that come out of nowhere and then try to murder them. Competition between artists and even each other as a duo and want to be independent and try their own music
The film's soundtrack and visuals are its strength as the story is Minimal and never makes complete sense. As the film is all over the place. In a good way. Making it definitely crazy and unpredictable.
The film has an Animated and even a horror sequence. This makes sense as it is partly anime-influenced or manga, especially towards the end the action sequences feel like live-action cartoons. The writer/director is also the son of Osamu Tezka an anime/Manga legend
The film is definitely a product of its time and a shine as it is a cult film, that is little known In its homeland and the United States, with a soundtrack that is difficult to find
It’s an epic odyssey that goes far but does so much with so little. Involving A story made up that only adds to the legend and might actually be true with The theme of wanting to make it on your own and realizing that you might need help To do it.
This Is a film whose wavelengths you are either going to get on or not. All of the music and songs are quite catchy. It seems to go through all cultures and fads of the time.
It’s not perfect but such a unique, crazy, stylish, and silly journey that represents some things that it might not have intended to constantly invent and reinvent itself. As it is Reckless, dazzling unhinged, and creative. As it always has its heart on its sleeves and despite its surreal nature bares it’s heart and spirit
Grade: B+
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