Tomie will not die!

Vist The Japanese Cinema Blogathon 2009 here...



Tomie(1998)

"Here is your dinner."



Tomie is just a head and she's growing. Living in a box in a dingy apartment and fed by a crazed, one-eyed young man. Tomie gradually grows a body. Upstairs, her former classmate and best friend Tsukiko who lost her memory of an incident that led to Tomie's death. Unaware that the immortal Tomie is living downstairs and has plans for her.



First time I saw Tomie I really had no idea what to make of it. A film about an evil head in a bag? Sure. The image of that eye looking thru a hole in a bag was such a strong, bizarre image. There's a strong sense of impending doom. And that score works it's way into your psyche. Actress Miho Kanno, who's face is hidden from the camera for most of the film's running time does a good job as the giggling, fickle Tomie. Tomie never one to get her hands dirty uses madness and her sexuality to make the men around her murder.
What really works is the stuff we don't see. Like Tomie's head in that bag and when she's in the box. Only hints are given. Allowing our mind to to the rest.



Much like Tomie's head this film has grown on me over the years. nothing like all The Ring clones out there. Tomie is her own monster. Not a long haired ghost but a living breathing women who's only love is for herself. Tomie's franchise like her will not die. There seems to be a new one every year or so. And that's fine by me.

If you must label me, call me "Zero."

Vist The Japanese Cinema Blogathon 2009 here...




Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs

"Cops can't murder. Have mercy!"



Police women Rei (Miki Sugimoto) kills a sleazy rapist/murder who happens to be a German diplomat. Her superiors are less the pleased and Rei ends up in jail and out of a job. Worse still the other inmates know she's a cop and beat her. Meanwhile, a gang of drug running punks hook up with their boss who's fresh from prison. So as a welcome home present they kidnap and molest a young woman. Afterwards they take her to a whorehouse to sell her. But the Madam recognises her as the daughter of a powerful politician, Nagumo (The great Tetsura Tamba - who played Tiger Tanaka in You Only Live Twice.) so they decide to ransom her. Wanting to avoid a political scandal Nagumo and the police want to keep the kidnapping hush hush. So they offer Rei a second chance, save the girl and kill the gang by any means necessary.



Well this is one funky fuzz guitar fueled brutal movie. Violence, rape and torture fill this movie. Bloody shootings, stabbings and beatings. The torture in this film would make Jack Bauer pee his pants. The scene involving a blowtorch used to get info from a gang member by the cops! Yeah the cops are just as brutal as the gang. In one scene they catch a gang member and as he's being questioned in a field we see two of the cop digging the poor bastard's grave. No Miranda rights here. I wish the cops on Law and Order SVU were like these guys. The misogyny in this film is taxing to say the least. Toei made their Pinky Violence films for a young urban male market in the 70's and it's a bit like eroticised violence. This is a genre you either love or hate.



The film is filled with vibrant colors, stylish camera work and the aforementioned funky music. Rei (Miki Sugimoto)the Zero Woman herself. As far as female badasses go She's no Meiko Kaji (Lady Snowblood,Female Convict 701: Scorpion.) But she's pretty damed good as the stoic Rei. As part of her initiation into the gang they take turns raping her as she's tied to beam. And none of it seems to faze her. The Red Handcuffs of the title are her favorite weapon. She whips them around with incredible force sending geysers of the red stuff spraying from the bad guys. Nothing sums this film up better then the cover of the dvd. "90 minutes of stylish mayhem and ultra-violence! And damn if that's not just what you get.