User reviews

Having loved Rubber's Lover, I felt psyched to see this. It starts off strong with some stunning graphics and the same over-the-top performances I loved from Rubber's Lover. The respect I have for the actors' dedication and focus goes well beyond enormous. I loved the slow, lyrical pace of the first third where Himako finds Pinocchio. The chemistry and trust between the two actors brought it unexpected depth.

And then the vomiting started.

And went on pointlessly for at least five minutes.

I accept this in Hershel Gordon Lewis films since he needed to pad them out to a certain length and contained endless tracking shots of a woman walking or someone's band playing a cheesy song. But with a running time of 1:37 extended scenes of vomiting or running or just general strobe-lit screaming makes me cranky. All the camera work and editing in the world can't make me say "WOW! That's the best 10 minute running sequence I've ever seen!".

Given the gravitas it began with, I felt cheated at the end. I suffered thought the last 30min hoping for a redemption that never came. Given the choice between Places in the Heart or a Marvel franchise film, I'd choose this every time. But I wouldn't be happy about it.

Having watched "Death Powder" earlier in the day, I found this little ditty refreshingly straightforward.

I don't know if there's some kind of Japanese cultural touchstone for people contorting their faces in agony and screaming for extended periods, but there's a lot of that in this movie.

Anyway, I enjoyed the movie despite all the screaming. I can't say I got a huge ton or artistic satisfaction out of it, but the visuals were pretty crazy to say the least.

I thought the idea was promising - a discarded sex cyborg who can't function anymore. It could lead any number of places. You could make ten movies from that idea. But the idea never really gains traction. It falls by the wayside for some strange thing wherein he fuses himself with his captor/rescuer.

Maybe it means something if you're Japanese or steeped in Japanese culture. It seems to me that I've seen anime with similar kinds of body horror elements. But to me it feels like it would have been more satisfying to actually explore the theme in a thoughtful way.

I hesitate to judge the movie too harshly given my suspicion that there's culture resonance that I'm not getting. I've seen Tetsuo the Iron Man, so I get that this is part of a distinct "school" of filmmaking. It was interesting eye candy (if you can call a five minute vomit sequence "candy") and I was entertained by the sheer lunacy of it, but ultimately, it's a big WTF for me.

Five stars for novelty and over-the-top-ness.

It's not exactly an adaptation of Carlo Collodi's short story, but rather a dark movie that uses the character of Pinocchio as a model in terms of creating an artificial being that tries to be as similar as possible to a human being. The budget is clearly very limited, so this is a Z movie, but the concept leaves everything up to the viewer's imagination. Shozin Fukui's intention was to tell a terrifying Cyberpunk story about a world with androids so highly developed that they resemble human beings, but with a disturbing side. The film is full of very crazy and grotesque scenes that seek to disturb the viewer. Long planes and assembly that may be boring. Very exaggerated performances that make the actors look like cartoon characters, also adding crazy sequences. The editing, direction and editing are responsible for increasing the power of the images, making watching this film a bizarre hallucinogenic trip. Many moments in this movie are so crazy they can be pointless, especially when Himiko descends into madness. This is a hellish journey that comes to dislike those who see it and that makes it both a peculiar and disturbing piece of Japanese cinema. My final rating for this movie is 6/10.

Pinocchio 964 is about a woman puking and a guy screaming. And just like modern art, it is garbage no one wants to see unless your IQ is below ignoramus level. The metamorphosis stuff is the only thing that stands out but all the screaming was annoying as hell and endless puking was meaningless and stupid.

I feel like half the runtime of 964 Pinocchio is made up of people charging at the camera or screaming, often both at the same time. It's not an easy movie to rate out of 10, but it is a little easier to talk about in general.

To keep the synopsis as PG as possible, there's a "cyborg" on the loose that's malfunctioned for "reasons," but it wasn't properly gotten rid of. So when it's taken in by a strange young woman, it starts to learn how to function again, regaining something of what it seemed to have before. I guess that's broadly where the Pinocchio link comes into play (twisted/unusual journey of beoming a "real" being), but anyone expecting something with more similarities might be unpleasantly surprised by the directions 964 Pinocchio goes in.

It's a gross, dirty, repetitive movie. It has a certain beyond-grimy aesthetic and simply chooses to wallow in it for 97 minutes, and I admire it for that. Sometimes, I liked how dirty the film felt, to the point where maybe it was a mistake to pause it at one point and take a shower (something I genuinely did; not related to the movie necessarily). Sometimes, I felt worn down by it all, but that's perhaps more a feature than a bug.

I will say, at about the halfway point, 964 Pinocchio did become a bit boring, and I thought it had run out of steam after a fairly engaging first half. Thankfully, it saved a bunch of bonkers things for the last 20-ish minutes, so it ends on a high... or low, depending on your definition.

Probably don't watch this, if you're most people. Those wanting something different and gross should sign up, though.

Japanese cyberpunk horror is a hit-or-miss sub-genre. On the one hand we have highly entertaining movies like "Tetsuo: The Iron Man" (1989) and "Rubber's Lover" (1996), while on the other hand we have feats of mediocrity like "Hellevator" (2004) and "Meatball Machine" (2005) or poorly made crapfests like "Death Powder" (1986). Rest assured that "Pinocchio 964" safely rests within the category of "poorly made crapfest."

A woman meets a sex slave who is accidentally released into the outside world. The problem with this movie is quite simply this: there is too much time wasted on drawn-out, uninteresting, stupid, disgusting events. For example, the woman attempts to teach the slave how to speak by repeatedly saying "Pinocchio" dozens of times. She does this over and over and over again until the viewer is ready to shove a wooden nose through her forehead. In another scene, she walks around aimlessly while vomiting profusely. Nicely disgusting indeed, but did we really need to see her repeatedly throw up a dozen times? In yet another scene, good ole Pinocchio runs through the streets hysterically for an incredibly long period of time. Are you serious?

I understand and greatly appreciate the fact that Japanese cyberpunk throws away conventional, formulaic film-making standards and goes for a shot to the heart in terms of a no holds barred visual/audio assault on the senses. That's why I love "Tetsuo: The Iron Man" (directed by Shinya Tsukamoto) and "Rubber's Lover" (directed by Shozin Fukui, the same director of this film) – they have boatloads of awesome, exceptionally cool visuals for the viewer to chew on. These aren't your typical "crazy" movies with characters acting stupid the entire time. On the contrary, you get wickedly stylish nightmare sequences that blend horrific technology with biological flesh; or Frankenstein-like awakening sequences with psychic antagonists fitted in black rubber suits. Every assault is handled with precision, lasting long enough to leave an impression without provoking irritation. These films are the very essence of successful experimental film-making. Breathtaking stuff!

Unfortunately, "Pinocchio 964" reminds us more of Tsai-ming Liang in its habit of shamelessly filming completely pointless, dull-as-dirt moments for incredibly long periods of time. The only difference is that where Tsai chooses to film a person peeing into a plastic bag for 5 minutes, Fukui chooses to film a woman vomiting profusely for 5 minutes. Both methods will incite record-setting levels of frustration and irritation on the part of the viewer. These types of films are not just poorly made by conventional standards, they're poorly made by ANY standard. Being weird (in and of itself) does not guarantee an entertaining film. "Pinocchio 964" serves to remind us of this.

I find it incredibly interesting how so many people fail to apply logical standards to films that fly outside conventional film-making techniques. It would seem that dramas and romances are the only genres of film where viewers go in with a defined set of standards (e.g., acting, story lines, etc.). Trot out a no-brain action movie, and everyone gets confused. Instead of everyone rating those films based on the quality of the action scenes (the only logical way to go), we get snobs trashing every no-brain action film in existence (regardless of how well the action is executed) while fans of the genre rate every movie highly (regardless of how badly the action is executed). In like manner, fans of Wuxia films will never admit that a Chinese swordplay movie made in the 1980s or early 1990s was poorly made, while fans of the Classics seem to think that every film made before 1970 is a "masterpiece." There is something seriously wrong with all of these people.

Am I the only living person on the planet who can be a fan of almost every genre of film while maintaining some semblance of quality control? It's really not that difficult to watch and love a Yasujiro Ozu film one night, only to then watch and love a Prachya Pinkaew movie the next night. Different standards apply, and while movie-watching is ultimately subjective, viewers would be wise to apply some semblance of standards in every genre. That way, we don't end up mixing garbage like "964 Pinocchio" or "Eraserhead" with truly scintillating fare like "Rubber's Lover" and "Tetsuo: The Iron Man."

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarghaaaaaahhhhhaaaaaatttttaaaaaaaabbbbaaannnaaaa - Weird - Aaaaaafffffaaaaaaaggggaaaahhaaaggaaaggggggggaaaaaaaaafffffaaaggg - Vomit - Aaaaaagggaaaafffffaaahhhhhaayyyaaaaabbbaaaabbbbbnnnnaaaahhhaaq - Japan - Aaaaaggggaahhhaahhhajjajjajajaaaahhhhhhhhhaaagggggggggggggggggg - Cyberpunk - Aaaaaaggggaahhhaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhttttttttttaaaaaaagggggaaaafffffaaa - Crazy Japan -

This is one of my favorite films. It seems to deal with a society in which people have been made into commodities, and it focuses on principal characters who have become discarded.

Rather than take a heavy handed or moralistic stance, Shozin Fukui brings a strangely restrained humor and an extreme, hysterical weirdness to the story. Along with Shinya Tsukamoto's 'Tetsuo' it is one of the classics of Japanese mutation film. (It is said that Fukui actually worked on 'Tetsuo.')

The cinematography is amazing, ranging from ponderous and Tarkovsky-like to accelerated stop-motion.

The performers are wonderful and likeable. Hage Suzuki is like a spastic butoh performer having a constant seizure. Onn-Chan's amazing face seems to have been genetically grown for the specific purpose of being viewed by wide-angle lenses. (Where did these people come from and why is it hard to find any information on them?!)

As an added bonus, this film has what has been touted as the most prolonged vomiting sequence in cinema history.

Several adjectives can be use to describe this movie: confusing, boring, bad, disgusting, gross, raw, slow.

I don't know what is worse: the many pointless scenes of people: staring silently, screaming or puking its guts out, people eating is own vomit or the people that keep saying this movie is great and the visuals are wonderful, or something related with the hidden meaning of the movie.

I don't like to put negative comments but this movie deserves this comment.

If a movie is confusing, this isn't enough to say that this is a piece of art

We can discuss several thing of this movie, the way the scenes are presented and the theme (I'm not sure if this movie has any) but where a movies stop being art and star being just weird and confusing? For some people this limit doesn't exist.

I'm a big fan of weird, bizarre, underground films and when I heard about 964 Pinocchio I watched it immediately. The theme of robots used for sex isn't often used in movies, or even books or comics. So I was quite excited about the film.

As I said, the plot is original and keeps you hooked. For the first 30 minutes. Then it gets too strange and bizarre. Don't get me wrong, I like weird, when it has a point. This is weird just for the sake of being weird, without any purpose. And the vomiting and the gore is there just to shock and disgust you.

The cinematography is very good and original with a variety of different styles and excellent shots. The acting is good, although it's Japanese with their classical overacting. This could be a problem to some viewers but I didn't mind it. It gave the movie a goofy, but also a very disturbing feel. There isn't much dialogue, but there is a lot of screaming. So much screaming that it gets annoying after a while. The environment is beautifully disgusting, though I wouldn't say it's cyberpunky. The special effects and the stop-motion are very good and add to the dark atmosphere.

The biggest problem of the film is that it has an original idea but it looks like the director didn't know how to deepen it, how to make it all come together. There isn't any connection between the characters motives and their actions and in the end, the movie seems quite pointless. It starts good, but later drifts into gory, weird and unnecessary nonsense. The theme offered a lot of space for social commentary and an interesting plot line. Also, the film could be shorter. The running scene is way too long and is a rip-off of Tetsuo(which is way better in my opinion).

Despite it's major flaws it still is an original and fascinating movie, got me interested into another of Fukui's works: Rubber's Lover. If you want weird and experimental, I'd recommend Tetsuo: Iron Man or Eraserhead. Those two are waaaaaaaaaaay better then this.

I am by no means a critic but the 97 minutes I endured give me the right to make this simple comment: Total pretentious drivel. This film is, to put it simply, BAD! It is quite possibly the worst film I have ever seen! It has absolutely no redeeming qualities. These are 97 minutes that you will never get back and would have been better spent watching the Teletubbies.

Watching this movie was pure torture and a certain test of endurance. This is one underground movie that should have stayed underground and it is by no means a classic.

The director (Shozin Fukui): must have been napping. The actors: will remain unknown. The story line: what storyline? Saving grace: It has an end

Wow this was one weird movie. I have never in my life seen anything like this. This is not the Disney Pinocchio we all grew up watching. This movie is so messed up you won't believe it. Pinocchio is a lobotomized cyborg sex slave, and is thrown out onto the street by his owners. Pinocchio meets up with this homeless girl named Himiko. Then Pinocchio's creator sends out his men to get rid of Pinocchio. This is one really strange movie though. It's pretty low budget, but in a good way. I liked all the weird camera angles too. I think the best part was when Pinocchio ran down the streets screaming. That was just weird and freaky! I bet all those people were freaked out when they saw this thing running. Did I mention the ending is also weird as heck. If you're looking for a weird movie to watch, then you'll enjoy Pinocchio 964. There's nothing out there quite like this. 9/10 from me.

I was searching this one for a long time but by visiting horror conventions here in Europe I was glad that I found it. Available on region 1 DVD from Unearthed Films, that says enough. And what a weird experience it was. The first minute you immediately know you are watching a Japanese flick. But expect to see a gory flick as Unearthed has released before. This is an arty flick with some weird parts in it. It's all a bit over the top but still it's one to see if you dig art flicks. It's all about the way it was shot, extremely close-ups in wide angel giving strange effects, the use of colours and light and the way some movements were filmed does give it that arty feeling. I was surprised by the nudity in it, there weren't those typical blurred private parts like in so many Japanese flicks. It never is gory but here and there the red stuff do flows. Maybe it clocks in a bit too long for such a feature but it's a classic over there by smashing blockbusters back then at the cinema's. Don't point your finger to me if you don't understand it all but be advised to have a strong stomach due the vomiting scene's. And no, it's not about Pinocchio's nose.

I saw this movie at Best Buy, and remembered it being an unearthed films release. I still wasn't going to buy it until I flipped it over and saw a picture of a white faced, bleeding from the mouth, freak running down the streets with a few thousand confused people looking on. Knowing that those people weren't extras, I had to buy this movie.

This movie is pure insanity. At first It looks like it might be somewhat normal, everything makes sense, it seems almost cute...almost...Suddenly the whole movie takes a turn for the "worst" and all that wholesomeness we just witnessed turns into something completely opposite. A lot of people compare this movie to Tetsuo for some reason, which is like comparing apples to oranges, but that being said, 964 Pinocchio will make you appreciate Tetsuos coherent storyline. As insane as that may sound.

I don't want to mention, nor could I fully explain the plot, because that would ruin most of this movie. if your sick of your everyday Hollywood remakes and want a totally new experience, and like a bit of wackiness mixed in with your bizarre freak out films, than you will love this unique movie.

This film essentially begins with a cyborg known simply as "964 Pinocchio" (Haji Suzuki) being discarded by his owner because he was no longer able to function in a sexual manner. He then proceeds to aimlessly wander about the city until he meets a young female named "Himiko" (Onn-chan) who takes him to her place of abode. Once there she gradually teaches him how to speak and its at that point that he undergoes a series of dramatic changes which also affects Himiko--to the point that she becomes homicidal in nature and creates even more problems for everyone involved with him. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I had hoped to see a good science-fiction or horror movie possibly containing some elements of eroticism here and there. Unfortunately, beyond the cyper-punk environment, all I saw was a multitude of special effects combined with a lot of screaming and running around. I didn't find it "artistic" or in any way enjoyable for that matter, and I have rated it accordingly.

When speaking of importance or legend, Tetsuo: The Iron Man will always be the film in which all cyberpunk films are measured against. Good thing that it is an absolutely brilliant piece of work -- but, honestly, I believe this film (and Death Powder, but good luck finding that one) is slightly better overall and is amongst my favorite films of all time.

Starting out very slow, this film eventually ramps up into a speed that has yet to be toppled by any other film. You will find a great atmosphere, amazing music, some unbelievable effects, and a stunning sequence in which Pinnochio runs through a crowd of tens of thousands of Japanese people. The acting is top-notch, the pacing is unconventional, and there are scenes that are absolutely mindblowing.

It's hard to describe exactly what this film is. Though the plot is deceptively simple, to summarize it would make this film sound boring. Really, it's not about the plot so much as it's about pouring on weird effects, images of steam and metal, and squirting paint and blood everywhere. This review won't do it justice, but if you're interested in the least in cyberpunk or "weird" movies, this should be at the top of your list. For me, it's an unbelievable and undeniable classic. Looking forward to the day Criterion re-releases this.

It was the most difficult time for me to sit through this "movie".

Even "Seed" from 2007 is better than this crap.

I've watched A WHOLE LOT of BAD movies, and yet, this one is the worst of the worst so far. Shaky and blurry cam, incomprehensible lines, NO PLOT WHATSOEVER, ridiculous acting skill...and so on.

It is the most absurd, imbecile, and extremely annoying movie I have ever seen. There is nothing good about it

If I could give this a zero, I would DEFINITELY do that!

Do not let the previous reviews give you the impression that this is an actual piece of art, or even a movie. Go see "The Blair Witch Project" instead. It's for your own good.

PLEASE, DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME.

Firstly, we must address that this film is an art film. It thrives on visuals to tell the story. The explicitness of the visual effects are well executed for the sake of uncomfortableness and serves as a catalyst to keep the viewer interested, although it does not necessarily rely completely on visuals. The story itself holds a certain theme which comments on humans being just commodities. Sexual slavery does exist, however, in this particular film, the idea of sexual slavery has been taken to the extreme. Secondly, some underlying philosophy that this film holds, is that in order to experience peace with oneself, one must go through unbearable physical change. In a way, Kafka had his hand in this, think Metamorphosis, except incredibly painful and agonizing. Being a Japanese, underground, cult film, it is not appreciated everywhere, and is not expected to be. Director Shojin Fukui should proud of himself to have done such a controversial yet appealing film.

I didn't really find this movie satisfying. Most weirdness was just for the sake of being weird. It could have been a better short, but even then it wouldn't have had much plot.

The characters are kind of empty and their motivations didn't make much sense, but then again, I don't think that really mattered. Most of this was just an excuses for a bunch of 'interesting' shots and special effects.

If you like long close ups of people in messy make-up doing weird faces and making annoying noises, this will definitely be your jam. But it was not for me. Not really disturbing or disgusting, just a bit boring and annoying as if someone was burping in my face for over an hour.

I originally set out to watch this after watching Tetsuo the iron man as i craved more cyberpunk and i heard this was like it. Aspects of it are but a lot of it doesn't make sense in a bad way. The director said that its not cyberpunk at all its industrial noise punk.

It had me right up until the girl helping him turns on him after having a seizure and starts eating her own puke. The gore was nice i guess i think it would have been better on a a higher budget but its a lot of noise and shaky camera work. The film is based on a philosophical question the director came up with but i can't remember what it is as its not that obvious.

The ending he said is obvious its about two elements that are opposed to one another but when they join are in harmony. I actually liked the ending it was the one thing good about the film I recommend electric dragon over this if you want a better industrial noise punk film.