Review : Tetsuo - The Iron Man
Also known as Iron Man: Tetsuo 1
Review by Ralph "Leechboy" Beard
Rated
Cast: Salaryman - Tomoroh Taguchi Girlfriend - Kei Fujiwara Woman in glasses - Nobu Knaoka Fetishist - Shinya Tsukamoto
**** out of five or 8 out of ten (You decide)
Short plot outline - Japanese business man runs over pedestrian, who retaliates by turning him into walking metal scrap monster with a rotating drill for a penis. Much zany-ness ensues.
More long-winded review - If you've seen the video clip for the Tool song "Stinkfist", then you have a good guide as to the visual style of Tetsuo. Now just make that a little more gory and extend it 75 minutes longer and you've got this movie. When you boil this movie down, it really is just your average revenge film - an everyday guy (Taguchi )and his girlfriend (Fujiwara) accidentally run over a pedestrian (Tsukamoto), and, rather than report it they opt to get rid of the body. Of course the guy ain't dead and he exacts his revenge on >said couple in a terrible way. So far, ho hum. Here comes the twist, the pedestrian turns out to be more than he seems, slowly turning the everyday guy into a bizarre metallic monster, killing his wife and sending the man mad. It all seems run of the mill, doesn't it? Luckily Iron man is done with more imagination and flair than any other film I've seen recently. Shot in striking black and white (It couldn't have been done in any other way) and using a dizzying amount of stop motion filming, Tetsuo is a bizarre ride that should only be watched late at night in a dark room, any thing less would ruin the atmosphere. However it definitely not for all tastes. Tetsuo is violent, disturbing and gory. Ranging from a man cutting into his own leg and inserting a metal coil to a woman being drilled to death as blood spurts and soaks everything nearby. Let me put it this way, this is for people who thought Urosukidoji: Legend Of The Overfiend was rollicking good fun. (i.e. me) Acting-wise there's not a whole lot to talk about, Tetsuo has less dialogue than Arnie in Conan, Tomoroh Taguchi twitches and looks worried enough to convey what's needed, the rest do their best to look deranged and succeed. Tsukamoto's direction is the key, actually I should say Tsukamoto's scripting, art direction, lighting, editing, photography, special effects and direction is the key. Yes, he did it all, I didn't say it looked like a million dollar production, it's it look that is it's allure - imagine Eraserhead era Lynch on speed. He creates a dirty metallic world that pulls you in and repels you at the same time. The editing and camera work is fast and grainy and the Einsturzende Neubauten-like score fits in perfectly. Just remember however, that this kind of stuff is polarising, for every person who likes it, like me, there's three who won't get past the opening credits. I found it to be very unusual experience, bizarre repulsive and in the end quite fun. I recommend it, just don't say I didn't warn you.
Ralph "Leechboy" Beard
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