To the Zone and Back Again: Exploring the Sheer Awesomeness of Zeiram [Editorial]

 

     Iria, you're definitely a fine looking woman.
 

Well, I realise I am really late to the party, but as they say, better late than never. Of course, I have been aware of the existence of Zeiram ever since a colleague recommended the film and its sequel after my enthusiastic response to Yukito Kishiro’s Gunnm/Battle Angel Alita. However, I was never in the right mood to sit down and watch (what seemed to be) yet another standard Tokusatsu production of the 1990s.
     Thankfully, I changed my sentiment and decided to give the movies a chance after reading a wonderful set of reviews penned by Rise from Phoenix Talks Pop Culture Japan. It is not my intention to rework the wheel and repeat what she did in the form of movie reviews, so allow me to share my perspective on the Zeiram franchise in this one concise editorial. At the same time, I wholeheartedly invite you to read her blog posts as well.

     Now that we have the introduction part off the agenda, it is time for a brief summary of what the heck Zeiram is about for readers unfamiliar with the series. Basically, the titular Zeiram is a gruesome monster that can be best described as an amalgam of good-old Terminator and tongue-swirling Xenomorph. Don’t let its traditional appearance from the Edo period fool you, because Zeiram is a perfect biological weapon that can clone any organism it comes in contact with. The monster’s bloody trail paved with corpses is cautiously followed by Iria (Yuko Moriyama), an intergalactic bounty hunter. Iria and her cybernetic partner Bob (voiced by Masakazu Handa) await Zeiram’s arrival on Earth. In order to limit potential casualties, Iria creates an artificial dimension known the Zone in which she entraps Zeiram; however, two unsuspecting electricians, Teppei (Kunihiro Ida) and Kamiya (Yukijiro Hotaru), end up getting entangled in the otherworldly showdown, which causes further hassle for Iria.
     On the basis of the provided synopsis, one would think that Zeiram (1991) is an adaptation of pre-existing manga or anime, but the movie is a totally original creation by Tokusatsu enthusiast Keita Amemiya, who honed his filmmaking craft in terms of directing, writing, and designing on the sets of Chojin Sentai Jetman, Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger, and Kamen Rider. Actually, a six-episode OVA was made on the wave of the film’s popularity, but more on that later.

     The first Zeiram movie is like a crossover between survival horror and sci-fi adventure comedy. Many viewers out there describe it as a dark riff on Super Sentai/Power Rangers, but to me Zeiram has more in common with the classic Ultraman as well as the aforementioned Battle Angel Alita. My reasoning behind this stems from the film’s minimalist approach. You have to bear in mind that it was a passion project made on a tight budget; hence, we don’t get over-the-top CGI action done in generic Hollywood style.
     What we get, however, is a classic Toku spectacle with in-camera effects, rotoscope animation, and composite shots. This is a classic fun ride at its finest and a true labour of love made by Amemiya who had a clear vision of what he was going for.

What is more, I also have to praise the director because (unlike Shinya Tsukamoto or Koji Shiraishi) he never went full gore in terms of violent action. Zeiram, in spite of numerous mindblowing transformations of the titular creature, never veers off the P-13 territory, so the most demanding viewers may feel disappointed, but the film compensates that with thrilling stunts and loveable characters.
     Firstly, let’s talk about Iria the bounty hunter, brilliantly played by Yuko Moriyama. She is tough, she has the looks, but she is not kawaii. In fact, Iria is the antithesis of a typical Tokusatsu heroine who is frequently played by an idol and objectified on camera. With her eyes and reserved demeanour Iria oozes such confidence and equanimity that she effortlessly gives Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor a run for their money. Hideaki Anno and Shinji Huguchi, instead of drooling over Masami Nagasawa’s legs, should start taking notes on how to create a truly strong female character.

     Secondly, we have sidekicks. Again, many modern-day viewers complain that the humour generated by Teppei and Kamiya does not work. Personally, I think that scared-to-death blue collar workers on the run from a walking biological warfare is exactly what the film needed. I can’t help but agree with a letterboxd remark that the two guys give off the vibe of Abbott and Costello meet the Thing. On top of this, they have insane teamwork chemistry with Iria in the film’s bombastic finale.
     Clearly, at this point of the editorial, you can tell that the Zeiram movie stole my heart. It is exactly the type of light entertainment I needed to kick off summertime, and I am very happy I got myself round to check it out. The same, however, cannot be said about the sequel: Zeiram 2 (1994).

     The follow-up flick suffers from the same ailment that plagues many sequels out there. That is to say, it tries to be as awesome as the original, but also twice as loud, twice as explosive, twice as action-packed. Keita Amemiya evidently tried to “up the ante” for lack of a better term, but to me, Zeiram 2 is a major step down. Sure, it has great fights and outstanding special effects, but this time we get more bounty hunters, more jumping in and out of the Zone, more blood, and even animal cruelty, which is a major NO for me in such types of films. In this regard, Zeiram 2 has more in common with Mad Max 2: Road Warrior than with the original Zeiram.
     In addition, I appreciate the fact that all of the main actors reprise their roles in the sequel, but the way they act in the film leaves a lot to be desired. Kamiya collaborates with Bob (Kazuhiko Inoue) for a change, which is a nice touch; Teppei is basically lost in the Zone for the majority of the film, and Iria has to single-handedly save her favourite electricians while looking for an artefact straight out of Indiana Jones movie and being constantly interrupted by a rival bounty hunter Fujikuro (SABU) and (of course) upgraded Zeiram. It is not until the finale when the gang is reunited, but the feels are no longer as breathtaking as in the previous outing.

     Ultimately, Zeiram 2 is an okay movie in my opinion. Amemiya tried to be more inventive this time while trying to repeat what worked in the first part. The sequel has clearly great production value because it was made on a bigger budget, but all the action, production design, and special effects did not make me love it. The overall violence should have been slightly ironed out, and the main heroes should have been given more agency in the story.
     Last but least, we arrive at the OVA, Iria: Zeiram the Animation, which was also released in 1994, but without Amemiya’s creative input. This show is often labelled as a prequel to what is presented in the movies, but I personally believe that OVA should not be regarded in such a way. At best, it is a remake that strives to retell the Zeiram shenanigans in a different medium and for a completely different target audience. The whole franchise has come full circle at this point and we finally see Iria as an anime heroine (who is more than kawaii, rest assured). However, her origin story is inextricably linked to Zeiram, which is fine in the context of the show because the creators wanted to feature the titular creature in every episode, but this kind of prequel-making in the style of Ridley Scott only ruins the awesomeness of live-action Iria who undoubtedly must have had many more bounty-hunting adventure apart from just fighting Zeiram all her life.

      Consequently, it is best to treat OVA as a separate entity, and I am very glad that I saved it for the end of my Zeiram marathon because had I watched before the films, it would have ruined my perception of Iria for sure. Well, I suspect that this works the other way round and the movies ruin the OVA for anime enthusiasts, but this is the kind of vicious circle that has to be broken by your own preferences.
     Personally, I like the movies more, and specifically the first movie. Check out Zeiram if you can because it is totally worth it: for the story, for the awesome monster, for the kick-ass girl with a gun. My thanks again go to Rise for her blog posts that encouraged me to embark on this sci-fi journey. Peace out to you all and see you around in the Zone.

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Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) [Tokusatsu Review]

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla; or, Neon Genesis Crystals
     Godzilla, thank you for staying alive for me.
After the successful release of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993), it seemed as if the Toho Studios were done and dusted with the franchise, but the troubling pre-production of the planned Hollywood remake resulted in delays, which encouraged producers Tomoyuki Tanaka and Shogo Tomiyama to press on with more Heisei instalments. Consequently, the year 1994 saw the release of the 40th anniversary Godzilla movie. To many fans, this is considered to be the black sheep and the lowest point in the series. Let’s dive deeper in to Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla.

Release Info

Directed by: Kensho Yamashita Starring: Megumi Odaka, Jun Hashizume, Akira Emoto, Towako Yoshikawa

Language: Japanese Original Title: ゴジラ対スペースゴジラ Runtime: 108 min

Synopsis
After the disastrous battle between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla, the army develops a special combat robot known as Mogera. At the same time, G-Force works on a special T-Project which focuses on the supposed mental control of the Big G. Miki Saegusa (Megumi Odaka) works with Doctor Gondo (Towako Yoshikawa) on the project, but she is suddenly warned by the Cosmos (Sayako Osawa and Keiko Imamura) about the approaching danger from outer space. Suddenly, a giant object crashes on the Birth Island. It turns out to be SpaceGodzilla, a creature born out of Godzilla’s cells which ended up in a black hole after the King’s fight either with Biollante or Mothra. SpaceGodzilla imprisons Baby Godzilla and rushes to Fukuoka. Enraged King of the Monsters follows the alien invader in hot pursuit.

Event Horizon
It is clear from the get-go that Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla is different in terms of its narrative approach and stylistics than the preceding movies. This stems from the fact that the film was directed by the late Kensho Yamashita and written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Both filmmakers were more experienced in teen idol flicks, but evidently, they were also Godzilla enthusiasts, having worked on the set of Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975).

Their approach to the Tokusatsu genre is more light-hearted in tone because they chose to focus not only on monster rumble, but human drama as well. For this reason, Megumi Odaka for the first time in the series becomes the main heroine with a love subplot(!) Indeed, this may seem surprising, but in my opinion, works in favour of the character and enhances her story arc.

Alas, it is not the end of human drama because director Yamashita introduces us to the Han Solo-like character of Major Yuki (played by too-cool-for-school Akira Emoto) who wants to hunt down Godzilla and to avenge the death of his friend Gondo (who died in Godzilla vs. Biollante).

On the monster’s side, the emotional payoff is taken verbatim from Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. In Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, the King again fights to rescue his son, saving humanity is just collateral damage. All in all, the cross-cutting of numerous subplots involving monsters and humans results in an extremely long and exhaustive third act of the film.

That being said, I do not dislike Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla. On the contrary, the film is my personal guilty pleasure and I will take it any day over Godzilla vs. Mothra or Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. I totally dig the romantic teen idol vibes with which Kensho Yamashita sprinkled this story. This is the only Godzilla movie in which you will get to see beautiful sunset cinematography by the seaside AND the King furiously obliterating his nemesis with the red radioactive beam.

With regard to special effects, these were once again handled by the series veteran Koichi Kawakita. It seems interesting because the F/X director changed his approach for the purposes of this movie as well. Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla has less overview shots, but more close-ups and POV shots, almost as if the filmmakers wanted the viewers to feel dragged in to the monster fight.

As far as the music is concerned, Akira Ifukube allegedly declined to return as the composer after reading the script, so the difficult task was given to Takayuki Hattori. This was the composer’s first Godzilla gig, and I must say I absolutely adore his soundtrack for the film. It is very low key, but so accessible and nostalgic at the same time. Definitely has the spirit of the 1990s.

Speaking about performances, Megumi Odaka is obviously the leading lady here, but I always love seeing her in a Godzilla film. Akira Emoto steals the show as the bitter soldier hellbent on killing Godzilla. Jun Hashizume does well as Miki’s love interest. Towako Yoshikawa’s onscreen beauty as Doctor Gondo cannot go unnoticed. The actress is primarily a model, so her delivery of lines sounds extremely conservative in many scenes.

Recommendations
To me, this is a fun Godzilla movie. I understand why many fans avoid it, but I adore the different approach by Kensho Yamashita and the bombastic battle scenes. Honestly, I would not mind if this would have been the conclusion of the Heisei series, but this is yet to be discussed in my review of Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995).Overall score: 8/10

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A Confucian Confusion (1994) [Film Review]

A Confucian Confusion; or, The Way of a Copywriter
     Don't you feel emotion is becoming dangerous nowadays? Emotion has only become an excuse. It can be faked. Take you, for example, your innocence, loveliness, tenderness, vivacity. They all can be faked. Think about it.
Recently, I found myself in a dire need for Edward Yang. Yi Yi (2000) is obviously a masterpiece and to date remains one of my all-time favourite movies, but I wanted to check out the director’s earlier works as well. My choice became A Confucian Confusion from 1994. I have been eyeing this particular motion picture for quite some time, but I was either not in the mood for it or too tired to pay attention to multiple storylines. Well, I finally watched it, so here are my thoughts on the film.

Release Info

Directed by: Edward Yang Starring: Suk Kwan Ni, Bosen Wang, Chen Shiang-chyi, Danny Dun

Language: Mandarin Original Title: 獨立時代 Runtime: 125 min

Synopsis
The story focuses on the misadventures of Molly (Suk Kwan Ni), a fast-paced yet moody businesswoman who is unhappy at work and also within a relationship. She is engaged to Akeem (Bosen Wang) who is a businessman doing international travels. Needless to say, he is hopelessly in love with Molly and incredibly jealous. Molly manoeuvres through her friends, former colleagues, and relatives, who are also in search of true meaning in life and true love. Will they be able to find both?

Taipei Nights
Description of the film on MyDramaList says that if Woody Allen were to direct a Taiwanese picture, then it would have looked like A Confucian Confusion. In my opinion, this statement is a bit far-fetched. Edward Yang, in his own, idiosyncratic auteur style, mercilessly dissects the social stratum of Taipei yuppies. The 1990s were a decade in which Taiwan was a rapidly growing economy; therefore, people became overwhelmed by rampant consumerism. What were the implications of that?

In A Confucian Confusion, Yang elaborates on the themes of fakeness and emptiness. It is always so easy to fake emotions or to pretend to be somebody else at work just to achieve a certain goal. What is more, the masses are interested only in the mainstream stuff, opting to cheer for a scummy artist rather than series writer. If Confucius himself got reincarnated and returned to Earth, people would tell him that he is a fake.

So this is the main modus operandi of the characters. They are deeply unhappy in modern society and desperately try to do something about it, to make the right choice. Here Yang's allegory about choosing either autocratic rule or democracy is important. To be honest, I very much enjoyed all the interactions and conflicts presented in the film. Yang presented the whole thing as if the audience performed the function of bystanders who witness flashes of events concerning ordinary people. My favourite subplot was the one focusing on Qiqi and her boyfriend.

With regard to performances, I obviously enjoyed Suk Kwan Ni as the main lead, but I also greatly liked seeing Chen Shiang-chyi and Danny Dun in the supporting roles. Interestingly, there are small parts done by veteran actresses: the late Chen Limei who played Molly’s sister and Elaine Jin who portrayed the Auntie.

Recommendations
If you are in the mood for a satirical (nearly Shakespearean, indeed) comedy flick from Edward Yang that rides to the ground the unlikable (yet deeply existentialist) business people from Taipei, then I recommend A Confucian Confusion. It is indeed a hidden treasure from director Edward Yang.

Overall score: 7/10

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Getting Any? (1994) [Film Review]

Getting Any?; or, How to Make It Big and Alienate People

     I need a car. To get laid, I need a car. That's it! I'm going to buy a car!
If you are an avid fan of Takeshi Kitano and his movies, then you probably know that he was not always an auteur filmmaker. In fact, “Beat” Takeshi started his career as a comedian, primarily doing gigs at variety shows. In the 1980s came the popular game show called “Takeshi’s Castle” in which he could also show off his off-the-wall humour. When Kitano transitioned to cinema, he began making serious dramas with a touch of his unique style, but there were a few exceptions, including Getting Any?, a 1994 comedy in which Kitano goes back to his comic roots.

Release Info

Directed by: Takeshi Kitano Starring: Dankan, Ren Osugi, Takeshi Kitano

Language: Japanese Original Title: みんな～やってるか！Runtime: 109 min

Synopsis
Asao (Dankan) is a guy who is obsessed with the idea of getting laid. In order to achieve his goal, he comes up with possible scenarios in which a woman might be willing to spend some pleasure with him. However, there’s a problem. All of these scenarios require money and specific objects/conditions to work. As a result, Asao takes up a variety of jobs and ends up entangled in many crazy situations. Will he be able to stay alive and “get any” at the same time?

Going Broke
I was aware of Getting Any? for a few good years, but I was unable to check out the film because it was a sort of rarity in Kitano's filmography. That is until the Blu-ray edition was released recently. I could not help myself and grabbed the HD copy of a film that is not frequently discussed among Kitano enthusiasts.

Well, similarly to Takeshis (2005) and Glory to the Filmmaker! (2007), Getting Any? shows in what kind of mindset Kitano operates. He prefers that mixture of old Monty Python/Pierre Richard comedies, but also likes to go one step beyond. As a result the film feels like a composition of comic strips taken straight from a magazine for teenagers. For instance, Asao tries to buy a car, Asao tries to rob a bank, Asao tries to become an actor, Asao tries to act like a hitman. Needless to say, all these situations end disastrously for the main protagonist.

Due to the episodic nature of the film, some sequences work really well, but many do not. I particularly liked Asao’s ordeal to steal some cash and his shenanigans on the set of a Zatoichi movie (Little did Kitano realise that he’ll be remaking Zatoichi for real a few years later). However, the whole sequence devoted to yakuza is just too long and too bizarre. It did not make me laugh at all. The final act, on the other hand, is a parody of Ultraman, Ghostbusters, and The Fly, with Kitano stepping in as a mad scientist trying to make invisibility possible. This part of the film (and especially the last scene) were even weirder.

To be honest, the further the movie goes, the more watered down the humour gets. I guess Kitano wanted to vent off his irritation with film critics while making this movie, yet Getting Any? is definitely not for everybody.

Recommendations
If you want to see a film about a quirky individual who goes to extremes to fulfil a dream, then I recommend Shinobu Yaguchi’s My Secret Cache (1997) instead. Getting Any? is only a passing trivia from the hallmarks of Takeshi Kitano. The only thing that keeps the film from falling apart entirely is the performance of the main lead, Dankan.Overall score: 5/10

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Chungking Express (1994) [Film Review]

Chungking Express; or, Hard-Boiled Wonderland

     Did I leave the tap running, or is the apartment getting more tearful? I always thought it would cope okay. Didn't expect it to cry so much. When people cry, they can dry their eyes with tissues. But when an apartment cries, it takes a lot to mop it up.

Wong Kar-wai, the real auteur whose movies are recognised nowadays as masterpieces. Rather than telling a conventional story, he always presents the viewers with a unique atmosphere, unforgettable visuals, and memorable characters. This is also the case with Chungking Express (1994), a comedy-drama written and directed by him
Release Info

Directed by: Wong Kar-wai Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong

Language: Cantonese Original Title: 重慶森林 Runtime:102 min

 

Synopsis

The movie tells two stories. The first one is about a cop no. 223 (Takeshi Kaneshiro) who accidentally meets a woman in a blonde wig (Brigitte Lin). He does not know that the woman is actually a member of a drug-smuggling ring and that she was betrayed by her associates. The second story focuses on a cop no. 663 (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) who tries to get over the fact that his girlfriend, a flight attendant (Valerie Chow), dumped him. Every day he walks the beat and dines at Midnight Express snack bar. The worker of the snack bar, Faye (Faye Wong), falls for the cop and, by sheer accident, she gets keys to his apartment and the address. Faye proceeds to secretly rearrange the cop’s apartment…

 

Love with an Expiry Date

Chungking Express was made during a three-month break in the post-production of Wong Kar-wai’s wuxia film Ashes of Time (1994). Having been exhausted with extensive shooting on a desert, Wong wanted to make something that was light and quick. Chungking Express was initially conceived as a linear story with the four main characters bumping into each other, but the actors’ tight schedules forced the director to change the film’s formula. Wong based the film on his childhood experiences in Chungking Mansion, a building complex that consists of various lodgings and shops run by people of various nationalities, and in Midnight Express, a bar located in the Central District of Hong Kong.

 

The film is very much a visual experience and that is done due to wonderful cinematography by Andrew Lau and Christopher Doyle. According to critic Tony Rayns, Wong Kar-wai was heavily inspired by the works of Haruki Murakami and this influence can be clearly seen on the screen (cop 223’s obsession with expiry dates and cop 663 talking to objects in his apartment). Chungking Express is not so much a three act piece, but a tale about people passing each other, trying to get noticed. I like the first story, but the second one stole my heart. Now, whenever I hear "California Dreamin" song, I can’t help but think about this movie!

 

Speaking about performances, all the four main actors were brilliant. Interestingly, this was Brigitte Lin’s final movie before her retirement (she did a few cameos later on). At the same time, this was also Faye Wong’s debut picture. Takeshi Kaneshiro provided wonderful narration, whereas Tony Leung did not disappoint as an extraordinarily relaxed cop with existential issues.

 

Recommendations

In the Mood for Love (2000) may be my favourite, but I will always have a special place in my heart for Chungking Express. It is such an enjoyable movie that makes you feel better as soon as the end credits (with Faye Wong’s version of “Dreams” song) roll in. If you have not seen Chungking Express, then please watch it!

Overall score: 10/10

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) [Film Review]

Eat Drink Man Woman; or, Family Desires

     Eat, drink, man, woman. Basic human desires. Can’t avoid them! All my life, every day, that’s all I’ve done. It pisses me off. Is that all there is to life?

Finishing my review series of “Father Knows Best” Trilogy, I am now turning to the final, and my personal favourite, movie of the set, Eat Drink Man Woman, shot entirely by Ang Lee on location in Taiwan.

Release Info

Directed by: Ang Lee Starring: Sihung Lung, Chien-lien Wu, Kuei-Mei Yang, Yu-Wen Wang

Language: Mandarin Original Title: 饮食男女 Runtime: 119 min

 

Synopsis

Mr Chu (Sihung Lung) is a widower and a master-chef living in Taipei together with his three unmarried daughters: Chu Jia-Chien (Chien-lien Wu), an executive working in an airline industry; Chu Jia-Jen (Kuei-Mei Yang), a school teacher who has issues with relationships and seeks consolation in Christianity; Chu Jia-Ning (Yu-Wen Wang), a college student who accidentally gets involved with her friend’s ex-boyfriend. The family lives through everyday existence while ritually eating every night large portions of elaborate dishes prepared by Chu.

 

A Confucian Father and Modern Children

Even though Eat Drink Man Woman refers to the Chinese idiom about human desires and provides exactly what the title says, I would not call it a “food picture”. This is not the film about the celebration of eating like, for example, Juzo Itami’s Tampopo (1985), but rather, it’s about the food playing the role of a communicator between distanced family members. In all three films of the trilogy, there are Ang Lee’s autobiographical elements and the issue of father-child conflict is the most predominant here. Mr Chu by no means is a bad father, but he is very traditional and rigid in his relations; yet, similarly to his daughters, he too has some desires which he wants to fulfil.

 

With regard to the three daughters, they all are very colourful characters who undergo a certain degree of change as the story moves on. Although they vary in age, the daughters become more independent in life due to men they encounter. Thankfully, it’s not all about the liberating power of sex, but a true connection which expresses itself as either love or friendship, all that with food placed in the background.

 

In Eat Drink Man Woman, Ang Lee beautifully dissects the fabric of modern-day family in the face of rapid globalisation and fading tradition. As in the case of The Wedding Banquet, the viewer finds himself rooting for all the characters but the outcome is very much an unexpected one. The third act of the film is especially important in this regard because the house grows to be the central figure of the story which stands in-between of Mr Chu and Chu Jia-Chien.

 

Speaking about performances, Sihung Lung is just brilliant as the father. If it hadn’t been for him, the whole trilogy would have looked totally different. The performances of Chien-lien Wu, Kuei-Mei Yang, and Yu-Wen Wang are also wonderful. In addition, it’s great to see Winston Chao and Gua Ah-leh (both from The Wedding Banquet) in the supporting roles. Also, Jong Lin’s cinematography and a memorable music score by Mader deserve praise.

 

Recommendations

I safely recommend Eat Drink Man Woman to anyone looking for a peaceful two-hour story set in Taiwan. In my opinion, this is a spiritual companion piece to Edward Yang’s Yi Yi (2000). To think that Ang Lee’s career was launched by a random Taiwanese screenplay contest still boggles my mind. This guy is a marvellous director and I love his three earliest films the most. He really should come back to Taiwan and make one more Asian slice-of-life movie. In the meantime, we should all enjoy the "Father Knows Best" Trilogy.

Overall score: 10/10