PINOCCHIO 964 (1991)

3 stars

88 Films. Blu ray (plus standard def DVD). Out Now

Aka: 964 Pinocchio/Screams of Blasphemy

The Japanese do like to make weird and wacky movies. One such is PINOCCHIO 964 – a cyberpunk release following in the footsteps of things like Shinya Tsukamoto’s TETSUO. You know from the opening this is going to be kind of freaky – writhing on the bed having sex, a drill puncturing flesh, blood flowing, a masked surgeon, a semi naked nurse dragging the title character out onto the street. All in black and white.

Then it bursts into colour. A girl, Himiko (Onn-chan), sits on a pavement scanning the crowd with binoculars. Observing as people pass her by. She has lost her memory and is trying to rebuild it. Then she sees him – our title character, slowly walking. Bald but for a tuft of hair sticking up like a horn.

She drags him away to where she is living in some kind of abandoned warehouse. He doesn’t speak and looks confused. The only clue to who he is is a tattoo on his back ‘Pinocchio 964’ with the square root symbol. We learn later he is a sexbot who was abandoned by a dissatisfied customer. Like Himiko, he has no memory, but his was wiped.

As the plot progresses the jumbled scenes from the beginning start to make sense. Things get progressively weirder and freaky. It’s all a bit of a head fuck and often narratively confusing. Crazed sequences which make no real sense – much of them without dialogue. Things get gory and there is some quite sick imagery. Whilst one can admire it for its bonkers outlook I am not sure it’s actually an enjoyable watch.

Clearly a low budget effort this is shot in the squarish 1.33:1 ratio. Considering the paucity of funds much of the often crazy make up fx are well executed if a bit crude. Haji Suzuki as the titular character gives a suitably manic performance.

EXTRAS

3 stars

Archive Interview With Director Shozin Fukui (32 mins)

New Interview With Director Shozin Fukui (20 mins)

Shozin Fukui’s Short Films Gerorisuto (1986 – 11 mins) And Caterpillar (1988 – 32 mins)

Introduction By Stephen Thrower (15 mins)

Teaser Trailer

Original And Newly Commissioned Artwork By Lucas Peverill