The first run in I had with Hausu, the cult Japanese horror flick from 1977 that messes with your mind grapes, was via this screenshot on Modcult. Naturally everything in that shot peaked my interest in the film, and fortunately for me the newly released 35mm print made it's way to the Castro Theater this weekend. I had to see it, so I did.
It's hard to describe exactly what happens in Hausu, which is more or less my way of telling you to go see it. Just go see it. It's amazing. If you can picture a cross-pollination of your typical Horror B-Movie mixed with some all-girl Japanese Anime, the sunny sounds of 70's Japanese rock band Godiego, and an acid trip, you'd only be imagining the tip of the iceberg that is Hausu. You can read a review of it on the New York Times or watch the Trailer below, but trust me, you just have to see it to believe it.
P.S. For those of you who have seen it, who was your favorite girl? Kung-Fu was at the top of my list but Fantasy was a close second. Also, how cool is this t-shirt?
Very scary movie.
Posted by: khyrll | April 19, 2010 at 11:33 AM
Heh, I didn't think so, unless by "scary" you mean "GOOFY" and "AMAZING".
Posted by: .tiff | April 19, 2010 at 11:45 AM
Wow. I've never heard of this movie. Interesting. If you want to find more cultic movie, search movies directed by "Shuji Terayama" like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbFZXVU1FF4
Posted by: Masayoshi Sekimura | April 19, 2010 at 03:00 PM
Woah, looks interesting. Do you know what the English title of this movie is (if it exists, that is)? Thanks!
Posted by: .tiff | April 19, 2010 at 03:08 PM
According to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071406/ it's a "Den-en ni shisu" no English though. Have fun and let me know another cult Japanese movie :)
Posted by: Masayoshi Sekimura | April 19, 2010 at 03:24 PM
Goofy, yes, but I found it dreamlike enough to legitimately scare me. It felt like having a dream and sensing it's about to lapse into a nightmare. The campiness of it all is a unsettling frame of reference for all the severed heads and demonic cats. Ugh!
Posted by: Tim | April 23, 2010 at 06:15 AM
Haha, well when I watched it I was in a giant old theater with tons of people laughing and giggling at the campiness so it was hard to see the movie otherwise :) There were definitely some creepy moments that didn't get any laughs, but then one of the girls would say something like "Oh, I suppose it's just an illusion!" or "Kung-fu you're so COOL!" and then we'd all be back to laughing again :)
Posted by: .tiff | April 23, 2010 at 01:29 PM