I meant to post something about this a good while ago when I first spotted the teaser online, but I never quite got around to it. Just stumbled across a full review and the full trailer, so I suppose it’s time …
Were you one of those people who figured the talk show host in Lost in Translation had to be some sort of bizarre in joke? Nothing that weird could actually be on mainstream television, right? Wrong. That guy’s actually the top rated talk show host in Japan and he doesn’t even begin to scratch the surfact of just how bizarre Japanese pop culture can be. They’ve got some truly strange sub-cultures over there … case in point: Kamikaze Girls. A luridly colored, adapted from a popular comic story about an unlikely friendship between a country girl fixated on 18th century France – hence the frilly dresses and parasols – and a member of an all female biker gang. I don’t expect the story line to be remarkably deep but this is the sort of thing destined to become an instant cult classic if it ever gets seen outside of Japan simply because it just looks so strange that people such as myself will be strangely compelled to watch it over and over again.
Check out an in depth review here, the teaser trailer here, the full trailer here, and the website here. If you can figure out why the poster features cabbages falling from the sky, let me know. I’m kind of curious.
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE SONGS IN DER MOVIE ARE CALLED!!! I LOVE THEIR SONGS!!!! iF ANYONE KNOES TELL ME PLS PLS PLS
I was fortunate enough to have seen “Kamikaze Girls” at the New York Premiere at the Anthology Theater. And I must say, it is most definetely one of the best films I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing. I took a car-load of friends in with me to see it, and they all gave it 5 stars. As if our critique matters…but anyway, I laughed at many parts, and found other parts very moving. And the overall style, energy and feel to the whole movie outdoes mostly everything I’ve seen before. Not only that, the cinematography, acting and directing were all brilliant. As for the music…sheer genious! Yoko Kanno + Tommy heavenly6 + JOHANN STRAUSS JR?! Thats taking film soundtracks to a whole new level. Overall, “Kamikaze Girls” was incredible. I’m so glad I got to see it on the big screen before its supposed January DVD release.
*****
love the movie, it’s funny and visually very attractive :)
Since the last post on this is last year, the movie is in the U.S. now with English subs, going to see a pre-screening tonight, so have fun to those who want to see it!
saw it on an ANA plane to and from japan, had english subs so was pretty great, going to harajuku afterwards.
Have watched the film, I think the fact that momoko hands a cabbage to ichigo/ichiko and telling her it is her new friend probebly means that by the the time she is hit by the truck, surrounded by cabbages she comes to realise she needs friends… or perhaps its just an on going joke
She gets hit by a truck transporting cabbages, and they fly into the air as well. That may be why. Currently trying to find an english translation. I’m only understanding bits and pieces, which is my punishment for dropping off on my Japanese studies.
This film was wicked fun!
Reminded me of Tank Girl, only with scooters and not tanks!
Little bit less action but just as much style!
Just saw that the Japanese DVD for this has been announced, but no english subs. It’s probably not a big enough film to get a subbed release anywhere else, either …
I saw the FILM. It’s a story about the friendship of two different kind of people. It’s fun for the eyes and to the heart. It can even make a mid-aged-man cry as if he saw a good old yakuza movie! (I swear the god I saw it) I wonder if this deep story only appeal to a certain kind of people…
oooh … wasn’t aware of the Yoko Kanno link. Now i’m definitely gonna have to track this one down …
Gosh — I wrote about this back in March when I had just discovered the trailer online. Don’t know who came up with the new English title — guess the literal translation – Story of Shimotsuma — wasn’t catchy enough.
Thanks for the links!
Not sure but I think ibaraki prefecture, were the story takes place is famouse for growing cabbage. and the CM at the end says if you buy advance tix you can get fingernail stickers of the 2 main chicks.