Tetsuo, the Iron Man (1989) Tetsuo (original title)

Director:

Shin'ya Tsukamoto

Writer:

Shin'ya Tsukamoto (writer)

Release Date:

1 July 1989 (Japan)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A strange man known only as the "metal fetishist", who seems to have an insane compulsion to stick scrap metal into his body...

Plot Keywords:

Metal | Japanese | Fetishist | Transformation | Telekinesis

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Tomorowo Taguchi	...	Man
Kei Fujiwara	...	Woman
Nobu Kanaoka	...	Woman in Glasses
Shin'ya Tsukamoto	...	Metal Fetishist
Naomasa Musaka	...	Doctor
Renji Ishibashi	...	Tramp

Directed by
Shin'ya Tsukamoto

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Shin'ya Tsukamoto		writer

Produced by
Shin'ya Tsukamoto	....	producer

Original Music by
Chu Ishikawa

Cinematography by
Kei Fujiwara
Shin'ya Tsukamoto

Film Editing by
Shin'ya Tsukamoto

Art Direction by
Shin'ya Tsukamoto

Costume Design by
Kei Fujiwara

Production Companies

• Japan Home Video (JHV)
• K2 Spirit
• Kaijyu Theater
• SEN

Distributors

• Action Gitanes (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• Des Films (???) (France) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2011) (Spain) (DVD)
• Fox Lorber (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Kaijyu Theater
• Original Cinema (1992) (USA) (subtitled)
• Palisades Tartan (2008) (UK) (all media)
• Palisades Tartan (1989) (USA) (all media)
• Raro Video (2007) (Italy) (DVD)
• Siren Visual Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Siren Visual Entertainment (2002) (New Zealand) (DVD)
• StudioCanal (????) (France) (DVD)
• Tartan Video USA (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• There's Enterprise (????) (Japan) (DVD)
• Third Window Films (2012) (UK) (all media)

Also Known As:

"Tetsuo" - Japan (original title)

Runtime:

67 min | Argentina:69 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival) | 77 min (extended cut)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R | New Zealand:R13 | UK:18 | USA:Not Rated | Argentina:16 | Germany:16 | Singapore:(Banned)

Company:

Japan Home Video (JHV)

Trivia:

Based on a play that Shin'ya Tsukamoto had written, directed, and performed in college.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Heavy Metal (#1.4)" (2008)

True Surreal Cinema

I heard about this movie reading a comic book magazine in elementary school. It piqued my interest and I searched for it on video for rental for several months before finding it. Also included on the video was a short film entitled "Drum struck" which didn't interest me at all. The real meat was Tetsuo.

The "plot" of this film revolves around a businessman (who apparently like to have sex with his girlfriend in public places and film it) who is involved in a hit and run auto accident with a metal fetishist. Soon the man appears to be hallucinating about people sprouting metal appendages until it begins to happen to him. Chunks of scrap metal grow like cancerous tumors. Soon, they're not random scraps but working appliances such as drills. If this isn't bad enough he soon finds out the man he hit (played by the director of the film) is in fact alive and rather peeved.

Absolutely insane violence permeates the film which retains its punch through the black and white film.

The review I read about this film compared it to Eraserhead (A film I still have not seen) which I believe says a lot about Eraserhead. To compare it to a film I've seen I'd say it reminds me of "Un Chien Andalou" with about three more lines of dialog and a lot more gore and violence.

I also recommend the sequel Tetsuo II: Body Hammer. It's similar but bigger. Color, dialog, etc.

10/10