Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. (1990)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Directors:

Michael Herz
Lloyd Kaufman

Writers:

Lloyd Kaufman (screenplay) and
Andrew Osborne (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

March 1991 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

Fatal Sushi ... Lethal Chopsticks .. And As American As Apple Pie!

Plot:

Harry Griswald is a NYPD cop who is possessed with the spirit of a great Kabuki master. This has made...

Plot Keywords:

Nypd | Kabuki | Corrupt Businessman | Gross Out Comedy | Cult Favorite

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Rick Gianasi	...	Harry Griswold / Sgt. Kabukiman
Susan Byun	...	Lotus
Bill Weeden	...	Reginald Stuart
Thomas Crnkovich	...	Rembrandt
Larry Robinson	...	Rev. Snipes
Noble Lee Lester	...	Capt. Bender
Brick Bronsky	...	Jughead
Pamela Alster	...	Connie LaRosa
Shaler McClure	...	Felicia
Jeff Wineshmutz	...	Hernandez
Joe Fleishaker	...	Josephs
Fumio Furuya	...	Sato
Masahiro Yamaguchi	...	Ichiro
Traci Mann	...	Ichiro's Wife
The Blonde Fox	...	Waitress

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-12 (1994) | Germany:18 | Australia:R | UK:18 | USA:PG-13 | USA:Unrated (director's cut)

Company:

Namco Tales Studio Ltd.

Trivia:

The film was spun-off from the character Kabuki-Boy in The Toxic Avenger, Part II (1989). Lloyd Kaufman jokingly mentioned he was making a movie about the character and Japanese investors became interested.

Goofs:

Continuity: The positions of the people during Griswald and Lotus' conversation near the statue of liberty. They disappear and reappear between shots.

Quotes:

Female Reporter: How did you feel when you saw rivulets of blood flowing down his beautiful kabuki costume?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Scene Smoking: Cigarettes, Cinema & the Myth of Cool (2001)

Soundtrack:

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. Theme Song

The Least Graphic of the Troma Team Releases

After being kissed by a kabuki master, Harry Griswold (police detective) transforms into the superhero Kabukiman. Harnessing his new kabuki powers, he faces corrupt businessmen, drug-dealing ministers... and must prevent the monkey from riding the jaguar.

I first watched this film years (2000?) ago at my friend Jason's apartment and loved it, as I love all Troma releases. Today I watched it for the second time after picking up the DVD at Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors in Chicago 2007 from the director himself, Lloyd Kaufman. The movie was everything I remembered it being and more.

The humor is cheesy and full of bad puns, the acting is decent but not Oscar-worthy, and some scenes are just not politically correct (though by far much less gross than any other Troma movie ever made). We get the first instance of the legendary car crash scene and some good fights. Heck, even the flying special effect is tolerable. Though after seeing "Puma Man" pretty much all flying scenes are tolerable.

Troma is known for their anti-capitalism views, and it shows here (though more subtle than in "Troma's War" or "Terror Firmer"). I mean, the villains are a business tycoon and a reverend! This is a strength for the films, I feel, because it really helps the target audience rally around the hero. If you're watching these films and enjoying them, clearly you like independent films, which makes you a natural for being opposed to huge organizations. Or maybe it's just me.

So, yes. Cheesy plot and acting. A little gore (but not too much). Some bare breasts for no good reason. It's everything you expect from Troma, though more tame and with a little more plot. You really ought to see "Toxic Avenger" first, but if you like that one, this is a great follow-up.