Tokyo! (2008)

A cinematic triptych of three Tokyo-set stories.

Directors:

Joon-ho Bong, Leos Carax,

Writers:

Gabrielle Bell (graphic novel "Cecil and Jordan in New York"), Joon-ho Bong,

Stars:

Ayako Fujitani, Ryo Kase, Ayumi Ito

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ayako Fujitani	...	Hiroko (segment "Interior Design")
Ryo Kase	...	Akira (segment "Interior Design")
Ayumi Ito	...	Akemi (segment "Interior Design")
Nao Ohmori	...	Hiroshi (segment "Interior Design")
Satoshi Tsumabuki	...	Takeshi (segment "Interior Design")
Ken Mitsuishi	...	Agent immobilier homme (segment "Interior Design")
Yuno Iriguchi	...	Agent immobilier femme (segment "Interior Design")
Rie Minemura	...	Responsable du magasin d'objets (segment "Interior Design")
Ben Himura	...	Employé de la fourrière (segment "Interior Design")
Kenjirô Ishimaru	...	Oncle de Takeshi (segment "Interior Design")
Taijirô Tamura	...	Spectateur 1 au cinéma (segment "Interior Design")
Junya Asô	...	Spectateur 2 au cinéma (segment "Interior Design")
Mayu Harada	...	Collègue d'Akemi (segment "Interior Design")
Motomi Makiguchi	...	Clochard (segment "Interior Design")
Hiroko Ninomiya	...	Vieille dame à l'arret de bus (segment "Interior Design")

Storyline

Tokyo is a city of transitions in three short films. A young woman who finds her life useless experiences a metamorphosis. A disheveled Caucasian emerges from a manhole to face arrest, trial, and execution; he calls himself "Merde" and speaks a language only his look-alike attorney understands. Is he human? A recluse experiences human contact when a pizza-delivery girl faints at his door during an earthquake. He conquers fear to seek her out. A chair, a corpse, a hermit: sources of urban connection?

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Plot Keywords:

pizza delivery | chair | metamorphosis | rain | traffic jam | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

France Japan South Korea Germany

Language:

Japanese French English

Release Date:

16 August 2008 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Tokio!

Filming Locations:

Kugayama, Tokyo, Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$23,460 (USA) (6 March 2009)

Gross:

$351,059 (USA) (12 June 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Comme des Cinémas, Kansai Telecasting Corporation, Bitters End

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Holy Motors (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Tokyo Town Pages"
Composed and Performed by Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryûichi Sakamoto
Released through commmons

User Reviews

Pull up a Chair and Push a Button

Greetings again from the darkness. Three odd shorts merged together because of their Tokyo locations. Normally I am not a fan of the segmented, multi-director approach. The best that come to mind are Paris je'Taime and New York Stories. Tokyo is not at that level.

The always interesting Michel Gondry (yes, he's French) has the best segment. Interior Design provides two story lines ... the fine line between generosity (helping a friend) and taking advantage of that friend; and the loneliness of losing one's self in a relationship. Gondry works wonders in a short time and I absolutely loved the chair as a metaphor.

The second segment comes from another Frenchman, Leos Carax. By far the weakest and least accessible, Merde is about our facing the fear of an unknown terror. We are startled in the beginning as we are introduced to Merde, but the story falls apart after he is incarcerated.

Korean Joon-ho Bong (The Host) presents Shaking Tokyo in the third segment. Dealing with a totally reclusive and obsessive character who, after 10 years, makes his first contact with another person and is captivated. There is some comedy here but also commentary on the need to connect.

Overall, some interesting shorts, but don't expect any tie to the three stories ... other than the fascinating title city.