The Red Spectacles (1987)

A surreal science fiction noir involving a man trapped in a future where seemingly everyone is a government spy and all-night noodle stands are outlawed.

Director:

Mamoru Oshii

Writers:

Kazunori Itô, Mamoru Oshii

Stars:

Shigeru Chiba, Machiko Washio, Hideyuki Tanaka

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shigeru Chiba	...	Koichi Todome
Machiko Washio	...	Midori Washio
Hideyuki Tanaka	...	Soichiro Toribe / Ao
Tesshô Genda	...	Bunmei Muroto
Mako Hyôdô	...	Young Lady
Ichirô Nagai	...	Billiards Man
Yasuo Ôtsuka	...	Taxi Driver
Hirô Oikawa	...	Hotel Receptionist
Takashi Kanematsu	...	Yakuza A
Toshio Furukawa	...	Yakuza B
Tomohiro Nishimura	...	Punk
Hidetoshi Nakamura	...	Bunmei's Minion
Takahiro Hirai	...	Bunmei's Minion
Fumihiko Tachiki	...	Bunmei's Minion
Takeyuki Funato	...	Bunmei's Minion

Storyline

A surreal science fiction noir involving a man trapped in a future where seemingly everyone is a government spy and all-night noodle stands are outlawed.

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Plot Keywords:

dystopia | cinema | movie theater | surrealism | suitcase | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

7 February 1987 (Japan)

Also Known As:

The Red Spectacles

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mamoru Oshii: [bassett hound]

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Connections

Followed by Stray Dogs (1991)

User Reviews

Original; but is that enough?

This is, for lack of a better term, an art film. This should be said from the start, because while many of Oshii's anime films are of a philosophical bent, they hew closely enough to convention to appeal to mainstream movie fans. This film probably does not.

Judging the film as a whole, it makes some interesting philosophical points and pays off at the end. The question is whether this payoff is enough to justify what went before. I am not sure about this.

Normally one assesses a confusing film that can only be fully grasped at the end by looking at that film's secondary characteristics.

Judged as an art film, the movie's technique is expert, but it is not so innovative or visually compelling so as to justify the film by itself. There is nothing wrong with the acting in this movie, but it is not so compelling that it shifts one's focus from the film as a whole.

Judged as a more commercial or mainstream film, this movie is distinctive for its emphasis on humor. That humor is an old-fashioned form of slapstick however, and while this will make the film for some people, if you do not especially like this form of humor, then the fact that it is placed in a confusing and rather dark movie will prevent the individual bits of humor from coalescing into a funny unity greater than the sum of the parts.

The one thing that cannot be denied or dismissed, is that this film is an original one, and is philosophical without being preachy. If this is enough, then you are certain to be satisfied.