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The Red Spectacles

Original title: Jigoku no banken: akai megane
  • 19871987
  • 1h 56m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
765
YOUR RATING
The Red Spectacles (1987)
ActionComedyCrime
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
765
YOUR RATING
    • Mamoru Oshii
    • Kazunori Itô
    • Mamoru Oshii
  • Stars
    • Shigeru Chiba
    • Machiko Washio
    • Hideyuki Tanaka
    • Mamoru Oshii
    • Kazunori Itô
    • Mamoru Oshii
  • Stars
    • Shigeru Chiba
    • Machiko Washio
    • Hideyuki Tanaka
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 12User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    The Red Spectacles (1987)
    The Red Spectacles (1987)
    The Red Spectacles (1987)
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    Top cast

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    Shigeru Chiba
    Shigeru Chiba
    • Koichi Todome
    Machiko Washio
    • Midori Washio
    Hideyuki Tanaka
    Hideyuki Tanaka
    • Soichiro Toribe…
    Tesshô Genda
    Tesshô Genda
    • Bunmei Muroto
    Mako Hyôdô
    Mako Hyôdô
    • Young Lady
    Ichirô Nagai
    Ichirô Nagai
    • Billiards Man
    Yasuo Ôtsuka
    • Taxi Driver
    Hirô Oikawa
    • Hotel Receptionist
    Takashi Kanematsu
    • Yakuza A
    Toshio Furukawa
    Toshio Furukawa
    • Yakuza B
    Tomohiro Nishimura
    • Punk
    Hidetoshi Nakamura
    • Bunmei's Minion
    Takahiro Hirai
    • Bunmei's Minion
    Fumihiko Tachiki
    Fumihiko Tachiki
    • Bunmei's Minion
    Takeyuki Funato
    • Bunmei's Minion
    Daiki Nakamura
    • Bunmei's Minion
    Zenchû Mitsui
    • Bunmei's Minion
    Mitsuhiro Uwabe
    • Bunmei's Minion
      • Mamoru Oshii
      • Kazunori Itô
      • Mamoru Oshii
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    • Connections
      Featured in WhatCulture Originals: 10 Great Sci-Fi Movies (Nobody Ever Talks About) (2020)

    User reviews12

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    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.
    helpful•2
    5
    • PenOutOfTime
    • Mar 16, 2008

    Details

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    • Release date
      • February 7, 1987 (Japan)
      • Japan
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
    • Production company
      • Omnibus Promotion
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 56 minutes
      • Black and White
      • Color

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