Visitor Q (2001)

A troubled and perverted family find their lives intruded by a mysterious stranger who seems to help find a balance in their disturbing natures.

Director:

Takashi Miike

Writer:

Itaru Era (as Era)

Stars:

Ken'ichi Endô, Shungiku Uchida, Kazushi Watanabe

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview:
Ken'ichi Endô	...	Kiyoshi Yamazaki / Father
Shungiku Uchida	...	Keiko Yamazaki / Mother
Kazushi Watanabe	...	The visitor
Jun Mutô	...	Takuya Yamazaki / Son
Fujiko	...	Miki Yamazaki / Daughter
Shôko Nakahara	...	Asako Murata
Ikkô Suzuki	...	Sasaoka (as Ikko Suzuki)

Storyline

A father, who is a failed former television reporter tries to mount a documentary about violence and sex among youths. He proceeds to have sex with his daughter who is now a prostitute and films his son being humiliated and hit by classmates. "Q", a perfect stranger somehow gets involved and enter the bizzare family who's son beats his mom, who in turn is also a prostitute and a heroin addict...

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Plot Keywords:

mysterious stranger | cult film | incestuous desire | child murder | dead body in a car trunk | 

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Taglines:

Takashi Miike's most insane film yet!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong aberrant sexual and violent content, language and drug use

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

26 November 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Visitor Q+

Box Office

Budget:

JPY7,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$15,678

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alphaville, CineRocket

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

(at around 35 mins) When Keiko is tending to her wounds in front of the mirror.

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Quotes

Takuya Yamazaki: [to the Visitor, lying in pool of milk] From today on, I'm going to study. I have entrance exams next year.
The visitor: Is that so?
Takuya Yamazaki: Why did you really come to our home? You came here to destroy it, didn't you? I thought so all along.
[they smile at each other]
Takuya Yamazaki: Thank you.

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Connections

Follows Tokyo Trash Baby (2000)

User Reviews

Even viewers familiar with Miike's other bizarre movies will be unprepared for this! I think in decades to come it will regarded as a milestone and spoken of in the same breath as Bunuel, Jodorowsky, Lynch a

I've seen over half a dozen Takashi Miike movies, so I'm aware of how bizarre his output can be, but nothing can quite prepare you for how extreme 'Visitor Q' is! In the last decade Miike has gone from straight to video crime thrillers to genre-busting arthouse cult favourites by following his own unique vision. He's also breathtakingly prolific, having completed around twenty projects since this, which was released only three years ago(!) Miike's best known movies in the last few years include the ultra-violent live action manga 'Ichi The Killer', the slow psychological thriller 'Audition', and the zany, feel good zombie musical 'The Happiness Of The Katakuris'. Those three movies alone prove he is the most exciting and innovative director working today, but 'Visitor Q' takes him to a whole new level. 'Pink Flamingos' meets 'Salo' meets reality TV on crack(?) However you try and describe this movie it just won't be adequate. When I say you just have to see it to believe it, I'm not just taking in cliches! 'Visitor Q' is shot on digital video in a pseudo-documentary style. In the opening scene we see a middle aged man (Kenicho Endo, who you might recognize from Miike's 'Dead Or Alive 2') inadvertently videotaping himself having sex with a teenage prostitute. They are in fact father and daughter. This is just the beginning of a very strange trip for the viewer! The father is a failed TV reporter who comes up with a new program idea about bullying using his own teenage son (Jun Muto), who is being victimized by his classmates and in turn abuses his own mother (Shungiku Uchida). She is secretly addicted to heroin and turns tricks to support her habit. Into this ultra-dysfunctional family comes a mysterious visitor (Kazushi Watanabe) who we are introduced to when we see him brain the father with a rock. Exactly who or what the visitor is is never explained, but his presence effects the family in various odd ways, strangely bringing them closer together. His character reminded me a bit of the messiah figures in Coffin Joe's 'Finis Hominis' or J.G. Ballard's 'The Unlimited Dream Company'. 'Visitor Q' slowly creeps up on you with images of abuse and abnormal behavior until around the three quarter mark when you are left staring slack jawed at the screen not quite believing what you are seeing! When the movie cuts between Father in the greenhouse and Mother in the kitchen with Visitor Q (I won't/can't go into details!) it's the most extraordinary sequence I've watched in any movie EVER! It goes with saying that 'Visitor Q' is not for most people, but if you appreciate the surreal and the confrontational, then this is one movie you MUST see. I think in decades to come it will regarded as a milestone and spoken of in the same breath as Bunuel, Jodorowsky, Lynch and Cronenberg.