Japan-centric Films

All 3 of these films were viewed at Matt Kauffman's monthly Japan-File film night in Osaka. Worth going to if you like seeing obscure Japan related movies.

Movie Review: Death Ride to Osaka
Jennifer Jason Leigh stars in this old 1983 made-for-TV movie. They must have jazzed up the home video version though because there a few topless dancer scenes included here. Supposedly based on a true story, a naive American girl signs up with a Japanese hostess club with hopes of jump starting her singing career. It only takes a short time to learn that she's not just there to sing, but to provide company for slimy, rich, old Japanese men. Any girls who resist the management receive a transfer to Osaka, never to be seen again. It's pretty campy but according to all-knowing Matt this movie caused a virtual panic in America after it was shown and the number of young women bound for Tokyo dwindled to nearly nothing. 5/10

Movie Review: Tokyo Pop
Young American singer heads to Japan with dreams of making it big. And she does, but realized she is just the most recent flavour of the month. I thought Carrie Hamilton (daughter of Princess Leia) did a really good job and her voice was very good. Sad to hear that her career didn't really go anywhere after this starring role and that she died of cancer a few years ago. 7/10

Movie Review: Tokyo Cowboy
A lonely, cowboy enthusiast Tokyoite goes to rural Canada in search of the cowgirl pen pal he wrote to as a teenager. He arrives only to find out that she's not interested in him at all. In fact she's not interested in men at all. Her mother, who he stays with, is in denial about the whole thing. Our Tokyo cowboy then falls in love with his pen pal's roommate/girlfriend and she shows some feelings for him too. Quite complicated for a simple culture clash film this movie felt like a precursor to Lost in Translation. 6/10