Features, Lists, Monster Fest, ABDUCTEE, MEATBALL MACHINE, Yudai Yamaguchi
The manga-esque escapades of Yudai Yamaguchi!
Hey horrorphiles! As you have probably already seen Yudai Yamaguchi’s latest film ABDUCTEE will be screening at the (rapidly) upcoming Monster Fest. Simply because he is such a unique filmmaker, I assure you that one is an absolute gem! Working from the horror and comedy genres in Japan, Yamaguchi has created quite a name for himself with flicks that are full of outlandish gore in the most bizarre and humorous ways possible. His films range from horror, to science fiction, to thriller, to comedy, but most often Yamaguchi will mix horror and comedy, creating a harmonious balance of gore and laughter. Oh, and Yamaguchi has ties to other filmmakers of similar taste, such as Noboru Iguchi (NUIGURUMA Z) and Yoshihiro Nishimura (TOKYO GORE POLICE). Iguchi and Yamaguchi have previously paired up to create a series of (comedic) fake television commercials that were shoved into TOKYO GORE POLICE. As a part of such a unique and eccentric group of filmmakers, it is a guarantee that Yamaguchi’s flicks are gonna shock, entertain, and blow your fricken’ minds!
MEATBALL MACHINE 
If you like sci-fi mixed with a bit of horror then you’re in for a damn good treat! MEATBALL MACHINE features plenty of gore, some wicked costumes and with the injection of a cyber punk science fiction type vibe, the atmosphere is most astounding. Aliens have invaded Japan, and human bodies are their hosts! When two host bodies come together, all hell breaks loose (think blood and guts with a side of cannibalism). Branded ‘NecroBorgs,’ the host bodies wonder around the city being aggressive toward one another. The entire film just showcases butchery; it is a complete fricken’ gore-fest. The special effects are by Nishimura (who also did the special effects for Iguchi’s THE MACHINE GIRL and his very own TOKYO GORE POLICE), so you just know that you’re going to get the real deal, a splat-terrific blood fueled feast!
‘J’ IS FOR JIDAI-GEKI: ABCS OF DEATH
Yamaguchi is yet another Japanese filmmaker to contribute to THE ABCS OF DEATH horror anthology. Jidai-geki translates to period drama, which is a genre that spans from the theatre, and into Japanese film. With most of the narratives set in the Edo period, samurais were aplenty, and they enjoyed good social status. In this short Yamaguchi depicts samurais in a most humorous way. The film cuts between one samurai trying to work up the nerve to kill another. The victim is laughing, and as the camera cuts to him, his face bloats up with joy. Suddenly, his eyeballs fall out of his face and twirl around in the air. The killer sweats profusely; it is rather comical. The rogue eyeballs and the expressions of the samurai are so damn amusing. Worth a watch, it will bring a smile to your face!
YAKUZA WEAPON
Oh, how I love yakuza films! My friends, this is one of the most entertaining yakuza films that I’ve seen yet. Filmmaker Sakaguchi pairs up with Yamaguchi to create a film that inspires raucous laughter paired with kick-arse yakuza action. Pwoah! Amazingly, the film was shot in only twelve days. Double Pwoah! Shozo Iwaki is a mercenary in South Africa, who returns home upon his Father’s death. Shoved into the ol’ yakuza gang, Shozo quickly discovers that he is being double-crossed. While Shozo is tough as nails, he suffers injury and so a mean looking machine gun is attached to his arm, and a rocket launcher is mounted to his leg. Shozo becomes the ultimate yakuza-killing machine! Not to mention there are also corpses that are turned into weapons, mind-controlled soldiers, nurses with machine guns (so many guns), explosions and kickin’ showdowns. It is absolute mayhem!
DEADBALL
DEADBALL combines horror, comedy and sport (yes, sport) to create a film full of splatter and absurdity. Released in the same year as YAKUZA WEAPON, this is a solo project of Yamaguchi’s. It features a boy by the name of Jubeh Yakyu, who has super human strength. Accidentally killing his Father with his pitchin’ arm, Jubeh grows to be a hardened criminal. At 17 Jubeh has killed at least fifty people in a few weeks, and so he is sent to juvenile detention. The film has some weird characters, with the chief warden Ishihara a descendent of a Nazi who was involved in the genocide program during World War II (?!??). As the plot develops, Jubeh is asked to play in the prison’s baseball team, the Pterodactyl Gauntlets. With their first game against an all female team known for their grotesque butchery (St. Black Dahlia High School), the match is sure to be a real hoot! When the baseballs hit it is just so gory, it’s great. Some highlights include the cutesy pop idol singers by the name of Poo-poo, and the Nazi cyborg. Deliciously wacky, humorous, and fun… I want to take up baseball.
ABDUCTEE
I promise not to give anything away, but ABDUCTEE is a must-see at Monster Fest! Yamaguchi’s latest is a thriller of epic proportions. With his arms and legs bound, an ex-Manga artist by the name of Atsushi Chiba suddenly awakes. He is in a shipping container, surrounded by four unbreakable walls. As the plot thickens, Chiba figures out a way to remove his binds before discovering that there are other people in containers that he may communicate with. The film is extremely claustrophobic, with the entire 90 minutes shot in the same container, using close-ups and extreme camera angles. As the film has the power to make one feel as trapped as Chiba, it is quite a harrowing (but worthy!) experience. Plus, there are depictions of super-human powers that I thought were pretty damn cool. So, that’s all folks! ABUDCTEE will screens at the Cinema Nova on the 25th of November at 9:30PM. See you at the cinema!
