There's something oddly comforting about the fact that Shinya Tsukamoto has always had such a penchant for the strange and fantastical. Some horror, some sci-fi, sped-up footage, the fusion of flesh and metal and machine, and of course a production that's largely his baby from top to bottom: even on Super-8 film stock, there can hardly be confusing 'The adventure of Denchu-Kozo' as anyone else's work. Homemade, indie, and very low-budget, still we see the imaginative costume design and art direction, effects, editing, and cinematography - not to mention stop-motion animation - that in short order would build his fame with 'Tetsuo: The iron man' two years later. I don't think there's much arguing that the viewing experience here is a little bit of a rough one just owing to the frenetic action and rapid sequencing of some moments, and especially with a slight comedic edge on top, this is outrageous even by the standards we assume of the man. Even at that, however, it's indisputably wild and creative, and highly entertaining from the very start.
After all: why wouldn't one toss together time travel, dystopian futures, vampires, and doomsday devices, and make the protagonist a boy with an electric pole growing out of his back? Tsukamoto was clearly still refining his techniques and style, but the skill, intelligence, and cleverness are unmistakable; however cheeky and ridiculous this may be in no small measure, the effort is completely earnest, and the results speak for themselves. Everything here is genuinely well done and admirable: the smart, compelling, weird, fanciful story; the appreciable and sincere acting, and the filmmaker's wholehearted, committed acting; even the lighting, to say nothing of those facets that are part and parcel of the flair that made Tsukamoto famous. While heavily laying on the science fiction, some bits really are funny; elsewhere, the horror facet is strong and meaningful. It's a very odd swirl of flavors here, but I'd simply be lying if I said it wasn't terrific, and maybe downright brilliant.
It's extraordinarily peculiar, and it definitely won't appeal to everyone. Yet 'The adventure of Denchu-Kozo' is surprisingly, honestly great, reflecting unfettered vision and originality, and it looks and sounds marvelous in every capacity, down to the excellent, flavorful music that lends to the mood of key select moments. It succeeds with regards to all its constituent genres, and as an unsung classic of indie cinema; it's a landmark early in the career of an icon of Japanese cinema, and an exemplar of what can be achieved on a very modest budget with nothing more than a keen mind and unwavering determination. By all reason an amalgamation this preposterous shouldn't work, but in the hands of a shrewd, talented director like Tsukamoto - even at so humble a level of operation - the end result is tremendously entertaining, and far more worthwhile than the concept may seem to portend. Simply put, this is an underappreciated delight that deserves much more recognition. As far as I'm concerned 'The adventure of Denchu-Kozo' is well worth seeking out, and I'm happy to give it my very high and enthusiastic recommendation!
