Party 7 (2000) - Katsuhito Ishii Movie Review
Welcome to Sensei Sensibility! You are the hungry mind yearning to devour quality Asian cinema; I am the (questionably) knowledgeable Sensei, more than happy to satiate your cinematic appetite.
Oh sweet baby Jesus gently swaddled in a manger with assorted farm animals lowing reverently in his general mystical direction. The Katsuhito Ishii from Third Window Films is the bonkers gift that keeps on giving. I'm rarely stuck for words and yet - here we are! I will attempt to review Party 7, however, in the interests of journalistic integrity I must admit... I hadn't a bloody clue what going most of the time.
So, without further ado:
Elvisly coiffed, pink leather jacket wearing Miki (majestically portrayed by Masatoshi Nagase) is on the run from his Yakuza family with a suitcase full of stolen syndicate moolah. He decides to lie low at hotel New Mexico where he bizarrely ends up crossing paths with stunning ex-girlfriend the gold-digging Kana-chana (hilariously played by stunner Akemi Kobayashi) her geeky, stalker fiancé; has an emotional showdown with besuited Yakuza brother Sonoda (the comically brooding Keisuke Horibe); with all this culminating in an explosive - and deadly - climax with odd-ball hitman Wakagashi.
Unbeknownst to them, this party of five is in fact a party of seven, as all involved are being secretly viewed through a hidden screen by chronic Peeping Toms Okita (the glorious Tadanobu Asano) and *drum roll* Captain Banana. (Move over Bananaman, there's a new fruit based superhero in town!)
Cue guns galore, chaotic confessions of love, cosmic space poop and a life-size stuffed fighting polar bear and you've (madly) got a quite similar story to Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl, but with a masterful confidence and surreal playfulness from Ishii, proving his elevated growth as a director.
Again we see Ishii's unique mark on the film with the retro aesthetics and over-saturated seventies colour palette. The killer combo of deadpan comedy and slapstick are still present, as are his Tarantino style unrelated, minor character conversations. (That are bloody funny.) The electric score is a strange sonic fusion of musical styles, and once again Ishii's animation background comes into play with the psychedelic, energetic animated opening sequence showing Miki's syndicate heist.
At times almost a bizarre chamber piece, Party 7 is a character driven action-comedy featuring some outlandish and ludicrous caricatures. Fair dues to hair and wardrobe, I've never seen such a smorgasbord of magnificently horrendous hair-styles, and, like Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl, the costumes consist of a strange and contrasting mix of textures: leathers, hides, animal skins, garish animal prints, velour, velvet, feathers, fur.
I adored the Ren Osugi cameo, his wise words as young Okita's doctor will stay with me through the ages: "Light up your heart before your crotch." (Titter.) Baby faced Tadanobu Asano as jailbird and "Peeping Syndrome" sufferer Okita was a distasteful joy to behold (fun fact from the fantastic Behind the Scenes Blu Ray extras - Okita's goggle-eyed "Mr. Dog" sweatervest was handmade by Kasuhito Ishii himself!), and his one-on-one scenes with fellow peeper Captain Banana (Yoshio Harada) discussing their "Best of Peeps Top Ten" had me in stitches, as it will you.
Visually stunning, envelope pushing, violent, and with a standing ovation worthy twist ending (is it really a twist if it was foreshadowed in the opening scenes!?), Party 7 is crazy chaos that definitely sparks joy.
Perfect for fans of: GO (2001) and Electric Dragon 80.000V (2000), released mid July from Third Window Films.
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