Tetsuo: The Iron Man

Called the “cyberpunk ERASERHEAD,” Shinya Tsukamoto’s underground classic was virtually absent from theaters for decades as all physical releases were out of print. Now available in a brand new restoration, the film is an unhinged metaphor of humankind’s ongoing battle with technology; literally, as a man mutates into a walking, clanking machine that terrorizes himself and everyone around him.

Warping elements of early Cronenberg, Lynch, and Raimi into a deliriously-paced cocktail, Tsukamoto’s body horror manifesto was largely ignored until it won Best Picture at 1989’s Fantafestival in Rome, prompting sold out late-night screenings in its home country and helping kick start a new revival of independent film in Japan.

Fueled by techno-erotic adrenaline and wrought iron perversion, the grueling 16mm production was finished almost entirely by the director and just two actors, Kei Fujiwara and Shinya Tsukamoto. Today, directors from Tarantino to The Wachowskis cite the film as a major influence.

Presented in Japanese language with English subtitles.

(CW: This film contains scenes that could be viewed as controversial, offensive, or even triggering.)