Denchu Kozo No Boken

The title might not seem familiar to you but if you have seen Tsukamoto's cult film TETSUO, you will recognize many scenes of this to be on the TV screen in TETSUO. This is one of his earlier Super 8 SHORT films.


This film isn't perfect but it is highly entertaining while keeping the art and surrealism in place and can be viewed as a stepping stone to his genius personified in TETSUO. This title is about 47 minutes in length and has circulated the trader's circle under the title of "THE ADVENTURES OF ELECTRIC ROD BOY"


The film opens up with a young man with an electric rod protruding out of his back. It gives him clumsy characteristics and has made his the target of the school bullies. His female friend Momo scares away the kids and in return, he gives her a time machine. Not before using it accidently and whisking himself to 25 years in the future. This wouldn't be too bad if the world wasn't overtaken by metal vampires who have started an experiment named Adam that wipes out all natural light.


It is now up to Electric Rod boy, who is from a long line of similar messiahs, to cleanse the future and spread his legacy through out time. Apart from having a funny story, the film bares Tsukamoto's trademark stop-motion animation and the wonderful surrealism that has left an impact on his entire filmography. From A Snake of June to Tetsuo II, his influence spreads through his career similar to Cronenberg's.


This one strays from it's bleak feel and dabbles in a bit of black comedy. This atmospheric science-fiction film is also outfitted with a wonderful score that fits very well. Expect many stop-motion chase scenes and pre-puberty rape scenes. This is the most interesting vampire tale i have seen. Not since Vision's of Suffering have i seen such an avant-garde vampire tale.

-Maq