2. Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
Gross out metal based hijinks from Japanese cult film director Shinya Tsukomoto. Tetsuo: Iron Man is a firm J-Horror fan favourite which has been simultaneously disgusting and bewildering viewers for over 20 years. The Metal Fetishist cuts open his leg and sticks a steel rod in it. When the wound goes maggoty, he freaks out and runs out of his abode only to be knocked down by a Japanese businessman and his girlfriend. They dump Metal Fetishist in a ravine but Metal Fetishist is intent on wreaking revenge by forcing the businessman to turn into a being completely made of metal. We are treated to a number of stylised sequences. A woman - all metal and possessed by the Metal Fetishist chases the businessman through an underground railway station that is abandoned. She starts off as a normal flesh and bones woman but undergoes a metallic metamorphosis. Victory is implied for the businessman as he breaks her back. The businessman next has a dream in which his girlfriend is transformed into an exotic dancer with a metal appendage that rapes him. After this dream, he wakes up and has sex with his girlfriend. They indulge in erotic play with food. The businessman can hear the sound of metal scraping. His penis has turned into a gigantic power-drill and impales his girlfriend. Rendered helpless, the businessman - now the Iron Man is visited by the Metal Fetishist who bursts out of the corpse of his girlfriend. He turns the Iron Man's cats into hideous metal creatures. The ending of the film is very nihilistic, Iron Man and Metal Fetishist agree to work together to turn everything in the world into metal and rust it. They merge together to form a hideous two headed creature and go run amok. Tetsuo: Iron Man is a surreal, nightmare of a film. It doesn't make a lot of sense but it is quite a spectacle to behold. Filmed in black and white, this adds to the horror of the film. The special effects are nauseatingly effective as the businessman and Metal Fetishist morph into metallic monsters. The scene where Iron Man's penis impales his poor girlfriend is sick but funny as he has no control over what is happening. For being filmed on a micro-budget, the film achieves an amazing impact. This is not one for mainstream film fans who, if they watched it, would be horrified and confused. If you are a J-Horror fan, chances are you own a copy of this sick puppy. It is extreme Asian cinema at its finest.