Party 7 (2001) (DVD Review)
Directed By: Katsuhito Ishii
Starring: Masatoshi Nagase, Tadanobu Asano
Rated: PG/Region: 1/1:85/Number of disc: 1
Available from Synapse Films
Cult filmmaker and popular commercial director Katsuhito Ishii (SHARK SKIN MAN AND PEACH-HIP GIRL, THE TASTE OF TEA) brings you seven of the strangest characters you’ll ever meet. Yakuza punk Miki checks into the remote New Mexico hotel to hide out after stealing a case of gang loot. Not long after, Miki’s old flame Kana and her new, geeky boyfriend Todohira show up to collect on a debt, but are soon followed by Miki’s elder gang brother Sonoda, who’s looking for the stolen money. Meanwhile, shy peeping tom Okita hides out in a secret room built by the mysterious Captain Banana, and both are watching the whole proceedings. Finally, hot on Miki and Sonoda’s trail is oddball mob assassin Wakagashira, who’s also got a strange obsession for plastic model kits! Throw all these personalities together in the same hotel room and it’s a recipe for a party of mistaken identities, sexy comedy and violence. Mixing the spirit of Quentin Tarantino with comic book aesthetics – and an eye-poppingly gorgeous production design – PARTY 7 is an unforgettable portrait of seven weirdos trapped in a cycle of craziness that will have you alternately laughing and gasping with surprise.
I’d agree with the plot outline above when it comes to this film. It really does remind you of some weird and wacky Asian version of a Quentin Tarantino film. There is also some memorable dialogue that will make you laugh, especially right out of the gate as two people try to decide if feces was thrown or fell from the sky. There are lots of interesting characters, as you get the idea you are watching a live action manga. There is also animated stuff here too, if you are into that sort of stuff and really who isn’t? This really is a clever movie as things as odd as watching a man urinate for a while at the start comes back to pay off at the end. It is clever on all fronts and a good hunk of eye candy on top of that with awesome set designs. You just really feel like you are watching something that is cool.
One of the best things about Asian cinema is how you just never know what crazy thing is coming or going to be tossed at you next. That is true here as you will be shocked by a lot of what happens. You will also find it hilarious on an equal level. You also can’t downplay the acting either. It takes a very good character actor to bring characters like this to life and everyone across the board here does a wonderful job of doing just that. The odd ball of awesome you get with a movie like Party 7 might be a key-lime pie of a film, but people who “get it” will very much enjoy what you get out of it. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Asian movies and to anyone who is a big Quentin Tarantino fan we well.
- 20 Minute “Making Of” Featurette
- Video Interview with Director Katsuhito Ishii
- Alternate Ending
- Trailers and TV Spots
- Storyboard Version of the Film
