This week in Harsh Light of Day, we're taking a second look at one of the coolest imports to come from Japan since that AZIMO robot thinger in the car commercial. The film, winner of the Most Groundbreaking Film Award at Fantasia Film Festival, is entitled Hellevator: The Bottled Fools.

Now, I know what you're probably thinking. "Another Japanese horror/sci-fi/cyberpunk movie? I already have the collected works of Miike, Versus (even though it sucks), and the collector's edition of Akira. My film collection (and, by extension, my life) is complete - why should I check this film out?" Why? Well for starters, because the film is a whole lotta fun.

Set in a dystopian future reminiscent of Brazil and The City of Lost Children, the story centers on Luchino, a schoolgirl with a troubled past. As she hops into an elevator to evade the cops, she winds up getting stuck with a random assortment of folks - including two prisoners on their way to be executed. You can kind of surmise what happens after that... and why the original title of the film (The Bottled Fools) needed a retarded expository name like Hellevator tacked onto the beginning of it, simply so it could be marketed in uncultured, backwards places like America.

Made on roughly twenty US dollars, the story behind the film is just as amazing as the movie itself. Director Hiroki Yamaguchi won the grand prize at the Independent Film Festival of Japan, and used the prize money to fund production of the movie. The cast and most of the crew were all on a volunteer basis - no one got paid. The sets were constructed from parts salvaged from junkyards and a screw factory. Watching Hellevator, you'd barely know it; the no-budget effects and sets work for the film instead of against it, by providing a creepy backdrop for the actors to play off of. Especially convincing (and stealing most of the scenes he's in) is Keisuke Urushizaki as one of the trapped prisoners; his performance as the rapist Obitani will make you laugh and wince simultaneously. All the actors turn in solid performances, however. There are no weak links in the cast. This is even more astounding when you remember that they were doing it on spec.

The various subplots of the film add a bit of spice to a trapped-room story, although the meat of the film comes from the scenes shot in the elevator itself, and the resultant paranoia within (okay, that might be the most pretentious thing I've ever written).

Still need convincing? Fine, dumbass. Here's the trailer:



Convinced now? Good. You can order it from Netflix, or just buy it here.


MisterSatan is always looking for suggestions for next week's Harsh Light of Day. If you think a movie's gone criminally underviewed, let him know and he'll see if he can "rent it from the liberry".