Thank God for IMDB- ‘A strange man known only as the “metal fetishist”, who seems to have an insane compulsion to stick scrap metal into his body, is hit and possibly killed by a Japanese “salaryman”, out for a drive with his girlfriend. The salaryman then notices that he is being slowly overtaken by some kind of disease that is turning his body into scrap metal, and that his nemesis is not in fact dead but is somehow masterminding and guiding his rage and frustration-fueled transformation.’

Tetsuo is one of a kind. First, this could only have come from Japan (though the influence of Sam Raimi, David Cronenberg, and David Lynch shows in Shinya Tsukamoto’s film). It’s frenetic, frenzied and VERY surreal but that’s part of its charm. This is the kind of movie that would grace midnight screenings for many years and delight both stoners and arthouse connoisseurs.

It’s also a relatively short film, clocking in at just over an hour. And this is probably a good thing, as the film and the way it was made would outstay its welcome. This is a film that would cause nosebleeds and migraines after that.

A film for those who like J. G. Ballard’s Crash.

3.5 out of 5 stars