The Gesuidouz – TIFF 2024
BINGE Movies & TV
September 5 to September 15, 2024
PROGRAMME
Midnight Madness
A horror-themed punk band are sent to a farm to record a hit song in The Gesuidouz. Hanako (Natsuko) is the leader of The Gesuidouz, a punk-rock band with lyrics using the titles of horror films. The band’s manager is frustrated that nobody knows that The Gesuidouz’s first album “Toxic Avengers Infinity War” exists and just tells them to quit. However, when Hanako subsequently threatens her manager with a power drill, he sends the band to an isolated farmhouse owned by a kind old woman, where they have to record an epic anthem before Hanako “dies” in a year when she joins the 27 Club.
The Gesuidouz Synopsis
The Gesuidouz is a Japanese punk rock comedy written and directed by Kenichi Ugana. The protagonist Hanako, played in a possible breakthrough role by Natsuko, is certain that she will join the likes of Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin by dying when she turns 27 in a year. As such, she wants to write a hit song that will fulfil her dream of playing Glastonbury. Despite facing writer’s block, Hanako receives inspiration when her adopted dog Pochi, aka John Cage, begins speaking punk aphorisms.
My Thoughts on The Gesuidouz
Much of the plot of The Gesuidouz is built around non-sequiturs, which include the band’s guitarist becoming addicted to bean cakes, Hanako vomiting out sentient cassette tapes and the band’s white drummer (Rocko Zevenbergen) being the most proficient in Japanese cooking. The Gesuidouz also has a mid-film montage featuring a few familiar cameos, including a certain cult filmmaker. While The Gesuidouz can be a bit of a chore to get through, the film does feature a quite epic climatic performance that ultimately makes the film worth checking out.
Trailer for The Gesuidouz – TIFF 2024
