Live Action Movie Review - Hiruko the Goblin

Country of origin: Japan

Year: 1990 or 1991 (my DVD does not say the date, so I looked on a few websites and saw different dates)

Genre: Comedy/Creature

Story: Hiruko the Goblin is about a "goblin," named Hiruko, who needs human heads and a spell to bring her kind to our world. A teacher of archaeology and a student try to stop her.

Acting: Average

Humor: Not very funny, but the movie tries to be funny.

Violence: A few bloody scenes.

Sex: None.

Overall: Hiruko the Goblin was made by Shinya Tsukamoto (Tesuo: The Iron Man, Body Hammer, Bullet Ballet), and I love Shinya Tsukamoto, but I do not love this movie. Tsukamoto can do action, and he can do drama, but he can't do comedy. Some of the creature and splatter effects are fun, but they don't really make up for the rest of the movie. Watch John Carpenter's The Thing instead.

Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5CK4WXtJuo

Technically, you could put this at the end of pretty much every horror movie review. ;)

I would put The Thing at the top of my list of horror movies, and I've given it much thought, being the horror junkie I am. But the story, the dialog, the FX, the music, the atmosphere; the damn movie is pretty much flawless. It has everything a horror fan could want, and I think it's easily the best movie Carpenter ever did.

I was thoroughly unimpressed with John Carpenter flicks. One day, with 8 hours between dead-end-job shifts, no sleep, no money, nothing to do, I went to a newly opened dollar theater. Chose the least crappy feature out of a bad lot... and reeled out, gobsmacked by what I'd seen. THIS was the one worthy of "instant classic" plaudits he'd gotten earlier. And it was doing pathetic boxoffice, unbelievable. It's gratifying to see how well-regarded it's become.

He did it to me again later, when he made one of my favorite comedies. You know the one :)

I'm not sure what the point of it is, even if it turns out good. We'll see. :)

n.t.