Pinocchio 964 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Pinocchio 964 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 10, 2025

Shozin Fukui's "Pinocchio 964" (1991) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with the director; new introduction by critic Stephen Thrower; short films; vintage trailer; and more. In Japanese, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

49% percent loopy, 51% legitimately crazy.

Pinocchio 964 comes from the same place that produced Tetsuo: The Iron Man. This place is a dark mental hole that can be reached only if one is under the influence of a powerful drug or some other substance that could just as easily unplug the mind from reality. It is unclear how deep this dark mental hole is. In fact, it is unclear if it has a bottom. The only known detail about it is that various young Japanese directors have gone in to explore it, seeking something that has never been on the radar of other directors, or at least not long enough to convince them that they can also risk their careers to unearth it.

Virtually all critics who have written about Pinocchio 964 and Tetsuo: The Iron Man agree that punk is part of their identity. It is because they are so erratic, at times so angry and offensive, that they remind critics of the classic punk rocker who wants to be a human torpedo. For this reason, films like Pinocchio 964 and Tetsuo: The Iron Man are usually described as something punk -- punk soap operas, punk experimental films, cyberpunk thrillers, etc.

However, the truth is that these films have as many punk genes as Jethro Tull has heavy metal genes. (For what it’s worth, in 1989 some very influential people concluded that Jethro Tull made heavy metal music, like Metallica, and handed the band the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental). They are in a category of their own. Also, while they do a lot of similar crazy things to impress, their limits on how far they can go fluctuate, sometimes substantially. For example, some are legitimately unhinged but are only mildly explicit, while some are so graphic that they occasionally step into dangerous territories. As a result, it is more helpful to describe them as unique Japanese exploitation films, considering that exploitation, as a cinematic term, covers dramatically more material than punk.

Unsurprisingly, Pinocchio 964 does not have a conventional narrative. It begins in a testing facility, where a young man (Haji Suzuki) has his head drilled with an advanced instrument that erases his memories. After he is dumped on the streets of an unknown Japanese city, a homeless girl (Onn-chan) picks him up and begins treating him as a toy. The young man, presumably a defective cyborg who was once used as a sex slave, then goes berserk, but instead of trying to help him, his new owner ramps up his madness with plenty of her own. All of this happens in the opening twenty minutes. The rest is a mish-mash of screams, sporadic incoherent rambling, and equally incoherent visuals.

So, what does Pinocchio 964 attempt to accomplish, and why?

It is not easy to tell. However, it is easy to speculate that it must have done plenty for the mental health of its creator, Shozin Fukui. These types of films usually do. They can absorb negative energy that affects one’s ability to think straight and behave rationally. They can also encourage creativity that gradually restores one’s confidence in one’s ability to be productive. Then again, if they are shot while one is under the influence of an enormously powerful drug, they can have the exact opposite effect. They can permanently lock up their creator in the dark mental hole he has entered to explore.

Pinocchio 964 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.38:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Pinocchio 964 arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films.

I have never had a copy of Pinocchio 964 in my library, on any home video format. However, I can comfortably state that this film has never looked as good as it does on this Blu-ray release. It has been fully restored, I assume rather recently too, and even though it was shot with a small budget, it looks very impressive. In some parts of it, delineation, clarity, and depth fluctuate a bit, but it is because different types of light are captured differently by the camera. Color look lush and very healthy. I did not see any traces of problematic digital tinkering. Grain exposure can vary a bit for the same reasons delineation, clarity, and depth do. Image stability is excellent. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Pinocchio 964 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Japanese LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The quality of the audio track is difficult to judge because there are plenty of organic sounds and noises that mix up with the dialog and screams. Because I did not encounter any obvious anomalies to report in our review, I will assume that the lossless track accurately replicates all native qualities of the original soundtrack that was recorded for Pinocchio 964.

Pinocchio 964 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Shozin Fukui: Interview One - in this new program, Shozin Fukui explains how he became familiar with independent films and discusses his work on the sets of Tetsuo: The Iron Man, what inspired him to shoot Pinocchio 964, its composition and editing, etc. In Japanese, with English subtitles. (21 min).

• Shozin Fukui: Interview Two - in this archival program, Shozin Fukui discusses his work on Pinocchio 964 and what he attempted to convey through some of the madness that is depicted in it. In Japanese, with English subtitles. (33 min).

• Introduction - presented here is a new filmed introduction by critic Stephen Thrower. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a fully restored trailer for Pinocchio 964. In Japanese, with English subtitles. (2 min).

• Short Films - presented here are two short films directed by Shozin Fukui. In Japanese, with English subtitles.
  
  1. Gerorisuto (1986). (12 min).
  2. Caterpillar (1988). (33 min).

• Booklet - a 20-page illustrated booklet featuring Mark Player's essay "Emetic Power: Shozin Fukui's Pinocchio 964" and technical credits.

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage poster art.

Pinocchio 964 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While working on the sets of Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Shozin Fukui felt inspired, and eventually he was able to direct Pinocchio 964. These films share the same punk/exploitation genes, but the latter is even more erratic and extreme. Obviously, Pinocchio 964 is not a film that most viewers will appreciate. However, if you have a fondness for odd Japanese independent films, this new release from 88 Films should be on your radar. It offers an outstanding technical presentation of Pinocchio 964 with a good selection of bonus features. Keep in mind that it is Region-B "locked". RECOMMENDED.