THE BOOTH Buusu
2006, Tartan Video, DD-5.1 & 2.0/16:9/LB/ST/+, $14.95, 74m 15s, DVD-1 By David Kalat
Like the taut film noir thrill- ers of RKO Radio Pictures in the 1940s, Yoshihiro Nakamura’s tough little no-budget picture of modest aims and limited scope reaps the full reward of its self- imposed claustrophobia. Pretty- boy Ryuta Sato plays radio DJ Shingo Katsumata, host of the late night call-in program “To- kyo Love Connection” (al- though he says this title very clearly in English, the subtitles mysteriously rename it “Tokyo Love Lines”). Tonight’s broad- cast has an ominous mood since Shingo’s crew has been temporarily relocated to an an- tique, disused studio while their usual digs are renovated—and the place is said to be haunted by the ghost of a DJ who killed himself there years earlier. En- couraging his listeners to phone in stories of “unpardonable words,” he finds that every caller’s tale picks at his own se- cret psychological scabs, re- proaching his own misdeeds and cruel actions. Distracted by his guilty conscience, he is a poor help to his callers, who become increasingly hostile in response to his indifference. Technical difficulties add to his woes, and he lashes out in fury
Ryuta Sato hosts a radio call-in show whose subject is his own total destruction, live on-air, in THE BOOTH.
Dontcha hate it when your ex visits you at work, especially after you've killed her? Hijiri Kojima makes a killer entrance in THE BOOTH.
at his staff, who can only watch helplessly as Shingo melts down live on air.
Aside from Shingo’s various flashbacks, the story never leaves the studio, and never permits Shingo to leave his hotseat at the mic. This artistic choice creates a tension that enhances Sato’s edgy, nervous performance (the actor was anx- ious about playing such an unsympathetic role).
Nakamura cut his eyeteeth on a cycle of made-for-video rip-offs of Norio Tsuruta’s SCARY TRUE STORIES, graduat- ing in 2002 to writing duties for Hideo Nakata’s DARK WATER. His producer, Hirofumi Ogoshi, spearheaded the mid-1990s run of “toilet ghost” flicks, in- cluding 1998’s unsung gem SCHOOL MYSTERY, one of the few true J-Horror treasures still MIA on DVD. These guys know the tricks of the trade and use their knowledge to manipulate the audience masterfully here. The stakes are low, the 74m shot- on-DV feature cost little more to make than it does to take home a copy on DVD, but it’s as tight a B-picture as any being made to- day. When Nakamura pulls his one big shock sequence, the at- mosphere is already so tense that the effect is powerful—and a glorious con on the viewer. Tartan’s disc looks as good as the DV-sourced original probably can, has acceptable English and Spanish subtitle options, and is accompanied by some amiably useless bonus features. A bland 18m “making- of” piece, an 8m interview with the filmmakers from the pre- miere (yup, DTV movies get the- atrical outings in Japan), and a 2½ minute radio promotional appearance cover more than enough about a film whose pro- duction history was perfunctorily professional.
CRYPT OF TERROR: HORROR FROM SOUTH OF THE BORDER, VOL. 1
BCI, DD-2.0/ST, $24.95, DVD-1
VACATION OF TERROR Vacaciones de Terror 1988, 80m 30s
VACATION OF TERROR 2 Vacaciones de Terror 2: Cumpleanos Diabolico “VdT2: Diabolical Birthday” aka Pesadilla Sangrienta “Bloody Nightmare” 1989, 85m 10s
HELL’S TRAP Trampa Infernal 1990, 76m
CEMETERY OF TERROR Cementerio del Terror 1985, 91m 3s
GRAVE ROBBERS Ladrones de Tumbas 1989, 78m 5s
THE DEMON RAT La Rata Maldita aka Mutantes del ano 2000 “Mutants of the Year 2000” 1991, 95m 6s
DON’T PANIC Dimensiones Ocultas “Occult Dimensions” aka SATAN’S BLOOD 1987, 86m/89m 23s By Shane M. Dallmann
American patrons of ethnic video stores have long been en- ticed by oversized tape boxes and garish, colorful cover art trumpet- ing grisly Mexican goods that promise to rival their US coun- terparts in their depictions of possessed dolls, avenging zom- bies and various and sundry forms of supernatural comeup- pance. On occasion, adventur- ous souls lacking fluency in the
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