Nightmare Detective

Tuesday October 30, 2018 6:30 PM

Directed by Shinya Tsukamoto, 2006, RATED R

106 minutes, Japanese with English subtitles

Get chilled to the bones with this film series that explores dark and macabre themes as well as the mysterious occult. The first part of the series features three films by cult favorite Shinya Tsukamoto, who was in Toronto earlier last month for the premier of his film KILLING. Some viewers may find the films disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

An action thriller with distinctive artistic beauty, portraying a nightmare detective who unravels the mystery of murder cases with his special ability to enter into other people’s dreams.
Ghastly, locked-room murders happen one after another. Victims are all would-be suicides who have died as a result of blood loss from cutting their own bodies. They all seem to have been killed while being troubled with a nightmare after talking to a man called “Zero” on the phone. Detective Keiko Kirishima (Hitomi) suspects the incidents are somehow linked with the nightmare. She requests the cooperation of the nightmare detective Kyoichi (Matsuda Ryuhei). Frustrated with his adamant refusal to cooperate, Detective Wakamiya (ANDO Masanobu) makes contact with Zero, who has the ability to go into other people’s dreams and kill them. Danger befalls the Detective. Kyoichi finally makes a move to save Wakamiya, but is unable to save him from being murdered. Deploring her colleague’s death, Kirishima also decides to confront Zero. She narrowly escapes death thanks to Kyoichi, and they succeed in tracking down the murderer.
Directed by Tsukamoto Shinya of A Snake of June (Rokugatsu no Hebi). Officially entered into the Pusan International Film Festival in 2007 and the Rome International Film Festival in 2007.

To learn about other DARK & OCCULT films in the series, click here > VITAL, TETSUO THE IRON MAN