Tokyo Pop

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Tokyo Pop

R,

1988,

1h 39m,

Romance/

Music

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10 Reviews

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Bleach-blonde wannabe rocker Wendy (Carrie Hamilton) is disillusioned with her life in New York City. After receiving a postcard from Japan saying "wish you were here," she spontaneously hops on a plane to Tokyo with dreams of making it big as a singer. Quickly finding herself broke and a fish out of water, she moves into a youth hostel for gaijin (foreigners) and takes up work as a hostess at a karaoke bar. Just when she's at her breaking point, she meets Hiro (Diamond Yukai), a rock 'n' roller whose band is looking for their big break. They form a romantic and musical connection and Hiro convinces Wendy to become their lead singer. Through a combination of hustle and luck, they stumble into their 15 minutes of fame, but Wendy soon comes to realize that being a gaijin rocker may be nothing more than a passing fad. An underseen gem of '80s American independent cinema by Fran Rubel Kuzui (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Tokyo Pop takes us on a breezy tour through bubble era Tokyo, replete with knowing nods to the city's vibrant pop culture.

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Walter Goodman

New York Times

May 21, 2003

You don't have to be a fan of rock music to get a kick out of ''Tokyo Pop,'' a wedding of American and Japanese youth cultures as seen through a fun-house mirror.

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Sean Burns

North Shore Movies

Aug 26, 2023

It’s an awfully sweet picture, welcoming and easy to watch.

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Kathy Fennessy

Seattle Film Blog

Aug 26, 2023

3.5/4

Though [Fran Rubel] Kuzui grapples with cross-cultural relationships and, to a lesser extent, cultural appropriation, Tokyo Pop mostly revolves around authenticity, however the performer in question defines it.

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Aug 21, 2023

It’s a genial, stylish culture-clash picaresque.

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Lee Jutton

Film Inquiry

Aug 17, 2023

Kuzui may have only directed a couple of features, but few filmmakers can say they’ve made a movie as fun, free, and ultimately bittersweet as Tokyo Pop.

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Laura Clifford

Reeling Reviews

Aug 14, 2023

B+

The restoration pops, from Keith Haring’s vivid, singular titles to the dazzling neon streets of Tokyo…“Tokyo Pop” is a sweet time machine.

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Tristin

Oct 16, 2023

Eum alias magnam beatae autem minus aut velit.

Harry

Oct 16, 2023

Numquam iusto laborum qui.

Corene

Oct 16, 2023

Quisquam et necessitatibus.

Dee

Oct 16, 2023

Quod molestiae dignissimos ut ut libero qui.

Johanna

Oct 9, 2023

Et iusto unde dicta numquam maxime voluptatem.

Nico

Oct 9, 2023

Voluptas aspernatur ipsam.

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Fran Rubel Kuzui

Director

Carrie Hamilton

Wendy Reed

Diamond Yukai

Hiro Yamaguchi

Taiji Tonoyama

Grandfather

Tetsurô Tanba

Mr. Dota

Masumi Harukawa

Mother

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Synopsis

Bleach-blonde wannabe rocker Wendy (Carrie Hamilton) is disillusioned with her life in New York City. After receiving a postcard from Japan saying "wish you were here," she spontaneously hops on a plane to Tokyo with dreams of making it big as a singer. Quickly finding herself broke and a fish out of water, she moves into a youth hostel for gaijin (foreigners) and takes up work as a hostess at a karaoke bar. Just when she's at her breaking point, she meets Hiro (Diamond Yukai), a rock 'n' roller whose band is looking for their big break. They form a romantic and musical connection and Hiro convinces Wendy to become their lead singer. Through a combination of hustle and luck, they stumble into their 15 minutes of fame, but Wendy soon comes to realize that being a gaijin rocker may be nothing more than a passing fad. An underseen gem of '80s American independent cinema by Fran Rubel Kuzui (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Tokyo Pop takes us on a breezy tour through bubble era Tokyo, replete with knowing nods to the city's vibrant pop culture.

Director: Fran Rubel Kuzui
Producer: Kaz Kuzui
Screenwriter: Lynn Grossman, Fran Rubel Kuzui
Production Co: Lorimar Film Entertainment, Kuzui Enterprises
Rating: R
Genre: Romance, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 15, 1988, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Aug 4, 2023
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 3, 2023
Box Office (Gross USA): $37.8K
Runtime: 1h 39m
Sound Mix: Surround

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