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Doppelganger (Dopperugenga) Japan
Described by Screen International as 'Japan's cult master of bizarre mystery', Kurosawa Kiyoshi unleashes Doppelganger, an intense fusion of macabre horror, dread and dark humour. One of Japan's most original voices, Kurosawa also directed another intriguing film in MIFF this year, Bright Future.
Koji Yakusho (The Eel, MIFF 1998) stars as Michio Hayasaki, a medical researcher working for the faceless Japanese corporation, Medical Cytech. Weighed down by the pressure of meeting the deadline on his latest invention'an artificial human-body chair, complete with artificial limbs'Hayasaki cannot believe his eyes when he sees his exact double one night in a restaurant. When the 'double' unexpectedly turns up at Hayasaki's apartment, life takes a strange twist for the scientist; his existence is virtually taken over by the enigmatic newcomer. Unscrupulous and hell-bent on wreaking havoc, the 'double' embarks on a rampage of destruction, sabotage and murder, all in the name of 'Technological progress'.
Doppelganger screened as the Opening Night film of the Pusan Film Festival, mesmerising audiences with its audacious blend of genres: horror, black comedy and sci-fi thriller.
D Kurosawa Kiyoshi P Sato Atsushi, Shimoda Atsuyuki, Kawabata Moi S Kurosawa Kiyoshi, Kurusawa Ken WS Mirovision Inc. L Japanese w/English subtitles TD 35mm/Col/2003/100mins
Kurosawa Kiyoshi was born in Kobe, Japan in 1955. Films include: Kandagawa Wars (1983), Sweet Home (1989), Pulse (2001).