Description:

Wârudo apâtomento horâ - a stylish and clever blend of horror, comedy and Yakuza pic.

Itta is a bumbling low-ranking member of the Yakuza who's been given the assignment of evicting an apartment block of its foreign occupants. He tries a variety of desperate tactics but soon finds his less-than-successful efforts further hindered by the arrival of a mysterious evil spirit. Sort of Beetlejuice for grown-ups, this neatly blends its dark comedy and horror.

"World Apartment Horror" is, on the surface a light and humorous comedy of cultural misunderstandings ("Me Yakuza man!" shouts Itta at the immigrants, "Ah Yaku-san" they shout back.) set in a crumbling apartment block, it's also the tale of a demon in a toilet who doesn't like the Japanese and will do all it can to drive mad the Yakuza who are sent to evict the immigrant occupiers.

Director Ohtomo's skill is in creating a tone where the horror aspects sit comfortably next to the comedy. Like "An American Werewolf in London", the funny parts are really funny and the scary parts are really scary, and combine to make a film that feels complete in every way. Certainly one of the genre's more original entries.

Director: Katsuhiro Ohtomo

Stars: Hiroyuki Tanaka, Jazz Cutz and Mohammed Abdul Sahib

1991 - JAPANESE with OPTIONAL ENGLISH SUBTITLES - COLOR - WIDESCREEN - 108 MINUTES