The Warped Ones

Mid fifties. A trio of delinquent youngsters just out of jail and on their way to the beach. Akira, leader of the pack and jazz aficionado, runs over reporter Kashiwagi, after which he kidnaps and abuses his girlfriend, the attractive artist Yuki.

What follows is a sizzling manic trip, in which Akira takes out his unmitigated anger with flair on the establishment embodied by this couple.

In this nihilistic but also sensual film, Koreyoshi Kurahara abandons all conventions and delivers us one of the most important sun tribe films in Japanese film history, in which stylistically the comparison with Godard is not far off and jazz has never sounded so deliciously depraved.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the legendary Nikkatsu film studio, this film is introduced by Jasper Sharp, author, Japanese film expert, and together with Tom Mes, the man behind the leading Midnight-Eye film website.

The introduction starts at 19:40 and after the film there is an opportunity to ask questions. Not to be missed!

All images: © 1960 “The Warped Ones”