Before Fran Rubel Kuzui brought Joss Whedon‘s “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” to life for the first time in 1992, she made “Tokyo Pop.” And Kino Lorber has a new 4K restoration of the film ready for theaters in time for its 35th anniversary.
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First screened at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim, Kuzui’s feature debut sees an NYC girl emigrate to Tokyo on a whim to make it as a singer. But once she finally stumbles into success, and a romantic connection with a Japanese rocker, she beings to wonder if there’s more to life…
Here’s an official synopsis for “Tokyo Pop,” courtesy of Kino Lorber:
Bleach-blonde wannabe rocker Wendy 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, 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.
“Tokyo Pop” stars Carrie Hamilton, Diamond Yukai, Tetsurō Tamba, Masumi Harukawa, and Taiji Tonoyama. Gina Belafonte and Michael Cerveris also star
The new 4K restoration of “Tokyo Pop” comes from Indie Collect, created in association with the Academy Film Archive. Dolly Parton, Carol Burnett, the HFPA Trust, and donors to Indie Collect’s Jane Fonda Fund for Women Directors helped fund the restoration.
“Tokyo Pop” releases exclusively in New York at the BAM Rose Cinemas in Brooklyn on August 4 and in Los Angeles at the American Cinematheque on August 11. A national expansion for the film follows. Check out a new trailer for “Tokyo Pop” below.