FISH STORY

(A.k.a. FISSHU SUTORI)

The year is 2012. Tokyo has been deserted, its locals fleeing to Mount Fuji to avoid the threat of a 100-foot tidal wave that is predicted to drown their city when a comet crash-lands there in 5 hours' time.

An elderly man staggers through the empty streets and into a record store where the punk-loving clerk continues to work, oblivious to the impending danger. He's more interested in flogging a rare vinyl album by an old punk band called Gekirin to a young customer. The band, we're told, predated the Sex Pistols by one year, and the album in question - "Fish Story" - is an unheard-of classic.

"This song will save the day" says the clerk as he places the vinyl on his turntable.

We're then catapulted back to 1975, and then 1982, where we learn a little more about Gekirin and their fabled "Fish Story" (which has a fantastic riff). The song becomes infamous with punks in the 1980s for containing a fabled scream in the background of the recording, which no-one has ever been able to explain ... but only people with a sixth sense can hear it.

From there, the film moves through different passages of time and different groups of characters, while tossing up conversations about ghosts, Nostradamus and so on to serve as our food for thought. All the while, onscreen text occasionally serves to remind us that - in years to come when the action returns to present day - we still have that potentially devastating comet to consider. Indeed, we cut back to the record store enough to ensure our thoughts are still with the two youths and prophetic old fogey while they wait for their Armageddon to arrive.

In this respect, the film plays out almost like a portmanteau of linked stories. It's a sometimes dizzying effect (virtually impossible to synopsise in a spoiler-free, succinct manner) but - despite some messiness in the script department - it all slots together in the second half when we realise who was who, who they are now and were they fit in.

More importantly, these various threads afford director Yoshihiro Nakamura (THE BOOTH) the opportunity to toy with a slew of cinematic styles. The comedy is fun but only hits the mark now and again, whereas the earlier horror-tinged moments are great.

FISH STORY is about as mad as it sounds. Takashi Kamatsu's camera is frequently roving, rarely standing still in exterior scenes. In cahoots with his cinematographer, Nakamura keeps the script racing along, filling each scene with breathless dialogue.

To this end, the young cast are more than up to the director's challenge and deliver performances of considerable exuberance.

Well lensed, original and ambitious, FISH STORY really is about a punk rock song that saves the world from extinction. More than that though, it's also about hope, faith and getting on with your life when the odds are stacked against you.

It's hard not to like. It has energy, style and positivity. There isn't a mean bone in its body. And this could well be the problem for some: the film is perhaps twee, in so much as that it lacks dramatic bite; there is no real sense of threat. It's also a little overlong.

But don't be put off. FISH STORY is undeniably entertaining fare.

The film is presented uncut in a reasonably bright, clean 16x9 enhanced transfer. Colours are strong and blacks cope well due to minimal compression issues. Images aren't too sharp though.

The Japanese 2.0 audio is evenly balanced and well represented throughout. English subtitles are a tad on the small side but always easy to read. The subtitles are optional and can be selected via the main menu page.

Speaking of which, Third Window's disc opens with an appropriately loud, pink main menu page. This is animated with scenes from the film and accompanied by the brilliant theme punk track.

From there, we get an animated scene-selection menu allowing access to FISH STORY via 16 chapters.

Extras begin with the film's original 2-minute trailer. Fast-moving and blessed with a highly excitable voiceover, it's almost as much fun as the main feature.

Next up is a Making Of featurette. This offers a wealth of interesting behind-the-scenes footage among some good cast and crew interviews, over the course of 35 minutes. English subtitles are handily available for this enjoyable and substantial Japanese-spoken bonus feature.

9 minutes of live footage documenting a 2009 appearance at Shibuya's Tower Records store follows. It's a great little video diary-type extra, taking in a band rehearsal, a cheeky photo shoot and - crucially - a live performance in front of a very receptive audience.

Finally, the extras are rounded off by a generous selection of trailers for other titles available from Third Window: KAKERA, LOVE EXPOSURE, LALA PIPO, INSTANT SWAMP, KAMIKAZE GIRLS, PEPPERMINT CANDY, DASEPO NAUGHTY GIRLS, TURTLES ARE SURPRISINGLY FAST SWIMMERS, FINE TOTALLY FINE, FUNUKE, THE PRESIDENT'S LAST BANG, SAY YES, WILD CARD, GUNS AND TALKS, FRIEND, NO BLOOD NO TEARS, KICK THE MOON and PTU.

It's not another WILD ZERO like I'd hoped for, but FISH STORY still has plenty to offer. Third Window have provided a decent disc for their latest interesting proposition.

There, I made it through the entire review without even one "I don't mean to carp on ..." or "it's not my plaice to say ...". Cod knows, I've haddock up to here with such silliness.

Review by Stu Willis