is a 1988 music-centric film that tells the story of a girl from the United States, a boy from
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, and a briefly successful pop band. The film contrasts American customs with
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
lifestyles, as it presents an evolving love story between the two main characters.
Directed by
Fran Rubel Kuzui
Fran Rubel Kuzui is an American film director and producer. She received her master's degree from New York University and was a script supervisor for a decade, prior to her first film, 1988's ''Tokyo Pop'', which she co-wrote and directed. The mo ...
, the film stars
Carrie Hamilton
Carrie Louise Hamilton (December 5, 1963 – January 20, 2002) was an American actress, playwright and singer. Hamilton was a daughter of comedian Carol Burnett and producer Joe Hamilton. She was also the older sister of Jody Hamilton, an ac ...
as Wendy Reed and Yutaka Tadokoro (also known as
Diamond Yukai
, known professionally as , is a Japanese rock singer and actor. He was born in Tanashi, Tokyo, Japan. He is the vocalist for the Japanese rock band Red Warriors. He has acted in the Hollywood films ''Tokyo Pop'' and '' Lost in Translation'' and ...
) as Hiro Yamaguchi. In real life, Tadokoro was the frontman of the 1980s rock group Red Warriors, who also star in the film as themselves. Other notable actors include Gina Belafonte and Tetsuro Tamba. Popular Japanese metal band
X Japan
was a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive soun ...
also make a brief cameo appearance, though they were not credited.
Plot
The plot centers around a young American singer named Wendy Reed, who wants to leave the US and her boyfriend (a musician played by
Michael Cerveris
Michael Cerveris (born November 6, 1960) is an American actor, singer, and guitarist. He has performed in many stage musicals and plays, including several Stephen Sondheim musicals: ''Assassins'', ''Sweeney Todd'', '' Road Show'', and '' Passio ...
), and travel to Tokyo, Japan, after hearing of the success of foreign groups overseas. She plans to visit a girlfriend but cannot find her. Instead she meets a young man named Hiro, who is the leader of an unsuccessful rock band. Wendy's appeal as a tall blonde American woman draws attention to both the locals and the band themselves. She falls in love with Hiro and develops a music career as the movie advances. With some tricks they manage to catch the eye of a record label producer and achieve success for a short time. The song, which is played throughout, is a cover version from
John Sebastian
John Benson Sebastian (born March 17, 1944) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and harmonicist who founded the rock band The Lovin' Spoonful. He made an impromptu appearance at the Woodstock festival in 1969
Cast
*
Carrie Hamilton
Carrie Louise Hamilton (December 5, 1963 – January 20, 2002) was an American actress, playwright and singer. Hamilton was a daughter of comedian Carol Burnett and producer Joe Hamilton. She was also the older sister of Jody Hamilton, an ac ...
*
Diamond Yukai
, known professionally as , is a Japanese rock singer and actor. He was born in Tanashi, Tokyo, Japan. He is the vocalist for the Japanese rock band Red Warriors. He has acted in the Hollywood films ''Tokyo Pop'' and '' Lost in Translation'' and ...
*
Tetsurō Tamba
was a Japanese actor with a career spanning five decades. He is best known in the West for his role in the 1967 James Bond film '' You Only Live Twice'' as Tiger Tanaka.
Biography
Tamba had a part-time job as an interpreter at Supreme Commande ...
*
Masumi Harukawa
, born , is a Japanese actress.
Filmography
* 1963: ''The Insect Woman''
* 1964: '' Unholy Desire''
* 1964: ''Kunoichi Keshō''
* 1967: ''Zatoichi's Cane Sword''
* 1968: ''The Human Bullet''
* 1968: '' Curse of the Blood''
* 1974: '' Pastoral: T ...
*
Taiji Tonoyama
was a Japanese character actor who made many appearances in films and on television from 1939 to 1989. He was a close friend of Kaneto Shindo and one of his regular cast members. He was also an essayist. In 1950 he helped form the film company Ki ...
Release
The film was released in the US on VHS and Laserdisc formats. No DVD release is currently available.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released in 1988 on CD, cassette and vinyl LP by RIC Records. It features all the original songs written for the movie and performed by Hamilton and Tadokoro, as well as other artists featured in the film.