Death Powder (1986) Desu pawuda | Region-Free (DVD)

**DISC ONLY**

VHS sourced.

English Subtitles.

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Title: Death Powder (1986)

Alternate Title: Desu pawuda

Genre: Science Fiction, Horror

Plot Synopsis:
In a dystopian future, three researchers—Harima, Norris, and an unnamed male colleague—abduct a unique android named Guernica and confine her in an abandoned warehouse. Unbeknownst to them, Guernica emits a mysterious substance that distorts reality, leading the captors into a hallucinatory descent filled with surreal and terrifying experiences. As their perceptions warp, the boundaries between humanity and machinery blur, culminating in a confrontation that challenges their sanity and existence.

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Cast and Crew:

• Director: Shigeru Izumiya
• Writer: Shigeru Izumiya
• Cast:
  • Shigeru Izumiya as Harima
  • Rikako Murakami as Norris
  • Takichi Inukai as Unnamed Male Researcher
  • Mari Natsuki as Guernica

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IMDb Link:
Desu pawuda (1986)

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Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Review by Bogey Man – ★★★★☆
   “Shigeru Izumiya’s underground classic Desu Pawuda aka Death Powder (Japan, 1986) is definitely among the weirdest, most bizarre films I’ve ever seen. It reminds me of David Lynch’s Eraserhead, Shinya Tsukamoto’s Tetsuo, and some other extremely memorable and unique exercises in cinematic magic and limits beyond imagination.”
2. Review by Niina Doherty – ★★★☆☆
   “Over the years I have seen my fair share of weird films and avant-garde cinema. However, I can honestly say that Death Powder is quite possibly one of the weirdest, if not the weirdest film I’ve ever seen.”
3. Review by SFAM – ★★★☆☆
   “I wonder if I’ve become jaded since watching a number of these extreme Japanese Cyberpunk flicks. Many comments about Death Powder indicate that people were blown away by the visuals and have never seen anything like this… However, as much as I love the experimental visuals, this movie clearly could have been put together better.”
4. Review by Mark Player – ★★★★☆
   “Post-Human Nightmares: The World of Japanese Cyberpunk Cinema. Death Powder is credited as being the first core film of the Japanese cyberpunk subgenre that emerged during the 1980s, predating both Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira and Shinya Tsukamoto’s Tetsuo: The Iron Man.”
5. Review by Sarah Henry – ★★★★☆
   “In Death Powder, technology serves as a mediator of our actions, interactions, and perception of reality. The film stresses the importance and discomfort of adapting and transforming, addressing technophobia by revealing a fascination and fear of technology as well as the necessity to change towards a new and different world.”

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Meta Description:
Death Powder (1986), also known as Desu pawuda, is a Japanese science fiction horror film directed by Shigeru Izumiya. The narrative follows three researchers who abduct an android named Guernica, only to experience reality-altering hallucinations induced by a mysterious substance she emits. The film is recognized as a pioneering work in the Japanese cyberpunk genre, preceding notable titles like Akira and Tetsuo: The Iron Man.