In his final acting role, legendary auteur Rainer Werner Fassbinder (clad in an iconic leopard skin suit) stars as hardboiled detective Jansen. In a neon-drenched futuristic dystopia ruled by a multimedia conglomerate called The Combine, Jansen is sent on a labyrinthine investigation when their headquarters is threatened with mass destruction by a phantom bomber. This essential cult classic features a hypnotic electronic score by Tangerine Dream’s Edward Froese as well as gleefully mind-bending production design.

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Video Quality

Kamikaze ‘89 returns to Blu-Ray courtesy of Film Movement Classics with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio that appears to be the same disc first released by the label in 2016. We have never seen any previous release of this film, but this transfer was created from a lovely 4K digital restoration. The presentation is quite impressive with very few blemishes throughout the runtime. Occasional specks of print damage still survive, but overall clarity and detail are in very good shape.

The inventive, futuristic production design is packed with little details that are easily visible thanks to this transfer. The picture loses a slight amount of crispness in long shots and shadows, but this is not much of an issue. There is a bit of fluctuation in the color, but most shots are well saturated when it comes to certain articles of clothing and lighting. Skin tones are natural and consistent with features such as facial hair easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels are decent but experience some crush, and digital noise does not persist as an issue here. This presentation still holds up well by modern standards. Film Movement Classics has brought a great release back into circulation.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a good LPCM 2.0 track in the original German with optional English subtitles. The beginning starts out a bit sonically unpleasant with an announcer sounding somewhat distorted over a speaker, but this feels like more of a creative choice than an issue with the mix. Once our characters start talking and the score kicks in, we are in better shape. The music in the film sounds great throughout as it complements the mood of the narrative.

Environmental sounds such as societal noises or weather effects are rendered well alongside everything else. Some of these dystopian sci-fi elements give the film some personality, but it is not deployed with too much force. There is never a moment where it threatens to minimize the dialogue, and the track maintains a good balance so that it comes through clearly. There do not seem to be any significant instances of age-related wear and tear. Film Movement Classics has given this film a considerate audio presentation.

Special Features

This Blu-Ray set includes a multi-page booklet featuring the essays “Kamikaze ‘89” by film scholar Nick Pinkerton and “The Edgar Froese Soundtrack” by writer Samuel B. Prime. The essays provide a great analysis of the themes of the narrative, composition, music, and more. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder – The Last Year: An hour-long archival documentary from Wolf Gremm is provided which follows the iconic Fassbinder during his waning days during the creation of Kamikaze ‘89 and his own feature Querelle.

Audio Commentary: Producer Regina Ziegler provides a commentary track in which she discusses her relationship with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, the development of the project, the work of Wolf Gremm, the outfits featured in the film, how certain performers were brought into the fold, and much more.

John Cassavetes Kamikaze ‘89 Radio Spots: A nearly five-minute collection of creative radio spots is provided.

Trailers: There is a minute-and-a-half-long trailer provided for Kamikaze ‘89. Trailers are also provided for Violent Cop, Quiet Earth, Mad Tiger, The Pillow Book, Full Moon In Paris, and Once Were Warriors.

Final Thoughts

Kamikaze ‘89 contains elements of other science fiction and dystopian narratives, but the film itself is a completely singular experience. The story tackles themes of government control with a winking smile and a nod toward the chaotic. Rainer Werner Fassbinder is perfect in the lead role as our gateway to this utopia with an underbelly to it. It can turn into a bit of a mess at times, but we are never bored by the developments of the story. This unique outing is brimming with a rebel spirit that will have you glued to the screen and trying to guess where it could all be leading. It is a wild gem of a film. Film Movement Classics has released a Blu-Ray that features a striking A/V presentation and a welcome assortment of special features. Recommended

Kamikaze ‘89 is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Film Movement Classics and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.