CYBERPUNKCINEMA

Normally, Free Every Second Monday @ the Knockout-SF,CA. 

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are you planning to do another showing this month?

12/9 was the last showing for the foreseeable future.

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Until The End of the World (1991)  theknockoutsf 12/9 4:30

Sleepless avant partier Claire crusades through an epic global chase as the end of the world decays in orbit.  Are her answers to be found with her writer ex-husband, a would-be detective, bank robbers, corporate espionage spooks, the next bar, aborigines, the next hotel, bounty hunters or a mysterious system for recording dreams?  What is anyone supposed to do during a slow armageddon?  Until the End of the World was originally released in 1991 in a much shorter version.  This 4.5 hour director’s cut is perfect cyberpunk cinema, and captures the 80’s future aesthetic in numerous technology predictions, devices and futurescapes that have held their ground.  The movie itself was produced over more than a decade and has a killer soundtrack featuring the likes of Depeche Mode, Elvis Costello, REM, Lou Reed and the Talking Heads.  Wim Wenders intended it to be the perfect road trip movie, and it has aged as an ode to global cinema.  Featuring San Francisco’s Tosca Cafe and the Excelsior, Sam Jurrasic Grant Neil, Exorcist Max Von Syndow, William Altered States Hurt, and co-author of the movie Solveg Demmartin as Claire.  Directed by Wim Wenders.

The KO will be open early at 4:30, and the movie is perfect if you show up anytime after.  

Thanks again for all the great times Space Cowboys!  This will be the last Cyberpunk Cinema for the foreseeable future.  Please show up as early as you can.  And remember, every future, is already a retro future.

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The City of Lost Children (1995) @ theknockoutsf Monday 10/14/6:30pm

Stripped street urchin Miette wanders into the unreal cyber-surrealism of an eccentric isolated scientist who deploys a cast of damaged characters to help him harvest dreams. Can the dreams of innocent children stop the aging process? The City of Lost Children is comparable to Brazil with equal parts Amelie, Dark City and Alien 4. The soundtrack is done by Angelo Badalamenti, the costuming by Jean-Paul Gaultier, the directors did Delicatessen– this is haute filmmaking! Featuring Ron Hellboy Perlman, Judith Vittet, and the cast of Amelie/Delicatessen/Alien4. Directed by Caro et Jeunet.

A recommendation from May, whose name may be misspelled.

Space Cowboys, after 10+ years of nearly continuous monthly screenings, with special drinks, banter–“this isn’t cyberpunk???”, Cyberpunk Cinema will soon be coming to an end in its current format. This isn’t the last night, but it’s sure close to it…

[cyberpunkcinema]

Moon (2009) @theknockoutsf Monday 9/9 6:30pm

Solo moon miner Sam harvests Helium-3 on Lunar Industries Sarang Station in serene duty to his Earth family. With glitchy communications, his only real time conversations are with a Hal-like artificial intelligence named GERTY. What happens to a 100% uptime station if its only human operator has a runtime error? Is there a most profitable way to exploit a father’s determination? What are humans in the age of technological reproducibility? With superb space atmospherics and cinematic tributes to precursor films like Alien, Silent Running and Blade Runner, Moon captures space madness, paranoia, isolation, good times robot friendship, the absolute grander of space and the triumph sticking it to the man. Featuring Sam Beeblebrox Rockwell, Kevin is creepy as a robot too Spacey?, Benedict Sorcerer Supreme Wong and Matt Whiskey Berry. Directed by Duncan Jones with music by electronic pioneer Clint Mansell

#cyberpunk

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#moon

@thrillhouserecords

[cyberpunkcinema]

Goku Midnight Eye (1989) @theknockoutsf 8/12 6:30pm

A six-pack detective with chippendale’s secret agent style battles Yakuza bosses, femme fatales and his penchant for strip clubs. What happens when he gets the power to control every computer system on earth with a cybernetic eye? Goku is nihilist stupidity inked to celluloid and made for popcorn and shots. It oozes a faded metro-tech Tokyo charm and noir style that is 100% on point. Featuring a general lack of clothing, future weaponry, a neon motocycle robobabe, toxic alpha maleness and the absurd artistry and brilliance that comes with an early OVA. No, this isn’t hentai? Directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Wicked City, Ninja Scroll) and based on the manga by Buichi Terasawa. This is the UK english dub.

#cyberpunk

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#goku midnight eye

@thrillhosuerecords

[cyberpunkcinema]

Rock and Rule (1983) theknockoutsf 7/8 6:30pm

A wasteland devoid of humans beats to mutated street alley animals that rock, fuck and fight within Ohmtown.  Can aging super-rocker “Mok Swagger” and his AI synthesize the right frequency for demonic armageddon while exploiting a small time rock band?  Filled with neat cameos, crass-humor, fun songs and daft pre-cgi animations, Rock and Rule hacks the Heavy Metal into not-quite-Bakshi-animation.  Featuring Lou Reed, Cheap Trick, Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Earth Wind & Fire, Catherine Lydia’s Mother O’hara, and Susan Sailor Jupiter Roman.  Directed by Clive A. Smith.

A recommendation from @chadstab

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#rockandrule

[cyberpunkcinema]

Repo Man (1984) theknockoutsf 7/10 6:30pm

Low-tech surveillance and alien devices materialize in the edge city coincidences of Repo Man.  Follow “white suburban punk” Otto as he sojourns from a generic supermarket to an eccentric car repossession lot.  Can he keep his intense coworkers at bay?  Wouldn’t dead alien body melt through a Malibu trunk?   Is a metal hand even cyberpunk?  Gear up for the Iggy Pop assisted soundtrack and get ready for the adventure.  And don’t forget:  the more you drive, the less intelligent you are!  Featuring Emilio not Sport, Harry Dean Stanton, Tracey Walter and Digger Miguel Sandoval.  Directed by Alex Cox.

The third time showing this at Cyberpunk Cinema!  

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#repoman

#alexcox

[cyberpunkcinema]

Pinocchio√964 (1991) 5/13 the knockout in SF

Discarded sex slaves street meet and fuse their brutal past and present in a story torn out of glitch city noir.  Can they become real humans or can they only imitate their abusers and deranged creators?  Maybe there is no difference?  Not for the faint of heart, Pinocchio√964 renders a violent, sexually explicit and low tech vision of the classic fairy tale with Tokyo as the backdrop.  Featuring Erection Shaming, Haji Suzuki, Onn-Chan, and more than one metamorphosis.  Directed by Shozin Fukui     

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JM (1995) 4/8 @theknockoutsf

Based on the story from Burning Chrome and penned for the screen by William Gibson, this japanese version of Johnny Mnemonic features more yakuza, more Beat Takeshi and a different soundtrack. Can a mnemonic courier navigate New Jersey sprawl to save the world from nerve attenuation syndrome, all with the help of a drug-addled dolphin? Includes vintage cgi and the first "iphone." With Keanu, Dolph, Rollins, takeshi, Ice-t and Dina Molly Millions Meyer. Released nineteen-ninety-Five.

It’s our ten year anniversary! Please join us for this encore showing of JM–the very first movie we watched so many years ago! Fair warning space cowboys– there may be a quiz/trivia and prizes for this special edition of CYBERPUNK CINEMA!

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@thrillhouserecords

#williamgibson

#johnnymnemonic

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Our BLT drive went AWOL…join us next month for the 10 year Anniversary of Cyberpunk Cinema in April! Stay tuned for additional anni antics!

[cyberpunkcinema]

Starship Troopers (1997) 2/12 theknockoutsf

A fascist earth regime declares war on an alien insect race from space.  Can a few high school graduates from Buenos Aires turn the tide of the intergalactic battle?  Featuring a story which barely resembles the original Heinlein novel, Starship Troopers pioneered believable bug CGI while pushing Verhoeven’s sci-fi power violence satire agenda.  The propaganda is cutting and the realities of space long distance relationships are ruthless.  Featuring Casper Van Dien, Dina Almost Molly Millions Meyer, NPH, Denise the T-Rex and old Ironsides.

An encore showing from March 2020–the last CC before the pandemic hit!  See sci-fi-football influence a fight against space bugs through fascism and xenophobia!

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thrillhouserecords

#verhoeven

#starshiptroopers

[cyberpunkcinema]

CYBERPUNK (1990) +  Welcome to Cyberia (1998) @theknockoutsf

Let’s dial-up the 1990s for a VHS view into the world cyberpunk!  These two documentaries are overloaded with enthusiasm for William Gibson, internet culture, rave music, Industrial culture and the freedom of information.  With period specific graphics, art, fashion, drugs, music and futuristic speculation, these documents have aged like fine wines, ready to be encoded and decanted together into one dive bar jug.  Did it all come true, or are we clinging to something better than what we have?  Featuring primitive CGI, voice of god narrations, Genesis p. Orridge, and the overwhelming hope for a net positive internet.

#williamgibson

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[cyberpunkcinema]

Brainstorm (1983) Monday 12/11 @theknockoutsf

Eccentric scientists with complicated relationships innovate a neuralink headset which can transfer and manage brainwaves onto magnetic tape and over a modem. But a mil spec chipset upgrade not only eliminates hardware problems, but multiplies human drama. Should the technology be for travel, education, romance, war, pornography or a link into hell? Featuring new age Esalen architecture, deprecated male horndogging, pioneering FX, Christopher Who Did not Kill his Wife Walken, Natalie Wood (who drowned during the production of this movie on a boat with her husband and Christopher Walken), Ms Ratchet Fletcher, and Cliff Robertson. Directed by legendary effects wizard Douglas Trumbull, with a very 80’s score by James Horner.

#tbrainstorm

#douglastrumbull

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@thrillhouserecords

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They Live (1988) Monday 11/13 &theknockoutsf

Toughguy Nada kickpunches the Reagan era in the face with this hard luck story of televised rebellion, alien conquest and subliminal caste control.  Watch the endless feats of violence drag on as director John Carpenter melds the art of Barbara Kruger with the wrestling of Roddy Piper, to confirm a startlingly prescient right wing conspiracy.   Is the president an in-human space zombie in a fat suit?  Is technology being used to control the masses?  Featuring Sunglasses, Bubblegum, Keith David, Meg Foster, Rowdy and a J.C soundtrack.  Directed by John Carpenter and based on a story by Ray Nelson.

Chew bubblegum and kick ass for the 35th anniversary of the theatrical release–an encore showing at cyberpunk cinema :)

[cyberpunkcinema]

Pulse (1988) Monday 10/09 @theknockoutsf

A malicious electrical intelligence manifests itself as multiphase terror in this forgotten spooky classic.  Is your Television set working on a higher level of consciousness than you? Is something wicked this way coming from that transformer buzzing at night?  You may never want to use your garbage disposal again! Featuring Joey Blossom Lawrence, Classic 80’s Dad Cliff De Young, AC & DC, Blackout Electrical Grids, another suburban cul de sac, and what is essentially circuitry porn.  Written and Directed by Paul Golding.

An encore showing from pre-pandemic times!  Has there ever been a better time to question the machine intelligence of electricity?  

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Tokyo Fist (1995) Monday 9/11 @theknockoutsf

Sexless salaryman Tsuda perpetually sinks away from fiance to work and back again, like a pointless mote of dust in a concrete and steel Tokyo.  The fiance, Hizuru, blands away eating crackers and watching late night black and white Orson Welles.  But when prizefighter Kojima enters their lives, passion, violence and body mutilation become penetrating to a beat.  An echo of Tetsuo, Tokyo Fist features Shinya Tsukamoto’s visceral speed style in a saturated color palette and Chiu Ishikawa’s kinetic bashing soundtrack.  Featuring Tetsuo–writer, director, producer in another rat-race parable, his real life Brother as the boxer, and Kahori Fujii under the needle.

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Cherry 2000 (1987) Monday 8/14 @theknockoutsf

Blast backwards to a degraded future of irradiated zones, scarcity marketplaces and contractually obliged intimacies.  What happens when your one of a kind sex bot malfunctions in a weird kitchen accident?-- You hire Melanie Griffith to fire up the V8 and find you another Gynoid.  Cherry 2000 is one of those lost cable classics with plenty of western attitude, “something” to say about relationships and nothing nice to say about the 1950’s desert resort lifestyle.  Featuring Something Wild Griffith, Tim Trancers Thomerson, 5 seconds of “Larry” Fishburne,  a fun Basil Poledouris soundtrack and a warehouse of dead fiber Gynoids.  Directed by Steve De Jarnatt.

This is a re-run showing from 2018, so that our friends at Defcon don’t miss out!  As always, one episode of Cowboy Bebop before the feature!