‘Lost and Found’ is an ongoing column, wherein I discuss a noteworthy movie that for whatever reason has never been released on DVD, or is otherwise unavailable for my viewing pleasure.
In Fish Story, it's 2012 and an asteroid is hurtling toward Earth. In a matter of minutes it will strike the planet and destroy all life as we know it. A guy runs into a Tokyo record store and stumbles upon a ludicrous sight: A man running the store and another shopping, calm as can be, as if... you know... an asteroid wasn't hurtling toward earth at a million miles an hour. The first guy is all like, “Why the hell aren't you guys freaking out? An asteroid is about to destroy all life on earth!” The guy working the shop tells him to relax. He shows him an obscure old Japanese proto-punk single called “Fisshu Sutori (Fish Story)” and tells him that there's nothing to worry about: Fish Story is going to save the world.
This introduction leads to 5 seemingly unrelated anthology stories from the entire spectrum of time between the recording of the Fish Story in 1975 and the destruction of the earth in 2012. Though the stories range in character and tone, they are all connected by the song Fish Story.
That's right, people. This movie is about an obscure punk song that's going to save the world from blowing up at the Mayan apocalypse. I want to own this right now. Though I haven't seen the movie yet, on top of all the punk and apocalypse stuff, Fish Story seems to be about people searching for success and meaning who may not find it where they expected, but nonetheless eventually find that all their thankless toil and work really did count for something. And about other stuff, too. I can't really figure this movie out at all. I could be totally wrong about that synopsis.
And that's why its so unfortunate that beyond a couple of screenings at festivals last fall (most notably Austin's Fantastic Fest) none of us have the chance to see what seems destined to be a new cult favorite. There is no US release date. No distribution plan. No theaters. No straight to video. Just... nothing. I even had a friend try to find a pirate copy online, and he couldn't come up with anything.
I am desperate to see this movie. I had the opportunity to see it in Austin last December and blew it, and I've been regretting it ever since. If you know how to get a copy of this movie to me, or if you know how I can see this movie with you somewhere, somehow, please, please, please...
Please.
Please.
Let me know, okay?
-Ben