Gyakufunsha kazoku (The Crazy Family) (1985)

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In this original satire of a consumer family in a consumer society gone over the edge, the family in question moves into an upscale house and for a very short period, all seems to be blissful. They have more space, they have all the mechanical gadgets that make life "easier" -- what more could they… More In this original satire of a consumer family in a consumer society gone over the edge, the family in question moves into an upscale house and for a very short period, all seems to be blissful. They have more space, they have all the mechanical gadgets that make life "easier" -- what more could they want? -- emotional stability, for one thing. Bouncing between scenes reminiscent of horror films and samurai sagas, the family's situation becomes quite literally explosive as their manic antics mount. They retrench after the "explosion" -- and the meaning of the title becomes more evident: a "back-jet" is a jet that brakes on landing, sending thrust in the opposite direction. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi