Donald Cammell made Performance and then spent a career being recut, and Wild Side is the film he died over — reassembled years later into the version he wanted. Japan Society is importing 35mm to show it, from one of only two prints ever made, with Christopher Walken at his most unhinged opposite Joan Chen. It closes a two-night Ryuichi Sakamoto series that is worth booking as a block.
What to expect
An 8:30 pm 35mm screening in Japan Society’s East 47th Street auditorium, closing the two-day Music by Ryuichi Sakamoto series. The print is an import and the cut is the restored director’s edition, not the studio version that circulated for years. Earlier the same day the series runs All Star Video / Adelic Penguins at 4:00 and Tokyo Decadence at 6:00 if you want to stack the evening.
Good to know
- Tickets are $16, $14 students and seniors, $12 members, and prices include fees where applicable.
- The limited series pass is listed as sold out — buy single tickets instead.
- All screenings are in Japan Society’s own auditorium at 333 East 47th Street.
- Series runs Friday and Saturday only; Friday’s 9:15 slot is an unannounced mystery title on film.
- Copies of Sakamoto’s autobiography Music Sets You Free are sold at select screenings.
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Common questions
Why is a Donald Cammell film in a Sakamoto series?
Sakamoto scored it. The series collects rarely seen films from his four decades as a film composer, curated by Alexander Fee.
What makes this print unusual?
Japan Society describes it as a 35mm import of the director’s cut, screening from one of only two prints ever made.
What else plays that weekend?
Royal Space Force at 7:00 and a mystery screening at 9:15 on Friday; All Star Video / Adelic Penguins at 4:00 and Tokyo Decadence at 6:00 on Saturday.
Can I still buy a series pass?
No — Japan Society lists the limited series pass as sold out, so single tickets are the way in.
