Before the 'Hollyweird' brigade comes around...this film, and Araki in general, are about as far away from Hollywood as you can get.
I saw "The Doom Generation" that Araki also directed. Aside from the blazing-hot Rose McGowan, that was the strangest film I've EVER seen.
Except of course, that he went to USC film school like many Hollywood directors, was a music and film journalist for LA Weekly, films at LA studios used by Hollywood directors, has his films distributed by TriMark pictures and casts Hollywood B-actors like Rose McGowan, Nicky Katt, Christina Applegate, Ryan Phillippe, etc.
His films are not mainstream blockbusters, obviously. But he is as purebred a product of Hollywood film culture as anyone.
BTW, let me just state that the breadth of your film knowledge continues to impress. I wanted to ask you on the last thread - what's your favorite Ozu?