Kwaidan (1964)

[怪談]

Director: Masaki Kobayashi
Starring: Rentaro Mikuni, Michiyo Aratama, Misako Watanabe

Synopsis:
An anthology of Japanese ghost stories based on the writings of Lafcadio Hearn.

Impressions:
There's a certain quality to traditional Japanese ghost stories. It's not entirely inaccurate to compare them to our own campfire ghost stories. There's an element of creepy atmosphere and rising suspense leading up to the final hook. It's not quite horror as we typically think of it, but it leaves an impression, arguably a deeper one than most horror films. This may be due to the origin of such stories in oral tradition which taps into something in our collective unconscious. My point is that this movie sticks with you and in a good way. It's nothing super fancy, but solid performances and atmospheric cinematography make for an effective film that's certainly worth watching. Each story is rather different, so if you're the sort who believes variety is the spice of life, you have all the more reason to enjoy it. Jidaigeki fans also have reason to see it. So go see it.

Rating:
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