The line of horror films in the history of cinema is diverse, but the works of the directors of the Land of the Rising Sun are true masterpieces with oppressive atmosphere. After watching a selection of Japanese horror films even the most resistant viewers will not be able to sleep peacefully.
Ju-on
- Rating IMDB – 6.7
- Genre: Horrors
- Japan production / 2002
- Budget: $3 500 000
- Worldwide gross: $3 657 876
- Directed by Takashi Shimizu
- Cast: Megumi Okina, Misaki Ito, Misa Uehara, Yui Ichikawa, Kanji Tsuda, Kayoko Shibata, Yukako Kukuri, Shuri Matsuda, Yoji Tanaka, Yoshiyuki Morishita
A huge house in Tokyo has had a bad reputation ever since a brutal murder took place there. The head of the family went mad and massacred his wife, and the couple’s young son disappeared without a trace.
None of the new owners of the house survived the attack of the evil ghosts, but still there are those who want to move into the cursed house. To another family, social services sends a young Rika Nishina, who is ready to fight the otherworldly creatures, on assignment.
It took two to three hours to put makeup on the “ghost” actors.
Ring
- Rating IMDB – 7.2
- Genre: Horror, thriller, detective
- Japan production / 1998
- Budget: $1 200 000
- Worldwide gross: $44 598
- Directed by Hideo Nakata
- Cast: Nanako Matsushima, Miki Nakatani, Yuko Takeuchi, Hitomi Sato, Yoichi Numata, Yutaka Matsushige, Katsumi Muramatsu, Rikiya Otaka, Masako, Daisuke Ban
The four friends are watching a videotape with the usual white noise, but suddenly a woman’s image appears on the screen. The stranger tells them that the guys have no more than a week to live – and an unexpected call confirms her words. The men don’t take the threat seriously and die within the stipulated time.
The aunt of the deceased Tomoko tries to get to the bottom of this tragedy and accidentally watches the tape. A countdown begins, with her own life on the line.
The film is based on the novel by Koji Suzuki.
Dark Water
- Rating IMDB – 6.7
- Genre: Horror, thriller, drama, detective
- Japan production / 2001
- Worldwide gross: $1 686 839
- Directed by Hideo Nakata
- Cast: Hitomi Kuroki, Ryo Kanno, Mirei Oguchi, Asami Mizukawa, Fumiyo Kohinata, Yu Tokui, Isao Yatsu, Shigemitsu Ogi, Maiko Asano, Yukiko Ikari
Yoshimi is looking for an apartment to rent, where he plans to move after his divorce with his daughter Ikuko. There is enough money for a modest and damp apartment, but the building manager attributes the temporary inconvenience to the prolonged rainy season.
Yoshimi agrees to the move, and soon Ikuko discovers a child’s purse of toys. The strangeness continues when the daughter tells her mother about a little girl she often sees in the house. Yoshimi manages to discover that the strange child is Mitsuko, who went missing several years ago.
A horror film adaptation of the story by Koji Suzuki.
Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night
- Rating IMDB – 5.1
- Genre: Horror, Detective
- Japan production / 2010
- Worldwide gross: $370 262
- Directed by Toshikazu Nagae
- Cast: Aoi Nakamura, Noriko Aoyama, Kosuke Kujirai, Ayako Yoshitani
Haruka travels across America, but her long-awaited vacation is marred by an unfortunate car accident in San Diego. She is accused of murdering her boyfriend, and the Japanese woman returns home with a heavy heart.
Soon, Haruka’s brother notices oddities in his sister’s behavior and installs security cameras in the rooms to confirm the scary conjecture. The boy has to face the true evil that has touched everyone involved in the tragic events.
The film is shot in a pseudo-documentary style to create an intimidating atmosphere.
Audition
- Rating IMDB – 7.1
- Genre: Horror, Drama, Detective
- Japan, Korea Southern production / 1999
- Worldwide gross: $242 759
- Directed by Takashi Miike
- Cast: Ryo Ishibashi, Ei Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura, Renji Ishibashi, Miyuki Matsuda, Toshie Negishi, Ren Osugi, Shigeru Saiki, Ken Mitsuishi
Seven years have passed since his wife’s death, but Shigeharu Aoyama is in no hurry to start a new relationship. His adult son is seriously worried about his father, who may be left alone after his departure.
Aoyama’s longtime friend, film producer Yoshikawa, suggests resorting to an original way of finding a spouse. The man announces an audition for the lead role in a movie that doesn’t exist, so that Shigehara can assess the qualities of women. The auditions are successful, but the film producer is concerned about the main applicant’s lack of background.
The paralyzing substance shown in the picture is fictional.
Cure
- Rating IMDB – 7.4
- Genre: Horror, thriller, crime, detective
- Japan production / 1997
- Budget: ¥1 000 000
- Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
- Cast: Koji Yakusho, Masato Hagiwara, Tsuyoshi Ujiki, Anna Nakagawa, Misayo Haruki, Yoriko Doguchi, Danden, Ren Osugi, Masahiro Toda
A series of bizarre murders are sweeping through Japan, which Detective Takabe must deal with. The perpetrators are apprehended, but there is no connection between them and no one can explain their motives. A huge “X” is carved on the bodies of the victims, and the murders were committed by law-abiding citizens.
At the same time, a strange guy with amnesia wanders the streets of the city, and random passersby try to help him. However, after a brief conversation with the stranger, each of them picks up a knife – and decides to commit a crime.
The film was the first collaboration between director Kiyoshi Kurosawa and actor Koji Yakusho.
One Missed Call
- Rating IMDB – 6.2
- Genre: Horror, Detective
- Japan production / 2003
- Worldwide gross: $16 367 880
- Directed by Takashi Miike
- Cast: Ko Shibasaki, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Kazue Fukishi, Anna Nagata, Atsushi Ida, Mariko Tsutsui, Kumiko Imai, Keiko Tomita, Kayoko Fujii, Yoshiko Noda
The list of Japanese horror films continues with a psychological thriller about mysterious deaths. Under strange circumstances, several young people die who receive a cell phone call in the last minutes of their lives. The voice of each of the victims sounded in the receiver – and only Yumi managed to survive.
Together with retired policeman Hiroshi, the girl begins her own investigation. The partners discover that after the death of the phone’s owner, a single number was called from the handset.
Some scenes were filmed in an abandoned Tokyo hospital.
Noroi: The Curse
- Rating IMDB – 6.9
- Genre: Horror, thriller, detective
- Japan production / 2005
- Budget: $2 000 000
- Worldwide gross: $6 819
- Directed by Koji Shiraishi
- Cast: Jin Muraki, Rio Kanno, Tomono Kuga, Marika Matsumoto, Angaruzu, Hiroshi Aramata, Yoko Chosokabe, Dankan, Tomomi Yeguchi, Goku
Reporter Masafumi Kobayashi shoots TV programs about paranormal phenomena, and begins his career with the story of Junko, whose house is filled with crying babies. The woman leaves the cursed dwelling, and a few days later her neighbors are killed in a car accident.
Masafumi is approached for help by actress Marika Matsumoto, who weaves a pattern of wire and yarn in her sleep. Kobayashi records the sleeping woman in search of clues to her strange behavior–and he hears the demon’s name clearly spoken.
Actress Marika Matsumoto played herself in the film.
Premonition
- Rating IMDB – 6.2
- Genre: Horror, fantasy
- Japan production / 2004
- Directed by Norio Tsuruta
- Cast: Hiroshi Mikami, Noriko Sakai, Maki Horikita, Mayumi Ono, Hana Inoue, Masao Mukai, Reiko Hiroshige, Takahiro Takano, Rui Tsurumizu, Gaku Adachi
Hideki Satomi returns by car with his wife Ayaka and daughter Nana to Tokyo after a vacation. The man parks at a pay phone to make an urgent call and notices a piece of newspaper. It contains a note about the death of Hideki’s daughter – and a minute later, the dreadful prophecy comes true. A truck crashes into the car carrying the girl, and the marriage does not stand the test of grief. Years later, Hideki lives alone after the divorce, but thoughts of the strange newspaper keep him busy.
The picture is based on a manga published in 1973.
As the Gods Will
- Rating IMDB – 6.4
- Genre: Horror, sci-fi
- Japan production / 2014
- Worldwide gross: $1 938 654
- Directed by Takashi Miike
- Cast: Sota Fukushi, Mio Yuki, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Hirona Yamazaki, Shota Sometani, Nao Omori, Nijiro Murakami, Riri Franki, Atsuko Maeda, Sakichi Sato
Young Sun Takahata is an ordinary high school student who finds life boring and uninteresting. One day alternates with another, and nothing surprising happens. One day, a talking doll of Daruma, a deity who brings happiness, appears at school.
Gifts can be obtained by taking part in a game of survival, but it will not be easy to survive the mass carnage. Already in the first round, dozens of students die, and the lucky few who remain meet other evil deities.
The picture is based on the first arc of the manga of the same name.
Kuru
- Rating IMDB – 6.2
- Genre: Horror, Drama, Detective
- Japan production / 2018
- Worldwide gross: $5 041 008
- Directed by Tetsuya Nakashima
- Cast: Junichi Okada, Haru Kuroki, Nana Komatsu, Takako Matsu, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Munetaka Aoki, Kentes Asaka, Hikaru Ijuin, Taiga Nakano, Miho Ninagawa
Hideki and Kana are a happy couple expecting their first child. The couple knows that the baby will be a girl, and they even think of a name for the baby. A strange visitor arrives at Hideki’s office, leaving a message about the fate of Tisa, which is the name they plan to give the newborn.
The words of the enigmatic stranger are eventually forgotten, but years later a malevolent entity appears at the home of the close-knit family. Hideki is forced to enlist the help of an experienced exorcist, as well as recall a long ago story told by a mysterious visitor.
Director Tetsuya Nakashima acted as screenwriter, as the picture was based on his novel.
Tag
- Rating IMDB – 6.1
- Genre: Horror, action, sci-fi
- Japan production / 2015
- Worldwide gross: $995 024
- Directed by Sion Sono
- Cast: Reina Trindle, Mariko Shinoda, Erina Mano, Yuki Sakurai, Aki Hiraoka, Ami Tomite, Mika Akizuki, Misaki Amano, Ura Aryu, Mao Asou
An ordinary school excursion turns to tragedy when a sudden gust of wind cuts a bus full of high school students in half. Young Mitsuko miraculously manages to survive – and that’s when the game of survival with death begins.
The girl is haunted by misfortune, danger, and violent maniacs, and one of the victims reveals the schoolgirl the truth. Mitsuko travels through parallel realities, and someone will continue to kill everyone until the story’s protagonist changes the scenario. Each story is a different world, and the finale is still a long way off.
The deadly wind in the film is a reference to the Japanese demon Kama-itachi.
Tokyo Ghoul (Dilogy)
- Rating IMDB – 5.7
- Genre: Horror, fantasy, action, thriller, drama
- Japan production / 2017
- Worldwide gross: $5 060 120
- Directed by Kentaro Hagiwara
- Cast: Masataka Kubota, Fumika Shimizu, Nobuyuki Suzuki, Hiyori Sakurada, Yo Oizumi, Yu Aoi, Kunio Murai, Kai Ogasawara, Shunya Shiraishi, Shoko Aida
The gripping fantasy is set in an alternate reality, where lovers of human flesh lurk among humans. Guli prefer to remain in the shadows, tracking their prey among lonely pedestrians.
Student Ken Kaneki is attacked by an ogre on his way home, but he manages to survive. A street shield falls on the googly, and the doctors arrive in time to save the young man. The surgeons are unaware that the patient’s donor is a dangerous cannibal, and the transplanted organs will trigger an irreversible transformation process.
The picture is based on the manga series of the same name by talented author Sui Ishida, who himself chose the main character.
Bilocation
- Rating IMDB – 6.3
- Genre: Horror, Drama, Detective
- Japan production / 2013
- Directed by Marie Asato
- Cast: Asami Mizukawa, Yosuke Asari, Chukichi Kubo, Maiko, Wakana Sakai, Kento Senga, Ken’ichi Takito, Kosuke Toyohara, Hiroko Uchida
One of the best Japanese horror films will make you ponder the intricacies of the storyline. Takamura Shinobu is a talented artist who meets her fate on the staircase. The relationship quickly grows into a marriage, but the family idyll is shattered by the girl’s unexpected arrest.
A routine supermarket purchase ended in the arrest of Takamura, who was accused of using counterfeit bills. Security guards watched the girl for a long time and recorded the crimes on video. Upon viewing the footage, Takamura realizes that the footage depicts her double.
The film was the second feature by director Marie Asato.
Torihada: The Movie
- Rating IMDB – 6.3
- Genre: Horrors
- Japan production / 2012
- Directed by Koichiro Miki
- Cast: Mitsuki Tanimura, Haruka Kinami, Aimi Satsukawa, Anna Ishibashi, Maki Iriki, Yuri Shirahane, Yuki Furukawa, Daisuke Kikuta, Takashika Kobayashi, Miho Miyazaki
Diligent Hikari works as a call center operator, listening to countless customer complaints as part of her job. The only outlet in the stream of negativity is an affair with her boss, but she has to hide her romantic relationship from the people around her.
Several times a day Hikari’s machine receives calls from an annoying customer who introduces herself by a rare name. The girl is surprised when she recognizes her humble neighbor as a hated customer.
Two years later, the director shot the second part of the film, but the story lines of the pictures are not connected with each other.
Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman
- Rating IMDB – 5.4
- Genre: Horror, thriller, drama
- Japan production / 2007
- Worldwide gross: $189 229
- Directed by Koji Shiraishi
- Cast: Eriko Sato, Haruhiko Kato, Chiharu Kawai, Rie Kuwana, Kazuyuki Matsuzawa, Kaori Sakagami, Sakina Kuwae, Yuto Kawase, Ryo Nakamura, Ryoko Takizawa
Children start disappearing without a trace in a provincial town, and searches for them yield no results. Matsuzaki, a teacher, becomes an accidental witness to the abduction of a schoolgirl and starts her own investigation. She is joined by her colleague Yamashita, who believes in the veracity of an ancient legend.
According to folklore, a woman with a slit mouth regularly appears in the local area, preying on children. Two courageous teachers are ready to stand a wall between the insidious ghost and the defenseless young victims.
The film is based on the urban legend of Kuchisake-onna, who was disfigured during her lifetime for her unearthly beauty.
Killers
- Rating IMDB – 6.4
- Genre: Horror, action, thriller, crime
- Indonesia, Japan production / 2014
- Worldwide gross: $5 248
- Directed by Kimo Stambol, Timo Tiajanto
- Cast: Kazuki Kitamura, Oka Antara, Rin Takanashi, Luna Maya, Rei Sahetapi, Ersia Aurelia, Tensui Sakai, Epi Kusnandar, Mei Kurokawa, Tara Basro
Bayu Adilla is an ambitious journalist driven by a sense of justice. He takes on the investigation of a corrupt politician, which leads to the loss of his job and his family. Bayu doesn’t give up and intends to get even with his enemies, and the tools of revenge are dark videos.
Adilla finds videos on the Internet of a mysterious murderer who meticulously massacres his victims, posting details of the crimes. Bayou copies the maniac’s M.O., but the insane murderer will not tolerate competition.
The film was the first joint project of Indonesian and Japanese filmmakers.
Siren
- Rating IMDB – 5.5
- Genre: Horror, thriller
- Japan production / 2006
- Directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi
- Cast: Yui Ichikawa, Reo Morimoto, Naoki Tanaka, Hiroshi Abe, Naomi Nishida, Suzuki Matsuo, Kyusaku Shimada, Seiko Iwaido, Jun Nishiyama, Courtney Webb
Writer Shinichi arrives with his daughter Yuki and son Hideo on a remote island where all the inhabitants adhere to a cardinal rule. They are not allowed to leave their homes at night, and when a siren sounds, they should not even go near the windows.
Yuki finds people’s behavior strange and tries not to succumb to mass hysteria, but the real shock comes from an unexpected discovery. One day, the girl discovers photographs of all the locals in the house. Since then, the appearance of the people has not changed, although the pictures date back to 1976.
The film is based on the Forbidden Siren computer game series.
Infection
- Rating IMDB – 6.0
- Genre: Horror, sci-fi, drama
- Japan production / 2004
- Directed by Masayuki Ochiai
- Cast: Michiko Hada, Mari Hoshino, Tae Kimura, Yoko Maki, Kaho Minami, Morooka Moro, Shiro Sano, Koichi Sato, Masanobu Takashima, Isao Yatsu
An irreparable tragedy occurs in a clinic that is on the verge of closing. A patient dies because of a medical error, and the night shift of doctors and nurses are faced with a difficult choice.
It is necessary to admit his own mistake, putting an end to his future career and the existence of the hospital, or to sign a false report. Colleagues refer to the hopelessness of the patient, so they decide to go the way of deception, unaware of the terrible consequences of a dishonest choice.
At the time of its premiere in Japan, the picture was the second highest-grossing at the box office, behind only the American action film “I, Robot.
Suicide Forest Village
- Rating IMDB – 5.0
- Genre: Horrors
- Japan production / 2021
- Worldwide gross: $5 649 792
- Directed by Takashi Shimizu
- Cast: Anna Yamada, Mayu Yamaguchi, Fuju Kamio, Yuki Kura, Haruka Kudo, Rinka Otani, Muga Tsukaji, Asuka Kurosawa, Kazuya Takahashi, Yumi Adachi
The sisters Mei and Hibiki Amazawa live with their grandmother after their mother’s death, but one day the girls’ fate changes dramatically. The schoolgirls learn about the existence of the dark forest of Aokigahara, which inspires people with suicidal thoughts.
The reason for the strange anomaly is a box, where an ancient evil lurks under the seal of a strong spell. A parcel of mystical power gets to the people, and the spell can only be broken in the heart of the forest. The sisters assemble a group to search for the source of evil, but no one has ever managed to get out of the thicket alive.
The picture is the sequel to the horror film “Inunaki mura”, which was released in 2019.
Museum
- Rating IMDB – 6.0
- Genre: Thriller, Detective, Crime
- Japan production / 2016
- Directed by Keishi Otomo
- Cast: Shun Oguri, Shuhei Nomura, Matiko Ono, Tomomi Maruyama, Masato Ibu, Tomoko Tabata, Mikako Ichikawa, Nao Omori, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Yutaka Matsushige
The action of the scary Japanese horror movie unfolds in the capital of Japan, which has been overwhelmed by a wave of violent crimes. A mysterious killer, hiding his identity under the mask of a frog, leaves messages near the victims. The maniac is not afraid to be caught, because all his crimes are carefully planned.
Detective Sawamura manages to discover the connection between the victims, all of whom were convicted in court several years ago. The investigator realizes that his wife was on the jury, and now the woman is in danger.
The film is based on the manga of the same name by Reske Tomoe.
I Am a Hero
- Rating IMDB – 6.8
- Genre: Horror, action
- Japan production / 2015
- Worldwide gross: $13 640 067
- Directed by Shinsuke Sato
- Cast: Yo Oizumi, Kasumi Arimura, Masami Nagasawa, Hisashi Yoshizawa, Yoshinori Okada, Nana Katase, Jin Katagiri, Makita Supotsu, Muga Tsukaji, Yu Tokui
In his youth, writer Hideo Suzuki won an award as the most promising newcomer, but since then the muse has left the author. The man is unable to draw anything worthwhile to land a manga contract.
Hideo is on the full support of his lover, who one day runs out of patience. Tekko kicks the lazy boyfriend out, but soon regrets her impulsive decision. The news is rife with news of distraught people lashing out at those around them, and in a dangerous situation, a reliable protector couldn’t hurt.
In 2016, a spin-off of the film was released – the series “Connection”.
Grotesque
- Rating IMDB – 4.7
- Genre: Horror, thriller
- Japan production / 2009
- Directed by Koji Shiraishi
- Cast: Tsugumi Nagasawa, Hiroaki Kawatsure, Shigeo Osako
The young couple returns from their first date, which went flawlessly and was the foundation for the development of their relationship. Aki naively asks Kazuo if he is willing to sacrifice himself for her, and the boy agrees without hesitation.
Aki has no idea that a few hours later he will have to prove the truth of his own words when he finds himself in the hands of a crazed maniac. The brutal sadist revels in the deadly fear of his victims, but is willing to offer a ghostly hope of salvation.
The British Board of Film Classification did not give the picture any rating, recognizing the distribution of such a film to be illegal because of the abundance of sadistic scenes.
Pulse
- Rating IMDB – 6.5
- Genre: Horror, sci-fi, thriller, detective
- Japan production / 2001
- Worldwide gross: $282 451
- Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
- Cast: Haruhiko Kato, Kumiko Aso, Koyuki, Kurume Arisaka, Masatoshi Matsuo, Shinji Takeda, Jun Fubuki, Shun Sugata, Sho Aikawa, Koji Yakusho
Michi Kudo moves to Tokyo in search of a better life, where she encounters mystical phenomena. Taguchi, a programmer, is absent from work for several days and does not get in touch, so the girl decides to visit a colleague. Michi sees the guy in a strange state, and shortly after the conversation, the young man commits suicide.
After Taguchi’s death, Kudo discovers a mysterious disk with infinite recursion and an image of the programmer in the guise of a ghost. The strangeness only gains momentum when people start disappearing in Tokyo.
Director and screenwriter Kiyoshi Kurosawa appeared on screen in a cameo role.
Suicide Club
- Rating IMDB – 6.5
- Genre: Drama, Crime, Detective
- Japan production / 2001
- Budget: $250 000
- Directed by Sion Sono
- Cast: Ryo Ishibashi, Masatoshi Nagase, Mai Hosho, Tamao Sato, Takashi Nomura, Rollie, Joshua, Masato Tsujioka, Yasuzuke Hamamoto, Kei Nagase
On a normal spring day, several dozen schoolchildren commit mass suicide by throwing themselves under an approaching train on the platform. Hours later, at the local clinic, nurses jump out the window, and detectives discover strange rolls at the scene of the tragedies.
The items match skin removed from the bodies of the victims, which puts the investigation at a standstill. A Kieko hacker prompts the detectives to the address of a website that displays suicides long before they are committed in real life.
In 2003, the film won the prize for Most Innovative Film.
Reincarnation
- Rating IMDB – 6.1
- Genre: Horror, Detective
- Japan production / 2005
- Worldwide gross: $4 201 779
- Directed by Takashi Shimizu
- Cast: Yuka, Karina, Kipei Shina, Tetta Sugimoto, Shun Oguri, Marika Matsumoto, Mantaro Koichi, Atsushi Haruta, Miki Sanjo, Mao Sasaki
The Genma Hotel in 1970 was the scene of a brutal crime when a distraught writer killed his own family and hotel staff. After the monstrous massacre, the man committed suicide, and the detectives were never able to figure out the motive for the terrible act.
Thirty-five years later, director Matsumura begins filming a movie about an old crime, unaware of the possible consequences. As the actors immerse themselves in the work, they are subjected to nightmarish hallucinations that blur the line between visions and reality.
In Russia, the film premiered a year after its worldwide release.
One Cut of the Dead
- Rating IMDB – 7.6
- Genre: Horror, comedy
- Japan production / 2017
- Budget: $25 000
- Worldwide gross: $27 590 180
- Directed by Shinichiro Ueda
- Cast: Takayuki Hamatsu, Mao, Harumi Shuhama, Kazuaki Nagaya, Yuzuki Akiyama, Hiroshi Ichihara, Manabu Hosoi, Shuntaro Yamazaki, Shinichiro Osawa, Yoshiko Takehara
The horror genre is popular at all times, so an aspiring director decides to make a win-win. The talented guy gathers a group of actors to take part in a project about a zombie invasion.
An abandoned filtered station with a grim past is chosen as the location, something the director is unaware of. Decades ago there were monstrous experiments on people, and the fruits of the experiments are still waiting for the right opportunity for release.
The original title of the picture is “Don’t Stop the Camera!”
Kwaidan
- Rating IMDB – 7.9
- Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Drama
- Japan production / 1964
- Budget: ¥350 000 000
- Directed by Masaki Kobayashi
- Cast: Michiyo Aratama, Misako Watanabe, Rentaro Mikuni, Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiko Kishi, Katsuo Nakamura, Tetsuro Tamba, Takashi Shimura, Kanemon Nakamura, Noboru Nakaya
At one time the picture was considered the scariest Japanese horror film, which won a prize at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival. The four mystical monogatari are not connected by a storyline, but are imbued with a dark atmosphere.
Here, the gates of a dilapidated house swing open by themselves, with the light of a melting candle still flickering in one of the rooms. Japanese ghosts may return to the human world to find a loved one or to brutally punish a despicable traitor.
The picture is based on folk tales.
Black Cat
- Rating IMDB – 7.7
- Genre: Horror, Drama
- Japan production / 1968
- Directed by Kaneto Shindo
- Cast: Kichienemon Nakamura, Nobuko Otowa, Kei Sato, Rocco Tora, Kiwako Taichi, Taiji Tonoyama, Hideo Kanze, Eimei Esumi, Shoji Oki, Kentaro Kaji
The culture of the East paints beautiful images of beautiful aristocrats, noble warriors and hardworking craftsmen. However, history also has a flip side of the coin. A simple peasant can become a samurai, showing courage on the battlefield, and brave soldiers can descend to the level of bandits and rapists.
Crime creates evil – and good women, after a painful death, are transformed into treacherous demons. The ghosts avenge their violated honor and taken life, but there is still a bit of humanity in the soul.
The film was preparing to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival, which was cancelled due to riots in France.
Onibaba
- Rating IMDB – 7.9
- Genre: Horror, Drama
- Japan production / 1964
- Directed by Kaneto Shindo
- Cast: Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura, Kei Sato, Jukichi Uno, Taiji Tonoyama, Somesho Matsumoto, Kentaro Kaji, Hosui Araya, Fudeko Tanaka, Michinori Yoshida
The daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, who sent their only son into battle, are desperately trying to survive in a difficult time of war. The women trade in the killing of exhausted samurai who shamefully flee the battlefield.
The dead soldiers’ uniforms are exchanged for food and clothing from greedy merchants, but all is complete with the return of an attractive neighbor. The young woman decides to satisfy her sexual hunger, and her jealous mother-in-law tries to bring her daughter-in-law back into the family by any means necessary.
The storyline is based on an ancient parable about a treacherous old woman who would not let her daughter-in-law into the temple.
