twist of fait accomplis

Kwaidan, 1965
Director: Masaki Kobayashi
Availability: Medium (on DVD from Criterion)

This series of four Japanese ghost stories is nothing short of a masterpiece from every angle: the cinemetography, storytelling, acting, and direction are all simply superb. I can't think of a more visually beautiful movie or a more hauntingly presented ghost story. Here's a rundown of the four stories, lifted from my review, linked above.

"The Black Hair" is a good opening story of a samurai who is looking for fame and riches only to realize that he cannot have the wealth he desires and the love he needs at the same time. He realizes his mistake and attempts to return to the true love he left behind. The sets are gorgeous in "The Black Hair". The indoor shots are gloomy and despairing while the outdoor shots are eerie and forboding. One of the most (literally) spine-tingling shorts I've ever seen, "The Black Hair" is one whose images will stick with you long after the movie is over.

"The Woman in the Snow" is the story of a woodcutter who finds himself stranded with his eldery mentor in a snowstorm like you've never seen. They find refuge in a woodshed, until a woman comes and steals the mentor's final breath. She spares the young apprentice, but makes him promise that he will never speak of the events of that night. Though the ending is predictable, the story is unique and the cinematography is one-of-a-kind. There's a particularly beautiful scene where the woodcutter and the love of his life are running through a field. In this scene, the camera's angle and tracking distort the speed at which the man is running, resulting in a memorable perception-bending visual.

In "Hoichi, The Earless," a young blind man with a talent for musically retelling the story of a bloody sea battle between the Heike and Genji clans. The problem is that the performances he's giving are for ghosts and not living beings. In order to protect Hoichi from the ghosts, the monks that have befriended him paint his body from head to toe with holy text, which renders him invisible from the ghosts. Unfortunately, they forget to paint the young man's ears. While this story appealed to me the least of the three, I have a feeling it's the one that will grow the most on me. The sparse use of traditional Chinese music and stunning use of silence during the battle scenes make "Hoichi, The Earless" absolutely eerie.

Kwaidan closes out with "In a Cup of Tea," where a samurai warrior is tortured by visions of a man in his tea. The tea-borne man eventually manifests himself in a more flesh-like form, which drives the samurai to insanity. The closing scene of this story (and the movie, as well) is one that will remain with you.

At 161 minutes, this is one of the longer horror films you'll experience, but every second of it is sublime. If you've never had a chance to witness this gem, be sure to hunt it down and give it a shot.

11:59 PM

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