Kwaidan review

Before films and theatre were invented there were stories and people who would go around amusing the public with their storytelling skills. A book of such stories would be adapted onto celluloid but only four stories. Japanese cinema has come a long way but when one sees a film like this (which is from 1964) you cant help but wonder. A while ago I had written a review on "Hara-Kinri death of a samurai" which was a remake of a 1962 film tittled, yep you guessed it; “harakiri”. Lo and behold: the original “Harakiri” (aka sepukku) was by the same director of this film Masaki Kobayashi and little did I know when I saw the original “Harakiri” what a good and powerful director Kobayashi was. OK so I don't really remember much of the first film I saw but what I can say is that after watching “kwaidan” I had to order both films for my collection. This film unlike the previous one is shot in colour and is mesmerising. Music is used very sparingly and silence is used to a haunting effects. The whole film is beautifully shot/framed in a claustrophobic manner and leaves the viewer in a constant state of unease. This film consists of the telling of four separate ghost stories; each as good (or almost as good) as the former. These films are within the horror genre but I would doubt that it would frighten you, haunt you...yes but not scare you like most horror films and will not be easily forgotten after viewing. Out of the four stories I enjoyed the first two more than the last two but that's just me as all for are very well told. However, I'd say that whoever watches this will be left in astonishment as to how a film such as this can come out of an era when technology was in its infancy. Sadly there is no “making of” on the DVD. Keep in mind that this is an agonizingly sloooow film but rather than hamper the pace it is surprisingly fitting to the subject matter. All in all this is a SPLENDID watch and I would urge you to see it. If you did enjoy this then you might also enjoy "carnival of souls", "woman of the dunes" (ordered this so will review it soon) and "onibaba".