KURONEKO (Kaneto Shindo, 1968)
Japan | 2.35:1 OAR (anamorphic) | Black & White | Original monaural | Date of release: August 2005
Kaneto Shindo's Kuroneko — released to great acclaim in 1968 — is a sparse, atmospheric horror story, ascribing to the director's philosophy of using beauty and purity to evoke emotion. Eccentric and more overtly supernatural than its breakthrough companion piece, Onibaba (1964), Kuroneko revisits similar themes to reveal a haunting meditation on duty, conformity, and love.
In this magnificently eerie and romantic film — loosely based on the Japanese folktale The Cat's Return — a mother and daughter-in-law (Nobuko Otowa & Kiwako Taichi), who were raped and murdered by pillagers, return from the dead as vampiric cat spirits intent on revenge. As the ghosts lure soldiers into the bamboo groves, a fearless samurai, Gintoki (Kinichiemon Nakamura), is sent to stop their reign of terror.
Kuroneko remains a standout film of the kaiden eiga genre of period ghost stories often based on old legends or kabuki plays. Marking Shindo's first use of wire work as Yone and Shige battle against samurai blades, the film is subtly complimented by Kiyomi Kuroda's award-winning chiaroscuro cinematography, Hikaru Hayashi's vibrant score, and riveting performances from many of the greatest actors of Japan's Golden Age of film. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Kuroneko on DVD for the first time in the West.
S P E C I A L F E A T U R E S:
Newly restored high-definition transfer, anamorphic 2.35:1 OAR
'Kuroneko' is available for pre-order via
AmazonUK and at present no US release date has been given.
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