Kwaidan on DVD (1964)

Merlin from London, England , 10/11/2005

I remember as a small boy my mother always telling me about Kwaidan and how it had an effect on her. It was never shown on TV when I was young so I watched it at the NFT in London at the age of 16. I was not disappointed.

Kwaidan is a tale of four seprate ghost stories. 'Black Hair': About a samurai who divorces his true love to marry for money, but when things go wrong he returns to his old wife, only to discover something is not as it should be. 'The Woman in the Snow': A woodcutter stranded in a snowstorm, meets an icy spirit who saves his life on the condition that he never tells anyone about her. He later forgets his promise. 'Hoichi the Earless': A talented blind musician, is commanded to perform for a ghostly imperial court in the monastery he resides in. The ghosts are draining away his life, and the monks set out to protect him by writing a holy mantra over his body to make him invisible to the ghosts. But something goes awry. 'In a Cup of Tea': a writer tells the story of a man who keeps seeing a mysterious face reflected in his cup of tea.

The scenes are beautifully set-up and obviously influenced Takeshi Kitano (see Dolls). The colours and ethereal mood created by the director Masaki Kobayashi draws you into another world. Kwaidan is a long film but engrossing. I suggest that it will become one of your favorite films, particularly if you are fond of Japanese cinema.

  29 out of 30 people found this review helpful

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JON KELLY from Doncaster [Highly rated reviewer] , 25/02/2007

Kobayashi's beautifully crafted film will not dissapoint fans of Japanese cinema. Rendered in gorgeous colour and perectly composed widescreen, the film contains theatrical elements such as painted backdrops and expressionist lighting that exsist perfectly within the naturalistic settings of the four stories. The minimalist soundtrack evokes a spooky collection of ethereal noises and ghostly whispers, providing a very creepy atmosphere to some sublime and unforgettable imagery. My favourite story was 'Hoichi the Earless,' that includes a genuinely scary encounter with a phantom Samurai towards the end. 'Woman of the Snow' is a moving tale of broken promises and lost love (the appearance of the Yūrei is interesting, so familiar from The Ring etc). 'Black Hair' and 'In a Cup of Tea ' may be more conventional narratives, but the supernatural perplexity in both ghostly confrontations create a disorientating intensity.

A wonderfully artful film. Low on shocks and horror but perfectly engaged with the mystery and fear of the unknown.

  6 out of 7 people found this review helpful

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Christopher Clayton from London, UK , 18/06/2006

It's easy to see how Masaki Kobayashi's 'Kwaidan' surpassed all previously Japanese films upon its release in 1965; both in terms of budget and sheer scope. This film is structured using four different stories, none of which are in any way linked but are all quite emotionally resonant and powerful.

Put simply, 'Kwaiden' is an amazing piece of work. It's an artistic triumph that oozes with moments of creativity. The sets here are all incredible, with bright, warm colours meshing against old-age backdrops. Kobayashi really went for a striking, almost insular feeling when making the film and it shows.

The four stories here are fairly simple to follow, and all of them have some very interesting moments of horror and fascination. While 'Kwaidan' is supposedly part of the horror genre and does play with horror elements, I think the film runs a bit deeper than that. Nothing here is scary, but you'll be too engrossed in the wonderful landscape to truly care.

Ultimately, the finest story is 'Woman Of The Snow', which is easily the creepiest of the bunch. 'Hotoichi The Earless' is runner-up, and the longest. The two stories that bookend the film are just slightly less engaging, but they still work strong elements of ancient interest that should prove enjoyable for anyone.

I've watched this film three times now and been blown away each time. 'Kwaidan' is such a creative, interesting film and, its occasional moments of lag aside, is a stunning example of classic Japanese horror with depth and artistic merit.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

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phil jenkins from sussex , 22/09/2006

The first two films of this quartet make the disc well worth borrowing. These simple tales are marvellously well transferred to the screen, and provide a feast for the eye, the ear, and the imagination. Unless you need Hollywood-style action, pace, and plot-development, images from Kwaidan will stay with you for a very long time

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

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JON KELLY from Doncaster [Highly rated reviewer] , 25/02/2007

Kobayashi's beautifully crafted film will not dissapoint fans of Japanese cinema. Rendered in gorgeous colour and perectly composed widescreen, the film contains theatrical elements such as painted backdrops and expressionist lighting that exsist perfectly within the naturalistic settings of the four stories. The minimalist soundtrack evokes a spooky collection of ethereal noises and ghostly whispers, providing a very creepy atmosphere to some sublime and unforgettable imagery. My favourite story was 'Hoichi the Earless,' that includes a genuinely scary encounter with a phantom Samurai towards the end. 'Woman of the Snow' is a moving tale of broken promises and lost love (the appearance of the Yūrei is interesting, so familiar from The Ring etc). 'Black Hair' and 'In a Cup of Tea ' may be more conventional narratives, but the supernatural perplexity in both ghostly confrontations create a disorientating intensity.

A wonderfully artful film. Low on shocks and horror but perfectly engaged with the mystery and fear of the unknown.

  6 out of 7 people found this review helpful

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Robert Dawson from Cardiff,Wales. [Highly rated reviewer] , 24/03/2008

Four great short horror stories.

They don't exactly make you jump out of your seat, but you're thinking about them many hours later.

Friday nights with the lights out....and a kebab.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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