Review of Kwaidan (1965) by M. K — 05 Nov 2006
Killer atmosphere. The film has one huge glaring flaw though: three of the stories are just... weak. 'Black Hair' and 'The Woman in the Snow' are archetypical Japanese ghost stories that have been retold over and over, and the only thing that makes them special here are the incredible sets (was a single shot of this filmed on location??!!!) and gorgeous cinematography.
'In a Cup of Tea' is just plain lame story-wise, although it does have a neat fight sequence with phantom men, but this goes on too long and gets tedious. The best story is 'Hoichi the Earless', which is flawless.
The epic battle at the beginning is realized in such an original, theatrical way I was literally in awe. The sets for the ghostly palace also instilled the same effect on me, and the twist at the end is priceless, and more than a little painful to watch (Ouch!).
This review of Kwaidan (1965) was written by M. K on 05 Nov 2006.
Kwaidan has generally received very positive reviews.
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