Review of Onibaba (1964) by Ut S — 27 Jul 2009
Plot - The story is based in 14th century feudal Japan where an old woman & her daughter-in-law kill wandering samurai & sell their clothes & weapon to buy food for their survival . Soon , a friend of old woman's son returns from war & tries to seduce her daughter-in-law. This sparks a series of events based on jealousy, rage & desires. Old woman goes to extreme length to thwart the budding relationship .
The script is original & compelling. Viewer's are captivated by the images of long grass & the women killing samurai's for survival. Then we are exposed to the mental nuances of the characters when lust sparks relentless bouts of rage, passion & revenge. Theme of sin, punishment, fables & folklore are omnipresent.
Film is beautifully shot in black & white. Director Kaneto Shindo uses a ruthless & blatantly stark script & imagery which includes plenty of violence & nudity. Highlight of the film remains it's script & the night sequences in the last 15-20 minutes are sheer pleasure which will leave it's mark on the viewer's mindset.
It's a dark & gruesome tale - which examines the limits that a person can go to in order to survive.
This review of Onibaba (1964) was written by Ut S on 27 Jul 2009.
Onibaba has generally received very positive reviews.
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