Kwaidan (1964)

 Masaki Kobayshi's "Kwaidan"


Partly based on the 1904 book "Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things," Masaki Kobayashi's 1964 film "Kwaidan" is an anthology of four stories, all centering around paranormal folklore. Because it was one of the most expensive Japanese productions at the time, the lack of commercial success made it a failure, and even bankrupted the production company, Ninjin Club. However, despite this commercial failure, it is often retrospectively regarded as not only one of the greatest Japanese horror films, but one of the most visually beautiful films ever made.

Each chapter of the film offers its own unique brand of supernatural horror. Although, I don't think 'horror' would fit the right word for modern audience (who are used to a far more intense version of the genre). None of the sections are 'scary' per se, besides "The Woman in the Snow" (which is my personal favorite of the selected stories). The Eastern conceptions of horror are far more akin to strange encounters with the 'uncanny,' as apposed to the Western 'morality horror.' 

The ghostly and spiritual elements of the film seem to allegorically or metaphorically connect its concepts with political and social terror. For example, there are stories that criticize wartime propaganda, visual illustrations of 'thought police' (through a literal eye in the sky), and criticisms of ritualized suicide. Despite having paranormal elements, the film can be viewed through a far more political lens.

On top of the crafty fusion of social critiques with metaphysical spirits, Kobayshi crafts the film with the same ghostly sense of visual layouts. Every frame aspires to painterly levels, with haunting and vivid color schemes and epic wide shots of red, blue, and stark-colored skies. Kobayshi really creates an atmosphere to the film that's hard to disconnect from its spiritual elements.

With such a finely crafted film, it's hard to say that there was some level of disconnect with it. Perhaps it was the 3 hour runtime and perhaps it was most of that runtime being spent on ambiance, but there was some level of distraction from the film that makes me wish it was a bit tighter. Despite these minor criticisms, "Kwaidan" is still an excellent and respectable work that still won me over all the same. Above all, its visuals are so captivating and its connection between real human violence and terror and the haunting netherworld stay with you long after the film ends.






 

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