About

A cornerstone of Japanese horror, Masaki Kobayashi's Kwaidan is a breathtaking anthology of four haunting tales drawn from Japanese folklore and the writings of Lafcadio Hearn. A remorseful samurai (Rentarō Mikuni) haunted by his past, a woodcutter (Tatsuya Nakadai) who fatefully encounters a snow spirit (Keiko Kishi), a blind musician summoned to perform for the dead and a writer drawn into a mysterious reflection each confront forces that lie beyond the understanding of mere mortals.

Shot entirely on meticulously constructed sound stages, director Kobayashi's first colour film unfolds within vast hand-painted sets and surreal landscapes that resemble living watercolours. Drawing from traditions of Japanese theatre, classical Japanese storytelling and scroll painting, the film creates a realm where the supernatural never strays far from everyday life.

Kwaidan’s uncanny atmosphere is deepened by Tōru Takemitsu's avant-garde score composed of traditional Japanese instruments, experimental sound design and moments of startling silence. Unsettling and visually extraordinary, Kwaidan lingers in the space between beauty and dread, where regret, desire and unseen forces shape human destiny. From pale spectres to the iconic motif of long black hair, Kwaidan’s depictions of the supernatural would go on to influence generations of filmmakers and shape the distinctive visual language of contemporary Japanese horror.

PG | Contains mature themes, sex scenes and violence