Onibaba (1964) Dir: Kaneto Shindō
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Set upon the backdrop of a civil war in medieval Japan, Kaneto Shindō's 1964 supernatural horror is a magnificently filmed piece of cinema. It combines a fascinating, isolated setting with layers of mystery, romance and horror to form what is a surreal and enthralling viewing experience, even sixty years after its release.
Every shot is exquisite, from the gorgeous close-ups, to the delicious tracking shots and the beautiful establishing shots. I cannot express how truly stunning near enough every frame of the film is. Each one was perfectly framed and expertly shot. It was such a treat for the eyes.
The film being black and white suited it perfectly. The contrast of black and white, and the shades between, were stark, bold and intensely effective in creating striking visuals, especially during the night-time scenes.
The film's pacing was spot-on. It had a rhythm and a flow to it that meant that even when the story was going at a slower pace, it was still utterly transfixing. The film unfolded itself so eloquently and deliberately that I simply could not look away.
Shindō's film is full of Buddhist and Shintô symbolism that makes every shot that much kore significant and intriguing. Even though I was not aware of all the meaning behind it, I felt the power of it. The whole film was charged with implicit and explicit emotion.
The story is, on a surface level, simple, but as I said above, it had so much more going on underneath. The subtle storytelling and the character driven nature of the narrative was incredibly satisfying and captivating to watch. I felt myself drawn in from the very first scene - it was so well staged.
I adored the performance of Nobuko Otowa. She was both haunting and captivating in abundance. I felt so entranced by her, particularly when she was showing more intense emotions. I thought the way she played off of her co-stars was exemplary and impressive, as she commanded the screen, even when her character was presented as weaker.
Jitsuko Yoshimura absolutely mastered terror in the scenes requiring it. I was so struck by how good her facial expressions and reactions were. That's not all I was impressed by though, I thought she was brilliant in just about every other facet of her performance too, including the more subtle acting, which she did very well.
Kei Satō was so devilish, it was honestly great. I loved his antagonistic charisma and facial expressions. He made for a fascinating foil to Otowa, and had some strong chemistry with Yoshimura. He was very easy to watch and very entertaining.
Overall, this was easily one of the best films I've seen from the 20th Century. It was a stellar piece of Japanese cinema, which mastered its horror elements, as well as its fascinating storytelling. The film was visually stunning and excellently comprised, as well as intensely compelling - what a masterpiece.
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