Kuroneko (1968)

KURONEKO is simply one of the best ghost/horror films ever made. The stylised nature of the film creates the feeling "haunting" in a way that few horror films could ever even imagine. The aesthetics informed many other ghost stories, particulary those from Asia, for example A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), but few other films are as undiluted as KURONEKO.

Fmovies: Shindo's Kuroneko is an absolute classic of the genre. The film is full of imagery an atmosphere that will haunt the viewer forever. The plot is basically about the revenge of two women who are raped by samurai warriors and then killed.They come back from the grave as cat vampire ghosts who suck the blood of samurai warriors.The parts with the vampires floating through the air are awesome and when they climb trees like cats are very memorable also. One of my favorite moments is when a warrior is walking through the woods and notices something on the back of his horse while he is pulling it.(I don't want to give it away). There are so many things I could say about the film but the bottom line is if you are a vampire or horror movie fan(especially old school) this film is a MUST! You may have to search around for a copy of the film because it is extremely rare but it would be worth the effort. TRUST ME! You will wonder how you ever lived without seeing it!

This is the best ghost movie I have ever seen, and highly unusual. It has gorgeous black and white cinematography, an exotic Japanese feudal setting, and a wide variety of visual and emotional effects. The characters move with the ritual formality that I love in certain Japanese films, and the story moves on with the ruthless intensity of a Noh drama.

The final scene is thrilling. The cinematic supernatural effects are sparingly used and startling.

Kuroneko fmovies. The basic premise of this film is simple: two peasant women are brutally set upon by a band of low-grade samurai who rape them and burn down their house, killing them. After this horrible crime spree, the women's spirits return and they use their feminine wiles to trick and murder as many samurai as they can get their clutches on. This samurai killing machine works flawlessly until the son and husband of the two vengeful spirits shows up after a long absence. The son/husband is, himself, a samurai. Obviously, this career choice puts the two women in quite an uncomfortable bind. Do they choose love, or vengeance?

"Kuroneko" is a workmanlike entry in the long tradition of samurai ghost story films. Attractively filmed with spirits flying everywhere in a manner that prefigures "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," it isn't boring to watch. However, "Kuroneko" definitely lacks the secret sauce that separates a decent movie from a great one. What's lacking? I think the acting isn't so great, and the story and direction aren't top drawer either. It just didn't live up to the hype for this viewer.

If you watch "Ugetsu Monogatari" by Kenji Mizoguchi, you will see a much higher order of filmmaking devoted to a similar subject. The maker of "Kuroneko," Kaneto Shindo, worked extensively with Mizoguchi, but he does not seem to have absorbed the master's talent sufficiently to bring "Kuroneko" up to the level of "Ugetsu." Even Shindo's own "Onibaba" (from just a few years earlier) is a much better movie than "Kuroneko," in my opinion.

In summary, "Kuroneko" is diverting, but it is not a masterpiece of postwar Japanese cinema. Manage your expectations carefully, and you can enjoy its charms without suffering too much disappointment. However, if you are a cat lover, the prominence given to felines in this movie may help to make up for its other shortcomings.

Director Kaneto Shindô is most famous for his 1964 ghost story Onibaba; and anyone that enjoyed that film will certainly enjoy this one. The two films are very similar in style, and that's a good thing for both as the thick and surreal atmosphere created by the director creates a perfect atmosphere for a horror story to take place in. The title of the film translates in English to 'The Black Cat' - a staple of the horror genre ever since Edgar Allen Poe penned his classic story; although this film has nothing to do with the writings of Poe and is an original story written by the director. The film takes place in feudal Japan and our focus is on a mother and daughter-in-law living alone in the swamp. Its war time and all the samurais are out fighting. However, one day a group of them happen on the pair and after eating their food, the samurai's rape the women. Shortly thereafter, many samurai are being found dead in the area; they are drained of blood with their throats ripped out. Naturally the lord of the land comes to the conclusion that a monster is behind it, and sends a young hero to deal with the problem.

Kaneto Shindô is keen to fill his film with rich symbolism and striking visuals; but also finds time for some visceral horror. The opening scenes are shocking and later the films builds into some truly memorable and surreal sequences that, when combined with the atmosphere, do manage to be quite frightening. The swamp location is a really great place for the film to take place also; and the director makes the best of it, especially during the parts in which the younger of the two women is leading the stray samurai's to their death. The film is more than just the central story; and we also follow things going on around it; such as the eventual hero's fight that earned him the right to seek out and kill the demons. The central story is definitely the most interesting, however, and while the sub plots are not boring; I did mostly find myself waiting for the film to get back on track. The way that the story builds into the end, which really brings all the stray subplots together, is really good and the film ends on a very strong note. Overall, The Black Cat is not quite as great as the director's masterpiece Onibaba; but it's certainly a very good horror film.

Shot in black and white, this film has some unique imagery to accompany the creepy haunting.

Very much in the style of Kwaidan and other Japanese supernatural films of the 1960's. And very much a traditional Japanese ghost story where ghosts and evil spirits inhabit a world of logic alien to the real world. Western ghosts stories usually have the spirits think as living people do. Japanese spirits behave in bizarre ways that are much more disturbing.

The film follows the two spirits of a murdered wife and mother-in-law as they proceed to kill and drink the blood of any samurai that passes their neighborhood. The film, while very well made, is slightly routine at this point. When the husband returns a war hero, the film becomes poetic as he is assigned the task of eliminating the "monster" that is killing samurai. His encounters with his now demonic wife and mother comprise the rest of the film.

A truly excellent film. Any fan of the new Japanese horror films should see where they come from.