Ghost stories aren’t just a form of folklore in Japan, they’re a nod to the Buddhist holiday Bon, wherein the living invite into their homes the ghosts of their deceased loved ones. Consequently, there has long been a Japanese filmic tradition of ghost dramas and horrors. Whether or not the current trend of scary ghost flicks like Ju-on or Ringu would count as part of that rich history is up for debate, but while the genre was at its finest the films were less about sudden scares than they were about political commentary and basic moral fables. Kuroneko, Director Kaneto Shindo’s commentary on storytelling and social inequality, is a beautifully filmed example of the genre, with clever tricks of the camera and great cinematography making it a visual feast brilliantly restored by The Criterion Collection for its Blu-ray release.
Without a word, an army of samurai leaks from the nearby grove and descends upon the farm of Yone and Shige, a mother and her daughter-in-law. After quenching their thirst in the stream of water right outside the women’s home, the samurai enter the house, begin eating the food and bullying the two women before storming out. In their wake the home begins to smoke and when the fire has finished its work, Yone and Shige lie dead in the ruins with black cats licking at their bodies.
At Rajomon Gate, the entrance to the estate of Raiko, arrogant samurai are being intercepted by a pretty woman seeking their company to escort her to her home hidden deep within the nearby grove. Invariably, the men’s egos get the best of them and before long their having sake at the young woman’s home in the presence of her mother-in-law. When the men have had enough sake to be both drunk and a little horny, the woman leads them into a back room only to rip out their throats. With so many warriors falling in his territory, Raiko fears disgrace and thus commissions the recently returned war hero Gintoki of the Grove to track down whatever demon is killing the samurai. Gintoki gladly takes on the quest only to discover that the demons he’s hunting are his own – in more ways than one.
Kuroneko is an accomplishment in visual storytelling as opposed to being a well told story. The walks of the ghost and the samurai through the grove are filmed from a distance, forcing the audience to watch through the trees. Each of these moments translates to film superbly and the end result is a story with beautiful framing and mise en scene. In terms of wizardry, the fading in and out of the specters also adds a terrific sense wonder to the proceedings, which is then aided by some editing tricks with the women appearing and disappearing unexpectedly. In that sense, you can’t ask for much more from a ghost story, especially when it comes to its commentary on storytelling itself.
Raiko relates to Gintoki how he once sought and defeated a demon, living high up on Mountain Oe, that would come down to terrorize villagers and livestock—only to discover the demon was actually a bandit. However, he never related that realization to others, and rather left his victory as the slaying of a demon because it was a better story. Under the impression that the monsters Gintoki has slain are little more than black cats, he then advises the warrior to do the same: embellishment for the sake of honor. The idea that honor can be supplemented by altering the facts is an ironic twist on the very foundation of honor itself. Yet, Gintoki’s story at this point has already had a few twists and turns since his “defeat” of the first of the two ghosts came about somewhat organically. Kuroneko breaks down honor to shift its meaning from the more classic idea of the nobility of one’s deeds to the reputation it earns them. Which is ultimately more important? Are you more concerned for the gain or loss of honor depending on the definition? Although Gintoki is supposed to be our hero, his personal choices in the face of “honor” cause you to doubt whether we should cheer for him or the ghosts.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
The disc includes two interviews: the first is a Directors Guild of Japan-created video with Director Kaneto Shindo which is surprisingly thorough and stretches on for an hour; and the second is with film critic Tadao Saito and holds far less interest, but gives a bit of a historical background to the film. The theatrical trailer is also included.
In the Blu-ray insert booklet you’ll find film critic Maitland McDonagh’s essay “The Mark of the Cat” which discusses the black cat as a symbol of bad luck and its presence within the film, and an excerpt from an interview with Shindo regarding Kuroneko’s place within his filmography.
"Kuroneko (The Criterion Collection)" is on sale October 18, 2011 and is not rated. Drama, Fantasy, Horror. Written and directed by Kaneto Shindo. Starring Kichiemon Nakamura, Nobuko Otowa, Kiwako Taichi, Kei Sato, Hideo Kanze.
