The Bottom Line
A welcome addition to any Japanese film fan's DVD collection.
Pros
- Intense Japanese classic
- Haunting cinematography and a bizarre soundtrack
- Loving Criterion packaging
Cons
- None
Description
- Japan, 1964. 103 mins.
- New digital transfer with restored image and sound and new English subtitles
- New video interview with writer/director Kaneto Shindo
- Rare super-8 black & white footage provided by actor Kei Sato, shot on location
- Stills gallery featuring production sketches and promotional art
- Rare english translation of the original short buddhist fable that inspired the film
- Filmmaker's statement from writer/director Kaneto Shindo
Guide Review - Onibaba Criterion Collection DVD
In war-torn medieval Japan, two women survive in a sea of grass by killing stray samurai. When a friend of their son and husband returns, a tale of lust, jealousy, and mysterious supernatural forces unfolds. Kaneto Shindo tells his lurid story, based on a traditional Japanese folk tale, with rare visual flair. A gripping, hypnotic film, presented in the sumptuous manner we have come accustomed to by the Criterion Collection.
