Film Still

Kwaidan

Masaki Kobayashi

Japan

1965

161 minutes

Color

2.35:1

Japanese

90

Synopsis

Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes, Kwaidan features four nightmarish tales in which terror thrives and demons lurk. Adapted from traditional Japanese ghost stories, this lavish, widescreen production drew extensively on Kobayashi’s own training as a student of painting and fine arts. Criterion is proud to present Kwaidan in a new ravishing color transfer.

Cast

First wifeMichiyo Aratama
Second wifeMisako Watanabe
SamuraiRentaro Mikuni
MinokichiTatsuya Nakadai
Woman of the snowKeiko Kishi
MisakuJun Hamamura
HoichiKatsuo Nakamura
SamuraiTetsuro Tanba
PriestTakashi Shimura
KannaiKanemon Nakamura
HienaiNoboru Nakaya
The writerOsamu Takizawa
His wifeHaruko Sugimura

Credits

DirectorMasaki Kobayashi
ProducerShigeru Wakatsuki
Original storyYakumo Koizumi
ScreenplayYoko Mizuki
CinematographyYoshio Miyajima
MusicToru Takemitsu
Art directorShigemasa Toda
SoundHideo Nishizaki
EditingHisashi Sagara

Disc Features

  • Stunning new widescreen transfer, enhanced for 16×9 televisions
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • New and improved English subtitle translation
  • Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition

From the Current

Kwaidan

by David Ehrenstein Oct 9, 2000

One of the most meticulously crafted supernatural fantasy films ever made, Masaki Kobayashi’s Kwaidan (1964) is also one of the most unusual. While such classic black and white chillers as The Uninvited, The Innocents and The Haunting teasingly speculate...

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Available Editions

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DVD

1 Disc

SRP: $29.95

Criterion Store price

$23.96