I spend a lot of time watching the same movies everyone else does. I make it a point to see the big Hollywood blockbusters as well as the quiet romances. But there are times I enjoy straying off the beaten path to find movies that are seen by only a select few. Generally these are Independent films, but more often than not they are older, foreign films. I find them in a variety of ways, though most of the times I go on the recommendations of others. Such was the case with the 1964 Japanese film “Onibaba.” This film was brought to my attention by reading about it on Ain't It Cool News. I enjoy reading Harry Knowles opinions, am often jealous of his experiences, and am highly respectful of his knowledge of movies. Admittedly I would have probably made the effort to watch “Onibaba” anyway as it was about to be released on DVD as part of the Criterion Collection. They have a habit of releasing films that either great, or of some historical importance in cinema history.

I usually try to see anything they release, if at all possible. “Onibaba” is considered to be a classic horror film, which piqued my interest even more. Directed by Kaneto Shindo, “Onibaba” abounds with many forms of horror. The horror of lust, greed, murder and war rear their ugly heads and are punctuated by a touch of the supernatural.

The story takes place during a time of war in Medieval Japan. The focus is one two women, one (Nobuko Otowa) the mother of a man who has gone off to fight, the other his wife (Jitsuko Yoshimura). The two are left to live in an old hut in the middle of a field of susuki grasses. Left to eke out an existence in any way they can. Unfortunately the path they choose leads them into a dark world. In order to avoid starvation, they murder any unlucky samurai who happens into their area, strip him of his belongings, and sell them for food. The bodies are unceremoniously dumped into a deep pit. Soon after these escapades begin, their neighbor Hachi (Kei Sato), who also went off to war, returns and tells the women their son / husband is dead.

An opportunist and coward, Hachi deserted his regiment in order to return home. He is boorish and mean and forces himself into the lives of the women, eventually joining them in their hellish activity. As the three descend into the deepest levels of inhumanity, the both women start to feel a sense of lust towards Hachi, but it is only the younger woman that gives in to these feelings. She tries to hide the nightly trysts from her mother-in-law, but in all good stories involving ‘love’ triangles, she soon finds out and plots to separate them. As all levels of sanity have long departed from this unholy trio, her methods are less than pleasant.

I was totally unfamiliar with the work of Kaneto Shindo, but I’ve since learned that he has either written or directed well over a hundred films since the mid 1940s, his most recent film “Fukuro” having just come out last year. I was so impressed by “Onibaba”, that I’m going to see if I can find some of these other films. It’s not so much that the story itself was so great, but it was the way it was told. Everything about the film is stark and unsettling. Often the characters are either nude or semi-dressed, and while it has an odd eroticism to it, it wasn’t so much presented for its sexuality alone, but as a symbol of the how even the most basic senses of decency have been stripped away from them. It was like a physical manifestation of the animalistic levels to which the characters have been lowered to.

There is also a highly claustrophobic nature to the film, as the hut they live in sits in the middle of these high grasses. They are in the middle of this huge field, which under normal conditions would cause a more agoraphobic response, but the tall grasses don’t allow for any sense of space. Almost every single shot has these grasses swaying in the wind, and you never quite know what might emerge from them. The hut, of course is also extremely small and the women are forced to sleep very close to one another, making it difficult for the younger woman to sneak out at night. Once we see what’s at the bottom of the hole… again we are faced with this strong sense of the walls closing in.

The cinematography, though as bleak as the story, is quite gorgeous. Again, the tall grasses move very smoothly and watching the characters as they move, hide or run through them creates a strong visual imagery out of the bodies and shadows. The transfer that Criterion has done on this new DVD release is nearly perfect and accentuates the look of the film.

As you might come to expect from a Criterion release, there are also a number of extra features that fans if the film will find extremely interesting. The inclusion of an all-new interview with writer/director Shindo is of special note. It runs a little over 20 minutes, and listening to him as he talks about the film is fascinating. Being that he is in his 90’s at the time of the interview, I almost expected him to be a little less sharp than he was. There is also some lengthy behind the scenes materials that were filmed by Kei Sato. These run almost 40 minutes, and as there is no audio, are interesting but more so to film historians than casual viewers. We also get a look at a trailer, some production drawings and posters.

In the enclosed booklet, you will find a translation of the original Buddhist parable that the film was based on, an essay by Noted Critic and Scholar of Asian Film Chuck Stephens and a Filmmaker’s Statement by Kaneto Shindo. All are well worth a read after you’ve seen the film.

“Onibaba” is admittedly not a film that I can recommend to just anybody. The average American movie-going audience will probably not enjoy the film as much as those who have at least a passing interest in film history. They will probably have a hard time getting into the story, or will see the nudity as nothing more than sexual, completely missing the symbolism expressed. Basically, if you’re a drunken Frat boy, stay away. If you have a passion for film, a very open mind, and understand some films are not meant to be watched as much as experienced, then this is a film for you.

Directed by: Kaneto Shindo
Starring: Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura, Kei Sato, Jukichi Uno, Taiji Tonoyama
Extras: New Video Interview with Writer/Director Kaneto Shindo, Rare Super 8 B&W and Color On-Location Footage provided by Actor Kei Sato, Original Trailer, Stills Gallery, New Essay by Noted Critic and Scholar of Asian Film Chuck Stephens, Filmmaker’s Statement by Kaneto Shindo, Rare English Translation of Original Buddhist Fable that Inspired the Film, New and Improved English Subtitle Translation
Specifications: Widescreen (2.35:1), Monaural
Studio: Criterion
Release Date: Available
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Onibaba an A.