Yôkai hyakumonogatari

This is one of the three great Japanese Yokai movies that ADV has released. All the monsters in it are based on Japanese folklore and traditional art. It isn't as silly as "Spook Warfare" (Yôkai daisensô), which was more of a kids comedy, but it is still a lot of fun and has some genuinely creepy moments. The plot is about a wicked developer who is brutally trying to drive people out of an apartment building and destroy a nearby shrine. Of course this makes the the Yokai monsters angry and they retaliate. Movies like this are almost as much about the monsters though as the plot. Yokai Monsters: 100 Monsters has some funny monsters and great costumes for a 60's Japanese monster flick. I recommend it.

THE HUNDRED MONSTERS is a very bizarre little Japanese film and the first part of a 'YOKAI MONSTERS' trilogy. These films were remembered in the new millennium when none other than Takashi Miike directed his own version of the story (THE GREAT YOKAI WAR). Like other period monster flicks from Japan in the 1960s such as DAIMAJIN, THE HUNDRED MONSTERS feels very much like a traditional samurai movie with added monster action.

The story is a simple and familiar one about some ruthless property developers kicking a bunch of worthwhiles out of their homes. Even worse, they destroy a sacred shrine in the process. This storyline could be told in any country or era, but at least the characters are sufficiently interesting to keep viewers watching. And then we have the monsters, which are among the most bizarre ever filmed. I can't really describe them here, but there's stuff that'll have your jaw dropping, particularly the umbrella monster. A mix of practical and visual effects combine very well to create some fantastic scenes that certainly stick in the mind.

100 MONSTERS?! What a great film title, bringing to mind one hundred yokai (traditional Japanese monsters and spirits) wreaking havoc on an Edo-period village. The real film doesn't quite live up to that promise, but it's a fun entry into the '60s Japanese popcorn horror canon.

As is the case in many Japanese flicks from this time, the bad guys are powerful landowners who push around the good guys and take their land, their women and even their lives. But after the lords fail to complete a ritual after a "hyaku monogatari" (monster story-telling) event, they are haunted and hunted down by bloodthirsty monsters.

I love yokai to death, so any cinematic representation is fun for me. And what monster action we get here is fittingly awesome; we get a long-necked woman (rokurokubi), long-tongued umbrella monsters (kasa-obake) and faceless humans (noppera-bo), all of which look fantastic. The special effects are surprisingly good and hold up perfectly after 50+ years. Whenever the creatures are the focus of the camera, the film is fun as hell.

The problem is they are not the focus very often. Instead, we're treated to a pretty basic "samurai vs. landlords" plot that proceeds in a rather cliche fashion. It makes for passable watching, but it's not too exciting and not what anybody started watching a movie called 100 MONSTERS for. This is to be expected from a budget flick from the '60s, but it does affect the enjoyment factor of the film.

Overall, though, it's an easy, fun watch with wonderful creature design and delightfully odd moments. Recommended for yokai fans or monster movie lovers, even if it won't become one of your favorites.

Definitely a movie of quite noticeable ups and downs.

To start with the cons/get through the negatives first, it's a bit of a slog at times thanks to pacing issues, the story is unfocused, and there's not enough monster shenanigans.

The pros are that when the monsters do appear on screen, they're a lot of fun, and the effects are quite creative. It's also anti-landlord, which is always good to see, and there are a few very visually appealing and eerie shots here and there.

Plus, the final 15 minutes does admittedly go pretty hard. Just feels a little slow-going to get there at times.

The first film in a series that inspired the recent Great Yokai War. Directed by a veteran of the Zatoichi series and the excellent samurai/horror/kaiju film, Daimajin, this film is ably done and moves along at a good pace. The plot isn't much as it's a rather typical samurai and upper classes oppress the poor story. It's the yokai element that gives the film something to watch.

The yokai are all clearly rubber marionette puppets or actors in suits so you have to watch with different expectations, sort of a stage show with puppets. It's the design and spooky atmosphere that makes this fun. The final dance of the yokai as they go off into the sunrise is a great scene and made the movie for me.

Not a great film but fun.