Kaidan

Shinkichi (Kunoemon Oroe) is a young, handsome seller of tobacco. Physically, he is the embodiment of a decent suitor, though at the same time he is inexperienced, immature and lacking economic stability. While working one day he meets Oshiga (Hitomi Kuroki), an older woman, who is as beautiful as she is successful, and as well educated as she is professionally gifted. He falls for her upon their first meeting, and Oshiga, who is originally shocked by his affections, discovers that through him, she can finally bring an end to the loneliness she feels.

They unanimously agree to live together, though it doesn't take long for Shinkichi's eyes to wander to other, younger women, Oshiga, through jealousy and grief, being twisted by his cruel inability to remain loyal. Shinkichi's unappreciative attitude, alongside his pretentiousness, and the misfortune that he is too handsome for his own good, makes him a rather unlikable character. Continuously tempted by the beauty of others, he is largely inattentive of the romantic luxuries he is spoiled by, envisioning those who have feelings for him as suffocating his life with their affection.

Unlike most leads in horror films, who we are sympathetic towards, in Kaidan, it is quite the opposite, the audience's sympathy aimed towards those who Shinkichi directly and indirectly wrongs. As we discover over the course of the story, destiny has a large role in the events that transpire, much of this being revealed through occasional narration. The narrator in question has a vital role in developing the story, and notifying viewers of changes in time and other like events that go visually unrecorded.

After an unfortunate occurrence, Oshiga develops an infection that begins to consume not only her beauty, but her life, which inevitably pushes Shinkichi further away. In her last moments, Oshiga leaves him a chilling message: if he ever marries another woman, she shall return and kill her. Immediately it is apparent Shinkichi is unsure whether to put stock in such an eerie message, but like all great ghost stories, some threats really ought to be taken seriously.

Although supernatural events plague the feature from the beginning, the real horror elements do not reveal themselves until a third of the way through the film. This change brings with it a foreboding atmosphere, and a dreadful sense of cold that envelops the viewer, and though on many an occasion subtle, there are other moments of in your face terror. The camera work, especially when from the point of view of the ghost, coupled with the high camera angles during many of these instances, intensifies the morbid feeling of never being truly alone.

These segments would not have been so effective if not for Ms. Kuroki, who is able to brilliantly appear sweet and gentle in some instances, and terrifyingly haunting in others, her presence on screen leaving quite the impression upon the audience. Occasionally the moments of terror are quite predictable, and audiences who are accustomed to horror films may well have seen similar instances before. However, nothing ever feels forced, with every scene having its rightful place within the film.

The score delightfully sets the mood, and the emergence of the film's horror aspects triggers additional tracks that efficaciously bring an extra level of auditory depth to the already tense atmosphere. An opera singer's vocal skills are included in some tracks, which not only fits the feature's tone, but the setting too. Rather than being set in contemporary Japan, Kaidan is presented in a previous stage of the country's history, and the music, alongside the settings and costume brilliantly develops the film's environment, so much so it legitimately looks and feels believable.

A sensual moment delivered on screen, although unrevealing, tastefully articulates the passionate occurrence, though this is just one example of Kaidan's effective ability to capture moments in the storyline. Special effects moreover appear to be rarely implemented, though when these do occur, they offer a stunning treat for the audience. It is the use of make-up effects however that really deserves applause, a great amount of the horror being conveyed visually, and would have thus been lost on the audience if not for the talent shown in this film.

Sometimes Kaidan does become what can only be described as overly reliant on violence, and despite this fitting with the film's desire to paint a realistic world, the feature could have been potentially executed just as efficiently without this particular content. This aside however, the feature brilliantly articulates a dark, romantic thriller, which encompasses the importance of family, honor and love. Aimed not at adolescent audiences, but more specifically for adults, Kaidan is a feature that uses all of its two hours to generate a character driven storyline that is as understandable, as it is engaging, the conclusion fabulously providing a sense of utter completion to the film.

Hideo Nakata is himself perhaps a haunted man. Despite having had quite a full film career already, it is only by his work in the horror genre that he is largely known. This is especially true in the West where viewers can be a lot more literal in their definition of the genre. With just Nakata's name alone on the marketing, anyone could be excused for having expectations closer to films like Ring or Dark Water. It is these unfortunate connections that will undoubtedly drag this film down into murky waters not unlike those often present in Nakata's films.

The film is a fairly close retelling of Encho Sanyutei's 19th century ghost story entitled "Shinkei Kasane-ga-fuchi" about the cursed fate of two families and the karma passed on from parent to child. Anyone familiar with the 1964 film Kwaidan (the title uses an antiquated spelling of the same word, both meaning "ghost story") will see similarities in the presentation of Nakata's film. Many have said that he intended to pay homage to ghostly films of the 50s and 60s, but that is not going back far enough. The film reflects the very traditions of Japanese ghost stories and fables. The main actor, known for Kabuki, plays opposite a character once played by his own father in a Kabuki performance years earlier.

I stated earlier about the limited view of the horror genre as held by many Western film goers, but it hasn't always been the case. Sadly the idea of a "slow burn" and finding suspense in the thematic fabric of a film is something rare today in Hollywood horror. Too often, films depend on incredibly literal scares, in the form of disturbing images, gore and violence, but lack any real thematic richness. In some ways Nakata's few inserted jump scares in the film made me balk a little. Perhaps it is his Hollywood experience that convinced him that such heavy handedness was needed. The film has some genuinely tense and "Oh .. !" moments (I am sure you know what I mean) that really don't need any audio cues to let us all know they are happening.

Perhaps this is connected to the negativity around this film. For the few scares present in the run time of the story, there aren't much. In fact, categorising the film as "horror" might me somewhat of a misnomer as well, at least by modern Hollywood definition. What we have with Kaidan is a traditional Japanese ghost story and fable that strives to not only thrill us but also impart some wisdom. The true horror of the story is the tragedy inherent in its themes and sheer extent that it spreads. Obviously, what comes along with such a film, some viewers won't like. Viewers expecting something more akin to modern horror films like The Grudge, will no doubt find parts or all of Kaidan boring and uneventful. Others will decry the feature of "more long-haired ghosts" but to be fair, such people don't appreciate the deep tradition of ghost stories in Japan.

White kimonos are what women are cremated or buried in and traditionally all women had very long hair devoid of any colouring or permed curls. I say, if it ain't broke, why try to fix it. Certainly it is better than Hollywood's constant recycling making every second movie monster like the love-child of the Alien and Pumkinhead, or the tendency to laden everything down with CGI and "in case you didn't get it" effects (I am referring to The Ring's, Hollywood equivalent of Sadako).

So whether you'll like this film or not depends on yourself. The film is not a modern horror tale full of scares and jumps. It is a dramatic, period ghost film, drawn from tradition and based on a 19 century novel. If instead of demanding Kaidan to entertain you, open yourself to what it has to tell you. This a story not unlike those told around campfires at night. The scares are in the themes and situations that the characters face and the fear is in those characters' minds. As with many good horror films, the film is out to scare the characters, not you. Get into their heads and you'll feel it too.

Kaidan, which from what I understand translates to "ghost stories," is an effective horror-romance period piece set during the Edo period. The film opens with a dramatic scene from the past, then shifts to the present, where it follows Shinkichi, a tobacco seller who falls deeply in love with an older but beautiful woman named Oshiga.

Both Shinkichi and Oshiga are deeply flawed characters, and the story between them is well developed. It genuinely feels like a ghost story from another era, yet still manages to be unsettling. The atmosphere and emotional weight linger long after the film ends.

Review written by artist jayakumar jrain.

"Kaidan" was a rather odd mix of movies. It blended together elements from typical Japanese horror, then threw in elements of samurai movie, supernatural element and ordinary drama movie. The end result, well, that was a mixed result, at least for me.

I enjoyed the movie in the sense that it was a nice step away from the traditional (and often stereotypical) Japanese horror movies that have a tendency of resembling one another quite a lot. That being said, then it should also be said that "Kaidan" is not at all scary. There are no scare moments that makes you jump out of your seat. Instead, "Kaidan" is running on psychological terror and that of a traditional curse. As the viewer, we know the curse that is put upon the main character, and as such, sit around knowing that something bad will happen, despite him trying to atone for his wrong-doings.

Being set in ancient Japan, "Kaidan" was a nice change of scenery for a Japanese horror movie. It was nice to see a horror movie set in this age, because of the simplicity and purity of that age and surrounding. A nice step away from the neon-lit Tokyo of the 21st century. And being set in that time, it was easier to buy into a curse actually being present and taking effect.

There was something majestic and grand about the movie. Perhaps it was the way it was shot, combined with the age in which it took place, plus the set and props were really great. Lots of nice detail and the scenery was so nicely made. It was like you were right there with the people. It was really a beautiful movie to watch.

The story, well, it moved onward at a fairly slow pace. But somehow the storyline picks you up and leaves you wanting to see what happens next. Story-wise, then don't expect too much of a complex story or too much adrenaline-filled thrills, because that is not here. The movie is slow and builds up suspense, and it works well enough.

As for the acting, then it was nice to see a movie with all actors and actresses that I can't recall having seen elsewhere. At least not off the top of my mind. And the people did good jobs with their given roles.

If you watch "Kaidan" for thrills and scares, then you are in for somewhat of a disappointment. However, if you want a Japanese horror movie that is somewhat out of the ordinary you see in Japanese horror movies, then "Kaidan" might be a great choice. Just prepare yourself for a psychological horror movie that is not fast-paced. Despite it being a good enough movie, with amazing setting, then I somehow think that the movie didn't accomplish all that it could have. There was something missing from the movie to make it unique. And that was a shame, because "Kaidan" could really have left a mark and set a new standard for Japanese horror movies.

I enjoyed "Kaidan", don't get me wrong. But I couldn't like it more simply because the story seemed overly burdened with too many plot elements and was unnecessarily circuitous. I really believe eliminating a few plot points would have actually made for a better film.

The story begins unusually. There is a prologue but it's presented like a play--with obvious sets and a narrator. The tale involves a money lender who is viciously murdered by a samurai in order to avoid repaying an honest debt. As the man dies, he curses the man--saying that his child will one day exact revenge on the murderer's family. Believe it or not, none of this is actually needed for the film. When the murderer's son is eventually accorded his fate, it really is NOT because of his father's sins but his own, as Shinkichi is an evil and selfish man in his own right. Plus, he ends up destroying the daughter of the man his father murdered--and for this and his subsequent actions, he really deserved EVERYTHING he deserved. But, enjoyable as it was, it sure took a long time to get to this point. Very stylish, very beautiful but also too many things that got in the way of point A and point B. Good but flawed.