On the Mino Mountains, the master sculptor Shigetomo (Tatsuo Hananuno) and his apprentice Yosaku (Akira Ishihama) find the ideal tree to carve the sculpture of the goddess Kannon for the temple of their village. There is a snow storm and they seek shelter in an abandoned cabin. During the night, the evil Snow Woman freezes Shigetomo and tells to Yosaku that she would not kill him since he is young and handsome. However, she makes him promise that he will keep absolute secret about her, never disclosing to anyone the events of that night. Yosaku was raised by Shigetomo and his wife Soyo (Sachiko Murase) and he is assigned by the village leader to carve the sculpture of Kannon. One rainy day, Yosaku and Soyo meet the gorgeous Yuki (Shiho Fujimura) and she stays with them. When the vile Intendant badly hits Soyo for protecting the local kids, she makes Yuki promise to marry Yosaku before she dies. Five years later, Yosaku and Yuki are happily married with the boy Tarô. However, the couple is harassed by the Intendant and his samurais until one day Yosaku discloses his secret to Yuki and the Snow Woman appears.
"Kaidan yukijorô", a.k.a. "The Snow Woman", is a sad and touching Japanese film based on the horror folklore of an evil female spirit. The film is beautifully shot, with magnificent cinematography and make-up. The special effects are also excellent for a 1968 movie. Shiho Fujimura is extremely beautiful and perfect in the role of a spirit that falls in love with a mortal and learns the meaning of love and compassion. "The Snow Woman" is a must-see heartbreaking film only released in Brazil this year on DVD. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "A Mulher da Neve" ("The Snow Woman")
