Irezumi

A woman is kidnapped and drugged, then covered in a huge spider tattoo that may or may not have taken over her soul and turned her into a killer. She gets revenge on those that wronged her by becoming a geisha and causing their deaths.

A slow moving revenge movie centred around a geisha using her charms to manipulate men and killing them off. It's not really that much of a horror movie as the supernatural side isn't played up, even though it's hinted at. It's more of a samurai movie that happens to focus on the geisha and brief outbursts of violence that take the lives of others. It's interesting but not an amazing movie or anything.

This one is too well shot, stylized and acted to NOT be noticed. And, in all honesty, the main protagonist has all my sympathies because she's got guts, talent and EXTREME beauty (and I can't stress enough how beautiful the main actress is) while all the men around her are whimps at best or lurid, disgusting profiteers at worst of which the world would be better ridden off. If you love like I do dominant, strong women, go with it with no problems. You'll end loving the main character.

The first thing that stood out to me is how beautifully this movie is shot and has some amazing freeze frames that should be framed on a wall. Having the lead woman have so much control not only when she receives the spider tattoo, but also in her own relationship before it was a surprising thing to see in a movie from the 60s. There is an interesting mystery of how much the spider tattoo is influencing her or if a large part of her actions are a understanding result of her being kidnapped and sold. This movie could have easily gone down the exploitation route, but it clearly had more to say and took itself way more seriously. I am very thankful for that.

A wonderful short movie with beautiful colors and characters acting like they are in Japanese Play, it works so well.

Female main character really sells the sexy but also dangerous kind of woman, that you can never really tell what she is really thinking.

Does she loves you, does she just use you? What is she really on about, she is a spider even before tattoo.

And the sad male mean character that truly displays what a slipper hero is, an goes way to for in this doom relationship.

It feels like watching and old Japanese tale that has been showed in the theater many many times.

It has a good length, but I think the sand of time made it so I didn't enjoy the movie as much if if I watched it when it came out. It's the sad fate of movies that have been built on so much.

'Irezumi (1966)' focuses on a young woman who is sold to a geisha house and forcibly tattooed with a grotesque arachnid across her entire back. Deciding not to let her circumstances decide her fate, she opts to embrace the golden orb spider inked into her skin and fully embody its almost otherworldly man-eating nature. With the power of manipulative seduction, she aims to devour every man she can sink her teeth into as a form of revenge for her situation. Unwillingly along for the ride is her fiancée, who is manipulated into serving as his wife-to-be's weapon despite the fact that it tears him apart. In fact, he's pretty much a tool right from the start, as he crumbles to the desires of his lover and buckles under the pressure of her threats, but he only starts to see it once it's too late. The picture is a depiction of a downward spiral, a tragic series of events that escalate into senseless violence and can only end in a similar way. It's also an examination of power within gender dynamics, as its hero is able to use the misogyny of the world around her to her advantage and successfully pull the strings of every single man she encounters. The lead isn't concerned with being likable, she's concerned with getting her own back; this makes for a compelling protagonist whose amorality is only offset by the constant ethical crisis voiced by her meek partner. It's somewhat unconventional in this way, although similar films - like 'Onibaba (1964)' - also reject the standard female stereotype in favour of more complex fare, and it's ultimately quite feminist considering when it was released. It's pretty compelling for its duration, even if it does hit a bit of a lull during its midsection. There are several striking scenes, including a handful of surprisingly brutal moments, and the cinematography is gorgeous throughout. The lead performance is suitably transfixing, too. Overall, this is a really solid thriller with a strong central dynamic and a distinct atmosphere.