The read
A Balasaur Score of 82 out of 100, drawn from IMDb 7.9/10, Rotten Tomatoes 91%. Critics rate it 12 points higher than audiences do. Scores higher than 94% of the 139 1960s horror movies in this catalog. It runs long at 3h 3m. Streaming on Max.
Synopsis
Taking its title from an archaic Japanese word meaning "ghost story," this anthology adapts four folk tales. A penniless samurai marries for money with tragic results. A man stranded in a blizzard is saved by Yuki the Snow Maiden, but his rescue comes at a cost. Blind musician Hoichi is forced to perform for an audience of ghosts. An author relates the story of a samurai who sees another warrior's reflection in his teacup.
Ratings
Critics rate it 12 points higher than audiences do.
471 audience votes
Key crew
- Masaki KobayashiDirector
- Yōko MizukiScreenplay
- Toru TakemitsuOriginal Music Composer
Cast
- Michiyo AratamaFirst Wife (segment "The Black Hair")
- Rentaro MikuniHusband (segment "The Black Hair")
- Misako WatanabeSecond Wife (segment "The Black Hair")
- Kenjirō IshiyamaFather (segment "The Black Hair")
- Ranko AkagiMother (segment "The Black Hair")
- Fumie Kitahara(segment "The Black Hair")
- Kappei Matsumoto(segment "The Black Hair") (uncredited)
- Yoshiko Ieda(segment "The Black Hair") (uncredited)
- Otome Tsukimiya(segment "The Black Hair") (uncredited)
- Kenzō Tanaka(segment "The Black Hair") (uncredited)
- Kiyoshi Nakano(segment "The Black Hair") (uncredited)
- Tatsuya NakadaiMinokichi (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
Stills
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Themes
The Best Japanese Horror Movies
Kwaidan is #2 of 29
