Kwaidan.

So, I went today - accompanied by the fabulous alateaqoe - to view a showing of Kwaidan, the 1965 filmed version of Lafcadio Hearn's classic compendium of Japanese ghost stories.

Words simply cannot express how mind-blowingly-good this film was. Not only was it richly detailed and accurate in its presentations of the Heian and Edo periods, and not only were the four selected tales (told in individual vignettes) gorgeously lyrical and creepy, but the production (particularly in terms of the sound and art direction) was superbly beautiful. The textures of sounds and silences, colors and lines, forms and movements were all synchronistically calibrated to heighten the mood to a near breaking point of tension and unease, before delivering denouements that were by turns horrifying, heartbreaking, pulse-pounding, and breathtaking.

As to the film's place in the history of Japanese horror iconography, it is indeed the landmark I'd expected. The use of classic imagery throughout is staggering in its calculation and execution, and it worked - and worked - and worked. This film is utterly essential for anyone interested in the Japanese film genre. 'Nuff said.

Many thanks to parowa and docjeed who came out for the show as well. I only wish we could have coordinated something beforehand, but the after talk was nevertheless brilliant. We have to do it again sometime! (I vote for The Devil's Backbone. ;) )