THE TALE OF OIWA’S GHOST (1961) Review by Steve Kirkham

THE TALE OF OIWA’S GHOST (1961)
3 stars
Radiance Films. Blu ray. 23rd June/US 24th June

THE TALE OF OIWA’S GHOST is one of those films that throws you into the plot and you kind of have to catch up – clearly writer/director Tai Katô assumed a level of familiarity with the story, as this is based on ‘The Ghost Story of Yotsuya’ a famous Japanese play, which has been adapted many times. If you watched Radiance’s previous release of DAIEI GOTHIC, that had Kenji Misumi’s take on the narrative.

Samurai Tamiya Iemon (Tomisaburo Wakayama, LONE WOLF AND CUB), explains to his friend Naosuke (Jûshirô Konoe) that his wife Oiwa (Ayuko Fujishiro) left him because, one night he was returning home and killed a man. She knew it was him and ran back to the family home. He plans to get her back.

He hears that Oiwa’s father is selling her sister Osode (Hiroko Sakuramachi) to the local massage parlour, which is clearly a whorehouse, as he needs the money. Iemon and Naosuke conspire together to try and get Oiwa back, as Naosuke has feelings for Osode.

The father ends up being murdered, and Iemon lies to his wife, by pretending to be sad about it. He decides that Oiwa will return to him and, for her protection, Osode will live with Naosuke as his wife – until he has taken revenge.

A year later, Iemon has no money. Oiwa is ill and bedridden and they have a young baby. A beautiful young woman Oume (Yumiko Mihara) has moved in next door with her family. Tomiya had previously seen her earlier in the film. It seems she is in love with the penniless samurai and hatches a plan to get rid of his wife…

If you have seen the other version then you know where this is heading. Let’s just say it’s not going to end well for Oiwa… or any other characters really.

With a spooky atmosphere and gorgeous black and white photography by Osamu Furuya, this is a much harder edged telling than the Misumi version – emphasised by the mono visuals and often stark lighting. Iemon Tamiya, who mistreats his wife, is not a particularly sympathetic character.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS
Interview with Mari Asato, talking about the director and the film (9 mins)

Visual essay on tormented female ghosts by Lindsay Nelson, J-Horror scholar. An lord conglomeration of clips from various versions of the Yotsuya story plus connections t Ring and Ju-On (7 mins)

Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow and Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Tom Mes