Movie Review - Kwaidan

[@MattMaginley]

My father told me these stories over a campfire over 40 years ago. He studied Hearn, and lived in Osaka during the Korean war. Hoici was the scariest. I agree with the sensibility that the horror genre requires artifice to a point - visually. The oral tradition and the art of the story teller is what it is all about.

[@davidcollier2184]

The visuals,and theatrics are what makes it magic.

[@MattMaginley]

You should read the Kwaidan one day, and also check out Lafcadio Hearn. These are more folk tales than horror, having to do with traditions and spirits, in my humble opinion. By the way, you discussed the background paintings as "artifice" and sabotaging the effect in "the Woman of the Snow" I disagree, they were painted and designed by Salvador Dali. I think he got it right. Thanks for the review.

[@undercrafted]

Salvador Dali-inspired

[@atsukorichards1675]

Matt Maginley, I agree with you about "Kwaidan" is about more folk tales than horror. Japan "horror" stories often have some "sadness" or even "merciful feelings for yokai/monsters" to go with fear.

[@MattMaginley]

@@atsukorichards1675 yes one feels that intimacy of an ordinary human struggle with Nature, which the Spirit world is part of. I liked how you said "merciful". The spirits communicate that there are that must be adhered to and they are present to remind us.

[@CountZeroOr]

Don't get me wrong - I think the paintings are gorgeous and the visuals are striking. However, I came into the film looking for horror - particularly of the kind that gives me a sense of dread and unease. This didn't give me that. I think Hoichi the Earless did a much better job in that regard. I do plan to check out the book Kwaidan, as well as some of Hearn's other collections at some point in the future. Thanks for watching the video and commenting!

[@tely5]

2022 calling 2012: Put in spoiler alerts! (lol). I'll know you got my quantum-time-tunneled message when the spoilers disappear from my memory.

[@yazanasad7811]

World outside the set, which allows to draw audience further in. Further suspension of disbelief - horror in film

[@theforestero]

Gotta love Japanese myths and horror stories.

[@HaggisMacfee-JapanHouse]

Lafcadio Hearn wasn't English. His mother was Greek and his father was Irish. Hearn was born on the Greek Island of Lefkada in the Ionian sea, his first name Lafcadio is Greek.

[@charonbadmann8904]

yes, but the artifice is the point. suspension of belief is what the theatre is about. anyway, who cares about verisimilitude? atmosphere and the creation of emotional transference is the name of the game, otherwise poetry shouldn't exist and we should only be reading potboiler novels. if you catch my drift.

[@MattMaginley]

I agree. I'm guess I took use of the word artifice to detract from the art direction as a whole. It is a necessity for film, stage and the arts.

[@CountZeroOr]

That's right, I'm being timely with a horror movie review in time for Halloween. How 'bout 'dem apples?

[@afianto1000]

Where i can see , the full film of kwaidan ?

[@CountZeroOr]

Currently it's available for streaming on the Criterion Collection channel (www.criterionchannel.com/browse).

[@snowdog03]

He was both.

[@djdepression]

dang. spoiler alert dude.