Notable Cast: Kazuo Hasegawa, Yasuko Nakada, Yoko Uraji, Mieko Kondo, Joji
Tsurumi, Naritoshi Hayashi, Hideo Takamatsu
Although the story that The Ghost of Yotsuya is based
on has been around for what feels like since the beginning of time, of which
there is a nice little documentary on that subject on the Radiance release of
this film, it’s this 1959 version that really perked my interested. Why? What
could make this version stand out against the slew of other adaptions? Director
Kenji Misumi. The notable director had crafted some of the greatest samurai and
action films of all time - working on notable franchises like Lone Wolf and
Cub, Zatoichi, and Sleepy Eyes of Death just to name some of
the biggest ones - but he rarely dabbled in the horror realm.
Thus, I needed to add Radiance’s Daiei Gothic box set to my collection, which
featured this adaption of The Ghost of Yotsuya. It was worth it, too,
because this version is a lush and often haunting film, complete with a wild
third act, an impressive build of tension, and some gorgeous visuals to go with
it. Although, at times, this feels like Misumi at some of his most restrained,
it’s such a well-crafted film that showcases his understanding of build and
atmosphere that any Japanese horror fan will want to watch it.
Granted, The Ghost of Yotsuya takes its sweet, sweet
time getting to the titular specter, but when it does - holy moly - does this
movie light up. The first hour of its run time is very much dedicated to the
familial drama of its main couple and the forces driving them towards their
impending doom. Still, Misumi handles it with relative ease - focusing on the
various character interactions and dynamics that are leading to the tragedy of
its final set pieces.
The tragedy of the characters in the film could have quickly
fallen to the simplicity of “husband bad, wife good.” Still, the script and
performances are much more humanistic than the broad strokes that The Ghost of
Totsuya script could have fallen into. As the husband, Iemon, Kazuo Hasegawa
delivers a torn performance that gravitates between the character's selfishness
as he grapples with living a life he feels is below him. Yasuko Nakada’s doting
wife Oiwa transfixes her more prominent emotions of sorrow brilliantly into the
horrors of her character in the third act, which runs opposite to the character
arc of Iemon. It’s a balance that works in some shockingly effective
ways.
Since we, as an audience, essentially know where the film is
headed due to its title (or due to the popularity of this tale in various forms
of storytelling style) the film aptly builds the tension, piece by piece, by
escalating those characters' interactions in a way that almost makes the horror
of its final 20 minutes feel like a release of sorts. Yes, The Ghost of
Yotsuya takes its time, but the payoff - with its surrealistic tones,
ghostly visuals, and cathartic performances - is absolutely worth it. Nakada’s
performance as the ghost is haunting, and the way the film’s murderous miscues
of its romantic love triangles and class pressures are completely in chemistry
with the tone. That final 20 minutes is 20 minutes of poetic horror
encapsulated in sorrow.
It's the kind of artistic craftsmanship that Misumi brought
to so many of his films that elevates the material in The Ghost of Yotsuya
in some surprising ways. It's a family drama about loss—whether it's the
narrative's initial miscarriage, the loss of social status with some of its
subtle class commentary, or the many other plot devices that push the couple
towards their fate in death, and Misumi handles its scripting with finesse.
While the iconic director has only touched on horror a handful of times in his
career, it feels like a shame, considering the strength of this adaption.
I cannot wait to dig into the other films in this set.
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