This exquisite Japanese masterpiece of traditionnal ghost stories reveals the many aspects of Masaki Kobayashi's great talent as a filmmaker and also as a painter and a set dresser. Almost entirely shot inside a huge airport hangar and completly painted by Kobayashi himself, Kwaidan tells three medival ghost stories.
Appart from being visually stunning it's obvious that the shooting was set inside, Its visual aspects add something unusual almost eerie to the story. It fits very well with the unsettling tales of the different ghosts. The bright colours of the Criterion transfert gives a undated perspective of this little gem.
Kobayashi is a very lesser known director, maybe in the shadow of his fellow compatriots like Akira Kurosawa, Kenji Mizoguchi, Yasujiro Ozu, Immamure, etc. But his films are as important as those other Japanese directors. His other films include: The Human Condition and Samurai Rebellion.
But, to many cinephiles, including your host, Kwaidan is his masterpiece!
