Assistance in identifying a film--妖怪百 物語

[Michael McCaskey]

Congratulations to Ms. Soddu, who narrowed it down to two. I believe it's got to be Yokai hyaku monogatari.

On the basis of Ms. Soddu's suggestions, I searched again, this time looking for your “rokurokubi,”and I think this must be your film--if so you can order a DVD copy of it from Amazon Japan today, if you like, and watch it within a few days (but you need a Region 2 player capability to see it).

Yokai hyaku monogatari (1968) 
Directed by
Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Writing credits 
Tetsuro Yoshida

DVD Available at Amazon Japan:
You can also see a color repro of the cover picture there.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009IY9GY/249-1824873-0589117

The Amazon blurb includes:
大映が製作した妖怪時代劇の一編。江戸の豪商・但馬屋利右衛門は、寺社奉行堀田豊前守と結託し、岡場所を作る計画を強行。立ち退きを命じられた長屋の住人は、泣き寝入りするしかない。ある夜、油すまし、*** ろくろ首、*** ぬらりひょん、大首といった妖怪たちが大挙して出現。悪事の限りをつくす寺社奉行を恐怖のどん底に突き落とす。

It is regarded in Japan as a classic horror film, and was shown at the following festival:

http://kochi-bunkazaidan.or.jp/~museum/gegege/cinema.htm


Michael McCaskey



----- Original Message -----
From: Valeria Soddu <v_soddu at hotmail.com>
Date: Friday, June 9, 2006 10:22 am
Subject: Re: Assistance in identifying a film

> It could be one of Yasuda Kimiyoshi's movies, as "Tôkaidô obake dôchû"
> (1969), or "Yôkai hyaku monogatari" (1968)...
> 
> Valeria Soddu
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mindy Varner" <melinda.varner at colorado.edu>
> To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2006 7:20 PM
> Subject: Assistance in identifying a film
> 
> 
> >
> > Hello all,
> > Since we're on the topic of J-horror, I'm seeking assistance in 
> identifinga
> > film that I was shown a number of years ago while in Japan 
> (around 1999).
> I
> > thought it was titled Kaidan or Kwaidan, but it is not the 1964 
> Masaki> Kobayashi of the same title. Like the Kobayashi film, it 
> may have been a
> > collection of short pieces (then again, maybe not-- some years 
> have now
> > passed!)
> >
> > I vividly recall one scene where a man who has killed his wife is
> confronted
> > by her spirit/corpse when a wagon he has pushed into the river 
> springs out
> > of the water, terrifying him. There is also an appearance of a 
> rokurokubi> (woman whose neck becomes serpentine with her head 
> extending out before
> her
> > body, terrifying two men).  Does this ring a bell with anyone?  
> I would
> love
> > to know what this film actually is and obtain a copy. From the 
> style of
> the
> > production, I'd guess it was produced in the late 1960s or early 
> 1970s. It
> > was in color.
> >
> > Any leads would be most appreciated!
> >
> > Mindy Varner
> >
> >
> >
>