かいだん (KWAIDAN)

jac 02/10/25

Released: 1965

Length: 161 minutes

Producer: Toho

Director: こばやし まさき

Screenplay: みずき よこ

Story: こいずみ やくも (Lafcadio Hearn)

Cinematographer: みやじま よしお

Music: たけみつ とる

Cast:

The Black Hair

First Wife.........................................................................あらたま みちよ

Second Wife....................................................................わたなべ みさこ 

Samurai............................................................................みくに れんたろ

The Woman of the Snow

みのきち..........................................................................なかだい たつや

Woman of the snow/ゆき.....................................................きし けいこ

もさく..............................................................................はまむら じゅん

Hoichi, the Earless

ほいち..............................................................................なかむら かつお

Samurai................................................................................たんば てつろ

Priest....................................................................................しむら たかし

In a Cup of Tea

かんない.......................................................................なかむら かねもん

へいない...............................................................................なかや のぼる

The Writer.......................................................................たきざわ おさむ

His wife............................................................................すぎむら はるこ

Awards: Special Jury Prize, 1965 Cannes Film Festival

Commentary:

Kwaidan is based on four short stories by Lafcadio Hearn, who came to Japan near the end of the 19th century, took the Japanese name こいずみ やくも and eventually became a Japanese citizen. (Hearn's other writings include some of the best examples of how Japan looked to western eyes during the Meiji Era.)

See the handout from Cinematic Landscapes for more about this film.