Beast in the Shadows (1977)
DVDRip | AVI | 640 x 480 | XviD @ 1580 Kbps | 117 min | 1,44 Gb
Audio: Japanese MP3 @ 80 Kbps | Subs: English (idx/sub)
Genre: Art-house
DVDRip | AVI | 640 x 480 | XviD @ 1580 Kbps | 117 min | 1,44 Gb
Audio: Japanese MP3 @ 80 Kbps | Subs: English (idx/sub)
Genre: Art-house
Multiple murders, red herrings and sadomasochistic sex are the order of the day in this ground-breaking mystery from Edogawa Rampo, Japan's foremost writer of suspense novels. The year is 1930 and the chance meeting of a novelist and one of his fans opens the door to a series of mysterious events culminating in the death of a wealthy industrialist who may have been leading a double life. Aoi Teruhiko and Kayama Yoshiko star along with 2 of Japan's most famous and highly respected actors, Otomo Ryutaro and Wakayama Tomisaburo. In a departure from the samurai genre in which he made his name this is director Kato Tai's masterpiece. A true work of cinema art comes to life in this deadly tale of love and betrayal!
Tai Kato is one of the greatest Japanese filmmakers who is vastly under-appreciated in the west (he's well-regarded in Japan though). In 60s, he is one of the directors who modernized Japanese cinema, along with New Wave directors in Shochiku, Seijun Suzuki in Nikkatsu, and perhaps Kenji Misumi in Daiei. With his unusual visual style (extreme low camera position and camera angle, extreme close-ups, expressive sound effects and depth staging etc), his films broke away from the steady, classical look of most Toei Jidaigeki and Ninkyo Films.
(click to enlarge)
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