Onibaba Demon woman

Shindo's 1964 Onibaba is a dark, tense, and cinematically gripping sojourn into a fantastical but psychologically resonant world where erotic impulses and ruthless imperatives of self-preservation dominate human action. By transposing it to war-ravaged medieval Japan and brazenly saturating it with sexuality, Shindo has transformed a cautionary Buddhist parable into a harrowing and uncanny tale of disastrously colliding compulsions. Awaiting the return of her husband, a young woman and her mother-in-law survive by killing and then selling the equipment of weakened and disoriented warriors who stray into the vicinity of their hut. When a neighbor, one of the husband's companions in battle, returns, a calamitous struggle ensues in which jealous rage and sexual frenzy inexorably lead to a memorably lurid conclusion. The picture and sound quality are superb; disc extras include an illuminating interview with Shindo and on-location footage. For mature audiences. Highly recommended for academic and larger collections.-Rob Sica, Eastern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Richmond (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.