Masaki Kobayashi‘s 1964 classic Kwaidan, considered one of the genre’s most beautiful films, unfurls a quartet of ghost stories that have withstood the test of time. Janus Films is bringing a 4K restoration of the director’s cut to screens this fall, with a new trailer and poster highlighting its beauty.
Kwaidan will open in NYC at Film Forum on September 11 before receiving a national rollout.
The film spins four tales of the supernatural, “featuring colorfully surreal sets and luminous cinematography. These haunting tales of demonic comeuppance and spiritual trials, adapted from writer Lafcadio Hearn’s collections of Japanese folklore, are existentially frightening and meticulously crafted.“
To say that this Japanese anthology remains one of cinema’s most influential would be an understatement. Not only is it often cited as a favorite among filmmakers like Guillermo del Toro, Ari Aster, Clive Barker, and Hideo Kojima, to name a few, but its individual segments have also directly inspired subsequent horror works.
“Woman of the Snow“, for example, introduces a long-haired yōkai who spares the life of a young man in exchange for his silence. It’s a story that’s been adapted multiple times since, including Tales from the Darkside: The Movie.
Check out a stunning new trailer and poster for the restoration below.
