"Kaidan" is simply one of the better J-Horror options that have made their way here to Malaysia amidst all those early movies, which are now held responsible for Hollywood's obsession with Japanese remakes. The title of the film actually denotes a genre of film (maybe like Tarantino's "Grindhouse"), the sort that this reviewer understands to be ghost stories with an old-fashioned style to it.
Just as charming as the Masaki Kobayashi 1964 predecessor of the same name (with some similar elements too e.g. "The Woman In The Snow"), "Kaidan" is all about slow buildups and restrained suspense, as it should be. It's not about the sudden face in the mirror you have come to spill your popcorn over in Siamese horror films. Some may see hints of early Bergman horror in "Kaidan" because of the number of intense facial close-ups that spook you no end. Still, it is not a character study as much as an old-fashioned ghost story with the requisite themes of vengeance and karma.
Forget the rings, wigs, grudges et cetera. This isn't about haunted objects. "Kaidan" works on many levels, offering a variety of rewards for every type of viewer. It is perhaps best described as an excellent introduction to classical Japanese period horror for those in this generation of cinema who only know the post-modern era made commercially viable by "The Ring" and such.
Rich in colour and context, the motivations behind all the characters in "Kaidan" are unambiguous. After a narrator's prologue, young tobacco seller Shinkichi (Kikunosuke Onoe) finds lonely, rich older woman Toyoshiga (Hitomi Kuroki) and starts a life of mutual need. When this balance changes, we explore the scary bits of Japanese folklore through revenge, redemption and destruction. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned - that's the best teaser this reviewer can think of. However, it isn't as one dimensional as that. "Kaidan" explores existential fatalism and creates fear through systematic progression. One particularly interesting plot device is the infliction of cuts; it is the dread of knowing something will get worse before it can get better. What a delight!
Like most Japanese movies, the more familiar you are with ritualistic details from that land, the more satisfaction you will derive from absorbing the whole movie experience. The story in "Kaidan" traps you in its old world intrigue and unleashes all its fury in the last half hour, succeeding where many horrors fail in terms of endurance. It recaptures an audience right after creating the openings to risk losing it. What great pacing! Since yakuza actioners will never make it here, this is your best bet for some semi-authentic samurai action!
Hideo Nakata's other film "L Change The WorLd" is ending its run at the local screens, while the man is probably still in America to recce sites for "The Ring Three". One suspects the titular concept in "Kaidan" won't be revived for the market anytime soon, at least until somebody can convince him to leave Hollywood and do more old school stuff like this.
