| Illusion Of Blood
Starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Mariko Okada
Directed by Shiro Toyoda
Region 2 DVD
Japanese with English subtitles
Made in 1965
Based on a 19th century play, Illusion Of Blood is a movie of lust, revenge, ghosts and betrayal.
Lyemon (Nakadai) is a lord-less Samurai who is driven by his desire for power and position. He desires more than anything, a place within the fiefdom of a great lord. But, as he discovers – his wife Oiwa (Okada) and their son are holding him back. He needs his options open to marry into power. This drive manifests itself when he feeds Oiwa a disfiguring poison, then tortures and ultimately murders her.
What follows is a tale of madness driving towards ever greater madness, hauntings, dreams and escalating violence as Lyemon moves towards his ultimate aims. Much of the storyline takes place at night – indoors by lamplight – and succeeds in creating a claustrophobic and oppressive atmosphere, where characters emotions and fears are forever twisted by their own rampant imaginings……or are they??
Lyemon is a thoroughly wretched character who is almost a Japanese equivelant of Macbeth and his wife all rolled into one. He contains within himself both the opportunity and naked ambition that these two Shakespearian characters personified. Oiwa is a female Banquo – constantly appearing in mutilation to forever haunt and thwart her evil husband’s plans.
This was classed as gory - but not by today’s standards. An interesting if somewhat slow piece. Definitely worth a watch for those with a penchant for Far East Cinema.
7 out of 10 |