Illusion Of Blood

[Foxbat]

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

[Lacedaemonian]

Good review!! I think I may get this movie this coming weekend. I am growing tired of all the Hollywood CGI superhero movies. A weird Samurai flick should just be the ticket.

[Foxbat]

I picked up this one in a boxed set for £24.99

The others (which I will review some time are: Portrait Of Hell,
Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis & Princess From The Moon)

Considering that you can pay up to £19.99 for one movie from the Far East, you might want to look out for it.

The Boxed Set is called Japanese Classics Of Horror And Fantasy.
I think it's good value

[Lacedaemonian]

Thanks for the heads up mate.