Message from rwalcott

[Anonymous]

Kwaidan (1965)
Also know as Kaidan (1964), Ghost Stories (1965), Hoichi the Earless, (1964) and Weird Tails (1964).
Available on DVD from Criterion Collection for $26.98. It is also part of the Los Angeles County Library collection on VHS.

Directed by Masaki Kobayashi

Story written by Lafcadio Hearn (June 27, 1850-September 26, 1904) and Yoko Mizuki. Lufcadio Hearn was born in Greece of a Greek mother and an Irish father, educated in France and England, worked in the United States, traveled to Japan in 1890, married Setsu Koizumi in 1881, became a Japanese citizen and took the name, Koizumi Yakumo. More information on his biography is found at:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0372499/bio

Rich source on the film, Kwaidan is found at:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058279/

Kwaidan includes four separate and engaging Japanese ghost stories, "Black Hair", “The Woman in the Snow”, “Hoichi the Earless”, and “In a Cup of Tea”. “Hoichi” is a stunning, rich episode that combines elements of traditional music, history, spirituality, religion, humor, terror, brutality, and heroics. Hoichi serves in a lonely, rural temple near the sea as a storyteller of ancient Japanese history accompanying himself on the biwa (a kind of Japanese lute). True to the tradition of biwa players, he is blind. The ghosts of the Heike clan learn that he is the foremost exponent of their tragic story and they demand that he recite for them so that they may relive their sad demise. Unfortunately, for Hoichi his efforts progressively poison him and the temple monks seek his protection by completely covering his body with the scriptures of the Buddha. The scriptures written in Chinese characters render Hoichi invisible to the ghosts, but, as in the Greek story of Achilles, they forget one part of his body, hence the title, “Hoichi the Earless”. The film becomes brutal when the commander ghost rips off Hoichi’s ears attempting to take him back for yet one more recitation-- my middle school students loved-hated the gore in their imagination because you never see the ears actually come off. By the way, even if I did not mention “earless” at least one student was able to discern which part of Hoichi’s body was left unprotected. While his ears are being forcefully removed Hoichi remains stoically silent and is saved to participate in the future phenomenal prosperity at the temple.

The film presents stunning visuals inspired by the “Tale of the Heike”, which we read in “Anthology of Japanese Literature”. It shows the remorse of the warrior, Kumagai in “The Death of Atsumori” and we meet the tragic Lady Nii in “The fight at Dan No Ura”. It also relates to the Noh play, “Atsumori” by Seami Motokiyo. The film provides insight into the governing hierarchy at a temple with the head priest in charge of lesser priests, and temple servants who provide comic relief. Finally, students can hear the unusual sounds of epic chant accompanied by the biwa, which date from the 9th or 10th century. The late Toru Takemitsu, one of Japan’s more famous contemporary composers, wrote the original musical score. If the students read from the “Tale of the Heike”, learn about Japanese religion and beliefs and experience writing Chinese characters this film would serve as a brilliant summary of these activities.