English Title: Black Cat
Toho Company
Starring: Nobuko Otowa, Kichiemon Nakamura, Kiwako Taichi
Directed by: Kaneto Shindô
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: A classic-style Japanese ghost story in which a farming matriarch (Nobuko Otowa) and her daughter-in-law (Kiwako Taichi) are raped and killed by samurai warriors, leading to revenging spirits slaughtering unwary samurai in their memory.
Featured Feline: The murders happen at the beginning of the film and the samurai set the women’s home on fire after leaving. When the fire dies down the two woman are left lying amongst the ashes. A black cat appears and wanders around the women, looking lost and forlorn.
While the cat is only seen briefly after this in shots throughout the film it turns out to play a very important part in the proceedings.
Final Mewsings: Don’t piss off a cat!
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