by Mark Murton
Original Title: Bakeneko Toruko furo
Directed by: Kazuhiko Yamaguchi
This review contains a Kitty Carnage Warning!
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: In this bizarre, and at times downright unpleasant, mash-up of Japanese erotica, gangster film and bakeneko, or “ghost cat”, horror movie, an avaricious, treacherous husband (Hideo Murota) hatches a money-making plot involving his wife, Yukino (Naomi Tani), in which he is aided by his new lover, Utae (Tomoko Mayama), the wife of the owner of the brothel-come-bathhouse where Yukino works.
Featured Feline: The setting is Japan in 1958 and with prostitution about to outlawed the owner of the brothel where Yukino works announces that he is going to convert the place into a Turkish bathhouse where he will rent each of the girls a room in which they can continue to service their customers. During this scene Yukino is sitting with her cat Kuro (Japanese for black) on her lap as she attempts to feed him some rice. Another girl hands Yukino a dried fish to feed to Kuro (although the cat actor shows no more interest in this than the rice!)
While the other girls accept the owner’s offer, Yukino declines and prepares to leave with Kuro. She is approached by Natsuyo (Terumi Azuma), the owner’s crippled daughter, who brings her her shawl.
Yukino and Kuro are met outside by Yukino’s husband (only ever referred to by his surname, Shikauchi) who has all their possessions in a van to move to a new apartment.
As they settle into their new home a group of gangsters arrive and proceed to beat up Shikauchi who they say owes them money. Kuro watches and then cries at the attackers.
To stop the beating, Yukino says she will pay off her husband’s debt and reluctantly agrees to go and work at the bathhouse. Meanwhile, Yukino’s virginal younger sister, Mayumi (Misa Ohara), has come to live with them. As they enjoy a first meal together Yukino introduces her to Kuro whom she is immediately taken with.
Soon Yukino’s husband informs her he is even deeper in debt and suggests Yukino should live at bathhouse as the owner will then give her a loan. With Yukino out of the way he attempts to seduce Mayumi. When she rebuffs his advances he brutally rapes her. This is watched by Kuro from behind a grill.
Yukino arrives home and immediately senses something is wrong. Even Kuro has difficulty meeting her gaze.
Later Yunkino informs her husband that she is pregnant but far from being pleased he demands she get rid of it so she can continue working. When she refuses, Shikauchi and Utae truss her up and, watched by some of the girls from the bathhouse, beat her intending to induce a miscarriage. However things go too far and Yukino dies. All this is watched by Kuro (shots from Kuro’s POV are indicated by being shown in black and white.)
Shikauchi and Utae wall up Yukino’s body in a nearby outbuilding. As they discuss what they’ve just done, a large strange cat-like silhouette passes across the door outside. The camera then cuts to Kuro on ground.
Meanwhile, Mayumi has taken a job at the bathhouse. Her instant popularity with the customers arouses the jealousy of the other girls who beat her. During this they are watched and then attacked by Kuro.
During the fight, Mayumi recognises Kuro.
When Kuro runs off, Mayumi follows and finds him in a nearby building where Natsuyo is practising piano. Spotting Kuro, she stops playing to pick him up and pet him.
Later, Mayumi wakes from a strange dream to find Kuro on the bed beside her, watching her intently. She picks him up and cuddles him.
Next Shikauchi and Utae plan to murder her husband hoping to inherit the bathhouse and his wealth. After the killing they dispose of the body in the same building where they hid Yukino’s. Aroused by their own depravity they make love, closely watched by Kuro.
Learning that Utae’s husband has left everything to his daughter Natsuyo, the lovers plan to force Natsuyo to marry Shikauchi in order to obtain the wealth. When she refuses, Shikauchi attacks and rapes her. All of this is again observed by Kuro.
Unable to stand the shame, Natsuyo commits suicide, leaving Shikauchi and Utae to inherit everything. As they celebrate their victory Utae is startled by a large silhouette of a cat.
Going outside to investigate they spot a severed hand on the decking. They rush to the outbuilding to discover Utae’s husband’s body uncovered and a hand missing. As they try to re-conceal the body they come under attack from Kuro.
From a high vantage point Kuro repeatedly launches himself at the couple (or rather is shown leaping from out-of-frame perches in slow motion).
Kitty Carnage Warning (with Faux Cat)! Eventually Shikauchi is able to grab an axe and behead the cat (in reality, a very obviously fake cat).
The (fake) severed head drops to floor and the (fake) dead eyes stare accusingly at the couple.
The death of Kuro leads to Yukino’s spirit being released from behind the wall, allowing her to exact terrible revenge on all those who have wronged her.
Final Mewsings: Don’t think cats aren’t always watching and judging us!
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