Name: Umezu Kazuo: Kyôfu gekijô - Mushi-tachi no ie
Genre: Horror
Released: 2005-06-18
Duration: 51 min
Rating: 5.4
Cast: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Tamaki Ogawa, Hisako Shirata

Kurosawa collects a small paycheck out of admiration for Umezu

All the J-horror fans should always be skeptical of the anthologies that have been coming to the US on DVD. They're made for TV on a low budget, lower than their more infamous theatrical release cousins. However, when a prime director like Kiyoshi Kurosawa is involved, you expect a little better. His segment of the tribute of Umezu Kazuo (of whom Kurosawa is a big fan) is much like a poorly executed remake of his film Undo. The performances are weak, the pacing is deadly slow, and there's not even a pay off for the gore hounds and fans of the gotcha scare. Perhaps Kurosawa's predilection for psychodramas leadened what might have been one of Umezu's most chilling mangas, or perhaps it's just that Umezu's doesn't translate well.

Japanese cinema is celebrated for its refined minimalist dramas and avant-garde experimentation; it also introduced popular genres like jidaigeki (samurai epics), kaiju, and anime. Across both high art and mass entertainment, it often explores morality, impermanence, and the pressures of modern life.

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The horror genre features stories that aim to elicit fear, suspense, and a sense of dread in its audience. Horror stories often explore themes related to the unknown, the supernatural, and the macabre, and they frequently evoke strong emotional reactions such as anxiety, terror, and unease.

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