The movie "Hell" has been born for almost 60 years. The degree of horror may not be the best among the same type of movies, but its influence is the most important of all Japanese horror movies. However, this pivotal weight is inseparable from the film’s director Nobuo Nakagawa!
movie "Hell" poster
In the 1960s, while other directors were still creating traditional and clichéd "ghost" horror films, director Nobuo Nakagawa was busy breaking the boundaries between horror and art. With a very low production budget, and very low-key shooting this "Hell". presents it as a true Japanese horror classic through the versatile film narrative of Nobuo Nakagawa. has been enthusiastically sought after by many horror film creators over the years, and slowly established the unshakable position of the film and the director in the field of horror movies. And the movie has been remade many times. These include "Hell" directed by Shindai Tatsumi in 1979, and "Hell" directed by Teruo Ishi in 1999, but the level of thinking is far inferior to the previous work!
movie "Hell" scene
This "Hell" filmed by Nobuo Nakagawa is a work of karma and morality that draws on Buddhist thoughts of retribution and the afterlife. It is based on the fact that our earthly sins will be after death. Above the doctrine of atonement, this is an idea that has appeared in almost all religions in the world. This ambitious film took seven months to complete, and most of the funds came from the director's own pocket. In the end, with a wonderful interpretation of the dark hell and the concept of atonement, this amazing horror was achieved. Shocking, outrageous, and poetic is the most refined summary of this innovative film by Nobuo Nakagawa.
movie "Hell" stills
The movie tells the story of the young Tokyo theology student Shimizu and professor Mr. Yajima's daughter Yukiko officially announced their engagement, the uninvited Tamura urges Shimizu to return home.When Tamura walked down the path at Shimizu's request, he killed a gang leader Kyoichi. Kyichi’s mother happened to witness the whole process of escape, Kyichi’s mother and his girlfriend Yoko decided to avenge him together.
Stills from the movie "Hell"
For Shimizu full of guilt, disaster soon came again; first, his girlfriend died in a car accident because of himself; then his mother fell ill, he was urged to go home, before he arrived home Soon after Tianzhengyuan, the mysterious Tamura reappeared and pointed out the sins they existed to everyone. In the end, disaster came and swallowed all the guilty, and all the guilty were eventually led. In a series of accidents, suicides, murders, large-scale poisonings and other acts, everyone died! In the end, they all entered the hell of endless darkness!
stills of the movie "Hell"
The first hour of "Hell", despite the film style of the 1960s and unique lens usage, it looks essentially like a moral drama. Then the last 40 minutes is an unforgettable cruel guide to the suffering of the underworld, where the worldly misdemeanor will be punished forever.
movie "Hell" fragment
However, even though all of this is portrayed quite vividly, Nakagawa Nobuo still keeps his ideal darkness abstract. This makes the movie "Hell" not so deep, but a splendid horror movie. Its full and reasonable use of lighting, scenery, and lens makes reality and hell seem like an unbalanced nightmare. Although realism is not the case, Nobuo Nakagawa still pays attention to depicting a society that has lost its moral balance. At that time, Japan's memory of wartime horror is still fresh, and post-war modernization is causing its own anxiety. Traditional values began to overindulge and dissipate.
movie "Hell" clip
"Hell" is a wonderful example that allows us to witness the flourishing and innovative development of Japanese horror movies in the 1960s.To become a trendsetter, some rules must be broken. "Hell" broke a lot of traditional stereotypes. It changed Japanese movies and opened up a new path for Eastern movies that have been trapped in haunted horror themes. For later horror film creators, this is a considerable legacy.
movie "Hell" fragment
Nakagawa Nobuo's surrealism and absurd style make the audience recognize that this movie is an extraordinary work, "Hell" examines crime and "in its own way" The concept of conscience is completely different from traditional Japanese horror movies. The aftershocks of "Hell" for the creation of horror movies are still echoing in movies around the world today.
Movie "Hell" fragment
If you are a person who likes to be curious, this movie will definitely satisfy your curiosity, if you are a movie creator, this movie will not let you down ! A movie with a history of more than 60 years can still be sought after, and it must have its merits! What you can get from it may require your own insights!
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