To me, this movie is still one of the scariest movies and it shows that you dont need state of the art graphics and blood and gore to make a true classic. Just a great story line and imagination using the rain, and the night/darkness. Does anyone remember "the masks" from the Twilight Zone.....here is the defenitive version copied many times afterward. A classic with a great ending with a moral to teach.
As I can remember, my grandma told a story about this movie. My relatives (grandpa?) took her to this film. She thought it'll be a cute movie (baba means in my language doll) and dolls are usually cute, aren't they? Well, I don't need to tell that, it was a total shock for her. xD
Well, "Psycho" and "The Shining" weren't well received when they were released as well... "Onibaba" is now regarded as a masterpiece. I agree. "Onibaba" puts "Ringu" to shame in every aspect. I found "Ringu" pretty silly and mediocre. It's nowhere near as haunting or as disturbing as "Onibaba". The photography in "Onibaba" is truly masterful. This film will never date. It's a brutal and scary study of survival.
The black and white widescreen photography in this film is unsurpassed. The Criterion Collection gave this classic a pretty mediocre transfer on DVD (a lot of detail was missing and the black levels were very poor). I hope that we get a great transfer on Blu-ray of this Japanese masterpiece. It's truly one the most interesting and visually dazzling films that I have ever seen.
The mask in this film was the inspiration for the white demon face that made a flash appearance in the original premiere of "The Exorcist." The image was so frighting to first time viewers that it was banned until the video release of "The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen." Interesting huh? Look this up!
This film was pretty bold in its time - the 60s. Back then, did cinematic nudity dare speak its name? Even the nude scenes were done with taste and necessity. Exorcist author William Peter Blatty once said that this film creeped the hell out of HIM. Though it may seem rather harmless today, I can see why. ***.5.
@WhyDoYouAskWhoIam. Onibaba was banned in the UK by the BBFC on it's original release. However, the film was screened in private clubs, various UK councils also awarded Onibaba with an (X Local) certificate.
A masterpiece. If you ever get a chance to see it in a theater, go early to get a seat in the middle and just a little closer than you might for other movies.
Old japanese classics are too under-known :l nowadays people watch Ringu, Dark Water n other shit like that,, even though Onibaba, Kuroneko, Kwaidan etc.. all are better than the new shit.
@ttarkus You were unfortunate there. You talk as if Ringu and Dark Water were in any way bad movies when they are both extremely far from that. Yes, there are indeed shitty Japanese horror movies nowadays, but Ringu and Dark Water are really far from being one of those. They are definately two masterpiece of the horror scene of the past 20 years.
Because they are "recent", that doesn't make them bad, neither because a movie is "old", it makes him necessarily good. Be less biased next time.
@ImaginaryVoncroy I don't care if the movie is old or new, it just that before people made better movies more than nowadays. I didn't never say that Dark Water and Ringu are bad.. I just said "other shit and new shit" shit means stuff also, not just bad. All I said is that Onibaba, Kuroneko, Kwaidan are better than those two, and it's unfortunate that they're more popular than the older ones.
@ttarkus See, I don't agree that Onibaba is better than Ringu, like, at all really. Onibaba was not as well received, neither as sucessfull, nor as influential as Ringu was. Ringu is popular because there is a reason for that. Ringu was THE movie that took Japanese and Asian horror movies into other countries where the genre was unknown. Ringu was fresh, the cinematography was marvellous and the story was very original. We're not talking about a movie that doesn't deserve the hype.
@ttarkus Even though I do understand what you're saying, Ringu was probably a bad example (and let's be honest, if it wasn't the American remake of that movie, Americans would never liked Ringu because, you know, Japanese do not speak English so they have to read subtitles LOL).
Onibaba, while a good movie, fails at times. I can see why it was not well-received back in the 60's but, as most classics, people like it more now. (I have to admit I am not fan of 50's and 60's horror movies).
the holloween episode of goosebumps! haha that does kinda look like this, ive never seen this butt im thinking about buying it. if i like old horror movies will i like this?
Back in the days of the B&W film, the Japanese were light-years ahead of the west... check out the action sequence at the end of Seven Samurai: nothing in Western cinema matches that, even the action scenes in the 21st century. Awesome. Such a brilliant visual style.
@MiramarRanger I say that there are brilliant examples of B/W cinematography in every industry, and that includes France, Germany, Britain, Russia, and even Iran. Film is not (forgive the pun) a black or white art form. There are grey areas that depend on your preference. To say to one culture has all the cards in one category is terribly general.
This is seriously a Masterpiece
Kazuyukiiii 3 weeks ago
To me, this movie is still one of the scariest movies and it shows that you dont need state of the art graphics and blood and gore to make a true classic. Just a great story line and imagination using the rain, and the night/darkness. Does anyone remember "the masks" from the Twilight Zone.....here is the defenitive version copied many times afterward. A classic with a great ending with a moral to teach.
azeridave 4 months ago 3
Great movie...highly recommended.
wrght9185 5 months ago
i kinda have a list of movies i wanna see and this is one of em
scarerowandjoker 8 months ago
As I can remember, my grandma told a story about this movie. My relatives (grandpa?) took her to this film. She thought it'll be a cute movie (baba means in my language doll) and dolls are usually cute, aren't they? Well, I don't need to tell that, it was a total shock for her. xD
yoruichisan19 10 months ago 4
Black and white makes this movie even more scary. That mask (hannya) is a sign for a female demon.
Konkalit 11 months ago
Siouxsie And The Banshees did a song influenced by this.It's called "Head Cut"
on their old album Juju.
exeuroweenie 11 months ago
Well, "Psycho" and "The Shining" weren't well received when they were released as well... "Onibaba" is now regarded as a masterpiece. I agree. "Onibaba" puts "Ringu" to shame in every aspect. I found "Ringu" pretty silly and mediocre. It's nowhere near as haunting or as disturbing as "Onibaba". The photography in "Onibaba" is truly masterful. This film will never date. It's a brutal and scary study of survival.
Karosanyo 1 year ago 2
The black and white widescreen photography in this film is unsurpassed. The Criterion Collection gave this classic a pretty mediocre transfer on DVD (a lot of detail was missing and the black levels were very poor). I hope that we get a great transfer on Blu-ray of this Japanese masterpiece. It's truly one the most interesting and visually dazzling films that I have ever seen.
Karosanyo 1 year ago
The mask in this film was the inspiration for the white demon face that made a flash appearance in the original premiere of "The Exorcist." The image was so frighting to first time viewers that it was banned until the video release of "The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen." Interesting huh? Look this up!
mnitetoker33 1 year ago
@PantheraLioness it's a classic noh mask called a hannya-men.
ninjaspiceattacks 1 year ago
The mask say's hey babyyy, but the attitude says im fucked up!
TrobinT 1 year ago 5
I saw this movie some 10 years ago. I still dream of the fucking mask sometimes--
YoJMMT 1 year ago 2
that bit at 1:42 makes me wanna laugh but still scares me shitless at the same time
roloug95 1 year ago
Classic.
BeWaTer99 1 year ago
its scary, but i thought oni's were bigger not just a flying blanket with a mask on.
Dogjy101 1 year ago
This film was pretty bold in its time - the 60s. Back then, did cinematic nudity dare speak its name? Even the nude scenes were done with taste and necessity. Exorcist author William Peter Blatty once said that this film creeped the hell out of HIM. Though it may seem rather harmless today, I can see why. ***.5.
WhyDoYouAskWhoIam 1 year ago
@WhyDoYouAskWhoIam. Onibaba was banned in the UK by the BBFC on it's original release. However, the film was screened in private clubs, various UK councils also awarded Onibaba with an (X Local) certificate.
tenterden16 1 year ago
@tenterden16 Ah, okay. Thank you, tenterden16! :)! Best!
WhyDoYouAskWhoIam 1 year ago
A masterpiece. If you ever get a chance to see it in a theater, go early to get a seat in the middle and just a little closer than you might for other movies.
asdesas 1 year ago
Old japanese classics are too under-known :l nowadays people watch Ringu, Dark Water n other shit like that,, even though Onibaba, Kuroneko, Kwaidan etc.. all are better than the new shit.
ttarkus 2 years ago
@ttarkus I still don`t count dark Water a horror it was more tragic then scary
And i agree this is waaaaaay better the the new flicks
KajiRider1997 1 year ago
To be fair Ringu was decent.
BloodPump 1 year ago
@ttarkus You were unfortunate there. You talk as if Ringu and Dark Water were in any way bad movies when they are both extremely far from that. Yes, there are indeed shitty Japanese horror movies nowadays, but Ringu and Dark Water are really far from being one of those. They are definately two masterpiece of the horror scene of the past 20 years.
Because they are "recent", that doesn't make them bad, neither because a movie is "old", it makes him necessarily good. Be less biased next time.
ImaginaryVoncroy 1 year ago
@ImaginaryVoncroy I don't care if the movie is old or new, it just that before people made better movies more than nowadays. I didn't never say that Dark Water and Ringu are bad.. I just said "other shit and new shit" shit means stuff also, not just bad. All I said is that Onibaba, Kuroneko, Kwaidan are better than those two, and it's unfortunate that they're more popular than the older ones.
ttarkus 1 year ago
@ttarkus See, I don't agree that Onibaba is better than Ringu, like, at all really. Onibaba was not as well received, neither as sucessfull, nor as influential as Ringu was. Ringu is popular because there is a reason for that. Ringu was THE movie that took Japanese and Asian horror movies into other countries where the genre was unknown. Ringu was fresh, the cinematography was marvellous and the story was very original. We're not talking about a movie that doesn't deserve the hype.
ImaginaryVoncroy 1 year ago
Comment removed
Karosanyo 1 year ago
@ttarkus Even though I do understand what you're saying, Ringu was probably a bad example (and let's be honest, if it wasn't the American remake of that movie, Americans would never liked Ringu because, you know, Japanese do not speak English so they have to read subtitles LOL).
Onibaba, while a good movie, fails at times. I can see why it was not well-received back in the 60's but, as most classics, people like it more now. (I have to admit I am not fan of 50's and 60's horror movies).
ImaginaryVoncroy 1 year ago
the holloween episode of goosebumps! haha that does kinda look like this, ive never seen this butt im thinking about buying it. if i like old horror movies will i like this?
johnnybonesjones 2 years ago
Awesome movie!!
xgirlfiendx 2 years ago
onibaba.. i know oni is demon. baba is old hag.. LOL#$! Demon Old Hag
coooolzz 2 years ago
Oni is Ogre
PrimaSylvie 2 years ago
Oni has many meanings, depending on the use of the symbol.
fatalframe95 2 years ago
akuma is demon
ReitannaSeishin 2 years ago
I know, what I meant is that there is an episode from goosebumps that is very similar to this movie onibaba!! Obviously this movie came before
Lucci 2 years ago
Wow, i don't get it...how'd her face get burned
DOOMlalala 2 years ago
The girl in this movie is absolutely beautiful, I think her name is Yoshimura Jitsuko....
easyslow2 2 years ago 3
sounds like an episode from goosebumps.
Lucci 2 years ago
what is this movie about?
Lucci 2 years ago
I think it's about a woman who puts on an oni mask and can't remove it.
movieCultist 2 years ago 3
What does Onibaba mean in english?
filmfanatic99 3 years ago
demon woman
DarkClara5 3 years ago 4
devil woman
admarx 2 years ago
if anyone has this score in any format, please get at me. it's almost impossible to find.
sjofarthotellet2 3 years ago
One of the best movies ever. The phtography is amazing.
jmeexun 4 years ago 4
great video i just got it on dvd the music of the drums is the best
footmarshian 4 years ago 2
my favourite film of all time. simply amazing. anyone out there should watch shindo's other films.
ninkyo 4 years ago 4
Vinikající film !! Ani minutu jsem se nenudil.
Zanacek 4 years ago
watched this during my easter civilizations class at the university of kansas. fantastic movie.
bootalley 4 years ago 12
Christ, this film was extraordinary. Haven't seen it on TV for ages
spoombung 4 years ago 3
Back in the days of the B&W film, the Japanese were light-years ahead of the west... check out the action sequence at the end of Seven Samurai: nothing in Western cinema matches that, even the action scenes in the 21st century. Awesome. Such a brilliant visual style.
MiramarRanger 5 years ago 7
@MiramarRanger I say that there are brilliant examples of B/W cinematography in every industry, and that includes France, Germany, Britain, Russia, and even Iran. Film is not (forgive the pun) a black or white art form. There are grey areas that depend on your preference. To say to one culture has all the cards in one category is terribly general.
sshuisken 1 month ago
That was so awesome, I had to favorite it and watch it again.
BBIproductions 5 years ago 6