IMDb > Inugami (2001)

Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   446 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 9% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Masato Harada
Writers:
Masako Bando (novel)
Masato Harada (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Inugami on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
27 January 2001 (Japan) more
Genre:
Drama | Thriller | Fantasy | Romance more
Plot:
Akira, a teacher from Tokyo, has just arrived in a small rural town to begin his new job. Soon after arriving... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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Awards:
6 wins & 2 nominations more
User Comments:
the Oedipus myth resurfaces in rural Japan more (10 total)

Cast

  (Credited cast)
Yûki Amami ... Miki Bonomiya
Atsuro Watabe ... Akira Nutahara
Eugene Harada ... Seiji Doi
Shiho Fujimura ... Tomie Bonomia
Kazuhiro Yamaji ... Takanao
Kanako Fukaura ... Momoyo Bonomia
Shion Machida ... Sonoko Bonomia
Ken'ichi Yajima ... Michio Bonomia
Masato Irie ... Hirofumi Bonomia
Makoto Togashi ... Hide, the Nurse
Torahiko Hamada ... Old Man in Black
Miyû Watase ... Rika Bonomia
Keiko Awaji ... Katsuko Doi
Kôichi Satô ... Mimoto, the Hunter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rie Ino'o
Osamu Shigematu
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
106 min
Country:
Japan
Language:
Japanese
Color:
Black and White | Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby SR
Certification:
UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Japan:R-15 | Australia:M | Australia:MA (cable rating)
Company:
Asmik Ace Entertainment more

Fun Stuff

Soundtrack:
OVERTURE more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful.
the Oedipus myth resurfaces in rural Japan, 9 October 2007
10/10
Author: oowawa from California

Yes, this beautifully filmed fable would have delighted Sigmund Freud. If you are really uncomfortable with the theme of incest, albeit unwitting, do not watch this movie, because it is central to the plot. As in Oedipus Rex, a grim fate hangs over and destroys the hapless characters involved. It is fascinating to watch this archetypal drama playing out in the context of a superstitious Shinto world view.

But this is not the only theme driving this complex drama. The interplay of the traditional and the modern is consistently in the forefront, and the film sees the good and the bad in both. The irreplaceable art of Japanese paper-making, which is shown in some detail, comes out of the same traditional culture that fosters destructive superstitious beliefs. Similarly, the forces of "progress" and modernity work for both good and bad purposes. A plan is afoot to cut down the beloved forest to make way for a big modern country resort, destroying what is good in the traditional culture (including the paper-making art); and yet the modern spirit of reason seems to be the only hope for freeing these villagers from the destructive superstitious beliefs that enslave them. The traditional world of Shinto is full of ghosts and deities, of beauty and horror, and it does not easily coexist with modernity. Nothing is simple here.

These are some of the themes at play in this complex fable. The film invites repeated viewings. There is much to see: it is very beautiful, and the acting is excellent. It is full of surprises, and is highly entertaining. When you watch, be careful to note the family connections of the characters. The family tree is important. Director Masato Harada has created something memorable and unique, and it cannot be easily classified in one genre or another.

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