An Innocent Witch (Japanese: 恐山の女, romanized: Osorezan no onna, lit. 'Woman of Mount Osore') is a 1965 Japanese drama film directed by Heinosuke Gosho. It is based on the novel Reiba no onna by Hajime Ogawa.[2] Called "uncharaceristically harsh" for the director by Gosho biographer Arthur Nolletti, the film, produced by Gosho's own production company, was not a commercial success, but is critically acclaimed by film historians.[2][3]
During the annual religious festivities at Mount Osore, widow Kikuno joins a medium to contact the spirit of her deceased daughter Ayako and ask her for forgiveness. The film switches back to 20 years earlier when in 1937, Ayako, a poor fisherman's daughter from Ōma, is sold to a brothel as her ill father can't support the family anymore. She is violently deflowered by rich merchant Yamasan, who becomes her regular customer. One year later, she meets Kanjiro, a young student, who becomes another regular customer and to whom she develops an emotional bond. It turns out that Kanjiro is Yamasan's son, but while Yamasan has no problem sharing her with his son, Kanjiro is reluctant to her meeting his father. After Yamasan dies of a heart attack during a visit to Ayako and Kanjiro commits suicide in the military service, Ayako is stigmatised as bringing bad luck. Kanichi, a new customer, reveals himself as Kanjiro's older brother, who insists that the rumours surrounding Ayako are pure superstition. Ayako and Kanichi become lovers, but before his plan to go to Tokyo together is realised, he is killed by an army truck driver who refuses to stop for him. When the brothel's owners demand her leaving the house because she might be possessed by an evil spirit, Ayako, out of desperation, agrees to have an exorcism performed on her. Severely beaten during the brutal exorcism ritual, Ayako finally dies.
An Innocent Witch ranked #7 on Kinema Junpo's annual list of the ten best Japanese films in 1965. It was part of the 1989–1990 retrospective on Heinosuke Gosho held by the Japan Society and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.[2]
Referencesedit
^ ab"恐山の女 (An Innocent Witch)". Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 January 2021.
^ abcNolletti Jr., Arthur (2008). The Cinema of Gosho Heinosuke: Laughter through Tears. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. pp. 214–225. ISBN978-0-253-34484-7.
^Anderson, Joseph L.; Richie, Donald (1982). The Japanese Film – Art and Industry (Expanded ed.). Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN0-691-05351-0.
"恐山の女 (An Innocent Witch)". Shochiku films (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 January 2021.
April 12, 2024
innocent, witch, japanese, 恐山の女, romanized, osorezan, onna, woman, mount, osore, 1965, japanese, drama, film, directed, heinosuke, gosho, based, novel, reiba, onna, hajime, ogawa, called, uncharaceristically, harsh, director, gosho, biographer, arthur, nollett. An Innocent Witch Japanese 恐山の女 romanized Osorezan no onna lit Woman of Mount Osore is a 1965 Japanese drama film directed by Heinosuke Gosho It is based on the novel Reiba no onna by Hajime Ogawa 2 Called uncharaceristically harsh for the director by Gosho biographer Arthur Nolletti the film produced by Gosho s own production company was not a commercial success but is critically acclaimed by film historians 2 3 An Innocent WitchJapanese nameKanji恐山の女Directed byHeinosuke GoshoWritten byHideo HorieHajime Ogawa novel Produced byKiyoshi ShimazuStarringJitsuko YoshimuraKeizō KawasakiTaiji TonoyamaMinori TeradaEijirō TōnoCinematographySōzaburō ShinomuraEdited bySadako IkedaMusic bySei IkenoDistributed byShochikuRelease date30 October 1965 1965 10 30 Japan 1 Running time98 minutes 1 CountryJapanLanguageJapanese Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Reception and legacy 4 References 5 External linksPlot editDuring the annual religious festivities at Mount Osore widow Kikuno joins a medium to contact the spirit of her deceased daughter Ayako and ask her for forgiveness The film switches back to 20 years earlier when in 1937 Ayako a poor fisherman s daughter from Ōma is sold to a brothel as her ill father can t support the family anymore She is violently deflowered by rich merchant Yamasan who becomes her regular customer One year later she meets Kanjiro a young student who becomes another regular customer and to whom she develops an emotional bond It turns out that Kanjiro is Yamasan s son but while Yamasan has no problem sharing her with his son Kanjiro is reluctant to her meeting his father After Yamasan dies of a heart attack during a visit to Ayako and Kanjiro commits suicide in the military service Ayako is stigmatised as bringing bad luck Kanichi a new customer reveals himself as Kanjiro s older brother who insists that the rumours surrounding Ayako are pure superstition Ayako and Kanichi become lovers but before his plan to go to Tokyo together is realised he is killed by an army truck driver who refuses to stop for him When the brothel s owners demand her leaving the house because she might be possessed by an evil spirit Ayako out of desperation agrees to have an exorcism performed on her Severely beaten during the brutal exorcism ritual Ayako finally dies Cast editJitsuko Yoshimura as Ayako Keizō Kawasaki as Kanichi Taiji Tonoyama as Yamasan Minori Terada as Kanjiro Eijirō Tōno as shaman Kin Sugai as Kikuno Ayako s mother Chieko Nakakita as brothel owner Misako Tominaga Kumeko UrabeReception and legacy editAn Innocent Witch ranked 7 on Kinema Junpo s annual list of the ten best Japanese films in 1965 It was part of the 1989 1990 retrospective on Heinosuke Gosho held by the Japan Society and the Museum of Modern Art New York 2 References edit a b 恐山の女 An Innocent Witch Japanese Movie Database in Japanese Retrieved 3 January 2021 a b c Nolletti Jr Arthur 2008 The Cinema of Gosho Heinosuke Laughter through Tears Bloomington Indiana University Press pp 214 225 ISBN 978 0 253 34484 7 Anderson Joseph L Richie Donald 1982 The Japanese Film Art and Industry Expanded ed Princeton Princeton University Press ISBN 0 691 05351 0 External links editAn Innocent Witch at IMDb nbsp 恐山の女 An Innocent Witch Shochiku films in Japanese Retrieved 3 January 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title An Innocent Witch amp oldid 1164554877, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
