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Onibaba
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Onibaba

1964
Drama
Horror
1h 43m
After enlisting as a volunteer in a war in 14th century Japan, his wife and mother remain living in a swamp... (imdb)
Directed by:
Kaneto Shindô Kaneto Shindô
Written by:
Kaneto Shindô Kaneto Shindô
Starring:
Nobuko Otowa Nobuko Otowa Jitsuko Yoshimura Jitsuko Yoshimura Kei Satô Kei Satô Jûkichi Uno Jûkichi Uno Taiji Tonoyama Taiji Tonoyama Senshô Matsumoto Hiroshi Tanaka Fudeko Tanaka Kentarô Kaji Hiroyoshi Yamaguchi Kanzô Uni Michinori Yoshida
More
Genres:
Drama, Horror
AKA:
Hole, The
Country:
Japan
Language:
Japanese
imdb More information at IMDb
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Onibaba

1964
Drama
Horror
1h 43m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 73.68% from 1066 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

(1066)
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beedubBeeDub
Rated 07 Jun 2021
95
91st
If Kurosawa made an episode of Tales from the Crypt, it would look a lot like this (though it's still not a traditional horror film). The small cast and impeccable cinematography make this feel extremely claustrophobic despite it taking place in open fields. Haunting stuff.
Rated 07 Jun 2021
eveeluneveelun
Rated 30 Sep 2008
85
92nd
Visually striking tale of desperation of many varieties. The film still feels fresh and modern due to its honest depiction of sexuality and human savagery.
Rated 30 Sep 2008
icarusIcarus
Rated 18 Jun 2011
92
93rd
Impressive feature, chronicling the darkness within the human soul. Shindo's sound design is especially important in this regard, often bringing out the mumbles, groans, chewing, and other sounds associated with physical acts like eating and having sex. In the face of a tragic war, these people are reduced to existing for their appetites. The film wisely sidesteps the question of blame for this scenario, and the ending delivers one of the great ironic final lines in cinematic history.
Rated 18 Jun 2011
spunkieSpunkie
Rated 07 Apr 2007
85
97th
Onibaba, Baba Yaga. Do not be mistaken, this is purgatory. There isn't a single soul in this movie that's not rotten to the bone. I'll be adding it to my list of best chiaroscuro lighting in a movie. While there are many movies that looks more than pretty with lightning, few makes use of lighting to the full effect. 2nd half seems less effective to me, but my mind may have slipped, I'll schedule a rewatch soon.
Rated 07 Apr 2007
indyatmnINDYATMN
Rated 01 Feb 2022
69
22nd
Has everyone lost their minds? Criticker thought I'd give this a 90? It's no surprise that this is on the Criterion Collection because it fulfills many arthouse requirements - "languid" pacing; long "meditative" shots of not much so that critics can pretend they're appraising a museum painting; aggressively opaque meaning; & Ambiguous conclusion. I only rate it as high as I do because the first half showcasing peasants doing whatever they need to do to survive during war was unique & interesting
Rated 01 Feb 2022
mentaculusMentaculus
Rated 10 Dec 2008
96
96th
As perfect as they come. Everything is unsettling: from the scenes of floating weeds, to the bizarre, ritualistic way the women kill the wayward samurai to the dream-like quality of the attainment of the mask. The grand reveal is not nearly as frightening as what it means to you three days after viewing the film - after it begins to weigh on you. The composition and lighting also blow the mind.
Rated 10 Dec 2008
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 27 Oct 2008
3
45th
Onibaba is slow to start, but builds into an exhausting folk tale of dog-eat-dog savagery and moral desperation. It's a beautiful film, ghostly shades set against an endless sea of flowing tall grass.
Rated 27 Oct 2008
joseywalesjoseywales
Rated 05 Apr 2011
88
95th
Haunting. Reminds me a bit of Laughton's 'Night of the Hunter'
Rated 05 Apr 2011
jacoiiiJacoIII
Rated 17 Dec 2013
45
85th
What an interesting movie. I love that Shindo was making feminist cinema in 60s Japan. Hell, this movie is more open-minded about women than most films coming out today.
Rated 17 Dec 2013
lady_moeLady Moe
Rated 27 Oct 2016
88
77th
A gorgeous black & white erotic horror movie from Japan. Featuring even a smaller cast than it's contemporary, "Kuroneko," "Onibaba" accomplishes so much with three main characters, two huts, and a swamp of reeds. It tells of the fight against loneliness amongst three people: a mother who desperately tries to keep her daughter-in-law by her side and two young people indulging in their torturous desires. Amidst all of that it manages to frighten. It contains some of the most memorable imagery.
Rated 27 Oct 2016
terrymacterrymac
Rated 03 Oct 2020
92
98th
Beautifully shot in stark black and white, oozing with atmosphere and full of things that will stay with you long after you've watched it. Creepy, unsettling and absorbing.
Rated 03 Oct 2020
actionbergActionberg
Rated 01 Nov 2011
85
84th
One of the most weirdly erotic works I've ever seen. It's a bizarre hodge-podge of blatant sexual motifs coalesced with veiled, esoteric ones. The setting amongst the swaying reeds, as well as the way in which it's shot, is inexplicably perfect. The sound design/music additionally lends to the overall what-the-fuckery to the point where you stop caring about cohesion so much because what you're witnessing is so uniquely strange.
Rated 01 Nov 2011
thedenizenTheDenizen
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
84th
I never thought that a shot of reeds blowing in the wind could be so haunting. A chilling examination of the desperate lengths people will go to survive during a period of war or hardship.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
obdurateObdurate
Rated 20 Apr 2020
80
67th
It took a while to get going and while the movie is memorable for a variety of reasons, the relationships between these characters is not one of them. I love the final act because it got legitimately creepy. Shot in such a way that this swamp is oppressive (the grass seems lively and always on the verge of swallowing everything). Music is unique, themes are potent. As a whole the story could be told better, but it is a masterpiece of directing. Didn't love it like I thought I would.
Rated 20 Apr 2020
moviesinhellmoviesinhell
Rated 22 Mar 2009
100
97th
For sheer unrelieved eeriness, this is tough to beat. Shindo's erotic terror tale is greatly abetted by an atmospheric setting -- endless undulating reed fields -- stunning B&W cinematography, a subtle kodo drum score, and an overwhelming aura of human depravity.
Rated 22 Mar 2009
woodoowoodoo
Rated 04 Aug 2014
90
82nd
Lush and painterly with a soundtrack like a sick heartbeat. Horror mythology; very few outside of Hitchcock even touch it.
Rated 04 Aug 2014
metzmetz
Rated 07 Nov 2010
90
98th
Penetrating, primitive, universal, desperate. No need for hardcore gore, when you live in a rat trap.
Rated 07 Nov 2010
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
84th
Creepy and haunting, and beautifully filmed. A bit over-stylized at times, but not too bad.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
guy_piranhaguy piranha
Rated 12 Feb 2017
65
53rd
Great cinematography, especially lighting. But everything beyond that just isn't my pair of shoes and i'm not gonna lose it over some b&w shots of grass in the wind.
Rated 12 Feb 2017
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 03 Feb 2007
83
93rd
A dark, dark fairy-tale with a sort of folksy, primitive moral to it. Beautifully shot... Chilling, haunting atmosphere... My only complaint is that some sections of the plot are a tad too repetitive or overstretched.
Rated 03 Feb 2007
dean_franzDean Franz
Rated 21 May 2010
88
87th
A singular, forceful film combining elements of erotica and horror into a japanese period drama. A sinister, torrid beast of a movie with spellbinding imagery, rich in oppresive, humid atmosphere. It's awesome, I guess is what I'm trying to say.
Rated 21 May 2010
tamcamTamCam
Rated 21 Oct 2013
84
96th
This movie perfectly portraits the poverty of war, the desperate measures to which people will go and that even despicable brutes can seem more or less attractive if they're the only young men around. Jokes aside, from a technical viewpoint this movie is amazing regarding the time it's been shot. It's all too easy to feel the surroundings you see thanks to the brilliant camera work. And there's some nudity involved as well...
Rated 21 Oct 2013
snallygastersnallygaster
Rated 27 Oct 2011
87
95th
The way Shindo escalates both the foreboding tension & the eroticism as the film goes on is incredibly powerful, and the three leads are brilliant, evoking both repulsion & pity. Pithy tagline: "Makes Woman in the Dunes look like The Wedding Planner!"
Rated 27 Oct 2011
chacronChacron
Rated 28 May 2009
65
32nd
I think for the most part I just mustn't get this film. I didnt find any party of it scary. There was undoubtedly some great moments from a cinematography perspective, but - I dont know.
Rated 28 May 2009
macswellMacSwell
Rated 25 Dec 2020
85
87th
The photography and sound are spellbinding; each long take of susuki grass swaying in the wind is hypnotically gorgeous. The film’s human elements provide a stark contrast to this pastoral beauty, with characters driven only by their most base, selfish and violent instincts, allowing a gripping story to unfold with inevitably destructive results. Though the supernatural horror perhaps creeps into it a little late, Shindo nails the mood from the outset.
Rated 25 Dec 2020
karamazovkaramazov.
Rated 04 Jul 2013
82
97th
Just about a perfect film, for me-- no fluff whatsoever; all atmosphere and dreamish substance.
Rated 04 Jul 2013
suture_selfSuture Self
Rated 13 Dec 2013
10
96th
Primal and beautiful.
Rated 13 Dec 2013
vendettaVendetta
Rated 14 Aug 2007
92
88th
Powerful cinematic experience .. power of human psycologhy .. a must see çç
Rated 14 Aug 2007
kramyessevKramYessev
Rated 01 May 2014
73
65th
Gorgeous, thoughtful & profound, but also meandering & repetitious. Latter half held my attention more, though first had more interesting ideas running through.
Rated 01 May 2014
lintonmyroxylintonmyroxy
Rated 11 Oct 2020
85
51st
The shots of characters running through the reeds are so delightfully creepy. Unfortunately nothing really happens that matches the atmosphere created. I'm usually bad at guessing twists but the identity of the mask wearer towards the end was way too obvious. I think I'm mainly just disappointed because based off of the title's translation, "Demon Hag", I was expecting something more fantastical than a sticky mask
Rated 11 Oct 2020
djrossdjross
Rated 05 Oct 2015
74
84th
Impressive photography, lighting, sound and music in this evocative tale of desperation that seems to have symbolic overtones. Certainly 1964 was a good year for Japanese quasi-horror/erotic/symbolic/hole-in-the-ground movies, with the even better WOMAN IN THE DUNES coming out the same year.
Rated 05 Oct 2015
davidblastDavidBlast
Rated 18 Nov 2010
60
53rd
A fair enough period piece/love triangle/morality play/fairy tale, that has dated horribly in sound design, acting and overall pacing. Also, it calls itself a horror movie, which it is certainly not. Also, it raises questions: Why does the lust of young women sound like horny pigeons? How the hell do these people find their way around the WORLD of rushes (of which there are waaay too many shots) and finally: Why do the Japanese yell so much all the fucking time? Calm down. Please. Calm. Down.
Rated 18 Nov 2010
dardandardan
Rated 03 Dec 2015
90
94th
The antithesis of samurai film.
Rated 03 Dec 2015
moncliviemonclivie
Rated 20 Oct 2015
77
62nd
People want to fuck and bad shit happens: the movie. Good movie, but horror? Well, the only horrendous thing was the face of this girl who couldn't run with her mouth closed.
Rated 20 Oct 2015
pianosamaPianoSama
Rated 06 Sep 2019
65
45th
Highly regarded & often considered an all-time classic, I wish I could say it lived up to the hype for me- but sadly, it got less interesting the longer it dragged. There are lots of things to like about it, namely the dynamic between the three leads & the B&W cinematography. But, the pace gets more & more sluggish over time & the eventual payoff to the building narrative isn't really worth the wait. Overall, it is worth a watch, but personally I prefer the very similar Kuroneko, also by Shindo.
Rated 06 Sep 2019
tjekhovTjekhov
Rated 17 Feb 2011
80
86th
An extraordinary visual achievement - low-key illuminations have never been more frightening.
Rated 17 Feb 2011
purgatospurgatos
Rated 04 Jun 2008
95
96th
This movie's going to stay with me for quite some time.
Rated 04 Jun 2008
shewasSheWas
Rated 27 Mar 2020
75
79th
If the movie had color, just one color, it would be green, like the little monster we sometimes turn into.
Rated 27 Mar 2020
three-questions_ii???
Rated 30 Jul 2014
89
91st
The character of the mother has a quality of a black widow spider. In a sense it's a movie about parents willing their kids nightmares.
Rated 30 Jul 2014
byderByder
Rated 29 Nov 2022
55
30th
Beautifully shot but tedious to watch. The first half shows a bleak japan during times of war and the second half spends too much time on the characters without exploring them further. It's a shame that the never ending sea of reeds is wasted on this film.
Rated 29 Nov 2022
peyrinpeyrin
Rated 11 Oct 2020
80
81st
Black-and-white films like this make you wonder why we ever needed color. The suffocating, inescapable wheat fields are not unlike the transformation of sand into a prison in Teshigahara's Woman in the Dunes. The folklore tale is a little hard to pin down thematically beyond anti-war ideas, but there's a bit of Ozu response in its exploration of generational senses of duty.
Rated 11 Oct 2020
anomalyAnomaly
Rated 15 Feb 2018
87
90th
Visually striking and intoxicating. Sinks you deep into a primal and savage world. Makes reeds blowing in the wind the most atmospheric thing ever.
Rated 15 Feb 2018
panzerwolfpanzerwolf
Rated 10 Jul 2008
92
97th
It is a chilling, strange movie that works very well in B&W. Beautiful and haunting. Sometimes the memories of those tall reeds still return to me randomly.
Rated 10 Jul 2008
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 24 Jun 2010
83
72nd
The style sometimes overtakes the substance, but on the whole it's very atmospheric and comes together strongly in the end.
Rated 24 Jun 2010
whatisitiseewhatisitisee
Rated 15 May 2014
85
91st
grotesque and otherworldly in the best way
Rated 15 May 2014
backwardsuitbackwardsuit
Rated 13 Nov 2014
87
94th
Brilliant horror film on every level.
Rated 13 Nov 2014
kahKAH
Rated 14 Jun 2009
4
93rd
A disturbing feast for the eye.
Rated 14 Jun 2009
ratedarghratedargh
Rated 29 Oct 2012
85
75th
Bizarre and memorable folk tale that is full of atmosphere and tension. It's a little thin in the overall story but it works as a snapshot of the breakdown of several lives based on jealousy, sexual awakening and repression. No real emotional connection creates too much distance between the characters and the audience. The final sequences are genuinely horrifying, though, and provide a successful and dreadful conclusion.
Rated 29 Oct 2012
darrenDarren
Rated 20 Nov 2017
90
92nd
Felt like this kind of thing is made for me since I kinda hate those stoic samurai movies these days. The running in the weeds haunted me for a couple days after.
Rated 20 Nov 2017
stainStain
Rated 26 Mar 2007
80
68th
Dark, weird movie about two nice Japanese women who kill people. In short, my kind of movie
Rated 26 Mar 2007
adrianadrian
Rated 10 Jul 2010
90
97th
Thanks Criticker! You've discovered what might be my favorite Japanese film ever.
Rated 10 Jul 2010
fancymikeFancyMike
Rated 29 Oct 2018
4
59th
Incredibly beautiful film. And so tightly constrained. There are the reeds, a couple huts, a few feet of river bank, three characters, and a hole. With just that it manages to tell a harrowing story about the cost of war, the loss of humanity and desperation that expands far from the battlefield. Magnificent
Rated 29 Oct 2018
troothTrooth
Rated 16 Oct 2015
78
78th
It sets up a grim atmosphere before there's even a hint of any looming threat or supernatural element. But there's plenty of tension throughout, and it kept me guessing who the protagonist or antagonist might be, or if there even were any. There's a lot of character development in that regard.
Rated 16 Oct 2015
alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 25 Jan 2009
4
70th
Creepy and suspenseful, with some great photography and an interesting twist at the end.
Rated 25 Jan 2009
beneBene
Rated 31 Aug 2007
83
89th
Really messed up
Rated 31 Aug 2007
ottott
Rated 27 Aug 2020
85
87th
does the same for grass what woman in the dunes did for sand and almost quite as well. i thought that it was sexy, my friends didn't
Rated 27 Aug 2020
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 02 Mar 2007
60
62nd
Strange film but quite interesting.
Rated 02 Mar 2007
hadleyreisHadleyreis
Rated 10 Jan 2011
98
99th
I can't stop thinking about this film.
Rated 10 Jan 2011
yugyug
Rated 16 Apr 2016
80
72nd
This is more like an out and out erotic drama with few horror elements. Brilliant for the most part.
Rated 16 Apr 2016
nrooNroo
Rated 20 Jul 2016
86
94th
Evocative horror about living in crushing poverty. The final images are like the moment right before waking from a nightmare.
Rated 20 Jul 2016
skapskap
Rated 23 Feb 2019
75
47th
Despite the powerful ending, I found the rest of the film quite tedious.
Rated 23 Feb 2019
willofgaiawillofgaia
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
22nd
Sooooooooo slow
Rated 14 Aug 2007
alcyonalcyon
Rated 21 Jun 2013
97
98th
Endless fields of reeds, two huts, a jetty, the wind, several unfortunate samurai, three desperate peasants, a mask and a pit.
Rated 21 Jun 2013
graveyardtangraveyardtan
Rated 27 Oct 2009
85
71st
Extremely unnerving tale of power, war, and sexual repression. This would make for an excellent double feature with Polanski's Repulsion.
Rated 27 Oct 2009
fra_paolofra paolo
Rated 16 Jun 2021
92
93rd
Genre-busting portrait of a sick society, or perhaps Original Sin.
Rated 16 Jun 2021
rojatumerojatume
Rated 28 Feb 2024
79
58th
watching this during a loud ass thunderstorm is something ELSE
Rated 28 Feb 2024
hawkinsHawkins
Rated 11 May 2023
72
50th
The sexual politics of feudal Japan's scavenger economy have never been swampier. Verges on greatness but its spread a bit thin for its runtime.
Rated 11 May 2023
madmanMadMan
Rated 01 Nov 2022
91
73rd
Bleak movie that is rather eerie and very creepy in many parts. I'm not sure about the final shot but what happens before it was pretty chilling.
Rated 01 Nov 2022
mint00mint00
Rated 19 Apr 2024
30
4th
fenixdownfenixdown
Rated 10 Feb 2014
70
36th
My mother in law is worse...
Rated 10 Feb 2014
glm01glm01
Rated 10 Aug 2013
85
83rd
85.000
Rated 10 Aug 2013
monisitMonisit
Rated 28 Jun 2018
65
32nd
Great ending, but so much of the middle portion of the film felt repetitive and pretty much each of the 3 characters were unlikable to watch - even if it was intentional.
Rated 28 Jun 2018
glmglm
Rated 25 Dec 2010
85
80th
84.875
Rated 25 Dec 2010
ecitizeneCitizen
Rated 07 Nov 2012
70
70th
A captivating classic horror story with desperate starving women who resort to killing soldiers for food. A local man escapes the war and seduces the young widow, but the union is hated by the mother-in-law. Painful music. Great depictions of lust, desperation, and some nice frontal nudity. Plenty of ignorance and superstition. The final stupidity comes when a demon mask gets stuck to the woman's face followed shortly by an almost comically bad ending. Overall it was enteresting and worthwhile.
Rated 07 Nov 2012
doyler29doyler29
Rated 10 May 2021
80
68th
This atmospheric and darkly sexual horror film uses it's menacing location to magnificent effect, with the sleek black and white photography of the smothering reeds creating an aura of constant menace. The subtle, but gory climax packs a serious punch.
Rated 10 May 2021
shockularSHOCKULAR
Rated 17 Oct 2023
73
49th
Interesting ideas about lust and jealously with some horror couching, though it's very light on the horror elements. Good stuff, but I was a bit underwhelmed at times. A lot of the lighting is really impressive.
Rated 17 Oct 2023

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