Onibaba

1964

1h 45m

Horror

Fantasy

List

90%

Tomatometer

20 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

While her son, Kichi, is away at war, a woman (Nobuko Otowa) and her daughter-in-law (Jitsuko Yoshimura) survive by killing samurai who stray into their swamp, then selling whatever valuables they find. Both are devastated when they learn that Kichi has died, but his wife soon begins an affair with a neighbor who survived the war, Hachi (Kei Satô). The mother disapproves and, when she can't steal Hachi for herself, tries to scare her daughter-in-law with a mysterious mask from a dead samurai.

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Colin Bennett

The Age (Australia)

[Onibaba] contains effectively extravagant moments sandwiched between, its grunts, groans. and gurgles

May 31, 2022

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Onibaba is a chilling movie, a waking nightmare shot in icy monochrome, and filmed in a colossal and eerily beautiful wilderness.

Mar 4, 2013

Full Review

Variety

Too often, it turns out to be a pot-pourri of ravenous eating and blatant sex.

Apr 14, 2007

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Shot in stark, severe black and white, the images seared into the film, with unnerving close-ups and bobbing handheld camerawork, Shindo makes even the waving of the grass look ominous as it all but swallows everyone who enters...

Oct 29, 2022

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Given its historical setting, visually dynamic presentation, and open-ended conclusion, Onibaba lends itself to interpretation and symbolic readings.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 14, 2022

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

A lush darkness fills every trippy scene in this stone cold (black-and-white) classic of Japanese horror.

Rated: A+

Jan 15, 2022

Full Review

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Albert D

Very scary movie. It shows the true monster is inside us.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/16/24

Full Review

Alexander B

A remarkable achievement in Japanese cinema. The narrative, rooted in folklore and human frailty, is compelling, though at times can feel a bit repetitive. Its breathtaking monochromatic camera work by Kuroda and the haunting musical score by Hayashi create an unforgettable atmosphere that draws viewers into its dark, mesmerizing world. Overall, the film is a chilling exploration of human nature and survival wrapped in a visually stunning and sonically rich package. A must-watch for those who appreciate the artistry of filmmaking.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/31/24

Full Review

Aidan B

The story has a lot of depth and meaning to it, which I always appreciate, and I loved that the film plays out like a folk story, something you don't see all that often in movies. The movie moves at glacial speeds, though, and the pacing of the whole film just felt very disjointed. I also thought it was weird how every character was extremely horny without any real reason, and the film is just way more uncomfortable to watch than it probably should be. The film isn't really a horror movie either and plays out much more as a fantasy/drama as opposed to anything close to horror. Overall, not terrible, was just really let down given the premise and the glowing reviews.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/04/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Awesome! One of the greatest Samurai movies too. Really creepy, with a chilling idea of the evil within us instead of a supernatural threat. Production is awesome too!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/11/24

Full Review

Leaburn O

I just don’t really enjoy these Japanese classic samurai era films. The pacing is tedious and the acting seriously terse and overwrought. This one has a mildly more original plot but it’s quite basic and a parable of sorts. Despite some reasonable patches it still felt like a long 100 minutes to pass. Watched on Amazon Prime.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/01/24

Full Review

Andy F

Not quite the masterpiece some would have you believe but it's pretty good. A sexploitation movie with interesting visuals.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/21/24

Full Review

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Kaneto Shindô

Director

Nobuko Otowa

Kichi's Mother

Jitsuko Yoshimura

Kichi's Wife

Kei Satô

Hachi

Taiji Tonoyama

Ushi

Jukichi Uno

Busho

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Synopsis

While her son, Kichi, is away at war, a woman (Nobuko Otowa) and her daughter-in-law (Jitsuko Yoshimura) survive by killing samurai who stray into their swamp, then selling whatever valuables they find. Both are devastated when they learn that Kichi has died, but his wife soon begins an affair with a neighbor who survived the war, Hachi (Kei Satô). The mother disapproves and, when she can't steal Hachi for herself, tries to scare her daughter-in-law with a mysterious mask from a dead samurai.

Director: Kaneto Shindô
Screenwriter: Kaneto Shindô
Production Co: Kindai Eiga Kyokai
Genre: Horror, Fantasy
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 15, 2020
Runtime: 1h 45m

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