ACF 725: "The Woman Of The Snow" episode of KWAIDAN at Japan Society this Friday, October 15th

Minochi (Tatsuya Nakadai) and the Woman of the Snow (Keiko Kishi)

The Woman Of The Snow"
The 3rd episode in Kwaidan / Kaidan
(Kwaidan 怪談 (Kaidan) © 1965 Toho Co., Ltd.)
Directed by Masaki Kobayashi
Friday, October 15, 2010 at 7:30 PM
Japan Society

The Woman of the Snow is the second of four episodes in the film KWAIDAN, which will kick off Japan Society's next film series, ZEN & ITS OPPOSITE: ESSENTIAL (& Turbulent) Japanese Art House.

A pair of woodcutters are forced to seek shelter in a shack when a fierce snowstorm engulfs them on their way home. The elder one's life is taken from him by a supernatural female, but the younger one, Minochi (played by Tatsuya Nakadai, who in my opinion runs a close second to Mifune as the all-time greatest Japanese actor), is spared. However, the phantom woman charges him with the injunction never to speak to anyone of what happened.

Minochi (Nakadai) and Yuki (also Keiko Kishi)

After having returned to his village, he one day encounters the lovely Yuki (Keiki Kishi, who also plays the specter). The two fall in love, marry, have children, and live a wonderful life together. Strangely though, even after the passage of several years and having given birth to three children, Yuki's appearance has not altered in the least.

One night, in a relaxed mood, Minochi forgets himself and recounts the horror he witnessed when he woke up in the shack and found this strange woman taking the life-force from the elderly woodcutter. Consequences ensue, but not exactly what the viewer might expect. Another great tale in the cinematic anthology that is Kwaidan.

For more info about this film series at Japan Society, click here.

Japan Society is located at 333 East 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd avenues), New York, NY.