Kuroneko (1968)

Ghost cat films, based on Japanese folklore, were abundant in the 1950’s and 60’s. Films such as Nobuo Nakagawa’s Black Cat Mansion, Kenji Misumi’s Ghost Cat: Wall of Hatred, and Yoshihiro Ishikawa’s The Ghost Cat of Otam-ag-Ike cemented the genre as effective as well as profitable. So an entry from 1968 may seem little more than a cash-in. But we’re talking about Kaneto Shindo here, director of the fantastic Onibaba. And while Kuroneko is less ambitious in scope than its predecessor, it’s a more focused horror film, and is one of the best of the sub-genre, and among the best classic Japanese horror you’re likely to find.

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