Jigoku

Nobuo Nakagawa's Jigoku (Hell), from 1960, is a lurid horror film full of memorable images. Nakagawa had already churned out a number of "wicked" exploitation films for Shintoho Studios, but, at this point, the studio was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and you get the feeling that Nakagawa was pulling out all the stops because he knew the end was near.

The plot is the height of ridiculousness, but provides an excuse for Nakagawa to explore the collective guilt of the Japanese psyche: nearly every character is implicated in a killing. A charming demon named Tamura lures the characters into ghastly fates and soon all are suffering the various torments of hell. The film verges on the mod and surrealistic. The color photography is enjoyably vivid and a theremin appears to spooky effect on the soundtrack. Nakagawa's direction veers from evocative to incoherent, but his tenacity despite budgetary restrictions is heartening. Before going to hell, the film is a portrait of the curdled bonhomie of the lower depths of Japanese society.

There is a ray of hope amidst the torture and dismemberment. The lotus leaves showering the two heroines at the conclusion symbolize purification of the mind and a purgation of the soul. Not that Jigoku reaches the catharsis of high tragedy, but it is effective schlock. Fans of Mario Bava, Giallo, Roger Corman and the "Coffin Joe" films should check it out.