Japanese DVD release cover The Ceiling At Utsunomiya/Kaî Utsunomiya tsuritenjo, Nobuo Nakagawa, China, 1956, 80 mins, Celestial Pictures Ltd.
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The Plot: A corrupt Merchant-Councilor tandem plot the demise of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo period Japan. The duo, along with Lord Honda, seek power & riches. They employ (yakuza?) low-level henchman to kidnap Councilor Kawamura's Love interest: O-fuji, but also make use of confounded carpenters and stone cutters to renovate Utsunomiya Castle, which figures into the dramatic finale. Amidst the conniving there exists a couple of love sub-plots (Shino/Ryutaro & O-Fuji/Yoshichi), and even a feud pitting Ronin (???) Ryutaro vs. Samurai Tenzen. Character driven drama complexities emerge between lovers, samurai, & evil old men! Jidaigeki style! This can be considered Nobuo Nakagawa's 'harbinger film', as it foreshadows the direction he would take in filmmaking; thus, we see the ghost that's indicative of his supernatural hauntings to come. So was it scary back in 1956? Who knows...But today it looks rather goofy. Regardless, this is more of a Chambara style drama replete with multiple love angles & double-crossings. If you're looking for a pure horror film, then this isn't it. You'll have to go later into the maestro's catalogue or look elsewhere for that. This is just the catalyst. And thankfully for us fans, he went on to make classics such as Jigoku & Black Cat Mansion/The Mansion of the ghost cat. It should also be noted that Nakagawa's early ghost/horror films serve as the forerunners for the likes of Onibaba & Kwaidan! After all, there wasn't a whole lot of horror coming out of the land of the rising sun back in the late 50's & early 60's. Technically, there's not a whole lot to say about this feature. It's monochrome, has good sound, and that's about all. The soundtrack is alright, if a little bit scant. And the aspect ratio was 4:3 on my copy. So you know what to expect from this little gem. 7/10 Reviewed by Mitch |