Discovered in the early 1960s during the emergence of the Japanese New Wave, Masahiro Shinoda had then signed several classics such as Fleur pale in 1964, the superb Double suicide at Amijima in 1969 or Silence in 1971, which will serve as inspiration to Martin Scorsese for his film of the same name, 45 Years Later. And his career then extended into the 70s, seeing him focus on more fantastic films, going as far as horror.
Origins, kabuki
The Demon's Pond is one of them. Adapted from an early 20th century kabuki play by Kyoka Izumi, the film follows a teacher who finds refuge in a village in the Japanese mountains. In this mysterious hamlet, a bell rings every day so that a demon does not come out of the pond near the village. But the arrival of the professor upsets the community.
Benefiting from careful production, The Demon's Pond is a film as mysterious as it is theatrical, drawing on the codes of Japanese culture to offer a dreamlike experience set to the powerful synthetic music of composer Tomita. A feature film in which "Shinoda captured the essence of Japanese culture and heritage", according to Martin Scorsese himself.
The editorial in the spotlight at Carlotta
Restored in 4K, the film will be available for the first time on Blu-Ray and DVD from February 15, 2022 in France, via Carlotta. It will be accompanied on the bonus side by an introduction by Masahiro Shinoda himself, as well as an unpublished interview with critic Stéphane du Mesnildot and an analysis of the film by Fabien Mauro, a specialist in Japanese monster films.
