Marebito (2004 film)
Summary
A fear-obsessed freelance cameraman investigates an urban legend involving mysterious spirits that haunt the subways of Tokyo.
Details
- Release Date: 2004
- Country/Language: Japan, Japanese with English subtitles
- Genres/Technical: Horror, Fantasy, Sci-fi
- Runtime: 1 hr 32 min
- Starring: Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Tomomi Miyashita, Kazuhiro Nakahara
- Director: Takashi Shimizu
- Writer: Chiaki Konaka (novel), Chiaki Konaka (screenplay)
- Producer/Production Co: Adness K.K., AtEntertainment K.K., Culture Publishers (CP)
- View Trailer: (link)
- IMDb page: (link)
- Wikipedia page (link)
Ratings
MPAA Ratings
- Rated: R (Violence, Profanity, Nudity, Adult Content)
Tentacle Ratings
A rough measure of how "Lovecraftian" the work is:
- SS___ (Two Tentacles: Barely Lovecraftian; could be a very loose adaptation)
The film, told from the point of view of an unreliable narrator, is about a legend describing a hidden civilization of alien ghouls existing just out of sight in a parallel world or dimension beyond reality. The setting of a key scene in the film is described as "The Mountains of Madness".
Note: This rating is not intended as a measure of quality, merely of how closely related to Lovecraftian "Weird" fiction the work is.
Reviews
Review Links:
- David Nusair at Reel Film Reviews (0/4 Stars) (link) - "...Shimizu's ongoing efforts at establishing an ominous, sinister vibe fall completely flat, while the director's increased reliance on elements of an eye-rollingly surreal variety ... ensures that the movie grows more and more infuriating as it progresses."
- John White at 10,000 Bullets (link) - "Marebito seems to have been formed out of equal parts Lovecraft and Edgar Rice Burrows. ... This does mean that it can feel a bit messy in places and the narrative is contemplative rather than tight, but it is truly intriguing.
Synopsis
Spoiler Section (Highlight to Read)
A cameraman who is obsessed with fear brings a blood-drinking woman back from a nether world under Tokyo.
Notes
Comments, Trivia, Dedication
- Marebito is an ancient Japanese word referring to a supernatural being who comes from afar bringing gifts of wisdom, spiritual knowledge and happiness.The word mare means "rare," while -bito (from the word hito) means both "person" and "spirit." The term refers to any one of a number of divine beings who were believed to visit villages in Japan, either from beyond the horizon or from beyond distant mountain ranges, bringing gifts. Villagers usually welcomed a marebito with rituals or festivals.
Associated Mythos Elements
- TO DO
- fiction: I Remember Lemuria! - Richard Sharpe Shaver
- race: Deros, compare to Ghouls and Vampires
- race: Ghost
- cult: Men in Black
- location: Hollow Earth
- location: a character refers to the hidden, labyrinthine vaults beneath Tokyo as "The Mountains of Madness"
- location: Agartha and its, capital city of the Hollow Earth, Shambhala
