You are here:

Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1

Name: Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
Director: Keisuke Kinoshita
Released: 1949
Duration: 85 min

Representation Score

3.4/10

Limited

1949

Director

Keisuke Kinoshita

Runtime

85 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Keisuke Kinoshita’s horror classic employs supernatural elements to examine the rigid social and domestic structures of the Edo period. While grounded in traditional historical clichés, the film gains depth by challenging the power dynamics between its main characters. The film excels in its critique of class and gendered authority. By evolving a passive character into a force of retribution, the story questions the stability of masculine leadership and traditional marital roles. However, the film’s historical context limits its diversity. The absence of LGBTQ+ representation and the lack of diverse casting prevent it from achieving a higher score despite its thematic complexity.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1 have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film centers on a traditional marriage where infidelity is a key plot point. It does not include any characters with non-binary gender identities or same-sex relationships.

How does Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1 portray gender?

Fair

The story challenges traditional gender roles by showing a woman's transformation from a submissive wife to a powerful avenging spirit. This shift highlights her growing strength and independence.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1?

Fair

The cast is made up of actors representing a single ethnic background, fitting the historical Edo period setting. The film does not feature characters from different racial backgrounds or non-Western casting.

How does Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1 represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative critiques the corruption within the samurai class and the erosion of traditional societal norms. It uses supernatural elements to explore themes of moral ambiguity and societal decay.

Does Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1 include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any characters with visible or invisible disabilities that play a central role in the narrative.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional gender roles by transforming a submissive wife into a powerful avenging spirit.
Critiques the samurai class and the failures of rigid socioeconomic structures.
Explores complex themes of moral relativism and individual ambition through the horror genre.

Limited or Absent

Does not include any representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-binary gender expressions.
Features an ethnically homogeneous cast lacking multi-layered racial diversity.
Includes no characters with visible or central disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Iemon Tamiya is an impoverished masterless samurai who craves a better life, which he cannot have because of his marriage to Oiwa, who is completely devoted to her husband.

How are these scores produced? →