{"id":3581,"date":"2013-09-13T05:56:51","date_gmt":"2013-09-13T04:56:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk\/reviews\/?p=3581"},"modified":"2013-09-13T06:33:50","modified_gmt":"2013-09-13T05:33:50","slug":"eyes-of-the-spider-serpents-path","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk\/reviews\/2013\/09\/13\/eyes-of-the-spider-serpents-path\/","title":{"rendered":"Eyes of the Spider \/ Serpent’s Path"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Eyes<\/a>
Eyes of the Spider<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

\nFormat:<\/B> DVD

\nRelease date:<\/B> 9 September 2013

\nDistributor:<\/B> Third Window Films

\nDirector:<\/B> Kiyoshi Kurosawa

\nTitle:<\/B> Eyes of the Spider (Kumo no Hitomi)<\/I>

\nWriters:<\/B> Kiyoshi Kurosawa Yoichi Nishiyama

\nCast:<\/B> Sh&#333 Aikawa, Dankan Ren Ohsugi, Shun Sugeta

\nTitle:<\/B> Serpent’s Path (Hebi no Michi)<\/I>

\nWriter:<\/B> Hiroshi Takahashi

\nCast:<\/B> Sh&#333 Aikawa, Teruyuki Kagawa, Y&#363rei Yanagi

\nJapan 1998

\n83 & 85 mins\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Despite his status as one of Japan\u2019s most talented and consistently interesting directors, a great many of Kiyoshi Kurosawa<\/a>\u2019s films have yet to see an English-language release. Most of the neglected titles come from before the release of Cure<\/i>, the 1997 psycho-thriller that made the director a key figure on the international film scene. Like many of his contemporaries, the young Kurosawa started out directing erotic films for Nikkatsu\u2019s well-established \u2018Roman Porno\u2019 (romantic pornography) line, before branching out into other areas, including an effects-driven haunted house movie (Sweet Home<\/i>, 1989), a superior slasher movie (The Guard from the Underground<\/i>, 1992) and a number of made-for-TV horror films, comedies and yakuza thrillers.<\/p>\n

Serpent\u2019s Path<\/i> and Eyes of the Spider<\/i> were both filmed in 1997, shortly after Cure<\/i> was completed. Although not sequels in the traditional sense, the two films are linked by central concepts and casting, with both films starring Sh&#333 Aikawa, at the time a major star of the V-cinema or direct-to-video scene. Many of Kurosawa\u2019s early films, including Serpent\u2019s Path<\/i> and Eyes of the Spider<\/i>, were V-cinema movies, and he credits his time working in the field with providing valuable experience and affording an opportunity to experiment with a variety of different film genres. Serpent\u2019s Path<\/i> is one of these experiments; following its completion Kurosawa reworked the script, shifted the focus of the piece and turned it into Eyes of the Spider<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Written by Ring<\/i> scriptwriter Hiroshi Takahashi, Serpent\u2019s Path<\/i> begins with two men \u2013 Nijima, a schoolteacher (Sh&#333 Aikawa) and Miyashita (Teruyuki Kagawa), an ex-yakuza \u2013 kidnapping a third (former comedian Y&#363rei Yanagi) and chaining him to a wall in an abandoned factory. Miyashita explains the reason for the kidnapping: he believes their hostage is responsible for the abduction and murder of his 8-year-old daughter. Naturally the man protests his innocence, but his protestations are ignored. After being forced to eat off the floor and denied the use of toilet facilities, the hostage eventually says that he knows who really murdered Miyashita\u2019s daughter. <\/p>\n

Watch the trailer for Serpent\u2019s Path<\/i>:<\/B><\/p>\n