Kuroneko (1968): Cast & Plot
Kuroneko is a 1968 drama horror film directed by Kaneto Shindô, starring Nobuko Otowa as Yone, Kiwako Taichi and Kichiemon Nakamura II. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Director
- Kaneto Shindô
- Original language
-
Japanese - Studio
- Nihon Eiga Shinsha
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Kuroneko About?
The premise of Kuroneko without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In the chaotic Sengoku era, a woman and her daughter are brutally slain by marauding soldiers. Soon, samurai traveling through a bamboo forest are found dead, their throats torn. The governor summons a fierce young warrior to confront the vengeful onryō. He encounters two ethereal women haunting the woods, performs a ritual purification, and then faces the demonic black‑cat spirits in a terrifying battle.
Kuroneko Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- rape and revenge
- black cat
- folktale
- werecat
- supernatural horror
- bamboo forest
- soothsayer
- deception
- japanese new wave
- revenge from beyond the grave
- female vampire
- return from dead
+38 more Show fewer
- tohoscope
- heian period
- folk horror
- 12th century
- reference to the underworld
- cottage
- rape
- female rear nudity
- decapitation
- mother son relationship
- emperor
- japanese woman
- sex with a ghost
- vengeful ghost
- vampire
- japanese horror
- world war two
- japanese cinema
- historical drama
- farm woman
- rape and murder
- family relationships
- governor
- shapeshifter
- horseback riding
- husband wife reunion
- murder of mother
- murder of wife
- gang rape
- ritual cleansing
- filicide
- reflection in water
- snowfall
- written by director
- women
- jidai geki
- topless woman
- samurai
Kuroneko Cast & Characters
Nobuko Otowa leads the cast as Yone, with Kiwako Taichi as Shige and Kichiemon Nakamura II as Gintoki. Directed by Kaneto Shindô; 12 actors are credited in all.
- Director Kaneto Shindô
- Nobuko Otowa as Yone
- Kiwako Taichi as Shige
- Kichiemon Nakamura II as Gintoki
-
Taiji Tonoyama as Farmer
Also Starring in Kuroneko
· 8 more- Kei Satô Raiko
- Rokkō Toura Samurai
- Eimei Esumi Subordinate
- Shōji Ōki Subordinate
- Hideo Kanze Mikado
- Kentarô Kaji Subordinate
- Chiyo Okada Nehiko
- Joji Taki Subordinate
More from Kaneto Shindô
More films directed by Kaneto Shindô, best-rated first: Children of Hiroshima, Postcard, Kuroneko (1968) and Owl.
Kuroneko Plot Summary
What happens in Kuroneko from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Yone and her daughter-in-law Shige live in a house in a bamboo grove. They are raped and murdered by a troop of samurai, and their house is burned down. A black cat appears, licking at the bodies.
The women return as ghosts with the appearance of fine ladies, who wait at Rajōmon. They find the samurai troop and bring them to an illusory mansion in the bamboo grove where the burnt-out house was. They seduce and then kill the samurai like cats, tearing their throats with their teeth.
Full summary
The whole story of Kuroneko, scene by scene
Kuroneko Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 3 trailers.
- Trailer KURONEKO Original Theatrical Trailer (Masters of Cinema)
- Trailer Kuroneko (1968) Original Trailer [FHD]
How Well Do You Know Kuroneko?
9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 9
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
What are the names of the two women who become vengeful ghosts?
Kuroneko Also Known As
16 alternative titles, including “El gato negro” and “Kolasmena Pathi”.
- Also known as
-
- El gato negro
- Kolasmena Pathi
- The Black Cat from the Grove
- Yabu no naka no kuroneko
- Black Cat in a Bamboo Grove
- 쿠로네코
- 薮の中の黒猫
- O Gato Preto do Túmulo
- 黑猫
- Κολασμένα Πάθη
- Черные кошки в бамбуковых зарослях
- Czarny kot
+4 more Show fewer
- 수풀 속의 검은 고양이
- Fekete macska a bokorban
- O Gato Preto
- 黑貓
Seen Kuroneko?
Movies Like Kuroneko
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Kuroneko (1968), Onibaba and Kwaidan.
Kuroneko FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of Kuroneko, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Kuroneko?
Kuroneko runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was Kuroneko released?
Kuroneko was released on February 24, 1968.
Who directed Kuroneko?
Kuroneko was directed by Kaneto Shindô.
More films by Kaneto Shindô Who is in the cast of Kuroneko?
Kuroneko stars Nobuko Otowa as Yone, Kiwako Taichi as Shige and Kichiemon Nakamura II as Gintoki, among 12 credited actors.
Does Kuroneko have a post-credit scene?
No. Kuroneko has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Kuroneko in?
The original language of Kuroneko is Japanese.
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