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Drama horror film

Portrait of Hell (1969): Cast & Plot

Portrait of Hell (1969) movie poster

Portrait of Hell is a 1969 drama horror film directed by Shirō Toyoda, starring Tatsuya Nakadai as Yoshihide, Kinnosuke Nakamura and Yōko Naitō. It runs 1 hour 35 minutes.

Portrait of Hell (1969) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 35m (95 min)
Director
Shirō Toyoda
Genres
Drama , Horror
Original language
Japanese
Studio
Toho
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Portrait of Hell About?

The premise of Portrait of Hell without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Set in Japan’s Heian period, the film follows the Korean artist Yoshihide (played by Nakadai) and his powerful Japanese patron, the ruthless daimyo Horikawa (Nakamura). Their relationship deteriorates as Horikawa’s cruelty and arrogance clash with Yoshihide’s artistic vision. The drama adapts Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s 1918 short story “Hell Screen.”

Portrait of Hell Themes & Keywords

· 2 tags
  • 11th century
  • based on novel
Cast & crew

Portrait of Hell Cast & Characters

Tatsuya Nakadai leads the cast as Yoshihide, with Kinnosuke Nakamura as Lord Hosokawa and Yōko Naitō as Yoshika. Directed by Shirō Toyoda; 9 actors are credited in all.

Plot

Portrait of Hell Plot Summary

What happens in Portrait of Hell from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Set in the Heian period, the film traces a tense clash between the Korean painter Tatsuya Nakadai Yoshihide and his stern, ego-driven patron, the cruel Kinnosuke Nakamura Lord Hosokawa. The story begins with a commission: the temple walls are to bear a image of Buddha, yet Yoshihide refuses, insisting he can only paint what he can truly see. In Lord Hosokawa’s world, the painter perceives nothing but the suffering of peasants, a stark lens that deepens the rift between artist and patron. Undeterred, Yoshihide begins to conjure a sequence of striking, gruesome images that feel almost alive with a mysterious force.

Full summary

The whole story of Portrait of Hell, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Details

Portrait of Hell Also Known As

5 alternative titles, including “Jigokuhen” and “Картины Ада”.

Also known as
  • Jigokuhen
  • Картины Ада
  • 지옥변
  • 地狱变
  • 地獄變

Seen Portrait of Hell?

FAQ

Portrait of Hell FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of Portrait of Hell, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Portrait of Hell?

Portrait of Hell runs 1 hour 35 minutes (95 minutes).

When was Portrait of Hell released?

Portrait of Hell was released on November 18, 1969.

Who directed Portrait of Hell?

Portrait of Hell was directed by Shirō Toyoda.

More films by Shirō Toyoda

Who is in the cast of Portrait of Hell?

Portrait of Hell stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Yoshihide, Kinnosuke Nakamura as Lord Hosokawa and Yōko Naitō as Yoshika, among 9 credited actors.

Does Portrait of Hell have a post-credit scene?

No. Portrait of Hell has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Portrait of Hell in?

The original language of Portrait of Hell is Japanese.

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