Kurayami no Ushimatsu: A heavy, dusty watch

Is it worth the time?

Honestly, you have to be in a specific mood for Kurayami no Ushimatsu. If you’re looking for a breezy samurai flick, keep walking. This is heavy, dark, and moves at the speed of a tired horse. But if you appreciate watching a guy slowly lose everything while maintaining a sliver of dignity? You’ll probably be into it. People who need constant momentum will be checking their phones after twenty minutes. 🙄

Kazuo Hasegawa is just incredible here. There is this one shot where he’s just sitting in the corner of a dimly lit room, staring at a cup of tea like it’s the last thing he’ll ever own. The way his eyes track the movement of a shadow on the wall… it’s a tiny detail, but it tells you more than five pages of dialogue ever could.

The pacing is… well, it’s glacial. Sometimes the camera lingers on a wooden sliding door for what feels like an eternity. Is it meaningful? Or did the editor just fall asleep? I’m still not sure, but it adds to the weird, suffocating vibe of the whole thing.

Small things that stuck with me

• The sound of the wind in the rafters. It makes the house feel like it’s actively falling apart.
• The way Hasegawa’s kimono looks constantly rumpled, like he hasn’t slept in a week.
• There’s a scene in the rain that is so stark it makes you want to go find a space heater.

It’s not as polished as something like The Merry Widow, but that’s clearly not the point. This movie feels more like a lived-in, dusty relic found in the back of an attic. It’s got a texture to it, you know? It feels gritty in a way that doesn't try to be cool or 'cinematic.' It just is.

Sometimes the dialogue feels a bit stilted, like the characters are reciting their own obituaries. A few moments feel like they belong in a different, lighter film entirely—like that weird transition in the middle that just seems to drop the tension for no reason. It’s a bit jarring. Actually, it’s a lot jarring.

If you liked the desperation in The Half-Way Girl, you might see some DNA shared here. Both movies treat their main characters like they’re being slowly pushed off a cliff. It’s not pleasant, but you can’t look away. 🎞️

I left the movie feeling like I needed a long shower. Not because it’s bad, but because it’s just so heavy. It’s a rainy day movie, for sure. Don’t watch it if you’re already feeling a bit down.