The Inferno is a 1979 Japanese horror film exploring the sins, shame and desires of an upper-class rural family and a mother’s grief from beyond the grave. Inspired by the infamous 1960 film Jigoku which was also remade in 1999 by Teruo Ishii. Also known as Hell
Directed by Tatsumi Kumashiro from a screenplay written by Yôzô Tanaka. Produced by Gorô Kusakabe, Norimichi Matsudaira, Kyô Namura and Takao Onaga.
The Tôei production stars Mieko Harada, Kyôko Kishida, Ryûzô Hayashi, Kunie Tanaka, Seizô Fukumoto, Jun Hamamura and Kazuko Inano.
Plot:
Miho (Mieko Harada) and Ryuzo (Ken Nishida), two adulterous lovers, are hunted down by Miho’s husband. Ryuzo is killed while the pregnant Miho is bludgeoned and left for dead. As she dies, she gives birth to her daughter, Aki, who is thus considered to have been born in Hell.
Twenty years later, Aki (also played by Mieko Harada), who is the very image of her mother, has become a daredevil racing car driver. She feels that strange forces are trying to kill her. To solve the mystery of her past she returns to the remote village where her mother died and to the dysfunctional family that refused to take care of Aki when she was a baby. Aki’s arrival triggers a series of disastrous events as she tries to take revenge for the murder of her mother…
Blu-ray release:
On January 9, 2024, Mondo Macabro will release The Inferno on Blu-ray. Special features:
Brand new 2K transfer from original negative, digitally restored
Interview with writer/film maker Hiroshi Takahashi
Interview with filmmaker Koji Shiraishi
Original trailer
Optional subtitles
Brand new sleeve artwork by Justin Coffee
Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
DTS 5.1 HD
All regions
Reviews:
” …visually powerful, grotesquely bloodthirsty and erotic, is filmed extremely aesthetically and has surreal features. Lead actress Mieko Harada shines in a double role.” Home of Fantastic Cinema [translated from German]
“A remake in name only that focuses more on bizarre supernatural occurrences and hellish atmosphere, as well as the expected moral drama and short descent into Hell, but not the gore […] Possessed machinery, strange hellish visions, magical reflections in mirrors, some erotica, and various fantastical odds and ends, mixed with some nightmarish punishments…” The Worldwide Celluloid Massacre
Trailer:
Technical specs:
2 hours 11 minutes
Audio: Mono
Aspect ratio: 2.35: 1
