How Long Is “Inugami”?

Masato Harada, who directed such critically acclaimed fare as Bounce Ko Gal and Kamikaze Taxi, rides the wave of Japanese horror flicks that followed the mega-success of Ring with this supernatural tale about moving to the wrong town and falling for the wrong girl. Akira Nutahara (Atsuro Watabe) is a young, attractive grade-school teacher who gets transferred to a remote school high up in the mountains of Kochi prefecture in Shikoku. There he promptly falls for fortyish spinster and paper maker Miki Bonomiya (Yuki Amami). Akira soon learns that Miki's family is reviled in the village because of its long-rumored association with a fearsome and bloodthirsty deity named Inugami. He also learns that she and her evil, thuggish brother, who runs the local paper mill, are having a continuing -- though nonconsensual -- incestuous relationship. When Akira tries to escape with her from the village, he quickly learns that her connection to the burg goes beyond normal, material bonds. This film was screened at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival.