Kokkuri

AsiaVision

Urban Vision Entertainment

R1 DVD

In a review of the film, Variety says, "'Kokkuri' is a strikingly filmed example of new-generation Japanese cinema... [Director] Takahisa Zeze... succeeds in delivering a compellingly watchable, stylishly made drama." Takahisa Zeze previously made himself known to North American fans for writing and directing the Japanese gangster film Moon Child and the Japanese underground film Tokyo X Erotica. "KOKKURI" was an Official Selection of the Venice Film Festival.

Kokkuri begins with a late night radio program, Midnight Bluebird, whose teenage host Michiru encourages her listeners to try to conjure up Kokkuri-san, a spirit who can answer any question. Not realizing that their friend Mio is actually Michiru, Hiroko and Masami join Mio in playing. They successfully summon Kokkuri-san, and in doing so, Mio learns that she is to die before her next birthday. Meanwhile, Masami suspects that Hiroko is seeing her boyfriend behind her back, and so takes the opportunity at a second session with Kokkuri-san to probe this. Through the course of their game, what appears to be a harmless pastime soon reveals dangerous secrets—secrets even good friends don't know about each other.

According to Director Zeze, Kokkuri and other spiritual games achieved huge popularity among Japanese teenagers in the 1970s, so that schools eventually prohibited their students from taking part in seances. However, fascination with the supernatural still exists to this day there and in many other places.

Kokkuri is presented in its original Japanese language. Approximate running time is 87 minutes. Special features include optional English subtitles, a How to Play 'Kokkuri' feature, an image gallery, preview gallery, and weblinks.