The first thing I thought when I watched this movie was that I reminded "Throne of blood" by Kurosawa Akira. As well as Greek and Shakespeare's tragedies. In fact, we have the theme of a curse made of blood which runs through generations and that can be stopped only by facing it. Even if it costs a lots of efforts. The main character of this great film of the 70es is the pure and chivalric hero who, unconscious of his past, must fight against the evil stuck to his family in the mountains of Japan. And because of this family itself, in particular because of an old crime very close to the betrayal of Macbeth aka Washizu in "Throne of blood", the curse runs until the moment it can be stopped. And this can only happen thanks to one hero who has his blood and soul not yet contaminated. This idea can be found, as well as the mentioned theme of betrayal, both in Shakespeare and in Greek theater. The only difference with the great classic tragedies is given by the figure of the detective Kindaichi, the external observer of the events. Thus, the only one that can explain them better since he's just observing and drawing conclusions. This character reminds us some popular detective stories thanks also to the setting between the mountains enriched by grotesque characters and a thrilling soundtrack. A movie so that can make us think how much the cultures can communicate between them. Based on one of the most popular detective stories of Yokomizo Seiji, developed then as screenplay by Hashimoto Shinobu who worked with Kurosawa, this film underlines the theme of vendetta which made it something more anthropologically complex than a simple detective story. Everything then is surrounded by a cast of all stars of those days in Japan. We must remember the role of Kindaichi played by Atsumi Kiyoshi, popular thanks to "Otoko wa tsurai yo" movie series more close to drama than to mystery, who here must have surprised the audience. Shochiku wanted a masterpiece and achieved its goal. "Village of eight graves" is so a great example of a story about curse and revenge from old Japan that still survives. Even if Japan has changed. Director Nomura seemed to say to audience that you cannot avoid your past, your responsibility, your destiny linked to forest, mountains, caves. Even if Japan was building skyscrapers and becoming more and more modernized. A vision, this one, very close to Shintoism that we must wait until Studio Ghibli's production to be seen again on Japanese big screen. One point of view, we must also remember, yet developed by Greek mythology and medieval culture and that human progress cannot erase. At least in Japan. And about this Nomura and Miyazaki, as well as Kurosawa, Shakespeare and Greek playwrights seem to agree.
