Saimin (film)
| Saimin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Masayuki Ochiai |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Osamu Fujiishi[2] |
| Edited by | Kazuo Miyauchi[1] |
| Music by | Kuniaki Hijima[2] |
| Distributed by | Toho |
Release date |
|
Running time | 110 minutes[2] |
| Country | Japan[1] |
| Language | Japanese[3] |
Saimin (Hypnosis in English, released as The Hypnotist in United States on DVD) is a 1999 Japanese horror film. The film is directed by Masayuki Ochiai and is based on a novel by Keisuke Matsuoka.[2] A string of suicides prove to be linked. The death of a young athlete, a groom at his wedding and an elderly man celebrating his wife's birthday. All three of these males have mentioned a "green monkey" before their death. The psychologist Saga, played by Goro Inagaki investigates this case. A young psychiatrist teams up with him to formulate the theory that includes the element of hypnosis.
Cast
- Goro Inagaki as Toshiya Saga
- Miho Kanno as Yuka Irie
- Takeshi Masu as Jissoji
- Ken Utsui as Sakurai
- Yuki Watanabe as Mitsui
- Shigemitsu Ogi as Kuraishi
Production
Saimin is based on a novel by Keisuke Matsuoka.[4] It was part of a series of novels written by Matsuoka, that were inspired by the attacks of Aum Shinrikyo in Japan.[4]
Release and aftermath
Saimin was released in Japan on June 5, 1999 where it was distributed by Toho.[2][1] Saimin was released under the title The Hypnotist on August 4, 2001 by ADV Films.[5] It was released in the United Kingdom under the title Hypnosis by Artsmagic on DVD in 2003.[3]
The film was followed with a television series in Japan in 2000, which had Goro Inagaki reprising his role as Saga.[6]
Reception
Jason Buchanan (AllMovie), stated that the film "ultimately succeeds thanks to its unusual ability to successfully pile on scare after scare." The review noted that although the story was not original, that the film stands out "when it comes to tone."[7] Derek Elley (Variety) opined that the film was "a quality entry in the current spate of Japanese supernatural thrillers" and was "way superior to TV vet Ochiai's debut horrorfest, “Parasite Eve” (1997)."[1]
See also
Footnotes
- ^ a b c d e Elley, Derek (January 30, 2000). "Review: 'Hypnosis'". Variety. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g Kalat 2007, p. 277.
- ^ a b "Hypnosis (DVD) WA038D". Artsmagic. Archived from the original on January 14, 2003. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
- ^ a b Kalat 2007, p. 171.
- ^ "The Hypnotists". AllMovie. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
- ^ Kalat 2007, p. 172.
- ^ Buchanan, Jason. "The Hypnotist (1999)". AllMovie. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
References
- Galbraith IV, Stuart (2008). The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 1461673747. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- Kalat, David (2007). J-horror: The Definitive Guide to The Ring, The Grudge and Beyond. Vertical. ISBN 193223408X.
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External links
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