Portrait of Hell
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Shiro Toyoda
Kinnosuke Nakamura
Tatsuya Nakadai
Yoko Naito
Shun Oide
Yasushi Akutagawa
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In 10th-century Japan, Yoshihide, a headstrong Korean painter, lives with his daughter, Yoshika, who is courted by her father's Japanese apprentice. Both the suitor's youth and his Japanese heritage are repugnant to Yoshihide, and the young man is banished from the house and forbidden to see Yoshika. The girl flees to the court of the despotic, arrogant Lord Hosokawa. Yoshihide is ordered to paint a mural for the lord's temple in exchange for his daughter's return, but the painter agrees only to create a depiction of hell. The bargain is struck, whereupon the two men begin a contest of wills. In the interest of artistic truth, Yoshihide ties up the youth assigned to assist him and releases a crock of snakes. He then demands a burning carriage to be occupied by the lord. Lord Hosokawa responds by providing a carriage with Yoshika chained inside, and he threatens that she will burn to death if Yoshihide does not apologize for his impudent behavior. The artist, disbelieving the threat, refuses, and his daughter dies in the flames. Yoshihide completes the portrait, depicting Lord Hosokawa in the burning carriage, and then hangs himself. The painting casts a spell over the despot, and he goes mad.
Film Details
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Notes
Released in Japan in September 1969 as Jigokuhen; running time: 95 min.
