History Film / Onibaba

* EvilMask: The mask eventually leaves it's wearers horribly mangled, and may turn them into demons.

* SkunkStripe: Appropriately, the murderous older woman sports one of these.

* {{Fanservice}}: Multiple shots of both women topless in their hut. This was one of the first movies in Japanese history to have significant nudity.

* ClingyCostume
* CoolMask: The mysterious samurai Kichi's mother-in-law leads through the susuki grass.

* EvilMask

* GhostlyGlide

* MeadowRun: The young woman goes dashing through the tall grass to Hachi's hut.

* {{Ronin}}

* MrsRobinson: Kichi's mother makes a pass at Hachi.

* CreepyCrows: Are there crows hanging out by the hole where the peasants throw soldiers' corpses? Of course there are.

* MrsRobinson: Kichi's mother-in-law makes a pass at Hachi.

An older woman and a young woman await the return of a man, respectively the older's son and younger's husband, who was taken away to fight in the war. The two women have been surviving by murdering wandering soldiers and giving their armor to a secondhand dealer. The man's friend and fellow soldier, Hachi, returns and tells the two women that the man was killed on the way back. Eventually the younger woman and Hachi embark on an affair, which the older woman doesn't like at all, leading to dark consequences.

* {{Ronin}}

''{{Onibaba}}'' (鬼婆) AKA ''Demon Hag'' is a Japanese PsychologicalHorror {{samurai}} film from 1964, written and directed by KanetoShindo. It is based on an old Buddhist Fable, but the film is notable for its uncompromising modern vision, including frank depictions of sexuality and ruthless female power, fast cuts, slow motion, unusual angles, and a frantic soundtrack mixing natural sounds and traditional drumming.

!!''{{Film/Onibaba}}'' provides examples of:

* GreyAndGrayMorality: All of the main characters survive by killing passing soldiers and selling their weapons and armor to a guy who sells it back to passing armies.
* LovableRogue: Hachi (at least, Kichi seems to think so)

* GreyAndGrayMorality: All of the main characters survive by killing passing soldiers and selling their weapons and armor to a guy who sells it back to passing armies

* GreyAndGreyMorality: All of the main characters survive by killing passing soldiers and selling their weapons and armor to a guy who sells it back to passing armies

* BecomingTheMask: Literally, when Kichi's mother's attempt to scare her daughter backfires.

* CoolMask: The mysterious samurai Kichi's mother leads through the susaki grass.

* MrsRobinson: Kichi's mother makes a pass at Hachi.

* GreyAndGreyMorality

''"People are both the devil and god--and are truly mysterious"''
-Writer/Director KanetoShindo

The iconic mask inspired the design of the demon in TheExorcist. Also, the film is named after creatures in Japanese folklore, which you can find [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onibaba_(folklore) here]].

It was filmed in a field of high susuki grass, meaning that neither the characters or the camera were able to see more than a few feet, which helped to create a claustrophobic, entrapping effect. The action takes place during one of the many bloody wars of Japan's feudal period, but centers around a small group of poor fishing villagers who must eke out an existence on the outskirts of the brutal war, highlighting the social conflict between the ruling samurai and the poor farmers on who they built their empires.

Onibaba is a Japanese PsychologicalHorror {{samurai}} film from 1964, written and directed by KanetoShindo. It is based on an old Buddhist Fable, but the film is notable for its uncompromising modern vision, including frank depictions of sexuality and ruthless female power, fast cuts, slow motion, unusual angles, and a frantic soundtrack mixing natural sounds and traditional drumming.

The iconic mask inspired the design of the demon in TheExorcist.

Onibaba is a Japanese PsychologicalHorror {{samurai}} film from 1964, written and directed by KanetoShindo. It is based on an old Buddhist Fable, but the film is notable for its uncompromising modern vision, including frank depictions of sexuality and ruthless female power, fast cuts, slow motion, unusual angles, and a frantic soundtrack mixing natural sounds and traditional drumming. It was filmed in a field of high susuki grass, meaning that neither the characters or the camera were able to see more than a few feet, which helped to create a claustrophobic, entrapping effect. The action takes place during one of the many bloody wars of Japan's feudal period, but centers around a small group of poor fishing villagers who must eke out an existence on the outskirts of the brutal war, highlighting the social conflict between the ruling samurai and the poor farmers on who they built their empires.

** BlackWidow: Kichi's mother.
** CoolMask: The mysterious samurai Kichi's mother leads through the susaki grass.
** LovableRogue: Hachi (at least, Kichi seems to think so)
** PitTrap: Deviously hidden in the high grass.