

83 minutes of silent grief that'll wreck you in monochrome.
Cinematography
Expressionist shadows that invented the moody aesthetic.
Direction
Kinugasa's control of silence speaks louder than dialogue.

Director
Teinosuke Kinugasa
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Made between Kinugasa's more famous 'A Page of Madness' and 'Crossroads,' this one's the overlooked middle child.
The title refers to funeral lanterns—watch how they multiply as death approaches, a visual countdown you can't unsee.