Anchin to Kiyohime
The Priest and the Beauty
(c)KADOKAWA CORPORATION 1960
- Release Date
- August, 9th, 1960
- Running Time
- 85 min
- Genre
- Feature
- Color
- Color
- Screening Format
- -,HDCAM SR
- Screen Size
- Cinema Scope (1:2.35)
[ Directed by ]
[ Cast ]
[ Staff ]
- OGUNI Hideo ── Screenplay
- OHMORI Seitaro ── Music
- OHARA Joji ── Cinematography
[ Production Company ]
DAIEI
[ Distributor (Japan) ]
DAIEI
[ Story ]
Kiyohime is the only daughter of the headman of the village of Manago who whilst out hunting accidentally shoots Anchin, a young priest, who with his colleague, Dokaku, on the way to the famous Dojoii Temple to practice Buddhist meditation. Terrified at what she has done, Kiyohime orders her servants to take the wounded priest to her home where she tries to nurse him back to health. But Anchin spurns her ministrations, telling her that as a Buddhist priest he must not keep company with women.
When Anchin departs, Kiyohime enters a nearby nunnery where she prays for his safety and welfare while practicing the rigid asceticism at the Dojoii Temple. But finally, unable to restrain herself she goes to the temple, finds Anchin, and the two embrace. Anchin is now torn between love and his faith and decides to run away. And Kiyohime, in her grief at losing him, casts herself into a river.
A storm arises and Anchin is struck unconscious by lightning and in his coma sees Kiyohime jump into the river, her transformation into an ugly serpent, and her entry into the temple, where the priests hide him beneath a great bell. But the serpent finds him and breathes fire upon the bell inside which he perishes.
Regaining consciousness and realizing that he has had an evil dream he rushes to the river, finds the body of Kiyohime and, as he takes her in his arms, vows to spend the rest of his life in praying for the repose of her soul and for the attainment of Enlightenment when death shall unite them in the world to come.
【Quoted from the database of Kadokawa Corporation】
【Quoted from Unijapan Film Quarterly 1960 3.4】
[ Contact (International) ]
KADOKAWA CORPORATION
International Sales, Motion Picture Business
2-13-3 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8177
Rep: NATSUNO Takeshi (President)
Attn: MORI Chiyo
tel: +81 50 1746 1220
E-mail: mori-c@kadokawa.jp
http://www.kadokawa.co.jp
