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Evil Dead Trap
View on Wikipedia| Evil Dead Trap | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Toshiharu Ikeda |
| Written by | Takashi Ishii |
| Produced by | Satoshi Jinno Michio Ôtsuka |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Masaki Tamura |
| Music by | Tomohiko Kira |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Joy Pack Film |
Release date |
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Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
Evil Dead Trap (Japanese: 死霊の罠, romanized: Shiryō no wana, lit. 'Trap of the Dead Spirits') is a 1988 Japanese supernatural slasher film directed by Toshiharu Ikeda and produced by Japan Home Video. The film stars Miyuki Ono, Yuji Honma, Aya Katsuragi, Eriko Nakagawa, Hitomi Kobayashi and Masahiko Abe, follow a television team enters an abandoned building to track down the source of a mysterious videotape before they are pursued by something unseen.
Plot
[edit]Late-night TV show host Nami asks her viewers to send in home movies; she receives a snuff film shot at a disused military base, featuring a woman who resembles her. The footage ends with a photograph of her own face, which disturbs her. The station does not believe the footage real yet forbids her to show the footage on-air, but allows her to take her production crew -- Rie, Mako, Rei, and Kondo -- and travel to the scene to investigate. Though some of the employees are reluctant to explore the abandoned base, their television slot is losing money, and the venture may be their last chance to revive interest in the crew.
When the crew arrives, the base appears empty, and they split up to explore and attempt to locate the culprit -- who, unbeknownst to them, is already nearby and stalking their movements. While investigating on her own, Nami encounters a mysterious man, Daisuke, who advises her to leave and reveals that he is also on the base to look for someone, but does not elaborate further before leaving. Meanwhile, Rei and Kondo, who have been having an affair, have sex in an abandoned workshop. After Rei cleans her dirtied clothes, she is unable to find Kondo again, and instead discovers the corpse of the woman from the snuff film. As she panics, the killer impales her with several metal poles, and she dies.
An oblivious Kondo meets Nami and Rie back at the work van, where Nami admits a frightened Rie that she's motivated by personal reasons, curious about the kind of man the culprit is. Mako, having discovered the building where the snuff film was created, alerts the rest of the crew. They enter and are greeted by Rei's corpse, which the killer has rigged to frighten them. Rie panics and flees as the ceiling above the entrance caves in, trapping the rest of the crew. Though she manages to escape to the van, she is ambushed by the snuff film victim's boyfriend, who the killer has kept has a prisoner; he tells her that the killer promised his freedom if he killed any trespassers, but decides to rape Rie first. During the act, he reveals that the killers are "two in one," not human, and hunt and kill for pleasure. Rie attempts to escape afterwards, but both she and the prisoner are murdered by the killer.
While trying to flee the building, the survivors are split up: Nami and Kondo fall through a hole in the floor, while Mako is attacked by the killer and faints. Nami regains consciousness on the rooftop, where she discovers Kondo's headless corpse. Daisuke arrives and takes her to safety, explaining that he used to live at the base with his brother, the man he's attempting to find. Sensing the killer's approach, Daisuke leaves to confront him, getting hit by a spear in the process. When he does not return, Nami tries to find him, instead stumbling upon a television set displaying footage of Mako pleading for help. Nami runs to rescue her, but the killer has booby-trapped the room where she is being held captive; Nami accidentally triggers one of the traps, which kills Mako.
The killer then attacks Nami with fireworks and arrows, but is held back by Daisuke, who appears and fires at the killer with a revolver. He leads Nami through an underground passage to safety and gives her the gun, claiming that the culprit is "a kid" and that he will go back to finish him off. Nami returns to the van, but upon seeing the killer drag away the bodies of Rie and the prisoner, decides to stay to apprehend him. Returning to the killer's hideout, she discovers his bedroom: photographs of him as a young boy with his mother (her photograph riddled with nails), stacks of televisions showing footage of her show, and voice recordings of the killer's mother. Realizing that the killer associates her with his own mother, Nami hears his approach, and sees him dragging the two bodies into nearby cots and talking with a disembodied voice.
Confronted in the bedroom, Nami learns that the killers are both Daisuke and his twin brother Hideki, a mutant newborn baby that lives within Daisuke's chest, has psychic abilities, and can teleport and breathe fire. Daisuke, having grown weary with the killings, allows Nami to shoot him, but Hideki bursts from his chest and also attacks Nami, setting the building on fire. Daisuke manages to trap Hideki back into his chest and set himself on fire with the baby inside. His charred corpse briefly strangles Nami, but she cuts him with glass and causes him to fall out a window to his final death.
Recovering in the hospital, Nami is met by a detective, who explains that the police were unable to locate anything matching Hideki at the scene, and removes his description from the report, thinking that Nami had hallucinated his existence. Later, Nami airs a tribute to her colleagues at the station to great acclaim. Upon leaving, an assistant hands her a parcel, claiming that a man was returning it to Nami. Discovering that it is the same lighter that Daisuke had used, Nami panics, and the strangulation marks on her neck begin to cause her pain. Collapsing to the floor, she realizes that Hideki somehow entered her own body, and as he bursts through her stomach, he calls her "Mommy."
Cast
[edit]- Miyuki Ono as Nami Tsuchiya
- Yuji Honma as Daisuke Muraki
- Aya Katsuragi as Mako Abe
- Eriko Nakagawa as Rie Kawamura
- Hitomi Kobayashi as Rei Sugiura
- Masahiko Abe as Akio Kondo
- Shinsuke Shimada as Harada
- Hiroshi Shimizu as the captive man
- Noboru Mitani as the detective
- Mari Shimizu as the voice of Hideki
- Terumi Niki as the voice of Hideki's mother
- Kyōko Hashimoto
Production
[edit]This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (November 2016) |
Special effects were by Shinichi Wakasa who would go on to a career as a monster-suit maker for several Godzilla films.[citation needed]
Hitomi Kobayashi who plays the supporting role of Rei Sugiura was a top star for Japan Home Video (JHV) under their adult video (AV) label Alice Japan. JHV financed the film as a vehicle for Kobayashi. However, director Toshiharu Ikeda, unsure of Kobayashi's acting ability, instead put Miyuki Ono in the starring role.[1]
Release
[edit]Evil Dead Trap was released theatrically in Japan as 死霊の罠 (Shiryō no wana) on May 14, 1988.[2] It was later released in Japan on VHS on September 25, 1988[3] and as a DVD on June 23, 2000.[4] On November 7, 2000, the film was released on DVD in the United States by Synapse Films. The release included the original theatrical trailer, and audio commentary by director Ikeda and special effects manager Shinichi Wakasa.[5]
Reception
[edit]This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (November 2016) |
Evil Dead Trap received positive reviews from critics, with praise highlighting the film's mixing of giallo and slasher film genres, cinematography, and special effects, while most criticism was directed at the film's ending.
Jon Condit from Dread Central rated the film a score of three out of five, highlighting the soundtrack, story, and cinematography as being reminiscent of Dario Argento's giallo films. While calling the film "fun and well crafted", Condit criticized the film's weak ending.[6] Niina Doherty of HorrorNews.net also criticized the film's ending while commending the cinematography, special effects, and mixture of elements from slasher and giallo films.[7] Empire's Mark Dinning gave the film four out of five stars, praising the film's cinematography, gore effects, and style, calling it, "an effective and bloody slasher let down only by its last act".[8] In their book Japanese Cinema: Essential Handbook, authors Thomas and Yuko Weisser awarded the film four out of four stars, calling it the best of contemporary J-Horror cinema, while also noting Argento's films as obvious inspiration.[9]
Legacy
[edit]Evil Dead Trap was followed by one sequel. Evil Dead Trap 2 (also known as Hideki: Evil Dead Trap 2), was directed by Izo Hashimoto and released in 1992. The film is a loose continuation of the first and follows a theater projectionist, Aki, who sees visions of a ghostly boy named Hideki while Aki thinks she might be a serial killer that targets women.
The 1993 film Chigireta ai no satsujin, directed by Evil Dead Trap director Toshiharu Ikeda, was released internationally under the title of Evil Dead Trap 3: Broken Love Killer. In the film, a policewoman investigates the apparent suicide of a college student. The film has no connection to the first two in the series.
References
[edit]- ^ Galloway, Patrick (2006). "Evil Dead Trap: Shiryo no wana". Asia Shock: Horror and Dark Cinema from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Thailand. Berkeley, Calif.: Stone Bridge Press. p. 165. ISBN 1-933330-12-0.
- ^ 死霊の罠(1988) (in Japanese). All Cinema. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
- ^ "死霊の罠 [VHS]" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. 25 September 1988. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
- ^ "死霊の罠 [DVD]" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. 23 June 2000. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
- ^ "Evil Dead Trap - Synapse Films". Synapse Films. n.d. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ Condit, Jon (July 6, 2005). "Evil Dead Trap (1988)". Dread Central. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ Doherty, Niina (March 15, 2020). "Film Review: Evil Dead Trap (Shiryô no wana) (1988)". HorrorNews.net. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ Dinning, Mark (January 1, 2000). "Evil Dead Trap Review". Empire. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ Weisser 2003, p. 91-92.
Bibliography
[edit]- Thompson, Nathaniel (2006) [2002]. "EVIL DEAD TRAP". DVD Delirium: The International Guide to Weird and Wonderful Films on DVD; Volume 1 Redux. Godalming, England: FAB Press. p. 254. ISBN 1-903254-39-6.
- Weisser, Thomas. (1998). "Asian Cult Cinema Report: Film, News and Gossip", in Asian Cult Cinema, #22, 1st Quarter, 1999, p. 4-6. (American premier of Evil Dead Trap)
- Thomas Weisser; Yuko Mihara Weisser (2003). Japanese Cinema: The Essential Handbook : Featuring Japanese Cult Cinema Since 1955. Vital Books.
External links
[edit]- Evil Dead Trap at IMDb
- Evil Dead Trap at Rotten Tomatoes
- Evil Dead Trap at the TCM Movie Database (archived version)
Evil Dead Trap
View on GrokipediaStory and characters
Plot
Nami Tsuchiya, the host of a late-night talk show, receives an anonymous videotape depicting the graphic torture and murder of a woman in an abandoned military base.[5] Intrigued by the footage's authenticity, she assembles a small crew—including assistant Rei Sugiura, lighting technician Rya Kawamura, makeup artist Masako Abe, and cameraman Daisuke Muraki—to investigate the site and film a special segment for her program, defying her producer's warnings.[6] Upon arriving at the dilapidated military base, the group explores the eerie, trap-filled structure, splitting up to search for clues about the tape's origins. Tensions escalate as they encounter signs of recent habitation, and soon, an unseen assailant in a hooded robe begins systematically eliminating the crew through brutal booby traps and direct attacks: Rei is impaled on spikes from a hidden mechanism, Rya is garroted, and Masako is slashed in the head with a machete.[7] Nami and Muraki, who reveals he is searching for his missing twin brother Hideki, manage to evade death longer, navigating the labyrinthine building while piecing together that the killings are connected to horrific experiments conducted there decades earlier.[8] As the survivor count dwindles, the film shifts from slasher conventions to supernatural horror when Hideki is unmasked as a grotesque, fetus-like mutant— the result of illicit medical procedures—conjoined in spirit to Muraki and driven by rage over his abandoned existence. Hideki targets Nami for her reproductive viability, intending to use her body to achieve a twisted rebirth, leading to a climactic confrontation involving monstrous transformations and Daisuke's sacrificial intervention. Nami ultimately escapes the base but remains haunted by visions of the entity, implying the trap's evil endures.[9]Cast
The principal cast of Evil Dead Trap features a ensemble of Japanese actors portraying a television production crew drawn into a nightmarish investigation. Leading the group is Miyuki Ono as Nami Tsuchiya, the ambitious late-night talk show host whose receipt of a disturbing snuff film propels the plot.[1][10] Yūji Honma plays Daisuke Muraki, the cameraman and Nami's colleague who provides technical support during the perilous excursion.[10][11] Supporting roles include Aya Katsuragi as Masako Abe, the team's makeup artist whose practical skills become vital amid the escalating horrors.[12][13] Hitomi Kobayashi portrays Rei Sugiura, the assistant grappling with the supernatural elements of the abandoned complex.[12] Eriko Nakagawa appears as Rya Kawamura, another crew member contributing to the investigative dynamic.[12][1]| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Miyuki Ono | Nami Tsuchiya | Late-night TV host and protagonist who uncovers the snuff tape mystery.[1][10] |
| Yūji Honma | Daisuke Muraki | Cameraman assisting in filming the investigation.[10][11] |
| Aya Katsuragi | Masako Abe | Makeup artist on the crew.[12][13] |
| Hitomi Kobayashi | Rei Sugiura | Assistant facing traps and entities.[12] |
| Eriko Nakagawa | Rya Kawamura | Additional crew member involved in the horror.[12] |
| Masahiko Abe | Akio Kondo | Supporting role in the production team.[10] |
Production
Development
The screenplay for Evil Dead Trap (original title: Shiryô no wana) was written by Takashi Ishii, a screenwriter and manga artist known for his work on the erotic Angel Guts (Tenshi no Harawata) series, which explored themes of psychological trauma and female sexuality.[9] The film's protagonist, Nami Tsuchiya, shares her name with the central character from Ishii's Angel Guts stories, suggesting a deliberate carryover of motifs involving a woman's inner torment and societal pressures.[9] Directed by Toshiharu Ikeda, who had previously helmed adaptations of Ishii's Angel Guts material, including Angel Guts: Red Porno (1981), the project marked a transition for both creators from the pink film genre—characterized by erotic thrillers—to more explicit horror territory.[9] The film's development occurred amid Japan's burgeoning direct-to-video (V-Cinema) market in the late 1980s, spearheaded by distributor Japan Home Video, which sought to capitalize on the growing demand for low-budget genre films influenced by Western slashers and Italian giallo.[15] Ikeda produced the film through his own company, Director's Company, allowing for creative control in blending slasher conventions with surreal, body-horror elements.[11] The narrative's core twist, involving a vengeful entity tied to themes of abortion and maternal guilt, drew from the cultural phenomenon of Mizuko Kuyō—Buddhist rituals for memorializing aborted or miscarried fetuses—which gained prominence in Japan during the 1970s and 1980s amid rising abortion rates and tabloid sensationalism.[9] Influences from international horror shaped the script's structure and visuals, including David Cronenberg's Videodrome (1983) for its media-saturated paranoia and snuff-film premise, as well as the grotesque, dreamlike sequences reminiscent of Lucio Fulci and Mario Bava's works.[9] The English title Evil Dead Trap was selected post-production to exploit the international popularity of Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead series, despite no direct connection, aligning with Japan's trend of titling horror exports to appeal to overseas markets.[16] This strategic choice, combined with the film's emphasis on gore and atmospheric dread over linear plotting, positioned it as a pioneering entry in modern Japanese horror, bridging erotic undertones from the creators' pink film roots with emerging J-horror sensibilities.[15]Filming and special effects
The principal filming location for Evil Dead Trap was the abandoned remnants of Camp Drake, a former U.S. military base in Asaka, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. This sprawling, derelict site provided the film's eerie, labyrinthine factory setting, enhancing the atmosphere of isolation and dread during night shoots. Cinematographer Masaki Tamura employed low-light techniques to capture the site's shadowy interiors, emphasizing the obscurity and claustrophobia central to the narrative.[17] The production, financed by Japan Home Video, was completed on a modest budget typical of late-1980s Japanese direct-to-video horror (approximately ¥10-20 million), allowing for extended location work but limiting elaborate setups. Ikeda, transitioning from Nikkatsu's roman porno genre, incorporated explicit elements influenced by his background, while the shoot prioritized practical setups over digital aids, aligning with the era's emphasis on tangible horror. No major delays or accidents were reported, though the remote, unsecured site required careful crew management for safety. Special effects were handled by a team of Japanese genre veterans, focusing on practical gore and body horror to evoke visceral terror. Visual effects supervisor Takashi Ito crafted the film's supernatural elements, including pyrokinesis and telekinetic sequences, using matte paintings and in-camera tricks for seamless integration. Special makeup effects artist Shinichi Wakasa designed the graphic wounds, mutilations, and undead transformations, drawing from his expertise in grotesque prosthetics seen in later works like Gantz. These effects drew comparisons to Italian giallo and Lucio Fulci's splatter style, with standout sequences like melting flesh and explosive dismemberments achieved through latex appliances, corn syrup blood, and hydraulic rigs. The practical approach amplified the film's raw intensity, avoiding the CGI trends that would emerge later in Japanese horror.Release
Theatrical release
Evil Dead Trap premiered theatrically in Japan on May 14, 1988, under its original title Shiryō no Wana (死霊の罠). The film was produced and distributed by Japan Home Video, a company known for financing horror projects during the late 1980s Japanese video boom.[18][19] The release capitalized on the era's popularity of direct-to-video horror but secured a limited cinema run in select Japanese theaters. International theatrical distribution was minimal, with the film primarily circulating through video markets abroad rather than wide cinema screenings.[18]Home media
The original home video release of Evil Dead Trap was on VHS in Japan by Japan Home Video, the film's production company, shortly after its theatrical debut in May 1988.[11] This edition featured the film in its native Japanese language without subtitles, aligning with the era's standard for domestic horror releases.[20] In Western markets, the film circulated primarily through unofficial bootleg VHS tapes during the 1990s, gaining a cult following among horror enthusiasts for its graphic content and stylistic influences from Italian giallo and American slashers.[21] These bootlegs often suffered from poor video quality and incomplete subtitles, contributing to the film's underground reputation before any licensed availability. No official VHS releases occurred outside Japan. The first official North American home media edition arrived on DVD from Synapse Films on November 7, 2000, presenting a digitally mastered widescreen transfer (1.85:1 aspect ratio) with removable English subtitles, an audio commentary by director Toshiharu Ikeda and special effects manager Shinichi Wakasa, and the original theatrical trailer.[22] This release marked a significant milestone, introducing the film to a broader audience and highlighting its surreal horror elements. Subsequent DVD and Blu-ray editions expanded accessibility internationally. In Japan, Maxam issued the first Blu-ray on September 25, 2020, in 1080p resolution with DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono, English subtitles, and region-free playback.[23] Unearthed Films followed with a U.S. Blu-ray and DVD combo on August 24, 2021 (distributed by MVD Entertainment Group), featuring a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, multiple audio commentaries (including one with Ikeda and Wakasa, plus critics Kurando Mitsutake and James Mudge), a "Trappings of the Dead" featurette, storyboards, stills, and trailers.[24] In the UK, 88 Films released a region B-locked Blu-ray on February 26, 2024, with high-definition 1080p presentation, original mono audio, improved English subtitles, and similar extras to the Unearthed edition.[25] Additional European releases, such as a French Blu-ray digipak bundling the first and second films by ESC Editions in February 2022, further supported high-definition restorations.[26]| Region | Format | Label | Release Date | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | VHS | Japan Home Video | 1988 | Japanese audio, no subtitles |
| USA | DVD | Synapse Films | November 7, 2000 | 1.85:1 widescreen, English subs, commentary, trailer |
| Japan | Blu-ray | Maxam | September 25, 2020 | 1080p, DTS-HD 2.0 mono, English subs, region free |
| USA | Blu-ray/DVD | Unearthed Films/MVD | August 24, 2021 | 1.66:1, multiple commentaries, featurette, region A/1 |
| UK | Blu-ray | 88 Films | February 26, 2024 | 1080p 1.66:1, mono audio, improved subs, region B |
| France | Blu-ray (double feature) | ESC Editions | February 15, 2022 | HD presentation, bundled with sequel, region B |
