Bride from Hades, The | Blu-ray

For as long as Japan has been producing art it feels like horror has been a core part of the country's storytelling. A rich tradition of ghosts, spirits, and demons that have given rise to a wealth of creative and terrifying cinema.

The Bride from Hades has its roots in a 17th century ghost story, originally of Chinese origin, called Kaidan Botan Doro (or Tales of the Peony Lantern). This adaptation was written for the screen by Yoshikata Yoda, most notably for Sansho the Baliff and Cruel Tales of Bushido.

It's a wonderfully produced and well acted version of a classic tale of haunting. The atmosphere is thoroughly creepy, with a rich visual tone throughout. A quality deep cut for fans looking into classic kaidan adaptations.

Special Features (via radiance.co.uk)

• New 4K restoration
• Uncompressed mono PCM audio
• Appreciation by filmmaker and screenwriter Hiroshi Takahashi
• Audio commentary by critic and author Jasper Sharp
• Trailer
• Newly improved English subtitle translation