“The Living Koheiji” is based on a play of the same name by Senzaburo Suzuki. The story is a reinterpretation of a classic ghost tale about a kabuki actor famous for playing spirits, who is murdered and returns as a ghost. The surreal element of the narrative is that “although thought dead, he keeps coming back to life.” The story is a kabuki standard still performed today. A previous film adaptation titled “Ikiteiru Koheiji” was made by Toho in 1957. This 1982 version marked the second film adaptation. In 1980, Keiji Isoda’s independent production company, Isoda Office, teamed up with ATG to produce a project. Although Nakagawa had already stepped back from the spotlight, known as a master of ghost stories with films like “Jigoku” or “The Ghost of Yotsuya”, he was asked to direct, and he proposed this play as the project he most wanted to bring to life.
Filming began in 1981 with cooperation from Eizo Kyoto and was mainly shot on constructed sets at Daiei Kyoto Studios, with some location shooting. The entire production was completed in just seven days. Given the limited budget, Nakagawa reduced the cast to the bare minimum, creating a psychological triangle drama in which only three actors appear.
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In the summer of Tenpo 13 (1842), Koheiji is a low-status “curtain-stage” kabuki actor, and his friend Taku (Takuro) is a musical accompanist. Despite their humble standing, the two dream of one day rising to the level of legendary figures like Danjuro VII or Chikamatsu Monzaemon. Along with Taku’s wife Ochika, the three have been close since childhood. Koheiji’s initially playful obsession with his friend’s wife intensifies over time, especially after he realizes her husband is abusive. She half-indulges his advances but remains mostly amused rather than genuinely interested. When she mentions she is pregnant and that Takuro will never let her go, Koheiji confronts Takuro during a fishing outing and demands that he give Ochika to him. Enraged, Takuro pushes Koheiji into the water until he stops moving. But soon after, Koheiji reappears at their house to haunt the couple.
In order to maintain the intense sense of discipline he believed was necessary to complete such a tightly budgeted project, Nakagawa and his cinematographer Ikio Higuchi used a fixed camera throughout, resulting in several sequences that resemble moving paintings. The result is at times visually stunning, but also lends an artificial quality to the experience. Combined with the fact that only three actors appear, the film often feels more like a stage play, especially during the interior scenes.
This theatrical sense is heightened by the fact that, early on, both Ochika and Koheiji speak as if they are performing kabuki, even incorporating narration into their dialogue. This clever device proves quite amusing to watch, especially during the one-sided flirting, with the first part of the story emerging as the most entertaining. However, as the narrative abandons this technique, its quality begins to decline. The repeated cycle of Takuro killing Koheiji, Koheiji returning, and Takuro’s violence toward his wife becomes tiresome, despite the brief 75-minute runtime. The sparse editing by Yo Tsunagu does little to help with the pacing, while the reliance on high-pitched traditional Japanese singing and music may prove difficult for viewers unfamiliar with such styles.
The acting, on the other hand, is arguably the strongest aspect. Junko Miyashita as Ochika and Fumihiko Fujima as Koheiji share remarkable chemistry, particularly in the earlier scenes where their playful banter stands out. Shoji Ishibashi as Takuro often feels like the third wheel, defined mostly by his anger and abusive behavior. Nonetheless, he convincingly portrays a character who is both victim and aggressor.
“The Living Koheiji” has its strengths, but the low budget clearly left its mark, and both ATG and Nakagawa have more accomplished works in their catalogues. Still, it deserves a viewing—particularly for its first half.
