Hiruko the Goblin – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1991
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Writers: Daijirô Morohoshi, Koji Tsutsumi, Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Cast: Kenji Sawada, Masaki Kudou, Hideo Murota, Naoto Takenaka, Megumi Ueno

Release Date: February 8th, 2022
Approximate running time: 89 Minutes 4 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Hieda (played by Kenji Sawada) is an eccentric archaeologist, disgraced among his peers for his theories on the supernatural. One day he receives a letter from his brother-in-law, Yabe, telling him of an ancient burial mound he has discovered in the grounds of the local high school, a discovery that might help prove Hieda’s theories to be true. When Hieda arrives at the school, which is now closed for summer vacation, he discovers that Yabe has gone missing, along with one of the school’s female pupils. Teaming up with Yabe’s son, Masao, Hieda searches for the ancient tomb, convinced that it might be the burial place of Hiruko – a fearsome demon from ancient legends." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2K restoration from the OCN".

Hiruko the Goblin comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31 GB

Feature: 24.4 GB

The source used for this transfer looks excellent; color saturation, image clarity, and black levels look solid.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Japanese, and included with this release are removable English subtitles. This is a solid track; the dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include the Mondo Macabro’s Promo Reel, theatrical trailer (1 minute 43 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival SFX featurette titled Goblin Creation (2 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), an archival interview with SFX director Takashi Oda (4 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival intro to the film by director Shin'ya Tsukamoto (2 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Shin'ya Tsukamoto (8 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), a newly shot interview with Shin'ya Tsukamoto (27 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles) and an audio commentary with Shin'ya Tsukamoto expert Tom Mes.

Summary:

Shin'ya Tsukamoto's first film that he directed with major financial backing was Hiruko the Goblin. And though Hiruko the Goblin is easily the most accessible film he’s directed, the result is a film that could have only been directed by Shin'ya Tsukamoto. Many elements that have become synonymous with Shin'ya Tsukamoto find their way into Hiruko the Goblin.

The narrative revolves around a boy whose dead classmates' faces appear on his back, a crazy janitor who does not like people snooping around the school, an archeologist who has insight about what’s going on, and a Goblin that beheads students and puts their heads on spider bodies.

Based solely on the premise, one would assume that Hiruko the Goblin is a horror film. When it is actually a melting pot of genres, that’s equal parts fantasy film and horror film, with some well-placed humor thrown in for good measure.

From its opening moments, it's clear that what lies within is going to be a wild ride. The premise and narrative are well-executed, and the finale provides a satisfying climax. Visually, there are many eerie moments, and when Hiruko attacks, the film uses a tracking shot that is reminiscent of a similar shot used in Evil Dead. Also, the score does a great job of setting the mood. Ultimately, Hiruko the Goblin is a highly entertaining film that fans of Japanese horror cinema are sure to enjoy.

Hiruko the Goblin gets an exceptional release from Mondo Macabro that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extra content, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer