Ghosts at School (Gakko no kaidan)

World premiere.

Total running time approximately 102 minutes, color, video. Video courtesy of Kansai TV and Altamira Pictures.  In Japanese with English subtitles.  

This special four-part program is a compilation of the best works by Hideo Nakata, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Shinobu Yaguchi and Norio Tsuruta, from the TV’s drama series Ghosts at School (1994-  ), showcasing their remarkable talent in the horror genre. Kansai TV producer Takehiko Tanaka introduces the program.

Something is Haunting Me (Nanika ni tsukarete iru)
2001. Directed by Norio Tsuruta. Written by Ryuta Miyake. With Chizuru Ikewaki, Saori Nara, Aya Hirayama, Yoshiko Miyazaki.

Two best friends at a junior high school take different paths, and the one who felt ignored by the other begins to attract evil spirits.

The Devil’s Choices (Akuma no sentaku)
1999. Directed and written by Shinobu Yaguchi. With Naoto Takenaka and Kirina Mano.

A misfit school teacher experiences incredible bad luck and wishes to commit suicide, but is rescued by the devil’s messenger.

The Strange Story of an Abandoned School (Haiko kidan)1997. Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Written by Tomoyasu Okubo and Kiyoshi Kurosawa. With Takehito Osawa, Soko Kuruma, Taro Suwa, Bengal.

A high school building is to be demolished and its students absorbed by a nearby school. During their last days at the old school, a series of mysterious occurrences prey on both students and teachers.

Video of Spirits (Rei bideo)
1997. Directed by Hideo Nakata. Written by Chiaki Konaka. With Yuko Masuda, Reiko Matsuo, Erika Mabuchi, Rie Kihara.

High school photography club members visit an abandoned house, shoot a video and see a fiendish spirit rising from the videotape.

Tickets: $10; Japan Society members, seniors & students $5.

Ticketholders will receive a free amulet to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.