Kōchiyama Sōshun (film)

Kōchiyama Sōshun, also known in English as Priest of Darkness, is a 1936 Japanese jidaigeki film directed by Sadao Yamanaka. It is one of three surviving films by the director.

Cast

Chojuro Kawarasaki – Kōchiyama Sōshun
Kan'emon Nakamura – Kaneko
Shizue Yamagishi – Oshizu
Setsuko Hara – Onami
Daisuke Katō – Kenta
Production

The original idea for Kōchiyama Sōshun came from a Kabuki play by Kawatake Mokuami, known as Kochiyama to naozamurai. In the play, the two title characters are petty criminals from the Ueno district of Edo. Yamanaka changed some of the characters from the play to be more good-natured, in keeping with his film aesthetic. He also modernized the Kabuki play by casting actors from the Zenshin-za Group, which aimed to bring modern acting techniques to traditional Kabuki plays.