Happiness of the Katakuris, The (2001)

Also known as

Katakuri-ke no kôfuku

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Ratings & comments

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The death of the first customer at the Katakuri family's isolated B&B would have been impossibly bad for business, but bodies are harder to hide than you think -- especially when more of them keep piling up. It's a silly plot, but it does make for an amusing counterpoint to the horror genre's tradition of evil hicks, as though that whole Texas Chainsaw Massacre thing was just an hilarious misunderstanding.

Despite being resolutely low-budget, it's a triumph of style over substance. Whenever there's an action sequence requiring expensive special effects or stunts, it switches to claymation. Whenever there's a dramatic moment requiring talented actors working at the peak of their abilities, they perform a bizarre song-and-dance number instead. At the very least, it's an interesting experience.

- Sam - 2007-11-06 07:55:58