A woman named Shige and her mother-in-law meet a terrible fate at the hands of a roving band of samurai and become ghosts sworn to exact their revenge. They are locked in a repeating pattern in which the Shige lures samurai through the bamboo grove back to her home. She gives them sake and seduces them before viciously ripping out their throats with her bare teeth. These vengeful women often resemble werecats, appearing to have fur, tails, and other feline aspects. Kuroneko means black cat; and such a cat prowls around the women, perhaps representing the evil they bargained with to get their vengeance.

After three years, Shige’s husband Hachi returns from war. Now known as Gintoki of the Grove, he finds his home burned down and his wife and mother missing. He has been named a samurai by the local governor, and his quest to hunt down the killer ghosts leads him face to face with his deceased family. This is a fog-drenched ghost story full of intimacy, tragedy, romance, and sorrow. It is accompanied by a hauntingly eerie score and dramatic, theatrical lighting. The black and white cinematography is absolutely gorgeous.

Viewed as part of the Podcast Macabre 2022 Horror Challenge. 1960s.