Before watching The Mad Fox (1962) I had never heard of it or its director, Tomu Uchida. However, I was drawn to it due to the image that I have used for this review. It was reminiscent of Kwaidan (1964), a film that I adore and whose visuals are a large part of my adoration, and this alone was enough to pique my interest. And while this film isn’t as visually stunning or narratively gripping as Kwaidan there is still a lot here that I enjoyed. Narratively the film is a bit of an oddity, in that it feels like the film is split into two halves that only loosely connect but it manages to remain engrossing throughout. The first half feels like a classic Japanese period piece. The costumes and sets all fit the bill, and it is shot wonderfully giving the film and story a sense of grandeur that matches the possible civil war that threatens to break out. The second half becomes much more mystical and focuses on folklore rather than the political nature of the first half. It is also in this second half that the film changes up its style quite drastically and effectively becomes a stage play, including sets that look like a stage rather than real places. In terms of the narrative, despite keeping me engaged, I don’t think the two halves come together and a lot that is set up in the first half feels like it is pushed to the wayside to focus on the folkloric elements of the narrative. However, what is clear throughout is that this film is a visual masterpiece. The use of colour throughout is exquisite, especially in the second half where the folkloric aspect of the narrative allows for the film to become a bit more mystical with its visuals. There is one scene in particular where the whole screen effectively turns yellow, and we see our main character performing a kabuki-style dance and it feels magical. It is the visuals of the film rather than the narrative that will stick with me, and I think the issues I have with the narrative would be exacerbated if not for the brilliant visuals throughout.
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