Black Cat Mansion (亡霊怪猫屋敷)

THE MANSION OF THE GHOST CAT

A Mitsugu Okura Production

Starring

Present Day

Toshio Hosokawa Yuriko Ejima

Period Drama

Keinosuke Wada Ryuzaburo Nakamura

Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa

Hospital

Wing 3

It's an evil night... those footsteps...

No one but me has reason to come to this lab...

...but footsteps draw near from the direction I've come.

Who is it walking down that dim hallway?

Who else knows it well enough to walk it on a dark night?

Of course I don't believe in ghosts.

But at times we can be seized by a weird feeling...

...like the one I have now.

Six years ago, something strange like that happened.

My wife had tuberculosis, and needed a change of climate.

We moved to the small town in Kyushu where she's from.

We left Tokyo behind for a while.

Her elder brother had arranged things for when we arrived.

Does it hurt, Yoriko?

I'm fine, Kenichi.

Shouldn't she have an operation?

This isn't the time.

An operation could spread the bacilli further.

We'll wait and see for now.

I hate to see a man of your talent dragged way down here, though.

I'm happy to work somewhere with clean air and a slower pace.

What a scare!

That was close.

I'm sorry. A black cat ran right out in front of me.

Did you hit it?

No. It's fine.

Good!

It's in pretty bad shape. It's well over a century old.

The shutters haven't been opened for years.

Around here they call it 'the haunted mansion'.

A haunted house in this day and age!

Yoriko...

...shouldn't you wait in the car?

I'd like to see the place, if I'm going to live here.

What a mess!

It gives me the shivers. They say crows gather where there's death.

That's not true.

They can smell it.

I hate the noise they make.

It's not very cheerful.

A cat...

It scared me half to death! I hate cats!

Let's look inside.

Tetsuichiro!

What?

There's someone there!

No, there isn't.

I'm sure there was!

You're seeing things.

Look! Footprints!

A tramp, maybe.

That's strange.. . they disappear.

You're right.

You're so high-strung...

This place is so eerie!

The living-room...

These old places were sure built to last.

You couldn't build like this now.

That's right.

Tetsuichiro!

That looks like blood on the wall!

It's not blood. We'll paint it over.

Kuzumi Clinic

Sort yesterday's files, would you?

How are you, Yoriko?

This rain depresses me.

A big house is so dark when it rains...

It'll stop.

When it does, this place will be much better for you than Tokyo.

It's like my brother said... this really could be a haunted house.

Since I came I've been having strange dreams.

Last night I dreamed of a weird old lady...

Well, it's a new place...

What's wrong with Taro? He doesn't usually bark like that.

It's all nerves!

No. He sounds strange.

Taro! Taro! Quiet!

Taro, stop it!

Taro!

You scared me!

Don't sneak in like that!

Can I help you?

Don't you hear very well?

You're soaking wet!

I'll get the doctor. You wait here.

Doctor...

A patient.

A really strange old lady.

There's no one here.

That's strange... I'll go look out front.

She's not here.

Who are you?!

Yoriko!

Yoriko!

That weird old lady was in here!

There's no one here.

She was here!

You imagined it.

But the nurse said the same thing!

You're seeing things.

Don't get too excited. It's bad for you.

Tetsuichiro!

What's wrong?

Can you hear footsteps?

No.

I can... it's that horrible old lady again!

You're imagining things. And I'm here.

Go back to sleep.

I'm scared, Tetsuichiro!

Who's there?

A child's sick.

The Sudos need the doctor over in Higashi Matsumura.

The Sudos?

Just a minute.

Mr. Sudo!

Dr Kuzumi's here!

Coming!

Oh, hello, Doctor...

We didn't call you, though...

So nobody called the doctor?

Maybe another house...

No, she said here.

I'm afraid not.

It's me, Yoriko. Open the door.

Yes?

Hurry up! I'll catch my death of cold out here!

Tetsuichiro?

Yeah, it's me.

That didn't take long. Wait while I open the gate.

Taro! Taro!

Taro?

Taro!

Taro!

Yoriko!

Yoriko!

What's wrong? Yoriko!

Wake up! Yoriko!

Yoriko!

Yoriko...

Kenichi? Is that you?

I was so scared! I keep having nightmares...

All these cats come and start biting me...

Don't try to talk. You'll tire yourself out.

Lay back and sleep.

But what if I start dreaming again?

The doctor's here. Relax and go to sleep.

How is she?

She's fine now.

But another shock like that could kill her.

Really?

I've been thinking...

Yes?

I'm told there are reasons they say this house is haunted.

The priest at Ryofukuji Temple once told me...

...the best thing to do with this place was tear it down.

I can't help but think there's a connection.

The nurse saw an old lady, too.

And then there's your dog...

I'm wondering if you might come talk to the priest with me.

It's just what I thought it was.

It's a cat-spirit seeking revenge.

A ghost cat?

Yes.

It's a tale of karma from long, long ago.

On one side of the house was a bed of spiraea flowers.

It was called 'Spiraea Mansion'.

In it lived Ishido Sakon no Shogen, castle-warden of the Omura Clan.

He was a man famous for his very short temper.

Saheiji! Where are you?!

Coming!

Yes, Milord?

Pick up those stones!

Is Kokingo really coming?

He's late! Where is he?!

He won't be here yet, Sire.

Why not?

His lady mother is blind, you will recall.

He must tend to her.

Yes, I know that!

Why do you cry so? I'll be home soon.

Here, Mother. Take Tama.

Kokingo... don't you feel she wants to tell you something?

I have a bad feeling myself.

Have no fear. I'm simply going to teach him the game of Go.

But Lord Shogen is such a difficult person...

Bear my words in mind...

...and hurry back.

I will. I'll be going now.

Be very careful.

I will.