Onibaba (1964): cast, story & where to watch
1964 · Film · ★ 7.8
Released in 1964, Onibaba is a drama and horror film directed by Kaneto Shindō, running about 105 minutes. “The most daring film import ever ... from Japan!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. While her son, Kichi, is away at war, a woman and her daughter-in-law survive by killing samurai who stray into their swamp, then selling whatever valuables they find. Both are devastated when they learn that Kichi has died, but his wife soon begins an affair with a neighbor who survived the war, Hachi. The mother disapproves and, when she can't steal Hachi for herself, tries to scare her daughter-in-law with a mysterious mask from a dead samurai.
Who’s in it. Onibaba stars Nobuko Otowa as Woman, Jitsuko Yoshimura as Young Woman, Kei Satō as Hachi and Jūkichi Uno as The Samurai, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.8/10, Onibaba has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Onibaba page.
If you liked it. Fans of Onibaba tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Onibaba (1964)?
- In US, Onibaba is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV and Criterion Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Onibaba worth watching?
- Onibaba holds an audience score of 7.8 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and horror. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Onibaba?
- Onibaba stars Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura, Kei Satō, Jūkichi Uno and Taiji Tonoyama.
- When was Onibaba released?
- Onibaba was released in 1964, with a runtime of about 105 minutes.