Howl From Beyond the Fog (2019)
Director: Daisuke Sato
Starring: Suguru Inoue, Akane Kanamori
Creature “Nebula” Performed By: Tomohiro Matsumoto
After the death of his twin brother, Eiji (Inoue) returns home to his distant mother and their family land by a lake and mountain. Once there he quickly discovers a long hidden family secret; his cousin Takiri (Kanamori) who was believed dead is actually alive and hidden away in his home. As he begins to settle into his new life, the quickly developing world has reached their small mountain and threatens to disturb the long time resident of the lake, the monstrous beast of legend, Nebula.
Originally a Kickstarter campaign that was successfully funded in 2017, Howl From Beyond the Fog premiered in Japan in late 2019 and has now finally reached physical release in the United States thanks to the folks at SRS Cinema. While the film runs a fairly short 34 minutes, it is clearly evident that the minds and talents behind this film are not only passionate but also driven. Utilizing mostly practical effects and miniatures, the film looks great with detailed models and smoothly puppeted characters. It’s immersive in a way that pure CGI creations tend to aspire towards but inevitably fail in; the heart of the physical props truly carry with them the creators’ feelings and soul. Coupled with a stirring soundtrack by the terrific Chouchou that was able to both transport you to a period setting as well as strike a balance with the creeping prospect of Japan sliding into the future, it’s a nicely unique mix of score and vocal tracks.
Director Sato tells the film in an almost folktale style; with emotive reveals and mystery surrounding the characters. Thankfully going for little in the way of exposition, the mystery of the characters and setting is one of the best bits of this film and maybe the short film format itself. With a mix of the aforementioned puppetry, comes some beautiful painted backgrounds by Fuchimi Shimakura who brings to life the nature of preindustrial Japan and the history of the end of the Meiji period. When the character puppets are placed among this beautiful art, the result is ethereal and otherworldly.
Ultimately, Howl From Beyond the Fog is legitimately one of the coolest and most unique films I’ve seen ALL YEAR. A kaiju/puppet hybrid that succeeds on both fronts, this is a must see for people with a love of kaiju cinema or Japanese folklore.
Links:
Howl From Beyond the Fog Listing
Howl From Beyond the Fog on Prime Video
