Cruel Ghost Legend (1968 Japanese Horror Film)

Many of Japan's 1960s and 1970s horror movies have, more or less, a reputation for being surreal, artistic, and well-crafted. While many (including Jigoku, Kuroneko, Kwaidan, and Onibaba) have gained steady cult followings thanks to remastered releases from companies like Criterion, some others (like Tatsumi Kumashiro's 1979 reimagining of Jigoku) remain elusive, sometimes only available with subtitles absent. However, one that does not appear to have had a release outside of it's 1968 theatrical showings is Kazuo Hase's Cruel Ghost Legend. Very little is known about the film, aside from a plot synopsis (which states that the film is about a blood curse that leads to "numerous bloody deaths, incest, a ghostly manifestation, and ultimately suicide") and a poster. The film, if uncovered, would likely be of interest to fans of early splatter movies (as 1960's Jigoku is agreed to be the first true cinematic gorefest, even predating 1963's Blood Feast, which is commonly regarded as the first of it's kind in the United States). It's possible the film had a limited VHS release in Japan in the '80s or '90s (like a few other hard-to-find gems), but this has yet to be proven. Until the film is truly rediscovered, it will remain an elusive mystery.