2K Restoration of “Hiruko the Goblin” Premiering at JAPAN CUTS Festival

In what seems to be serendipitous timing, Shinya Tsukamoto’s 1991 feature Hiruko the Goblin will be released in a brand new restoration later this year from Third Window Films, making it available for the first time ever in high definition for the film’s 30th anniversary. It will be making its debut in The Japan Society’s upcoming JAPAN CUTS film festival, from August 20th to September 3rd.

Loosely based on the series Yōkai Hunter by Daijiro Morohoshi, Hiruko is a tightly focused story that follows Professor Hieda, an eccentric archaeologist who teams up with a student tortured by an evil presence as they search for the breeding grounds of goblins plaguing the grounds around them. It just so happens that those breeding grounds are just a stone’s throw away from the school that the student, Masao Yabe studies. Together they alone must battle the goblins and fight to end the curse.

Tsukamoto is most known for his Tetsuo films and its extreme body horror imagery, which is not for everyone. Despite Hiruko the Goblin being released just two years after Tetsuo: The Iron Man the tone of the two films are quite different. Hiruko resides in the corner of creature feature camp with some brief grotesque imagery but mixed with its humor and adventurous style it comes across as a charming and delightful feat.

Hiruko the Goblin will be available to view as part of JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film from August 20th to September 2nd available both in-person and online this year.

Tickets to the festival are now available and can be accessed here.