The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch is essentially a gothic fairy tale that should appeal to older children, teenagers and young adults who like gloomy, imaginative and surreal stories that walk off the beaten path. The story revolves around joyful orphan girl Sayuri who got mixed up with another baby at the hospital when she was born. Many years later, her real family has found her and welcomes her to a luxurious mansion. Her father is a biologist who protects her in a caring but strict way. Things however spiral out of control when the father must go on an expedition to Africa for several weeks. Sayuri struggles to get along with the severe housekeeper, her amnesiac mother and the girl who was mistakenly thought to be the family daughter. As Sayuri slowly discovers her family's sinister past, she gets exposed to life-threatening dangers and must rely on the staff from her religious orphanage to survive.
This movie hasn't lost any of its unique charme and still entertains swiftly from start to finish nowadays. The film's lead actress Matsui Yachie is doing an outstanding job at playing a friendly, innocent and positive heroine viewers will care about. The supernatural, religious and horrific elements related to the family's past still send shivers down the spine. The special effects are simple yet efficiently used with creative costumes, diversified light techniques and scary sounds. The film's dramatic climax starts with an unexpected twist and concludes with a breathtaking action sequence that is ahead of its time.
The only element one could potentially criticize is that the story is somewhat predictable until said twist as it borrows heavily from Japanese fairy and folk tales. However, it has rarely happened that such tales have been adapted as cleverly as in The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch. The film's atmosphere, flow and intensity are second to none.
At the end of the day, anyone fascinated by sinister fairy tales and ancient Japanese culture should definitely watch this movie. Its acting performances, perfect mixture of drama and horror elements, creative special effects, efficient twist and breathtaking conclusion make this film an overlooked classic that deserves much more attention, recognition and respect. Make sure to purchase the release by Arrow Films that comes with informative additional features and a colourful booklet describing how this forgotten gem came to life.
