Hiruko the Goblin

Plot

Reijiro Hieda, a young and energetic archeologist, has been discredited since advocating heretical theories. A letter from his brother-in-law Yabe, a junior high school teacher, tells of his discovery of an ancient tomb built to appease evil spirits. Hieda eagerly goes to investigate, only to find that Yabe has mysteriously disappeared along with one of his students, Reiko Tsukishima. Meanwhile, Yabe's son, Masao, searches for his father in the school during summer vacation and encounters Reiko. Masao becomes engulfed in a mysterious atmosphere, and strange creatures appear, upon which his back begins to ache and emit smoke. Hieda appears and saves Masao. Together they search the premises and find a sea of blood and a headless body while Reiko's quiet voice is heard singing.

Cast

Reception

In his book Horror and Science Fiction Film IV, Donald C Willis stated that Hiruko the Goblin was a variation of Bug, The Fly, Attack of the Crab Monsters and A Nightmare on Elm Street III, but "puts a fresh weird spin on each variation". Noting that "the film is situated amusingly between the comic, the creepy, the campy and Luis Bunuel."