The House Where Evil Dwells

In 1840, Shigero returns to his rural home in the hillside region of Kushiata near Kyoto and discovers Otami in bed with Masanori. In a violent outburst, he kills Otami and Masanori and then takes his own life. The brutal murder-suicide leaves a malevolent presence that will haunt the house for generations.

In present day, writer Ted Fletcher, his wife Laura, and their 12-year-old daughter Amy relocate to the long-abandoned house. They begin to experience unsettling disturbances and eerie occurrences throughout their first days. The three murdered souls of Shigero, Otami, and Masanori seem to linger and target the family.

Strange noises, cold drafts, objects moving, and other inexplicable events begin to plague the family. The house's atmosphere grows oppressive as the ghosts start to exert control over their daily lives. The family realizes they are not alone.

A Zen monk approaches Ted, recounts the murders from the old time and urges them to leave the house. He explains that the spirits are bound to the place and will not rest until disrupted or exorcised. His warning signals that escape may be the only safe option.

Under the house's malign influence, Laura becomes consumed by the presence and begins an affair with Alex Curtis, a diplomat friend who introduced them to the property. Ted senses the growing distance and suspicion intensifies. The relationship further destabilizes the fragile family.

The spirits reveal their intention to re-create the 1840 murder-suicide so their souls can be freed from the house. They briefly possess family members to advance their plot and to set the stage for a reenactment of the opening scene. The family realizes the danger is escalating toward violence.

The malevolent presence drives Ted toward danger, culminating in a near-drowning incident in a nearby lake. The eerie encounter heightens the sense that the spirits can reach across space and threaten the living. Amy and Laura witness the terrifying events from the shore.

The ghosts materialize as giant spider crabs and attack Amy one evening, terrifying the family. The assault forces Amy to struggle to escape, and she suffers a fall from a tree in the ensuing chaos. The incident confirms the house's dangerous power over the living.

The injuries and ongoing danger compel the family to send Amy back to America for her safety. The distance from the haunting creates a temporary respite for the adults, but the spirits remain active within the house. The decision underscores the severity of the haunting.

The Zen monk returns and exorcises the house, telling the spirits to leave by morning. The family experiences a lull in activity as dawn approaches. The exorcism marks a temporary reprieve, with the ghosts promised to depart.

Laura confesses her affair with Alex to Ted, provoking a violent reaction from him. Alex arrives at the house, following the fragile threads of trust and danger. The emotional turmoil re-ignites the supernatural force inside the home.

The ghosts possess Ted, Laura, and Alex and force them to re-enact the opening murder-suicide scene in a climactic confrontation. The trio dies as a result, echoing the original tragedy that began the haunting. The house absorbs their souls as new anchors for its curse.

After the deaths, the ghosts depart for the afterlife, but the implication remains that the souls of Ted, Laura, and Alex now haunt the house in their stead. The cursed residence continues to claim lives and feed on new victims who enter. The ending suggests a perpetual cycle of haunting.