Stop-motion animation, once considered a dramatic movement in special effects, is something of a lost art. When it's done well, it can have beautiful and creepy effects missing from the sterility of computer-generated images. Kihachiro Kawamoto's BOOK OF THE DEAD is an exquisite example of the potential of this dying technique. This ghost story with a Buddhist soul might confound viewers, but its beauty cannot be denied and will demand, and encourage, multiple viewings.