The Ring was the first horror movie based on a Japanese novel. The new Japanese horror movie The Grudge is having good results in the North American box office now; this movie is based on the Japanese original Juon. Here is a trailer page.
This type of J-horror can be made with a low budget and still has "something new" for other countries. So I heard Hollywood has already planned another J-horror (Japanese horror movie). One of them is this "Kansen" (infection). This Kansen (The Infection) and Yogen (The Prediction), a double feature program were released in Japan last month. Then we had news, both movies had a "REAL" ghost in the film. Here is an article of the scene in The Infection. You may see an eye behind the nurse. The production says "there was nobody behind her, so we are surprised to see it now". Hmm this looks like a sort of advertising to me that it will not be a real ghost. What do you think? In Prediction, they say there is a red light or something, which they do not know what it is exactly. I have not found a picture of the scene yet. This is the official site for them. You may see a short trailers here.
Well well well, I can read horror novels, but at any rate I cannot see movies. Actually I did not turn off the light at night a day after I had checked the trailer of the Grudge. I hate horror!
However this is a hot topic from Tokyo!
I am not a fan of this genre. Though I've been told it is one of underlying spirituality and a direct reflection of our social state, from my friend who actually writes and produces horror films. I still feel that the bulk of horror films rely heavily on suspension of disbelief and obfuscation, or a failure to disclose or ingnore certain facts, especially those regarding human behaviour in a crisis. But then, perhaps I am a cynic by nature. I just dont like the fact that I know the ending of most plots in the first five minutes...the rest is just filler shock value. I do tend to enjoy the horro movies that make you think beyond the topic, a little more angsty, existential besides the gore. which, I think is why the Japanese films are doing so well. Even though there is still that formula of gore, there is an underlying thread of value, a "what if?" train of thought. It engages the viewer in a way that a simple splattering of fake blood cannot. The grudge..I'll hold my opinion about that. I thought perhaps it was a revenge film by the producers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I have a friend who wrote for that show, and I have heard stories of Sarah Michelle's tantrums.... ;p
Posted by: robert | Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 02:55 AM