Simply called "J-horror" meaning Japanese horror. There's also a sub-genre called K-horror - for films made in South Korea. Somebody must ask a question what's so special in scary Japanese movies. Well...a lot. Especially in terms of Hollywood and European films.First of all Japanese horrros tend to focus mainly on a psychological side of fear. They have a very slow tension which slowly builds till it explode late in the film. They are scary on the other level. Those stories almost always grasp from Japanese "Yokai." mitology. Meaning they have something to do with ghost , poltergeist or daemons which are bound to our world. But it's always very subtle, very unique, different and very exotic for us European or American viewers. You wont see horned devils butchering people with knives or zombies. Rather an odd, strange, twisted, very disturbing, vengeful beings made from shadows or wind.
Also as Japan is a very "technological" advanced country. All of those horrors bring ancient mitology to today's world. Ghost is possessing a cell phone, a TV, elevator or a video cassette.
It all started when a movie "Ring" was premiered worldwide. it was so original and disturbing that it warmed the hearths of all horror fans. Personally I didn't love it but next big J-horror film is really one of my favourites - "The Grudge". Also I went to see it on a first date with a certain girl which is now my fiancée :P and I remember she grasped my arm while watching it :D So...it's just good, believe me.
Here's some poster art for J-horror movies. You can compare them to those i posted in Monster Movies. They really stand out, those are very dark and subtle. Just like the J-horror movies.
And I leave with a bit of a fun part...A list of Weirdest Top 12 Japanese movie monsters :)
Sound very interesting. I hate gore movies, but mysterious subtle thrillers attract me a lot. I love "The Others" for example, or pictures like "The sixth sense". I haven't seen many Japanese (nor Asian at all) films, but all these I watched were pretty good and having their very specific atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteOn one thing I have to agree. Japanesee culture greatly differs from ours and that is highly reflected in their movie productions. Not only movies actually, everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWe are kind of living on same planet but sometimes I have impression their way of thinking differs so much that they might be from another one.
No dissrespect meant here of course, its just a comparision but still, its enough to look at their entertaintment channels and your eyes widen in surprisement when you see what they do there.
One way or another point is that if not for anything else, Japanese movies or in this case horrors are definitely worth watching to see how much different the experience will be.
You have to watch out though. What may seem scary to Japanese people may end making you laugh so badly that your ribs will break.
Or....cause your dinner to chose freedoom. If you checked that link Kacper posted in the end of the presentation you might have came to conslusion that their imagination can be rather twisted.
Not like we are much behind, but you get the point. Its just different than what we are used to.
Sometimes its good, sometimes its bad.
Some time ago, I got few, about 3-4 such Japanese movies, they wer really strange, frigtening with much tense, I was really frightened and felt adrenaline in my blood when I was watching that movies. So for me it's true Horror :)
ReplyDeleteJapanese Horrors have threir individual taste, it's original, different from Hollywood productions, I get it.
Well, as much as I think of myself as a person who is immune to thrillers and horrors, I was forced to change that opinion after I stated watching some J Horrors. It all started with the original “Ring”. Man, that movie was frightening. Also “Dark water”, thanks to its genius camera takes and sound effects. It was the only time I got scared after seeing a red bag in a garbage bin (those who saw this movie know what I'm talking about). J Horrors are definitely for those with strong nerves.
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