*** Official THE GRUDGE Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Will K]

Coming from the director of the original Grudge, I expected something a little more solid. I reminded myself as I walked out of the theater that the remake of The Vanishing also sported its original director.

That being said, at least this Grudge scores high on the creep factor, but that's not really enough to save it. I don't care for SMG, but I could've gotten past her with better writing. There is almost no character development in this movie at all. The scary stuff is effective while it's on screen, but those moments don't really transcend the rest of the film because we really don't care about these people. Big problem.

For a while, it's fun, but peters out as it descends to a markedly weak, confusing, and unsatisfying climax. On the plus side, it's nice to see Grace Zabriskie(Twin Peaks) again.

 

[Quentin]

The original movie is a long string of jump scares. This one is the same.

For what it is, it's great - atmospheric, stylish, creepy.

But, it's not really a complete movie - no character, no real plot...no meat at all really.

But, does that matter? You can still go and be scared (and, yes, people pay for that all the time - they're called rollercoasters). I am disappointed at the PG-13 - more gore and a nice dose of nudity would have been welcome additions!

 

[Matt Stone]

There weren't too many people there when I saw it, but they were all jumping the whole damn time. I laughed a lot, but some of the jump scares (ie, sudden edit + really loud sound effect) got me.

 

[Ben_Caoile]

If you are truely into Japanese style, Tarintino esque style films, prepare to be TERRIFIED by this uniquely frightening ghost story! I go into every movie I see with an open-mind holding no prejudice whatsoever. My opinions are just that opinions. Well, on with the review.

1st and foremost, the movies style of cinematogrophy is brilliant. It is reminisant of the 1st "Resident Evil". That's all I will say about that because I don't want to spoil your predispositions.

The overall timeline and the way of storytelling is very similar to Quentin but has that Japanese "edge" or "flavor" that reminds of "Brother" (Omar Epps, Takeshi Beat) or even, dare I say, "The Ring". In any other regard though it is nothing like "The Ring". This melding of styles may be hard for some viewers to comprehend or follow. This is exactly why this movie is brilliant though because it forces you to pay attention to the movie all the while bringing vivid, wild, and disturbing images to the screen!

It was very intense and exciting to watch this movie from the very beginning. I found myself holding my breathe and swearing and then holding my breathe again quite frequently throughout the movie. The initial video content in the beginning of this movie just grabs you right from the start. The score (instrumentation and melodies of a movie) and sound effects also play a big and "wonderful" role too, taking big advantage of the cinemas surround qualities.

I have not viewed "Ju-An", the Japanese original, but I was with someone who did. His impression was that it exceeded the original. Overall I was highly impressed with this movie and I can't wait for it to come out on DVD! If you have an open mind, have an appreciation for Japanese/Tarintino style films, and LOVE TO BE PETRIFIED AND CHILLED WITH FEAR AND TERROR, WATCH THIS FILM. Along with that though IF YOUR CHILDREN CAN BE HAUNTED BY NIGHTMARES, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THEM TO SEE THIS.

 

[Shawn_KE]

Terrified? I didn't see anyone even remotley scared.

 

[Chris Tedesco]

Yeah dude, the word Brilliant probably shouldn't belong in that sentence.

 

[Ryan Peddle]

I am heading to see this film this afternoon after a failed attempt to view it on opening night. But after reading this thread I am very confused by what you guys have written.



Exactly! Some people go to a movie like this simply for the notion that they get to be scared. I am one of those people. I love watching a movie that can scare the hell out of me. It's better than being scare in real life, cause nothing really matters in a theater.

On the topic of CGI, I guess I will have to judge that for myself. I'm not a big fan of CGI, when it is trying to mimic real life (ei, a person jumping off a roof, and the CGI looks ridiculously fake). But in this type of movie, it's not trying to mimic something real, it's trying to look twisted and morbid. It's like a photgrapher telling a comic book artist that his drawings don't look real.

On the scary side of things. I sat outside a theater wating for a buddy of mine to show up for the late viewing on opening night. She showed up late and we missed it. But while I was waiting, the crowd outside (most of which had just seen the movie) were just buzzing about how scary it was. So to the common moviegoer, it seemed like a healthy dose of scare to me.

Thanks for the rant.

 

[Alex Spindler]

This is very interesting. I wonder if there are many people who liked the original and didn't like the remake. I'd be tempted to say that if you didn't like the remake, you'd be just as disappointed in the original version(s).

 

[Matt Stone]

I think you're right. I know from Scott's review, he was disappointed with the original. Since this flick was almost identical (with more of a focus on jump scares), it's hard to like one and not the other.

 

[Ushabye]

Opening weekend of $40 millioin! For a low-budget film that cost less than $10 million thats pretty dam good! I saw it in Dublin last night and thought it was very effective. If you havent seen the original and come to it cold you'll be quite spooked out. If you have seen the original, its interesting to watch. It's faithful for about two thirds, then it takes a few shortcuts and offers some self contained explanations. Some of which was left to the japanese GRUDGE 2, or came from the TV movie Ju-On: The Curse, ie. Bill Pullman's whole subplot. The final scene though is far too Cheesey! Rami should know better. Though probably Columbia had the last word.

 

[BrandonL]

I saw this last night at the Arclight in LA. The picture and sound effects were great. But I got a big headache from the noises halfway through the movie. I actually jumped at one scene where a guy slips, it was like hearing someone run their nails on a chalkboard. I jumped at that just because i couldn't take the sounds anymore.

At first the story seemed interesting. I was wondering what is going on. But slowly its just kind of pointless siliness, with no story or plot.

The one scene where you see a taped up closet over every corner, someone in the audience yelled, "Don't go in there". The group I went with seemed to think the movie was more funny than scary. I wondered to myself was any of this movie supposed to be funny?? The audience laughed a lot too.

And a side note, was Tarantino involved in this film at all? We saw him at the snack stand getting food.

 

[Matt Stone]

Nope.

 

[Romier S]

Well, isn't that the common reaction to experiencing a "jump out of you seat" scare during one of genre films? I read some of the comments in this thread and I wonder what exact type of situational laughter some you guys are referring too?

I just saw the movie tonight and there was plenty of laughter during my viewing and it usually came right after an audible scream from being scared. The "Yoko" moment in the care center was especially effective in this regard (as was the scene with Jennifer and her husband in the bedroom). It's basic human instinct to laugh after being scared as it helps to alleviate the tension. I never once felt people were laughing at the movie, more thay they were laughing at themselves for letting the movie get to them.

 

[David Galindo]

Ebert said that the opening of the movie left him flabbergasted. Can someone explain the beginning? I dont plan on seeing this film, but curious anyways.

 

[Romier S]

As I mentioned previously, the addition of the Yoko scene in the care center was effective, creepy, and well executed IMHO.

I was also happy to see them remove the police/daughter sub-plot from the original film. That part of Juon really dragged for me and felt out place, so it's loss was a plus in my book. My biggest gripe against this remake would have to be the ending. I saw no problem with the ending presented in the original version and wish they would have kept it for this version as well.

 

[LanieParker]

Did anyone else here think there was a bullfrog in the theater? That bugged me. I have to admit that I was scared at times and I had to hide my eyes whenever they showed the woman staring into the camera, but all in all it reminded me waaaaaay to much of The Ring.

Samara and her cousin It hair do same as the chinese woman, the drownings in a well and in the bathub, The freaky movements of the dead woman crawling down the stairs was similar to Samara coming out of the tv.

I saw this movie strictly for Jason Behr and I was just not impressed with his acting in this film at all. SMG leaves much to be desired in general, I have never been a big fan of hers.

Not a movie I would see again (creeped me out...gave me a weird feeling).

 

[FredK]

Gotta give the actress credit in The Grudge, that was all her acting according to the SMG intreview over at chud.com

I wish there was some more passive mood setting (which was what the original did best), but otherwise it was a good watch... The Ring really broke down logically after repeated viewings and had more frustrating blatant scares (loud noises are used cheaply in The Grudge, but the never ending "subliminal" editing in the Ring is 10x more heavy handed and cheap). I'll be watching the Grudge for my US release j-horror fix for now.

 

[BrettV]

People laughed at strange times in my theater, too.

When Pullman fell to his death, everyone CRACKED up.


I was genuinely creeped out by

the ghost girl. The scene where she climbed onto the boyfriend and scared him to death (or whatever it was that she did to him) gave me the shivers TWICE!


The BGs were WAY too low. It's difficult to use silence as an element when everything but dialogue is quiet to begin with. There's no contrast ... no dynamics. I think the mixers really missed the boat on that one.

It was good to see once .. but definitely wouldn't waste my time again. If someone gave it to me for Christmas, I'd probably regift it.

 

[Matt Stone]

Yah, I agree. I think the only reason I didn't mention it, was because it was like a scene from Ju-On: The Curse (with the jaw being ripped off).

 

[Ruz-El]

I saw this last weekend. I have not seen the original, so I wasn't really biased in any way, and thought it was pretty good. The main problem for me with SMG was that we kept waiting for her to kick some ass, which obviously in this movie it isn't going to happen, but based on her Buffy stuff, you can't help but think it.:b

I thought it would of played better with little to no soundtrack. There were to many soundtrack bumps that prefaced the scares, where as it would of been more atmospheric having a mostly silent soundtrack of "House" sound. Would of made the film more claustophobic and uncomfortable. Still, a not bad horror flick, and nice to see a non-ironic horror flick at that. I'll pick it up on DVD for sure.