Asian Horror questions (1 Viewer)

[Matt Butler]

1) I just saw Ju-on and it scared the hell out of me. I heard theres more films in a series?

2) Also what are some other really good Asian horror flicks. I have The Eye and Ringu in my Netflix queue.

3) Is there a Ringu 2?


Thanks

 

[Aaron Silverman]

1) Asian Film Rule #72: Any Asian genre film that was reasonably popular and is at least a couple of months old has a sequel.

2) It's only *sort of* a horror film, but The Bride With White Hair is one of the best wu xia style films of all time. Check it out. (IIRC, the sequel is good too.) I just recently got Happiness of the Katakuris, which looks really cool, but the disc was damaged in transit, so I'm currently awaiting a replacement.

3) See answer #1.

 

[Matt Butler]

Thanks for the reply Aaron. Where do find Ringu 2 and More Ju-on? Cant find them at Netflix.

 

[ChrisDixon]

Make sure you add Audition to your list, and try not to read anything about it before you watch. I really wish I didn't know some things when I watched it for the first time.

Chris

 

[Matt Butler]

I just did. Thanks. Also I looked at dvdspot and amazon and Im guessing theres no Ringu 2 or Ju-on 2 in R1. :frowning:

 

[EricSchulz]

If you have a multi-region player, I would suggest Nicheflix for a fantastic selection of Asian horror flix. Fangoria is another good source for upcoming releases and reviews.

 

[Matt Butler]

I dont. :frowning:

Im only R1

 

[Robyn]

I've recently become hooked on Japanese horrors. Yes, there is a Ringu 2 which continues where Ringu left off. Also there is a Ringu part three which is called Ringu 0 (zero): Happy Birthday and it's a pre-quel to Ringu. These aren't available in stores in the US, but I did find them on ebay from sellers in Asia.

Juon scared the heck out of me! Believe it or not, but there are 3 Juon movies out there. My friend bought them off of ebay and we watched them all in one night. They scared the hell out of us. I had to sleep with the light on for 2 weeks! Part 3 scared me the most. I also think there's a Korean mini-series of it also.

The Audition was pretty good as was The Eye (a Hong Kong film horror?).

Dark Water is another Japanese horror that scared me good. It's about a newly divorced mother who moves into an apartment with her young daughter. However, the little girl who lived in the apartment above them disappeared years ago, and now a mysterious water spot in the ceiling appears and starts to grow..... I dont' want to give too much away, but once again the US is making an American version starring Jennifer Connely. I hope it's good.

Shikoku was another pretty good horror, but some parts were a bit out there for me. I don't think it's worth the $ I paid for it, so if anyone considers buying it, find a cheap copy on ebay it you want to add it to your collection.

Surprisingly our local Blockbuster Video has begun getting into the Japanese horror fad. The have the Tomie series now. I only saw part one, and although it was a bit scary, I did find myself fast forwarding a bit and left not really in a hurry to rent the rest of the series. But that's just my opinion. My friend loved it.

Last night I rented Living Hell. It was okay (about 6/10) but the ending was a little confusing.

By the way, I heard a RUMOR that Tom Cruise was interested in purchasing The Eye and a US version of it in the future.

 

[Bob Turnbull]

Yep. Also done by Nakata though I haven't seen it. Nakata is also directing the American remake The Ring Two. Apparently there's also a Ringu 0 (prequel I think), but done by someone else...

The good folks on the Asian Cinema On DVD thread should be able to give further and deeper details with other recommendations.

 

[EricSchulz]

I dropped a line to Netflix to consider creating an "Asian Horror" sub-category in their horror section. Just to to the "Suggestions" link on the "Contact Us" page...the more that suggest this, the better!

 

[Matt Butler]

Robyn,
YGPM

I looked for Dark Water in Netflix but not there. Thanks for all the recommendations.

 

[Kevin M]

Posted these in the old Horror Movie Discussion Thread , I'll re-post them here:

Speaking of Asian horror/thrillers you might just want to look into The Untold Story , a rather disturbing & supposedly true story of a serial killer in Hong Kong who "took over" ownership of a restaurant and began feeding his patrons "exotic" cuisine....warning: this film contains one of the more brutal rape scenes out there & is generally disgusting from start to finish....bring the KIDS!

Anyway here is another interesting Asian film series although it is not really a true horror film as much as it is a homage to Sam Raimi's Horror/Comedy/Action concept in Evil Dead I & II, A Chinese Ghost Story & A Chinese Ghost Story II are hyper bizarre films that will make you laugh and make you...well...they will make you laugh at least. They do have a few creepy sequences between them but primarily they are the type of asian film that will make you raise your eyebrows and ask "what the hell are these people on?" Ah yes, Love, Mystery, Ghosts, Kung Fu & The Living Dead with evil mile long tongues...how can you go wrong?

 

[Aaron Silverman]

If you only have a region 1 player, then look for the region 0 Hong Kong releases of the films that Netflix doesn't carry.



And don't forget the Erotic Ghost Story series, too!

 

[Eric Howell]

I'm guessing multi-region will be needed for a lot of the new Asian horror. One old one I’ve recently rented from NetFlix that I can whole heartedly recommend is Onibaba.

 

[Justin_S]

I think Asia is producing the best horror today. Anyway, here are a few recommendations:

Kairo- An apocalyptic film in the supernatural vein. Extremely creepy, and just downright amazing. I think this and Uzumaki are the absolute best of Asian horror. Wes Craven was going to remake it, but thankfully it fell through.

Uzumaki- Bizarre tale of a town cursed by spirals. The sheer oddness of the film is a real treat, as are the magnificent visuals. Its also one of the most original films you're ever gonna see. A real treat.

Onibaba- Brilliant period piece horror film that beautifully explores the hidden horror of human behavior. The supernatural elements and gorgeous black and white imagery make the film all the sweeter.

Audition- As others have said, the less you know about this one, the better. Its one of the most disturbing and touching films I've seen in recent memory, and the way Miike tells the story is perfect.

Suicide Club- Intriguing and truly warped film about a mammoth outbreak of suicides. It has some fantastic ideas, not all of which are spelled out for you. A lot of scenes are quite unnerving too.

Evil Dead Trap- Another warped film, this one about a group of reporters who decide to search the abandoned site seen in a snuff film that was sent to their station. The film seems like a combo of both Asian and Eurohorror. The score is outstanding, and their is some striking imagery. The film is quite brutal too.

Cure- Another winner from Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the director of Kairo. The mystery that takes center stage in this film is dark and thoroughly engrossing, a true joy to follow. The mood created is uncanny, and the slow, methodical pace works perfectly for the story at hand.

Gozu- A fascinating, surreal piece of work with loads of symbolism and hidden meanings. It definitely leaves you thinking, and is always a joy to discuss. I discover something new with each viewing, and the film offers me endless enjoyment.

 

[Lew Crippen]

You might check out Kwaidan—really a collection of four shorts, but they are quite good.

Justin has some outstanding suggestions.

 

[Bob Turnbull]

Oh definitely! What a gorgeous film. Very dream like in sections.

Let me echo the sentiments for Onibaba as well. Though neither of these films are really as intense as some of the recent horror you may be looking for, they do share the same approach. Focus on atmosphere and dread and don't go for easy scares.

Justin, you've got me very interested in both Kairo (since I greatly enjoyed Cure) and Gozu. Are these readily available?

 

[Simon Massey]

Im surprised noone has mentioned A Tale Of Two Sisters. Havent watched it yet but I have heards its good.

I have also read somewhere that the Grudge films are all essentially remakes of the same film. Can anyone confirm this or indicate which ones are different ?

Thanks

 

[EricSchulz]

I remember seeing Gozu as a recommended title for me on Netflix. Looks like a lot of good stuff to rent!

 

[Rich Malloy]

I love Asian horror, but am not impressed by any of the Ju-On movies. I'm also not a fan of "The Eye", and I thought "Shikoku" was absolute crap. Just so you know a little where I'm coming from. Also, I think Bob and Justin's lists are fantastic, and as good a place to start as any.

As for my preferences, no surprise here: "Audition" is not only one of the best horror titles in recent years (and even tagging it as "horror" is both reductive and saying way too much), it's one of the best films of any genre in recent years IMO. Put it at the top of your list, and then try to forget everything you ever heard about it. People who love the visceral thrill of the movies shouldn't be deprived of the surprises in store here.... hey, that's why they call 'em "spoilers"!

After adding my support for such a pitch-perfect, masterfully controlled film as "Audition", I hesitate to recommend the flawed "Suicide Club" (aka "Suicide Circle"), except that I have still not gotten this flick outta my head. For whatever reason, I found it to be as engaging as it is repulsive, and memorable despite the near-unraveling of the narrative (or maybe I don't quite get it?). Anyway, don't put it at the top of your list, but make sure you see it sometime.

"A Tale of Two Sisters" didn't strike me as being quite as brilliant as so many claim it to be, but it's a very effective film and has alot more on its mind than simply doling out the thrills and chills. Very well-crafted and positively sumptuous looking, it's a horror film with some wheat germ and vitamins added for emotional/intellectual nourishment.