TRAILERS: JUON: THE GRUDGE and THE GRUDGE (1 Viewer)

[Brian Thibodeau]

The trailer is out for the Takashi Shimizu's American remake of JU-ON THE GRUDGE.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_...dge/medium.html

Despite the fact that not one Asian actor is credited in a movie SET in friggin' Japan is a little alarming, overall this looks like a decent remake, moreso since Shimizu has been allowed to take the reins. It's interesting to see how many "hits" in this trailer are from the original film, shot-for-shot.

Speaking of which, also available is the trailer for the US release of the Original JU-ON, from Lion's Gate.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/lions_gate/ju-on.html

Personally, I like this trailer better. More chills and a better sense of the dread that pervades the original film, although they're selling a excitement level that isn't really there. Had to laugh at the announcer, though: "From the creators of the international award-winning 'Ringew' "

"Ringew" ?!?

Sigh. Yet another mispronunciation of the Japanese transliteration to fuel all kinds of useless internet debate.

 

[Citizen87645]

I'm looking forward to seeing this, especially as it MAY be SMG's first decent big screen film.

I'm assuming Ju-On will be released in major metros only? It seems strange to release the original stateside to be followed only a few months later by the remake.

 

[Robyn]

I just saw all three of the Ju-on movies (with English subtitles) last week and they were scary. I'm really looking forward to seeing the American version. From the previews it looks like they used the same house used in the original Japanese version.

 

[Brian Thibodeau]

It does indeed look like the same house, or at best I'd assume it's an identical set designed to facilitate shooting on a bigger budget. If this does skew close to the original, with the exception of the caucasian faces, then kudos to Sam Raimi and whoever else OK'd the decision to let Shimizu direct this. As has been discussed in many threads in the HTF, there's no horror like Asian horror, but there's also nobody better equipped to pull it off than Asian directors.

I'm probably speaking too soon on the topic, which probably means the movie will suck or go boobs-up at the box office, but this, at least to my knowledge, is the first time an Asian director has been allowed to remake his own film as opposed to being saddled with mid-concept drivel like the ones from Hong Kong got in the 90's. Obviously, the producers saw something in Shimizu's style they knew would translate for American audiences. I'm still not sure why Hideo Nakata wasn't considered for directing the remake of his DARK WATER. Then again, perhaps he just didn't want to repeat himself, especially considering he's a bigger commodity on his home turf than Shimizu.

 

[Romier S]

I just watched the Japanese original last night (ordered the region 3 DVD) and my god that was extremely creepy stuff. I'm not a terribly easy person to get scared or creeped out but that whole movie is a tension endurance test. Very well made and I look forward to seeing the American remake

 

[Dome Vongvises]

I thought the original was a good movie. But I have almost no hopes for this one. I like SMG, but this doesn't feel right for some strange reason.

 

[Brian Thibodeau]

The trailer doesn't really go to any great lengths to explain why so many Caucasian people are in Tokyo involved with the house, which might explain why it doesn't feel right. Somehow, I just can't picture Gellar's character being a social worker in Japan (which was the job of the girl in the original) - what point would there be to that? I suppose she could be playing an English teacher or some other fish-out-of-water job that would give her ties to the people in the house, but who knows. And Pullman's character is even more vague as far as the trailer is concerned. I'm really praying they're not playing some kind of lame ghostbuster-type characters or skeptics-turned-believers: how utterly American from a cinematic standpoint.

 

[Mike Brogan]

From IMDB:

So, what's the proper pronunciation? "Rin-goo?". That's what I always assumed.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Saw the trailer on E! yesterday and it sent a chill up my spine! :frowning: I've got a feeling for these things, and to me this looks like a winner. It's apparently a haunted house thriller in the vein of 'The Changeling', which is great because that's my #1 favorite haunted house film.

That shot of the fingers coming out of the back of Sarah Michelle Gellar's head while she's showering gave me big time heebie-jeebies!

The little dead girl in this film reminds me of Samara from 'The Ring', and I wanted to see more of her in that film. I guess it's no surprise that this is a re-make of a Japanese horror film just like 'The Ring' was.

All this AND it comes out just in time for Halloween.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Haven't seen the trailer yet, but I did catch Ju-On at the Boston Fantastic Film Festival last year. Scariest movie I've seen in some time, and the same director is handling the American re-make/tie-in/sequel.

 

[Todd_B]

I own the original and it's a great horror flick. It's my #1 pick for this years Halloween Movie Marathon

..I'll see how the reviews go for the remake.

Todd B

 

[Alex Spindler]

Interestingly enough, this is also set in Japan and based on the trailers, most of the cast (on both sides of the world) are Japanese. With the exception of Gellar, this almost looks like the original version.

The original is indeed quite good, and most of the best parts of it appear to have made the transition intact.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Some of what I've read actually indicates that this isn't just a remake, but actually a sequel of sorts, with them being part of the same continuity.

 

[Justin_S]

I wasn't really looking forward to this at first, as Gellar annoys me, but the more I see of it, the more I want to see it. I also heard that Bill Pullman and Kadee Strickland are in it, so that's great news. I love the Japanese film, and hope this remake manages to be a worthy film. Ju-on: The Curse is the best of the four Japanese films if you ask me, a TV film, but still the best.