5 Frightening Films Inspired by Japan and J-Horror
Jeff O'Donnell
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2) The Grudge (2004)
For the casual horror fan, it can be hard to tell what makes a ghost story particularly “Japanese.” There’s visual cliché, as the young woman in a white dress with long black hair is certainly a telltale sign of J-Horror. A Shinto Kannushi or Buddhist monk performing chants and rituals is also a pretty good sign that this ghost might not be from Connecticut. Also, if your movie takes place in Japan, the odds are in favor of Japanese ghost.
While possessing all of these qualities, The Grudge strikes a deeper chord on what makes Japanese spirits unique. Both Western and Eastern ghosts are manifestations of living people, but European ghosts tend to be a reflection of their former selves. Your ghost is largely you, and if you died vengefully, then your ghost would be vengeful. There’s generally a sliver of your humanity left, and hope for redemption is possible.
The Grudge, on the other hand, shows us the incarnate nature of a cursed spirit. Kayako was the victim of a terrible crime of passion, but that rage transformed her spirit into something abominable. Her rage and pain combine as a force of nature, devoid of logic or reason. She, innocent in the violence, becomes the monster. It seems unjust to us, but who she as a person no longer exists. She is the curse, and not the woman. It is a distinctly Eastern take on damnation… and more terrifying for it.
1) The Ring (2002):
I would be totally remiss to not include The Ring. It deserves this #1 slot. Hell, The Ring made the “little girl with long black hair over her face” a recognizable trope in Western horror. Without Samara, our villains would likely still all be creepy dudes and monsters (with the occasional evil doll or Kathy Bates).
It functions as mystery movie, supernatural thriller, and grotesque horror film all in one. Seriously gut-wrenching visuals and terrifying hallucinations are interjected into a taught investigative drama, with the looming seven-day ultimatum providing a tense and believable timeline. The twists and turns the plot takes are nothing short of shocking, with an unforgiving signature Japanese darkness that isn’t afraid to delve into darker issues. It’s almost unimaginable, but if you haven’t seen this film yet, do so.
The Forest (2016):
There is a darker side to modern Japan that these films do not cover. The rate of suicide in Japan is alarming, averaging 70 a day in 2014. That’s twice the rate per person as in America. While plots can involve rage-driven adulterous murder suicides or Samurai Seppuku, the story of average Japanese citizens driven to the point of taking their lives is not something seen in the west. The Forest brings a light and face to this harsh truth. Starring a white woman in a foreign land dealing with the harsh possibility of her sister’s suicide, she faces both cultural and supernatural barriers in her struggle for the truth. Though terrifying as the spirits may be, they serve as a lens to dig deeper into her own soul. I’ll be taking the trip to see it first-hand January 8th and will let you know how it lives up to my expectations.
So, what did you think of this list? Was your favorite Japan-inspired movie left out? If so, what did you want to see on this list? Do you think I’m a total nerd and Japan is dumb, or do you think I’m a total nerd and got it all wrong? Let me know below!
