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Ju-on (The Grudge)

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Finally after a long wait, North America sees the release of "Ju-On: The Grudge" on DVD, no doubt meant to coincide with the American remake called "The Grudge" starring Sarah Michelle Gellar which will be released in theatres this fall. Ju-On belongs to the cream of the crop of J-Horror, perhaps the best spooky house horror movie I have ever laid eyes on. Brilliantly directed by Takashi Shimizu, Ju-On is an unrelenting spectacle of spooky sights and sounds that manages to outcreep even the likes of "Ringu" and the Pang Brothers' "The Eye" without even a drop of blood spilt. Interestingly enough, the American Studio responsible for the remake has decided to enlist the services of Shimizu himself to direct the remake and to set the action in Japan alas with a mostly American cast. The remake will have a very tough act to follow if it whishes to outspook the original, however this has been achieved before with "The Ring".

The prologue shows us what led to the house becoming haunted; a man who believes his wife had an affair kills her in an uncontrolled rage then kills himself. The couple's young son, who witnesses the savage act, disappears and is never to be seen again. Fast forward several years: the house is now inhabited by the Tokunaga family of three, a husband and wife and the husband's old frail mother. While husband and wife are away on a trip, the nearby welfare center sends volunteer social worker Rika to look after the house and the old mother. While cleaning the house, she witnesses ghostly apparitions that drive her away from the house. Soon after, when the tenants of the house return from their trip they too are terrorized by the vengeful spirits of the dead family.

Several factors are responsible for making "Ju-On" such an utterly scary film. Director Shimizu for one is a master at building intensity in a scene through the use of rising ominous music and creepy visuals. But the way he does it is very unique. In the vast majority of haunted house movies, it usually involves one character seeing a supernatural entity and then said supernatural entity disappearing before anyone else can see it therefore making the witness appear crazy. Not here. The ghosts here can be seen by ALL no matter what, making them seem all the more dangerous and frightening. Also, the viewer is always kept on edge since the ghost of the little boy keeps appearing in all sorts of unexpected places like in windows, mirrors and myriad reflections and corners of the screen. And then there is the house, this is just a regular-looking house in a suburb, giving the film an element of realism seldom seen in these types of movies. I find that setting the events in your average suburban house is a much more effective scare tactic since after all how many of us have ever lived or visited a giant gothic mansion? This hits much close to home.

Ju-on weaves a complex storyline with numerous continuity jumps and gaps that give it a certain Lynchian feel. Those continuity jumps are very confusing for the first-time viewer (Huh, does Rika die twice?) but it's also one of the things that makes the film stand so well to repeat viewings because it does make sense the second time around. Which is not to say the film is without its problems. Although I found very few flaws with the execution of the film, certain things simply don't make much sense such as the spirits following people in places outside of the house and also if the house is history to so many people dying of fright because of ghosts how come new tenants keep moving in? It must have a very convincing real estate agent looking after it! Still, minor misgivings for a tremendous horror film. As for the remake I'll welcome it with open arms; many on the internet have addressed resistance about the casting of Gellar as the central character. I for one believe she'll be fabulous. This is a role where looking scared is of paramount importance and Gellar has shown us time and time again in Buffy how convincingly she can put a frightened face on. And besides with original director Shimizu at the helm, what could possibly go wrong?

When someone dies in the grip of a horrible rage, a curse is born. And that curse consumes the place it touches like a cancer, writhing through the world adjoining its own and killing everything it touches.
And, o, how it kills.

While you may be curious as to how this movie is, I'd make the following suggestion to those of you that might want to watch it.
Before you start reading anyone's thoughts on this movie, you should first ask yourself if you want to see something that's (A) presented intact or if you (B) want to see a beast with some of its proverbial teeth pulled. If you choose "A" (and most people choose "A," if you're curious about mean and the like), you should consider the fact that this movie could be ruined if you keep reading people's reviews. Ju-on isn't one of those boorish films that rely heavily on a point that it has to drive into your viewing mind like a hammer hitting some "look, mommy, I'm a monster" nail. Instead, it works by telling a story in fragments, letting you have snippets of the tale along with a dose of the horrific and rewarding you as you follow along. It reminds me of a mystery that you know portions of right away because of conjecture/ horror movie conditioning, but one that you have to keep following because of the fun that ensues as little elements (the all-too-human kind) keep touching some base terror and then suffering as they help spread it. And its one of those pieces that you REALLY want to kick people for talking about with any depth, because any portion of the plot being revealed could fracture the effect it has when it's revealed on the screen. The little tastes of depravity, the nuisances that make your spine sink and say "O my god" when the lovely effects play out - yeah. You should definitely go out and take it for a ride without listening to the prattle of the masses.

If labels scare you and you need more convincing, then let me say this. As far as comparisons go, this movie has gotten a lot of press that it didn't deserve. It's been called arthouse, implying that it was cheap and that it was abstract, and it's been called "like Ringu," implying that it's a rip-off. But, watching the film (and countless others in the horror genre), I'll have to say that neither of these generalizations apply. Sure, the movie does have places where the monetary constraints show and, sure, it does have a few places where it does cross boundaries with other movies. Still, most horror movies are like that. At its very essence this is a (1) foreign film and falls into certain patterns predicted by what its target audience enjoy, and (2) it is a haunting film and gives you some haunting love. But it has a lot of other things, too, packing some bite for the buck. When it comes down to horror, its one of those evils that simply doesn't let something step on its toes and walk away. O no, it's a whole lot sexier than that.

And, for people that don't know, this is the film that The Grudge was adapted from. Does that mean that you should just go out and see the adaptation and shelf this film? Hell no. Seeing both The Grudge and Ju-on, I'll have to say that I personally preferred the taste of Ju-on. While it didn't have the budget of its counterpart, it did have (1) the unrestricted rating that allowed for some interesting imagery with a box cutter and with the terror itself, (2) an atmosphere that made me cringe in some parts instead of merely jumping at loud noises that perhaps frighten the newly-inducted horror connoisseur but that don't have the edge of a good scare, and (3) the ability to make me want to know the history of the house I'm living in. It had a LOT more truly elemental horror, and is a lot more fun to follow.

Juon has recently been remade for American screens as "The Grudge," and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar. This is one of many parallels one might draw between this movie and "Ring," which was remade with Naomi Watts and has spawned an entirely american sequel.

The vengeful ghost trapped in an item or location is a very common theme in Japanese horror and storytelling. Films like Juon and Ring, as well as games such as Fatal Frame (PS2) feed off the fears inherent in the stories of vindictive undead. One main difference between the Japanese and American versions of these is the degree to which our fear can be assuaged with some sort of explanation. Juon, like the original Ring, offers vague hints as to what happened to its ghosts and what does happen to their victims. The ending offers no explanation, no enlightement, and might be unsatisfying to some viewers. Interestingly enough, it is that lack of resolution that makes this genre so strong and helps it leave a lasting impression. There may be no solution to the ghost problem. The evil unleashed may be unstoppable.

The movie is somewhat slow, especially compared to the horror flicks we're used to, which doesn't mean its characters don't fall into the usual victim traps (like being unpardonably dumb). There's no obvious violence to speak of and none of the detective fiction element that has strengthened some other scary films. However, if you enjoy the slow building of a subtle and chilly atmosphere, and are prepared to be scared without reprieve, you will really appreciate this movie.

...because it has frightened me so badly that I have'nt slept in two weeks. I have been looking for a movie that could *really* scare me for years. For a long time, The Excorcist held the top slot. Then along came Blair Witch, which I thought did a very good job at inciting that deep-down fear. But now I have gone and seen Ju-On, and it has wrecked me! Be careful what you wish for! Why though? What exactly is it about this film that is so intensly, deeply frightening? I don't know if I can put it into words. Most horror movies use the "jolt" tactic for a quick scare, and this one is no exception, yet these are more than jolts. These are sounds and images that burrow deeply into the mind and stay there, only to come to surface at the most undesirable times (such as the middle of the night). I have found that the most ordinary household bumps and creeks can now paralyze me, and catching my own reflection out of the corner of my eye as i pass by a window or mirror can suddenly chill me to the marrow and cause the hair on my arms to stand straight up. I find that my dreams have been haunted as well. Mostly consisting of ordinary-looking staircases that draw my attention and curiosity, only to find them to be occupied by a croaking, grotesquly twitching pale woman slowly scaling down them like a crab or a bug, toward me...and as much as I need to, I just cannot look away. I am 30 years old, and I do not scare easily. So, if you are one of the many jaded horror buffs who think a movie (a ghost story no less) can't be reeeeaaaalllly scary, see this. However, a fair warning: there can be unpleasant side-effects to veiwing this one. Ju-On can literally haunt you if you let it inside your mind. I loved it, but there is no way in hell I'll see it again. I feel like I need to watch the Excorcist again for some light entertainment!

Ju-On: The Grudge
directed by Takashi Shimizu
2003, 92 mins

First things first: there's Ju-On, and there's Ju-On: The Grudge. Ju-On: The Grudge is a remake of plain Ju-On, with a different cast and a bigger budget, but the same director. This review concerns Ju-On: The Grudge, as the original Ju-On has not been released here (sadly, because it has Chiaki Kuriyama in it). That taken care of, let's carry on to the review itself.

Movies don't often really scare me. The Exorcist? Pssh. The Shining? Meh. However, I was caught off-guard when I saw Ringu for the first time. Now this was scary! I mean, just imagine this creepy girl coming crawling out of your TV! That was the first time I regretted watching horror movies in the middle of the night, in the dark, all by myself. I watched several more Asian horror movies after Ringu, including all the spin-offs and whatever, but none of them seemed to be able to come anywhere near Ringu. That was, until I got my hands on Ju-On. I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad, the night I watched this movie, I almost wet my pants.

How come? I don't know. The movie in itself is not really special, to be honest. The acting is quite okay, and the technical aspects, nothing wrong with them. The story lacks, to say the least. But is it scary? Oh my shizzle, yes. This movie is loaded with scenes that are just too creepy for words. I could of course spoil them, but that takes away the, well, 'fun' of it. You should just see for yourself and get scared (or not, since some people apparently don't find it scary at all; they find The Exorcist much scarier *coughs*). I'll tell you this: since I watched this movie, I always turn on the lights before looking into a mirror. Hella, I don't believe in ghosts or anything, but crap, Ju-On really got to me. Evil Dead couldn't breed any fear for mirrors-in-the-dark here, but Ju-On could. Therefore, I praise it.

Oh yeah, the make up looks like crap.

mos says:

Scares? 100/10
Gore? 2/10 (blood-soaked ghost-women count)
Scary kids? 1/1
Fun factor? 10/10 (if getting scared is your kind of fun)
Turn-on-the-lights-before-looking-into-the-mirror factor? 10/10

I have seen a lot of very scary films but this one is the most disturbing I have ever seen...ever. I am fairly new to J-horror and therefore in reflection have had a fairly tame horror upbringing.

I watched this on a fairly normal Saturday afternoon in my girlfriend's house; she was working on her computer at the time. I began watching it with the english over-dub, but that was a bit crap so I watched it in original Japanese with subtitles. I could already tell after about 15 minutes that this film was going to be whopper! Excited, I ran and told the other half about how good it was and when I came back down, I rewound it simply to see what I had missed. I was nearly sick. My stomach turned and from that moment I knew I was dealing with the big boys.

Since then the dvd has sat menacingly on the rack in my house and like some disturbed heroin addict in remission, I have teased myself with watching it again. I'll pick it up, but then something bites and reluctanlty but also thankfully I'll return it to where it now sits, hovering behind me.

I live alone (not with my girlfriend) but since that pleasent Saturday afternoon my life has not been the same. I have not slept alone apart from once when I had to get steaming drunk so I could actullay sleep without caring. I won't look under the bed covers, I won't look out of the bed covers, I can't shower in peace, I can't walk up the stairs without all of the house lights on (like that helps!!) I can't even have poo at work in peace without the fear of hearing...that noise.

The thing with ju-on is this. Close your eyes and imagine every safe place you can, every safe situation, every safe person and then imagine there is no hope. Ju-on attacks everything you hold sacred, but not in a violent manner; in a silent and vehement mode. It is the cute child that conceals an uzi behind his back. It is the pizza that has that extra helping of arsenic. It is not horror - it is pure evil.

You owe it to yourself to watch this film. You ought to watch it and I mean ought in its full literal sense. It is a diamond film and a great great deal can be learnt from it. Yet again the Western world, Japan has shown us the way forward - domo arigato!!!

I wish I had seen this before seeing The Grudge, or at least have learned more about the background of Ju-On, specifically that there were two films that preceded Ju-On (The Grudge).

For one thing, I would have learned that the Americanization of the film had it completely wrong, even though Takashi Shamizu directed both films. I spent a good portion of this film trying to anneal the two versions, but ultimately realized that I could not and therefore accepted them as separate works of art. Once I did this, my enjoyment for this particular "Grudge" grew immensely, although I still couldn't help comparing the American and Japanese version, and wishing that the American version had been truer to its Japanese roots, just like The Ring (from Ringu).

This was a scary film. Not the kind of scary that makes your blood run cold or that makes you jump in your seat - it's the superior form of scary that keeps your eyes glued to the screen watching every minute detail, and upon reaching the denouement, feeling a tremendous amount of sorrow for...well, I can't tell you, or that would be giving it away. This is so non-traditional that it soars above its competition. Sure, parts of it are ambiguous, and we wonder why certain things happen the way they did. But the last few scenes answer those questions if you're paying attention and thinking. That's why I say this is a superior form of "scary" - it's cerebral. It gets inside your brain. It paints images that disturb you, and then mollify you, and then introduces actual sequences that leave you disturbed and questioning. That's really the heart of Japanese horror - ambiguity. The answers aren't so much on the screen, but in your mind, and it's up to you to put together the images and sequences as they are presented to formulate a unified whole.

Now, if only I could get my hands on prequels to this: Ju-On (The Curse) and Ju-On (The Curse II) at a reasonable price, but sellers on e-bay seem to think that these movies are Pentagon secrets, if their prices mean anything.

One correction. Ju-On's are zombie like creatures. When one kills another, another Ju-On is created. That's a concept completely absent from the American version. They make it seem like the story of a haunted house, and that's simply not the story.

I am a long-time fan of Horror. I have not enjoyed many recent American Horror for some time - save for Freddy vs Jason which is directed by a Hong Kong Director.... I have recently been collecting Japanese Horror and place this series of films (there are 4)at the top; That and DARK WATER. Yes there is a feel of the RING in it, but these are "Ghost stories", not slasher films. If you want more blood then start with tracking down the first - JU-ON the Curse, the Grudge is the 3rd. I have not seen movies that have "freaked-me-out" like this since THE CHANGELING with George C. Scott. If you did not like the RING (Japanese), then you may not like this either. They are similar in style and this style is popular in Horror from Japan. If you are not familiar with Japanese shows or movies, it can be troubling to see the flow of the parts due mostly to Japanese names, as they are connected by the characters relations to one another... this may seem confusing to those who cannot remember which character Kazumi is and so on... my mother is also a fan of horror and she remembers this as her favorite as well.

The best horror movies unsettle your everyday life, lingering after the closing credits, hiding behind closed doors and darkness, and generally making you afraid to turn off the lights. "Ju-on" is particularly skilled in this, leaving the sensation that every single spot out of your immediate rang of vision is occupied by some eerie blue ghost with penetrating eyes.

The story, that of a cursed and haunted house that kills everyone who enters it, is told in non-chronological fragments much in the style of "Pulp Fiction." Slowly, the story unfolds of a wife's murder by her jealous and suspecting husband, who then commits suicide. Her vengeful spirit curses the house, absorbing the spirits of those who dare to live there or even enter at all. The first to fall under her spell is her own son, Toshio, who becomes her companion in the grudge. As the film goes on, she is joined by many others.

Aside from the fragmented story, what separates "Ju-On" is that the director Takashi Shimizu has utilized the space of the Japanese house to its fullest effect, drawing out the essential spookiness in its architecture in much the same way Kubrick's "The Shinning" found the horror in the grand hotel. Packed with tight corners, steep staircases, deep closets and attics, and doors on every room, the Japanese home is a maze of unseeable spaces. Everything is out of your field of vision, and Shimizu has accentuated this effect by tightening the camera view, removing all peripheral vision for a claustrophobic and tense effect. If you happen to live in a Japanese house, I can guarantee that you won't climb your stairway as confidently again, or peek up into your crawlspace.

Working from a small budget, Shimizu has also created a ghost-effect that unnerves without relying on expensive special effects or gore. The simplicity of the imagery magnifies the sense that this is taking place in the real world, rather than the film world or Hollywood.

The pacing of the story is patient, reflecting Japanese sensibilities of storytelling. Also, the complete story is never told, and the viewer is expected to see the story beneath the surface, connecting the dots without having all of the information handed to them. This can be a bit trying to American viewers used to more active storytelling, and I am sure that the American re-make will fill in the blanks in the same way it did with "Ringu." There is no "why" behind "Ju-On." There is merely an angry ghost, her victims, and a deep and lasting grudge.

This movie was fantastic! My only regret was that I watched the butchered American title first. Ju-on took a bunch of short stories and melted them all together perfectly. Yes that did make it a little confusing at parts but that added to the whole mistique of the movie. It had you racing tring to put the pieces in order while tring to keep up with the next story. And to top it all off the ending was incredible. Unlike many American horror films the ending ruins the whole movie but the Japanese have perfected the art. The ending totally matches the feel and message of the movie. My advice to you is watch this movie, you'll never go back to American horror ever again!!