The Grudge (Ju-on)
Directed by: Takashi Shimizu
Cast: Yui Ichikawa, Misake
Ito,
Megumi Okina, Misa
Uehara
(AV Channel)
The story of The Grudge begins with two Japanese only direct-to-video
releases entitled Ju-on and Ju-on
II, which were wildly successful in
The film begins with a definition of the term "juon", defining it as a curse born from one who dies
tragically and is transmitted to anyone who comes in contact with it. Then the
tale begins, it starts in a rather non descript home,
surrounded by trees yet haunted by the events that occurred there.
Without giving much away, the Grudge uses a non linear approach to
storytelling and hence we are presented with a sequence of dark tales which
only after some thought and reflection link together. This at first may seem confusing
- something is wrong, very wrong but we are not quick sure what it is. The
viewer is presented with dark fantasies, a strange soundtrack and foreboding
sound effects which, at first, do not really make sense and this helps create a
very dark and haunting mood and an edginess which is the sign of a great ghost
story.
There is a decided lack of blood and splatter and the emphasis is on
context, mood and inference and this creates a truly nerve wracking experience
as opposed to more explicit shock horror films. When you compare it to Western
horror films, it has a totally different feel. The “spirits” are not super
powered beings, but tortured and tormented humans who after death cannot escape
the horror of their life experience. This mythic emphasis, coming from Japanese
Buddhism, gives the ghost stories of Japan a truly authentic feel and their
appearance on Western screens is to be applauded and with the great success in
the west of such films I can sure there will be many more to come…
Highly recommended
