Honeybeads Blog

Well, if you hadn't noticed, I am hooked on the recent Asian Horror movies that have been hitting the DVD's. Why? Initially, it was the American release of The Ring that peaked my interest. The Japanese original, Ringu got a lot of publicity here in the states due to the American remake and I tried it out. After seeing the surprising production quality, great acting, and effective creepiness in Ringu, I couldn't wait to see more. So I did.

Melissa and I watched Ju-on, Ju-on 2, Uzumaki, St. John's Wort, and The Eye. There were a few others, but these stick in my memory as being the best of the Asian horror films we watched at first. I love these films. They are such back-to-the-basics scary movies, compared to most of the CGI-ridden blockbusters from Hollywood. Asian horror is about atmosphere - the "feel" of the film. You're creeped out throughout the picture, feeling uneasy for the duration. When the scares come, you're already keyed up and jumpy. The scares themselves are shot with the old-school rule that says "what you don't see is more frightening than what you do."

For anyone who hasn't witnessed the Asian horror sensation and enjoys a good, scary movie, you owe it to yourself to try out Ju-on, The Eye, or Phone - I think you will be pleasantly surprised. These movies are pretty much devoid of gore, cussing, or nudity. They just exist to scare you. And don't let reading subtitles worry you - you won't notice it much after the movie starts.

That's my two-cents. Longtime editor of Fangoria, Tony Timpone summed it up well: "American audiences forgot what it was like to be legitimately scared. Asian horror films are the complete antithesis of Amareican-style FX-overdose pictures. They're subtle and get under your skin. They creep you out, unnerve and disturb you, without gushing, severed body parts and tons of pyrotechnics."