Ju-On: The Grudge (2002)

-

Halloween Reviews 2020 

Director: Takashi Shimizu

Writer: Takashi Shimizu

Stars: Megumi Okina, Misaki Ito, Misa Uehara, Yui Ichikawa, Kanji Tsuda, Kayoko Shibata, Yukako Kukuri, Shuri Matsuda

When a person dies a violent death amidst powerful rage, a curse is born. 

This curse has the potential of attaching itself to anybody that comes within its orbit and renews itself with each victim. 

Taken to its logical extreme, it seems that such a curse could propagate itself endlessly until none are left untouched. 

Director Takashi Shimizu suggests that perhaps that is exactly what is happening with his many shots of deserted streets and the general atmosphere of desolation. 

Takashi Shimizu

This is not a linear horror film where a hero or heroine stumbles upon something horrible and struggles to put it right, most likely succeeding in the end (or perhaps failing just enough to leave the door open for a sequel). 

6

"Ju-On" consists of a number of vignettes, scattered in time, that quite simply shows the curse and its major ghost claiming one victim after another. 

The victims generally don't know what is happening to them, and the film puts a lot of responsibility on viewers to piece it together for themselves. 

Some will find this a hopeless, confusing muddle. 

However, if you are like me, you will appreciate the creepy atmosphere and enjoy contemplating the nature of the murderous ghost.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lust, Caution (2007)

-
Image
Director: Ang Lee Writers: James Schamus, Hui-Ling Wang, based on a story by Eileen Chang Stars: Tang Wei, Tony Leung, Joan Chen, Leehom Wang, Chung-Hua Tou, Zhi-Ying Zhu, Ying-Hsuan Kao, Lawrence Ko, Johnson Yuen, Lar Lok Chin A young woman living in China during the Japanese occupation (Tang Wei)  becomes entangled with a collaborator (Tony Leung), whom she has been assigned to seduce and set up for execution.  The assignment eventually becomes the context for her entire life, until her very sense of self is wrapped up in layers of deceit and betrayal.  Ang Lee's masterful film introduces us to our characters when they are young college students swept up in idealistic fervor and then rejoins them years later when they are older and wearier, fighting the same battle more out of necessity than idealism.   This is a long film because Lee takes his time fleshing out these characters, but it is time well spent.  I was thoroughly engrossed and shattered by the film's harrowing conc
Read more

Ranked: Horror Movies

-
Image
A ranking of all the horror films that have been reviewed on this blog. 144   Jonah Hex (2010) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2023/10/jonah-hex-2010.html 143 Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2024/10/beyond-black-rainbow-2010.html 142 Night of the Demons (1988) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/10/night-of-demons-1988.html 141 House on Haunted Hill (1959) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2024/10/house-on-haunted-hill-1959.html 140 The Last Exorcism Part II (2013) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-last-exorcism-part-ii-2013.html 139 Monsturd (2003) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/09/monsturd-2003.html 138 Hannibal (2001)  https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2023/10/hannibal-2001.html 137 The Gift (2000) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-gift-2000.html 136 Infection (2004) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2022/10/infection-aka-kansen-2004.html 135 Female V
Read more

Ranked: The 1990s

-
Image
  A ranking of all the films released during the 1990s that have been reviewed on this blog. #65 Angels in the Outfield (1994) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/08/angels-in-outfield-1994.html #64 Showgirls (1995) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2021/11/showgirls-1995.html #63 Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (1997) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/08/knocking-on-heavens-door-1997.html #62 The Living Sea (1995) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-living-sea-1995.html #61 The Ninth Gate (1999) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-ninth-gate-1999.html #60 Thelma & Louise (1991) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/11/thelma-louise-1991.html #59 Forget Paris (1995) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2022/11/forget-paris-1995.html #58 Superstar (1999) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2021/11/superstar-1999.html #57 The Mummy (1999) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-mummy-1999.html #56
Read more