The quality of J-horror

Hello! Today, I would like to talk about the quality of J-horror.

J-horror has been referred to cursorily in the first post. In the world of original Japanese horror movie, it has a tradition of making horror movie by ghost story. It is a revenge story in general. Most them have a clearly story or happy end. But it is the latest genre of Japanese horror movie appeared from the latter half of the 1980s, and it takes a unique position in the other Japanese horror movie. In America, some J-horror movies were remade, and they had become famous and popular. I think “J-horror” has an appeal to make people want to watch. I would like to understand about the quality of J-horror and look for the appeal today.

 

What do you think of imagine if I say “the most strong point of J-horror”? Perhaps you will imagine a woman who has long hair, unclear face and wears a white one-piece dress.

Some J-horror movies had been remade since the 2000s, and they are popular with in the world. It is said that the reason is that they have a style of their own. Most of J-horror movies have some strong points.

 

1. Silent

J-horror movies don’t many scenes which characters scream. The scene which makes us feel fear is taken long silence. Because of this silence, they can surprise us by to put sudden sound effects: such as the sound of closing doors, falling water drops and footsteps.

 

 

2. Water

There are many of scene used water: such as a water well

(Ring) and bathroom (Juon).

 

 

 

3. Using familiar goods

Characters of horror story often use some things of daily necessity: such as a cellphone (Tyakushin Ari), a video (Ring), a mirror (Ring), a toilet (juon), a car (Juon). This gives us something in fear that the frightening thing like that movie may happen ourselves.

 

 

4. Woman

The most popular character of “Ring” is Sadako who is a ghost. She has long hair which it hides her face and wears a white dress which makes us imagine clothing for her last journey. This appearance is established from the Edo period. In especially, Oiwa-san who is a famous character of “Yotsuya Kaidan” is similar appearance to her, too.

 

5. Imagination

There are not tragic scenes much in J-horror movies. If there are some scenes that a train runs over and killing oneself own by throwing oneself, they don’t be expressed directly much. Because of this, this makes us evoke frightening images.

6. Small place

Most stories of J-horror movie happen in a small town or a general house. Their works don’t develop into big place like all over Japan or world.

7. Fear of person

All people might be able to change a worst person by a chance. A character looks an ordinary person such as you could find anywhere: he or she doesn’t believe in a religion, have special hobby or lifestyle. He or she is ordinal person as a neighbor.

But J-horror movies express that anyone could have a possibility that the person becomes strong and terrible ghost by having heavy grudge just before the person died.

 

I think those points are influence from Japanese cultural climate. In Japan, animism and polytheism has been believed since the Jomon period. That customs might make present J-horror’s style.

 

Next post, I will introduce remakes of Japanese horror movie. See you!