The task this month is to read or watch something scary, spooky, or suspenseful, and Japanese of course!
Immediately after I had read about this 1st Hello Japan! mini-challenge on October 2nd, I ran to to the video store and rented the dvd of Dark Water, a horror movie directed by Hideo Nakata. It has been on my wish list for a long time — I guess ever since I saw Nakata’s 4 movie cycle of Ringu (or Ring). 
Now, you need to know I am not really a scary-movie-grrl… I can manage maybe 3 of ‘em a year ;) But I was fascinated by Ringu, especially compared to the not-so-impressive The Ring, an American remake by ‘Pirate of the Caribbean’ Gore Verbinski. I found the Japanese original really chilling. I still shudder when I think back — without spoiling anything — to a certain scene in a well, or how ‘the girl’ moved… Even though many years have passed since I saw it!
The American version did absolutely nothing to me. I guess Japanese film language is much more frightening! ;)
But I am getting sidetracked… It wasn’t Ringu I watched for the mini challenge, but Dark Water, or Honogurai mizu no soko kara (I love the sound of those Japanese titles ;)
Dark Water got rehashed in the US as well, by Walter Salles. I thought the main character was played by Jodie Foster, but it appears I’m confusing her with Jennifer Connelly — what on earth made that happen? A while ago I started watching the remake on tv, until I remembered my experiences with The Ring — and decided I should wait until I had seen the Japanese original.
A woman and her young daughter move to an eerie, run-down apartment building pending the decision of guardianship after a divorce. The ceiling of their ‘new’ flat has an active, dark leak. In the upstairs apartment, which appears to be the source of the leakage, used to live another young girl that went missing more than a year before…
I enjoyed watching Dark Water. It find it an entertaining movie, even though I was never terrified during the film, just a little tensed sometimes. The story is more… gross, and above all SAD. Because of that it made me think of a book I like a lot: Strangers, by Taichi Yamada. I didn’t find that ghost story horrifying either — and it moved me to tears. I figure there’s a certain distinction between Japanese ghost movies and horror, in which tragedy plays a main part!
I really love the idea of these Japan related mini missions and plan to do all of them. When do you think our host tanabata will challenge us to go to Japan?? :))
My BX bookshelf
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dinsdag 13 oktober 2009 bij 23:44
Mel U
thank you for the great movie reviews-I will look for these movies-I would also like to find a Japanese science fiction novel (in Translation) of the traditional format involving the far distant future, aliens etc-I also enjoyed “Strangers” a lot (I have posted on it on my blog)
donderdag 15 oktober 2009 bij 12:10
gnoegnoe
I hope to read about your experiences with these movies! Unfortunately I can’t help you with the JSF novel… (would love to give that a try though — it would be a completely new genre for me ;)
I read (and commented on) your review of Strangers a while back. I’m you’re one of the people who love it! :)
woensdag 14 oktober 2009 bij 21:51
velvet
i wasn’t going to watch this. but your review has convinced me to give it a go. great halloween spooky treat. have you watched Audition? you must.
donderdag 15 oktober 2009 bij 12:08
gnoegnoe
Yes, I saw Audition a long (LONG) time ago (being able to manag about 3 horror movies a year ;) It was good!
donderdag 15 oktober 2009 bij 13:38
mee
I may have to pass on this challenge actually. I can’t stomach scary movies in general, let alone the Japanese ones… (I do know that the Japanese films are a lot scarier than the American. The Asian horror stories always do. I’m guessing it’s something to do with the mystic/exotic settings of Asian countries.)
zondag 18 oktober 2009 bij 15:15
Diana
I’m not interested in (or perhaps scared by) horror movies, but this hello japan challenge idea is really great, nice to read about it on your blog !!
maandag 19 oktober 2009 bij 04:22
Mark David
I agree with Mee, Japanese horror films are much more chilling than American ones because of the mystic setting. And I also think the Japanese ones also have a stronger psychological element in them. It seems to be more about compelling you to use your imagination on what might happen next, instead of actually showing you corny-looking monsters and ghosts. So it is more chilling.
Great reviews by the way :) You almost made me want to watch them, but sadly I don’t like horror movies, whether Asian or Western. I intended to read a book for this but I don’t think I’ll be able to get it done within this month either. Actually I’m not a fan of horror at all, even in books. But with books at least I can find myself get absorbed in the story. With movies I’ll just find myself criticizing scenes all the time, saying things like “oh that’s corny” or “that’s too ridiculous”. I’m not a good company when it comes to watching horror or suspense because I tend to spoil the fun too much :)
maandag 19 oktober 2009 bij 16:30
gnoegnoe
Hee hee, I’m not really a horror fan either but I can stomach one every once in a while. I think making remarks while watching is part of the fun… but if you’re too much of a ‘negativo’ I guess that wouldn’t work LOL.
The Japanese mini-challenge theme is not exactly ‘horror’, but also ‘spooky’ and ‘suspenseful’… doesn’t that make a difference for you? You could watch Hitchcock’s movie The Birds or even an episode of The X-Files with Fox -Spooky- Mulder! There’s also a ghost in Genji Monogatari; you could read that part of the book!
vrijdag 23 oktober 2009 bij 16:16
tanabata
I’m not a scary movie girl, sorry grrl ;), either, and haven’t seen any version of either film. I’m kind of curious about Ring since it’s so famous but H doesn’t like horror either so I’d have no one to watch it with.
I’m going to hold you to that – doing ALL the Hello Japan! mini-challenges. :P And if you have any ideas for future months, I’d love to hear them.
vrijdag 23 oktober 2009 bij 16:36
tanabata
To reply to Mark David – You don’t have to read or watch J-horror. You could read a short story, or one of the classic folk tales. Those tend to involve some element of the supernatural but aren’t frightening the same as horror is, if that makes sense.
maandag 26 oktober 2009 bij 21:34
Kristen M.
I’ve only seen the American version of Dark Water which really was quite bad. I should probably try the Japanese original!