J-Horror 
End Call (2008):One Hell of a Phone Bill(2)
Kiyoshi Yamamoto (who is perhaps better known as the cinematics director for the video game Dragon’s Dogma) directs this low budget horror film as a languid and lackadaisical urban myth in treacle. The film starts with a group of four friends talking about a “special” phone number. If you call the number on your mobile phone… Read More ›
Junk Shiryōgari (2000): Yakuza, Robbers and Zombies
Filmed in 1999 this schlocky bit of fun is a remake of a Japanese Mafia film called Score. Both were directed and written by Atsushi Muroga and both films pay tribute to the films Reservoir Dogs although Junk specifically pays tribute to Re-Animator and the original Dawn of the Dead. [Courtesy of Wikipedia] The film… Read More ›
Uzumaki (2000): The Spirals in the town go round, round, round
Uzumaki originally began life as a three-volume horror manga by Junji Ito. The theme (according to Wikipedia) is as follows: The story concerns the inhabitants of the small Japanese town of Kurôzu-cho that seems to be cursed by supernatural events surrounding spirals. Many people become obsessed or paranoid about spiral shapes, which starts resulting in several gruesome… Read More ›
Suicide Club/Suicide Circle (2001): Subtle Messages?
Suicide club (or Suicide Circle as it was known in Japan) was directed and written by Shion Sono and released in 2001. It stars Ryo Ishibashi (Audition, Brother, The Grudge) as a detective trying to find out the common thread between a wave of suicides that is sweeping across Japan. With leads provided by a… Read More ›
X-Cross (2007): Good Time Horror Film
While I was on the comedy horror train with my last review of Lobos de Arga (can you tell that I love that film) I thought of another rib tickling comedy J-horror. X-Cross. Now X-Cross or XX or (ekusu kurosu): makyô densetsu [original title] were all made in 2007, because they are the same film! Get… Read More ›
Ju-On: White Ghost and Ju-On: Black Ghost (2009): Grudge of a Different Colour
I have opted to review both these ‘films’ together as their total running time apiece is 61 minutes, hardly the length of your run-of-the-mill movie. Despite their title’s making use of the Ju-On phrase that had been developed by Film Auteur Takashi Shimzu, these films have nothing to do with the original films that shot… Read More ›
Takashi Shimizu: A Director With a Grudge
Takashi Shimizu is one talented guy. Not only is he a writer and director, but he is also a producer. Shimizu wears all three hats easily. His first foray into the world of cinematic horror was a short two part project to go into a film being produced by a friend. These two shorts were… Read More ›
Audition (1999): Pins and Needles
Made in 1999 and directed by Takashi Miike, Audition (Ôdishon) was Miike’s ‘break-out’ film. Already quite prolific with his output, Miike had yet to garner world-wide recognition. Audition changed all that and Miike (pronounced Meekay) became synonymous with all that is weird and wonderful in Japan. Miike cast Ryo Ishibashi as the lead character Shigeharu Aoyama. Ryo is something of… Read More ›
