Ju-on

Before Ju-On achieved worldwide fame, the franchise originally began with this film, which at the time was only released in Japan. Although it is a low-budget film that was only released on VHS, what lay in this film was something that would end up becoming a horror film phenomenon. The original genesis of the franchise begins in this film, where Kayako's mythology begins from the beginning. The stories told here present how it began, why and who were the first victims. It is a simple film that, despite not being in chronological order like the other installments that came later, can be understood well. Obviously, it didn't age very well due to the quality with which it was made. The special effects seem to be quite crappy. Even so, it is an enjoyable film and it is good to know it as it is the first original chapter of the franchise. Ju-On (2000) is undoubtedly a diamond in the rough that is worth knowing for having started the Ju-On mythology. My final rating for this movie is a 7/10.

First off this is the movie that kicked it all off. It was followed by Ju-On 2 , Ju-On The Grudge, Ju-On The Grudge 2, and now the Sarah Michelle Gellar version The Grudge all directed by Shimizu. These movies have since become sort of a mystery due to the fact that very little people actually know there are so many of these movies and that there is an actual order in which they proceed. So I personally decided to buck that trend and watch them from the start. So....

Anyways this movie eerily begins off with a teacher played by Yûrei Yanagi who must visit the ominous home of one of his students Toshio whom has not recently been to school and who's parents have not been able to be reached. When he arrives at the house he discovers the boy is alone at home and his parents are out and about.

This is when the movie flashes back into an almost short story mode where it tells the tale of others who have lived and been in the house and what has become of them. One of the characters being played by Chiaki Kuriyama who has gone on to bigger and better things with Battle Royale and Kill Bill. This movie is confusing and made even more confusing by not being used to watching a movie with all Asian people and subtitles. But from what I've understood these people have all been cursed with The Grudge as is described in the beginning of the movie as

"A curse of one who dies with strong resentment

Accumulates in the place where the dead were while alive, and turns into "Karma"

He who comes in contact with the curse loses his life, and a new curse is born."

After these sequences are finished Shimizu once again returns to the main story of the teacher and his student Toshio. Where we quickly learn what has really become of Toshio's parents. EEK!

These short story like sequences are very frightening and creepy, and it wasn't the limited amount of gore that got me. It was the great direction and incredible use of sound to freak the s**t out of me. I've never really seen any American horror movies made like this one, and it's almost hard to explain even to myself how a movie with such an erratic and confusing timeline could still be so satisfying. Although maybe I'm just ignoring the fact that many of these confusements(is that a word, if it isn't it should be) will be explained in the sequels, which I now must absolutely see.

First i was disappointed to see that it was a TV movie i had bought, but after 10 minutes of watching it i didn't give it much of a thought. This movie is simply just entertaining from beginning to end. There is no limit to the imagination of creepiness in this movie, all thanks to my new favorite horror director Takashi Shimizu. The fact, that its like Shimizu has thought " I would like to make a movie that scares the s*** out of everyone and then to hell with everything else" really makes me raise my thumbs up and bow in the dust for the man. This Flick is on my top 3 list of the scariest movies ever, together with "The shining" and "Salems lot". If i had seen this one when i was 13 i would have been horrified for stairs years to come (just like i was horrified for windows without curtains for about 5 years, after seeing "Salems lot"), thats for sure.

Note: You don't have to use blood for a movie to be scary. The Japanese have realized that, why cant the Americans???

The reason that i didn't give this movie 10 out of 10 is because i find it hard to keep track of all the names (maybe because I'm not Japanese?)and i miss some answers in this riddle of a ghost story. And yes, i HAVE seen the other 3 in the series. And no, you Don't get much more insight, just more confused. They are still some excellent horror movies though, especially Ju-on: The grudge 2. But the first one is still the most scary.

I gave it 9 out of 10. Enjoy! ;o)

Ps. If anyone knows movies as scary as the above mentioned, please write me the titles so i can continue my search for the scariest horror movie ever.

I first watched Ju-On: The Grudge (2002) earlier this year and was blown away, I felt rare horror-chills throughout. It became an instant Top 10 Horror Film! A couple of years earlier I saw the american The Grudge 1 & 2: the first was nicely watchable but not scary. The sequel quite meh.

Now I'm on to my third version of the same story, tho' The Curse (2000) was released first. Unlike the american version I got a couple of scare-chills down my shoulders! Just not as often as its bigger-budget remake Ju-On: The Grudge. The lower budget and samey feel of the different sections make The Curse feel less substantial than the epic trippy feels of the 2002 version, the acting is also a level below. It's still superior to the american version.

Fair warning: there is a horribly-disturbing scene involving a baby near the end. It's not graphic in a gore sense (you don't see an actual baby), but it's hard to watch. Neither the 2002 version nor the american-remake had such a scene...it's just a bit much, frankly (i'm a parent of small kids so maybe a bit more sensitive).

Still, The Curse is objectively an impressive low-budget effort, but is only really worth watching if you've already seen the superior 2002 one, and are curious what the makers did before. It's essentially the same story.

I will watch The Curse 2 next, as it appears that Ju-On: The Grudge 2 is its own thing. Tho' not quite clear on that, and I don't wanna stumble on any spoilers by digging too deep.

It can get confusing to keep track, here's the Grudge films I've seen so far:

The Grudge (USA 2004) - 6/10.

The Grudge 2 (USA 2006) - 4/10.

Ju-On: The Grudge (Japan 2002) - 9/10.

Ju-On: The Curse (Japan 2000) - 7/10.

The 2002 one is essential, and should be watched first for maximum impact. If The Curse 2 and/or Ju-On: The Grudge 2 are close to that quality then I may be tempted to check out all of them (there's at least five more related films after these!).

I saw the US version in the theatre and wasn't very impressed. I guess it could have been the fact that I was in a ghetto theatre in the inner city with people yelling the obvious or the strange smell emanating from beneath the seats that reclined way to far past horizontal.

So, upon returning home, I watched the Japanese version. Since the US version took liberties to change the plot somewhat and over-explain every single detail of the movie, I was doubtful. True to form, the Japanese version was exquisite. The atmosphere created closely resembles the creepy feeling you get in a cursed house in Japan. The sounds and special effect sounds were some of the best. US horror films should emulate the lack of sound in spots to create tension as this film does.

Personally, this film caused me to glance over my shoulder every now and again expecting to see a little painted white Asian boy or a black cat lurking in the dark. This film is a must see for horror buffs and those that enjoy a good scare. The film starts with a horrific scene while the US version just has you confused from the very beginning. Great Movie.