Since the genre we have chosen is J-horror, we have researched into this to help us have ideas for our characters and how our trailer can be similar to existing Japanese teaser trailers. It also helped us to look at J-horror in depth and know more about it and what the difference between them to Western horror.
J-Horror which is Japanese horror is Japanese horror fiction in popular cultures, they have a unique theme and conventional treatment of the horror genre which has been noted for. They tend to focus on psychological horror and build anticipation, specifically involving ghosts and poltergeists, while many others contain themes of folk religion exorcism, yokai. From the Edo and Meiji period, Japanese horror can be traced from ghosts story classics and they were known as kaidan, since then these stories have been placed in modern films. In Japanese literature, ghost stories have an even older history back to aleast the Heian period (794- 1185). Most of the the antagonists in J-horror are Japanese women with long black hair who wear white dresses and pale skin which are known as yurei ghosts. |
Yurei are figures in Japanese folklore. It basically means 'dead spirit' or ruined or 'departed spirit'. The white clothing’s that Yurei’s wear signifies the white burial kimonos used during the Edo period for funerals rituals. The colour white connotes purity traditionally reserved for the priests and the dead. The long black hair was believed by some people as a trademark in the kabuki theater where all actors wore wigs but this is a misunderstanding. Japanese women usually grow it long then put up into a bun and were let down for burials and funerals. Yurei’s hands dangle lifelessly from their wrists and held outstretched with the elbows near the body. |
Japanese traditions believed that after a person has died, the soul (reikon) leaves the body and waits for the funeral and post funeral rites to be performed so it can meet and join its ancestors, if this is done correctly then the reikon believed it is it’s families protector and return yearly in August for the Obon Festival to receive thanks. On the other hand, if a person has dies committing suicide or sudden violent manner such as murder and the proper rites haven’t been performed, or influenced by powerful emotions such as desire for revenge, love or jealousy, then the reikon turns into a yurei which can lead them back the physical world. Then the yurei will exist on earth and won’t be gone until the rites are performed, if not it’ll insist on haunting. Yurei doesn't wander at random but usually stay at specific place where they was killed or where the bodies lies, they even follow a specific person such as the person who killed them or the person they loved. They appear between 2am and 3pm the witching hour in Japan, at that time the veil between the living and the dead are at it's thinnest so spirits may enter into earth, they'll move on to the afterlife if their purpose is fulfilled.
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Through the research we've done by watching several J-Horrors and the trailers, we see a similar pattern in all of them. The protagonists as well as the antagonists in most of the films seems to be women, the antagonists are usually ghosts who comes back who have died from a tragic murder or suicide where as the protagonist are the one who have an ordinary job or a student and trying to live the life in Japan that encounters the antagonists somehow, mostly being connected to them. Here are some examples:
Here are some famous J-Horror that have been made:
The Audition (1999)
This film was about a young woman Asami (Eihi Shiina) who has been abused when younger. She tortured a man called Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) and 'taught' him a lesson for not loving only her after the man who devised a mock casting audition in which the women would audition to a 'part' of the Aoyama's life. The antagonists wasn't a Yurei ghost in this film but a woman which have the same pattern as other J-horror having the antagonists being a female. It was directed by Takashi Miike who have directed many famous films as well as horror films such as Crow Zero 2, Ichi The Killer, One Missed Call.
It was released in the UK, USA, Japan and Canada. Even notable horror directors such as Rob Zombie, John Landis and Eli Roth found it difficult to watch and Jonh Landis said the film was so disturbing that he couldn't enjoy it at all.
This film was about a young woman Asami (Eihi Shiina) who has been abused when younger. She tortured a man called Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) and 'taught' him a lesson for not loving only her after the man who devised a mock casting audition in which the women would audition to a 'part' of the Aoyama's life. The antagonists wasn't a Yurei ghost in this film but a woman which have the same pattern as other J-horror having the antagonists being a female. It was directed by Takashi Miike who have directed many famous films as well as horror films such as Crow Zero 2, Ichi The Killer, One Missed Call.
It was released in the UK, USA, Japan and Canada. Even notable horror directors such as Rob Zombie, John Landis and Eli Roth found it difficult to watch and Jonh Landis said the film was so disturbing that he couldn't enjoy it at all.
Dark Water
This film was made in 2002 directed by Hideo Nakata who also directed Ring and Ring 2, also L: Change The World (Death Note). It’s based on a short story called Floating Water by Koji Suzuki. Dark Water is about a woman and her daughter who is in a middle of a divorce and moved into a run down apartment. The ceiling of her apartment keeps leaking and she asked the janitor to fix it but he wouldn’t do anything so she goes and see for herself but find the apartments locked. She discovers that a little girl similar to her daughter’s age have died who lived in the locked apartment and drowned in water tank trying to save the red bag thus why she keeps seeing the bag appearing. The film recieved positive reviews upon it's released
The US had a remake of Dark Water directed by Water Salles released in 2005.
This film was made in 2002 directed by Hideo Nakata who also directed Ring and Ring 2, also L: Change The World (Death Note). It’s based on a short story called Floating Water by Koji Suzuki. Dark Water is about a woman and her daughter who is in a middle of a divorce and moved into a run down apartment. The ceiling of her apartment keeps leaking and she asked the janitor to fix it but he wouldn’t do anything so she goes and see for herself but find the apartments locked. She discovers that a little girl similar to her daughter’s age have died who lived in the locked apartment and drowned in water tank trying to save the red bag thus why she keeps seeing the bag appearing. The film recieved positive reviews upon it's released
The US had a remake of Dark Water directed by Water Salles released in 2005.
Ju-On
This is the title series of horror films, created by a Japanese director Takashi Shimizu. The title translate to The Curse or The Grudge. The main theme and story is haunted house, as well as a popular Japanese trope the vengeful ghosts (onryo). Anyone is encounters a ghost killed by the ghost is killed themselves and can spread to other areas. The US bought the right to remake the films and Takashi himself also directed the American versions of it.
There were a variety of Ju-On that have been made in Japan with different storylines but similar theme on revenge, 6 were made altogether:
● Katasumi and 4444444444 (1998)
● Ju-On (V-Cinema) (2000)
● Ju-On 2 (V-Cinema) (2000)
● Ju-On: The Grudge (2003)
● Ju-On: The Grudge 2 (2003)
● Ju-On: Old Lady in White/ Girl in Black (celebrating 10 years of The Grudge) (2009)
This is the title series of horror films, created by a Japanese director Takashi Shimizu. The title translate to The Curse or The Grudge. The main theme and story is haunted house, as well as a popular Japanese trope the vengeful ghosts (onryo). Anyone is encounters a ghost killed by the ghost is killed themselves and can spread to other areas. The US bought the right to remake the films and Takashi himself also directed the American versions of it.
There were a variety of Ju-On that have been made in Japan with different storylines but similar theme on revenge, 6 were made altogether:
● Katasumi and 4444444444 (1998)
● Ju-On (V-Cinema) (2000)
● Ju-On 2 (V-Cinema) (2000)
● Ju-On: The Grudge (2003)
● Ju-On: The Grudge 2 (2003)
● Ju-On: Old Lady in White/ Girl in Black (celebrating 10 years of The Grudge) (2009)