The Grudge : American Version of Japanes Horror Film

Many Americans associate Japanese filmmakers with martial arts movies. Most would be hard-pressed to name even one Japanese movie or actor unrelated to the martial arts genre. The newly released movie The Grudge is one Japanese movie that is in no way connected to the nation's stereotypical movie. Juon 3, the Japanese version of the picture, and The Grudge were directed by TaKashi Shimizu.

Shimizu remade the hit Japanese thriller geared toward American audiences after its success in 2003. Though a few of the original Japanese actors reprised their roles, most were replaced by American actors in slightly varied contexts. Sarah Michelle Gellar, who performed in the recent hit Scooby Doo 2, starred with Jason Behr, KaDee Strickland, and Bill Pullman in the American version. The American actors filmed in Japan to tie in the
background of the film.

Both the Japanese and American versions of the movie were well-directed, but the Japanese version's more linear format was easier to follow. The American version, however, held the audience's attention and kept me riveted to my seat.
The story begins with a woman who is murdered in a jealous rage by her husband, who later hangs himself.

The man murdered his wife after finding her diary in which she professes her love for an American professor (Bill Pullman). Her obsession with the professor is made known late in the movie, but it is an important element. The couple's young son, says a Japanese investigator in the movie, was never found after the murder/suicide. As viewers of the movie, we find out what happened to the child, as he also plays a large role in the creepy vibe of the movie. Japanese folklore says The Grudge" is the curse of someone who dies in a powerful rage, such as that of the jealous husband and the murdered wife in this movie.

The rage left behind grows and inhabits the places that person lived and all who encounter this murderous supernatural curse die brutally, "passing the curse like a virus in an endless chain of horror" (Cameras 1). This is portrayed more fully in the Japanese version of the film, mainly due to the greaer Japanese influence.

The movie, unlike the story itself, begins with introducing the American actors, creating a non-linear plot line. This format wasn't easy to follow, but it keeps you on you toes, as you must pay attention or you could miss important elements of the movie. The original movie was formatted much differently. The story touches on so many people, viewers may have trouble keeping up with who is who and how they are connected in both versions of the film.

The episodic nature of the film creates suspense, and although some may prefer the easier to followJapanese version of the movie, the choppy setup of the American verson does suit this story. Producer Sam Raimi, who has produced Spiderman 2, and the Evil Dead trilogy, praises Shimizu. "JuOn was on of the most frightening films I've ever seen," says Raimi of the original Japanese version." "Shimizu crafted some of the most unique onscreen scares . . . He was relentless in his delivery, leaving you no time to catch your breath" (Cameras 1).

Shimizu definitely delivers. The murdered woman takes on several different forms when killing the victims of the curse, such as a fluid creature seemingly made only of long black hair. In other scenes, she is shown as a pale version of her whole self, or as a mangled, broken carcass still wrapped in plastic as her husband left her in the attic. The makeup and filming of this "creature" is exquisite. Never in several careful viewings were any variations in the makeup of this devilish character. The boy, who appears both as a quiet young boy, seemingly fine, and as a screeching, wide-eyed corpse, is equally creepy.

He is equally spooky as a normal-looking child when his jaw seems to disjoint and extend to allow him to make an awful, high-pitched catlike screech. Both characters are played by the original Japanese actors, making the Japanese background of the story more realistic. On viewing the movie for the second time, many viewers will find they missed a key point that may change their perception of the story. This is inevitable in this fast-paced thriller, as one blink or badly timed bathroom break can ruin the whole effect. Ultimately, any horror fan will want to run out and buy both versions, as I did.

Works Cited

http://movies.about.com/cs/upcomingreleases/ 2/10/2005.
The Grudge. Prod. Sam Raimi, Taka Ichise, and Rob Tapert. Dir. TaKashi Shimizu. Perf. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, KaDee Strickland, and Bill Pullman. 91 minutes. DVD. Columbia Pictures, 2004.