The power of Asian horror films

This is not what I'm searching for. Written on 12-12-2010 by Kim87

Not everyone enjoys horror. If you like it, it is a good idea to learn more about Asian horror films. In Asia, a large number of horror films have been made and many of them are considered to be extremely scary. What is the power of these horror films?

History of Asian horror films

Asian horror films have probably existed for about as long as American horror films. The real breakthrough wasn't until 1998, when the film "Ring" was released (also called "Ringu"), a horror film from Japan about a video tape. Seven days after you've seen this video, you will die. People discovered that horror films from Asia definitely have something to offer and the films soon attracted a large audience. These horror films were soon called J-horror, an abbreviation for "Japanese horror," although not nearly all films have been made by the Japanese.

In Asia "Ringu" was the start of a real hype, because people discovered that horror actually can yield a profit. The most famous Asian horror films are from Japan, Thailand and Korea.

Horror in Asia

Asian horror films became popular in the nineties, but scary things have always been very popular on this continent. Countless scary books have been published and the well-known mangas and animes regularly contain scary stuff. In many Asian countries there's a large number of legends and there are countless stories about ghosts and demons. It is therefore not surprising that these stories are frequently found in books, manga and even films. Every country has its own stories, which means there can be a large range of fascinating stories.

Different from Hollywood

Asian horror films are different from the horror films made in Hollywood. Film makers in America tend to scare the viewers with bombastic jump moments: a loud noise and a sudden image make you jump. In Asia films are usually more subtle. The viewer is mostly scared psychologically. There are fewer jump moments, yet the films are very scary and contain a lot of suspense.

Remakes in Hollywood

Hollywood has discovered the power of Asian films. Many Asian box-office hits have been remade in Hollywood. These remakes have been cause for many discussions: one person loves the remakes, the next person hates them. The films have clearly been changed. Once again we see the well-known jump moments. A few Hollywood films which can now be admired are "Ring" ("Ringu"), "The Grudge" ("Ju-on"), "One Missed Call" and "Dark Water."

Taboos in J-horror films?

Most films follow a set of rules, even horror films. There are taboos the filmmakers prefer not to use in horror films: children usually remain alive and even the sequence of people's deaths can usually be guessed. In Asia this is different: no taboos. The film "Imprint," which was made for television, is part of the series "Masters of Horror," a series of films directed by the world's greatest directors. "Imprint" was the only film in the entire series that wasn't allowed to be shown on American television, because it contained an abortion scene.

Reviews on Asian horror films

To give you an idea what Asian horror films are about, reviews are written about this genre. Click on the link below for the first one. It will also say who the director is and what country the film is from.