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Reviews
Phii khon pen (2006)
promising but messy
The Thai horror films I've seen have all been pretty similar, neatly packaged (but effective) ghost stories heavy on the scares. This film goes for a much greater degree of complexity, but I'm afraid it may have overreached itself a little bit. Other reviews will familiarize you with the plot. I'll just say that the "twist" halfway through - that the entire movie up to then has been a movie in the filming process - is interesting, no doubt, but feels very unnecessary. The two segments have very little to do with each other, other than the first half serving as a gigantic red herring for the second. I will go ahead and reveal that the ghost responsible for the mayhem in the second part has no relation to the first part. In fact, it seems almost like the director had two very good ghost story ideas but couldn't make a full movie out of either, so simply decided to throw them together.
All that aside, if you're just after scares "The Victim" serves up its fair share. Even this aspect feels a little disorganized, though. There are a couple truly well-done, beautifully eerie scenes that really add to the atmosphere, but the movie is packed with rapid-fire scares that get very desensitizing very fast. I found myself actually wishing that they would slow down and build some tension.
As strange as it may sound, "The Victim" might do well as two short films. The theme of victim-hood certainly applies well to both halves. As two films in one, though, it's something of a mess. However, it still shows some really good ideas and even a certain touch of elegance, and might be preferable to many Asian horror flicks.
The Changeling (1980)
a perfectly constructed ghost story
If you consider yourself a fan of ghost movies and haven't seen this gem, shame on you. This is truly a classic ghost story in every sense of the term. The plot follows John Russell, a widowed composer who moves into a big spooky house on the outskirts of Seattle (this is really the only part of the plot that stretches belief - why would a single man move into such an enormous house?). After several bizarre happenings it becomes apparent that the house is haunted, and he determines to find out why. The movie is a more old-fashioned ghost story, with a central mystery to solve and a spirit who is tragic as well as terrifying. There's a steady Gothic feel to the whole film, with the main character's loss of his wife and child casting a pall of gloom over everything. The location also helps - the house they chose is equal parts gorgeous and creepy. The film (thankfully) does not overreach the special effects of the day, and everything looks perfectly real. There are few "scares" (there is maybe one scene that will make you jump), but enough creepy scenes to maintain the atmosphere. In particular, a séance scene about halfway through is one of the best I've seen in a movie. Save this eerie little number for a dark night or cold, cloudy day when you want to chill your bones just a little.
Noroi (2005)
an amazingly creepy film
Suffice to say I have never seen a film quite like "Noroi". It is perhaps THE creepiest film I have ever watched. Note that I say "creepy", not "scary". There is nothing that will make you jump in this movie, but there is a level of terror and suspense you'll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Think "The Blair Witch Project", only stretched out through a longer runtime and a (much) more complex story.
Much like "The Blair Witch Project", the movie is filmed mostly on camcorders and tries (though not nearly as relentlessly as "The Blair Witch Project") to pass itself off as a true story. Purporting to be last documentary of paranormal investigator Masafumi Kobayashi, the movie's real genius is in its construction. It begins with several, seemingly unrelated plot threads, each one kicked off by some mysterious, creepy event. Kobayashi records a bizarre EVP while investigating a reclusive woman's house, a young girl displays psychic powers on a television program, an actress goes into convulsions while investigating a haunted temple. The tension in the movie is maintained beautifully, rising at a steady pace throughout the entire film as bizarre, seemingly supernatural events begin happening to and around the characters. The real horror in the film comes from seeing how these events are all related, a realization the viewers will reach long before the characters, though the plot threads do eventually converge.
A sense of rising horror pervades this entire movie, and by the time the climax rolls around the tension has built to such a screeching pitch it's almost unbearable. Combined with the fact that the last twenty minutes or so contain some of the most unsettling scenes I have ever seen, and you've got a cinematic punch that will stay with you for days. A couple points come off for one character's delirious overacting (although he does play something of a nutcase), but otherwise this movie's got it all. The only question is...are you ready for it?
Janghwa, Hongryun (2003)
the only Korean horror film I actually like
Emotional, psychological, and gorgeous to look at to boot. This film is one of the best Asian horror films I have seen, and the only Korean horror film I find really enjoyable. "A Tale of Two Sisters" bears all the hallmarks of the Korean horror genre - moody, dramatic, and with a complex plot - but unlike most others I've sat through, it's not a two-hour nonsensical angst-fest. Instead, these all are factors that work in the film's favor.
The plot centers around (you guessed it) two sisters, Su-Mi and Su-Yeong, who have arrived home after a long absence. However, things are not as they should be in the house - their father is distant, and they must contend with their obnoxious new stepmother. Su-Mi, the more outspoken of the sisters, can barely restrain her ire for this woman. Her dislike is well- founded, as the stepmother happens to be totally cracked. Behind her plastic smile she is neurotic and abusive, with a particular vendetta against Su-Yeong. Soon a wandering ghost complicates matters even more.
The story is very light on exposition, especially when it comes to relationships. We are not initially given a reason for Su-Mi's hatred towards her stepmother, the stepmother's treatment of Su-Yeong, or why the father barely speaks a word to his family. The plot is a maze which we wander through until we finally arrive at the twist. Yes, this film contains one mother of a plot twist, a fact surely alluded to by many, many other reviews. Suffice to say it is very surprising, well-foreshadowed, and makes very good sense (again, not the norm in the Korean horror films I've seen). Much like "The Sixth Sense", it's almost worth watching the whole thing again just to see how all the pieces fall into place.
Stylistically, the movie is amazing. The bizarre color schemes prevalent throughout the house give the movie a definite touch of the surreal. Another thing the film does quite well is build tension. The plot itself steadily becomes more and more tense as relations between the sisters and the stepmother worsen, and the three or so real scares in the film will have you on the edge of your seat. Despite this, however, the film can feel very, very slow. There are long stretches with little to no dialogue (especially when the sisters are alone together), and they often coincide with spaces where not much is happening.
Now, a word of warning - "A Tale of Two Sisters" barely qualifies as a "horror" film. If you're looking for something to make you afraid to get out of bed at night, take a pass - for now. Next time you're in the mood for a little mystery and depth, however, I recommend you pick it up.
Ryeong (2004)
ho-hum
Oh boy. Another long-haired girl ghost pumped out by the Asian horror generator. For those who are new to Asian horror, movies centered around creepy long-haired female ghosts (a la "The Ring" or "The Grudge") are the slasher movies of Asian cinema - there are ten million of them, and they're generally riddled with clichés. This film centers around an amnesiac college student whose high school friends have begun to die mysteriously, apparently at the hands of a creepy long-haired ghost girl. Naturally, the poor main character must go and dredge up her lost memories to find out this angry spirit's identity and what exactly her beef is. Now, let me get this out on the table - there is almost nothing original about this movie. If you have seen a couple other Asian horror movies, especially "The Grudge" and "Shutter", you have basically seen this movie (There is one scene that honestly looks like it was straight up stolen from "Shutter"). Now, a few good words for the movie. It is well-paced and does have some decently scary moments, which is unusual for Korean horror flicks IMO. Most Korean horror movies I have seen are extremely slow, not scary in the least, and make very little sense. This movie avoids all but the last one. The plot is fairly straightforward for most of the film, but there is a twist at the end which comes basically out of nowhere, except for some extremely vague foreshadowing. Add this to an opening scene that seems to have no relation to the rest of the movie, and you've got a recipe for confusion. Again, however, it is far from the worst I've seen. I would really not go so far as to call this a bad movie. The budget was obviously pretty high and the film itself looks pretty slick. Again, there are some decent scares, though nothing that will stay with you afterwards. It could be enjoyable to newcomers (and I mean REALLY new) to the Asian horror genre, but others are better off giving it a pass.
Hell Night (1981)
definitely worth watching
A bunch of drunken college students...a creaky old house...a group of innocent pranksters...and a mysterious man lurking in the shadows...could it be a slasher movie? Yes, as a matter of fact. And a surprisingly good one at that. The plot is paper-thin (four kids are locked in a creepy mansion for their fraternity/sorority initiation, menacing stranger comes out of the woodwork, heads start rolling). But hey, it's a slasher movie - a deep, thought- provoking story is not required. The plot is served with generous side helpings of cheese and corn - I almost felt like I was watching a comedy up until the first disposable character was offed. However, the scare factor ramps up later, with suspenseful kills and some excellent chase scenes. There are even some wonderfully creepy shots from the killer's point of view, a device that manages to hit my personal scare buttons every time. The setting provides a creepy and relatable backdrop - after all, who among us hasn't been to some supposedly haunted place and worried that the rustling in the bushes isn't just our goofball friend? Unusually for a slasher, I actually felt a little sad to see some of the characters go. Despite being a collection of horror-movie stereotypes, the main cast manages to be likable and well-rounded (except perhaps the obligatory slutty girl, whose lines could probably fit on a single page). Linda Blair stars as the serious girl who is exasperated with the whole initiation affair.
Now, don't get me wrong. This is not one the of the great horror movies of the ages. It's corny and immensely cliché, but it what it does, it does well. If you're looking for an original, ultra-serious horror movie, the run away from this one as fast as you can. But if you want a fun late-night popcorn-muncher, definitely give it a try.