Americans practically defined and owned the horror genre in the 70s, especially with such classics as The Exorcist, The Omen, Stephen King novels/adaptations and the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Decades later, with a few exceptions, the majority of their output were slasher/gore flicks that provided mere cheap thrills and visual titillation. In the meantime, in a reflection of the times, who were the copycats who eventually redefined and made the genre their own? Why, the Japanese of course. They're such good students of the Hitchcockian style, and plus with their sick imagination (no offense. really.), they're the ones being copied (why else would Hollywood produce versions of The Ring and The Grudge?). Their low-budget films, with no-name actors and minimal effects, manage to put a scare on audiences despite such limitations because they emphasize on atmosphere and visual imagery (they've perfected the "hair stare" - malevolent eyes intensely looking from under strands of hair). And they can butcher with the best of 'em. In Living Hell, a family welcomes an old woman and her mute(?) granddaughter, apparently distant relatives. Yasuhito, the wheelchair-bound youngest sibling suspects something is wrong with the duo - and pretty much soon he is being tortured both physically and psychologically by their strange guests (and his family poo-poohs his terrified claims). Apparently, the pair were connected to a gruesome massacre a year before, but no one knows the better except for a nosy reporter (yes, Japan has its Keystone cops as well. In fact, they never make it back to the screen after the opening sequence). The reporter, Mitsu (played by the director himself), stumbles into the truth (there are a lot - and they're all twisted - so if they ever make an American version of this, it'll be severely toned down), and pays the reaper. Not for the squeamish, and great for those late night slumber parties.
All hail, the Lola from Hell
No comments:
Post a Comment