Homegrown Japanese horror means the best of both worlds.
Released: 2007
Genre(s): Horror, Thriller
J-Horror is one of my favorite sub-genres within the horror genre: it tends to rely more heavily on a suffocating and anxious atmosphere than on cheap jump-scares or over-the-top gore effects, and this sinister darkness is meticulously developed through character interactions, menacing environments, and unsettling plotlines. American horror movies tend to lack this focus on storytelling, rather falling back on stylized (and often gimmicky) presentation to invoke tension; this unfortunately oftentimes stifles the generation of any genuine terror. "Tales From The Dead" is quite a unique film, as it is a Japanese horror movie made in America using Japanese-American talent; due to this, it manages to sample from the best parts of both Japanese and American horror styles. The film consists of four short stories, each highlighting a different supernatural event, and each bringing about some major creeps. Plot-wise, this movie not only manages to build up an incredible amount of unease, but each vignette serves as a cautionary tale of sorts, without beating the audience over the head with its messages. Despite the obvious low-budget, the production value of this film is quite decent, and the cinematography, combined with the thoughtful, well-written story, yields more dread, intrigue, and mystery than most American movies with bigger studio backings. While some movies need to lean on cheap tricks to produce any real scares, "Tales From The Dead" proves it can effectively draw from two completely different worlds and this unique presentation alone makes it worth watching at least once.
Rating (out of 5): 4
Excellent post!
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