| Author |
Message |
    
Craig (Craig)
Username: Craig
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 75.5.15.88
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 02:34 am: | |
I just saw this film, and was blown away by it! It has the atmosphere of SESSION 9, but is hands above that film (some borrowing going on there...?) It is disturbing, quiet, and novelistic. A truly harrowing horror movie.
Now, I think I get what happened here... but I'm not sure... in fact I think I'm getting less than what I'm missing... so does anyone here have any theories about what, well, "happened"? I know it's such a "newbie" question, that, but this one just compels me to ask that.
I was turned on to this film, subsequently Netflixing it, by hearing two L.A. film critics praise Kurosawa's latest film, TOKYO SONATA - apparently a straight drama - to the heavens, saying it's already the best film of the year. And they mentioned/equally praised Kurosawa's earlier horror films, including this one, and PULSE (never seen, nor the remake), etc. I'm now determined to seek out every one of this guy's films, if they're all as good as this one.... |
Joel (Joel)
Username: Joel
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 91.110.230.120
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 08:42 am: | |
Sounds great, though I've heard the short prequel PREVENTION (1995) is better still.  |
Joel (Joel)
Username: Joel
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 91.110.230.120
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 08:44 am: | |
Don't mind me. I'm just gutted this isn't a bootleg live album. |
Zed (Gary_mc)
Username: Gary_mc
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 213.219.8.243
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 10:38 am: | |
KAIRO, by the same director, is one of the best horror films ever made, IMHO. |
Tom_alaerts (Tom_alaerts)
Username: Tom_alaerts
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.78.35.170
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 11:09 am: | |
Kairo is the same movie as Pulse, it was released using both titles. I do agree that it's amazing, I actually preferred it over Cure. |
Huw (Huw)
Username: Huw
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 218.168.183.218
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 12:16 pm: | |
Kairo is my favourite Kurosawa film, but Cure, Seance, and Doppelganger are also very good. I felt he slipped up with Loft a couple of years ago, and haven't watched his latest Retribution (it's on my teetering 'to watch' pile). Kairo is one of the bleakest, most stiflingly creepy movies I've ever seen. It also contains one of the most shocking (yet matter-of-fact) death scenes I've seen in a film. |
Tom_alaerts (Tom_alaerts)
Username: Tom_alaerts
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.78.35.170
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 01:16 pm: | |
Seance: man I always wanted to see that one.
Based on what I read, I expect that Retribution will be very bleak, but with little else to offer. |
Zed (Gary_mc)
Username: Gary_mc
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 213.219.8.243
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 01:41 pm: | |
I once got hold of a bootleg DVD of Seance, Tom, but it was corrupt and self-destructed after half an hour. But that 30 minutes of footage was excellent. |
Hubert (Hubert)
Username: Hubert
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 78.22.231.91
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 03:33 pm: | |
"It also contains one of the most shocking (yet matter-of-fact) death scenes I've seen in a film."
Care to elaborate, Huw? |
Chris_morris (Chris_morris)
Username: Chris_morris
Registered: 04-2008
Posted From: 12.165.240.116
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 04:08 pm: | |
I'm a big fan of Cure, Seance, and Pulse; didn't care much for Doppelganger or Charisma. I'm looking forward to Tokyo Sonata, though.
I'd love to offer you an explanation of Cure, Craig, but I haven't seen it in years and can't recall any details. I remember being a bit confused at the film's conclusion -- as you apparently were -- but felt satisfied with it nonetheless. |
Craig (Craig)
Username: Craig
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 75.5.1.139
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 04:26 pm: | |
I'd heard of KAIRO/PULSE, but of late, I'd actually avoided Japanese horror movies, having seen a litter of ones I didn't care for - but like I said, this one has renewed my faith, at least in this director's vision. This movie CURE is a must-see.
Chris...
*******************SPOILERS**************************
I've read subsequently online that the detective's wife dies - did I miss that? Why did the waitress at the end take the knife? Is the detective now a mesmerist? What was the monkey corpse crucified in the bathtub? The photo? The old (uber creepy) film of the Japanese woman being mesmerized?... Aaaaugh! I'll have to see it again, but, like you said, regardless, it satisifed. It's like many of our Landlord's stories - I didn't quite "get" entirely what may have happened, but it doesn't matter.... |
Joel (Joel)
Username: Joel
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 217.37.199.45
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 07:52 pm: | |
"I once got hold of a bootleg DVD of Seance, Tom, but it was corrupt and self-destructed after half an hour."
That was part of the film. You're now the anti-hero. Actually that could explain a lot. |
Chris_morris (Chris_morris)
Username: Chris_morris
Registered: 04-2008
Posted From: 12.165.240.116
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 07:54 pm: | |
(Spoilers)
I wish I could fill you in, Craig, but I just don't remember. I do recall specifically wondering about the waitress at the end of the film ... and whether that last scene implicated anyone, particularly the detective. I don't have any answers, but as you say, like many Campbell stories, the cumulative effect was too powerful to bother complaining about lingering questions. (At least, in this case, the lingering questions left me with the impression that the movie was smarter than I am -- and not, as so often happens, the other way around.)
I need to see it again. |
Chris_morris (Chris_morris)
Username: Chris_morris
Registered: 04-2008
Posted From: 12.165.240.116
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 07:55 pm: | |
I felt the same way about Primer. Anyone see that? |
Huw (Huw)
Username: Huw
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 218.168.182.236
| | Posted on Thursday, April 02, 2009 - 02:12 am: | |
Hubert, the filming of the part I had in mind involved an impressive bit of bungee jumping (it's actually shown on the DVD's special features). |