Best Japanese horror films?

Ichi the Killer is very complicated film with graphic violence. I didn’t care for it, but my kids loved it.

not that scary, but i loved Old Boy, you should check it out, seriously

Audition. Creepy as hell.

Jeez. All of the popular ones.

If not scary, you’re damn near guaranteed to have some crazy psycho stuff going down.

I also just picked up Battle Royale parts 1&2. Thats fun (yes, and popular too).

@Grisaille

I’m really not aware of what the popular ones are.. I mean, the ones that are popular in Japan. I’ve seen a few of the American re-makes.

What are the classics, the genre defining ones.. the ones everyone should see etc. etc.

& Thanks everyone for your replies thus far!

@filmfann Battle Royale is so terribly fucked up, but definitely entertaining.

A good way to start is by taking a look at the originals, what the Hollywood remakes are based off of. Grudge, The Eye, The Ring, Dark Water, One Missed Call, etc and their sequels.

I know most have different titles, but I’m exhausted and can’t remember any outside of Ringu. Someone help this guy

@Grisaille

Good point, as I assume they are better. I can find out the titles for the originals on wikipedia or something, thanks.

And are there not some that are banned in the states.. certain directors etc.?
I’m willing to watch anything.

“Suicide Club”
its not as scary as it is just gory (opening scene shows 55 japanese schoolgirls jumping in front of a train). Its awesome in a really creepy way, but they really don’t do a very good job of tying up the plot at the end. A very interesting movie.

Tommy Boy

Godzilla.

Replaying the drop of the atomic bomb sent from USA to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, true horror documentary film.

It’s not really horror but I LOVED the death note live action film. That was cool!

@filmfann haha how old are your kids man?? i jsut saw Ichi the Killer like 4 months ago, it’s ridiculous, only reason i kept it on my external HD is because its so ridiculous.

anyways, ive not seen Battle Royale but ive heard mixed reviews, ive been to lazy to download and watch but you can try that, also Suicide Club is pretty wonky, has no point whatsoever but if you want a good brain fuck thats a good one, could also see Imprint…its a ‘masters of horror’ mini movie but its by the guy who made Ichi the Killer, very very messed up.

personally i find Korean horror flicks better than japanese, they just seem to be a lot more messed up….for example… Epitaph, Cinderella, Tale of Two Sisters

try em all…definatley check out Epitaph though!

@wenn My kids are in their 20’s, and love japanese cinema.
I will check out Epitaph!

@filmfann i figured your kids werent very young… just had to ask because that movie…..just…well, you know what i mean

good choice on Epitaph, i am pretty sure you will like it, its more intelligent and more suspense and plot driven than a brain washed kid doing roundhouse kicks with knife shoes.

@jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities is 100% correct…in my opinion, quality Japanese horror begins with Audition.

Godzilla! the classic black and white ones

I do like godzilla. But yeah, I’m thinking of the crazy violent and weird variety of japanese horror that seems to have emerged at some point.

Btw. I have added almost every movie from this Q n A to my netflix.. Thanks!

Some of the best Japanese horror I’ve ever seen have been short films on collections I rented at random from Blockbuster. I googled and found one simply called The Japanese Horror Collection, which seems to be mainly a box set of different movies. The ones I rented tended to be similar to The Twilight Zone tv series, but newer and far more chilling. If you find any collections of that sort, don’t pass them up. They are by far the best I’ve ever seen. I was significantly creeped out, and even six years later, some of the images are still stuck in my head. Wish I could remember some of the titles for you though :-(

“Ring”

Get “Three… Extremes” It has 3 short films on it. The most amazing Japanese director has a film on there and it’s mind blowing and messed up in all the best ways.