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The official Twitter account of the upcoming Gto Revival live-action drama unveiled a new trailer previewing the theme song on Feb 5, 2024. Blue Encount will perform the theme song “Poison”.

Gto Revival is scheduled to release on April 1, 2024, on Kansai TV, Fuji TV.

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4月1日よる9時#反町隆史 主演#GTOリバイバル

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新キャスト一挙解禁！#岡崎紗絵 #小手伸也 #八木莉可子 #畑芽育 #日向亘 #鈴木浩介 が出演

さらに！主題歌は…#ブルエン が #Poison を

リバイバルアレンジ✨

反町も歌唱参加！

コメントはこちら

☞https://t.co/BihQQmRhNY

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The original horror classic, Hideo Nakata’s Ring (1998) is crawling back to life on 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video, with the upcoming release just announced this morning.

Here in the United States, you’ll be able to grab Arrow’s Ring 4K Uhd release in two different versions: The Standard 4K Version and the Original Artwork Slipcover 4K Version.

Up for pre-order now, both versions will release on September 19, 2023.

Arrow Video presents Ring, the film that started the J-horror wave, restored from the original negative in glorious 4K and supplemented by a wealth of bonus materials.

In 1998, director Hideo Nakata (Dark Water) unleashed a chilling tale of technological terror on unsuspecting audiences, which redefined the horror genre, launched the J-horror boom in the West and introduced a generation of moviegoers to a creepy, dark-haired girl called Sadako. The film’s success spawned a slew of remakes, reimaginations and imitators,...

By now it’s safe to say that Naomi Watts is a bona fide Scream Queen. After more than a decade in small roles or B movies, the British actress finally found widespread acclaim in 2001 with David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive. She followed this up with a star-making role in Gore Verbinski’s The Ring, and sky-rocketted to international fame. Watts has worked steadily since then, winning coveted parts like Ann Darrow in Peter Jackson’s King Kong, Oscar Nominated roles in 21 Grams and The Impossible, and franchise fame in the Divergent series.

Born in England, Watts and her brother moved around the UK with her Welsh mother before relocating to Australia at the age of 14 where she broke into acting. Despite this international upbringing, Watts is most known in the horror world for starring in American remakes of acclaimed foreign films. Her role in The Ring was just...

Japan Society is pleased to announce its fall lineup for Monthly Classics and Monthly Anime, kicking off on September 2, 2022 with a 35mm screening of Kihachi Okamoto’s satirical chambara, “Kill!”. 2006 anime classic “Tekkonkinkreet” will screen on September 16, featuring a Q&a with screenwriter Anthony Weintraub (“The Animatrix”). For October, Hideo Nakata’s 90s J-horror classic “Ringu” screens on October 7th followed by Mamoru Oshii’s rarely-screened 1985 ethereal masterpiece “Angel’s Egg” on October 14th. Monthly Anime continues on November 4th with a 35mm screening of Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved “My Neighbor Totoro”.

Tickets: 15/12 students and seniors /5 Japan Society members.

Lineup and other details are subject to change.For complete information visit japansociety.org.

Kill!

Friday, September 2, 2022 at 7:00 Pm

Dir. Kihachi Okamoto, 1968, 114 min, 35mm, b&w. With Tatsuya Nakadai, Etsushi Takahashi, Yuriko Hoshi.

Kihachi Okamoto’s darkly satirical chambara opens in the midst of a pummeling windstorm on the outskirts...

A cavalcade of creatures from Japanese folklore come alive in “The Great Yokai War: Guardian,” a hugely enjoyable fantasy-adventure directed by the famously prolific and supremely versatile Takashi Miike. Starring amazingly talented child actors Kokoro Terada and Rei Inomata as brothers summonsed by peace-loving spirits to stop an angry demon from engaging in the time-honored Japanese monster movie tradition of destroying Tokyo, this smashing piece of young-adult entertainment should be a big hit in Japan, where it’s sure to get plenty of love from older adults as well. With its standout visuals and uplifting messages about trust, friendship and acceptance, “Guardians” should attract the interest of specialized overseas distributors following its international premiere as the closing-night attraction of Fantasia 2021.

Miike is most closely associated with extremely violent crime stories such as “Audition” and blood-soaked costume action-thrillers like “Blade of the Immortal.” Less well known outside Japan are his family-friendly hits such as “Ninja Kids!

With only six years of directorial experience and two other small-budget horror flicks to his name, Hideo Nakata’s adaptation of Koji Suzuki’s novel, “Ring,” is a slowburn film-noir which unwraps into terrifying calamity in its final act. With the exception of “Dark Water” in 2002, the director’s filmography does not include many other highly regarded movies in any genre. Nonetheless, it is not without reason that “The Ring” is a J-horror classic which resulted in countless sequels and adaptations across the globe, and is still one of the world’s most appraised—if not loved—horror movies today.

The movie begins with a highschooler named Tomoko dying from an unknown supernatural cause after her TV turns on by itself. As Reiko Asakawa, an investigative journalist who happens to be Tomoko’s aunt, devotes herself to the case, she begins to notice a strange pattern among the string of obscure,...

Another Decade with Takashi Miike is a series of essays on the 2010s films of the Japanese maverick, following Notebook's earlier survey of Miike's first decade of the 21st century.Being in league with Takashi Miike, taking the sensually arrayed and flayed curtains of flesh in stride, has a way of making one think of Claude Rains in Lawrence of Arabia: “It is recognized that you have a funny sense of fun.” When you make it your life’s work to decorate the insides of cinemas with the exploits of desperate, subhuman Yakuza, your idea of the business of law enforcement and especially your idea of heroism are bound to be just as warped as your sense of "fun". Miike’s cop movies are few and far between—he doesn’t get cops and he doesn’t much like them. There’s something about lying to people about the...

The Ring Collection 3-Disc Special Edition Set wll be available on Blu-ray October 29th From Arrow Video

n 1998, director Hideo Nakata (Dark Water) unleashed a chilling tale of technological terror on unsuspecting audiences, which redefined the horror genre, launched the J-horror boom in the West and introduced a generation of moviegoers to a creepy, dark-haired girl called Sadako. The film s success spawned a slew of remakes, reimaginations and imitators, but none could quite boast the power of Nakata s original masterpiece, which melded traditional Japanese folklore with contemporary anxieties about the spread of technology.

A group of teenage friends are found dead, their bodies grotesquely contorted, their faces twisted in terror. Reiko, a journalist and the aunt of one of the victims, sets out to investigate the shocking phenomenon, and in the process uncovers a creepy urban legend about a supposedly cursed videotape, the contents of which causes anyone...

Rosie Fletcher Mar 29, 2019

Ringu is a terrifying J-Horror classic and it achieved this by subverting an unwritten rule...

This article comes from Den of Geek UK.

In the early 2000s, a new movement in horror hit Western audiences. It came from Japan, was known as "J-Horror" and it was scary as all hell. Though not the first of the new wave, Ringu was definitely the breakout hit of the subgenre and the one that landed big, introducing us to the long haired creepy girl-ghost trope that would quickly become ubiquitous. It certainly wasn’t the first use of this kind of ghostly character in Japanese cinema, but for many viewers, the sodden, jerky, strange Sadako with her giant eye and torn up fingernails was a revelation.

More than 20 years later (the film had an anniversary release this month - though the actual 20th was last year), Ringu still wields immense...

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ring (aka Ringu), Hideo Nakata's film has been fully restored and will have a limited run in over 100 theaters in the UK. Continue reading for a full list of theaters. Also in today's Horror Highlights: details on The Final Girls' short film showcase We Are the Weirdos, Dee Wallace and Courtney Gains join the cast of Await the Dawn, and Blu-ray and DVD release details for Piercing.

Ring (aka Ringu) 20th Anniversary UK Screenings: "To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ring, a special restoration of the film will be showing at 100+ cinemas across the UK including the Prince Charles Cinema (21st Feb), and Vue, Odeon, Cineworld and Showcase Cinemas from 1st March 2019.

For a full list of showtimes, check out the official Ring website: http://ringfilm.co.uk/showtimes

Synopsis: A group of teenage friends is found dead, their bodies grotesquely contorted,...

Ring To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Ring, a special restoration of the film will release in cinemas 1st March 2019, courtesy of Arrow Video. A group of teenage friends are found dead, their bodies grotesquely contorted, their faces twisted in terror. Reiko, a journalist and the aunt of one …

The post Ring ’20th Anniversary Restoration’ – In Cinemas 1st March 2019 appeared first on Hnn | Horrornews.net.

“Why were you the only one saved?”

Although this might sound like an exaggeration, but the way, especially Western audiences view Japanese, or indeed Asian horror fundamentally changed with Hideo Nakata’s “Ring” (1998). For a director who states he does not even like the genre that much, it must have been quite the surprise to suddenly be one of the first to start a wave of Japanese horror movies. Interestingly, films like “Ring”, “Ju-On” or “Pulse” may contain a fair share of outside influences, but overall their tone, their visuals and their general approach to the uncanny can be defined as distinctly Asian, or Japanese. It is precisely this kind of authenticity which labelled titles like the ones mentioned to be prime candidates for Hollywood-ized remakes, but also helped the works of many directors to find international distributors.

In the case of “Ring 2”, one of the first surprises for many...

Sales also set for suspense drama The Crimes That Bind.

Japan’s TBS has announced recent deals on anime Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me and suspense drama The Crimes That Bind.

The former sold to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei (Purple Plan) while the latter sold to Hong Kong (Golden Scene) and Taiwan (Movie Cloud).

Directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me is the latest in the Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! animation series about high-school romance and drama.

Directed by Katsuo Fukuzawa (I’d Rather Be A Shellfish), police drama The...

Sales also set for suspense drama The Crimes That Bind.

Japan’s TBS has announced recent deals on anime Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me and suspense drama The Crimes That Bind.

The former sold to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei (Purple Plan) while the latter sold to Hong Kong (Golden Scene) and Taiwan (Movie Cloud).

Directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me is the latest in the Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! animation series about high-school romance and drama.

Directed by Katsuo Fukuzawa (I’d Rather Be A Shellfish), police drama The...

Enchanting, startling; a rare story about a girl at a precarious age. Full of that exquisite Studio Ghibli sorcery that captures the beauty of the ordinary. I’m “biast” (pro): love Studio Ghibli’s films

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

I have not read the source material

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

It’s another enchanting animated film from Studio Ghibli, but this one is really special. Less overtly fantastical than some of Ghibli’s other projects — though it’s still primarily a ghost story — When Marnie Was There is grounded in an adolescent reality that we almost never see onscreen: that girls have a rough time, too, in the transition from childhood to adulthood, and in finding a path through conflicting and confusing emotions to our own true identities.

The details of her pain are doled out slowly, over the course of her story,...

Here we are at what is a surprisingly modern list. At the beginning of this, I didn’t expect to see so much cultural impact coming from films so recently made, but that’s the way it goes. The films that define the horror genre aren’t necessarily the scariest or the most expensive or even the best. The films that define the genre point to a movement – movies that changed the game and influenced all the films after it. Movies that transcend the horror genre. Movies that broke the mold and changed the way horror can be created.

10. El laberinto del fauno (2006)

English Language Title: Pan’s Labyrinth

Directed by: Gullermo del Toro

It’s more a dark fantasy film than a horror film, but it would be tough to make a list of 50 of those. Plus, it has enough graphic, nightmarish images to push it over the threshold.

Stars: Sara Takatsuki, Kasumi Arimura, Nanako Matsushima | Written by Keiko Niwa, Masashi Ando, Hiromasa Yonebayashi | Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Many a tear will be shed in the presence of Studio Ghibli’s latest – and possibly last – feature film. The company holds such emotional sway over its audiences unrivalled by any other animation studio (except for, say, Pixar) that it’s sometimes hard to tell whether the sniffy moments in When Marnie Was There are solely caused by the film itself or the memory of Ghibli films gone by.

The opening inclines you to assume the film’s marching to its own beat: we meet schoolgirl Anna, a talented sketch artist, struggling with a profound unhappiness directed at herself, which is an uncommon beginning for a children’s story. She can’t connect to other children and spends much of her time drawing scenes with the people left out, so her...

“So I sit in my room /After hours with the moon/ And think of who knows my name” sings Priscilla Ahn during the closing credits in an emotionally stirring theme song that graciously concludes one of the most profoundly moving cinematic experiences to be had this year. In her lyrics, Ahn flawlessly captures the resilient spirit and tragic melancholy that pervade Hiromasa Yonebayashi’s animated adaption of British writer Joan G. Robinson’s 1967 novel “When Marnie Was There.” Notably current while still unequivocally timeless, Studio Ghibli’s latest film was confected with equal doses of heart-rending drama and life-affirming beauty.

Replacing England with Hokkaido, Japan, a logical move to fully embed the narrative with Ghibli’s magical allure, Yonebayashi fittingly fabricated a small town surrounded by marshes that could accentuate the fluctuating emotional distance between the two protagonists and their worlds. Following a frightening asthma attack, Anna (Sara Takatsuki/Hailee Steinfeld), a quiet young girl from Sapporo, is sent to spend the summer with relatives in a picturesque seaside community. Yoriko (Nanako Matsushima/Geena Davis), Anna’s foster parent, makes the decision in an effort not only to improve her health, but also her interpersonal skills. Soon we discover that beneath Anna’s silence there is painful resentment towards Yoriko, who she refers to as “auntie” instead of mom.

As with a great number of the famed studio's legendary masterworks, their ability to observe childhood and adolescence with a delicate maturity and truthfulness is present here – a quality that’s often lacking in American fiction aimed at this demographic. Anna can be moody, dismissive, and mean at times, yet Yonebayashi treats these occasional outbursts not as flaws but as valuable nuances that deeply inform our perception of the character. Unlike Miyazaki’s Chihiro who transforms from a spoiled child into a caring daughter or even Takahata’s Kaguya and her journey between freedom and confinement, Anna’s core conflict is an issue of identity much less concerned with the otherworldly circumstances surrounding her than the other heroines. Anna is uncertain about the sincerity of Yoriko’s love, and that translates into troubling insecurities. That’s where the eponymous Marnie (Kasumi Arimura/Kiernan Shipka) comes in.

Settled into her temporary home with her nonchalant and affectionate adoptive aunt and uncle, Anna spends her days sketching and exploring nature. She avoids other kids her age and has learned to be comfortable by herself. But when she comes across an isolated old mansion beyond the marshes, an overwhelming need to know more about it takes over her. This imposing Marsh House has a hypnotizing pull, and up close, at least in Anna's eyes, it doesn’t seem to be abandoned - a beautiful blond girl can be seen from a window. Enticed by the mysterious aura of the place Anna can't help but return and this time she meets the vibrantly gorgeous and welcoming Marnie, who appears to be around the same age but exudes an enchanting glow from another time.

Immediately, the girls become inseparable and establish a secret friendship. Under the moonlight they share each other's secrets with the trust of old confidants. Anna finds in Marnie the companionship she was missing, but there is a magical spark between them that will prove to be more than a coincidence. Still, even as comforting as spending time with her new friend is, Anna suspects that she has tapped into something beyond reality. Expertly structured to reveal itself with cautious pace, Yonebayashi's magnificent tale of unconditional love and forgiveness confronts the viewer with a number of plot twists and measured revelations that never blatantly point to its tempestuous conclusion. Marnie could simply be a coping mechanism for Anna to battle loneliness, a vision from a different era, or a tangible memory.

It's the heartwarming and intensely depicted bond between these longing souls that renders the film utterly devastating. They are connected through the shared pain of loss and their unfortunate destinies. Intelligently, the affecting topics discerned in "Marnie" are not toned down or simplified but affronted through the characters' conviction to overcome, and it's absolutely touching. Adoption, neglect, and even despair appear on screen as situations that are unquestionably rough but never unbeatable. Hope is another color Yonebayashi's uses to paint his frames.

Radiant landscapes, as luminous as masterful watercolors, are the backdrop for Ghibli's eternally detailed and uniquely stylized animation. Although "Marnie" doesn't exist in a fully fantastical realm as Yonebayashi's debut film "The Secret World of Arrietty" - which is the highest grossing Ghibli release in North America - this follow up uses those elements subtly and in a way that is cohesive with the subject at hand. It's a distinct form of fantasy that's derived not from an alternate reality, but from the vivid memories of past disillusionment sipping into the present to be be rectified. Needless to say the quality of the craft employed is reminiscent of the studio's best work, yet "Marnie" is destined to become a classic on its own merits.

Elegantly scored by renowned composer Takatsugu Muramatsu, this intimate film is a pleasure to watch because its emotive powers are fueled by every element at work, up to the last note on Ahn's poignant song "Fine on the Outside." More than just a visually delightful tearjerker, "When Marnie Was There" is an animated lullaby that reassures our broken hearts will eventually heal, even from the most indomitable tricks of fate.

"When Marnie Was There" opens today at the Nuart in L.A and in NYC at IFC Center...

Here we are at what is a surprisingly modern list. At the beginning of this, I didn’t expect to see so much cultural impact coming from films so recently made, but that’s the way it goes. The films that define the horror genre aren’t necessarily the scariest or the most expensive or even the best. The films that define the genre point to a movement – movies that changed the game and influenced all the films after it. Movies that transcend the horror genre. Movies that broke the mold and changed the way horror can be created.

10. El laberinto del fauno (2006)

English Language Title: Pan’s Labyrinth

Directed by: Gullermo del Toro

It’s more a dark fantasy film than a horror film, but it would be tough to make a list of 50 of those. Plus, it has enough graphic, nightmarish images to push it over the threshold.

Before all you Takashi Miiki fans get too excited, this isn’t alas a release in a (specifically) English speaking territory, but for all those versed in the fine art of multi region DVD players, this will be of interest. His hard core thriller, Shield of Straw is up for a theatrical bow in Hong Kong, next month. So its English subbed trailer and DVD releases (approx a month after) a go-go! Synopsis: Based on Kazuhiro Kiuchi's novel. A powerful multi-billionnaire Ninagawa (Tsutomu Yamazaki) puts an irresistible price on the head of the man he believes to be the killer of his 7-years-old granddaughter, by placing advertisments on all newspapers in Japan. Realising he has become a target of all citizens, Kiyomaru (Tatsuya Fujiwara) turns himself into the Fukuoka Police Station. Five police officers including Mekari (Takao Osawa ) and Shiraiwa (Nanako Matsushima) are dispatched to bring Kiyomaru back to...

The full Fantasia 2013 lineup will be announced next Tuesday, July 9th, but in the meantime we have the second wave of titles to share, and per usual, it's a doozy!

From the Press Release:

Following last week’s first wave of programming announcements, the Fantasia International Film Festival is proud to unveil several additional highlights to warm you up for our July 9th Press Conference, where we’ll be unveiling of our full 120+ film lineup. The festival runs from July 18 to August 6.

Official Opening Night Film – Takashi Miike’s Shield Of Straw (North American Premiere)

Hot off its screening in official completion at the Cannes Film Festival, Takashi Miike’s riveting crime thriller Shield Of Straw will be kicking off Fantasia’s 2013 edition with its first screening on the North American continent. Shield Of Straw stars Takao Osawa, Nanako Matsushima, and Tatsuya Fujiwara. Fantasia’s 1997 screening of Fudoh marked the...

From the press release:

Following last week’s first wave of programming announcements, the Fantasia International Film Festival is proud to unveil several additional highlights, before their July 9th Press Conference, where they’ll be unveiling the full 120+ film lineup!

Official Opening Night Film – Takashi Miike’s Shield of Straw

(North American Premiere)

Hot off its screening in official completion at the Cannes Film Festival, Takashi Miike’s riveting crime thriller Shield of Straw will be kicking off Fantasia’s 2013 edition with its first screening on the North American continent. Shield of Straw stars Takao Osawa, Nanako Matsushima, and Tatsuya Fujiwara. Fantasia’s 1997 screening of Fudoh marked the first time that a Miike film had ever been shown in North America, making it all the more joyous to open our 2013 festival with his latest work.

Extensive Artist Talks with Bryan Singer and Simon Boswell

Fantasia will once again offer audiences...

Cannes, France — Director Takashi Miike says shooting an action movie in Japan is a lot harder than it looks.

His Cannes Film Festival entry "Shield of Straw" is a robust thriller about a team of police tasked with escorting a child-killer with a billion-yen bounty on his head safely across the country.

"It was extremely difficult to shoot all the scenes in Japan," he told reporters Monday. "It was impossible to close down the highways and get so many police cars on the road" – and Japan's railway operator refused to let the filmmaker shoot on its trains. Fortunately, Taiwan uses Japanese trains on its system, and was happy to oblige.

Although touched with serious themes of loyalty and duty, at heart "Shield of Straw" is an old-fashioned action flick, bursting with car chases, gunfights and explosions to rival anything from Hollywood – including a spectacular highway pileup and minutes of mayhem on a high-speed train.

★☆☆☆☆ Cult Japanese director Takashi Miike is often forgiven for the hit-and-miss nature of his output due to the fact that he's so prolific - occasionally churning out multiple films in a single year. Hopes were high for his new Cannes competition entry after the sublime 13 Assassins (2010) slashed through Venice a couple of years ago. Sadly, Shield of Straw (Wara no tate, 2013) is a stone-cold dud which really has no place on the Croisette. When a little girl is raped and murdered, her super-rich grandfather offers a huge reward to anyone who kills the suspected killer, Kunihide Kiyomaru (a maniacal Tatsuya Fujiwara).

There are conditions, however. The killer has to be found guilty and the state must sanction the act. Two police officers from the State Security Service - the grieving Kazuki Mekari (Takao Osawa) and single mother Atsuko Shiraiwa (Nanako Matsushima) - are given the job of transporting Kiyomaru (who...

Shield of Straw Trailer, Photograph. Takashi Miike’s Shield of Straw (2013) movie trailer, movie image stars Nanako Matsushima, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Takao Osawa, Gorô Kishitani, and Masatô Ibu. Shield of Straw‘s plot synopsis: based on Wara no Tate by Kazuhiro Kiuchi, “Ninagawa is a powerful man in Japanese politics and with top economic connections.His granddaughter is [...]

Continue reading: Shield Of Straw (2013) Movie Trailer: Cops Protect a Suspected Killer...

Shield of Straw (or if you prefer Wara no tate) is an upcoming police-thriller which comes from controversial Japanese director Takashi Miike, and is selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. We recommend you to check out official trailers and some great images from the movie, because this project definitely looks promising. Takashi Miike directed the movie from a script written by Tamio Hayashi, based on the novel of the same name by Kazuhiro Kiuchi. It revolves around two cops, played by Takao Osawa and Nanako Matsushima who are tasked with escorting a convicted killer across Japan. The whole...

Click to continue reading Takashi Miike’s Shield Of Straw, Cannes 2013 on www.filmofilia.com...

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Aidan Turner and Cch Pounder have joined Harald Zwart's fantasy adaptation "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" at Constantin Film.

Turner will play Luke Garroway, the surrogate father to the protagonist Clary Fray (Lily Collins). Pounder portrays Madame Dorthea, a witch who is Clary's downstairs neighbor in New York City. [Source: Variety]

Two Night Stand

Miles Teller and Analeigh Tipton are set to star in Max Nichols' romantic comedy "Two Night Stand" for Flynn Picture Co. Shooting kicks off in late September.

The story follows a pair of unlikely lovers who are trapped together in an apartment after a record-breaking blizzard forces them to extend a regrettable one-night stand. [Source: Variety]

Saving Mr. Banks

"The Office" star B.J. Novak has joined the cast of "Saving Mr. Banks" at Disney Pictures. The story deals with the making of "Mary Poppins".

Novak will play Robert Sherman, the Disney...

In less than two months, we reviewed two different Takashi Miike films. This came after last year’s review of Hara-Kiri — which is starting to open in the United States — and all of those will only precede a rundown of his next outing, Lesson of the Evil, later this year. My point being, this is a guy who makes everyone around him look lazy — if, as our reviews indicate, not always bad.

Next up, according to Variety, is Shield of Straw, which has found its leads in Takao Osawa, Nanako Matsushima (Ringu), and Tatsuya Fujiwara (Battle Royale, Death Note). Here, Miike is adapting Kazuhiro Kiuchi‘s novel of the same name, wherein a couple of cops (Osawa and Matsushima) are commanded to take a killer (Fujiwara) across Japan. A simple task at first blush, but one which becomes problematic when the man’s grandfather puts a $12 million bounty on his head and,...

By Jesse Miller, MoreHorror.com

The Original Ringu (1998)

Have you heard this urban legend about a videotape that kills you seven days after you watch it? No? Then may I introduce you to the world of Hideo Nakata’s Ringu and let you two get acquainted?

Keep in mind, there are a few crucial points to the films I want to cover so you might be in for a lengthy read.

This 1998 Japanese horror film (or as it is affectionately dubbed, J-Horror) is based on the thrilling ’91 novel by Koji Suzuki and follows reporter Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushimi) as she is investigating the startling urban legend and the terrifying truth behind it.

Along the way she enlists the help of her ex-husband Ryuji Takayama (Hiroyuki Sanada) and the two embark on a quest to get to the very bottom of the supposedly deadly legend, uncovering a few horrifying revelations as they go.

Hey, who says Hollywood has cornered the market on remaking movies? Here’s a Japanese remake of the Patrick Swayze-Demi Moore 1990 movie “Ghost”. The Japanese re-telling switches things up a bit with the girl (Nanako Matsushima) getting gunned down in this one, while the man (Song Seung-heon) is left to pine for his beloved. Whoopi Goldberg’s comic psychic has been swapped with an elderly woman, and Vincent Schiavelli, the grouchy subway ghost who teaches our hero the ways of the force, or, how to kick a can when you’re dead, has been re-envisioned as a little girl. Nanami is a successful young entrepreneur and she has everything a woman could ask for—except the man of her dreams. On her birthday, she gets drunk and spends the night with a stranger, Jun-ho. Nanami feels he is the love of her life and they have a romantic wedding.

Here’s the trailer for Shunichi Nagasaki’s upcoming dog film Inu to Anata no Monogatari: Inu no Eiga, the follow-up to the popular 2005 short film compilation, “All About My Dog”. In addition to Nagasaki, several lesser-known directors were also involved in individual segments.

The stories range anywhere from comedy to tearjerker, with segments involving the pain of losing a pet, a kidnapper who gets emotionally attached to a dog he’s taken, a mother who becomes preoccupied with the welfare of her dog leading up to her son’s wedding banquet, and several others.

In the story which seems to be focused on most in the promotional material, Nao Omori stars as a translator named Ichiro who dislikes dogs due to the shock caused by his childhood pet, a Shiba Inu, being hit by a car. However, his wife Misato (Nanako Matsushima) decides to go behind his back and...

Yesterday, a new trailer was released for Paramount’s upcoming Asian remake of Ghost. I’m pretty sure most people are fairly familiar with the original 1990 Hollywood version starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, so it makes more sense to go over the differences—most of which are made glaringly obvious in the new footage.

First and foremost, genders are reversed as Nanako Matsushima is actually playing the business executive/ghost Nanami in this version. South Korean actor Seung-heon Song portrays her grieving widower, a ceramic artist named Joon-ho. In lieu of Whoopi Goldberg’s sassy scam artist turned legit medium, Oda Mae Brown, we have veteran actress Kirin Kiki—sassy factor still indeterminate. And finally, instead of receiving her poltergeist lessons from a wild-eyed subway ghost of dubious mental stability, Nanami is instead tutored by a cute little girl at the hospital.

Artistic license, or completely arbitrary changes made...

Early last week, a teaser was released for Paramount’s upcoming Asian remake of Ghost. The new footage clarifies an important fact about the remake that has largely slipped under the radar since the project was first announced back in May—that Nanako Matsushima will actually be playing the ghost role originally played by the late Patrick Swayze and Korean actor Seung-heon Song‘s character will be more in line with the Demi Moore part. Also, a recently released production still shows veteran actress Kirin Kiki taking over the psychic medium character originally portrayed by Whoopi Goldberg.

Plot: One day, a company manager named Nanami (Matsushima) meets and falls in love with Joon-ho (Song), who’s staying in Japan to study ceramic art. However, when the two begin their life together, Nanami is involved in a tragic incident and loses her life. Refusing to allow her soul to go to heaven,...

Early last week, a teaser was released for Paramount’s upcoming Asian remake of Ghost. The new footage clarifies an important fact about the remake that has largely slipped under the radar since the project was first announced back in May—that Nanako Matsushima will actually be playing the ghost role originally played by the late Patrick Swayze and Korean actor Seung-heon Song‘s character will be more in line with the Demi Moore part. Also, a recently released production still shows veteran actress Kirin Kiki taking over the psychic medium character originally portrayed by Whoopi Goldberg.

Plot: One day, a company manager named Nanami (Matsushima) meets and falls in love with Joon-ho (Song), who’s staying in Japan to study ceramic art. However, when the two begin their life together, Nanami is involved in a tragic incident and loses her life. Refusing to allow her soul to go to heaven,...

Yes, you read that right, the 1990 Patrick Swayze / Demi Moore movie Ghost is being remade for Japanese audiences, and it makes sense given the films plot:

After being killed during a botched mugging, a man’s love for his partner enables him to remain on earth as a ghost.

Doesn’t that seem like the plot of any Japanese ghost movie? According to a report on Variety, veteran horror filmmaker Takashi Ichise (Ju-On 1&2, The Grudge 1&2) is producing the Asian remake (for Paramount Pictures Japan), which has the title of Love and Soul, with Taro Ohtani in the directors chair. From Variety:

Love and Soul stars Korean Wave actor Song Seung-hun and Japanese actress Nanako Matsushima in the roles played by Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore respectively. Lensing wrapped at the end of July…

The film is currently scheduled for release in Japan and Korea this November.

Stop the friggin' presses! Yes, you read that right! In a stunning turn of events an American supernatural themed love story involving a restless spirit is being remade for Japan! Not the other way around! I'm dizzy. Really, I may faint. Somebody hold me.

According to Variety veteran horror filmmaker Takashi Ichise (the Ju-On/Grudge franchise) will be producing an Asian remake of director Jerry Zucker's 1990 hit Ghost called Love and Soul with director Taro Ohtani at the helm.

"Love and Soul stars Korean Wave actor Song Seung-hun and Japanese actress Nanako Matsushima in the roles played by Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, respectively. Lensing wrapped at the end of July, and the pic will be released in November in Japan and Korea."

So what does that mean for us? Honestly not a hell of a lot, and we probably will never mention this flick again around these parts...

A sequel has been announced for “All About My Dog” (Inu no Eiga), a 2005 compilation of short films about people’s relationships with dogs. It was first released in mini theaters and grew to become vastly popular among dog lovers. The sequel is titled Inu to Anata no Monogatari: Inu no Eiga and will reportedly consist of six segments. The cast will include Nao Omori, Nanako Matsushima, Masaaki Uchino, Kie Kitano, Akira Nakao, and Atsuko Takahata.

The original featured actors like Misaki Ito, Manami Konishi, and Aoi Miyazaki—so the sequel had a lot to live up to in terms of casting.

Nao Omori, who recently gained some added fame for starring in the financial thriller Hagetaka, and TV drama mainstay Nanako Matsushima will play a couple in their segment. This marks the pair’s first time acting together, but Omori claims portraying a couple felt completely natural and being...

Paramount has announced it's remaking the 1990 supernatural romance Ghost... in Japan…

Here's a mildly strange news snippet we couldn't resist sharing with you, particularly in light of the current wave of remake fever currently sweeping Hollywood.

Paramount is bringing back its 1990 spectral love story Ghost (you remember the one - Demi Moore, the late, great Patrick Swayze and the potter's wheel) and remaking a new version of the story for audiences in Japan.

"We have this great property in our library," Paramount Japan's Hisamichi Kinomoto told Reuters. "If the essence of that story appeals to the Japanese, we should use it to attract new audiences."

The move comes as an attempt to reverse the fortunes of films originating from the Us, which have found themselves increasingly outperformed at the Japanese box office of late. The decreasing popularity of American movies in cinemas has been blamed on audiences losing patience with subtitled films,...

Nanako Matsushima (36) and Seung-heon Song (33) are set to star in an Asian remake of Jerry Zucker’s smash hit 1990 film Ghost, taking over the roles originally played by Demi Moore and the late Patrick Swayze. In the Hollywood version, Swayze played a man who was killed during an attempted mugging and remained on earth as a ghost to warn his girlfriend (Moore) of an impending danger. The Asian version will be set in Japan.

Probably best known outside of Japan for starring in the 1998 horror film “Ring”, former full-time fashion model Matsushima truly made a name for herself domestically in 2002 by playing Matsu in the enormously popular Ntv drama “Toshiie and Matsu”. In 2007, she proved herself to be a capable lead film actress with a poignant performance in Isshin Inudo’s “Bizan”.

Her co-star, Seung-heon Song, has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity over the past few years following an embarrassing...

2007 Shanghai International Film FestivalSHANGHAI -- "Tokyo Tower: Mom, Me & Sometimes Dad" directed by Joji Matsuoka, the Japanese mother/son weepie that packed theaters and boosted tissue sales, finds a less tearful counterpart in "Bizan", directed by Isshin Inudou, a mother/daughter drama, also released domestically in May to coincide with Mother's Day. While the former panders both to maternal fantasies of the prodigal-son-made-good and male audiences with a mother complex, the latter handles subtle female emotions with elegant poise and heart-breaking tenderness.

While "Tokyo Tower" may attract more worldwide attention through plaudits in Japan and male lead Odagiri Joe's international fame, "Bizan" appeals more narrowly to a more mature, particularly female audience, especially in Asian countries with high emphasis on family values. Captured by fluid, top-notch camerawork, the spectacle of Awa odori, Japan's biggest traditional festival where thousands clad in traditional costumes and props take to the streets in a heart-pounding dance, may attract a specific audience interested in Japanese folk culture.

Sakiko (Nanako Matsushima), who works for a travel corporation in Tokyo, is recalled to her hometown Tokushima, when her mother, Tatsuko (Nobuko Miyamoto), is suddenly hospitalized. Old tensions resurface, then she receives a double shock. Not only does she learn that Tatsuko has only a few months to live, she discovers that her father, whom she has never met and thought to be long dead, is alive.

As she embarks on a trip to find him, his old love letters become her guide in retracing footsteps of her parents' romantic rendezvous. At the annual Awa odori summer dance festival, Sakiko fulfills her mother's last wish.

In tone and spirit, "Bizan" recalls another classic Asian mother/daughter drama, "Song of the Exile" (1990) by Ann Hui. Both are about women who become cultural or social exiles by uprooting themselves to settle in the hometown of their lost loves. Both deal with the rift between two generations, and their reconciliation through unlocking family secrets and understanding, literally, where the mother comes from.

However, while Hui does not go beyond genre conventions of making the protagonists speak daggers to each other, Inudou (who co-wrote the script with Yukiko Yamamuro from a novel by Masashi Sada) exercises restraint where emotional outpour is expected. Tatsuko diffuses tension and evades unwanted questions with beautifully enunciated lines from her beloved bunraku (puppet) plays. When Sakiko meets her father, they avert their eyes and exchange niceties with agonizing formality.

Like other strong, elderly characters that people Inudo Isshin films, such as "Across a Gold Prairie", "Shinibana" and "La Maison de Himiko", Tatsuko is played with commanding power by Miyamoto. Impeccably coiffed and ramrod straight in her kimono, she conveys a full register of emotions even with a face caked in an inch of white powder. Recently returning to the big screen after several years' absence, Matsushima ("Ring", "Murder of the Inugami Clan") also turns in a natural and nuanced performance.

BIZAN

Toho/Bizan Seisaku Iinkai

Credits:

Director: Isshin Inudo

Writers: Isshin Inudo, Yukiko Yamamuro

Based on the novel by: Masashi Sada

Producer: Endo Manabu

Director of photography: Takahiro Tsutai

Production designer: Yukiharu Seshimo

Music: Michiru Oshima

Editor: Soichi Ueno

Cast:

Sakiko: Nanako Matsushima

Tatsuko: Nobuko Miyamoto

Daisuke: Takao Osawa

Running time -- 120 minutes

No MPAA rating...