J-Horror’s influence – Forum Discussion June 4, 2009

Hey guys, i’m doing a research project for my media course..

If anyones interested theres a few youtube clips on this link to my blog..

if anyone wants to watchthem and then hit the big blue survey buttom in the right hand corner i would really appreciate it as this research will help with my findings and evaluation in my exam in a few weeks.

My research project is to look at Japanese Horror and see how and if it has influenced other international sub-genres of horror, i.e – South Korean, French, German. I tried to stray away from Western films (US, UK, NZ, AUS) as the project was based on World Cinema. Any questions/ answers please feel free to ask/say.

The basis i have been focusing on mainly are the main conventions of each sub-genre and looking for similarities and how each have influenced each other.

The four main films i have looked at are: Ringu (Japanese), Infection (Japanese), A Tale Of Two Sisters (korean) & Frontier(s) (French).

Ringu was alright, not that much scarier than its westernized partner and I remember at the time being embarrassed by the endless plot holes.

i thought ringu was superb, first film to actually scare me since watching stephen king’s IT as a kid, and i don’t really care about how scary it is compared with the hollywood remake, it was the same director and i don’t think he set out to make a version with an altogether different level of scariness

if you watch ring 0 the plot does make sense, but then don’t because it’s rubbish, 2 was alright though

And Ringu (Japanese), Infection (Japanese) are both brilliant films. The Japanese Ringu was much better than the American version. Although The Juon was a MASSIVE let down.

yeah, i’ve got tale of two sisters, it’s ok, nowhere near as engaging as ring and it borrows a lot in the SFX department

(Different colours indicate different posts by different people).

Interview with ‘Jaded Viewer’ May 27, 2009

Based on Asian & French Horror within World Cinema.

Thanks for checking out my site. Here’s what I sent over to the previous person who asked.

1)What, in your opinion, are the main conventions of a modern French horror?

Well my first real French horror movie was Haute Tension (high tension). I met the director Alexandre Aja and got to briefly speak with him.

It seems he was influenced by Lucio Fulci’s work so I guess french horror has gained its momentum from Italian horror.

I guess the first convention that seems most prominent is the home invasion. High Tension, Them (Ils) (more so than ever as the American version The Strangers seems to have the same premise), Inside and even Frontiere(s) have this same horror convention.

I’m an American so I don’t really know if this is a deep fear within the French culture but if it plays on that fear….I guess it works.

I think the 2nd convention is the French horror allusion to “others” as evil and maniacal.
It seems the French riots in 2005 have deemed Muslims as others. In Frontiere(s), it seems they play on the borderland rural french community.

But French horror seems to be an homage to the splatter of old. Good ole solid gore and carnage.

American horror has been PG-13 of late which sucks for us but I see the savagery of the new wave of French horror filmmakers seems to be going in that direction. There’s a new french horror film called Martyrs that follows the same suit.

2)What, in your opinion, are the main conventions of a modern Asian horror?

Asian horror mainly from Japan and Thailand is generally centered on the supernatural. Folk tales, old ghost stories seem to be the main focus with films such as the Ring and others.

Also, the Japanese seem to be focused on using their own society problems to make horror movies (bullying, sexual perversion, etc.)

I’m sure you could find loads of info on asian horror but those 2 would be the main conventions.

3)As you can see from your blog, who have seen a great many horror/zombie film! What do you think makes Asian (mainly Japanese) and French horror so different?

The japanese horror films are less on gore and more on the psychological. A creeping hand on the back of your neck for a quick scare. A mysterious phone call. Japanese horror is all about death in the future. Whereas French horror is more immediate.

4)I have read that J-horror mainly focuses on psychological horror and tension building, would you agree with this statement?

Yes. As I said above, it’s about atmosphere and using modern technology we use everyday that engulfs most japanese horror.

Possessed internet, videotape or notebook that kills. Every japanese movie is not abot the quick kills…its the building of 2-3 several deaths that make it memorable.

5)How many films do you know of featuring a Yurei?

I do know Yurei are japanese ghosts.

Ring, Ju on, Dark Water, One Missed Call, Shikoku, Spiral, The Grudge, Shutter all have this same premise.

I really didn’t like One Missed Call or any of these. Though I did like the Ring alot.

6)Why do you think that lately there have been such a great amount of French horror films being released?

Honestly, I think most French filmmakers make horror films to get into the Hollywood market. Aja made Hills Have Eyes remake. Others are following as well.

I think American horror is very bad right now. We’re in remake city and it comepletely fuckin sucks. So many freakin remakes it makes me sick.

French horror movies and I’ve seen most of them are awesome because of their atmosphere, various chilling scenes and all out splatter and gore. No cut aways. Just buckets of guts and blood.

American horror fans love that stuff. We appreciate it.

Only one American movie has come close (Hatchet)

I’ve written a lot of French horror reviews. You should check it out (my reviews are more humorous than your straight forward “real” critic review.

http://jadedviewer.com/2008/04/inside-review.html

http://jadedviewer.com/2008/05/frontieres-review.html

If you’ve got any other questions, let me know

References & Quotations- World Cinema (Critical Research) May 26, 2009

References needed for exam

New Media’s impact on contemporary Japanese Horror Cinema. ( http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4092/is_200710/ai_n21186134/pg_10 ) (Warda-Marciano, Mitsuyo)

‘Anne Allison writes, “Japanese ‘cool’ is traveling popularly and profitably around the world and insinuating itself into the everyday lives and fantasy desires of postindustrial kids from Taiwan and Australia to Hong Kong and France.’

‘Intriguingly, in South Korea, the local Korean film production company AFDF produced the film’s adaptation Ring Virus (South Korea, 1999, Kim Dong-bin) and released it on June 12, 1999-six months before the original Japanese version appeared on December 11, 1999.’

‘Japanese horror movies tend to have a distinct style — a deliberate pace, with quiet terror, often featuring morality tales and tales of vengeance either based on traditional Japanese stories or rooted in general Japanese cultural mythology (particularly when it comes to ghosts). That said, there is a significant undercurrent of graphic exploitation in Japanese genre films as well, showcasing shocking violence and sexual depravity.’ (http://horror.about.com/od/foreignhorrormovies/a/japan.htm) (Mark H. Harris)

Question 1 Notes (account of/evaluate)

World Cinema(J-horror-influence)

• Primary/Secondary research.
• Blog sites www.wordpress.com / blogspot.com
• Search engines – Google, use tags such as ‘Japanese + horror + influence + world + cinema + j-horror + k-horror + french horror’
• Look for previous research/opinions (opinionated, no neutral bias)
• These are usually good benefitial articles.

Quotes taken from google/blog searches/links from blogs.

Mark H. Harris, horror.about.com/od/foreignhorromovies/a/japan.htm

(conventions of J-horror/K/French/Other i.e NZ)

Shows similarities/differences between conventions and ideas within international subgenres of horror film.

Warda Marciano, Mitsuyo. – findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qu4092/is_qa4092

(Effects Asian cinema has had on world)

Japanes conventions, i.e – yurei, psychological horror.

Shows how Tarantino films have been influenced by this type of subgenre. (asian cinema), similar conventions/ideas used.

www.gaurdian.co.uk/film/2006/nov/05/features.review1 OR empireonline.com

film reviews of relevant films – film review/database website/company

Garunteed to be relevant

opinionated bias – possibly publisizing film

• Using internet as research tool = useful, searches have to be specific and refined, much irrelevant info. No txt unbiased, may not reflect true answer of findings.

Books  used = Flowers From Hell: The Modern Japanese Horror Film

(Jim Harper, NOIR PUBLISHING)

‘Over the past decade, Japan has become a key player on the contemporary horror scene, producing some of the most influential and critically respected genre movies of recent years. Whether it’s the subtle chills of Ring, the graphic brutality of Audition or the zombie-fuelled mayhem of Versus, leading Japanese horror has had a major impact throughout the world. From its origins in the mid-80s to the multi-million dollar franchises of today, Flowers from Hell traces the evolution of this consistently inventive and influential horror phenomenon.’

Introduction to Japanese Horror Film (Colette Balmain, Edinburgh University Press (15 Oct 2008))

‘This book is a major historical and cultural overview of an increasingly popular genre. Starting with the cultural phenomenon of Godzilla, it explores the evolution of Japanese horror from the 1950s through to contemporary classics of Japanese horror cinema such as “Ringu” and “Ju-On: The Grudge”. Divided thematically, the book explores key motifs such as the vengeful virgin, the demonic child, the doomed lovers and the supernatural serial killer, situating them within traditional Japanese mythology and folk-tales. The book also considers the aesthetics of the Japanese horror film, and the mechanisms through which horror is expressed at a visceral level through the use of setting, lighting, music and mise-en-scene. It concludes by considering the impact of Japanese horror on contemporary American cinema by examining the remakes of “Ringu”, “Dark Water” and “Ju-On: The Grudge”. The emphasis is on accessibility, and whilst the book is primarily marketed towards film and media students, it will also be of interest to anyone interested in Japanese horror film, cultural mythology and folk-tales, cinematic aesthetics and film theory. It covers classics of Japanese horror film such as “Pitfall”, “Tales of Ugetsu”, “Kwaidan”, “Onibaba”, “Hellish Love” and “Empire of Desire” alongside less well-known cult films such as “Pulse”, “St John’s Wort”, “Infection” and “Living Hell: A Japanese Chainsaw Massacre”. It includes analysis of the relationship between cultural mythology and the horror film. It explores the evolution of the erotic ghost story in the 1960s and 1970s. It examines the contemporary relationship between Japanese and American horror films.’

Others

Relevant Articles (references)

http://inventorspot.com/articles/japans_frightening_five_scariest_7632

http://musingcontinuum.wordpress.com/2008/08/31/ring-the-original-the-one-and-only/

http://horror.about.com/od/foreignhorrormovies/a/france.htm

http://www.horror-movies.ca/horror_10773.html

Horror Buff Blog - http://horrorfatale.wordpress.com/

http://www.beyondhollywood.com/french-horror-film-inside-trailer-images/

Korean Film Archive - http://www.koreafilm.org

J-Horror History (The Death Of J-horror?) http://www.midnighteye.com/features/death-of-j-horror.shtml

Horror History - http://www.geocities.com/jahsonic/Horror.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2006/nov/05/features.review1

Forum for foreign horror film fans!

http://www.horror-movies.ca/horror_10773.html

Broadcast News – Case Studies. May 15, 2009

Broadcast News – Case Studies

Velcro petals help bees hang on

Certain flowers on plants have evolved to help bees hang onto them to allow for pollination. The flowers contain velcro like properties which allow hooks on the bees to attach to them. Bee’s can realise different flower cell types through their feet.
This story is a new development, a new discovery by the University of Cambridge.
The news story was released on 15/5/09 after the experimental results and discoveries were published by the University and the journal ‘Current Biology’.
The story is news worthy as it shows new information about a process which is important for large ecosystems, especially within agricultural lands. News values – prefabrication, unexpectedness.
Agenda – To inform scientists and also the public about wildlife interactions. Could help with gaining knowledge about new areas of unknown.
Biased reporting is not obvious, although may be present in the fact that no repeats by any other ‘teams’ have been taken, and although the research looks as if this observation is true, it may still not be. However no bias from news organization itself.
This news has been gathered by local correspondents within Cambridge University. Also experts who have picked up the story from the journal.
There are images present, to show the experiment taking place and of bees and flowers which give the story a light hearted view and encourage people to read, with the use of bright colours.
Social groups – Scientists/ environmentalists.
There is no interaction with the organisation and audience apart from links to the journal and cambridge websites.
Also picked up by the telegraph, which tell the story in a similar manner, apart from use more facts than quotes.

Deal on 90m UK swine flu vaccines

The UK government has signed a deal to secure up to 90m doses of H1N1 flu (swine flu) vaccine by December.
News story is a continuous story, with Swine Flue being a major story present at the moment, this is a development from the other stories which were present.
Story released on 15/5/09 after journalists discovered the government had signed a deal.
The story is news worthy as it appeals to everyone in the UK, as there is a potential Flu pandemic set to occur. The vaccines could be the difference between the lives of thousands of people.
Agenda – To inform the general public and health organisations that the potential to die or become seriously ill from swine flu will not be as possible, due to the amounts of vaccines being produced.
The news story is not biased, however it is an informative article and no opinion is present.
News story was gathered by national correspondents, as it is a national story and effects all in the UK.
One image present of antiviral drugs to show what the drugs will look like. To early for pictures of the disease to be published.
Continuity, frequency,
Social groups – All UK population and potentially other countries. Groups featured = health organisations/government.
No audience interaction, apart from e-mail section.
Covered by many other news organisations/agencies. Such as the mirror, nursing times. Nursing times tells a similar story, but in a more medial worded way.

Obama ‘to revive military trials’

US President Barack Obama is expected to announce on Friday that he is reviving military trials for some of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Is a continuation of an older story, but hasn’t occurred in the news for some time.
Story broke out on the 15/5/09.
This news story is news worthy as it is relevant to the US and as they are a major elite nation, it is also relevant to out country as it could have consequences/benefits to the allied nations. Also has some levels of negativity and frequency.
Agenda – To inform the public of the revival of the military trials which have come under much criticism from the public.
To an extent the article may be biased as the criticism from the public have had an effect on the way the article has been written. Only takes the opinion, quotes from Barrack Obama’s point of view.
The information has been gathered by an international news correspondents or by a news agency as it is not a national/local story.
An image of Guantanamo bay prisoners and another of barrack obama are seen. Shows the harsh conditions that prisoners are kept in, as well as an important decision the president is to make.
The relevant social groups are the american government and the american military. Although the military have come under some criticisms, in this article they are shown to be doing ‘the right thing’ possibly due to them being ally troops.
Interactions from text and opinions taken on live tv show, however none on website.
Other sources of the story, that of american broadcasters show the story in a different light. Showing the American troops in a better way, and suggesting that they are doing the right thing, more national bias then shown in the UK.

Thousands flee Pakistan fighting

Displaced people from the Swat valley in one of the refugee camps.Thousands of people are streaming into camps seeking refuge from the conflict between Pakistan’s army and Taleban rebels in the country’s north-west.
Story was released on the 15//5/09, possibly by a news agency, as the areas of taleban fighting is in quite remote, dangerous areas.
Worthy of news as Pakistan are fighting the taleban who have threatened Western culture and lives in the past, with such things as bombings. If the taleban succeed they may gain control of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. Western authorities are contemplating helping the Pakistan military. The story is a continuation of previous stories and contains frequency, continuation and relevance to elite nations.
Agenda – To inform not only the public of many international countries but also the governments, which will allow them to take action regarding the matter.
The report is biased in the sense that the taleban are a threat to Western societies and so voicing them an opinion would be against our nations.
Images are of Pakistan soldiers, showing bias towards the Pakistan and against the taleban.
The social groups featured are the Pakistan military who are seen in a good light, and doing ‘the right thing’, however the taleban are seen oppositely and are seen as ‘evil’ almost.
Opinions can be given, however most likely not to be in favour to the taleban.
All western news articles on this topic, highlight the stories in similar ways, however arcticles published by organisations and agencies within countries nearer to the ‘action’ do not press the pakistani military as much as others.

Codes & Conventions of Gangster/Crime Film Genre April 2, 2009

Motifs of The Gangster Genre

1. The hero is an immigrant who dislikes his low status in life and wants more.

2. Unlike the Western, this story takes place in the big city. The wide open plains have been traded in for the seedy alleyways and wharves of the urban jungle.

3. The gangster can only gain power by taking it. It is survival of the fittest, and the only law is the law of the jungle.

4. The only loyalty the gangster feels is for his own immigrant roots.

5. Success is measured in material goods – flashy cars, expensive clothes, and mansions. Women are measures of success as well.

6. The hero’s antagonist is society, and the enforcers of the law. The police, the FBI, the CIA represent the enforcers of societal status quo.

7. The end justifies the means.

Useful links – crime/gangster research/reviews March 27, 2009

http://www.influx.co.uk/wordpress/videos/gangster-lean/

Real Life Criminal ‘Gangsters’ March 25, 2009

Al Capone

Commonly nicknamed ‘Scarface’, was born in 1899 in Brooklyn, USA, parented by two South-West Itilian imigrants. Al Capone was an Itlian-American criminal who began his career in Brooklyn yet eventually moving to Chicago and becoming the ‘boss’ of the criminal organisation the ‘ Chicago Outfit’.

Al Capone became infamous for the bootlegging and smuggling of liquor, which at the time was a banned substance. He is also well known for the St. Valentines Day massacre, which took place in Lincoln Park, Chicago in 1929. The massacre was Capones effort to try and dispose of the rival crime organisation led by ‘Bugs’ Moran. Seven of Capones enemies were killed using Submachineguns and shotguns and was supposedly led by a number of Capone’s henchmen. The massacre left outrage within the public.

This has influenced many modern day films, such as Scarface taking the name from Capone’s nickname. Other films based on Capone include The Untouchables and Al Capone.

Kray Twins

Both born in 1933 Reginald and Ronald Kray were identical twins whom went on to become infamous criminals of the East-End of London during the 1960’s. Better known as ‘Reggie & Ronnie’ well well known organised criminals dealing with armed robberies, arson, protection rackets, violent assualts (including torture) and were responsible for the murders of Jack’The Hat’McVitie & George Cornell.

The twins were also West End nightclub owners and frequently mixed with big stars such as Frank Sinatra. Both were eventually voncited to prinson being charged of the murders of jack McVitie & George Cornell.

Films which are based on The Krays include;  The Long Good Friday & The Krays.

Black Cash – Film Poster March 11, 2009

Little mock up film poster for our amateur gangster film. Its called Black Cash staring Steve Salisbury & Chris Gamelan.

Culture Bias within Psychology March 2, 2009

The Strange Situation (Ainsworth)

· Developmental psychology

· Observes attachment types between caregiver and infants.

· Child is placed in a room for 20 minutes and different scenarios occur, changing the child’s stressfulness.

· Attachment types = Secure, Anxious ambivalent, Anxious Avoidant.

· This research is etical as it generalizes to all children from all cultures.

· It stresses that the behaviour in development is common in all cultures and that only cultural factors influence development to an extent.

· The study is outside of the cultures being looked at; however it studies many cultures to try and show its universal appearance.

· This research contains Eurocentrism as it emphasizes Western theories and ideas. In this example secure attachment is seen as the ‘norm’ as this is what usually occurs in Western cultures, everything which deviates from this such as avoidant and ambivalent is ‘strange’ or different.

· This research contains Ethnocentrism as it uses its own ethnic or cultural group as a basis for judgement. In this case it takes a Western cultural view as the basis for the method. Therefore not taking into account methods which allow for other cultures. For example, the method of the strange situation may use certain instruments or ways that are common to one culture, however may not be common within the other cultures the method has been generalized to and so there may be some culture bias.

· This research has mainly been carried out on infants of middle-class white families and so the findings cannot therefore be generalized to other races, classes and cultures. There has been very little research in places such as Africa.

· The researchers themselves were not from the culture that they were researching mainly within collectivist cultures and were mainly from western cultures too. Beliefs and behaviours may be different culturally and so the researcher may put their cultural beliefs into this.

Kohlberg’s Moral Development

· The moral development theory is based on a hierarchy of developmental stages.

· Is heavily influenced by Western and individualist culture

· Is a very traditional take of abstract moral reasoning.

· As it takes a very individualistic approach it cannot therefore be accurate enough to reflect moral reasoning in other cultures, such as collectivist cultures.

· Many studies show that collectivist cultures score lower morality ratings within development than individualist, although this shows them as less, this is not the case as they are just different.

· This research contains much eurocentrism as it emphasizes much Western theories and doesn’t take into account the differences of collectivist cultures.

· It takes a very Etic approach as Kohlberg believes that moral behaviour is common to all and that all the stages can be applied to all people and cultures. Culture plays little role according to the little research and theory, however this could be incorrect as collectivist cultures are seen to contain different beliefs and ideas, such as working for each other and so morality will work differently in these situations.

· This research also takes a ethnocentristic view as morality according to research on Kohlberg’s ideas is taken from a Western point of view and then generalized to the rest of the population of the world. This is seen as normal, anything different is ‘lower’ or deviating.

· Research mainly used young, white, middle-class, western cultured boys as participants, this shows a lack of validity and a lot of cultural bias within the findings and method.

Advance Production – Location shots. February 12, 2009