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Japanese horror, often referred to as J-horror, has captivated and terrified audiences worldwide with its distinct approach to the genre. Unlike its Western counterparts, which frequently rely on overt violence and jump scares, J-horror typically excels in creating a pervasive atmosphere of dread, tapping into deep-seated psychological fears, and exploring the unsettling realm of the supernatural. This unique sensibility has earned Japanese horror films global recognition and significant influence, particularly during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This article aims to delve into the pantheon of Japanese horror cinema, identifying the most consistently acclaimed films, examining their key features and cultural significance, and exploring their enduring legacy on the international stage.

Defining the Apex of Fear: Identifying the Top Japanese Horror Films

Determining the definitive “best” Japanese horror movies of all time is a subjective endeavor, yet a consensus emerges when examining numerous reputable sources, including film review websites,...

If you have seen the 1999 Japanese horror film Audition, you know it's a movie that means business. It's a bit of a slow burn, but once it gets going and heads towards its gruesome climax, you can't help but have to pick your mouth up from off the floor. It's one of those films that shouldn't be touched again because it's perfect as is but, this is Hollywood. Any film is in play for a new take, and it looks like it's Audition's turn to get the remake treatment.

Per Deadline, a new take on Takashi Miike's Audition is in the works, with a deal near to being closed for Focus Features, Hyde Park Entertainment, and Mario Kassar Productions to produce the film. What's promising here is that Christian Tafdrup, who directed the original Danish version of Speak No Evil, is co-writing the project with his brother Mads Tafdrup.

Danish filmmaker Christian Tafdrup brought the incredibly bleak film Gæsterne, a.k.a. Speak No Evil (read our review Here) into the world back in 2022 – and when the American remake was released last year, Tafdrup let it be known that he wasn’t impressed by the new take on his story, because it didn’t leave viewers traumatized like the original film did. Now, Deadline has revealed that Tafdrup is on board to direct a remake of director Takashi Miike’s dark and twisted 1999 Japanese film Audition… and we can probably rest assured that he’s not going to take it easy on viewers with his take on the material.

Based on a 1997 horror thriller novel by Ryū Murakami, Miike’s Audition was scripted by Daisuke Tengan and has the following synopsis: Widower Aoyama decides to start dating again. Aided by a film-producer friend, Aoyama uses auditions for a fake...

Ryuhei Matsuda was born on the 9th of May, 1983, in Tokyo, to actress and producer Miyuki Matsuda and actor Yûsaku Matsuda, and only six years later he loses his father to cancer at the premature age of 40. At only 15, Ryuhei is approached by Nagisa Oshima with the life changing offer of a prominent role in his film Gohatto. Since then, Matsuda's magnetic charisma and remarkable versatility have allowed him to portray a wide range of characters, from brooding antiheroes to quirky and endearing figures, captivating audiences both in Japan and internationally.

With a unique ability to immerse himself in diverse roles, he has left an indelible mark on Japanese cinema and continues to be a beloved and influential figure in the world of acting. However, Matsuda's congenital air of disdain for the whole world, his glacial aloofness mixed with his innate handsomeness make him the prototype of effortless coolness,...

Nearly a decade after its debut in competition at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered alongside the likes of Goodbye to Language, Winter Sleep, Clouds of Sils Maria, Maps to the Stars, and Two Days, One Night, Naomi Kawase’s drama Still the Water is getting a North American home courtesy of Film Movement. Ahead of a March 3 digital release, we’re exclusively debuting the new trailer for the film starring Nijirô Murakami, Junko Abe, Miyuki Matsuda, Tetta Sugimoto, and Makiko Watanabe.

On the subtropical Japanese island of Amami, traditions about nature remain eternal. Following a typhoon and during the full-moon night of traditional dances in August, 16-year-old Kaito (Nijirô Murakami) discovers a dead body floating in the sea. His girlfriend, Kyoko (Junko Abe), will attempt to help him understand this mysterious discovery. Together, Kaito and Kyoko will learn to become adults by experiencing the interwoven cycles of life,...

Sion Sono takes another trip towards the preposterous, this time managing to mix tokusatsu, kaiju, and family film elements while mocking a vast plethora of notions, including the Olympic Games, history, the music industry, bullying, pop culture, and even Santa Claus.

Love and Peace is screening as part of Five Flavours Asian New Year’s Eve Online

Ryoichi is the definition of the loser. When he was young, he dreamt of becoming a punk rock star but instead ended up being a timid white-collar employee of a musical parts company. Furthermore, everybody seems to constantly mock him and that includes not just his co-workers and boss, but actually everybody. From the passengers of the train he takes to work every day, who seem to stare at him perpetually, to talk-show producers on TV, in a distinct surrealistic notion, typical of Sono’s style. Ryoichi has feelings for a co-worker, Yuko Terajima,...

Sion Sono's Love and PeaceSTORY72%DIRECTION75%ACTING70%VISUALS80%POSITIVESGreat story in the distinct Sono styleActing matching the general aesthetics to the fullestGreat, retro visualsNegativesA small time frame that the film seems a bit lagging2016-06-1474%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (0 Votes)0%

Sion Sono takes another trip towards the preposterous, this time managing to mix tokusatsu, kaiju, and family film elements while mocking a vast plethora of notions, including the Olympic Games, history, the music industry, bullying, pop culture, and even Santa Claus.

Ryoichi is the definition of loser. When he was young, he dreamt of becoming a punk rock star but instead ended up being a timid white-collar employee of a musical parts company. Furthermore, everybody seems to constantly mock him and that includes not just his co-workers and boss, but actually everybody. From the passengers of the train he takes to work every day, who seem to stare at him perpetually,...

Stars: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura, Renji Ishibashi, Miyuki Matsuda, Toshie Negishi, Ren Ôsugi, Shigeru Saiki, Ken Mitsuishi, Yuriko Hiro’oka | Written by Daisuke Tengan | Directed by Takashi Miike

Takashi Miike’s Audition will always be a special movie to me, because it sparked off my obsession with Takashi Miike. It also put me off the meal I was eating when I first watched it, so it impressed me too. The fact that Arrow Video have given it a special edition should be enough to make it a must buy, but do they do the film justice with their release?

Audition (Ôdishon) is the story of Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) a widower who “auditions” prospective women to date under the rues of a film role. When Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina) is interviewed she catches his eye, and he takes her on a first date. Little does he...

At the Cannes Film Festival last year, our Nikola Grozdanovic called Naomi Kawase's "Still The Water" "an enthralling coming of age story," and one that he thought might walk away from the Croisette with some kind of prize to put on the mantel. That didn't happen, but the picture is still one to keep an eye on as this lovely new trailer reveals. Starring Nijiro Murakami, Jun Yoshinaga, Miyuki Matsuda, and Tetta Sugimoto, the story kicks off when a teenager finds a dead body floating in the sea. Here's the official synopsis:  Read More: Review: Naomi Kawase's 'Still The Water' Is A Spectacle For The Senses On the subtropical Japanese island of Amami-Oshima, traditions about nature remain eternal. During the full-moon night of traditional dances in August, 16-year-old Kaito discovers a dead body floating in the sea. His girlfriend Kyoko will attempt to help him understand this mysterious discovery.

Coverage of International Sales Agents (ISAs) has resumed for the Toronto International Film Festival. This segment covers inspirational companies that have officially selected films in the festival. SydneysBuzz features ISAs, as they play an instrumental and necessary role in helping filmmakers to share their visions and voices with the world.

Paris based sales agent MK2 has the following films premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival this year:

"Still The Water", by Naomi Kawase

Cast: Nijiro Murakami, Jun Yoshinaga, Tetta Sugimoto, Miyuki Matsuda, Fujio Tokita, Drama – 116 min – Japan/France – 2014 – Japanese

On the subtropical Japanese island of Amami, traditions about nature remain eternal. During the full–moon night of traditional dances in August, 14–year–old Kaito discovers a dead body floating in the sea. His girlfriend Kyoko will attempt to help him understand this mysterious discovery. Together, Kaito and Kyoko will learn to become adults by experiencing the interwoven cycles of life, death and love.

From the award–winning director of "The Mourning Forest" (Grand Prix, Cannes Film Festival 2007) and "Suzaku" (Camera d'Or, Cannes Film Festival 1997).

"Clouds Of Sils Maria", by Olivier Assayas Cast: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë Grace Moretz, Lars Eidinger, Johnny Flynn, Brady CorbetDrama – 123 min – France/Germany/Switzerland – 2014 – English

At the peak of her international career, Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) is asked to perform in a revival of the play that made her famous twenty years ago. But back then she played the role of Sigrid, an alluring young girl who disarms and eventually drives her boss Helena to suicide. Now she is being asked to step into the other role, that of the older Helena.

She departs with her assistant (Kristen Stewart) to rehearse in Sils Maria; a remote region of the Alps. A young Hollywood starlet with a penchant for scandal (Chloë Grace Moretz) is to take on the role of Sigrid, and Maria finds herself on the other side of the mirror, face to face with an ambiguously charming woman who is, in essence, an unsettling reflection of herself.

Learn about the MK2 slate here.

More about MK2:

MK2 is the first independent group of the French cinema industry (production, international distribution, exhibition, DVD publishing).More than 400 titles make up the MK2 library, which includes famous titles by international directors like David Lynch, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Michael Haneke or Abbas Kiarostami as well as films by the best French authors: Claude Chabrol, Alain Resnais, François Truffaut, Jacques Doillon. MK2 also handles the rights of recent films by famous talents (Gus Van Sant) or emerging directors such as Xavier Dolan and Gela Babluani. In addition to that, MK2 restores in HD whole collections of classic films (Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton , Stan Laurel, H. Lloyd).

Mario Kassar, who has served as a producer on blockbusters such as First Blood, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Basic Instinct, is mounting a remake of Takashi Miike's cult classic Audition.

The original film, which was adapted from Ry&#251 Murakami's 1997 novel, centered on a lonely widower (Ryo Ishibashi) who puts out a fake casting call to help find a new girlfriend. When he finds the one girl he likes, Asami Yamasaki (Eihi Shiina), his quest to find the new love of his life turns into a nightmare beyond comprehension.

The story is said to be quite similar to the original book and movie, only with an American setting. The plot centers on a widowed man named Sam Davis, who is convinced by his filmmaker friend to hold a casting call for a fake movie. The girl he falls for is a ballerina named Evie Lawrence.

Richard Gray is directing from his own adapted screenplay,...

Welcome back to Cannes Check, In Contention's annual preview of the films in Competition at this year's Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off on May 14. Taking on different selections every day, we'll be examining what they're about, who's involved and what their chances are of snagging an award from Jane Campion's jury. Next up, the first of two female directors in the lineup: Naomi Kawase's "Still the Water." The director: Naomi Kawase (Japanese, 44 years old). It's possible for certain filmmakers to become prominent, celebrated figures within the festival circuit without making much of a dent in the real world, even in the art-house sphere. Naomi Kawase is a good example. Favored by selectors and juries alike, even her most generously awarded films have secured minimal international distribution -- making her at once a familiar and unfamiliar presence in the lineup. Born and raised in Japan's rural Nara district,...

Still the Water

Director: Naomi Kawase

Writer: Naomi Kawase

Producers: Commes des Cinemas, Kumie Inc., Arte France Cinema & Eddie Saeta.

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available

Cast: Makiko Watanabe, Hideo Sakaki, Tetta Sugimoto, Miyuki Matsuda

In the midst of a creative spike, Kawase who is already in prep and finance mode for An – sweet red bean paste (presented at Rotterdam’s Cinemart last month) will once again make a filmic case for the intimate rapport between our natural backdrop and person to person relationships. Look for Still the Water to be coated with plenty of green, ocean blues and blood line reds – as the basis for the project came about when the filmmaker learned of her grandmother’s backtory.

Gist: Taking place during the full-moon night of traditional dances in August and set on the Japanese island of Amami-Oshima, the drama centers on a 14-year-old boy who finds a dead body floating in the sea.

Directed by Takashi Miike, based on the novel by Ryu Murakami

Starring: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura, Renji Ishibashi, Miyuki Matsuda

Runtime: 115mins

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Summary:

This is a masterful thriller, horror, and romance story all in one. Solitary widower Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) gets talked into finding a date by his son (Tetsu Sawaki). He is uncertain about seeing women, and expresses his worries to his friend, a film maker (Jun Kunimura), who suggests an Audition. The women who attend have no idea they are really being auditioned for a date. To his surprise, Aoyama does like one of the women who comes to the audition, and he asks her out. Her name is Asami (Eihi Shiina), and she is both charming and unsettling. As the film progresses we learn about her dark past, and Aoyama finds himself sucked into her strange world. The tension builds...