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Home , Japanese horror, Psychological horror, Ring (novel series), Ring 2, Roy Lee, Scream 2

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CASECASE STUDY:STUDY: J-HORROR J-HORROR AND AND THE THE RINGCYCLECYCLE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

• Horror cycles • Industry exploitation and circulation 8 • The beginnings of cycle • Fandom and the global concept of 9 • Replenishing the repertoire through repetition and • Summary: generic elements and classification 10 difference • References and further reading 11 • Building on the cycle 12 13 14 Horror cycles references to Carol Clover’ work in Chapter 3). The 15 ‘knowingness’ about horror, and cinema generally, 16 Chapter 3 emphasises the fluidity of genre as a in these films was often developed as comedy (e.g. in 17 concept, the constantly changing repertoires of 2 (1998), the classroom discussion about film 18 elements and the possibility of different forms of sequels). The success of the cycle was exploited 19 ‘classification’ by producers, critics and audiences. further with a ‘spoof’ of the ‘spoof’ in the 20 Horror is a genre with some special characteristics series. 21 in cinema: At the end of the decade, a rather different kind of 22 consistently popular since the 1930s in Hollywood • film, a ‘ story with a twist’, The Sixth Sense (1999), 23 and earlier in some other national cinemas was a massive worldwide hit. was followed by the 24 attracting predominantly youth audiences • Spanish film The Others (2001) and several other ghost 25 until the late 1960s, not given the status of a major • stories, some of which looked back to gothic traditions 26 studio release (the isolated country house shrouded in fog in The 27 ‘open’ to the influence of changes in society – in • Others), while others were more contemporary in 28 both ‘metaphorical’ (i.e. through ‘symbolic themes’) setting and aesthetic. (‘Gothic’ refers to the popular 29 and ‘realist’ (characters and settings) terms eighteenth-century novels in which shocking events 30 repertoire expanded through the development of • took place in dark and mysterious castles – see Jones 31 specific ‘cycles’ of closely related films 2002: 2.) In the space of a few years, the focus had 32 specific ‘studios’ associated in this development • shifted to a new cycle (although ‘slasher’ movies 33 (e.g. recently Dimension, a brand) continued to be made). Part of the shift was concerned 34 specific writers/directors/stars have gained a high • with re-establishing horror as ‘serious’/‘chilling’ rather 35 profile with fans. than comic/ironic. It also saw horror regaining some 36 In Hollywood, one of the most popular cycles of status as a relatively big-budget, mainstream genre. 37 horror films of the 1990s began with Scream (1996) 38 and I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997). This 39 cycle involved a clever reworking of earlier films in 40 which young people were terrorised by a ‘slasher’, 41 eventually cornered by the ‘’ (see the 42

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1 2 ACTIVITY 3.6 3 4 Scream and the horror repertoire 5 Jot down quickly what you think are the main narrative, 6 thematic and audio-visual stylistic elements in the 7 comedy/horror repertoire of films like Scream. 8 9 10 The beginnings of the Ring cycle Figure 3.7 The ghost does not appear until late in the Ringu 11 narrative but Ryuji, the psychic, has a ‘vision’ in a crowded public 12 When DreamWorks released The Ring in 2002, they square. 13 managed both to extend the new ghost cycle and to 14 draw on elements from earlier ‘teen horror films’. benefit from this case study, you need to have seen 15 Other possibilities in terms of identifying elements in one or preferably both of the versions of the Ring 16 The Ring include the much earlier cycle of ‘demon narrative. A very brief outline of the story elements 17 children’ and ‘possession’, dating from the 1970s is given in the box below. 18 (The Exorcist etc.). However, the mixture of elements The Ring cycle began in with a 1991 novel, 19 in The Ring is more complex than might at first appear, Ringu, by Suzuki Kôji. This was the first of three 20 since The Ring was a remake of a Japanese film made novels and a book of short stories, each of which 21 in 1998 (i.e. before The Sixth Sense). To get the full deals with different stages in the evolution of the Ring 22 phenomenon. Adaptations of novels (or – 23 graphic novels) are common in Japanese cinema, as in 24 Ring synopsis Hollywood, but they do not necessarily confer generic 25 status on the film version. In the case of Ringu, the An urban myth begins about a videotape recording 26 film-makers changed the gender of the lead character which kills anyone who watches it, precisely seven 27 and made the ‘helper’ her ex-husband, in order to days later. Four teenagers die mysteriously and a 28 meet the expectations of a cinema audience familiar reporter becomes involved when she realises that 29 with the Hollywood cycles described above. Director one of the victims is her niece. The reporter tracks 30 Nakata Hideo and screenwriter Takahashi Hiroshi down the tape and is cursed herself. Determined 31 had experience of low-budget horror films and they to solve the mystery and prevent her own death, 32 brought distinctive ideas to the presentation of the she seeks help from her small son’s father, her 33 story. estranged partner. Her anguish increases when she 34 The first Ringu film was a big success in Japan and realises her son has watched a copy of the tape. 35 prompted the adaptation of two of the other stories. The couple eventually uncover the history of a 36 The first sequel, Rasen, was actually released soon young woman with psychic powers, seemingly 37 after Ringu, but failed to make an impact. A new sequel murdered in the 1960s. Somehow, the ghost of 38 and a prequel were successful and the original film was this young woman is responsible for the videotape. 39 remade for the first time (as a Japanese co-production) They find the body of the girl in a well, but the 40 in South Korea. Further remake rights were bought by ‘ghost’ remains active and the videotape remains 41 a Korean-American producer Roy Lee, who has since potent. 42 become the leading industry figure in the development

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of similar Hollywood remakes of East Asian films between adult children and their ageing parents) are 1 (see Heianna 2005). He sold the remake idea to central to Ringu. 2 DreamWorks. In the American remake, Reiko becomes Rachel, 3 By 2005 it was possible to identify a distinct cycle of a protagonist who is at the same time both more 4 films which shared a number of elements and which assertive and more disorganised than her Japanese 5 could all in some way be traced back to the success equivalent. Similarly the American boy is very different. 6 of Ringu. The impact of the cycle has been such that It may be a function of child acting styles but, as in 7 other, less closely related, horror films from both The Sixth Sense, the American boy seems unnaturally 8 Japan and South Korea have received at least a DVD self-possessed next to the quieter (and perhaps more 9 release in the UK and US – leading some critics mysterious) Japanese child. There are some interesting 10 (and fans) to refer to ‘J-horror’ and ‘K-horror’ as representation questions here (see Chapter 5) about 11 new classifications. Because the Ring cycle includes stereotypes. 12 adaptations of the same basic story in Japan, South If several characters are relatively easily transferred 13 Korea and the US, we can explore the ways in which between cultures, the ghost, Sadako, is ‘new’ to 14 similar genre elements can be developed differently. audiences, both as a visual icon and because 15 of what she represents (see below for discussion on 16 in Japan). Ghosts and ghost stories have always Replenishing the repertoire through 17 been important elements in Japanese (and Korean and repetition and difference 18 Chinese) cinemas. Sadako’s appearance – the long 19 The successful exploitation of the Ring cycle can white dress, the long straight black hair masking the 20 be explained in several ways. Horror’s repertoire face – can be traced back to traditional Japanese 21 has expanded as circulation of films within the stories from the seventeenth century and earlier. 22 international market has become easier, especially Samara in the American version retains something 23 via DVD distribution and internet retailing, and of the original, but struggles to match the simplicity 24 both film-makers and audiences have become more and power of Sadako. 25 aware of what is on offer. Ringu/The Ring marks a 26 development for both American and East Asian ideas 27 about horror. 28 29 Characters 30 31 Ringu can be seen as responding to the long cycle of 32 American ‘teen’ horror with its high school ‘victims’ 33 and young female ‘investigator heroes’ (from Jamie Lee 34 Curtis in Halloween and Jodie Foster in The Silence of 35 the Lambs to and Courtney Cox in 36 Scream). In Ringu, the initial victims are high school Figure 3.8 The opening section of The Ring follows the Japanese original very closely, with the single mother and her son visiting the 37 students and the investigator is Reiko, a single parent funeral reception of their niece/cousin. 38 desperate to protect her small son. In several of the 39 J-horror stories, there are ‘single-parent/child’ 40 relationships with children somehow ‘caught’ between 41 separated parents. Family relationships (including those 42

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1 Setting sounds altogether to express horror, but I can 2 increase the perception of it to the maximum by The writer Suzuki Kôji draws on Japanese ideas about 3 utilising a very quiet sound.’ water as a suitable ‘medium’ for ghosts and spirits to 4 (from an interview with Nakata on http:// inhabit. Sadako has been imprisoned in a well and was 5 int.kateigaho.com/win05/horror-nakata.html) seemingly born in a sea cave. The setting, complete 6 with driving rain, islands, ferries, etc. as well as an 7 Nakata worked closely with composer Kawai Kenji, overall colour scheme which privileges blues, greys 8 so: ‘Your ear cannot separate the melody from the and greens, is transferred to the American remake. 9 sound effects because they are all so well integrated in These elements recur through the three Ringu films 10 the overall soundtrack’ (from an interview with Nakata and are also central to Dark Water (from a Suzuki 11 on http://www.horschamp.qc.ca/new_offscreen/nakata short story collection devoted to ‘water horror’). 12 .html). Water as an element in horror is not unknown in 13 Some of this survives in the American remake, but American cinema, but the consistency of its use 14 inevitably ‘extra’ music seeps in. in these films is unusual. 15 16 Visual style 17 Budget 18 The elements of water, rain and darkened rooms This becomes an aspect of the repertoire in the 19 produce an overall look which is muted. It is different sense that the Japanese film must work within the 20 from the ‘gothic’ look of European and American constraints of a low budget whereas the American 21 horror (with dark shadows and silhouettes). Gabriel film with $40 million to spend can afford spectacular 22 Beristain, the cinematographer for , effects. This alone may push the American film 23 sought to replicate this look in some way: towards a more ‘-orientated’ narrative. 24 25 For The Ring, cinematographer Bojan Bazelli had 26 Audio style infused every frame with a textured, cyan 27 (blue-green) look that lent the story a unique 28 Perhaps the most distinctive formal difference aura of foreboding. Many of the film’s admirers 29 between Ringu and American horror generally is in singled out Bazelli for praise, citing his 30 the use of sound effects and music. For a low-budget cinematography for a flair and style that 31 film, Ringu had a very sophisticated sound track: transcended the typical approach to a horror 32 picture . . . ‘That was my first mandate for the 33 [Nakata] cites the ability to manipulate the project: blue and muted, with the tonalities of 34 degree of horror simply by changing the length the first film. They wanted to preserve that look.’ 35 of a sound, even by a mere tenth of a second. (Gabriel Beristain, quoted in Silberg 2005) 36 The soundtrack is the key. . . . It is a sense of 37 horror driven by calmness that’s shattered by a The ‘look’ was eventually changed for The Ring Two, 38 sudden change in tone that shocks the audience. because, as Beristain argued, the location had shifted 39 Nakata’s soundtracks are described as dynamic in terms of place and season, but Nakata who directed 40 and exquisite. the second American film insisted on keeping certain 41 ‘I tend to stress long intervals in my tracks,’ scenes in a ‘monochromatic’ look that went with the 42 he says. ‘Other people tend to use different ‘video world’.

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‘Tone’ The ‘differences’ between the American and 1 Japanese films are not clear-cut. For instance, two The American remake came after the enormous 2 teenagers die at the beginning of Ringu during sex – success of The Sixth Sense which reintroduced the 3 a cheeky comment on the American films? Certainly, American audience to the and brought 4 Nakata and Takahashi are happy to name their back a ‘serious’ tone to the horror film after the 5 American/European influences from The Haunting ‘playfulness’ of the Scream/Scary Movie films. Films like 6 (US 1963) to The Exorcist (US 1973) and The Others built on this return to less ‘gory’, more 7 (US 1982). But it is the combination of elements from . 8 these films with the Japanese perspective – both in 9 thematic terms and in the visual and aural aesthetics 10 Thematic – which makes the films ‘different’. Bound up in this 11 The new cycle deals with ‘ghosts’, but not in the ‘difference’ is a very strong element evident in much 12 way that European and American horror tends to – the tension between the 13 make use of them. Concepts of the ‘supernatural’ are traditional and the modern. Japan is represented in 14 different in East Asian cultures, partly because the global culture by both high-quality ‘new technology’ 15 Buddhist/Shintoist religions in Japan do not have such goods and traditional cultural activities such as 16 clear concepts of ‘good’ and ‘evil’. In western stories, theatre and sumo wrestling. The Ringu narrative takes 17 the narrative often climaxes with evil (i.e. ‘diabolic’) a traditional ghost and marries it to a history of 18 forces defeated by good (‘godly’) heroes. In the ‘communication technologies’ with audio recordings 19 Japanese stories there is no such expectation. Ghosts and photography as well as telephone technologies – 20 in Japanese culture are in one sense much more in fact all forms of ‘electro-mechanical’ reproduction. 21 ‘personal’. Dead characters often come back to tell Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the thematic 22 things to their families. of the Nakata/Takahashi/Suzuki films is the emphasis 23 on the disintegrating Japanese family. Family is just 24 In America and Europe most horror movies tell as important in East Asian cultures as it is in the US 25 the story of the extermination of evil spirits. and the rise in the number of ‘broken’ marriages and 26 movies end with a suggestion single-parent families is a serious social issue in a 27 that the spirit still remains at large. That’s society where social conventions still rely on 28 because the Japanese don’t regard spirits only traditional familial roles for men and women. 29 as enemies, but as beings that co-exist with this Tony Williams (1981) identified several 1970s films 30 world of ours. as ‘family horror’. Instead of the threat of a 31 (Suzuki Koji interviewed on http://int. coming from ‘outside’ (i.e. as in the ‘European gothic’ 32 kateigaho.com/win05/horror-suzuki.html) horror narratives of Dracula etc.), the monster was 33 now ‘within’ that central icon of American society, 34 Where there has been violence a ghost may return the family. Horror was being employed to represent 35 to the scene of the crime, seeking a means of metaphors about the revolt against ‘American values’ 36 ‘satisfaction’ or ‘sleeping easy’. This is the basis for the that came in the form of Civil Rights, the rise of 37 Ju-on films (2000–5) in which all the people who enter feminism, resistance to the Vietnam War and the 38 a house are pursued to their deaths. The American collapse of confidence in American politics leading to 39 series often have victims who are killed because they Watergate and the impeachment of President Nixon. 40 have ‘sinned’ in some way (e.g. teenagers having sex), A similar ‘crisis of confidence’ has occurred in Japan 41 but in Ju-on there is no ‘justification’ for the deaths. since the stagnation of the economy in the 1990s. 42

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1 Perhaps these films with their (single) children and remake of the Ju-on story, filmed in Japan by Shimizu 2 estranged parents (and the disturbing absence or himself. Despite poor reviews, , with Buffy 3 neglect of grandparents) are a metaphor for a society star in the lead, quickly earned 4 with a lack of vitality? Sadako is also the name of a girl over $100 million in late 2004. 5 from Nagasaki who became a worldwide symbol of the By early 2005, the phenomena of ‘J-horror’ and its 6 young lives blighted by the radiation from the atomic Korean equivalent were well established, boosted 7 bombs dropped on Japan by the Allies in 1945. There further by productions elsewhere in East Asia. Korean 8 is no obvious connection to Ringu, but the coincidence films have managed to be both ‘popular’ – competing 9 reminds us that Japanese genre films have often strongly with Hollywood in the Korean domestic 10 worked with a conscious subtext – e.g. the market – and ‘artistic’ or experimental. According to 11 films, starting with Gojira (Japan 1954), which reference Grady Hendrix (2004): 12 the apocalypse of nuclear war. 13 The ghosts of The Ring and The Sixth Sense hover uneasily over much of ‘K-horror’ . . . the current 14 Building on the cycle 15 cycle begins in 1998 when high-school ghost flick 16 After Ring 0 (2000), the fifth film in the cycle, director Whispering Corridors became a smash hit . . . a 17 Nakata and Ringu producer Ichise Takashige adapted a ghost story in which a spirit can’t move on until 18 Suzuki short story not directly associated with Ringu. the wrongs inflicted on it in life have been 19 Japanese cinema has a strong genre tradition based on avenged. 20 studio production procedures. The success of Ringu 21 meant that Nakata and Ichise applied some of the Director Kim Ji-woon’s A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) 22 same elements that had worked so well in Ringu to a has been widely admired by critics and fans in the UK 23 slight story which could have been treated differently. and is set for yet American remake. In 2002 24 Dark Water appeared in 2002 and again featured a Kim joined Peter Chan and Nonzee Nimibutr for 25 young woman, a single parent with a small daughter, a Korean/Hong Kong/Thailand ‘compendium’ film 26 attracting a ghost in a rundown apartment block. Some of three horror shorts, simply titled Three. The 27 similar elements (e.g. high school girls terrorised by Thai/Hong Kong connection has also supplied The Eye 28 a ghost, a young female investigator) also featured in (2002) by Oxide and Danny Pang, Hong Kong brothers 29 Ju-on (2003) directed by Shimizu Takashi and again resident in Thailand. Several of the genre elements 30 produced by Ichise. This relentless horror film was from Ringu appear in these films and in Inner Senses, the 31 first produced (by the same team) as a ‘direct to video’ Hong Kong film from 2002 featuring the last role for 32 or ‘V-cinema’ film in 2000. Following Japanese film film and pop star Leslie Cheung. 33 industry practice for low-budget genre films, there are now several Ju-on films, perhaps as many as five. 34 Industry exploitation and circulation 35 With the success of The Ring remake, Hollywood 36 producers were quick to exploit the new cycle Altman (1999) suggests that film producers are to 37 themselves. Disney (Touchstone) invited Brazilian some extent responsible for developing genre cycles 38 director Walter Salles to remake Dark Water for through their practice of including what are seen as 39 2005 release; DreamWorks invited Nakata Hideo to successful elements of current box office hits in their 40 remake his own Ringu 2, also for 2005, and Hollywood future productions. At the same time, the marketing 41 horror acted as executive producer of current films will develop from currently successful 42 for The Grudge, a relatively low-budget American strategies. In the West, horror films are often released

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Figure 3.9 In this strange 8 composition from A Tale of Two 9 Sisters, a character looks under the kitchen sink for the cause of 10 disturbance. Behind her, a figure 11 with long black hair materialises for 12 a few seconds. 13 14 15 in late October to provide an integral element of the possibly in an attempt to distinguish itself from English 16 ‘Halloween experience’. In Japan they appear around literature. Popular Japanese cinema very often draws 17 the time of O-bon, the Buddhist ‘Festival of the Dead’ on novels as source material and the relationships 18 (13–16 August). between the films and the original novels of Suzuki 19 The profile of Japanese and Korean films in the UK Kôji (sometimes referred to as the ‘Japanese Stephen 20 has to a considerable degree been created by the King’) are well worth pursuing (as are the manga 21 independent distributor Metro Tartan and its video versions of the stories with their adaptations to the 22 label ‘Extreme Asia’ – a broader classification than combined visual/textual conventions of the graphic 23 genre, simply implying that these films ‘go beyond’ novel). The original stories prove to be much more 24 what might be available from Hollywood. The company ‘Japanese’ in their detailed descriptions of Tokyo 25 has given a limited cinema release to various titles via locations and both more ‘rationalist’ in approach and 26 an arrangement with the UK exhibition chain UGC. much more masculine-centred in terms of the central 27 Coupled with exposure via film festivals such as characters, although the focus on Sadako remains. 28 Rotterdam and Edinburgh, these releases have The ‘feminisation’ of the stories to appeal more 29 generated sufficient press and fan interest to kickstart widely to young women in the cinema audience was 30 successful video and DVD releases. The number of first deemed a success in Japan, but was equally taken 31 people who have seen Ringu in the cinema, on Channel up in Hollywood. The Ring and The both feature 32 4, or on rented or purchased is still limited and , and Jennifer Connelly leads in Dark 33 considerably fewer than for the American remake. Water. These are two rising female stars and The 34 Nevertheless it is significant and has encouraged Grudge helped to consolidate Sarah Michelle Gellar’s 35 further interest by producers. career. The classification of these films is important if 36 Another development in the media marketplace they are to reach the widest audiences. In America 37 following the success of Ringu is the release of they all received PG-13 ratings and in the UK ‘15’. 38 translations of Japanese novels in paperback in the US This opened up a horror market traditionally limited 39 and UK. There is a strong relationship between genre to ‘R’ or ‘18’ rated films seen as off-putting to some 40 fiction in paperback and on cinema and television – a female audiences. Screen International noted this trend 41 relationship that media studies sometimes overlooks, (Kay 2005), suggesting that it was part of an organised 42

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1 industry move to seek to address the ‘four quadrant remakes on the grounds that the ‘clueless teens’ who 2 audience demographic of male/female, young/old’. We see these films may eventually find the originals as 3 might note here that all the J-horror titles are written a result of their exposure. This may then threaten 4 and directed by men. As a contrast, seek out Ginger the status of Ringu as ‘cult’, but fans maintain their 5 Snaps (Canada 2000), scripted by Karen Walton. ‘superiority’ because they knew about it first and 6 understand it best. 7 Fandom and the global concept of genre 8 9 The Ringu ‘phenomenon’ is best represented by its ACTIVITY 3.7 10 ‘virtual presence’ on the internet. This exists in 11 different forms. Several websites provide detailed Bulletin boards 12 histories of the development of the different versions Search the internet for discussions about J-horror and 13 of the stories, discussions of characters and storylines Hollywood remakes (see the website references at the 14 and generally answer questions via a FAQ (Frequently end of this case study). 15 Asked Questions) page. The films also figure on • Can you confirm Hills’s findings? 16 various ‘bulletin boards’, email lists, etc. Contributors • What other kinds of debates are evident on these 17 may simply want to know where to find films, but boards? 18 often they want to argue for or against the ‘original’ • Do you see much distinction between the 19 or ‘remake’ version of the stories. knowledge of the genre shown by ‘academics’ and 20 These discussions are aided by the various online that shown by ‘fans’? 21 DVD retailers in South East Asia, since it is now 22 possible to buy good-quality DVDs from Hong Kong, China and South Korea. So, even if a film has not been 23 Summary: generic elements and released in the UK or US, fans may have seen it on 24 classification 25 an imported DVD. Critics are important too. The 26 chance to send preview DVDs to knowledgeable and The story which begins in Ringu as a ‘mystery’ becomes 27 influential horror genre critics, such as Mark Kermode a ‘horror’ story and then in Ringu 2 turns more 28 in the UK, or to experts on Japanese or Korean towards ‘science fiction’ with an emphasis on a rational 29 cinema, means that distributors feel more confident explanation for what has happened. It includes the 30 that they can release a film with the prospect of some following elements drawn from the repertoires of 31 media coverage. the three : 32 It is fans who identify and build an audience for ‘cult • an urban legend among high school students 33 films’. Matt Hills (2005) points out the way in which • a young woman as investigator 34 interest in Ringu also helped other Japanese genre films • a child in peril 35 to gain a reputation in the West, particularly the more • family conflicts 36 visceral horror//science fiction films associated • science and the paranormal (a scientist with some 37 with directors such as Miike Takashi (e.g. Audition, paranormal powers) 38 Japan 1999) and Fukasaku Kinji (e.g. Battle Royale, • a classic ghost figure 39 Japan 2000). Hills goes on to observe (through a • a mysterious video recording 40 study of postings to ‘The Ring Forum’ on the internet) • archive materials 41 that American fans of the original Japanese films are • a muted colour palette 42 sometimes surprisingly accepting of the Hollywood • an unsettling musical score and sound effects

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• distorted photographic images Hills, Matt (2005) ‘Ringing the changes: cult distinctions 1 • a corpse in a well and cultural differences in US fans’ readings of 2 • a scientist with a theory Japanese horror cinema’, in Jay McRoy (ed.) Japanese 3 • hospital patients with severe mental health problems Horror Cinema, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University 4 • ‘possession’ of a child Press. 5 • an ineffective police investigation. Jones, Darryl (2002) Horror: A Thematic History in Fiction 6 and Film, London: Hodder Arnold. 7 Kay, Jeremy (2005) ‘To PG or not to PG, that is the 8 ACTIVITY 3.8 question’, Screen International, 8 April. 9 Kermode, Mark (2005) ‘Spirit levels’ in Sight & Sound, 10 Working with repertoires August. 11 Look through the list of elements above. Which McRoy, Jay (ed.) (2005) Japanese Horror Cinema, 12 elements would you expect to find in: Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. 13 • a horror film? Silberg, Jon (2005) ‘Back to the well’, American 14 • a mystery film? Cinematographer, April. 15 • a science fiction film? Wells, Paul (2000) The Horror Genre: From Beelzebub to 16 • a (see Chapter 3)? Blair Witch, London: Wallflower. 17 Williams, Tony (1981) ‘Family horror’, Movie, 27/28. 18 19 20 Websites ACTIVITY 3.9 21 Estigarribia, Diana (2002) ‘Reeling: J-horror’, posted on 22 Adaptations and remakes www.entertainment- 23 Take any ‘pair’ of versions of the same story – either a geekly.com/web/general/jun2002/reeling_jhorror. 24 Japanese film and its American remake or a novel/manga Gang Gary Xu (2004) ‘Remaking East Asia, outsourcing 25 and its film version – and compare the use of elements Hollywood’, posted on 26 from the various genre repertoires. www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/05/34/remaking 27 • Does the ‘mix’ of elements suggest a specific genre _east_asia.html. 28 or a ‘hybrid’ form? 29 30 • How has the narrative changed because of either the Two fan sites dealing with the Ringu/Ring cycle cultural change or the change in medium? 31 http://ringufan.intelligent-light.com/ 32 www.theringworld.com/ 33 34 References and further reading (All web addresses live on 11 July 2005.) 35 Altman, Rick (1999) Film/Genre, London: BFI. 36 Heianna Sumiyo (2005) Interview with Roy Lee in (Note: In this case study, we have followed the 37 Kateigaho International Edition posted on Japanese convention for presenting names, giving the 38 http://int.kateigaho.com/win05/horror-lee.html. family name first and the personal name second.) 39 Hendrix, Grady (2004) ‘Back with a vengeance: the 40 psychic delirium at the dark heart of K-horror’, 41 Film Comment, 40, 6, November–December. 42

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