Nightmare Japan: Contemporary Japanese Horror Cinema

by Jay McRoy

Over the last two decades, Japanese filmmakers have produced some of the most important and innovative works of cinematic horror. At once visually arresting, philosophically complex, and politically charged, films by directors like Tsukamoto Shinya ( The Iron Man [1988] and Tetsuo Body Hammer [1992]), Sato Hisayasu ( Muscle [1988] and Naked Blood [1995]) Kurosawa Kiyoshi ( Cure [1997], Séance [2000], and Kaïro [2001]), Nakata Hideo ( Ringu [1998], Ringu II [1999], and Dark Water [2002]), and Miike Takashi ( Audition [1999] and Ichi the Killer [2001]) continually revisit and redefine the horror genre in both its Japanese and global contexts. In the process, these and other directors of contemporary Japanese horror film consistently contribute exciting and important new visions, from postmodern reworkings of traditional avenging spirit narratives to groundbreaking works of cinematic terror that position depictions of radical or ‘monstrous’ alterity/hybridity as metaphors for larger socio-political concerns, including shifting gender roles, reconsiderations of the importance of the extended family as a social institution, and reconceptualisations of the very notion of cultural and national boundaries.

Genres: Film, Japan, Nonfiction, Horror

232 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2007

Reviews

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book on Japanese Extreme Cinema. It actually made me re-assess the Guinea Pig and All Night Long films and see them in a new light. McRoy does a great job analysing all the movies in his book, and he chooses some great films to dig deep into. A great read if you are into Japanese horror flicks!

[Skyler Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm... McRoy's book is really interesting. I appreciate that he gives attention to some series like the Guinea Pig films that are usually tossed aside. Especially in the latter half of the volume there are a lot of small typos that add up quickly. I think the conclusion kind of ends abruptly and a lot more could be said... still, I learned some stuff and that's all I can ask for!

[André Azevedo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rated it with four stars first but changed it to a perfect rating (not implying the book was perfect). A very fun and intellectually expansive read, destined to make you see horror films (or films in general) from a much wider and deeper perspective, even if some of them seem very superficial.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nightmare Japan: Contemporary Japanese Horror Cinema by Jay Mcroy not only provides the reader with an analysis of the films reviewed but a cultural connection as well. We learn about what was happening at the time from a cultural perspective that influenced the film. Another interesting point that was brought up was the fact that we can't use Western logic to decipher motifs and symbolism in these films. They have their own history, value system, beliefs and superstitions that influence their films, that is completely different and set apart from our own, and we must consider this when analyzing a film from Japan. This book is worth checking out for either anyone just wanting to get into the genre that is Japanese horror, or those that have already been into it but would like an in-depth look into the meanings of the movies and a look into what was going on in Japan at that time as well.

Two of my favorite movie quotes that were mentioned in the book were from the movie "Kairo", or better known in English as "Pulse":

-"Everyone is a 'ghost'; even if their heart still beats and their lungs still breathe; identity, in other words, is always liminal."

-"People don't connect you know...we all live totally separately."

These quotes give you an idea of the longing for genuine human connection that makes up the core of this movie. Along with the strong theme of how modern technology is isolating people and changing Japan as a culture including what people value most. With each review in this book you learn more about the culture. And personally I found this a very entertaining way to learn.