#24 - Pulse (Kairo) (2001)
Every time I watch a great Japanese horror film, I realize how few of them I have actually seen and make a mental note to explore the "J-horror" genre further. Then I promptly forget all about it until I stumble across another one. This sort of slow, haunting, and creepy as hell ghost story seems to be unique to Japan (and also Korea, although I know even less about their cinema). There have been many attempts to "American-ize" these films, but with the exception of The Ring, they have been unsuccessful in translating what made the originals so scary.
The basic premise of this film is that the spirit world is overflowing and ghosts have found a way into our world through the internet. While that sounds kind of cheesy, the story is really just a metaphor for the isolation that comes with modern technology. Loneliness is a constant theme in the film, and expressed by both the heroes and the ghosts. The pace is slow, and the focus is on building atmosphere and a sense of dread, which this movie does incredibly well. The ghosts are some of the creepiest ones I've ever seen on film, but by the end of the film just the sight of a door sealed with red tape is enough to give you chills.
I haven't seen the American remake from 2006, but it's hard to imagine making this film any creepier or scarier. Judging by the reviews on IMDB, I shouldn't bother, although I am a horror movie masochist so it's very possible that I will see it someday.
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