Japanese horror movies? Doesn’t such very exciting, I know. But, Bollywood hasn’t given us many good horror movies and surprisingly some of our favorite and highest-rated Hollywood horror movies have actually been inspired by and adapted from classic Japanese horror movies. The Japan film industry has thrived on and given us some of the best Japanese horror movies all times. Scary movies, though they give us many sleepless nights, do make it to our watchlist and even end up being in some of our all time favorites.
As a cinephile, it is difficult to stick to one genre as a favorite one. However, we do all prefer at least one genre over the rest. So, for those with scary movies among their favorite genres, we have a few that could totally be added to your ‘movies to watch’ list. These Japanese horror movies range from early 1900s to the 21st Century. Grab some popcorn, get under the blanket, and be ready for a thrilling and scary ride!
1. Ring
Based on a 1991 novel by Kôji Suzuk, the movie explores an investigation undertaken by a woman and her ex-husband to unearth the cause behind a series of teen deaths. All this becomes more horrific when their own son becomes a victim too.
2. House
Seven girls visit a remote country home and come face-to-face with their worst nightmares. Filled with scary moments all across, this is one of the best Japanese horror movies of all time.
3. Kuroneko
This 1968 classic, tells a story based on a folk tale of feudal Japan. A woman and her daughter are raped and murdered by samurai mercenaries. Their house is burnt down with their dead bodies still inside. What follows is a tale of vengeance by spooky vampire-like ghosts.
4. Kwaidan
Adapted from four folk tale, this anthology movie circles four stories. The first story is about a samurai who marries for money with tragic results. This is followed by the second story, which is of a man rescued from a blizzard but at a horrible cost. The third story is about a blind musician who forcibly performs for an audience of ghosts. The last one is about an author narrating the story of a samurai who sees another warrior’s reflection in his teacup.
5. Onibaba
The top-rated movies of all time from the Japanese horror movies till date, this tells the story of a mother and daughter-in-law duo, who kill soldiers and steal their belongings. The mother-in-law, in order to scare her daughter-in-law into staying with her, starts donning a scary looking and monster-like mask.
We have 16 more of such Japanese horror movies which we feel no cinephile must miss!
The Chasing World |
As The Gods Will |
One Cut of the Dead |
The Ghost of Yotsuya |
The Sinners of Hell |
Corpse Party |
Ju-on: The Curse |
Strange Circus |
Cure |
Gozu |
Tetsuo: The Iron Man |
Noroi: The Curse |
Cold Fish |
Shutter |
Audition |
Ju-on: The Grudge |
So, which one of these Japanese horror movies will you be watching over this weekend? Do you know of any such movies we may have missed out on listing here? Let us know in the comments!
If you want to stick to Bollywood for your entertainment, we recommend these thriller and suspense Bollywood ovies of all time!
(originally written for TopYaps.com)
A Rustic Mind 
