(Because) there is no obstacle in the heart, there is no obstacle, so there is no fear. --- "Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra"
The discussion of ghosts and their existence principles in traditional Japanese concepts can be roughly answered through a monologue of the detective in the American version of "The Grudge".
“It is said in Japan that when a person dies in extreme sorrow or rage, the emotion remains, becoming a stein upon that place. Death becomes a part of this place, killing everything it touches. Once you become a part of this place, it will never let you go.”
In short, the existence of ghosts and various supernatural phenomena is rooted in the extreme sadness and anger of people before death. The resentment in the hearts of those who died in vain will stay at the place of death. This powerful and evil curse will last for a long time, so that all those who touch the "resentment" here will not escape. And once new people die in extreme fear, new "grudges" form, and so on and so forth, making this haunted place a haunted place.
There is a big difference in horror aesthetics between the East and the West. Western movies are accustomed to using cruel, bloody, and violent shots to start from the animal nature of human beings to inspire human beings as animals themselves. Fear of death. The Orientals use more gentle and freehand techniques, using desolate and dilapidated scenes, strange and perverse music, and various abnormal phenomena and images to induce psychological fear. This kind of expression often makes people feel the most terrifying. Ghost pictures itself, but the music and environment that created the atmosphere before it was even more impressive.
This difference is related to Eastern and Western cultural traditions and deeper philosophical concepts, both of which have world-famous representative works, such as "The Chainsaw", "Death is Coming", "The Grudge" and "Midnight Bell", Therefore, from the perspective of audience evaluation, there is no difference between the two methods. In contrast, the expression of horror in the West has the feeling of "in a word", while the Orientals are more accustomed to "attacking on the side".
Under the guidance of Japanese horror master Takashi Shimizu, the series of "The Grudge" undoubtedly brought the Orientals' aesthetic experience of fear itself to the extreme. It is no wonder that "The Grudge" has long occupied the first place in the ranking of horror movies.
"The Grudge" tells the tragic life of Gaya, from a lack of love in childhood, to an unhappy marriage, and finally to a tragic death at the hands of a crazy husband. It seems that Gaya has never been cared by the people around her and society, so she will accumulate strong resentment after death. Hatred and revenge have become the only emotions in her heart.
The theme of "The Grudge" itself has eleven film and television works, of which two TV versions and two original Japanese movies are widely recognized and respected by fans. From the rhythm of the film, the two films of "The Grudge" in 2003 adopted a slow and gentle narration method without exception. If the horror pictures and music are removed, the film itself is more like a bleak and moving literary work. And after being incorporated into more horror elements by Takashi Shimizu, the movie is creepy.
However, the three American versions of The Grudge, also directed by Shimizu Takashi, have received many negative reviews. People's criticisms are focused on the lack of novelty in the plot, the change of actors, and the suspicion of old wine in new bottles. But such an evaluation seems to be biased, because in terms of special effects technology and film structure, the American version of "The Grudge" is better. With the support of new technology, Chong Shimizu has a new fusion of Eastern and Western horror aesthetics, and the overall feeling of the movie is even more shocking.
Because all fears originate from the human heart, the tragic effect of Gaya far surpasses the fear brought by evil spirits. Because there is no love, hatred is born, and the resentment after death is extremely deep and difficult to dispel. The film triggers our modern thinking from a deeper social perspective. What caused the tragedy of Gaya? Does our society need more humane care? Can the development of economy and technology solve the psychological problems of disadvantaged groups, or on the contrary, the huge gap between social classes has exacerbated the indifference and estrangement of people’s hearts?
We can't get answers from Shimizu's film itself, but these are questions we face from a realistic perspective and need to be solved urgently.
If you start from the fear itself, the most touching scene is near the end of the first American version of "The Grudge", the heroine Karen Davis broke into the haunted house to rescue a friend who strayed into it, and ended up putting herself behind bars. When all the terrifying ghosts appeared and the movie was about to climax, the heroine no longer trembled. She seemed to have escaped from fear, and something new was breaking out, which was the courage to face fear and death. But the moment she lit the gasoline, all the terror had already vanished.
"The Grudge" doesn't talk about the existence of souls. Maybe we can think that the movie defaults that people only have one life, and it is precisely because life cannot be replicated that ghosts themselves appear more terrifying. But at the same time, because life is precious, we use love to light up the light of life. It is precisely because there is fear in our hearts that we need to face our fears and overcome them.
View more about Ju-on: The Grudge reviews
