The Grudge (2005)
The Grudge is a 2005 psychological horror based on the movie franchise by Japanese director Takashi Shimizu, bringing the tale of a cursed house to a Western audience. Takashi returned with his creative team to bring the story to life, some of the movie shot in the same area of Tokyo as the base material.
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I’d easily confess to this being one of my favourite films, and I bring it out every year come autumn - it’s a perfect choice to start the season with, because it doesn’t rely on graphic violence and gore, instead preying on our fears in more subtle ways.
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Sarah Michelle Gellar stars in the lead role, and I think she excels as Karen. Each role she plays feels her own, and she brings a vulnerability to the character we aren’t used to seeing her play. Jason Behr of Roswell fame appears as her partner, and Bill Pullman as a college professor and the love interest of Kayako Saeki who haunts the property and those who enter it. We even get an appearance from Buffy alumni Clea DuVall, who gives a great performance.
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I love the effort that was made to make sure the plot felt authentic, and this could only be achieved with the original director on board. It’s rare to see such collaboration between Hollywood and creative teams from other countries, and it really pays off. Unlike many films that use other cultures as a backdrop, The Grudge is infused with Japanese mythology and spiritualism - there’s a scene near a graveyard that’s really beautiful, as Karen imparts that incense is very important because it’s believed to carry the soul.
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One thing I really like about the movie is that there’s alot of space without dialogue, because there’s so much we can learn visually, and it’s a great technique for building atmosphere and tension. I don’t find the film particularly scary, more unsettling and gripping all at the same time. From the moment Peter Kirk falls over that balcony you are hooked.
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The Japanese cast are absolutely brilliant, especially Takako Fuji as Kayako Saeki. Her delivery of the character is definitely haunting and captures the pain and anger the spirit is infused with. One thing Takashi Shimizu was adamant about was the use of real stunts rather than CGI, and this makes the horror aspect hit harder, such as when Kayako crawls down the stairs towards Karen as she did when she was fleeing her husband.
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At its core, The Grudge is a film about the impact of gendered violence, and in the special features Takashi mentions how the folklore is deeply connected to this, with the rage of oppressed women building into this scathing force that’s left behind. Despite it’s mixed reviews I think it’s a brilliant bit of cinema and a film everyone should have ticked off their list.
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It’s worth checking out the rest of the special features, because it delves into many aspects of the American adaptation, including interviews with the cast and creative team, and a short documentary behind the psychology of a film like The Grudge.
