Well, I wasn’t expecting to see this – partly because I didn’t think the original would get a release so close to the remake’s release and partially because it’s 4:51am and I just woke up for some crazy reason. But what else to do in a sleepless night’s stooper than report on horror movies? – Good Ones even!
Okay, so the American remake is slated for later this year – I’ve heard before Hallowe’en, but that’s sketchy at best. And I just read on aintitcool.com (here) that Lion’s Gate is planning on releasing the original version mid-summer. Ifilm.com is even hosting a tacky narrated trailer for it which can be found in the first of the following two links:
So I’m gonna be a real nice guy and give you TWO DIFFERENT links to 2 Different Versions of the original Ju-on: The Grudge trailer:
The Trailer for American audiences with “Mr. Fearless” hopelessly narrating the thing. Or
The Japanese Trailer with English Sub-titles – (click on the “audio/video Materials” tab – and turn up your volume, the encoding’s very quiet)
I’m going back to bed.
Here’s my review of the film I wrote after the Toronto Film Festival.
i liked the original asian version of The Grudge.. the remake wasnt as freaky!
i heard some people from japan died after watching this movie is that true?
Day-vuh covered it decently well. There are two v-cinema releases (i.e. straight to video) that are most commonly referred to as simply Juon and Juon 2. These are the ones that have the cover shot with the hand reaching up to cover someone’s face. Then there’s Juon: The Grudge, which is the first theatrical feature and Juon: The Grudge 2 which is the second theatrical feature. And now there’s simply The Grudge which is the US remake that combines elements of the first three.
If you want to see the direct to video ones and you don’t speak Japanese your only option is to buy bootlegs. There is no officially subtitled version of these anywhere. Some of the story elements are repeated in the later features – the social worker in the first feature largely reprises the teacher in the videos – but the videos give you some back story on what exactly happened in the house originally. A lot of people prefer these to the features, but I’m not one of them. There are multiple legit subtitled versions of the features coming out of Hong Kong and Korea. I recommend Yesasia … http://www.yesasia.com … be sure to check on region coding and player compatability.
Okay, with all the Ju-ons it can get confusing, and maybe Bubba will have to help me on this one, — even though I own three films, it still gets confusing. Sort of.
Okay, first off, I don’t believe there was a 3 hour Grudge film anywhere. The first two “TV Ju-on”s were roughly 80-90 minutes in length — creating almost 3 hours in total if that’s what you mean.
All of these films are “similar”, but as far as “The Grudge” goes – “The Grudge” being the third (but first theatrical film), you don’t NEED to see the first two. It’s very simple and quite stand-alone in being such. I would recommend seeing the first two TV films in order though. And as far as “Ju-on: 2 (the second theatrical Grudge film)” goes, I haven’t seen it yet. That’s where Bubba would come in. He owns it. Slimy bastard.
As as far as getting the original TV productions, I would recommend hkflix.com, ebay.com or if you live in a big city: Chinatown. Bubba’ll have some other sweet Asian ordering sites for you too.
I heard that this movie started with 2 made for video films, then they put more money into them and made two theatrical realeses. I just finished watching what can only be the version that is being released to the theatres. just from comparing what i saw in the trailer. but then i saw ju-on 2 the curse which follows the first one well but seems off in the story and ends with an incident that was in the first one. i may be confusing some people but my whole point is are the made for video versions completly different than the theatrical ones. and where can i get the 3 hour tv version.
I saw this at FantasiaFest in Montreal on Friday night. 700 people, most of whom had no idea what they were in for, big screen = really good way to see Juon. Lots of ovations, lot of hearing audience members saying ‘what the fuck’ (in a good way). Lot of fun. Also saw Wonderful Days, incredible Korean animation. Very very good.
Man, I saw the movie with my friends the same day I bought it, and man we’re we freaking on the whole flick…although it took a while to understand the “Pulp Fiction” concept it had. If you want your chick to hold you tight as hell while watching a horror flick, this one is IT!!
yea, i saw this movie last year in japanese even though i didnt understand it but still….it scared the shit out of me n all of my cuzins that were watching it with me at night, i want 2 get this movie straightend out, i guess me n my cuzins r just gonna have 2 wait until it comes out 2 america ='(
hello, well.. ive seen like 3 versions of ju-on.. but they’re all diffewrent, its confusing, but goioooood and scarrrrrryyy.. i love those movies…… my friends say that i looklike that main ghost girl, it freaks me out alot!!!!! but whoohoo.. scarrry..
Speaking of which, if someone wants to buy dvd copies of Ju-On 1 and Ju-On 2 with no english sub-titles, you go ahead and let me know.. I’ll sell ’em dirt cheap. Click my name below…
I still prefer the first feature, but I think that’s mostly because I first saw it in a theater full of 900 or so people who were all freaking out in exactly the right places. They’re all amazing, though … I think they’ve got maybe one good feature left in them and then they need to retire the franchise …
ahhhhhhhhh.I’ve seen all the films in this series which includes 2 features and a made for tv three hour version which is , as I understand, the original incarnation. The TV version is by far the most frightening and best nuanced.
For you newbies to the Asian Horror Film I posted an article last year in support of a film festival I co-founded called the Imaginarium.
http://www.cornerstonemag.com/imaginarium/features/asian_spirits.html
If you ever do meet a Juon you can survive by squirting WD40 in their mouth to keep them from making that squeeky creaky sound.
Holy crap – I could not agree with your review even MORE! Dear god that trailer scared the hell outta me – I got a problem with creepy, spooky, crazy, ghostly children and that little kid about did me in. I am in my office and I downloaded. Half way through, I had to stare at the wall and not watch the ENTIRE trailer cuz I was scared. Jeesh!!!!!!!!!!