The Grudge
 

My lifelong goal has been to get effectively scared/tensed up beyond belief. I saw The Grudge last night and to me, my goal has been reached. It started out like the average something mysterious lurking and everyone being scared stiff, but then by the end...wow. I like movies that generally most people hate, but I would HIGHLY recommend this.

Had you seen the original Japanese version (Ju-On: The Grudge)?

I actually have not.

I don't know.. looking at the previews it doesn't seem that scary to me. The first thing I notice is the fact that it's PG13, and to me, you can't really make a scary movie scary without some gore. The second thing is the special effects, which usually don't scare me if they aren't accompanied by a really intense orchestral soundtrack. Eh, maybe I'll give it a chance.

The last bit in the preview, with the hair and the hands, fucking terrifies me. I have no idea why, but that just leaves me chilled.

Oh yes you can.

EDIT: Actually, I guess it depends on the person. Me? I don't find gore scary. Movies like "Friday the 13th" and "Elm Street" just can't creep me out. The gore factor is so ridiculously high that I cannot suspend disbelief. The movies that scare me are the movies where what you *don't* see is terrifying. "The Others", the original "The Haunting", films like that are what get me. I'm told that "Cold Creek Manor" is like that too, but I haven't had a chance to see it. But for me, the things I can conjure in my imagination are far scarier than what they put onscreen. So having things left to my imagination is a far better scare than having it placed disappointingly in front of me.

I find gory movies more technically interesting than scary - ie, "how'd they do that?" Especially with the low budget movies. "The Grudge" doesn't depend on either gore or special effects, though it has some of each. It maintains it's creepiness through pacing and acting.

It totally depends on the person. I know someone who was terrified watching Piglet's Big Adventure. There's a scene there where they are about to go over a waterfall...


Of course, she was 4 years old.

Sometimes its true that R movies are scarier because they void to more explicit content. Nevertheless, this isn't true in some cases because PG-13 movies contain violence, intense thematic elements and so forth, like The Grudge, Boogeyman, and the ring, and they are still really scary. Gore does not always equal scariness.

I find that more often than not the bucket of blood movies are more hilarious than they are scary. They have to go so over the top in their attempts to create horror rather than suspense that they miss. I did find the first Elm Street movie to be terrifying, but that was a really well crafted horror piece, particularly in the use of dream imagery ... there was something uncomfortable for everyone there ... whether it was hallways longer than you remembered, getting sucked into the bed, sinking into the staircase as you tried to climb it ... I was greatly unsettled by that scene where the heroine is getting away from Freddy, but his arms lengthen to reach out to capture her, just as you think she's safe. I get chills typing it. The sequels were totally different movies!

Silence of the Lambs is a great horror movie for me, as are some of the old classics that rely on spooky atmospheric settings and strong plot lines. Real live monsters are spookier than the ghostly kind, often.

Random killing movies have their place, but who can't help but laugh when the TV explodes sheepguts in the end of Videodrome?

The Ring didn't scare me, and neither did Nightmare on Elm Street for that matter. Well alright I can't say that, there were alot parts that did stay with me like you said. What scares me is bucket of blood gore, but used in the correct manner. Perfect example, both of the Exorcist movies. With the newer one, the old people and children getting shot in the head stayed with me for awhile, and who can forget "FUCK ME JESUS!"? The laughable bucket of blood gore can be used to the directors advantage in some cases, like how Tarantino used it in Kill Bill, or the classic Bruce Campell flicks.

Ok, here's a question: Was I the only person who wasn't scared by "Blair Witch Progress" in the slightest? I mean, it was entertaining, and I enjoyed watching it, but not once did I find myself even on edge.

I'm with you Clod. Didn't do anything for me.

I didn't think Nightmare on Elm Street was very scary, just the movie was cool. In terms of Blair Witch, it stayed with me for about 30 minutes, and that was it. The movie that still scares me is The Shining with Nicholson. Even though it may not be the best horror film, you can beat a crazy Jack.

I watched the Grudge and didn't find it all that scary. I thought it borrowed from the Ring wayyyy too much. The look of the ghost, the way the ghost haunted and killed its victims, etc. It had moments, though. I also thought Sara Michelle Gellar was in a little over her head acting-wise and thought it was interesting (and even admirable) that they didn't even think about using her as T&A bait. She tried to play a serious part but I don't think she's up to it.

And I don't know how anyone can watch the Ring and not be scared at least just a little. The tension in that movie was unbearable at points. The idea that, no matter where you were, that "thing" could still get to you was a pretty cool idea.

The Ring II is coming out in the Spring but, it seemed to me, they pretty much played out their hand (took the story about as far as it was meant to go) in the first movie so I'm on "wait-n-see" mode till it has been out for a few weeks.

Has anyone seen "Saw" yet? I was all pumped up to see it but the word-of-mouth is that its not that good. What's the word??