Noroi Review

Noroi, 2005
Reviewed by: Dan S.
Directed by: Kôji Shiraishi
Written by: Kôji Shiraishi (uncredited)
Starring: Jin Muraki, Maria Takagi
Language: Japanese

Noroi is presented as an investigative documentary from a now missing television ghost hunter. So while there is some amateur shaky camera work during the more action orientated climax, a majority of the movie is interestingly made up of clips from investigations, variety television shows, news reports, and interviews. There is even a subtle musical score, appropriately simple enough to pass off as a modest television presentation, but also effective enough at setting the spooky mood. The narrative is fairly complex as our protagonist travels all over Tokyo, interviewing a large memorable cast of TV personalities, psychics, experts, lunatics, and other witnesses to the supernatural. Gradually it nbecomes clear there is a common thread connecting these seemingly unrelated but escalating paranormal curiosities, establishing an alluring mystery that drives the narrative in the second act.

The huge cast all give credible, convincing performances. Even the more amusing weirdoes are no more over-the-top than the average television psychic. The supernatural occurrences are creepy but fairly low key, with the cameras and audio recorders not catching anything you wouldn't see on a "true haunting" program. Ultimately, it is the unbearable dread generated by the growing sense that something very evil and deadly is slowly closing in on the characters that makes this film so effectively chilling. Very subtle CGI is used maybe once or twice, but its not really noticable enough to break the suspension of disbelief. While this is a mostly bloodless affair, the brief violence and explicit supernatural activity that shockingly erupts in the final act is a satisfying payoff for the film's unusual lengthy build.

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Female Convict 701:Scorpion Review

Female Convict 701: Scorpion, 1972

Reviewed By; Dan S.

Directed by: Shunya Ito

Written by: Fumio Konami, Hirō Matsuda

Starring: Meiko Kaji

First time director and future Japanese Academy Award winner, Shunya Ito, and iconic leading lady, Meiko Kaji, are much more ambitious and talented than your average W.I.P. creative team. Disguising the modest budget, Ito pulls out every wild camera trick in the book and probably invents some new ones as well, keeping each scene tense, fresh, and exciting. The lighting and colors are bright and psychedelic, often abruptly shifting with the mood of the scene. The whole design of the film is exaggerated and surreal, occassionally venturing into nightmarish Avant Garde visuals. While this is definetly a product of the 70s and Shunsuke Kikuchi's cool but time capusle jazz/funk soundtrack only confirms this, there is also something timelessly unique about this incredibly bizarre looking film.

Present in nearly every scene, the hypnotic and silent Ice Queen, Meiko Kaji, doesn’t display the same depth she did in her now more famous role as Lady Snowblood but Matsu the Scorpion is far more menacing and convincingly tough. Where as most actresses would be begging for the audiences’ sympathy she just coldly stares into the camera, the worst intentions seething beneath her stoic gaze. Surprisingly, the movie shows some restraint in terms of content. While the viewer is forced to endure the harsher moments as they happen, it is never too graphic as the more explict violence and rape somehow manage to escape the camera's view. Despite a consistent amount of nudity and blood, the violence is more comic book than disturbing and the soft erotica is only stiumlating when appropriate. Don't be mistaken this is still a nasty cruel movie but there is always progessively harsher payback in store for the villians, climaxing with a satisfying coda that sees Kaji at her coolest and creepiest as a black draped avenging angel.

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