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SALEM’S LOT Offers Vampire Horror to Sink Your Teeth Into

Like the classic depiction of a vampire, the film adaptation of Salem’s Lot from Warner Bros. almost didn’t see the light of day. Its initial announcement happened over five years ago in March 2019 and filming didn’t commence until over two years later. Salem’s Lot was set for a September 2022 release, then April 2023, then no release date at all after being pulled from the company’s theatrical schedule. Now, the film is heading straight to Max on October 4. Some people may believe this move is a reflection of the film’s quality, or lack thereof. But that’s not the case. Salem’s Lot brings the intensity, gore, and scares that one desires in a vampire story and uses the skeleton of Stephen King’s source novel to craft new elements that you’ll want to sink your teeth into. 

Salem’s Lot— written and directed by Gary Dauberman of The Conjuring Universe fame — follows Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) on a chaotic journey. He’s writer who returns to the sleepy Maine town of Jerusalem’s Lot where he lived until he was 9. It is 1975 and Mr. Mears is looking for inspiration to craft a book that will garner better reviews. He soon meets a few key residents in “the Lot,” all of whom are curious about his unexpected appearance. Sparks fly between Ben and Susan (Makenzie Leigh), a real estate assistant with a sexist boss. She dreams of leaving home, but her lonely and controlling mother Anne (Debra Christofferson) doesn’t want that.

Meanwhile, eleven-year-old Mark Petrie (Jordan Preston Carter) is also new to town and trying to adjust with his mother June (Fedna Jacquet) and father Henry (James Milord). He makes quick friends with ill-fated brothers Danny and Ralphie Glick (Nicholas Crovetti and Cade Woodward, respectively). They are fascinated by how he’s not afraid of school bullies, vampires, monsters, or anything else that haunts kids. Mark also loves magic, clearly displaying a propensity to believe in what others do not. Ben Mears may be the main character, but Mark Petrie is the true star of the show. That kid consistently stands on business! He’d fit in really well with the kiddos from Vampire s vs. the Bronx . Carter holds his own against heavyweight talents like Pullman and Alfre Woodard. His future in any genre is as bright as the sunrise. 

Everyone’s having a relatively good time until things go awry. This is thanks to Kurt Barlow (Alexander Ward) and Richard Straker (Pilou Asbæk), a new European duo who live in the formerly abandoned Marsten House. Interestingly, Barlow & Straker’s Fine Furnishing store seems to only have the latter in the building during the day. Why? Well, Barlow is a vampire and Straker is his human familiar. Ralphie’s disappearance and Danny’s subsequent death send the town into a slow downward spiral. Teacher Matt Burke (Bill Camp), Ben, Sarah, Mark, resident medical expert Dr. Cody (Woodard), and others soon arrive at the same horrifying conclusion. Barlow is a vampire who’s slowly turning the Lot into a deadly haven. ( Sidenote: I love it when people quickly buy into the absolutely wild thing that’s clearly happening to them. All of these characters do it well and are so wonderfully imaginative and bold.) 

Salem’s Lot is exactly what a vampire movie should be: engaging and fun with some genuinely spine-chilling moments. It doesn’t get so caught up in establishing lore and answering every single question that it falls on its face. There are a few well-placed zingers, jump scares and shocks that don’t feel cheap, and tense action moments. If you’re trying to see a lot of vamps in your vamp movie, they are there. And boy do they look creepy. If you want to see some serious bloodsucking action, you will find it here. Salem’s Lot ’s characters are vibrant and the dialogue is witty and snappy. The film’s nearly two hour runtime doesn’t fall victim to the typical horror plague of plot sagging and padding. The buildup isn’t rushed but it is steady. Once the story locks into the main action, it is time to hold on for the ride. 

Quite a few intense moments will probably resonate with viewers, thanks to deft direction and lovely cinematography from Dauberman and Michael Burgess, respectively. Witnessing Ralphie’s abduction and eventual death partially from his panicked perspective is delightfully disturbing. The idyllic setting cleverly shifts with each passing day. Newspapers pile up on lawns and full bottles of milk sit on the porch. Death and quiet hang in the air. And, at one point, there’s a stake through a vampire’s heart with a sign attached that says “The Show Starts at Sundown.” Truly chef’s kiss material. 

I must say, it would have been nice to experience this film on the big screen. But something about it coming to a small screen speaks more to its old-school horror heart. Salem’s Lot already has its fanbase and this film feels primed to gain a fresh following that could make it a beloved seasonal fave.

There’s much to be said about its themes of small towns’ facades, secrets, and their metaphorical and social grips on residents. Their subsequent fading often goes unnoticed by larger society. The concept of outsiders being both the detriment and the saviors of a small town’s status quo plays well here. That grip which won’t allow someone to leave resonates through a couple of deaths. There’s one specific demise of someone who nearly makes it out alive, only to die in a brutal fashion. I don’t like it.

The kill certainly isn’t illogical. However, the optics of that moment, taking the Lot’s very obvious lack of diversity into consideration, leave a nasty taste that dampens the third act. It’s very much so giving sacrificial lamb.

Surely some book purists will not like several of the creative liberties taken. But those who aren’t familiar with its source material or choose to engage with Salem’s Lot as a unique offering will enjoy the film’s ingenuity and very meta nature.

Nevertheless, Salem’s Lot is quite good, actually. Not every horror film (or any other genre, for that matter) needs to always produce something that is radical or culture shifting. Things can simply be entertaining and have qualities that make them rewatchable. So if that’s what you’re looking for, fire up Max and get ready to stream Salem’s Lot on October 4.

Salem’s Lot

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‘Apartment 7A’ Review: All Devil, Few Details

A lackluster prequel to the 1968 horror classic “Rosemary’s Baby” doesn’t have much to add.

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By Alissa Wilkinson

“Apartment 7A” is a prequel, of sorts, to “Rosemary’s Baby,” still one of the most chilling films ever made about losing agency over your own body. The 1968 horror classic takes place in the fictional Bramford, a rambling apartment building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side that seems to have been colonized by a coven of devil worshipers. Early in that film, Guy and Rosemary Woodhouse (John Cassavetes and Mia Farrow), a young couple new to the building, meet a troubled woman in the laundry room. Her name is Terry Gionoffrio. “Apartment 7A” is her story.

In the prequel, Terry (played by the reliably good Julia Garner) is a mousy Nebraskan who moved to New York with stars in her eyes. She’s a dancer who’s dying to see her name in lights above a Broadway marquee, just like millions of young people before her. When we meet her, she’s getting her first big break, which unfortunately for her translates to an actual break — of her ankle, that is, onstage. The accident both sidelines her dancing for a while and earns her a reputation around town as “the girl who fell.”

A few months later, desperate to be cast in something, she’s back on the circuit. She flubs her audition for the flashy new show from the Broadway producer Alan Marchand (Jim Sturgess). In a last-ditch shooting of her shot, she heads to the Bramford, where Marchand lives. Things don’t go as expected with him. But she happens to meet Roman and Minnie Castevet (Kevin McNally and Dianne Wiest), a weird but generous older couple who just so happen to have an empty spare apartment that she can stay in if she wants. Just till she gets back on her feet.

At this point, you can sketch the rough outlines of what will happen next. That’s particularly true if you’ve seen “Rosemary’s Baby,” because the two films are strangely similar, a fact that makes this one feel self-defeating. Most of the audience for “Apartment 7A” will, presumably, be familiar with the older film’s plot. As characters from that film are introduced, we already know how their stories will end, and the screenplay (written by Natalie Erika James, Christian White and Skylar James) holds few additional surprises.

That’s the main problem with “Apartment 7A,” though Natalie Erika James directs competently enough. It’s passably spooky, sure. But all interesting prequels have something in common: They shed new light on their predecessors that expands, illuminates or complicates them in some way. “Apartment 7A” feels like a predictable retread.

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Salem's Lot review: "This Stephen King adaptation is midnight movie kind of fun"

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Delayed for more than two years by the pandemic, the SAG-AFTRA strike, and, in all probability, restructuring at the Warner Bros. Discovery conglomerate (the same restructuring that saw Batgirl and Coyote vs. Acme shelved as tax write-offs), Gary Dauberman’s adaptation of Stephen King’s sophomore novel finally sees the sun. But unlike a vampire it doesn’t, thankfully, burst into flames and perish. 

Maine, the 1970s: returning to his childhood town of Jerusalem’s Lot, author Ben Mears ( Top Gun: Maverick /Thunderbolts*’ Lewis Pullman) learns that the spooky Marston House has been bought by the mysterious Kurt Barlow (Alexander Ward) and his helper, Richard Straker (Pilou Asbæk). Soon the local residents are turning into creatures of the night, and Mears finds himself leading a ragtag band of locals (Bill Camp, Alfre Woodard, Makenzie Leigh) in a high-stakes (ahem) operation.

As Dauberman proved in writing It Chapter 1 and 2 , he has a deep affection for King’s work. So while this movie is necessarily pruned of characters and subplots (there’s good reason that King’s dense novel has twice before been turned into a miniseries), it does retain the author’s feel for small-town America. And while no single scare can match the kid tapping at the window in Tobe Hooper’s 1979 series, Dauberman does come up with unnerving images and neat twists on vampire lore.

Is Salem’s Lot a top-tier King adaptation? No. But not for nothing is a drive-in theater a key location in the action - this is the kind of fun midnight movie that teens flocked to in the '70s. 

Salem's Lot is released on Max in the US on October 3 and in UK cinemas on October 11. 

For more, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming horror movies to watch out for.

Jamie Graham is the Editor-at-Large of Total Film magazine. You'll likely find them around these parts reviewing the biggest films on the planet and speaking to some of the biggest stars in the business – that's just what Jamie does. Jamie has also written for outlets like SFX and the Sunday Times Culture, and appeared on podcasts exploring the wondrous worlds of occult and horror. 

First trailer for new Stephen King adaptation Salem's Lot is a mix between Midnight Mass and 30 Days of Night

Stephen King’s support helped new adaptation Salem’s Lot finally get released, 2 years after its initial release date

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'MadS' Review: A Horror Auteur Returns to His Nightmarish Roots I Fantastic Fest 2024

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Director David Moreau returns to horror prominence after 2008’s panned American remake of The Eye and 2017’s young adult thriller Seuls . MadS , which premiered at this year's Fantastic Fest, is a continuous-shot nightmare, an apocalyptic adrenaline rush at blazing speeds. Moreau returns to his roots as the New French Extremity filmmaker who shocked the horror genre with 2006’s Them ( Ils in French), as he conquers the ungodly task of making us believe we’re watching an uninterrupted shoot. MadS was filmed in five takes over five days , but you’d never be able to tell. Moreau’s control over perpetual motion is a one-way descent into infection-spreading madness, highlighting tremendous performances as we observe the beginnings of humanity’s end spread in real time.

'MadS' Is Chaotic Right From the Beginning

The experience starts by introducing 18-year-old Romain ( Milton Riche ), a high-spirited boy who pops a new pill from his dealer. Romain’s recently graduated, and the night’s festivities are meant for celebration — until a bandaged woman climbs into his parked car. The bleeding hitchhiker is in agony; Romain panics as he attempts to help, but she ends up dying. Romain now has a body in his car, his out-of-town father starts calling, and his lover Anais ( Laurie Pavy ) is on her way to his house. This all happens within the first few minutes, mind you. Moreau wastes no time enveloping his audience in unexplainable chaos , but that’s a mere taste of the hallucinogenic insanity Romain is about to encounter.

It’s an out-of-bounds movie math equation. New Life meets Climax meets Run Lola Run . Moreau examines a contagion outbreak on a molecular level, choosing to platform a few characters caught in what’s presumed to be a global event. That might frustrate viewers who demand explanations beyond what Romain and his closest acquaintances undergo, but there’s an organic fear inherent in such personal doomsday accounts. Broader apocalypse tales usually begin when civilization has fallen, and they can exploit the “good stuff” — zombie battles, survivor warfare — but Moreau favors intimate nightmares when there are no answers . That’s where the true horror exists. Normalcy rapidly shifts from railing lines in bathrooms and chatting about romantic drama to fleeing armed soldiers trying to contain an unknown cataclysmic exposure with bullets.

'Apartment 7A' Review: 'Rosemary's Baby' Really Didn't Need a Roommate

Julia Garner has nothing on Mia Farrow.

Intimacy defines MadS . Kills aren’t just a bite, torn flesh, and a turned vessel. You’re correct to assume Romain’s interactions with the escaped woman (who hacks blood in his face) lead somewhere unsettling, reminiscent of Eduardo Sánchez and Gregg Hale ’s “A Ride in the Dark” segment in V/H/S/2 . MadS offers no answers to mass effect, as we can only sit and watch as Romain succumbs to illness, and how that spreads throughout partiers, French suburbs, and metropolitan hubs. The pain, physical agony, and ensuing dementia that overtake the narrative is a sublime taste of crushing inevitabilities, and Moreau never relents. Once the film starts, a runaway train barrels through obstacles as its conductor laughs in your face.

'MadS' Features a Terrific Ensemble of Horror Performers

MadS invests in a trio of young actors who are immaculate when called upon to shine . Given the single-shot nature, with a camera glued to an actor of choice, there’s a baton-handoff element that never grows tiresome. Milton Riche is the carefree playboy who eases us into the conspiracy, teasing the more hormonal effects of an infection he inadvertently brings to a jam-packed house party. He’s our initial guide, where on the other side, Lucille Guillaume ’s Julia closes the door as France crumbles around a frantic girl scootering home to protect her mother. Where Ritchie excels at subtly — then not so subtly — succumbing to rage virus behaviors, Guillaume is the panicked survivor trying to avoid contamination. Julia’s reactions to a world on fire lead to an outstanding Call Me By Your Name -esque ending for the horror lover’s soul. But the middle? That’s where MadS shines.

Laurie Pavy’s evolution into the apex MadS predator is one of my favorite horror performances in recent memory. She’s on the level of Jane Levy in Evil Dead or Toni Collette in Hereditary , fully immersing into rage-ified animalistic attributes. Infected individuals drift in and out of consciousness, as her personality flips from terrified little girl to possessed Purge Nigther on acid. The way she does anything is given maximum effort: her dazed licking at streetlights, her screaming for “mommy,” the giggly skip-walk she does toward an innocent biker, her Deadite aggression, the humanity she squeezes past inhumane outbursts, her spastic convulsions. Pavy’s performance is pure genre perfection.

David Moreau Didn't Need a Huge Body Count to Make 'MadS' Memorable

Moreau manages to drown his audience in waves of dread without relying on a massive body count . Legitimate scares are peppered between a bass-thumping demonic character study, all while cinematographer Philip Lozano ’s twisting and voyeuristic camera keeps pace with anything from sprinting MadS maniacs to Romain’s convertible. The technique applied is multifaceted and devastating for infinite reasons, even from a digital effect that sees Romaine drive between the film’s title like it’s framing the road. Once the key is in the ignition, there’s no stopping Moreau’s ambitious, rocket-powered take on Day Zero apocalypse stories. It’s artistic, ravenous, and boundless in a way that honors the spirits of the New French Extremity movement. MadS is the kind of horror experience that feels like you’re new to the genre again — and oh what a glorious feeling that is.

MadS (2024)

MadS twists rage-fueled conspiracy horrors into a screeching apocalyptic missile powered by Moreau’s vicious creativity.

• The filming technique is masterful as Moreau replicates a one-shot take.
• Laurie Pavy gives an outstanding lead performance.
• Perpetual motion and horrific intimacy keeps tension at a premium.
• The film does take a while to get its tension going.

MadS premiered at 2024's Fantastic Fest. It will be available to stream on Shudder from October 18.

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Never Let Go review | Something haunts Halle Berry in Alexandre Aja’s horror

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Halle Berry stars in Alexandre Aja’s atmospheric, but muddled post-apocalyptic horror thriller. Here’s our Never Let Go review. 

Alexandre Aja has cemented a position as one of the more exciting voices in horror cinemas since his gruesome slasher Haute Tension in 2003. He successfully transferred to Hollywood with a remake of The Hills Have Eyes , and really made himself a genre name with the excellent gator-horror Crawl, for which Aja is currently prepping a sequel .

After popping over to Netflix to direct the claustrophobic thriller Oxygen , Never Let Go brings Aja firmly back into the horror world. Here, Halle Berry stars as a single mother of two twin boys, Nolan and Samuel (Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B Jenkins). The family live in the woods and Berry’s Momma insists that an evil has taken over the world, and that no one else is left. Their house is the only thing keeping them safe from the evil and they must always be touching a rope attached to it when venturing out to scavenge for food. 

Inevitably, problems ensue. As their food supply gets lower and lower, Nolan begins to question whether the evil is real. Perhaps there’s a world still out there, with people in it, and more importantly, food that isn’t pan-fried tree bark. Momma insists the world is dangerous, but she’s the only one capable of seeing the demonic entities haunting the family. And there’s your set up.

From those foundations, Aja successfully creates an oppressive, if not always scary, atmosphere. Never Let Go opens with a banger of a jumpscare, one that had most of the seasoned critics in my screening jump. Nothing in the next 100 or so minutes quite matches the brutal, unexpected nature of that early moment though. 

Never Let Go fits neatly into Aja’s filmography. It’s another tale of suspense and paranoia with an isolated setting. We’re never entirely sure whether Momma is right or whether the demonic representations of her mother, the boys’ father and others are just her past trauma coming to life. Aja isn’t terribly concerned with answering any of our questions either, but there’s no denying that Never Let Go has plenty of hair-raising moments and one truly shocking, bold turn of events. 

Berry plays Momma as a haunted woman, constantly teetering on the edge of madness, but ferociously protective of her sons. If The Substance showed us a new, radical side of Demi Moore, Never Let Go offers the same opportunity for Berry. Her performance is convincing and compelling, but rooted in humanity. Momma might at times become downright hysterical, but Berry never overdoes it. 

Equally impressive are the two boys. Percy Daggs IV is particularly commanding as the doubtful Nolan. The two young actors create a believable, brotherly bond and are able to match Berry’s intensity.

And yet: despite strong performances and Aja’s frequent collaborator Maxime Alexandre’s beautiful visuals, Never Let Go needed another gear to switch to. 

The film’s finale is where the film is really stretching our ability to suspend disbelief. The tension feels weak here and the ending feels not only predictable, but, well, a little dull. Not to mention it barely makes sense.

Never Let Go is a horror film on paper, but it didn’t quite manage to rattle me. I was thoroughly entertained and constantly interested in the film’s narrative, but the film doesn’t match Aja’s earlier, better work. 

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Ahead of the release of The Strangers: Chapter 1, we chat to director Renny Harlin about reimagining one of the most beloved modern horror films.  When The Strangers, Bryan Bertino’s low-budget horror film, was released in 2008, it immediately burrowed itself under my skin. In the film, a couple, played by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, [...]

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Panthers all-22 film review: appreciating the stars from week 3's upset win, share this article.

It may have taken quite a while, but the Carolina Panthers finally put some pretty good tape together!

Let’s dive into some of the best All-22 looks from their 36-22 upset over the Las Vegas Raiders from Week 3 . . .

Andy Dalton’s resurgence?

Head coach Dave Canales made a significant decision to bench former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young at the start of Week 3. The move has given way to the 14th-year veteran in Dalton, who may now be in his final run as an NFL starter.

In his first start in almost a year, Dalton did something spectacular—as he became the very first quarterback in 2024 to throw for both 300 yards and three touchdowns in a single game. And what’s even more spectacular is that his performance may also lead to a resurgence for the Carolina offense, a unit that looked absolutely dead over their first two outings.

Watch Dalton hold the safety. That split-second of hesitation from the far side safety allows for the ball to arrive on time, with accuracy. Pocket was also perfect, a rarity in these parts. pic.twitter.com/NXEiZEx5Qv — Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) September 24, 2024

Dalton played at an elite level on Sunday. He did a great job of using his eyes to manipulate second- or third-level defenders, which resulted in some explosive plays.

The 36-year-old played like the savvy passer he is—with his composure in the pocket, his answers against pressure and his ability to deliver the rock quickly. Frankly, the Panthers offense pulled off a 180 compared to what they looked like under Young.

He was accurate with incredible ball placement, especially on his touchdown passes to wideouts Adam Thielen and Diontae Johnson. Dalton did a splendid job with ball security, though he did have some misfires and a couple of near-interceptions. 

Going forward, Dalton’s ability to get the ball out on time will give his offense and playmakers a chance to make big gains in space.

WRs stand out

It seems rare, especially going back to last season, that a group of wide receivers made a significant impact on the offense in a positive way. That is what happened on this afternoon.

Johnson, who the Panthers traded for in the offseason, had a career day with eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown. His high-level skills as a route runner were on display with ample separation—as he used subtle movements and head fakes to force defensive backs to bite and commit their hips in the opposite direction.

Thielen was a nice security blanket underneath and made a great catch in traffic for a touchdown. Unfortunately, he injured his hamstring on the play and was eventually placed on injured reserve. This’ll give some opportunities to rookie Xavier Legette and second-year wideout Jonathan Mingo.

Good work by Xavier Legette to work into the soft spot of zone. The work after the catch is what makes him an explosive playmaker for the #Panthers offense. (Also, that protection) pic.twitter.com/bTT8XQqVPD — Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) September 24, 2024

Mingo received some touches and showed his run-after-catch skill set at times. Legette will see the field more over the next four weeks and should be able to offer his explosive play-making ability.

His second and third-level acceleration is something the Panthers have missed since DJ Moore was traded. Legette also showed gradual improvement in separation skills and as a route runner with improved landmarks and deliberation.

With Thielen out for at least four weeks, Legette or Mingo will start in his place. Undrafted free agent Jalen Coker is now on the active 53-man roster and could see some playing time as well.

Defense has a confidence-boosting game

The Carolina defense allowed 399 rushing yards in their first two games heading into Vegas. On Sunday, they allowed just 55 rushing yards to the Raiders—obviously, a significant difference.

But why did this number improve so drastically?

Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has been mixing and matching his defensive line and second level since the loss of Pro Bowler Derrick Brown. Against the Raiders, there was more discipline in gap assignments and run fits.

Defensive linemen such as Jayden Peevy, LaBryan Ray and Nick Thurman were able to fill gaps and seal off rushing lanes. Peevy had a couple of decent interior pressures where he was able to get a long-arm bull rush and one with a swipe/rip on outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney’s fourth-quarter sack.

Linebacker Josey Jewell, who was run over by the Los Angeles Chargers a week prior, had a rebound game—showing more physicality at the point of attack and his respective fits.

Rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace played his first defensive snaps of the season. He saw time at off-ball ‘backer in some base fronts, but was utilized on the edge where Evero could deploy his athleticism and explosiveness to his advantage in the run game.

Through three weeks, the trade for 2 Mike Jackson looks great. Watch him run through the block of Davanta Adams and secure the TFL. Excellent run support play. #Panthers pic.twitter.com/KZG0h4KKe7 — Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) September 25, 2024

Despite giving up a 54-yard reception in the first quarter, cornerback Mike Jackson has proved to be a gem. Jackson led the team in tackles with nine, exhibiting excellent play in run support and making quality open-field stops in space. He also, while chalking up an interception, played with discipline in footwork and coverage responsibilities altogether.

Carolina’s secondary has become a big strength of this roster, but they face a steep challenge against Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this Sunday. With starting safety Jordan Fuller lost to injured reserve due to a hamstring injury, my eyes will be locked in on backup Nick Scott—who Evero views as a starting safety for most teams in the league.

Extra notes

• Running back Chuba Hubbard looks more elusive and creative as a runner. He’s especially more creative when attacking gaps and navigating congestion, and is always going forward when tackled. He is one of Carolina’s key pieces this season.
• Rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders flashed as a blocker, showing a willingness to fit his hands and drive. He did whiff on a few blocks, plus a miscommunication play where he ran into right tackle Taylor Moton on a sack.

There were a few reps from Ikem Ekwonu that made me go 🥴. But, I was thoroughly impressed with was overall consistency in true pass sets. This might’ve been one of his best starts of his career. Keep the consistency. Keep getting better. #Panthers pic.twitter.com/0kS2UENr7o — Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) September 25, 2024

• Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu was lights out in the run-blocking game. He did miss some blocks against overload pressures, but had a consistent game in true pass sets—offering overall clean footwork, active hands and accurate strikes while doing a much better job with mirroring inside counters than he did at any point last season.

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Panthers announce flurry of moves as adam thielen, jordan fuller head to ir, panthers qb andy dalton pops up on wednesday's injury report, panthers sign rookie wr to practice squad on wednesday, the growth of panthers rb chuba hubbard should not go unnoticed, where do the panthers stand in nfl power rankings heading into week 4, panthers g damien lewis dealing with elbow injury.

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J-Horror: The Best Scary Movies From Japan, Ranked

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10 Horror Movies That Exceeded Expectations at the Box Office

10 best ‘90s movies you can stream free on tubi, 10 comedy movies from the ‘80s that haven't aged well.

One thing that has allowed the horror genre to thrive and evolve in the way it has is that it is universal. Every culture has its own ghost stories or folk tales designed to shock and frighten any who dare to listen. Some of the scariest stories come from Japanese culture , and this is evident in the imported horror movies from the country.

Updated July 18, 2023: It's difficult to narrow down the best horror movies from Japan, but if you're a fan of J-horror whatsoever, we've updated this list of essential titles for you to check out.

From the early yōkai films with supernatural spirits and the giant monsters of its kaiju movies, to the psychedelic freak-out movies of the '60s and '70s and the disturbing nightmares of its modern movies, Japan has always been a dominant force in the world of cinematic horror. Honestly, each decade of Japanese cinema has multiple masterpieces in the horror genre, from Kwaidan and House to Jigoku and The Suicide Club , but here we present a more succinct list of the most important. These movies are so influential that many of them were remade into American movies. From ghosts and demons to monstrous madmen, here are some of the best Japanese horror movies.

15 Brutal (2017)

Some horror stories are filled with unique original premises, or at least Japan does its best to offer some different from the usual tropes we are used to. Brutal is a film directed by Takashi Hirose, and as weird as it may seem, it’s a love story . The main cast features the acting talents of Katrina Grey and Miyavi Matsunoi.

The story begins with a killer roaming Japan, carefully picking each victim. This deranged man is looking for love in his own unique way, and it doesn’t take long until he finds someone with similar tendencies. The two killers go on a mad rampage to consummate their love.

14 Infection (2004)

Originally titled Kansen , Infection touches on our most recent fears as the story takes place in a run-down, understaffed hospital where a local man is denied attention for a black rash that is seemingly taking over his body. The film, written and directed by Masayuki Ochiai, features the talents of Kōichi Satō and Masanobu Takashima.

The mystery begins when the affected man is found to be secreting a green ooze out of his pores. Fearing it may be infectious, the hospital goes on total lockdown as every staff member begins to be taken over by the virus, with only a few survivors being able to call for help and having to secure their survival until receiving any assistance.

13 Lesson of Evil (2012)

If you ever wonder how some teachers feel about bullies, Lesson of Evil will surely, please you. In a world where school policies and red tape keep teachers from offering nothing more than a mere reprimand , Seiji Hasumi feels compelled to do more for his students.

Written and directed by Takashi Miike, Lesson of Evil is a terrifying film that features the talents of Hideaki Ito, Fumi Nikaido, and Takayuki Yamada. Hasumi is a teacher with everything, and he’s well aware of his privilege, but he’s not so sure about his students, so he punishes those who victimize the weak with his unique brand of justice.

12 Godzilla (1954)

The kaiju genre is one of the most popular subgenres of Japanese horror, and no monster is more iconic than Godzilla . Over 30 Godzilla films have been made, and the character who is best known for fighting other giant monsters has become a beloved figure in film history. It may not seem scary today, but the origins of Godzilla's first film were bred from pure terror: the horrors of nuclear warfare.

Godzilla was released in 1954, just nine years after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . The terror felt during these attacks was still coursing through the people of Japan, and that is where Godzilla comes in. The character was born from nuclear energy, and he has one thing in mind: destruction. The original film doesn't feature monsters fighting each other, or Godzilla protecting Earth from an alien threat. In his first appearance, Godzilla was created to be the physical manifestation of nuclear destruction.

11 One Missed Call (2003)

The American remake of One Missed Call was critically panned when it was released. Because of the film's less-than-stellar reputation, many fans will opt out of seeing the original film from the great Takashi Miike. This is a huge mistake, as the original is a much better film.

Based on the novel Chakushin Ari by Yasushi Akimoto, One Missed Call sees people receiving mysterious voicemails from unknown numbers. The messages are dated several days in the future and contain audio of the recipient dying. When the date of the message arrives, the recipient dies in unnatural and brutal ways. When a young girl receives a message after losing her friends, she must solve the mystery before her time is up. One Missed Call is filled with J-horror tropes that will be familiar to fans of the genre, but it is still a creepy and effective film.

Related: Top 10 Horror Movies Of 2021

10 The Depths (1957)

The Depths ( also known as Ghost Story of Kasane Swamp) is a chilling tale about revenge and sacrifice. The film relies heavily on atmosphere to convey its message (like Ugetsu and other early, dread-filled Japanese masterpieces), and it sticks with anyone who watches.

The Depths follows a young couple whose fathers killed one another many years ago. The two try to travel through the Kasane swamp, where their fathers' spirits rest. The movie is a cautionary tale about revenge and anger and remains one of the most popular J-horror films from this era. The movie was remade several times, but most agree the original is the best version of the story.

9 Audition (1999)

Equal parts taut thriller and disturbing horror, director Takashi Miike helmed the lauded 1999 film Audition , which follows the story of a recent widow, Shigeharu Aoyama, as he sets out to find a new bride under the guise of a mock casting audition. Aoyama believes he has found the perfect partner in the beautiful but reserved Asami, and the pair swiftly begin a courtship.

It doesn't take long until the widow and audiences realize Asami is not what she seems, and the film takes a brutal and hair-raising turn as her disturbing and unhinged tendencies are revealed. Audition includes difficult-to-stomach torture scenes and a gruesome final sequence that left both viewers and critics stunned. Audition has been praised for its inclusion of themes like feminism and misogyny, as her disgust and rage towards men fuels the vengeful Asami.

8 Horrors Of Malformed Men (1969)

Even a title as eye-catching as Horrors of Malformed Men can't prepare the viewer for what this film has to offer. When Hirosuke, a medical student who has been locked away in an asylum, escapes, he becomes the primary suspect in a murder. Hirosuke soon sees a photo of Genzaburo Komoda, a dead man who looks exactly like him. Hirosuke pretends to be a resurrected Komoda and takes over the dead man's life. When Hirosuke visits Komoda's father, a mad scientist who performs sick operations on people to make them "perfect," he soon comes to learn about his own familial connections to the scientist, which is where the real horrors begin.

On top of having an intriguing mystery, Horrors of Malformed Men has some truly disturbing imagery involving human test subjects. The film is fascinating, yet hard to watch at times. It is a movie that has truly earned the name of its genre, and though it may not be one of the most important horror movies of all time, it is still one that deserves to be seen by horror fans.

7 Cure (1997)

Having an engaging horror movie is one thing; adding in a mystery plot that grabs viewers and refuses to let go is something else entirely. More of a modern murder mystery , Cure follows a detective as he attempts to solve a string of grisly murders. Each victim has an X carved into their neck, and the culprit is always found nearby.

The problem is, none of the supposed murderers has any recollection of their crimes. The detective quickly realizes there is more to this case than meets the eye, and he is desperate to find out what. Cure is a thrill ride from beginning to end, and was the start of a string of horror masterpieces from director Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Few films can shock and intrigue audiences in such a way as this.

6 Pulse (2001)

Pulse (or Kairo ), another masterpiece from Kiyoshi Kurosawa, is unique in that it features two storylines that run parallel with each other and eventually intertwine. The film follows two groups of people as they discover spirits are attempting to enter our world via the internet. In 2001, the internet was still relatively new and, to some, scary.

Pulse taps into that fear by suggesting there is something waiting on the World Wide Web. Something waiting for the right moment to strike and enter the human world. The film received the English remake Pulse in 2006. The remake, co-written by Wes Craven, was panned almost immediately. Even though it is far, far from Wes Craven's best movie , the American remake somehow received two sequels.

Related: The 10 Best Horror Anime of 2023 (So Far), Ranked

5 Noroi: The Curse (2005)

Found footage horror is hit or miss. Sometimes it is by the numbers and dull, while other times it is chilling and engaging . Noroi: The Curse is very much the latter. The film is composed of supposed footage of an unfinished documentary made by a paranormal researcher who went missing.

Noroi: The Curse may sound like one of the countless Blair Witch Project ripoffs, but it arguably takes what that film did and makes it better. The movie truly feels like it is found footage, and the uncanny realism makes the experience that much more terrifying. From beginning to end, the film's scary imagery and unsettling, creepy atmosphere will latch on to the viewer. Odds are this film will still be felt long after the viewing is over.

4 Onibaba (1964)

Onibaba is almost always mentioned when the topic of Japanese horror is brought up, and for good reason. The film is a period piece set in the fourteenth century, when two young women kill soldiers and steal their possessions. They soon realize the error of their ways when a samurai in a demonic-looking mask appears and enacts retribution.

Inspired by the Shin Buddhist parable of "yome-odoshi-no men (bride-scaring mask)," Onibaba is a drama as much as it is a horror, and the two genres mix seamlessly to create a fun and suspenseful time. The mask of the samurai is horrifying and sticks in the mind of the viewer for a long time. This samurai could have easily fit among the ranks of other horror legends had he returned for sequels.

Related: Top 10 Horror Movies of The 2010s, Ranked

3 Ju-on: The Grudge (2002)

One of the best-known J-horror films of all time, Takashi Shimizu's Ju-on: The Grudge is about a vengeful spirit that punishes anyone who enters the house in which it resides. The movie is terrifying and chilling in all the right ways, and even the most grizzled horror hounds find this film a spine-tingling experience. The iconic spirits are still terrifying audiences to this day, and the groaning sound they make continues to be imitated. It is no surprise this movie is considered one of the best international horror films of all time.

The film received an English remake called The Grudge in 2006, which spawned two sequels and a reboot. What many people may not know is Ju-on: The Grudge is actually the third in a series. The first two were Ju-on: The Curse and Ju-on: The Curse 2 .

2 Uzumaki (2000)

In his outstanding directorial debut , Higuchinsky brought to life the terrifying manga Uzumaki , a story that centers on the small, cursed town of Kurouzu-cho, where the residents become obsessed with spirals. This fixation leads to people turning violent against themselves and others on their quest to create the mysterious curve.

Uzumaki is a gruesome and chilling horror flick that is based on the Junji Ito manga series and features the town's inhabitants taking their own lives in various creepy manners, such as crawling into a washing machine, using a power drill to the eye and stepping in front of a moving vehicle. Higuchinsky employs a spine-tingling atmosphere and unnerving build-up as the movie progresses, and viewers will definitely turn squeamish as they witness the residents spiral into madness and mayhem.

1 Ringu (1998)

While it could absolutely be argued that this is not the scariest Japanese film of all time, Hideo Nakata's Ringu is probably the most important and essential, as it popularized and defined J-horror around the world. Everyone knows the story of this film: a videotape is circulated that contains random and disturbing imagery. After the tape ends, the viewer's phone rings and a voice warns them they have seven days to live. True to the spirit's word, the recipient dies a horrible death seven days later.

Ringu follows a reporter as she fights to get to the bottom of this sinister mystery. This film not only reached worldwide success, but it also kicked off the trend of American remakes of international horror when it was remade as (the actually good) The Ring in 2002. This movie spawned several sequels and spin-offs, one of which crossed over with Ju-on . Regardless of all the follow-ups, none come close to the horror masterclass of the original.

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10 Japanese Horror Movies That'll Make You Afraid to Sleep With the Lights Off

Japanese horror, also known as J-Horror, has produced some of the scariest movies you can find in the horror genre as a whole. The stories are so terrifying, not to mention creative, that many have been adapted for American cinema — although most of those particular remakes pale in comparison. J-Horror really found its footing during the '50s and '60s , with some of the genre's more experimental films coming from this time period. However, the best way to find out if you're truly ready for films like 1964's Onibaba and 1960's Jigoku is to look at a few of the more well-known films. For those interested in seeing if J-Horror is for them, or for those just looking for a real scare, below is a list of the 10 best J-Horror films from the past 25 years.

Cure (1997)

Cure has an extremely famous fan in the form of Parasite director Bong Joon-ho. In 2012, he included it as part of a BFI list of films that " had the biggest impact on [his] own personal view of cinema." The film's plot follows Detective Takabe as he investigates a string of murders, where each victim has an "X" carved into their neck. The most bizarre part, however, is that the murderer is always found near the victim with no memory of what they've done. Nothing seems to connect the murders, which frustrates the detective as he tries to uncover the truth.

Watch Cure on Criterion Channel.

Ring (1998)

Even if you know nothing about J-Horror, you've probably heard of Ring , also called Ringu , or at least it's remake starring Naomi Watts called The Ring . What you might not know is that Ring is based on a 1991 novel of the same name by Kôji Suzuki. The 1998 film version follows reporter Reiko Asakawa as she investigates the death of her niece at the hands of an apparently cursed videotape. With the help of her ex-husband, Ryuji, she watches the tape and sets out to discover the video's origin and break its spell.

Watch Ring on Amazon Prime Video.

Audition (1999)

This is a movie with a message: don't judge a book by its cover or you could end up dead. A widower named Aoyama decides to start dating again, but rather than meeting someone organically, he sets up a fake production company to serve as a dating service. Eventually, he falls for the reserved Asami, but he soon finds out she's nothing like she first appeared.

Watch Audition on Shudder.

Pulse (2001)

Pulse is another movie on this list that had a 2006 American remake (which also had two sequels). The plot features two parallel storylines and three seemingly disconnected stories, with each of the characters trying to discover why people in Tokyo are disappearing and the source of the ghostly visions they keep coming into contact with on their computers.

Watch Pulse on Amazon Prime Video.

Dark Water (2002)

Another member of the American remake club, Dark Water is based on a short story collection by Koji Suzuki. The movie is just as eerie as you'd expect from the title. Yoshimi Matsubara, a newly single mom, is struggling with trying for a fresh start in a new apartment while keeping custody of her daughter, Ikuko. Strange things start happening at the apartment, and when Yoshimi and Ikuko have visions of a ghostly little girl, it becomes apparent that something supernatural is at work.

Watch Dark Water on Amazon Prime Video.

Ju-On: The Grudge (2002)

Like Ring , Ju-On: The Grudge is one you've likely heard of before. There are currently nine movies and one TV series in the Japanese franchise, 13 movies if you count the American films. Ju-On: The Grudge is the first that received a theatrical release in Japan, and sees what happens when a house that endures a singularly traumatic event returns the favor to those who visit. It's made up of a series of vignettes that come together as the police dive deeper into the mystery.

Watch Ju-On: The Grudge on Amazon Prime Video.

Noroi: The Curse (2005)

A refreshing take on the found-footage horror movie, Noroi: The Curse frames itself as a documentary. Don't worry, nothing within it is real — even if actress Marika Matsumoto plays a version of herself in the film. The "documentary" is about a paranormal journalist named Kobayashi, who goes missing shortly after he completes it.

Watch Noroi: The Curse on Shudder.

Known in Japan as Real Onigokko , Tag is directed by J-Horror icon Sion Sono. The movie gives off gruesome Alice in Wonderland vibes as a teenager named Mitsuko finds her life devolving into chaos, and ends up in increasingly bizarre alternate realities. She has to fight to stay alive, but can't seem to answer the most important question: who is the enemy?

Watch Tag on Amazon Prime Video.

Sadako vs. Kayako (2016)

Originally a 2015 April Fools' Day joke , fans loved the idea so much, it became a reality. A crossover of the Ring and the Ju-On series, Sadako vs. Kayako pits the evil entities of both films against one another as they attempt to see who will be the last cursed individual standing. No, the pair don't just up and decide this on their own — it happens because someone who watches the cursed videotape learns the only way to beat the curse is to put another vengeful spirit up against Sadako.

Watch Sadako vs. Kayako on Shudder.

The Forest of Love (2019)

The Forest of Love is loosely based on a series of real-life murders committed in Kyushu, Japan, by serial killer Futoshi Matsunaga. An older con man manages to manipulate both a group of student filmmakers and a young girl into doing his bidding. They listen and do whatever he says, even when murder is involved.

Watch The Forest of Love on Netflix.

• Asian Horror
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The Best Japanese Horror Movies of All Time

The best Japanese horror movies boast a rich cultural milieu, combining haunting folklore with contemporary themes that captivate a global audience. This article ranks these spine-chilling masterpieces based on their ability to terrify and mesmerize viewers. The crowdranking approach ensures that the list reflects popular opinions, helping you choose the most gripping experiences in J-horror. The criteria for ranking include plot originality, the integration of cultural elements, and the lingering impact on audiences' psyches.

From the chilling tale of Ringu , with its infamous cursed VHS tape, to the vengeful ghosts of Ju-on: The Grudge , Japanese horror films masterfully blend supernatural elements with societal fears. Audition , by Takashi Miike, takes a sharp turn from a romantic drama to a disturbing psychological horror. Pulse , directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, uses technology to explore themes of isolation, while Dark Water , by Hideo Nakata, channels supernatural dread through a seemingly mundane apartment building. Battle Royale , a dystopian thriller, combines social critique with brutal violence, distinguishing it as a unique entry in Japanese horror.

Each of these scary films features distinct elements that make them stand out. Other good horror films from Japan include Confessions , Strange Circus , Cure , Reincarnation , and Cold Fish .

Audience participation is crucial to this list. Vote for your favorites and contribute to ranking the scariest Japanese horror movies. Engage with this community-driven list to see how your top picks fare against others, and discover new films that might become your next horror obsession. Your vote matters, so go ahead and make your voice heard.

A true masterpiece of Japanese horror, Ringu impeccably blends traditional Japanese folklore with modern anxieties to create a truly unsettling experience. Drawing on the deeply-rooted fear of vengeful spirits (Onryō) in Japanese culture, the film's antagonist, Sadako, embodies the unnerving and enigmatic qualities that have come to define J-horror. By incorporating contemporary elements like cursed VHS tapes and the relentless ticking clock trope, Ringu effectively taps into society's growing unease with technology and media consumption, resulting in a chilling tale that transcends cultural boundaries and continues to haunt audiences worldwide.  

• Actors : Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Miki Nakatani, Yuko Takeuchi, Hitomi Sato
• Directed by : Hideo Nakata

Ju-on: The Grudge

Ju-on: The Grudge , the epitome of vengeful ghost stories in Japanese horror, explores the depths of hatred and anguish with bone-chilling intensity. Director Takashi Shimizu masterfully utilizes nonlinear storytelling and fragmented vignettes to weave together a narrative that represents the destructive cycle of revenge and misery embodied by the titular curse. The film deftly incorporates traditional Japanese horror motifs, such as the long-haired female specter and the eerily quiet haunted house, to instill a sense of unease and familiarity that lingers long after the credits roll. In its relentless pursuit of terror, Ju-on: The Grudge represents the genre's capacity to evoke primal fear and unyielding despair while offering a grim reflection on the consequences of unchecked hatred.

• Actors : Itou Misaki, Megumi Okina, Takashi Matsuyama, Yui Ichikawa, Kanji Tsuda
• Directed by : Takashi Shimizu

Audition , a sinister tale of obsession and retribution, showcases director Takashi Miike's ability to expertly blend psychological thriller elements with body horror and extreme gore. The film delves into the darkest recesses of the human psyche, exposing the cruel consequences of emotional manipulation and exploitation. Employing the deceptive guise of a romantic drama, Audition subverts expectations and lures audiences into a false sense of security before plunging them into the depraved world of its sadistic protagonist. With its haunting imagery and excruciatingly tense atmosphere, Audition demonstrates Japanese horror's aptitude for transforming mundane scenarios into nightmarish experiences, leaving viewers with a lingering sense of unease.

• Actors : Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Jun Kunimura, Miyuki Matsuda, Ren Ôsugi
• Directed by : Takashi Miike

Dark Water , a chilling tale of a mother's love and the lengths she will go to protect her child, showcases director Hideo Nakata's expertise in eliciting terror from intimate, character-driven stories. The film infuses a sense of supernatural dread into the mundane setting of a dilapidated apartment building, utilizing the isolation and despair of its protagonists to create an oppressive and unsettling atmosphere. Dark Water draws inspiration from the traditional Japanese ghost story, presenting a tragic, vengeful spirit whose motivations blur the line between antagonist and victim. This nuanced narrative, combined with Nakata's skillful manipulation of tension and pacing, establishes Dark Water as a shining example of Japanese horror's capacity to evoke emotional resonance and terror in equal measure.

• Actors : Asami Mizukawa, Fumiyo Kohinata, Hitomi Kuroki, Yu Tokui, Shigemitsu Ogi

Pulse , a bleak exploration of modern isolation and the erosion of human connection, stands as a haunting reflection of contemporary Japanese society through the lens of supernatural horror. Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa expertly crafts an atmosphere of creeping dread, imbuing every frame with a sense of unease that steadily intensifies as the film progresses. Utilizing innovative visual effects and a chilling electronic score, Pulse positions technology as both a conduit for evil and a metaphor for societal decay. The film's themes of loneliness and despair, coupled with its unflinching portrayal of otherworldly terror, make it a vital and compelling entry in the annals of Japanese horror cinema.

• Actors : Koyuki, Kōji Yakusho, Kumiko Aso, Haruhiko Katô
• Directed by : Hiromi Kurosawa

Battle Royale

Battle Royale , a brutal and provocative dystopian thriller, offers a stark examination of the horrors humans are capable of inflicting upon one another. The film engages with the themes of power, survival, and betrayal, plunging its teenage protagonists into a cruel game where trust is a luxury they cannot afford. Drawing from both Japanese cinema's rich tradition of social critique and the horror genre's predilection for visceral violence, director Kinji Fukasaku creates a harrowing and disturbing vision of humanity at its most desperate. Battle Royale's unrelenting gore and shocking narrative twists serve not only to horrify, but to force audiences to confront the brutal reality of human nature.

• Actors : Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Taro Yamamoto, Masanobu Andô, Ko Shibasaki
• Directed by : Kinji Fukasaku

Scariest Japanese Horror Movies Of All Time

Great art is not exclusive to any one region or country—especially not horror stories, which are ubiquitous across many cultures . Whether it's a Hollywood feature or an A24 indie production, the United States has a lock on some of horror's most recognizable icons and franchises, but that doesn't mean it's the only country in the world crafting cinematic nightmares. 

Japan in particular has crafted some of the genre's most shocking entries. While this can be attributed to many causes, a culture steeped in folklore and ghost stories certainly helps. Several notable American horror flicks are actually adaptations of Japanese originals, including "The Ring" and "The Grudge."  

J-horror is usually characterized by a steady build-up, protracted suspense, and unrelenting dread. Very often the films are visceral gorefests that will leave even the most seasoned horror fanatic shaken. Let's take a look at some of the scariest movies to emerge from the Land of the Rising Sun. 

Tetsuo: The Iron Man

The best art often comes from the least expected places, which is most definitely the case for Shinya Tsukamoto's cyberpunk horror classic. Very few films defy conventional description like "Tetsuo: The Iron Man" does; that's partly why it's attained a cult following. The plot concerns a salaryman who one day begins a horrific bodily transformation into a twisted half-man/half-metal abomination. The film blends disturbing body horror with trippy, almost otherworldly visuals in an intentional car wreck of metallic insanity.

Tsukamoto made the movie for almost no money , using his own accrued part-time income to fund the underground project. The production was long, difficult, and tiresome , which resulted in most of the crew, aside from the actors, departing it. Despite the nightmarish production, Tsukamoto was able to complete this film, only to encounter distribution issues. When it finally debuted, it received an award for Best Film at the 1989 Fantafestival in Rome and went on to enjoy a limited but successful Japanese theatrical release. An eventual home media release followed, cementing the film as a bonafide cult hit.

"Tetsuo: The Iron Man" truly shows how great and subversive art can be made even on a shoestring budget. 

Battle Royale

For a film to be truly scary, the viewer must be able to imagine themselves in its scenario. In "Battle Royale," the fear comes from wondering if you could survive your friend and classmates trying to kill you.

Based on the controversial novel, "Battle Royale" is the story of the Japanese government's radical plan to quell the nation's juvenile delinquency issues. The plan in question involves gassing an entire class of 42 students and sending them to a remote island. With exploding collars latched around their necks and a ticking clock, the game is on to be the sole survivor. What ensues is almost two hours of adolescent violence, rampant brutality, and escalating insanity as each student is slowly picked off.

Directed by Kinji Fukasaku and released in 2000, the film was an immediate box-office hit and magnet for controversy (the latter due in part to the film's shocking subject matter and its release in proximity to horrific real-life events ). Despite this, the film has gone on to attain cult status, held in high regard by the likes of Quentin Tarantino .

In fact, Tarantino hailed the film as the best he'd seen in the previous 20 years and as his favorite film.

When you ask many horror fans what the scariest film ever made is, there's a good chance it'll be "Audition." The film sits prominently on various critical and fan compiled rankings, and there is a good reason for it. "Audition" is auteur Takashi Miike's masterpiece, not only for its nerve-wracking build-up, but also for its exemplary performances and disturbing imagery.

Shigeharu Aoyama, a recent widower, is convinced by his producer friend to use a faux audition to find the perfect woman. After much trial and error, Shigeharu is eventually smitten with the soulful Asami Yamazaki . But it becomes clear that Asami is harboring some dark and disturbing secrets that Shigeharu begins to uncover. As Asami's dark past starts to affect the present, Shigeharu realizes his life might be in danger. This culminates in one of horror cinema's most sickening, stomach-churning sequences as Asami graphically tortures him.

The standout performance belongs to Eihi Shiina as Asami Yamazaki, the love interest turned psychotic captor of the film. She strikes a perfect balance of earnest charm and rampant sadism, the latter of which is on full display in the film's climax.

Perfect Blue

The human mind can sometimes be the scariest thing imaginable, and that is on full display in "Perfect Blue."

The film, based on the book of the same name, is directed by the legendary Satoshi Kon. Provided he kept certain elements of the book intact, Kon was given carte blanche to do whatever he wanted. The film centers on Mima Kirigoe who, after making the transition from pop idol to actor, begins to question everything. Not only is she being followed by an obsessive stalker, but her perception of reality is beginning to deteriorate. Much of Kon's filmography deals with the constantly blurring lines of fantasy and reality, with "Perfect Blue" being no exception. Through its expertly timed animation and haunting score, the film has you second-guessing yourself as much as Mima is. Many have identified various themes such as one's own identity and the perceptions that come with fame.

The film is a noted influence on director Darren Aronofsky , who has gone on record about film frequently. He bought the rights to the film to use the bathtub scene in his own film " Requiem for a Dream ." He has even acknowledged the similarities between "Perfect Blue" and his own film "Black Swan."

If you want to talk about a spark setting off an entire powder keg, look no further than Hideo Hikata's "Ringu."

Reiko Asakawa, a Japanese news reporter, dives into an investigation regarding a mysterious and potentially deadly VHS tape. Viewing the tape results in the viewer getting a phone call that informs them they will die in seven days. This investigation leads to her uncovering the story of Sadako Yamamura, a vengeful psychic whose soul now inhabits the tape. "Ringu" got an increase in attention after the release of its American counterpart (" The Ring "). The film isn't just a great remake; it's also one of the best modern horror films. Its tremendous success opened the flood gates for Asian horror films to receive Western remakes.

The trend resulted in mostly poorly received films, but "The Ring" is still highly regarded close to two decades later. It's a rare feat within cinema when both a foreign film and its remake receive equal praise.

Ichi the Killer

While "Audition" might be Takashi Miike 's most critically beloved film, "Ichi the Killer" might be even more sadistic. 

"Ichi the Killer" is adapted from a horror manga by manga writer and artist Hideo Yamamoto. The film follows the titular Ichi, a mentally warped and sexually repressed man who derives pleasure from violent actions. This violent streak gets him caught up in a deadly yakuza rivalry and pursued by a masochistic enforcer. The film has been described as one of the most violent films of all time, and it definitely deserves that distinction. From countless acts of bodily dismemberment to sadistic torture and heinous sexual deviance, "Ichi the Killer" will make anyone squirm.

"Ichi the Killer" made its debut at the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival as a part of their Midnight Madness selection. The creators of the film provided those in attendance Ichi-branded puke bags. The film sought widespread distribution in other countries, but this proved to be impossible. Due to the film's unrelentingly shocking content, it was heavily cut down in locations like Hong Kong, and outright banned in Norway and Malaysia. Despite this increased notoriety,  some critics did uncover the film's narrative intentions underneath its perverse and viscerally sickening exterior.

"The Eye," directed by the directorial duo known as the Pang Brothers, is actually based on haunting true events . In interviews, the brothers stated that they'd read about a girl who, only one week after having her vision restored, tragically took her own life. The film of course takes massive liberties with this, only focusing on the eye transplant element and dramatizing the rest.

The film goes in a supernatural direction as protagonist Wong Kar Mun begins seeing shadowy figures after her cornea transplant. After teaming up with a psychotherapist, Dr. Wan, the duo looks to see what happened to Wong's donor Ling. They eventually learn of the paranormal events that caused her demise, which is now causing Wong to see ghosts. The film contains several creepy and suspenseful scenes, including a particularly nerve-wracking ghost encounter in an elevator. The film opened to respectable box office and reviews, which garnered the film two sequels and a remake.

Following the success of "The Ring" remake, studios were looking to retool more Asian horror films for the west. Many are probably familiar with the Western remake of "The Eye" starring Jessica Alba, a notoriously subpar interpretation.

After gaining positive attention with the "Ringu" films, Hideo Hikata once again delivered a haunting cinematic release.

"Dark Water," based on a short story, follows a mother, Yoshimi, and her young daughter, Ikuko. While contending with an unpleasant divorce mediation, Yoshimi moves herself and Ikuko into a dingy apartment complex. The issues start off small—a persistent leak in their roof from another apartment, say—but slowly escalate. Not only is the divorce taking a significant toll on Yoshimi, but the problems with the apartment also steadily become supernatural. Items begin appearing randomly in their unit, and they begin to notice a mysterious longhaired girl in a raincoat. The film, much like the apartment complex, is dripping in atmosphere, which only adds to its effect on the viewer.

Upon release in 2002, the film received many positive reviews and brought in impressive box office results. Its success spawned a Western remake starring Jennifer Connelly, which was released three years later to mixed reviews.

It's not uncommon for films to disappoint critics during their original release, only to become a cult hit with fans. When Nobuhiko Obayashi's "House" was released in Japan back in 1977, it got an extremely negative reception, but it has since gotten a critical reappraisal, with many viewers noting its unique visual effects and animated sequences. Some even count "House" as an all-time horror classic. It has received a glorious remastered release via the Criterion Collection  and has been listed on several prominent cinematic rankings.

The plot concerns a girl named Gorgeous (yes, that's her actual name) and her classmates traveling to her aunt's country home. But what begins as a charming jaunt in the countryside quickly turns into a barrage of insanely bizarre occurrences. From a girl getting eaten by a piano to another getting trapped in a grandfather clock, the film never lets up in the slightest. The film takes the all-too-common trope of the haunted house and takes it to its most insane yet logical conclusion.

Ju-On: The Grudge

"Ju-On: The Grudge" is an oft-discussed entry in the Japanese horror canon.

The film focuses on a family that, just after moving into a new house, discovers it is rife with vengeful spirits. These include Kayako Saeki, a contorting pale white ghost with jet-black hair, and Toshio, a ghostly child with pitch-black eyes. It's revealed that both died in the house and are forever cursed to wreak bloody vengeance on anyone who enters. The film is packed with not only two of horror's most haunting specters, but also expertly crafted atmosphere. From Toshio appearing on the stairs to the masterfully directed shower scene, the film is loaded with haunting moments. 

"Ju-On: The Grudge” gained increased exposure when it was remade in the United States as "The Grudge." Both the original and remake were directed by Takashi Shimizu—a rare occurrence in film production. The remake went on to become a box office smash , bringing in $187 million against a $10 million budget. This resulted in attention for the original, as well as various sequels and even a midquel.

Noroi: The Curse

Found footage has always been a sub-genre within horror fueled by creativity and innovation. The format allows scares to be presented in a grounded, yet visually interesting way that still keeps the budget small.

"Noroi: The Curse" uses all of its $2 million budget to tell a very inventive and engaging story. We are shown the story of Masafumi Kobayashi, a paranormal investigator and documentarian, who is alleged to be missing. We are then shown footage for his next documentary, called "The Curse ," and what exactly led to his disappearance. The film uses the pseudo-documentary format to great effect, expertly telling the story while still maintaining the creepy atmosphere. One additional aspect that aids the film in its faux-reality is how several of the actors play themselves in-universe.

The film didn't make its way to other countries until years after its original Japanese release. Due to its underground status, the film developed a rabid cult following online despite not having a physical release. The film finally found a home on Shudder, introducing it to a swarm of new fans.

One Missed Call

Is it really our fault that Takashi Miike is the man behind several of Japan's most noteworthy horror contributions? 

This film focuses on Yumi Nakamura, a student whose friend gets a disturbing voice message on her cell phone. Her friend, Yoko, hears what seems to be a future recording of herself in the midst of her own demise. This message is proven to have been a premonition when Yoko dies a few days later. This leads Yumi down a rabbit hole of horror and conspiracy to uncover the truth behind these paranormal phone calls. The film takes several interesting twists and turns, all guided by Miike's masterful eye for detail and atmosphere. Creepy phone calls are a long-running horror film trope that "One Missed Call" takes and runs with in a truly unique way.

Many might be more familiar with its Western remake of the same name, but for all the wrong reasons. It's a film whose greatest claims to fame are having a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes and being the worst-reviewed film of 2008. For a better time, stick to Miike's original. 

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10 Most Terrifying J-Horror Movies

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New Puppet Horror Movie Clip Reveals Jordan Peele's Surprising Performance

10 fun creature features that are so bad they're good, forget ghost ship — wes craven gave us the best horror opening.

Different trends and horror subgenres rise and fall each decade. A groundbreaking pivot that arrived during the 2000s was the genre’s embrace of foreign horror imports, particularly those from Japan. Japanese horror films, sometimes referred to as "j-horror," have helped inspire a generation of terrifying tropes.

RELATED: 7 Horror Remakes Based On Foreign Films

J-horror is still one of the most promising places to find unsettling stories from visionary directors, but certain titles exceed expectations and become legendary pieces of cinema. As a result, there's no shortage of terrifying Japanese films for horror fans to sink their teeth into.

10 An Everlasting Grudge Won’t Leave Its Targets Alone

Ju-On is one of the first big j-horror properties to receive American remakes. There are more than a dozen films and TV series that contribute to the larger Ju-On/Grudge timeline and it's even crossed over with Japan's other major horror series, Ringu , in Sadako vs. Kayako .

There are slightly diminishing returns across the various Ju-On movies, but the original films pack the greatest punch as they introduce audiences to Kayako and Toshio, the signature cursed spirits, for the first time. At its core, Ju-On is a nihilistic haunted house story that's not afraid to execute its cast. Ju-On 's visuals have been endlessly replicated, but the original is terrifying.

9 An Elaborate Lie To Find The Perfect Partner Turns Into A Fight For Survival

Takashi Miike is a master storyteller who’s tackled every genre from kids’ films to musicals to vibrant anime and video game adaptations. Miike often seems most comfortable in the horror genre when he’s allowed to create nightmarish visuals, but none of his horror efforts can compare to the genre-bending masterpiece, Audition .

Miike’s Audition begins as a pitch-black romantic comedy as a director abuses his position of power to scout his next wife. Audition beautifully turns the tables on its male protagonist as he learns that his new partner is extremely dangerous. Audition will disturb viewers through its extreme violence, but it’s the film’s manipulative power struggles that hit hardest.

8 A Mysterious Cult Is Suspected For A Slew Of Sacrifices

Suicide club.

Sion Sono is a prolific Japanese director whose films frequently engage in surreal, challenging visuals. Sono's horror films don't hold back and movies like Cold Fish are incredibly bleak condemnations of humanity. Suicide Club , also known as Suicide Circle , is a gritty horror film that's wrapped up in a psychological mystery.

RELATED: 10 Foreign Films That Still Need To Be Translated Into English

Detectives race to prevent more casualties from occurring, which seem to be linked to a strange cult and a kids' musical group. Suicide Club is most famous for a subway-based massacre where dozens of students meet a gruesome end in tandem, but the film also boasts terrifying ideas that put Se7en to shame.

7 Found-Footage J-Horror That Never Shows Its Hand

Noroi: the curse.

Noroi: The Curse is a mix of horror, mystery, and found-footage documentary that's the closest thing that Japan has to The Blair Witch Project . A humble investigative journalist goes missing after he digs into strange occurrences that may be linked to demonic activity.

Noroi: The Curse makes expert use of the found-footage format and its lo-fi nature amplifies the unexplainable sights that are captured on film. Noroi: The Curse taps into raw terror through effortless, confident filmmaking in a genre that frequently overdoes it and doesn’t trust its audience.

6 An Upsetting Body Horror Experiment That’s Not For The Faint Of Heart

Tetsuo: the iron man.

Tetsuo: The Iron Man feels like a nightmare that's come to life as it's such a different approach to the body horror subgenre. The film was released in 1988 and was shot in stark black-and-white to make a salaryman’s visceral transformation feel like an upsetting documentary. As a result, The Iron Man is full of upsetting images that will haunt the viewer.

Flesh, metal, and maggots work together in this story, which simultaneously feels like a power fantasy and a curse. Both Tetsuo and its sequel, Tetsuo II: Body Hammer , make for the perfect double feature that celebrates a raw, painful take on transformative body horror.

5 An Iconic Anime Psychological Horror Story About The Loss Of Self

Perfect blue.

Satoshi Kon is one of the most fearless minds to come out of Japan’s animation industry. Kon loves to explore psychologically daunting questions of identity and the loss of self, which are at their strongest in Perfect Blue. The film chronicles a dark tale of a pop idol who attempts to reinvent herself, only to become the prey of an obsessive fan.

RELATED: 10 Scariest Found Footage Horror Movies

Some may argue that anime shouldn’t qualify as "j-horror," but Kon’s filmography deserves an exception. Perfect Blue beats most of the decade’s live-action psychological horror films and it’s still endlessly referenced. One could even view Darren Aronofsky’s tale of fractured identity, Black Swan , as Perfect Blue ’s American remake.

4 A Cursed Videotape Releases A Scary J-Horror Stereotype

Gore Verbinski's The Ring is largely considered to be the start of North America's fascination with j-horror remakes, but its success wouldn't be possible without Hideo Nakata's original Ringu . This franchise and the eternal efforts of its central spirit, Sadako, have become one of Japan's biggest horror properties.

Ringu focuses on a cursed videotape that triggers a ticking clock and brings its viewers closer to their dooms. The plot is simple, yet effective. The movie's biggest setpieces are now somewhat taken for granted, but Sadako's long-haired look and her exodus from the television screen remain terrifying horror moments.

3 A Japanese Remake Of A Disturbing Death Game Classic

Cube (2021).

The common trajectory followed in cinema is that there will be American remakes of j-horror and other foreign properties, but that doesn’t mean that the reverse can’t happen. 2021’s Cube is a Japanese remake of the 1997 death game horror film of the same name. There is a trilogy of Cube films, but the most recent Japanese version doesn’t just copy its source material.

RELATED: 10 Upcoming Remakes With The Most Potential

The simple premise follows a group of strangers who awaken in a labyrinthine prison where each room contains a different fatal puzzle. 2021’s Cube benefits from modern special effects, grim torture traps, and an evolution of the current "death game" trend.

2 Technology Gets Terrifying As Ghosts Invade The Internet

Kairo/pulse.

Kairo , also known as Pulse, is a 2001 j-horror film that frequently gets overlooked because of its lackluster American remake. One of the most striking aspects of j-horror movies from the 2000s is that many of them use the ongoing advancements in technology to fuel their supernatural horrors.

Kairo turns the Internet into a purgatory for restless spirits that connects on both an emotional and visceral level. Kairo plays with shadow and static to create intense illusions where the audience doesn't know what to trust. Less is more in Kairo and its direct scares still hold up two decades later.

1 A Creepy Con Man Tortures Aspiring Filmmakers To Do His Evil Bidding

The forest of love.

Sion Sono is a Japanese filmmaker who loves to dwell on tragic injustices that push people beyond the pale. 2019's The Forest of Love is a dense horror thriller that combines Sono's passion for amateur filmmaking and manipulative con men.

Inspired by real crimes that took place in Japan during the 1990s and 2000s, The Forest of Love is a devastating look into ruined lives as one wicked man begins to infect and take advantage of vulnerable individuals. There is no shortage of horror films that look at evil serial killers, but there’s a blunt, invasive nature to The Forest of Love that turns it into a harrowing watch.

NEXT: 10 Scariest Horror Movies That Aren't Rated R

The Autopsy of Jane Doe

A very good year for horror films has one more scary story to haunt your dreams, the effective and creepy “The Autopsy of Jane Doe.” Like many of the great horror films of 2016, André Øvredal ’s thriller marries its concept to solid, character-driven work from the film’s leads. As horror has become one of the best ways for indie filmmakers to tell personal stories, the emphasis on performance has gone up, leading to great acting turns in films like “ The Witch ,” “ I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House ,” “Don’t Breathe,” among others. The concept of “The Autopsy of Jane Doe” would make for a great ghost story around the campfire, but it’s the dedicated work by Emile Hirsch and Brian Cox to ground the flick that makes it truly effective.

The actors play a father and son who work at one of the most inherently creepy places one could work: a morgue. The opening scenes beautifully set the tone. The two men are playful with each other, but it’s clear that the elder is the knowledgeable one, and his kid is new to the game. Fans of shows like “Forensic Files” and “Autopsy” will immediately take to the idea that these two can read a story from a body.

So what story is Jane Doe going to tell them? The film actually opens in one of its only scenes outside of the morgue, as the cops investigate a house full of brutally murder bodies. There’s a dead family in pieces everywhere, but the weirdest thing they find is the naked woman half-buried in the basement. While everyone else is a bloody mess, she doesn’t have a scratch on her. How did she die? Who is she? She ends up on our coroners’ table and starts to tell her story. Internally, she’s an absolute disaster. It looks like she was bound and tortured before she died. Her tongue was cut out. She was burned at some point. But her exterior remains intact. Spotless even. And then things start to get really weird.

The director of the cult hit “Troll Hunter” works wonders in the fantastic first hour. He sets up some beautifully realized devices, such as when Cox explains how they used to tie a bell to dead bodies just to make sure they were actually dead instead of in a coma. Any horror fan will laugh, as we’re all well aware that a tinkling bell will play a creepy role about 30 minutes later. It’s a wonderful device, like when a haunted house movie lets us see the creaking door during daylight before it creaks on its own at night. And the first and second act here have a wonderful set-up/pay-off structure to them. As we start to figure out who Jane Doe is, the tension rises and the creepiness increases. “The Autopsy of Jane Doe” is basically a great haunted house movie—the house just happens to be the morgue. And, again, one can’t undervalue having two strong actors like Hirsch and Cox to sell what this movie is trying to sell. They make the unbelievable feel genuinely terrifying.

This holds true for about an hour of the 86-minute running time and then “Jane Doe” turns up the crazy factor and races to a conclusion that doesn’t allow much for character or logic. It’s not uncommon for a horror movie to be more effective in its set-up than its climax. A whispered boo is much scarier than a scream in your face. Luckily, that first hour of “The Autopsy of Jane Doe” is so clever and well-done that it makes the sins of the finale easy to forgive. 

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

• Brian Cox as Tommy Tilden
• Ophelia Lovibond as Emma
• Emile Hirsch as Austin Tilden
• Michael McElhatton as Sheriff Sheldon
• Olwen Catherine Kelly as Jane Doe
• André Øvredal
• Danny Bensi
• Saunder Jurriaans
• Ian B. Goldberg
• Richard Naing
• Patrick Larsgaard
• Peter Gvozdas

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Who doesn’t love a good horror movie or... even a really terrible one? The Japanese horror genre (known by the abbreviated term “J-Horror”) has given us films, television shows, comics, and other media that are some of the spookiest, campiest, and most mind-melting within the realm of horror.

Whether you’re looking for something that will give you literal nightmares or just an absurd blood-spraying campy good time, there’s an entry on this list for just about every horror fan. From classic black and white ghostly tales to modern takes on digital and cultural curses, Japanese horror filmmakers add an imaginative and creative flair to their films that can be hard to find in Western horror filmmaking. The 2000s saw the advent of the Western J-Horror remakes, like The Ring and The Grudge , but few were worthy of comparison to the original Japanese films. Nothing compares to an honest to goodness J-Horror movie.

Beware of some spoilers that lie ahead, there’s a few of them!

Read on to learn about the  17 Best Japanese Horror Movies of All Time.

Ringu is a 1998 psychological horror film directed by Hideo Nakata. Most people knowthe long-haired, creepy curse-caster Sadako by her westernized name, Samara, from the 2002 English-language remake of the film. The remake deviated a little but from the original, but not much.

It follows the story of television reporter and single mother Reiko (Nanako Matsushima) who becomes entangled in a seemingly inescapable curse that will be your demise about seven days after watching the curse's origin-- a VHS tape. Like the remake, the film opens up with two teen girls talking about a cursed videotape after one of them reveals that they've seen it, and the opening goes about as badly as you'd expect.

Ringu was a fascinating film because it used the creepy little girl trope in a way that made it unique. There’s something very terrifying about being cursed by the simple act of watching something, especially when you know how little time you have to break that curse. Anxiety attack, anyone?

15. Battle Royale

Battle Royale is a 2000 dystopian horror-action film directed by Kinji Fukasaku, based on the novel of the same name by Koushun Takami. In Battle Royale , junior high school students are forced by the Japanese government to compete in a Hunger Games -style death match between each other, with one victorious survivor to be allowed to leave. In fact, The Hunger Games is considered by many fans to be an obvious rip off of the original Battle Royale .

Battle Royale is one of the best films on this list for many reasons, including its iconic and dramatic film, the fantastic performance by the talented Takeshi Kitano, its multidimensional and diverse young characters, and its uncomfortable mix of bloodshed and humor. But most of all, Battle Royale is a great film because it makes you question yourself: "If I were in this situation, how strong would my morals and will to live be?"

14. Tetsuo: The Iron Man

Tetsuo: The Iron Man is one of those J-Horror films that sticks with you after watching it for the very first time. This 1989 cyberpunk horror film was directed by Shinya Tsukamoto and has become a low-budget horror cult classic.

There is very little dialogue, which adds to the film's allure. The film opens up gruesomely with a metal fetishist, surrounded by pipes and smoke, violently cutting open his leg and inserting a steel rod inside of him. Later, he sees maggots festering his leg, and he runs into the streets screaming. A Japanese businessman named only as "Man" (Tomorowo Taguchi) and his girlfriend "Woman" hit the man with their car and try to cover up the incident. The metal fetishist somehow is able to enact revenge on the man that tried to dump him by cursing him to metamorphose into a metallic machine monster.

This film is gruesome to say the least, with everything from graphic tearing flesh to electric drill boners. The film has earned its place as one of the most surreal, gruesome, and campy Japanese horror films around.

13. Suicide Circle

Suicide Circle (known as Suicide Club outside of Japan) is a 2001 indie horror film that was written and directed by Sion Sono. The film explores a pandemic of suicides that suddenly occur across Japan and the detective, named Kuroda (Ryo Ishibashi), who seeks to unravel the mystery behind them. The film has gained fame for its exceptionally gory presentation and very controversial themes.

The film opens up with a performance from a fictional idol pop group called Dessart and a mass 54-person suicide committed by teen schoolgirls who jump in front of an oncoming train. The scene is one of many gruesome scenes in the film, and one the most iconic in the Japanese horror genre.

Suicide Circle is a great film for its complex plot and symbolic themes. The film has been interpreted and reinterpreted by fans around the globe for years. It is likely that the film is a surreal exploration of how fads can influence the actions of people.

12. Ichi the Killer

Ichi the Killer is a 2001 crime horror film directed by Takashi Miike and based on the manga series by Hideo Yamamoto. The film tells the story of opposing yakuza gangs and a murderous scarred man named Ichi, who is used as a killing dog between the gangs.

The film can be difficult to watch, with its graphic scenes of cruelty and intense violence, but Ichi the Killer has become a cult classic in Japanese horror and one of the most recognizable entries on this list. Despite its graphic nature, the film is far from vapid and pointless. The themes of the film are what give it its charm-- more or less, Ichi the Killer is a very well-done and artistic assessment of violence, responsibility, and the media.

The film takes a critical stance on how violent imagery is consumed in modern times without making the filmmakers' own moral stances known. Its makes the viewer question their own attitude toward voyeurism and violence, and its a shame that the film's release was met with aggressive attempts to censor it. By censoring it, the point of the film is lost.

11. Ju-On: The Grudge

The 2002 supernatural horror film Ju-on: The Grudge was directed by Takashi Shimizu. The film was actually the third installment of the Ju-on series but was the first to be theatrically released. Like Ringu, Ju-on: The Grudge had an American remake called The Grudge in 2004, but the Westernized version was also directed by Takashi Shimizu. Luckily, the remake maintained Shimizu's taste in directing and was a major success.

In Ju-On: The Grudge , a grisly murder left its mark on a house in Tokyo long after the deadly events took place. When a new family moves in, they find themselves emotionally influenced and possessed by the strong emotions and spirits left behind in the home.

Ju-On: The Grudge earns a spot in this list for its well-done elements of storytelling and unique ghost story. The scene where Kayako's ghost crawls in a bone-cracking manner down the stairs while emitting a terrifying death rattle has become an iconic image in Japanese horror . The thought of inadvertently touching a cursed space whose darkness will follow you even if you leave is definitely terrifying.

10. Marebito

Marebito is a 2004 horror film directed by Takashi Shimizu. The film follows a voyeuristic man named Masuoka (Shinya Tsukamoto) who becomes obsessed with videotaping fear after he sees a terrified man commit suicide by stabbing himself in the eye. Eventually, he discovers what appears to be an alternate dimension beneath Tokyo. He finds a naked woman chained to a cave there, and takes her back to his apartment. She cannot eat, drink, or speak, but one thing is for certain-- whatever she is, she wants blood.

The film is fascinating   not only for its horror elements, but for its fantasy elements as well. The earliest scene of Masuoka crossing into a mountain range in an alternate dimension through the hidden underground tunnels beneath the Tokyo subway lines is something rarely seen in other horror films. The film has a mysterious ethos reminiscent of something from H.P. Lovecraft. Many attempts to explain the film include speculation that Masuoka is actually insane, that the characters and worlds he encounters actually just represent human ideas, or that F is actually his daughter. Marebito  doesn't offer an explanation.

Kwaidan is a 1964 anthology horror film by director Masaki Kobayashi. The film is an anthology of stories based on Lafcadio Hearn's collection of folktales from Japan.

"The Black Hair" follows a samurai who divorces his wife to marry a richer woman. His new wife is cold and distant, so the samurai finds himself missing his old wife. His new woman discovers this truth, the two fight, and the samurai decides to return to his original love. Upon returning to his old home, he finds dust, disrepair, and a terrifying truth.

"The Woman of the Snow" is a classic take on yuki-onna folklore, in which a woodcutter encounters a snowy ghost with sinister intentions.

"Hoichi the Earless" tells the story of a blind musician who sings tales of war and battle. He eventually discovers that the royal family who calls him to sing for them are far from normal.

"In a Cup of Tea" is a more meta story about a writer as he narrates his current project, in which a man keeps seeing a stranger's face in his teacup.

Kwaidan is a good old-fashioned classic that entertainingly depicts some spooky Japanese folk tales.

The 1977 horror film Hausu is another older classic directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi. The film is considered a cult classic, with its most notable feature being its cast of amateur actors. The film follows a young girl who visits her ill aunt's country home with six of her classmates and subsequently encounters ghostly supernatural events. Each character has a unique name that describes them, including Gorgeous, Melody, Prof, Kung Fu, Mac, Sweet, and Fantasy. One by one, girls are being "taken" by the house. The film features a ghostly, antagonizing cat and a strange story with little explanation.

Hausu  has pretty poor special effects, which Obayashi claimed were intentionally campy. Hausu is almost psychedelic in nature and quite an entertaining watch. Despite receiving few reviews upon its initially release-- and what reviews it did receive were pretty bad--  Hausu gained cult film status, with fans praising the film for not taking itself too seriously and having quite a stylized look.

7. Audition

Audition is a 1999 horror film directed by Takashi Miike and based on a novel by Ryu Murakami. The film follows widower Shigharu (Ryo Ishibashi), who finds himself lonely since the death of his wife. After his son suggests he find a new love, Shigharu agrees and stages a fake acting audition with the help of his friend in order to find a new wife. Upon meeting the beautiful and mysterious Asami, Shigharu is lovestruck, and Asami seems interested as well. However, it turns out it's not his love she's interested in.

Audition has some pretty good storytelling and a slow burning plot, but what makes this film worthy of this list is one scene in particular. Those who have seen the film are probably already cringing in discomfort. The scene is devastatingly gruesome. Critics have claimed that Audition as a whole is an authentically disturbing, but many were tempted to quit watching during the last thirty minutes of the film. Thinking about giving it a shot? Don't do so on a full stomach.

The 2005 found footage horror film Noroi (literally "The Curse") is a mockumentary-style horror film that is far from the typical Western execution of this trope. The film was directed by Koji Shiraishi.

The film focuses on a paranormal investigator named Masafumi, who has become famous for his media work on the supernatural. While making his last documentary about a mysterious curse, Masafumi is reported missing and his house is burnt down with his wife's remains inside. What follows is the footage Masafumi left behind. It starts off with Musafumi investigating a disturbed woman named Junko's home, which is abandoned and full of dead pigeons. As the mystery is unravels, a malevolent supernatural entity is discovered to be causing a series of terrifying events that Masafumi gets wrapped up in.

Noroi is notable for its unusually long and intricate runtime, something not common in the Japanese horror genre. This departure from the norm and its interesting, spooky plot make Noroi worth watching.

If you're a fan of horror manga artist Junji Ito, you're likely to be surprised that a film adaptation of any of his work could be made. A mix of gruesome body horror and surrealist artwork, Ito's masterpieces were probably difficult to bring to the world of cinema. Somehow, the 2000 horror film Uzumaki , directed by Akihiro Higuchi, captured one of his most famous manga stories very well and with Ito's signature flair.

Uzumaki is divided into four parts titled "A Premonition", "Erosion", "Visitation", and "Transmigration". The main plot follows a schoolgirl named Kirie who begins to notice something very strange happening to her town. Her boyfriend's father becomes obsessed with spiral shapes and crawls into a washing machine, effectively killing himself. People turn into snails and popular schoolgirls eventually grow gravity-defying swirled hair. Other increasingly terrifying events piles up, and Kirie and her boyfriend must solve the mystery to save their friends and family. However, the source of the spiral curse may not be so easily stopped.

Exte is a 2007 horror film directed and written by Sion Sono of Suicide Circle fame. The plot of the film follows a wannabe hairdresser who is stalked by a hair fetishist who sells hair extensions to salons. The hair comes from a pretty gruesome and mysterious source-- the dead body of a girl who doesn't seem to decompose and whose hair continues to grow and come alive. Those who wear extensions produced by this ghostly girl go insane or are killed.

The film's opening is especially gruesome-- customs agents discover a shipping container full of human hair with a young girl's bald dead body within the pile of follicles. The autopsy on the girl's body results in the revelation that the girl's internal organs have been completely harvested as a victim of black market human organ racketeering. Our creepy trichophile is a morgue watchman where the body is located, and we learn the origins of his sick prized possession.

While the film follows typical "wronged girl's grudge" tropes that are common in Japanese horror cinema, Exte is the perfect combination of creepy, dark, and vengeful.

3. Dark Water

Dark Water is a 2002 horror-drama from director Hideo Nakata. The film is based on a piece of work by Koji Suzuki. The film was remade for Western audiences in 2005. directed by Walter Salles and starring Jennifer Connelly.

In Dark Water , Yoshimi (Hitomi Kuroki) is in the middle of an ugly divorce and has to move into a dilapidated apartment with her daughter. A leak forms in the building's ceiling and gets worse every day. Despite complaining to the building's janitor, the leak isn't fixed. When Yoshimi goes to the apartment above hers to take care of the problem herself, she discovers the apartment is locked. From then on, strange things begin to happen. A red bag and stuffed bunny appear every day by her door, no matter how many times she gets rid of them. Hair starts to appear in her tap water and Yoshimi starts seeing a strange girl. When her daughter goes missing, things go from creepy to downright terrifying.

This J-Horror film that did fairly well in theaters, but remains very underrated to to this day.

Kairo , known more commonly as Pulse , is a 2001 horror film by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Kairo did well upon its release, received positive critical reviews, and has since gained cult status. There was even an American remake of the film in 2006 which spawned several sequels in the franchise. You'll never look at the internet the same again.

In Kairo , two storylines follow a central theme about malevolent spirits that are able to invade the world of the living through the Internet. Kudo (Kumiko Aso) is a plant shop assistant who notices her coworker has been missing for several days. When she checks up on him, she realizes that he is acting unnaturally. After he commits suicide in front of her, Kudo and her friends become convinced that a computer disk he left behind is what caused his mysterious and sudden death. In the parallel story, Ryosuke (Haruhiko Kato) becomes haunted by a strange website that he can't escape after signing up for a new service provider. When his friend begins to act strangely, similar to Kudo's coworker, he discovers the truth behind what's been coming through the computer screen.

1. Premonition

Premonition is a 2004 horror film directed by Tsuruta Norio. The film is based on a manga by Kiro Tsunoda, and the film received an American remake in 2007.

In Premonition , a teacher named Hideki (Hiroshi Mikami) and his wife Ayaka (Noriko Sakai) are driving home from vacation with their little daughter. When they stop to use a phone booth, Hideki discovers a piece of newsprint that shows his daughter being killed in a car crash mere moments in the future. When Ayaka leaves the vehicle to ask for Hideki's help in fixing their child's seatbelt, the car is pummelled by a truck, killing their daughter. The two eventually divorce due to the tragic event, but the story has just begun. Several years later, Ayaka discovers an archive of newspapers that foreshadowed future events.

Premonition isn't widely known, but is a surprisingly great horror movie that deserves some recognition. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out.

Honorable Mention - Unholy Women

The 2006 anthology film Unholy Women gets an honorable mention on this list despite its flaws and lack of popularity or infamy. While all three short films in this anthology are good-to-okay in their own rights, the opening short film Katakata  alone would have made for a fantastically creepy feature length film.

In the Katakata storyline, directed by Keita Amemiya, a young woman named Kanako is returning home from a date with her divorced boyfriend. After an earring hits her in the head, Kanako looks up just in time to see some heavy mass fall from the sky and hit her. Upon waking, she realizes she is an some sort of alternate dimension with a creepy little girl, ghostly citizens, and an antagonizing monster known only in the credits as "The Woman in Red".

The Woman in Red is absolutely terrifying. The nightmarish atmosphere that follows her wherever she goes, her slowly warping and changing appearance, and her grotesque expressions make her a Japanese horror villain for the ages. If only this short story could be adapted into a full-length feature film. Nightmare fuel, indeed.