The Arrow Thread

[MacBlayne]

Originally Posted by Trashforcash

Hey all, I'm confused about the Ju On set. Is it just the Japanese movies or do we get the the US films as well?

Just the Japanese films.

You get the original DTV entries, and the Japanese theatrical reboots.

[Trashforcash]

Thanks, think I'll gibe it a miss for that price then!

[Justin101]

I think it’s a good price personally. £55 for 6 films including one in UHD, plus 24!!! art cards, a poster and a 60 page book.

You’re paying £25 these days for a boutique label UHD with no extra value bits. I hate to say it but those Sarah Michelle Gellar versions are not very good at all.

[MacBlayne]

Originally Posted by Justin101

I think it’s a good price personally. £55 for 6 films including one in UHD, plus 24!!! art cards, a poster and a 60 page book.

You’re paying £25 these days for a boutique label UHD with no extra value bits. I hate to say it but those Sarah Michelle Gellar versions are not very good at all.

To be honest, I never really enjoyed The Grudge films, and I really didn't care for the US versions.

However, years of exposure to other Japanese cinema and traditions has warmed me up to them. The concept of an atrocity staining a house, and manifesting itself as an entity is a superstition that terrifies many Japanese. It's why many Japanese will not kill themselves at home, as they fear it will result in an evil taking residence there.

But I still don't care for the US versions, despite them sharing the same director. There is something very empty about them. I wouldn't be surprised if the producers asked Shimizu to downplay the cultural background, so that it could just be a vengeful ghost.

[Justin101]

Originally Posted by MacBlayne

To be honest, I never really enjoyed The Grudge films, and I really didn't care for the US versions.

However, years of exposure to other Japanese cinema and traditions has warmed me up to them. The concept of an atrocity staining a house, and manifesting itself as an entity is a superstition that terrifies many Japanese. It's why many Japanese will not kill themselves at home, as they fear it will result in an evil taking residence there.

But I still don't care for the US versions, despite them sharing the same director. There is something very empty about them. I wouldn't be surprised if the producers asked Shimizu to downplay the cultural background, so that it could just be a vengeful ghost.

Does that have something to do with why Japanese like to buy a house for the land and tear it down and build a new one on the plot? So they don’t have other people’s trauma living with them in their home? Or is more plain that that and the obsession for new shiny stuff takes over.

I’m not sure if that happens more in the city than in rural areas though.

[MacBlayne]

Originally Posted by Justin101

Does that have something to do with why Japanese like to buy a house for the land and tear it down and build a new one on the plot? So they don’t have other people’s trauma living with them in their home? Or is more plain that that and the obsession for new shiny stuff takes over.

I’m not sure if that happens more in the city than in rural areas though.

I'm not fully sure. A lot of old Japanese housing doesn't really stand against elements and earthquakes, and they are extremely difficult to set up modern piping and heating. I know here in Shikoku, I could get an old house for less than what I pay for my flat, but it would be a nightmare in winter and typhoon season.

I do know this - if a suicide or murder happens in a house or apartment, the value plummets. Even with that value gone, it is next to impossible for a real-estate agent to sell it to another prospective homeowner. So they usually offload it to a construction company, who will tear it down and build modern housing instead.

[MacBlayne]

Originally Posted by MacBlayne

I'm not fully sure. A lot of old Japanese housing doesn't really stand against elements and earthquakes, and they are extremely difficult to set up modern piping and heating. I know here in Shikoku, I could get an old house for less than what I pay for my flat, but it would be a nightmare in winter and typhoon season.

I do know this - if a suicide or murder happens in a house or apartment, the value plummets. Even with that value gone, it is next to impossible for a real-estate agent to sell it to another prospective homeowner. So they usually offload it to a construction company, who will tear it down and build modern housing instead.

Forgot to mention...

Within my city, near city hall, is an abandoned coffee shop. Despite sitting between two modern buildings, it is in shambles. The windows are shattered. Weeds have overtaken the exterior. The wood is rotting.

I found out that the owner committed suicide, and the place has been abandoned since. It is an optimal location for a new coffee shop owner, but nobody dares buy it. And it's too small to knock down and replace with a new apartment block or car park.

It will probably sit there until it completely falls apart.

[Justin101]

Originally Posted by MacBlayne

I'm not fully sure. A lot of old Japanese housing doesn't really stand against elements and earthquakes, and they are extremely difficult to set up modern piping and heating. I know here in Shikoku, I could get an old house for less than what I pay for my flat, but it would be a nightmare in winter and typhoon season.

I do know this - if a suicide or murder happens in a house or apartment, the value plummets. Even with that value gone, it is next to impossible for a real-estate agent to sell it to another prospective homeowner. So they usually offload it to a construction company, who will tear it down and build modern housing instead.

That makes sense as well, it’s probably a bit of both. Somewhere like Tokyo with how ever many million people live there at any one time there are bound to have been plenty of suicides or murders affecting the karma of a room. With so many apartments though that would be a bugger, you can’t tear down the whole block and rebuild.

I find Japanese cultural beliefs fascinating it’s so different to western culture.

Shikoku must be a lovely place to live, are you closer to the inland sea or the ocean? I’m looking forward to finally being able to get a travel visa again, should hopefully be in Japan next year My last visit was while Covid was unfolding but we still had a lovely visit, our trip from Osaka to Okayama to Onomichi to Hiroshima was the best part. We visited Naoshima too which was beautiful.

[MacBlayne]

Originally Posted by Justin101

That makes sense as well, it’s probably a bit of both. Somewhere like Tokyo with how ever many million people live there at any one time there are bound to have been plenty of suicides or murders affecting the karma of a room. With so many apartments though that would be a bugger, you can’t tear down the whole block and rebuild.

I find Japanese cultural beliefs fascinating it’s so different to western culture.

Shikoku must be a lovely place to live, are you closer to the inland sea or the ocean? I’m looking forward to finally being able to get a travel visa again, should hopefully be in Japan next year My last visit was while Covid was unfolding but we still had a lovely visit, our trip from Osaka to Okayama to Onomichi to Hiroshima was the best part. We visited Naoshima too which was beautiful.

I'm in Tokushima, which is near Naruto. Apart from Mt. Bizan in the middle of the city, it's not an exceptional tourist location. Unless you come for the Awa-Odori dance festival. But outside the city is beautiful. Lots of mountains and waterfalls, and of course, many of the 88 Temples.

The food here is fantastic though. Tokushima is noted for having its own distinct ramen and fish dishes, and it's the only part of Japan where sudachi (kind of like a sweet lime) grows.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Justin101

I think it’s a good price personally. £55 for 6 films including one in UHD, plus 24!!! art cards, a poster and a 60 page book.

You’re paying £25 these days for a boutique label UHD with no extra value bits. I hate to say it but those Sarah Michelle Gellar versions are not very good at all.

I haven't seen all of the Ju-on films, just the first two which I have on DVDs of questionable legality. As far as I remember, they are films I enjoyed and rated quite highly, so I'll definitely buy this set.