1999 ‘死国’ Directed by Shunichi Nagasaki
Years after moving to Tokyo with her parents, Hinako returns to her hometown in rural Shikoku. She soon learns that her childhood friend, Sayuri, died several years ago and that Sayuri's mother, who used to perform seances and exorcisms, has gone almost insane with grief. After seeing Sayuri's ghost several times during the night, Hinako consults with some local experts on the paranormal and discovers that Sayuri's mother has something planned for her daughter...
IMAGICA Basara Pictures KADOKAWA Shoten Nippan Group Holdings Sumitomo Corporation TOHO Asmik Ace Entertainment
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Russian Federation
Japan
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Japan
Russian Federation
Horror-Movie from Japan about an Urban Legend.
A rather Sad and Empathetic Ghost
Story that lives from its Actors, the Dense Atmosphere and the beautiful Film-Music.
This is so close to being really rather good.
Shikoku is a slow-burn ghost tale that puts yet another spin on W W Jacobs’ The Monkey’s Paw short story.
While this is a horror film, director Shunichi Nagasaki rarely, if ever, sets out to scare his audience. He’s much more concerned with telling a story of how unfulfilled ambitions and a life cut short motivate the spectre of a dead friend.
Now grown up, Hinako (Yui Natsukawa) returns to the island of Shikoku and slowly begins to realise that the three-sided friendship of her childhood still exists. She learns of a series of 'reverse' ritualistic pilgrimages that are taking place, with the intention of bringing a loved one back from…
Shikoku is one of my J-Horror white whales. I don’t even know how or when I first became aware of it; probably from some list of somewhat obscure Japanese films. Maybe I just saw the poster somewhere. Who knows? I’ve been trying to find a way to watch it for years. Now I’ve finally done it.
So was it worth the anticipation? Perhaps not.
It’s all a matter of expectation. This is a film made during a time when really exciting and really terrifying films were coming out of Japan. So really, I wanted to be scared. But the sad truth of the matter is that I don’t really get scared very easily any more. I’ve seen too much. I…
The point is about resurrecting people who have died but the story is wrapped in mystery and the process of uncovering the truth is quite satisfying.
The atmosphere is built quite well in a typical rural style, because this is a horror film, so it gives goosebumps.
I didn't expect to be given such a scary moment in early duration, the moment when Hinori slept at night at her house was one of those moment that gives me chill to the bone, it made my eyes open wide and my body couldn't move.
So yeah, that's all, overall it's a pretty good movie, I really enjoyed it. Thank you.
Ranked #7 of 11 on my 1999 list (November 29th, 2021)
Enjoyable Jhorror which cost a couple of quid off ebay. For someone who had seen a lot of the 2000 Jhorrors, did the Tartan Roadshows, got a lot of Tartan discs as freebie comps or press copies, I don't think I ever remember this one even in the cheap bins of Prime Time Video (how I miss you and those lunch hours spent wondering "should i buy a VHS of "Welcome to the Terrordome"????).
More folklore and old school Japanese horror influenced, than a lot of the city/technological based Jhorror of the time. It is at times eerie and atmospheric, as this is a relaxed watch. No way a masterpiece but a decent palette cleanser or hors d'oeuvres, before a meatier cinematic experience.
And there is a bus sequence in it ;)
Shikoku: where you can never go home again, but the dead come back to life w/ no problem.
If you have a crush on Chiaki Kuriyama *and* a slime fetish, boy, have I got the movie for you.
An understated rural Japanese ghost story, a bit too ambling for most, that refreshingly aims for a slow, creeping, lingering series of spine chills rather than those that leap out with a deafening crash or thud. Forgive the nauseating handheld camerawork, plodding expository dialogue, and the molasses pace of ol’ fashion country livin’, and there is a small town secret vibe here worth appreciating, even if it’s rather slight and not especially tidy.
Some of the most beautiful mist and water I've ever seen in a film, entirely because of that old digital camera quality and the oldschool lighting.
A very bittersweet but warm ghost story, late summer with fall rolling in.
Great atmosphere, there is a sadness to it all which I really liked as well because in the end all ghost stories are sad stories.
Shunichi Nagasaki directs Yui Natsukawa in 100 minute horror film, about a woman returning to the countryside, finding that the ghost of her old friend still lingers on.
A film that will probably be mostly of interest to those that grew up during the 90s/2000s Asia horror boom, but others might not see the big deal with!
Familiar tropes feature, such as more of a focus on a measured pace, mood over jump out scares and scary girl's with long black hair.
This one finds a natural hybridization in rural backwater atmospherics and normal j-horror vibes which I felt were successful.
I am no more or less up on my Japanese legends and folklore than I was at 13 watching…
Nagasaki Shunichi directed probably my favourite (Japanese) movie in Heart, Beating in the Dark, but i’ve not seen anything else by him other than that and its remake/sequel/making of documentary. So i’ve been interested in seeing where ‘proper’ filmmaking took him… without ever acting on it. Until now! In this: a neat and effective horror movie dealing in deep, folky Shinto, female-bloodline shamanism, childhood guilt and existential concerns of things that should not be. Good, but felt a little underdeveloped and torn between the movie it should have been and what market forces in the late 90’s J-horror boom wanted it to be.
