films seen
13
average score
2.50*
nationality
Japan - 63 years old
status
Alive and kicking
more info

Together with Nakata and Shimizu, Norio Tsuruta fronted the Japanese suspense wave. A true, dedicated horror director, though at his best when diverging from the usual less is more fare. A must for people who love Asian horror cinema.

Movies


Orochi - Blood

2008 / 107m - Japan
Horror
Orochi - Blood poster

The addition of the fantastical figure gives Orochi a somewhat novel feel though.


King's Game

Osama Gemu
2011 / 82m - Japan
Horror
3.5*/5.0*
King's Game poster

Ring Ø: Birthday

Ringu 0: Bâsudei
2000 / 99m - Japan
Horror, Thriller
3.5*/5.0*
Ring Ø: Birthday poster

Talk to the Dead

Tôku tu za Deddo
2013 / 84m - Japan
Horror
3.0*/5.0*
Talk to the Dead poster

Dark Tales of Japan

Suiyô Puremia: Sekai Saikyô J Horâ SP Nihon no Kowai Yoru
2004 / 92m - Japan
Horror - Anthology
3.0*/5.0*
Dark Tales of Japan poster

Kakashi

2001 / 86m - Japan
Fantasy, Horror
3.0*/5.0*
Kakashi poster

Scary True Stories: Summer Special 2018

Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Natsu no Tokubetsu Hen 2018
2018 / 105m - Japan
Horror
2.5*/5.0*
Scary True Stories: Summer Special 2018 poster

Well before Ringu and Ju-on turned the Japanese horror genre on its head, the front-runners of the genre were honing their skills working on the Honto ni Atta Kowai anthologies. Not that they were great films, but historically it's a series with considerable significance. Hence why I didn't mind checking out this 2018 TV special.

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The plot isn't anything special. You get 6 unrelated short films, held together by a host and a bunch of kids reacting to the various horror stories. If you're familiar with the Japanese horror wave of the past two decades there won't be any big surprises here, this 2018 summer special offers the usual array of ghosts and haunted house stories.

Films like these are decent enough horror filler, but they aren't half as scary as they used to be. The anthology setup makes certain there's enough variety and some of the shorts do manage to create a bit of tension, but it's mostly just familiar territory that's being rehashed. Not terrible, but not very scary either.


P.O.V. - A Cursed Film

POV: Norowareta Firumu
2012 / 92m - Japan
Horror
2.0*/5.0*
P.O.V. - A Cursed Film poster

Dream Cruise

2007 / 87m - USA
Horror
2.0*/5.0*
Dream Cruise poster

Scary True Stories: Realm of Spectres

Shin Honto Ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Yuugen-Kai
1992 / 60m - Japan
Horror
2.0*/5.0*
Scary True Stories: Realm of Spectres poster

Premonition

Yogen
2004 / 95m - Japan
Horror
1.5*/5.0*
Premonition poster

Scary True Stories: Ten Haunting Tales from the Japanese Underground

Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi
1991 / 50m - Japan
Horror
1.5*/5.0*
Scary True Stories: Ten Haunting Tales from the Japanese Underground poster

Scary True Stories: Night 2

Honto Ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Dai-Ni-Ya
1992 / 60m - Japan
Horror
1.0*/5.0*
Scary True Stories: Night 2 poster