Shikoku [1999]
£6.10
Terrible and boring! - This film was really terrible. I am a fan of Asian horror films and so I took a chance on this one. It is really poor quality, shaky camera work and grainy. The plot is incredibly slow and dull and there are no spooky or scary bits. There is also a really poorly done love story which added nothing to the weak plot. This films suffers because they have assumed that they can simply film someone with long dark hair and acheive a scary film - well they can t!
Nice. Just wish the cameraman would get a tripod. - This entire film is shot with Wobbly-hand-cam which I am NOT a fan of.To be honest, it s more like Steady-hand-cam and reasonably subtle, so rather than making me feel ill, it just kept reminding me of the presence of a cameraman. This slightly hindered my immersion into the film, it made me want to shout Can you just keep STILL?!.I thought this was especially odd as the rest of the visuals were, IMHO, bee-yootiful.Although this fits the Horror genre because of the subject matter, it s not hardcore horror. The supernatural theme is enhanced by a touching story of growing-up and remembering childhood (emotions). All set in a stunning location in rural Japan.Horror events were more creepy than jumpy, but done very well as the Japanese seem to do. -Without the jerky/sped-up effect which has become so clichéd + over-used since Ringu and all those offshoots. Classy and subtle rather than in-your-face.I found the plot interesting and the characters believable and likeable. The plot is not a demanding one and the film can be fully enjoyed without too much mental effort. Not like the Korean Tale of 2 sisters wot proper did my head in, or Donnie Dorko et al.So, all in all, if you come home from work knackered and you want a pleasing and fulfilling film which you can follow with ease and which is a feast for the eyes, Shikoku should be just what the doctor ordered...As long as you don t mind the fact that the image floats around your TV screen like the camera s blowing in the wind.
Spooky - This is probably the closest I ve seen to a traditional Japanese ghost story on DVD.It delivers nice little tingles every time Soyori appears in her earlier ghostly scenes, but she becomes this tragic, desperate figure once her mother s magic works.I love this to bits.9/10 - if only for not really explaining how Soyori can break people s backs.
A NICE AND DEEPLY MOVING GHOST STORY - - I had been intrigued by Shikoku for a while. The plot sounded interesting and the movie featured Chiaki Kuriyama (Gogo Yubari in Kill Bill Vol. 1), so I finally decided to give it a chance. The summary on the back of the DVD case (Hinako returns to her childhood home on the island of Shikoku after many years. She learns that her childhood friend Sayori has passed away and the Sayori s mother, a local priestess, has slowly gone insane with grief. When strange things begin to happen on the island, Hinako and old friend Funiya learn that Sayori s mother has spent ears conducting a pilgrimage around each of the island s 88 temples in reverse order, which, according to folklore, is supposed to release the spirits of the dead and turn the island into the land of the dead ), however, is very misleading.- Had the movie actually followed this plot description, Shikoku might have been a much better movie. Instead, we are treated to one of the dullest, most inane love stories I ve had the misfortune to see (I suppose a love-triangle story would be a more appropriate description). What little horror there is in Shikoku comes from the fact that one of the participants in the love-triangle is dead. But, any real scenes of horror are too few and far between. And the other characters reactions to the moments of horror are totally unbelievable. Once the two non-dead characters see the ghost of their dead friend, do they seem alarmed, surprised, or frightened? - NO! Based on their reactions you would think that seeing ghosts was just another part of their incredibly boring existence.- I will admit, however, that there are parts of Shikoku that I enjoyed. Regardless of whether you re a fan of the new wave of Asian horror or not, it would be hard for anyone to disagree with how beautiful most of these movies are. Despite it s flaws, Shikoku is another beautiful Asian horror movie. And if you re a fan of Ju-on style horror, some of the movie might appeal to you. The few subtle moments of horror are beautifully filmed and genuinely creepy. Finally, although it s underdeveloped, the whole subplot of the mother trying to bring her dead daughter back to life is interesting. There s a good, entertaining movie here somewhere. It s too bad we didn t see it.
A sad and beautiful Japanese ghost story - I thought this movie was wonderful. The Japanese make the best horror films in the world, but many of those films, especially ghost stories such as Shikoku, operate on a different spiritual plane than Western horror. The fact that Shikoku is hyped as a product of the studio that produced the Ringu series will have many viewers expecting chills and frights that just aren t to be found here. When it comes to J-Horror, you can t expect the movie to conform to your expectations, instead, you have to embrace what you are given. Shikoku is about love and loss and sadness, not horror per se. It has its creepy moments, but I would describe Shikoku as a spiritual horror movie, operating at a wavelength that those of us in the West have to learn to appreciate. If you can do that, you ll fall in love with movies such as this one.I found the first few scenes somewhat confusing, as we see three children enjoying themselves and then watch one of them, Sayori (Chiaki Kuriyama) take part in a strange, voodoo-like ceremony. Then one of the friends, Hinako, moves to Tokyo with her family. As we later find out, this greatly upset Sayori, for she was the one who had long dreamed of the day she could leave the rural and isolated village on Shikoku. Time passes, and then an adult Hinako (Yui Natsukawa) returns to the village, only to find out that Sayori had drowned sixteen years ago. Fumiya (Michitaka Tsutsui), their mutual friend, is still there, however, and he and Hinako begin spending time together. There s a level of discomfort to it all, though, as Fumiya always seems to act as if he fears someone is watching them. At the same time, strange and troubling things begin happening in the village, including the desecration of some holy statues outside of town. Some of the villagers seem to fear that Hinako s presence has somehow provided the means for the dead to return.Truths emerge slowly as the story develops. Sayori s absent mother, who is a priestess of some sort, has been taking annual pilgrimages to all 88 temples on the island of Shikoku. It turns out, however, that she has been visiting each temple in reverse order, as her secret intention is to tear down the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds in order to reclaim her daughter. We also learn of the depth of Fumiya s relationship with Sayori, which adds a great deal of emotion and feeling to the ending of the film. You just don t find this kind of poignancy in Western ghost stories. An understanding of Japanese culture and language would add much to the viewer s experience of Shikoku, but it is not necessary. The two possible meanings of the word Shikoku, for example, are made pretty clear in the context of the film. I also have to say that Chiaki Kuriyama is mesmerizing as Sayori. I believe this was her first true film role, but you wouldn t know it as it s impossible to take your eyes off of her whenever she is on the screen. Shikoku does come with a few special features. The behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the movie is really just that, a narration-free look at the preparation and filming of several of the film s later scenes. You also get interviews with director Shunichi Nagasaki and both leading actresses - and, fortunately, all of these special features are accompanied by English subtitles. It s always interesting to get some insight into the atmosphere of Japanese movie sets, as there always seems to be a relaxed professionalism between cast and crew that provides a refreshing contrast to the almost-constant turmoil to be found on most American film sets.Just know that this is not a frightening movie, it s suspenseful, and it does have some creepy moments, but it s not a horror movie in the Western sense of the term. There is no strict dichotomy between good and evil established, as the ghost ends up being the most pitiable and plaintive character in the whole film. Perhaps, more than anything else, Shikoku is a tragic love story - and quite a beautiful one, in my opinion.