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The J-Horror Virus

Play trailer Poster for The J-Horror Virus 2023 1h 35m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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The J-Horror Virus aims to address how a new strain of horror emerged at the turn of the millennium in Japan and went on to take over the world. Beginning with looking back at the horror films which came before J-Horror such as The Ghost of Yotsuya, Kaidan and Jigoku, as well as their influences, the origins of the ideas present within J-horror films will be discussed and explored before we look at direct inspirations. Moving into the late 80s early 90s with Kurosawa's Sweet Home and True Scary Stories. The film will look at the career beginnings for Nakata, Takahashi and Kurosawa as they developed ideas together and separately which collectively kicked off the massive J-horror successes moving into the late 1990s and early 2000s. Hideo Nakata's Ring (1998) and Takashi Shimizu's JuOn: The Grudge (2002) became massive global sensations and the documentary will track their origins, trajectory as well as their massive impact and legacy, spanning multiple sequels and remakes including a recent reboot in 2020. Ultimately The J-Horror Virus will be asking why the long black-haired ghosts haunted the entire world at the turn of the millennium and how they gave Japan multiple horror film franchises the likes of which they had not known before.
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The J-Horror Virus

Critics Reviews

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Rebecca Sayce FILMHOUNDS Magazine The J-Horror Virus is a captivating and thorough look into the world of Japanese horror cinema and its rise to popularity across the world straight from the mouths of those responsible for its most famous works. Rated: 4/5 Jul 24, 2025 Full Review Cheryl Eddy io9.com It’s a traditionally structured doc, but it boasts well-curated footage and insightful interviews. Nov 18, 2024 Full Review Ygraine Hackett-Cantabrana Moving Pictures Film Club a thoughtful examination of a phenomenon that viewers are sure to come away from with fresh additions for their watch-lists. Rated: 5/5 Jul 15, 2024 Full Review Anton Bitel SciFiNow Sarah Appleton and Jasper Sharp’s cross-cultural documentary traces the origins and influences of a Japanese horror genre Sep 20, 2023 Full Review Martin Unsworth Starburst With plenty of commentary from the filmmakers and experts, The J-Horror Virus could be the final word on the films and their place in both Japanese society and the Western world. Rated: 4/5 Sep 7, 2023 Full Review Panos Kotzathanasis Asian Movie Pulse “The J-Horror Virus” is a documentary that manages to be an ideal watch for both fans of the genre and the ones that want to get to know it for the first time, equally analyzing and promoting in the best fashion. Rated: 7.5 Sep 3, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Sarah Appleton

Director

Jasper Sharp

Director

Rie Ino'o

Self

Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Self

Takashi Shimizu

Self

Shin'ya Tsukamoto

Self

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The J-Horror Virus

The J-Horror Virus (2023) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The J-Horror Virus aims to address how a new strain of horror emerged at the turn of the millennium in Japan and went on to take over the world. Beginning with looking back at the horror films which came before J-Horror such as The Ghost of Yotsuya, Kaidan and Jigoku, as well as their influences, the origins of the ideas present within J-horror films will be discussed and explored before we look at direct inspirations. Moving into the late 80s early 90s with Kurosawa's Sweet Home and True Scary Stories. The film will look at the career beginnings for Nakata, Takahashi and Kurosawa as they developed ideas together and separately which collectively kicked off the massive J-horror successes moving into the late 1990s and early 2000s. Hideo Nakata's Ring (1998) and Takashi Shimizu's JuOn: The Grudge (2002) became massive global sensations and the documentary will track their origins, trajectory as well as their massive impact and legacy, spanning multiple sequels and remakes including a recent reboot in 2020. Ultimately The J-Horror Virus will be asking why the long black-haired ghosts haunted the entire world at the turn of the millennium and how they gave Japan multiple horror film franchises the likes of which they had not known before.
Director
Sarah Appleton, Jasper Sharp
Producer
Sarah Appleton, Jasper Sharp
Screenwriter
Sarah Appleton, Jasper Sharp
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 35m