MovieChat Forums > Pôn (2002) Discussion > Deja vu?

Deja vu?

posted 18 years ago by Spellbinder888
6 replies | jump to latest

Let's name all the Asian horror films where there is BLACK HAIR distorting a creepy girl's face. Oh yeah, and there must be at least four films where black hair comes out of a tap into a sink... I can't remember the ins and outs but isn't this used in Dark Water, the Grudge, Ring etc etc? I've seen so many film plots that are identical that I can't even decipher them. They go roughly as follows:

Innocent schoolgirl is murdered
Her angry spirit then torments and kills a few random people.
<Enter main character> who is bothered by inexplicable happenings (like dirty tap water, creepy phone calls, weird videotapes). Suddenly they become aware of some recent unexplained deaths.
Main character somehow finds a spooky house in order to be terrified further - AND to shack up alone with the spirit. This house must have long dark corridors and mirrors.
Spirit plays some games and is apparently as evil as they come.
Freaky little child becomes momentarily possessed by spirit or befriends it.
Main character does some investigative nosing around in relation to the recent deaths, thus leading her/him to story of the murdered schoolgirl and subsequently the terrible injustice of her murder.
Main character frees the spirit of her vengeful existance after schoolgirl's murderer gets their just desserts.
Symbolic imagery at the end where the viewer is left in no doubt that although the spirit has been released (after some gruesome payback), there is still room for a sequel if the spirit still isn't happy.

How many more films are we going to see like this?

If I see one more little girl smiling demonically through her dishevelled long hair I will kill her myself (even if she is already dead, I'll kill her again!)!!

[–] carolinefranck 18 years ago

yeah and how many times have you seen a helicopter explode in an action movie. Why don't you make a movie? I'd love to see this all new movie that doesn't have any elements resembling anything ever done in a film.

[–] UberNoodle 18 years ago

It is often the case though that poeple seeing Asian culture expressed in film, see it as a commodity or object. The ghosts in many of these horror films may appear repititious to a Western mind, but the ghosts in many Asian horror films are derived from tradition and folklore. Ring is actually based on a very famous legend, and I have been to the well where the "actual" ghost resides (In the grounds of Himeji Castle).

My point is, that while a Western film will high designers to think up some cool creature to startle and shock us with (hopefully) its originality, Asian film plays heavily on deep-rooted fears and images buried deep in the cultural psyche of the poeple. before you critise, try to see these films apart from your own way of thinking and perception.

[–] Spellbinder888 18 years ago

I would like to see them with a bit more versatility before I wonder if there's a deep cultural psyche behind them..

[–] UberNoodle 17 years ago

There is a LOT of versatility in Asian horror, but it is generally looked over by Western distributors who are just looking for more of the same because it is less risk and "makes money".

[–] Spellbinder888 18 years ago

calm down, I was over exaggerating the similarities to make a point.

If I made a movie I would try to branch out of the heavily used themes and symbols used in the films mentioned above.

I've seen a helicopter explode in an action movie FAR too many times and that only reinforces my argument!

Come on, we can have new fresh ideas and still borrow from old themes - but these films are all too similar for my liking.

Maybe I've just got higher creative expectations than you;)

[–] basketcase1105 17 years ago

maybie so....but you make a point of puttin black hair in caps....name one asian you've met that DOESN'T have black hair?!?