Marebito Can Stand Up to the Classics of J-Horror
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Marebito is strong J-Horror, and those who take the time to immerse themselves in this art form are sure to become fans.
Written by The Zombie Master Lee Roberts
January 5, 2007
Buy on Amazon
Release: 2004
Directed by: Takashi Shimizu
Written by: Chiaki Konaka
Starring:
Shinya Tsukamoto as Masuoka
Tomomi Miyashita as “F”
Ok. Let’s pretend for a moment that you are Takashi Shimizu and the production of Ju-on: The Grudge has finished. You have a little bit of time before you have to work on the production of the American re-make, The Grudge. The question before you is: what do you do with the spare time? It is not really that difficult if you were actually Master Shimizu. You shoot another film.
Marebito introduces us to a freelance videographer by the name of Masuoka (Shinya Tsukamoto). He has actually become obsessed with capturing life on film. He carries a camera with him everywhere and films everything. While working for a news crew Masuoka captures the suicide of a man in the subway system. While viewing this footage, he notices that “he didn’t see something that terrified him. He saw something because he was terrified.” Masuoka now becomes obsessed with discovering what that fear was.
Now on a mission, Masuoka goes back to the subway system and begins to search the subterranean levels of Tokyo and finds an underground world spoken only of in legends. While there he finds a young girl (English translation of her name is “F”) that has been held captive. Masuoka, thinking he is doing the right thing, takes her back to his house and tries to adapt her to the world above ground. Masuoka is a man in search of fear and he finds it.
This film is a psychological tale that revolves around a quote from the movie. “Horror is actually an ancient wisdom that we find deep in the memory of our souls.” If you understand that as the foundation you will start to understand the metaphors that parallel the story. Masuoka battling his lack of balance and completeness, the underground being an inward journey through his own subconscious, and the yin-yang, union of opposites, inner harmony thing. Takashi Shimizu shows just what can be accomplished with a script and eight days of filming.
Credit for Marebito must also be given to Shinya Tsukamoto. A veritable jack of all trades, Tsukamoto has a very impressive resume. Everything from production designer to director adds to his ability to know what Shimizu was looking for.
A psycho-horror to be placed next to Ju-on, Ringu and other classic J-horror films, Marebito shines and any fan of J-horror will ultimately become a fan of both Shimizu and Tsukamoto.
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