Comments on: Book Review: J-Horror: The Definitive Guide to The Ring, The Grudge, and Beyond http://www.popcultureshock.com/book-review-j-horror-the-definitive-guide-to-the-ring-the-grudge-and-beyond/42870/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:28:11 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Carlos Alexandre http://www.popcultureshock.com/book-review-j-horror-the-definitive-guide-to-the-ring-the-grudge-and-beyond/42870/comment-page-1/#comment-205956 Carlos Alexandre Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:52:31 +0000 http://www.popcultureshock.com/book-review-j-horror-the-definitive-guide-to-the-ring-the-grudge-and-beyond/42870/#comment-205956 Hello, David. Thank you for your insight! Hello, David. Thank you for your insight!

]]> By: David Kalat http://www.popcultureshock.com/book-review-j-horror-the-definitive-guide-to-the-ring-the-grudge-and-beyond/42870/comment-page-1/#comment-204671 David Kalat Thu, 15 Nov 2007 21:59:38 +0000 http://www.popcultureshock.com/book-review-j-horror-the-definitive-guide-to-the-ring-the-grudge-and-beyond/42870/#comment-204671 Hello, all. As the author of the book in question, I felt I might as well weigh in on the "J-Horror" question. When I first set out to write this book, I didn't have a title in mind, and wanted to avoid using the term "J-Horror" altogether. This was because, as Ken notes, I wanted to talk about a specific subset of horror movies, primarily Asian and predominatly Japanese, that shared a common set of characteristics. That was what facinated me, and what I felt cohered into a single story, not a larger discussion of Japanese horror movies in all their many variations. But I never found a satisfactory alternate term to use that had any cultural traction. Eventually, I found myself thinking about "Spaghetti Westerns," and how that term, initially limited to Italian Westerns of the 60s and 70s, could also encompass films made in Hollywood or Spain or Germany that shared the same genre template. So I decided to use "J-Horror" but define it in the text as having, for me at least, a specific meaning. Maybe I should have called it Long Haired Ghosts, but then again that might have been misinterpreted by legions of Grateful Dead fans... Hello, all. As the author of the book in question, I felt I might as well weigh in on the “J-Horror” question. When I first set out to write this book, I didn’t have a title in mind, and wanted to avoid using the term “J-Horror” altogether. This was because, as Ken notes, I wanted to talk about a specific subset of horror movies, primarily Asian and predominatly Japanese, that shared a common set of characteristics. That was what facinated me, and what I felt cohered into a single story, not a larger discussion of Japanese horror movies in all their many variations. But I never found a satisfactory alternate term to use that had any cultural traction. Eventually, I found myself thinking about “Spaghetti Westerns,” and how that term, initially limited to Italian Westerns of the 60s and 70s, could also encompass films made in Hollywood or Spain or Germany that shared the same genre template. So I decided to use “J-Horror” but define it in the text as having, for me at least, a specific meaning. Maybe I should have called it Long Haired Ghosts, but then again that might have been misinterpreted by legions of Grateful Dead fans…

]]> By: Carlos Alexandre http://www.popcultureshock.com/book-review-j-horror-the-definitive-guide-to-the-ring-the-grudge-and-beyond/42870/comment-page-1/#comment-202994 Carlos Alexandre Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:19:41 +0000 http://www.popcultureshock.com/book-review-j-horror-the-definitive-guide-to-the-ring-the-grudge-and-beyond/42870/#comment-202994 Hello, Ken. Thank you for your feedback. Regarding J-Horror defined as a school: I understand where you are coming from, but I personally don't like to see the separation of genres with national lines. For example, an anime is a cartoon; though "anime" usually refers to Japanese animation when used in North America, I neither look at nor review an anime any differently than I would look at or review any other animated work. That said, though the J in J-Horror clearly stands for "Japanese," I see no real harm in using the term J-Horror to describe the "new age" of horror films inspired by The Ring et al. Hello, Ken. Thank you for your feedback.

Regarding J-Horror defined as a school: I understand where you are coming from, but I personally don’t like to see the separation of genres with national lines.

For example, an anime is a cartoon; though “anime” usually refers to Japanese animation when used in North America, I neither look at nor review an anime any differently than I would look at or review any other animated work.

That said, though the J in J-Horror clearly stands for “Japanese,” I see no real harm in using the term J-Horror to describe the “new age” of horror films inspired by The Ring et al.

]]> By: Ken Haley http://www.popcultureshock.com/book-review-j-horror-the-definitive-guide-to-the-ring-the-grudge-and-beyond/42870/comment-page-1/#comment-196984 Ken Haley Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:29:30 +0000 http://www.popcultureshock.com/book-review-j-horror-the-definitive-guide-to-the-ring-the-grudge-and-beyond/42870/#comment-196984 I agree with your recommendation of the book. I bought it over the summer and absolutely love it. My biggest quibble with it was Kalat's use of J-Horror to define a school or style rather than.. well.. Japanese horror in general. First time I had ever seen it used that way. Aside from that though, great book. I agree with your recommendation of the book. I bought it over the summer and absolutely love it. My biggest quibble with it was Kalat’s use of J-Horror to define a school or style rather than.. well.. Japanese horror in general. First time I had ever seen it used that way. Aside from that though, great book.

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