Asian Horror (Kamera Books)

Since Japanese horror sensations The Ring and Audition first terrified Western audiences at the turn of the millenium, there's been a growing appreciation of Asia as the hotbed of the world's best horror movies. Over the last decade Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong have all produced a steady stream of stylish supernatural thrillers and psychological chillers that have set new benchmarks for cinematic scares. Hollywood soon followed suit, producing high-profile remakes of films like The Ring, Dark Water, The Grudge and The Eye. With scores of Asian horror titles now available to Western audiences, this Kamera Books edition helps the viewer navigate the eclectic mix of vengeful spooks, yakuza zombies, feuding warlocks and devilish dumplings on offer, discussing the grand themes of Asian horror cinema and the distinctive national histories that give the films their special resonance. Tracing the long and noble tradition of horror stories in eastern cultures, it also delves into some of the folk-tales that have influenced this latest wave of shockers, paying tribute to classic Asian ghost films throughout the ages.