When it comes to evoking horror, less is more

I saw the remake (The Grudge, the one with Sarah Michelle Gellar) of this movie last week and wasn't that impressed although I did think the overall atmosphere was effectively creepy. Last night I saw the original, Ju-on, and I have to say it was a lot better - more satisfying overall, with artful touches such as the episodic structure and the subtle interaction between the characters.

Both films were directed by Shimizu, but the American version had a different screen writer, which explains why so many of the scenes were overdone. Shimizu understands minimalism obviously, the old less-is-more theory, which isn't generally understood or practiced very much in American-financed movies. I would love to see the sequel, Ju-on 2, and I'm reading that there's a Ju-on 3 in the works as well, plus a Grudge sequel; if Shimizu plays his cards right, he can spend the rest of his career delving into this story, prequels included.