Western horror has a proud tradition of shlock. Whether it be the American classics of William Castle or the pure Italian cheesefests of Mario Bava, there are certain archetypes that while corny, are so beloved that we see echoes of these clichés in films to this day.
Thanks to the globalization of the media, western audiences have gotten more and more access to one of Japan’s more dubious exports, the world of “tarento.”
Here at Far East Extreme, I take a look at horror movies from a country and usually try to compare them to other horror movies, or to put them in context and show their place in the cinema of that nation. Except the idea of films showing their “national character” doesn’t always hold water.
One of the more talked about films of late, a Korean movie called Parasite, capped off its great run last week with multiple wins at the Oscars. Unfortunately, it is not a horror movie about bloodthirsty alien chest-bursters.
Hello horror fans! Another year comes to a close, and with it another Far East Extreme. For my money, you couldn’t do this series without at least one Takeshi Miike film, and rest assured this won’t be the only one. The reason? Quite simply, Lesson of the Evil is so disappointing and Miike’s repertoire is so interesting and rewarding otherwise, especially considering how prolific he has been throughout his career.
