Found Footage February: Noroi: The Curse
To kick off “Found Footage February,” I decided to tackle the 2005 Japanese horror film Noroi: The Curse. Before writing this, I had not seen this movie and was greatly surprised by it. It’s a genuinely unsettling film that takes its time to crawl underneath your skin and infect you with its disturbing imagery. It’s a slow burn in the best way possible as it takes you on a ride where you have no idea where it’s going. You can currently watch it on Shudder.
Released in 2005, Noroi: The Curse was directed by Kōji Shiraishi and co-written by him and Naoyuki Yokota. It had a budget of $2 million, and it’s an excellent found footage film from Japan.
Masafumi Kobayashi (Jin Muraki), a paranormal researcher, goes missing after his house burns down with his wife inside and after making a documentary called The Curse. The film is the footage shot by Miyajima, his cameraman. Initially, he focuses on Junko Ishii (Tomono Kuga) and her son after neighbors claimed they could hear children screaming. Yet this gets further complicated and more frightening when a young psychic goes missing, people mysteriously die around Junko, dead pigeons start piling up, ectoplasm worms, and people cannot stop creating loops out of yarn. At first, these events appear unconnected until the possibility of a demon cursing a destroyed village comes to light and starts connecting them.
Like other footage films, the framing device plays a significant role in the narrative. The film is framed as a television documentary. It screams of mundanity based on the shooting style and its approach to filming. It feels like something that a camera operator would shoot. Similarly, the specific filming style suits the imaginary parts of the movie. There’s a difference with the news coverage compared to a fictional psychic daytime tv show, the paranormal program, and the final part filmed with a regular camera. Also, the inclusion of real-life actress Marika Matsumoto playing herself adds credibility to the movie. The changes reinforce the narrative and make it believable. As a result, the framing feels more realistic and further divides reality and fiction.
I was also surprised by the production’s length with the world-building. A moment that stood out to me was the fictional psychic daytime show. The fact that the filmmakers went as far as to create and film a fictional television show sold me their commitment. It’s a slight touch that cements the world together. Also, the fictional ghost hunting show had an air of believability to it and contrasted with the other segments. In addition, the mythology of the demon Kagutaba and the village was well done. I was engrossed by it and sold on it. From the smallest detail of the mask to the ritual and its history, it had a very well lived-in feeling. I wanted to learn more about it, the traditions, and the village. It’s a testament to the team with how well thought out the entire world was.
Finally, I want to discuss the horror of the film. I think the only word that could describe the movie is dread. It’s a slow descent as you experience the pieces and discover how they fit together. There’s a through line to the events. The deeper you go in, the darker it becomes. Violence is not seen until the end of the film. Much like a rollercoaster, you’re slowly inching your way til the significant drop. The imagery of the film stays with you. The disturbing visuals increase, reaching an amazing climax near the ending. The shock and disgust are well earned due to the movie priming you for it. I do not want to go further into it since words cannot describe how I felt. You become entranced by the film. The horror lies in what the viewer discovers in the visuals. You are scanning the screen to see what you will find. When the movie finished, all I could do was sit and think about what I saw. Noroi: The Curse is an effective horror movie with a compelling mystery. It’s a nightmare come to life with fantastic iagery. I highly recommend it to those not squeamish and who are looking to expand their knowledge of horror and found footage.
Thanks again for reading. You can keep with the blog and get updates by following it on Instagram @brantlewiswrites or by following/subscribing to it via Medium. Continuing “Found Footage February,” I will be discussing my love of the subgenre and why it should not always get a bad reputation.
