Within horror cinema, the found footage sub-genre arguably has the most dedicated fan base, with many enthusiasts sticking to POV terrors and willing to explore every project, whether big or small, and discuss it with other fans. The genre continues to grow as new filmmakers emerge with new takes on using a first-person narrative to tell a story. You have the brilliant exploration of the isolation and depression in teenage life online in We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, as well as the audiovisual absurdist assaults of Johannes Grenzfurthner’s work, highlighted best in his recent film, Solvent.
Still, the found footage genre has been defined by its classics, with The Blair Witch Project often considered the quintessential horror experience that defined the genre, even if it was not the first found footage film (that honor goes to the controversial Cannibal Holocaust). While innovation in the genre exists, some films have achieved timeless status. Following The Blair Witch Project, the 2005 horror film Noroi: The Curse has remained at the top of many fans’ favorite lists for good reason.
‘Noroi: The Curse’ Remains One of the Most Terrifying Found Footage Films 20 Years After Its Release Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Noroi: The Curse Horror Mystery Thriller Release Date August 20, 2005 Runtime 115 minutes Director Kôji Shiraishi Writers Kôji Shiraishi, Naoyuki Yokota Cast See All Jin Muraki Marika Matsumoto Satoru Jitsunashi Rio Kanno
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Presented as a documentary by fictional paranormal investigator Masafumi Kobayashi (Jin Muraki), Noroi: The Curse pieces together interviews and investigations around the most disturbing case ever shown on television. What starts as a series of what seem like unconnected events, a mother and son followed by the cries of kids, a young psychic who claims to see “ectoplasmic worms,” and an actress hunted by ghastly visions after visiting a shrine, slowly starts to come together to tell of a larger sinister force.
While the film is sparse on scares until its conclusion, the weaving together of different stories through found footage, news reports, and interviews offers a fully immersive experience. This strings viewers along, trying to connect the pieces of what is happening, along with investigator Masafumi Kobayashi. With the goal of most found footage films being to build the illusion that the audience is watching something real, Noroi: The Curse achieves this in all its elements. Much like The Blair Witch Project made many believe they were watching the last moments of a group of film students, Noroi: The Curse gives the impression of tuning into Japanese TV and being shown real-life events presented to the audience as factual.
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Similar to The Blair Witch Project, Noroi: The Curse manages to deliver some impressive performances from unknown actors, further immersing the viewer in the illusion that everything happening could be real. However, the real mastermind behind the project, director Koji Shirashi, has proven through his work that the masterfully executed Noroi: The Curse is not just a fluke.
Director Koji Shirashi Has Proven Himself To Be a Master of the Found Footage Genre
Director Koji Shirashi has become a name held in high regard among fans of found footage, even though his definitive work is Noroi :The Curse, he continues to create content in the genre. His 2009 film Occult, for example, achieves all the same horrific highs as Noroi, utilizing similar narrative devices yet still stands strong on its own; some even consider it superior. Yet, much of his work only exists as fan translations online, for which he has received abundant praise, particularly among J-Horror Fans. Notably, his “Senritsu Kaiki File” series of films highlights Japanese urban legends, such as the slit-mouthed woman, the toilet-bound ghost, and the Kappa.
One aspect that makes Noroi: The Curse distinct is its Japanese identity, steeped in the country’s folklore and culture, delivered in a way that intrigues instead of isolates audiences. This is a trend that Shirashi has continued throughout his career, reflecting his love of the found footage format and his drive to explore Japan’s darker corners and present them to a broader audience. This is also part of what makes Noroi: The Curse such a success, as the passion and love are always evident in Shirashi’s work. Every found footage film Koji Shirashi creates further cements him as the best director working in the genre today; there is no one as prolific as he is in the genre.
Why You Need to Watch ‘Noroi: The Curse’
A word of warning: Noroi: The Curse is a slow-burning horror film, a label that is bound to raise pitchforks among a portion of the fan base; if you want faster-paced found footage scares, consider [Rec]. Noroi requires patience, but it is one of those films that pays off with an unforgettable ending. The final moments of the movie will stick with the viewer forever, a formula that Shirashi has nailed in his career. Shirashi has become one of the most respected directors in all of J-Horror, despite not being associated with major franchises like The Grudge or Ring, due to his ability to build and deliver shocking conclusions.
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Noroi: The Curse is a must-watch; it remains one of the best found footage movies ever made, even twenty years after its release. The best part is that if Noroi connects with new viewers, as it has already done to many, there is a deep rabbit hole to go down in Koji Shirashi’s works that deliver all sorts of new terrors you won’t find in the West. Check out Noroi: The Curse, which is streaming on Shudder now. You won’t regret it.
