The first word people use to describe Akihiro Higuchi’s Uzumaki is “twisted”—appropriate for a horror film in which an obsession with spirals overtakes a small town with surreal consequences. Higuchi, better known as “Higuchinsky”, based his film on a popular manga written by Junji Ito in 1998 which spawned two successful video games. An animated version has been announced by Adult Swim.
The post Uzumaki appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post Uzumaki appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 3/7/2023
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
The movie: "Uzumaki"
Where you can stream it: Prime Video
The pitch: Imagine if there was something like a deadly virus that made people become obsessed with spirals, to the point that they will do anything to either become part of a spiral or get as far removed from them as possible. "Uzumaki" is the directorial debut of Ukrainian-born director Higuchinsky, based on the acclaimed manga by master of horror Junji Ito, and it is a film unlike any other. It's low-budget, it's grainy, and it's absolutely bizarre, but it's also a fascinating take on the work of one of the greatest visual minds in all of horror.
"Uzumaki," which translates to "spiral," follows Kirie (Eriko Hatsune) and Shuichi (Fhi Fan), a pair of teens in a small town in Japan who start noticing strange happenings around them. Shuichi's father, Toshio (Ren Ôsugi) becomes obsessed with snails and anything that...
Where you can stream it: Prime Video
The pitch: Imagine if there was something like a deadly virus that made people become obsessed with spirals, to the point that they will do anything to either become part of a spiral or get as far removed from them as possible. "Uzumaki" is the directorial debut of Ukrainian-born director Higuchinsky, based on the acclaimed manga by master of horror Junji Ito, and it is a film unlike any other. It's low-budget, it's grainy, and it's absolutely bizarre, but it's also a fascinating take on the work of one of the greatest visual minds in all of horror.
"Uzumaki," which translates to "spiral," follows Kirie (Eriko Hatsune) and Shuichi (Fhi Fan), a pair of teens in a small town in Japan who start noticing strange happenings around them. Shuichi's father, Toshio (Ren Ôsugi) becomes obsessed with snails and anything that...
- 11/22/2022
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
In the early 2000s, when the era of J-horror was reaching its peak, there were already many features which changed the formula or diverted from the tropes of a genre which, by that time, had become a little too predictable. Whereas the works of Kiyoshi Kurosawa had been known for their uniqueness, showing strange worlds and characters instead of being “only” horror movies, there were also odd entries such as “Uzumaki, directed by Akihiro Higuchi, better known as Higuchinsky. With regard to the original manga by Junji Ito, the director explained how he was much more interested in the changed the uzumaki (“spiral”) ignited in people and places, turning a familiar environment into something quite strange and weird, which is precisely the atmosphere we wanted to capture in his adaption. As a result, “Uzumaki” is a true oddity within J-horror, with a focus on atmosphere rather than scares, making it...
- 8/20/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Odd List Ryan Lambie Simon Brew 28 Nov 2013 - 06:04
Our series of lists devoted to underappreciated films brings us to the year 2000, and another 25 overlooked gems...
The new millennium brought with it an eclectic range of hit films. Hong Kong action director John Woo brought us Mission: Impossible II, the most profitable film of the year at the box office. Ridley Scott enjoyed one of the biggest critical and financial successes of his career with Gladiator, while Robert Zemeckis created a memorable drama with Tom Hanks and a ball named Wilson in Cast Away.
From a comic book movie standpoint, 2000 was also a key year. X-Men not only established a successful film franchise which is still going, with X-Men: Days Of Future Past out next year, but also headed up a wave of big-budget Marvel adaptations which shows no sign of slowing down.
As ever, we've travelled far outside the...
Our series of lists devoted to underappreciated films brings us to the year 2000, and another 25 overlooked gems...
The new millennium brought with it an eclectic range of hit films. Hong Kong action director John Woo brought us Mission: Impossible II, the most profitable film of the year at the box office. Ridley Scott enjoyed one of the biggest critical and financial successes of his career with Gladiator, while Robert Zemeckis created a memorable drama with Tom Hanks and a ball named Wilson in Cast Away.
From a comic book movie standpoint, 2000 was also a key year. X-Men not only established a successful film franchise which is still going, with X-Men: Days Of Future Past out next year, but also headed up a wave of big-budget Marvel adaptations which shows no sign of slowing down.
As ever, we've travelled far outside the...
- 11/27/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Facets/Tidepoint Pictures
Higuchinsky absolutely blew me away with Uzumaki in 2000 and this hour long made for TV production was made at the same time and was written by the creator of the Uzumaki manga, Junji Ito, so checking it out, despite reports of how uneven Higuchinskys work has been since then, was a given. But unfortunately the results are well…uneven. I liked this when I wanted to love it. But I did like it enough to heartily recommend it to anyone who, like me, wishes there were a surrealistic companion piece to Uzumaki. It brought to mind Lars Von Triers The Kingdom because of its hospital setting but ultimately this was a Lovecraftian immersion into the mystery of human identity, and the fear of cosmic chaos.
A doctor dealing with a deformed patient who is afraid of sleep is astonished to learn of the existence of long dreams...
Higuchinsky absolutely blew me away with Uzumaki in 2000 and this hour long made for TV production was made at the same time and was written by the creator of the Uzumaki manga, Junji Ito, so checking it out, despite reports of how uneven Higuchinskys work has been since then, was a given. But unfortunately the results are well…uneven. I liked this when I wanted to love it. But I did like it enough to heartily recommend it to anyone who, like me, wishes there were a surrealistic companion piece to Uzumaki. It brought to mind Lars Von Triers The Kingdom because of its hospital setting but ultimately this was a Lovecraftian immersion into the mystery of human identity, and the fear of cosmic chaos.
A doctor dealing with a deformed patient who is afraid of sleep is astonished to learn of the existence of long dreams...
- 4/17/2009
- by Canfield
- Screen Anarchy
What begins as one man’s fascination with spirals soon infects a whole town as it becomes ominously besieged by the shape.
In the last few years Japan has shown itself to be somewhat of a leading light when it comes to horror films. Whether it be ghastly gore or ghostly goings on, this nation has brought some innovative terrors our way. But if the post-Ringu style knock-offs has become a little stale to you then Uzumaki could well be right up your street. Combining the arty/surreal/horror/strange town movie elements to full effect, director Higuchinsky shows us all once more that the Japanese still have some terrifying tricks up their sleeves.
Ok, I know that the idea of a town, er, spiraling out of control doesn’t sound all that horrific or, for that matter, believable, but Uzumaki is both of these things. Taking a subtle, creeping...
In the last few years Japan has shown itself to be somewhat of a leading light when it comes to horror films. Whether it be ghastly gore or ghostly goings on, this nation has brought some innovative terrors our way. But if the post-Ringu style knock-offs has become a little stale to you then Uzumaki could well be right up your street. Combining the arty/surreal/horror/strange town movie elements to full effect, director Higuchinsky shows us all once more that the Japanese still have some terrifying tricks up their sleeves.
Ok, I know that the idea of a town, er, spiraling out of control doesn’t sound all that horrific or, for that matter, believable, but Uzumaki is both of these things. Taking a subtle, creeping...
- 3/20/2009
- by Fiona
- Latemag.com/film
Argentine director Esteban Sapir’s sophomore feature La Antena (The Aerial, 2007) is densely marbled with cinematic citation, juggling freely the silent film conventions gleefully mined by Guy Maddin, with clear tips of the hat to Georges Méliès’ La Lune à un mètre (Man in the Moon, 1898) and Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927), and more veiled references to Alex Proyas’s Dark City (1998), Higuchinsky’s spiraling nightmare Uzumaki (2000), and the numerically confused plot contrivances of Pen-Ek Ratanaruang’s 6ixtynin9 (1999). Its kinetic and innovative use of intertitles reminds of Timur Bekmambetov’s Nochnoy dozor (Nightwatch, 2004) and its criticism of consumerist society and television brainwashing harbors a cautionary touch of John Carpenter’s They Live (1988).
Which is not to say La Antena is derivative. It achieves a singularly unique and vibrant synergy through its rampant citations in what Hollywood Reporter’s Gregory Valens describes as “a poetic attempt to recreate a world through the...
Which is not to say La Antena is derivative. It achieves a singularly unique and vibrant synergy through its rampant citations in what Hollywood Reporter’s Gregory Valens describes as “a poetic attempt to recreate a world through the...
- 7/13/2008
- by Michael Guillen
- Screen Anarchy
Sorry it's so late, folks, but there's lots of horror DVDs to choose from coming your way this Tuesday, June 24th, so I hope you’ve been saving your cash!
Cannibal Terror (1980)
Directed by Alain Deruelle
One of the original Video Nasties! This French/Spanish co-production follow a pair of idiotic thieves and their large-breasted accomplice as they kidnap the daughter of a local tycoon and decide that the cannibal-infested jungle is the best hiding spot. True, no one would look for them there! Pretty soon they’re either being eaten alive or trying to escape from being eaten alive. Buy it here!!
The Chilling (1989)
Directed by Deland Nuse & Jack A. Sunseri
Now, I can see the benefits of having a cryogenics lab, freezing bodies to preserve them and bring them back when a cure is found for whatever is making them sick, but you’d hope they’d have...
Cannibal Terror (1980)
Directed by Alain Deruelle
One of the original Video Nasties! This French/Spanish co-production follow a pair of idiotic thieves and their large-breasted accomplice as they kidnap the daughter of a local tycoon and decide that the cannibal-infested jungle is the best hiding spot. True, no one would look for them there! Pretty soon they’re either being eaten alive or trying to escape from being eaten alive. Buy it here!!
The Chilling (1989)
Directed by Deland Nuse & Jack A. Sunseri
Now, I can see the benefits of having a cryogenics lab, freezing bodies to preserve them and bring them back when a cure is found for whatever is making them sick, but you’d hope they’d have...
- 6/23/2008
- by Johnny Butane
- DreadCentral.com
Although this movie is a couple of years old, it is a Must See. Facets Media will release their own DVD of the Japanese short feature film Long Dream on June 24. In this surreal horror flick by director Higuchinsky (Uzmaki), an ambitious doctor is perplexed by a patient who comes to him with grave fears of going to sleep. Each night, his dreams grow longer and longer, eventually taking a toll on his body. Believing these "long dreams" are linked to immortality, the doctor begins a series of experiments on his patient and himself. Based on the manga Nagai Yume by Junji Ito, Long Dream is a nightmarish descent into madness. In Japanese with English subtitles.
- 5/18/2008
- bloody-disgusting.com
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