5 Horror Films Japan Made Best (& 5 America Did Better)
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But between Japan and America, which one makes the better horror movies? That's not easy to answer. For argument's sake, though, let's look at five great Japanese horror films. And then, five American-made, similarly themed ones that are better in some regard or another. Continue scrolling to keep reading Click the button below to start this article in quick view Start Now Share Tweet Comment Email Copy Link Copied Start Now In Japan, this horror drama is known as Remains: Utsukushiki yūsha-tachi, or Remains: Beautiful Heroes. Its international title, however, is simply Yellow Fangs. This historical actioner was Sonny Chiba's directorial debut as well as one of his only films where he doubled as an actor and director. It's heavy on character development, especially with its female lead. The glaring downsides are the pacing and the dubious-looking bear sequences. The Edge is thoroughly entertaining if not predictable. One doesn't have to be smarter than the average bear to guess what happens in the end. However, Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins are perfectly cast in this cat-and-mouse (and bear) thriller. At some point, their chemistry will make you forget there even is a bear. advertising RELATED: The 10 Best Ghost/Horror Movies Of All Time, According To IMDb Kiyoshi Kurosawa directed this lesser-known TV-movie, which is known as Kōrei in Japan. It's both a quiet and disquieting film. Séance is so subtle that it effectively creeps under your skin without trying too hard. Kevin Bacon gives a career-best performance in this underrated, supernatural knockout from 1999. Based on the late and great Richard Matheson's book A Stir of Echoes, the film adaptation is a touching spook tale that got lost in The Sixth Sense's shadow. advertising Scarecrow — or Kakashi — is one of Junji Itō's more obscure stories. The film adaptation was directed by Norio Tsuruta, who is known for other horror offerings like Ring 0: Birthday and Premonition. While Scarecrow never becomes the all-out creature feature some viewers might want it to be, it's an engrossing and creepy mystery. RELATED: Weird, Weird West: 10 Essential Cult Westerns Dead Birds is a period horror that might not make any sense the first time around. On additional viewings, the pieces of the puzzle fit much better. If you can forgive its flaws, Dead Birds is a hidden gem in the sub-genre of cosmic horror. advertising Before the first Parasite Eve video game was released in 1998, Hideaki Sena's novel was turned into a live-action movie. As impressive as some of the visual effects are, the 1997 film is the epitome of a slow burn. That quibble notwithstanding, there's a great reward for your patience. RELATED: Guillermo Del Toro's Movies, Ranked By Rotten Tomatoes Guillermo del Toro's English-language debut was based on a short story by Donald A. Wollheim. Mimic was an estimable start to del Toro's most illustrious filmography. He takes familiar ideas and tropes and then remixes them in an exciting new way. However, it should be known del Toro did not approve the version of Mimic that reached theaters. If you want to see what he originally envisioned, be sure to check out his director's cut. advertising Shusuke Kaneko — the director of the '90s Gamera trilogy and Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack — superbly tackles anti-superheroisms in this 2000 revenge flick. Pyrokinesis (Crossfire in Japan) doesn't move at a brisk pace, and it injects more drama than action. Yet when the fire is stoked, this movie blazes. Stephen King's Firestarter doesn't get nearly the same acclaim as his other early works — novel or otherwise — but the story is a testament to his ability to meld multiple genres. The film was panned back then by critics and the author himself, but audiences have certainly come around to this poignant adaptation. NEXT: 10 Weird Stephen King Stories We Want To See Get A Movie advertising