It's episode 195...and thank you for the effort.

Ju-on: The Grudge (2002) tells the story of a brutal murder, a deadly curse and a house so haunted it stays with you wherever you go. We follow many different visitors to the deadly Saeki house - can any of them solve the mystery and - more importantly - will any of them survive?

We kick off J-Horror season with somewhat of an ugly duckling, but an influential and creative ugly duckling nonetheless. We discuss Onryō, ask whether J-Horror is often scarier than Western horror, and delve into Japanese folklore for the one foolproof way of dealing with vengeful ghosts (don't forget your swords and your prayer books).

All of which leads to one important question: How would you survive?

Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: Those who encounter it die, and a new curse is born.

Next week, J-Horror season continues with Hideo Nakata's Dark Water (2002)

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