Ju-On is one of the scariest horror films to come out of the Japan, and inspired an American remake entitled The Grudge that has some notable differences from the original movie.
In 2002, audiences were introduced to a house of vengeful ghosts who kill anyone that dares enter, led by the dead family’s terrifying matriarch, who groans and contorts in such a chilling way that it’s permanently embedded in the consciousness of horror fans. Ju-On, much like The Ring, was an international success that led to a renewed interest in Japanese horror stateside. Also like The Ring, an American remake was developed a few years after the release of the original to capitalize on the interest of English language speaking audiences. 2004’s The Grudge starred Sarah Michelle Gellar at the peak of her Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame.
The Grudge wasn’t a one to one remake of Ju-On, however, and there are some notable differences between versions.
Ju-On vs. The Grudge: The Differences, Explained
The biggest difference between the Japanese and American versions of the story is in the structure of the narrative itself. Takashi Shimizu, who wrote and directed Ju-On, got the opportunity to direct the remake of his own movie. However, he directed an adapted screenplay that was written by someone else, and produced by Sam Raimi. In Shimizu’s original treatment, the story is chopped up over several segments and is non-linear, though there is a main protagonist named Rika. Rika is a central character to many parts of the movies, but not all of them. The Grudge changes this, likely to streamline the story for American audiences and to better spotlight Sarah Michelle Gellar, who was a legitimate star and selling point for the remake.
Ju-On received criticism for having a stream of consciousness approach to storytelling, so this was tightened up for the American version, then romance and detective story elements were added to fill out The Grudge. As far as the ghosts are concerned, it’s likely a matter of preference when deciding which version is scarier. Both have similar set pieces, including the memorable staircase scene. It can be argued that Ju-On has more emotional heft to its proceedings compared to the Hollywood remake. The trade off is the American version having better special effects overall. In both endings, the heroine of the story meets an untimely finish, though Ju-On’s is more memorable, as Rika ends up being pulled into the darkness by ghosts. In The Grudge, Gellar’s Karen is confronted one last time by the ghost of the mother, then the film employs a fade to black finale.
Tonally, both movies are slightly different from one another, though they tell more or less the same story. With 2020’s The Grudge remake on the way, horror fans will have yet another installment to compare against the Japanese original and its first American remake.
Key Release Dates
The Grudge
Release Date:2020-01-03
