By Angie Sinclair.
In Japan the name Koji Shiraishi is synonymous with blood and gore as he is the famed horror screenwriter and director most notably for The Curse.
His latest horror instalment is Sadako Vs Kayako and it is a sort of face-off of The Ring and The Grudge movies. It is the twelfth film of both Ju-On and The Ring franchises and will be release in the UK online in Japanese with English subtitles this month on Shudder on the 26th January.
I caught up with Koji to ask him a few questions.
What was your inspiration for going into writing and directing horror films?
I had a request to make a movie and I was really excited to make a horror movie, but I wanted to make one that was fun, a fun movie not just a horror movie.
Is Sadako Vs Kayako going to be adapted in English or released in the UK?
It’s going to be exactly the same movie as it is in Japan, it’s going to be available in Japanese with English subtitles via Shudder on 26th January.
Koji Shiraishi
Do you watch horror films and do you have a favourite western one?
Yes I do and enjoy them a lot. I like The Evil Dead.
Would you like to make a Hollywood film?
Yes, I’ve always wanted to work in Hollywood.
Is this the final film you’re making in the franchise?
I can’t say at the moment, I think there will be something else after this movie, but that doesn’t mean to say I’ll be making it but someone else will be.
Your film GROTESQUE became illegal to sell or supply the UK in 2009. Did this make you feel you had to tone down your writing?
No. I wanted to make more controversial movies like that!
The two main characters Sadako and Kayako’s fusion form a single entity at the end of the movie and on YouTube audiences were asked to vote who their favourite character was and Sadako won the vote. If you had to vote who would you choose?
As the director i like both the characters, I couldn’t vote for one or the other.
Released via streaming site Shudder on January 26th.
We hope you're enjoying BRWC. You should check us out on our social channels, subscribe to our newsletter, and tell your friends. BRWC is short for battleroyalewithcheese.
Trending on BRWC:
Immaculate: The BRWC Review
Civil War: The BRWC Review
last.caress 6th February 2017
I just watched Sadako 3D (2012) and Sadako 3D 2 (2013) today in preparation for Sadako Vs Kayako. They were not very good at all, alas. I’m hopeful for this one though, I liked Noroi by the same director.