Tales of Terror from Tokyo and All Over Japan: The Collection

Normally I would never buy a subtitled film. I don't like reading subtitles and I always feel that there is something lost in the translation. However, this one is different.This is not a set of feature movies. Tales Of Terror is an anthology of short horror films and vignettes, some as short as merely 5 or 6 minutes, some as long as 20 minutes. The location and language is Japanese, but there is very little need to read subtitles in this. The eeriness of these short sagas is gripping and requires little dialog to relate.The stories range from stark horror, to merely strange, and a few are even humorous. Most of these tales center around strange apparitions or hauntings, and many of them involve doors and what might be lurking on the other side. The film director Takashi Shimizu ( director of hit movie The Grudge ) among several other directors make very effective use of hidden horror in these films. The buildup of tension as to what it is making that noise just on the other side of the door, rattling the door handle, rasping in a hoarse voice to be let in..., it does send shivers down your spine. These are not blood-soaked films, though there is plenty of implied violence occuring. Things happen, like elevator doors opening to reveal strange somber people asking a young girl if she's going down, but she's already on the lowest floor of the building. Or a child hearing a knock at the door that neither her mother or sister seems to hear, and a strange voice on the other side claiming to be a relative asking to be let in, but instinct tells the child this person at the door is not who she claims to be. Or a teenager goes for a job interview at a retail clothing store, only to discover that the place is empty of customers and staff, but there is an ominous "dripping" sound coming from somewhere, and small drops of blood seem to be falling from somehwere. I suppose these stories fall mostly into the category of ghost stories, or stories of demonic possession. Some of the short stories are better than others, but overall it's worth buying if you like horror movies and would like to see how they do horror in Japan.- Mike S.

Is it possible to scare a person within five minutes? Well...is it? I say yes after viewing this dvd. This dvd is packed with 66 short stories, 33 on the first two discs and 33 on the last two discs. IMO the last disc which is the second half of vol.3 is the best if I were to rank them I'd say...Vol 3.2(20 stories)>Vol.1(15 Stories)>Vol3.1(13 Stories)>Vol.2(18 Stories) I watched them in order but you don't have to of course.Each story is a gives you a quick plot and a few jolts of scares but not every one of them actually pulls it off. Some stories just do not hold up BUT the ones that do are worth the price of admission(aka worth buying!) Which is currently $26.99(which is what I payed for it) Like I said yes there are a few stories that don't hold up well but all of them are worth the watch at least once, if you're a fan of asian horror films like Ju-On, Ringu, One Missed Call, etc. Then you will be entertained by a good chunk of the stories here.Now on to my favorites on the dvds...Vol. 1The School ExcursionKengoThe VisitorCovering the 100 TalesVol. 2Getting CloserThe GardenPlease Don't/No More Please/Come If You Dare(3 part story, I liked the first one the best of the 3 but you need to watch all 3 of course)The Garden(worth it for the ending)Vol. 3.1The Breath of MononokoThe BrideThe Men in Black(the ending will remind you of a famous older film)Another One(kind of funny but I like it)Vol. 3.2Only Two of UsA Woman Next DoorThree People Are ComingBlue Trench CoatUnbroadcast FootageThe VisitorSleepy HeadGreetingsAnimal OdorThe Music Box(ends the set with a GREAT note)Now just because these are my favorites doesn't mean you will like them but that's why you should give the entire collection a chance to see for yourself which ones you prefer.The DVD themselves are barebones besides a few trailers but I honestly didn't care these shorts were enough to satisfy me. If you love asian horror, or just short horror stories in general then I suggest that you go out and buy this now! Stop reading my review and get these dvds!!!

I remember over 10 years ago I watched this series on YouTube, I went down a rabbit hole. Going through each volume and watching them! I was so happy to find the DVD with every volume on Amazon, so I decided to purchase it and glad I did! It even has the movie which I don't remember seeing, so that's a nice bonus! If you're a fan of Japanese horror then I highly recommend this to you! These short stories really have you thinking and all of them are very unpredictable. This package also arrived earlier than I expected, which was a nice surprise for me. It's in perfect condition and also the disc designs are really cool!

Like all compilations, this is uneven. There are stories present which are too abrupt or jarring (two guilty parties here), too unthreatening, or are completely uneventful and uninteresting ("Gloves" for instance).That said there are gems here. "Night Watchman" is a strange way to open a series purporting to be about terror ... it's more amusing than anything. It is, however, quite entertaining, and you might get a chill or two along the way. The real standout, in my eyes, is "The Promise", which is both eerie and strangely touching and might have made a good full length film to allow for expanded character motivations. "Line of Sight", while perhaps too reminiscent of Ringu, also managed to give me a shiver or two.In any case, this collection is worth checking out. You'll probably have your own idea as to which are worthwhile and which are not, but if you enjoy japanese ghost stories, you'll certainly get something out of it. If, however, you've never enjoyed films like Ringu and Ju-On, there's nothing here which will change your mind.