Well, first you have to consider that Shutter is obviously a commercial film that rips off pretty much everything from Japanese horror movies. In fact, the Thailand setting is the only major diference between this movie and the standard Japanese productions.
Secondly, the theme of the female ghost is mostly a cultural thing: during its history, Japan (see point above) has been a hard patriarcal society where women have very little to say, so it seems logical that the only way a woman could have the upper hand on a man is through supernatural means, specially a revenge from beyond the grave for past misdoings. Besides, the very idea of the ghost in Eastern cultures is very differente from the one we have in the West, where the ghost is mostly a tormented soul who seeks redemption, not revenge (an idea influeced primarly by Christianity). Eastern culture also identifies the color white as an element associated with Death (I'm not exactly sure about this, but I think white is the color for mourning), and the appearance of ghostly images of women has been a common theme in the "Kwaidan" (traditional Japanese ghost story).
I hope that was helpful. Maybe somebody else can fill in the information that I don't have.
reply
share
drb13_agito
17 years ago
But one notable difference that makes this movie less of a rip-off is the fact that it borrows more from Thai folk-lore, Nang Nak in it's many remakes is a good example that the Thai people have their own horror stories to tell. I think that we are starting to see that just because a country is Asian that does not mean that they share the same culture.
reply
share
huibie88
17 years ago
Same culture not perhaps but looking at this movie just reveals how much is similar. It might not be a representation of actual cultural similarities, but rather of cinematographical similarities. The way the shots are built up, the camera angles, walking on the ceiling and the presence of water in the shots where the girl appears. It's a concept that works, but it's also a concept that's rather unoriginal and rather unsatisfying after you've finished the movie. The movie also has some flaws when it comes to timing the scary parts, I think. And they use quite some obvious stuff as well. Like during parts where the movie is starting to get more intense, you already know that they kill off the scene before the most intense point of the music has been reached. It's kinda obvious...
reply
share