FILMS/
GHOST TRAIN
Otoshimono
Spotlight
Japan, 2006, 93 minutes
SHOWTIMES
Sat, Apr 28 / 11:45 / Kabuki / GHOS28K
Mon, Apr 30 / 12:45 / Kabuki / GHOS30K
CREDITS
- dir
-
Takeshi Furusawa
- prod
-
Yoshitaka Ishizuka, Nozomu Enoki
- scr
-
Takeshi Furusawa, Erika Tanaka
- cam
-
Tomoyuki Mizuguchi
- editor
-
Mashahiro Onaga, Isao Kawase
- mus
-
Yusuke Hayashi
- cast
-
Shun Oguri, Erika Sawajiri, Chinatsu Wakatsuki,
- source
-
ADV Films, 5750 Bintliff Drive Suite 210, Houston, TX 77036 FAX: 713-341-7199 EMAIL: emccoy@advfilms.com
Bringing a much-needed jolt to the J-horror genre, Ghost Train successfully employs thematic devices from Japanese fright fare of years past—Ring, The Grudge and Suicide Club, among others—with additional scare tactics borrowed from Italian giallos and stateside classics to offer viewers an unsettling and frequently surprising ride. A smart but friendless teenager named Nana attempts to track down her younger sister Noriko, last seen wandering on a deserted subway platform. Noriko’s disappearance seems tied to that of her young neighbor, since both youngsters found a "lost" rail pass before going missing. Assisting in the search is a reformed snob from Nana’s class burdened by a mysterious bracelet she can’t remove, and a train conductor suspended from driving because he keeps seeing phantoms on the tracks. Together, this foursome endeavors to unravel the various mysteries at the heart of the film. Along the way, viewers are treated to the expected tropes of the field, but often in unexpected ways: ghostly gals with long dark hair—check; teenagers with unexamined homoerotic desires—check; lovable tykes who instantly turn demonic—check; and a haunting built on a history of longing and loss. As the film careers toward its Grand Guignol climax in a cavernous passage filled with more than just ghosts, Furusawa’s original vision reaches its peak. Without resorting to graphic violence or needless sound effects, Ghost Train scares in just the way a horror film should—through resonant images and compelling storytelling.
—Rod Armstrong
North American Premiere. Sponsored by Stella Artois. Presented in association with Another Hole in the Head.