I had the opportunity to talk with Takashi Shimizu about his latest film “Howling Village”
The famed horror director made waves for his Ju-On series in the early 2000’s. During the American J-horror boom of the 2000’s, he distinguished himself as one of the few directors to also direct the American remakes of his films, The Grudge and The Grudge 2. We talked about his latest film, Howling Village including how he came to make a film based on Inunaki Tunnel. We discussed the thematic inspirations for the film, such as historic erasure, and his interest in common themes from his filmography, most notably family history. Both ideas are explored well in Howling Village, making it a fun and topical horror film.
Howling Village tells the story of Kanae (Ayaka Miyoshi) a psychologist with the power to see ghosts. As she searches for her brother, who went missing exploring the tunnel, she dives into both the history of the tunnel and her own family. Her journey leads her to a rumored hidden village in the tunnel, containing dark forces and secret shame tied to her family.
Howling Village is now in theaters, will be available on VOD August 17th and Blu Ray September 14th
You can read my full review here
