I feel the same as those who have mentioned that the American remake was an inferior creature. Having out of timeline scenes has worked famously for Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction), but it seems to be unforgivable to most American watchers for Ju-On. Also, any sort of ominous and creepy scares are traded away for jack-in-the-box pop-out scares. And the "better looking CGI ghosts?" Seriously? I kept laughing because the "US ghosts" looked like Staypuft the Marshmallow Man, than actual dead people. Nothing in the remake could match Takako Fuji shuffling down the stairs, mouthful of blood, with pain and murder in her eyes.

I agree

i thought that Ju-on was way scarier
are you going to bark all day little doggie,, or are you going to bite

I enjoy them both, but I find it almost laughable that anyone could say that the original was in any way "way better" than the remake. Every scene that both films share, the remake does much better and more realistically, so much so that these scenes in the original come off as silly (Dude, your wife is in serious trouble on the bed. Why in the hell are you slowly shuffling around the room? Wait, why did you hang up on the ambulance? Ugh). Not to mention that the makeup effects were much better in the remake. Toshio doesn't look like a ghost in Ju-On, he looks like a little boy covered in white makeup and Kayako looks funny, not scary. Apparently Takashi Shimizu thought so too which is why he changed her in Ju-On 2 and the remake.
"Ram this in your clambake, bitchcakes!"

Agreed. I must have watched a thousand horror films, and there are possibly only five or six films that give me goosebumps. Shock and gore have their place, but are easy, cheap and short-lived. It's the uncanny (or Das Unheimliche) that I'm after in horror and Takashi Shimizu is in my opinion the master! I imagine that this effect is amplified for native Japanese viewers (lucky them!) Of course one does have to be in the right mood to allow these films (any film) to work their magic - the old 'suspension of disbelief', and any horror becomes farce if you are not in the right mental space. I've studied them all trying to work out how he creates the effect - which has meant watching them dozens of times - and they don't always work Mood, distractions, company, quality of sound, time of day etc, all play a part. But on a good day, nice headphones, all alone in a dark room - Ju-On still gets me every time. And, although all the Ju-On-Curse-Grudge films have their moments - I definitely prefer the originals for un-selfconscious gritty 'realism' and sustained atmosphere - plus of course the seeping supernatural dread!!! Thank you Takashi Shimizu

I saw the American versions of The Grudge in theaters a few years back and liked them both quite a bit (pretty creepy.) However, just recently I saw all 4 of the Ju-Ons and find them to be much scarier than the remakes. I love the subtleness of them and the creepier/darker atmosphere. The fact that they're low-budget actually helped (kinda like the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre).
"You're a woman, Harry"

I've been a fan of horror since my teens, and through the years I've watched all the classics plus loads of obscure/cult ones. Nothing really creeped me out, until I got to know Asian (and Japanese in particular) horror. Some people talk about The Ring and The Eye series, those had their moments but nothing beats the Ju-on series (and especially the first one) in sheer shivers-down-your-spine creepiness. The combination of eerie sounds, gloomy images and scary make-up effects, the camera angles, sometimes even the quiteness of it when all you can hear is the white background noise of silence (you know what I mean) and you know something's gonna happen, it all conspires to create a superbly threatening atmosphere. Never felt that numbing feeling down my spine since the original Exorcist, and thought I was immune/anaesthetized/overdosed to it all, until "Ju-on: The Curse" came my way and reassured me that there was nothing wrong with my senses. I was just watching too much american "pop-corn horror" trash, and needed Ju-on to wake me up again to what a really scary movie should be about. Thank you Takashi Shimizu

I was so surprised reading how many people thought the remake was scarier that I just had to respond. How anyone can say the remake was scarier than the original is beyond me. The CGI in the remake totally killed off any creepiness. The effects in the original were far more effective and apart from the visible thick layer of make-up on the blue-ish kid were actually far better too.

the grudge looks like slick hollywood visual effects. the little kids (ghosts) in ju-on are WAY scarier because they look, and are, real. theres no way the hollywood version competes on the level of sheer creepiness. yeah, the hollywood version has louder sound effects- but sorry, you can't buy creepiness
"I'm not even supposed to be here today!"

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U kidding? The scene in Ju-On where the ghost comes down the stairs was way freakier than Buffy running around screaming!

True enough. Sarah Michelle doing an eastern horror film made me lawl.
Ju-On was three million times better than The Grudge, in my opinon. It wasn't that scary, but it did make you feel tense, and it had an interesting plot.
But that's my opinion.

Yes sir, the grudge was a mess !!! But have a peek at the director's name : Tak-kun again, seems like he received cash to spoil his own child. In fact, the remake could have been so good without the white, or without us, the yellow. I myself prefer full-blood Eastern or Western creepy movies, the fact that they mix us with others gave me some dead laughing !!! You know, ya, why didn't Tak-kun get the whole American casts, it'd've been scarrier. I hate the mixture, clumsy comedy !

I agree, The Grudge was a beep mess of a movie.
It wasn't scary in the least, but it's probably because I saw Ju-On first, so everything was predictable.
But, seriously, Ju-On is worth a rental.
It gives you a feeling of serious dread throughout the movie which means it's doing its job as a horror movie.

I HATED the Grudge, Ju-On was way better. I really felt that Ju-On was much scarier. It had a subtle horror that terrified me. It also didn't try to make crappy excuses for a blonde American actress to be in it. Man, The Grudge was stupid.

Ju-On was way freakier. everything was just so quiet. it was unsettling.. besides.. the american version was changed so much it was just another cookie-cutter ghost movie. Ju-On was far more unique and eerie.. such as how it would show the ghosts but not make any audio clue about it it would make you a little nervous.

I think they were both entertaining flicks, but The American version was definately scarier to me.

"In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded"

Yeah as far as I know it was Sam's idea to remake the film for the USA anyway. I dont think they did too bad of a job "porting" it over for western viewing, I definitely scared the crap out of me initally. Provided it inspires people to seek out the Japanese original, and thus leads them to other great Japanese cinema then I'm all for it.

i saw the ju-ons and there confusing and not scary in one bit the grudge however made alot more sence ju-on suckedsh!t
"v-to the p- to the icky-to the ollard!"-little britains vicky pollard!

Well, The Grudge was indeed directed by Takashi Shimizu, but he had some help from Sam Raimi (that's why Ted Raimi's in the film, as well). I actually love Raimi's work most of the time, it's just the remake was meant to be dumbed down and CGI'ed for a Western audience.
"Gordan, you're an attention whore."
"HEY EVERYBODY! I'M AN ATTENTION WHORE!"

Before we get too out of hand lets remmeber both were directed by Takashi Shimizu.
I personally found the Amercian version scarier as I had no idea what to expect, I found Ju-On less spooky as I knew what I was getting myself into.
Ju-On: The Grudge 2 is legitimately scary, especially after a few puffs.
I acknowledge that the Japanese version is far superior (after comparing the two), but hey its all in the timing.

Ju-On easily wins seeing it way before the American release, I couldn't get past the first 10 minutes of the American remake.

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The Grudge was just another stupid American remake, that deserves to be forgotten It wasn't scary, it wasn't even good. American filmmakers needs to start using their own brain - a long shot I know - and come up with something themselves. But that will never happen; American filmmaking is falling apart. Ju-on was much much better
Been making movies since 1997.