Tom Mes — Frightfest Guide: Japanese Horror Movies( Book)
In recent years, interest in Japanese horror cinema has grown in leaps and bounds, not just in the late-90s ghost sub-genre of J-horror, with notable titles such as Ringu and The Grudge. Here is a wonderful, colourful and highly informed book that examines the whole of the Japanese horror genre from the late 1930s to the present day. It’s penned by Tom Mes, one of the key writers and experts on Japanese cult film in general.
The two-hundred-and-forty-page book is available as either a glossy sleeved paperback or a Fab Press exclusive hardback edition. I’m reviewing the former, and truly it’s such a colourful, picture-packed affair. Though it’s not just a glossy coffee table tome, we also get wonderful reviews- perfectly balancing informed opinion and interesting facts.
The book is part of Fab Press’s Frightfest Guide series, taking its name from one of the UK’s key horror film fests, which has been active since the year 2000. The series includes seven books, covering Exploitation, Monster, Ghost, Werewolves, Grindhouse, Vampire, and Mad Doctor movies. I’m ashamed to say this release is my introduction to the series- and I’ll most certainly be picking up more, as the book really is a perfect mix of great stills, poster art, and the entertaining/ informative reviews.
The first thirty-two pages of the book take in a page long forward from Kiyoshi Kurosawa- filmmaker, critic, author, actor (Pulse, Cure) and a seven-part introduction to Japanese horror, looking at key themes dating back to 1897, when the first films were shot in the country.
We then move into the main part of the book, with over two hundred films covered; each review runs between half a page and a couple of pages. The first film covered is 1938’s Ghost Cat And The Mysterious, and we then move forward in a chronological manner, moving between more known titles and more obscure fare.
I thought I had fairly good knowledge/grounding in the wider Japanese horror genre, but there were loads of titles I wasn’t aware of/ now keen to track down, like the gothic creature feature Black Cat Mansion (1958). Deranged Phantasmagorical Jigoku (1960), gory werewolf meets down-and-dirty martial arts blend of Wolf Guy (1975), animated re-take on classic gothic horror The Monster Of Frankenstein (1981), bleak and terrifying serial killer film Cure (1997), found footage folk horror Noroi: The Curse (2005), softcore J-horror parody Lustful Ghosts (2012), and traditional ghost story meets J-horror of Kinki (2025)
In conclusion, Frightfest Guide: Japanese Horror Movies truly is a wonderful look at the wider Japanese horror film genre. And I’m sure it’ll become one of the key books on the subject. Another wonderful presented/ realized publication from Fab Press, which is one of the key publishers in genre film books. Do follow the above link to order the title directly from Fab Press.