Occult (2009 film)
Encyclopedia
Occult is a 2009
J-Horror
, "found footage"
film in the form of a documentary
. The movie was written and directed
by Kôji Shiraishi
.
(including the murder
of at least two young women), at a beautiful, idyllic Japanese
resort
, a film crew sets out to document the events surrounding the case, eventually coming to focus on the weird, seemingly supernatural
events in the lives of the victims and assailant, both before and after the incident. As events progress, the documentary comes to revolve around the psychological impact of the attack on a chronically unemployed, and somewhat odd and pathetic man in his early 30s (upon whom the killer carved a series of petroglyph
-derived symbols, during the initial attack, telling him it was "your turn next"), and the pattern of paranormal
activity which seems to follow him about.
Eventually, the man decides that the initial attack was an act of God
, as well as a ceremony intended to both honor God, and open a portal to another dimension
. He believes the attacker from the opening scene now resides in this other dimension, as he was seen almost immediately jumping off a nearby cliff, but his body was mysteriously never found. After a series of encounters with huge, flying, apparently telepathic, and quite disturbing-looking, unEarthly entities of a possibly extraterrestrial or other-dimensional nature, he comes to the conclusion that he has a God-given "duty" to perform a similarly violent "ceremony," which will enable him to make his journey into this other realm. After an encounter where the film director also witnesses the existence of these same beings, he reluctantly agrees to document the events. The ceremony is to take the form of a suicide bombing
of a crowded Tokyo
intersection. The bombing takes place, and 108 people are killed. Oddly, no trace of the body of the man wearing the suicide vest
is ever located, while the director is convicted as an accomplice, and sentenced to 21 years in prison.
Upon his release from prison, now a man in his advanced middle age, he discovers both a video camera, and a 100-yen
coin, both of which the man said he would send back to him from the other dimension, in the event he made a successful sojurn to it. The video camera includes a cassette showing the man's final moments on Earth, as well as his apparently successful transition into the other dimension. This dimension appears to be a realm of horrific lunacy and monstrous suffering, and is otherwise of a pseudo-Lovecraftian nature. The man pronounces it "Hell
," and in terrified screams, he begs the director to help him, as other persons in obvious torment float in the space around him, and gigantic creatures with an appearance similar to jellyfish
, seem to malevolently drift in their midst.
2009 in film
The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
J-Horror
J-Horror
Japanese horror, or J-Horror, is Japanese horror fiction in popular culture, noted for its unique thematic and conventional treatment of the horror genre in light of western treatments...
, "found footage"
Found footage (genre)
Found footage is a genre of filmmaking, especially horror, in which all or a substantial part of a film is presented as discovered film or video recordings, often left behind by missing or dead protagonists. The events onscreen are seen through the camera of one or more of the characters involved,...
film in the form of a documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
. The movie was written and directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Kôji Shiraishi
Kōji Shiraishi
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and occasional actor. He is primarily known for directing Japanese horror films, most notably The Curse.-Background:Kōji Shiraishi was born and raised in Fukuoka, Japan...
.
Plot
After a shockingly brutal and unprovoked, broad daylight mass assault by knifeKnife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
(including the murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
of at least two young women), at a beautiful, idyllic Japanese
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
resort
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
, a film crew sets out to document the events surrounding the case, eventually coming to focus on the weird, seemingly supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
events in the lives of the victims and assailant, both before and after the incident. As events progress, the documentary comes to revolve around the psychological impact of the attack on a chronically unemployed, and somewhat odd and pathetic man in his early 30s (upon whom the killer carved a series of petroglyph
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
-derived symbols, during the initial attack, telling him it was "your turn next"), and the pattern of paranormal
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
activity which seems to follow him about.
Eventually, the man decides that the initial attack was an act of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, as well as a ceremony intended to both honor God, and open a portal to another dimension
Plane (esotericism)
In esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the physical plane is conceived as a subtle state of consciousness that transcends the known physical universe....
. He believes the attacker from the opening scene now resides in this other dimension, as he was seen almost immediately jumping off a nearby cliff, but his body was mysteriously never found. After a series of encounters with huge, flying, apparently telepathic, and quite disturbing-looking, unEarthly entities of a possibly extraterrestrial or other-dimensional nature, he comes to the conclusion that he has a God-given "duty" to perform a similarly violent "ceremony," which will enable him to make his journey into this other realm. After an encounter where the film director also witnesses the existence of these same beings, he reluctantly agrees to document the events. The ceremony is to take the form of a suicide bombing
Suicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
of a crowded Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
intersection. The bombing takes place, and 108 people are killed. Oddly, no trace of the body of the man wearing the suicide vest
Explosive belt
An explosive belt is an improvised explosive device, a belt or a vest packed with explosives and armed with a detonator, worn by suicide bombers...
is ever located, while the director is convicted as an accomplice, and sentenced to 21 years in prison.
Upon his release from prison, now a man in his advanced middle age, he discovers both a video camera, and a 100-yen
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
coin, both of which the man said he would send back to him from the other dimension, in the event he made a successful sojurn to it. The video camera includes a cassette showing the man's final moments on Earth, as well as his apparently successful transition into the other dimension. This dimension appears to be a realm of horrific lunacy and monstrous suffering, and is otherwise of a pseudo-Lovecraftian nature. The man pronounces it "Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
," and in terrified screams, he begs the director to help him, as other persons in obvious torment float in the space around him, and gigantic creatures with an appearance similar to jellyfish
Jellyfish
Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. Medusa is another word for jellyfish, and refers to any free-swimming jellyfish stages in the phylum Cnidaria...
, seem to malevolently drift in their midst.
See also
- The Curse (2005), another "found footage" mockumentaryMockumentaryA mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
by the same director - Shirome (2010), another "found footage" mockumentary by the same director
External links
- Occult at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...