Horror film remakes/interpretations - Dark Water (2005)

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As the deadline draws closer, I will be continuing to make digital paintings for my personal horror interpretation and designing my 3D horror scene, however, the only element within my objectives that still remains to be completed are the remakes/interpretations of Japanese directed horror films. I had already constructed my first post and left it as a draft, yet somehow it has vanished, so this is my second attempt. I have already reviewed and researched four critically acclaimed Japanese directed horror films; Ringu (1998), Chakushin Ari (a.k.a One Missed Call) (2003), Ju-on The Grudge (2002) and Dark Water (2002), all of which have remakes/interpretations, therefore, I have decided to watch and review these remakes/interpretations and draw comparison-based results, highlighting (if any) identified Japanese horror characteristics. In order to thoroughly research this interpretation/remake I will first be summarising the plot, noting relevant differences (if any), after that I will be looking for any characteristics I have previously identified in my honours project thus far, then I will discover whether this remake/interpretation is higher in critical acclaim than the original and finally, I will be drawing conclusive results based on my findings.

Plot Summary:

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Going through divorce arrangements with her neglectful husband, Dahlia Williams and her daughter Cecilia move into a poorly condition apartment on Roosevelt Island. As soon as Mrs Williams and her daughter get settled into their new home, strange events begin to unfold, particularly a continuous leaking patch on the bedroom ceiling, problems with the buildings equipment and a backpack appearing mysteriously on the rooftop. Noises are continuously heard from the apartment above, suggesting that it is already occupied/rented by others, however, when the apartment on the floor above is discovered to be deserted and flooded, these paranormal events persist to occur suggesting that there may be a supernatural presence in the apartment building and is somehow linked to the history of the previous tenants from the apartment above.

Although this remake/interpretation followed the plot of Hideo Nakata's 2002 original very well, there are a few notable differences:

• Acting - the acting is much more professional than the Japanese standard, characters help the story evolve more effectively with their dialogue and their actions.

• Black water - in the original and in this remake/interpretation, there is constant dripping water and rainy weather and towards the end of the original, black water started to run from various water sources, however, appearing from about twenty minutes into the remake/interpretation, almost all the water leaking in or around the apartment is black.

• Involvement - several minor characters such as the receptionist and the landlord of the apartment building are much more involved in the development of the narrative.

• Imaginary - in the 2002 original, the paranormal presence appeared randomly to stalk the central protagonists, however, in this remake/interpretation the paranormal presence appears as a imaginary friend of the daughter character.

• Interaction - the paranormal presence physically appeared in the original only a few times to interact physically with the central protagonists, mostly towards the end of the film, however, in this remake/interpretation the paranormal being appears continuously, interacting physically and verbally with the central protagonists. 

• Shocks vs scares - this film, like many American directed horror films before it prefers a shocking the audience with sudden frightening moments, rather than using scary images/sequences.

• Ending - this remake/interpretation took several detours along the way, however, it still reached the same conclusive point as the 200 original, the mother sacrificed herself so that her daughter could live.

Japanese Characteristics:

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• Setting - This film follows the preferred setting preferences of Japanese directed horror as most of this film is set indoors, the props were arranged appropriately and an isolated atmosphere was projected successfully.

• Colour - surprisingly, this remake/interpretation did very well to depict the colours used in Japanese directed horror. The colours were primarily low in value with increased saturation, displaying a heightened grey-scale.

• Lighting  - Deep shadows and three point lighting are used in this remake/interpretation which are favoured elements of Japanese directed horror, however, the aesthetic of these lighting choices are somewhat ruined by the predictable build up of audio.

• Composition - Scaling in this film is realistic and the lines are both angular as well as straight. The cameras in Japanese directed horror focus on being set at higher and/or lower height, with the preferred camera angle being set at a side or top down perspective. In this remake/interpretation, the camera work does adhere to the preferred angle(s), however, they do not follow the notable camera height(s) of Japanese directed horror. The shapes in this film are non-conflicting and do not steal or draw any focus, following the characteristics of Japanese directed horror. The depth of field changes constantly in this film, unlike Japanese directed horror which prefers an infinite depth of field.

Critical Acclaim:

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The film had a mixture of reviews and feedback, primarily negative and not as critically acclaimed as the 2002 original, "director and star appear happier re-creating divorce weepie Kramer Vs Kramer than The Exorcist. They may even look down on the idea of a pure and simple shocker. So if you're looking for jump-a-minute scenes, this is not for you. Others should appreciate Connelly's powerful performance and John C Reilly's funny cameo as a smooth-talking landlord, neither of which are still quite enough to make Dark Water worth splashing out for." (Pierce, 2005)

This analysis is further reinforced by Claudia Puig (2005) of USA Today, "what does work well is the film's drab look and evocative score by Angelo Badalamenti. The setting is Roosevelt Island, a mere tram ride from New York City. But it's a grim place that has a remote feel to it, like a location that might harbor ghosts. The movie resembles The Ring, perhaps most in the way that mother and child seem alone in the world. It also has a scary bathtub scene that recalls Ring 2, also directed by Nakata. Connelly's performance at times feels one-dimensional. Even when terrorized, she's remarkably low-key. Perhaps that's preferable to uncontrolled screaming, but it takes away from the film's sense of realism. Dark Water has more substance and a more interesting look than many horror films, but the familiar elements of the story disappoint." (Puig, 2005)

It would seem this American directed remake/interpretation, like many others of its time, fell short in comparison to the Japanese directed original.

Conclusion:

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This remake/interpretation did very well in categories such as character performance, colour, lighting and setting, however, due to the various alterations to the plot and persistent compositional imbalance, this remake/interpretation did not fully project the atmosphere of Japanese directed horror and failed to meet such positive critical acclaim as Hideo Nakata's 2002 original.

References:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2005/07/12/dark_water_2005_review.shtml
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2005-07-07-dark-water_x.htm