While researching on the topic of Japanese horror influences on the West, I came across an interesting quote by Joe Queenan.

“Ancestral spirits are not a fixture of American horror; the supernatural apparitions tend to be complete strangers or wraiths or itinerant succubi just in for the weekend from out of town. Most of the remakes I have seen are listless and mechanical – horror by numbers – while the originals are taut, frightening, ingenious, and often quite pleasing from the artistic perspective. It may well be that western directors are trying to shoehorn Asian films into a culture that cannot fully accommodate them. Perhaps this is why remakes of Asian horror movies tend to be mildly profitable enterprises that few adults talk about – serious critics hate them – while in Japan, horror movies seem to be taken seriously.”

In his article on The Guardian, Queenan discusses Hollywood remakes of Asian horror films, and why the two cultures may clash in the process.

You can read the full article here: http://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/feb/22/worldcinema