Last night I saw the Thai horror film Shutter on DVD. It’s a pretty good film, but not as good as Alone, the followup by the same directorial theme. Tartan Asia Extreme, the DVD label for Shutter also has A Tale of Two Sisters, a Korean horror film, in their catalogue. Shutter has an English language remake starring Joshua Jackson in production, while the remake of A Tale of Two Sisters has just been announced.

While I was in Thailand, I noticed that the English language Grudge II was a popular hit. Thais love horror films, especially those involving vengeful ghosts. The original Shutter was a major hit in Thailand when it was released three years ago. What is ironic is that while English language remakes of Asian horror films do well in Asia, I don’t see American audiences seeking out the Asian originals. I recall the surprise of someone when I mentioned that the American version of The Ring was a shot for shot remake of a Japanese film.

So I have to ask, if the American audience is able to flock to horror films featuring all sorts of gore, violence and assorted mayhem, is it possible that what really scares them is . . . subtitles?