Tormented (2011 film)

Tormented (ラビット・ホラー３Ｄ, rabitto horā 3D) is a 2011 Japanese horror film directed by Takashi Shimizu.[1] The film involves Kiriko (Hikari Mitsushima) and her younger half-brother Daigo (Takeru Shibuya) who are haunted by a large rabbit-doll. Tormented premiered at the 68th Venice International Film Festival on September 7, 2011.

Tormented
Japanese poster for Tormented
Directed byTakashi Shimizu
Produced bySatoru Ogura
Masayuki Tanishima
Written bySotaro Hayashi
Daisuke Hosaka
Takashi Shimizu
StarringHikari Mitsushima
Takeru Shibuya
Teruyuki Kagawa
Music byKenji Kawai
Scandal
CinematographyChristopher Doyle
Edited byZensuke Hori
Distributed byPhantom Film
Release date
  • September 7, 2011 (2011-09-07)
Running time
83 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Plot

In Japan, Kiriko (Hikari Mitsushima) and her younger half-brother Daigo (Takeru Shibuya) live with their father Kohei (Teruyuki Kagawa) who is a book illustrator. One day Daigo inexplicably beats a rabbit to death outside his school and subsequently stops attending classes. Kiriko becomes worried by Daigo's behaviour while their father ignores the problem as he is caught up in latest job: a pop-up book about The Little Mermaid. Later, Kiriko takes Daigo to watch the 3-D horror film The Shock Labyrinth involving a rabbit doll which appears to float out of the screen and into Daigo's hands. Daigo takes it home. That night a large version of the doll pulls him through a cupboard into a fairground. The next night Daigo is pulled by the rabbit through the mattress of his bed. Kiriko follows him this time and the group goes to an abandoned hospital. Later, Kiriko tells her father that "Kyoko is coming. I saw her. Daigo too." Kiriko then recalls when she was younger and Kohei brought home his pregnant second wife, Kyoko. Kiriko attacked Kyoko and now Kiriko and Daigo seem to believe that Kyoko has come back to haunt them in a rabbit costume and are determined to destroy the doll.

Production
Tormented was cinematographer Christopher Doyle's first film made in 3D.

Tormented was the first film where director Takashi Shimizu had worked with cinematographer Christopher Doyle. This film was Doyle's first work in 3D.[1][2] Shimizu stated that he and Doyle "clashed a lot" on set, but also that "if any one understood our intentions – or more to the point, felt them – it was probably Chris, the Troublesome but Refined Old Bastard."[2]

Release

The film was shown out of competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival on September 7, 2011.[1][3] The film was released theatrically in Japan on September 17.[1] The film was subsequently shown in competition at the Sitges Film Festival in October[4] and at the Stockholm International Film Festival in November.[5]

Along with Shimizu's The Shock Labyrinth, Tormented's theatrical, DVD, digital, video on demand, and television rights have been bought by Well Go USA from Fortissimo Films.[4]

Reception

Derek Elley of Film Business Asia gave the film a six out of ten rating, noting that the film has "more atmosphere than plot"[1] Screen Daily gave the film a favorable review praising that it made a "giant furry rabbit suit scary" and the film's use of 3D.[6] The Japan Times gave the film a rating of two and a half out of five, praising the film's cast but they "can't overcome the View-Master diorama atmospherics."[7] Variety gave the film a mixed review, noting that Tormented's script "lacks the extra layers of meaning and symbolism that make the best kind of horror pics so effective" while stating that the film "works perfectly adequately"[8]

References
  1. Elley, Derek (September 11, 2011). "Tormented". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on August 1, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
  2. Hopewell, John (September 6, 2011). "Japan's 3D chiller". Variety. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  3. "RABITTO HORAA 3D (TORMENTED) – TAKASHI SHIMIZU". La Biennale. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
  4. "Well Go Acquires Takashi Shimizu Horror Pics 'Tormented' & 'The Shock Labyrinth'". Deadline Hollywood. August 29, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  5. "Tormented av Takashi Shimizu". Retrieved 2011-11-07.
  6. Marshall, Lee (September 9, 2011). "Tormented 3D". Screen Daily. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  7. Schilling, Mark (September 16, 2011). "A decent fright flick, but shame about the 3-D". The Japan Times. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  8. Felperin, Leslie (September 14, 2011). "Tormented". Variety. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
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