Dead Girl Walking (2004)

Great Film overall

Better Late Then Never

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Back in 1984, there was an episode of the series "Tales From the Dark Side" that was a lot like this Japanese short film. In episode 9's "A Case of the Stubborns", Grandpa dies and yet he is so incredibly stubborn that he refuses to admit he's dead or believe it when his daughter and grandson tell him that he died! And he is truly dead but manages to move about the house doing his usual routine...and slowly decomposing! It's all very dark and twisted--but also quite funny.Today I just watched a Japanese DVD with the English title 'Dead Girl Walking" and I think it originally was part of some Japanese TV show. All I know is that at 44 minutes, it sure doesn't seem like it was intended for the theaters.It begins with a hilarious introduction by the writer. He explains how the story you are about to see is so horrible that you should NOT continue watching. Then, when you do, he tells you that you are damned to hell and to enjoy the show! Pretty kooky! The story is set in the home of what initially appears to be a normal sort of Japanese family. However, inexplicably, their teenager's heart stops and she's pronounced dead by the doctor. But, just after this she wakes up and wonders what all the fuss is about--and everyone's reaction is strangely muted. After all, they have a zombie living with them--yet there isn't any excitement or yelling...at least at first. Later, however, the girl starts to decompose and stink and the family's reaction once again is odd. They first try to embalm her at home--then the family attacks her in a particularly bloody scene. Realizing she isn't wanted, she leaves home and begins wandering about....and decomposing more and more as time passes--the bits and pieces dropping off here and there! What happens next you'll have to see for yourself.While the film sounds totally disgusting, the gross scenes are really not that gross. Plus, to save the trouble of making her look nightmarish, much of the time she walks about with a black sheet wrapped around her. While this is a cheap device, it does solve the problem of making the film too gross for all but the most twisted viewers! While not exactly brilliant, the film is funny...and gross...and a bit horrifying...but well wroth seeing if you have a high tolerance for the very weird. Well made and probably best seen with some friends so you can all laugh together at this poor girl's plight.

HIDESHI HINO HORROR THEATER: DEAD GIRL WALKINGYuri is a teenage girl who inexplicably drops dead in her family's home...but it turns out she isn't exactly 'dead'. She still walks, talks, and acts as she did before her death (at least for a while...)-only main difference is now she's starting to rot. Her family is extremely cold to their daughter's plight-and are only concerned with how to dispose of her now that she's become a putrefying nuisance. Yuri eventually leaves home and is picked up by a seemingly helpful stranger...but the stranger is not so 'helpful' after all- and uses Yuri as an attraction in a freak-show, and then dumps her on the side of the road once she's used up. Her parents hunt her down to try to finish the job that her 'death' didn't-but to no avail...DEAD GIRL WAlKING is another very solid entry in the HIDESHI HINO HORROR THEATER six short-film series. The storyline ranges from sad, to amusing, to grotesque- all in less than an hour run-time...not an easy feat to accomplish. The family's attempts to dispatch of their semi-dead daughter are both harrowing and semi-comical, and Yuri's obvious feelings of isolation and alienation from family and friends because of her 'condition' are quite palpable. The stark b/w footage used after her death was a smart artistic decision on behalf of the director-and adds further weight to the dark tone of the film. The score of the film is really well-done as well, and is very 'classic horror' in nature- another layer that mixed with the b/w footage, adds to the overall impact. One of the best entries in a pretty solid series-the only entry of which that I didn't like was OCCULT DETECTIVES CLUB. Otherwise-I'd recommend the entire series-including this really solid entry. 8.5/10

What an odd little movie. At 44 minutes and shot on digital video, this is more of an art piece than a full-length film. Creepy and poetic, it proves that Koji Shiraishi is am extremely talented director. His underrated movie "Ju-Rei: The Uncanny" has been heavily trashed by American viewers online, but I think it's the very model of Asian horror. Deceptively simple cinematography filled with unexpected surprises, quietly creepy atmosphere, and a few good shocking jolts. "Dead Girl Walking" looks great for video, the story is surreal and haunting, and the ending is heartbreaking. Interesting. But I'd only recommend it to hardcore J-horror fans and avant-garde film buffs.

Dead Girl Walking: 6 out of 10: If you watched the recently released Japanese horror anthology movie Rampo Noir this film might seem like a missing fifth chapter (And it certainly would have made a better fit that that Yoko Ono Mars short.) Dead Girl Walking takes a singular premise (girl has heart attack and dies, yet body refuse to de-animate to the confusion and distress of the girl and her family.) and runs with it. The film consists of this Japanese school girl slowly decomposing as her parents and others attempt to put her to rest.It is a Japanese television production from the Theater of Horror but unlike other segments from the series it has decent gore effects and good direction. The only real problem with Dead Girl Walking is as a stand alone project there really isn't much there.Once the girl starts decomposing the story arc is pretty well set. While the film is both creative (Sometimes reaching an avant garde level of consciousness in its visuals) and deceptively humorous (the family's attempts to dispose of the girl are in reality quite funny) its conclusion is never really in doubt.In addition the characters themselves seem almost cartoonish. (Which in it's own way adds to the surrealistic effect of the proceedings.) A decent ride for both fans of high art and gore hounds alike Dead Girl Walking is an above average television short.