FREAK FILMS: UZUMAKI

Everyone has things they’re into that may seem strange to others-- like Debbie’s collection of WWII penises. I’m sure you freaks out there have a few, don’t ya? Hobbies that go too far and become obsessions. But what if an entire town had the same obsession? An obsession that spread like a virus? This is the premise of Uzumaki, a film based on the amazing graphic novel series of the same name by Junji Ito.
The inhabitants of a small Japanese town are becoming obsessed with spirals. They watch snails with magnifying glasses, eat only noodles with spiral patterns, and curl their hair to gain attention in school. Stuck in the middle of all these spirals is a young girl in love with a boy whose family is being torn apart by the madness of spirals.
Director Higunchinsky straddles the fine line between horror and humor, filling you with a playful dread that will evoke comparisons to Terry Gilliam and David Lynch. Some of the special effects in the film would be downright laughable if it weren’t for Higunchinsky’s balancing act keeping you off guard. The tone is tongue in cheek through cheek, but it still unnerves you somehow. Everything seems slightly odd in this movie, and you and buddies can have contests to see who can spot the most subliminal spirals hidden in the background-- or maybe that was just my copy.
If you’re looking for another great Japanese horror movie to check out after being exposed to Ringu and The Eye, you can’t get much weirder than Uzumaki.
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