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The blog of author Dennis Cooper

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Theme Park Futures #6

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2024: Danse Macabre (Efteling, Holland)

‘Danse Macabre, the new Efteling attraction set to open in 2024, will have a spectacular ride system not yet constructed anywhere else in the world. The haunted spectacle full of dark twists will soon have visitors dancing to the music after which the attraction is named. On a turntable 18 metres in diameter, topped by six smaller turntables, there will be six choir stalls with seats for up to 108 visitors. The large turntable will rise, tilt and fall, and spin like a coin before it falls flat. Danse Macabre will be part of a completely new themed area at Efteling. The surroundings are a mysterious setting in which the 20-metre-high attraction building immediately catches the eye. Intamin, the renowned Swiss manufacturer of theme park attractions, has worked closely with Efteling to develop a completely new ride system for Danse Macabre. The exciting attraction is a combination of several existing ride components, making it unique in the sector. Danse Macabre is best described as a thrill ride with immersive show technology.’

 

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2024: Good Gravy! (Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, Indiana)

‘Holiday World is unveiling a new Thanksgiving-themed roller coaster dedicated entirely to gravy in May 2024. Officials say guests will board a train shaped like a giant gravy boat, which will be pulled backwards uphill before flying forwards through the station onto cranberry-colored track, hitting a maximum speed of 37 miles per hour. The train will fly through a giant cranberry jelly can before narrowly avoiding giant kitchen accoutrement, such as a 20-foot-tall whisk and an 18-foot-tall rolling pin before flying up a 77-foot-tall spike and repeating the journey backwards.’

 

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2024: Ocean Flower Island (Danzhou, China)

‘Ocean Flower Island (Chinese: 中国海花岛) is an artificial archipelago located off the north coast of Danzhou, Hainan, China, west of the Yangpu Peninsula. When complete, it will comprise a 127,000 sq. m (1,370,000 sq. ft) amusement park with a water park, 23 recreation projects, 28 characteristic museums, 40 kilometers (25 mi) of coastline, 58 hotels, 6 commercial streets, 7 folklore performance squares, 8 themed food streets, an Amphitheater, an Arboretum, an impressive Central glass atrium, Convention facilities, Gardens, an Ice skating rink, a shopping mall, luxury residential housing, a massive Central Park, a Music hall, an Opera house, Sports fields, a Tourist tower, and a World fairyland.’

 

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2024: Untitled Duelling Family Shuttle Coaster (LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, UK)

‘The proposed development will be located to the west of Duplo Valley and to the east of the Mansion House, on the site of the former Raft Racers attraction which has remained SBNO (Standing But Not Operating) throughout 2022. The plans show that there will be two separate shuttle coaster tracks, with layouts that broadly mirror one another. Alongside the rollercoasters, the application also encompasses additional elements that includes a loading platform, operators cabin, queue line and perimeter fencing. It appears as though the queue line entrance will be located roughly where the entrance to the former disabled queue line for Raft Racers was situated.

‘It is expected that the two rollercoaster trains will ascend backwards up the lift hills at the rear of the station, before being released in unison to travel through the layout. This will see them first travel at speed back through the station, underneath the operators cabin, and further down the hill towards Duplo Valley. After completing a three-quarter helix, the trains will then find themselves heading towards each other, over shallow hills, before then completing two swooping turns, which will provide another duelling moment. Guests will then ascend hills that sit parallel to the initial lift hills. It is not evident if it will be left to gravity to return the trains backwards through the track, or if these hills will also manually raise the trains to their peak before again simultaneously releasing them.’

 

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2024: Donkey Kong Mine Cart Madness (Universal Studios, Japan)

‘Recreating the mine cart levels from the Donkey Kong video games, Universal Parks are building a new type of roller coaster ride that will make it look like you’re jumping over gaps in the track. Opening in 2024 at Universal Studios Japan, and by 2025 at the Universal Orlando Resort, this new attraction will not only feature a totally unique ride system, but is also rumored to include detailed show scenes and animatronics.

‘The Donkey Kong Country section of Super Nintendo World is currently under construction at Universal Studios Japan, with an official opening date of 2024. It is also being built at Universal Orlando’s upcoming theme park, Epic Universe, which is planned to open by Summer 2025 at the latest. This mini land will be accessible from Super Nintendo World after entering through a warp pipe under the Yoshi ride. The area will feature the new roller coaster attraction, as well as character meet and greets, interactive games, a small gift shop, and snack stands.’

 

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NEVER: Star Trek Astrarium (Aqaba, Jordan)

‘The Star Trek Astrarium was planned to occupy 184-acre (70 hectares) of land. The resort’s design featured three major zones of entertainment: The Summit, The Old Waterfront, and The New Waterfront. The resort was planned to feature four luxury hotels, botanical gardens, a collection of entertainment, dining areas, 4D cinema, 16 attractions and retail stores. It would have been the first themed entertainment attraction at the coastal city of Aqaba, Jordan. It was announced in 2011, for a projected 2014 opening. Construction stopped on this theme park in early 2015, and the park was never completed or opened.

‘The key attractions were to include rides, shows, museum exhibits, theme parks, water parks, interactive and walk-throughs based upon the Star Trek franchise. In 2013, a signing ceremony was held at the Jordanian-American Business Forum under the patronage of King Abdullah II of Jordan. King Abdullah had suggested Star Trek be the theme of the Astrarium, being a big Star Trek fan who had an uncredited cameo (as background Starfleet crewman) on an episode of Star Trek: Voyager in 1996. According to Themeparx.com, construction was officially halted by March 2015 after having been started and postponed twice.’

 

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2025: Falcon’s Flight (Six Flags Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia)

‘Qiddiya Investment Project has partnered with Intamin Amusement Rides to start designing Falcon’s Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya. The ride is hailed as the world’s fastest rollercoaster.

‘The rollercoaster will travel at speeds of more than 250km/h. It will also be the tallest and longest rollercoaster in the world, hurtling along a 4km track and plunging down a vertical cliff into a 160-metre-deep valley. The ride will utilise magnetic motor acceleration (LSM technology). 20 riders will be able to board the Falcon Flight at once. The ride will last for three minutes.

‘Falcon Flight will be the landmark attraction at Six Flags Qiddiya. The attractions site will be Saudi Arabia’s first family-orientated theme park and is due to open in 2023. It will extend over 79 acres and feature 28 rides and attraction spanning six themed lands.’

 

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2024: Fantasy Springs (Tokyo DisneySea, Japan)

‘Fantasy Springs is the colossal port themed to Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan under construction at Tokyo DisneySea. The overarching inspiration for Fantasy Springs is a magical spring leading to a world of Disney fantasy. It’s basically a Fantasyland-style port that brings Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan to Tokyo DisneySea, with separate mini-areas for each in a single port of call that’s tied together via magical springs. This large scale expansion features multiple rides, restaurants, retail, and a luxury hotel. It has a blockbuster budget of 250 billion yen (or around ~$2.3 billion US). Fantasy Springs will be the most expensive expansion to any existing theme park anywhere, ever. It’ll cost triple the amount of the recent Tokyo Disneyland ‘large scale’ addition that included a Beauty and the Beast mini-land and more, and over double the cost of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.’

 

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2025: Fast And Furious Multi-Launch Coaster (Universal Studios, Hollywood)

‘Universal Studios Hollywood announces construction will soon begin on its new roller coaster, themed to Universal Pictures’ blockbuster saga, Fast & Furious as the world-class entertainment destination continues to elevate the guest experience. Equipped with a state-of-the-art ride system uniquely created to engulf guests within the dynamic Fast & Furious universe, this all-new roller coaster will benefit from Universal Destinations & Experiences’ decades-long expertise in revolutionizing the development of the contemporary roller coaster across its global theme park destinations. This new Fast and Furious roller coaster is rumored to be an “Intamin spinning model, with some thinking halfway through the vehicle will begin to “drift” featuring sideways, backward, and forward motion to fit the racing/ Fast & Furious theme.”‘

 

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NEVER: Grand Circus Balancé (Efteling, Holland)

‘The plans for the spectacular new roller coaster Grand Circus Balancé are definitely canceled. Last week, a large number of designs leaked from the project, which should have been realized years ago. Until now, its status has been a big question mark.

‘A majority of Efteling fans responded enthusiastically. It has now become clear that Efteling will not build the circus roller coaster, not even in the future. Due to concerns about sustainability, the project has ended up in the trash, insiders confirm. Like many companies, the amusement park in Kaatsheuvel is currently struggling with an energy crisis and a nitrogen crisis.

‘In light of this, Efteling does not consider building the gigantic rollercoaster feasible. Efteling designers have, as it were, been sent back to the drawing board by the management. There they start again with a blank sheet of paper. The Efteling management is again keeping all options open for the planned expansion on the east side of the park.

A spokesperson for Efteling does not want to comment on the content of the message. The reason: the project was never officially announced, so to the outside world Grand Circus Balancé theoretically never existed. Therefore, it is not openly communicated about it.’

 

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Fall 2023: Whispering Pines Hotel (Funtown Splashtown, Maine)

‘The park has teamed up with Sally Dark Rides to create the Whispering Pines Hotel, an interactive ride-through attraction. In the attraction, riders enter the Whispering Pines Hotel, which a witch has cursed. Riders helm “curse eradicators” and work alongside a professional ghost hunter to free the hotel of the witch’s spell. The last of the ride’s 14 rooms will require riders to work together in what appears to be another dimension to fight the evil witch and save the hotel guests she has cursed.’

 

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2024: Top Thrill 2 (Cedar Point, Ohio)

‘Cedar Point will once again redefine roller coaster innovation in 2024 with the debut of Top Thrill 2, the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch strata roller coaster. The strata coaster, known as any roller coaster eclipsing a height of 400 feet, was first pioneered by Cedar Point in 2003. The park will build on that legacy with not one, but two, 420-foot-tall track towers, putting riders in the driver’s seat for one of the greatest races of all time.

‘On the start, using an all-new linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch system, riders will peel out down the straightaway reaching speeds of 74 mph, racing toward the sky on Top Thrill 2’s original 420-foot-tall “top hat” tower. After experiencing weightlessness during the “rollback” – the coveted fan-favorite moment when the train’s momentum isn’t great enough to make it up and over the tower – the train shifts into reverse and into its second launch, reaching speeds of 101 mph.

Riders will then see Cedar Point unlike ever before as they speed into a backward climb at a 90-degree angle on a new, 420-foot-tall track tower. After a second moment of weightlessness, the train shifts into drive and races forward into its third launch, clocking in at the ride’s top speed of 120 mph. Crossing over the top hat tower, the train decelerates momentarily before diving into a 270-degree spiral and crossing the finish line.’

 

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2025: Mission Bermuda (Futuroscope, France)

‘On board a boat, visitors will embark on an expedition inspired by the famous Bermuda Triangle, a legendary area of ​​the Atlantic Ocean. “2035, the curse of the Bermuda Triangle strikes again! New disappearances occur without any plausible explanation. Scientists set up a mission and dispatch crews to go and investigate on the spot from the island of Bermuda.”

‘After a pre-show, visitors will embark on an 8-seater boat to explore this “island of Bermuda”, at the heart of an indoor and outdoor route. Inside, a mix of real sets , HD image projections and special effects await visitors. And for the exterior, it’s even more impressive: accelerations , reverse gears , waterfalls , vortexes, explosions …

‘The “Climax” zone seems to be the most impressive of the course : the boat rushes into a canyon, when a plane seems to be in difficulty. The plane approaches, rubs against the walls and crashes. The boat then reverses to escape the crash, with an explosion effect . Debris comes out of the water, and the fire spreads over the water. The boat backs up again, until it plunges into the dark, until the “lift”, which precedes a great dizzying fall . Last strong sensations before reaching the station.’

 

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2025: Sanya Hello Kitty Resort (Haitang Bay, China)

‘Hello Kitty has fans around the world, and China is set to get its second Hello Kitty theme park. While the theme park was first announced in 2018, the theme park is scheduled to debut in 2025.

‘It will be called the Sanya Hello Kitty Resort and cost $620 million to create, and it’s located in the Haitang Bay area of Hainan Province. The final park will consist of fifty-two acres. The park will have roller coasters, rides, a giant Hello Kitty sphinx, storytelling events, and more. There’s also going to be a themed Hello Kitty Hyatt hotel where guests can stay in while they visit the park, and it will have 221 rooms.’

 

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2024: Primordial (Lagoon Park, Utah)

‘This interactive coaster has been under development and construction for over seven years. After waiting so long, the anticipation couldn’t be higher, especially as the park promises “a ride experience like you have never seen.” However, not much other detail was released, keeping the complete ride experience shrouded in mystery after all these years still.

‘Construction photos show bright green track going up the outside of the large mountain structure followed by a drop down into a figure eight style segment before rising and disappearing into the giant mountain. The roller coaster track changes color from green to a greyish/tan once inside the mountain.

‘Lagoon has “worked with an international team of designers and manufacturers, including amazing local companies and vendors, to create and produce this incredible state-of-the-art attraction.” One of these companies is assumed to be ART Engineering GmbH, a German engineering company who helped Lagoon with two former coasters, Bombora and Cannibal. ART Engineering is also known for previously creating an interactive dark ride/coaster combo for Canada’s Wonderland, called Wonder Mountain’s Guardian. Intermountain Lift, a local company who did the track for Cannibal, is assumed to have manufactured the track for Primordial as well.’

 

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2025: Bommelwereld (Groenlo, Holland)

‘In Groenlo (Netherlands), near the German border, a new indoor theme park is currently under development next to the N18 highway. The theme park with an area of 9,000 square meters is being developed by Marveld Recreatie in collaboration with the Toonder company. The Toonder Compagnie holds the rights to the stories by Marten Toonder around the comic duo “Heer Bommel” and “Tom Poes”, who are well-known and part of the cultural heritage in the Netherlands. The world of the comic figures will be brought to life in the theme park.

The drawing above reveals that park visitors can look forward to a large castle, located next to an indoor hall. Various attractions, all thematically based on the adventures of the well-known comic characters, can await guests here. Visitors will then be able to walk through the streets of “Rommeldam” and enjoy the special atmosphere of the Black Mountains as well as the magic of Hocus Pas.’

 

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2024: Untitled Tilt Coaster (Energylandia, Poland)

‘The Energylandia tilt coaster will be 45 meters high , the speed will be 85 km / h and there will be two trains with 24 passengers per one. The security features that will be used in the tilt coaster are the lap bar (thigh-only protection). The attraction will also have numerous effects and inversions, including a weightless effect.

‘Energylandia itself is still silent about the tilt coaster. So we don’t know its final name or release date. However, it is predicted that it may be 2024. We already know that the rollercoaster will be produced and built in Energylandia by the Vekoma company, i.e. the producer of Abyssus, Formula or Mayan, among others. The cost of the investment is over PLN 51 million.

‘A special feature of the tilt coaster is the drop. First, we are pulled to the top using a classic chain lift, then we reach the end of the blind track, and after a while the track with the cable car rises completely vertical . At a 90 degree angle, the track with the cable car joins the track on a slope. We hang completely vertically for a few moments, and after a while the brakes are released and we are on the track.’

 

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2025: Untitled Universal Studios Las Vegas Haunted Attraction (Area 15, Las Vegas)

‘Universal Parks & Resorts has announced plans to build a year-round haunted house attraction in Las Vegas, as part of an expansion to AREA15. The AREA15 complex sees more than 2.4 million visitors a year, and is currently home to attractions like Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart. The venue will include immersive haunted house experiences, but also “food and beverage spaces by day turned haunting bars and eateries by night” and “one-of-a-kind merchandise.” Page Thompson, President of New Ventures at Universal Parks & Resorts said that “This is a horror party. It’s a lot of fun. It’s not just about gore.”

‘Rumors and speculation for these three revolving haunted house experiences include in-house properties from Universal, like the Classic Monsters or modern horror films, as well as Halloween Horror Night icons. Rumors for the rest of the experience include a possible restaurant, bar, and what may be considered a permanent Tribute Store with unique merchandise branded to this location. The area set between the dining, shopping, and haunted house entrances will be a sort of open hub, rumored to be set up like a scare zone, with roaming scareactors.

 

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2024: Voltron (Europa Park, Germany)

‘Europa Park has unveiled more details regarding its new roller coaster attraction with the tagline ‘Welcome to the Electric Age’. The new attraction will be a launch coaster, firstly hurling riders upside down with a brief pause before shooting down to the next set of ride elements. The coaster will twist and turn and brush past greenery and trees and intertwine with the coaster itself. The attraction then comes to a halt before turning around 180 degrees on a turntable before being launched again backward then forwards for a second round of adrenaline thrills.

‘“It will be another spectacular highlight for Europa Park and when opened, the coaster will be one of the most modern and spectacular coasters in Europe,” said Mack Rides when plans for the ride were first unveiled.’

 

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NEVER: Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Circus (Zaandam, Holland)

‘Chocolate manufacturer Tony’s Chocolonely has canceled plans for its Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Circus experience in Zaandam near Amsterdam. This facility near Amsterdam called Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Circus was supposed to be an experience world. The visitors should be presented with all the necessary steps from the cultivation of the cocoa bean to the finished chocolate. As a special feature, there should also be a roller coaster on the site. This would have has a crazy look reminiscent of the story about Willy Wonka from the children’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. As has now been officially confirmed by the company, Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Circus will not be built. Due to the Corona crisis, an investor withdrew and the company was unable to continue with the plans. In general, there are doubts as to whether a visitor attraction including a roller coaster can be implemented in the context of the pandemic.’

 

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2024: Wizard of Oz Land (Warner Bros Movie World, Australia)

‘Guests to Warner Bros. Movie World in Oxenford, Australia will soon be able to travel the iconic Yellow Brick Road™ with an all-new The Wizard of Oz™ themed land featuring two new rides opening in 2024. The two new rides will include the world’s first The Wizard of Oz™ themed suspended coaster and a boomerang racer, both with commensurate height restrictions that will allow younger Movie World guests the opportunity to experience their first roller-coaster.

‘Village Roadshow CEO, Clark Kirby said, “The new precinct will be developed in the retired Arkham Asylum area and will transform the space into the colorful and vibrant world of Oz as seen in the nostalgic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz™. This precinct is going to be like nothing we have ever done at Movie World and we are working closely with our partners at Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment to make this one of the most beautifully themed precincts in Australian theme parks.”

‘“Movie World fans in Australia will get to step into Oz like no fan has done before. A first of its kind, The Wizard of Oz™ land will extend the storytelling and bring of one of the most iconic and beloved films to life in an amazing way,” said Peter van Roden, SVP, Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment. “We are over the moon (or should we say rainbow) to be bringing Oz to guests of Movie World in 2024.”’

 

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2025: Untitled Slide Coaster (Skyline Theme Park, Malaysia)

‘The new Slide Coaster ride has been called the world’s first hybrid roller coaster and waterslide. This new concept is similar to the water coasters, but instead of relying on water jets or lift hills via belts, the Slide Coaster has a roller coaster-like track that runs parallel to the water slide. The specially designed rafts seat two guests each and have a large wedge behind the rear seat. A sled trolley on the roller coaster track has an arm that lowers and uses the wedge to push the raft forward up to speeds of more than 39 miles per hour. This ride will have the acceleration – and exhilaration – of coasters that’s never been experienced on a waterslide.’

 

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2024: Mononoke Village & Valley of Witches (Ghibli Park, Japan)

‘Eight months after Ghibli Park opened its doors to visitors, official opening dates are finally confirmed for the Mononoke Village and Valley of Witches attractions.

‘Located next to the Hill of Youth area, Mononoke Village recreates the rustic and mysterious landscape from the 1997 Princess Mononoke. The area will house the iconic Irontown, while large-scale statues of Okkoto Nushi (boar god) and Tatari Gami (spider demon) can be found just outside of the town. Despite the two characters’ fearsome presence, both are actual slides designed for children to play and slide down from.

‘Stretching 2.9 hectares of land, the Valley of Witches will be the biggest area within the Ghibli Park. Nestled in between the Mononoke Village and Dondoko Forest, the whimsically European-esque townscape will be home to memorable locations from Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Earwig and the Witch. This includes Howl’s Castle, Hatter’s Hat Shop, the Witch’s House, as well as Kiki’s childhood home, and the bakery she worked at. Visitors who are hoping to experience the Valley of Witches will need to wait a little longer, as the area isn’t due to open until March 16, 2024.’

 

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2024: Project Exodus (Thorpe Park, UK)

‘Thorpe Park will in the future be officially home to the UK’s tallest roller coaster with Project Exodus having been approved to commence construction. It is a huge moment in the landscape of the theme park industry – 1 November being the date when plans became reality with the London based theme park being given the go ahead to build the newest and tallest roller coaster in the UK. The new ride will boast various elements of inversions and a splashdown feature. It has been a decade since Thorpe Park last built a roller coaster with the debut of The Swarm.’

 

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2024: Secret of Arayat (Pradera Islands, Philippines)

‘The Pradera Islands is a theme park still under construction at Pradera Verde, a tourist hot-spot located in the province of Pampanga of the Philippines. While construction started back in 2019, little was known about the content of the park. Until today, when the Dutch firm Lagotronics Projects shared some insight into their involvement with the 23 hectare project, which includes an exciting new media-based dark ride: Secret of Arayat.

‘On their website the designers explain the premise revolves around the volcano Mount Arayat, which is located roughly 40 kilometres North of the building site of Pradera Islands. According to legend, the volcano was once the home to Sinukuan, the god of war and death. Guests will embark on a mission to infiltrate the ”golden palace” of Sinukuan hidden within in search of gemstones.

‘Secret of Arayat will contain impressive scenery and animatronics, as well as a variety of media-based content including 3D and fog screen projections. Temperature changes and other special effects will be implemented to ensure an immersive experience, all aspects of which will be delivered turnkey by Lagotronics Projects. The company partnered up with German rides manufacturer Metallbau Emmeln to supply the ride system.’

 

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2025: Project Horizon (Alton Towers, UK)

‘Alton Towers has submitted a planning application for a £12.5 million indoor rollercoaster. The rollercoaster will be housed within a 19-metre (64-foot) tall building, measuring 71 metres by 46 metres in area. Details of the rollercoaster’s design and manufacturer have not been revealed, but its working title is ‘Project Horizon’. The ride is widely expected to feature innovative new technology following recent comments made by veteran concept designer John Wardley. The rollercoaster’s theme is also unknown, although documents mention theming features both at the entrance of a new plaza and attached to the ride building itself. Construction is expected to begin in Spring next year, with an estimated 18-month timeframe for completion.’

 

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2024: Immersive SuperFlume (Qetaifan Island North, Qatar)

‘Once aboard 20-seater themed boats, riders will leave the station and begin their voyage following the history and techniques of oil exploration in the region over the last 100 years. The journey takes them through various lifts and drops as the story unfolds in the different themed zones. The experience culminates with the boat entering the focal point of the ride – the cracking tower, where it slowly rotates as it rises up a vertical lift with various special effects, emerging into the daylight and plunging straight down a 16m high chute, ending in a spectacular grand splash before heading back towards the station.

‘The SuperFlume ride is a natural progression or evolution to the original traditional Log Flume ride which has been available for many years. There was a requirement to produce a more stable boat with greater capacity and safety and so the SuperFlume was born. The SuperFlume will allow families to share the same boat in greater comfort and safety. Furthermore it will incorporate various other thrill elements which the older Log Flumes are not able to do. The secret is to combine as many different fun experiences, thrills and surprises into the guest experience. This will be coupled with surrounding theming and effects to create the overall WOW factor.’

 

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2024: Toboggan (SeaWorld Orlando, USA)

‘Though at this point, we lack an official announcement from SeaWorld Orlando about a new rumored coaster they have hinted at it, and there is definitely construction work taking place in the Antarctica section of the park. Nonetheless, rumors of a new roller coaster with a potential codename of “Toboggan” have been floating in the theme park rumor mill for some time. With the Empire of the Penguin simulator attraction having been closed for a while at SeaWorld Orlando, this led to speculation that a new attraction, of some type, would be arriving in that location. Based on this and other evidence, speculation leans toward the new roller coaster using the former Empire of the Penguin ride area for a portion of the attraction. With a new roller coaster using some of this space, that leads to questions about how much of the coaster may be indoors. Current construction walls block off a significant amount of area near this new rumored coaster. Based on that, this rumored coaster could involve a significant amount of track outdoors, maybe all of it.’

 

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2024: Hossoland (Brojce, Poland)

‘Recently, the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new amusement park took place in the municipality of Brojce in Poland’s West Pomerania. The park, which will be called Hossoland and be located about 20 minutes from the port city of Kołobrzeg, will be built on an area of about 40 hectares. It is scheduled for a 2024 opening.

‘Initially, four themed areas will be created – the fishing town of the Mermaid “Syrenka Town”, the amber Kingdom of “Baltambrya, the “Land of the Vikings” and the “Dragon Valley of the Mines”. Around 50 attractions as well as eleven restaurants, six cafés and 13 shops will be part of the visitor offer. In the following years, Hossoland is planned to be expanded by the addition of other themed zones, including a water park. Well-known companies such as MackNEXT, Jora Vision, Attitude Srl and WhiteWater West are involved in the design of the theme park.’

 

 

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p.s. Hey. ** Dominik, Hi!!! His movies are fun. Well, a number of them at least. The good thing about wild parties is that everyone is so wild that they don’t notice you standing over in the corner sipping Evian and studying them. Him, I think I would take love up his offer. I can’t off the top of my head think of anything that I’ve needed to block out in order to survive or anything. Of course if it’s blocked out already I don’t remember it, but, yeah, let’s do it. Total intricate memory of everything. Would you say yes? Love situating almost every upcoming attraction in this post a block from my apartment, G. Have a lovely time with your parents! See you soon! xo. ** Nick Toti, Hi, Nick. Good to see you, man. Yeah, I see what you mean about his films, and I also see what you mean about them leaving you hungry. I think that’s kind of a great filmmaking goal somehow. How’s everything with you and yours? Everything’s mostly fine here, just film film film. You know how it is. ** _Black_Acrylic, Yes, RIP Jamie Reid. I used to own a small original work by him, but someone stole it from me. ** Charalampos, Oh, gosh, thanks about LCTG, pal. I hope you like the new one. Your leaking ritual sounds pretty interesting. I’m trying to picture it and can’t quite, but I especially like things I can’t quite picture. I like the films I’ve seen of Franju, yes. I should do a post about his work. I don’t think I know ‘Judex’ though. I’ll find it, thank you! ** Steve Erickson, Oh, wow, that’s a cool coincidence. Very happy to read you talking about his work. That’s weird: I’m having one ear pain too, but it’s not (yet) in need of a doctor. I think mine is because I tend to only use one earplug when I’m looking at videos on the internet for some weird reason, and it’s that ear. At the moment, yes, making our next film in France seems like a definitely go. But if by some miracle our new film generates good interest that would make funding much, much easier, that would open things up. But for absolutely sure we are not going to put ourselves in this miserable position again. Thank you for asking. ** Bill, His films are fun, at least if you pick judiciously. The early ones are probably the starting point. The boy in ‘Winter Boy’ won best actor at Locarno Film Festival or something like that. I don’t know the Comics Journal, but I definitely want to know it. Latest issue it is. How are you doing? Are you working on anything? ** Misanthrope, Oh, please, don’t pretend you’re a wuss, you maniac. Checkered flag for your 4-day weekend entree. Huysmans’ Des Esseintes … you’re right! Huh. How about that? Rock out. ** Guy, Hi. I was worried because I hate hot weather with a burning … wait, freezing passion. But it isn’t that hot so far. I hadn’t realised you couldn’t travel. Jesus, that sucks, but I assume getting your passport is just a formality? Yes, obviously, place Paris in the upper echelons of your freedom’s agenda. Well, um, I don’t speak French, and I don’t think I’m an embarrassment, or else I’m misreading everyone’s attitude towards me, which is actually quite possible. I’ll see the Honore somehow, okay. Yes, I play a small role in Christophe’s film ‘Homme au bain’ (‘Man at Bath’). I’m not sure if it’s out there streaming. Probably? ‘Room Temperature’ is slowly but surely becoming whatever it will be, and I remain extremely excited about what it’s going to be, thank you. If I could figure out what a gorgeous hug would entail, you would be the first person to get such a thing from me. Ha ha. ** Vladmir Darbakov (get it?), I do get it, or, wait, (get it). Nice. They do (eat frog legs). I’ve seen it with my own eyes. But rarely since the French actually don’t eat frog legs very often in fact. Or escargot either. Ha ha, Link absolutely does have ball jiggle physics. That’s crazy. I can’t believe they built that in. Talk about easter eggs. Hilarious. Thank you. I will spread the … word. I lived in NYC twice, first from ’83 to ’85, and then from ’87 to ’90. It is really expensive there. It always has been. Well, it used to cost a lot less downtown, I guess. Um, I haven’t spent a lot recent time in NYC, but downtown is probably still best. Below 14th Street. The more east the better. The East Village. People gripe about how gentrified it’s become, and it has, but it’s still the coolest part of NYC if you ask me. I’ll think about other highlights. Frogs are fully safe around me, for sure. I hope almost everything excites you today. ** Okay. It’s been what feels like ages since I indulged my love of theme parks and attractions on this blog, and that’s my excuse for showing those of you who share even a little bit of my love some of the delights you have in store in the next couple of years. See you tomorrow.

Kôji Shiraishi Day

 

‘If you’re a fan of Japanese horror, you’ve probably stumbled upon a film by Koji Shiraishi at one point or another. Whether it’s his 2005 found-footage stunner Noroi: The Curse, or the over-the-top Sadako vs. Kayako (2016), which pits the ghosts of both Ringu and Ju-On against each other in a brawl for the ages.

‘In both of the aforementioned films, Shiraishi is able to effectively create sympathetic villains by delving into the tragic backstories of these characters and their misfortunes; he reveals that they are often victims of circumstance, sent down their destructive paths due to the actions of others. However, in his other found-footage works, Shiraishi explores the complexities of the terrifying villains he creates by allowing the audience to spend time with them, using the medium to create first-hand relationships between the characters and the camera. It’s through this humanization that he’s able to expertly make the viewer feel both sympathetic and horrified by the heinous acts that are shown on screen.

‘In 2009’s Occult, Shiraishi plays a version of himself who leads a documentary crew on an investigation of a murder and attack at a beachside resort. As they interview survivors, the film slowly begins to shift its focus to the story of Shôhei Uno (played by Shiraishi himself), who had a ritualistic symbol carved into his back by the murderer which left him able to hear the voice of an ancient deity and witness what he calls “small miracles.” Uno is portrayed as a downtrodden replacement worker scraping together an existence by sleeping and showering in manga cafés while eating dollar ramen that he weighs by hand to gauge value, showing excitement when his choice contains a few small pieces of wilted cabbage. The crew offer to pay him for each miracle recorded and even let him bunk on the floor of their production studio. This is a charity he graciously accepts, vowing to pay them back for their kindness through dinner after his first real paycheck.

‘Similarly, A Record of Sweet Murder (2014) follows journalist Kim Soyeon (Kkobbi Kim) and her cameraman Tashiro, played by director Shiraishi, who are both called to an abandoned apartment building by childhood friend-turned-mass murderer Sang-joon Park (Je-wook Yeon). While playing outside as children, Park recorded the death of one of their friends who was hit by a speeding car in the backstreets of South Korea. He’s committed to a mental institution at age 10, but breaks out 17 years later in order to commit a total of 27 murders, which “the voice of God” has told him will bring their dead friend and his vitcims back to life. The acts of violence we see in the film feel reluctant, with a jittery and uncertain Park wincing as if it causes him physical pain to carry out his actions, and even admitting that he feels remorse for his crimes. Also, despite trapping her in a dangerous situation, he shows genuine concern for the wellbeing of Soyeon throughout the film, tending to the slash wound he gave her, and reassuring her that she will be fine.

‘Both films further humanize their antagonists through the interactions they have with the crew recording them and by extension the viewer, due to Shiraishi inserting himself into the story. In Occult, Shiraishi and Uno form a true camaraderie — first through working on the documentary, and later as they work together to complete the task Uno has been sent on by the deity. In the latter film, Park has to rely on the crew in order to complete his ritual. Though he threatens them to keep them in the building he does his best to avoid being truly violent with Tashiro and Soyeon. Soyeon even comments that despite all that he’s done, he hasn’t changed much since they were children.

‘As a director, Shiraishi revels in building a tension between the image he’s created of his villains, the terrible things we’ve seen them do, and the supernatural forces that compel them; ultimately revealing that each element feeds into the next, driving the characters to their inevitable destruction.

‘The third act of Occult comes to a head when Shiraishi’s character learns that he and Uno are both marked by the deity and that they must work together to bring people into the “other world” by performing a suicide bombing at the busy Shibuya train station. Though he’s adamantly opposed, Shiraishi’s character is terrified into cooperation by Uno in a cutaway reveal that sees him first transform into the original attacker and then into a cosmic abomination. Uno maintains his thankful demeanor up until the detonation and even after his mysterious disappearance in the blast; returning the camera and dollar he borrowed from Shiraishi’s character by transporting them through time from the hell dimension he is now trapped in.

‘Likewise, in A Record of Sweet Murder, after kidnapping and murdering two couples in a search for final victims who display true love, Park learns that both he and Soyeon have also been marked by the the voice he’s been hearing. In order to bring their friend back he must first kill Soyeon and then himself. After tearfully taking Soyeon’s life, he comes face to face with a cosmic horror and is transported back in time to the death of their friend; throwing himself in front of the car and saving their life. The film ends with the camera again falling through time, and landing at the feet of the trio in a different timeline where they lived happily and healthily in the city.

‘In the end, Shiraishi’s characters are both sympathetic and malicious; taking the darkest pathway possible for a chance to change their lives. By humanizing his villains in this way, he doesn’t make excuses for what they’ve done, but leaves you to determine if the sacrifices they made were worth it.’ — Anthony Langley

 

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Stills















































 

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Further

Kôji Shiraishi @ IMDb
Koji Shiraishi YouTube CHANNEL
KS @ MUBI
KS @ Letterboxd
How Kōji Shiraishi Turned the Found-Footage Subgenre on Its Head
How Koji Shiraishi Creates Villains
If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It): An Interview with Koji Shiraishi
The Indecipherable Forms of Kōji Shiraishi’s Found-Footage Cosmic Horror
“There was a responsibility but I did enjoy creating the film!”
Kōji Shiraishi’s Noroi is a found footage horror like no other
Quick Koji Shiraishi Interview
THE SUBVERSIVE QUALITIES OF KOJI SHIRAISHI’S GROTESQUE

 

____
Extras


The Nightmare Cinema of Koji Shiraishi


L’Horrible Interview #4 : Kôji Shiraishi


良いお年を!

 

____
Interview
from 3:AM MAGAZINE

 

David F. Hoenigman: How did you feel when you heard Grotesque was banned in England?

Koji Shiraishi: I was happy. Since there was a reaction I was very happy, but of course if it can’t be shown, and it can’t be released, I’m a little disappointed, but actually that means the movie I’ve made has the power to cause a controversy, so I’m happy in that way.

DH: So the purpose of Grotesque was to cause a reaction?

KS: As the person who made it, I wanted to make something that was impressive, and then the producer said, “I want you to make something horribly violent, so violent that it almost can’t be shown”, as these were my orders, I embraced the challenge of making something stirring and emotional while portraying extreme violence. I wanted to portray people who withstood as much one-sided merciless violence as possible, who were unable to fight back, but who never entirely succumbed, not even in the end. I was also, as a director, interested in portraying the feelings of one who’d commit such crimes, so I didn’t want to abandon that angle. I thought merging these two things would be interesting. I kept that in mind as I made the film.

Of course, on the surface it’s a violent movie, since I like that kind of stuff and since I’m making the film, I can see beyond that. Some people will only see violence and not the central parts of the story, it’s a natural reaction, I accept that.

DH: Who is the producer?

KS: Takafumi Ohashi from Ace Deuce Entertainment. They deal with all kinds of films, all genres, they do big movies too, and they do small films like Grotesque.

DH: Why did they want a violent movie?

KS: Probably because violent films are popular. There are many people who want to watch them. The producers had a feeling that there hadn’t been a film this violent made yet in Japan, so if we could make one so violent that it almost couldn’t be shown, they figured they could expect a set audience.

DH: Are the people that want to see it Japanese? Or are they foreign?

KS: Of course we thought of overseas too, but mainly we thought of Japan. Nowadays Yoshihiro Nishimura, Noburo Iguchi, and Sion Sono too recently – make Japanese films anchored in the portrayal of violence. And because these films tend to attract audiences, following this trend, I think I was asked to make this film. And probably of the directors that Mr. Ohashi knew, I was the only one who could make something this extremely violent.

DH: Do you watch violent movies?

KS: Yes, I watch them. It depends on the film, but movies that merely focus on blood and guts are boring. I like things that entertain. It’s old but Dawn of the Dead, I also like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, I also like The Thing – they’re great as films, and their portrayal of violence is great. I enjoy seeing these things that can only be portrayed in movies, but I’d hate to see them in reality.

DH: Noroi is a complex movie, Grotesque is very simple. For the same director, they’re quite different.

KS: Grotesque, because it’s a low-budget small scale work, couldn’t be too complicated, because the number of filming days was limited, and because it was filmed in mostly one spot, we couldn’t gear up the movie to become big scale.

And since it was filmed in mostly one spot, to advance the story within these constrictions and to make it as entertaining as possible was an interesting challenge.

DH: I’ve heard you don’t want to continue making horror films.

KS: No, that’s not true, if something suits me I want to make it regardless of the genre. I just said I’d like to try making films that aren’t horror. I like to portray the feeling of being scared and fear itself within film, so I’ll probably continue to do this. But rather than violence, an intense fear, for example: about nature, fear and menace, the existence of the extraordinarily awful – or however you’d like to put it. I’d like to make works that tie this together with thrillers or suspense, anything, so I can’t say I won’t do horror.

DH: Comedy?

KS: Yes, the movie I’ll soon complete, Bachiatari Boryoku Ningen (“Cursed Violent People”), is a comedy. It’s a comedy but it’s a fake documentary. You can say it’s the same style as Occult. It can be called a violent comedy, a gritty & manly film, but ultimately a moving coming of age film. It’s quite difficult to explain.

DH: Would you like to make a Hollywood movie someday?

KS: Yes, I’d like to make one, I want money, making small films in Japan is not profitable. If you don’t make a big movie, you can’t make decent money, I’d like to achieve commercial success at some point so I’d like to try to make a Hollywood movie.

If I could make a big movie in Japan, I don’t think it’d be as good of a film as I could make in Hollywood. When you make a big movie in Japan, you get bombarded with forceful input from all different sources within the infrastructure, the opinions are not as professional as they’d be in Hollywood and the film itself has a tendency to become less and less interesting. Because of this, if you make a big Japanese movie there’s a higher probability that the end result could be an unentertaining film. If I make a big movie, I’d definitely want to do it in Hollywood. Unfortunately, as of yet, they haven’t come calling.

DH: Do you always write your own scripts?

KS: They’re almost all collaborative scripts, I write on my own as well. Once, only once, it was entirely up to another person, but in general I’m always involved.

DH: Which of your movies was the most difficult to write?

KS: It’s always difficult.

DH: Even Grotesque?

KS: Yes.

DH: Grotesque angered a lot of people. For example, after you were featured on the cover of the popular English language magazine Metropolis here in Tokyo, a reader wrote in:

“The idea that this man made this sick movie, and that Metropolis is giving him credence by featuring him in such a way, along with posting sick, disgusting pictures from the film, is deeply disturbing. What is the benefit of a film like this? To cater to sick freaks? It’s a sad day when people who make films that have no other purpose than to show how low human beings can go get as much attention as this piece of garbage.”

KS: (laughing joyously ) Have these people seen the film? I want them to see the film. But perhaps, maybe if they see the film they’ll be more angry.

DH: Do you think people’s opinions will change if they see the film?

KS: I wonder… some people’s opinions may change, some people’s won’t change, and I think some people will become more angry. But I don’t remember saying anything in that interview that could’ve stirred up such anger.

DH: I believe these reader’s comments came from a foreigner. Did this movie also anger Japanese people?

KS: I think there weren’t any angry people in Japan. They may think it’s not entertainment or that it’s too graphically violent, but there aren’t any people angry enough to say I’ve done a terrible thing. I wonder why.

Well, if Japanese parents found their children watching Grotesque they’d probably be angry. But there’s an age limit to make sure that really young people can’t watch it, it’s very difficult for underage kids to get a hold of.

DH: Who’s your favorite Japanese director?

KS: I like Sogo Ishii, a bit older movies Crazy Thunder Road, Burst City and The Crazy Family and recently Gojoe and Electric Dragon 80.000 V.

DH: Have you met him?

KS: I was once involved as a staff on one of his filming sites, we became acquaintances, since we’re both from Fukuoka Prefecture, there was a tight bond. Since Crazy Thunder Road is my favorite movie in the world, I have tremendous respect for him.

DH: How about foreign directors?

KS: There are many I admire: Brian De Palma, Sam Raimi, Abbas Kiarostami, John Carpenter.

DH: Evil Dead?

KS: I like it.

DH: Army of Darkness.

KS: Army… I don’t especially like. I like Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn.

DH: How about John Carpenter?

KS: Of course, The Thing, it’s absolutely amazing.

 

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14 of Kôji Shiraishi’s 89 films

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Ju-Rei: The Uncanny (2004)
Ju-rei is a cheap film and for the most part it is very evident. The DV quality of the film is rough, muddy and grainy, the acting can be sub-par at best, and the lack of decent special effects or blood at times calls attention to itself, intentionally, but Shiraishi uses these limitations to good effect. The lack of special effects and blood force him to rely on one thing: tension. While some would consider this a good thing (myself included), this is the aspect of the movie that will polarize viewers most. The film plays out in long, static shots, and can test a viewer’s patience if not prepared. Because we are forced to view the same image for sometimes minutes, tension is created just from the sheer anticipation of when the moment of terror is going to occur, and from which part of the screen. Ju-rei is very slow, and built entirely on this simple concept.’ — Matthew Hardstaff

Watch the film here

 

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Noroi: The Curse (2005)
Noroi: The Curse constructs a whole world to inhabit out of paranormal vhs documentaries, psychick children, tabloid news, the remnants of drowned witch villages, and the powerful demonologies which animate the central mythos. It is best to watch Noroi: The Curse by knowing little or nothing about it save that it is a fake paranormal vhs doc, the last of its line, as the researcher responsible has disappeared after uncovering a story too vast to be fit onto vhs cassettes. The only other logical comparison to this movie in scope and folkloric jolt would be The Blair Witch Project, yet where that movie felt impressionist, ambient and sketchy (in the best possible way), Noroi: The Curse brings the weight of the cosmos down upon you, a heavy comet of ice and dirt and blood and dread and feathers which knows your name and is coming for you and when it does it ends up a relief. Noroi feels Lovecraftian in inspiration and extent, but derives most of its charge from old-school Japanese demon stories of sorcerous cabal, a mountain of dead bodies, a nightmare tunnel to a place not better than where you began.’ — nathaxnne


Trailer

 

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Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman (2007)
‘Legend holds that 30 years ago, a suburban town was terrorized by the spirit of a woman whose horrid face had been grotesquely disfigured. Roaming the streets wearing a long coat and carrying large scissors, the spirit would approach her young victims and, while removing the mask, ask if she was pretty. The victim’s response would almost always lead to their violent death.’ — Letterboxd


Trailer


the entirety

 

_____________
Ura Horror (2008)
‘Clips from this movie are scattered on youtube with 1M+ views and were highly circulated in the mid 2000s as “creepy japanese videos” with seemingly no origin. They’re presented as actual found footage online, confusing people for years. So many people have seen this without actually seeing it, it’s so sick.’ — Eva Loveless

Watch the film here

 

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Grotesque (2009)
‘In 2009 Kōji Shiraishi released the extreme horror film Grotesque, which stands out in his filmography. The film leaves behind found footage in order to focus on sickly realism that takes place in only a couple of claustrophobic locations. After the sweeping cosmic implications of his other films, Grotesque is very insular and smaller in scale. I would absolutely suggest Grotesque to anyone with any interest in extreme horror. It takes a simple structure and puts the viewer through a gauntlet of misery, but a lot of the strange choices draw attention to the film’s construction.’ — John Patterson


the entirety

 

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Occult (2009)
‘Koji Shiraishi is interested in strange indiscriminate murder at a sightseeing resort. He goes behind the camera to investigate the circumstances surrounding strange occurrences and interview the survivors.’ — MUBI


the entirety

 

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Teke Teke (2009)
‘The upper torso of a female, claws her way around Japan searching for her lower half. The person’s lower half was severed in a train accident in Hokkaido. Anyone that hears of this story will see Teke-Teke’s lower half walking aimlessly around the countryside within three days.’ — Letterboxd


the entirety

 

___________
Shirome (2010)
‘In his latest film, Shirome, Stardust Promotion’s relatively new pop idol unit Momoiro Clover star as a group of girls who enter an old abandoned school hoping to have their wishes granted by a spirit called Shirome. The girls initially had no clue they were being filmed for a movie at all. Instead, they were told that they were being filmed for an upcoming television show exploring haunted locations.’ — Letterboxd


Trailer

 

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Cult (2013)
‘Bruh. In terms of found footage I feel like they showed too much so falta one star. But fuck I love this movie. Neo is such an edgelord but it suits him so well. And I fucking love the idea of a demon bomb. OMG.’ — KirstnMichelle


the entirety

 

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Sadako vs. Kayako (2016)
‘To be honest both the Ring and Ju-On franchises have felt fairly worn-out of late, and are hitting the point where combining them together in a King Kong vs Godzilla-style smackdown is not the worst possible idea in the world. If nothing else it is a solid excuse for a deliberately silly and over-the-top exercise in nostalgia and parody. Sadly director Koji Shiraishi takes an overly reverent route, and that pretty much kills Sadako vs Kayako in its tracks. The overwhelming majority of the film is taken up by establishing the two supernatural forces and easing its protagonist into their respective curses. It is a bizarre waste of the audience’s time, since one can reasonably expect anybody tempted to watch the film will already be well familiar with Ring and Ju-On and their respective set-ups and rules.’ — Grant Watson


Trailer

 

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Vauxhall Rideshow (2016)
‘The story of the found-footage style film involves a group of young women being trapped in an empty school while stalked by a deranged slasher and menaced by supernatural apparitions. Vauxhall Rideshow was specifically crafted to take advantage of the 4DX format, where the movie is accompanied by such gimmicks as vibrating seats, blasts of air, and scented mists to create a more complete sensory experience. Director Koji Shiraishi compares the combination of 4DX trappings and the subjective, “false documentary” camera-work of Vauxhall Rideshow to the works of William Castle, an American film-maker known for including similar gimmicks with the release of his horror pictures such as The Tingler, House on Haunted Hill, and 13 Ghosts.’ — CULT FACTION


Trailer

 

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Hell Girl (2019)
‘Maybe a closer film adaptation of Death Note than Adam Wingard’s American film, while I’m not familiar with the source material here, Shiraishi shows clear versatility in transplanting the exploitation genre fare of his non-FF work onto dark teen J-drama; visually some of his cleanest fare until it goes all gnarly body horror, the contrast never overwhelming the screen as everything moves so smoothly. what saves the narrative from treading water is its use of a literal cult musician similar to Suicide Club, sort of grounding the supernatural elements in an exploration of mortal sin. as such, Hell Girl strangely ends up being Shiraishi’s most grounded outing, even when its literally showing hell.’ — Lee W


Trailer


Excerpt

 

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Welcome to the Occult Forest: The Movie (2022)
‘A washed up horror film director named Kôji Kuroishi (played by Kôji Shiraishi) and his assistant director named Miho Ichikawa visit a house deep in wooded mountains to film a movie. Once arrived, they meet a mentally deranged woman named Maria Miyoshi who proclaims she’s a fan of Kuroishi’s works.’ — MUBI


Trailer

 

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Safe Word (2022)
‘The pop idol and wrestler Misa the Killer, followed by a camera operator for the making of a documentary, meets the mistress Kanon and becomes herself a mistress in the BDSM club “H”. But being Kanon’s slave and other club’s clients’ mistress can bring more than a trouble. The controversial J-Horror director Koji Shiraishi realizes a roman porno in perfect Nikkatsu style, combining his maddest obsessions (among which a mockumentary) to compose a funny and eccentric ode to perversion and boundless love. An erotic, wacky and unforeseeable comedy, a traditional pinku eiga re-elaboration as well as an exhilarating questioning of the Japanese pop culture.’ — Sicilia Queer


Trailer

 

 

*

p.s. Hey. ** Dominik, Hi!!! Aw, thanks! I’ll definitely eat chunky if it’s put in front of me. Yes, wouldn’t that be interesting? Finding out re: our need vs. our want? I was thinking about that a bunch yesterday. I’m assuming I don’t know this Blake who’s in your head, but I am 100% sure he deserves the wild surprise party. I’ll even attend, even though I hate parties. Although ‘wild’ is hard to turn down. Love making every male in the world fem acting for 24 hours, G. ** David Ehrenstein, Thanks for the link. I don’t know that song, but now I will. ** Misanthrope, You’re the figurer. I actually saw that about the government DC offices closing due to impending extreme weather all the way over here in France. Better cray cray than dead due to a ceiling collapse always. ** Jack Skelley, Wise words there about obsession, and inarguable to boot. Thanks about our hell. We’re speaking with the lawyer this evening, but I don’t anticipate any kind of breakthrough. Never say never, but … Thanks, buddy. Where there’s a will there’s a way? Can that homily be true? Love, me. ** _Black_Acrylic, Santa does seem to have all kinds of deep connections and/or incredible blackmailing skills, so … why not? The worst you’ll get is a lump of coal. ** T. J., Now that is a hell of an image, you are so right. And highly documentable, yes. Shame. I suppose you could recreate it technically, but the magic of the moment was probably half of it. Anyway, beautiful, thanks! ** Guy, Oh, hey, it’s you! Hi, pal! Yeah, I didn’t put two and two together. Or I guess one and one. But I use ‘guy’ as an androgynous term applicable to all, so in fact you are a gorgeous guy. It’s been chilly here, but it feels like summer suddenly remembered that it’s summer today, so I’m a bit worried. Is that the new Honoré film? If so, it’s called something else here. No, I haven’t seen it. I was shooting the film in the US when it was in French theaters. I heard the boy in it was good. That’s interesting because we found the boy in ‘Permanent Green Light’ from looking at the audition tapes of boys who had auditioned to be in one of Honoré’s films that he had rejected. Weird. I’ll see the film. How are you? What’s going on? Love, me. ** Cody Goodnight, Hi. I’m solid-ish. Yeah, every time I watch that poppy field scene my chest starts hurting. I love fake snow. In Zac’s and my first film ‘Like Cattle Towards Glow’ there’s a scene where it’s snowing the whole time indoors , and we used tons and tons of fake snow plus lots of giant blowers. But the fake snow in that scene was *spoiler alert* little ripped shreds of clear plastic. I like your donut choices. I didn’t see the first Meg film either. I don’t think it was released over here. RIP William Friedkin. He made a few really great movies. Hm, favorite classical music piece … maybe Mahler’s Ninth? That’s the first one that springs to mind anyway. Nice about the Deren 4-piece. My favorite Deren is ‘Ritual in Transfigured Time’. I will: have a great day or night. Or I will try my utmost. Hopefully you won’t even have to try. ** NIT, Hi, NIT! Is there an interesting story behind why you were semi trained in asbestos abatement? Seems exotic? That’s horrible about McQueen. I didn’t know that. Jesus. Thanks for the well wishes. We’ll get through this horrible mess one way or the other. Happy day! ** Right. Since I did a Day on Gakuryū Ishii last week, I thought I’d just go ahead and do a Day on Kôji Shiraishi while I was at it. Know his stuff? Fun. See you tomorrow.

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