This thesis examines the understanding of the contemporary Japanese horror film genre in the UK, taking into account the effects that the specificities of the UK cross-cultural context have upon audiences’ meaning-making. Analysis mainly revolves around six films selected based upon frequency of mention by participants: Ring (Nakata, 1998), Audition (Miike, 1999), Ju-on: The Grudge (Shimizu, 2004), Dark Water¬ (Nakata, 2002), Battle Royale (Fukusaku, 2000) and Ichi the Killer (Miike, 2001).
Four focus groups and twenty individual interviews were conducted with individuals aged between eighteen and thirty years of age, all of whom self-identified as British. Responses were analysed in order to provide insight into three key areas: how UK audiences define the genre of contemporary Japanese horror film, the frameworks and processes they use in their definitions, and the meanings that they find in culturally-specific elements within these films. Both the Japanese and UK reception landscapes of contemporary Japanese horror film are outlined in order to provide necessary context.
Ultimately, the research unearths a variety of interpretations of the contemporary Japanese horror film genre, which are reflective of a range of audience readings due in part to different levels of inter-cultural competence and personal preference. The study finds new channels of reception to be central in influencing transnational audience reception. Home viewing cultures and shifts from the original viewing context are further linked to the way in which audiences create experiences around the films, the influence of which lasts well beyond the point of reception. Alongside this, genre definition and film placements within those genres are shown to be an important factor in film reception, particularly in terms of influencing audience value judgments. Acknowledging the fragmented nature of the audience, hypotheses as to the development of an audience-led approach to transnational genre are outlined.
