Hollywood Movies That Were Based On Japanese Films

Hollywood has often produced movies that got their inspirations from Asian cinema. Japanese movies have always had a great influence on Hollywood. Well, more than having an impact, Hollywood has a long list of movies that were remakes of popular Japanese films. 

So, here are some famous Hollywood movies that were based on famous Japanese films.

The Ring (2002)

Source: Horror Homeroom

One of the highly appreciated and critically well-received horror films ‘The Ring’ was based on the Japanese horror film ‘Ringu’ (1998). The original movie is an adaptation from the novel Ring written by Koji Suzuki.

The film stars: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox

Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009)

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Both, the Japanese film ‘Hachiko Monogatari’ (1987) and the British- American remake of the film, ‘Hachi: A Dog’s Tale’ are inspired by the real-life story of Akita Inu, a faithful dog who died while waiting for his dead owner to return.

The film stars: Richard Gere, Joan Allen, Sarah Roemer

Midnight Sun (2018)

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Source: IMDb

American romantic film ‘Midnight Sun’ features a typical teen romance. It is based on a Japanese film ‘Midnight Sun’ (2006). Well, the film received mostly unfavorable critical reviews.

The film stars: Bella Thorne, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Rob Riggle

The Grudge (2004)

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Adding another one to the list is American supernatural horror film ‘The Grudge’. ‘The Grudge’ is based on the Japanese Film ‘Ju-on: The Grudge’ (2002).

The film was well received and was a success at the box-office. The film also has two sequel films, ‘The Grudge 2’ and ‘The Grudge 3’ and another movie is set to be released in following years.

The film stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, KaDee Strickland

Pulse (2006)

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Another remake of a popular Japanese film, ‘Pulse’ is based on Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s horror film ‘Kairo’ (2001). The film was followed by two sequels: Pulse 2: Afterlife and Pulse 3: Invasion

The film stars: Kristen Bell, Ian Somerhalder, Christina Milian

Eight Below (2006)

Source: Wikipedia

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‘Eight Below’ is an American survival film which is a remake of 1983 Japanese film ‘Antarctica’. The film got positive reviews and a good box-office collection.

The film stars: Paul Walker, Bruce Greenwood, Moon Bloodgood, Jason Biggs

Dark Water (2005)

Source: Horror and Alternative Cinema Reviews

Another American horror film ‘Dark Water’ is based on the Japanese film ‘Dark Water’ (2002). The Japanese film is, again, based on a story, Floating Water written by Koji Suzuki.

The film stars: Jennifer Connelly, Tim Roth, John C. Reilly, Dougray Scott

Last Man Standing (1996)

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Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Another film that adds to the list is American action thriller film, ‘Last Man Standing’. The film is based on Akira Kurosawa’s famous film ‘Yojimbo’ (1961). The film was a box-office success but got mixed reviews from the critics.

The film stars: Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken, Bruce Dern

The Outrage (1964)

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‘The Outrage’ is based on Akira Kurosawa’s famous film ‘Rashomon’ (1950).

The plot of both the films caters the concept of Rashomon Effect. Rashomon effect occurs when different people have different interpretations of the same event.

The film stars: Edward G. Robinson, Paul Newman, Laurence Harvey, William Shatner

The Yellow Handkerchief (2008)

Source: Wikipedia

Source: Roger Ebert

American film ‘The Yellow Handkerchief’ is a remake of the Japanese film ‘Shiawase no kiiroi hankachi’ or ‘The Yellow Handkerchief’ (1977). The film got mostly positive reviews and good critical ratings.

The film stars: William Hurt, Kristen Stewart, Maria Bello