Cinema Smackdown: Shutter (2004) vs Shutter (2008)

Shutter is a Thai film released in 2004 and remade in 2008 with a US cast.  The story is almost exactly the same in both films: a young man and his girlfriend (Thai version)/new wife (US version) are driving along a dark, lonely road.  Jane (the name is the same in both versions) is behind the wheel and is chatting with Tun/Ben.  She turns back to the road to find a young woman in the road and the car hits her.  The next day, the couple can find no record of an accident victim on that road, but Jane's guild and remorse remain.

Tun/Ben, a professional photographer, soon finds that every picture he takes is ruined: hazy smudges appear in each frame.  There is nothing wrong with the camera and the film stock is not faulty.  Jane begins to suspect that the smudge is actually the ghost of the young woman who was hit that dark night.  Tun/Ben seems less convinced and refuses to admit anything otherworldly, even when his old friends begin to die.  After some investigating, Jane finds a name to fit the description of the mysterious woman and presses Tun/Ben until he admits that they used to date.  He claims she left the city suddenly and he has no idea why.

The couple decide to visit the woman's village and find that she has been dead for some time.  They assume that having her cremated will let her soul rest in peace but Tun/Ben quickly learns that is not the case.  Jane, with the help of the woman's spirit, discovers the truth behind the relationship with the woman, Tun/Ben, and his friends.

The differences between the two films are night and day.  The Thai film concerns a young couple going about their daily lives.  The US version shows a newlywed couple who has relocated to Tokyo, where Ben used to work but Jane has never visited (and does not speak the language).  The ruined photos for Tun are from a graduation, Ben's are from a professional shoot complete with high-fashion models.  The US version shows Jane finding the woman's identity from a photo in a rather mundane-looking office, while the Thai Jane finds the photo in a specimen lab, surrounded by jars of preserved animals.  And the blonde American seems far to ready to give into hysterics where the Thai woman prefers to quietly observe.

The biggest differences between the films are pacing and filmography.  The Thai version unfolds slowly, quietly, almost sneaking up on the viewer.  The US version stumbles in like, well, like a half-drunk American at a Japanese tea ceremony.  The scares seem to be spaced out to keep the audience's interest instead of actually serving the narrative.  The special effects are gory and seem a little out of place, while in the original they are eerie and disturbing.  The original ghost shows her face to the camera but the US's ghost seems to always have her stringy hair in her eyes.

The filmography in the original is interesting as the director plays with odd camera placement and angles.  The remake feels more like a made-for-TV movie with boring cinematography.  The overall feel of the US version feels like nothing more than a knee-jerk attempt to cash in on another Asian horror hit.  Why American's are unable to appreciate Asian films and require remakes with white people in the lead roles is beyond me.

2004 version: ★★★★

2008 version:  ★★

Winner: Original