The recent explosion of Japanese horror films (and their English language remakes) has exposed a striking truth: the Japanese know how to scare you better than Americans do. I’ve observed, in films like The Ring, The Grudge and the forthcoming Dark Water, that Japanese horror rests on two tactics: scary, white children and dirty, dirty water.
Via the Movie blog, this article in the New Zealand Herald has a slightly more sophisticated explanation:
“There is a whole other aesthetic to Japanese horror that is different than anything you see in the world,” he said.
“It just naturally creates suspense. It’s a feeling of isolation. For a non-Japanese audience, there is something about that, that is incredibly new and fresh.”
The article also discusses the Japanese usage of modern technology–video cameras, cell phones, etc–in terrifying ways.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
I’ve also noticed a recurring theme of angry women taking revenge on everybody. For examples, see “The Ring,” “The Grudge” and “Audition.” (Audition is the scariest of the three.)
Is that how pasty is spelled in Canada? Not hating, just wondering…
Bah, you’re right. I always thought ‘pasty’ was strictly some kind of stuffed pastry.
Lol. Good post tho. ‘The Ring’ = brr!