entertainment

Ads in Tokyo stations for Western horror movie deemed too scary for commuters

18 Comments
By Philip Kendall

Stroll through any of Tokyo’s larger train stations and you’ll inevitably come face to face with the vision of a disheveled teenage girl, trapped behind a layer of glass crying for your help.

As part of the promotional campaign for “multi-layered” horror movie "Cabin" (released in the west in 2012 as "The Cabin in the Woods"), a series of frightening advertisements is currently being displayed on 160 screens across 14 stations in and around the Tokyo area. For many, though, the ads were simply too scary, and an advertising standards agency has made the unusual step of asking for them to be toned down.

Although they have now been altered, the ads originally showed a female figure covered in blood, banging on the glass and begging for passing commuters to save her. After several members of the public said that they found the images a little too disturbing, the color of the images was tweaked so that blood and gore could no longer be seen. Even in their dull black-and-white state, though, the ads are still pretty eye-catching.

Public reaction to the intense ads ranges from “way too scary,” to much blunter but equally honest comments such as “What the hell is that!?” uttered by shoppers and commuters passing by.

If you’d like to frighten your children by telling them that government has started imprisoning people who don’t brush their teeth in the walls of public spaces, you can take them along to Ikebukuro, Shibuya, Ebisu, Shinagawa, Tokyo, Akihabara, Ueno, Mitaka, Kokubunji, Hachioji, Akabane, Urawa, Omiya, or Yokohama station to see the ads, which will remain – in their slightly altered yet still unnerving form – until Sunday.

Source: Narinari

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18 Comments
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If R rated scenes are being shown in the advertisements, then those scenes should be removed. Parents do not have the opportunity to screen these station ads. If certain scenes are not suitable for little children at the movie theater, then those same scenes have no business popping up where it might be viewed by children passing through the station.

Excellent pontificating over a non-issue! The scenes that garnered the film an R rating are never used as advertising, just like they aren't used in the trailers that are rated "G" because they DON'T know who's going to be watching.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I don't know anything about the movie. I do think kids should not have to be anymore afraid than necessary when riding public transport. The ads were out of place and even with the tweaking are possibly still out of place. Perhaps the lines of what can be shown in a public space are getting too blurred?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

On international woman's day.. and with violence against woman nothing to joke about.. and with people getting stabbed in metro stations ... there is no need for this kind of film..

Seen the movie? No? Come back when you have, OK...?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

They should replace these repulsive horror movie posters with posters of Norika Fujiwara.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

This is the most impressive news i heard ever.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Cabin in the Woods was great. It messed with the whole horror genre in so many ways.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Replace "scary" with "tasteless"! Because taste is what most advertising agencies lack today.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

This movie is rated R - Restricted.

Under 17 requires an accompanying parent or adult guardian. This movie contains some adult material and parents are urged to learn more about this film before taking their young children with them to see it.

If R rated scenes are being shown in the advertisements, then those scenes should be removed. Parents do not have the opportunity to screen these station ads. If certain scenes are not suitable for little children at the movie theater, then those same scenes have no business popping up where it might be viewed by children passing through the station.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

ANYTHING from Joss Whedon gets a vote from me. Great movie that I waited a long time to watch. It is really worth it.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Yes. Great movie. Actually made YEARS ago but was stuck in legal/post production limbo for a VERY long time. First off to enjoy this movie you have to appreciate that it tongue and cheek in many ways and just an homage to horror films. Second, you have to like cheesy horror films to begin with.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Kimokekahuna Hawaii

Thanks, you gave me a good laugh first thing in the morning .

0 ( +4 / -4 )

On international woman's day.. and with violence against woman nothing to joke about.. and with people getting stabbed in metro stations ... there is no need for this kind of film.. let alone ads like this.. this is the kind of thing that sets off sick people and along with violent video games blurs the line between reality and fiction.

Why don't you become a politician? You seem to have exactly the kind of attitude and depth required

9 ( +14 / -5 )

I watched this last year, it's a good film, and there is no misogynism in it.This is Joss Whedon you're talking about here!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

On international woman's day.. and with violence against woman nothing to joke about.. and with people getting stabbed in metro stations ... there is no need for this kind of film..

The Cabin in the Woods is not this kind of film. It does not glorify violence against women. It does not glorify violence. It actually plays around with a lot of the tropes of horror movies.

Before you accuse a movie of being misogynist or violent, you might want to try, y'know, actually watching it.

14 ( +18 / -4 )

I am assuming then, that these ads will only be shown after a certain time in the evening, and not when parents with young children who could see it are walking past?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

You kiddin' me right?

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

On international woman's day.. and with violence against woman nothing to joke about.. and with people getting stabbed in metro stations ... there is no need for this kind of film.. let alone ads like this.. this is the kind of thing that sets off sick people and along with violent video games blurs the line between reality and fiction.

-24 ( +10 / -34 )

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