Noroi (2005) - This Found Footage Horror Film Might Be the Scariest Ever Made (RHS Talks Ep. 23)

Noroi: The Curse isn’t just another found footage horror film — it’s the kind of movie that follows you into the dark after the credits roll. In this podcast episode with Derrick Heisey of Nightmares and Grief, we're breaking down why Noroi is considered one of the most unsettling horror films ever made, how it uses documentary realism to build dread, and why movies today rarely capture this same fear.

We’ll talk:

How Noroi builds dread slowly and deliberately
Why the “real documentary” style makes everything feel too believable
Why this film sticks with people

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Hey, I’m Brandy, aka The Terrorific Lady.

I’m a former teacher turned horror content creator, here to break down horror films from the 1970s to the 2010s and explore the concepts, tropes, and history behind the genre we all love.

New videos every Friday. Let’s talk horror.

🎃 Instagram & Threads: @TerrorificLady
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Retro horror is the lesson. I’m just here to teach it.

Chapters

00:00 – Intro and info about Derrick's books and podcast
01:32 – Slow burns ARE good!
04:02 – What stands out about Noroi?
08:00 – This movie doesn't have a lot of shaky cam
08:53 – How does the pacing/tension compare to horror movies put out now?
10:47 – You are an investigator along with Kobayashi
11:53 – Discussing a Reddit review about Noroi
13:07 – How does Noroi take the Kagutaba curse and make it frightening?
15:52 – What makes Kobayashi so compelling as a protagonist?
20:30 – How do the interviews and show clips make this more realistic?
23:40 – Creepy kids!
26:32 – What moments did you find the most disturbing in Noroi?
31:50 – Why does the found footage/documentary approach work for Noroi?
36:30 – What about the sound is so unsettling?
43:05 – How does the editing contribute to the creepiness of Noroi?
47:24 – Why has Noroi resonated so strongly with people?
49:53 – Why should you watch Noroi?
51:00 – Retro Lightning Round
55:04 - Outro and where to find Derrick