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Norio Tsuruta
Born in 1960, Tokyo, graduated from Wako University, majoring in economics. He produced independent movies throughout his high school and university life, and his 1985 horror movie "Torineko" was highly praised by movie/visual art critics. After he graduated from university, he worked for a video software company and a movie distribution company in marketing and PR, though later he decided to pursue his career as a movie director and became a freelancer. He made his debut as a professional director with "Scary True Stories," based upon the horror comic, which he planned and developed. Although it was a low budget video project, it became a smash hit and in 1992 produced "Scary True Stories/Night Two" and "All New Scary True Stories: Realm of Spectres." This straight to video series exhibited well thought plots and was acclaimed by movie industry professionals including director Kiyoshi Kurosawa and writer Hiroshi Takahashi. The series influenced "Ringu ('98)" written by Hiroshi Takahashi, "Kairo ('01)" directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and other horror movies. And "Ju-on: The Grudge," which became the No.1 hit horror movie in the US, includes scenes and execution styles that imitated "All New Scary True Stories: Realm of Spectres" as the director Takashi Shimuzu openly acknowledges in the DVD's commentary. And this is why Tsuruta is called "Father of J-Horror" or "Pioneer of J-Horror."
In 1993, he directed a non-horror independent film that was screened at restricted theaters, but aspiring to follow his passion in horror movies and explore his style further in the genre, he released two horror videos in 1996: "Evil Spirit Kaidan/The Cursed Beautiful Women" which is said to have offered the original concept of Sadako who crawls out of TV screens in "Ringu"; and "The Ghost Class," which is based upon Jiro Tsunoda's work. In 1999, he directed a TV horror drama, "The School's Kaidan" and launched his career in the TV industry. Later that year, he directed "Scary True Stories" as a two-hour Fuji Television drama and the cast included popular actors Hitomi Kuroki, Goro Inagaki and Miho Nakayama. This TV version "Scary True Stories" enjoyed great popularity and after a couple dramas were produced on the theme, it became a regular drama series in spring 2004, with Goro Inagaki as star. Then from fall 2004 to spring 2005, the series enjoyed its second season as Tsuruta worked as the principal director. In 2000, he started directing major theatrical movies and released "Ringu 0 — Birthday."
In 2001, he directed Japan-Hong Kong co-production movie "Kakahi," and it won the Fantaland King's Award at 2001 Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival. In 2004, he released "Premonition," based upon "Horror Newspaper" by Jiro Tsunoda. "Premonition" was officially entered in the 2005 New York Tribeca Film Festival which was organized Robert De Niro. Besides "Premonition," "Ringu 0," and "Kakashi," the video "Scary True Stories" was released on DVD in the US, Europe and other countries, winning great popularity. He's also known for his talent in discovering new actresses. He cast Yukie Nakama in "Ringu 0," Kou Shibazaki in "Kakashi," and Maki Horikita in "Premonition," helping them become big stars.
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