Asymmetry of power in the Hollywood remaking of the Thai horror film <i>Shutter</i>

Abstract This article examines the process of cinematic transformation in the Hollywood remake of the Thai horror film Shutter directed by Masayuki Ochiai in 2008 under the same title. Through both textual and metatextual analyses, the article situates the two films within two key frameworks: the interplay between local and regional film cultures in the original, and the dynamics between local and global (specifically Hollywood) cinematic systems in the remake. In the Thai original, Asian horror aesthetics—particularly those associated with Japanese horror—are introduced alongside Thai cultural traditions. By contrast, while the Hollywood remake is nominally based on a Thai narrative, it marginalizes Thai cultural elements in favour of J-horror film aesthetics, which are absorbed within an American cinematic framework. This process involves the strategic use of the J-horror genre conventions, the employment of Japanese production staff, and thematic reinterpretation—including motifs such as technophobia, racial othering, and female agency. In sum, the remake highlights the asymmetrical power relations in the making and branding of transnational cinema.