Exte: Hair Extensions
エクステ
An aspiring hairdresser becomes the infatuation of a tricophilic man who sells hair extensions to nearby salons. The source is the corpse of a girl whose corpse continues to grow beautiful, voluminous, black hair that comes alive, either driving the extension user insane or killing them.
Why it matters
A grotesque fusion of body horror and supernatural dread that turns hair—a symbol of beauty—into a weapon of madness and death.
- Practical effects and unsettling puppet work bring the animate hair to life with tactile menace, long before CGI took over the genre.
- Sion Sono’s early dive into horror blends visceral gore with eerie ghost story vibes, showcasing his flair beyond cult crime and psychodrama.
- A cult gem for fans of Japanese body horror and cursed object narratives, riffing on themes of obsession, decay, and vanity.
- Not flawless by modern standards—some effects feel dated—but its unsettling atmosphere and inventive premise still carve a niche in hair-raising horror.
Director
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
57
Slow Burn
17
Psychological
43
Supernatural
20
Creature
73
Disturbing
67
Fun Factor
67
Cerebral
28
Survival
33
