Ringu (1998) & The Ring (2002)
February 2nd, 2004 at 8:51 am (3 - Enjoyed it)
What kind of an idtiot am I? The kind that would decide to start watching the Japanese horror flick Ringu (1998) late in the evening while at home alone on a windy and stormy night. Ringu is the kind of utterly creepy, crawl under your skin and fuck with your mind nightmare inducing nastyness that should NOT be watched alone. Even better is Ringu’s newer and more sophisticated US remake The Ring (2002). By now you probably know the premise of these movies: A group of kids watch a weird and mysterious video full of quasi-dada disturbing images and then die exactly one week later. The aunt of one of the kids watches the same video, and then starts to have horrible nightmares as she realizes she too will die in a week.
Sure the story line does not make a whole lot of sense. A killer ghost who infects people through videotape? mysterious phone calls made from beyond the grave? The movie does not have to make much sense though so long as the filmmakers are able to build a disturbing ambiance, which director Gore Verbinski and cinematographer Bojan Bazelli Manage in spades with the help of a very well chosen cast. Naomi Watts carries herself with all the charisma, strength and vulnerability required to pull off the lead role (which was originally supposed to go to Jennifer Connelly, now wouldn’t that have been interesting?). Martin Henderson does just fine in his supporting role and David Dorfman is absolutely perfect as the disturbingly mature and not quite normal creepy kid. I know a lot of people complained about The Ring saying it was not worth all the hype it got, but I felt that both Ringu and The Ring did a great job of delivering exactly what they promise, a visually impressive creepy movie.
Mari said,
February 2, 2004 at 11:13 am
Glad you enjoyed them… i meant to remind you not to watch them alone and at night, but it slipped my mind *grin*
I thought the girl that played Samara was very well cast, too… she creeped the hell out of me in the video-taped interviews, anyhow…
I have the long black hair for it, so I keep meaning to dress up as Samara/Sadako for Halloween, but i just can’t find a white dress…
Now i want to watch The Ring again just to give myself the creeps
Nick said,
February 3, 2004 at 2:46 pm
Think that’s bad. I saw The Ring in a nearly empty theater by myself. Man, I about flew into the next row of seats when the girl comes through the TV.
I really *hate* when people are unwilling to suspend their disbelief in a movie like this. Of course it doesn’t “make sense” that this stuff could happen. But that’s no different from any sci-fi, fantasy, horror movie of any kind. Does it make any more sense that a ghost is walking around talking to some kid in Sixth Sense and that if he helps them, they’ll go in peace? The worst thing in a movie, to me, is when they try to explain all these things, like Episode I’s attempt to explain The Force in some pseudo-scientific way, as if knowing there are little whatchamacallits in the blood are going to make The Force more believable. Lame.
The important thing is that world itself holds to its own logic. They should just tell us what is the case and then stick to it. The Ring does that while creating a wonderfully creepy mood and tone and providing good suspense and a nice twist.
This is one of the better horror movies ever in my view.
heathcliffe said,
February 4, 2004 at 11:35 am
I am *famed* for my despisal of horror movies, and even I am becoming intrigued by The Ring. Thinking about seeing it, actually. Unheard of.
Leopoldo said,
February 4, 2004 at 6:31 pm
I really hate horror movies as well. I not only don’t watch them but avoid them. Every so often when I hear about some good psychological thriller I will give it a go though, that is what happened with Ringu and The Ring and I am glad I made the exception. For more movies I have made an exception for check out Film Roar: The Most Disturbing Movies Ever
jonathan said,
September 1, 2004 at 6:51 pm
es belico
hannah said,
September 4, 2004 at 6:28 pm
it was so fucking scary that i nearly threw up i was sceard for weeks now i just whant to see ring gu
Margaret said,
September 6, 2004 at 4:42 pm
this movie was really freaky i couldnt get to sleep that night but now about 2 weeks later i absolutly LOVE it!!!!!
kristina said,
September 18, 2004 at 7:49 pm
the ring is my absulute favorite movie of all time.if anything,i think it was under hyped.i recently bought one of the manga vresions of it,..it was kind of confusing,but really good,anyways,..it goes on to explain how adien and rachel,(or Mai and Yoichi),are left with psycic abilities after encountering sadako.also,becca (masami)is in it.
person said,
September 19, 2004 at 4:11 pm
umm… is this site related to geek-chick.net?
cuz i noticed that one was shut down… juss wondering….
BASUDHA said,
October 27, 2004 at 3:36 am
HEY THATS WAS A GR8 MOVIE. THANX TO IT, THAT I CUD NOT SLEEP FOR 4 DAYS AND CUD PREPARE WELL FOR MY EXAMS
jessa said,
December 15, 2004 at 3:01 pm
that movie scared the shit outta me…i watched it with my grandma so i had to sleep in her room on the floor that night i watched it..and i have a tv in my room right at the end of my bed so im always scared that the tv is gunna turn on and go to the video tape in the ring…lol but it was a good movie
ariel said,
December 29, 2004 at 12:01 pm
tha movie was so scary i started to see things(lol) out of the sides of my eyes.and i wouldn’t eat or sleep for days and my boyfriend would make funof me.that movie ROCKS!!!!
Kayla said,
January 2, 2005 at 10:50 am
omg my dad tricked me after i saw that movie. theres a little whole in our celing in our living room and his bedroom is right over it and so he would put the tv t the whole and turn the tv on when i was down stairs by myself. He kept it going for weeks i was so mad at him but it was a good prank. I liked the movie tooo but i seen the girls face in the closet and i started flipping out. lmmfao.
nuke said,
January 5, 2005 at 4:36 am
the american version of “the ring”….sorry, “ringu”…is a shit film! the original is one of the best horror film of the world, and the usa film offend its!!! in te japan film Sadako is a poor tortured girl…the anormal signes are only the eye and the hands…in the usa movie sadako is a monster like in a splatter film!!! the american film directors can make wonderful film american style…but to copy from other states are incapables! i’m so angry…..
Chantal said,
January 7, 2005 at 10:58 am
Its the Greats movie ive seen!And the Ringu is a dreadfull film! They must make more movies like this!
nuke said,
January 9, 2005 at 4:06 am
now in the italian cinema is out The Grudge with Sarah Michelle Galler…i wonted to see this film…then…i see the dvd in a shop…i think is nont possible!!! i see the cast but… there is not S.M.Galler!!!! oh, surprise!!! the dvd is the original japanese film maked on 2003!!!
an other copy………..
dear american film directors….WHY!?!?!?!?!?!?
Brett said,
January 22, 2005 at 7:14 pm
i watched it like 5 times, i would hide behind my pillow when they are about to show the faces after the girl kills them, more so much when the cousin of aiden dies and is hidden in the closet.
Misafreak646 said,
January 25, 2005 at 3:19 am
Hey guys, I watched The Ring not too long ago and goddamn! For some reason I wasn’t scared to leave my TV on, wasn’t scared that Samara would come out of it, so I left it on all night so I wouldn’t be alone! It scared the shit out of me and now I really want to see Ringu. I’ve seen some of the sequels to Ringu but I haven’t seen the actual original, which is pissing me off. Since I watched The Ring I can’t get Samara out of my mind and I keep drawing her and it’s actually starting to freak me out. I’ve also written a fanfiction under the name BlackMisa4466 and posted it on www.fanfiction.net too.
I am obsessed!
MALISSA SARGENT said,
April 5, 2005 at 4:46 pm
THE RING 2 IS JUST AS SCARY AS THE FIRST-IF NOT SCARIER.. IT FREAKED THE HELL OUT OF ME, I THINK ABOUT IT EVERYDAY..IT WAS INCREDIBLE..TH WAY THEY MADE SAMARA CRAWL OUTTA THE WELL AFTER RACHEL…HOLY FUCKIN SHIT, I WAS SCREAMIN! GODDAMN! ITS A GOODER! FOR ANYONE WHO HASNT SEEN ALL THE SERIES OF THE RING AND RINGU..I SUGGEST YOU WATCH THEM ALL! AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND THEM, GET MEANING FROM THE MOVIE, THEN ITS EVEN MORE ENJOYABLE! WOO GO SAMARA!
katie said,
June 21, 2005 at 10:42 am
wow brilliant scary weird confusing and ABSOLUTLY KICK ASS
Jatin said,
September 19, 2005 at 7:43 pm
the original japanese Ringu is by far the best than any of the hollywood remakes.japanese are best at this genre.hollywood geeks messed it up by using the usual background score and trying (unsuccessfully) to scare the audience-abit off sloppy show off.
japanese horror filmmakers play with your mind such that the character sadako gets into your mind and even scares you in broad daylight.
Swarm-Bore said,
April 21, 2006 at 6:36 pm
I saw The Ring, and let’s just say I was terminally afraid of staticy TVs for about a week, and it became two weeks after this:
Well, the following Wednesday night, I was sleeping on the futon because it was a very warm night. I had the TV on channel 0 as I’d been watching a tape, and I rolled over or kicked or something and accidentally pressed the power button on the remote (after forgetting to turn the TV off at the powerpoint). Well, I also happened to ahve the TV up full-blast. I actually screamed and….well, I’ll not elaborate on what I said but I’ll just say that I can be very foul-mouthed when I’m freaking out XD. What was worse was that my mum had been watching the movie while I was at school, and she’d stopped it at the part where Samara is about to climb out of the well. Had the DVD player been on and had I also rolled onto that remote and somehow managed to press the AV/TV button on the TV remote (highly unlikely which is why it didn’t happen) I would’ve been yelling out a lot more than what I did.
So you see, what’s ironic is that we worry about bird flu and car crashes and drink drivers hitting us on the way home, and yet we don’t think that the humble TV could be our eventual killer.
And that’s a scary thought because I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t own a TV. It’s just as bad as Stephen King’s Cell.
florian said,
April 24, 2006 at 7:12 am
this is a very beautiful fotography
i love the ring,but it’ not very terific!
Desiree said,
May 13, 2006 at 8:26 am
I think the ring is a very good movie…at times I thoght it was a little wird
mohammed said,
June 23, 2006 at 4:03 am
hi that for you so you think you can dance
Saniya said,
August 6, 2006 at 1:47 pm
The Ring is scary but The Ring Two is scarier than The Ring one!!!!!!!!!!!
Saniya said,
August 6, 2006 at 1:56 pm
Hi guys! Right now I will go watch the ring two and the ring. I am not scared at morning I am scared at night!!!! I will go to Hollywood this month and I will watch the ring two in Theaters and I think it will be VERY SCARY!!! In Russia I watched the other ring one it wasn’t really scary. AND I AM WRITING THIS TO RACHEL. RACHLE I LOVE ALL OF YOUR MOVIE I LIKE THE RING TWO BETTER! WHEN I’LL COME TO HOLLYWOOD I WISH I WILL SEE YOU. YOU ARE MY FAVORITE ACTOR!!! BYE!!!
alaa said,
August 12, 2006 at 3:41 am
ringu is the best scary films that i have watched ever
alaa said,
August 12, 2006 at 3:45 am
hi the original ringu is best than the ring but the ring is good and scary
the ring 2 is less scariest than the ring 1
moi said,
October 21, 2006 at 3:06 pm
this is not the japanese one… :’(
ayesha said,
December 6, 2006 at 2:40 pm
heya, wat was the girls name, was it serina or tabitha?
Zoe!! said,
January 31, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Oh my godd i was soo scared the first time i watched it i was scared for weeks and even months!!! To you people who dont like gore i would advise you not to watchit hehe!!!I love it now and cant stay away from horror!!!
Anna i no zoe said,
January 31, 2007 at 12:35 pm
ye the faces ewwwwwwwww but really good film ye people who have nightmares dont watch it but if u do like it watch amazin film luv it watch again deffinetly hehe watch it or i come out da tele lol
Erika said,
April 6, 2007 at 12:19 pm
watz dat lil gurlz name?
Compare and Contrast: Posters From Recent Horror Remakes Vs. Their Counterparts From the Original Films » Movie Poster Addict said,
April 21, 2007 at 7:58 pm
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