David Cronenberg could perhaps compete with Nakata but unfortunately only lesser mortals have attempted to replicate the feeling that Reiko has plunged into something with which even her psychic powers can’t compete.
Ringu (1998)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 29
Fresh: 28
Rotten:1
Average Rating: 7.5/10
Consensus: Ringu combines supernatural elements with anxieties about modern technology in a truly frightening and unnerving way.
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Genre: Foreign Films
Synopsis: Exactly one week after staying at a remote cabin, a group of Japanese teenagers all meet sudden inexplicable deaths. A cousin of one of the victims, reporter Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima),... Exactly one week after staying at a remote cabin, a group of Japanese teenagers all meet sudden inexplicable deaths. A cousin of one of the victims, reporter Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima), begins an investigation that leads to the discovery of a videotape containing hauntingly bizarre footage. Upon viewing the tape, Reiko receives a phone call stating that she, too, will die in one week. As the clock ticks away, Reiko enlists the help of her estranged husband, Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada), who possesses limited psychic abilities. Together they attempt to discover the meaning behind the cryptic film and break the supernatural curse. Hideo Nakata's RING, based on a novel by Kôji Suzuki, was such a hit in Japan that it spawned both a sequel and prequel, along with a huge cult following. Like a horrific version of an X-FILES episode, the dark, moody film makes the most out of the mysterious and the unknown. As any viewer will admit, the surreal, death-inducing video presented within the movie is extremely effective. And as RING's tension builds, so does its sense of mounting doom. One of the creepiest motion pictures ever made, RING culminates in an unbelievably chilling finale. Do not watch this film alone...and make sure the phone ringer is off. [More]
Starring: Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Miki Nakatani
Starring: Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Miki Nakatani
Director: Hideo Nakata
Director: Hideo Nakata
Screenwriter: Hiroshi Takahashi
Composer: Kenji Kawai
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Reviews for Ringu
Ring has indescribably disturbing moments that frightened me out of my wits. But like many of the Japanese horrors that followed, it sometimes has an elliptic and confusing storytelling style that can make plot-progression muddy.
The original retains its power to chill, although in the age of the DVD and the download, the idea of a haunted video cassette seems positively archaic.
The finale, too, still feels as twisted, bizarre and down-right nightmarish as it did all those years ago.
Classically shot, with effective use of stereo sound effects, the movie is almost entirely free of visual horror and the usual Eastern ghost cliches, managing to suspend auds' disbelief in the hokey story through pure atmosphere.
Subtly expressive faces and spooky interiors are the order of the day in this original, powerful treat.
Director Hideo Nakata's film is a minor masterpiece -- a low-budget horror gem.
A landmark in horror cinema, Japan's Ring is arguably the most chilling pieces of popular supernatural cinema of the 90s.
A blockbuster in Japan, this restrained horror film crosses urban legend conventions with Asian ghost story traditions, and the results are truly spooky.
Eschewing blood for a sinuous tone of Videodromic dread, Ring forces fear into every cut as a psychic telejournalist counts down the hours till a fatal visitation, while making a gung ho attempt to save her brood.
It hit something primal in me, turning me into a quivering ball of nerves; my 'fight or flight' switch was turned to flight and then broken off.
It's hard to fairly judge a film like RINGU when you've seen the remake first. Many of the effective horror elements are dampened through familiarity, [yet] are worthwhile.
Latest News for Ringu
April 27, 2006:
"White Noise 2" Set Visit: Shawn Williamson On Horror Remakes, "Dungeon Siege," and...Canadian Horror?
RT's "White Noise 2" set coverage, Part Three: producer Shawn Williamson, whose 50+ credits include "Slither," "White Noise," and many of Uwe... More...
October 18, 2005:
Next Asia-to-America Horror Remakes? Two Separate "Eye"s
For those who just can't get enough of American remakes like "The Ring," "The Grudge," and "Dark Water," get ready to celebrate. Paramount's got a... More...
September 30, 2005:
Zellweger "Eyes" Role in Horror Remake
Variety brings news that the always-busy Renee Zellweger will star in Paramount's remake of the Pang brothers' thriller "The Eye." More...
March 22, 2005:
"Ring Two" Director Wouldn't Mind Another Trip to the Well
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