Ringu

[areaseven]

Ringu ( リング )

Kadokawa Shoten/Omega Project/Toho, 1998

DreamWorks Home Video, 2004

Directed by Hideo Nakata

Not Rated (Suggested PG-13). Contains scenes of death, scary elements and mature situations.

Cast

- Nanako Matsushima (Azusa in GTO) as Reiko Asakawa

- Hiroyuki Sanada as Ryuji Takayama

- Rikiya Otaka as Yoichi Asakawa

- Rie Inou as Sadako Yamamura

- Miki Nakatani as Mai Takano

- Katsumi Muramatsu as Koichi Asakawa

- Yoichi Numata (Kuka in The Princess Blade) as Takashi Yamamura

- Daisuke Ban (Jinzou Ningen Kikaider) as Dr. Heihachiro Ikuma

Synopsis

Following the mysterious death of her niece Tomoko, news reporter Reiko Asakawa investigates the cases of other teenagers who died of the same cause. Her only major clue is an unmarked videotape with vague images in it. Rumor has it that whoever watches the tape will receive a phone call from an unknown person, and he or she will die in seven days. After viewing the tape, Reiko and her ex-husband Ryuji Takayama must race against time to decipher the tape's contents and crack an unsolved mystery.

Lowdown

Finally, after shoving their version down our throats, DreamWorks SKG releases the movie that started it all. Ringu may not have a big budget or high-profile actors like its American counterpart, but it remains more terrifying and, in many ways, much more believable.

(Note: I won't spoil anything here, so I'm not gonna put any more details on the story itself if you haven't seen either version.)

If you have not seen Ringu, pick it up now. If you still have a bootleg of this movie, you can kiss it goodbye, as DreamWorks has sweetened this film with an all-new high-definition remaster with Dolby 5.1 digital surround sound. The result: a much cleaner film quality, a scarier soundtrack, and a more kawaii Nanako Matsushima.

Without a doubt, Ringu is one of the best horror films ever made. And at under $15, it's a steal. Makes you even forget that an American version existed.

Rating: A

DVD Extras: F

Nothing but the movie in this DVD release.

Reference

Anime News Network

[LePoseur]

Man, hopefully that picture is not the cover they gave it... yikes! Reminds me of the old Nintendo games where they'd ditch the normal-to-good Japanese cover and replace it with some boring crap.

As for the movie, never saw the American version, but my wife refuses to this day to watch the original, even when it was on TV. Odd.

[Black Valkyrie]

I saw it a few years ago and yes I liked, it`s still better than the US version, the movie was scary especailly in the end, I never had this feeling since years when I was a kid.

9,5 out of 10

[bandit29]

How about they both sucked? Talk about overrated...The original(and its sequel, prequel) put me to sleep. Really, really boring. The American version was spiced up alot and it was still boring.

Edited May 5, 2004 by dejr8bud

[Blaine23]

I like both films. Ringu scores big points for being the original, but I liked Verbinski's direction better in The Ring.

If Dreamworks had any sense, they would have put them out together as a set with some freakin' extras. As it is we get two film-only releases. Yawn.

[EXO]

I'm a big fan of the American release. I think it improved and added to the mythos of the original. The original was still good, but the sequels/prequel were horrid. They changed the actress that played the girl for the Amreican sequel. I guess she got to old to play that part again.

[shensei_ind._cadman]

I've seen both releases and liked them both....I ESPECIALLY like the clubbing of the girl in the Japanese version *ouch*!!!

But a re-making of the Japanese version into an American one just goes to show that most of the producers in Hollywood have the same affliction.

Its called "afraid-of-originality-itis"......

Take a chance on some Original stuff!!!! Like we REALLY wanted to force-fed "Legally Blonde 2".....

[uminoken]

I liked the story/characters of the original, but the overall setting and visuals of the American one were VERY well done. In addition Iliked that the American version focused more on the mystery surrounding Sadako's/Samara's death

[ogami]

Nanako Matsushima ... this is what I care about...

[JELEINEN]

Why the Engrish title? That just looks absolutely stupid.

[gerwalk25]

Does anybody know the link to that Ring fan site ringworld? I can't seem to find it, if I do the site no longer exists after I click on the link on Google. What's up with that?

Edited May 6, 2004 by gerwalk25

[CoryHolmes]

I suppose my views are squewed by the fact that I saw The Ring first and then tried to watch Ringu, but I vastly prefer the Ring.

The Ring was perfect in its style and visuals and was able to convey the meaning of each scene without dialog, and the lighting was one of the best gaffing jobs I've seen in a movie.

By contrast, I tried watching Ringu and got bored twenty minutes into it, not impressed by the camera work or the direction style.

[UN Spacy]

I wasn't too impressed by the hype that surrounded Ringu, it definitely had a creepy feel to it. But, I still can't understand how it was able to gross so much overseas.

I'm a big fan of Nanako Matsushima though, ever since her TV show YAMATO NADESHIO she's got me hooked (on her hotness).

[Noriko Takaya]

Well, I liked both films, but I prefer the original. Just watched it the other night as a matter of fact. And to make matters worse, Hollywood is going to screw everything up like they usually do and make a sequel. Can you guess? It's called The Ring 2. I am not making this up.

Edit: Speaking of which, Hideo Nakata, who is credited with directing the Japanese version of Ringu, is slated to direct the American sequel. And I've just discovered that there was a sequel made in Japan as well. Go figure...

Edited May 6, 2004 by Noriko Takaya

[scand]

Ringu was pretty good. I enjoyed the US release better though? I saw another cool Asian flick a couple of weeks ago. I think it was called "The Eye". It was a nice little horror movie.