Forget about SCREAM or THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT—this is the state of the art in nineties-era horror. RINGU is a stunning 1998 chiller from Japan that has been acclaimed as the next Big Thing by seemingly everybody…and for once they’re right.
RINGU is a stunning 1998 chiller…
The lineage of RINGU (or RING) is a tangled one. It started out life as a best-selling novel by Koji Suzuki, which was made into a TV movie in 1995 that proved so popular it was released theatrically that same year. Thus, the version I’m reviewing, while being the “official” movie adaptation, was by no means RING’S first screen incarnation. It did, however, prove an enormous hit with critics and audiences, and two sequels followed (RING 2 and RING SPIRAL, both in 1998), as did a prequal (RING 0: BIRTHDAY, 2000). In addition, a Korean version called THE RING VIRUS was released in 2000, and the inevitable Hollywood remake appeared in 2002.
This is a truly imaginative, unpredictable and, of course, SCARY tale, with a riveting premise and the courage to see it through without compromise. Screenwriter Hayashi Junichiro seems determined to confound expectations at every turn, from the misleading SCREAM-like opening to the unprecedented (though quite effective) low-key finale.
A video is being passed around among a group of teenagers, all of whom are found dead within a week of watching it. Reiko, a crusading journalist, takes on the case, and quickly gets her hands on a copy of the offending cassette. It turns out to be a haunting and unnerving collection of surreal imagery highlighted by the image of a mysterious woman in a mirror. Reiko tracks the origins of the woman, who it turns out was a renowned psychic who may have committed a murder. From there, Reiko finds herself moving farther and farther into a shadowy and mysterious world dominated by the dead woman’s unrestful spirit.
…a riveting premise and the courage to see it through without compromise.
Director Hideo Nakata’s firm control of tone and atmosphere make RINGU a joy to watch. In direct contrast to most of today’s horror fare, the mood here is deceptively calm, with a total absence of gore and lame in-jokes. An unnerving atmosphere of otherworldly evil is established at the beginning, which only grows more potent as the film progresses. The measured pacing is pitch perfect and there are at least two expertly handled shocks (not cheap ones!).
Director Hideo Nakata’s firm control of tone and atmosphere make RINGU a joy to watch.
Of course, this might make RINGU sound old-fashioned, but nothing could be farther from the truth. This is in fact one of the most “modern” horror films on the market.
Vital Statistics
RINGU (RING)
Omega Inc./Ace Pictures
Director: Hideo Nakata
Producer: Takashige Ichise, Shinya Kawai, Takenori Sento
Screenplay: Hayashi Junichiro
Based on a novel by Koji Suzuki
Cinematography: Junichiro Hayashi
Editor: Takahashi Nobuyukia
Cast: Matsushima Nanako, Sanada Hiroyuki, Nakatani Miki, Sato Hitomi