Ringu (1998)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Hideo Nakata

Writers:

Hiroshi Takahashi (screenplay)
Kôji Suzuki (novel)

Release Date:

31 January 1998 (Japan)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

"One curse, one cure, one week to find it"

Plot:

A mysterious video kills whomever views it, unless that viewer can solve its mystery.

Plot Keywords:

Videotape | Friend | Volcanic Island | Son | Journalist

Awards:

6 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Nanako Matsushima	...	Reiko Asakawa
Miki Nakatani	...	Mai Takano
Yûko Takeuchi	...	Tomoko Ôishi
Hitomi Satô	...	Masami
Yôichi Numata	...	Takashi Yamamura
Yutaka Matsushige	...	Yoshino
Katsumi Muramatsu	...	Kôichi Asakawa
Rikiya Ôtaka	...	Yôichi Asakawa
Masako	...	Shizuko Yamamura
Daisuke Ban	...	Heihachirô Ikuma
Kanehiro Ri	...	Komiya Kameraman
Yûrei Yanagi	...	AD Okazaki
Yôko Ôshima	...	Reiko no Oba
Kiriko Shimizu	...	Yoshimi Ôishi
Makoto Kakeda	...	Kanrinin

Also Known As:

Ring (International: English title) (UK) (USA)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Iceland:16 | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:12 | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 (TV rating) | UK:15 | USA:Unrated

Company:

Omega Project

Trivia:

The characters of Sadako and Shizuko are named after and loosely based on two real women. Both were taken under the wing of Professor Fukurai Tomokichi and, whilst not actually mother and daughter, Takahashi Sadako did work with the professor soon after Chizuko's suicide. Neither woman possessed the gift of nensha, but another student of the professor, Nagao Ikuko, was believed to have this power.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Near the end, when the main characters lift the top of the well and shine the flashlight down inside, you can see the reflection of a stage-light in the water.

Quotes:

[Reiko grabs Ryuji's arm]
Reiko Asakawa: Please. Please, it might help you find a way out. If you figure it out, look after Yoichi ...
Ryuji Takayama: Stop it! Have you forgotten there was a girl with Tomoko when she died? That girl's now in a mental institution. Who knows what could happen to be.
Reiko Asakawa: But you could stay with me, Ryuji! You'd be fine!
Ryuji Takayama: Why? Because I'm already insane?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Survive Style 5+ (2004)

Soundtrack:

Feels Like 'Heaven'

The Ring couldn't stand up!

I watched The Ring before Ringu and was sorry that I did. Everybody thinks that the US always does things better. This is one example of how wrong those people are. Now, don't get me wrong, The Ring was a good flick. I enjoyed it very much, BUT, it really fell short of the original. So much was lost in the translation and in remaking it. If you have never seen The Ring, do yourself a favor and see Ringu first. It really shows how the Japanese can make good horror. The story is based on a novel written by Koji Suzuki entitled "Ringu". If you get the chance, you can pick this up over at Amazon, it's a very good read and shows you how the story was meant to be told. The Japanese film was a better adaptation of the movie. I give Ringu 8.5/10