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Perhaps the biggest difference between Ringu and The Ring is the contents of the mysterious videotape. In Ringu, the cursed tape is much shorter and far less symbolic, although its grainy appearance and comparative simplicity add a greater dash of realism to it. The tape presented in The Ring is much more frightening and visceral; subtlety rules the day in the Japanese film. Another significant difference concerns the character of the reporter's ex-husband; in Ringu, he (as well as his son, to some degree) possesses a gift that distinguishes him from his American counterpart. This aids the plot along, but it deprives the viewer of some of the mystery and insight gained from watching the mystery unfold in The Ring. Ringu's storyline is much more compact and straightforward, providing us with much less insight into the forces at play in explaining the existence of the cursed video. There is one jolting plot twist in the later stages of The Ring that is not found in Ringu, and I think this takes a little something away from the concluding drama, but Ringu definitely delivers a much more frightening, completely unforgettable climax. The big scene with the little girl climbing out of the well is pretty darned creepy in The Ring, but Ringu's presentation of this seminal event is many times more impressive and frightening; I only wish I could have seen the scene from Ringu before I saw The Ring. It is spooky enough as it is, but I can only dream about the impact the scene might have on those with no previous knowledge of what is about to happen. What The Ring accomplishes pretty impressively with a type of trick photography is expressed naturally in Ringu, making it much more eerie and unsettling.
If you did see and enjoy The Ring, I would definitely recommend getting a copy of Ringu. The knowledge you already have will diminish the impact Ringu has on you, but there are enough differences between the two films to guarantee you a thoroughly enjoyable return trip into this most special world of fear. If you are debating which version to see first, I would recommend starting out with Ringu, if for no other reason than for the power of the much creepier ending. I prefer The Ring's more elaborate and symbolic presentation, more in-depth background into the story of the tape, and added plot twists to the less elaborate presentation of Ringu, but the fact that the American film adds new elements to the plot makes The Ring more engaging for those having already seen Ringu than Ringu is for those having already seen The Ring.
Reiko, a journalist, is greeted by a death in the family one day. Her teenage niece died mysteriously one day, leaving no trace as to why. She soon discovers that three other of her niece's close friends died on the same day as her. Upon further investigation, she finds that the four teenagers had something in common: they had all seen a cryptic video tape. The trail leads her to the tape itself and, out of curiosity, watches it. The urban legend is proven to be a lot more real than she ever expected and soon, Reiko is on a race against time to decipher the mysteries of the tape.
'Ringu' (viewed at home) achieves a sense of fear throughout the movie in the way it 'connects' with the viewer. How obvious can it get? Though not a tape, you're watching the DVD on a TV. This paranoia adds to the scares constantly.
With sparse use of any real 'special effects,' the film is able to ground its otherworldly story to reality, something few modern horror films are able to do.
The acting is great and the dialogue, or at least the translated script for the subtitles, never got repetitive. The actress for Reiko does a good job as the tense heroine, while the male lead actor (sorry, his name escapes me) contrasts very well with her as her often cool and relaxed ex-husband.
The music chills to the bone, particularly the main theme (plays on the DVD main menu), which is just a creepy concoction of strummed guitar strings. I sat there, letting the whole menu run its course as the ambience it gave off made my blood run ice cold. 'Ringu's great utilization of sound astounded me as well, using bursts of utter cacophony to add new layers of fright to already surprsingly horrifying scenes.
Quite simply, this movie impressed me in every way possible.
Now, on to 'Ringu'/'The Ring' comparisons...
'Ringu' operates on a single word: subtlety.
It delivers the scares without convoluting the process. Fear without frills, as I say. They scare you moreso on a mental level, forever burning in (some cases only) a dread of TV's.
Take, for example, the tape itself. In 'Ringu,' it really is just a bunch of forboding images, adding only clues to plot. Short and sweet.
In comparison, 'The Ring' goes for the throat. It does try to scare you at a mental level as well, but it is somewhat bogged down by its own attempt of quick shocks.
The tape, in this version, is much longer and thought it is adapted for plot purposes, certain parts were unnecessary and served only to provide more reasons fo disturbing imagery later on.
Most importantly, one character in particular was altered in a way I didn't like, but which take is better really just depends on personal taste.
That would be the journalist's son. In 'Ringu,' he had this creepy robotic feel, speaking only when needed and showing a frightening air of maturity.
However, in 'The Ring,' though well-acted, he is portrayed as the 'cliche' horror film child. He spouts out insightful but scary things that he should know nothing about at his age (ie the little boy in 'Signs'). This take removes the vulnerablity his counterpart had in 'Ringu,' causing you to care less whether or not he dies.
Ending my comparison, I believe 'Ringu' is the superior film, though both in and of themselves are great.
Now to end with the DVD package:
The main menu keeps in line with the film's simple way of fright, using the main theme as its backgroud music. The scene division is well-done. The 5.1 remaster of the film looks great as well. My only complaint is the disappointing lack of the 'Ringu' trailers.
I say 'Ringu' is a sure buy and I guarantee (to most people) that you will not be disappointed. Just don't come crying to me when you develop an unhealthy fear of televisions!
Reiko enlists the aid of her ex-husband and psychic Ryuji to help her unravel this mystery. Together they analyze the video in hopes of discerning its maker and lifting the curse. Their task becomes more imperative when their son, Yoichi, comes across the video and watches it himself. Will Reiko and Ryuji be able to find a way to lift the curse in time to save themselves and their son?
After having watched "The Ring" and been thoroughly scared by that movie, I simply had to watch the movie that "started it all," so to speak ("The Ring" and its upcoming sequel and prequel). Several people had told me that they felt this film was scarier than its American counter-part, while others felt the opposite. I don't exactly feel as though one is scarier than another. Rather, they are merely different kinds of "scary." This version is far subtler in its scare-tactics than is the American version. Rather than use extreme make-up and visual effects, this version takes advantage of a creepy score, good acting, and a great plot to make its audience squirm.
At first, the Americanized version of the film appears to be almost a shot-for-shot remake of this film. However, as the movie progresses it becomes clear that there are several note-worthy differences between the two.
Aside from the make-up and effects, one difference between the two was that "Ringu" was far less detailed than was "The Ring." In "The Ring," much of the plot gets spoon-fed to the viewers, while "Ringu" allows for one's own "filling in of the gaps." Some people may appreciate this more than others. I feel that this tactic allowed for more use of one's imagination, which can be far scarier than the alternative at times. Part of this difference in detail involves the videotape itself. In "Ringu," the tape is much shorter and seems to give less insight to the viewer. Both versions of the creepy video are equally unsettling, merely in different ways. Both create an incredible sense of elusive foreboding. Yet another difference is the role the young boy plays in both films. In "Ringu," he is merely a minor actor, while in "The Ring" the reporter's son plays a much more potent and crucial role. Either way, however, this doesn't really detract from the main plot of the film.
Both of these films are wonderfully scary and shockingly disturbing in their own way. Neither version should be over-looked by any fan of the horror/thriller genre(s). If you haven't watched either of these films yet, then I would recommend this one first, as it's subtleties might not be as easily appreciated after having been treated to the pricey, hollywood-ified effects and make-up prevalent in the American counter-part.
The protagonist, Reiko Asakawa [Nanako Matsashima] is a journalist who... Read more
[Ringu]
(Japan - 1998)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Dolby Stereo SR
A TV journalist (Nanako Matsushima) joins forces... Read more
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