Ringu (1998)

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 | Night

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:

Revealing mistakes: In a close-up of Sadako in the end scene, one of her fake finger extensions is coming off.

Quotes:

Reiko Asakawa: Ryuji? When it's time for me to die... Stay with me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Survive Style 5+ (2004)

Soundtrack:

Feels Like 'Heaven'

A joy (or rather, terror) to watch!

Forget the fact it's subtitled - that only adds to the effect. The director's use of angles, sudden appearances of characters in the frame, wonderfully puzzling flashback and periods of absolute silence combine to form THE best horror film I've seen in years. Forget Blair Witch, this is a true horror story - it could happen to anyone. The Japanese location may make the story more remote, but also makes it more mysterious. The story would work in another locale, say, the Deep South, US, but there's just something about "Ring" which works due to its defiance to comply with cliche. Just when you think you've got the film nailed down and swaggeringly predict the next events, you're proven totally wrong and dealt the double joy and horror of a perfectly timed shock revelation or two. No spoilers about the ending, needless to say, you will not see this one coming...