Ringu Review

So, this could well be my last post. I fear for both my life and the possibility of winning shortest blog run in 2014. For in seven short days, I may be dead. I’ve watched a certain tape; if myths are to be believed the phone should spark into life very soon to signal my impending doom. I am referring to The Ring, or rather the Japanese original Ringu.

They both tell the tale of a reporter who watches a cursed video tape that will kill anyone who sees it within seven days. The reporter then embarks on a journey to discover the cause of the curse, in an attempt to break it and save her life.

 

Except, if I’m honest, I’m not terrified. Just vaguely unsettled and a tad disappointed. I’ve been looking forward to watching this for a while now, partly in my quest to find a horror film that will horrify me, but mostly out of respect for the impact this film has had on modern horror culture. When something reaches our shores by achieving such cult status, I want find out the cause of its popularity. So, when I finally found a copy of Ringu, and a fancy collector’s edition at that, I leapt at the chance. I relished the thought of a terrifying date with a ghost girl waiting only for my funeral suit to be finely pressed for the occasion.

Here is my awesome collectors edition... Shiny

I bet when I mentioned 'ghost girl' you all had the same image in your head: a fragile woman clothed in white with long, dark and greasy hair. This image is one many will recognise, yet do not know the origins of. Sadako, (known as Samara in the American remake), is based upon a Japanese urban legend concerning the souls of long-departed wronged women, called Yurei, intent on revenge. The idea has sent chills down spines for decades and, after the popularity the film gathered, the spine-chilling spread to the West. Ringu gained a following that sparked a resurgence in Hollywood for ghost stories and cursed items, which continues today. Unfortunately, not many can pull it off quite as well as Hideo Nakata, director of Ringu, and we end up with the likes of Sinister (eugh). However, the novels the Ringu films are based upon are a fusion of cultures themselves. The antagonist Sadako, as I mentioned, is based upon the Japanese Yurei legends. But the seven-day curse idea comes from American urban legends and draws inspiration from the film Candyman. With a horror heritage like that it is little wonder that both the American Ring and Japanese Ringu franchises gained such strong fandoms.

 

Yet, after watching it myself I can’t help but feel a little let down. I felt uneasy, yes, and there were points which pricked my senses. But alas, no feelings of genuine terror. Perhaps I built it up too much and expected to be shocked; modern horror films have got us used to reoccurring jump-scares and effects that create unimaginably graphic images. Neither occur here. The film had a low budget-feel and the famous antagonist only appears a handful of times. This helps to create a better story experience, whilst not scary as such. The grainy quality and lack of sound create a sensation of real tension. Often, films today have no moments of absolute silence - think about it. Even without dialogue or soundtrack there is still some form of background noise. But in Ringu there are moments of silence, and these moments become almost unbearable. However, I would more think of it as a mystery/thriller than as a horror. Much of the film focuses on the main character hunting through past occurrences; in a desperate attempt to trace the curse to its source.

This Yurei looks quite peaceful,
which just adds to the danger she poses.

I hope to watch the American remake soon and the many other spin offs, at which point I’ll look a little more in-depth at the story and the differences. For now I will mention that I feel as though much of the film is set up. The big reveal as it were, which is indeed a powerful and chilling scene. Heightened by the use of disjointed chords and a terrifying use of something as mundane as a television (no spoilers). Unfortunately, I had already witnessed said scene online out of impatience, and the effects show their age a bit meaning that the payoff was a little lost on me. Overall though, I really did enjoy it as a piece of entertainment and it is clearly different from other 'run of the mill' horror films too dependent on cheap thrills. I can understand why it has achieved such cult status; however, this status has been built up my own high expectations. Hopefully the sequels will shock more as I have less knowledge as of yet. I applaud it as both a piece of cinema, and as a piece of Asian culture.

If you don’t hear from me in a week's time than assume I have fallen foul of the dreadful curse.

(Yurei image from Pandemonium in Paradise)