Ringu (1998)

"Ringu" is the movie that started it all, the massive influx and popularity of Japanese horror to American audiences. It was also the highest grossing horror film in Japan when it was released. The original Japanese version and the American remake tell the same story but it two very different styles. The two films follow each other almost exactly up to the point where the father figure, Ryuji (Japanese) / Noah (American) is introduced. Once he watches the video, the two versions take their own path in telling the mystery of Sadako/Samara. In "Ringu", Ryuji has the ability of ESP and plays a more prominent role it helping his ex-wife solve the mystery. Together they go to the island where Sadako's mother, Shizuko, lived. Shizuko was considered a seer on her small island and attracted the attention of a scientist from the city. Shizuko had an affair with him and concieved Sadako. After a public demonstration go astray, Sadako is taken away by her father and never seen again. He is the one responsible for pushing her into the well and leaving her to die alone. Sadako's power is so strong that she curses all who see the video tape; the phone call also only happens at the site of her tomb rather than anywhere as it does in the American version. In order to enjoy and understand the Japanese version of "Ringu", the viewer needs to understand, or at least accept the fact that mental powers such as ESP are readily accepted in their movies.

The Ring 2 (2005)

"The Ring 2" is the kind of sequel that carries over bits and pieces from the original film but attempts to be it's own movie with it's own strengths and flaws. The film tries to evolve but struggles in doing so, feeling overly complicated and silly at times. Hideo Nakata, the director of the Japanese versions, takes over in this installment from Gore Verbinski and offers the viewers something different that was not previously presented in the Japanese films. Naomi Watts and David Dorfman return as Rachel and her son Aiden.

The aspect of the VHS tape and watching the film on it plays a very small role in this film and is only dealt with in the very beginning. Samara's power of coming out of the television is revisited and expanded on because now she is able to pull victims through the screen and bring them into her world. When this happens, I can't help but to think of the alternate world from "Silent Hill", how the characters become trapped and left alone.


Rachel and Aiden have left the "big" city of Seattle and have relocated to Astoria, Oregon. Six months after their encounter with Samara, her ghostly activity begins again after local high school students begin watching copies of her film. Rachel tracks down the copy and destroys it but it's too late because Samara has already found them. Samara possesses Aiden (why?) and Rachel looks like an abusive mother as her son's body becomes bruised and unhealthy. Rachel is forced to seek out Samara's real mother and find out even more back story/mystery surrounding the child.

Favorite WTF moment - Rachel and Aiden are driving home through a heavily wooded area when their car is attacked by a heard of CGI deer. It made sense in "The Ring" that horses would be driven crazy by Samara or those with her curse, brought upon the by the mental abuse that her adopted father inflicted on her, loving his horses more than her. But why would deer be affected? Beyond the fear of the unnatural of course. The scene is over the top, silly, and completely unnecessary for this movie.

The Ring (2002)

“The Ring” is one of my favorite remakes of an already effective Japanese horror film called “Ringu”. The American version stars Naomi Watts as a reporter for a Seattle newspaper that has seven days to figure out the mystery of why people are dying after watching a bizarre video tape. It’s a creepy ghost story that has an excellent set of pacing, spooky clues, and a seemingly original ghost concept. I say seemingly because the original Japanese version of this ghost is a part of their culture and history and is a reoccurring theme in their own ghost stories. It’s also interesting when a movie takes place at a location that you are familiar with and notice what details the film makers get right and what they get horribly wrong.

Rachel Keller is a journalist who begins investigating an urban legend after her teenage niece suddenly dies. The legend concerns an unmarked VHS tape and anyone who watches the tape will die after seven days. Rachel learns that her niece and her group of friends that had watched the tape all died the same night at the same time. Rachel finds a copy of the tape and watches it and after it finished, she received a phone call where a girl’s voice simply says “Seven days”.  With the help of her son’s father Noah, Rachel discovers the truth behind the tape and mystery of the young girl named Samara.