Ringu

Rating:
Summary: Superior horror film
Review: A reporter (Nanako Matsushima) and her ex-husband (Hiroyuki Sanada) investigate a cursed videotape that kills its viewers within seven days. They have to work fast, since both they and the reporter's young son have already seen it.

I was fortunate to have seen this film before the American remake, albeit without subtitles. Even watching in a language which I understand only sporadically, I was hooked. The creepy soundtrack and the lack of high-tech, big budget gloss lends an immediacy to the scares. The climax, in particular, provoked a reaction from me that I thought I had become too jaded for.

Rating:
Summary: My hamble opinion
Review: First of all, I am a Japanese who moved to the United States a few years ago, so my opinion is subjective and might not be helpful to Americans. Second, I have seen this original version in Japan several years ago before the American version, so my opinion might not be helpful to those who saw the American one first.

Anyway, here is my opinion.

When I first saw this movie, I thought it was brilliant and very scary. This movie is so Japanese in the sense that "urban legends" of this type (repeating, never-ending stories) play much more important roles in the Japanese society than American society. I remember growing up talking or listening to lots of scary stories with friends on the way back home from school almost everyday. The story is simple, but to me, simpleness generates stronger emotion to the climax, while the American one seemed to have too many graphic effects, which disturbed me. To me, this is a perfect example of bad Hollywood -- or American's judgement --- to pursue profits. If my memory is correct, U.S. is the only country that tried to create their own version, while other countries pretty much just released the original Japanese one. Good that they know what is good, but too bad that they destroyed it.

Another thing that I want to point out is that what is scary (or funny) is very different from one culture to another. What Americans think is scary doesn't necessarily means scary to Japanese people, and vice versa. Lots of Japanese people I know, as well as I myself, think that the name "Sadako" itself already sounds very scary (and also the fact she has very long hair.) I can't explain to you, but "Sadako" is sort of an old-fashion name, which creates some imagination in our minds even before the story develops --- and even after you finish watching the movie. For example, I have three female Japanese friends who haven't seen "RINGU," because they are scared of it. Even though they haven't seen, when I just say "Sadako," they get scared and tell me to stop saying it, because again this name matches the context of the movie so well that they now automatically link "Sadako" and all the scary things. I forgot what name they used in "The Ring," but whatever the name was, it didn't mean anything to me. It might sound a very minor point to you, but these little things are contributing to a BIG difference between "RINGU" and "The Ring."

As I said at the beginning, my comment probably doesn't help you, because it is impossible to know all the backgrounds of specific countries before trying to watch some foreign movies.

Last of all, if there is someone kind, please recommend me some great American movies that are scary. I have seen several so-called horror movies made in Hollywood, but so far, I haven't found anything scary. I wonder this is also due to cultural difference or not.

Thank you for reading.

Rating:
Summary: ringu vs the ring
Review: "seven days..." sorry, but talking ghosts don't work for me. The storytelling is far superior in "Ringu." I pity those who have so much trouble reading subtitles.

Rating:
Summary: Stop Comparing to The Ring and Just Enjoy
Review: The obvious problem created by the American DVD release of the 1998 Japanese film, "Ringu" is that most American viewers with interest in seeing it will have already seen "The Ring" prior to watching the original version.

While there is clearly a debate over whether or not the original is better than last year's American remake, comparing the films is ultimately pointless given how similar they are.

Unlike many remakes that use the original source material strictly as a jumping off point to go in a slightly or vastly different direction (think Steven Soderbergh's remake of "Ocean's Eleven"), "The Ring" is essentially a shot by shot remake of "Ringu." In fact, some of the "cursed" video footage used in "The Ring" actually seems to have been lifted directly from the earlier film.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing but many American viewers seeing "Ringu" for the first time will undoubtedly experience a sense of "been there, done that."

The remake, with its vastly superior makeup and special effects budget, clearly ups the ante on the gore quotient in comparison with the micro-budgeted Japanese version. Additionally, "The gray, rainy Seattle setting of "The Ring" does more to create an atmosphere of omnipresent dread than the often sunny, urban Japanese locale of the original.

But "Ringu" is still an extremely competent and well-made film that delivers its own scares on a shoestring budget. In fact, I actually appreciated the subtlety of the Japanese original's horror to the occasionally ham-fisted shocks of "The Ring."

For a really fun night, get some open-minded friends together and watch both movies back to back. I guarantee you'll have a ball comparing the similarities and differences between the two versions.

My only complaint is that this US release, which has clearly been timed to coincide with the DVD release of "The Ring,"(both versions have been issued by Dreamworks) is woefully short on extras. Nevertheless, after previewing the film by rental first, I can safely say that for viewers who want the complete "Ring" experience "Ringu" is worth the price of purchase.

Rating:
Summary: don't remake. . .
Review: Okay, I saw The Ring twice, and it was okay. I mean it had some parts where like. . . your jump or your like ". . whoa" but its only for like .5 seconds. And its all thanks to the music and really quickness of the scene. Other then that, it doesn't make all that much sense after its over.
I then rented Ringu. . . .which actually there are three parts, Ring 1, Ring 2 and Ring 0. Ring 0 is actually the prequel. . . i ordered the triology, but haven't receieved it yet so i dun't know anything about 2 and 0. but Ringu was. . .by FAR better then The Ring. First off, i'm kinda mad that The Ring totally ripped off Ringu in so many scenes. if you REMAKE a movie, either do it totally the same or totally different. Don't rip off like 5 scenes and make it totally the same.

Ringu was better. No it didn't make me jump. YES IT HELD ME in suspense to the point where i got up out of my chair and got up closer to the tv. YES the music was better, the acting was better, the directing was better and the orignal story was better. The story was way better. . . .you can't remake a movie like ringu and change the story, thats so cheap.. . .

anyway, if anyone doesn't mind reading subtitles, like i don't, and you don't mind having people make fun of you for watching a foriegn movie (which i do alot of with Wim Wenders movies) then. . go ahead, take a leap of faith. . rent it, buy it. . .do whatever, but at least watch it once

Rating:
Summary: Why all the bad reviews?
Review: I have read a lot of reviews for this movie, and I find that half the people that took the time to write these have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to film, and when it comes to horror.

The american version of this, "The Ring", is based very strongly on this movie. Many of the parts are very, very much alike. But what a lot of people hated were the sub titles. I personally would rather have subtitles then bad voice overs where the actors mouths arent even moving with the words. Another thing is people say that it is boring. Well, if you think that this is boring, then you should think that "The Ring" is boring too, because it is like I said, pretty much the exact same story.

"Ringu" is a little more creepy in my eyes. The music, which there isnt much of, is more on the lines of Kubricks "The Shining". Also, as I said before, the story is a little different. I actually liked the story a little better than that of the American version. Although, the only reason they are different i think, is because of the different cultures and areas that we live in. The story behind "Ringu" is definetly a little spookier.

Dont expect to be really freaked out by this movie, or the American version either. But be prepaired to have chills. I would have to say that this is a good edition to your DVD collection along with "The Ring". Plus, this version does end a little better. It brings more closure and you understand the movie a bit better after that.

Dont miss this great original.

Rating:
Summary: If you liked the remake more you've been brainwashed
Review: I saw this movie before it was recently remade by Hollywood. Since it never received a real release in North America I watched "Ringu" (which was then translated "the Ring" but now I guess the American remakes takes title precedence) with a friend who owns an impressive collection of Japanese bootleg films. But now that Hollywood has released its inferior simulacra the American corporations have now deemed that "Ringu" would be profitable.

This ideology of remaking foreign films that were never widely distributed in North America has always bugged me. Hollywood is out of new ideas (and has been for a long time) and so it has recently begun remaking films from its past or, better yet, stealing ideas from foreign filmmakers hoping that an ethnocentric audience will think that the American filmmakers are "original" or "inventive". (Other recent examples include "Solaris" [yes I know it was a book by Lem, but it is obvious that the film was actually a remake of Tarkovsky's "Solaris" and I doubt the director actually read the book], and "Insomnia".) And when they don't steal films they blatantly rip-off scenes from other movies.

And so I would hasten to say that everyone should watch "Ringu" and if, as some consumers think, it does not appear as "good" as "the Ring" then you are missing the point entirely. the remake is unoriginal and uninspired; without its high-budget, eyecandy shooting it would not be scary. (I think most people are conditioned to be afraid of a certain hollywood horror aesthetic.) "Ringu", on the other hand, is brilliant because the director does not let his ideas take back seat to budget constraints and eyecandy.

I still enjoy "Ringu" (which I still call "the Ring", new version be damned) and, despite my annoyance about it having not been made available earlier, am happy that it can now be purchased.

Rating:
Summary: Two Copies Have Been Made(So Far)
Review: Possible spoilers ahead.

Ringu has become an urban legend in spite of its original story. And just like all other urban legends, the story changes over time(five years?), and each version is altered to suit the audience that they intend to shock. Of course, you can't help but be awed by the original, unless some critic just wants to point out technical flaws, and then compare them to the overly dramatic, but very well produced USA release. To the lovers of the US version, all I can say is, there is another Ringu that you have not seen yet, but you will soon.
RINGU was released in 1997, then South Korea released a version called THE RING VIRUS in 1999. The US released THE RING on DVD in March, 2003. Whereas RINGU focused on the questionable parentage of the father, the US version had the answers on the "Don't Watch This" reel of THE RING DVD release, which works well when you purchase the 2-DVD combo. You want to focus on the girl's father, watch RINGU; the girl's mother, watch THE RING. Plus, you save a little if you really like the series.
But what about the girl? Her story is more twisted, and more focused on the supernatural; and a bit more cruel(remember "Carrie"?). The reasons for her murderous rampage are fairly justified in THE RING VIRUS, which is more focused on character development and storyline. However, THE RING VIRUS is still in South Korea, where the best version of this series lays hidden until she crawls out of her well again. The overall grade:

RINGU: 4 Stars, THE RING: 2 Stars, THE RING VIRUS: 5 Stars.

Rating:
Summary: From NY
Review: Though "The Ring" was also simillar to this item, I really highly recommend this than "THE RING"

Rating:
Summary: Ringu
Review: RINGU and RING are the exact same movie, with a few little differences in the plot, but all in all - it's the same movie.
RINGU was disappointing in comparision to RING. It's not as scary, not as visually shocking and just not worth the money.
Rent before you Buy!!!