Ringu
Horror movies are great sources of fear. They can go two ways. Either they monopolize on fear that already exists such as It (if you try to tell me that clowns aren’t scary, then you are wrong.) Or they create a new one. Jaws made us afraid of the water. The Blair Witch Project made us afraid of the woods. And the latest Evil Dead has made us terrified of remakes. Luckily though, all these films are kept nice and safe behind the screen. Until this little treat, Ringu, decided to change all that and make television really scary. Great, thanks guys.
Ringu is about a possessed video tape. When the viewer watches a this movie and series of seemingly random but creepy images , a phone call immediately after tells them they are going to die in seven days. Seven days rolls around and lo and behold, they are right and out of television screen, something wicked comes and kills you in the nastiest way. Journalist Reiko Asakawa’s cousin dies unexpectedly, she finds herself flung into the world of the tape and only has seven days to find the route of evil and stop it before it stops her.
Now, if I were to say that to you now, you’d probably laugh it off saying that I was ridiculous (you are only 50% right.) The idea for Ringu sounds like it was ripped straight from a B Movie and going into the film, you wouldn’t be wrong. But what director Hideo Nakata does is create a whole new level of terror. From the eerie collection of images that flit on the screen to the hideous moments that begin to happen to Reiko, Ringu is by far one of the most scary horror movies ever. Nakata really focuses on building the suspense and holding back on the mystery. As you are pulled further into the movie, when he releases the scares it is heightened and scarier. Honestly, the first time you watch Ringu, you’ll see Sadako at the end of your bed for years to come (we’ve become friends.)
Nakata used such simple techniques to create the movies atmospheric moments including having actress Rie Ino’o jerkily walk backwards only for them to play it forward. This effect, which lacked CGI, makes the moment you see Sadako intensely memorable.
Ringu is a brilliant movie and is the highest grossing Japanese movie of all time. It’s assault overseas saw it rack up many fans and even an American remake that isn’t as bad as people make out, keeping the creepy undertones and subtlety. And yet, the movie is such a basic premise making it even more impressive that it racked up such success. Based on a book that is based on a Japanese legend, when it comes to shocking and scary terrifying Japanese horror movies, then Ringu is the greatest. Just make sure you turn your television around at home.