The japanese movie "Ringu" was so scary I couldn't quite think straight after watching it. It makes you feel so tense and alters your perception somewhat. The american "The Ring" is not as purely horrifying as Ringu and Ringu 2, as the pace in the japanese versions are methodical and steady as it gets scarier and scarier. You have to really see both Ringu and Ringu 2 BACK TO BACK to get the full effect. Ringu is essentially an exercise in fantasy-horror, an indulgent push into the strange human interest in the macabre. It is obsessed with two notions: suffering and rage, but highly muted. It is the on-screen equivalent of someone shouting at the top of their lungs in horror as the mute button is pushed. It's just very disturbing to sit through this thing, and I don't think many horror films can even come close to this one.
There are several recurring elements that are of interest, most notably how news reporters are centrally involved with the downfall of the odd and strange, or interfere with others without concern, and the use of television to "babysit" our kids these days. These two elements reinforce the reality of the movie as they correspond with our own ideas of "meddling journalists" and "the danger of TV for our youth", adding a dimension that gives the movie more weight and pull for the viewer. A marvel, go see the original japanese "Ringu" now!
There are several recurring elements that are of interest, most notably how news reporters are centrally involved with the downfall of the odd and strange, or interfere with others without concern, and the use of television to "babysit" our kids these days. These two elements reinforce the reality of the movie as they correspond with our own ideas of "meddling journalists" and "the danger of TV for our youth", adding a dimension that gives the movie more weight and pull for the viewer. A marvel, go see the original japanese "Ringu" now!