You know, I’ve heard this rumor. Well its not so much a rumor as it’s… what do you call it? Oh yeah, an urban legend. It’s about this tape. A videotape to be more precise. People say if you watch it… well they say… you’ll die. Not right away or anything. If you watch it, you’ll die in seven days. Of course this is ridiculous. I mean, how can a videotape kill you anyway? Heck, if someone handed me a tape and told me that, I’d watch it… wouldn’t you?

This is the premise of one of the most talked about horror films of 2002, “The Ring.” In it, four teenagers all meet with mysterious deaths exactly one week after watching just such a tape. The aunt of one of the teenagers, an investigative reporter by the name of Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts), tracks down the video… and watches it. When she comes to realize there just may be a ‘ring’ of truth to the legend, she becomes determined to discover the secrets behind the tape, and hopefully live to see the eighth day.

I initially saw “The Ring” when it first hit theatres last year. I always love a good horror film. The only problem is I have a hard time finding them. I get a little tired of the ‘slasher’ flicks where every teenager on Earth dies from some horrible death, or “Unstoppable Killer: Part XXXXIX.” With all I had heard, I was a little afraid it wouldn’t live up to the hype. Fortunately, it did.

It takes a lot to creep me out, but I was actually a little wigged out when I first saw it back then. “The Ring” was extremely suspenseful, and it was intriguing to watch the mystery of the video unravel. There were few special effects sequences, but those it did have produced some unforgettable imagery. To give you an idea how unforgettable, I will embarrassingly admit that when I received the DVDs the other day, I had a hard time going to sleep that night. Why? Because I kept envisioning one of the closing moments of the film… and I hadn’t even watched the DVD version yet!!

What was most disturbing however, was the video within the movie. This was one area that I figured would be a weak point. How do you create this ‘legendary video’ and make it seem as though it was the real deal? Director Gore Verbinsky certainly figured it out. The video within the film is indescribable. It was actually unsettling to watch. I know this might sound silly (and this is how I knew it worked), but I actually had the niggling feeling that having watched it, I was going to buy the farm in seven days. It stuck with me for several days after. Of course one of my friends at the theatre that day had it even worse when I called him directly after the movie and whispered, “ssseven daysssss” (you have to see the movie to get it…).

Above all else, I liked the fact that “The Ring” was able to frighten crowds with a PG-13 Rating. This meant the director had to work overtime to create a scary film without falling back on blood and gore. Now, I come from a background of working in special effects and monster making, so I love a good gore fest. I also appreciate how difficult it is to make a ‘good’ gory movie, but I think it’s even more difficult to make film like this, especially with the horror movie audiences of today and their lust for gore. Here, for most of the film, it’s what you don’t see that scares you.

The DVD also includes a short 15-minute film by director Verbinski that was made exclusively for this release. It combines never-before-released scenes from the movie with the ominous images of the cursed video previously shown only in quick cuts, and attempts to take viewers deeper inside the mystery of “The Ring.” It was a far better follow-up than I thought it would be, though what it actually did was add a new dimension to some of the characters we knew so little about in the film. No questions were answered, but many new ones came to light.

When I first heard Dreamworks was going to release “The Ring” on DVD, I was delighted to learn they were simultaneously releasing the original movie that served as it’s inspiration, director Hideo Nakata’s “Ringu.” I really wanted to see it just so I could compare the two. There was such a buzz going around about this movie when the American Version was about to be released how it was ‘the best horror film ever.’ I had to see if this was true.

Take it from me, “Ringu” delivers much in the same way as “The Ring.” And it should, as for the most part they are, shot by shot, the same film. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not exactly the same, but you’d be surprised just how close they are. “The Ring” does add a little bit to the story to Americanize it and ‘flesh it out’ as it were, but the most fascinating difference came in the form of that little video within the film. The choices made in the imagery reflect some of the cultural differences between American and Japanese audiences. The video was a bit different, but no less disquieting.

As far as which one was better, that’s difficult to say. I think in the long run, it all depends on your personal taste. I liked both movies pretty much equally. There were strengths and weaknesses they shared, as well as some they didn’t. The only thing I can think of that might hurt the enjoyment of “Ringu” might be the lack of an English dubbed track. It’s all in Japanese with subtitles. Though this didn’t bother me in the least, there are those that just can’t handle having to read the dialogue. If you’d like to see a great horror film though, I suggest you look past this and give it a try. Not to sell Verbinksi’s version short, I really have to give most of the credit for the success of both movies to Nakata. After all, he did it first. My recommendation, watch them both. You won’t be disappointed.

What I wasn’t aware of until recently was that the story of “Ringu” was somewhat of a cultural phenomena in Japan. The original book by Japanese author Suzuki Koji was originally adapted for television. Then there were two sequels, a prequel, a radio drama and two television series. Then in 1995 the movie “Ringu” was released, and was followed up by a sequel, “Rasen.”

I knew the DVD of “The Ring” was going to have great video and audio, as I wouldn’t expect less from a Dreamworks release. But I didn’t know what to expect from “Ringu.” I was thrilled to read that the transfer came from an all-new high definition digital master. It looks and sounds every bit as good as the former. Both offer an extremely sharp image, and the sound subtly surrounds you in rooms equipped with a good system. You’ll often find yourself looking over your shoulder, wondering if there’s something in the room with you. Personally, I chose NOT to look…

On a side note, our LethalDeath friend and freak Joe saw the movie back when it was first released. He worried and fretted that he, having been tricked into seeing the accursed video on the big screen, would indeed, be dead seven days later. He started a little online diary so we could keep up with what might possibly be his last days on Earth. After the first couple of entries, they stopped. We became worried, we tried to contact Joe, but to no avail. Those who knew Joe well were concerned that he had become so overwrought with fear that he offed himself so as not to face the possible fate that stared back at him from the short road of days that lay ahead. Others thought perhaps he simply miscounted the days, as Joe was so often known to do, and upon hearing a sound at the door, dropped dead thinking Death had come A-Knockin’.

I, on the other hand knew Joe to be an adventurous spirit. If he were going to buy the farm, he wouldn’t sit around waiting for Death to come to him. He would rush out and meet it head on. He would spend those last days in reckless abandon. Turning himself into a whirling dervish of daredevil stunts and credit card mania, sustaining his final moments with wine, women and song. When I finally got in touch with him the other day (and several months after he saw the film), I found that my suspicions were correct. When I asked him about the curse, he simply replied, “What, it’s only been 3 days!!” Hmmmm…..

The Ring -

Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, and Brian Cox
Extras: A never-before-seen short film created by Gore Verbinski that reveals more electrifying secrets about the mystery of “The Ring” and a Trailer for “Ringu”
Specifications: Available in Anamorphic Widescren 1.85:1 and Full Screen Editions, English 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital; English DTS Digital Surround; Spanish, French and English Subtitles: VHS available in Spanish subtitles
Studio: Dreamworks
Release Date: 3/4/2003
Region 1
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements, disturbing images, language and some drug references)
Websites:
http://www.ring-themovie.com/
http://www.dreamworks.com/

Ringu -

Directed by: Hideo Nakata
Starring: Nanako Matsushima, Miki Nakatani, Hiroyuki Sanada, Yuko Takeuchi, Hitomi Sato, and Yoichi Numata
Specifications: Anamorphic Widescren 1.85:1 Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital
Studio: Dreamworks
Release Date: 3/4/2003
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR

We'll give The Ring / Ringu an A.