Ringu (1998)

A reporter and her ex-husband investigate a cursed video tape that is rumored to kill the viewer seven days after watching it.

Director:

Hideo Nakata

Writers:

Hiroshi Takahashi (screenplay), Kôji Suzuki (novel)

Stars:

Nanako Matsushima, Miki Nakatani, Yûko Takeuchi

6 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nanako Matsushima	...	Reiko Asakawa
Miki Nakatani	...	Mai Takano
Yûko Takeuchi	...	Tomoko Ôishi
Hitomi Satô	...	Masami
Yôichi Numata	...	Takashi Yamamura
Yutaka Matsushige	...	Yoshino
Katsumi Muramatsu	...	Kôichi Asakawa
Rikiya Ôtaka	...	Yôichi Asakawa
Masako	...	Shizuko Yamamura
Daisuke Ban	...	Heihachirô Ikuma
Hiroshi Sakuma	...	Komiya Kameraman (as Kanehiro Ri)
Yûrei Yanagi	...	AD Okazaki
Yôko Ohshima	...	Reiko no Oba
Kiriko Shimizu	...	Yoshimi Ôishi
Makoto Kakeda	...	Kanrinin

Storyline

Reiko Asakawa is researching into a 'Cursed Video' interviewing teenagers about it. When her niece Tomoko dies of 'sudden heart failure' with an unnaturally horrified expression on her face, Reiko investigates. She finds out that some of Tomoko's friends, who had been on a holiday with Tomoko the week before, had died on exactly the same night at the exact same time in the exact same way. Reiko goes to the cabin where the teens had stayed and finds an 'unlabeled' video tape. Reiko watched the tape to discover to her horror it is in fact the 'cursed videotape'. Ex-Husband Ryuji helps Reiko solve the mystery, Reiko makes him a copy for further investigation. Things become more tense when their son Yoichi watches the tape saying Tomoko had told him to. Their discovery takes them to a volcanic island where they discover that the video has a connection to a psychic who died 30 years ago, and her child Sadako...

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Plot Keywords:

videotape | television as portal | vhs tape | ghost girl | well | 

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Taglines:

Will scare the hell out of you!

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

31 January 1998 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Ring

Box Office

Budget:

$1,200,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

£8,690,429

Company Credits

Production Co:

Basara Pictures,Imagica,Asmik Ace Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Hideo Nakata would go on to direct another film based on Koji Suzuki's literary works, that being Dark Water (2002).

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Goofs

One the pictures received from the photo shop shows a date, August 29, 1997. Later on the story tells "September 13, Monday". September 13, 1997 was Saturday.

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Quotes

Reiko Asakawa: Four people died from watching this videotape!
Ryuji Takayama: [laughing] Then go to the shrine and get exorcized!

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Connections

Spoofed in Eodiseonga nugungae museunili saengkimyeon teulrimeobshi natananda Hong Ban-jang (2004)

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Soundtracks

Feels Like 'Heaven'
Performed by HIIH

User Reviews

The Ring couldn't stand up!

I watched The Ring before Ringu and was sorry that I did. Everybody thinks that the US always does things better. This is one example of how wrong those people are. Now, don't get me wrong, The Ring was a good flick. I enjoyed it very much, BUT, it really fell short of the original. So much was lost in the translation and in remaking it. If you have never seen The Ring, do yourself a favor and see Ringu first. It really shows how the Japanese can make good horror. The story is based on a novel written by Koji Suzuki entitled "Ringu". If you get the chance, you can pick this up over at Amazon, it's a very good read and shows you how the story was meant to be told. The Japanese film was a better adaptation of the movie. I give Ringu 8.5/10