The Ring (2002)

A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it.

Director:

Gore Verbinski

Writers:

Ehren Kruger (screenplay), Kôji Suzuki (novel) (as Koji Suzuki)

Stars:

Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox

14 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Naomi Watts	...	Rachel
Martin Henderson	...	Noah
David Dorfman	...	Aidan
Brian Cox	...	Richard Morgan
Jane Alexander	...	Dr. Grasnik
Lindsay Frost	...	Ruth
Amber Tamblyn	...	Katie
Rachael Bella	...	Becca
Daveigh Chase	...	Samara
Shannon Cochran	...	Anna Morgan
Sandra Thigpen	...	Teacher
Richard Lineback	...	Innkeeper
Sasha Barrese	...	Girl Teen #1
Tess Hall	...	Girl Teen #2
Adam Brody	...	Male Teen #1

Storyline

Rachel Keller is a journalist investigating a videotape that may have killed four teenagers (including her niece). There is an urban legend about this tape: the viewer will die seven days after watching it. If the legend is correct, Rachel will have to run against time to save her son's and her own life.

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Plot Keywords:

whitewash | mini skirt | girl in panties | cleavage | ghost | 

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Taglines:

Before you die, you see... the ring.

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, disturbing images, language and some drug references

Did You Know?

Trivia

While the film takes place in Seattle, in earlier drafts of the screenplay, it originally took place in Massachusetts and Maine (for the scenes involving the Morgan family).

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Goofs

When Rachel is researching Anna Morgan and Moesko Island in the newspaper archives, she is unconsciously scribbling on a picture of Anna. Between shots, the scribble changes shape from fanning outward to completely vertical.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Katie: I hate television. Gives me headaches. You know, I heard there's so many magnetic waves traveling through the air, because of TV and telephones, that we're losing, like, ten times as many brain cells as we're supposed to. Like, all the molecules in our heads are all unstable. All the companies know about it, but they're not doing anything about it. It's, like, a big conspiracy.

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Crazy Credits

On the DVD release, the Copyright Warning message is affected by 'interference' much like the intro.

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Connections

Spoofed in Shark Tale (2004)

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Soundtracks

Hey John
Written by Scott Leger, Nate Navarro, Eddie Willis, Steve Rude & Curtis Ryker
Performed by Wide Awake

User Reviews

One of the scariest films I've ever seen!

I've been watching horror movies for a long time, and I always consider myself to be some what desensitized. When I saw this film when it was released in 2002, I was terrified. Whereas other scary movies I had seen before it tended to be predictable, this one wasn't. Certain images were unexpected and shocking to me. The plot is well-placed and the setting dark and dreary. Such natural things in the world are given new meaning within the film's context.

Watching it again 18 years later, I know what to expect, but it still gives me shivers. This is a solid horror/suspense film and I appreciate it in light of the tendency towards gore which followed.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 October 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ring

Filming Locations:

Malibou Lake, Agoura Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$48,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,015,393, 20 October 2002

Gross USA:

$129,128,133

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$249,348,933

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dreamworks Pictures, Parkes/MacDonald Image Nation, BenderSpink

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital EX DTS-ES

Color:

Color Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1