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Information

Year
1998
Runtime
96 min.
Director
Hideo Nakata
Genres
Mystery, Horror
Rating *
7.2
Votes *
43,239
Checks
14,073
Favs
519
Dislikes
99
Favs/checks
3.7% (1:27)
Favs/dislikes
5:1
* View IMDb information

Top comments

  1. Siskoid's avatar

    Siskoid

    Based on its reputation, I was expecting Ringu (The Ring) to be utterly terrifying, which by my standards usually means "disturbing". It wasn't that, but I don't need it to be. It plays more like a supernatural procedural, in which a journalist and her psychic ex-husband try to figure out the real story behind a haunted television transmission and the curse it places on those who see it. Of course, you can't investigate it without watching it and activating the 1-week countdown, a natural ticking clock that works in the film's favor. I tend to see "haunted technology" stories as a little silly, but Ringu feels so analog that I wouldn't put it in that category. In terms of chills, the terrified expressions of the dead are about it early on, but the creepy video prefigures The Blair Witch Project, and you can't go wrong involving a little kid in your horror film. In fact, if there's a theme here, it's bad parenting, with the otherwise likeable heroes leaving their 6-year-old alone at home while they investigate another abused child and its role in the horror. It's a nice mystery with lots of ghostly flavor, and an interesting monster. Oh and a cool twist ending. 2 years 4 months ago
  2. Wise Jake's avatar

    Wise Jake

    Classic J-Horror. Subtle tension and atmosphere escalates to a knockout ending, with a much more ambiguous ending than the Americanized remake. The one that started the last great horror movement. 13 years 10 months ago
  3. mbkeene's avatar

    mbkeene

    Good mystery movie, I wouldn't really call it a horror film because... it's just not scary. Well-made, thought provoking, tense, strange, entertaining? Yes. Scary? No. 12 years 10 months ago
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In 12 official lists

  1. This movie ranks #20 in Sitges Film Festival - El Kong Premi a la millor pel·lícula
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    Sitges Film Festival - E…

    20
  2. This movie ranks #34 in TSZDT's The 1,000 Greatest Horror Films
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    TSZDT's The 1,000 Greate…

    34
  3. This movie ranks #74 in Empire's The 100 Best Films of World Cinema
    Empire's The 100 Best Films of World Cinema's icon

    Empire's The 100 Best Fi…

    74
  4. This movie ranks #75 in BFI's 100 Cult Films
    BFI's 100 Cult Films's icon

    BFI's 100 Cult Films

    75
  5. This movie ranks #196 in Emma Beare's 501 Must-See Movies
    Emma Beare's 501 Must-See Movies's icon

    Emma Beare's 501 Must-Se…

    196
  6. This movie ranks #215 in Tom Vick's Asian Cinema: A Field Guide
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    Tom Vick's Asian Cinema:…

    215
  7. This movie ranks #286 in Jennifer Eiss's 500 Essential Cult Movies
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    Jennifer Eiss's 500 Esse…

    286
  8. This movie ranks #469 in Mark Cousins's The Story of Film: An Odyssey
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    Mark Cousins's The Story…

    469
  9. This movie ranks #747 in The Guardian's 1000 Films to See Before You Die
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    The Guardian's 1000 Film…

    747
  10. This movie ranks #775 in Time Out's 1000 Films to Change Your Life
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    Time Out's 1000 Films to…

    775
  11. This movie ranks #919 in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
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    1001 Movies You Must See…

    919
  12. This movie ranks #962 in TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest Films: 1001-2500
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    TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest F…

    962
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