Sometimes when a great concept for a movie works in another country, the big wigs at the Hollywood studios decide to make the grand decision to remake the the movie. Sometimes this doesn't work so well IE The Uninvited, Shutter, Dark Water, Funny Games, The Eye and Mirrors. At times, letting the original movie stand without trying to equal it is the right decision. Then there are those rare occasions where not only do you capture lighting in a bottle twice, but you somehow make the movie better then the original. Very few make this cut and the 2002 remake of the 1998 film Ringu is a fine example.
There are so many elements that separates this film from the others listed above that catapult them to the next level. For one, this film feels the closest to the tone of the original film. Some above are very close. Funny Games is a shot for shot remake and directed by the same director they just can't do what The Ring does.
This film has such an amazing tone and appearance, which can be attributed to the second element of why this film soars. That happens to be the involvement of director Gore Verbinski. Verbinski is a director who understands style and tone, and he shows that he can bring both to the forefront in this film. Although not known for horror movies, Veribinski is responsible for first three Pirate's of the Caribbean films. We know that he can handle a big budget set. This, in terms of his previous films is probably the most quiet and subdued. It is certainly the darkest of all his directing credits.
The third element in what makes the Ring work is the actors who were cast. Now, usually as is the rule with most horror movies, you get unknown actors to keep your budget low and make sure that they don't outshine the film itself. You also usually see women who are more attractive than the performances they are giving. In the case of the Ring, Verbinski chose to go the opposite route and spent the money to ensure, that even at the most unreal times, the actors would keep the audience on the edge of their seats and believing every moment.
Naomi Watts is one of the greatest actors of her generation. I absolutely adore watching her perform. Watts follows the rule that she may have been in a film but she is never the bad thing in a film. This was her second huge commercial success and launched her into the major leagues of acting. In the previous year, she had blown the world away in the spellbinding David Lynch film Mulholland Drive and showed the world a terrifyingly amazing performance.
In The Ring, Watts flips the script of a traditional horror heroine and isn't the one asking for help, rather the one looking to offer it. She also isn't stupid and clumsy, but very capable. The decision to make her character a journalist is a great way to spark the character's curiosity for the events surrounding the film.
The films premise is very simple and surrounds a video tape that if watched in its entirety will cause you to die in seven days from mysterious and horrible circumstances. After Watts niece (Amber Tamblyn) is mysteriously killed and the circumstances of her death seem out of the normal realm. Watts sets off to find the origin behind the mysterious video that brings death to everyone that views it. She eventually digs up the past of a young girl named Samara Morgan who seems to be intertwined with the tape in a very twisted way.
Besides all the the things I wrote about this film above the other reasons this film genuinely scares me. The images on the video itself are some of the most subtle and unnerving images set to film. If you want to watch the full uncut video here is a fun way to do it. Pop in your DVD of the Ring. press 666 on your remote and the whole video will play. after it finishes the DVD will make the sound of a phone ringing. Outside of the video this was the first time that a creature like the one in the Ring had been presented to American audiences. Its also not overly complicated and in that makes it equally scary.
The way I can tell a film is particularly scary is the plane test. Whenever I am flying on a plane I need to either be watching an over the top action film, a comedy or a horror movie to take my mind off the plane ride. The Ring not only does that it make me want to stay on the plane as to avoid any place that is near the setting in the ring. I will argue that the opening 10 minutes of the Ring build suspense as good as any horror movie opening in history. It also continues to scare you throughout and it you haven't watched it in years will have the power to terrify you again and again.
See you all tomorrow when I take a look at part 1 of one of the greatest horror trilogies of all time and show you how to keep it groovy. For High Weirdness I'm Ben Kolton reminding you "It's Only A Movie". "It's Only a Movie".
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