Last year at this exact time, I remember wondering if I should put the original Ringu on this list, or the equally amazing remake. Well, since I almost always lean toward the original of anything, I went with Ringu. So that means this year, let’s give the remake some love. I know most of you have already seen this incredible film, but here’s your reminder to revisit it. First, here is the brief IMDB synopsis:
A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it.
The Ring was one of those films that just came out at the right time. It ushered in a whole era of Asian horror remakes. But to me, none of the other remakes of that time period came close to the success of this one. The mysterious videotape, the “wet spirit girl”, all the Pacific Northwest island imagery, everything was so meticulously planned in this film. Gore Verbinski has always been a very visual storyteller, and all his skills are on display here. Right after the success of The Ring he went on to the Pirates of the Caribbean films, so that should tell you exactly how much The Ring hit. I remember seeing an early test screening of The Ring (one of the first test screenings I’d ever seen). And it had a whole different sequence in it about halfway through (even different actors). So when I saw the actual release, I was so confused why a whole section was completely remade. It sent me down a path of learning about test screenings and reshoots in Hollywood. So in a way, I will always have The Ring to thank for a pretty big Hollywood education. Yeah, I know most people have seen this film, but I’m telling you it stands up 20 years later like a day has hardly gone by. Give it a revisit. You won’t be disappointed.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Paramount+
Food/Drink Pairing: Some wild caught salmon from the Pacific Northwest and a very dark beer.
Musings of a Scary Horror Writer. 