Confirming what we all knew - VHS is evil

Rating: 9/10 (3 April 2005)

The Ring follows the story of a journalist ,who, while investigating the death of her niece stumbles across a cursed video which kills its viewers in seven days.
The Ring is based on a series of Japanese books which in turn were translated to film in Hideo Nakata's original film "Ring". Sometimes its impossible to talk about either film - the Japanese version or the US remake without comparing them such is the division of opinion. Taking The Ring on its own merits though it is a chilling and seriously creepy film.
However if you have watched the Japanese version then some parts of the Ring will frustrate you. Such as the insistence US film makers have you holding your hand and explaining everything to you every step of the way. What ever happened to less is more? A big reason why Ring was so scary is that you knew next to nothing about the female apparition Sadako and this lent her an air of mystery. Here in The Ring we see her as a little girl sitting up and talking in bed. Not very scary. Also the main part - the video itself is just too well done in the US Ring. It looks more like a student art house film then a manifestation of evil. The Japanese version was darker, dirtier and plain freakier. As was the music.
Don't get me wrong. The US Ring is still a fantastic horror film which improves on the Japanese version is some areas - just not overall. because of that its kind of impossible to say which was actually better. I personally prefer the original for the reasons I listed, but each to their own.
After promising myself I wouldn't spend this comment comparing the two its obvious I need to go punish myself in some way. Perhaps I'll rent Halloween 3 again.