Coming Attractions wrote:DreamWorks "Ring" is the Thing
Darwin says it could be as scary as the original "Exorcist" was. It's about time.
Friday, July 12, 2002

Early in the script RING someone asks, “When’s the last time you saw a scary movie that really scared you?” Well, I can safely say that the scary movie that will really scare you is RING. A creepy, spine-tingling psychological horror script that works its long, bony fingers under your flesh and insinuates itself until you’re weeping.

I’m kind of in a tough spot here with this review. Because I don’t want to give anything away. I want you all to go into the movie blind, unaware of the ghastly fun to come. But I think I can manage some superlatives.

Let’s put it this way: RING is the first horror-movie script I ever read that had me jumpy and creeped out. This thing is atmospheric and stygian on the page. Most movies have me rolling my eyes and laughing, but this thing -- just the words on paper -- had me whirling around, feeling eyes on my back; my skin was prickling with nervousness. There’s something about this story -- something inherently spooky -- that sends a chill through you.

Here’s what I’m willing to tell you (you probably already know this from our site and various others): the luminous and extraordinary Naomi Watts plays Rachel Keller, a reporter whose niece dies a mysterious death. She overhears teenagers talking at her funeral and learns that she might have been killed -- somehow -- by a videotape. The legend/rumor is this: someone watches the tape (which is impressionistically weird) and gets a phone call. “You will die in seven days.” And then, of course, the people die odd, seemingly self-induced deaths.

Rachel tracks down this tape and watches it herself (not exactly a smart move). With the help of a photographer she tries to crack the code of the tape and figure out what it means, and how to save her life. Because, as her seven days tick away, she becomes more and more convinced the tape is no joke. It’s a death sentence.

And there you have it -- a simple, effective scary-movie tale. Despite its Japanese horror- phenomenon provenance, the script is sort of like a amalgam of the original NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, the original CANDYMAN, STIR OF ECHOES and CARRIE. (If you’re going to combine ideas from other people, why not use ideas from Wes Craven, Clive Barker, Richard Matheson and Stephen King?)

There’s something especially evocative and goose-bump-inducing about a villain or bad guy that is essentially shapeless and nonexistent. In this case we’re talking about a video. So here the telltale signs of something nasty about to happen are TVs going on and off and static on a screen and then, as the script progresses, images from the tape itself. (There’s a horrific bit, which I won’t detail, where poor Rachel has to disgorge something of supreme disgust and ambiguity.) It lends to a great paranoid, fright-height tension when something is fundamentally “real.” It’s harder to get scared of some madman in a white mask stalking you with a knife. How many among us can say they have experienced this? But, on the other hand (and this is something Steve King knows well), how many have seen something in a shadow, late at night, and thought maybe -- just maybe -- something wasn’t right. Or looked up suddenly in their rearview mirror and thought they saw something -- something wrong -- and jumped a mile?

There’s something rapturously eerie about the idea of realizing an act you do with anonymity -- like watching a tape -- isn’t private. You are being watched somehow, exposed, and suddenly there are eyes everywhere -- even in the former safety of your home. It’s like a crash course in paranoia. And that phone call -- that symbol-crashing trill -- the nerve-splinting, synapse-snapping toll of doom. Oh, it all just fits into a nice little package.

RING is fingertips waltzing up your spine. It is a split-second image in your peripheral vision. It is your sixth sense telling you something is behind a door. It is movement in the dark. It is hot breath on your neck. It is a sonorous moan creeping into your head. The ant-weight nothingness marching over your skin that makes you shiver till your teeth rattle.

RING is, simply, a great horror-movie script that I enjoyed tremendously, and, though I can’t speak of the film, I recommend what I read unreservedly. What I think we’re going to see is the first truly scary, truly worthy, truly audiences-screaming-in-fright-and-loving-it, armrest-destroying, fainting-dead-away-in-anticipation, fingernail-chewing, clutch-the-arm-next- to-you scary movie. (Is this a sister to that all-time best creepster flick THE EXORCIST? Could be.) RING doesn’t need blood or gore. It forgets about grossing you out. Instead it makes your heart stop cold in your chest and screws with your brain so fiendishly you might develop a twitch in your eye.

I couldn’t get the script out of my head. In fact, I don’t really like looking at the reflective white screen in front of me. You never know what I’ll see over my shoulder...

And now let’s talk specs. Gore Verbinski takes the helms here. Gore (sort of the perfectly inverted name for this project) directed MOUSEHUNT (a favorite of mine) and THE MEXICAN (which was actually a lot more appealing than the script). The film will star Naomi Watts, who was lavished with deserving kudos for her work in Lynch’s MULHOLLAND DR. I think Naomi is without a doubt the most exciting actress around. Her work in DRIVE absolutely blew my mind. She attacked the two-headed role she had to play with a finesse and aplomb that was giddily fun and amazing to watch. She will, of course, bring something special to the table.

The draft I’ve reviewed here is by Ehren Kruger (SCREAM III, REINDEER GAMES). Since then Scott Frank (Oscar-nominated scribe of such exceptional work as GET SHORTY, DEAD AGAIN and MINORITY REPORT) has rewritten the script.

Kruger did a sublime job of mapping out the frights, shocks and surprises in his script. (The actual terminus of the story is not a letdown, which is rare for films like these, and the story is actually a great whodunit.) But he left the characterization behind. Rachel’s relationship to her son and to the photographer never felt real, and much of the dialogue is pure word-bubble plot direction. I’m assuming Scott was brought on to fix all this up, which he should do easily.

So with Gore and Naomi in place, and Scott making it extra shiny and clean, I think we’re looking at a nice big hit for those DreamWorks guys.

Though I wouldn’t suggest people who are easily scared to go see this movie. The psychological damage is acute. The images rest on your eye like the last snapshot the retina retains at death. Your ears will be sensitive, so sensitive to any sound, anything coming near you -- but all you’ll hear is the steady mewling, the moan, the deep, booming, drawn-out wail...

But she wants you to watch it...she wants you to watch it...she wants you to watch it...

...she wants you to watch it...

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ...to watch...

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _...to...


-- Darwin Mayflower

coming attractions wrote:July 16, 2002... DreamWorks held a test screening of Ring last month and a few early reviews have crept their way upon the Web. Today we got our first email from someone who saw this early cut of the flick, and what they had to say echoed the sentiment found in Darwin's script review last Friday...

"I had a chance to see a screening of the new Dreamworks movie Ring a few weeks ago and I'd have to say it was way better than I was expecting. I went into this movie not knowing anything about it except the basic concept of, you watch this tape and 7 days later you die, which at the time sounded like another lame attempt at a horror movie for teens. It started out with two girls having a sleep over and telling scary stories, at this point I thought I had guessed right, soon after I found out this movie was completely different. The entire cast was awesome with one exception, which was the young boy in the new teaser trailer, he was very creepy but could not act well at all. The story was very well written and the tension throughout the movie built up at a nice pace. The video itself is quite disturbing and has some visuals that I would of perfered never seeing, but it did add a lot to the movie that they couldnt of done without the visuals being so disturbing. There was a lot of work put into the visuals throughout the film and the cinematography was brilliant. I haven't gone into any detail about the storyline because Darwin did a great job of not giving away too much and anything I could add would just give away more than should be known yet.

"Even though I saw this film a few weeks ago it still has me quite freaked out when I remember parts of it and I have not watched any unmarked vhs tapes since. My main concern is that they are going to market this movie completely wrong and end up ruining some of the best parts by showing even a picture of a few scenes or a few key peices of dialogue, this concern has intensified a bit since I saw the teaser. My best advice is to ignore every preview or commercial that comes out for this movie and definatly do not read the script, this movie is best seen without any knowledge of what is to come. I have not seen the original version of this film yet, but I'm gonna probably brave it in the next month or so, even without seeing the original though I think that this must definately stand up to it and would have to be the absolute scariest and most disturbing horror film I have ever seen. Overall I'd have to say whatever hype they put out for this movie it will deserve and fully earns."

[Review sent in by one scared 'Sketch'.]

The amigos at The Daily Digest have posted 34 screencaps of images taken from the Japanese teaser trailer for the Ring remake. Unfortunately, the site that housed the trailer has now taken it offline -- so this is the only place you can see what DreamWorks has been up to. ['Alcarinwen'.]


Official Web Site:

http://www.dreamworks.com/ring

Dark Horizons wrote:The Ring: The boys from Placebo Productions have included a report about a marketing tie-in for this horror remake: "A friend of mine attended a concert in LA a couple of days ago and came across a blank video tape in the parking lot. Curious, he picked it up and took it home for viewing. Now, my friend had seen a bootleg of the Japanese version of "Ring," so he was familiar with the imagery used to create the mysterious cursed tape that is the center piece of the film. So imagine his shock when he pops in the tape and finds the exact same imagery, only slightly updated, on this blank cassette! What's clever about the promotion is that the video does not start out as a promotion for the film but only provides a clue as to its origin at the very end when the Dreamworks website comes up. Needless to say, anyone who is familiar with "Ring" can appreciate just how wonderful this promotional tool is, and once the trailers for the film are released, it should work even better. My hat is off to the brain behind this one - although I suspect its only a matter of time before some smartass cuts off the website info and passes the tape off as the real deal - if it hasn't happened already". More hints on the campaign planned are up at Movie Poop Shoot.

placeboproductions.net wrote:'Ring' promotional tapes surface

So it seems that Syd's gotten his dirty little hands on what looks like a promotional tape for the remake of 'The Ring'. Of course the first thing he does is bring it over and show it to me, releasing himself from the curse and insuring my demise in seven days. Well unless I get on the ball and pass it along.

Now we viewed the tape all the way through, because, well we were curious, and what did we find at the end? A website. From the looks of things, the studio making the remake has stumbled upon a great idea for promotions. Create and distribute versions of the cursed tape to generate hype.for the movie. Anyways, the site is a little strange, but hey, its horror. And you too can view the cursed tape if you click on the big 'Dont Watch This' link. Of course dont blink or you will miss the subliminal release date for the movie.

The site is: http://www.anopenletter.com

If it's a hoax, then it's a damn good one. The tape looks authentic, footage wise. but check it out yourself and decide.

Oh and, if there are no more news updates in seven days...blame Syd.

ZackTaylor wrote:WHAT DOES SHE LOOK LIKE NOW??

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Remember that creepy little girl Samara (aka actress Daveigh Chase) from the movie, The Ring??

6a00e54edfa92d88330115707c76ab970b.jpg

...She's 18 now!!

darkness wrote:Might want to hold off on Tromeo and Juliet for a few more years.

iHorror wrote:The Ring 3 Gets Release Date For 2015

Another highly anticipated horror sequel is on the way this year as this one comes to us from 2002’s highly successful “The Ring”. Originally stemming from the Japanese version, “Ringu”, which came first in 1998; and then americanized for the United States five years later. In the American remake directed by Gore Verbinski, A young journalist, Naomi Watts, investigates a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone in a week of viewing it. The young actress, Daveigh Chase scared up viewers with her outstanding performance as the tortured Samara. Three years later, a sequel came much less to the disappointment of many, as it didn’t seem to measure up to the first.

The 2015 reboot simply entitled “Rings”, and as announced on the The Wrap, the lead goes out to a fairly new Italian actress named Matilda Lutz. Rings gives us the return of the deadly Samara and a new video tape full of beastly shenanigans for anyone who views it. Honestly, I can’t tell you if this is a reboot, sequel, or from IMDB, (which whose sources I considerably question all the time) claims to be a prequel. Plot details have been kept tightly under wraps so as any new information comes to us, we will be sure to give it to you! Director F. Javier Gutierrez takes on Rings, after being long attached to “The Crow” remake, which as it seems in recent news has fallen to pieces entirely. As we announced recently here on iHorror that Friday the 13th will be pushed back another year, Rings takes the slated place of coming to theaters in F13’s original spot of November 13th, 2015.