Ring

After his teenage niece dies suddenly of a heart attack, a newspaper reporter named "Kazuyuki Asakawa" (Katsunori Takahashi) becomes worried when he learns that three of her friends also died from similar causes around the same time. Eventually, his curiosity gets the best of him, leading him to a hotel in a remote part of Japan where they were last seen together. While there, he discovers a videotape they had watched, and upon viewing it, he is warned that he has one week left to live. Recognizing that this might not be a joke, he decides to visit a man named "Ryuji Takayama" (Yoshio Harada), who has studied paranormal activity and might be able to help ease some of his concerns. However, after watching the tape for himself, Ryuji startles him by saying that both of their lives are in danger and that the only way to save themselves is to investigate this mystery with the little time they have left. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this rather ordinary made-for-television movie ended up being the catalyst behind a series of films in Japan and an additional film series in the United States. Personally, having seen the 1998 theatrical remake, "Ringu," before this one, I must say that I preferred the theatrical version for a couple of reasons. For starters, the quality of the film in this made-for-television movie was somewhat grainy throughout, with several scenes also in need of better lighting. Additionally, this version also had a couple of unsavory elements which the theatrical remake wisely omitted. That being said, while I certainly don't consider this to be a bad movie by any means, I don't believe that it is as good as the 1998 remake, and I have rated it accordingly.

I recently watched the first adaptation of The Ring (1995), which was a Japanese television series 🇯🇵. This series is currently available on YouTube. The storyline follows a reporter investigating the mysterious deaths of four individuals in Tokyo, all of whom die simultaneously from apparent heart issues. As the reporter delves deeper into the case, he discovers a videotape that may unravel the mystery of their deaths-and possibly his own.

Directed by Chisui Takigawa (Takes of the Bizarre), the series stars Katsunori Takahashi (From the End of the World), Ayane Miura, Tomorô Taguchi (Tetsuo: The Iron Man), Mai Tachihara (Sister), and Maha Hamada (Kamen Rider W).

While I found this series to be a fun watch and an interesting take on The Ring storyline, the overall quality was mixed. The version I watched still included the original commercials, which added a fun touch. However, the acting was just average, and some of the content, such as the nudity and unexpected sex scenes, were surprising. The horror effects were low-budget and less intense compared to the film adaptations, though the scenes at the well were particularly well executed. The unexpected twist involving one of the characters at the well was the highlight for me. The ending was effective, but mainly because of the presence of the girl in the well.

In conclusion, The Ring television series isn't as impactful as Ringu, but it's still worth a watch for diehard fans of the franchise. I'd give it a 5.5-6/10 and recommend it to horror enthusiasts.

So before the 1998 Japanese theatrical release of Ringu. There was a TV movie back in 1995. What makes it interesting is the differing plot details between the two versions and how they visually present Sadako's curse. They sorta follow the same narrative structure, but still feel very different to make it worth a look.

Very lo-fi in execution, but the music score and camerawork is very emotive. Actually showed some style in that department for a tv production. However the horror was lacking, and so was the atmosphere and suspense. Favouring a way more suggestive approach, and really leaning into the investigative side of the plot. If you thought the 1998 film was at times dry, this tv film takes the cake. No real standout scares, less visual or memorable set-pieces, but an interesting curio. The cursed video tape is actually way trippier, but not as creepy.

This film was produced by and originally shown on Fuji TV in Japan. Nevertheless, expect a bit of nudity (five scenes in all) and an attempted rape.

For a TV movie, this is surprisingly well filmed. People who are familiar with the 1998 theatrical film will follow the plot just fine. It's essentially the same, with some minor differences (Sadako's back story is different and the reporter is a male, for example).

I live in Japan, and this is the first "Ring" movie that most of my Japanese friends saw. Many of them claim it is scarier than the theatrical remake, but I cannot concur. The warped photos, videotape, ending, and generally eerie feel of the Japanese theatrical version make it far superior.

This is an earlier TV version of the seminal Japanese film "Ringu", which was later remade in both America and in Korea and spawned plenty of sequels in all three countries. It is basically the same story as the later "Ringu" film except the female reporter and her child has been replaced by a childless male reporter, and his partner is now a middle-aged college professor, who takes time out from banging his nubile female students to help his younger friend deal with the cursed videotape. This is not as good as "Ringu" or the first American reboot "The Ring", but it is an entertaining enough film that only recently became available with "fansub" English subtitles.

The only thing new this really brings to the table is some "pink" (sex) elements that the later films didn't have. Besides, the lecherous professor, you have one young couple who die while having graphic sex (a scene that includes a surprising flash of not entirely pixillated female pubic hair--I expect the Japanese censors hung the editor upside down and beat him on the soles of his feet). The nude/sex scenes don't really add to the movie, but they don't really distract from it either. I did find some of them hilariously exploitative, like the first scene where the protagonist's ill-fated niece, who here is a lone teenage girl rather than a pair of them, runs into the bathroom for some reason only to drop dead in the shower, which then turns on for no other apparent motive than to get her t-shirt wet and display her breasts. (This is obviously a little more low-rent affair than the later Hideo Nakata film. . .). The biggest changes in the film meanwhile are to the evil "Sadako" character who, instead of being a child, in this movie is a sexy and oft-naked young woman (once again, for obvious exploitation reasons).

Still, as a fan of both "Ring"-type movies and Japanese "pinku eiga", I couldn't very well pass this up. It's pretty much what I expected overall.