The Ring

[JohnnyAlucard]

Ok guys and girls can u give me some info on this film without any spoilers :)

I'm going to see it this w/e and have read really good reviews about it. I understand it is a remake of the original from the east?

How does the remake compare with the original? :D

[JohnShaft]

A remake? Really?! :P

Heh yeah. I haven't seen it (yet) so I can't judge the US version really. The reviews it got were not quite as bad as I expected so I guess it doesn't suck *that* much.
I think it's somewhat of an advantage for you, as, not having seen Nakata's Japanese original, you won't be comparing it to anything. My guess is you'll like it. Not a lot, but you'll like it. (Forgive the Paul Daniels impression!).
BTW (if it's anything like the original) don't expect the regular ghostly appearances of 'the Eye'. It isn't about that.

But remember my film-watching mantra "Don't expect too much!"
Let us know what you thought of it. :)

Oh, and how does it compare? Allegedly, "not as good as the original".
Don't you love people who compare films they've never even seen :lol:

[Scott W. Davis]

The remake is pretty good, but would play much better for people who didn't see the superior original. I think that's why it did so well with the masses in America last fall. Months after the film came out, I was still explaining - Yes, it's a remake.

Still, there's nothing really horrible about the remake. Incidentally, I just got done watching the Korean version, RING VIRUS about ten minutes ago.

[JohnShaft]

Ring Virus? I must be living in a cave, ain't heard of that one.
I've still got to get round to watching Ring 0 too.

What's this Korean version like Scott?

[Scott W. Davis]

Oh, I've seen 'em all, John. In fact, I'll be uploading my RING 0 review to the site sometime soon.

RING VIRUS is an effective film, that is basically a Korean remake of the Japanese RINGU. It's surprisingly faithful, changing mainly the origins of the girl.

[JohnShaft]

Originally posted by Scott W. Davis@Mar 1 2003, 06:11 AM
Oh, I've seen 'em all, John. In fact, I'll be uploading my RING 0 review to the site sometime soon.
Excellent. Looking forward to it.

I might have to watch Ring 0 pretty sharpish then. Especially as I've got to admit I'm pretty finicky about not reading reviews of films I intend to see. I probably shouldn't be admitting this, when I'm advocating other people read our reviews *before* watching a film, but I felt guilty... :blush:

[JohnnyAlucard]

Well I saw it and must say found it 'slightly better than average'. And I haven't seen the original which judging by what Scott is saying is superior.

It's by no means as good as some reviews I had seen made it out to be but it does contain some genuinley creepy moments.

I felt it started really well, fell away in the middle somewhat and redeemed itselfe at the end when the plot comes together and all is revealed.

One thing regarding your film watching mantra Shaft, do u think that it can also work in reverse? i.e you go into a film completely cynical thinking it's going to be crap, watch a very average film and then come out with an opinion that it was absolutely outstanding??? Just a thought, and nothing to to with 'The Ring' or lol the 'The Eye' :D

[JohnShaft]

Originally posted by JohnnyAlucard@Mar 3 2003, 08:41 PM
One thing regarding your film watching mantra Shaft, do u think that it can also work in reverse? i.e you go into a film completely cynical thinking it's going to be crap, watch a very average film and then come out with an opinion that it was absolutely outstanding??? Just a thought, and nothing to to with 'The Ring' or lol the 'The Eye' :D
Absolutely. It totally works that way round too! At least for me.
I don't know about everyone else on the planet but I find it really hard to cast off the opinions I've heard about a film when I watch it.
Films that I've heard are utter crap but were actually OK I watch and feel positive about.
Whereas films that I've heard are great and are just good I usually feel negative about.
I really wish I could empty my head of all thoughts before watching a film. (Who said it's empty anyway! :huh:)
BTW with this I don't really mean what YOU think of the film before you see it. Because generally if you think you'll hate a film you'll hate it for sure. It's just the opinions of others that you have heard.

It's like expecting your favourite sports team to get hammered and instead they get marginally beaten. It often feels like a victory.

Star Wars I, I expected to *utterly* suck. When I watched it (late) I actually thought "that wasn't too bad".
But Star Wars II, which I'd heard a lot of good things about, I was really dissapointed in (the first half sucked imo).
Funny thing is SWII is a better film, to me, I guess.

The mind is a strange thing...

[Scott W. Davis]

Originally posted by JohnnyAlucard@Mar 3 2003, 08:41 PM

One thing regarding your film watching mantra Shaft, do u think that it can also work in reverse? i.e you go into a film completely cynical thinking it's going to be crap, watch a very average film and then come out with an opinion that it was absolutely outstanding???

It does for me. Two words, guys: SPICE WORLD. :D

Oh and KEEPING THE FAITH was surprisingly great too. Neither of them horror, but they were the first two to pop into my head.

[JohnShaft]

Originally posted by Scott W. Davis+Mar 4 2003, 05:03 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Scott W. Davis @ Mar 4 2003, 05:03 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteBegin--JohnnyAlucard@Mar 3 2003, 08:41 PM

One thing regarding your film watching mantra Shaft, do u think that it can also work in reverse? i.e you go into a film completely cynical thinking it's going to be crap, watch a very average film and then come out with an opinion that it was absolutely outstanding???
It does for me. Two words, guys: SPICE WORLD. :D[/b][/quote]
Spice World!?!!!!! :o
Say it ain't so, Joe!

I haven't seen it I must admit, but the day you can't criticise a film 'starring' the Spice Girls sight-unseen is a sad, sad day.

My aim in life is to get to a point where every time I sit down to watch a film I can truly convince myself "it is going to suck, utterly". That way no matter how shite the film I can really enjoy it.
Now, I have begun to expect so much (especially since looking at films with a more critical eye) that I almost always feel somewhat dissapointed. I can be such a negative Nelly.

[Scott W. Davis]

Oh, I know. I was ridiculing it up to the split second it arrived and left theatres. I was railing against it. Then I had one of my crazy insomniac fugue states. I was wandering down to the local Superamerica ( a trashy convenience store located every few square blocks in the midwestern U.S. ) in a daze, not having slept in over 24 hours. As I'm buying my daily two packs of cigarettes ( this is before I quit ), my lottery ticket and pack of White Castle microwave hamburgers ( burgers so convenient, you don't even have to chew ), I saw it on the shelf. SPICE WORLD - 10 bucks. Had to get it. :rolleyes: And I rather enjoyed it the first time. And I really enjoyed it every time thereafter.

I don't like the Spice Girls' music at all. Like George Harrison once said, "They're great to watch with the sound off." But the film was crazy and funny enough for me to fall in love with it. Any film that features Roger Moore reciting gibberish while suckling a pig.... :devil:

[JohnShaft]

Originally posted by Scott W. Davis@Mar 4 2003, 08:09 PM
SPICE WORLD - 10 bucks. Had to get it. :rolleyes: And I rather enjoyed it the first time. And I really enjoyed it every time thereafter.
OK. So I haven't seen it. *Maybe* I am being a little hasty, but I am still truly amazed it doesn't suck so bad it hurts.

The fact that the Spice Girls pollution reached the States as well as they did was worrying. We should all praise Allah that they disbanded and spared the world of their 'celebrity'. They were, I think, part of the first wave of the current media propaganda (Pop/American/Soap Idol, etc) bullshit we are victim to now.

OK. I'm getting down off my soapbox now. :shifty:

"Die Spice Girls! Die!"

[JCFantasy]

:wub: I thought this movie was excellent. Love those hard to figure out films. When I originally heard the plot I thought, how are earth are they going to pull off a killer video tape? :D But they managed. I have to admit I am still confused about Samara - what exactly is she? What is her purpose? I haven't seen Ringu but have heard it's the superior of the two films.

[JohnnyAlucard]

Having now seen the original, i'd have to say that the American remake is slightly superior! Shock! Horror!! :o

[JohnShaft]

Ah, wondered when you would get round to seeing it.

I can't say I'm suprised you prefered the US version (which I still haven't seen) to the original.

I think opinions on which is the better of the two are split down the middle. People generally seem to prefer the first one they saw, which I think says a lot of the quality of both of them.

PS You didn't happen to buy RING, RING 2, and RING 0 all together off Amazon earlier this month did you? ;)

[JohnnyAlucard]

Aye definatley prefer the US one, not that the Original is bad in anyway, its very good, and of course, the US one owes everything to the original!

I bought Ring, Ring 2 and Ring 0 boxset yep, not from Amazon though, was from MVC in Stockton. Everyone else on the board is saying "Where the hell is Stockton?!" LOL :D

[Scott W. Davis]

Originally posted by JohnShaft@Jul 1 2003, 08:38 PM


PS You didn't happen to buy RING, RING 2, and RING 0 all together off Amazon earlier this month did you? ;)
So which is it? Are we wondering whether the Amazon links work or were you smacked down in an online auction? :devil:

Oh and I agree on THE RING. Opinions really do seem to be split and it's not of the "the Japanese one was too arty" or "I don't like subtitles" variety. They really do get appreciation from intelligent camps on both sides now. I still prefer the original but I am nowhere near as upset about the remake as I was when it was being released.

[JohnShaft]

Originally posted by Scott W. Davis@Jul 3 2003, 07:07 PM
So which is it? Are we wondering whether the Amazon links work or were you smacked down in an online auction?

Heh. Those three titles are the only purchases from the Affiliate links from day one. :(
And they were all in the same day, earlier this month.

Good job we're not in this for the money mate... :afro:

[JohnnyAlucard]

I think Sadako's video in the American one was alot better. Plus they made the corpse's of the people who had died visually impressive in the American version :sick:

Im no fan of subtitled films but it is a whole lot better that bad dubbing:)

[JohnShaft]

I think if nothing else I've convered you to Asian horror Mr. Alucard. :woot:

Actually I'm on the lookout for couple of new titles myself (after finally watching Ring 0, and the full trilogy).

I must say I really like the look of Ju-On (http://www.horrorexpress.com/filmreview.php?id=265) which Tom has just reviewed.
Even the trailer made it look pretty cool.

I guess that whole Oriental Ghost thing just creeps me out. :shock:

[Hedgecore]

i own the dvd its a good movie