MovieChat Forums > Ringu (1998) Discussion > Didn't find this movie scary

Didn't find this movie scary

posted 12 years ago by pcj123
16 replies | jump to latest

Frankly, I didn't find this movie scary at all. There were maybe a few scenes where something popped up onto the screen that I wasn't expecting, that gave me a little jump. But other than that, the movie just wasn't that scary. Even the famous "Sadako coming out of the TV" scene, I found, was not scary at all. The whole time I was watching this movie I kept anticipating something scary to come along, and was totally let down when nothing scary actually came along. I felt more scared anticipating something scary, than actually watching something scary on screen. Honestly, I even found the American version scarier than the original. I should point out that I'm the type of person that gets easily scared, and the fact that I was hardly scared watching this movie, just shows how much of a let down it was, at least for me. Now, before you label me as some ignorant American with horrible taste, I'm very well aware of the cultural context of this movie. I get how Japanese horror movies focus more on psychological scares, as opposed to the more in your face scares of American movies. I get the cultural impact this film had. I've even read the book the movie's based on, and I found that more scary than the movie itself. Please don't mistake my finding this movie not scary, as a way of me saying that the movie was terrible or that I didn't like it. I respect how well made this movie was, I just didn't find it scary. I don't know, maybe it's because I'm American and I'm more used to the in your face scares. Thoughts? Opinions? Anyone else feel the same way?

[–] Motoko_Kusanagi 12 years ago

I don't think it has aged so well, but when I first saw it around ten years ago it really scared me. I still like it, and the American remakes, for different reasons. The remakes do have more overt scares. I love the stories though so I don't mind not being scared.

[–] Milo_Milosovic 12 years ago

I think scary is the wrong word r.e. Ring. Now, I can't think of the right word. Creepy? chilling? unsettling? Hmmm, still not right...

All I know is that after 15 years there are still several scenes that send a shiver up my spine.

[–] Motoko_Kusanagi 12 years ago

I know!! And there are other scenes too that are just beautiful, and so touching, like the way Reiko holds the body close whilst in the well.

[–] Milo_Milosovic 12 years ago

Similarly, I find Dark Water as chilling and more moving.

[–] Motoko_Kusanagi 12 years ago

I hadn't seen Dark Water until tonight, so thank you!!! What a beautiful, sad and scary film. I cried at the end! That poor child, and Ikuko! ;_;

[–] Milo_Milosovic 12 years ago

Excellent! Did you see it based on my suggestion?? If so that's made me very happy...

[–] Motoko_Kusanagi 12 years ago

I did! ^^

[–] Milo_Milosovic 12 years ago

Great! You might also enjoy a Spanish film called The Orphanage.

[–] Motoko_Kusanagi 12 years ago

Thank you! I will check it out. ^.^

[–] DerekB56 12 years ago

The Orphanage is amazing!!! It was so frightening and the twist at the end caught me so off guard, but I loved it!

[–] Ishmaril 12 years ago

I find this movie far more scary than most american horror movies that only rely on jump scares (like almost all of them). Jump scares are not scary, they are just startling thanks to the music, and they are now VERY predictable. This kind of movie bores me because this is lazy work. Making *beep* jump at the camera is easy, but making the viewer unconfortable, uneasy with just the atmosphere, the plot, the silences is far more difficult. And it gives me far more chills than things jumping on me.

Last one I saw was Sinister, and I was sooooo sad they ended up the second part of the movie with a *beep* of jump scares, it could have been a very good movie otherwise ...

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] JP2005 12 years ago

I found this film downright stupid. Who filmed this tape? Where did it come from? Why would this girl in the well want vengeance against strangers? This "tape" came out just when DVD's had been invented so why didn't the creator use the more modern of the two? Only scary part was when the 1st death occurs. Prefer my old faves, but then again, I'm old.

-If you have a job an illegal could steal, it's time to get a better job.-

[–] AndreiMH 12 years ago

I just watched this movie and didn't find it scary either, AT ALL. I did like the movie though, but I just think that it didn't try to be that kind of scary to begin with. The type of scary it wanted to be was this, in your words:

I felt more scared anticipating something scary, than actually watching something scary on screen.

That didn't work for me either but I didn't come into the movie expecting to be scared anyway so I appreciated it for the story. Haven't seen the American version but I don't think I will, because I don't really like jump scares and prefer this type of more psychological storytelling.

[–] dbb79 12 years ago

The original is more classy than the American remake, but I agree that the remake is actually scarier as well as easier to watch and more entertaining.

[–] Sussexfilmlad 12 years ago

I think everyone finds different films scary, depending on when you saw the film, the context, and your cultural background. I think Ring, like a lot of Japanese horror, cannot be compared to US or Europe in up-front scariness because of incredibly wide cultural differences - the definition of 'scary' is totally different. The key differences were explained to me by a Japanese colleague and they set me to watching Japanese horror in a totally new way. Three differences that may be helpful:
1. Water is incredibly important in a lot of J-Horror. Rivers, wells, and the sea can be seen as similar to graveyards in western horror - it is where the spirits are closest to this world.
2. Ghosts are handled differently. In the west when we see a horror story we are not surprised when a ghost appears at night and/or in a way that is physically impossible. In J-horror the same expectation would be a "Day light" ghost that often appears as real as you or I (sort of think Kane at times in Poltergeist)
3. It is not always considered odd in Japan to philosophically consider your ancestors to be with you and interacting with you.
Obviously, I'm not claiming to be an expert (or even to have properly understood these things), but they certainly helped me with Ring and many other great films.