Ringu
Directed by	Hideo Nakata
Written by	Hiroshi Takahashi
Starring	Nanako Matsushima Hiroyuki Sanada Rikiya Otaka Yoichi Numata
Produced by	Taka Ichise
Distributed by	Toho Company Ltd.
Release date	January 31, 1998 (Japan)
Runtime	96 min.
Language	Japanese
Budget	$1.2 million
IMDb page

Ringu (リング, the Ring) is a 1998 Japanese horror mystery film from director Hideo Nakata, adapted from a novel by Koji Suzuki of the same name. The film was later remade in Korea as Ring (1999), and in the United States as The Ring (2002). Ring DVD Cover This is a DVD cover. ... Hideo Nakata (中田秀夫 Nakata Hideo, born July 19, 1961) is a Japanese film director. ... Hiroyuki Sanada (真田 広之 Sanada Hiroyuki) is a Japanese actor. ... Toho Company, Ltd. ... January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... See also: 1997 in film, other events of 1998, 1999 in film, list of years in film. Events February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein Top grossing films Saving Private Ryan, starring Tom Hanks Armageddon Theres Something About Mary, starring Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz A Bugs Life... DVD cover showing horror characters as depicted by Universal Studios. ... Mystery film is a film genre which uses mystery as an element to the plot. ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed Film is considered by many to be an important art form; films entertain, educate, enlighten and inspire audiences. ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Hideo Nakata (中田秀夫 Nakata Hideo, born July 19, 1961) is a Japanese film director. ... A novel is an extended work of written, narrative, prose fiction, usually in story form; the writer of a novel is a novelist. ... Suzuki Koji (鈴木 光司 Suzuki Kōji) is a Japanese writer born in 1957 and currently lives in Tokyo. ... In film, a remake may refer to a newer version of a previously released film, or a newer version of the source (play, novel, story, etc. ... Korea (한국) is a formerly unified country, situated on the Korean Peninsula in northern East Asia, bordering on China to the west and Russia to the north. ... See also: 1998 in film, other events of 1999, 2000 in film, list of years in film. Events April 7 - Star Wars fans begin lining up at movie theaters in Westwood and Hollywood to buy tickets for Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace May 3 - A Durham, North Carolina... The Ring is a 2002 American film, a remake of the Japanese horror mystery Ringu (1998). ... This is a list of film-related events in 2002. ...

Both films retain the basic premise of a cursed videotape that kills the viewer seven days later. There were several differences between the book and film(s), however, including the main character being changed from male to female (Kazuyuki Asakawa becomes Reiko Asakawa), an omission of the more unsavory personality traits of Ryuji Takayama (Asakawa's companion), and a glossing over of the scientific explanation behind the cursed videotape in favor of a decidedly supernatural one.

There were two sequels shot in Japan: Rasen (also from 1998, aka Spiral) and Ring 2 (from 1999, and which was not based on Suzuki's works), as well as a prequel, Ring 0: Birthday (2000). Rasen made up for its predecessor in scientific detail, which was one of the reasons for its unpopularity. There was also a Korean remake (called Ring in Korea and The Ring Virus abroad) that was the first-ever joint filmmaking venture between Korea and Japan. Rasen (Spiral) is a 1998 Japanese horror film by Jōji Iida, the first sequel to the popular film Ringu. ... Ringu 2 (1999), directed by Hideo Nakata, is the sequel to the Japanese horror film, Ringu. ... A prequel is a work that portrays events which are set in the same universe as a previously completed narrative, but at an earlier time. ... Ringu 0: Bâsudei (リング0～バースデイ～, Ring Zero: Birthday) is a prequel to the movie Ringu, the Nippon inspiration for the 2002 hit remake, The Ring. ... This is a list of film-related events in 2000. ...

The Ring and Rasen (released in English as Ring and Spiral respectively) were best-selling novels by Koji Suzuki. Loop (which has yet to be adapted to the screen) comprises the third book in the series. It was later followed by a collection of short stories called Birthday, from which the story entitled Lemonheart provided the basis for the aforementioned theatrical prequel. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on a list of top-sellers. ... Suzuki Koji (鈴木 光司 Suzuki Kōji) is a Japanese writer born in 1957 and currently lives in Tokyo. ...

The international success of the Japanese films launched a revival of horror filmmaking in Japan that resulted in such pictures as Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Pulse (from 2001, also called Kairo or Circuit), Takashi Shimizu's Ju-on (2000), Hideo Nakata's Dark Water (from 2002, aka Honogurai mizu no soko kara, also based on a short story by Suzuki), and Higuchinsky's Uzumaki (2000, aka Vortex, based on the Junji Ito horror manga). Kiyoshi Kurosawa (黒沢 清 Kurosawa Kiyoshi) is a Japanese filmmaker. ... See also: 2000 in film, other events of 2001, 2002 in film and the list of years in film. For the 1968 science-fiction film and novel, see 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Takashi Shimizu (清水崇 Shimizu Takashi, born 27 July 1972 in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese film director. ... Ju-on (呪怨) is the title of a series of four horror films by Japanese director Takashi Shimizu. ... Dark Water is a 2002 Japanese horror film directed by Hideo Nakata, who is better known as the director of Ringu and Ringu 2, and based on a work by Koji Suzuki. ... This is a list of film-related events in 2002. ... Uzumaki is a horror manga by Junji Ito. ... Junji Ito (伊藤 潤二 Itō Junji, July, 1963 - ) is an author of Japanese horror manga. ... Rurouni Kenshin manga, volume 1 (English version) Manga (漫画) is the Japanese word for comics; outside of Japan, it usually refers specifically to Japanese comics. ...

Most of the Ring stories also appeared as manga novels. Rurouni Kenshin manga, volume 1 (English version) Manga (漫画) is the Japanese word for comics; outside of Japan, it usually refers specifically to Japanese comics. ...

Fans of the series are known as Ringworms. Many dislike using the name Ringu for the film, preferring to call it simply Ring.

See also

• J-Horror

J-Horror is a term used to refer to Japanese contributions to horror fiction in popular culture. ...

External links

• the ringworld - a fansite covering all aspects of the Ring series and movies.
• Ringu at the Internet Movie Database
• Snowblood Apple's Ring Cycle article - an overview of all Ring films.