Episode 114: Hideo Nakata’s Ring (1998)

Rotten Tomato Score: 98%

Seven days is plenty of time to argue about a classic. We throw open the case file on Hideo Nakata’s Ringu and ask the hard question: does that 98% score still fit, or did the remake sharpen the scares that the original merely hinted at? From the cursed videotape’s elegant simplicity to the gut-twist of the seven-day phone call, we unpack why this story endures: it punishes curiosity and forces a brutal choice—save yourself by copying the curse, or let it die with you.

We walk through first impressions, then dive into the big craft swings. The original leans on silence, grief, and Kabuki-inspired movement to create unease, while the American remake trims the fat and amplifies the shocks. We compare the infamous TV crawl, the well sequence, and the tape imagery, and we’re honest about what doesn’t land in 2025: stretched pacing, “gamma vision” death shots, and a phone ring mixed to jolt more than chill. Still, several moments refuse to age—reflections in a dark screen, fingers slipping through wet hair, and that awful realization when a child has already watched the tape.

Along the way we spotlight the tropes that built modern J-horror, the tech shifts that date VHS but not dread, and production gems like backward-filmed movement and a shoestring budget that birthed a global phenomenon. We close with watchability scores, clear guidance on where newcomers should start, and a balanced verdict on Ringu’s legacy: essential horror history with a moral sting that lingers, even if the remake delivers the tighter ride.

Sinister Sips

Well Water
From: Shaken Not Scared Podcast

Recipe:

• 2 oz Sake

• 1 oz Coffee Liqueur

• 1/2 oz Lime Juice

• 1/2 tsp Matcha Green Tea

• 1/4 oz Honey

1. In a shaker, add sake, coffee liqueur, lime juice, honey, green tea, and ice

2. Shake for 10-15 seconds

3. Strain into a chilled coupe glass

Plot Summary:

When her niece is found dead along with three friends after viewing a supposedly cursed videotape, reporter Reiko sets out to investigate. She finds the tape, watches it and receives a phone call informing her that she'll die in a week. (Taken from IMDb)

Watchability Scale

All three of us agree on this film and we placed it at 6 on the Watchability Scale.

Links

Rotten Tomatoes Page

IMDb page

Ring Novel Trivia (TV Tropes)

Movie Trivia (TV Tropes)

20 Facts About the Ring (Geordie Japan)

Behind the Scenes (Ranker)

Japanese Baseball Clip (YouTube)