Ringu: the chicken or the egg

When it comes to japanese horror movies, I've always think they're the best around. They don't rely as much as american movies in special effects, famous actors or a lot of CG graphics. It's always about the mood, the story, the music, the details. And damn, I LOVE the fact that they are less predictable, since the main characters don't have the immunity to harm we see in most western movies, where you will know for sure the main character will not die or lose a limb or something. No-oh, in japanese movies your favorite character can die ANYTIME.

This movie is no different, I really enjoyed it. However, having seen the american version first a few years ago, I must admit the american remake improves a little, mostly story-wise, from the original movie.

There's just a couple things in Ringu's story that left me thinking "wait a minute, how did they know that...?". It was like I sat in the remote controller and fast forwarded to the next scene. Things like how they find out about the well's location. Suddenly they just had the whole thing figured out and we missed the in-between development. Yes, I know the remake filled-in those in-betweens and since I saw it first I believe that something is missing when it wasn't even supposed to be there in the first place but... Im not gonna get into a time paradox here, I just think that extra development was necessary.

One of the things I loved from the american version was the whole concept of the "shining ring" we see at the end of the "cursed videoclip" that the movie is about. For me, that was BRILLIANT!!. Sadly, that is missing in the original movie, which I was a bit dissappointed about, BUT I must say that I think the video we see in the original movie is actually creepier than in the american version.

The soundtrack is very haunting, and yeah, I think the final sequence (now a classic) with the girl creeping out of the TV is way more dramatic in the original than in the americanized version. Though I've always said that the american version should have removed everything after the sequence in the cabin. Seriously. After that is all downhill in terms of believability. However, in the original movie it makes sense! (which I think I am NOT doing anymore lol)

But Anyway, did I watch the movies in the wrong order? I will never know, unless I completely erase the movies from my memory and try again. Maybe in my next life...