I forget exactly how I ran across The Ring. I know it was on the web, but the details are gone. I enjoy several aspects of Asian culture and the chance to see a Japanese horror film was truly welcome. The Ring in a lot of ways is simply a mixed media campfire tale. It's spooky and the story has some genuinely creepy bits. The central focus of the movie (the tape), however, means it really does need to be seen. Especially once the nature of the images on the tape starts to come clear. And like any good campfire tale, it ratchets the tension up from start to finish with the big payoff scare coming at the end. The American remake cleared a few things up for an audience not used to having to think a little more and unwilling to take some things for granted as simply being the way they are.
The Grudge is a different animal entirely. For one, it's a lot creepier than The Ring. A lot. And it doesn't let up over the course of the film. It starts off with a bang and then maintains the mood over the course of the film. A haunted house story at heart, The Grudge is perfect for film, especially because of the way they tell the tale. As the story unwinds, several threads come together to make a cohesive whole. And all the while they find ways to keep you on the edge of your seat. My wife tried to ban me from picking it up, but it's so rare to find a genuinely creepy movie that's fun to watch that I had to snag it.
The interesting thing about this version (also a remake of a Japanese horror film) is that they used the original Japanese director. They had him remake the movie for an American audience. As I haven't seen the original version yet, I'm unsure of some of the stylistic and story differences, but it seems to be a very nice meld of Asian cinema and American cinema. The story is certainly Asian, but there are allowances made for the way Americans are used to stories being told. If you like horror movies, this one is certainly worth your time. It's horribly creepy and lots of fun to watch. Especially with the lights out and the volume up.
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