Sadako vs Samara | Why Does The Ring Scare Us and Have Such an Enduring Legacy?

Sadako vs Samara | Why Does The Ring Scare Us and Have Such an Enduring Legacy? | Ringu vs The Ring

Рет қаралды 8,529

Күн бұрын

Today's episode is one I've been wanting to do ever since I began this channel. We're talking about one of my favourite horror movies; Ringu released in 1998 and its American remake The Ring released in 2002. I didn't just want to do a review of these two movies, I wanted to do a real deep dive into why they scare us so much and why the story of The Ring has had such an enduring legacy.
I hope you enjoy!
#ringu #thering #sadako #samara #horrormovie #ringuvsthering
0:00 Intro
01:29 The Ring Franchise
06:03 Relationship with the audience and how the movie scares us
11:39 Messages and commentary
17:07 Differences between Ringu and The Ring
21:01 Sadako vs Samara
23:46 So why does The Ring scare us so much and have such an enduring legacy?
Sources:
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas 'Circumnavigating Ring' Video Essay
Colette Balmain 'Introduction to Japanese Horror Film'
Link to Popcorn and Horror channel:
/ ashscales
Follow me on:
Instagram - @whatthehorrorpodcast
Letterboxd - letterboxd.com/Sarahatthemovie/
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/6H54MEK...
Business Email - podcastwhatthehorror@gmail.com
Copyright Disclaimer: All the videos, songs, images, and graphics used in the video belong to their respective owners and I or this channel does not claim any right over them. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing

Пікірлер: 109

@LWolf94 Жыл бұрын

The Ring and The Grudge are the very movies that ignited my passion for horror as a kid, and made me fall in love with paranormal/demonic stories. Especially those coming from Japan and other Asian cultures.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

I love that, it seems it started a few of us off in horror

@thehorrorarchive 9 ай бұрын

for me it was both Hideo Nakata’s Ring (1998) & Takashi Shimizu’s Ju-On: The Curse (2000)

@lexiwexiwoo Жыл бұрын

I think what really messed us millennials up was that we were the generation of chain emails. They would tell some scary story and even though you knew it was BS, being a middle schooler who already had my parents telling me the internet is full of awful people, I wasn't about to take a chance on being killed or being haunted by whatever boogeyman that the story was about. So them putting it in a video format, making the tape so bizarre, and the spine tingling visuals. Between this franchise & the Final Destination franchise were crucial for us growing up.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

I love that! I hadn't even made that connection but you're right we were haunted by those chain emails. Even like you said if we knew they were rubbish. You didn't want to risk it.

@catgrrrlart Жыл бұрын

Plus there were chatrooms where you could "request" the tape from other "players" who needed to send a copy by their 7th day or else they'd die. I remember wanting to request one so badly but I was in 6th grade and knew my parents would be royally pissed if they knew I ordered a supposedly cursed VHS from some internet strangers.

@vipermad358 Жыл бұрын

What if I told you, before "chain emails", there were chain LETTERS that were actually mailed from house to house. They were around for decades before you were born.

@nicole-mq2dk Жыл бұрын

I don't think she's saying that she wants to hurt people, I think she's agreeing with the doctor that she doesn't want to but she is still hurting people and that she can't make it stop.

@dikhed1983 11 ай бұрын

Yup, she misunderstood because she thinks the American film is ham fisted

@OrtegaSeason 4 ай бұрын

A lot of people misunderstand the montage at the end. The reveal isn't that "she was evil all along". It's that she wants to force the world to experience her story, rather than a "proper burial" like Rachel thought.

@lessismore8533 4 ай бұрын

@@OrtegaSeasonEXACTLY

@bryanbeavers957 Жыл бұрын

In the ring, I don't think Samara is saying that she wants to hurt people, just that she does hurt them. But I like your videos. Came over from CZs World, and I believe that it was a good decision.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

Thanks for checking out the channel!

@lessismore8533 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for making this vid. I was 11 when the Ring came out. Gen Z will never know how HUGE it was back then. I also enjoy Ringu tho I didn’t see it til years later. The Ring universe (both eastern and western) had a huge impact on horror for sure. I really wish “Rings 2005” mini movie could’ve been a full sequel. That short had SO much potential!

@lessismore8533 3 ай бұрын

“Relationship with Audience and how Ring scares us” YES! This is what makes The Ring franchise so clever

@PandoraIrony Жыл бұрын

We experienced the ring in very much the same way. I saw the American version when it was released in theaters. I was a preteen with a friend my same age and the theater was nearly empty. The very first moment when the closet is opened and we saw the niece's distorted face actually scared us out of the theater and we had a 10 min calm down the the restroom before being brave enough to go finish the movie. 😂 It's so hard to recapture that as an adult and will always have a soft spot for that movie. Though I did enjoy the Japanese version more when I finally discovered it.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

I love hearing peoples Ring stories. It seems to have spooked a lot of us. I'm also so pleased you loved the Japanese one too because some people write it off but I prefer it.

@thehorrorarchive 9 ай бұрын

I didn’t experience The Ring (2002) until months after watching Ring (1998), for me The Ring (2002) I personally felt was toned down compared to Ring (1998), Naomi Watts kinda fills the stereotypical blonde character, and whilst her silence is adapted from Nanako Matsushima’s… Naomi still was directed to scream more frequently… thus I connected with Reiko Asakawa more in a personal level mainly because in actuality I am a quiet person myself, I’m not generally loud, I didn’t have that same connection with Rachel Kellar because she’s more loud, outgoing and snarky somewhat in certain scenes. Naomi in my opinion didn’t resonate with me because she is far removed from what I am used to, even in terms of appearance.

@thewhiterabbitchaser 6 ай бұрын

I saw the ring when I was 13, obsessed with film making, my dream as an abused, neglected daughter of a single mother who told me I was literally evil was to be a director like Gore Verbinksi, director of my favourite movie pirates of the carribean, director of the american ring. Also, the actress who is the first death in the closet is one of the main characters in the sisterhood of the travelling pants movie, tibby. Who is ALSO an aspiring director, and I was deeply attached to. I watched the ring at a birthday party, slept with the lights on for about 6-9 months. I'm 26 now and finally coming back to face the terror I feel about the ring only to discover it's a horror movie about horror movies with the central plot being about a girl who makes a film (Samara arguably DID direct the tape), is told she is evil and the metaphor is that the ring is literally a synonym for the 'cycle' of generational trauma, just like my personal generational trauma that stunted me from pursuing my dream of making movies, inspired by the very man who made this movie and ended me up in the comment section of film analysis videos. How's that for a ring story for you? @@whatthehorror Thank you for literally helping me on my journey of healing with your video! I need to understand the media incase it ruins my life lol

@lessismore8533 4 ай бұрын

@@thehorrorarchiveWell to be fair they DID try to hire others to play Rachel such as Gwyneth Paltrow. They hired Naomi cus of her acting skills not her LOOKS. And Screaming is apart of the horror genre. If you think she did it too often that’s fine

@lessismore8533 4 ай бұрын

@@thehorrorarchiveI DO agree they toned down Ring 2002 but let’s me honest. Gore Verbinski had HUGE shoes to fill. Hideo Nakata NAILED Ringu so Gore did a pretty good job

@SuperKat619 4 ай бұрын

Great review. When this movie first came out, it was so scary for me.

@lessismore8533 3 ай бұрын

Yes! The Ring shocked many ppl back then. I wish the franchise could shock ppl again like it did back in 02. That “Rings 2005” mini film was great sequel potential

@Lordofthefliess Жыл бұрын

Yup. The ring tore me up. It wasn’t my first horror movie, but it’s the first one to have wrecked my brain for years. Not many have hit nearly that hard since except the Conjuring and Hereditary.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

Glad I'm not the only one

@blastradius7193 Жыл бұрын

I was in my 20's when the ring came out. I thought it was impossible to be scared by a movie at that age. I was wrong, that movie scared the shit out of me.

@MadamFoogie Жыл бұрын

I think I was 14/15, and it gave me big spooks. Mostly because I was home sick at the time with a very nasty case of bronchitis. Something I get every couple of years. The film seared its way into my mind, thanks to being feverish and ill. There is a smell to that kind of infection, a very distinct odor. To this day, any time I start feeling ill like that, and notice that smell, I tell people, "I smell like The Ring." Funny how trauma builds such permanent memories, huh?

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

I love hearing peoples The Ring stories.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

Yeah don't underestimate Sadako haha

@thehorrorarchive 9 ай бұрын

I’m glad you mentioned a lot of media within the franchise, I knew all that but to see it be revealed to new mass audience of people is great to see. There’s since been a Ring film known as Sadako DX (2022). I hope someday you’ll review it someday.

@MadamFoogie Жыл бұрын

I adore Ringu/The Ring. As yours was, it was my awakening into the J-horror genre. Been devouring it ever since. These films were so impactful to me that I adopted a cat in 2019 and named her Sadako. She's a black and white tuxie, with a part down the middle of her face, veiling her eyes in black. Spitting image of the killing stare! She also loves water, and is very much obsessed with watching it flow down the drain. I hope that she curses me forever, my beloved onryō.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

What a great name for a cat, I love that!

@popcornandhorror 2 жыл бұрын

Another great video Sarah 🙂👍🏻 glad more people have discovered you! Thank u for the mention too! 🤩

@whatthehorror 2 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome Ash and thank you!

@EnidboiSav Жыл бұрын

Discovered this channel today, LOVE IT!

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@angelapileggi6031 Жыл бұрын

I don't remember what time of year The Ring came out but I would have been 19 or 20, and it scared the crap out of me! My top 3 favorite horror films are #1 Scream, #2 The Lost Boys, and #3 Poltergeist, but The Ring is in my top 30 favorites. It spooked me so bad that I remember taking a shower and my own hair falling in front of my face making me jump, LOL! (I have long dark brown hair, which looks almost black when it's wet). When a horror film can make you jumpy about your own hair, it's done it's job, haha! I can watch it now and not get as spooked, but I still love it. I haven't seen Ringu in years (I saw the American one first), I need to re-watch Ringu.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

Haha I love that story. It's odd that my love of the film comes from it scaring me to death. It's an odd relationship I have with it

@OrtegaSeason 4 ай бұрын

I love videos breaking down the themes of the Ring and I'm glad there are more and more. I disagree with your understanding of the American version though. The point of the montage at the end is to reveal that Samara didn't want a proper burial like Rachel thought, but actually that she wants the world to experience what happened to her. It's not saying she was evil all the time.

@lessismore8533 4 ай бұрын

Yah good point. I kea Sadako ALSO had a cursed tape. Did she not have the same goal as Samara? Forcing many ppl to see her journey

@OrtegaSeason 4 ай бұрын

@@lessismore8533 The Japanese tape doesn't really show much of Sadako's experience, so I'm not sure. Also Sadako seems more of your typical "insane" killer ghost. We can see what kind of facial expression she must be making, from that one eye shot. Samara never makes faces like that.

@ronaldmccomb8301 Жыл бұрын

Great analysis as always.

@midnightmosesuk Жыл бұрын

Hi, my "transformative" film was The Omen. It made me feel so uncomfortable yet exhilarated at the same time that I knew from that moment on I had to see more like this. That led to The Exorcist, and from there, I just kept going. I was in my 30's when I first saw Ringu (My autocorrect keeps trying to write Pingu, a completely different kind of horror,) and I was blown away. It felt truly transgressive as if, by watching it, I had done something wrong. That was the genius of it. This film led me down another horror rabbit hole, this time J-Horror. From there I discovered Audition, Ju-On and Ichi the Killer and much more. I guess The Omen and Ringu were like gateway films, the strength of the filmmaking led to other films in the genre.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

I've only ever seen the anime of Ichi the Killer, never the live action film. I can't bring myself to watch Ju-On but I've seen the American remake.

@midnightmosesuk Жыл бұрын

@@whatthehorror The American remake of Ju-On is just nowhere near as good as the original, unsurprisingly. The director who made the original Japanese version was hired to direct the American version and he just couldn't seem to replicate his earlier success.

@Leosloth2011 Жыл бұрын

Pingu should be reviewed on this channel for being so terrifying and childish.

@andrewrollinson7739 Жыл бұрын

I love this channel😊 Thanks for sharing your Ring story! I remember watching it alone in the dark... I kept having to look behind me. Terrifying! Great movie.

@Frank-wh8cm 11 ай бұрын

II was a grownup when watching Ringu and I was scared like a kid.

@lessismore8533 4 ай бұрын

😂😂😂

@iceman-zp3vb Жыл бұрын

you are amazing, i like the analysis you do in your channel

@Alstevens83 Жыл бұрын

Ringu was my introduction to Japanese horror and even to this day one of my favourite horror films. I had two moments with both versions which remains with me to this very day. The first one was when it was shown on channel four, I was at college doing film production and a ton of people was saying it was on. I watched it, loved it and got freaked out at the end, and when to sleep. I woke up three hours after and my TV had turned itself on with the static showing 😮. The second was when Ring 2 was getting teaser trailers at the cinema. The moment the shot of the well came on screen I heard someone shout “oh **** that” and walked by me and my mate to leave to get popcorn.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

I definitely think that Ringu or the American remake has shaped a lot of horror fans over the years.

@jojogarcia8766 Жыл бұрын

I appreciate your attention to detail and research. You have convinced me of its, and the usage of the word, "legacy". My first horror experience was Child's Play and The Leprechaun, age 7.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much. It's just a film I know really well and I wanted to do it justice so I did loads of research on top of what I already knew.

@jenniferk9242 Жыл бұрын

I came here from CZs World, pleasure to be here! Subscribed 😊

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for subbing Jennifer, I really appreciate it and hope you enjoy my videos.

@ericam5738 Жыл бұрын

Kind of a random comment, but the way you write your scripts and present them could easily be a “how to write a research essay” for high schoolers/college students. They are beautifully structured and written

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

Wow, that's so nice of you to say. I'm too much of a perfectionist and spend far too much time structuring them.

@squaredcircle_nostalgiasqu1444 2 жыл бұрын

Great video, very informative. I have never seen Ringu, but I got the Ring on Dvd years ago. Loved it, recommended/lent it to a friend and never got it back lol

@whatthehorror 2 жыл бұрын

Oh no! I hate when that happens. Did you replace it? I would recommend Ringu. I think there is more depth to the story, in my opinion.

@squaredcircle_nostalgiasqu1444 2 жыл бұрын

@@whatthehorror I did I bought along with a film called Identity starring John Cusak and Ray Liotta. Have you ever seen it? I may come under theres loads of deaths lol

@dikhed1983 11 ай бұрын

You definitely misunderstood the clip where Samara is talking to the doctor. She's agreeing that she doesn't want to hurt anyone, but she does anyway. Like it's an inevitability. Also, I haven't seen the film in a while, but I remember the main character seeing where Samara lived, in a barn (dehumanised and treated like an animal), and realising she was murdered and being horrified and sympathising with this child. I feel that the American film still has the message of monsters being made through nurture.

@GarudaPSN 9 ай бұрын

hi, i rewathed this movie a couple days ago. she did not, in fact,minsinterpret the scene. the first time it plays, me and my partner joked about the "i do" double entendre. it does seem like an open to interpretation answer, and you're meant to see it as "(but it's out of my control so) i do, and im sorry", as you interpreted it. but later on in the movie, when the characters realize she's never going to stop, the scene plays again, now with much more dramatic music behind it and the character realizing she meant "i do (want to hurt people)". i think it even has a creepy little zoom in on her face, lol. nuance is not allowed in the US adaption :)

@OrtegaSeason 4 ай бұрын

She clearly didn't say it that way though, otherwise the doctor would've responded differently. The montage is just a metaphor for what Samara's intentions are now ie forcing the world to experience her tragedy.

@aqfanatic 11 ай бұрын

idk i always felt like samara saying “but i do and i’m sorry” meant “i don’t want to hurt anybody, but i do hurt people. and i’m sorry.” making her not necessarily evil so much as not in control of her body and powers.

@CCnoodle 2 жыл бұрын

Wow I had no idea there was such an extensive catalogue of media! I only ever knew of the 1998 Ringu movie and the American remake. As a teen i was petrified that watching the vhs scenes would mean I was also cursed 😅

@whatthehorror 2 жыл бұрын

I'm glad it wasn't just me then :-) I was the same, really surprised by how large the franchise is. I really want to read the book now.

@lessismore8533 3 ай бұрын

23:18 Samara was born cursed. So even if she “chose” to be a monster with her own free will, the mystery is we don’t know what she would’ve done if she were born a normal human being and I’m glad that’s left to audience speculation. She would have NO superpowers. It’s like someone saying “I would never order my followers to do this or that”, but that’s because we’ve never been in a position of power…so we don’t know how temped we’d be. Sadako on the other hand had an evil twin and those who aren’t as familiar with the Japanese franchise wouldn’t know this.

@meatpopsicle882 Жыл бұрын

Good video, I remember liking it back then, then I rewatch and it's okay lol

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

Which version of the movie?

@meatpopsicle882 Жыл бұрын

The Ring, the American version

@sean5558 11 ай бұрын

You should add a Welcome to Derry sign above the Camp Crystal Lake

@TroyGreen717 10 ай бұрын

The OG Ringu is such a SLOW burn, but if you stick with it, fuck if it isn't one of the creepiest films ever made.

@WishfulThinkingArt Жыл бұрын

While I didn’t find “The Ring” all that scary when I first saw it, I can appreciate the impact it had on horror and the way it engages its audience. I remember when my older cousins first saw it, they would not stop raving about how SCARY it was, so maybe that spoiled it for me a little. But still.

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

I think that that has a huge impact on how people are affected by a movie. I think it's in my Barbarian review that I mentioned that, if you go in pre hyped then nothing is going to live up to those expectations. I hope you enjoyed it even if it wasn't that scary

@WishfulThinkingArt Жыл бұрын

@@whatthehorror Yeah, I did. The movie certainly has atmosphere and the imagery in the videotape is evocative.

@hectormontalvo5565 2 жыл бұрын

I have the American movies but haven't seen them in a long time so I don't remember anything. I've never seen Ringu or it's sequels. But all of them have been wildly successful. Good reviews and cool video Sarah. Greetings from New York USA 🇺🇸!👉😃👈

@whatthehorror 2 жыл бұрын

Hello New York :-) Thank you for the support. I would recommend watching the Japanese version but then I love it so I always do.

@hectormontalvo5565 2 жыл бұрын

@@whatthehorror thanks for answering to my comment!👍

@lessismore8533 3 ай бұрын

18.50 Hmm I don’t know about this part. In “The Ring” the first scene Becca tells Katie the “myth” of that death tape in her bedroom. And that was before she found out Katie had watched the tape. So this is up for the audience to decide if the tape thing was already known to the world…but as a myth instead.

@lessismore8533 3 ай бұрын

17:39. Yup. Like in Juon the Grudge

@intense_pickle Жыл бұрын

"They use a lot of sounds found in nature...Like static from a TV" wait, what?

@kymoracaisey4150 Жыл бұрын

I appreciate you telling us about your first experience with the OG Ring film 🎥 and it’s lowkey part of where my love for scares started as well!

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

What they started with The Ring? I think that film is responsible for a lot of scares lol

@theblouselady7219 Жыл бұрын

This movie was one of the few that creeped me out as a young adult. The Grudge is another one and I STILL won't rewatch.😳😲😱

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

I think it's responsible for scaring a lot of us based off of peoples comments. I've only watched the American Grudge, not sure I can bring myself to watch the original

@randitucker8641 Жыл бұрын

Could u do an analysis of the grudge and it's Japanese counterpart I loved those movies

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

That's a great idea, consider it added to my list of episodes to do. I don't know it as well as Ringu but I'll give it a try.

@MadamFoogie Жыл бұрын

@@whatthehorror Hoo, boy. There are soooo many iterations of Ju-On. That's a tall order. So many wacky takes on the franchise. Most laughable, some good. All I can say is best of luck if you're taking on that behemoth!

@NERDY_Rick Жыл бұрын

Talking about passive viewing, I'm wondering if you've watched the latest horror movie 'Incantation'? I'd definitely love to hear your take about it!

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

I've not watched it yet but it is definitely on my to watch list.

@ifoundthisoldbook...8621 Жыл бұрын

A friend of mine got the movie from his brother and watched it by himself. He was scared and felt violated that his living room outside the screen was not safe! He put the movie in his freezer until he could return it. 😂

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

haha that's one way to deal with your fear. I love that.

@jeffreykaufmann2867 Жыл бұрын

I don't believe that

@paulgallacher4803 2 жыл бұрын

Is that Stab on blu ray behind you in this video ? Can you buy an official blu ray of Stab ? Is so Where can you buy it ?

@whatthehorror 2 жыл бұрын

It is. The film isn't actually on the disc but it's an amazing replica. If you look at my movie collection update episode the link for it is in the description box but I also show it in the episode, what it looks like and all the little bits you get with it so you could watch and see if you like it. Hope this helps.

@paulgallacher4803 2 жыл бұрын

@@whatthehorror Thanks

@paulgallacher4803 2 жыл бұрын

@@whatthehorror Thanks

@MrShivshank Жыл бұрын

i still think the ring is the spookiest horror movie even with its pg-13 rating

@whatthehorror Жыл бұрын

It's definitely my scariest movie lol

@joecataneo6676 Жыл бұрын

I have a really random question for you, do you notice how much you blink? Is it a nervous habit? I lost focus on the video and found myself thinking about how much you blink haha😅