Last lesson, we received the film sequences that we will be analysing in our essay and we chose which pair that we would like to watch. I chose Ringu and The Ring as I prefer horror films to action. I have watched around three quarters of Ringu so far and will be finishing it next lesson, and I have noticed already how different it is to the typical Hollywood horror film.
Ringu is a Japanese horror film about a news reporter who is investigating the deaths of four teenagers, which occurred after they watched a supposedly cursed video tape. The journalist finds the video tape, watches it, then receives a phone call straight after that informs her that she has exactly one week to live. The film follows the reporter and her ex-husband as they try to find the origin of the cursed tape and solve the murders.
In order to get some background information on the film, I have researched J-Horror:
- J-Horror is more psychological, rather than murder, gore, etc.
- Based off traditional Japanese stories or mythology (of the main religions of Shinto and Buddhism), especially ghosts, possession, exorcism, shamanism, etc.
- According to Shinto, millions of objects within nature are inhabited by spirits who can either be friendly or aggressive
- According to Shinto, millions of objects within nature are inhabited by spirits who can either be friendly or aggressive
- Common themes include:
- The universe is governed by rules
- The rules of the universe are beyond human understanding
- Modern society offers no protection from ghosts or spirits
- 'Yuurei' come into being when people die violently through suicide or murder: explains Sadako
_ Yuurei ghosts are women with a white face, long black hair and wear a long white robe which trails off into a mist where the legs should be
- Sadako is a type of Yuurei ghost called onryou, which means that she wants revenge for something bad that people did to her
- Sadako's movements are based off Butoh, a Japanese dance form which was created in Japan after World War II
- Ringu is very similar to the Japanese ghost story, Bancho Sarayashi, which is about a young girl who was also murdered and thrown into a well
Symbolism of Wells in Ringu:
- There is a deep connection in Japan between wells and troubled women
- Lots of stories in Japan about women being murdered by men and being thrown into a well, and about women committing suicide (over a man) by throwing themselves into a well
- The fact that the well in Ringu is deep and dark symbolises female power
Symbolism of Water in Ringu:
- Foreshadows appearance of Sadako
- Symbolise the resting place of spirits
- Symbol of purity
- Pathway to the underworld
- Juxtapositioning of the ghost and water makes it scarier to Japanese audiences
Symbolism of White in Ringu:
- Death
- Cold
- Angels/spirits
- Youth
- Reverence
- 'Yuurei' come into being when people die violently through suicide or murder: explains Sadako
_ Yuurei ghosts are women with a white face, long black hair and wear a long white robe which trails off into a mist where the legs should be
- Sadako is a type of Yuurei ghost called onryou, which means that she wants revenge for something bad that people did to her
- Sadako's movements are based off Butoh, a Japanese dance form which was created in Japan after World War II
- Ringu is very similar to the Japanese ghost story, Bancho Sarayashi, which is about a young girl who was also murdered and thrown into a well
Symbolism of Wells in Ringu:
- There is a deep connection in Japan between wells and troubled women
- Lots of stories in Japan about women being murdered by men and being thrown into a well, and about women committing suicide (over a man) by throwing themselves into a well
- The fact that the well in Ringu is deep and dark symbolises female power
Symbolism of Water in Ringu:
- Foreshadows appearance of Sadako
- Symbolise the resting place of spirits
- Symbol of purity
- Pathway to the underworld
- Juxtapositioning of the ghost and water makes it scarier to Japanese audiences
Symbolism of White in Ringu:
- Death
- Cold
- Angels/spirits
- Youth
- Reverence
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