Current Events > The Ring movies are terrible adaptations

(+) Yeah! (+)

Both the Original and the American miss what makes the book so great. They completely changed the protagonist gender and back back story. The only thing they really have in common now the name. They play op the ghost story and make Sadako seem evil for the sake of evil. They also completely leave out the fact that it's a virus that's killing people not a curse.

I'd love to see all five books get an adaptation. Although I don't think the third one would make a good movie at all.
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I think I own at least some of the books. not sure if I have all 5... but maybe... I can't remember. I used to live near Seattle and they have this asian book store there and I found some Ringu books in english. I never actually read them. and not sure where they are now. might be lost. moved several times since then

Zikten posted...

I think I own at least some of the books. not sure if I have all 5... but maybe... I can't remember. I used to live near Seattle and they have this asian book store there and I found some Ringu books in english. I never actually read them. and not sure where they are now. might be lost. moved several times since then

They're really good. They're actually very genre bending. It starts as a ghost story, but turns out to be a sci do story at heart.
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I seen the japanese movies and the american remake. I also read Spiral and Loop books. The books are dope

EricDraven59 posted...

I seen the japanese movies and the american remake. I also read Spiral and Loop books. The books are dope

You should read Birthday and S. Those are the two other books in the series. Birthday is a collection of short stories that take place during the events of the previous three books, and S is a direct sequel to Spiral.
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SerperiorThanU posted...

Dont the books get into supernatural immortal ghost territory too?

Nah. They go into clones, viruses, and cancer. Crazy shit. Only the first book really has to do with "ghost".
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I keep meaning to read tbose

Now that you mention it TC, I did read Birthday also. The dark water story kinda creeped me out for a bit. All really cool books

The first adaption, the TV show Ring: Kanzenban, didn't set the world on fire. Even following the book closer like Rasen didn't guarantee success. For all the changes the 1998 movie made, it became a major influence in Japanese horror for a good reason. I'll also give it credit for casting Hiroyuki Sanada as Ryuji as he's perfect whether in the more manipulative type in Rasen or the more nurturing fellow in Ring 2.

The American films are a step further than something like The Ring Virus (a co-production between South Korea and Japan) as the first is a western remake of an adaptation of the book and the chances of it following the original source material was unlikely.

I could see Loop working out well as a film if Rasen was a hit if only because The Matrix had a similar concept and became a smash after the book was released. But it would need audiences to really cling to the characters of Ring and Rasen which wasn't true for the latter. Rasen is looked upon as the worst entry in the Japanese films (even worse than Sadako 3D 2 or Sadako vs. Kayako), but I dig it. Probably because it's my favorite out of the novels and I enjoy how it takes a scientific twist to the supernatural tale.

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So_Hajile posted...

The first adaption, the TV show Ring: Kanzenban, didn't set the world on fire. Even following the book closer like Rasen didn't guarantee success. For all the changes the 1998 movie made, it became a major influence in Japanese horror for a good reason. I'll also give it credit for casting Hiroyuki Sanada as Ryuji as he's perfect whether in the more manipulative type in Rasen or the more nurturing fellow in Ring 2.

The American films are a step further than something like The Ring Virus (a co-production between South Korea and Japan) as the first is a western remake of an adaptation of the book and the chances of it following the original source material was unlikely.

I could see Loop working out well as a film if Rasen was a hit if only because The Matrix had a similar concept and became a smash after the book was released. But it would need audiences to really cling to the characters of Ring and Rasen which wasn't true for the latter. Rasen is looked upon as the worst entry in the Japanese films (even worse than Sadako 3D 2 or Sadako vs. Kayako), but I dig it. Probably because it's my favorite out of the novels and I enjoy how it takes a scientific twist to the supernatural tale.

I'm super find of the movies. I'm not a person who thinks a bad adaption automatically makes it a bad movie. I'd just really like the more sci-fi parts of the story and would love to see them on the screen. Ironically the Korean ring movie is the one that was the closest adaptation to the first book.
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It took me a moment to find it, but here's my favorite quote by Ryuji:

Calmly, Ryuji had replied: While viewing the extinction of the human race from the top of a hill, I would dig a hole in the earth and ejaculate into it over and over.

Anyway, I agree. Loop would have been great to see, but Rasen put a halt to that. Maybe if it were in more capable hands. I enjoy Ring 2 and think it has two fantastic visual moments, but it doesn't do as much for the mythology as Rasen and the following books. That's the biggest loss by not adapting them closer---the story never really moves on. Each book (well, at least the first three) take a different approach to the material from horror - medical - science fiction and keeps the reader guessing. The Ring films are exactly what you expect from a movie franchise---spooky scare ghosts with a curse.

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A virus? How does the ghost inflict a virus....

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the first Grudge is good
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Was Rings originally meant to be an anthology film? I felt like it tried to go in too many directions until the second half

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Hexenherz posted...

Was Rings originally meant to be an anthology film? I felt like it tried to go in too many directions until the second half

I think that's just the hand of Akiva Goldsman and from prior drafts that were wanting to take the concept in a new direction while playing it safe by going through the familiar motions.

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The original Ring movie English version was badass imho.

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I like the western movies and Naomi is hnng

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Best adaptation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tm7TiJ7oE0

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So_Hajile posted...

It took me a moment to find it, but here's my favorite quote by Ryuji:

Calmly, Ryuji had replied: While viewing the extinction of the human race from the top of a hill, I would dig a hole in the earth and ejaculate into it over and over.

Anyway, I agree. Loop would have been great to see, but Rasen put a halt to that. Maybe if it were in more capable hands. I enjoy Ring 2 and think it has two fantastic visual moments, but it doesn't do as much for the mythology as Rasen and the following books. That's the biggest loss by not adapting them closer---the story never really moves on. Each book (well, at least the first three) take a different approach to the material from horror - medical - science fiction and keeps the reader guessing. The Ring films are exactly what you expect from a movie franchise---spooky scare ghosts with a curse.

The books ability to genre shift is part of what makes them so great. Also each book redefines the events and expands on it.

I'm actually going to read S for the first time soon when I finish my reread of birthday. I'm interested to see how it is.
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I only saw the first American Ring movie but I loved it. Very creepy and bleak atmosphere throughout.

Apparently the sequels are ass though, especially that one that came out a couple years ago

The first The Ring, american one, I thought was actually pretty good.

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DoGCyN posted...

The first The Ring, american one, I thought was actually pretty good.

Yeah I'm not saying they're bad movies. I'm saying they're bad adaptations of their source material.
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harley2280 posted...

Yeah I'm not saying they're bad movies. I'm saying they're bad adaptations of their source material.

oh, fair enough

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It's scary as fuck

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Good thing being a perfect adaptation of a book should never be the goal of a film.
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DeadBankerDream posted...

Good thing being a perfect adaptation of a book should never be the goal of a film.

I mean it's impossible for a movie to be a completely perfect adaptation just because they're different mediums.

I can see why people would want the movie to follow the same plot points though

DeadBankerDream posted...

Good thing being a perfect adaptation of a book should never be the goal of a film.

True, and again I'm not saying they're bad movies. I enjoy the movies. I'd just really like to see them hit more of the plot points instead of "cursed movie" again and again.
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The second movie was cool because my brother lived in Astoria at the time and they filmed a lot of it there and used locals in the opening carnival scene, my brother was pointing them all out.

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Hexenherz posted...

The second movie was cool because my brother lived in Astoria at the time and they filmed a lot of it there and used locals in the opening carnival scene, my brother was pointing them all out.

Are you talking about the second American one? Because there's like 3 different Ring 2's and everyone has a completely different plot.
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harley2280 posted...

True, and again I'm not saying they're bad movies. I enjoy the movies. I'd just really like to see them hit more of the plot points instead of "cursed movie" again and again.

Well, your problem here is that you think horror sequels would be worth watching. Regardless of the context, they never are.
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Oh sorry yes the second American one where they get attacked by deer early on.

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DeadBankerDream posted...

harley2280 posted...

True, and again I'm not saying they're bad movies. I enjoy the movies. I'd just really like to see them hit more of the plot points instead of "cursed movie" again and again.

Well, your problem here is that you think horror sequels would be worth watching. Regardless of the context, they never are.

One that's not true at all there are plenty of good horror sequels. Two can you not read? I've said this repeatedly. I'm not saying they're bad movies. I enjoy the movies. I'm saying is like to see a more accurate adaptation that goes into the sci-fi part instead of the ghost story plot point.
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