Ring: Kanzenban (1995)

Ring: Kanzenban (1995)

Dir. Chisui Takigawa

Japan's first filmed adaptation of author Koji Suzuki's Ring (1991) novel, about a cursed video tape that heralds the death one week later of anyone that watches it, was made for TV. As such, it didn't have the kind of money or resources to play around with that Dir. Hideo Nakata would subsequently have for his more famous version.

Still, it does an admirable job with the story and packs quite a lot in. It's not a horror, per se, so don't expect to be hiding behind the sofa at any time. Interestingly, it's the only one of the film versions to keep the protagonist male. In fact, at time of writing, it's the most faithful to the book.

Unfortunately, neither the supporting cast nor the music is much good, which lessens its impact. But with that in mind, if you're a fan of any part of the Ring franchise, then it's an interesting addition.