Season 5: Episode 247 - KINGS OF HORROR: Ringu (Koji Suzuki) / The Ring (1998)

Book:

Ringu

By Koji Suzuki

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Film:

Ring (1998)

 

A Japanese mystery horror novel by Koji Suzuki first published in 1991, and set in modern-day Japan. The novel was the first in the Ring novel series, and the first of a trilogy, along with two sequels: Spiral (1995) and Loop (1998). The original Ring novel sold 500,000 copies by January 1998, and 1.5 million copies by July 2000.[1] Ring was the basis for the Ring franchise, including a 1995 television film (Ring: Kanzenban), a 1998 theatrical film of the same name (Ring), a television series (Ring: The Final Chapter), and two international film remakes of the 1998 film: a South Korean version (The Ring Virus) and an English-language version (The Ring).

 

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This Japanese horror film directed by Hideo Nakata and based on the 1991 novel by Koji Suzuki stars stars Nanako Matsushima, Miki Nakatani and Hiroyuki Sanada, and follows a reporter who is racing to investigate the mystery behind a cursed videotape that kills the viewer seven days after watching it. It is titled The Ring (stylized as the Ring) in English in Japan and released as Ringu in North America.

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Production took approximately nine months. Ring and its sequel Spiral were released in Japan at the same time. After its release, Ring was a huge box office success in Japan and was acclaimed by critics. It inspired numerous follow-ups in the Ring franchise, popularized J-horror internationally, and triggered a trend of Western remakes, starting with the 2002 American film The Ring.

 

Opening Credits; Introduction (1.01); Firey Kitten Podcast Trailer (25.37); Introduction to the Book (26.11); Plot Synopsis (27.07); Forming the Plot (31.09); Book Thoughts (1:24.32); Introducing a Film (1:30.26); Film Trailer  The Ring (Japanese)/The Ring (US) (1:31.41);  Lights, Camera, Action (1:35.46); Epilogue (2:16.22); With Nothing To Say Podcast Trailer (2:24.37); End Credits (2:25.06); Closing Credits (2:29.35)

 

Opening Credits– Classical Jingle by Dan Hughes

 

Closing Credits – Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash. Taken from the album Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash. Copyright 1963 Columbia Nashville Records

 

Original Music copyrighted 2022 Dan Hughes Music and the Literary License Podcast. 

 

All rights reserved and used by kind permission.

 

All songs available through Amazon.

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