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Kpt_Krunch
02-05-2005, 06:01 PM
Has anyone seen this movie yet?? I've yet to read too much about it - is it worth a rental or even buying? I do like GOOD horror films, especially if it has good sound effects (creaking stairs and the like) coming from all around you :) - would this movie qualify for that?

mattepntr
02-07-2005, 10:07 PM
I've heard mixed things about this one. I don't think the mood'll
let you down, just don't take your brain into your HT.

I just watched "The Forgotten". DUMB.

Rick

p.s.-on a brighter note, "Ring Two" comes out soon:-)

jeh
02-07-2005, 11:22 PM
just watched the grudge actually. it's alright.

Kpt_Krunch
02-09-2005, 07:15 PM
I've heard mixed things about this one. I don't think the mood'll
let you down, just don't take your brain into your HT.

I just watched "The Forgotten". DUMB.

Rick

p.s.-on a brighter note, "Ring Two" comes out soon:-)

I just watched the forgotten a couple of weeks ago myself. I thought it started out pretty good myself - but the 'twist' was DUMB to be sure (hence why I was asking about The Grudge). Looks like a movie that's worth a rental anyway - so I'll give it a whirl.

Thanks Rick and Jeh!

mattepntr
02-09-2005, 11:11 PM
OK, I'm going off on a tangent here...BIGTIME!
What is it with DVD movie releases that market
themselves with the boast that they come with
alternate endings?!?!? THIS IS NOT SOMETHING
TO BRAG ABOUT.

Essentially, a movie has several different endings because
it was screened for a preview audience who said "the story
sucked and the ending was stupid/ confusing/ unbelieveable".
For a studio to lay out the extra $$$ to write and shoot a new ending
means there is serious trouble with the picture.
"The Forgotten" has an alternate ending. As does "Dreamcatcher"
and the list goes on.

I just find it amazing that what starts as a negative somewhere
along the way becomes a "positive". People can market ANYTHING.

End of rant.
Rick

Nicholas Mosher
05-19-2005, 01:38 PM
I give it http://mysite.verizon.net/nicholasmosher/star25.gif out of http://mysite.verizon.net/nicholasmosher/star5.gif.

mattepntr
05-19-2005, 04:51 PM
Well, I rented "The Grudge" a few months back.
Thought I'd flap my jaws on it now.

YAWN. Didn't do anything for me. I think it's a cultural
thing: white-faced asian girls with their hair in their face
staring at you just aren't that scary. Unless it's the original
Japanese "Ringu", that is.

tw1zt3d
05-20-2005, 10:07 PM
it doesn't play well with american audiences... japanese horror films are about the ambience of the scene...i've seen ringu, and ju-on the japanese predecessors to the ring and the grudge. its all about mood. no overuse of CGI, if any at all. if you want, go get the double dip, and check out the grudge directors cut. theres a couple, more disturbing scenes in it that were taken out of the original. i liked the grudge, but i didn't like the ring or ring 2. i'm waiting for dark water (another japanese turned US horror film) to come out.

mattepntr
05-22-2005, 02:01 AM
It's interesting to compare "Ringu" and "The Ring".
So far, I'd say "The Ring" is the most succesfull translation
of the current crop of Asian horror to western audiences.
Even though director Gore Verbinski lifted a couple of scenes
literally shot-for-shot from "Ringu", I give him high marks
for adding some amazing and subtly creepy aspects to his
version. He really tried hard (with writer Ehren Kruger) to
deepen the horror of it all.

***Spoilers***

I LOVE that in the American version, Rachel and Noah are
arrogant enough to think they can solve the mystery and save
their own lives. Their Japanese counterparts are under no such
delusion. They KNOW what kind of danger they're in.
But that just makes the stinger ending of the American version
so much scarier!
There is a lot more exposition/explanation of the phenomena of
the videotape in "The Ring", but it's so subtly worked in, you don't
realize all of it til after the movie's over. That made taking about it
later with friends so much fun.
"Ring Two", unfortunately, was a bust. Japanese director Hideo Nakata
was just WAY over his head trying to make a big studio happy with his
first American film. It's a shame, although there are touches of coolness
in it. The short film "Rings" recently released on DVD would have made
a MUCH better sequel. Unfortunately, contractual issues made continuing
Rachel's (Naomi Watts) story a necessity.