If you were to watch a horror film now, how would it be different than the ones from your childhood? Newer, grittier, more graphic? Well, there is one film that comes to mind as being one of the most modern and groundbreaking—and that's The Ring. The Ring was released in 2002 and has been dubbed "the first found footage horror movie." It follows a reporter and her cameraman as they interview people who experienced witnessing paranormal activity or experiencing supernatural events. Because of this unique structure, it has left a lasting impression on the genre. It’s also led to countless imitators that don’t quite reach its level of success. This is a prime example of when something new is introduced in a field or genre, it’s really important to try and differentiate yourself from the competition. In this case, The Ring was a fresh take on horror considering at the time it was competing against the likes of Candyman and Urban Legends 2: Final Cut. Not only did The Ring offer something different in structure but also in tone. Other horror movies were going for a more subtle approach that scared you more because you didn’t know what to expect. The Ring, though, chose to scare you directly through your senses. You felt the suspense in your stomach turning into fear because the “creatures” were making themselves known to you through signs, noises, and other unnatural occurrences. The Ring was able to do this because of the horror being presented came from a journalistic perspective. There are places in The Ring where you truly believe that if it’s not real, then this could be reality. There are also moments where you struggle with believing there is an alien presence in the world, but because it’s presented logically and scientifically you can easily accept it. It’s not presented as science fiction or an extension of reality but rather a continuation of it. Throughout The Ring, Naomi Watts plays Jenny, a newspaper reporter who has been tasked with writing an article about the deaths of several children who have supposedly died of "Poltergeist" syndrome. Upon interviewing the families of the victims, it is discovered that something did happen to their children after they had passed away. We find out that these deaths are not random but rather are happening in order for the “creatures” to get what they are after...a child slave. The Ring uses this concept and creates a web of seven children and one of the most memorable antagonists in the history of horror; Samara. Samara is an evil spirit that was cursed on her wedding night. She is the only one that can talk to dead children, but instead of bringing comfort to them, she uses them as pawns to do her bidding. She has been described as “the ghost who weeps blood” and we see how terrifying this is through some compelling imagery and chilling scenes. The Ring did bring something new to the table back in 2002: The found footage genre was used for a very good reason. 8eeb4e9f32 32
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