The Ring tell us, mess with the natural order and you will pay. Pursue it anyway, go against the natural order and ignore all warnings, and bad shit will happen. She went against it and wound up with Samora, who for whatever reason – maybe because she was unwanted previously, or maybe because she represents a much darker and ultimate Truth about what happens when you force things. We do know that Samora was not unloved; at least, not initially. But it wasn't enough love for her. Something pissed her off and Samora wanted everyone to see things the way she saw them – and those things she could burn into walls, onto MRI film, and imprint onto people’s brains. When you saw those images, you went mad. The horses go running to the shore and into the sea and they die. We hear from the island doctor who says to Rachel, that when Samora came things changed and compares it to one person on the island getting sick – the whole island catches the cold. Samora, she is saying, is the sickness.
In the end, this child who felt so disenfranchised is told by her mother how much she is loved, just as she pulls a cloth over Samora’s head and shoves her head first into a deep well.
The Ring may be scary because perhaps we identify with Samora, as she is shoved aside and hidden from view. Didn’t we, as children, wish like hell the grown ups could see the things that caused us such great anxiety? A whole generation of what has been called "the disenfranchised" – did we want to burn those images into the minds of adults, so that just once, they could see what we saw? Not that we would want them dead or wish them harm; and not, I hope that they would push us down a well and kill us any more than we them. But the basic relationship with its disconnect and lack of understanding is there. All we want is to be loved and to love – but we remain Other.
All of these fears are conveyed so well in The Ring – and especially, the film within the film, the video that shows suicide and desperation and domesticity at its worst and decay and rotting so well illustrated with grubs and maggots. It's not just death or classic horror-movie killing anymore. The Halloween and Friday the 13th films that terrorized us as teens represent the unknown – the stranger who forces the knife through your back as you're getting laid at summer camp (the obvious morality play). The Ring is more insidious and complex – it's not a quick kill. It's seven days of hell. Seven days to sit and anticipate just what, exactly, will happen to you. The way we sat in high school and college, sure some nuclear nightmare was about to occur. Now, we wait for the some other disenfranchised, one whose face is cloaked in black, whose reasons we don't quite understand because they're not fully explained, and that's just it. The scariest things of all are those with no obvious logic. The pure randomness that strikes when it crawls out of its hole. We wait for this. Seven days can be a lifetime.
Article comments
1 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Sadi, this was an excellent article.
I prefer Hideo Nakata's original, but this was an excellent film also. (the only problem i had, actually, was the same one i had with Nakata's film, namely the prologue. Just seemed corny as all hell.)
You touched on something i found rather bizarre and a tad distrubing in The Ring (more so in the american version, were the emphasis is put on how evil Sadako (Samara) is.) It seems to be a justification for abortion, (being pro-choice, i don't particularly find this worrying, just a bit odd) but worse, it plays on the idea that some kids can be born "wrong" and should be done away with.
Still, an interesting film, one which isn't an embaresment to the original (the asians managed that well enough themselves with the godawful sequels) and actualy adds to the mythology.
Thanks.
2 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
also, on the subject of the subliminal imagery - at one point, i think its when (SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER)Naomi finds the young un watching the video, and she rushes to him in slow motion, you can see through into the kitchen behind her. its dark, and you can see someone walking around in there. Was it a crew member? or a "ghost" thrown in to add to the unease. Either way, its a cool moment.
3 - Eric Olsen
fascinating rumination on generational slippage as viewed through the prism of a popular horror film, which I imagine I will now have to see. Thanks Sadi!
4 - srp
that's a good point about the children being "wrong" and an excuse for abortion. it wasn't what i was getting at, and i didn't see that myself in the film, but your point is well taken. To me, it was more about messing with the order of nature - which is really the opposite of that, if you follow...
And Duke, i hadn't seen the ghost. Crap, now i'm going to have to watch it again and see that. every time i see this film, i find more and more.
yes, Eric, slippage is a good word. i know, it's typical sadi off on a tangent - down a path that may not be right, but is just my own observation and weird brain circuitry. it all reminded me of that belief that we are "every character in our dreams." The Ring seemed like that to me - that i could see glimmers of myself and others in my generation in all of the characters, with a few exceptions - even in Samora, which was odd, but there you have it. Won't repeat my thoughts - they're all laid out there.
Many thanks to all for reading, as always.
srp
5 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
sadi, just a note about the original sequel, Spiral. You can find The Duke's review of it at http://www.mondoirlando.com/spiral.html
If you haven't seen it, you can count yourself fortunate and also, you may be suprised at the innane nonsense they concocted.
Ring 2, the one released for to eliminate all memories of the spiral toss isn't much better.
Oh, and spiral shouldn't be confused with the other asian horror about spirals, of which there is a review on the front page of this very site at the minute, i just noticed. Must investigate...
6 - Eric Olsen
being able to accurately convey your own "weird brain circuitry" is a gift, not a curse
7 - srp
am going to have to check out this Spiral film The Duke speaks of.
Yeah, Eric - i pray you're right. Not always feeling that way, but that's okay. It's something to do with the time... and getting feedback and thoughts from others is great - one of the best parts.
cool cool
rock on. i'm going to read Duke's Spiral review, then check out this other spiral film reviewed herein.
What IS all this about going in circles anyway?
interesting
srp
8 - klvzlsdjs
I think the ring was a great, great, movie
9 - sadi
obviously i did too..i think a lot of people really liked it and it's very rich in texture and layers too, so can be read on so many levels, which makes each time you see it the more interesting.
thx. for reading.
srp
10 - danielle
wierdos! this thing is dead scary!
11 - Rebecca
you spelled Samara wrong
12 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Thanks Rebecca -- i'd rather be corrected, so thanks for that....