Hideo Nakata’s 1998 Ringu set the horror world alight, providing the turning point for East Asian cinema to capture audiences on 
a global scale. The film’s premise was simple yet the figure of a long haired woman in a white dress has become almost iconic even in the West, owing to Ringu’s defining impact on the genre. Nothing quite prepares the viewer for that stomach churning moment when Sadako first crawls out of the TV, an image sent from the depths of nightmares never to be forgotten.
A Distinct Flavour
Ringu’s unparalleled achievement thrust open the doors to a flood of superb horror films undiscovered by American and British audiences. Hong Kong’s emotive yet terrifying The Eye, Thailand’s memorable Shutter and South Korea’s impressive A Tale of Two Sisters merely scratch the surface of worthy productions bubbling underneath Asia’s potent horror repertoire. Fans of the genre are certainly spoilt for choice and with the States’ innate desire for remakes; this Eastern influence has once again changed the face of horror culture.