Ringu is cited as a good example of a horror film that creates tension and fear without relying on graphic gore. It achieves this through its narrative of urban myths, mysterious deaths, and dangers, culminating in a powerful false ending where the main character is killed by the vengeful spirit Sadako. While Sadako emerging from the television is terrifying on its own, conventional horror elements like her pale skin, long white gown, and long dark hair covering her face increase the fear by drawing on common tropes from other J-horror films like The Grudge.

1. Ringu

2. Codes and Conventions of Horror Within
Ringu
Personally I feel that Ringu is a very good example of a horror film. Although it may not
always include some of the typical conventions of a horror film, such as gore, it still
creates the same tension and fear of a successful horror. The way in which it does this
is through its narrative of urban myths, danger, deaths and mysteries. However it is the
powerful false ending that holds most terror, when Ryuji is killed by Sadako. It’s not
solely the unnerving idea of something so horrific and gruesome as Sadako coming
towards you and out of your television into your own home, your ‘safe zone’. But is the
contributing features to her general appearance which are typical characteristics of
horror for example, the long dirty white gown, pale skin, long dark hair (covering the
face and eyes of the characters) and the missing finger nails (specific to the film). It is
clear that these are typically terrifying features of
the genre because we see them featured
elsewhere, like in ‘The Grudge’ for instance where
the pale girls face is covered by long dark hair.
‘The Ring’
‘The Grudge’