Movie Review- Dog Day Afternoon

Al Pacino's career can be divided in half. The first half consists of him out-acting anybody around at that time, the second half is his shouty phase. Now, I do like his shouty phase, I thought he was great in Scent of a Woman and Devil's Advocate and also in lesser roles, but what I really miss is his ability to perform like he does in this movie.

Dog Day Afternoon (1975) for me is the pinnacle of Al Pacino's acting ability, one of my favourite roles that he has played and one of the best movies from the seventies.

Directed by Sidney Lumet, Dog Day is the true story of a man who robs a bank with his friend. Pacino plays Sonny Wortzik, an ex bank employee who supposedly knows how everything works in a bank. Unfortunately for him, the bank has no money in the vault, so what turns out to be a quick job soon turns into a botched operation. When the police are alerted to what is going on Sonny holds the bank employees hostage.

It doesn't take long for word to get out and pretty soon half of the city is outside the bank watching this spectacle, all the press and all the local people. Surprisingly, Sonny is a likable guy, he seems to be doing this out of desperation, and the majority of the female work staff quickly take a liking to him, often joking with him. His friend Sal (John Cazale) however, is a quiet, anxious guy who seems to be willing to actually hurt someone if things go wrong.

It's going to be a long afternoon

Outside are the police force, guns in hand, and Detective Moretti who is trying to lead the negotiations. Sonny does come outside a few times to talk and each time the police seem more than happy to shoot him, much to the frustration of Moretti who is trying to gain Sonny's trust. Sonny, knowing that all the news stations are filming him, knows this and shouts that the cops want blood, they want to see him dead on the street. He reminds them all of the Attica Prison incident which happened earlier, which involved prison inmates being shot by state police during a riot and re-takeover of the prison. He shouts 'Attica, Attica' over and over in a scene that has now become famous and spoofed many times. The crowd cheer him, they seem to be on his side as this circus gets bigger and more crazy.

Throughout the day Sonny rises in popularity with his hostages and with the large crowd outside. The whole thing is now one big media event, even the pizza guy who brings a delivery to the bank cannot believe his luck and even proclaims 'I'm a f***king star' to the press. But things are getting desperate and so Sonny comes up with a plan to ask for a jet so they can fly off out of the country.

'Wyoming isn't a country, Sal'

We find out why Sonny needs the money, which in turn reveals more of who he is (despite many write-ups revealing this 'twist' in the synopsis). The FBI also step in and they are less than willing to cooperate which makes Sonny and especially Sal more desperate. The only thing left is to see if Sonny and Sal get away.

The performances throughout are exceptional, partly down to the cast, partly direction. A lot of what was said was improvised, which Lumet encouraged and so it feels so natural which is important considering it's a true story. As mentioned earlier, this is one of Pacino's best example of his acting ability, both outright and subtly. He creates a character who is obviously in the wrong but someone you can sympathize with andget to like within a short amount of time. He has to battle mixed emotions as his plans fall apart, as things get out of hand his desperation and frustration begin to show. He also has a hatred of the police force outside waiting to kill him, he wants the hostages to like him, he plays up for the crowds and cameras and he has to come to turns with how his actions affect his mother and wife.

The pressure of being a criminal and a celebrity

There are so many great bits to this movie and, despite being a crime drama, it provides plenty of laughs. You can't help but laugh at one of the hostages wanting to go back inside with Sonny, the TV interview Sonny gives live from the bank, Sal being asked which country he wants to go to ('Wyoming'), the pizza guy, Sonny unable to get his gun out quickly at the start. The list is endless.

It's a fascinating study of the media, and celebrity, how something like this could capture the imagination of the public and make a criminal a local celebrity in a matter of hours. This fully deserved it's Oscar nominations, unfortunately it only won one for original screenplay, being robbed by One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for best picture, Jack Nicholson also getting best actor.

If you have only seen Al Pacino in his shouty phase and also in Godfather, then certainly check him out in this naturalistic role. This is a fantastic movie, very entertaining and interesting in that it is all true. The best movie of 1975 by far.

Best Line:
Sal, Wyoming's not a country

Star Turn:
Pacino, one of his best roles ever. Enough said.

Best Moment:
Sonny trying to get his gun out in the bank

Music Review - Sam Cooke-Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 (1985)

Here we have one of the greatest voices in music playing to a small live audience. The fact that he is singing live doesn’t have an affect the quality of his sound. This is such an enjoyable performance to listen to, full of soul, energy, enjoyment and banter. Recorded only about one year before his death, this is Mr. Cooke at his best.

One can only wonder what it would have been like to be there that night, to see him in person, to get involved in the show. The people there must have treasured that experience forever. Not all the tracks are the best from his career, but it is the pure quality of his voice, performance and the atmosphere of the audience that makes this album stand out.

1. Feel It: After getting the crowd warmed up he leaps into his first song which just carries flawlessly to the end. ‘Don’t fight it, don’t fight it, don’t fight the feeling’ he sings and it’s hard not to. Such an easy track to get into, nothing amazing, but the beat and the soul that pours forth sets up the mood for the rest of the album.

2. Chain Gang: One of his more well known tracks is next and the transition to live performance is great. Sam has the chance to really get into his zone, grunting and ‘Ah’-ing and the crowd responds to it as you would expect.

3. Cupid: One of my favourite Cooke songs, Sam here makes it a little funkier and it works.Probably his best vocals of the night.

4. Medley: It’s All Right/ For Sentimental Reasons: This is a lesson from Sam to guys about how to talk to your woman. After a brief intro he cracks into this gentle and soulful tune, his vocals as perfect as ever. A seamless link into the second half, as he sings you can imagine him picking out certain women and singing directly to them. He then gets the whole crowd to sing along. Throughout the album he is constantly talking throughout the songs, at the right times, getting the crowd involved and showing us that he is enjoying himself.

5. Twistin’ The Night Away: My favourite Sam Cooke song of all time, this is perfect for a live performance and he delivers it with style and class. What a showcase for his vocals and his ability to sing live and retain that quality in his voice. If the dance floor was sparse before then this song would have guaranteed it to be packed be the end. One of the highlights of the album.

6. Somebody Have Mercy: A cool sax, upbeat rhythm and a great voice carries this so-so track through and makes it fit.

7. Bring It On Home To Me: There is a slow intro that lasts just under 3 minutes, it’s not really something that fits but when the song begins we have the groove and soul back. It feels as though this may be one of Sam’s favourites to sing live, something in his voice and interaction with the crowd shows that there is something more there. Then the track ends with the crowd getting involved once again, they clearly love their evening.

8. Nothing Can Change This Love: Again, top-notch singing is the highlight of this enjoyable track. Not the strongest track on the album but the performance is one of the strongest.

9. Having A Party: This song aptly sums up this album. Everybody’s singing, dancing to the music and they certainly were having a party. Everyone gets involved, you can also picture them swinging away with their friends and partners. A fitting end to a great performance.

Movie Review-A Simple Plan

A Simple Plan (1998) was based on a novel by Scott B Smith and was directed by Sam Raimi. I'm not really a Raimi fan, I don't like the Spiderman movies, Evil Dead was a bit 'meh', but I did enjoy The Quick and the Dead and even For Love of the Game, surprisingly.

A Simple Plan sees Hank Mitchell (Bill Paxton), his brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton) and Jacob's friend Lou stumbling across a small plane that has crashed not far outside the small town which they live in. It is around new year and the area is covered with thick snow so the plane hasn't been found by anyone else. When they go inside they find a dead pilot and a bag containing more than $4 million in hundred dollar bills.

$4.4 million, not bad for a walk in the woods

They decide to split it but in order not to get caught, Hank takes it with him to hide until spring, when the plane is discovered and then, if it is safe, they will take their share and leave town. Hank and Lou don't get on too well and so there is distrust straight away from Lou, but Hank says that's the only way he'll do it or he'll burn the money or hand it in.

After counting it and loading it in the truck, they see a car approaching which happens to be Sheriff Jenkins. Jacob accidentally asks 'did you mention the plane?' in front of the sheriff. Now Jacob isn't the brightest of guys, he gets nervous easily, not exactly the looker of the year either. After making an excuse of saying they heard a plane that may have had engine trouble, the sheriff leaves.

Hank brings the money to his expecting wife Sarah (Bridget Fonda) who at first says they can't take it, but soon changes her mind that night in bed after obviously thinking about it all evening. She schemes and tells Hank to put about half a million back so that when the plane and money is found people may not look for any more. He goes back the next day with Jacob as lookout, but without Lou knowing about it. On his way back from the plane he sees old man Dwight on a snowmobile talking to Jacob. As he approaches he's muttering 'don't do anything stupid Jacob'. Well, obviously Jacob didn't hear that as he introduces Dwight's head to a crowbar, presumably killing him.

Hank drives the body on the snowmobile to hide the body when Dwight suddenly wakes up telling Hank to get the police to get his brother. Hank smothers him to protect Jacob and then rides the snowmobile off a bridge to make it look like an accident. When Jacob panics and wants to confess what he did, Hank tells him that it was he who had killed Dwight when he woke up.

'I said smother him with your love...not glove'

As the winter goes on, things get harder for the three guys. Hank is worried that Jacob may do something foolish again, Lou is worried that Hank will betray them and keep the money for himself. Lou goes over and asks for his share and when Hank refuses Lou tells him that his brother had told him all about what had happened to the old man and will tell the sheriff.

The second half of the story involves Hank and Sarah scheming to protect themselves against Hank and from being found out about the money at all, Sarah suggests getting Lou drunk and recording him falsely confessing to murdering the old man. The first part of the plan goes well until Lou finds out, not only Hanks plot, but also that his friend Jacob has betrayed him. Things get really ugly when, whilst defending his brother, Jacob shoots Lou (his only friend) and then Hank has to kill Lou's wife when she tries to kill him.

Hank and Jacob have little time to come up with a story to convince the sheriff that they are innocent, not to mention the new complication of an FBI agent who has arrived looking for a plane and been told that Hank had heard one in trouble not long ago.

Can Hank get the law off his back? Can he prevent his brother do any more stupid things? Is this FBI agent to be trusted at all?

I really enjoyed watching this movie again, it is effective from the start as it immediately draws the audience into asking themselves what they would do, and how they would get away with it. Then, as it development unfolds we are left wondering how they can possibly carry on.

Billy Bob Thornton, who is always good at playing these rolls, is perhaps the standout in this movie. His character Jacob is a bit of a fool, but has some good sense at times and even knows a few home truths that Hank doesn't. His tendency to panic threatens to ruin their plans several times, which puts the audience on edge as to what he might do next. He's also a guy you can feel sorry for, he's alone apart from his brother and his only friend. He's also guilt ridden by what he has done to the old man, and then to Lou and struggles to come to turns with it all.

The wife, Sarah, is also very interesting. She doesn't want the money at first but very quickly changes her mind and then also begins to come up with plans to help themselves, she becomes so involved that she excuses Hank's killing of Dwight and tries to set up Lou.

This movie is 2 hours long and it is enjoyable throughout and looks great filmed in the snowy countryside and small town. There are several developments to push the story along. Most characters go through a change of opinion on what to do with the money, you're not sure whether there will be any betrayal or not and you're constantly wondering how they are all going to get away with this as things steadily spiral out of control.

This is definitely worth 2 hours of your time.

Best Line:
Do you ever feel evil?

Star Turn:
Billy Bob Thornton; creepy,unsettling, dangerously thoughtless, capable of anything

Best Moment:
Hank unsure of the FBI agent

Music Review - U2-The Joshua Tree (1987)

What can you say about U2? Quite alot apparently. There are those that love them and those that loathe them. Whatever you say about them, there is no denying that The Joshua Tree is something special. No doubt this is the album that put them firmly on the map despite being around for about ten years and releasing considerable efforts such as War and The Unforgettable Fire. Most people knew them but when Joshua Tree was released tens of thousands actually owned a piece of their work.

Over twenty years old the album still holds its own and actually starts off sounding like a greatest hits album. Such classic singles such as With or Without You, Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and Where The Streets Have No Name are just so good and well known that its easy to forget that they all come from one album. I believe that this is the point that Bono found his true voice. In earlier releases he sounded like every other new band to come out during the early 80's, but here his vocals are spot on and the start of the Bono that we have all come to recognise and, most of us, love. This in itself breathes freshness into the bands sound but add that to superior song writing and The Edge's new guitar sound and we have a giant leap forward from the Irish lads.

There is a nice mix of songs here but they all help with the overall feel of the album. It's easy to emagine being in the desert that is pictured on the cover as the sound perpetuating every track give off that feel of the desert. Every song seems to fit perfectly after the previous one taking us alone through this journey of the desert. All great albums should have this sense of wholeness within it, rather than being just a collection of songs, even if they are great ones. To me this is what Joshua Tree does. Put any other U2 song in and it wouldnt fit, take one of these ones out and the album would collapse. Each track relies on the others to balance out this mood.

However good your music collection may be, if this is not included then you having a glaring chasm in it. This is U2's best. Even if you do not like U2 then you should at least try this album. It may change your mind and, if not, then at least you are being open minded.

Where The Streets Have No Name: A great opener for an album. This track slowly builds up to the hit that it is well known for being.

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For: Another classic single, this track can be read on many levels. Perhaps this is one reason why it was so popular. People identified with it in different ways, people's questioning life and answers, looking for that special someone or that drive in life. All or none of these can be applied to this song. Bono surely has his own interpretation of it but he purposely leaves it ambiguous for the listener.

With Or Without You: Maybe the best known, and over played, track of the album, and perhaps their entire career.

Bullet The Blue Sky: My least favourite of the 'big songs' on here, this track is still quite powerful and deserves its place. The guitar and drums in the intro again evoke the desert feel.

Running To Stand Still: It's a tragedy that this track isn't more well known. This is such an understated song, Bono tempers his voice well here, not overdoing it but putting the exact amount of feeling into it. A beautiful and simple pleasure, easily one of the best U2 songs ever.

Red Hill Mining Town: Some of Bono's finest vocals are present on this track. Bono screams 'I'm hanging on, You're all that's left to hold on to' and you can feel it in his voice.

In God's Country: A catchy song that doesn't quite impress but is a good listen nontheless and should never be skipped when listening through the album.

Trip Through Your Wires: The harmonica that opens the song seems a bit out of place, especially this late on in the album. There is nothing really special about the song, it's pleasant enough but too mediocre to follow the previous great tracks.

One Tree Hill: Again, another understated song. Whilst this isn't as good as other tracks, it is still a good solid piece. Just about everything is underplayed, the guitar, the vocals but the lyrics are really quite good.

Exit: For me, this is the weakest of the album. It doesn't fit as much as the other songs and it sounds more dated, harking back to a sound of the early 80's. The slow build up really doesn't end with anything worthwhile.

Mothers Of The Disappeared: A simple tribute to the women who lose their children to kidnappers and slavery. A beautiful guitar riff plays gently behind Bono's soft singing. A slow track but definitely one to listen to several times before being judged.

Movie Review-Gattaca

Gattaca (1997) was written and directed by Andrew Niccol and, though it passed under the radar of the general audience, it is an intelligent and stylish science fiction movie.

Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) has dreamt of venturing into space all of his life and has worked hard to become qualified for it. The only catch is this: Vincent was born naturally, which is against the current practice of being genetically engineered. People born naturally are labeled ‘invalids’ and are discriminated heavily against, putting them in a lower class and with no chance of attaining anything great in their lives. All the prominent careers go to the ‘valids’, the ones who have been given the best genes from both parents and these can go on to do pretty much anything they want to.

A stylish and fashion conscious future

Vincent finds an opportunity to take a valid’s identity, a practice that is becoming common in the black market. He meets up with Jerome Morrow (Jude Law) who has a very high genetic profile, but was rendered wheelchair bound after breaking his back. Vincent can now use Jerome’s identity as a valid to get into Gattaca where all the space missions are run. In order to pass as Jerome he needs constant urine samples, blood samples, hair samples etc to pass the constant tests that keep Gattaca free from invalids. He also tries to get rid of any of his own DNA by cleaning his workstation constantly and taking vigorous showers and minimizing any dead skin that could give him away.

After a grueling interview process (literally just a urine sample) Vincent gains access to Gattaca and soon comes in line to venture off into space. All goes well until the final week before the mission when the mission director is murdered. Police investigating find an eyelash belonging to Vincent who has been missing since he took up Jerome’s identity. Vincent is innocent of the murder but the police don’t know that and, besides, catching him will reveal that he is an invalid posing as a valid.

Alan Arkin investigates

We now have Vincent’s struggle to remain unnoticed by both the police who suspect him to be a murderer and testing everyone for DNA, and the Gattaca Corporation from discovering his true identity.

What I like about this movie first of all is that it is set in a semi-plausible future. If we could genetically engineer our children if we wished, how would the natural ‘inferior’ people be treated? Technically they are inferior but does anyone have the right to discriminate against them? Racism and sexism seem to be done away with to make way for a prejudice on a genetic level and your parents’ choice in reproduction methods will affect your future. These are obviously the themes that the movie explores the most but there are numerous others that it deals with from human spirit, ‘what is perfection?’, personal identity and sibling rivalry to name but a few.

The whole movie looks great, from the stylish suits and outfits that could come right out of a 50’s noir movie, to the sets which, again, go for style rather than the ‘hey this is a sci-fi movie, let’s go crazy’ craze of bigger budget equivalents.

The acting is good all round; Hawke is a confident guy despite his ‘disadvantage’, Law is the depressed guy despite his ‘perfections’ but learns much from Vincent. Uma Thurman, looking more elegant than ever, plays Vincent’s colleague and love interest well, you never know her agenda and as she gets close to discovering the truth you’re unsure as to how she will respond.The support cast is equally as good by the likes of Alan Arkin as the detective, Xandar Berkeley as the doctor who does the daily tests and Gore Vidal as director of Gattaca.

Anyone wishing to watch a movie that is intelligent, yet not complex at all, looks fantastic and raises many issues for you to ponder over afterwards should definitely catch this movie. The pace is perfect, it’s an interesting set up, well delivered in its execution and definitely needs more attention than it got at its cinema release.

Best Line:

For someone who was never meant for this world, I must confess I'm suddenly having a hard time leaving it. Of course, they say every atom in our bodies was once part of a star. Maybe I'm not leaving... maybe I'm going home.

Star Turn:

Ethan Hawke; 'inferior' than the rest but his confidence and slyness shine through.

Best Moment:

Unveiling how he can pass off as someone else

Music Review - Pulp-Different Class (1995)

In 1995 Pulp managed to do three great things. First off, they gave a fantastic performance at Glastonbury that put the other acts to shame. Secondly, they released Different Class and thirdly, Jarvis Cocker invaded a Michael Jackson performance at the Brits. Well, ok, maybe two great things.

In the mid-nineties the media, and thousands of 'sheep' trying to be cool by following everyone else, were hyping the battle for best album between Blur and Oasis. Unfortunately, both bands failed to deliver anything thought provoking or different. What's The Story (Morning Glory) was a good album, filled with anthems for a generation, but lacked any real depth to it and was weaker than Oasis' debut effort. The Great Escape by Blur again was weaker than its predecessor Of course, those thousands rushed out and bought them and raved about them in all the ‘cool' music magazines.

However, 1995 produced at least two better albums. One was Stanley Road by Paul Weller and this one.

The first thing that makes this album stand out is the lyrics. Cocker is a master of writing witty lyrics that make you laugh and smile and are also a brilliant observation on everyday life. He writes about anxiety, struggles, frustrations, excitement, love and bewilderment and his singing pushes this to an extra level where you can feel all of this emotion in his performance. A clear contrast to when he is talking in a near-monotone voice. The songs and Cocker's singing contain so much energy where needed and the quality of the vocals can be surprising sometimes.

All the songs are truly fantastic, over ten years on and they still sound just as good. It was a breath of fresh air when it was released and maybe it is because it doesn't sound like the rest of the ‘Brit-pop' that it doesn't sound dated.

Pulp go to show that it is ok to look nerdy and to be different than what is considered cool. Cocker is a vast contrast to Liam Gallagher and yet he displays a presence whilst performing on stage that Liam could never achieve, with a voice that can portray more emotion than most of the 'cool' bands around at that time. Different Class? Yes. Better Class? Definitely.

Track listing:

1. Mis-Shapes: A catchy anthem for people who look 'different' saying how it's ok to look geeky and not as cool as the rest of the crowd, and how these people are going to take over someday.

2. Pencil Skirt: A pleasant little tune about Jarvis, a girl and the problems of young love.

3. Common People: This tune was the anthem in Britain during the summer of 1995. Common People quickly became the 'anthem' of the year, and rightly so. It was more infectious than anything Blur or Oasis had to offer that year. Awesome lyrics, fantastic vocals and brilliant melodies. Even the amount of times this was over played on the radio couldn't kill its effectiveness and brilliance.

4. I Spy: More great lyrics, haunting undertones and another excellent example of Cocker's vocal prowess, his low tones give this song its edge.

5. Disco 2000: Very catchy disco tune that you can't get out of your head, more great humorous lyrics.

6. Live Bed Show: A song that grows on you, tells an interesting story.

7. Something Changed: A run of the mill love song that sounds a bit out of place but still a nice little tune.

8. Sorted For E's & Whizz: A song about going to raves and the morning after, lovely tune and interesting images left in the mind.

9. F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E: An odd song that isn't without its good points, takes a while to get going though.

10. Underwear: The angst of teenage love is expressed in this great song. Great lyrics and stunning vocals.

11. Monday Morning: Catchy upbeat tune, lyrics are top notch.

12. Bar Italia: This one really grew on me, a nice end to a fantastic album.

Movie Review- リング (Ringu)

There's been a recent trend of Japanese horror (or J-horror) in movies, with plenty of remakes coming out of Hollywood; some good, some not so good.

The one movie that set the wagon rolling was リング (Ringu) meaning 'Ring', made in 1998 with a low budget of $1.2 million. It went on to become the highest grossing horror from in Japan, spawned several sequels and remakes in Korea and Hollywood.

The first thing that got me interested was the premise, which quite unique for a movie of this particular type. Basically, there's a video going around that has strange images on it, once the video ends the phone rings. You then have one week before you die.

Reiko Asakawa (the beautiful Nanako Matsushima) is a reporter who is investigating the story of this rumoured video that all the teenagers are talking about. Her niece, Tomoko, is seen in the first scene telling her friend that she and a few others took a trip to Izu and ended up watching a weird video and got a call saying that they would die in one week, which just happens to end that night. Sure enough, she mysteriously dies and her friend goes loony and ends up in a hospital.

At the funeral Reiko discovers that Tomoko's friends also died that night in separate incidents. She comes across some photos that Tomoko had taken on their trip to Izu the week before and as she flips through them notices one where all their faces are blurred and distorted. She decides to take a trip to Izu and, with the aid of the photos, finds the cabin in which they stayed in and also the video. As she watches it there is a woman coming her hair in a mirror, which quickly jumps revealing a little girl, a man pointing with a cloth over his head, the word 'eruption', and eye with 'Sada' written in it and several other images, ending on a well before cutting to static noise. Immediately afterwards the phone rings and Reiko answers, though we do not hear what is on the other side. Reiko now now assumes she only has a week left. The time is 7:10 pm.

The next day she calls her ex-husband over. Ryuji Takayama (the excellent and awesome Hiroyuki Sanada) comes over and takes Reiko's picture with a polaroid. It comes out blurred and distorted, just like the one of the teenagers. Ryuji watches the video but apparently there is no phone call.

'Hopefully not another chick flick'

Reiko makes a copy of the tape for them to study and they find clues within the video which leads them Oshima island, although Reiko's son, Yoichi has also watched the video.

The pair discover the story of a woman named Shizuko who claimed to have psychic powers, but at a demonstration of her talent the press turned on her and she eventually ended up killing herself. Shizuko appears to be the woman in the video combing her hair in the video and it seems that her daughter Sadako may have made the video, she too has powers it seems.

With one day left, Reiko and Ryuji head back to the cabin and discover a well underneath it, as well as the shocking truth behind Sadako. Are they both cursed to die one week after watching the tape? If so can this curse be broken?

Now Ringu is described as a horror and as such, many people sit down to watch this movie and be terrified. I don't class it as a horror, but it works more as a suspense/mystery/thriller type thing. You see, a typical horror movie will give you a nice scare at the beginning and then sprinkle scares throughout as more teenagers gets killed off etc. But, Ringu works a lot differently. Sure, you get the great first scene with the two teenage girls, one worried that she has seen the video. Is the whole thing a joke or not? We're not sure until the end of the scene when Tomoko is killed. However, the rest of the movie is unraveling the mystery of the video and who made it. We do not know if Reiko will die after one week or not, but signs point to the possibility. Her husband is skeptical at first but then he too is lead to believe that they are both cursed after watching it. The whole plot is a gradual build up to the end scenes, raising the tension and the mystery. We only find out things as our protagonists do, we are drawn into this investigation with them.

I believe this is why a lot of people are let down by this, because the structure is so different from what they were expecting when they heard this was a horror movie. If you approach this as a suspense then you are prepared for the slow build up. This movie doesn't rely on cheap scares, most of the movie in fact doesn't contain anything scary or creepy at all. The clock is ticking for Reiko (or is it?) and the clues come slowly and you don't know where all of it is leading to. You have to sit through it and experience what she does as she contemplates her fate and worries about her son.

Hideo Nakata directs this and does a good job, there are a couple of short scenes in particular which are done really well. One example is when Ryuji is sat on a bench and is approached by a mysterious woman (Ryuji is psychic and what he sees is a vision). The scene goes from having the bustle of a busy part of the city to suddenly fading away to silence leaving only her footsteps. We only see her feet and legs and Ryuji never looks up, we get a great bit of camera work as it sweeps around him and then the scene is back to normal. The whole thing only lasts 30 seconds and is a 'what the hell?' type of scene for a lot of people.

The great Hiroyuki Sanada; his spidey sense is tingling

Yes, Ryuji is psychic but it is not revealed outright in an obvious way. The aforementioned scene, though, is the first time this is confirmed although a lot of people didn't pick up on it. It is not uncommon in a lot of Japanese movies of this genre to include someone who is psychic.

This brings me onto the second reason why I think a lot of people were either disappointed or didn't quite 'get' Ringu, not the plot but how it was told. It is essential to understand that Eastern stories are told a lot differently than they are in the West. A typical legendary Chinese or Japanese ghost story will have elements that would be completely alien in a Western ghost story. Even the way they sometimes structure stories, and as such tell these in cinema and television, can be quite different from what Westerners are used to. This can lead to some people being a bit put off in watching Eastern cinema as there are elements they don't understand.

Thankfully, anime is very popular among Western youths and hopefully this will mean that new generations will be more willing to explore, not just anime, but Eastern cinema as a whole, being used to how they tell stories and portray characters. The biggest advantage that I feel Eastern Cinema is over Hollywood is that it rarely dumbs down. It doesn't usually hand-feed the audience with what is going on, it doesn't worry that the audience may not get something in the story. Instead it, mostly, concentrates on keeping the script at a point were it is written well enough for anyone patient and willing to work things out for themselves.

Now I mentioned there aren't any cheap scares, but the movie does come close to it on a couple of occasions. When Reiko finishes watching the video we see a reflection of someone in the TV, but nobody is actually there. This is very similar to how a Hollywood horror would work, but instead of an huge burst from the score to say 'jump now' it is slightly more restrained so that, rather than jumping, you begin to catch your breath but then it is over as quickly as it began.

Kenji Kawai does the score which mostly comprises of a dread-inspiring sound of strings being stretched, plucked and stroked whenever something scary happens. This again puts the movie into a different tone. We rarely jump when this happens, instead we get a sense of dread and unease which lasts up until the great ending of the movie.

Watching the video gives you a good poker face

Nanako Matsushima is wonderfully cast as the female lead, she is full of grace at the start, but as the week progresses she becomes desperate for herself and for her son. Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays her ex-husband is one of my favourite Japanese actors, he is just fantastic in this and, rightfully so, is slowly getting roles in Hollywood movies. He has appeared in The Last Samurai and was the great Kaneda in Danny Boyle's Sunshine (best death ever). I hope he continues to gain more roles so that a larger audience can appreciate just how good he is.

Ringu is a great piece of Japanese suspense and, if approached as such and not as horror, the audience should have a great hour and half.

A quick note on the remake

In 2002 there was a remake of this. I would like to state that on the whole this remake is very good. It is, however, a proper horror movie, with more intense images and plenty of 'jumpy' moments which are all very effective and well done, and has a completely different feel to Ringu.

There is a problem that anyone who has seen this remake first may not get as much out of Ringu as they should. It is a mystery movie, but as The Ring shares a similar plot and conclusion, viewers will already know the outcome, let alone the surprise ending. I would recommend that both version of the movie be watched as they are both good in their own right and style, but if possible watch Ringu first and then The Ring. The Ring, with its horror based structure can be easily enjoyed when knowing the basic storyline, whereas Ringu would be ruined a lot by this foreknowledge.

Best Line:
This kind of thing... it doesn't start by one person telling a story. It's more like everyone's fear just takes on a life of its own.

Star Turn:
Hiroyuki Sanada, I could watch him all day, a great actor.

Best Moment:
THE scene