Arrow Video is releasing the original Japanese Ring (Ringu) in Ultra High Definition 4K Blu-ray.
The 1998 film from Hideo Nakata is based of a 1991 novel of the same name by Koji Suzuki. In 2002 the film received an American remake.
In the years since Sadako hit screens (in more ways than one) the long-haired apparition has become an icon among J-Horror fans.
You can check out a synopsis of Ring (Ringu) and a list of Blu-ray features below:
In 1998, director Hideo Nakata (Dark Water) unleashed a chilling tale of technological terror on unsuspecting audiences, which redefined the horror genre, launched the J-horror boom in the West and introducing a generation of moviegoers to a creepy, dark-haired girl called Sadako. The film’s success spawned a slew of remakes, reimaginations and imitators, but none could quite boast the power of Nakata’s original masterpiece, which melded traditional Japanese folklore with contemporary anxieties about the spread of technology. A group of teenage friends are found dead, their bodies grotesquely contorted, their faces twisted in terror. Reiko (Nanako Matsushima, When Marnie Was There), a journalist and the aunt of one of the victims, sets out to investigate the shocking phenomenon, and in the process uncovers a creepy urban legend about a supposedly cursed videotape, the contents of which causes anyone who views it to die within a week – unless they can persuade someone else to watch it, and, in so doing, pass on the curse… Arrow Video is proud to present Ringu, the film that started it all, restored from the original negative in glorious 4K and supplemented by a wealth of bonus materials.
4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- Brand new, exclusive 4K restoration from the original camera negative by Arrow Films
- 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Lossless Japanese DTS-HD master audio 5.1 and PCM 2.0 soundtracks
- Optional English subtitles – Audio commentary by film historian David Kalat
- The Ringu Legacy – a series of interviews from critics and filmmakers on their memories of the Ringu series and its enduring legacy
- A Vicious Circle – a video interview with author and critic Kat Ellinger on the career of Hideo Nakata
- Circumnavigating Ringu – a video essay by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas on the evolution of the Ringu series
- Spooks, Sighs and Videotape – a video essay by critic Jasper Sharp on the J-horror phenomenon
- Sadako’s Video
- Theatrical trailers
- Limited edition packaging featuring two original artwork options
- Double-sided fold-out poster featuring two original artwork options
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by Violet Lucca and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
The Limited Edition release can be pre-ordered on Arrow Video’s site for $35 USD. The Blu-ray is set to release on September 19.