A first for Women Who Wow Wednesday—during the month of October I will feature tough heroines who rock the Horror genre. They will at times seem victimized, but their strong resolve carries them through, overcoming whatever obstacles get in their way. In the end, they will make it out alive from their terror-filled world to rule the day.
To kick things off, let’s have a look at Rachel Keller of the movie The Ring.
*spoilers ahead*
When The Ring came out in theaters, I missed seeing it. In some ways, I’m glad. The premise leaves a person with a sense of heightened awareness of the dangers of watching something someone might recommend as a must-see.
The story goes something like this: Someone finds a video tape. Within minutes of watching it they receive a phone call telling them in seven days they will die.
I don’t know about you but when I heard about this movie, it sent shivers up the back of my neck. To add to the mystique of the film’s allure, the DVD release features the short film as a hidden item on its menu. If you haven’t found the video, you can simply press the up arrow a few times until the cursor disappears, then press enter on the remote.
I have never seen the video in its entirety.
Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) is a reporter investigating the mysterious death of her niece who rumors state died in an unnatural way. Taking a personal interest in the case, because the victim was family, Rachel heads to a cabin in the woods where her niece and a few friends had stayed a week before. Examining the contents of the room, she finds a video tape. Unsure what it contains, she watches it. Soon after it ends, Rachel receives a phone call from a child who says, “Seven days.”
As creepy as it sounds, things get worse. After having copied the tape to show to her ex-boyfriend Noah (Martin Henderson), Rachel begins to experience nightmares and surreal experiences. Nosebleeds are a common occurrence. In one scene, she pulls a fly from the monitor where the tape plays. The fly belongs in the video.
Later on in the week, as the events turn more sinister, Rachel discovers her son Aidan (David Dorfman) has watched the video. In horror, she calls Noah and admits Aidan is his son.
Eventually, Rachel’s investigation leads her to Moesko Island, the site of the lighthouse in the video, and the reason the video exists in the first place.
Rachel’s character makes the movie a treat for those of us who enjoy a slow plot reveal. She’s a woman caught in a trap, and has every reason for wanting to escape in order to save her and her son from unseen forces churning within. The big surprise, though, does not come from the events unfolding in the film but from her reaction to the results. In stark contrast, what would otherwise rattle most of us, if caught in the movie’s horrific web, Rachel handles with a firm conviction.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.
Have you watched The Ring? If so, what did you think of the film’s concept?
Looking to God 
Th3 Ring was awesome and terrifying. I like to feel that intense energy of being scared an$ then surviving and know that I am OK.
I’m probably one of the only people in the world who has never seen this movie (I don’t mind spoilers where movies are concerned, by the way . . . I MAY be alone there too, haha).
I don’t do so well with ‘horror movies’ in general.
But this one always did seem a little extra creepy to me.
I found the movie on the DVD menu and it was extremely creepy but thankfully did not last long.
You have more courage than I. I’ve never seen it all the way through!
I LOVE psychological horror movies and don’t scare easily. The Ring gave me the creeps. That little girl, the video, the look on the victims faces — it all set the stage for a great, unnerving flick. Great choice!
she’s pretty .. kinda mix scarlett johansen and madonna 🙂
After reading this I was trying to remember this scene all day, and I finally found it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0FTKqEnGKI
It gave me the same kind of creepy feeling that The Ring did. And the way the ghost trips! for some reason that brought the creep factor up 500 points for me. I’ve got to get that one again. The ones after this were silly, especially The Grudge and Dark Water. It seemed like they petered out. Haven’t checked any out since then. Any good ones?
Have you seen any of the older Horror movies? The Shining and The Exorcist? Those are absolutely terrifying. Then there’s The Sixth Sense… *shivers*
Oh yeah. I was a big horror movie buff in my day. Loved all the zombie stuff: Night, Dawn, Day, all that. Haven’t seen any of the remakes, nor do I much like the “horror” of today. Exorcist creeped me out too much, Shining was good. Liked classics like The Changeling, Dementia 13, Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane, Psycho. More psychological. Then the slasher genre came in the late 80s, Elm St. was okay. Sixth Sense brought that all back, great show. Oh, and I caught WWZ last weekend, a lot better than I thought is was going to be, although I agree with your post about them crashing into things and still moving, was a little crazy. It got good when he got to the WHO building.
I remember The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane. That’s with Jodie Foster and Martin Sheen. I haven’t seen that film since I was a kid. On my list it goes. Great movie!
Saw on video when it first went to video. The best part and the creepiest part was when that fly was on the monitor. I may have to watch it again you just reminded me of it …
Ugh..why Jack? Took me so long to not think about The Ring. Did you see the original? I saw this one in theatres with my friend and I kid you not, at the end of the movie, I think I grabbed onto my friend’s arm so much, there was no more blood circulation..haha! Thats what good friends are for, right?
This movie has a really good concept and the jump scares that they use are pretty epic in my book. The tone of the movie is downright creepy.
Why climb the mountain? Because it’s there, Kim! 😉
Even your description gives me chills. Not sure I can add this to the movie lineup for October, but it sounds really good – in a “I can’t watch it because I live alone, but the idea of it is scary enough to satisfy me” way. 🙂
The Ring is one of my all time favorite horror movies! I remember very clearly watching it for the first time on video. I still can’t watch it without being disturbed by it’s subtle at times horror and the intense images, which is great that the movie, as many times as I have seen it can still do that. I am going to have to try that DVD menu thing because I had no idea it did that. I agree that Rachel Keller is a strong character, she is willing to do anything to stop the curse, to uncover what secrets lie beneath the video and save the lives of Noah and Aidan. It’s a great movie.
Once you find it, tell me if you watch the video all the way through. It’s definitely one of the creepiest movies ever!
I will. 🙂
I’m looking forward to your list of Horror movie heroines but I’d really like to read more about why you think these heroines are in a class by themselves – but maybe that’s just because I’ve seen The Ring and know the plot. Great idea. Watching The Ring once was enough for me.
So I just went to wikipedia to read the film synopsis and now I am officially FREAKED OUT. Jack, you know I love you, but I am SO not watching this one!!!
Well, it was worth as shot! 😉
One of the things that was special about the movie “The Ring” was that it took the horror films to a different level than the slasher movies that were currently out at that time. There was some of the throw back to the early horror movies where the violence and fear came more from the implied than the visual. The original Japanese version’s feel and ideas come across in the American remake. The movie resonates with those that see it on many levels.
Naomi Watts acting in this film adds to the feel and the tension. She comes across as an everyday person, not the Hollywood hyped starlet. A great choice for the October first post of heroines.
Sounds far too scary for me. Good pick for October!
I think the films concept was built entirely around the ability to come to the single most freaking out scene I have witnessed. And yes, I saw it in the theater all by myself, which made the viewing infinitely worse. But, alas, I loved the whole film. I always thought the Japanese had a strong sense of what true visual horror could be, since they experienced what happened at the end of the second world war. Sure it was an American remake, but a Japanese concept, technology and horror, meshed perfectly.
Good point regarding Japan’s view of Horror, given their plight after the war.