The Sinister Origins of 'The Ring': A Terrifying Tale of Vengeful Spirits

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The Ring is based on the novel by Koji Suzuki and the old Japanese ghost story 'Banchō Sarayashiki,' both of which involve cursed videotapes and vengeful spirits.

The film revolutionized the traditional ghost tale by integrating technology and producing one of the most unforgettable horror scenes: the ghost emerging from the television screen.

The Ring initiated a wave of Western adaptations of Japanese horror movies and left a lasting impact on other eerie supernatural films such as The Grudge and One Missed Call. These films also showcase vengeful spirits and unsettling paranormal elements.

Many horror stories on-screen draw inspiration from real-life events or legends, such as The Town That Dreaded Sundown and The Watcher. However, one of the most influential origin stories is arguably the one behind The Ring. This tale has spawned numerous books and films centered around a spooky VHS tape featuring a young girl with long, black hair. While the ghost story that served as the inspiration for this classic horror film and its subsequent sequels does not involve a cursed videotape, it does share similarities with the tragic backstory of the young girl, Sadako/Samara (Daveigh Chase).

Image via DreamWorks PicturesThe Ring

A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape that seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it.

'The Ring' Is Based on a Novel and an Old Ghost Story

Image via DreamWorks Pictures

The novel form of The Ring was the initial iteration of the franchise. Published in 1991 by Japanese author Koji Suzuki, whose writing also served as the inspiration for the horror films Dark Water and its American remake, the first book introduced a series that delves into a chilling tale. Centered around a cursed videotape haunted by the vengeful spirit of a murdered girl, the story captivated audiences and prompted a string of subsequent films and remakes. Watching the tape foretold one's demise exactly one week later, with the only escape being to pass the cursed viewing onto another unsuspecting victim, consigning them to their own doom. While the 1998 film achieved immense success, kick-starting the trend of Western adaptations of Japanese horror, the origins of ghostly tales can be traced back even further, to a haunted incident at Himeji Castle in Japan centuries ago. These events would go on to inspire a multitude of terrifying and impactful works.

The Japanese ghost story known as "Banchō Sarayashiki," or "The Dish Mansion at Banchō," revolves around a girl named Okiku who worked in Himeji. She was being pursued romantically by a samurai at the castle. In order to coerce her into being with him, the samurai hid one of the 10 dishes entrusted to her for protection by the royal family. When Okiku discovered the missing plate and realized she could face death as punishment, the samurai proposed that their union would solve the problem. However, Okiku rejected his advances once again. In retaliation, the samurai suspended her over a well and asked her one last time to be with him, but she firmly declined. Enraged, the samurai struck her with his sword, causing her body to fall down the well. Okiku's vengeful spirit returned to haunt the samurai due to the manner of her death. Legend has it that he could constantly hear her counting the plates, stuck on number 10.

Other versions of the story mention that Okiku's spirit would emerge from the well at night to torment the samurai, while another variant suggests that she was executed by being thrown down the well for losing the dish. Today, there is still a well in Japan associated with Okiku's story, now referred to as Okiku's Well. It is said to have a cover to prevent her spirit from crawling out. The story's influence extends beyond film, as larvae infesting old wells in Japan are commonly referred to as "Okiku insects."

How 'The Ring' Modernized a Traditional Ghost Story