The Ring, released in 2002, is a supernatural horror remake of the Japanese film Ringu. It inspired a wave of English-language Asian horror remakes. For this experiment we introduced a test subject to the original American version. They were completely unfamiliar with the Ring franchise. Find out if her vitals were affected by one of the most iconic creepy children in the history of horror.
Where to Watch:
SYNOPSIS:
A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it.
Test Subject: Kim
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Fears: Evil Spirits
Resting HR: 60-65bpm
Walking HR: 80-85bpm
ANALYSIS:
The Ring (2002) captured our subject’s attention immediately by introducing an intriguing premise, then teasing fear, and delivering scares at 7:30. After that initial shock however, the film shifted into a psychological drama. The majority of the first act was spent researching the mystery while creating only a few moments of uneasiness. Onscreen, the days of the week counted off with minimal heart rate movement. The slow burn coupled with an intelligent original score kept our subject engrossed but not overly frightened.
It was the finale that produced the most anxiety as answers began to reveal themselves. A horror movie took shape. At 1:25, the grim backstory built the tension necessary to begin raising our subject’s pulse to respectable numbers. An emotional discovery began with a jumpscare and ended with a famously haunting scene. One that produced our subjects peak heart rate of 93bpm.
CONCLUSION:
The Ring (2002) is a tragic tale cleverly designed to instill fear in viewers after the credits roll. The premise of watching a videotape then dying seven days later is terrifying. The movie then reveals to the audience the full video leaving the unsettling thought that maybe, just maybe, the same thing could happen to them. Subliminal one frame flashes of disturbing imagery worked to enhance this desired effect. And while the majority of the film did not raise our subject’s heart rate to extreme numbers, we sensed she was affected by this idea while watching. Our guess is that these visuals will haunt her subconscious for days and nights to come.
The Ring: Burns an average of 240 Calories
Ring Pop : 60 Calories
How many Fear Calories did you burn watching The Ring? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
