Projection of the 1998 Japanese horror film Ringu, directed by Hideo Nakata, as part of the Scarecrowber festival at SIFF.
SIFF Film Center is screening Ringu on Wednesday, October 21, as part of the Scarecrowber series. It's the original 1998 Japanese film directed by Hideo Nakata, 96 minutes long, and it's the one that started the whole cursed-videotape thing long before the American remake became a household name. If you've only seen the later versions, this is the one that actually earned the reputation.
To get why this is happening, you have to know what Scarecrowber is. It's the way SIFF and Scarecrow Video treat October, which they've dubbed the official 10th month of the year. Scarecrow Video is Seattle's own non-profit video archive—a movie-lovers mecca with more individual titles available to rent than anywhere in the world and a staff known for being maniacally knowledgeable about horror. The series celebrates the genre with the staff's hand-picked favorites, and half the proceeds of each ticket go toward supporting Scarecrow Video.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Seattle and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
So Ringu isn't just a random horror movie on a calendar; it's a pick from the people who live and breathe this stuff. The film itself is a slow-burn J-horror classic about a journalist who investigates a cursed videotape that kills anyone who watches it seven days later. It's more of a dread-filled mystery than a jump-scare fest, and it works best on a big screen with a room full of people. The screening is at the SIFF Film Center, 167 Republican St., Seattle, WA 98109, on Wednesday, October 21.
