Ring 0: Birthday
Encyclopedia
Ring 0: Birthday is a 2000 Japan
ese film. It's the prequel
to the film Ring. It was directed by Norio Tsuruta, based on a screenplay
by Hiroshi Takahashi. The film's screenplay is based on the short story Lemonheart from the Birthday
anthology
by Koji Suzuki
. There is also a manga adaptation. It was nominated for Best Film at the 2001 Fantasporto
.
), the antagonist
of previous films. In this film, her role shifts to that of a protagonist
.
The story begins with a reporter named Miyaji Akiko, whose fiancé was a reporter killed during Shizuko's ESP
demonstration, as she attempts to gather more information on Sadako's past from a grade school Sadako stayed at. Meanwhile, Sadako herself joins an acting troupe and falls in love with one of the members of that troupe, Hiroshi Toyama (Seiichi Tanabe
) only to be tormented by her own psychic
abilities and the hatred of the other troupe members.
As the film progresses, Miyaji soon discovers the disturbing truth that the entire troupe has become "cursed" due to Sadako's presence, and that there is a "second" Sadako, an evil
child who is responsible for the deaths of the reporters at the ESP demonstration. At the opening day of the troupe's play, one of Toyama's co-workers is able to help Miyaji in playing the recording of the ESP demonstration. Upon hearing this while on stage, Sadako loses control of her psychic abilities, destroying the stage and killing the doctor who had been counseling her.
The rest of the troupe (except for Toyama) then gangs up on Sadako and brutally beats her, leaving her seemingly dead. Miyaji then tells them of the "second Sadako", and that they must rid themselves of the Sadako they have known in order to avoid the second child. Arriving at Sadako's old home, Toyama is shocked when Sadako revives and demands that he leave her before it is too late. Toyama, however, refuses, and tries to escape with her.
After running to a cliff, Sadako is suddenly overcome by her "second" self, and kills Toyama and eventually the rest of the acting troupe. She then comes to her senses and mourns her actions. Sadako's adoptive
father, Dr. Ikuma, decides that he must destroy her. He drugs Sadako by injecting her with poison, but she escapes and crawls to the family well, backing up it. She sees Ikuma coming towards her with a wood-splitting axe. She pleads for her life, but Ikuma brings down the blade on her head. Ikuma brings down the axe again, and throws the body down the dark well. Sadako wakes to see her lover, but it is just a hallucination. As she realizes where she is, she looks up in time to see a stone being slid into place, sealing her alive inside and cutting off her screams.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese film. It's the prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to the film Ring. It was directed by Norio Tsuruta, based on a screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
by Hiroshi Takahashi. The film's screenplay is based on the short story Lemonheart from the Birthday
The Birthday (anthology)
is an anthology by Japanese writer Koji Suzuki first published on February 5, 1999 in Japan. It is the fourth and last installment of Suzuki's Ring series.-Plot:...
anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
by Koji Suzuki
Koji Suzuki
Koji Suzuki is a Japanese writer, who was born in Hamamatsu and currently lives in Tokyo. Suzuki is the author of the Ring cycle of novels, which has been adapted into a manga series. He has written several books on the subject of fatherhood...
. There is also a manga adaptation. It was nominated for Best Film at the 2001 Fantasporto
Fantasporto
Fantasporto, also known as Fantas, is an international film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal. Giving screen space to commercial feature films, auteur films and experimental projects from all over the world, Fantasporto has created enthusiastic audiences, ranging from...
.
Plot summary
The film takes place 30 years prior to the events of Ring, and depicts the life of 19-year-old Sadako Yamamura (Yukie NakamaYukie Nakama
is a Japanese actress, singer and former idol. She was born in Okinawa, Japan, in a fisherman's family, the youngest of five siblings.At the start of her career she was a gravure idol and singer , and appeared in bit roles until her career breakthrough playing Sadako in "Ring 0: Birthday ."In 2000,...
), the antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
of previous films. In this film, her role shifts to that of a protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
.
The story begins with a reporter named Miyaji Akiko, whose fiancé was a reporter killed during Shizuko's ESP
Extra-sensory perception
Extrasensory perception involves reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses but sensed with the mind. The term was coined by Frederic Myers, and adopted by Duke University psychologist J. B. Rhine to denote psychic abilities such as telepathy, clairaudience, and...
demonstration, as she attempts to gather more information on Sadako's past from a grade school Sadako stayed at. Meanwhile, Sadako herself joins an acting troupe and falls in love with one of the members of that troupe, Hiroshi Toyama (Seiichi Tanabe
Seiichi Tanabe
is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best actor at the 24th Yokohama Film Festival for Hush! and at the 27th Hochi Film Award for Hush! and Harmful Insect.-Filmography:* Atashi wa juice * April Story * Blues Harp...
) only to be tormented by her own psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
abilities and the hatred of the other troupe members.
As the film progresses, Miyaji soon discovers the disturbing truth that the entire troupe has become "cursed" due to Sadako's presence, and that there is a "second" Sadako, an evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
child who is responsible for the deaths of the reporters at the ESP demonstration. At the opening day of the troupe's play, one of Toyama's co-workers is able to help Miyaji in playing the recording of the ESP demonstration. Upon hearing this while on stage, Sadako loses control of her psychic abilities, destroying the stage and killing the doctor who had been counseling her.
The rest of the troupe (except for Toyama) then gangs up on Sadako and brutally beats her, leaving her seemingly dead. Miyaji then tells them of the "second Sadako", and that they must rid themselves of the Sadako they have known in order to avoid the second child. Arriving at Sadako's old home, Toyama is shocked when Sadako revives and demands that he leave her before it is too late. Toyama, however, refuses, and tries to escape with her.
After running to a cliff, Sadako is suddenly overcome by her "second" self, and kills Toyama and eventually the rest of the acting troupe. She then comes to her senses and mourns her actions. Sadako's adoptive
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
father, Dr. Ikuma, decides that he must destroy her. He drugs Sadako by injecting her with poison, but she escapes and crawls to the family well, backing up it. She sees Ikuma coming towards her with a wood-splitting axe. She pleads for her life, but Ikuma brings down the blade on her head. Ikuma brings down the axe again, and throws the body down the dark well. Sadako wakes to see her lover, but it is just a hallucination. As she realizes where she is, she looks up in time to see a stone being slid into place, sealing her alive inside and cutting off her screams.
Cast
- Yukie NakamaYukie Nakamais a Japanese actress, singer and former idol. She was born in Okinawa, Japan, in a fisherman's family, the youngest of five siblings.At the start of her career she was a gravure idol and singer , and appeared in bit roles until her career breakthrough playing Sadako in "Ring 0: Birthday ."In 2000,...
as Sadako Yamamura - Kumiko Asou as Tachihara Etsuko
- Tanabe Seiichi as Toyama Hiroshi