The Ring draws inspiration from Japanese legends, notably Okiku's ghost, and echoes the eerie atmosphere of Ringu. While some scenes mirror reality, others, like the supernatural well and cursed videotape, stretch believability.
The film The Ring is not based on a true story, but it is inspired by some real-life events and legends from Japan. One of the sources of inspiration is the legend of Okiku, a servant girl who was thrown into a well by a samurai who wanted to force her to love him.
Okiku’s ghost is said to haunt the well and the castle where she died, and she has some similarities with Samara, the ghostly girl from the film.
One scene that I found especially accurate was the one where Rachel watches the cursed videotape for the first time. The tape is full of disturbing images and sounds that create a sense of dread and unease. The tape is also very similar to the one from the original Japanese film Ringu, which was adapted from a novel by Koji Suzuki.
One sequence that didn’t seem to match reality was the one where Rachel finds the cabin where the tape was made and discovers the well under the floor.
The well looked too big and deep to fit under the cabin, and it was not clear how Samara’s body was preserved for so long. Also, the idea that Samara could transfer her curse through a videotape seemed too far-fetched and supernatural.