10 Unbelievable Horror Movie Facts That Are Somehow True
6. They Tried To Get Rid Of The Cast's Shadows In The Ring (2002)
More often than not, your typical horror movie will rely on darkness and shadows to keep viewers on edge.
After all, the thought of what could be lurking in those dark spaces is enough to leave anyone feeling a little spooked.
However, Gore Verbinski actually opted not to depend on shadows when crafting the American remake of Hideo Nakata's The Ring (based on Koji Suzuki's 1991 novel), even going as far as to get rid of as many of them as possible when shooting his 2002 supernatural horror.
Why did Verbinski and cinematographer Bojan Bazelli feel the need to light the sets in a way which removed as many of the cast's shadows as they could, then?
Well, the latter would reveal in the movie's production notes (via Cinema.com) that they hoped that by doing away with these shadows they could "subconsciously alter the viewer's sense of perception." And not only that, the effect would also hopefully make it seem like the characters were "floating, a little bit, in space" (via SciFi.com) and add a "heightened sense of ambiguity."
So, if you couldn't quite put your finger on what was making you feel so disturbed and uneasy when sitting through this haunting film - apart from the freaky ghosts crawling out of TV screens - now you know the unlikely truth.
'Twas the surreal (lack of) shadows all along!