The end of The Ring explained

It’s important to note that The Ring is a remake of the 1998 Japanese release Ringu, which is an adaptation of Koji Suzuki’s 1991 novel The Ring. We’re not trying to ruin anyone’s sleeping habits, but we should probably also mention that Samara — you know, the creepy girl who climbs out of TV screens, teleports to her victims, and curses videotapes — was inspired by a real person.

Specifically, Samara was inspired by Tomokichi Fukurai’s experiments. Fukurai, an assistant professor of psychology at Tokyo University, investigated something called thoughtography, which is the claimed ability to psychically project or “burn” images and ideas from a person’s mind onto surfaces, the minds of others, and even onto film —  basically, Samara’s powers in The Ring. Two women, Chizuko Mifune and Sadako Takahashi, were studied by Fukurai, claiming they could use this mind-bending power. Real or not, Fukurai believed them, and his work became a springboard for Suzuki, the creators of Ringu, and finally, the filmmakers of The Ring. So the next time someone tells you The Ring isn’t scary, tell that person Samara is inspired by a real person and casually walk away.

Written by: Looper