This was Hideo Nakata's second film adapted from a novel by Koji Suzuki. He had earlier directed Ring (1998) and its sequel, Ring 2 (1999).
The film isn't actually adapted from a story called 'Dark Water'. Its source is the short story 'Floating Water', the opening tale in the book Dark Water — a collection of short stories by Koji Suzuki that all centre on water. The film simply took its title from the collection as a whole.
Isao Yatsu, who played Kamiya, also appeared in Ringu 2 (1999), a film that drew on the work of Hideo Nakata.
The final entry on the water-tank cleaning log was dated 14 July 1999 — a date that in fact coincided with a major Japanese water-related festival, the Nachi Fire Festival (also known as Nachi-no-Ogi Matsuri). The festival is held beneath Nachi Falls, the tallest waterfall in Japan, located on the Kumano Kodo, a UNESCO World Heritage route. It honours the divine spirit associated with the falls, which plunge 133 metres, and is believed to bring blessings to those who take part.
The numbers 4 and 9 recur: Mitsuko Kawai's flat was on the fourth floor as Unit 405, and the lift unexpectedly stopped at the fourth floor while Yoshimi and Ikuko were ascending to the rooftop to set off fireworks. The date of Mitsuko's last known reported sighting and the final entry on the water-tank cleaning log are both 14 July 1999. Yoshimi's lawyer also arrives by taxi bearing the number plate 73-47 to visit her at 9:20 am (clock's secondhand on 4) and advises her not to move out of the flat, as that would affect her fate. In Japan and some other Asian countries the digit 4 is considered unlucky and is associated with death (because the words for 4 and death sound similar in the local languages). The fear of the number 4 is known as tetraphobia and is taken seriously in some Asian countries, where the digit 4 is sometimes avoided in homes, hotels, hospitals, businesses and other properties. The number 9 is feared in Japan as the number for "suffering" because it sounds like the Japanese word for suffering or torture; when written this sound denotes pain. It is often muttered deliberately when someone wants to threaten or curse. Like the number 4, buildings frequently omit 9 when numbering rooms or floors, as it is believed to bring negative energy and misfortune. Director Hideo Nakata had previously used elements linked to the number 4 and a long-haired ghost girl in his earlier horror films Ringu (1998) and Ringu 2 (1999).
Mitsuko's last known reported sighting occurred on 14 July 1999, which in fact coincided with Japanese observances that honour the dead. In 1999 these observances were the "Shichigatsu Bon" or "Bon in July" observed from 13–15 July, the "Kyu Bon" or "Old Bon" observed from 13–15 July (according to the lunar calendar), and the "Mitama Matsuri" observed from 13–16 July.
ADV Films' North American DVD issue is the sole release that features the English dub.
