Astral Dog
Member
SOCIETY is an underrated classic, good to see its getting a few mentions here ;^)
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31 Days of Horror 7 |OT| The October Movie Marathon
- Thread starter ThirstyFly
- Start date
The Culture Vulture
Member
It was added to Amazon Prime at the perfect time. Fun watch.
I've been busy enjoying walking around without it hurting today, so onward!
October 5
It is surprisingly difficult to type something out when you have to keep your leg elevated! Oh well!
Seven makes it plainly obvious from the get-go that we're dealing with the kind of serial killer thriller that's a cut well above the rest. From the stunning title sequence to the gorgeous photography courtesy of maestro Darius Khondji that gets every ounce out of the set design and of the strange metropolis that LA stands in for, it's clear that there was a lot of money put into the film, and it was money well spent. David Fincher bounced back from the disaster of working on Alien 3 (nope, not stylizing that title, either!) in a big way, and in every important facet of filmmaking, this feels very much like the first real film that could be truly called his. From the obsessive attention to detail (and similarly obsessed lead characters) to the crisp editing that does a wonderful job of hinting at greater atrocities than what's actually on screen, to the surprisingly funny and warm interactions that manage to pop up in between the more chilling scenes, this is the work of a fully formed filmmaker. What surprised me the most, though, was how well constructed Andrew Kevin Walker's screenplay for the film turned out to be, and while it doesn't entirely avoid the whole "killer with godlike foresight" detail that a lot of these films are known to have, it is an otherwise really well put together and efficient story that has just the right amount of everything important to a narrative to go around. Funny enough, the whole thing felt like for me what would happen if a giallo had major money put into it, which almost seems confirmed by John Doe's first appearance as a man dressed up in black from his head down to his toe. Very strong stuff all around, and in equal parts for the quality of the film itself and the grim alleys that it goes down.
Film for Oct 6: A black and white film that reimagines the tale of Genesis as an extreme horror film, shot over the course of over three years and has no dialogue? Sure, Begotten, why not!
October 5
(HAH! No stupid stylized title here!)
It is surprisingly difficult to type something out when you have to keep your leg elevated! Oh well!
Seven makes it plainly obvious from the get-go that we're dealing with the kind of serial killer thriller that's a cut well above the rest. From the stunning title sequence to the gorgeous photography courtesy of maestro Darius Khondji that gets every ounce out of the set design and of the strange metropolis that LA stands in for, it's clear that there was a lot of money put into the film, and it was money well spent. David Fincher bounced back from the disaster of working on Alien 3 (nope, not stylizing that title, either!) in a big way, and in every important facet of filmmaking, this feels very much like the first real film that could be truly called his. From the obsessive attention to detail (and similarly obsessed lead characters) to the crisp editing that does a wonderful job of hinting at greater atrocities than what's actually on screen, to the surprisingly funny and warm interactions that manage to pop up in between the more chilling scenes, this is the work of a fully formed filmmaker. What surprised me the most, though, was how well constructed Andrew Kevin Walker's screenplay for the film turned out to be, and while it doesn't entirely avoid the whole "killer with godlike foresight" detail that a lot of these films are known to have, it is an otherwise really well put together and efficient story that has just the right amount of everything important to a narrative to go around. Funny enough, the whole thing felt like for me what would happen if a giallo had major money put into it, which almost seems confirmed by John Doe's first appearance as a man dressed up in black from his head down to his toe. Very strong stuff all around, and in equal parts for the quality of the film itself and the grim alleys that it goes down.
Film for Oct 6: A black and white film that reimagines the tale of Genesis as an extreme horror film, shot over the course of over three years and has no dialogue? Sure, Begotten, why not!
Only one film seen today, but since I saw three films yesterday I feel I'm keeping up the pace.
12) Son of Frankenstein (1939)
Is it the old legendary monster of my father's time, or am I supposed to have whipped one up?
How do they keep doing it? I kept waiting for the tired rehash sequel, but again they made a strong continuation that feels like an organic new chapter to the story. While I feel the story of Frankenstein and the monster was concluded perfectly in Bride of Frankenstein, this stands as a fine epilogue. Even if it's not the strongest entry, it's a damn sight better than most "third in the trilogy" films.
Karloff's monster makes a regression in this one, which is my only major criticism, as he has no dialogue again and is subservient to Lugosi's Ygor with none of the humanity he learned in the previous film (to the point of
). That said, Karloff still does his usual fine job, but the real star here was Lugosi's Ygor, who is a particularly memorable prick, and a total break from the usual cool, charismatic villains he played. Ygor is a total low-life slimeball, and he steals any scene he's in.
I haven't even mentioned the protagonist, another newcomer in Basil Rathbone as the titular son. I don't want to sell him short, as the entire film is worth watching just to hear him deliver the line I quote above. He doesn't try to imitate the Henry Frankenstein character at all, he gives a more manic and nervous performance, as a guy who is in way over his head and losing control of the situation fast, and it's a great way to separate the characters.
The look of the film has evolved once again, which I assume is mostly due to the change in directors, but it does help the film in avoiding any rehash feel. The sets in the film are very wide and roomy, with a more minimalist look compared to the gothic trappings in Bride; you can probably see just from the shot above how striking the set design and lighting is.
I know there's a fourth Universal solo Frankenstein film, but I understand it's not regarded well, and there's no Karloff as the monster, so it's not on my list, and I'm gonna take Son as the conclusion to the story and leave it at that. I would rank Bride as the best film, but really, the whole trilogy here had no business being as good as it was, and I commend them for it.
12) Son of Frankenstein (1939)
Is it the old legendary monster of my father's time, or am I supposed to have whipped one up?
How do they keep doing it? I kept waiting for the tired rehash sequel, but again they made a strong continuation that feels like an organic new chapter to the story. While I feel the story of Frankenstein and the monster was concluded perfectly in Bride of Frankenstein, this stands as a fine epilogue. Even if it's not the strongest entry, it's a damn sight better than most "third in the trilogy" films.
Karloff's monster makes a regression in this one, which is my only major criticism, as he has no dialogue again and is subservient to Lugosi's Ygor with none of the humanity he learned in the previous film (to the point of
recognizing he shouldn't exist and blowing himself up along with Dr. Pretorius at the end
I haven't even mentioned the protagonist, another newcomer in Basil Rathbone as the titular son. I don't want to sell him short, as the entire film is worth watching just to hear him deliver the line I quote above. He doesn't try to imitate the Henry Frankenstein character at all, he gives a more manic and nervous performance, as a guy who is in way over his head and losing control of the situation fast, and it's a great way to separate the characters.
The look of the film has evolved once again, which I assume is mostly due to the change in directors, but it does help the film in avoiding any rehash feel. The sets in the film are very wide and roomy, with a more minimalist look compared to the gothic trappings in Bride; you can probably see just from the shot above how striking the set design and lighting is.
I know there's a fourth Universal solo Frankenstein film, but I understand it's not regarded well, and there's no Karloff as the monster, so it's not on my list, and I'm gonna take Son as the conclusion to the story and leave it at that. I would rank Bride as the best film, but really, the whole trilogy here had no business being as good as it was, and I commend them for it.
I forget, will you be following this up with the somewhat similar *cough*andsuperior*cough* Cure?
pitcairn55
Member
October 06
Film #7
Mark of the Devil
I chose this film mainly on the basis of the poster's vomit bag claim, and because it's another of the films that made it onto the UK's video-nasty-moral-panic-won't-somebody-think-of-the-children list, though it wasn't actually prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act like many films were.
Anyway, what did make people want to puke back in 1972? Well, according to this movie it was watching 'witches tortured till they bleed'. Coincidentally, that's the actual German title of the film; talk about spoiling the plot! Except of course none of the poor women tortured in this film are witches at all, just ordinary women that a large ensemble of sadistic, inadequate men all wanted to get the better of. And also, there isn't really much of a plot to spoil.
I have to admit the film caught me out a little. It's ludicrously melodramatic, with some awful special effects – why the camera lingers so long on a 'witch' being lowered into a fire when it is clearly a shop mannequin is anyone's guess – and a lot of the music (late 60s easy listening) sounds ridiculously out of place for a period drama. Combine this with some terrible acting, one charming but completely incongruous sex scene and witchfinder Herbert Lom in a dodgy wig, and I thought we were all set for a glorious cheesefest. But then the action switches to the torture chamber, and things get actually quite nasty. No modern (or indeed, 1970s) audience is going to need a vomit bag, we're not in Hostel territory here, but the rack, the chair of torture, thumbscrews and a fair few other bits of medieval torture equipment are put to gruesome use. At which point the plot becomes even less important to the film.
Verdict: Corny, increasingly grim rubbish, but it gets bonus points for featuring some of the largest pitchforks ever wielded by an angry mob anywhere.
Films I've watched so far
Film #7
Mark of the Devil
I chose this film mainly on the basis of the poster's vomit bag claim, and because it's another of the films that made it onto the UK's video-nasty-moral-panic-won't-somebody-think-of-the-children list, though it wasn't actually prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act like many films were.
Anyway, what did make people want to puke back in 1972? Well, according to this movie it was watching 'witches tortured till they bleed'. Coincidentally, that's the actual German title of the film; talk about spoiling the plot! Except of course none of the poor women tortured in this film are witches at all, just ordinary women that a large ensemble of sadistic, inadequate men all wanted to get the better of. And also, there isn't really much of a plot to spoil.
I have to admit the film caught me out a little. It's ludicrously melodramatic, with some awful special effects – why the camera lingers so long on a 'witch' being lowered into a fire when it is clearly a shop mannequin is anyone's guess – and a lot of the music (late 60s easy listening) sounds ridiculously out of place for a period drama. Combine this with some terrible acting, one charming but completely incongruous sex scene and witchfinder Herbert Lom in a dodgy wig, and I thought we were all set for a glorious cheesefest. But then the action switches to the torture chamber, and things get actually quite nasty. No modern (or indeed, 1970s) audience is going to need a vomit bag, we're not in Hostel territory here, but the rack, the chair of torture, thumbscrews and a fair few other bits of medieval torture equipment are put to gruesome use. At which point the plot becomes even less important to the film.
Verdict: Corny, increasingly grim rubbish, but it gets bonus points for featuring some of the largest pitchforks ever wielded by an angry mob anywhere.
Films I've watched so far
Well, I've got two Kiyoshi Kurosawa films lined up this month, and one of them is Cure, so yes, it will be seen.
mariachi507
Member
Yep, Son of Frankenstein is the stopping point as even though Ghost is a direct sequel the drop in quality is apparent early on. I love Son though and it's a perfect ender for the Frankenstein trilogy. It is odd for the monster to have regressed that much from Bride, but I guess it sort of makes sense if you consider it to be a side effect from getting struck by lightning. He still has these amazing moments like when he meets Basil's character for the first time and looks him over do to the resemblance with his father (yeah, Basil doesn't look like Colin but so what). Plus the whole part with the mirror and finding Ygors body. It's good stuff.
Fancy Clown
Member
Cure is so damn good
Basil really was terrific though, I must watch more films with him in them, I have only seen a few.
Fancy Clown
Member
6. Creepshow (George Romero, 1982)
Ive never read the comics that inspired this movie, but I have to imagine that this did as perfect a job of capturing the simultaneously lurid and playful tone, as well as the stylized comic book imagery, of those horror anthology magazines as one could hope for. While its not quite as magnificent as the pairing of George Romero, Stephen King, and whole slate of great actors might lead you to believe, they all have great fun with this breezy and punchy material.
Horror anthologies are always patchy affairs, but this is one of the most consistently enjoyable out there. The standout here though is the Ted Danson/Leslie Nielsen starring Somehing to Tide You Over. It has a great set up and is perfectly wound for tension (the only short to be edited by Romero as well, and he knocks it out of the park). I never thought of Leslie Nielsen as menacing, but he was certainly convinced me in this one.
Ive never read the comics that inspired this movie, but I have to imagine that this did as perfect a job of capturing the simultaneously lurid and playful tone, as well as the stylized comic book imagery, of those horror anthology magazines as one could hope for. While its not quite as magnificent as the pairing of George Romero, Stephen King, and whole slate of great actors might lead you to believe, they all have great fun with this breezy and punchy material.
Horror anthologies are always patchy affairs, but this is one of the most consistently enjoyable out there. The standout here though is the Ted Danson/Leslie Nielsen starring Somehing to Tide You Over. It has a great set up and is perfectly wound for tension (the only short to be edited by Romero as well, and he knocks it out of the park). I never thought of Leslie Nielsen as menacing, but he was certainly convinced me in this one.
NLCP Gaming
Member
Is Alien Covenant good? Is it a remake of the original one?
No and no.
Roronoa Zoro
Gold Member
Got off of the Friday the 13th binge today and went for a horror comedy in little evil. Honestly it was pretty boring. Some of the dads interacting was the best part for me especially the one with the kid going in his drawers.
NLCP Gaming
Member
So just watch the original Alien?
6. Event Horizon
This seems like a movie that had a decent premise and good actors to carry it out, but somewhere along the way the set designer and cinematographer went insane and started messing with the rest of the movie, as though it stopped halfway between being Hellraiser and Alien. Having looked through the deleted stuff, this movie could've been a hell of a lot darker (no pun intended), and the progression into madness for a lot of the characters could have been paced better. I'm not 100% clear on the ship's rules either. The capminess combined with some of the fucked up imagery makes for some heavy tonal whiplash
This seems like a movie that had a decent premise and good actors to carry it out, but somewhere along the way the set designer and cinematographer went insane and started messing with the rest of the movie, as though it stopped halfway between being Hellraiser and Alien. Having looked through the deleted stuff, this movie could've been a hell of a lot darker (no pun intended), and the progression into madness for a lot of the characters could have been paced better. I'm not 100% clear on the ship's rules either. The capminess combined with some of the fucked up imagery makes for some heavy tonal whiplash
JigglesBunny
Banned
Alright, about to crack into [REC], then The Orphanage. First time for both, hype is through the roof. Will post review after!
Absolutely not and no. Grab a cold one, pop in your Alien Blu-Ray and remember the good times.
I just figured Son was ignoring Bridge and continuing on from the first movie.
You can sort of fanwank the story into continuing on into Young Frankenstein, Rathbone's son in Son has Gene Wilder's curly hair after all, haha.
The Curse of October 6 strikes again!
October 6
For better and for worse, there really is nothing like Begotten out there. Art horror taken to its most extreme, the film begins with quite the gruesome moment, as a man sitting in a chair and adorned in white robes and a Leatherface-esque mask takes his sweet time slowly disemboweling himself with a straight razor. While the visual style of the film can make it difficult to parse finer detail, there's little left to the imagination in this scene, as he's pulling and stretching out whatever he can grab from with to slice out in about as graphic a manner as you're likely to ever see. He expires, his wounds giving away to soiling himself all over the place, complete with farting kind of sound effect (no, really) and then emerges a woman in a kind of ballroom mask from his side. Birthed from the mess of viscera and feces the man has left behind? It's hard to say, but what does happen next defies any kind of real explanation beyond being the strangest insemination methods you're likely to ever see. Yeah, it's that kind of movie.
To put it charitably, Begotten is not made for a large audience, and it's arguable that the word small is too big a word for the size this film could actually attract. Visual metaphors of a Biblical nature are wed to a pervading sense of nihilism throughout, with the beings that follow up the introduction being depicted as one of three things: writhing mounds of festering flesh waiting for death, faceless sub-humanoids eager to acquiesce such requests or meat for ritual. Even the revealed credits at the end further the grim picture being painted here, as the first character is revealed to be God Killing Himself. The film doesn't go for scares at all, but the ideas it's putting forth combined with the imagery that it displays stand to make this one of the most horrific films that any could ever see.
...at least, it would be if the visuals didn't go out of their way to numb and dull the senses. The super-contrasted visuals, apparently the work of several hours worth of treatment that resulted in about a minute of film on screen to get them the way that they appear, frequently make it impossible to discern anything of value on screen. In several scenes, all you really have to work with are outlines of actors and geography, not even close enough to know what it is that anyone is doing anywhere. It's a black and white film that takes the term far too seriously, offering too little in the way of anything other than stark white or stark black and nothing in between. Seldom has a film been obsessed with its own style to the point of complete self-sabotage.
More distressingly, there's really not much to be able to tell in the moments where you're not hating your eyeballs for existing. Past the opening scene, the film's only effective one, we wind up with a routine of what appears to follow this pattern: a writhing naked man on the ground, shrouded figures converging to move him around, some more time spent with the naked man, more shrouded figures converging to move him around, and then suddenly internal organs are being passed around. This would have been too much at even a half hour long, but at nearly 70 minutes long without credits, it is an absolute endurance test of patience as you wait to see if it will manage to match the opening scene's level of intensity. Count me in as one of the ones to tell you that it does not.
I see comparisons to Eraserhead, and boy, are those wildly off the mark. Lynch's film is certainly a strange one, and in black and white (strange black and white films gotta stick together, I guess?), but there, he was able to mine his own personal fears as a man unprepared for fatherhood and the horror of having to deal with his own sick child in a bad part of town to truly remarkable effect, creating a beautiful nightmare of a film that offers up a compelling mystery even beyond the real life explanation of its major influences. More importantly, you can also see just what the hell is going on throughout, making even the most horrifying images that the film produces quite striking and remarkable. Here, filmmaker E. Elias Merhige seems to believe that he's found a style for what he's trying to say, but despite the lengths he went to in order to create the image of the final product, what can be said of his vision other than being impenetrable at best and utterly incoherent at worst? What I do know is that past it's opening five minutes or so, we're left with an interminable routine of overly blown-out images that amount to little more than hoping it was a third of the length. Even the opening scene thrives on little more than simple provocation, and as effective as it was in that moment, it says a lot about the film that follows that I will find it hard to care about in a day's time. That might be this awful and virtually unwatchable film's most impressive feat: how little it makes me care about watching someone slice their own stomach open and then having a woman smear that person's semen all over themselves. Now that might be a mystery worth solving.
Films for October 7: Oooh la la, I need something to help me get through the pain of that film, so why not turn to France and Belgium for some assistance in a pair of Gallic shockers? First up, we look at the body horror film Baby Blood, which, well, the title might clue one in on the kind of mess that we'll be walking into, as a woman finds herself the unwitting host of a bloodthirsty creature that resides in her uterus. Yes, I did just type that sentence out. We will then follow that up with the darkly humorous mockumentary Man Bites Dog, in which we find out just what happens when a documentary crew decides to film their subject in the act of his next big wave of violent crimes.
October 6
For better and for worse, there really is nothing like Begotten out there. Art horror taken to its most extreme, the film begins with quite the gruesome moment, as a man sitting in a chair and adorned in white robes and a Leatherface-esque mask takes his sweet time slowly disemboweling himself with a straight razor. While the visual style of the film can make it difficult to parse finer detail, there's little left to the imagination in this scene, as he's pulling and stretching out whatever he can grab from with to slice out in about as graphic a manner as you're likely to ever see. He expires, his wounds giving away to soiling himself all over the place, complete with farting kind of sound effect (no, really) and then emerges a woman in a kind of ballroom mask from his side. Birthed from the mess of viscera and feces the man has left behind? It's hard to say, but what does happen next defies any kind of real explanation beyond being the strangest insemination methods you're likely to ever see. Yeah, it's that kind of movie.
To put it charitably, Begotten is not made for a large audience, and it's arguable that the word small is too big a word for the size this film could actually attract. Visual metaphors of a Biblical nature are wed to a pervading sense of nihilism throughout, with the beings that follow up the introduction being depicted as one of three things: writhing mounds of festering flesh waiting for death, faceless sub-humanoids eager to acquiesce such requests or meat for ritual. Even the revealed credits at the end further the grim picture being painted here, as the first character is revealed to be God Killing Himself. The film doesn't go for scares at all, but the ideas it's putting forth combined with the imagery that it displays stand to make this one of the most horrific films that any could ever see.
...at least, it would be if the visuals didn't go out of their way to numb and dull the senses. The super-contrasted visuals, apparently the work of several hours worth of treatment that resulted in about a minute of film on screen to get them the way that they appear, frequently make it impossible to discern anything of value on screen. In several scenes, all you really have to work with are outlines of actors and geography, not even close enough to know what it is that anyone is doing anywhere. It's a black and white film that takes the term far too seriously, offering too little in the way of anything other than stark white or stark black and nothing in between. Seldom has a film been obsessed with its own style to the point of complete self-sabotage.
More distressingly, there's really not much to be able to tell in the moments where you're not hating your eyeballs for existing. Past the opening scene, the film's only effective one, we wind up with a routine of what appears to follow this pattern: a writhing naked man on the ground, shrouded figures converging to move him around, some more time spent with the naked man, more shrouded figures converging to move him around, and then suddenly internal organs are being passed around. This would have been too much at even a half hour long, but at nearly 70 minutes long without credits, it is an absolute endurance test of patience as you wait to see if it will manage to match the opening scene's level of intensity. Count me in as one of the ones to tell you that it does not.
I see comparisons to Eraserhead, and boy, are those wildly off the mark. Lynch's film is certainly a strange one, and in black and white (strange black and white films gotta stick together, I guess?), but there, he was able to mine his own personal fears as a man unprepared for fatherhood and the horror of having to deal with his own sick child in a bad part of town to truly remarkable effect, creating a beautiful nightmare of a film that offers up a compelling mystery even beyond the real life explanation of its major influences. More importantly, you can also see just what the hell is going on throughout, making even the most horrifying images that the film produces quite striking and remarkable. Here, filmmaker E. Elias Merhige seems to believe that he's found a style for what he's trying to say, but despite the lengths he went to in order to create the image of the final product, what can be said of his vision other than being impenetrable at best and utterly incoherent at worst? What I do know is that past it's opening five minutes or so, we're left with an interminable routine of overly blown-out images that amount to little more than hoping it was a third of the length. Even the opening scene thrives on little more than simple provocation, and as effective as it was in that moment, it says a lot about the film that follows that I will find it hard to care about in a day's time. That might be this awful and virtually unwatchable film's most impressive feat: how little it makes me care about watching someone slice their own stomach open and then having a woman smear that person's semen all over themselves. Now that might be a mystery worth solving.
Films for October 7: Oooh la la, I need something to help me get through the pain of that film, so why not turn to France and Belgium for some assistance in a pair of Gallic shockers? First up, we look at the body horror film Baby Blood, which, well, the title might clue one in on the kind of mess that we'll be walking into, as a woman finds herself the unwitting host of a bloodthirsty creature that resides in her uterus. Yes, I did just type that sentence out. We will then follow that up with the darkly humorous mockumentary Man Bites Dog, in which we find out just what happens when a documentary crew decides to film their subject in the act of his next big wave of violent crimes.
Day 4: The Fog
One of the less popular John Carpenter, it is still in my opinion a very solid entry in his filmography with a classic ghost story, and an amazingly atmospheric coastal little town overtaken by a Fog coming back with a vengeance.
The score is classic Carpenter, and though far from his best work, it was very enjoyable (side note: it is also 1 of two movies where Jamie Lee Curtis got to play alongside her mother, Janei Leigh, though their scenes together are very brief and they barely interact).
7/10
Day 5: In the Mouth of Madness
On my wife's request, we have started our John Carpenter cycle early. ItMoM is, in my opinion, one of the great Carpenters, and one of my favorite movies of all time as well.
Great acting (Sam Neil is killing it), amazing cinematography, excellent score, smart script inspired straight from HP Lovecraft and good dialogues to boot.
The ending left some unsatisfied, but I think it fits perfectly.
9/10
One of the less popular John Carpenter, it is still in my opinion a very solid entry in his filmography with a classic ghost story, and an amazingly atmospheric coastal little town overtaken by a Fog coming back with a vengeance.
The score is classic Carpenter, and though far from his best work, it was very enjoyable (side note: it is also 1 of two movies where Jamie Lee Curtis got to play alongside her mother, Janei Leigh, though their scenes together are very brief and they barely interact).
7/10
Day 5: In the Mouth of Madness
On my wife's request, we have started our John Carpenter cycle early. ItMoM is, in my opinion, one of the great Carpenters, and one of my favorite movies of all time as well.
Great acting (Sam Neil is killing it), amazing cinematography, excellent score, smart script inspired straight from HP Lovecraft and good dialogues to boot.
The ending left some unsatisfied, but I think it fits perfectly.
9/10
DeathoftheEndless
Crashing this plane... with no survivors!
8. Cigarette Burns - This is a really cool TV movie about a film so horrifying it drives its' viewers violently insane. It reminds me a lot of Videodrome and The Ring. Udo Kier gives a fantastic performance as the unhinged cinephile trying to track down the film. The story gradually escalates into a bloodbath and its wonderful.
#7 Return of the Living Dead 2
Worse than the first overall, but charming in its own right, and also boring in the end.
So I had never seen this one, and I must admit Joey and Ed were the highlight, again. Their clear lampshading of the fact they were in the first one was the best part. Sad I know, nut still. Though, sadly their subplot is kinda left hanging. in the end. Wait, is that... yes it is a young Bobby Briggs himself Dana Ashbrook! Aside from those three cast members, nothing else is memorable, the plot is dumb, the zombie effects are not as good, how they're destroyed is dumb, and the soundtrack was not nearly as effective. Let down, but not the worst. Woulsn't watch again though
Worse than the first overall, but charming in its own right, and also boring in the end.
So I had never seen this one, and I must admit Joey and Ed were the highlight, again. Their clear lampshading of the fact they were in the first one was the best part. Sad I know, nut still. Though, sadly their subplot is kinda left hanging. in the end. Wait, is that... yes it is a young Bobby Briggs himself Dana Ashbrook! Aside from those three cast members, nothing else is memorable, the plot is dumb, the zombie effects are not as good, how they're destroyed is dumb, and the soundtrack was not nearly as effective. Let down, but not the worst. Woulsn't watch again though
Violence Jack
Member
#9 - I Saw The Devil (FTV)
That was a seriously fucked up film, but I enjoyed it. It's rare when a movie can make you feel so many emotions all at once, and Choi Min-Sik is just an amazing actor in general. Could've been a tad shorter, but there's not too much I could negatively say about this one. Just really solid filmmaking.
8/10
That was a seriously fucked up film, but I enjoyed it. It's rare when a movie can make you feel so many emotions all at once, and Choi Min-Sik is just an amazing actor in general. Could've been a tad shorter, but there's not too much I could negatively say about this one. Just really solid filmmaking.
8/10
14) Night of the Living Dead
A classic that still holds up. I havent watched it in a really lone time, so it played almost like a new movie for me. I think it does well with throwing the audience into the deep end of chaos, and not going the way you think it will. For a movie of that age, that is incredible. And its presence is felt even to this day.
15) Friday the 13th Part III
This was just awful for me. They traded in fun campiness for a silly biker gang and insane over-reliance on 3D gimmicks. Its like Steve Miner saw a stick in 3D and said, Yeah, just do the ends of rakes and sticks and pitchforks in 3D and were good. The kills are fine, but because I never really cared about any of the characters, they dont end up meaning much. This is definitely the weakest of the three so far.
A classic that still holds up. I havent watched it in a really lone time, so it played almost like a new movie for me. I think it does well with throwing the audience into the deep end of chaos, and not going the way you think it will. For a movie of that age, that is incredible. And its presence is felt even to this day.
15) Friday the 13th Part III
This was just awful for me. They traded in fun campiness for a silly biker gang and insane over-reliance on 3D gimmicks. Its like Steve Miner saw a stick in 3D and said, Yeah, just do the ends of rakes and sticks and pitchforks in 3D and were good. The kills are fine, but because I never really cared about any of the characters, they dont end up meaning much. This is definitely the weakest of the three so far.
Mr. Luchador
Member
6. Event Horizon
This seems like a movie that had a decent premise and good actors to carry it out, but somewhere along the way the set designer and cinematographer went insane and started messing with the rest of the movie, as though it stopped halfway between being Hellraiser and Alien. Having looked through the deleted stuff, this movie could've been a hell of a lot darker (no pun intended), and the progression into madness for a lot of the characters could have been paced better. I'm not 100% clear on the ship's rules either. The capminess combined with some of the fucked up imagery makes for some heavy tonal whiplash
And yet it'll always have a fond place in my mind as the movie I thought was Sci Fi and blew me away while watching. I had no idea about it, just picked up a random VHS of it from a second shop on the way home from school one day. I watched it that night and the swerve blew me away!
sp3ctr3
Member
#6 Hush
I'm on a hotstreak with these very tense movies. I quite liked this one. A deaf-mute woman living alone in the woods gets a visit by a masked killer. Pretty neat idea when you get some scenes from her perspective and there's absolute silence when in reality there isn't.
With the killer would have kept his mask on, That thing was creepy but maybe it was to prove the point that the person hiding behind the mask was just as fucked up?
I liked how real it seemed. The woman was a real victim. She thought about her options and tried out several strategies while being scared out of her mind and not performing above her abilities.
And that first kill is about the most realistic and horifying kill I've seen all year.
I'm on a hotstreak with these very tense movies. I quite liked this one. A deaf-mute woman living alone in the woods gets a visit by a masked killer. Pretty neat idea when you get some scenes from her perspective and there's absolute silence when in reality there isn't.
With the killer would have kept his mask on, That thing was creepy but maybe it was to prove the point that the person hiding behind the mask was just as fucked up?
I liked how real it seemed. The woman was a real victim. She thought about her options and tried out several strategies while being scared out of her mind and not performing above her abilities.
And that first kill is about the most realistic and horifying kill I've seen all year.
The neighbours head just resting on the killers shoulder while he just kept stabbing her slowly in the stomach. And that sound! YIKES!
Totally called the ending early. As soon as that loud as fuck firealarm went off I thought to myself, "that thing will save her in the end."
October 6, 2017:
6 of 31 - Alena
A Swedish teen horror movie about a young girl, Alena, who enrolls in a rich boarding school but when the girls start bullying her, an old friend, Josefin, steps in to defend to her... but something is not quite right with Josefin.
The movie is slow paced and light on the gore. It is more about the character Alena and her relationship with her old friend Josefin that puts the horror in play and keeps you wondering what exactly happened between them and why this relationship is tested during Alena's time in her new school. It was my first time watching and I felt any scares here were more on a cerebral level than gore or flashy kills. I would recommend if you wanted to watch a foreign teen horror movie that is a little slower paced with importance on characters, motivation and story than body count. -4/10
6 of 31 - Alena
A Swedish teen horror movie about a young girl, Alena, who enrolls in a rich boarding school but when the girls start bullying her, an old friend, Josefin, steps in to defend to her... but something is not quite right with Josefin.
The movie is slow paced and light on the gore. It is more about the character Alena and her relationship with her old friend Josefin that puts the horror in play and keeps you wondering what exactly happened between them and why this relationship is tested during Alena's time in her new school. It was my first time watching and I felt any scares here were more on a cerebral level than gore or flashy kills. I would recommend if you wanted to watch a foreign teen horror movie that is a little slower paced with importance on characters, motivation and story than body count. -4/10
6. Event Horizon
This seems like a movie that had a decent premise and good actors to carry it out, but somewhere along the way the set designer and cinematographer went insane and started messing with the rest of the movie, as though it stopped halfway between being Hellraiser and Alien. Having looked through the deleted stuff, this movie could've been a hell of a lot darker (no pun intended), and the progression into madness for a lot of the characters could have been paced better. I'm not 100% clear on the ship's rules either. The capminess combined with some of the fucked up imagery makes for some heavy tonal whiplash
Goddamn that's a cool poster.
I've always had a massive soft spot for Event Horizon. I love it, and was kinda shocked to find out most people don't when I first happened upon some online discussions about it haha.
mechashiva
Member
I remember being so scared taking the trash out to the alley at night right after seeing it.
Also: https://youtu.be/ttVaQ-qnm98
mariachi507
Member
In my head Canon this is actually what's going on lol.
RuinerPrime
Member
None of the post credit scenes aren't in the Curse or Cult of Chucky movies on Netflix. Weird.
JigglesBunny
Banned
Day 5
[REC] (first time viewing)
The narrative isnt the main attraction and thats part of the charm. By and large, you find yourself in the exact same position as our protagonist - frightened, confused and constantly awaiting the next fright. The simplicity is the biggest strength here, allowing the film to focus on the mounting tension, elevated by incredible performances, fantastic pacing (the film clocks in at an hour and fourteen minutes - all bite, no filler) and some seriously haunting visuals. By the final twenty minutes, I was eating out of the films hands, locked in, literally on the edge of my seat and pulling a sheet closer and closer to my face in anticipation of the next jolt. Its rare that a horror film manages to surpass my typically middling expectations but [REC] far surpassed my most massive expectations.
A workshop in claustrophobic, tense filmmaking coming in at a lean running time, lacking any moments of cheese or filler, [REC] is a terrific exercise in mounting tension with an appropriately starling conclusion. Had it not been for a few questionable effects and the occasional nauseating camera work, this would probably earn top marks. Though, as it stands, [REC] has found a comfortable spot in my list of upper echelon horror and is sure to become an annual viewing.
A strong 8/10.
Day 6
The Orphanage (first time viewing)
the film relies on the classical technique of bumps in the night to create a tense atmosphere.
While the film manages to succeed in creating moments of genuine tension that are usually paid off with a jump scare, the film always retains a sense of wonderment and mystique best likened to a modern grim fairytale. Performances are solid across the board, but the largest strength here is the score. Playful, whimsical yet simultaneously eerie and tense, the score adds an invaluable amount to the more suspenseful sequences, namely the
Its a perfectly serviceable thriller with a handful of genuine moments of tension though the major fault is the films disposition to safe, clean scares and a predictable yet whimsical narrative. Theres no measure to which the film could be considered bad, though I would be lying if I said I found it to be anything more than good.
6.5 / 10
[REC] (first time viewing)
At no point past the initial twenty minutes of [REC] are you given a second to catch your breath. While light on story (though not light enough to stop three sequels, an American remake and a sequel to that remake, [REC], like The Blair Witch Project before it, represents the very best of the found footage genre.
The narrative isnt the main attraction and thats part of the charm. By and large, you find yourself in the exact same position as our protagonist - frightened, confused and constantly awaiting the next fright. The simplicity is the biggest strength here, allowing the film to focus on the mounting tension, elevated by incredible performances, fantastic pacing (the film clocks in at an hour and fourteen minutes - all bite, no filler) and some seriously haunting visuals. By the final twenty minutes, I was eating out of the films hands, locked in, literally on the edge of my seat and pulling a sheet closer and closer to my face in anticipation of the next jolt. Its rare that a horror film manages to surpass my typically middling expectations but [REC] far surpassed my most massive expectations.
A workshop in claustrophobic, tense filmmaking coming in at a lean running time, lacking any moments of cheese or filler, [REC] is a terrific exercise in mounting tension with an appropriately starling conclusion. Had it not been for a few questionable effects and the occasional nauseating camera work, this would probably earn top marks. Though, as it stands, [REC] has found a comfortable spot in my list of upper echelon horror and is sure to become an annual viewing.
A strong 8/10.
Day 6
The Orphanage (first time viewing)
The Orphanage has amassed a pretty strong following in my personal circle as well as in the horror community. Often touted as a methodical thriller with a healthy smattering of jump scares and creepy imagery, none of the reviews Ive heard throughout the years tend to mention the sterile and safe approach it takes with its horror sequences. Whereas the narrative is anything but, namely in regards to
Simón, the young adopted child of the protagonist Laura, being HIV positive,
While the film manages to succeed in creating moments of genuine tension that are usually paid off with a jump scare, the film always retains a sense of wonderment and mystique best likened to a modern grim fairytale. Performances are solid across the board, but the largest strength here is the score. Playful, whimsical yet simultaneously eerie and tense, the score adds an invaluable amount to the more suspenseful sequences, namely the
bit in which Laura tries to remove Tomáss mask and winds up with her fingers smashed by a bathroom door.
Its a perfectly serviceable thriller with a handful of genuine moments of tension though the major fault is the films disposition to safe, clean scares and a predictable yet whimsical narrative. Theres no measure to which the film could be considered bad, though I would be lying if I said I found it to be anything more than good.
6.5 / 10
A John Carpenter directed, Stephen King adaptation means your going to get something special. Christine is a grimey, violent vehicle of horror, fueled by angst and hatred - this meant both literally and figuratively. There's also a cool-in-a-corny-sort-of-way melding of old and new, what with the synthy laserbeam sounding soundtrack being overlayed the shoobidy-doo-wop-playing kill scenes and Arnie looking like a Fonz from hell. The mixture makes this a funky sort of horror film that works better than you would imagine.
https://letterboxd.com/kinggroin/film/christine-1983/
I mean, it's being put out by Janus Films, which is Criterion's sister company.
Started the Saw franchise last night. I've watched through 4 over the years but quit there and that was a long time ago so its interesting to come back at these with a different mindset. Looking forward to see where this franchise ended up.
Saw I used to love this way back when and watched it quite a bit but seeing it now after I've put some good films under my belt this really sticks out as a sore thumb. The acting was not so good and the weird ass frenetic camera that they used here and there really got on my nerves. After that the story was pretty cool but all these years later has lost a lot of bite and has gotten a bit stale. Maybe because this has been parodied so much but it just felt like a mediocre effort really.
I give this one two and a half human puzzle pieces cut from the victims back.
Saw 2 This one used to be my favorite but I found it quite lackluster this go around. The annoying camera work was back again so strike one. The acting was a bit better though. What I loved about this was the house itself but seeing it again wasn't as cool as I remembered.
This one gets two and a half finger nubs jammed in the eye socket.
Saw I used to love this way back when and watched it quite a bit but seeing it now after I've put some good films under my belt this really sticks out as a sore thumb. The acting was not so good and the weird ass frenetic camera that they used here and there really got on my nerves. After that the story was pretty cool but all these years later has lost a lot of bite and has gotten a bit stale. Maybe because this has been parodied so much but it just felt like a mediocre effort really.
I give this one two and a half human puzzle pieces cut from the victims back.
Saw 2 This one used to be my favorite but I found it quite lackluster this go around. The annoying camera work was back again so strike one. The acting was a bit better though. What I loved about this was the house itself but seeing it again wasn't as cool as I remembered.
This one gets two and a half finger nubs jammed in the eye socket.
In order to avoid triple posting I will abort my usual format and combine some movies/posts.
#01 - Friday the 13th (1980)
Just to preface it's worth mentioning this is the only film in the series I'd seen before and I remember disliking it quite a lot, because I expected Jason and his iconic hockey-mask to show up and start slicing up horny teenagers, but ended up pissed off because that was not even close to what happened. So, while my judgement the first time perhaps was not completely fair, revisiting with different expectations definitely helped this time around, but it certainly did not fix everything.
It's the classic setting that works wonders: A secluded camp in the spooky woods and isolated wooden cabins all surrounding an eerie lake. The skimpy clothed camp counselors with raging hormones and and their late 1970s hotness are the perfect targets for the killer that is picking them off one by one. As the movie goes through the motions, it never actually gets tense or scary and only ramps up towards the end. All in all, none of the aspects of filmmaking rise above mediocrity and most of it is nothing more than just serviceable. But finally, it is hard to ignore the iconic status and the fact that this movie was the first to do many things that now have been copied, rehashed and reused for many decades now.
Sidenote: strip monopoly sounds ridiculous, how would that even work?
6/10
#02 - Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
When doing back to back viewings of the original and its sequel, a five minute recap of what happened in the previous installation seems unnecessary but I guess I'll roll with it.
We all know the deal with sequels: they need to be bigger. They need to be louder. They need to turn up the dials compared to the original. Friday the 13th Part 2 ... does not quite do this. Nothing new happens really. The location is similar, the kills are not more inventive and the counselors are still easy targets, although they are more attractive and more horny than the ones in the original, so I guess that's something.
And since we also all know where things are going with this movie, the slow build up where, again, for the first ~45 minutes everything is gravy seems peculiar. It's like the film consists of two movies; first half: horny camp counselors fool around, second half: someone goes around killing them. That's not really a complaint though. Anyway, the (ever so slight) evolution of Jason is one of the more interesting aspects of the film and I think this shows promise to be explored more in the later sequels. (I feel like I will look back on statement and call myself hopeful and naive).
5/10
#03 - Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)
When doing back to back viewings of theoriginal sequel and its ... sequel, a five minute recap of what happened in the previous installation seems unnecessary but I guess I'll roll with it.
At the start, the tone of this movie seems different, which is admirable and a welcome change. It's a bit meta and more self aware, and while it tries to carry this on throughout the rest of the film, it only partially succeeds and ends up repeating large parts of the previous movies (already). At least there's an attempt to give the new cast more character and fleshing them ever so slightly, or however much that is possible in a movie like this. Jason is a bit more menacing this time around, stalking his prey and sneaking around silently (don't know why though). And he (finally) gets his iconic mask, but now they aren't building on the character at all, which feels like a missed opportunity.
I feel like I am running out of things to say about these movies already, and there's still like 16 sequels remaining.
5/10
#01 - Friday the 13th (1980)
Just to preface it's worth mentioning this is the only film in the series I'd seen before and I remember disliking it quite a lot, because I expected Jason and his iconic hockey-mask to show up and start slicing up horny teenagers, but ended up pissed off because that was not even close to what happened. So, while my judgement the first time perhaps was not completely fair, revisiting with different expectations definitely helped this time around, but it certainly did not fix everything.
It's the classic setting that works wonders: A secluded camp in the spooky woods and isolated wooden cabins all surrounding an eerie lake. The skimpy clothed camp counselors with raging hormones and and their late 1970s hotness are the perfect targets for the killer that is picking them off one by one. As the movie goes through the motions, it never actually gets tense or scary and only ramps up towards the end. All in all, none of the aspects of filmmaking rise above mediocrity and most of it is nothing more than just serviceable. But finally, it is hard to ignore the iconic status and the fact that this movie was the first to do many things that now have been copied, rehashed and reused for many decades now.
Sidenote: strip monopoly sounds ridiculous, how would that even work?
6/10
#02 - Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
When doing back to back viewings of the original and its sequel, a five minute recap of what happened in the previous installation seems unnecessary but I guess I'll roll with it.
We all know the deal with sequels: they need to be bigger. They need to be louder. They need to turn up the dials compared to the original. Friday the 13th Part 2 ... does not quite do this. Nothing new happens really. The location is similar, the kills are not more inventive and the counselors are still easy targets, although they are more attractive and more horny than the ones in the original, so I guess that's something.
And since we also all know where things are going with this movie, the slow build up where, again, for the first ~45 minutes everything is gravy seems peculiar. It's like the film consists of two movies; first half: horny camp counselors fool around, second half: someone goes around killing them. That's not really a complaint though. Anyway, the (ever so slight) evolution of Jason is one of the more interesting aspects of the film and I think this shows promise to be explored more in the later sequels. (I feel like I will look back on statement and call myself hopeful and naive).
5/10
#03 - Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)
When doing back to back viewings of the
At the start, the tone of this movie seems different, which is admirable and a welcome change. It's a bit meta and more self aware, and while it tries to carry this on throughout the rest of the film, it only partially succeeds and ends up repeating large parts of the previous movies (already). At least there's an attempt to give the new cast more character and fleshing them ever so slightly, or however much that is possible in a movie like this. Jason is a bit more menacing this time around, stalking his prey and sneaking around silently (don't know why though). And he (finally) gets his iconic mask, but now they aren't building on the character at all, which feels like a missed opportunity.
I feel like I am running out of things to say about these movies already, and there's still like 16 sequels remaining.
5/10
John Rabbit
Banned
I mean, its sort of like reviewing every Big Mac you've eaten.
"The pickles were fresher this time."
I love the series, but they're not exactly pushing the envelope.
"A sleaizer, gorier Halloween" is exactly my cup of tea, but you're not wrong.
Mortimer Brewster
Member
Friday the 13th never evolved past being a cheaply produced sleazier,gorier knockoff of Halloween.
mariachi507
Member
Yeah, it's basically all but confirmed, I don't want to jinx it though.
pitcairn55
Member
October 07
Film #8
Eaten Alive!
Let's not beat about the bush, this is a rubbish movie, and the first film I've come close to giving up on this month. With its inept trippy space jazz and hideous country music soundtrack, its terrible creature effects, its embarrassing acting, hateful characters and non-existant plot, it pretty much sucks from start to finish. I can't believe Hooper made this after TCM; a scythe and a crappy crocodile are poor substitutes for a chainsaw. I know it has cult status among some people (Tarantino's a fan) but I am not feeling it at all.
If I had to say something nice about it, I'd mention Robert Englund, who does put in a pretty entertaining turn as the Buck who's there to fuck. There's also some boobs on show, if you like boobs.
Verdict: Sort of like a visit to the Bates Motel by the shores of Like Placid. Only shit.
Films I've watched so far
Film #8
Eaten Alive!
Let's not beat about the bush, this is a rubbish movie, and the first film I've come close to giving up on this month. With its inept trippy space jazz and hideous country music soundtrack, its terrible creature effects, its embarrassing acting, hateful characters and non-existant plot, it pretty much sucks from start to finish. I can't believe Hooper made this after TCM; a scythe and a crappy crocodile are poor substitutes for a chainsaw. I know it has cult status among some people (Tarantino's a fan) but I am not feeling it at all.
If I had to say something nice about it, I'd mention Robert Englund, who does put in a pretty entertaining turn as the Buck who's there to fuck. There's also some boobs on show, if you like boobs.
Verdict: Sort of like a visit to the Bates Motel by the shores of Like Placid. Only shit.
Films I've watched so far
J-Roderton
Member
6. Beyond The Gates - Pretty cool film. Very cool 80s and perfectly cheesy.
canoli2006
Member
Film 2: Blair Witch (2016)
The one thing this film does well is create some suspense and tension but ultimately fails to provide the viewer with the sense of realism that the original did so well.
4/10
The one thing this film does well is create some suspense and tension but ultimately fails to provide the viewer with the sense of realism that the original did so well.
4/10
Astral Dog
Member
guys , its not a movie but maybe watch a few episodes of Tales of the Crypt because its awesome, Gory, funny, depressing and the endings always get me.
6) The Blair Witch Project
Where do I start? The story follows 3 film students investigating about the fabled Blair Witch. With some twists and turns, they adventure into the woods to search for any evidence leading to its existence.
With a budget of $60,000 this movie really impressed me the first time viewing it. The movie was shot through the lens of a regular video camera similar to the style of Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity. The movie is suspenseful and all the while creepy with its setting and general lore.
This is a must watch, while some of the pacing is slow in the movie, the ultimate takeaway was justified and worth it.
Where do I start? The story follows 3 film students investigating about the fabled Blair Witch. With some twists and turns, they adventure into the woods to search for any evidence leading to its existence.
With a budget of $60,000 this movie really impressed me the first time viewing it. The movie was shot through the lens of a regular video camera similar to the style of Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity. The movie is suspenseful and all the while creepy with its setting and general lore.
This is a must watch, while some of the pacing is slow in the movie, the ultimate takeaway was justified and worth it.
canoli2006
Member
6) The Blair Witch Project
Where do I start? The story follows 3 film students investigating about the fabled Blair Witch. With some twists and turns, they adventure into the woods to search for any evidence leading to its existence.
With a budget of $60,000 this movie really impressed me the first time viewing it. The movie was shot through the lens of a regular video camera similar to the style of Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity. The movie is suspenseful and all the while creepy with its setting and general lore.
This is a must watch, while some of the pacing is slow in the movie, the ultimate takeaway was justified and worth it.
This movie started the whole found footage genre. Hail to the king, baby!!
John Rabbit
Banned
Film 2: Blair Witch (2016)
The one thing this film does well is create some suspense and tension but ultimately fails to provide the viewer with the sense of realism that the original did so well.
4/10
I thought the whole
time paradox/pocket dimension
#04 - Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
The Final Chapter. This is it. The last of the Friday the 13th movies. I did it. Blood, sweat and tears. It was a long journey, but I finally made i Holy shit is that Corey Feldman?!
There's a slight change in approach and set-up to this movie compared to the others, but it isn't for long until it falls into the same patterns as it's predecessors. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but certain aspects of it are getting stale. So what has changed? There's more nudity, more sex, more killing, more gore (with some amazing makeup and effects) but also less effort to improve or develop the series. All in all, this isn't the worst, but it's not terribly exciting either.
Finally; Oh boy, that Crispin Glover dancing scene was quite something.
5/10
Fancy Clown
Member
7. The Invisible Man (James Whale, 1933)
James Whale clearly had the whole Universal horror thing down pat, because this is another excellent entry. Its a little over an hour of Claude Rains being a maniacal lunatic pulling off crimes with all sorts of cool special effects, and its just as fun as it sounds. I wish they had angled a little harder into the tragic struggle of the character losing his mind and becoming a monster, but pure egomaniacally drive evil is okay too when its this much fun. I thought the invisible man sounded kind of lame, but this movie makes a great case for him being in the upper echelon of menacing movie monsters.
James Whale clearly had the whole Universal horror thing down pat, because this is another excellent entry. Its a little over an hour of Claude Rains being a maniacal lunatic pulling off crimes with all sorts of cool special effects, and its just as fun as it sounds. I wish they had angled a little harder into the tragic struggle of the character losing his mind and becoming a monster, but pure egomaniacally drive evil is okay too when its this much fun. I thought the invisible man sounded kind of lame, but this movie makes a great case for him being in the upper echelon of menacing movie monsters.