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harSon · Sep 22, 2012

Movie #10 - Mimic

This is the only Del Toro movie I had yet to see. Considering he disowned the film and the fact that it's regularly shit on by viewers, I didn't have the biggest of expectations going into the film but I was actually pleasantly surprised. It's basically the 50s nature horror/sci fi, infused with Aliens, and taking place within modern New York.

The film obviously owes a lot to Aliens, both in its visual flare as well the mythos behind the creatures themselves, but I found it to be an enjoyable monster film none the less. I was actually a bit disappointed by the insect designs itself considering the man behind them, but I suppose Del Toro didn't want to deviate too much from the actual appearance of an insect. Having said that, some of the practical effects, particularly the insect dissection scenes, were quite good and reminiscent to the slimy splatter effects of the 80s.

The film's definitely not a classic, nor is it terribly unique, but the film is entertaining through out and definitely worth a watch.

I do admit though, I'm kind of tired of the Sacrificial Negro trope within films though, (ie. Black characters sacrifice their own well being for the sake of saving/bettering/changing a whiter character(s) future within the narrative for the better) which can be seen with Charles Dutton's character. And I found it hilarious how the mimic insect slaughters blacks when it encounters them, but takes white victims as a prisoner. I never understood the latter point, the practice of prisoner taking was never explained narratively, and served no purpose other than not killing off significant characters.

Divius · Sep 22, 2012

#6 - Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (2007)
Compared to the first installment it's worse in a lot of areas, but it's still a load of fun and a very entertaining 90 minutes nonetheless . It also has Henry Rollins channeling his inner Rambo shooting deformed children with explosive arrows and a finale with SO MUCH GORE. I mean, there's a lot of blood and gore throughout the movie but at the climax it's just insane. 5/10

Ridley327 · Sep 22, 2012

harSon said:
Movie #10 - Mimic
This is the only Del Toro movie I had yet to see. Considering he disowned the film and the fact that it's regularly shit on by viewers, I didn't have the biggest of expectations going into the film but I was actually pleasantly surprised. It's basically the 50s nature horror/sci fi, infused with Aliens, and taking place within modern New York.

The book Down & Dirty Pictures describes the production history of Mimic in great detail. Del Toro was constantly fighting with Bob Weinstein, who all but wanted to direct the film himself, and he went through the terrifying experience of having to negotiate with kidnappers who were holding his father for ransom money. I don't know if it ever had a chance of being a great film, but given the circumstances, it's amazing that it didn't turn out far worse.

8BitsAtATime · Sep 22, 2012

Has anyone seen House at the End of the Street (I love the name) or The Possession yet? I have monday off so I'm thinking about spending the day at the theater.

_Isaac · Sep 22, 2012

harSon said:
Movie #10 - Mimic

This is the only Del Toro movie I had yet to see. Considering he disowned the film and the fact that it's regularly shit on by viewers, I didn't have the biggest of expectations going into the film but I was actually pleasantly surprised. It's basically the 50s nature horror/sci fi, infused with Aliens, and taking place within modern New York.

The film obviously owes a lot to Aliens, both in its visual flare as well the mythos behind the creatures themselves, but I found it to be an enjoyable monster film none the less. I was actually a bit disappointed by the insect designs itself considering the man behind them, but I suppose Del Toro didn't want to deviate too much from the actual appearance of an insect. Having said that, some of the practical effects, particularly the insect dissection scenes, were quite good and reminiscent to the slimy splatter effects of the 80s.

The film's definitely not a classic, nor is it terribly unique, but the film is entertaining through out and definitely worth a watch.

I do admit though, I'm kind of tired of the Sacrificial Negro trope within films though, (ie. Black characters sacrifice their own well being for the sake of saving/bettering/changing a whiter character(s) future within the narrative for the better) which can be seen with Charles Dutton's character. And I found it hilarious how the mimic insect slaughters blacks when it encounters them, but takes white victims as a prisoner. I never understood the latter point, the practice of prisoner taking was never explained narratively, and served no purpose other than not killing off significant characters.

I have to say I agree with most of what you say, but all in all this movie was just incredibly forgettable. Definitely the worst Del Toro movie I've seen.

MattyH · Sep 23, 2012

Ravager61 said:
I have Arrow's release of The Beyond and I think it looks great. Don't be afraid to go through them for Tenebrae. In fact, I'd buy some of their releases over the North American versions because I like their packaging and artwork more.

i have the arrow blu of tenebrae and its a nice little package good audio commentary too

harSon · Sep 25, 2012

I'll probably be watching a lot more films now that my back is messed up from lifting :|

>>Movie Impressions # 1-10<<

Movie #11 - Tremors

This is another case of me having seen a sequel or two without being familiar with the initial film of the franchise. And I have to say, it was a damn good monster film. I thought the outer appearance of of the monster was a tad bit uninspired and generic, but the innards of the creature, ie. the Eel like tentacles acting as a monster within the monster, were definitely a nice touch. This film is a testament of the longevity of well done practical effects, because after 20+ years, the monsters within the film are still a sight to behold. The practical effects were absolutely wonderful within the film, and there's some decent camera tricks (the points of view within the earth) that help breath life into these creatures.

The film is obviously influenced by Jaws, and is basically a landlocked vision of that same film. Unlike other films within this same sub-genre of horror, I liked the fact that the characters acted believably, and their fates were not dictated by mere dumb mistakes (aka convenient screen writing), but rather the apparent intelligence of the creatures.

The film is obviously relatively light-hearted and not without it's purposeful humor, but that never really detracts from the suspense of the film, nor do the laughs ever really fail to resonate. This aspect of the film did rub me the wrong way at the very end, and the cheesy Hollywood ending could have been handled better, but the film is still enjoyable through out the entirety of its runtime.

Rating: ** 1/2 out of ****

Movie #12 - Carrie

I'm usually not bothered by remakes as much as most people, but I have to say, after watching this film, there is absolutely no reason for the film to be remade. Outside of one scene with some unbearably cheesy 70s music and jarring fast forwarded editing in the middle of the film, I thought Carrie was absolutely perfect.

Sissy Spacek was absolutely wonderful. Without the right level of discipline and control, her role could have easily come off as overly dramatic and overacted, but she was able to make the shift from a shy and emotionally damaged teenage girl to a visibly menacing lunatic with relative ease. And her mother has to be one of the better villains within a film... she was sickeningly evil through out.

There was some damn good camera work, particularly the initial shot within the girl's locker room, and the dual perspective point of view when the shit hit the fan during prom. I rarely come away complimenting a horror films overall cinematography, but this entire film was legitimately sound on that front. And while I wasn't a huge fan of the Psycho-esque screech foley littered through out the soundtrack or licensed songs, I felt the overall score was equally amazing, the songs within the prom and following house scenes in particular which were so damn atmospheric and gripping.

It was definitely less horror than I was anticipating, and is much more of a tragic drama with a super natural twist, but I found that to be one of the film's biggest strengths. Being able to truly understand Carrie as a character makes her eventual vengeful rage so much more emotionally charged and meaningful.

Rating: **** out of ****

Movie #13 - Ringu

This is one of the few cases where I enjoyed the remake of a film a lot more than the original, which happens rarely, especially if the turnaround for the remake wasn't decades. I give it props for being the originator, but I feel outside of that fact, it was vastly inferior to the remake in almost every conceivable way.

The pacing felt off, the narrative didn't feel cohesive or effortless; outside of the last 15 or so minutes, there was nothing within the film that could be confused for a scary moment and the acting was quite wooden. One of my biggest issues with the film was the questionable motives of the characters, and some very apparent leaps in logic (I swear the ex-husband went from doubting the super natural elements of the tape, to a hard lined believer in a matter of an invisible scene). And I honestly didn't give a flying fuck about any of the character's fate, an absolute must within this type of slow prodding methodical horror film.

The iconic morbid atmosphere was present, but I felt the filmmakers failed to capitalize on the potent dread of the situation. There are some differences between the two films narratively, but they're by no means significant, although I feel the remake was more capable of creating a streamlined approach to presenting the story.

The film did go a bit more depth into the back story of Sadako, and while I typically do appreciate a film's story to be fleshed out in such a way, I think the film ultimately works better with an antagonist that is mystified and unknown.

Rating: ** out of ****

Movie #14 - Halloween (1978)

This movie was a lot different than I was expecting it to be.

First of all, this film has to have one of the best camera work I've seen within a slasher. The opening scene done completely in first person POV, the camera constantly taking on the perspective of the mysterious killer Giallo style, etc was all top notch, creative and a strong aspect of the film which is more than I can say about 95% of the genre.

Having seen some of the sequels and remakes, Michael Myers the character was a hell of a lot different than I was expecting him to be. While he was still slow, strong and silent, he was also noticeably smarter and more practical than his future incarnations, considering he was driving cars and barricading doors this time around. His character seemed a hell of a lot more human and rooted within reality, which I actually enjoyed quite a bit.

The first 3/4ths of this film isn't really a slasher in the modern sense, and is more akin to the Giallo genre that I mentioned before. Through shrouding its killer by creative camera work, the environment and lighting, Carpenter succeeded in evoking a true sense of being stalked or followed, which I feel helped to create an appropriate atmosphere for later scares and make the last third a lot more effective. I love slashers as much as the next person, but they've thrown away suspense building and sound narratives for gore and nudity, completely missing the point that their inspirations were successful for.

I can't finish my impressions without commenting on the brilliant score. 80s John Carpenter is good a score composer as he is a film director, and this film's soundtrack, even outside of the iconic main theme, are so fucking perfect.

I definitely had a lot of the same issues as Friday the 13th, particularly already having been exposed to the iconic scenes, and having to suppress annoyance over tired horror tropes that the film admittedly had a huge part in forming.

Oh, and did Carpenter know he was going to direct The Thing in 5 years when he directed this film? I couldn't help but notice that the kids were watching the original The Thing.

I really enjoyed the film overall though, much more than any other film I've seen within the franchise.

Rating: *** 1/2 out of ****

Movie #15 - The Fog (1980)

Figured I'd use this horror marathon to plug some holes I currently have within Carpenter's filmography, The Fog obviously being one of those films (Halloween, which I watched yesterday, and Prince of Darkness being the other horror related film of his I've yet to seen), and I have to say, I'm quite glad I made this decision.

One thing I enjoy about Carpenter's films are his settings. The gloomy coastal small town of Antonio Bay works quite nicely for the film, and some of the imagery and cinematography stemming from it are downright gorgeous.

The antagonists within the film, similar to Assault on Precinct 13, are faceless and primarily appear completely shrouded by fog and shadows. Not only does this help to create some fairly fantastic imagery, but the element of unknown that it evokes is quite effective and one of the films stronger aspects. And once again, I have to profess my love for 80s practical effects because the creature designs within this film, while not given much screen time or focus, is amazingly organic.

And like any Carpenter film, the score is appropriately suspenseful and atmospheric, and I don't think it's hyperbole to suggest that Carpenter is one of the best horror composers in the history of cinema. We've already seen the end result of a director and composer being perfectly synced (Leone and Morricone with Once Upon a Time in the West, and Eisenstein and Prokofiev with Alexander Nevsky), and with Carpenter, we see what happens when a world class director and world class composer are one in the same.

I think the only thing holding this film back from being a horror classic are the paper thin characters who undergo very little if any character development. As a viewer, you're not really invested within any of the characters, which is an issue since I'm assuming within this type of film, you're supposed to have some preference, good or bad, to the fate of these characters. Jamie Lee Curtis' character is completely useless, coming off as little more than a favor to a close friend or a chance to pair her with her mother, and if you were to completely remove her from the film, absolutely nothing changes narratively. A screenwriting no-no.

The film also felt quite short, and I feel a slightly longer run time to flesh out some rough edges and some increased attention to character development, and this film would have stacked up against Halloween and The Thing as classics within the genre. Having said that, I still enjoyed the film quite a bit, and people certainly shouldn't shy away from it if they're fans of Carpenters work.

Rating: *** out of ****

sleepykyo · Sep 25, 2012

ThirstyFly said:
I like you. I love me some 28 Weeks Later. Dunno why it gets so much hate.

Edits: Whoops, didn't mean to double post.

I liked the first 10-15 minutes a lot. The rest felt too action packed and designed to set up a 28 months later.

8BitsAtATime · Sep 25, 2012

I love Carrie, Nancy Allen was so hot

flipping_heck · Sep 25, 2012

Just added a few more to my list. Because I have holidays to go to... taking on the full 31 movies is going to be tough.. so i made the list to about 26, of course, this list may change quite a bit.. I havent sorted out an order for them yet:

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter
Alien
Audition
BasketCase
Black Christmas
Cabin Fever
Cabin in the Woods
Cemetary Man
Event Horizon
Evil Ed
Fright Night (1985)
Halloween 1
Halloween 2
Let Me In
Night of the Living Dead (Tom Savini)
Predators
Tokyo Gore Police
Rec 2
Sleepaway Camp 2
Trick R Treat
The Deadly Spawn
The Collector
The Fly
The Loved Ones
The Shining
Videodrome

Blue Submarine No. 6 · Sep 26, 2012

Yay!

I had a great time doing this last year, and I'm ready to go for it again! Just for reference, here's my list from last years 31 Days of Horror on GAF:

- Blue Submarine No. 6

#1 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) - (Oct. 1)
#2 Tremors - (Oct. 1)
#3 Mimic - (Oct. 2)
#4 Demons (1985) - (Oct. 2)
#5 Bubbahotep - (Oct. 3)
#6 The Black Cat (1934) - (Oct. 3)
#7 The Screwfly Solution (Masters of Horror) - (Oct. 4)
#8 Shadow of the Vampire - (Oct. 4)
#9 The Washintonians - (Oct. 5)
#10 Kiss of the Vampire - (Oct. 5)
#11 The Frighteners - (Oct 5)
#12 Night of the Eagle (aka Burn, Witch, Burn) (1962) - (Oct. 6)
#13 White Zombie (1932) - (Oct. 6)
#14 King Kong (1933) - Oct. 6
#15 The Thing (1982) - Oct. 7
#16 Dracula's Daughter (1936) - Oct. 8
#17 I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958) - Oct. 8
#18 Dead of Night (1945) - Oct. 9
#19 Not of this Earth (1957) - Oct. 9
#20 Mr. Vampire (1985) - Oct. 10
#21 Bucket of Blood (1959) - Oct. 11
#22 The Alligator People (1959) - Oct 12
#23 The Earth Dies Screaming (1964) - Oct. 13
#24 Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) - Oct. 14
#25 The Return of the Vampire (1944) - Oct. 15
#26 Young Frankenstein (1974) - Oct. 16
#27 The Thing (2011) - Oct. 16
#28 The Thing From Another World (1951) - Oct. 17
#29 Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
#30 Plague of the Zombies (1966) - Oct. 19
#31 Cat People (1942) - Oct. 20
#32 Nomads (1986) - Oct. 22
#33 Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954) - Oct. 22
#33 The Mummy (1999) - Oct. 25
#34 Island of Lost Souls (1933) - Oct. 25
#35 Trick'r Treat (2007) - Oct. 26
#36 The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) - Oct. 28
#37 Underworld (2003) - Oct. 28
#38 The Mummy (1932) - Oct. 29

Trick'r Treat was a stand-out last year that I saw for the first time thanks to a GAF recommendation - I'm planning on dusting off some true classics for this year! I think I'll hit the Hammer and AIP library a little harder this time 'round.

&Divius said:
Everyone who failed to watch Sleepaway Camp last year should still watch it this time around.

I actually bought this film last year with the intention of watching it during GAF's 31 Days of Horror run, but I let it slide, and it's still sitting on my backlog shelves, waiting... and waiting... this year for sure!

Okay, so I'll do my compilation list for this year in this post as well as the longer individual posts about each movie I watch. With the exception of Trick'r Treat, I want to avoid watching any films from last year's list this time around:

Nosferatu (1922) - Oct. 1
The Wolfman (1941) - Oct. 2
Sleepaway Camp (1983) - Oct. 3
The Undying Monster (1942) - Oct. 4
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) - Oct. 5
Fiend Without a Face (1958) - Oct. 6
The Reptile (1966) - Oct. 7
Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981) - Oct. 8
The Raven (1963) - Oct. 9
Fallen (1998) - Oct. 10
The Frozen Ghost (1945) - Oct. 11
Dracula Prince of Darkness (1965) - Oct. 12
The Fog (1979) - Oct. 13
The Hunger (1983) - Oct. 14
Shaun of the Dead (2004) - Oct. 15
The Exorcist (1973) - Oct. 16
Count Yorga Vampire (1970) - Oct. 17
The Old Dark House (1932) - Oct. 18
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) - Oct. 19
Silent Hill (2006) - Oct. 20
Frankenstein (1931) - Oct. 21
Dracula (1931) - Oct. 21
An American Werewolf in London (1981) - Oct. 23
Quarantine (2008) - Oct. 24
Altered (2006) - Oct. 25
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000) - Oct. 25
Hotel Transylvania (2012) - Oct. 27
Godzilla (1954) - Oct. 28
Halloween (1978) - Oct. 29
Monsters (2010) - Oct. 30
Trick 'r Treat (2008) - Oct. 31

And that's it for this year... Another good run - looking forward to next year's...

harSon · Sep 26, 2012

Just watched Ringu, and I think I may watch Bio Zombie next.

Movie #13 - Ringu

This is one of the few cases where I enjoyed the remake of a film a lot more than the original, which happens rarely, especially if the turnaround for the remake wasn't decades. I give it props for being the originator, but I feel outside of that fact, it was vastly inferior to the remake in almost every conceivable way.

The pacing felt off, the narrative didn't feel cohesive or effortless; outside of the last 15 or so minutes, there was nothing within the film that could be confused for a scary moment and the acting was quite wooden. One of my biggest issues with the film was the questionable motives of the characters, and some very apparent leaps in logic (I swear the ex-husband went from doubting the super natural elements of the tape, to a hard lined believer in a matter of an invisible scene). And I honestly didn't give a flying fuck about any of the character's fate, an absolute must within this type of slow prodding methodical horror film.

The iconic morbid atmosphere was present, but I felt the filmmakers failed to capitalize on the potent dread of the situation. There are some differences between the two films narratively, but they're by no means significant, although I feel the remake was more capable of creating a streamlined approach to presenting the story.

The film did go a bit more depth into the back story of Sadako, and while I typically do appreciate a film's story to be fleshed out in such a way, I think the film ultimately works better with an antagonist that is mystified and unknown.

Rating: ** out of ****

water_wendi · Sep 26, 2012

Watched Okaruto/Occult after being impressed with Noroi. Occult is awesome. Not as good or intricate as Noroi but its genuinely unsettling. Although the supernatural forces are creepy its the completely human stuff thats horrifying. The only part i would consider subpar is the ending. i found it to be a great idea marred by a mediocre execution.

edit: yea i found The Ring to be magnitudes better than Ringu.

8BitsAtATime · Sep 26, 2012

water_wendi said:
edit: yea i found The Ring to be magnitudes better than Ringu.

I remember laughing at one part, where he throws the Sadako into the well.

Scene is at :50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmvzAkBe4P4&feature=relmfu

Divius · Sep 26, 2012

I watched Ringu last year; I also enjoyed The Ring more than Ringu, the latter felt more like a drama movie to me. I did like the fact that the movies differ in approach, because I thought I knew what was going to happen since I already saw the remake, but it took a whole other route.

harSon, are you planning on watching the sequel(s)?

SillyEskimo · Sep 26, 2012

I have no idea how people can come up with a list and stick with it. My mood changes all the time and effects what I feel like watching. It doesn't look like I'm going to have my Tales From the Crypt seasons ripped in time for October (busy packing for a move), so I'll play it by ear. I'll probably watch 2-3 movies a night at work and nothing on the weekends.

Quikies83 · Sep 26, 2012

I watched YellowBrickRoad based on someone's recommendation here. I thought it was pretty good. It's on netflix instant stream for any that are interested.

Chuckie · Sep 26, 2012

8BitsAtATime said:
I love Carrie, Nancy Allen was so hot

Holy shit.... that's Officer Lewis.

Brb... need to go to the Mindblowing actor thread.

harSon · Sep 26, 2012

&Divius said:
I watched Ringu last year; I also enjoyed The Ring more than Ringu, the latter felt more like a drama movie to me. I did like the fact that the movies differ in approach, because I thought I knew what was going to happen since I already saw the remake, but it took a whole other route.

harSon, are you planning on watching the sequel(s)?

I wasn't planning on it, at least within the 31 Days of Horror timetable. Are there any gems within the sequels? And is Ringu two different from the American sequel?

Divius · Sep 26, 2012

harSon said:
I wasn't planning on it, at least within the 31 Days of Horror timetable. Are there any gems within the sequels? And is Ringu two different from the American sequel?

I saw Ringu 0 last year which was certainly not as good as the first, but have not seen any others nor the American sequel(s). Since you didn't care for Ringu, I'd advice against watching the sequel. But you weren't gonna day do anyway.

harSon · Sep 26, 2012

&Divius said:
I saw Ringu 0 last year which was certainly not as good as the first, but have not seen any others nor the American sequel(s). Since you didn't care for Ringu, I'd advice against watching the sequel. But you weren't gonna day do anyway.

I'm probably going to end up including some other Asian horror films within my horror viewings though. Any suggestions? The only other Asian horror films that I've seen are A Tale of Two Sisters and The Eye.

Divius · Sep 26, 2012

harSon said:
I'm probably going to end up including some other Asian horror films within my horror viewings though. Any suggestions? The only other Asian horror films that I've seen are A Tale of Two Sisters and The Eye.

I'm a noob when it comes to Asiasn Horror. I'm planning on watching Noroi and Kaidan in October. Last year I watched the anthology (?) Three Extremes which was fun. There's also Audition, which I personally did not really like, but I seem to be alone there since everyone loves it. But I'm a complete noob when it comes to Asian horror.l

Blue Submarine No. 6 · Sep 26, 2012

&Divius said:
I'm a noob when it comes to Asiasn Horror. I'm planning on watching Noroi and Kaidan in October. Last year I watched the anthology (?) Three Extremes which was fun. There's also Audition, which I personally did not really like, but I seem to be alone there since everyone loves it. But I'm a complete noob when it comes to Asian horror.l

I can't claim much familiarity with contemporary Asian Horror, but these are some Japanese horror films I've enjoyed:

Divius · Sep 26, 2012

Blue Submarine No. 6 said:

This looks good! Added to list :3

flipping_heck · Sep 26, 2012

James (AVGN) posted his promo for his Monster Madness, 80s horror.. it probably be good if you are stuck on ideas

http://cinemassacre.com/2012/09/25/monster-madness-2012-promo/

Ridley327 · Sep 27, 2012

DVD Beaver has been putting up reviews throughout the week on the Universal Classic Monsters box set, and despite the concerns after it came to light how uneven the Hitchcock box set is turning out to be, it sounds like they've done a far, far better job with this one. Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Invisible Man are all looking better than I think they have ever been.

That said, it is Universal, so I wouldn't be surprised if one of the ones that hasn't been covered yet is screwy in some way.

Blue Submarine No. 6 · Sep 27, 2012

Ridley327 said:
DVD Beaver has been putting up reviews throughout the week on the Universal Classic Monsters box set, and despite the concerns after it came to light how uneven the Hitchcock box set is turning out to be, it sounds like they've done a far, far better job with this one. Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Invisible Man are all looking better than I think they have ever been.

That said, it is Universal, so I wouldn't be surprised if one of the ones that hasn't been covered yet is screwy in some way.

This is great news! Unfortunately, I'm getting this set from my wife for Christmas, so I won't be watching any of the Universal blurays for this Halloween's run - all the more reason to stick to Hammer & AIP period stuff this year.

Miles X · Sep 27, 2012

Not sure I can do the full 31 day challenge but definitely going to particpate.

I like foreign horror a lot so the Rec trilogy will be in there for sure!

haikira · Sep 27, 2012

flipping_heck said:
James (AVGN) posted his promo for his Monster Madness, 80s horror.. it probably be good if you are stuck on ideas

http://cinemassacre.com/2012/09/25/monster-madness-2012-promo/

He also put out 31 mini reviews last year, or maybe the year before, which are worth a look. I was watching them the other day on Youtube, for ideas on what to get ready for this October.

Risible · Sep 27, 2012

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

I had heard a lot of good things about this, and perhaps that lead to my expectations being higher than they should have. I found the movie to be a fairly predictable slasher. It started out promising and seemed as if it had some good ideas going for it, but quickly devolved into just another slasher.

It wasn't awful, and it had its fun moments. Fairly light on the gore, which is fine for me.

AgentOtaku · Sep 27, 2012

Still making my way through this thread and putting together my list ...almost done though!

harSon · Sep 27, 2012

Movie #14 - Halloween (1978)

This movie was a lot different than I was expecting it to be.

First of all, this film has to have one of the best camera work I've seen within a slasher. The opening scene done completely in first person POV, the camera constantly taking on the perspective of the mysterious killer Giallo style, etc was all top notch, creative and a strong aspect of the film which is more than I can say about 95% of the genre.

Having seen some of the sequels and remakes, Michael Myers the character was a hell of a lot different than I was expecting him to be. While he was still slow, strong and silent, he was also noticeably smarter and more practical than his future incarnations, considering he was driving cars and barricading doors this time around. His character seemed a hell of a lot more human and rooted within reality, which I actually enjoyed quite a bit.

The first 3/4ths of this film isn't really a slasher in the modern sense, and is more akin to the Giallo genre that I mentioned before. Through shrouding its killer by creative camera work, the environment and lighting, Carpenter succeeded in evoking a true sense of being stalked or followed, which I feel helped to create an appropriate atmosphere for later scares and make the last third a lot more effective. I love slashers as much as the next person, but they've thrown away suspense building and sound narratives for gore and nudity, completely missing the point that their inspirations were successful for.

I can't finish my impressions without commenting on the brilliant score. 80s John Carpenter is good a score composer as he is a film director, and this film's soundtrack, even outside of the iconic main theme, are so fucking perfect.

I definitely had a lot of the same issues as Friday the 13th, particularly already having been exposed to the iconic scenes, and having to suppress annoyance over tired horror tropes that the film admittedly had a huge part in forming.

Oh, and did Carpenter know he was going to direct The Thing in 5 years when he directed this film? I couldn't help but notice that the kids were watching the original The Thing.

I really enjoyed the film overall though, much more than any other film I've seen within the franchise.

Rating: *** 1/2 out of ****

Next up: The Fog

AgentOtaku · Sep 27, 2012

flipping_heck said:
James (AVGN) posted his promo for his Monster Madness, 80s horror.. it probably be good if you are stuck on ideas

http://cinemassacre.com/2012/09/25/monster-madness-2012-promo/

FUCK YES!!!!

ThirstyFly · Sep 27, 2012

SillyEskimo said:
I have no idea how people can come up with a list and stick with it. My mood changes all the time and effects what I feel like watching. It doesn't look like I'm going to have my Tales From the Crypt seasons ripped in time for October (busy packing for a move), so I'll play it by ear. I'll probably watch 2-3 movies a night at work and nothing on the weekends.

My list is more of a guideline of stuff I'd like to get though. I have so many movies waiting to be watched and so many new purchases I kind of had to make up a list this year. Last year I just stacked up what I had and picked whatever I felt like, so the list is just to keep me from having to keep a big pile of movies sitting around. I'll still pick movies based on whatever my mood is and I'm sure my watching will change depending on recommendations from this thread as well.

flipping_heck · Sep 27, 2012

haikira said:
He also put out 31 mini reviews last year, or maybe the year before, which are worth a look. I was watching them the other day on Youtube, for ideas on what to get ready for this October.

He's done it for a few years now, its all on the cinemassacre website.

This year he is only doing 16 reviews though

harSon · Sep 27, 2012

Movie #15 - The Fog (1980)

Figured I'd use this horror marathon to plug some holes I currently have within Carpenter's filmography, The Fog obviously being one of those films (Halloween, which I watched yesterday, and Prince of Darkness being the other horror related film of his I've yet to seen), and I have to say, I'm quite glad I made this decision.

One thing I enjoy about Carpenter's films are his settings. The gloomy coastal small town of Antonio Bay works quite nicely for the film, and some of the imagery and cinematography stemming from it are downright gorgeous.

The antagonists within the film, similar to Assault on Precinct 13, are faceless and primarily appear completely shrouded by fog and shadows. Not only does this help to create some fairly fantastic imagery, but the element of unknown that it evokes is quite effective and one of the films stronger aspects. And once again, I have to profess my love for 80s practical effects because the creature designs within this film, while not given much screen time or focus, is amazingly organic.

And like any Carpenter film, the score is appropriately suspenseful and atmospheric, and I don't think it's hyperbole to suggest that Carpenter is one of the best horror composers in the history of cinema. We've already seen the end result of a director and composer being perfectly synced (Leone and Morricone with Once Upon a Time in the West, and Eisenstein and Prokofiev with Alexander Nevsky), and with Carpenter, we see what happens when a world class director and world class composer are one in the same.

I think the only thing holding this film back from being a horror classic are the paper thin characters who undergo very little if any character development. As a viewer, you're not really invested within any of the characters, which is an issue since I'm assuming within this type of film, you're supposed to have some preference, good or bad, to the fate of these characters. Jamie Lee Curtis' character is completely useless, coming off as little more than a favor to a close friend or a chance to pair her with her mother, and if you were to completely remove her from the film, absolutely nothing changes narratively. A screenwriting no-no.

The film also felt quite short, and I feel a slightly longer run time to flesh out some rough edges and some increased attention to character development, and this film would have stacked up against Halloween and The Thing as classics within the genre. Having said that, I still enjoyed the film quite a bit, and people certainly shouldn't shy away from it if they're fans of Carpenters work.

Rating: *** out of ****

Not quite sure what I'm going to watch next. I may watch Prince of Darkness to finish off John Carpenter, but I may end up watching something else, just to keep things diverse.

Divius · Sep 27, 2012

*adds The Fog to list* dammit harSon

If you haven't seen In the Mouth of Madness make sure to do so. I believe it is somewhat of a GAF favorite and it was recommended to me last year and I enjoyed it a lot.

miller_time22 · Sep 27, 2012

Really digging the reviews harSon. I've decided to hold out until October before watching horror stuff, but reading these posts is making it difficult.

Here's the list I'm starting with but it's subject to change given the fact I'm probably going to shuffle things around and am likely to not even get through everything given my schedule. I'd like to be watching more new stuff, but have really got to hunker down and get through my movies I've bought, but not yet watched at some point here.

*denotes never seen before
^ dvd, all others are Blu-ray

1. The Ward*
2. Halloween
3. Halloween II*
4. Halloween III: Season of the Witch*
5. Halloween 4*
6. Halloween 5*
7. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
8. Halloween H20
9. Halloween: Resurrection
10. Halloween (Zombie)
11. Halloween II (Zombie)
12. Night of the Living Dead ('68)
13. Dawn of the Dead
14. Day of the Dead
15. Land of the Dead
16. Night of the Living Dead (1990)*
17. Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
18. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
19. Cat People*^
20. The Serpent & the Rainbow*^
21. Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
22. Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child*
23. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare*
24. New Nightmare
25. Evil Dead
26. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn
27. Army of Darkness
28. Alien
29. Prometheus* (blind purchase, should this even qualify??)
30. Insidious*
31. Trick r' Treat

harSon · Sep 27, 2012

&Divius said:
*adds The Fog to list* dammit harSon

If you haven't seen In the Mouth of Madness make sure to do so. I believe it is somewhat of a GAF favorite and it was recommended to me last year and I enjoyed it a lot.

Yeah, I watched it sometime last year. It's wonderfully weird and creepy, with some extremely unsettling imagery (that one scene where Sam Neil's female companion walks in all inverted, jumbled and fucked up was some seriously creepy shit haha). I'll never forget the name Sutter Cane

ThirstyFly · Sep 27, 2012

I'm pretty sure I've seen In the Mouth of Madness when it first came out, but I don't remember a damn thing about it. Gonna have to see if I can grab that. Never saw the Fog either (aside from the remake which I found to be very dull), so there's another for the list.

Plasticine · Sep 27, 2012

harSon said:
Yeah, I watched it sometime last year. It's wonderfully weird and creepy, with some extremely unsettling imagery (that one scene where Sam Neil's female companion walks in all inverted, jumbled and fucked up was some seriously creepy shit haha). I'll never forget the name Sutter Cane

You should make of point of watching Prince of Darkness then. The Thing, Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness comprise his "Apocalypse Trilogy". They're not connected, but deal with the same themes and contain similar story elements.

miller_time22 · Sep 27, 2012

ThirstyFly said:
I'm pretty sure I've seen In the Mouth of Madness when it first came out, but I don't remember a damn thing about it. Gonna have to see if I can grab that. Never saw the Fog either (aside from the remake which I found to be very dull), so there's another for the list.

You definitely owe yourself a watch of Carpenter's Fog just to wash the taste of that remake out of your mouth. God, that movie sucked.

Also, count me in the group that thinks In the Mouth of Madness is awesome.

harSon · Sep 27, 2012

Yeah, the remake is the reason I had put the original off for so long. I can usually find some redeeming qualities within most remakes, but that one was absolute trash.

Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew · Sep 27, 2012

Anyone has list of great horror movies for Netflix?

harSon · Sep 27, 2012

shagg_187 said:
Anyone has list of great horror movies for Netflix?

A lot of the films I'm watching have been through Netflix. Personally, I would just go to the horror subsection of Netflix online streaming, sort by highest rated (don't restrict yourself to this though, you'll miss some gems) and sift through from top to bottom to find what interests you.

ThirstyFly · Sep 27, 2012

miller_time22 said:
You definitely owe yourself a watch of Carpenter's Fog just to wash the taste of that remake out of your mouth. God, that movie sucked.

Also, count me in the group that thinks In the Mouth of Madness is awesome.

Yeah, I've been holding off until I've totally forgotten the remake so it doesn't spoil anything from the original for me. All that comes to mind now is Maggie Grace's ass so I think I'm just about ready.

harSon · Sep 27, 2012

I think I'm going to make some changes to my October list. I've personally never seen a Hammer horror film, and I feel like my list is too American, modern and mainstream heavy. Time to compile a new list, hopefully fixing some of these issues in the process!

Divius · Sep 27, 2012

Being Dutch, I'm gonna see if I can get my hands on the Dutch masterpiece 'Sl8n8' (aka SLEIGHTNEIGHT) because it is supposed to be terrible and I dislike Dutch cinema. So yeah, that'll be fun.

ThirstyFly · Sep 27, 2012

Kind of off topic since the eps are too short for my marathon, but what's the best way to buy Tales from the Crypt? I see there's some 2-season packs that go up to s6 on DVD. Is that the way to go?

miller_time22 · Sep 27, 2012

ThirstyFly said:
Kind of off topic since the eps are too short for my marathon, but what's the best way to buy Tales from the Crypt? I see there's some 2-season packs that go up to s6 on DVD. Is that the way to go?

I saw some of the seasons at Sam's Club recently for $9.99 each if you have a membership there. I also saw S7 at Walmart for the same price. So, you could check those two places. I think Amazon is just a few bucks more expensive that, so it may be a wash.

I managed to grab Seasons 1-6 at a Big Lots a couple years ago for either $3 or $6 a piece during their big box set bonanza. Still one of the better deals I had ever gotten in on.

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