AgentOtaku
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31 Days of Horror 3 |OT| The October Movie Marathon
- Thread starter ThirstyFly
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ThirstyFly
Member
Giallo Week Mini-Marathon - Part 1
A couple of years ago having never seen any of his films, I blind bought the 5 Films by Dario Argento DVD set when it was released by Anchor Bay. Thanks to that, Tenebre was the first giallo I watched and it blew my mind. To this day it is still my favorite giallo. Since then I've grabbed a handful more of his various gialli on DVD and whatever other various directors' titles that were released on Blu-ray. I'm devoting this entire week to a few that I've missed, including some true classics.
06) Blood and Black Lace/Sei donne per l'assassino (1964) (Oct 6)
"Perhaps the sight of beauty makes him lose control of himself and kill."
My first Mario Bava! So apparently this is both the second giallo ever made (predated a year by Bava himself with The Evil Eye) and the one that's considered to have influenced the whole sub-genre. Must be good then, huh?
Holy shit what a movie. I was at the edge my seat for the entire thing.
Perhaps I'm showing way too much of my classic movie ignorance in this post already, but when I think of movies from the 60s I always think of them being dated looking; cheap sets, simple lighting, all that stuff. Even films from masters like Hitchcock and Kubrick from that era can come off pretty chintzy looking at times. I simply did not expect the level of visual glitz on display with Blood and Black Lace. You can definitely see the influence it left on future Italian directors.
Seriously, this movie is a masterpiece. If you're even slightly interested in Italian cinema and haven't seen it, do so.
[Movie review ends here, DVD review/rant begins]
Of course with the good comes the bad and in this case, the North American DVD released by VCI is a travesty. From my research last night, it looks like they've released at least 3-4 versions due to serious issues with all of them, and it only seems to be getting worse each time.
The version I have is copyrighted 2009 and from the Giallo set that also includes The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Watch Me When I Kill, so as far as I can tell it's the latest version and it's appalling to me that a disc could be released in this condition that late in the format's lifespan.
There's countless issues with the disc, but to save you my mad ramblings I'll just focus on the ones that actually affect enjoyment of the movie.
First, the English dub is inconstantly out of synch. I'm not talking post-dub lip flap stuff here, the sound effects are frequently off and the timing is all over the place during the movie. For example, at one point a character opens a desk drawer, pulls out a pistol and slams it onto a desk. Their hand is already back in the drawer before you hear the *CLUNK* of the gun on the desk. This delay does not exist in the Italian and French tracks. To make it even more annoying, the commentary track is done over the English dub and you can clearly hear that it's in synch there, so it is NOT a source issue. For the Italian track, the subtitles are bold, bright yellow with no outline so they're very hard to read on light backgrounds, so neither way of viewing is optimal.
Secondly, the video quality itself is abysmal. The image blurs and colours smear during motion, it's dull, lifeless and flat. Apparently VCIs older non-anamorphic image was actually superior to the current version. It's also sourced from a PAL German source, so onscreen text cutaways are still in German (without subtitle translations for the English dub) and it suffers from the usual PAL to NTSC conversion issues. What a disaster.
I simply cannot recommend spending money on this piece of garage DVD, but the movie is so good it has to be seen. It's maddening. There doesn't seem to be a better (in print) option either.
07) The Bird with the Crystal Plumage/L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo (1970) (Oct 7)
"Bring in the perverts!"
I somehow missed this one during my blitz of Argento gialli a few years ago, but now I've seen it and man, am I glad I did.
I don't want to go into any detail about the plot (and don't watch the trailer!) because I find gialli are best to go in 100% fresh, but I really enjoyed it. It's a little less serious than some of the others I've seen thanks to some over-the-top characters, but I thought having a few quirky characters really added a lot to the personality of the picture. I'm sure some people won't enjoy them though.
Overall, Giallo Week is turning out to be excellent and I hope it continues on at this level of quality. Can't wait for tomorrow!
Final Viewed List:
2013
01) The Birds (1963) (Oct 1)
02) Tombs of the Blind Dead/La noche del terror ciego (1972) (Oct 2)
03) Return of the Evil Dead/El ataque de los muertos sin ojos (1973) (1963) (Oct 3)
04) The Ghost Galleon/El buque maldito (1974) (Oct 4)
05) Night of the Seagulls/La Noche de las gaviotas (1975) (Oct 5)
06) Blood and Black Lace/Sei donne per l'assassino (1964)
07) The Bird with the Crystal Plumage/L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo (1970)
A couple of years ago having never seen any of his films, I blind bought the 5 Films by Dario Argento DVD set when it was released by Anchor Bay. Thanks to that, Tenebre was the first giallo I watched and it blew my mind. To this day it is still my favorite giallo. Since then I've grabbed a handful more of his various gialli on DVD and whatever other various directors' titles that were released on Blu-ray. I'm devoting this entire week to a few that I've missed, including some true classics.
06) Blood and Black Lace/Sei donne per l'assassino (1964) (Oct 6)
"Perhaps the sight of beauty makes him lose control of himself and kill."
My first Mario Bava! So apparently this is both the second giallo ever made (predated a year by Bava himself with The Evil Eye) and the one that's considered to have influenced the whole sub-genre. Must be good then, huh?
Holy shit what a movie. I was at the edge my seat for the entire thing.
Perhaps I'm showing way too much of my classic movie ignorance in this post already, but when I think of movies from the 60s I always think of them being dated looking; cheap sets, simple lighting, all that stuff. Even films from masters like Hitchcock and Kubrick from that era can come off pretty chintzy looking at times. I simply did not expect the level of visual glitz on display with Blood and Black Lace. You can definitely see the influence it left on future Italian directors.
Seriously, this movie is a masterpiece. If you're even slightly interested in Italian cinema and haven't seen it, do so.
[Movie review ends here, DVD review/rant begins]
Of course with the good comes the bad and in this case, the North American DVD released by VCI is a travesty. From my research last night, it looks like they've released at least 3-4 versions due to serious issues with all of them, and it only seems to be getting worse each time.
The version I have is copyrighted 2009 and from the Giallo set that also includes The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Watch Me When I Kill, so as far as I can tell it's the latest version and it's appalling to me that a disc could be released in this condition that late in the format's lifespan.
There's countless issues with the disc, but to save you my mad ramblings I'll just focus on the ones that actually affect enjoyment of the movie.
First, the English dub is inconstantly out of synch. I'm not talking post-dub lip flap stuff here, the sound effects are frequently off and the timing is all over the place during the movie. For example, at one point a character opens a desk drawer, pulls out a pistol and slams it onto a desk. Their hand is already back in the drawer before you hear the *CLUNK* of the gun on the desk. This delay does not exist in the Italian and French tracks. To make it even more annoying, the commentary track is done over the English dub and you can clearly hear that it's in synch there, so it is NOT a source issue. For the Italian track, the subtitles are bold, bright yellow with no outline so they're very hard to read on light backgrounds, so neither way of viewing is optimal.
Secondly, the video quality itself is abysmal. The image blurs and colours smear during motion, it's dull, lifeless and flat. Apparently VCIs older non-anamorphic image was actually superior to the current version. It's also sourced from a PAL German source, so onscreen text cutaways are still in German (without subtitle translations for the English dub) and it suffers from the usual PAL to NTSC conversion issues. What a disaster.
I simply cannot recommend spending money on this piece of garage DVD, but the movie is so good it has to be seen. It's maddening. There doesn't seem to be a better (in print) option either.
07) The Bird with the Crystal Plumage/L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo (1970) (Oct 7)
"Bring in the perverts!"
I somehow missed this one during my blitz of Argento gialli a few years ago, but now I've seen it and man, am I glad I did.
I don't want to go into any detail about the plot (and don't watch the trailer!) because I find gialli are best to go in 100% fresh, but I really enjoyed it. It's a little less serious than some of the others I've seen thanks to some over-the-top characters, but I thought having a few quirky characters really added a lot to the personality of the picture. I'm sure some people won't enjoy them though.
Overall, Giallo Week is turning out to be excellent and I hope it continues on at this level of quality. Can't wait for tomorrow!
Final Viewed List:
2013
01) The Birds (1963) (Oct 1)
02) Tombs of the Blind Dead/La noche del terror ciego (1972) (Oct 2)
03) Return of the Evil Dead/El ataque de los muertos sin ojos (1973) (1963) (Oct 3)
04) The Ghost Galleon/El buque maldito (1974) (Oct 4)
05) Night of the Seagulls/La Noche de las gaviotas (1975) (Oct 5)
06) Blood and Black Lace/Sei donne per l'assassino (1964)
07) The Bird with the Crystal Plumage/L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo (1970)
ThirstyFly
Member
Thanks for the info, Thirsty. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything in the actual movie. I'll go with the $7 used version
Yeah, you'll be fine with that. As good as Scream's releases are, if you're on a budget the old disc will do you just fine.
ThirstyFly
Member
Welcome to my hell
Edit: Hellraiser 3 does try to repair some of the damage done to them in #2, but it's a pretty terrible (though one of the funniest movies I've ever seen) so you should probably quit now before you dig yourself in too deep.
It's too late for me. Save yourself.
rogueriffers
Neo Member
That movie was a really pleasant surprise. Amazing gore in that. Genuinely scary moments.
ThatObviousUser
ὠαἴÏÏιÏÏÎ¿Ï Ïαá¿Ï εἶ
The House of the Devil was pretty great. Not A-tier but a solid B. I thought Ti West's segment in V/H/S was the best one but it wasn't enough to put him on my radar -- this movie definitely did. Semi excited for Innkeepers though I hear mixed things.
Took too long for payoff, but solid atmosphere and tension. The tension it creates is definitely the best part of the movie. I think we should rewatch it this month.
Count Dookkake
Member
.
That is how I felt. The payoff was great thought. It was definitely creepy, but at some point you start to wonder if anything is going to happen. Tom Noonan was great.
I should be thankful that I'm a rather good planner, especially when there are situations where it is revealed that I was a bad one. The original film that I scheduled for today was May, which was not the one that I actually got around to seeing. It is of no fault of that film itself, which I'm sure is fine and is, at the very least, better than the film I watched last night, but there comes a time when you forget you bought movies early on for the purposes of the marathon, and you only get around to noticing them partway into the marathon. Embarrassingly of all, this film was the one that inspired this theme week of coming-of-age horror in the first place, which makes me some kind of super asshole. Well, it's a good thing I remembered.
WEEK TWO - GROWING PAINS
October 7
If a war should ever break out between humans and monsters, it wouldn't be hard to figure out where Guillermo Del Toro's sympathies would lie. In Cronos, the vampire is nothing more than a kindly old man who simply wanted more time to spend with his granddaughter. In the Hellboy films, the heroes are monsters themselves, who complain about the daily grind, relationship problems, and generally shoot the shit just as often as they shoot at the villains. And in Pan's Labyrinth, none of the creatures that young Ofelia comes across in her quest comes even close to the stark horror that is her stepfather, and that includes a monster with its eyes in the palms of its hands that eats children. For The Devil's Backbone, Del Toro's gripping take on simpler paranormal haunts, the ghost isn't there to scare the residents away, but to warn them of a greater evil that lives among them.
Del Toro himself is often the star of his films, as his aesthetic sensibilities are unmistakable and inimitable. His ability to balance the fairy tale aspects of the stories he tells with the tragic reality of the characters that often stumble into them on accident has made him a true original in English and Spanish languages, and The Devil's Backbone is certainly no exception. An isolated orphanage in a Spanish desert during the dying days of the Spanish Civil War and on the precipice of an even larger war serves as our setting. An undetonated bomb in the middle of its courtyard that serves as a reminder that as far away as they are from danger, it can find them, and it will always be closer than they think. Guillermo Navarro's photography captures the uneasy isolation of the setting so effectively that it hardly needs a ghost to look as haunting. But not to be mistaken, Del Toro's finds one of his most unique and awe-inspiring creations in the ghost himself, whose death is carried with him wherever he may roam, and even the low-budget nature of the film does little to impact how visually striking he is whenever he appears.
Another of Del Toro's trademarks is how much time he spends developing his protagonists. Still one of the best directors of children out there, his largely teenage cast never falters in their honest, believable portrayal of lonely youths making the most of their time, playing, fighting, cursing, and joking around. Particularly strong are the two leads, Carlos (Fernando Tielve) and Jaime (Íñigo Garcés), whose growing, bumpy relationship with one another is one half of the heart of the film. The other half belongs to Federico Luppi, whose orphanage headmaster, Dr. Cavares, transition between the world of the rational and ordinary and the world of fantasy and the supernatural over the course of his character arc, imbuing a great deal of gravitas early on that evolves into true compassion. No surprise, given his wonderful performance in Cronos, but he's just as good here, and could have easily carried the film all by himself if that's what was required of him.
Unfortunately, before he finally cracked the code with Pan's Labyrinth, Del Toro always struggled with the antagonists, and Eduardo Noriega's Jacinto is no exception. While Del Toro finds an interesting idea in having his villain whose pleasant outward appearance is at direct odds with the man he is on the inside, and an idea that reached full potency with Vidal in Pan's Labyrinth, Jacinto's evolution into the primary evil of the story is too cursory and his motives too murky to appreciate him beyond the physical menace he provides. Not that Noriega does a bad job with him at all, but compared to the characters with stronger, richer writing, he simply cannot compare. Also strange is the film appropriating the ghost for a couple of scenes designed to inject some scares in a film that's not particularly in need of them, making his motives just as cloudy. A situational antagonist when the story cannot use Jacinto, perhaps, but wholly unnecessary all the same. The female characters, despite good performances from Marisa Paredes and Irene Visedo, feel a bit paltry, as well, serving little more than inspiration for dramatic change in our heroes.
It is because of those writing deficiencies that The Devil's Backbone is perhaps the weakest of Del Toro's Spanish-language films, but that's hardly damning, as even if it is the weakest of those films, it's still so very strong, so very compelling that few horror films can compare, and even fewer can manage to hit the emotional high points so well and feel so well-earned. It certainly makes me hope that Del Toro's somewhat extended stay in the world of more mainstream filmmaking can allow for him some time to work on another smaller, more personal film in his native language, for as much as I love giant robots beating up giant monsters, and I sure do love that, I know which of his films stay with me the longest after the credits roll.
October 8 preview: It's the first sequel double feature of the marathon! In Ginger Snaps, two death-obsessed teenage sisters have deal with puberty the hard way when lycanthropy is thrown into the mix and threatens to tear them apart, both figuratively and literally. And in Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed, the aftermath of the events of the first film point to a startling, terrifying conclusion, that the werewolf curse may not be done with the sisters just quite yet...
WEEK TWO - GROWING PAINS
October 7
If a war should ever break out between humans and monsters, it wouldn't be hard to figure out where Guillermo Del Toro's sympathies would lie. In Cronos, the vampire is nothing more than a kindly old man who simply wanted more time to spend with his granddaughter. In the Hellboy films, the heroes are monsters themselves, who complain about the daily grind, relationship problems, and generally shoot the shit just as often as they shoot at the villains. And in Pan's Labyrinth, none of the creatures that young Ofelia comes across in her quest comes even close to the stark horror that is her stepfather, and that includes a monster with its eyes in the palms of its hands that eats children. For The Devil's Backbone, Del Toro's gripping take on simpler paranormal haunts, the ghost isn't there to scare the residents away, but to warn them of a greater evil that lives among them.
Del Toro himself is often the star of his films, as his aesthetic sensibilities are unmistakable and inimitable. His ability to balance the fairy tale aspects of the stories he tells with the tragic reality of the characters that often stumble into them on accident has made him a true original in English and Spanish languages, and The Devil's Backbone is certainly no exception. An isolated orphanage in a Spanish desert during the dying days of the Spanish Civil War and on the precipice of an even larger war serves as our setting. An undetonated bomb in the middle of its courtyard that serves as a reminder that as far away as they are from danger, it can find them, and it will always be closer than they think. Guillermo Navarro's photography captures the uneasy isolation of the setting so effectively that it hardly needs a ghost to look as haunting. But not to be mistaken, Del Toro's finds one of his most unique and awe-inspiring creations in the ghost himself, whose death is carried with him wherever he may roam, and even the low-budget nature of the film does little to impact how visually striking he is whenever he appears.
Another of Del Toro's trademarks is how much time he spends developing his protagonists. Still one of the best directors of children out there, his largely teenage cast never falters in their honest, believable portrayal of lonely youths making the most of their time, playing, fighting, cursing, and joking around. Particularly strong are the two leads, Carlos (Fernando Tielve) and Jaime (Íñigo Garcés), whose growing, bumpy relationship with one another is one half of the heart of the film. The other half belongs to Federico Luppi, whose orphanage headmaster, Dr. Cavares, transition between the world of the rational and ordinary and the world of fantasy and the supernatural over the course of his character arc, imbuing a great deal of gravitas early on that evolves into true compassion. No surprise, given his wonderful performance in Cronos, but he's just as good here, and could have easily carried the film all by himself if that's what was required of him.
Unfortunately, before he finally cracked the code with Pan's Labyrinth, Del Toro always struggled with the antagonists, and Eduardo Noriega's Jacinto is no exception. While Del Toro finds an interesting idea in having his villain whose pleasant outward appearance is at direct odds with the man he is on the inside, and an idea that reached full potency with Vidal in Pan's Labyrinth, Jacinto's evolution into the primary evil of the story is too cursory and his motives too murky to appreciate him beyond the physical menace he provides. Not that Noriega does a bad job with him at all, but compared to the characters with stronger, richer writing, he simply cannot compare. Also strange is the film appropriating the ghost for a couple of scenes designed to inject some scares in a film that's not particularly in need of them, making his motives just as cloudy. A situational antagonist when the story cannot use Jacinto, perhaps, but wholly unnecessary all the same. The female characters, despite good performances from Marisa Paredes and Irene Visedo, feel a bit paltry, as well, serving little more than inspiration for dramatic change in our heroes.
It is because of those writing deficiencies that The Devil's Backbone is perhaps the weakest of Del Toro's Spanish-language films, but that's hardly damning, as even if it is the weakest of those films, it's still so very strong, so very compelling that few horror films can compare, and even fewer can manage to hit the emotional high points so well and feel so well-earned. It certainly makes me hope that Del Toro's somewhat extended stay in the world of more mainstream filmmaking can allow for him some time to work on another smaller, more personal film in his native language, for as much as I love giant robots beating up giant monsters, and I sure do love that, I know which of his films stay with me the longest after the credits roll.
October 8 preview: It's the first sequel double feature of the marathon! In Ginger Snaps, two death-obsessed teenage sisters have deal with puberty the hard way when lycanthropy is thrown into the mix and threatens to tear them apart, both figuratively and literally. And in Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed, the aftermath of the events of the first film point to a startling, terrifying conclusion, that the werewolf curse may not be done with the sisters just quite yet...
Here's the full story: I bought The Devil's Backbone in the last Criterion sale that B&N had, and buying that was the inspiration for this week's theme being the very first one I had solidified, so I already had begun planning as a result of that. I got it in, recognized that I had gotten in by taking out of the wrapping, and put it on my shelf. And then, I forgot about it completely. I don't know how it happened exactly (I suspect it was during the last big gaming binge I was on, where I often forget things like that), but it didn't even get on any of the nominee lists that I had prepared. Flash forward to last night, and on a whim, I look at my shelf and see the film all on by its lonesome self, and I immediately feel like a cunt.
You'd never think you'd be able to wring out so much crazy from something as ordinary as slugs, too. I think the filmmakers agreed, and they set out to outdo themselves as the movie progresses.
October 07: Paranormal Activity 3 (FIlm 6)
Had to miss a day yesterday because I got caught up with some other stuff. Will have to pull a double feature sometime this month to make up. Also, not going to lie, this was on mostly as background noise so I didn't give it my full attention today.
I caught both Paranormal Activity 1 and 2 on free streaming over the past couple years, and I really enjoyed both of them. They're fun little distractions. I love the haunted house genre in general, and I totally dig the way the Paranormal Activity films still feel real and not over produced. Now that it's a major franchise, it'd be easy for them to go big budget and throw out all sorts of goofy effects, but they don't. The stuff they use really works and they create a nice sense of tension simply by not showing you that much.
As for PA3 itself, I don't think I quite enjoyed it as much as 2. The little girls are great in it. They're reactions alone add a lot to the tension of the film, but it didn't quite feel as well realized as 2 did. I feel like 2 had a much higher creep and tension factor and just overall kept me on edge far more. 3 has significantly more downtime, which in this case doesn't really work in the films favor. It has some amazingly creepy moments, but I don't think it builds as well as 2 did. Still had fun with it, but just a lesser quality film. Haven't seen 4 yet, but with 3 I definitely am starting to feel the PA series has sort of started spinning its wheels.
So yeah, insubstantial but still fun. Some great ideas, but feels really rote in some areas at this point. Not sure if I'm interested in seeing this franchise anymore unless they inject some ideas as game changing as the multiple camera stuff in 2.
6/10
Had to miss a day yesterday because I got caught up with some other stuff. Will have to pull a double feature sometime this month to make up. Also, not going to lie, this was on mostly as background noise so I didn't give it my full attention today.
I caught both Paranormal Activity 1 and 2 on free streaming over the past couple years, and I really enjoyed both of them. They're fun little distractions. I love the haunted house genre in general, and I totally dig the way the Paranormal Activity films still feel real and not over produced. Now that it's a major franchise, it'd be easy for them to go big budget and throw out all sorts of goofy effects, but they don't. The stuff they use really works and they create a nice sense of tension simply by not showing you that much.
As for PA3 itself, I don't think I quite enjoyed it as much as 2. The little girls are great in it. They're reactions alone add a lot to the tension of the film, but it didn't quite feel as well realized as 2 did. I feel like 2 had a much higher creep and tension factor and just overall kept me on edge far more. 3 has significantly more downtime, which in this case doesn't really work in the films favor. It has some amazingly creepy moments, but I don't think it builds as well as 2 did. Still had fun with it, but just a lesser quality film. Haven't seen 4 yet, but with 3 I definitely am starting to feel the PA series has sort of started spinning its wheels.
So yeah, insubstantial but still fun. Some great ideas, but feels really rote in some areas at this point. Not sure if I'm interested in seeing this franchise anymore unless they inject some ideas as game changing as the multiple camera stuff in 2.
6/10
ThirstyFly
Member
Does anyone have the Slugs Midnight Madness Series DVD from Image? Any good?
I've wanted the movie for a while and I've been kicking myself for years for not getting that Fright Pack set Anchor Bay put out with it. I have two other sets in that series but I stupidly skipped that one.
Pieces is SO GOOD. One of the reasons I'm trying to get Slugs. It's hilarious.
I've wanted the movie for a while and I've been kicking myself for years for not getting that Fright Pack set Anchor Bay put out with it. I have two other sets in that series but I stupidly skipped that one.
Pieces is SO GOOD. One of the reasons I'm trying to get Slugs. It's hilarious.
I must now track down Pieces.
ThirstyFly
Member
I posted a brief little recommendation/review for Pieces in last year's thread here.
The movie is absurd and well worth tracking down if you're looking for something so-bad-it's-good.
The Grindhouse Releasing DVD is also quite a good release.
The movie is absurd and well worth tracking down if you're looking for something so-bad-it's-good.
The Grindhouse Releasing DVD is also quite a good release.
Been watching a horror movie every day since October 1st...but I still haven't gotten around to posting my reviews. I'm about to watch Wolf Creek tonight, I may try to start posting my reviews after I finish it. If I don't get around to it tonight, I'll do it tomorrow, I promise haha.
To be honest, I typically watch a horror movie almost every day so this thread isn't that much of a change for me. Still a really neat thread.
To be honest, I typically watch a horror movie almost every day so this thread isn't that much of a change for me. Still a really neat thread.
mariachi507
Member
I watched this last night and I swear our write-ups are ending up basically identical.
Karsticles
Member
Does anyone have a top 10 list for Netflix subscribers?
ThirstyFly
Member
Did you have an angry flipout over the shit DVD too?
Top 10 horror movies available on Netflix Instant?
No, but I could give some recommendations. I've seen more Netflix horror movies than I can count. For the most part, the selection isn't great, but some do stand out.
#8 | John Carpenter's The Thing | owned DVD
Not much to say here that hasn't been said. Still my favorite horror film ever, and the movie that made me fall in love with creature features when I was a kid. It's one of few films I consider pretty much perfect. Performances, script, score, direction, the works. Tremendously detailed production and script.
Two comments. One, it's nice that there's symmetric information about the creature throughout. By that I mean when they find it absorbing the dogs, everyone is there. When it's grabbing Bennings, everyone is there. There's tremendous paranoia as the film progresses about who the creature is and who got taken when (something you can stitch together), but we don't get idiots withholding information from the crew. After the idiotic character leading Sinister, a recent watch, it's refreshing to have characters who actually talk to each other.
And
Not much to say here that hasn't been said. Still my favorite horror film ever, and the movie that made me fall in love with creature features when I was a kid. It's one of few films I consider pretty much perfect. Performances, script, score, direction, the works. Tremendously detailed production and script.
Two comments. One, it's nice that there's symmetric information about the creature throughout. By that I mean when they find it absorbing the dogs, everyone is there. When it's grabbing Bennings, everyone is there. There's tremendous paranoia as the film progresses about who the creature is and who got taken when (something you can stitch together), but we don't get idiots withholding information from the crew. After the idiotic character leading Sinister, a recent watch, it's refreshing to have characters who actually talk to each other.
And
Childs is totally the thing at the end. The chess metaphor comes full circle when MacReady hands him the drink.
- [REC]
- Re-Animator
- Sinister
- Tales from the Hood
- Cabin in the Woods*
- Attack of the Crab Monsters
- The Call of Cthulhu
- The Thing
kaiju
Member
Day 6: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
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This was the one Halloween movie I always avoided because Michael Myers wasn't in it. Only thing I remember was watching the Silver Shamrock TV commercial when I was a kid. Turns out I was in for a treat.
First off -- although it's not as good as the original Halloween score, the dark ambient synth soundtrack for III is beyond excellent. Mind blowing even. It set the mood perfectly and instantly became one of my favorite soundtracks.
Had a great time watching this movie even though the plot was pretty cheesy. A rich Irishman factory owner morbidly aspires to unleash his version of Samhain by activating a chip in the masks he is selling for Halloween, which will kill the wearers in a swarm of snakes and insects. A local doctor catches on and tries to foil the plan, but must contend with a bunch of strange men in suits.
This movie is just so weird. Nice plot twist at the end too. This is the movie Beyond The Black Rainbow tried so hard to be. It didn't come close, but it was nice to accidentally stumble onto the inspiration for that flick.
Now to hunt down this baby:
This was the one Halloween movie I always avoided because Michael Myers wasn't in it. Only thing I remember was watching the Silver Shamrock TV commercial when I was a kid. Turns out I was in for a treat.
First off -- although it's not as good as the original Halloween score, the dark ambient synth soundtrack for III is beyond excellent. Mind blowing even. It set the mood perfectly and instantly became one of my favorite soundtracks.
Had a great time watching this movie even though the plot was pretty cheesy. A rich Irishman factory owner morbidly aspires to unleash his version of Samhain by activating a chip in the masks he is selling for Halloween, which will kill the wearers in a swarm of snakes and insects. A local doctor catches on and tries to foil the plan, but must contend with a bunch of strange men in suits.
This movie is just so weird. Nice plot twist at the end too. This is the movie Beyond The Black Rainbow tried so hard to be. It didn't come close, but it was nice to accidentally stumble onto the inspiration for that flick.
Now to hunt down this baby:
Count of Monte Sawed-Off
un33dab@dpu$$y
Day 7: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
This was the one Halloween movie I always avoided because Michael Myers wasn't in it. Only thing I remember was watching the Silver Shamrock TV commercial when I was a kid. Turns out I was in for a treat.
First off -- although it's not as good as the original Halloween score, the dark ambient synth soundtrack for III is beyond excellent. Mind blowing even. It set the mood perfectly and instantly became one of my favorite soundtracks.
Had a great time watching this movie even though the plot was pretty cheesy. A rich Irishman factory owner morbidly aspires to unleash his version of Samhain by activating a chip in the masks he is selling for Halloween, which will kill the wearers in a swarm of snakes and insects. A local doctor catches on and tries to foil the plan, but must contend with a bunch of strange men in suits.
This movie is just so weird. Nice plot twist at the end too. This is the movie Beyond The Black Rainbow tried so hard to be. It didn't come close, but it was nice to accidentally stumble onto the inspiration for that flick.
Now to hunt down this baby:
For some reason I just love the hell out of this movie. Maybe it's that fucking song.
Pieces is also definitely a keeper. I don't recognize -any- of the director's other films. Any idea if any of them are also worth watching, or if they're best left to Spain?
ThirstyFly
Member
I love reading new viewers' impressions of Halloween III. Good or bad, they're always interesting.
NEOPARADIGM
Banned
You'll need to fix that. It's awesome.
mariachi507
Member
I restarted it three times. Finally decided on English dub with english subtitles. The movie deserves better.
kaiju
Member
I kinda feel like an idiot for avoiding this movie for so long. But it was well worth the wait. Instant Cult Classic in my book, and that soundtrack is unforgettable.
mariachi507
Member
Day 5
Synopsis via wiki: The story concerns the stalking and brutal murders of various scantily-clad fashion models, committed by a masked killer in a desperate attempt to obtain a scandal-revealing diary.
Last year Mario Bava impressed me with his film Black Sunday, now he does the same thing with Blood and Black Lace. This is my first giallo and it's definitely not my last. It's sort of a pre-slasher era slasher, but's it's also a whodunit type of story. For a film released in 1964 I was shocked in the amount of gore in the death scenes. However, the gore is tastefully done and the film is by no means a gorefest. Most of the death scenes are preceded by an edge of your seat level of tension and suspense. The camera moves in such a way to put the viewer right in the middle of the action and Bava gives these scenes room to breathe as well. Also of note, is that there are colors everywhere! The film is very vibrant and looks very impressive for a movie shot on a budget of just $150,000. There are so many gif-able moments, but I don't want to ruin any suprises for anyone. The accompanied score reminds me of something straight out of a noir picture, which is very fitting to the mystery aspect of the film. Bava shot the film in english, but the original soundtrack wasn't utilized for its American release. Unfortunately, a dub track was then produced where most of the male characters were voiced by one actor. I'm not sure if it's a result of the dub track or the terrible dvd I watched it on, but sometimes the soundtrack would be out of sync and dub was abysmal in general. A film like this deserves much better.
9/10
Synopsis via wiki: The story concerns the stalking and brutal murders of various scantily-clad fashion models, committed by a masked killer in a desperate attempt to obtain a scandal-revealing diary.
Last year Mario Bava impressed me with his film Black Sunday, now he does the same thing with Blood and Black Lace. This is my first giallo and it's definitely not my last. It's sort of a pre-slasher era slasher, but's it's also a whodunit type of story. For a film released in 1964 I was shocked in the amount of gore in the death scenes. However, the gore is tastefully done and the film is by no means a gorefest. Most of the death scenes are preceded by an edge of your seat level of tension and suspense. The camera moves in such a way to put the viewer right in the middle of the action and Bava gives these scenes room to breathe as well. Also of note, is that there are colors everywhere! The film is very vibrant and looks very impressive for a movie shot on a budget of just $150,000. There are so many gif-able moments, but I don't want to ruin any suprises for anyone. The accompanied score reminds me of something straight out of a noir picture, which is very fitting to the mystery aspect of the film. Bava shot the film in english, but the original soundtrack wasn't utilized for its American release. Unfortunately, a dub track was then produced where most of the male characters were voiced by one actor. I'm not sure if it's a result of the dub track or the terrible dvd I watched it on, but sometimes the soundtrack would be out of sync and dub was abysmal in general. A film like this deserves much better.
9/10
ThirstyFly
Member
I've only seen Pieces and like you, haven't heard of the others. Considering no one mentions them they're probably safe to avoid.
He did do a really cheesy looking Superman ripoff in '79 I've been meaning to check out though. Maybe I'll track it down when I'm not doing the horror stuff.
PepsimanVsJoe
Member
7. Hellraiser 2: Hellbound
*shrug* I thought it was fun. Some of the mystique is lost, it's cheesier, and I could have done without the recap. Still, I enjoyed the movie for what it is. Hell comes off as more than just a place of eternal torment. It's a very curious place for those who want to find themselves. Of course by the end it looks like all signs are pointing to future movies going completely off the deep end into absolute ludicrousness. Oh well.
*shrug* I thought it was fun. Some of the mystique is lost, it's cheesier, and I could have done without the recap. Still, I enjoyed the movie for what it is. Hell comes off as more than just a place of eternal torment. It's a very curious place for those who want to find themselves. Of course by the end it looks like all signs are pointing to future movies going completely off the deep end into absolute ludicrousness. Oh well.
I like Hellbound because it work toward building a mythology, and it's a pretty Barker-esque mythology even though he didn't write it (and it also doesn't really draw anymore from The Hellbound Heart). It has a pretty great atmosphere, and even though it is adding to the universe presented in the first movie, it still leaves things foggy and unclear--a reason why I don't really mind the script/plotting problems.
kurisu1974
Banned
Yeah it's happening... I'm falling behind! Only watched two new movies, bringing my count to only four...
#3 Byzantium (2013)
Looked great, decent performances, but a bit slow in the second half, and those typical vampire elements and "rules" felt a bit silly and underdeveloped I think.
#4 The Conjuring (2013)
A blend of Exorcist and Poltergeist, with too few original additions to have me recommend it. Some cool scares, but I left a bit disappointed.
I am going to try and step up my game, have two weeks off with nothing much planned exept playing games and watching movies.
Next in line: Dream Home, the HK slasher from 2010!
#3 Byzantium (2013)
Looked great, decent performances, but a bit slow in the second half, and those typical vampire elements and "rules" felt a bit silly and underdeveloped I think.
#4 The Conjuring (2013)
A blend of Exorcist and Poltergeist, with too few original additions to have me recommend it. Some cool scares, but I left a bit disappointed.
I am going to try and step up my game, have two weeks off with nothing much planned exept playing games and watching movies.
Next in line: Dream Home, the HK slasher from 2010!
I want to see some Hammer movies. I've only seen one or two. The only one I remember is Dracula 72 A.D., which was pretty fucking weird. I don't really want to buy them, but there aren't many on streaming services and my library has none of them.
Any suggestions on which ones to look for?
Any suggestions on which ones to look for?
kurisu1974
Banned
I liked the Quatermass movies, they are more sci-fi / horror I think but I think they can work.
Also Curse of Frankenstein, it's the one that kickstarted their Gothic horror output.
Also Curse of Frankenstein, it's the one that kickstarted their Gothic horror output.
canoli2006
Member
This was ok. I'm getting tired of Exorcism movies. I regret missing it in theaters. Good scares and that doll is creepy.
7/10
Eklipsis
Member
****LONG POST****
Ok like I said earlier I started a couple days early on this so I have a few rewatches but I'm trying for at least 31 new to me movies. The list so far....
Rewatch
Nightmare on Elm Street 4 (own but also was on tv)
Just happened to be on tv so I watched it. I always have a special place for these movies, that being said Nightmare 1 is best.
Paranormal Activity 3 (own)
For some reason these movies scare me most of all, something about when you hear a creak in the house at night these movies always come to mind. /shutter
Bad Moon (own)
I rewatched after seeing some people talk about it in this thread...I didn't enjoy this movie that much
Body Snatchers (own)
This one is ok but I prefer Invasion more
Cabin Fever (on tv)
I like this one
New to me
World War Z (purchased)
Love any zombie movie..this one especially. A realistic look at how a zombie outbreak might occur.
Bug (on-demand-Comcast)
Was a little skeptical going in but based on reviews from this thread I tried it anyway....pleasantly surprised by this one.
V/H/S 2 (rent)
Love this series...a fresh new twist on the horror genre
The Caller (on-demand-Comcast)
Not bad but couldn't really hold my attention much.
Sleepwalkers (on-demand-Comcast)
Not a terrible movie but I don't know if I would watch it again
Drive-Thru (on-demand-Comcast)
In the beginning I almost turned it off....watched the rest and can't really say much good about this except the clown looks cool
Human Centipede 2 (rent)
Everything the first film was x10....disgusting, gross, demented. Accomplishes what it intends so in that aspect it was a great film but really gross, not sure I'd watch again.
Lords of Salem (rent)
Love Rob Zombie flicks...alot of beautiful shots in this I think this is probably the best "witch" movie I've seen but then again I cant think of any others out there.
Exit Humanity (rent)
So much potential with this but it really fell short for me.
Splinter
Really liked this....I mean it has Jill Wagner whats not to like.
avengers23
Banned
7. Black Sunday (aka The Mask of Satan) (Netflix Instant)
I was underwhelmed by Black Sabbath, the Mario Bava film I saw last year. It was a visual treat, but the anthology structure made it a weaker film overall. It's no surprise that Black Sunday, another Mario Bava film, was gorgeous, but it felt like a more confident work than Black Sabbath even though Black Sunday was Bava's first solo directorial effort.
The sequence showing Asa the witch's rebirth is moody and exotic, tinged with an eroticism as the witch needed a man's vital fluids (in this case, blood) to come back to life. It helps that Bava made Barbara Steele look otherworldy and beautiful; this film left me very curious about Steele.
I appreciated how the film starts with a gruesome bang, first with the inquisitors branding Asa, then nailing the mask of Satan to the accused witch's face. I was left wondering if Ava had been a witch at all before this moment; it's possible she embraced the partnership with Satan that she was accused of having once her death was imminent.
When it comes down to it, everything bad that happens in the film is a man's fault. Prince Vadja and the other men of his inquisition condemned a possibly innocent woman to death, prompting her to ally with the dark and ruinous powers to exact her vengeance. A man's blood lust and need to kill a bat that was likely only defending its home led to the destruction of the cross that held Asa at bay; a man's curiosity or greed led to him cutting himself on a broken glass shard, providing Asa with the blood she needed to come back to life. A man's weak will allowed Asa to dominate him psychically, even after death, so she could use him to further her plans. A man's weak willed lust gave Asa the opportunity to drain him of his blood and come back to life.
Unfortunately, the film ends pretty limply. Dr. Gorobec has the motivation to seek revenge from Asa, but even he nearly fell to Asa's power and influence. Only
the timely arrival of a priest and a rabble of torch-bearing villagers
they
****LONG POST****
Ok like I said earlier I started a couple days early on this so I have a few rewatches but I'm trying for at least 31 new to me movies. The list so far....
Rewatch
Nightmare on Elm Street 4 (own but also was on tv)
Just happened to be on tv so I watched it. I always have a special place for these movies, that being said Nightmare 1 is best.
I think all of the Nightmare movies have their own distinct charm and I can watch any of them and enjoy it. I think New Nightmare is the best "film" of the group, though. It really depends on the day which one I like the most. I love 2 and 5. I think I watched 3 too many times. I really like 4, but the scene where Rick is in the elevator ALWAYS feels like I've never seen it, even though I have many times and have the same thought every time I've seen. It's the weirdest thing.
matt360
Member
#7 - OCTOBER 7 - Shaun of the Dead
Nothing really needs to be said I think. Fantastic movie in every way. It's a yearly watch for me, and so far the only movie on my list that I've seen. 10/10
#8 - OCTOBER 8 - Drag Me to Hell
First time seeing this movie. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Very reliant on jump scares, but they were all pretty effective. Also a lot of dark comedy, which I also enjoyed. All of the actors played their parts well I thought. I know Raimi likes to torture his leads (both characters and actors), and I felt like some of the stuff went a little too far. Not in the sense that I was offended or anything like that, but more like listening to a joke that's been taking too long to get to the punchline. I will say that I respect Allison Lohman a lot more as an actress for agreeing to go along with some of Raimi's sick shit. 7/10.
Nothing really needs to be said I think. Fantastic movie in every way. It's a yearly watch for me, and so far the only movie on my list that I've seen. 10/10
#8 - OCTOBER 8 - Drag Me to Hell
First time seeing this movie. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Very reliant on jump scares, but they were all pretty effective. Also a lot of dark comedy, which I also enjoyed. All of the actors played their parts well I thought. I know Raimi likes to torture his leads (both characters and actors), and I felt like some of the stuff went a little too far. Not in the sense that I was offended or anything like that, but more like listening to a joke that's been taking too long to get to the punchline. I will say that I respect Allison Lohman a lot more as an actress for agreeing to go along with some of Raimi's sick shit. 7/10.