Yeah. I've heard enough about A Serbian Film, to know it's something I don't want in my head. I like messed up movies, but Serbian Film sounds like something completely different. When I decided I wasn't going to watch it, I checked out the Wiki for it and I felt like I needed a shower, just from that. I also especially hate controversy, for controversies sake. Which I imagine the film is, though I guess that's being prejudice.
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31 Days of Horror 3 |OT| The October Movie Marathon
- Thread starter ThirstyFly
- Start date
I don't consider A Serbian Film horror. For some reason, a lot of shock films get lumped into the horror genre.
Extremely realistic graphic violence, graphic depictions of rape or incest, simulated bestiality, etc. thrown into a movie doesn't in itself make it horror. I know most disagree with me, but IMO there is a significant difference between shock exploitation films and horror. Granted while it is a thin line, movies such as A Serbian Film, Irreversible, certain titles by Takashi Miike, etc. clearly fall into the shock exploitation category.
Like I said, this is all simply my own personal opinion.
Extremely realistic graphic violence, graphic depictions of rape or incest, simulated bestiality, etc. thrown into a movie doesn't in itself make it horror. I know most disagree with me, but IMO there is a significant difference between shock exploitation films and horror. Granted while it is a thin line, movies such as A Serbian Film, Irreversible, certain titles by Takashi Miike, etc. clearly fall into the shock exploitation category.
Like I said, this is all simply my own personal opinion.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 is probably the most unfairly hated movie of the series. People hate it because it doesn't follow the rules of the series (which hadn't really been set yet and changed from movie to movie anyway) and had a male lead that acted like a female lead. Even without the gay subtext, the movie really is more about Jesse's struggles than Freddy picking kids off. As it is, the movie LOOKS like a garish dream (something I think ANOES5 does pretty well) and Freddy is probably the meanest and creepiest of the whole series.
matt360
Member
I'm inclined to agree with you actually. I just watched it, so I'm still processing certain things about it, but I have been wondering over the past few hours if I should have even included it on my list.
Chainsawkitten
Member
I thought A Serbian Film was relatively tame, but maybe that's why I never get shocked or scared by fictional media.
And yeah, I'm being rather liberal in my interpretation of horror myself.
And yeah, I'm being rather liberal in my interpretation of horror myself.
I've been keeping up with the movie watching, but not with the posting and participating. To avoid a huge info dump, then, I'm just going to post write-ups for the movies I watched up through last weekend, and catch up tomorrow.
Day #3 Society (Dir, Brian Yuzna; 1989)
After a few artier, more meditative movies, I felt the need for some low-brow sleaze, and Brian Yuzna always comes through in that department. I was 11 or 12 when this came out on video, so it would have been near the tail-end of my obsession with perusing video cassette cases of movies I wouldnt be allowed to watch, but it was one that certainly stuck out: white lettering on a solid black background with just a picture of the butthead above in the center. As I grew older, I heard more and more about the movies famously slimy climax, but as an adult assumed that it, like many of the other video cassette horrors I finally watched, would fail to live up to my imagination.
Having finally watched Society, I am pleased to report that the climax is just as bizarre and disgusting as I had hoped. It is body horror at its best, perhaps slightly outmatched by James Gunns version in Slither, but still very effective for its time.
That said, it really is the only redeeming the feature of the movie, which follows a pretty rote conspiracy plot. It focuses on Bill Whitney (Billy Warlock), a handsome and rich member of an upper-class Beverly Hills family who worries about fitting in. As his parents and therapist urge him to grow up and join society, he and his equally nerdy friends learn the disgusting truth about the wealthy people who surround them. As the cover suggests, the movie heavily foreshadows the Society reveal, which means that each scene is just set-up for the climax with no real purpose in and of itself. No real set-pieces or character development or (successful) jokes just steps toward the battle between Bill and Society.
Even worse, the movies satire is fairly weak and obvious: the rich are inhuman. And what effect it would have had is further muted by the fact that Bill, our outsider, is himself a handsome, popular, rich white male. This isnt Street Trash or They Live, or even C.H.U.D. Its about filthy rich people preying on other, slightly less popular, rich people.
But Society isnt really about the satire or the plot or anything else. Its about that climax, and the climax is something to behold.
GRADE: C+
Day #4 The Bride of Frankenstein (Dir, James Whale; 1935)
I did not originally plan on watching Bride, but it recently occurred to me that I had never actually seen the entire movie, just bits and pieces here and there. Utterly embarrassed, I decided to add it to the list immediately.
During the first 1/3 of the runtime, I worried that I had been misled. Like its predecessor, Bride is undeniably beautiful to look at, and Karloffs monster is even more brutal here while Ernest Thesigers Doctor Pretorius brings a delicious evil to supplement Colin Clives more (initially) restrained performance as Doctor Frankenstein. But the opening vignette, in which Lord Byron raves to Mary Shelly Wollstonecraft about her novel while Percy quietly looks on, is kind of silly (particularly because many of the things Byron loves so much about Frankenstein were in the movie, not in the book).
Even worse is Una OConnors performance as Minnie the Maid. I completely understand that she is there to be a bit of necessary comic relief to defuse the tension for the original audience, who from what I understand found the movie too unbearable. As a fan of Stuart Gordon and Sam Raimi, I also understand how the funny bone is directly tied to tingling spine, that tastes and performance norms change over time. But man, does it suck to see the Monster brutally kill an innocent old woman and then have Minnie shriek and mug all over the screen.
That said, the second half of the movie is amazing. The scene between the Monster and the blind man is fantastic (once I stopped giggling about the Young Frankenstein version), and Karloffs line readings give the creature a great deal of pathos. And while Ive certainly scene the Brides scream countless times, I did not expect to be so unsettled by Elsa Lanchesters twitchy movements. How many times have we seen modern directors try to give the same mannerisms to their creepy ghost girls to a much lesser effect?
In short: its great, and I was stupid to have waited so long to watch it.
GRADE: A
Day #5 In the Mouth of Madness (Dir, John Carpenter; 1994)
Like most people, I consider In the Mouth of Madness to be a mid-tier Carpenter flick better than Ghosts of Mars or (shudder) The Ward, but not up there with The Thing and Halloween but I have much more fondness for it and Prince of Darkness than that description suggests. The story is about an insurance investigator (Sam Neill) hired to track down Stephen King homage Sutter Cane (Jürgen Prochnow), who has disappeared at the same time his readers are caught in an apocalyptic furor. Metatextual wackiness ensues.
The first time I watched Mouth, I was in the perfect headspace and everything landed. I was thoroughly creeped out by the time Sam Neils character John Trent enters the movie theatre, and could not go to sleep for hours afterward. This time, my third viewing, the goofier elements stand out more, especially the hammy performances by Neill, Prochnow, and John Glover; when Charlton Heston, wasted in a bit part as the publisher who hires Neill, is the most unassuming person on screen, you know youre in prime scenery-chewing territory.
That said, Mouth, much like Prince of Darkness, is crazy enough to work, and the scares are still pretty effective. As long as you dont go in expecting the perfection of The Thing, its still great Carpenter and much better than your average horror flick.
GRADE: B+
Day #6 The Hole (Dir, Joe Dante; 2009)
I really dont know what to make of this one. Im not the biggest Joe Dante fan in the world I love his manic energy, but character isnt his strong suit and so his movies stumble in between set-pieces. That said, I did expect more from The Hole. It seems like prime Dante territory: a bunch of suburban kids discover a gateway to Hell in their basement, summoning a monster that manifests as their deepest fears. And while PG-13 horror generally sucks, Dante usually brings a child-like love of scary stuff that works well for that rating level.
But The Hole is just so dull. The characters sullen teenager, hot girl next door, snotty little brother are all one-note, which would be fine in Dantes usual cartoon world, but the cartoons arent that great. Theres a kind of scary ghost girl, a kind of scary clown, and a kind of scary big guy, and thats it. Outside of a nifty-looking set at the climax, theres nothing worth noting. Even Dante staple Dick Miller only shows up for a moment, and gets no lines.
That said, I do think its probably good for a 10-12 year old (though, I admit, I did not watch it with my 12 year old I will soon). It works on the level of a Goosebumps episode, in terms of scares, plot, and character development. I was just the wrong audience.
GRADE: C
Day #3 Society (Dir, Brian Yuzna; 1989)
After a few artier, more meditative movies, I felt the need for some low-brow sleaze, and Brian Yuzna always comes through in that department. I was 11 or 12 when this came out on video, so it would have been near the tail-end of my obsession with perusing video cassette cases of movies I wouldnt be allowed to watch, but it was one that certainly stuck out: white lettering on a solid black background with just a picture of the butthead above in the center. As I grew older, I heard more and more about the movies famously slimy climax, but as an adult assumed that it, like many of the other video cassette horrors I finally watched, would fail to live up to my imagination.
Having finally watched Society, I am pleased to report that the climax is just as bizarre and disgusting as I had hoped. It is body horror at its best, perhaps slightly outmatched by James Gunns version in Slither, but still very effective for its time.
That said, it really is the only redeeming the feature of the movie, which follows a pretty rote conspiracy plot. It focuses on Bill Whitney (Billy Warlock), a handsome and rich member of an upper-class Beverly Hills family who worries about fitting in. As his parents and therapist urge him to grow up and join society, he and his equally nerdy friends learn the disgusting truth about the wealthy people who surround them. As the cover suggests, the movie heavily foreshadows the Society reveal, which means that each scene is just set-up for the climax with no real purpose in and of itself. No real set-pieces or character development or (successful) jokes just steps toward the battle between Bill and Society.
Even worse, the movies satire is fairly weak and obvious: the rich are inhuman. And what effect it would have had is further muted by the fact that Bill, our outsider, is himself a handsome, popular, rich white male. This isnt Street Trash or They Live, or even C.H.U.D. Its about filthy rich people preying on other, slightly less popular, rich people.
But Society isnt really about the satire or the plot or anything else. Its about that climax, and the climax is something to behold.
GRADE: C+
Day #4 The Bride of Frankenstein (Dir, James Whale; 1935)
I did not originally plan on watching Bride, but it recently occurred to me that I had never actually seen the entire movie, just bits and pieces here and there. Utterly embarrassed, I decided to add it to the list immediately.
During the first 1/3 of the runtime, I worried that I had been misled. Like its predecessor, Bride is undeniably beautiful to look at, and Karloffs monster is even more brutal here while Ernest Thesigers Doctor Pretorius brings a delicious evil to supplement Colin Clives more (initially) restrained performance as Doctor Frankenstein. But the opening vignette, in which Lord Byron raves to Mary Shelly Wollstonecraft about her novel while Percy quietly looks on, is kind of silly (particularly because many of the things Byron loves so much about Frankenstein were in the movie, not in the book).
Even worse is Una OConnors performance as Minnie the Maid. I completely understand that she is there to be a bit of necessary comic relief to defuse the tension for the original audience, who from what I understand found the movie too unbearable. As a fan of Stuart Gordon and Sam Raimi, I also understand how the funny bone is directly tied to tingling spine, that tastes and performance norms change over time. But man, does it suck to see the Monster brutally kill an innocent old woman and then have Minnie shriek and mug all over the screen.
That said, the second half of the movie is amazing. The scene between the Monster and the blind man is fantastic (once I stopped giggling about the Young Frankenstein version), and Karloffs line readings give the creature a great deal of pathos. And while Ive certainly scene the Brides scream countless times, I did not expect to be so unsettled by Elsa Lanchesters twitchy movements. How many times have we seen modern directors try to give the same mannerisms to their creepy ghost girls to a much lesser effect?
In short: its great, and I was stupid to have waited so long to watch it.
GRADE: A
Day #5 In the Mouth of Madness (Dir, John Carpenter; 1994)
Like most people, I consider In the Mouth of Madness to be a mid-tier Carpenter flick better than Ghosts of Mars or (shudder) The Ward, but not up there with The Thing and Halloween but I have much more fondness for it and Prince of Darkness than that description suggests. The story is about an insurance investigator (Sam Neill) hired to track down Stephen King homage Sutter Cane (Jürgen Prochnow), who has disappeared at the same time his readers are caught in an apocalyptic furor. Metatextual wackiness ensues.
The first time I watched Mouth, I was in the perfect headspace and everything landed. I was thoroughly creeped out by the time Sam Neils character John Trent enters the movie theatre, and could not go to sleep for hours afterward. This time, my third viewing, the goofier elements stand out more, especially the hammy performances by Neill, Prochnow, and John Glover; when Charlton Heston, wasted in a bit part as the publisher who hires Neill, is the most unassuming person on screen, you know youre in prime scenery-chewing territory.
That said, Mouth, much like Prince of Darkness, is crazy enough to work, and the scares are still pretty effective. As long as you dont go in expecting the perfection of The Thing, its still great Carpenter and much better than your average horror flick.
GRADE: B+
Day #6 The Hole (Dir, Joe Dante; 2009)
I really dont know what to make of this one. Im not the biggest Joe Dante fan in the world I love his manic energy, but character isnt his strong suit and so his movies stumble in between set-pieces. That said, I did expect more from The Hole. It seems like prime Dante territory: a bunch of suburban kids discover a gateway to Hell in their basement, summoning a monster that manifests as their deepest fears. And while PG-13 horror generally sucks, Dante usually brings a child-like love of scary stuff that works well for that rating level.
But The Hole is just so dull. The characters sullen teenager, hot girl next door, snotty little brother are all one-note, which would be fine in Dantes usual cartoon world, but the cartoons arent that great. Theres a kind of scary ghost girl, a kind of scary clown, and a kind of scary big guy, and thats it. Outside of a nifty-looking set at the climax, theres nothing worth noting. Even Dante staple Dick Miller only shows up for a moment, and gets no lines.
That said, I do think its probably good for a 10-12 year old (though, I admit, I did not watch it with my 12 year old I will soon). It works on the level of a Goosebumps episode, in terms of scares, plot, and character development. I was just the wrong audience.
GRADE: C
Oct 8: The Call of Cthulhu - Neat premise of a new silent movie, they did a great job with the look. Of course, not scary, just a neat exercise. 5/10
Oct 9: Dead End - Oh boy, too long at 83 minutes. Ray Wise was fun, but everything else was just flat and cliched. I mean, some of the cliche on purpose, but they just didn't pull it off. 2/10
Oct 9: Dead End - Oh boy, too long at 83 minutes. Ray Wise was fun, but everything else was just flat and cliched. I mean, some of the cliche on purpose, but they just didn't pull it off. 2/10
canoli2006
Member
What else can I say about this movie that hasn't already been said? Loved it.
10/10
kaiju
Member
Day 8: Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
It was cool to see most of the original cast back, and it was pretty funny to see what we considered high tech in 1990. The whole movie revolves around the Clamp Center, the most advanced "smart" building in America. Everything about the place is cliche as f**k. Once the Gremlins came along, I was basically rooting for them to destroy the whole building, and they didn't let me down. And that ending was hilarious.
Funny cameo: Tuco, the crazy gangsta from Breaking Bad ("Tight, Tight, Tight!") plays a messenger in the movie.
It was cool to see most of the original cast back, and it was pretty funny to see what we considered high tech in 1990. The whole movie revolves around the Clamp Center, the most advanced "smart" building in America. Everything about the place is cliche as f**k. Once the Gremlins came along, I was basically rooting for them to destroy the whole building, and they didn't let me down. And that ending was hilarious.
Funny cameo: Tuco, the crazy gangsta from Breaking Bad ("Tight, Tight, Tight!") plays a messenger in the movie.
Watched the Conjuring yesterday , this needs to be added to the list.
So Good.
Also , id add v/h/s1 and 2 in there. (I prefer 2 personally - the 3rd story is the best of any of the stories imo , the 2nd i liked , first was meh , last was also pretty meh ... worth a watch for third one alone its really good)
I gotta start on this ,ive seen almost all the ones mentioned though.
Edit ; Maniac with Elijah Wood was actually really good i loved it (2012)
So Good.
Also , id add v/h/s1 and 2 in there. (I prefer 2 personally - the 3rd story is the best of any of the stories imo , the 2nd i liked , first was meh , last was also pretty meh ... worth a watch for third one alone its really good)
I gotta start on this ,ive seen almost all the ones mentioned though.
Edit ; Maniac with Elijah Wood was actually really good i loved it (2012)
Count Dookkake
Member
.
Chainsawkitten
Member
Expected good things after The Thing but it's utterly terrible. Only good thing about it are the The Thing clips. 1/3
BattleMonkey
Member
Expected good things after The Thing but it's utterly terrible. Only good thing about it are the The Thing clips. 1/3
davidcaruso.gif
Nappuccino
Member
So, I'm trying to find a horror movie that got ingrained in my psyche as a child, but I only have one scene to go off of. Maybe you guys could help? I thought it was a Chucky movie, but going over the list of kills seems to suggest it wasn't?
In it, there was a woman standing in the middle of a room (i think down stairs from a man). Some kinda doll (troll?) was taunting the man about how he couldn't save her (or something) and then drops a fan on her from the ceiling. Blood flies everywhere coating the guy's face.
It would have been on tv/VHS by 92-93.
Any idea what this might have been?
In it, there was a woman standing in the middle of a room (i think down stairs from a man). Some kinda doll (troll?) was taunting the man about how he couldn't save her (or something) and then drops a fan on her from the ceiling. Blood flies everywhere coating the guy's face.
It would have been on tv/VHS by 92-93.
Any idea what this might have been?
I really like Society. I just discovered it this year and I think I've already watched it twice.
re: A Serbian Film. I don't see why people offer this up as something offensive or as torture porn or whatever. I thought it was interesting until the final 3rd or so when the pacing goes to shit, like they couldn't film the rest of the movie but instead just inserted a few lame shock flashbacks.
re: A Serbian Film. I don't see why people offer this up as something offensive or as torture porn or whatever. I thought it was interesting until the final 3rd or so when the pacing goes to shit, like they couldn't film the rest of the movie but instead just inserted a few lame shock flashbacks.
Count Dookkake
Member
.
I forget exactly. I think I was looking for body horror that I hadn't seen before and it was mentioned in something I read or on a list somewhere. It's mentioned in the wiki article for body horror so maybe I first heard about it there.
Ace Ventrue
Banned
Jaime totally wins this hot is the right word to use here. Sequel has a badass Bathory cartoon. I really liked Evil character in the original so his comeback was appreciated. Evil is one of the reasons I find sequel funnier than the reboot.
But of course my opinion is rather biased.
Saw this for the first time. It was actually way better than I expected. You knew that Chucky was alive but it still gave you chills the first time you see him move in this movie.
I wasn't that worried about his change in appearance
Mostly because they explain that he was wearing fake skin to cover his stitches
October 9: Hellraiser III
I was addicted to Beyond for all of Tuesday, so I didn't watch a movie on the 8th. As my punishment, I decided to finish the Hellraiser trilogy (SHUT UP, THERE ARE ONLY THREE MOVIES) as my punishment.
This movie is why alcohol exists. I was wondered two things during my viewing, "When will this end? I want to go to bed," and "Should I finally crack open my Jack Daniels?" All the mysteries and concepts Clive Barker created in Hellraiser I was destroyed in this third installment.
I could babble on about the how the core characters were horrible, how Pinhead became a cartoon villain, or the eh special effects. But I won't because this movie doesn't deserve that. This movie deserves to be in a garbage bin and set ablaze so no one can ever talk about it again.
I have one question before I close the lid on this trilogy. What the hell happened to the crazy dude who transforms into a dragon and flies off with the box?! This happened at the end of Hellraiser I, but it was never addressed in the future films!!!
Score: 1/5
I was addicted to Beyond for all of Tuesday, so I didn't watch a movie on the 8th. As my punishment, I decided to finish the Hellraiser trilogy (SHUT UP, THERE ARE ONLY THREE MOVIES) as my punishment.
This movie is why alcohol exists. I was wondered two things during my viewing, "When will this end? I want to go to bed," and "Should I finally crack open my Jack Daniels?" All the mysteries and concepts Clive Barker created in Hellraiser I was destroyed in this third installment.
I could babble on about the how the core characters were horrible, how Pinhead became a cartoon villain, or the eh special effects. But I won't because this movie doesn't deserve that. This movie deserves to be in a garbage bin and set ablaze so no one can ever talk about it again.
I have one question before I close the lid on this trilogy. What the hell happened to the crazy dude who transforms into a dragon and flies off with the box?! This happened at the end of Hellraiser I, but it was never addressed in the future films!!!
Score: 1/5
Count Dookkake
Member
.
He flew back to his home, The Land of Embarrassingly Bad Special Effects.
This is going to sound far more condescending than I intend, but I have a question: what do you like about it, besides the ending? As I said above, the shunting scene is glorious, but nothing up to that point works for me -- the plot, the characters, the satire all feel like half-hearted means to an end.
Do enjoy the entire flick, or is the climax so good that everything else doesn't matter?
Again, I pose that question with genuine curiousity.
I might have to check it out. Hopefully tomorrow night when I marathon a few movies.
Count Dookkake
Member
.
avengers23
Banned
9. Cold Sweat (Sudor Frio) (Netflix Instant)
This is a flashy and stylish film, but it felt pretty empty. The central conceit is cool; the characters are in peril because they've been covered with
an explosive liquid similar to nitroglycerin
two elderly men
old guard hating the young
Is it psychotic to wonder if the male protagonist, Roman, felt more free to take a risk and try to rescue his former girlfriend Jacqui because his friend Ali had already made her affection for him clear? Would Roman have thought Jacqui was more expendable because he already had a new love? Is that why he would opt to try to save her instead of leaving the building and getting help?
Also, how does a phone have Internet access so the protagonist can access Facebook and not have the ability to place a call? Why wouldn't the characters check for phone service in the calmer moments? Why do the antagonists have a chamber of feral girls in their cellar?
The film should be commended for trying to change the pace of horror films; instead of characters running from their pursuers, they are slowly stalked by an old but beefy guy and a old man who uses a walker. But the change in the pace of action just means that what we're watching moves slower; the film doesn't treat this change with any more significance other than treating it as a sight gag every now and then. The old and beefy man is able to beat up the much younger male protagonist without much difficulty.
In the end, I prefer how Battle Royale treated
the struggle between the generations
two old men
Day 10 Halloween 6 The Curse Of Michael Myers (Producers Cut)
its a strange sequel but the producers cut adds a lot more to it
I always liked this one for some reason. I even had a bootleg P-Cut. I have no idea why I liked it, because it is fucking terrible. Terrible in a much different way than Halloween 5, which is offensively bad and stupid, but still terrible. I can't really explain what it is, but something is so off about that movie. The acting was bad, but not notably bad even for a 5th sequel in a horror series. It's just...off. I did like the look of Michael and the mask, especially after how bad he looked in 4 and 5.
Funny story about Hellraiser's ending: the movie didn't really have an ending, so Clive and, I think, the effects supervisor shot it over the course of a weekend with whatever money was left in the budget (which was about a million, total). Clive has said he's always been impressed with how the ending turned out, since both men were completely hammered the whole time.
6. May
This was a random recommendation that I'm glad I picked up. More a slow creep then anything else, but it has some good scenes throughout that are definitely unsettling. Not amazing by any means, but fairly original and worth a watch.
7. Evil Dead (2013)
I had already seen this in theaters and liked it, but with opinions varying wildly I thought it worth checking out again. Still enjoyed it, in part because it's well shot and well made, not always typical of movies I watch this month. The characters are forgettable and the movie doesn't do anything unique to be honest, but it's still good fun when everything goes to shit. And of course the ending scene it's still metal as always.
8. When The Devil Rides Out
Christopher Lee is the man, so it's nice to see him in a horror movie that doesn't dress him up in makeup or not provide him with any lines. Some parts lost my interest admittedly, but anytime Lee was on screen I was right in it. Worth checking out.
This was a random recommendation that I'm glad I picked up. More a slow creep then anything else, but it has some good scenes throughout that are definitely unsettling. Not amazing by any means, but fairly original and worth a watch.
7. Evil Dead (2013)
I had already seen this in theaters and liked it, but with opinions varying wildly I thought it worth checking out again. Still enjoyed it, in part because it's well shot and well made, not always typical of movies I watch this month. The characters are forgettable and the movie doesn't do anything unique to be honest, but it's still good fun when everything goes to shit. And of course the ending scene it's still metal as always.
8. When The Devil Rides Out
Christopher Lee is the man, so it's nice to see him in a horror movie that doesn't dress him up in makeup or not provide him with any lines. Some parts lost my interest admittedly, but anytime Lee was on screen I was right in it. Worth checking out.
afternoon delight
Member
Truth as sourced by one of the Anchor Bay DVD in a commentary or documentary, can't remember.
Oct. 1 The Evil Dead (1983) - Great
Oct. 2 VHS 2 - Good
Oct. 3 Blair Witch Project - Boring
Oct. 4 Sleepaway Camp - Great
Oct. 5 Drag Me To Hell - Boring
Oct. 6 The Possession - Great
Oct. 7 Session 9 - Great
Oct. 8 Nightmare on Elm Street 2 - Boring
Oct. 9 [REC] - Great
[REC]: I watched this one a few years ago and remember it being decent. This is my first rewatch and I must say that I forgot how amazing this film was. It's a found footage type film but I feel like they do it right. It gradually builds up and gets more tense throughout the film. the scares aren't that cheap and it ends pretty good. I cant wait to see [REC] 2 later this month.
Oct. 2 VHS 2 - Good
Oct. 3 Blair Witch Project - Boring
Oct. 4 Sleepaway Camp - Great
Oct. 5 Drag Me To Hell - Boring
Oct. 6 The Possession - Great
Oct. 7 Session 9 - Great
Oct. 8 Nightmare on Elm Street 2 - Boring
Oct. 9 [REC] - Great
[REC]: I watched this one a few years ago and remember it being decent. This is my first rewatch and I must say that I forgot how amazing this film was. It's a found footage type film but I feel like they do it right. It gradually builds up and gets more tense throughout the film. the scares aren't that cheap and it ends pretty good. I cant wait to see [REC] 2 later this month.
Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
Some good stuff there:
Dead Silence I remember enjoying quite a bit, certainly more than Insidious which I thought was straight-up terrible.
Gemini is real good. Atypical for an early Tsukamoto movie its a very low-key, Poe-esque tale. Not watched it in years but I remember it being lovely visually.
Sleep Tight is tremendous though, and I'd recommend you watch it whole-heartedly. Very dark and twisted, great acting, and actually pretty original... I've never seen anything quite like it.
Day 9 - Halloween (2007, Rob Zombie remake)
A totally unnecessary remake, this movie disappoints. The film starts off by spending about an hour trying to explain why Michael Myers went on his murdering spree. Except it fails miserably at providing some sort of coherent justification. The best part of the film was the score, which was of course taken right out of the original. What the fuck Rob Zombie? As a fan of House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects, I'm puzzled as to why Rob Zombie has been unable to release a decent horror movie since those 2. This movie is watchable, but only because of how solid the source material was. I believe I read a review of this film once that summed it up perfectly: "Anyone can trace a Picasso."
5/10
A totally unnecessary remake, this movie disappoints. The film starts off by spending about an hour trying to explain why Michael Myers went on his murdering spree. Except it fails miserably at providing some sort of coherent justification. The best part of the film was the score, which was of course taken right out of the original. What the fuck Rob Zombie? As a fan of House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects, I'm puzzled as to why Rob Zombie has been unable to release a decent horror movie since those 2. This movie is watchable, but only because of how solid the source material was. I believe I read a review of this film once that summed it up perfectly: "Anyone can trace a Picasso."
5/10
Day 9 - Halloween (2007, Rob Zombie remake)
A totally unnecessary remake, this movie disappoints. The film starts off by spending about an hour trying to explain why Michael Myers went on his murdering spree. Except it fails miserably at providing some sort of coherent justification. The best part of the film was the score, which was of course taken right out of the original. What the fuck Rob Zombie? As a fan of House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects, I'm puzzled as to why Rob Zombie has been unable to release a decent horror movie since those 2. This movie is watchable, but only because of how solid the source material was. I believe I read a review of this film once that summarized it perfectly: "Anyone can trace a Picasso."
5/10
Do you own a bunch of VHS?
Yes.
John Dunbar
correct about everything
I've only watched The Exorcist, Tourist Trap, and Creepshow.
The Exorcist is of course a classic, but I have to say that the most disturbing thing for me was the needle through the throat with the blood squirting. It's pretty much always the case for me. The fantastical stuff is just amusing, but the stuff grounded in reality is what can make me fidgety. Sort of like how the crazy dude going to town with a razor is the worst thing in Hellraiser 2.
Tourist Trap was pretty interesting. Mr. Slausen is definitely one of the most underrated (or undermentioned) crazy dudes of horror. I feel the movie could have taken things a bit further, though.
Creepshow was a mixed bag. The second and the fifth story were pretty poor. The first and third were alright, though pretty basic revenge stories with potential to be something more. A new side to Leslie Nielsen. The Crate was the highlight.
The Exorcist is of course a classic, but I have to say that the most disturbing thing for me was the needle through the throat with the blood squirting. It's pretty much always the case for me. The fantastical stuff is just amusing, but the stuff grounded in reality is what can make me fidgety. Sort of like how the crazy dude going to town with a razor is the worst thing in Hellraiser 2.
Tourist Trap was pretty interesting. Mr. Slausen is definitely one of the most underrated (or undermentioned) crazy dudes of horror. I feel the movie could have taken things a bit further, though.
Creepshow was a mixed bag. The second and the fifth story were pretty poor. The first and third were alright, though pretty basic revenge stories with potential to be something more. A new side to Leslie Nielsen. The Crate was the highlight.
I've avoided watching this for the longest time but I might break and watch it during the last week. Sounds like a shitty movie though.Day 9 - Halloween (2007, Rob Zombie remake)
A totally unnecessary remake, this movie disappoints. The film starts off by spending about an hour trying to explain why Michael Myers went on his murdering spree. Except it fails miserably at providing some sort of coherent justification. The best part of the film was the score, which was of course taken right out of the original. What the fuck Rob Zombie? As a fan of House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects, I'm puzzled as to why Rob Zombie has been unable to release a decent horror movie since those 2. This movie is watchable, but only because of how solid the source material was. I believe I read a review of this film once that summed it up perfectly: "Anyone can trace a Picasso."
5/10
NO! I quite disliked Hellraiser II, and I hated Hellraiser III. I cannot handle any more of this franchise. I'll become an alcoholic if I watch any more Hellraiser!
Good. He doesn't belong in our world.
That's the ideal way to create an ending for a horror film.
BattleMonkey
Member
It really isn't, but its touching sacred ground.
That's why I'm afraid and have been avoiding it. I'm a huge fan of the first two movies and I'm afraid of being let down. Everyone I've talked to who's seen it told me not to bother =/
BattleMonkey
Member
Loved the original, one of my top 5 movies of all time, I was fine with the remake. Frankly it wasn't as offensive as the later sequels.
That's good to hear. Maybe I'll dive in soon enough. I planned on watching the first two Halloween on the 30th and 31st so I can probably watch Rob Zombie's Halloween on the 29th and compare the films. Gonna go in with low expectations and hopefully come out surprised.
What really bothered me it was a good idea executed poorly.
If you were to remake Halloween, I think a smart direction to take would be to try to explain why Michael Myers did what he did. The original spends about 5 minutes giving us Michael's background, so you have a lot you can creatively work with. I was actually looking forward to seeing what Rob Zombie tries to do. Unfortunately, I found it very disappointing. Michael becomes a killer because his mom is a stripper and kids were mean to him at school? Yeah okay.
If this film was viewed on its own without ever knowing the original existed, I probably would have given it a higher score. Maybe a 6/10 or 7/10. And I know people say you shouldn't compare it to the original. But when you remake a movie that pretty much helped define a genre (slasher flicks), give it the same name, and give it the same plot, yeah I'm gonna compare the two. Yes it wasn't the first slasher ever, but it's huge box office success was responsible for the widespread popularity the genre now has. Hell, who knows if we'd even have Friday the 13th and A Nightmare of Elm Street if Halloween was never created.
Gameboy415
Member
10/01 - 1. The Relic (Blu-Ray)
10/02 - 2. Ghoulies (Netflix)
10/03 - 3. Nightmares (1983) (YouTube)
10/04 - 4. The Amityville Horror (2005) (DVD)
10/05 - 5. Battledogs (Netflix)
10/06 - 6. Scream 4 (Netflix)
10/07 - 7. Satan's Little Helper (Netflix)
10/08 - 8. Tales From the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight (Netflix)
10/09 - 9. Perfect Blue (DVD)
-One of my all-time favorite anime films that I hadn't seen in ages - it's thankfully still just as good as I remember!
Nothing specific comes to mind but maybe it was one of the Puppet Master movies?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppet_Master_(film_series)
10/02 - 2. Ghoulies (Netflix)
10/03 - 3. Nightmares (1983) (YouTube)
10/04 - 4. The Amityville Horror (2005) (DVD)
10/05 - 5. Battledogs (Netflix)
10/06 - 6. Scream 4 (Netflix)
10/07 - 7. Satan's Little Helper (Netflix)
10/08 - 8. Tales From the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight (Netflix)
10/09 - 9. Perfect Blue (DVD)
-One of my all-time favorite anime films that I hadn't seen in ages - it's thankfully still just as good as I remember!
Nothing specific comes to mind but maybe it was one of the Puppet Master movies?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppet_Master_(film_series)