|
3/31  Terrifier was found on Netflix and I picked it mostly on the strength of its poster. It's based on a short film from the All Hallow's Eve anthology film, stretched out to 82 minutes. What seems at first like a cheap killer clown movie is a gorgeous throwback to 1980s slashers set in modern day, with a dark and surprisingly heavy synth soundtrack and utterly beautiful color choices. David Howard Thornton gives a performance as Art the Clown that would be legendary among horror aficionados had it occurred a few decades earlier. There's an apparently intentional graininess to the footage to replicate the film grain of old stock. Technically, the biggest fault is that the audio sometimes appears to have been recorded improperly and has a tinny tone. The film is predominately distinguished by its audaciousness, from the extreme gore (with absolutely wonderful effects) to the killer smearing feces around a diner restroom to one of the victims drunkenly taking selfies with the killer and bragging about how many likes the photos have gotten. The film is very much in the splatter genre of horror, with virtually all other forms of terror replaced by some of the most realistic and extreme gore of the last few years thanks to Damien Leone. Where the film is let down is a total lack of depth. The plot is a generic "Creepy clown kidnaps, tortures, and kills people in a crumbling urban environment". There's not a whole lot to sustain it beyond looking to see what new effects Leone will create for each victim. That aside, the film is a definite recommendation for anyone who doesn't care about plot or even real scares and cares more about seeing what effects and aesthetics can be created on a low budget.
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2018 21:44
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 23, 2024 12:26 |
|
|
chitoryu12 posted:utterly beautiful color choices. Not enough people mention this. It's a NICE looking film. Also anyone who liked Terrifier should also like the director's short film on which it's based: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlEZXlFVgfM Spatulater bro! fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Sep 16, 2018 |
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2018 21:50
|
|
|
 1. The Untold Story (1993, dir. Herman Yau) Thought I'd start with something gross and gory, so here we are. Loosely based on the true story of the massacre of a family in their restaurant, Anthony Wong (who won best actor at the HKFA) plays a completely terrible, disgusting man who cheats, rapes, murders, and butchers his victims to serve them up as 'pork buns'. Herman Yau is known for gore and he definitely delivers with the ending, it really gets into some nasty poo poo. The film's treatment of women is very bad, but there's something here for anyone into hosed up extreme violence and gore. It's basically an earlier version of Ebola Syndrome that is just a little less gross. 3/5  2. The Sleep Curse (2017, dir. Herman Yau) *rewatch Part two of my Anthony Wong murders people with a cleaver double feature. I had wanted to revisit this one for a while because it seems to have a bit more to grasp onto thematically and politically than Herman Yau's earlier extreme works, and his visual skill has grown quite a lot over the last 25 years. The film is split between present day, where Wong plays a doctor attempting to cure people's need for sleep, and Japanese occupied Hong Kong during the war with Wong playing the father of his doctor character. He ends up unwillingly working with the occupying force and despite trying to minimize harm and help in small ways while protecting his family, the movie makes clear that is not good enough. As a no good traitor and collaborator his family is cursed then there's a bunch of wild and bloody poo poo that happens. Other than a bit of cg blood during the climactic sequence at the end this movie also really delivers with the gore. The stand out bits being Wong peeling the face off a corpse and stealing the brain early on and then near the end where he castrates a man with a cleaver, stuffs the genitals in the man's mouth, then decapitates and carries his head out with the cock and balls still in the mouth. This is definitely one I'd recommend to anyone looking for good contemporary Hong Kong horror. 4/5  3. The Faculty (1998, dir. Robert Rodriguez) My wife's review: "While that was loving awful". Invasion of the 90s high school body snatchers. It's got one hell of a cast, but I hate every single character in this movie. Elijah Wood at least does alright with what he's given. It opens with a drat Offspring song. I should hate it, but I must have been in a nicer mood than normal because it was kind of fun in a lovely late 90s horror time capsule sort of way. 3/5 Total: 3. The Untold Story (3/5), The Sleep Curse (4/5), The Faculty (3/5)
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2018 22:04
|
|
|
I was once working on a indy horror film where the director took us aside one day and made us watch The Faculty to know what he didn't want his film to be. I actually think its kind of an inoffensive B monster movie/body snatcher knock off even if its one of the most 90s movies ever. I mean, just that cast. Off the top of my head Elijah Wood, Josh Hartnett, Usher, Jordana Brewster, Clea Duvall, Jon Stewart, Robert Patrick, Usher, Salma Hayek. If I rewatched it I'd half expect to find Liv Tyler dancing to an Aerosmith song.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2018 22:14
|
|
|
STAC Goat posted:I was once working on a indy horror film where the director took us aside one day and made us watch The Faculty to know what he didn't want his film to be. It's so 90s that Usher's in it twice.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2018 22:15
|
|
|
I'm in! My goal this year is to watch all 13 Puppet Master movies, sprinkled into 18 other horror movies. I got a head start watching 1/2/3 about a week ago, but I still have a ton to go. I won't count those toward my total since it was before the thread went live.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2018 22:51
|
|
|
Amazon Prime's streaming content for the horror genre is 99% schlock. Which I guess is proportionate to the genre as a whole, but nevertheless... We're talking Suburban Sasquatch bad here folks.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2018 22:57
|
|
|
Amazon Prime has some weird poo poo. Like they have cheap, home made horrors on there that look like they were made on a budget I could cover. Its kind of fun sometimes but its also totally random.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2018 23:30
|
|
|
I wasn't thinking and packed all my movies away as we're moving November 1st. Had to hit up the storage locker today and managed to grab these 
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 00:08
|
|
|
Hollismason posted:6) Rampage 2018  5. Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965) Dubbed version. This is a Godzilla flick that is just dripping with retro future design. I really loved all of the technology, vehicle and set designs. It just fit in so well with the giant monsters and jumpsuit wearing aliens running around. The suit work doesn't usually jump out at me but I really liked the way Godzilla was portrayed in this film. It definitely feels like a progression from Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster. Godzilla has a very whimsical feel (he even does a dance after fighting Ghidorah) that I really enjoyed. The plot is pretty out there and I can understand why it might not connect with a lot of people. It features aliens from Planet X negotiating a trade of Godzilla and Rodan for a miracle drug that will cure all human illness. Sounds like a great trade right? When the humans leave Godzilla behind on Planet X and you see the pain in his face you might have second thoughts. Maybe it was the overall design of everything but I was onboard from the jump, it pulled me right in and never let go. CRAYON fucked around with this message at 00:19 on Sep 17, 2018 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 00:17
|
|
|
Retro Futurist posted:I wasn't thinking and packed all my movies away as we're moving November 1st. Had to hit up the storage locker today and managed to grab these If you're going to watch Caligari I HIGHLY recommend picking up the restored Blu-ray from Kino (or Masters of Cinema). It's a miraculous restoration.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 00:24
|
|
|
7) The Sender 1981 Okay first off yes this film does share a striking superficial similarity to the film Patrick it just differs on all fronts with execution and quality.. First off it has some amazing actors in this film and honestly its incredibly well directed. The film is about a young man who can "send" thoughts to other people in the form of hallucinations when he is upset or angry. I'm not spoiling anything but the beginning of the film is him trying to kill himself and he ends up in a mental institution. Where two doctors played by Kathrn Harrold and Paul Freeman try to treat him. Also, the young man is played by Željko Ivanek , naturally hilarity? ensues. Also, I really liked that neither of the doctors are like evil they have a different view of treatment but even then one of the Doctors very realistically suggests electroshock therapy as the young man is severely suicidally depressed and that is actually a real treatment for that. If you don't know who Željko Ivanek is he looks like this in the film (  But you probably know him because  (He's the one on the right) He's played all kinds of corrupt politicians, and uh corrupt cops, and uh corrupt other stuff. Anyway if still not convinced quote:
Which is how I initially learned about it but haven't been able to find it until recently Anyway it's awesome and has some pretty good gore and special FX as well. 
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 01:04
|
|
|
chitoryu12 posted:3/31 I appreciate you reviewing this one because it was next on my short list and by your description, I don't think I'd like it very much.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 01:40
|
|
|
Going to quickly chime in on the Rampage discussion. I saw it last summer and while it is a fun movie I also went in with very low expectations. Don't expect to see a film up there with the recent Godzilla and Kong films because it is a "bad" movie but one that knows that and has honest effort to make it enjoyable. Jeffrey Dean Morgan also completely hams it up in the movie playing almost a parody of Negan the entire film (he even does that little lean Negan does when he's talking down to people). I know someone just posted about it but I just finished watching it myself and, yeah, it was a Netflix blind choice as well. 2. Terrifier (2016) This really is a no-nonsense splatter slasher flick. It tells you its about a killer clown that stalks/kills women and right away it does all that with the blood/gore in bucket loads. It's low budget exploitation that has a few kills that made me go "holy poo poo, they went there". Is there a story? Well, kind of, women go out at night and get murdered by a killer clown and everything just links back to that. Seriously, if anyone wants some cheap and good gorey fun this Halloween this is the film.  /53. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) A pallete cleanser was needed for my next one. I think the comedy style of Abbott and Costello needs no introduction. Two guys, one a goofball and the other a straight man, get into all kinds of scenarios and hijinks. It's iconic, influential, still hilarious and to this day Abbott is the definition of a "straight man" in the world of comedy. The two had a few movies where they encountered the Universal Monsters and this was the first one. Them interacting with Bela Lagosi's Dracula, Lon Chaney Jr's Wolfman and Glenn Strange's Frankenstein's Monster. You cannot get more Halloween than that lineup so I figured this one would be good. It's funny, it's classic Abbott and Costello and it's fun seeing them interact with the Universal Monsters using their classic routine where Costello sees them and by dumb coincidence they "disappear" when Abbott comes in. At the same time it's pretty awkward seeing Bela Legosi on the screen at this point in his career because he really does not look healthy and seems to go through the motions (his opiate addiction was very much there by this time). Aside from that little downer, a good little bit of horror-comedy overall. /5
Justin Godscock fucked around with this message at 03:14 on Sep 17, 2018 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 03:11
|
|
|
1) Puppet Master 4 /52) Puppet Master 5  /5Gonna review these together since they're basically one story split across two movies. Ultimately I think the issue is that they didn't really need to be 2 movies. PM4 doesn't really have a solid ending, and PM5 doesn't really have a solid opening. PM5 drags so much in the final act that I almost wanted to fastforward through it (but didn't). Guys + puppets move to a room, fight off an alien, guys + puppets move to another room, fight off a person, repeat repeat repeat. PM4 had some promise since it was the return to the Bodega Bay Inn with a new group. I think it was a more effective bottle story than the first movie, but I think that may be partially because the puppets were already established. There was less backstory in this one. I still think 3 is my favorite so far, but... I have a long way to go yet.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 03:50
|
|
|
 7) Werewolf of London 1935 It feels like this one gets overlooked when it comes to the other werewolf films. Kinda sad since Werewolf of London brings some interesting angles to the concept. The story starts with Dr. Glendon, a botanist who's gone to Tibet to find a rare plant called the mariphasa which blooms only in moonlight. He gets attacked by a werewolf, but does snag a plant specimen for study. Back in London he meets a Dr. Yogami who claims to have met Glendon in Tibet and warns him about the dangers of being attacked by a werewolf and the mariphasa's effect on lycanthropy. Naturally Glendon doesn't believe him and he starts getting wolfy and we all know nothing good's going to come of this. Loads of nice touches with this one with the mariphasa essentially acting in place of the traditional wolfsbane, the change being effected by a moonlamp in addition to the standard moonlight, the killing bullet not having to be silver, the more balanced human/wolf makeup. I've heard multiple stories behind why Hull's makeup was so different from the style Chaney Jr. used and which ended up becoming the dominant style. One is Hull was too vain to be covered up more wolfy, another was he didn't want to sit in the chair for the hours required and another being that he felt according to the script, the werewolf still had to be somewhat recognizable as Glendon which ended up in a bickermatch with Jack Pierce that had to be settled by Carl Laemmle himself. And to share a personal story with this one, I'd seen Lon Chaney Jr.'s Wolfman before seeing this one and because of how different the werewolves were, my child self interpreted it as the werewolves of other nationalities had thier own differences. American werewolves were more shaggy while British werewolves made sure to put on a proper hat and coat with hair perfect before going out howling. All in all, this one is a favorite of mine. I like it just that skosh more than the later The Wolf Man.  8) Freaks 1932 Ah, what I wouldn't give to be able to see the original version of this one. Part of me just worries that if that ever happens it doesn't suffer from me building it up so much in anticipation. The story's what you would expect from a Tales from the Crypt episode. Hans is a member of a carnival's sideshow and is going to inherit a fortune and is seduced by an attractive trapeze artist who plans on murdering him for his money. His friends in the sideshow find out and well...payback is a bitch. Freaks is notorious for having real people from the sideshows in the movie such as conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton and Prince Randian the Living Torso. The sideshow people are shown to be decent people no different than us while the 'normal' people like the Trapeze artist and her lover the Strongman are shown to be the real monsters. The controversy surrounding this movie practically killed Tod Browning's career, putting him on the studio's shitlist. His last film, Miracles for Sale was in 1939. It was also banned in the UK for 30 years. Reviews of the day were very negative insisting the sideshow people were too horrible to look at as well as it's impossible for a normal man or woman to sympathize with the sideshow people. There were even claims the film was so horrifying it induced miscarriages. It reminds me of all the kerfluffle surrounding The Exorcist. It also makes me wonder how all those critics from then would've handled someone like Peter Dinklage being a major Hollywood star. The original 90 min version is considered lost as the cut footage is believed missing, but then again they've also said that about part of Metropolis and other early films so I still have some hope. But in the end, the film got the last laugh. It's been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for it's significance and regularly ranks high on lists for it's cultural importance. Gooble gobble one of us indeed.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 04:42
|
|
|
Lumbermouth posted:I appreciate you reviewing this one because it was next on my short list and by your description, I don't think I'd like it very much. There's an extremely graphic and slow kill where a naked woman is strung up and cut in half with a hacksaw from the crotch down. It is shown in full detail.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 04:53
|
|
|
I am so in! Normally I do 31 movies in 31 days, but I can use some breathing room and will start as soon as I can. As always I tend to go for stuff I have never seen before, including at least one classic. Probably The Wicker Man this time. In case things get too dire I have some re-watches on stand-by to remind me why I love horror. Kudo's to the staff picks. The ones I saw were indeed great and I am definitely grabbing a few more from that list. Edit: Regarding prizes, I am in the Netherlands. BioTech fucked around with this message at 12:37 on Sep 17, 2018 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 11:14
|
|
|
M_Sinistrari posted:
I've got such mixed feelings on Freaks. On the one hand, I do think it was made in good faith with Browning wanting to show that they're just people. On the other, it's definitely exploitative. Still, there's no possible way that a movie like that could ever be made again which makes it an important artifact.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 12:11
|
|
|
3. He Never Died (2015) A darkly comedic crime/horror movie starring Henry Rollins: right up my alley. This movie just kept escalating on me and I loved every jump. Rollins is great at being both profoundly uncomfortable and very scary and the supporting cast (largely Canadian, I'm assuming?) play off him well. The effects are fairly low-key and it works in the film's favor. The casual reveal that our main character is the literal Biblical Caine and has been around for thousands of years just adds to the low-key absurdity of the movie. Highly recommended and I'm excited to see that a sequel is in post-production.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 13:25
|
|
|
 2. Lifeforce (1985) I watched this Saturday night and am still not quite sure what to think of it. Ignoring the batshit insane story for a moment, it is mostly a pretty good looking film, and there are some great special effects (I particularly like the emaciated look of the "zombies" once they are drained of their life force). The design of the alien spaceship is pretty cool. It also has Patrick Stewart in it, and he gets possessed by an alien vampire and then all the blood in his body shoots out of his eyes and mouth, so there's that. I haven't quite made up my mind whether or not I think this is a good movie - it's certainly unique and I appreciate that it doesn't hold back its weirdness, but it also feels oddly paced and pretty disjointed at times. It seems like Steve Railsback was sort of shouting his lines in a weird monotone for most of the movie. At the very least, it is interesting and memorable, which is more than I can say for a lot of films. I'll have to give it a re-watch at some point.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 13:26
|
|
|
3. Terrifier (2017) Sorry for all the spoilers, but it's so recent that I'd rather be safe than sorry. I enjoyed this more than I thought I was going to. Much of it was pretty typical slasher material, but the gore was absurdly over the top (the most extreme moment being very reminiscent of that scene in Bone Tomahawk. You know the one). I did like that neither the film nor Art the Clown played by the typical rules of a slasher film - it pulls a Hostel/Psycho and kills off the main POV character fairly early and switches to someone else. The killer also uses a loving gun out of nowhere.. I also appreciated how the killer seems like a regular dude who can be hurt instead of an unstoppable machine, and he never seems supernaturally prescient. Like, he knows a character is hiding in a closet not because he just guessed or whatever, but because he sees a chain swinging on the door, making it obvious it was just opened a moment ago. I also agree with basically everything chitoryu said about it earlier in the thread, so I'm going to quote their post rather than rehash the same points: chitoryu12 posted:What seems at first like a cheap killer clown movie is a gorgeous throwback to 1980s slashers set in modern day, with a dark and surprisingly heavy synth soundtrack and utterly beautiful color choices. David Howard Thornton gives a performance as Art the Clown that would be legendary among horror aficionados had it occurred a few decades earlier. There's an apparently intentional graininess to the footage to replicate the film grain of old stock. Technically, the biggest fault is that the audio sometimes appears to have been recorded improperly and has a tinny tone. Overall I recommend it with the caveat that the gore is very extreme and there isn't much plot.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 13:44
|
|
|
gey muckle mowser posted:I also appreciated how the killer seems like a regular dude who can be hurt Did... you miss the part where there's a power surge and then the guy gets up from being dead from a gunshot wound through the eye? Terrifier occupies this weird space where it's not a movie I totally "hated" but it's still kind of a piece of poo poo. You don't care about the main characters, the kills are extremely gory but there's no gravity or build-up to them and they just kind of happen. I kind of feel like the director should just be a special effects guy who works on other people's better written and better edited/directed movies. He's talented for sure, and the clown's design and the actor playing him are good, but overall I thought it was a waste and pretty forgettable. King Vidiot fucked around with this message at 14:33 on Sep 17, 2018 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 14:30
|
|
|
King Vidiot posted:Did... you miss the part where there's a power surge and then the guy gets up from being dead from a gunshot wound through the eye? well, yeah, that's why I said "seems" haha. Up until then there's no real indication there's anything supernatural happening
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 14:32
|
|
|
King Vidiot posted:Did... you miss the part where there's a power surge and then the guy gets up from being dead from a gunshot wound through the eye? Art has the ability to revive from death, but he doesn't have superhuman strength or durability and can be beaten up by a woman with a 2x4. He'll just come back over and over.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 14:43
|
|
|
Random Stranger posted:I've got such mixed feelings on Freaks. On the one hand, I do think it was made in good faith with Browning wanting to show that they're just people. On the other, it's definitely exploitative. It's normal to have mixed feelings on this one. If I'm remembering rightly, Browning did run away to join the circus when he was younger so I do believe he wanted to show the sideshow people as people who just look very different. I also agree a film like this could never be made again. Between medical advancements and societal changes, the conditions that made the sideshow what it was, an avenue for some to make some sort of living and have a support group rather than be abandoned or worse just don't exist anymore. Of course now they also have the option of just getting a show on TLC with better money, better legal representation and investment options.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 14:57
|
|
|
 6. King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) Just got the blu-ray so I can do this one now. Unfortunately I only had access to the heavily cut up American version of this film. There seemed to be a decent movie in there somewhere but I feel like it was butchered by American editors. One of the things I've grown to enjoy is how Ishirō Honda can weave good human stories into kaiju action in a way that flows, and rarely becomes dull. The added scenes with the UN Newsroom absolutely obliterate the pace of this movie and I found myself constantly checking when it was going to be over. They would also narrate over dialogue scenes and just tell the audience the conclusion of the scene, because I guess we wouldn't have possibly been able to figure it out. The actors in the dub pronounce Hokkaido wrong constantly! Why did no one correct them!? Uhhg, I'm very disappointed. I had heard the edit butchered the film, but I thought maybe people were just overreacting. I would definitely avoid this edit. Hopefully at some point I can checkout the uncut version and experience the self-aware, goofy, fun movie people talk about. I do have to mention, this film has large amounts of blackface, and it's horrible. I'm not going to spend too much time on it, but it sucks. Films can be a window into the past and this movie offers a glimpse into an awful part of filmmaking.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 15:33
|
|
|
I updated the InfoDump post with these lists: They Shoot Zombies Don't They's 1000 Best Horror Films 2018 version Edgar Wright's 100 Favorite Horror Movies published in 2017 Slant Magazine's 200 Greatest Horror Films published in 2013 50 Best Horror Movies You've Never Seen compiled in 2014 The Complete List of Video Nasties 30 Best Non-English Horror Films published in 2014 Top 100 Non-English Horror Films published in 2016 If there are any other good ones, especially for non-American horror films, send them my way and I'll add them.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 15:51
|
|
|
To contribute, the movies I saw this weekend: 1. Terrifier  Not much more to say about this movie that I haven't already said. The gore effects are fantastic (save for the the eaten-off face which I thought looked silly), but that's about all this movie has going for it apart from the excellent performance and design of Art the clown. Just-barely-competently written, direction was... just fine. My biggest complaint was that it didn't go full camp or full stupid. It's "better" than any entry in the Saw series but that just makes it kind of boring, in my opinion. 2. Mandy  I went in with high expectations despite totally tuning out of the director's previous effort, Beyond the Black Rainbow (which I may now have to revisit). It does not disappoint. It's a modern-era fable set in the 80's, it's a common man who has to become Death incarnate to avenge his girlfriend after she's taken by a drugged-out hippie cult. The druggy, dream logic of the story is amazing, as are the visuals but the story is a lot more grounded than BtBR. It seems bleak from the outset, but the tone shifts into a fast-paced revenge blood orgy where you're rooting for Nicolas Cage the Absolute Maniac as he steamrolls towards the conclusion. Andrea Riseborough is also great in her brief role, and you get just enough time with the couple to feel their connection before poo poo goes down. It's loving awesome, as many have said already. Watch it however you can. 3. Creep  This is a really short one, and mostly serves as a lead-in to the much better and fully-realized Creep 2. Ostensibly it's a found footage movie where a videographer responds to an ad for a day of shooting in a remote cabin, but his subject's behavior starts getting stranger and stranger until he goes full-on stalker. Does a pretty decent job of keeping you just off your guard enough to get taken for a ride by the titular "creep", and Mark Duplass is amazing in the role, but ultimately you figure out where it's going by the halfway point of its just-over-an-hour runtime. Recommended just so you have some background for the real movie... 4. Creep 2  I'm glad I finally got around to watching this, it's really drat good for what it is which is a kind of "mumblecore indie horror". The creep from the first movie returns, this time the subject of a down-on-her-luck web series director, and holy poo poo what a ride. It's best to go into this one totally blind, so I won't really go into any more details on the plot. Mark Duplass is even better this time around, just goofy and disarming enough to draw you in while giving off just enough of an unhinged vibe to make you (and the protagonist) wary. Both movies are perfect early fall September horror movies. They're not "scary" in the traditional sense but Creep 2 is really tense, especially the climax. Highly recommended!
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 16:00
|
|
|
 9) Frankenstein 1931 It's hard to believe that people fainted in the aisles seeing this when we're so used to it being on the afternoon movie and usually seeing it when we're kids. I freely admit I prefer the story presented in the movie over the book which I feel is dryer and more dull than dessicated stale toast. To this day, I have yet to finish reading the Mary Shelley novel and even taking into account it's from 1881, I feel it sucks so hard it blows. I wish Ramsey Campbell had done an adaptation under his Carl Dreadstone pen name. I'd snap that up in a heartbeat. Watching Frankenstein when it was on Creature Features is what got me started with my horror movie love. Little me cried my eyes out because I felt so bad for the monster with no one giving him a chance. As with Freaks, there was some censorship issues with this too. Some states had issues with dialog that was cut for release there, Little Maria's death was another that was usually cut. Thankfully some of these cut scenes have been restored for modern prints when they've been found in archives. I know we've all seen this one to the point we probably could write out the script from memory, but I do want to talk about having seen it on the big screen when it was making the rounds as a special viewing some years ago with Bride of Frankenstein. As I've said before in the Horror thread, for as much as I thought I've seen every nuance in Frankenstein, seeing it on the big screen just showed how much I was still missing. Edward Van Sloan's open sometimes would get cut on TV or get used as that last call to grab a drink and snack before the movie proper starts. On the big screen, he's really looking down at you as he gives his cautionary monologe. Even the sets from the cemetary to the lab just pulls you in. Karloff completely sells the pathos of the monster. I got misty eyed in the theater when the monster was reaching for the sunbeam. Interesting tidbits with this one is the tesla coil shown in the lab might've been one made by Tesla himself, and Kenneth Strickfaden who designed the electrical effects doubled for Karloff during some scenes because he was concerned about getting electrocuted by accident. The film's become a cornerstone of how the Frankenstein Monster's depicted such as being shown green because what few color shots seen show him as green even though the color choice was because it was how you could show corpse pallor in black and white film. It's even made people reference the monster as Frankenstein instead of thinking of his creator. If you ever have the chance to see this one on the big screen, drop everything and go. You won't regret it.  10) Bride of Frankenstein 1935 Count me among those who recommend watching Bride right after watching Frankenstein since it picks up while the embers of the windmill are still smoldering from the end of the first movie. The concept of the Bride's creation is in the Mary Shelley book but in that, Henry Frankenstein backs out of finishing. In the movie, Henry goes ahead with it along with the help of his mentor, Dr. Pretorius. Again, little me cried my eyes out that all the monster wanted was a friend and he was getting a raw deal. I'd be happy to be his friend! Again Karloff completely rocks the monster's pathos, but drat if Ernest Thesiger blows it out of the water as Pretorius. Little me would've loved some of his homonculi. I've heard that Lugosi and Claude Rains were potentially considered for the role of Pretorius with varying degrees of credibility but I can't envision anyone pulling off Pretorius as amazing as Thesiger did. Interestingly, apparently Universal after seeing the numbers coming in for Frankenstein were already kicking around the idea for a sequel though Whale didn't think it was a good idea since he felt they told all the story in Frankenstein. Thank God he changed his mind and went ahead with it. As the Hayes code was in place by the time Bride was made, much like how the MPAA seems to use crackhead logic with what gets cut and doesn't, Joe Breen's cuts were focussed more on the amount of murders, dialog, showing too much of the Bride's ta-tas while having no problem with Thesiger's glorious camp or the cruciform imagery. Some countries had issues with the Monster looking at the Bride's unanimated form as necrophilia, and other countries right out rejected showing the film. Like with Frankenstein, Bride's been selected for film preservation due to it's cultural significance.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 16:23
|
|
|
I added a link to the Horror Discord and the horror thread in the InfoDump.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 17:27
|
|
|
4-Angst I have no idea where I heard of this movie, possibly from last year’s thread? In any case it had been in my list for a bit so we checked it out. I wouldn’t say I liked it, but it is pretty interesting. It’s essentially a straight forward home invasion story, but all told from the invader’s perspective. It goes in some interesting directions, including spending a lot of time on the killer’s past, and focusing on his inner monologue and planning a lot. It’s also refreshing that he’s not omniscient at all; things go wrong frequently for him as he’s almost entirely impulse based and deals with thing on the fly. One thing worth noting is the camera work though, as that’s quite interesting. There are a lot of extremely uncomfortable close ups, and a bunch of steadicam stuff. Beyond that though I’m not sure I’d recommend it unless you’re a big fan of the home invasion genre and want something a little different
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 18:07
|
|
|
I've been on a Brian De Palma kick, which turned into watching through his horror movies for this thread. 1. Sisters - I love how in so many movies from the 70s blood looks like bright red paint. Maybe it was done to get past the MPAA, but it always lends those movies a feeling of falseness. Not in a bad way, but in a way that feels kind of dreamy. You know this isn't reality. You know you're watching a movie. Although the paint blood is a tiny element, it is a microcosm of what Brian De Palma is doing. He makes the viewer very aware that this is a film. He begins by violently pulling the rug out from under the audience. A man is watching a woman voyeuristically. But it's just a game show. The viewer is re-assured. But he still was anyway. The truth of what happened is distorted. This happens all throughout the movie. Fiction is confused for reality. Also, it's a very obvious stylistic quirk of his, but I really have to talk about the splitscreen. De Palma utilizes it here in a deliberate protagonist switch à la Psycho. One protagonist disappears and another enters at the same time. 2. The Fury - Other than Bonfire of Vanities, probably my least favorite De Palma I've seen. Although I think this is much better than that one. It feels too much like he's resting on old techniques that worked for him before. There's very little invention. Features a great cast though. Amy Irving is magnetic. John Cassavetes isn't nearly as fantastic as he is when directed by himself, but he brings just enough that the part works. There's something going on in this with what is seen versus what is felt, but I'm not sure what. 3. Phantom of the Paradise - Holy cow. I didn't think De Palma had this movie in him. A dark cartoon of a satire on the entertainment industry. The film itself makes comparisons between the story it tells and Faust, but it's fascinating how many layers there are. William Finley sells his soul to the devil so he can get his art about someone selling their soul to the devil out to the public. But the devil has also sold his soul to an even greater evil. This implicates the desire for fame as something that is evil, rather than a specific individual. Which is totally fascinating for something released by a major studio. That description of the plot really doesn't do it justice though. It also combines elements from Phantom of the Opera, The Portrait of Dorian Grey, German expressionism, rock opera, and god knows what else. The movie is far stranger and more exciting than I think I can express. And it's utterly fantastic. William Finely and Jessica Harper are also shockingly great singers. 4. Carrie - I feel really dumb for not picking up on this before, but this is a coming out movie. Carrie is terrorized by her classmates and her ultra religious mother for her sexuality. Another girl likes her, but can't ask her out herself so she gets a guy to instead and has a vicarious experience through that. Apparently Kimberly Pierce (of Boys Don't Cry) directed the remake, I'll have to check that out to see if she makes the subtext even more explicit.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 18:14
|
|
|
 The Mummy(1932) I'm not going in strict chronological order here, so I decided to rewind a little bit from Bride in 1935, to The Mummy which Karloff made the year after Frankenstein along with The Old Dark House. Now this is where it seems that Karloff began to get a chance to flex his acting muscles, and he completely carries the movie with his presence. I read that he sat for 8 hours each day before shooting ever began, and to be honest I'm not even sure it was completely necessary. I mean, is it really the makeup providing the intensity here or Karloff?  (this version of the makeup probably took less than 8 hours, but still) The Mummy was the first attempt by Universal to create a monster where they didn't have a successful novel to build from. According to the wiki article, the story editor that Freund hired was heavily inspired by an Arthur Conan Doyle story called The Ring of Thoth. For anyone who's seen the 1999 Brendan Frasier film, it's funny to go back to that and see just how much of a beat for beat remake it actually is. Personally, Hammer's 1959 version is my favorite because of the color and Lee's physicality, but as the years go on the original does grow on me as I've gained more and more of an appreciation for Karloff. One more 30's film and then it's on to the 40's. Total: 1. Frankenstein(1931) 2. The Old Dark House(1932) 3. The Bride of Frankenstein(1935) 4. The Mummy(1932)
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 18:16
|
|
|
Retro Futurist posted:4-Angst Oooh I love Angst! I'm glad you touched on the camera work 'cause it's awesome. This is one of Gaspar Noe's favorite films and you can really see its influence in I Stand Alone.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 18:17
|
|
|
I forget where I learned it but you can replicate that aged skin look with Elmer's Glue on your face and a comb with bristles not far apart. Then just add face makeup on top.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 18:39
|
|
|
 The Invisible Man This is a recent rewatch from the May Challenge actually, hopefully one of only a few repeats from May I'll be doing this season. I couldn't pass up The Invisible Man though, it's just too drat good. One thing that jumped out at me this time, which I think someone here already mentioned on a previous page, is how stream-lined and modern the script is. It feels both ahead of it's time and antiquated because of how it seems like current film has lost it's creativity in terms of structuring a story. These days, filmmakers appear to want to get as much crucial exposition out of the way early on, or on the opposite of the spectrum, they withhold important information until an arbitrary point at the end of the story to preserve a "twist". The Invisible Man, on the other hand, is a masterclass in efficient storytelling. No need to waste 20 minutes on an origin story here, the script contains bits of information that you're meant to absorb at critical points during the first act. Instead of being introduced to a loving fiancé, we're shown a deranged man and then asked to imagine his descent by witnessing the lengths to which his loved ones will go to save him. The special effects truly still hold up today, which is a pretty amazing feat. A great, great lead performance by Rains, Whale at the helm, and a dark sense of humor make this my favorite of the original run of Universal horror movies. If you've been sleeping on this one for whatever reason, make a point to correct that this season. Total: 1. Frankenstein(1931) 2. The Old Dark House(1932) 3. The Bride of Frankenstein(1935) 4. The Mummy(1932) 5. The Invisible Man(1933) Basebf555 fucked around with this message at 21:06 on Sep 17, 2018 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 21:02
|
|
|
Love you all. Gunna try for 31 as well.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 21:05
|
|
|
Basebf555 posted:my favorite of the original run of Universal horror movies. I thought I was the only one! As much as I love Frankenstein/Bride, The Invisible Man is where it's at.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 21:06
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 23, 2024 12:26 |
|
|
Spatulater bro! posted:I thought I was the only one! As much as I love Frankenstein/Bride, The Invisible Man is where it's at. Well I was considering Bride to be the second run, because it's a sequel. I consider Bride to be the best. Invisible Man is close on it's heels though, and to me it's clearly better than any of the others.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2018 21:07
|
|