The Horror Thread II: The Return

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  • edited November 2018 Posts: 19,339
    I watched this last night,and it was really good at the beginning,and very dark tongue in cheek ,'Art'the clown is seriously scary and silent,but I turned it off once he had a woman dangling upside down naked with her legs open and decided to cut her in half with a hack-saw and take a selfie.

    rs=w:600,h:600


  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,177
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Hit off our annual horror month with the following:

    10/1: The Ring (Verbinski's film--because it's been a while)
    10/2: Halloween (Carpenter's original--because the girlfriend hadn't seen it before)
    10/3: The Witch (Awesome film!)
    10/4: Hold The Dark (Not sure if it truly qualifies as horror but good stuff nevertheless.)
    10/5: Hereditary (Surprisingly good film though the "people are fainting" hype is tremendously exaggerated.)
    10/6: Murder Party (Saulnier's first film, ultra-low budget but rather funny.)

    Update:

    10/7: The Exorcism Of Emily Rose (a film I have fond memories of watching in theatres back in the day)
    10/8: Cabin Fever 2 (Sick, delirious gore-fest but such a deliciously entertaining film)
    10/9: Ju-On The Grudge & Ju-On The Grudge 2 (I absolutely love these two Japanese classics!)
    10/10: Dagon (Odd but highly recommendable Lovecraft adaptation)

    10/11: The Fog (Carpenter's original--an underrated achievement)
    10/12: The Love Witch (Magnificent feminist horror comedy, but then more comedy than horror, something that holds the middle between your standard 60s Hammer horror and The Room if you can believe it.)
    10/13: Spring (Surprisingly brilliant little Lovecraftian horror film)
    10/14: Wicked City (Japanimation horror classic)

    Update:

    10/15: Desolation & The Endless (Double feature from the guys who made Spring. Excellent cosmic horror, like David Lynch telling a Lovecraftian story.)
    10/16: A Nightmare On Elm Street (Because I'm a huge Freddy Krueger fan. I'm your boyfriend now, Nancy.)
    10/17: Prom Night (Jamie Lee Curtis in an average slasher flick. The sequel, Hello Mary-Lou, Prom Night 2 is a lot more entertaining but I wanted to get ready for the new Halloween by watching another JLC flick.)
    10/18: Invasion Of The Body Snatchers x 2 (Siegel's original & Kaufman's remake. I love both very much.)
    10/19: Victor Crowley (Never been too big a fan of the Hatchet series but VC has good comedy and a few interesting moments.)

    Next update:

    10/20: Freddy's Revenge & The Dream Warriors (Because I've gotten the girlfriend interested in the sequels.)
    10/21: Re-Animator 1, 2 & 3 (Juicy!)
    10/22: Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness, The Evil Dead 2013 (And I really like that 2013 film!)
    10/23: Killer Klowns From Outer Space (not exactly my thing but I can nostalgically appreciate this film.)
    10/24: Halloween 2018 (The first film in the series that can proudly walk next to the original.)
    10/25: Eyes Without A Face (A true classic.)
    10/26: The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari (With the score from Under The Skin pasted over the film; a personal experiment that has worked surprisingly well.)

    Update:

    10/27: Poltergeist (1982) (The only one in the entire series that I can strongly recommend. The others, I can, at best, mildly recommend. The remake wasn't too bad, though, except that there's no reason for it to exist, really.)
    10/28: The Void (This 2016 ultra-low-budget film is one of the best things I've ever seen in terms of Lovecraftian horror. An eerie little film, cost less than Carpenter's Halloween, doesn't need the FF subgenre like The Blair Witch Project, got a few relatively big names on board (Kenneth Welsh, Ellen Wong). In fact, one of the characters brings us the best Pinhead since Doug Bradley's first few performances. I absolutely love this little film. It's unbelievable anyone managed to pull this little stunt off on such a shoestring budget. I both admire and applaud the filmmakers.)

    Final October 2018 "Halloween month" update:

    10/29: The Dream Master & The Dream Child (Some of the more "let's make it up as we go and not care about any rules" films in the series. My girlfriend said, "someone should have told the screenwriters 'whatever you do, don't . fall . asleep!' before turning in these films". When I told her that I rather liked Harlin's take on Freddy and the character of Alice as played by Lisa Wilcox, she looked at me like it was going to be a night on the couch for me.)
    10/30: A Cure For Wellness (There are good things here and less good things but overall this Gore Verbinski film gave me a great time with excellent images and nice effects. A bit Lovecraftian at times. Not as bad a film as some will have you believe. That said, it's probably an hour too long.)
    10/31: Drag Me To Hell (The best Sam Raimi Evil Dead film not included in the Evil Dead series.)
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    I celebrated Halloween by watching this:

    01-475405.jpg?w=500

    It wasn't anything special. Kidnappers get in way in over their head, when they find out what their victim really is.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited November 2018 Posts: 24,177
    Has anyone bothered to watch the latest Children Of The Corn yet? "Runaway" is the title. I must admit, considering how most if not all of the other Corn films are absolutely terrible, that this is one of the better ones in terms of acting and storytelling.
  • edited November 2018 Posts: 15,115
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Has anyone bothered to watch the latest Children Of The Corn yet? "Runaway" is the title. I must admit, considering how most if not all of the other Corn films are absolutely terrible, that this is one of the better ones in terms of acting and storytelling.

    I want first to watch the first movie.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,177
    Ludovico wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Has anyone bothered to watch the latest Children Of The Corn yet? "Runaway" is the title. I must admit, considering how most if not all of the other Corn films are absolutely terrible, that this is one of the better ones in terms of acting and storytelling.

    I want first to watch the first movie.

    Make no mistake, you will not like anything about most of these films, including the first one. They're homework, they're labour, they're drinking games,... but they're not good.
  • Posts: 15,115
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Has anyone bothered to watch the latest Children Of The Corn yet? "Runaway" is the title. I must admit, considering how most if not all of the other Corn films are absolutely terrible, that this is one of the better ones in terms of acting and storytelling.

    I want first to watch the first movie.

    Make no mistake, you will not like anything about most of these films, including the first one. They're homework, they're labour, they're drinking games,... but they're not good.

    I don't think they are any good. I generally don't like SK's adaptations, except The Shining and Carrie. I am not a big fan of his novels either. I thought IT was utterly overrated and not scary one bit.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,177
    Ludovico wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Has anyone bothered to watch the latest Children Of The Corn yet? "Runaway" is the title. I must admit, considering how most if not all of the other Corn films are absolutely terrible, that this is one of the better ones in terms of acting and storytelling.

    I want first to watch the first movie.

    Make no mistake, you will not like anything about most of these films, including the first one. They're homework, they're labour, they're drinking games,... but they're not good.

    I don't think they are any good. I generally don't like SK's adaptations, except The Shining and Carrie. I am not a big fan of his novels either. I thought IT was utterly overrated and not scary one bit.

    It feels to me like we're standing alone in the corner here, you and I. The world loved 'IT' last year, whereas I found nothing new in that film that I hadn't already seen in the 90s television miniseries. It wasn't scary at all: one doesn't have to be a seasoned horror viewer to smell the intended scary punchline from a mile away, and when it comes, it's just "there" but it never gets under my skin.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,216
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Has anyone bothered to watch the latest Children Of The Corn yet? "Runaway" is the title. I must admit, considering how most if not all of the other Corn films are absolutely terrible, that this is one of the better ones in terms of acting and storytelling.

    I want first to watch the first movie.

    Make no mistake, you will not like anything about most of these films, including the first one. They're homework, they're labour, they're drinking games,... but they're not good.

    I don't think they are any good. I generally don't like SK's adaptations, except The Shining and Carrie. I am not a big fan of his novels either. I thought IT was utterly overrated and not scary one bit.

    It feels to me like we're standing alone in the corner here, you and I. The world loved 'IT' last year, whereas I found nothing new in that film that I hadn't already seen in the 90s television miniseries. It wasn't scary at all: one doesn't have to be a seasoned horror viewer to smell the intended scary punchline from a mile away, and when it comes, it's just "there" but it never gets under my skin.

    I liked IT but I have to say I agree about the scare factor. I found it atmospheric and sometimes a bit creepy, but never really scary.
  • Posts: 15,115
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Has anyone bothered to watch the latest Children Of The Corn yet? "Runaway" is the title. I must admit, considering how most if not all of the other Corn films are absolutely terrible, that this is one of the better ones in terms of acting and storytelling.

    I want first to watch the first movie.

    Make no mistake, you will not like anything about most of these films, including the first one. They're homework, they're labour, they're drinking games,... but they're not good.

    I don't think they are any good. I generally don't like SK's adaptations, except The Shining and Carrie. I am not a big fan of his novels either. I thought IT was utterly overrated and not scary one bit.

    It feels to me like we're standing alone in the corner here, you and I. The world loved 'IT' last year, whereas I found nothing new in that film that I hadn't already seen in the 90s television miniseries. It wasn't scary at all: one doesn't have to be a seasoned horror viewer to smell the intended scary punchline from a mile away, and when it comes, it's just "there" but it never gets under my skin.

    I actually haven't bothered watching the movie. I'm just talking of the novel. Read it back in 2008 for my Halloween read. Never understood the appeal.
  • Posts: 3,333
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    10/31: Drag Me To Hell (The best Sam Raimi Evil Dead film not included in the Evil Dead series.)
    I've always quite liked this movie despite its PG-13 rating. Still, one thing that bothered me when it was released in 2009 was how Sam Raimi failed to mention that large elements of his movie were drawn from the superior British 1957 horror film Night of the Demon (itself an adaptation of M.R. James' short story "Casting the Runes") such as the similar-shaped demons, the three-day curse theme and the ultimate climax on the railway tracks. However, it's still an enjoyable movie and both Alison Lohman and Justin Long make it very watchable. If you haven't seen the original Night of the Demon (Curse of the Demon - US title) then I urge you to watch it.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited November 2018 Posts: 24,177
    @bondsum
    Thank you for the suggestion. I will track the film down.

    Edit: Well, it was easy to find the film. :) And with good reason. It is, as you say, a great film, @bondsum. I actually thought it genuinely frightening at times. The scéance, by contrast, was laughable, but that was only one scene. Other than that, yes, I can see where Raimi took his inspiration from!
  • Posts: 3,333
    Glad you enjoyed it @DarthDimi. Also a bit of trivia for you: Kate Bush sampled the line from the movie "it's in the trees, it's coming!" which is heard at the beginning of the Hounds of Love song. There's a rather brilliant video posted on Youtube that combines the movie with the song. Even though I know this isn't the place for it, I'll post it so you don't have to trawl through too many videos.

  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,177
    Thank you, @bondsum.

    I forgot to mention that I watched the film with my girlfriend last night and she commented that "it looks surprisingly modern for such an old film." I believe she was referring to the pacing of the film and not to, say, the devil effects. ;)

    I'm truly glad I got to know this film, sir!
  • Posts: 3,333
    I'm glad both of you enjoyed it, and a good observation from your girlfriend. Another bit of trivia was that it was Ken Adams first full-credited movie as production designer.
  • Posts: 3,333
    Apologies to anyone who's posted this elsewhere but Welcome to Mercy has got an excellent review on Roger Ebert's site, which gives me hope that this is an above-average horror movie. Check out the trailer below...

  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,177
    Halloween has already pulled in some 230 million USD worldwide against a 10 million budget. BOM now lists it as the most profitable Halloween film ever made (though places it second when the numbers are adjusted for ticket price inflation.) Domestically, it is the second most profitable Blumhouse film, right behind Get Out but way ahead of Split, Paranormal Activity and The Purge. Also domestically and unadjusted, it ranks as the most profitable slasher film ever, ahead of Scream, Freddy Vs Jason, I Know What You Did Last Summer, ... In terms of R rated horror and again unadjusted, it is surpassed only by IT, The Exorcist (!) and Get Out.

    (The Exorcist is still the second most profitable R Rated horror film ever in absolute figures!)
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    It would be fitting if the success of Halloween is what leads to the F13 lawsuit being settled and New Line gets the next film finally into production. At the end of the day, money talks, and neither side will benefit from no F13 while this sorry mess continues.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,177
    I wholeheartedly agree, @MajorDSmythe.

    Unfortunately, money can also talk in the wrong sense. A Halloween sequel is reportedly already in the works. Now, if it's as good as the 2018 one or, who knows, possibly even better, I'm all for it. However, history has shown time and again that sequels feeding on the surprise success of one film have the nasty ability to corrupt a series even more than ever before. H20 was a hit and it was celebrated with the utterly repugnant Resurrection. Zombie's film was a hit and then he made part II.

    So yes, give me a new F13, a new ANOES and, while we're at it, a new but this time really awesome TCM before we start vomiting out sequels.

    Except when you're Chucky. The Chuck has earned my respect with his last two films. He's going stronger on direct-to-video than ever before. If Mancini can keep that up, I'll welcome a sequel to Cult tomorrow.

    As for Halloween, I'd rather not suffer through yet another disappointing sequel just yet. I want these people to think hard before they act. What went wrong with Resurrection, with Zombie's second film and with countless other slasher sequels and how can we avoid making the same mistakes.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited November 2018 Posts: 13,978
    Oh naturally. But I was thinking strictly in terms of F13. It all boils down to money, and while this drags on, neither Cunninghan nor Miller will benefit, because nothing F13 related can be made.

    You're right on Child's Play. For some reason, Chucky is thriving where other series, such as Hellraiser have died, straight to DVD.

    I have yet to see the new Halloween, but it sounds like it has fixed one of the (admittedly few) issues I had with H20, that being Michael just wasn't scary. I watched the original film again, fairly recently, and while I stand by my feelings that it is absolutely not a slasher film (I think of it as a psychological thriller with horror elements), it is certainly a film that puts one on edge.
  • RemingtonRemington I'll do anything for a woman with a knife.
    Posts: 1,534
    Oh naturally. But I was thinking strictly in terms of F13. It all boils down to money, and while this drags on, neither Cunninghan nor Miller will benefit, because nothing F13 related can be made.

    You're right on Child's Play. For some reason, Chucky is thriving where other series, such as Hellraiser have died, straight to DVD.

    I have yet to see the new Halloween, but it sounds like it has fixed one of the (admittedly few) issues I had with H20, that being Michael just wasn't scary. I watched the original film again, fairly recently, and while I stand by my feelings that it is absolutely not a slasher film (I think of it as a psychological thriller with horror elements), it is certainly a film that puts one on edge.

    While Halloween 2018 was FAR from perfect in my eyes, I can definitely say that Michael was at his best.
  • edited November 2018 Posts: 3,333
    barryt007 wrote: »
    I watched this last night,and it was really good at the beginning,and very dark tongue in cheek ,'Art'the clown is seriously scary and silent,but I turned it off once he had a woman dangling upside down naked with her legs open and decided to cut her in half with a hack-saw and take a selfie.
    I just had to check this out for myself. Obviously a throwback to the 80's video nasties that were banned here in the UK during that particular decade. I agree that the first 20 minutes were very good, especially the clown going into the all-night diner and just staring at the two partied-out girls. I thought Jenna Kanell was very good in her role, as was David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown. It's a shame as the creepy factor was really working well at this point before things took a detour into a derelict building. Had the director continued on this same trajectory, with maybe the girls escaping to a 24-hour launderette in the nearby vicinity, rather than the obligatory empty building, it could've built on the suspense, involving a few more unsuspecting victims. Basically, anything open 24-hours would've been better to use to show us the futility of evading this nasty menace. I realise the movie was made on a low budget and I think what does work, works very well. But if we think how John Carpenter's early movies were also made on extremely low budgets, it makes us appreciate even more what he managed to achieve story-wise.

    On a different note, I'm curious about a new sci-fi horror movie called Freaks starring Emile Hirsch and Bruce Dern. This one sounds right up my street.

    https://youtube.com/watch?time_continue=26&v=GIobd6CAYo8
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,716
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    I keep praying to the gods of horror that the remake doesn't go ahead. The original series is doing better than it ever has with its latest entries. And I don't want anything, especially a remake, to mess with that.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,177
    Can't wait.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    That's the remake, Dimi, you traitor.
  • Posts: 12,466
    There is no Child's Play/Chucky without Brad Dourif to me. Pass.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,177
    I was being sarcastic.
  • Posts: 15,115
    Remakes rarely work. Remakes of horror stories even less.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,177
    In this case it makes no sense. The current Chucky films are going very strong and the conclusion of Cult is not place to end the entire "saga".
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