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Post by MWGallaher on Oct 23, 2024 12:46:47 GMT -5
I followed up FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN with WEREWOLF OF LONDON, which I only knew of from repeated exposure to actor Henry Hull's makeup in issues of Famous Monsters of Filmland. Universal's precursor to THE WOLF MAN was a bit tedious and visually dull (except for the werewolf makeup). Most of the "Londoners" speak with the old movie-style "Mid-Atlantic accent", not an English one, and the lead character is unlikeable and unsympathetic. And for a movie with the full moon as a significant element, they make an aggravating error: it's dark already, and Hull's doctor character insists that his wife come home from the night-time ride she has planned "before the moon rises." It is, of course, a night of the full moon, in which case the moon rises at about the same time the sun sets. (Movies often don't recognize this fact of astronomy; I've seen countless films where it's established to be late night--or even the stroke of midnight--and we cut to an image of the full moon on the horizon. That's only going to happen right after sunset!)
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Post by Jeddak on Oct 23, 2024 16:40:34 GMT -5
Requiem for a Vampire - 1971 - A Jean Rollin film I haven't seen before. Two women on the run find themselves in a castle inhabited by vampires. Or one last vampire and his followers, not real clear on that. They are initiated and used to lure in new victims. Then they leave.
Yeah, not a lot of plot here, or dialogue. The film has been called dreamlike or surreal. Events happen, there is a flow, but little is explained. There are some lovely visuals, and we're given plenty of time to enjoy them. The film is deliberately paced, is what I'm saying. There is one extended, disturbing rape sequence, but apparently that was put in at the producer's insistence.
Rollin has said this is his favorite of his movies. I don't agree (The Iron Rose), but it is worth watching. Once. I admit, it did get frustrating towards the end.
The Breach - 2022 - The discovery of a mutilated body leads the local police chief, the girlfriend he was just breaking up with, and her old boyfriend to a house in the woods where a scientist was experimenting. Seems he built a particle accelerator in his attic, as you do, and opened a portal to another dimension or something, and something from the other side wants to come over, by being born out of human bodies. I think. There's a lot of poking around and build-up, but not much explanation. The creatures at the end look good, but then they go for the standard twist ending, which felt lazy. Not a bad movie, but not all that good, either.
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Post by codystarbuck on Oct 24, 2024 0:31:05 GMT -5
Tonight's double feature can best be illustrated and enhanced by Blue Oyster Cult....
It's a Frankenstein twofer: Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein.
Soon followed by Son of Frankenstein, Frankenstein Builds His Dream House, Frankenstein Knows Best, Frankenstein Vacation, Frankenstein of the Bride, Frankenstein's Little Dividend and Grumpy Old Frankensteins.
When I was a kid, anything smacking of horror would give me nightmares and I avoided the Universal Monster films like the plague. I saw Young Frankenstein long before I ever watched the James Whale films; so, when I do watch them, I can't help but see it in terms of Mel Brooks.
The films are terrific, although Una O'Connor could have been strangled at the beginning of Bride and helped things immensely. I was so badly disappointed to learn that Frankenstein's assistant is named Fritz and not Igor. What self-respecting mad doctor doesn't employ an Igor? Karloff looks better in the first and the make-up seems to get worse with the series and changes in actors.
Watching these, I can't help but note the influence of the German expressionist filmmakers, like Lang, Murnau and Wiene. I was also surprised to see (the first time I watched these) that Frankenstein's experiments are conducted in an abandoned watchtower, not the family castle, as imitators and such would have you believe. Nice forced perspective in the sets and the electrical equipment was always memorable. The "science" is a bunch of hooey, for sure.
My plan is to follow this with more of the Hammer version, before capping it off with Mel Brooks & Gene Wilder.
Now, Oingo Boingo!
Encore! Encore!
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Oct 24, 2024 5:44:44 GMT -5
The Lair of the White Worm (1988) deserves praise for... the makeup! The snake lady's face in it was well done. The special effects, however, are typical of the era; unconvincing blue screen work mixed with puppetry, showing neither the technical prowess that computers would bring a few years later nor the sheer creativity of earlier decades. The hallucination scenes were pretty hallucinatory, though, I'll give them that, and props to the director for not shying away from certain disturbing drug-induced images.
The story itself, loosely based on a Bram Stoker novel, is a mix of Scooby-Do and a snake-themed Dracula with some nudity thrown in. It would work as an all-public movie (mixing adventure with fantastic elements) were it not for the gratuitous violence (borderline S&M at times) of certain scenes, which results in something that's neither fish nor fowl.
It's described as a horror comedy on Wikipedia, but I don't know why. Perhaps the way A Nightmare on Elm Street can be seen as a comedy, in that the whole thing is so outré that it's not to be considered seriously and just invites you to go along for the ride.
It was funny to see Hugh Grant as a young fellow, though. I didn't remember that he had ever been that young on screen!
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Post by Jeddak on Oct 24, 2024 18:08:20 GMT -5
The Lair of the White Worm (1988) deserves praise for... the makeup! The snake lady's face in it was well done. The special effects, however, are typical of the era; unconvincing blue screen work mixed with puppetry, showing neither the technical prowess that computers would bring a few years later nor the sheer creativity of earlier decades. The hallucination scenes were pretty hallucinatory, though, I'll give them that, and props to the director for not shying away from certain disturbing drug-induced images. The story itself, loosely based on a Bram Stoker novel, is a mix of Scooby-Do and a snake-themed Dracula with some nudity thrown in. It would work as an all-public movie (mixing adventure with fantastic elements) were it not for the gratuitous violence (borderline S&M at times) of certain scenes, which results in something that's neither fish nor fowl. It's described as a horror comedy on Wikipedia, but I don't know why. Perhaps the way A Nightmare on Elm Street can be seen as a comedy, in that the whole thing is so outré that it's not to be considered seriously and just invites you to go along for the ride. It was funny to see Hugh Grant as a young fellow, though. I didn't remember that he had ever been that young on screen! I really liked Lair, though it's been a while. What got me was how different Peter Capaldi looked; I had to double check the cast listing to make sure that was him. |
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Post by berkley on Oct 25, 2024 11:51:19 GMT -5
The Lair of the White Worm (1988) deserves praise for... the makeup! The snake lady's face in it was well done. The special effects, however, are typical of the era; unconvincing blue screen work mixed with puppetry, showing neither the technical prowess that computers would bring a few years later nor the sheer creativity of earlier decades. The hallucination scenes were pretty hallucinatory, though, I'll give them that, and props to the director for not shying away from certain disturbing drug-induced images. The story itself, loosely based on a Bram Stoker novel, is a mix of Scooby-Do and a snake-themed Dracula with some nudity thrown in. It would work as an all-public movie (mixing adventure with fantastic elements) were it not for the gratuitous violence (borderline S&M at times) of certain scenes, which results in something that's neither fish nor fowl. It's described as a horror comedy on Wikipedia, but I don't know why. Perhaps the way A Nightmare on Elm Street can be seen as a comedy, in that the whole thing is so outré that it's not to be considered seriously and just invites you to go along for the ride. It was funny to see Hugh Grant as a young fellow, though. I didn't remember that he had ever been that young on screen! I really liked Lair, though it's been a while. What got me was how different Peter Capaldi looked; I had to double check the cast listing to make sure that was him. I just saw it recently at the cinema and I liked it much more than I remember from seeing it on VHS cassette back in the 90s. I do think it's a horror-comedy - certain scenes are for me clearly played at least partly for humorous effect while at the same time being effectively scary and horrifying, particularly those involving the snake-woman - an amazing performance by Amanda Donahoe, BTW. |
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Post by Jeddak on Oct 25, 2024 12:35:58 GMT -5
Blood on Satan's Claw - 1971 - I saw this one some years ago, and really liked it. Rewatching it now, well, there are still some bits I like.
Originally intended to be an anthology, the 3 stories were blended into one. The first segment still feels disconnected from the rest. But once the movie gets to the main plot, which sees a village's children forming a demonic cult and trying to revive the demon Behemoth, things pick up. There are some intense bits, we get a villain, and the good guys do finally rally. And you do get a good feel for the time and place; the use of dialect comes off as natural. The storytelling is still all over the place, though. Characters come and go. And I wish we'd spent more time with the cult, maybe been given a clearer idea of how they came together. And the cult's organizer, Angel, is underused; she's a strong presence when she is on screen. And the less said about the demon, the better.
Overall, I feel this was one more rewrite away from being a really good movie. Still fond of it, though.
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Post by codystarbuck on Oct 25, 2024 13:12:15 GMT -5
Watched Curse of Frankenstein, the Hammer film that launched a legend and it's good. Dr Frankenstein is shown to be a not-nice guy, from the start, especially as he plays with the affections of a maid, who he locks into a room with the monster, to murder, after she reveals she is pregnant with his child and will tell everyone about his experiments. You see that he has no moral qualms at any point and little love for people around him. Hammer created a true villain in Frankenstein, as the creator is the real monster.
I tried Frankenstein Created Woman, but my download seems to be sped up and sounds weird and the story wasn't engaging enough. Surprised to see Derek Fowlds, of Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister and Basil Brush fame, playing one of a trio of toffs who bully a disabled and disfigured waitress, at a tavern, who ends up receiving the brain of Frankenstein's assistant and a revamped body and carries out revenge on the three. Not quite up to the previous three films.
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Post by commond on Oct 25, 2024 17:33:19 GMT -5
Taste of Fear (Seth Holt, 1961)
One of the better Hammer films. Clearly derivative of Psycho and Les Diaboliques but enjoyable nonetheless. I was particularly pleased with the black and white cinematography and the use of exterior locations. Too often Hammer films are hamstringed by their constant use of film sets. The acting was a mishmash of different styles. Apparently, some of the other actors had a hard time working with Susan Strasberg, who was a method actor. I quite liked the dynamic as it inadvertently added an extra layer of tension between the characters. One of the better films I've watched for this year's Marathon.
Ju-On: The Grudge (Takashi Shimizu, 2002)
Meh. I was never into these J-Horror films when they big and I'm still not interested in them today. Not the most visually arresting horror film. It looks like someone shot a film around my neighborhood. Even the ghosts aren't that special. The boy pops up in creepy places, and the woman looks like something out of a Junji Ito manga, but the overall effect pales in comparison with Yotsuya Kaidan. The film is structured like Japanese horror manga (which I enjoy), but it doesn't translate well to film. I was going to watch more J-Horror films before Halloween but this was uninspiring. I may have to go a different route instead.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,860
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Post by shaxper on Oct 25, 2024 18:36:07 GMT -5
Not a film, but Amber and I began watching What We Do In The Shadows last night and had an immensely good time. For those who have yet to indulge, it's essentially The Office, but with vampires. We are four episodes in and only stopped because it was a school night. Apparently, there was a film before the television series, so we'll have to check that out, but it doesn't seem necessary for understanding anything in the series as of yet.
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Post by driver1980 on Oct 25, 2024 18:48:04 GMT -5
Watched Curse of Frankenstein, the Hammer film that launched a legend and it's good. Dr Frankenstein is shown to be a not-nice guy, from the start, especially as he plays with the affections of a maid, who he locks into a room with the monster, to murder, after she reveals she is pregnant with his child and will tell everyone about his experiments. You see that he has no moral qualms at any point and little love for people around him. Hammer created a true villain in Frankenstein, as the creator is the real monster. I tried Frankenstein Created Woman, but my download seems to be sped up and sounds weird and the story wasn't engaging enough. Surprised to see Derek Fowlds, of Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister and Basil Brush fame, playing one of a trio of toffs who bully a disabled and disfigured waitress, at a tavern, who ends up receiving the brain of Frankenstein's assistant and a revamped body and carries out revenge on the three. Not quite up to the previous three films. Of that series, there’s a possibility that Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell is my favourite. |
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Post by commond on Oct 25, 2024 18:49:52 GMT -5
It’s a New Zealand film so you should absolutely check it out! Very funny.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Oct 25, 2024 20:07:14 GMT -5
Not a film, but Amber and I began watching What We Do In The Shadows last night and had an immensely good time. For those who have yet to indulge, it's essentially The Office, but with vampires. We are four episodes in and only stopped because it was a school night. Apparently, there was a film before the television series, so we'll have to check that out, but it doesn't seem necessary for understanding anything in the series as of yet. Super fun series. I have not watched the film. |
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Post by berkley on Oct 25, 2024 22:35:21 GMT -5
Not a film, but Amber and I began watching What We Do In The Shadows last night and had an immensely good time. For those who have yet to indulge, it's essentially The Office, but with vampires. We are four episodes in and only stopped because it was a school night. Apparently, there was a film before the television series, so we'll have to check that out, but it doesn't seem necessary for understanding anything in the series as of yet. It’s a New Zealand film so you should absolutely check it out! Very funny. I've heard the title but I don't think I knew what it was about until now. I'll definitely check it out, though I'm not sure I'll have time to fit it in before the end of the month. |
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Post by berkley on Oct 25, 2024 22:42:46 GMT -5
Taste of Fear (Seth Holt, 1961) One of the better Hammer films. Clearly derivative of Psycho and Les Diaboliques but enjoyable nonetheless. I was particularly pleased with the black and white cinematography and the use of exterior locations. Too often Hammer films are hamstringed by their constant use of film sets. The acting was a mishmash of different styles. Apparently, some of the other actors had a hard time working with Susan Strasberg, who was a method actor. I quite liked the dynamic as it inadvertently added an extra layer of tension between the characters. One of the better films I've watched for this year's Marathon. Ju-On: The Grudge (Takashi Shimizu, 2002) Meh. I was never into these J-Horror films when they big and I'm still not interested in them today. Not the most visually arresting horror film. It looks like someone shot a film around my neighborhood. Even the ghosts aren't that special. The boy pops up in creepy places, and the woman looks like something out of a Junji Ito manga, but the overall effect pales in comparison with Yotsuya Kaidan. The film is structured like Japanese horror manga (which I enjoy), but it doesn't translate well to film. I was going to watch more J-Horror films before Halloween but this was uninspiring. I may have to go a different route instead.
I'll look for Taste of Fear, don't think I've heard of it before now. The only Hammer film I've seen so far this Hallowe'en month was The Satanic Rites of Dracula, which I watched just last night. I quite liked it. I'll try to post a few words about it and the other few movies I haven't talked about yet before the end of the month.
I haven't seen a lot of Japan horror, but I did think Ringu was very good. And Audition, if that one counts. I might see Ringu again in a few days as it's playing here and I've never seen it on the big screen, just on dvd. I'll try Ju-On/The Grudge one of these days but probably not in the near future.
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