|
|
Post by codystarbuck on Oct 5, 2024 22:52:55 GMT -5
The Curse of Frankenstein (Terence Fisher, 1957)
Felt like a change of pace from giallo films, so I opted for a Hammer film. I can count on one hand the number of Hammer films I've seen. I've always preferred the Universal Studios films to the Hammer films when it comes to monster pictures, but now's the time to give them another shot. As many of you will already know, this film focuses more on the madness and ambition of Frankenstein than the monster itself. It takes a long time for he monster to appear, and even longer for any horror to occur. It's a testament to Peter Cushing's talent that he's able to carry the film for so long without any serious action. His performance arguably raises the film above the quality of its script. The monster's costume design is fascinating. Lee looks nothing like the Karloff monster. Lee was tall, but his Frankenstein didn't come across as physically intimidating. Instead, he has this lanky awkwardness to him as though he's struggling to get his body parts to co-operate with each other. I don't know how you'd describe his look, but it struck me as timeless. You could give the monster a similar look today and it would resonant with audiences. The second half of the film is entertaining enough to make up for the long preamble, and Cushing and Lee are worth the price of admission (Robert Urquhart got on my nerves a bit, mostly due to his one-note character motivation -- though one suspects his feelings for Elizabeth ran deeper than the film depicted.) I prefer the Hammer Dr Frankenstein character to the Universal, though I enjoy the original and Bride of Frankenstein. Hammer's shows that the true monster is the man and his obsession with playing a god and the destruction he brings to those around him. This what I thought they missed with Universals modern attempt at a Monster franchise; you need a central villain and Dr Frankenstein is perfect, along with Count Dracula. Trust Hollywood to screw it up. |
|
|
|
Post by codystarbuck on Oct 5, 2024 23:22:53 GMT -5
My entry tonight is a truly unsettling film, but with its own cool soundtrack.....
Well, it's not in the movie; but, it should be!
Yup, The Wicker Man, from 1973.....not some godawful Nicholas Cage vehicle. That's true horror.......sitting through it, not the film itself.
No, the original will creep the bejesus out of you, just because it is so bloodless and non-violent, with everything......odd, and off-kilter.
Edward Woodward, the man who took all the Ds he could find, stars as Sgt Neil Howie, a police officer who receives a letter about a missing girl, frum Summerisle, and island off the coast of Scotland. He flies out to investigate and find that no one seems to know of the girl, including her own mother. What he does find is an isolated and insular community, who practice pagan rituals, with folk remedies and folk rites, to bring fertility to their crops and their population. He also finds a rather open society in regards to sex, and soon finds himself fighting temptation, as the inn keeper's daughter calls to him, in the night, in song, to the accompaniment of the patrons in the pub and village below. He finds proof of the missing girl's existence, and signs of something more sinister building towards the May Day celebrations.
Woodward is fantastic as the pious, virtuous police officer, who is shocked and appalled by the pagan rites and beliefs while finding his own beliefs challenged by Lord Summerisle, who points out their equal improbability, when viewed from another perspective. Woodward plays righteous anger better than any actor you will find (or did, before his death), whether he is a religious police sergeant, a hatchet man for a government dirty tricks office, a helping hand for those in desperate need, or an Australian soldier, sacrificed in the name of Empire. Christopher Lee plays Lord Summerisle as charming and quietly commanding, a man of knowledge, but who rejects Howie's religion and beliefs, as did his father and grandfather, who established their colony, bringing life back to the island, with apples and other crops tailored to the environment (volcanic ash soil and gulf stream currents). There is no menace in him, but he is not truly forthcoming, either.
Brit Eckland (dubbed) is the inn keepers daughter and temptress, who spends a fare time naked, in a long scene where she tempts Howie, like a siren, calling to him through the walls of the inn, just as he had previously witnessed her take in a young man, brought to her by Lord Summerisle, to be introduced to the ways of life. She had a body double, as she found that she was pregnant, just as they began filming. The film also features Ingrid Pitt, another Hammer veteran, as well as Diane Cilento (the former Mrs Sean Connery) as the school mistress and Aubrey Morris, who had a memorable turn in A Clockwork Orange.
The fact that this is so bloodless and plays upon folk rites and rituals makes it so effective, building upon modern fears of the dark past, the savagery dispelled by civilization, but always lurking in the darkness, according to some. It has depth to the story and lets the mind create the dread, until the climax, when you discover the true horror that Howie faces.
The only thing missing is Men Without Hats.....
|
|
shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,867
|
Post by shaxper on Oct 6, 2024 0:57:31 GMT -5
Did a double feature with our friends tonight. I pushed damn hard for The Beyond (1981) in the wake of this group's discussion of Lucio Fulci, but even though I lost that bid, the group chose two excellent films for us to take in, including:
A Quiet Place Day One (2024): I've yet to see the first two films, but this was far more impressive than what I would have expected from the third installment in an already lucrative franchise. This was pure art, and far moreso a drama than a horror film (other than one jump scare that felt forced and out of place). First rate acting, directing, cinematography, score, and even lighting/coloring effects. A true masterpiece. Not a film I would go back and watch regularly as there was really no "fun" to be had in it, but it certainly accomplished everything it set out to do.
10/10
Nosferatu: Phantom Der Nacht (1979): It's been a long time since I last saw this film. I was definitely more aware of its flaws this time around, but it still strikes me as brilliant in its interpretation of a generally straightforward source material, creating a more sympathetic vampire that, to some extent, orchestrates his own demise, an unlikely and profoundly brave heroine, and some deep subtext at work in showing us a world that becomes more beautiful and stirring as it becomes more corrupted.
9/10
|
|
|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 6, 2024 5:03:54 GMT -5
I forgot about Van Helsing, another one I missed when it came out. I might try to get that one in if I find time for any newer movies. While not on the level of the classic Universal monster movies it's a fun monster romp with some cool visuals so well worth catching in my eyes. For today's viewing I went with the new adaptation of King's 'Salem's Lot. This one was stuck in post production hell for the last two years, so long that I had completely forgotten that it even existed until I happened to switch on HBO Max today to look for something to watch while I did the laundry and saw it at the top of the home page. Unlike the newer adaptation of IT I don't think this one ever really transcended the original miniseries. The vampire effects were good but the vampires themselves lacked that ephemeral feeling of the original( especially Danny). I think the only real plus was the way the crosses glowed and how the vampires looked like they were being blown away by typhoon winds when the vampires see the crosses as it made for a really unique visual look. After watching this version I had to stop and think, despite loving horror films and fiction I haven't actually read a lot of vampire novels. I've read Dracula of course, and Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla, King's Salem's lot, Kim Newman's first Ano Dracula and Del Toro's Strain Trilogy...and I think that's it. For such a huge part of the monster genre it feels weird to realize just how little I've read especially considering how many vampire films I've seen I did like this book:  I'll have to try and track that down |
|
|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 6, 2024 5:11:25 GMT -5
Did a double feature with our friends tonight. I pushed damn hard for The Beyond (1981) in the wake of this group's discussion of Lucio Fulci, but even though I lost that bid, the group chose two excellent films for us to take in, including: A Quiet Place Day One (2024): I've yet to see the first two films, but this was far more impressive than what I would have expected from the third installment in an already lucrative franchise. This was pure art, and far moreso a drama than a horror film (other than one jump scare that felt forced and out of place). First rate acting, directing, cinematography, score, and even lighting/coloring effects. A true masterpiece. Not a film I would go back and watch regularly as there was really no "fun" to be had in it, but it certainly accomplished everything it set out to do. 10/10 Nosferatu: Phantom Der Nacht (1979): It's been a long time since I last saw this film. I was definitely more aware of its flaws this time around, but it still strikes me as brilliant in its interpretation of a generally straightforward source material, creating a more sympathetic vampire that, to some extent, orchestrates his own demise, an unlikely and profoundly brave heroine, and some deep subtext at work in showing us a world that becomes more beautiful and stirring as it becomes more corrupted. 9/10 I love Herzog's take on Nosferatu, that's definitely on my list to watch this year. Out of all the takes on Dracula I feel like Herzog really nailed the mood and the plague scenes at the end are some of the creepiest scenes I've ever seen in any film. |
|
shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,867
|
Post by shaxper on Oct 6, 2024 7:14:48 GMT -5
I love Herzog's take on Nosferatu, that's definitely on my list to watch this year. Out of all the takes on Dracula I feel like Herzog really nailed the mood and the plague scenes at the end are some of the creepiest scenes I've ever seen in any film.Absolutely. While no one in the group appreciated the film as much as I did, they all concurred that the plague scenes were unforgettable. |
|
|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 6, 2024 7:50:09 GMT -5
I love Herzog's take on Nosferatu, that's definitely on my list to watch this year. Out of all the takes on Dracula I feel like Herzog really nailed the mood and the plague scenes at the end are some of the creepiest scenes I've ever seen in any film.Absolutely. While no one in the group appreciated the film as much as I did, they all concurred that the plague scenes were unforgettable. Yeah, the images of all the remaining townfolk dancing around the caskets in the town square is such an eerie juxtaposition to start with...but when you get to the dinner party just casually going on while being over run by rats it gets super unnerving. I'm not usually squeamish about rats and never really got why people were but this scene got me to understand that fear real quick. As for my viewing last night I went back and forth between the Exorcist and the sequel that came out last year Exorcist: Believer...and I sadly went for the latter. I say sadly not because Believer was horrible, it was competently made, but rather because the original is just better in every way. Maybe if you had never seen the original you'd enjoy Believer more, it certainly does a better job of making the two little girls who get possessed and their families seem like actual characters that you care about than the original but it fails in comparison when it comes to the actual possessions themselves because it's just more of the same with out anything new added. The make up(or possibly digital effects?) on the girls looks just like the look of the original, and there's the same raspy voice and body horror of the girls contorting themselves as they struggle against their bonds so it just comes across as rote for someone like me who's probably seen the original dozens of times. And having seen it now I get why it didn't connect with newer horror fans as it lacks the blood and gore of films like Saw or Terrifier so ultimately it's the kind of film that well made doesn't have enough new material to really satisfy older fans while at the same time not being flashy enough to appeal to newer audiences. That said, if you do like the quieter, more psychological horror films of years gone by and have yet to catch the Exorcist for what ever reason you just might dig this...but then do yourself a favor and go watch the original because it does everything this film does well only better. |
|
|
|
Post by commond on Oct 6, 2024 8:31:51 GMT -5
City of the Living Dead (Lucio Fulci, 1980)
Since a few people have shown an interest in Fulci's films, I thought I'd watch some more. This was the first film in Fulci's Gates of Hell trilogy. In this film, a priest hangs himself and opens a gate to Hell in a small town in the US. The film is full of creepy and grotesque imagery. If you have a weak stomach, I'd steer clear of it as it's fairly disgusting. Personally, I've been enjoying Fulci's horror films more than his giallo films. I like giallo, but these supernatural horrors are perfect for a 31 day Halloween marathon. The final shot is confusing, but personally I dug it. Instead of a happy ending it keeps you guessing after it's over.
|
|
|
|
Post by Roquefort Raider on Oct 6, 2024 8:34:51 GMT -5
Yesterday I started a few movies on Tubi as background entertainment while drawing, and stopped after a few minutes after getting bored. The one I kept going was 2015's Maggie, a zombie film with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
I liked it. It's not about the zombie apocalypse per se, but about how if affects a widowed dad and his infected daughter whom he wants to save from mandatory elimination. Despite the gruesomeness of the general situation, I found the healthy relationship between father and daughter quite refreshing.
|
|
|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 6, 2024 8:47:29 GMT -5
Yesterday I started a few movies on Tubi as background entertainment while drawing, and stopped after a few minutes after getting bored. The one I kept going was 2015's Maggie, a zombie film with Arnold Schwarzenegger. I liked it. It's not about the zombie apocalypse per se, but about how if affects a widowed dad and his infected daughter whom he wants to save from mandatory elimination. Despite the gruesomeness of the general situation, I found the healthy relationship between father and daughter quite refreshing. ...Arnie in a Zombie flick!? How have I never heard of this?? |
|
|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 6, 2024 9:30:58 GMT -5
For this morning's viewing pleasure I went with a trio of short films by legendary special effects wizard Kevin McTurk: The Narrative of Victor Karloch, The Mill at Calder's End and the Haunted Swordsman. For those not familiar with the works of Kevin McTurk(Shame on you!) he's one of the people behind the practical effects seen in Jurassic Park, Batman Returns, Hugo, King Kong and the Chronicles of Narnia and since 2011 he's branched off into doing his own short films(mentioned above) and they are stunning pieces of art. These shorts are truly like nothing else I've ever seen on film before mixing miniature sets, marionette puppets( but way more detailed than the Thunderbirds) rod puppets, shadow puppets and stop motion animation to create these incredibly atmospheric pieces that really transport you into their worlds. Both Victor Karloch and Calder's End draw heavily from H.P. Lovecraft, delivering up encounters with eldritch abominations but his latest work The Haunted Swordsman is a fantastic look at Japanese folklore and is by far my favorite of the three: The score is amazing and the creature effects are truly stunning. I think the only drawback is that it doesn't have a definitive ending feeling like only the first episode of a larger story but for what it is you can't go wrong. And the best part is they're only 15 min. each so they're easy to make time for. |
|
|
|
Post by driver1980 on Oct 6, 2024 12:03:28 GMT -5
For today's viewing I went with the new adaptation of King's 'Salem's Lot. This one was stuck in post production hell for the last two years, so long that I had completely forgotten that it even existed until I happened to switch on HBO Max today to look for something to watch while I did the laundry and saw it at the top of the home page. Unlike the newer adaptation of IT I don't think this one ever really transcended the original miniseries. The vampire effects were good but the vampires themselves lacked that ephemeral feeling of the original( especially Danny). I think the only real plus was the way the crosses glowed and how the vampires looked like they were being blown away by typhoon winds when the vampires see the crosses as it made for a really unique visual look. After watching this version I had to stop and think, despite loving horror films and fiction I haven't actually read a lot of vampire novels. I've read Dracula of course, and Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla, King's Salem's lot, Kim Newman's first Ano Dracula and Del Toro's Strain Trilogy...and I think that's it. For such a huge part of the monster genre it feels weird to realize just how little I've read especially considering how many vampire films I've seen You may need a Twitter account to see this: x.com/NatBrehmer/status/1842750414875209993 |
|
|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 6, 2024 12:09:00 GMT -5
For today's viewing I went with the new adaptation of King's 'Salem's Lot. This one was stuck in post production hell for the last two years, so long that I had completely forgotten that it even existed until I happened to switch on HBO Max today to look for something to watch while I did the laundry and saw it at the top of the home page. Unlike the newer adaptation of IT I don't think this one ever really transcended the original miniseries. The vampire effects were good but the vampires themselves lacked that ephemeral feeling of the original( especially Danny). I think the only real plus was the way the crosses glowed and how the vampires looked like they were being blown away by typhoon winds when the vampires see the crosses as it made for a really unique visual look. After watching this version I had to stop and think, despite loving horror films and fiction I haven't actually read a lot of vampire novels. I've read Dracula of course, and Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla, King's Salem's lot, Kim Newman's first Ano Dracula and Del Toro's Strain Trilogy...and I think that's it. For such a huge part of the monster genre it feels weird to realize just how little I've read especially considering how many vampire films I've seen You may need a Twitter account to see this: x.com/NatBrehmer/status/1842750414875209993Ha, that's definitely an appropriate watch party snack. |
|
|
|
Post by Roquefort Raider on Oct 6, 2024 15:49:07 GMT -5
The McPherson Tape (1989) is not a horror film per se, but I guess alien abductions are fair game for Halloween. It's a found-footage sort of thing depicting how a bunch of aliens terrorize and finally abduct a small family as they were celebrating a kid's birthday (explaining why the whole thing was caught on video).
The practical effects are sober and very well done, I thought, quite convincing for the era.
This type of story sinks or swims on the credibility of the actors, who must act and talk like real people; in that regard, this film succeeds very honourably. The unavoidable banter preceding the arrival of the aliens is actually quite moving, with brothers discussing their mom's burgeoning alcohol problem after her husband passed away.
Lots of screaming and chaotic shots, of course, but that's to be expected.
|
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Oct 6, 2024 16:20:01 GMT -5
And today I watched Son of Dracula (1943). It’s easily been 30-35 years since I’ve seen this one, so I honestly barely remembered it.
Thoughts…
I know Chaney as Dracula is controversial. I have a hard time decided how to feel as he wasn't given a lot to do. I lean toward he wasn't the best choice, but he didn’t absolutely stink the joint up.
The movie is atmospheric as heck. So that’s good.
Every single person in this movie is an idiot. And most of them are criminals. Yeah, we, the audience, know that Alucard is a menace. But damn near every character in the movie just jumps to that decision before anything has actually happened. Frank Brewster and Doctor Stanley absolutely should be imprisoned.
I think I like this better than most people do. It’s not great, but it’s pretty okay for a Universal monster sequel.
|
|
