Sangre, cuchillos, y tetas --- Horror Film Discussion

[MadMan]

i really liked it. I loved the ending.

Don't get me wrong-I did like the ending. [

Show Spoiler

Its just that if the fictional town of Ogden Marsh is nearby my hometown of Cedar Rapids, then its also nearby Palo Nuclear Power Plant. If the government dropped a nuke on any town nearby, the whole Midwest-Iowa included, of course-would be toast. Heh. Plus in the credits Bruce Aune, a local KCRG newscaster, makes an appearance, which rocks. My friend, who used to do camera work for KCRG, helped tape that moment for the movie.

]

I posted some further thoughts on your blog, of course-especially about the car wash scene. Maybe I'll finally write that review of it once I finish uploading a bunch more reviews from my endless backlog.

[Grouchy]

I realize it's been very long since I'd last seen a Horror movie. But I made a nice return to form with The Entity, which is somewhat unique both in theme and structure. Apparently, it's based on real events with a lot more seriousness than something like Amytiville Horror. Barbara Hershey gives a great central performance as a mother repeteadly harassed - and even raped - by poltergeists. And the movie, while deeply disturbing, does not so much aim to scare as to raise a series of questions about the paranormal and the psychological. It's really worth watching. As a side bonus, the poltergeist special effects by the Stan Winston team are so good than in at least one instance I was left scratching my head as to how they could've done that.

[

Show Spoiler

I'm talking about the nipple sucking scene. It turns out it was done with concentrated air.

]

[The Mike]

Don't get me wrong-I did like the ending. [

Show Spoiler

Its just that if the fictional town of Ogden Marsh is nearby my hometown of Cedar Rapids, then its also nearby Palo Nuclear Power Plant. If the government dropped a nuke on any town nearby, the whole Midwest-Iowa included, of course-would be toast. Heh. Plus in the credits Bruce Aune, a local KCRG newscaster, makes an appearance, which rocks. My friend, who used to do camera work for KCRG, helped tape that moment for the movie.

]

I posted some further thoughts on your blog, of course-especially about the car wash scene. Maybe I'll finally write that review of it once I finish uploading a bunch more reviews from my endless backlog.

Yeah, I looked at the Iowa connections and silliness of it too. But it was fun enough.

[megladon8]

Candyman is good, not great. Could have been so much more, but falters.

Tony Todd is wonderful, and Virgina Madsen is smart and sexy. I would love to have heard Todd's voice in the theatre - apparently the work done to make him sound God-like in theatrical viewings was really something.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Candyman is good, not great. Could have been so much more, but falters.

Tony Todd is wonderful, and Virgina Madsen is smart and sexy. I would love to have heard Todd's voice in the theatre - apparently the work done to make him sound God-like in theatrical viewings was really something.

Bah!

It's lovely, elegant horror. A few too many details regarding his legend, and the too-traditional epilogue feels unworthy, but otherwise, awesomeness.

Now that you mention it, Tony Todd as the Voice of God would be incredible casting.

[megladon8]

Bah!

It's lovely, elegant horror. A few too many details regarding his legend, and the too-traditional epilogue feels unworthy, but otherwise, awesomeness.

Now that you mention it, Tony Todd as the Voice of God would be incredible casting.

What did you find "elegant" about the film? I found both its dialogue and visual story-telling quite clunky.

There are some horrifically jumpy edits and cuts, and some of the film's most interesting ideas (like Madsen's character being a reincarnation of sorts) are made side-notes for a more slasherific approach.

Felt like the movie could have been a dreamlike, existential nightmare, but opted to attempt to make Candyman the next Freddy or Jason. Which is certainly appropriate in some ways considering the film's look at folklore and peoples' inherent fascination with urban legends and "boogeymen", but again, I found this one of the least interesting aspects of the story.

[Winston*]

Bernard Rose has the weirdest filmography.

[Dead & Messed Up]

What did you find "elegant" about the film? I found both its dialogue and visual story-telling quite clunky.

There are some horrifically jumpy edits and cuts, and some of the film's most interesting ideas (like Madsen's character being a reincarnation of sorts) are made side-notes for a more slasherific approach.

Felt like the movie could have been a dreamlike, existential nightmare, but opted to attempt to make Candyman the next Freddy or Jason. Which is certainly appropriate in some ways considering the film's look at folklore and peoples' inherent fascination with urban legends and "boogeymen", but again, I found this one of the least interesting aspects of the story.

Much of the elegance came from the amazing score by Phillip Glass and Tony Todd's regality. His coats and voice and stature are commanding, an entirely different way of presenting a "slasher" killer.

Madsen's character is a proxy for the original, for sure, but I don't remember her being a literal reincarnation. Her similarity is convenient and poetic, for sure.

There are many times when the film achieves that. I remember the opening credits, her first investigation of the urban setting, and the enormous pyre at the end of the film. Certainly her first brush with Candyman. I don't know that Rose and Barker intended to make him a slasher in that mold; seems that they're more interested in expanding the notion of what a slasher is, what a ghost is, why someone like that would kill the way he does.

Part of all this comes from my fascination with the way that Candyman precedes the meta-horror self-legitimizing of films like New Nightmare and In the Mouth of Madness. They're all touching on this fascinating idea of horror as a construct of the reader, simultaneously exposing the exploitation of such images and their necessity. Candyman may be the most basic, since it's about a killer who kills to be remembered. He's intentionally pushing for legendary status; his survival depends on it. This is more interesting to me than the standard slashing-as-vengeance model for Freddy and Jason.

I also love the way the film quietly touches on social issues, keeping its focus on the story while allowing urban decay, segregation, and class disparity to seep into the margins.

I may have to watch it again, though, with my eye on the editing and composition.

[Raiders]

Bernard Rose has the weirdest filmography.

He's obsessed with Tolstoy.

I like Candyman, but his real masterpiece is Paperhouse. Remarkable film I wish more people had seen.

[megladon8]

Much of the elegance came from the amazing score by Phillip Glass and Tony Todd's regality. His coats and voice and stature are commanding, an entirely different way of presenting a "slasher" killer.

Madsen's character is a proxy for the original, for sure, but I don't remember her being a literal reincarnation. Her similarity is convenient and poetic, for sure.

I thought her looking at the portraits of Candyman's lover (which look exactly like Madsen) while he says in voice-over "it was always you, Helen" made it pretty clear she was some kind of reincarnation of the original woman.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I thought her looking at the portraits of Candyman's lover (which look exactly like Madsen) while he says in voice-over "it was always you, Helen" made it pretty clear she was some kind of reincarnation of the original woman.

Ah. I took it as an indication that she was destined to go through everything she suffered.

[Rowland]

Ranking Barker adaptations, just because:

Hellraiser > Candyman > Hellbound: Hellraiser II > The Midnight Meat Train > Lord of Illusions

[Bosco B Thug]

He's obsessed with Tolstoy.

I like Candyman, but his real masterpiece is Paperhouse. Remarkable film I wish more people had seen.

Its constant DVD-less-ness has been leaving me disgruntled for a while now.


It probably doesn't come off in my ratings, but these old Cronenbergs have been leaving me a bit underwhelmed. They're good, and bold visions under Cronenberg's competent hands, but I'm not feeling I'm on my way to becoming a Cronenberg enthusiast. Eh, you win some, you lose some. I'm very hopeful about a Dead Ringers re-visit.

[Rowland]

Honestly, there are times when I consider Naked Lunch my favorite Cronenberg, which happens to be Dan Sallitt's favorite as well.

[B-side]

Dead Ringers currently sits in my top 10. Irons is incredible in it.

[Qrazy]

Honestly, there are times when I consider Naked Lunch my favorite Cronenberg, which happens to be Dan Sallitt's favorite as well.

It's not my favorite but it's probably top five for me. I don't understand the hate it gets from some crowds.

[B-side]

Weller is excellent in Naked Lunch.

[soitgoes...]

Honestly, there are times when I consider Naked Lunch my favorite Cronenberg, which happens to be Dan Sallitt's favorite as well.

I would consider it my favorite of Cronenberg's films.

[Bosco B Thug]

Honestly, there are times when I consider Naked Lunch my favorite Cronenberg, which happens to be Dan Sallitt's favorite as well.

Great. Accounting-for-Dan-Sallitt's-taste WIN.

Cronenberg's films start opening up when he starts forgetting about narrative, so I may agree with the NL favor, if I remember Naked Lunch right.

[Raiders]

I disliked Naked Lunch years ago. Haven't revisited in a long while. I love me some Cronenberg though. Other than that one, he hasn't made a film I haven't liked.

[Dukefrukem]

Check out this Splice Trailer. I like that chick from Dawn of the Dead remake...

Reminds me of Species

[Rowland]

I was in a shitty mood earlier, so I decided to make myself feel better with an impulsive spending spree. My catch:

Torso
Four Flies on Grey Velvet
The House by the Cemetery
The Devil's Rain
Tourist Trap

[Spun Lepton]

The House by the Cemetery
Tourist Trap

Pulpy, b-movie goodness, both of these.

[Rowland]

Check out this Splice Trailer. I like that chick from Dawn of the Dead remake...

Reminds me of Species

That trailer isn't very promising, but I liked Natali's previous efforts Cube and Cypher a lot, so I hope this turns out good, or at the very least better than the lousy Species.

[Rowland]

Pulpy, b-movie goodness, both of these.

Absolutely, though I'd say the same for all those movies.