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

[Spun Lepton]

And it's a borderline great movie in my estimation, cheese or no cheese.

Hey, I'm not going to argue. I adore the movie.

[Spun Lepton]

I've heard really mixed reviews, but I may rent Frankenstein's Army this weekend. I'm preparing for the worst.

[Dukefrukem]

Finally watched Tucker & Dale vs Evil. Very fun.

[Mr. Pink]

Man, I expected more You're Next conversation to be going on. Did anyone else beside Winston see it?

I loved it. It's gory, and funny in the right spots. One of the better horror movies I've seen in theaters (and in general) recently. It would be a shame for horror fans to miss this in the theater, since it's typically not the kind of movie that gets such a wide release. I mean, Ti West is in it, and not even his movies open as wide at this did.

[MadMan]

I probably should have viewed You're Next by now, however my next planned movie viewing is The World's End instead. I'm just broke right now plus working more than I normally do, so theater viewings have been scarce all year long.

[Dukefrukem]

I don't go to see horror movies in theaters (with the exception of a few, Evil Dead, Cabin in the Woods)

I hate hearing people react and it removes me from the experience.

[MadMan]

Honestly I believe that horror movies should be viewed by yourself in a dark room late at night. While possibly also drinking. Although the best test of a horror film is to watch it during the day: I viewed Frailty on a nice afternoon and was freaked out, and Alien (1979) scared the shit out of me even though I was watching it during the day. My favorite viewings though have taken place on overcast fall days, two of them being The Evil Dead II and The Blair Witch Project. After seeing each the outside got a little darker, and the fall leaves seemed a little less nicer, heh.

[Dukefrukem]

[MadMan]

Even though I know the ending I still want to see that film. I didn't know there was a DC.

[Rock]

Even though I know the ending I still want to see that film. I didn't know there was a DC.

It's very good, and a lot of the fun is in how deliberate and maddening the build-up is. Knowing the reveal may kill some of your enjoyment, but there's plenty to love still.

[Rock]

I watched John Dies at the End. It was alright. It never really goes too deep into all the ideas its playing with, but given just how many of those ideas it's packing, that's somewhat excusable. Also, with the weak special effects and the relatively pedestrian filmmaking, it never reaches the energy level required for the material. It's still reasonably entertaining, though.

[MadMan]

It's very good, and a lot of the fun is in how deliberate and maddening the build-up is. Knowing the reveal may kill some of your enjoyment, but there's plenty to love still.

Well part of the problem is that the Internet spoiled it for me. The other problem is that I caught most of the godawful remake on TV. I'll never be able to forget Nick Cage screaming about the bees. Among other horrible, hilarious things.

I wrote recently about John Dies At The End, but the summing up of my piece is that despite the film's obvious flaws I really enjoyed the hell out of it. Well that and the fact that I thought some elements were rather creepy. John is a bit dull but his friend-the main character-was fleshed out well enough.

[Irish]

I'm going to go on record and say I am finished with the horror genre. "Conjuring" and "Insidious 2" are my two last scary movies.

http://news.moviefone.com/2013/09/10...r-2-interview/

Now that seems a shame.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I watched Rosemary's Baby last night for the first time since high school and... I'm pretty sure I still didn't like it. It's such a slow build up of tension that really, in the end, goes nowhere other than to a corny scene in an old folks' apartment with a draped-in-black bassinet. There are a few suspenseful moments here and there, and Farrow was very good, but it just sort of ambles through its paces, progressing to each predictable next step until it makes its way to a shrug of the shoulders conclusion. You can parse out a few interesting discussions on the nature of a parent or on abortion from the narrative, and that's in the film's favor, but it just isn't enough to excuse a 135 minute exercise in mundane. The fact that this film is held in higher esteem than Polanski's far superior Repulsion is just a damn shame.

[Dukefrukem]

The Omen > Rosemary's Baby

[Raiders]

I watched Rosemary's Baby last night for the first time since high school and... I'm pretty sure I still didn't like it. It's such a slow build up of tension that really, in the end, goes nowhere other than to a corny scene in an old folks' apartment with a draped-in-black bassinet. There are a few suspenseful moments here and there, and Farrow was very good, but it just sort of ambles through its paces, progressing to each predictable next step until it makes its way to a shrug of the shoulders conclusion. You can parse out a few interesting discussions on the nature of a parent or on abortion from the narrative, and that's in the film's favor, but it just isn't enough to excuse a 135 minute exercise in mundane. The fact that this film is held in higher esteem than Polanski's far superior Repulsion is just a damn shame.

I don't... corny... what is happening...

[Kurosawa Fan]

I don't... corny... what is happening...

There is nothing frightening, unsettling, disturbing, etc. etc. etc. about those final moments. It's been telegraphed from about the twenty minute mark. Those people aren't threatening, they're just sort of old geezers hanging out and worshiping Satan. Even her decision in the end left me shrugging my shoulders as I turned off the TV. I just can't get on the wavelength of that film. I've admitted to being wrong in the past for various reasons. This time, I feel like high school me made a fairly sound judgement.

[D_Davis]

I think that's kind of the point of the book and film. They aren't supposed to be frightening, unsettling, or disturbing at all. They're supposed to be seen as completely normal. That's why it works so well as a commentary on evil and fears in society, especially at the time the book was written and the film was made. It's kind of another take on the whole pod people thing. They're completely normal, except they worship Satan!

It works because the story is really just a family drama touching upon the fears of becoming new parents, except here the ultimate fear, the paranoia, is real, and not only real but seemingly totally normal.

[Raiders]

There is nothing frightening, unsettling, disturbing, etc. etc. etc. about those final moments. It's been telegraphed from about the twenty minute mark. Those people aren't threatening, they're just sort of old geezers hanging out and worshiping Satan. Even her decision in the end left me shrugging my shoulders as I turned off the TV. I just can't get on the wavelength of that film. I've admitted to being wrong in the past for various reasons. This time, I feel like high school me made a fairly sound judgement.

Yeah, we obviously just judge what the film is differently. You are 100% correct. There is nothing terrifying about them--they are a bunch of old folks standing around, having a social with the Antichrist in the crib next to them--except, that is positively unsettling and terrifying. It is a film not about the supernatural, but the perfectly normal. Oh yeah, and your baby is the Antichrist.

I agree with Davis, it really is just the 100% end-point of new parent paranoia, the mother who is afraid of what her baby will be (it isn't that far removed from the amazing fears and endless tests expecting mothers go through for the umpteen illnesses your baby may have and wreak upon you) and the conspiracy from those that put her here (how many expecting mothers begin to resent and despise their husband / boyfriend?). I love that the ending is so strange--it actually confirms her fears. It's the literal translation of what the worst outcome could have been. It is intentionally weird and at the same time, kind of amusing. Polanski was certainly not trying to be classicly scary or menacing there, but the off kilter and nightmare-fulfillment still works brilliantly for me.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I think that's kind of the point of the book and film. They aren't supposed to be frightening, unsettling, or disturbing at all. They're supposed to be seen as completely normal. That's why it works so well as a commentary on evil and fears in society, especially at the time the book was written and the film was made. It's kind of another take on the whole pod people thing. They're completely normal, except they worship Satan!

It works because the story is really just a family drama touching upon the fears of becoming new parents, except here the ultimate fear, the paranoia, is real, and not only real but seemingly totally normal.

Yeah, I definitely picked up on this, and even touched on it in my original post, but the film is just so bland and predictable along the way that those themes aren't enough to save it from being a mundane experience.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Yeah, we obviously just judge what the film is differently. You are 100% correct. There is nothing terrifying about them--they are a bunch of old folks standing around, having a social with the Antichrist in the crib next to them--except, that is positively unsettling and terrifying. It is a film not about the supernatural, but the perfectly normal. Oh yeah, and your baby is the Antichrist.

I agree with Davis, it really is just the 100% end-point of new parent paranoia, the mother who is afraid of what her baby will be (it isn't that far removed from the amazing fears and endless tests expecting mothers go through for the umpteen illnesses your baby may have and wreak upon you) and the conspiracy from those that put her here (how many expecting mothers begin to resent and despise their husband / boyfriend?). I love that the ending is so strange--it actually confirms her fears. It's the literal translation of what the worst outcome could have been. It is intentionally weird and at the same time, kind of amusing. Polanski was certainly not trying to be classicly scary or menacing there, but the off kilter and nightmare-fulfillment still works brilliantly for me.

I can totally see your point of view, and I wish the film worked for me that way. I think what's working against it for me is the fact that the neighbors aren't very normal. They're odd and awkward. Had they just been a normal neighbor next door, perhaps the effect would have been greater. Instead they exist sort of in the middle, between normal next-door neighbor and disturbing, menacing presence. Also, had the film been a bit snappier rather than long and rambling, perhaps I wouldn't have begun to lose interest. As is, I just couldn't work my way back into the groove of the film after it lost me (pretty sure this happened during the twenty or thirty minute stretch where the only development seemed to be the pains she was having, which eventually amounted to not a whole lot), and as such, the end was, like I said, fairly corny and shrug-inducing.

[MadMan]

Repulsion and The Omen are both excellent films, but they aren't as good as Rosemary's Baby.

[Grouchy]

Rosemary's Baby is a masterpiece of cinema, on a class all of its own.

The Omen... is a kind of dated-but-still-fun Horror film.

[Rock]

Repulsion and The Omen are both pretty good films, but they aren't as good as Rosemary's Baby.

Adjusted slightly to reflect my opinion.

[Rock]

I watched The Strange Colour of Your Body's Tears, by Helene Cattet and Bruno Forzani (the people behind Amer, which I've yet to see). I don't think I particularly liked it. It looks great and there are aspects of its construction I found pretty interesting, but it started off too manically for me to get into its groove. Those less averse to headtrips/mindfucks might enjoy it, though.