Happy October everybody! While this month is special because it regularly hosts my favorite moody weather, Oktoberfest is still raging, NFL is well underway, it is our wedding anniversary AND the kid is supposed to make her big debut - another reason to love it is that it is a month-long lead-up to Halloween.
Far and away my favorite holiday, Halloween needs a little special preparations in Berlin. Though the holiday is slowly catching on in Germany - as evidenced by the fake blood and costumes in Kaisers - it is still not that popular here. It is up to us to bring the scare.
As we've found for Christmas, one of the best ways for us to get in the mood is to inundate our days (or nights) with themed movies. And oh what a lovely treasure trove of horror movies exist. Less into blood and guts than suspense, I usually love them all. I'll be chowing down on devil{ed} eggs
visiting the graves of Grimms and watching movies to my dark heart's content. While you may not agree with my choices and no one would say this is the "Best of", these movies are making my month and keeping me terrified just in time for Halloween.
31 Days of Halloween- 2017
- October 2nd: The Voices- I can't deal with reality today (stop praying and get legislating America), so I am all about the entertainment violence. We started our October horror movie picks strong with "The Voices". Perfectly bizarre, Ryan Reynolds at his best, totally distrubing look at mental illness.
Bonus track: A Disney Halloween is much better, and scarier, than I remember. We'll see if I regret watching that with a toddler.
31 Days of Halloween- 2014
- Right at Your Door
- Candyman
- Penny Dreadful
- seven
- You're next
- shrooms
31 Days of Halloween- 2013
October 1st
Dead Snow
Zombies are back again, but this time in a Norwegian indie film and the zombies are Nazis frozen since WWII. Decidedly low budget and dubbed, the film has some unique gags and a whole lot of intestine jokes. It's bloody and bad-ass and at times almost gleeful. Those Norwegians should have known better than to mess with Nazi gold.
October 2nd
American Mary
A tale of revenge with enough gross and suspense to keep it mostly entertaining, American Mary follows med student Mary as she prepares to be a surgeon. Not surprisingly, things go awry after a trip to the strip club. And when I say awry - the story eventually loses all hold of itself and becomes something of a hot mess.
There are some unique moments, but the movie really wanders toward the end. I was also confused why they called it American Mary when they reference Bloody Mary in the film. Meh - good enough for October 2nd.
October 3rd
This was inevitable, but I didn't expect it quite so soon. We missed a day.You see, there is a little festival in Germany known as Oktoberfest. It's kinda a big deal. We've been to the big festival in Munich twice and I would think we've learned a thing or two, but from our attendance this Thursday in Berlin it appears we have not.
We went to the Spreeweis'n on German Reunification Day and things got straight up messy after a mass (or 4). Therefore, movie watching did not happen, but I do have two pretty awesome clips for you to enjoy.
Guillermo del Toro's Simpsons opening
Usually I am a fan of TV shows bowing out gracefully. I hate networks trying to torture out a series til every dollar is wrung out. However, I forgive everything for the Simpsons. The show continues to wow and I wish it never ends.
So everyone knows about Nostalgia Chick but me right? Great. Apparently she has been at this for a while and I am loving her content. This episode covers confusing child-hood classic Hocus Pocus. This movie usually sneaks into our Halloween line-up and her review highlighted some of the more bizarre elements of the show. LOVE.
Still jonesing for a full movie? Watch one of my previously reviewed below.
October 4th
Still weak from our Oktoberfest adventure, I did almost nothing this day BUT I did watch a film that can loosely fit into the Halloween paradigm.
Hellboy
The story started with Nazis so Ian was immeaditly in. The movie seemed fine, but I just couldn't be bothered and ended up reading Gawker articles for most of it. Cartoony and more in the super hero vein, Ian liked it.
Horror movie? Not really. We're cheats. But it does have enough suspense to keep it interesting. Let's just call it break from blood & guts.
From the folks of District 9, this "science fiction action-thriller" shows the future as a pretty bleak place for us plebes. While poor folk are struggling down on earth, mostly in LA, the rich and white live eternal life just in sight in the sky. Jodie Foster plays a getting it done bitch with an uneven accent and Matt Damon is trying to take down the machine for his own life and humanity. Nothing subtle here with overarching themes about immigration and class, but entertaining. Perfect for night 5.
I've continued watching Nostalgia Chick and caught her piece on The Addams Family. She had some harsh critiques for one of my favorites and I was curious to watch it again.
Her points about a lack of strong story and the movie being a nostalgic cash grab are accurate - but the positive points about stellar casting are true too. Anjelica Huston kills this role. The woman is a national treasure and some of her lines in this just slay me.
Again, we cheated on the creepy, but this movie is Halloween perfection. Apparently we aren't up for 31 Days of pure horror., but that won't stop our movie watching.
All right true horror lovers, here is a movie we've heard almost nothing about that is disturbing, gory and down-right scary. Another kinda zombie/vampire/apocalyptic story, this version has some really unique ideas
The two main characters are known simply as Mister and boy and are just doing their best to kill vampires as America has crumbled around them. Almost more dangerous than the undead are the murderous religious fanatics the Brotherhood with a hot dose of crazy in their teachings. The duo are eventually joined by a black military vet, a nun and a pregnant teenager and - in classic horror storyline - picked off again.
Over 7 seasons of more silly than horror, we have fallen in love with these ridiculous 30 ghost stories. Based on the gruesome EC horror comics of the 1950's, each episode begins with a tracking shot leading to the front door of the Crypt Keeper's decrepit mansion. The Crypt Keeper is invariably doing something repulsive and goofy before they open on the episode where something repulsive and goofy goes down. It's great.
Back to a classic horror movie!...but not.This movie both highlights and annihilates every horror trope as it is a mockmentary following a serial killer and his preparations for the "big night".
At times it is confusing and a bit self-congratulatory, but is unique enough to merit the wait for the bloody last half.
Honesty, both shows are deeply flawed and reading the critiques of Walking Dead the day after watching the episode is a top highlight. As illuminated by Nostalgia Girl references above, I love a good TV/movie analysis and think the formerly "lowest public medium" can be both mindlessly enjoyed, and thoroughly examined for how it mirrors our society. Creepy & educational!
October 5th
Elysium
Horror movie? Not really. We're cheats. But it does have enough suspense to keep it interesting. Let's just call it break from blood & guts.
From the folks of District 9, this "science fiction action-thriller" shows the future as a pretty bleak place for us plebes. While poor folk are struggling down on earth, mostly in LA, the rich and white live eternal life just in sight in the sky. Jodie Foster plays a getting it done bitch with an uneven accent and Matt Damon is trying to take down the machine for his own life and humanity. Nothing subtle here with overarching themes about immigration and class, but entertaining. Perfect for night 5.
October 6th
The Addams Family
Her points about a lack of strong story and the movie being a nostalgic cash grab are accurate - but the positive points about stellar casting are true too. Anjelica Huston kills this role. The woman is a national treasure and some of her lines in this just slay me.
Again, we cheated on the creepy, but this movie is Halloween perfection. Apparently we aren't up for 31 Days of pure horror., but that won't stop our movie watching.
October 7th
Stake Land
All right true horror lovers, here is a movie we've heard almost nothing about that is disturbing, gory and down-right scary. Another kinda zombie/vampire/apocalyptic story, this version has some really unique ideas
The two main characters are known simply as Mister and boy and are just doing their best to kill vampires as America has crumbled around them. Almost more dangerous than the undead are the murderous religious fanatics the Brotherhood with a hot dose of crazy in their teachings. The duo are eventually joined by a black military vet, a nun and a pregnant teenager and - in classic horror storyline - picked off again.
October 8th
Clearly we don't have it in us to do a movie every night, but that doesn't mean we can't do something that makes us feel Halloweeny every day. Therefore, tonight's TV show is....Tales from the Crypt
Over 7 seasons of more silly than horror, we have fallen in love with these ridiculous 30 ghost stories. Based on the gruesome EC horror comics of the 1950's, each episode begins with a tracking shot leading to the front door of the Crypt Keeper's decrepit mansion. The Crypt Keeper is invariably doing something repulsive and goofy before they open on the episode where something repulsive and goofy goes down. It's great.
October 9th
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Back to a classic horror movie!...but not.This movie both highlights and annihilates every horror trope as it is a mockmentary following a serial killer and his preparations for the "big night".
At times it is confusing and a bit self-congratulatory, but is unique enough to merit the wait for the bloody last half.
October 10th
Sleepy Hollow
For today's movie we got into all things Sleepy Hallow. And there are a few things. First, the 2013 TV show,
I've only heard that this is awful, compelling me to watch it. The cringe-inducing description is "a modern-day retelling of the 1820 short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving." Of course it it. Ichabod has reappeared in modern times and is once again facing off against a headless horseman. Of course. The show is better than awful after the pilot, but hardly worth watching more -except wait a minute! In the last minute the creepy devil/one of the horseman of the Apocalypse? makes a truly scary appearance. Unfortunately, it is literally in the last minute. Hrm. We'll see if we watch again.
Next, the 1999 Burton/Depp movie:
Next, the 1999 Burton/Depp movie:
Interestingly, Ian remembers this movie fondly where I only recall a lot of WTF?! The movie should be right up my alley as I am one of the legions of fans of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci but the movie is a lot of hot mess.
Nostalgia Chick has got my back on this one:
Nostalgia Chick has got my back on this one:
October 11th
American Werewolf in London
In light of our upcoming 3rd trip to London - and Ian's third visit to England in two months time - this film seemed appropriate (London tips welcome!).
An oldie but a goodie, the plot is what you would expect. Two American college students on a tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. They are attacked, one dies, and the other tries to ride out hellish dreams and the threat of becoming a werewolf. This is the werewolf film that holds up surprising well. Plus - naked American man in London. ">Oh my.
An oldie but a goodie, the plot is what you would expect. Two American college students on a tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. They are attacked, one dies, and the other tries to ride out hellish dreams and the threat of becoming a werewolf. This is the werewolf film that holds up surprising well. Plus - naked American man in London. ">Oh my.
While you're at it, go ahead and watch American Werewolf in Paris. Though not nearly the success it's predecessor was, werewolves are a good time and the film delivers the wolf.
October 12th
Gravity
And now for something brand spanking new. We met some friends to watch this at Babylon, one of Berlin's York theatres - a great independent film group that often shows movie in their original language.
I had heard almost nothing about the film other than it had something to do with astronauts and space, had Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, and had opened to huge box-office numbers.Good enough for me - let's watch it!
I had heard almost nothing about the film other than it had something to do with astronauts and space, had Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, and had opened to huge box-office numbers.Good enough for me - let's watch it!
The film is also available in 3-D (meh), but I do recommend watching it at theatres as it makes use of the entire movie theater screen. It constantly places the viewer in the perspective of the characters as they helplessly drift through space, arousing some serious extensional angst as I watched it in a theatre filled with people. Terrifying.
A tale of disaster and survivor in space, it had my whole body clenched throughout - making me feel not at all guilty about including it on this list of scary movies. It may be the scariest thing we watch all month.
A tale of disaster and survivor in space, it had my whole body clenched throughout - making me feel not at all guilty about including it on this list of scary movies. It may be the scariest thing we watch all month.
October 13th
American Horror Story
I am constantly amazed this show made it to air, let alone thrived and is back for season 3. Each season stands on its own story-wise, with a similar cast of actors, and covers a terrifying, sick & disgusting, storyline. The first concerned itself with ghosts, the second focused on a mental asylum and multiple serial killers, while this season will focus on witches.
Though commonly requiring Herculean jumps in thinking, it's usually fascinating to see where the story takes this talented group of actors like Jessica Lange and (yea!) this season's Kathy Bates. However, the first episode was far less than impressive. There were multiple rapes, including 2 which ended in the dudes deaths by f&#@ing. .....What? We're watching you show - behave.
Though commonly requiring Herculean jumps in thinking, it's usually fascinating to see where the story takes this talented group of actors like Jessica Lange and (yea!) this season's Kathy Bates. However, the first episode was far less than impressive. There were multiple rapes, including 2 which ended in the dudes deaths by f&#@ing. .....What? We're watching you show - behave.
October 14th
Walking Dead
Like every other red-blooded American, we have eagerly anticipated the return of Walking Dead. Yet another zombie show, this version has created some unique moments, character development, and extreme tension....in season one. Last season lagged, painfully at times, and the weenied out on a real ending (in my humble opinion). Nonetheless, I love me some zombies and will be watching the return tonight.
Honesty, both shows are deeply flawed and reading the critiques of Walking Dead the day after watching the episode is a top highlight. As illuminated by Nostalgia Girl references above, I love a good TV/movie analysis and think the formerly "lowest public medium" can be both mindlessly enjoyed, and thoroughly examined for how it mirrors our society. Creepy & educational!
October 15th
Beetlejuice
My affection for Tim Burton is revived after the dreadful excursion into Sleepy Hollow. This classic movie uses equal parts funny, grotesque and truly bizarre imagery and characters. A re-watching as we made lasagne had me falling in love with it all over again.
This movie has a bit of the Frankenstein in it with people trying to come back from the dead and recovery from the loss of a child (it's true - there's some deep stuff in here), but watch it for Michael Keaton. This movie clearly illustrates why he was such a star. So lewd and revolting and utterly watchable. Even the Baldwin (which? Not Alec so who cares) is entertaining. Plus - Catherine O'Hara, the dead football player dance number, the death office and smoking out your tracheotomy, Robert Goulet, and that Sandworm gave me nightmares as a kid. Ah, memories.
(ugh - forgive this trailer. This movie is only about 1,000 better)
October 16th
Tucker and Dale vs Evil
We've been wanting to watch this unique take on horror for ages and I finally found a link. Victory is ours!
Re-envisioning the scary hillbillies as normal, southern country folk, the college kids are the terrifying ones in this movie. Cerie from 30 Rock (hey girl!) tries to work as a conduit between the two groups as a series of preconceived notions and misunderstandings leads to the expected trope of people dying one-by-one in a loveable way (unexpected). That's right - loveable. You are kinda rooting for everyone in this twist on an old story (except one guy - you suck popped collar).
Re-envisioning the scary hillbillies as normal, southern country folk, the college kids are the terrifying ones in this movie. Cerie from 30 Rock (hey girl!) tries to work as a conduit between the two groups as a series of preconceived notions and misunderstandings leads to the expected trope of people dying one-by-one in a loveable way (unexpected). That's right - loveable. You are kinda rooting for everyone in this twist on an old story (except one guy - you suck popped collar).
Despite my love of horror movies, I can get quite skived out after 16 days of scary movies. But this one had so much humor and good will that even the scary parts left my smiling. This is second best person in a wood chipper scene after Fargo. After so many indie horror films that should have been better than they are for hard-to-put-your-finger-on reasons, this one is the clear underdog winner.
October 17th
Ahh! Zombies or Wasting Away
Another low-budget wonder, this one again has a clever twist. The movie follows the events from the zombies's point of view and they have a hard time believing they're zombies - even when munching on frozen brain margaritas. The film makes clever use of switching back and forth between black and white (seeing the zombies as others see them) and color (where the zombies are seen through their eyes).
October 18th
American Psycho
With all the awful stuff Brett Easton Ellis has said (and tweeted) since this movie came out, I feel like there is some ill-will for the movie itself. Well, that and all the violence against woman.
But I still love this movie. The ability of people to see what they want to see - for perceptions to be so strong they overshadow reality - is fascinating. The movie simply follows a homicidal maniac that appears to all around him to be an upper class 80s yuppie obsessed with himself, business cards, Huey Lewis and the News, and playing with blood. It is alternately horrifying, revolting, and hilarious.
October 19th
Black Sheep
A spot on recommendation from Ali of Travel-Made-Simple.com (among other excellent travel sites), this movie makes sheep scary - yes really. Confusingly sharing the name of a Chris Farley movie - this is not that.
A family farm in New Zealand delves into genetic engineering which turns sheep into blood-thirsty killers that terrorize humans including some animal rights activists. Sound bizarre? It is.Sound funny? It really is.
October 20th
Let Me In
For some reason we watched the American version of this movie rather than the original Swedish version Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In). Maybe we couldn't find the original with subtitles or were feeling lazy or are just half-assed movie watchers. Probably the latter.No matter - we watched it. The movie recently appeared on an i09 list of "11 Horror Movies That Are Scary Because of What They Say About Humanity" and I expect we will be watching the rest as this movie is beautifully disturbing. A bullied young boy makes friends with a eerie little girl who is - of course - a vampire (and the actress in Kick-Ass and the new Carrie movie). I don't buy all of the action sequences as they come off a little campy, but the dark pouty-ness of the lead child actors is entrancing. And the ending is one to wait for.
October 21st
Cabin in the Woods
For a hot minute in 2012 this movie was all people could talk about. Though I wasn't entirely taken with it, I do love a new twist on an old theme.The story goes over the cliche of a cabin full of college kids being tormented in the woods. Where it leaves the well worn path is that the tormenting is on purpose by a team of professionals who employ every trick in the book to sacrifice the youths for the good of humanity. A big idea that I think is only half successful, the ending is suitably bleak. If you have somehow not heard about the ending, watch and enjoy the expected and unexpected.
October 22nd
Scary Movie
I think they are up to 5 on these things. E gads. No matter - you don't watch this series because it's good, but because it satisfies like mind junk food. This is the garbage to watch when reality has been too much and you just wanna veg out.This horror comedy spoof heavily parodies the horror/slasher genres and there is practically nothing here you haven;t seen before. That doesn't mean it's not fun. This is a great movie for a group of people who are going to talk through the movie anyway, or a drinking game, or the aforementioned total brain dead evening.
The tagline reads "No mercy. No shame. No sequel." - these people obviously do have a sense of humor.
October 23rd
Fido
I had never heard of this movie and it is my favorite of the month. I don't want to spoil anything - do watch the trailer - and enjoy the bizarre comedy of a 1950s evil corporation that makes zombie into the new pets/servants.
October 24th
28 Days Later
One of the zombie movies that brought back a whole genre of zombie movies, I still freak out watching this film. I love a good apocalyptic flick and this self-created contagious virus that is going to end all humans is all-out terrifying.Possibly the scariest part is how little it takes to become infected - just a drop of blood in the eye. There is also the speed of transformation. World War Z made this the most clear of the modern zombie virus transformation movies, but I loved watching people change in this movie. Wait - scariest part? Waking up from a coma to all this....
October 25th
The Witches
Who says Roald Dahl is for kids? If you haven't already, get up on his short stories. Among my favorites: Parson's Pleasure & Lamb to the Slaughter. Truly devilish and - at times - painful, the stories are brilliant and definitely scary.
This story made into a movie is ostensibly for children. It does indeed concern children and witches, and is full of pretty horrifying ideas like killing all kids by trapping them in paintings and turning them into mice so their parents kill them.
And Anjelica Huston is my favorite in anything. Lady is not just a witch, she's a boss. If she told me to kill kids, I wouldn't even question it. Kiddos - watch out for ladies with odd noses, gloves and wigs.
This story made into a movie is ostensibly for children. It does indeed concern children and witches, and is full of pretty horrifying ideas like killing all kids by trapping them in paintings and turning them into mice so their parents kill them.
And Anjelica Huston is my favorite in anything. Lady is not just a witch, she's a boss. If she told me to kill kids, I wouldn't even question it. Kiddos - watch out for ladies with odd noses, gloves and wigs.
October 26th
The Exorcist
The first time I watched this movie I laughed. This? This was one of the scariest movies of all-time? Bring it on religious imagery and sacrilege.
That's why when my friends suggested watching it I buckled in without fear for a classic - if dated - horror film. I quickly realized the newly released, re-mastered copy had more than enough to make me scream. One of my horror movie triggers is little girls in nightgowns, especially when paired with unnatural movements. The scene with little girl possessed by the devil going down the stairs still haunts me whenever I am in a house with a staircase.....like right now. Hold me.
That's why when my friends suggested watching it I buckled in without fear for a classic - if dated - horror film. I quickly realized the newly released, re-mastered copy had more than enough to make me scream. One of my horror movie triggers is little girls in nightgowns, especially when paired with unnatural movements. The scene with little girl possessed by the devil going down the stairs still haunts me whenever I am in a house with a staircase.....like right now. Hold me.
October 27th
If you aren't watching RuPaul's Drag Race, I don't know how we've found anything to talk about up to this point. I am burning for a new season and when I saw Sharon Needles was sharing her favorite horror films I was all over it.
Among her excellent suggestions lie some of the extremes of horror movie madness/brilliance.
Watch these movies, and more Sharon Needles magic.Among her excellent suggestions lie some of the extremes of horror movie madness/brilliance.
- The Return of the Living Dead (like most great horror sequels) includes excessive nudity and gore. This is what a fun horror movie should be - too much of the good things.
- Funny Games is on the opposite side of the spectrum. A commentary by an German director on the use of violence of media this movie doesn't have much to do with the horror genre except that it is terrifying. From the moment our young villains/antagonists step on the screen - you are unnerved. This movie is deeply unsettling because it pokes into the social fabric of what our society finds acceptable and finds some real errors in our judgement as a people. Prepare to be fascinated and horrified. (Don't bother with the remake. For some reason it is a scene-for scene re shoot.)
- Slither is gross. And funny. And gross.
- Piranha 3D has no right to work. It is big studio schlock complete with the the tiresome technique of 3D. Yet - work it does with piranhas eating hotties, penises and even destroying a lovely porn shoot. One of the best intentionally campy films ever made.
October 28th
The Stand
This is the first Steven King to enter this year's 31 Days of Halloween. I was thinking about Kubrik's The Shining which I still think is pure manic horror movie magic, but decided to go with a more King approved creation. (Interesting post on why Stephen King Hates The Shining).
Ian has a dislike for anything TV movie-esque, but I share no such snobbery. This 1994 mini-series covers one of my favorite King books in a classic tale of an apocalypticvirus killing off 99% of the world's population. What's to follow but an all out war of good v. evil?
- It it cheesy? Undoubtedly yes. Rob Lowe playing a deaf mute, Bill Fagerbakke (voice of Patrick in Spongebob Squarepants AND one of the stars of Coach) as a mentally handicapped giant, and much love to Molly Ringwald as the prom queen of my heart.
- Is it long? 366 min baby.
- Can you make a drinking game out of it? Hell yes!
October 29th
Halloween Wars
Once again we jump away from the scare for another creative element of Halloween - FOOD! The food network is no longer just your mom's cooking show and features seasonal specials like Halloween Wars.
In this set-up, teams of 3 (Candy, Cake & Pumpkin) compete to create Halloween showpieces. I am endlessly fascinated by the bizarre skills people have cultivated and this falls into that category.
October 30th
ebe:
9.5 buckets of pig's blood
From the opening scene, you feel the duality of being repulsed by the characters and intensely sympathetic of their very human reactions. It packs all the punches of a classic horror film (virgins, violence, nudity, & shocking ending) in an entirely fresh setting. The performances of everyone from Sissy Spacek to Piper Laurie to Amy Irving to John Travolta are divine.
This is one of those few cases where I read the book after watching to the movie (Stephen King's first) and love them both. I love a little horror, and when it pairs things you believe could happen in everyday life with performances that give you goosebumps - it's a success.
October 31st
Battle Royale
ebe:
9.5 bomb chockers
Some people shy away from bloody, violent films. Clearly, I do not. I think a well thought out death scene needs as delicate of handling as a love scene. A good violent film can show the value of life.
A precursor to a dozen battle-it-out stories like the Hunger Games, this movie is gruesomely violent which is part of the point. Shocking blood baths, creative death blows, and mistaken poisonings that so clearly define the meaning of human nature within the movie.
A precursor to a dozen battle-it-out stories like the Hunger Games, this movie is gruesomely violent which is part of the point. Shocking blood baths, creative death blows, and mistaken poisonings that so clearly define the meaning of human nature within the movie.
From the beginning you know some of the young students will turn on each other so it shouldn't shock you when they do. But so many of these betrayals are so so brutal you can't avoid gasping at their deceit. And so many of these betrayals are so pitiful, for such improbable gains, the loss of human life is shaming for the characters and for you the viewer who wonders what you would do in their place.
Have some fun & give your favorite movie a 7 word review: http://www.fthismovie.net/2013/09/scary-movie-challenge-iv.html
Other movies to Frighten, Puzzle and Titillate
The Running Man
ebe:
7 stalkers
I really only thought of Richard Dawson as the creepy kissing guy on family feud, but apparently I have forgotten his most important work - The Running Man. Set in 2017 (wow - time flies), it is based on a novel by Stephen King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.
Everyone should watch this cult classic not for Schwarzenegger or as a prequel to today's Hunger Games, but in his honor of Dawson as the villainous host.
Also - Jesse Ventura.
ebe:
6 Rope Burns
6 Rope Burns
Hitchcock rarely disappoints on providing sheer suspense and, as usual, he doesn't in "Rope". I was sold by the promise of Jimmy Stewart and based on a true life murder (Leopold & Loeb), and while the movie had issues, I liked.
Truly unusual in its use of long shots, Hitchcock shot for periods lasting up to ten minutes (the length of a film camera magazine). I started looking for the seams of cuts in the action, but the story is so terse and the characters so fraying I was left clutching Ian and trying not to cry out "No!"
The ending didn't totally satisfy, but getting there was fascinating. I find I have that problem frequently with Hitchcock's movies, but it's hard to tell if that is an issue with watching the movies so far after their release (1948!). It's a wonder the movie is still relevant, but with all the pop!bang!fizz! of today's movies, maybe it's impossible for a movie that paved the way to still hold all the surprise.
ebe:
8 hail Satans!
With all my horror movie loving, it is surprising I have somehow never seen this horror movie classic. A total shame, as it is a thoroughly enjoyable thriller. {SPOILER ALERT} While I find the ending a little hokey (it really is the devil?), the ride to get there is well worth taking.
Watching doubt fill this young couple bright, vibrant world is troubling to the core. Very human emotions like greed, ambition, and the need for personal fulfillment answer the eternal questions of what would you do for what you want? Watching the couple's future darken, getting the creeps from the almost cornily ridiculous neighbors...it all comes down to a showdown. Not of good and evil, but of what we ourselves will accept to get what we want. Chilling.
This movie is an important stepping stone for the horror genre. While we expected a twist that did not come, it is hard to imagine this movie is from 1968. That is a mofoing Long Time Ago! It sets the stage for horror movies to come, and paves the way for women not to just be running up the stairs screaming, but to be part of the horror as well.
Ian:
This is a classic, and I'm a bit ashamed to say I hadn't seen it... until last Wednesday. Thanks to our new apartment we found a burned copy of the movie in our landlord's bookcase. Seeing as we're not streaming movies online due to a justified fear of viruses, this bad boy rushed to #1 on our must see list.
Don't get me wrong, Roman Polanski is a creep for sure, but damn he can make some interesting movies! I honestly didn't know what to expect from Rosemary's Baby, but it really did keep you on the edge of your seat. I felt the movie could have been a little shorter, but the build up does create a lot of tension.
I also don't know a ton about Mia Farrow besides her obsession with adopting children (and Woody Allen's obsession of banging them) and her appealing for my money on TV while I watch flies crawl over their eyes, but she was a pretty young lady and a damn good actress to boot. Her hair is long and she wears oversized muumuus at the beginning of the film, but as she becomes pregnant with Satan himself's baby (spoiler alert), her hair is cut into a pixie cut (thanks for the explanation ebe) and her dresses become more well fitted as they try to show her frail and sick with the demon child. A little bit of Hollywood magic there (we don't want her to actually become like one of those children in her commercials do we?).
As I said the film keeps you on the edge of your seat as your mind tries to decide if she is a crazy bitch or if her neighbors really are Satan worshiping assholes... turns out they are and you're left at the end with her adoring her little horned one while those very same assholes chant "hail Satan!"
ebe:
7.5 angry townsfolk Alas, my 21st century attention span (and a few glasses of wine) let me down and I feel asleep somewhere in the middle. Damn you cultural ADD! I looked up the ending on Wikipedia and the gist of the story is {SPOILER ALERT}
The deranged Dr. Caligari and his faithful sleepwalking Cesare are connected to a series of murders in a German mountain village. The plot is presented as a flashback, as told by narrator Francis. After a murder, Francis, along with his betrothed Jane, investigates Caligari and Cesare, which eventually results in Cesare kidnapping Jane. Caligari orders Cesare to kill Jane, but the hypnotized slave refuses after her beauty captivates him. He carries Jane out of her house, leading the townsfolk on a lengthy chase.
I won't totally spoil the ending cuz you really should watch, but know that it is "cited as having introduced the twist ending in cinema".
For me it was more a work of academic study than a pleasure viewing. But you got to admire those old folks.
Ian:
7.5 angry townsfolk Amazing scenes that export you into another world. Many things about the movie are ahead of its time and the twit at the end is perfect. Very slow at times.
ebe:
9.5 husky sled dogsSomehow, someway, I have escaped nearly 28 years of horror movie watching & loving without seeing this film. A travesty I am happy to have corrected.
This movie is about as close as possible to a perfect horror film. I'm usually not big on blood & guts and it's got loads of that, but it also has serious suspense, overarching social themes, and Kurt Russel's beard. Man is beast and the beard is a majesty.
Set in Antarctica on a research mission, it starts with chaotic scenes of a Norwegian helicopter flying over the ice, trying to kill a husky. It gets weirder from there with the knowledge that some alien creature now walks among them and is known only as The Thing. Suspicion mounts and the camp turns on each other with gory death scene after gory death scene and inevitably bleak ending.
Overall - incredible work y'all.
Ian:
9 husky sled dogsKurt Russel is a badass.
I kept telling ebe I would give her a chance in their situation (but I wouldn't). The plot was mush different that I thought it would be. In the arctic? It made for a very unique story. Special effects could be a bit cheesy at times, but considering it was 1982 - pretty good.
The Crazies
Not an entirely unpredictable storyline, but deaths done so fashionably I fell in bloody love with it (I know - terrible). The pitchfork scene!? I will never look at farm implements the same way again. This should be a Halloween go-to years from now.
ebe:
9 cameras
What a setting! The leisurely opening perfectly places you in the scene. (Interesting fact: At the time the set was the largest indoor set built at Paramount Studios.) So unusual to watch a movie where the action is taking place far away from the camera. And oh my! The ballerina butt shots at the beginning seem quite risque for 1954. Must be my inner Puritan coming out.
I loved these characters, even old sexist asshole LB Jeffries. Stella (the housekeeper) had the best quote,
Intelligence. Nothing has caused the human race so much trouble as intelligence.
Lisa (The Grace Kelly!) also has a good one,
Jeff, you know if someone came in here, they wouldn't believe what they'd see? You and me with long faces plunged into despair because we find out a man didn't kill his wife. We're two of the most frightening ghouls I've ever known.
In 50 years we're worse rubber neckers than ever.
I was completely captivated by Kelly. I think I have a mean little girl crush going on. I looked up what the value of the dress she bought wouold be today. $1100 dress in 1954 would be $8,820. Lisa is so gorgeous, but so desperately willing to do anything for this man who simply doesn't respect her
Jeff: She's like a queen bee with her pick of the drones.Lisa: I'd say she's doing a woman's hardest job: juggling wolves.
The idea of community is thoughtful explored as well. How can we live so close together, and yet constantly be trying to shirk away from each other? {SPOILER ALERT}
Which one of you did it? Which one of you killed my dog? You don't know the meaning of the word 'neighbor.' Neighbors like each other, speak to each other, care if anybody lives or dies, but none of you do. But I couldn't imagine any of you bein' so low that you'd kill a little helpless, friendly dog - the only thing in this whole neighborhood who liked anybody. Did ya kill him because he liked ya? Just because he liked ya?
{SPOILER ALERT} The attack scene is not the strongest, but with everything else I was swooning for the craft of film-making. I screamed at the screen when the murderer was coming back, mourned for the slights Jeff threw at Lisa, and laughed at Stella's quirky bossiness. I'm glad it had a happy ending, even if it wasn't so great for the dog.
Ian:
8 cameras
I had never seen a whole Hitchcock film before. Now I understand why he was the King of Suspense. The whole first part of the movie you are wondering who is going to get it, and when it finally happens he leaves you wondering if it even happened at all.
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