Good Horror Movies

[zomgmouse]

That looks great! Strother Martin is always good value. They've finally reissued the horrible Sssssss (1973) on Blu-Ray. The video nasty that upset my father the most. He can't even mention the film to this day. "That evil man", Dad would say about Strother Martin's character.

I always struggle to dissociate him from his role in Cool Hand Luke but he is very good in anything he's in. Does authoritarian menace like nobody's business.

[Gregory Torso]

I just saw It Comes At Night last night (lol), and really liked it, thought it was very tense and pretty heavy, man. But I can totally understand why lots of people hated it - for one thing, the title is just a lie, and I do feel some kind of sense that I was "tricked" into watching it (I'm not usually into those kind of survival type films). Also, much as I liked the disdirection and red herrings in it, I thought there was a bit too muck ambiguity about the ending. Would be interested to know what others thought was going on in the last act?

SPOILERS BELOW...

My take was that Travis opened the door so his dog could come back in. He lied about it to his dad. I think Travis was infected before the other family arrived, maybe either from the dog or his grandfather (lots of weird nightmares about puking blood and zombie grandpa), and then he infected the little boy (or did he?) - that;s the thing - there's no evidence at all I can remember that the other famliy were infected, apart from what Travis said he heard. Paul (beard dad) was obviously a bit highly strung, mad, paranoid, probably realising it was a mistake to let the other family in, shot the dad (small beard, can't remember his name, Will?) and then said ah fuck it, better kill the others, oops. The mum and dad at the end are clearly infected.

The problem is, that we know so little about what;s going on in the world, how far spread this thing is, where it came from - anything we know pretty much comes from what the characters tell us, and they're all paranoid, scared and possibly contagious anyway.

Just my thoughts, because I've read so many different opinions about it.

[SteveDave]

Little Evil is a bit shite and a massive letdown when I think about how much I enjoyed Tucker & Dale.

Imagine how much worse it would've been with Adam Sandler. That's how I justify any film I watch that doesn't quite click.

I quite liked Little Evil but it needed one more draft. And a voiceover. When Ben from Parks and Rec gets unearthed in the coffin at the start- freeze frame "This is me...or rather, this was me...let me start at the beginning" and then at the end we see him chairing the step-fathers support group.

You've done it again SteveDave!

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Enjoyed Bug (1975) so much on rewatching it last night, that I'm posting a link to part one of the film on Dailymotion.  Part two is on the same site.  An unconventional horror in which a lot of the fascination comes from a normal, happy man's gradual descent into obsession and insanity.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ua1am

[Phoenix Lazarus]

They've finally reissued the horrible Sssssss (1973) on Blu-Ray. The video nasty that upset my father the most. He can't even mention the film to this day. "That evil man", Dad would say about Strother Martin's character.

I found that a frustrating film, because while decently acted and well-made in many ways, with a lot of good scenes and ideas, it ends so absysmally.

[Swoz_MK]

Saw The Ritual at an advance screening last night.
Was pretty great, not read the book but ordered earlier and will compare on me 'olidays.
Rafe Spall is good, he should do more.
Anyway, Blair Witch meets Kill List but better than that sounds. Not exactly "scary" but atmospheric and convincing. Nice beastie baddie, looks like a spider elk.

[SteveDave]

The Void
This was much better than I was expecting though the editing seemed a bit weird. Not sure if parts were chopped out to get a lower rating but some bits were confusing and seemed rushed. The ending was a bit weak too. The build up with the lads in white robes was nice.

They Look Like People
I bluddy loved this. No noise scares, no gore just an underlying sense of dread in a film primarily about schizophrenia. Not sure if I should put it here or in Good Films You've Seen Not Out In 2017. Fuck it, post.

[Custard]

Began my month of horror watches with The Burning (1981).

Was alright. A pretty standard "bloke kills a load of annoying teens at a camp" schlocker, but had some lovely and gruesome special effects by Tom Savini.

Nice, very synthy, very 80's soundtrack by Rick Wakeman too.

3 bumcheeks

[AsparagusTrevor]

I watched the new Chucky film last night, Cult of Chucky. I quite enjoyed it, it tries to do something new with the series, has some pretty gruesome kills and gets pretty batshit crazy in the last act.

[Custard]

Couple more month of October/Halloween watches

The Gate (1987) - This was excellent. Some lovely stop-motion monsters, and it's pretty bleedin' relentless! Really well put together, and a lot of fun

Victor Frankenstein (2015) - This was pretty fun too. Very good cast, well written, and some nice effects. Slightly different to the usual Frankenstein's monster story, as it focuses more on the creators. And Daniel Radcliffe pulled his weight, whilst still being Daniel Radcliffe

[thraxx]

Some very good recommends in this thread.

They look like people, despite having no scares in it at all, has you squirming unbearably under a lead heavy duvet of tension and atmosphere. It works wonderfully, but i couldnt help wishing that the main character wasn't mad because i would have loved to see his notion to be true.

Not very often i give up on a film but It comes and night did my head in.  Just couldnt hold my attention at all.

Both those films somehow lead me to Wyrmwood which is a 79 minute perfunctory but perfect mish mash of zombie flick and mad max that wears its australian heritage and film influences proudly without being boorish. The characters are great and all the effects look to be made in camera and are pleasingly splattery. I loved it.

[Steven]

Cold Moon

I don't remember much about it other than it is "from the writer of Beetlejuice" and there was a very similar human headed snake to Beetlejuice appearing in it. So please watch and tell me if it's good or shit, I'm so tired of Horror movies I can't tell the difference any more.

[Rev]

It's a reasonably well-made load of not very much, kind of lightweight spookiness.  It starts out with one cliche (the small town murder mystery, albeit with an added ghost knocking about) then around the halfway point abandons that and heads into territory that's almost as well-worn.  The feeling is a bit like watching the first and last episode of a TV series and skipping everything in between.  Also Tommy Wiseau crops up because that joke's not over yet, apparently.

[Steven]

Also Tommy Wiseau crops up because that joke's not over yet, apparently.

Fucking hell, I was drunk and a bit distracted when I watched it and forgot he was in it.

The 'mysterious masked killer' trope is also used I recall.

[Rev]

It is, but without spoiling anything, they ditch the whole mystery element so abruptly that it seems completely out of place.  The disguise is only worn to keep the viewer in the dark for a bit, but this isn't exactly a story full of red herrings and misdirection.

[Custard]

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) - Had never got round to seeing this, so seeing as its now 20 years old (!!), I thought maybe it was time.

Eh, it was alright. The cast were good. Really struggling to find anything else to say about it! Just a fairly decent, predictable 90's slasher

P2 (2007) - A tense and entertaining potboiler, that's pretty much a two-hander character-wise.

A stalky security guard traps an office worker in their company's car-park, and so begins a well done cat and mouse chase, that eventually explodes in scenes of harsh and brutal violence. The ending is pretty decent too, thankfully

[zomgmouse]

Finally got round to The Abominable Dr Phibes. What a stunning film. The design in particular, décor and costumes and props. Immaculate. Price was fantastic! The premise reminded me a little of Theatre of Blood in a way. Really enjoyed this.

Also saw Cellar Dweller, written by Don Mancini pre-Chucky days. This was pretty awful. A comics artist draws a hellish creature that then comes to life and thirty years later terrorises some people who live in an artist colony in the same house. Just not very good at all.

[Brundle-Fly]

Finally got round to The Abominable Dr Phibes. What a stunning film. The design in particular, décor and costumes and props. Immaculate. Price was fantastic! The premise reminded me a little of Theatre of Blood in a way. Really enjoyed this.

Do check out the sequel, Dr Phibes Rises Again (1972). One word. Scorpions.

In some way, the Phibes/ Theatre Of Blood films were the Saw franchise of their day. Although, I gather Tim Burton is threatening to remake Dr Phibes. I wonder which cunt he'll cast in the lead role?

[Paaaaul]

Do check out the sequel, Dr Phibes Rises Again (1972). One word. Scorpions.

In some way, the Phibes/ Theatre Of Blood films were the Saw franchise of their day. Although, I gather Tim Burton is threatening to remake Dr Phibes. I wonder which cunt he'll cast in the lead role?

A third Phibes film, with Malcolm McDowell lined up to star, is currently seeking funding, but the money doesn't seem to be forthcoming.

[zomgmouse]

Do check out the sequel, Dr Phibes Rises Again (1972). One word. Scorpions.

Oh yes, I fully intend to. Eventually.

[Steven]

Also saw Cellar Dweller, written by Don Mancini pre-Chucky days. This was pretty awful. A comics artist draws a hellish creature that then comes to life and thirty years later terrorises some people who live in an artist colony in the same house. Just not very good at all.

Ah.. the effects are good, done by the director John Carl Buechler who did all the designs for Troll, From Beyond and the Ghoulies series (also directing Ghoulies Go To College) and The Garbage Pail Kids Movie and many more. However bad some of these movies were plot and acting wise I think the creature designs are all that held them togehter.

[Custard]

Kairo/Pulse (2001) - Effective, genuinely unsettling, slow-burning Asian horror/sci-fi. Really quite excellent.

Monkey Shines (1988) - George Romero's tale of a trained monkey who slowly turns against his quadriplegic owner, and starts offing everyone around him. Far better than it sounds! Once again, effects supplied by the excellent Tom Savini.

In Fear (2013) - Blimey, what a grim, nasty little British horror film. A couple go away for the weekend, and on the way are stalked by unknown forces. Proper dark!

[Steven]

I'm in the middle of watching The Babysitter and think it might be good, we'll see.

Well, I enjoyed it, definitely a Comedy/Horror, whereas Better Watch Out presents itself as that then takes a drastic turn.

[Large Noise]

Just watched Train to Busan, which is very good.

Like other zombie movies it's a critique of modern capitalist society, but this time focusing more on self-interest rather than consumerism. These zombies are in the vein of 28 Days rather than the classic Romero variety, which works better when you want to represent avarice and greed. There also seems to be a critique of liberalism in the form of men-in-suits repeatedly deciding to leave other people to their fate for what they claim is the greater good.

[zomgmouse]

So many people liked Train to Busan but I just can't believe no one else found all the people to be so annoying and all the overdramatic relationships and dialogue tedious. The zombies were awesome but oh my god I wanted all the people to stop talking.

[Large Noise]

Yeah, the characters are very formulaic and the dialogue isn't great. I think I subconsciously gave it a pass because it's Korean, but I imagine it would've annoyed me more had it been from the Anglosphere.

[Custard]

Dead End (2003) - Ray Wise is driving his family to a Christmas holiday, when he suddenly decides to try a shortcut. From that point on, everything goes wrong. 'Twas OK, but nothing great. Worth watching for Ray Wise hamming it up and clearly having a good time. ***

Beneath (2014) - A group of coal miners become trapped 600 feet underground. Won't spoil the rest, but sadly it's no The Descent (I love The Descent). **

Wake Wood (2011) - A couple move to a small country town, and are offered the chance to bring back their dead daughter for three days. Thought this was pretty decent, though the end was a bit rubs. ***

[Steven]

Creep 2 2017

Wasn't a massive fan of the first, though it played with the documentary form I suppose. Preferred this one which plays with it in a slightly different way.

Happy Death Day 2017

Interesting enough mish-mash of Groundhog Day and Scream, basically a girl re-living the same birthday where she is tracked down and murdered by a masked killer. Thought the ending was a bit of a let-down, as it mostly tends to be in Horror, but there you go.

[DukeDeMondo]

Creep 2 2017

Wasn't a massive fan of the first, though it played with the documentary form I suppose. Preferred this one which plays with it in a slightly different way.

I'm absolutely baffled by the reviews this has been getting. I thought it was fucking awful. Absolute shit. I like the first one well enough up to a point, but fuck me this was garbage. I wouldn't really call it a horror film, either. It's a black comedy with maybe two or two and a half semi-chuckles in, at a push.

Just lazy as pissed onions. Tired and tedious and bereft of imagination or wit or invention. Less Man Bites Dog than Man Bores The Fucking Tits Off The Dog And The Cat And Every Cunt Else.

[Steven]

I'm absolutely baffled by the reviews this has been getting. I thought it was fucking awful. Absolute shit. I like the first one well enough up to a point, but fuck me this was garbage. I wouldn't really call it a horror film, either. It's a black comedy with maybe two or two and a half semi-chuckles in, at a push.

You certainly don't mince words. I wouldn't have called the first a horror either, but I found that more tedious a watch - maybe to some the atmosphere is better because it's just a lot of dull moments when you're not sure anything's going to happen which accentuates the horror elements, this one had a definite narrative and three act structure which also makes it more predictable I suppose, but I like structure.

As I said, I prefer it to the first, but I didn't like the first much though it seems well liked by many, perhaps because of that looseness to the plotting leaving things vague so you to unexpect the expected. Sad but true I've seen so many horrors of late I find it hard to decide what's good and bad because everything is so formulaic so tend to be overly-positive with anything I can at least get through and holds my attention. Not a good sign.