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In reality, she would've gotten those kids and hightailed it to safety and call the cops. You are not trying to win a championship fight. The goal is to disable them long enough to make an quick escape. But, then again, it's all part of the show.
Laurie did what anyone else would've done when backed into a corner, you hit them with whatever you got in order to get away.
I'm not entirely sure what point you're trying to make; is it that Laurie is less strong because, in your view, she's merely doing what anyone would've done in a similar circumstance? My point was that she's a strong heroine and that's in line with how Carpenter portrayed his female characters in his early films (and even his later ones). You're bringing up how characters should or would've responded in reality but honestly, most classic horror films and the whole horror genre crumbles if everyone within it acted pragmatically at all times (as you say, it's part of the show). Even if one were to use your "in reality" defense, Laurie is likely the individual classmates would be be most surprised to learn survived an encounter with a psychopathic killer, especially when contrasted with her somewhat brasher friends not being so lucky
I'm not entirely sure what point you're trying to make; is it that Laurie is less strong because, in your view, she's merely doing what anyone would've done in a similar circumstance? My point was that she's a strong heroine and that's in line with how Carpenter portrayed his female characters in his early films (and even his later ones). You're bringing up how characters should or would've responded in reality but honestly, most classic horror films and the whole horror genre crumbles if everyone within it acted pragmatically at all times (as you say, its part of the show). Even if one were to use your "in reality" defense, Laurie is likely the individual classmates would be be most surprised to learn survived an encounter with a psychopathic killer, especially when contrasted with her somewhat brasher friends not being so lucky
Not looking to make a point. More of a thought than anything.
I never said nor implied that she was less strong. For me, strength is more brains than brawn and it's the brawn part that people are more focused on above all. Isn't merely escaping and surviving the horror strong enough? Why the need to go toe to toe with the maniac, unless you're either a cop/soldier or armed to the T?
The portion in bold brings up another point as it unintentionally created the "final girl", the virtuous girl being able to somehow survive a horror film based solely on the fact of her virtue while the brasher characters get killed as if they are not capable of surviving themselves. Carpenter said himself that it was not his intention as it was more of a situation of them not being aware of what's around them.
The heroines are mainly made strong in these movies at the expense of making the other characters look like idiots.
But really, folks are reading way too much into this anyway. I prefer to watch the movies and have a good time doing so. Isn't that what it should be all about?
Last edited by CelluloidPal; 09-29-2018 at 04:57 PM.
But really, folks are reading way too much into this anyway. I prefer to watch the movies and have a good time doing so. Isn't that what it should be all about?
Nah, this is blu-ray.com. It's all about the slipcovers.
I should clarify, CelluoidPal, that section of my post you put in bold was meant to emphasize Laurie had a strength most of her peers likely wouldn't have been able to discern, and that she herself may not have been fully aware of. I'm familiar with Carpenter explaining he wasn't making any kind of statement on sexuality in having Laurie survive as the "final girl" and I'll take him at his word, but certainly most slasher films employed the formula of Halloween and a "sex equals death" connection was drawn between virginal survivors and promiscuous victims...even if Carpenter intended no such connection in his influential original.
22. THE THING 2011
This is a pretty cool prequel that to me is almost as good as the original. The monster effects are excellent and I thought they did a decent job with the design to the alien ship. Sometimes an ending can make or break a movie for me and
[Show spoiler] I really liked the earring on the wrong ear being the giveaway.
Like the original, this has been a favorite since first viewing.
[Show spoiler]
1. 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
2. THE MUMMY 1959
3. SALEM'S LOT
4+5. FRIDAY THE 13TH 1+2
6. THE MUMMY 1932
7. THE THING 1982
8. SHAUN OF THE DEAD
9. FREDDY VS. JASON
10. THE PURGE
11. LAND OF THE DEAD
12. RAMPAGE
13-15. POLTERGEIST 1+2+2015
16. ALIEN VS. PREDATOR
17. THE MEG
18. DAWN OF THE DEAD 2004
19. THE PURGE ANARCHY
20+21. FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3+4
I should clarify, CelluoidPal, that section of my post you put in bold was meant to emphasize Laurie had a strength most of her peers likely wouldn't have been able to discern, and that she herself may not have been fully aware of. I'm familiar with Carpenter explaining he wasn't making any kind of statement on sexuality in having Laurie survive as the "final girl" and I'll take him at his word, but certainly most slasher films employed the formula of Halloween and a "sex equals death" connection was drawn between virginal survivors and promiscuous victims...even if Carpenter intended no such connection in his influential original.
Gotcha. I get what your saying now.
Last edited by CelluloidPal; 09-29-2018 at 05:58 PM.
[Show spoiler]This is a pretty cool prequel that to me is almost as good as the original. The monster effects are excellent and I thought they did a decent job with the design to the alien ship. Sometimes an ending can make or break a movie for me and
[Show spoiler] I really liked the earring on the wrong ear being the giveaway.
Like the original, this has been a favorite since first viewing.
Yeah, the Thing prequel is very underrated, There are some continuity gaffes between it and Carpenter's film, and some of the CG effects look a little wonky, but overall it's tense, well-acted, and has MEW.
Early on in the movie Drew Barrymore's character tells the male protagonist that she has a doppelganger and to not mistake them as the same person. Having the character both know this and having them be honest about it from the get go is just one way the movie sets itself apart from horror films in a similar vein. Another aspect is how abundant it is in symbolism and rich in deeper meaning. It's a flawed gem, with a few particularly bad scenes, but most of it I really enjoyed.
Much better than I remember. The film looks nice and polished, but Lon Chaney exudes pure remorse and existential terror that gives the man-beast struggle some strong emotional heft. And it carries through well in the sequels. I genuinely feel for the Wolf Man in these older flicks.
Was background viewing while I did chores. I gotta say though, this is a good guilty-pleasure cheesefest. The film's pretty bad, but I still get a kick out of it.
September Body Count:
[Show spoiler]
09/03: Village of the Damned (1960)
09/03: Frankenstein (1931)
09/03: Son of Frankenstein
09/22: The Wolf Man (1941)
09/22: Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
09/22: House of Frankenstein
09/22: House of Dracula
09/26: Happy Death Day
09/27: Slaughter High
Yeah, the Thing prequel is very underrated, There are some continuity gaffes between it and Carpenter's film, and some of the CG effects look a little wonky, but overall it's tense, well-acted, and has MEW.
if you love mew, check out her new one all about nina. she is great in it but it's only in limited release, so it might not be playing by you yet.
The Orphanage (2007) A well-made, creepy, slow burn Spanish horror film. Very effective, and surprisingly moving at the end. This got our annual MonsterFest off to a great start! Village Of The Damned (1960) Hadn't seen this in a few years. I forgot how very well-made and effective it is. Terrific movie, and a great looking new blu-ray from Warner Archive. *The Devil's Daughter (1973) 1/2 (YouTube) My wife and I are old enough to have seen a lot of silly 70's TV movies as kids and we have a soft-spot for them. This is a completely predictable "Rosemary's Baby" rip-off -- campy, and a LOT of nostalgic fun. Decent cast too, with Shelly Winters, Joseph Cotton and a post "Dark Shadows" Jonathon Frid. We liked it ... but if you grew up after the '70's, you'll want to knock a couple of skulls off. The Dead Zone (1983) Easily my favorite SK adaptation -- great story, great cast. Brooke Adams is beautiful! A favorite. Imported the Australian blu-ray. A little disappointing. The audio is definitely an upgrade, and the picture is too, but it's subtle. Ghost Story (1981) 1/2 Another old favorite. I'm a sucker for slow-burn, well-crafted ghost stories ... and this one has those qualities in spades. Cool to see these old-time actors -- the cast is excellent -- along side Alice Krige, who is perfection as Eva/Alma. Loses half a star for over-reliance on shock cuts to gooey dead faces. They get a bit repetitive after a while, and they're not necessary in this movie -- it's strength is "eerie", not shock. *The Little Stranger (2018) theatrical Gee, I wanted to love this. It looked like the kind of subtle ghost story that's right up my alley, but I guess even subtle can be overdone. EVERYTHING is laid between the lines, to the point that I really didn't understand what happened in the film. Had to read about it afterwards to figure out what I missed. Good premise, well made and well acted ... but it needs at least a LITTLE more overt storytelling. A big disappointment. *Cronos (1993) :1/2 This didn't do much for me either. Some nice moments early on, but mostly gooey and pointless. *sigh* *Cat Creature (1973) youtube 1/2 OK, I knew this wasn't going to be good, but I thought it would be entertaining. As I said (see: The Devil's Daughter) I have a fondness for campy 70's TV movie horror. I don't mind if they're silly, over-acted, unbelievable ... but this one was dull. How do you take a plot about a 2,000 year old cat creature stalking Los Angeles and make it boring? Simple: all "cop investigation" and very little cat. Interesting cast though -- Peter Lorre Jr? Who knew? (NOTE: OK, this is weird! Peter Lorre Jr wasn't related to Peter Lorre! Check this out: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0521137/bio) The Grudge (2004) 1/2 The best of the 4 we saw this weekend ... and the only one I had seen before. Not a great movie by any means, but fun and entertaining. (Are you listening, Cat Creature?) The Fog (1980) A favorite, and IMO, one of JC's best films. However, I might skip this one for the next few years. No fault of the movie, but I've seen it many times and it's become so familiar that it didn't do as much for me this year. Still, it earns it's 4 skulls. Asylum (1972) Boy, did I enjoy this! Never had the DVD, so I hadn't seen it since the VHS days. I love all the old Amicus anthologies, and although I had forgotten some of it, this is one of the best. The wrap around story is much better than most, and each tale worked quite well. Decent blu-ray too -- some nice extras. Silence Of The Lambs (1991) What a powerful movie this is. Jody Foster and, especially, Anthony Hopkins are so perfect in their roles. Controlled, understated, underplayed and completely chilling. Also, for a film with such gruesome subject matter, it's surprisingly restrained -- it's dark and oppressive, but most of the violence is off-screen. A smart, well-made, grim thriller. My wife and I tend to stick to lighter, "fun" horror movies, but this one is too good to miss. *Ghost Stories (2018) 1/2 I can't stop thinking about this movie! Too many jump scares perhaps, but there is a lot more here than shock. This film demands to be watched closely with no distractions, and the closer you watch, the more you'll get out of it. Plus, it's a lot of fun! I hate it when people say "You didn't get it" if you don't like a certain movie. However, in this case, if all you see is what's in plain sight ... you didn't get it. Or at least you missed the best part. A new classic. Trick Or Treat (2007) 1/2 I love the way this movie looks, and the way the stories intertwine. I like the Sam character, and all the Halloween iconography too. It's a fun film, that loses half a skull for me for being a bit too sleazy in spots. (Really don't enjoy hearing a 10 year old say "butt-f***.") Still, very enjoyable. The Funhouse (1981) 1/2 This gets off to a really lunk-headed start -- dumb characters, cheesy dialogue -- but once they get inside the funhouse and the main story starts, it really goes! We see the "monster" close enough and long enough to realize that it's an immobile mask, but this works as a fun, simple horror movie. Captures the whole garish carnival atmosphere nicely too. Turn off your brain and go for a ride. *Unsane (2018) (Amazon streaming) 1/2 This has ... *ahem* ... a few problems. It's impossible to like the main character -- she's obnoxious -- and it's really, really far-fetched. Unless, of course, she imagined the whole thing (which I tend to believe. She's obviously nuts.) I like the ambiguity of the ending, but this was pretty "meh.". The most impressive thing was that the whole movie was shot on an iPhone! Looked pretty good too. Near Dark (1987) I've always liked this one -- it's a really cool reworking of the whole vampire mythology. Great cast -- Lance Henriksen is amazing. So is Bill Paxton -- first time I've seen it since he died. Funny that neither of the leads, Adrian Pasdar (Caleb) or Jenny Wright (Mae), went on to much movie success. They're both quite good -- and she was gorgeous! A favorite ... even if the whole
[Show spoiler]"vampires are cured by a transfusion" idea
is a little unconvincing! Repulsion (1965) 1/2 This movie takes its time -- there's a lot of mundane details of our main character's life. But there's also a growing sense of unease, the sense that things are not right. By the final third of the movie, she has left all reality behind and what happens is all the more shocking because the first half of the film is so restrained. Maybe not a "fun" movie -- but a disturbing and effective portrait of mental illness. Very chilling. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) I've seen this many times, but I still have such mixed emotions about it! It's fun to watch, and as eye-candy it's an easy 5 skulls, but as an adaptation of Dracula ... well, it's far more concerned with over-the-top style than substance. It's fun (and occasionally very good, when it calms down a bit) but I wish more of the talent and money had been aimed at the story instead of the flash. (Although it's fun to watch Keanu's hair constantly change color!) The Fly (1986) 1/2 Watching this last night, I was really admiring it -- it has a literate, witty script, great performances and incredible make-up. I always forget how good it really is. Then the final act hits and pulls me out of the movie. All the sympathy the film has built for the characters is forgotten under a ton of (incredibly well-done) gore. It's still fun in a "Ewww! Look at that!" way, but it's so much more than that before the ick hits the fan. A 5 skull movie that loses 1 and 1/2 under the glop. (Fun fact: I never noticed before that Jeff G says "Help Me, please help me" to Geena D -- that must be a nod to the original film.) A Quiet Place (2018) 1/2 Who would have thought that a PG-13 film with no profanity, no gore, and no nudity would become such a big hit -- and be so intense? When this came out last spring it was a real breath of fresh air, and it plays just as well at home. Incredibly fun old-school monster movie with an amazing sound design. Yeah, it's got a few plot holes ... but who cares? The most fun I've had at a monster movie in ages. Psycho (1960) Not a lot to say about this movie, except that it still holds up. Big time. It doesn't matter that everyone knows the reveal -- the acting, the cinematography, the tight construction all really work. Why on earth didn't Tony Perkins get nominated for an Oscar? A classic that I admire more every time I see it. *Psycho IV (1990) A first time watch, and a disappointing one. The worst of the sequels by a long shot, and surprisingly, where it fails most is the writing. Joseph Stefano, who did the original Psycho script, also wrote this, but it has some truly cringe-worthy dialogue. ("That's all that thing of yours is for, making wee-wee!") Sadly there was potential here, and a few decent ideas, and even a decent moment or two, but it never takes off. It's always good to see Anthony Perkins as Norman, and it's worth owning just for that, but Tony AND Norman both deserved a far better farewell. City Of The Dead (1960) Quick! Name the movie: a 1960 black and white thriller with a pretty blonde that stays in a lonely hotel, and disappears from the movie halfway through after being
[Show spoiler]stabbed to death by the owner.
The second half of the film has her sibling searching for her and finding out the shocking truth about the innkeeper. Psycho, you say? Nope. City Of The Dead! A fun, old school horror movie with fantastic atmosphere, and Christopher Lee to boot. A low-budget, but very effective and eerie little film, with an especially chilling prologue set in the 1700's. A real Halloween treat, and a great blu-ray too! Fade To Black (1980) : (Amazon Prime) I'm tempted to call this a first viewing -- it's been over 30 years, and I didn't remember much of it ... if I had, I wouldn't have watched again. There's actually a very good idea here: a movie obsessed kid, killing his enemies in the style of characters from films. There are several cool movie clips, movie references and memorabilia, plus a few nice shots. And Dennis Christopher is pretty good. But everyone else is awful, and the script is a complete mess. A missed opportunity, but at least it was fun to watch. The House That Dripped Blood (1971) Another old Amicus anthology movie ... but one of the lesser ones. The best story is probably the third, about Christopher Lee and his voo-doo practicing daughter, but none of the four tales have quite the punch of the stories in Asylum, or Tales From The Crypt. Still, a good time ... and a wonderful blu-ray. Great colors on all those cheesy 70's era ascots that everyone wears in this. The Sentinel (1977) 1/2 Geez, what an incoherent mess! Very campy movie (with an amazing cast!) that tries really hard to horrify ... and misses. A few decent moments, but mostly silly. HOWEVER: If you've always wanted to see Beverly D'Angelo as a mute, nude, cymbal-playing, brain-eating lesbian from Hell ... this film gets my highest recommendation.
The Undying Monster (1947) The first 15 minutes of this are so good, and so atmospheric and so well shot that it could easily give the best Universal horrors a run for their money. Unfortunately, it settles into a talky mystery film. It perks up near the end, but it never lives up to the promise of those wonderful opening scenes.
Black Sabbath (Italian version - 1963) This is absolutely one of the best (and scariest!) anthology films ever made ... and the original Italian version is the way to see it. The American version completely rewrites one of the stories (The Telephone) to remove the lesbian element of the story. They did a clever editing job, but it's not the same story, and not as good. In the original, all three stories are really strong, and surprisingly creepy. The dead witch in A Drop Of Water is still frightening after all these years. Karloff is great as a Wurdalack (Romanian vampire) preying on his family.
9/29:
The Creature Walks Among Us (1956) Even schlockier and even more slower paced than its previous installment but not slow enough to be outright dull. The movie's way to silly to be dull. Lots of beautifully filmed underwater scenes.
I'm officially starting my marathon tomorrow night but I pregamed today with a werewolf movie.
Bubba the Redneck Werewolf (2014)
Not a horror movie at all, but it's got a werewolf in it so I think it counts in September. It's super low budget but I feel like they did well with what they had and I enjoyed this dumb comedy. Three and a half stars.
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I get what your saying now.
Pleasant Nightmares!
Still, it earns it's 4 skulls.
It's impossible to like the main character -- she's obnoxious -- and it's really, really far-fetched. Unless, of course, she imagined the whole thing (which I tend to believe. She's obviously nuts.) I like the ambiguity of the ending, but this was pretty "meh.". The most impressive thing was that the whole movie was shot on an iPhone! Looked pretty good too.
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