30. The Fall of the House of Usher
Roger Corman, 1960
The first and best of the Corman/Poe/Price movies, this movie succeeds largely on the back of a truly creepy premise (courtesy of Poe) and Corman’s half-baked but still very interesting application of Freudian theory to his mis-en-scene and cinematography. It’s also the source of the infamous “burning house” footage, which you’ve seen, possibly many times, if you’ve ever come across a Corman movie made after this.
29. The Orphanage
Juan Antonio Bayona, 2007
One of the best things about The Orphanage is that, while it’s very much a ghost story, it could very possibly not be – that is to say, everything supernatural in the movie can be explained away. The very best thing about it is that it doesn’t matter. There’s a strong, tragic story that works just as well with or without the involvement of ghosts. Really, the only reason to decide for sure on an interpretation is because, depending on your personal biases, one or the other reading will make it that much more powerful.
On the other hand, if you’re not interested in having your heart torn to metaphorical shreds, the very best thing about The Orphanage is the part where they bring the psychic to the house. Brrr.
28. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Philip Kaufman, 1978
Kaufman takes a movie that was very much of its time (50’s paranoia) and updates it to pass judgment on the alienation of the 70’s. It’s easy to imagine aliens invading a small, isolated town, but the remake shows us, very plausibly, how the invasion could work even in a bustling metropolis. It’s quite terrifying, even without any real monsters or killers (unless you count the dog with a human head). Kaufman also manages to work in a cameo from Kevin McCarthy that presents the option of viewing this as a sequel, not a remake. The invasion continues. . .
27. May
Lucky McKee, 2003
The horror at the heart of May is loneliness. Most of the movie plays out without the usual trappings of a horror film, but it’s still incredibly difficult and uncomfortable to watch. By the time the killing starts, it’s more sad than scary, and actually feels like a bit of a let-down – but the movie is redeemed by the final shot, a heartbreaking non-sequitur that is, paradoxically, the only way the movie could have ended.
26. Deep Red
Dario Argento, 1975
More of a mystery than anything else, Deep Red still contains enough brutal murders and intense, frightening setpieces to qualify for this list. The greatest thing about this movie is Argento’s ballsy decision to hand the solution to the mystery to you very early on, but in such a way that you’ll never pick up on it until it’s much too late. After my first viewing, I had to go back and make sure that he really did show me what he claimed to have shown me – and there it was. Argento’s finest hour, perhaps not as inspired as the somewhat sloppier Suspiria or Inferno, but executed with the precision and skill of a true master.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
9. Pontypool
Pontypool
Bruce McDonald, 2009
A morning radio host (Stephen McHattie) and his crew begin to receive reports of an epidemic of violent insanity, which begins to move closer and closer to their studio. . .
Wow. The first forty-five minutes of this movie are perfect. Utterly, impeccably flawless. That the second half can't live up to the first is inevitable, but the fall-off is not nearly as severe as it could have been. In a way, it's almost like there are two different movies - the first is a tense, claustrophobic thriller, while the second is slightly more comedic and considerably more conceptually ambitious. Once the fantastic central idea is revealed (and I won't spoil it here, despite the fact that just about every review or synopsis you come across most likely will), the filmmakers suddenly have a wealth of interesting material to play with, and it's enough to make up for the fact that the movie isn't as scary as it was, or that the exposition gets kind of clunky, or that the only real action sequence in the whole production has a really, really awkward edit right in the middle of it.
The real stars of Pontypool, however are. . .well, the stars. The actors. The entire movie, barring the first scene, takes place inside the broadcast studio, and much of it occurs on the air. Initially, I began to wonder why they didn't just make a radio show of it instead of a movie (apparently, they did both) - but then I began to notice all of the little details that the actors were displaying non-verbally. The story seems tailor-made for radio, but the actors bring so much to the table on a visual level that it would be a real tragedy to lose that dimension. This one's really something special.
9/10 (and I'll probably bump it up a notch after I let it stew for a bit).
PS - Pontypool is something special for an entirely unrelated reason as well - it's my 2000th movie! That's 2000 movies seen and scored, and while it pales in comparison to, say, Roger Ebert's lifetime viewing record, I'm pretty pleased.
Bruce McDonald, 2009
A morning radio host (Stephen McHattie) and his crew begin to receive reports of an epidemic of violent insanity, which begins to move closer and closer to their studio. . .
Wow. The first forty-five minutes of this movie are perfect. Utterly, impeccably flawless. That the second half can't live up to the first is inevitable, but the fall-off is not nearly as severe as it could have been. In a way, it's almost like there are two different movies - the first is a tense, claustrophobic thriller, while the second is slightly more comedic and considerably more conceptually ambitious. Once the fantastic central idea is revealed (and I won't spoil it here, despite the fact that just about every review or synopsis you come across most likely will), the filmmakers suddenly have a wealth of interesting material to play with, and it's enough to make up for the fact that the movie isn't as scary as it was, or that the exposition gets kind of clunky, or that the only real action sequence in the whole production has a really, really awkward edit right in the middle of it.
The real stars of Pontypool, however are. . .well, the stars. The actors. The entire movie, barring the first scene, takes place inside the broadcast studio, and much of it occurs on the air. Initially, I began to wonder why they didn't just make a radio show of it instead of a movie (apparently, they did both) - but then I began to notice all of the little details that the actors were displaying non-verbally. The story seems tailor-made for radio, but the actors bring so much to the table on a visual level that it would be a real tragedy to lose that dimension. This one's really something special.
9/10 (and I'll probably bump it up a notch after I let it stew for a bit).
PS - Pontypool is something special for an entirely unrelated reason as well - it's my 2000th movie! That's 2000 movies seen and scored, and while it pales in comparison to, say, Roger Ebert's lifetime viewing record, I'm pretty pleased.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
8. The Legend of Hell House
The Legend of Hell House
John Hough, 1973
Two psychics and a scientist journey into a legendary haunted house to try to prove the existence of life after death.
A fair to middling haunted house movie, The Legend of Hell House has some promising ideas (the intersection of science and superstition) and a solid cast that seem game for anything, but it all just kind of dies on the screen, largely due to a staid and uninspired look, including the least frightening haunted house I've ever seen (from the inside, anyway. The few location shots of the exterior look pretty good). It's based on a novel by Richard Matheson, and I understand that he toned down the sex and violence considerably when turning it into a script. That was probably the point at which the project went awry, as a little bit of lurid sensationalism might have done wonders for waking everyone up. At least the final reveal of the villain was suitably creepy, but it doesn't alleviate the sense that the movie is just kind of. . . there.
4/10
John Hough, 1973
Two psychics and a scientist journey into a legendary haunted house to try to prove the existence of life after death.
A fair to middling haunted house movie, The Legend of Hell House has some promising ideas (the intersection of science and superstition) and a solid cast that seem game for anything, but it all just kind of dies on the screen, largely due to a staid and uninspired look, including the least frightening haunted house I've ever seen (from the inside, anyway. The few location shots of the exterior look pretty good). It's based on a novel by Richard Matheson, and I understand that he toned down the sex and violence considerably when turning it into a script. That was probably the point at which the project went awry, as a little bit of lurid sensationalism might have done wonders for waking everyone up. At least the final reveal of the villain was suitably creepy, but it doesn't alleviate the sense that the movie is just kind of. . . there.
4/10
7. Trick r Treat
Trick 'r Treat
Michael Dougherty, 2009
On Halloween night, four loosely related tales of monsters, ghosts, and killers interweave and intersect.
Prior to its release, Trick r Treat had achieved near-legendary status online, as a result of wildly successful test screenings followed by an inexplicable delay in release - it was originally scheduled for 2007, and finally got dumped direct to DVD in October, 2009. Of course, after all that hype, anything would be a letdown, and this is no exception. It's not bad, and looks very nice - but it possesses many of the typical first-time director flaws, primarily awkward tonal shifts and excessive referencing of superior works. One thing it does have going for it, though, is an obvious affection for the season that carries it over the rough spots. Really, it's just a nonsensical bunch of Halloween-y fun, and what's the problem with that? I didn't love it, but I could easily see it becoming a perennial hit.
Oh, and for the record, the best story is the one with the kids, although the twist at the end of the vampire story is pretty awesome.
7.5/10
Michael Dougherty, 2009
On Halloween night, four loosely related tales of monsters, ghosts, and killers interweave and intersect.
Prior to its release, Trick r Treat had achieved near-legendary status online, as a result of wildly successful test screenings followed by an inexplicable delay in release - it was originally scheduled for 2007, and finally got dumped direct to DVD in October, 2009. Of course, after all that hype, anything would be a letdown, and this is no exception. It's not bad, and looks very nice - but it possesses many of the typical first-time director flaws, primarily awkward tonal shifts and excessive referencing of superior works. One thing it does have going for it, though, is an obvious affection for the season that carries it over the rough spots. Really, it's just a nonsensical bunch of Halloween-y fun, and what's the problem with that? I didn't love it, but I could easily see it becoming a perennial hit.
Oh, and for the record, the best story is the one with the kids, although the twist at the end of the vampire story is pretty awesome.
7.5/10
Saturday, September 25, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #31-35
35. Session 9
Brad Anderson, 2001
Location, location, location. It’s less of a concern for filmmakers than for real estate, but if you can find something special, it can elevate even the weakest project to something watchable. Session 9 has, perhaps, the greatest location ever – an actual abandoned mental asylum. Any movie shot there would, by default, be creepy as hell, even (or perhaps especially) if shot on video, like Session 9 was. Add to that the strong script and solid cast, and you’ve got something a lot more than watchable.
34. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Wes Craven, 1984
What can be said about Freddy Krueger that hasn’t already been said? He’s the greatest of all the modern horror icons, with an unforgettable visual profile and possibly the most frightening idea of all at his core: a monster who can kill you in your dreams. It’s a concept that makes him incredibly versatile, as the Nightmare series has moved from horror to comedy to fantasy to action and back again, with only two real failures in my eyes (numbers 2 and 6). It all started here, though, and Freddy is at his most stripped-down: he’s lean, mean, and often off-screen, but still has a glint in his eye and touch of theatrical flair. Any flaws arising from the ridiculously tiny budget are easily overlooked in light of the legend being created here.
33. City of the Living Dead
Lucio Fulci, 1980
This is the only movie I’ve seen in my adult life that made me sleep with the lights on. I can’t really explain this reaction other than to say there’s just something off about the way it feels. It will probably not have the same effect on you, but fortunately it also features a record number of incredible setpieces (The puking! The maggots! The drill! The pickaxe!) to enjoy, even if you’re not actually scared.
32. Creepshow
George A. Romero, 1982
Creepshow is a loving tribute to EC comics, brought to us by two men at the top of the game in their respective fields – George Romero and Stephen King. It’s funny, but not in a comedy sort of way. It’s scary, but not in an overwhelming way. Each of the five segments functions essentially as a sort of morality tale, in which people do bad things and are punished for it (just as in HBO’s Tales from the Crypt, which was literally adapted from the comics that inspired this film).
This is one of the very first horror movies I ever saw, and it traumatized my young mind. Showers became a prelude to a zombie attack (see “Something to Tide You Over”), and as a result, the smell of a particular brand of soap still puts me on edge. It took me two years before I could eat cereal again (see “They’re Creeping Up on You”). That’s what I call an effective horror movie.
31. Inferno
Dario Argento, 1980
A sequel (roughly) to Suspiria, Inferno is not nearly as iconic as the earlier film, but more than compensates by considerably upping the surrealism quotient and focusing on what could best be described as “architectural horror,” in which the danger comes from within the (man-made) environment itself. A great example of both strengths is the lengthy underwater room sequence that occurs early on, and may be one of the most perfect passages in any horror film.
Brad Anderson, 2001
Location, location, location. It’s less of a concern for filmmakers than for real estate, but if you can find something special, it can elevate even the weakest project to something watchable. Session 9 has, perhaps, the greatest location ever – an actual abandoned mental asylum. Any movie shot there would, by default, be creepy as hell, even (or perhaps especially) if shot on video, like Session 9 was. Add to that the strong script and solid cast, and you’ve got something a lot more than watchable.
34. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Wes Craven, 1984
What can be said about Freddy Krueger that hasn’t already been said? He’s the greatest of all the modern horror icons, with an unforgettable visual profile and possibly the most frightening idea of all at his core: a monster who can kill you in your dreams. It’s a concept that makes him incredibly versatile, as the Nightmare series has moved from horror to comedy to fantasy to action and back again, with only two real failures in my eyes (numbers 2 and 6). It all started here, though, and Freddy is at his most stripped-down: he’s lean, mean, and often off-screen, but still has a glint in his eye and touch of theatrical flair. Any flaws arising from the ridiculously tiny budget are easily overlooked in light of the legend being created here.
33. City of the Living Dead
Lucio Fulci, 1980
This is the only movie I’ve seen in my adult life that made me sleep with the lights on. I can’t really explain this reaction other than to say there’s just something off about the way it feels. It will probably not have the same effect on you, but fortunately it also features a record number of incredible setpieces (The puking! The maggots! The drill! The pickaxe!) to enjoy, even if you’re not actually scared.
32. Creepshow
George A. Romero, 1982
Creepshow is a loving tribute to EC comics, brought to us by two men at the top of the game in their respective fields – George Romero and Stephen King. It’s funny, but not in a comedy sort of way. It’s scary, but not in an overwhelming way. Each of the five segments functions essentially as a sort of morality tale, in which people do bad things and are punished for it (just as in HBO’s Tales from the Crypt, which was literally adapted from the comics that inspired this film).
This is one of the very first horror movies I ever saw, and it traumatized my young mind. Showers became a prelude to a zombie attack (see “Something to Tide You Over”), and as a result, the smell of a particular brand of soap still puts me on edge. It took me two years before I could eat cereal again (see “They’re Creeping Up on You”). That’s what I call an effective horror movie.
31. Inferno
Dario Argento, 1980
A sequel (roughly) to Suspiria, Inferno is not nearly as iconic as the earlier film, but more than compensates by considerably upping the surrealism quotient and focusing on what could best be described as “architectural horror,” in which the danger comes from within the (man-made) environment itself. A great example of both strengths is the lengthy underwater room sequence that occurs early on, and may be one of the most perfect passages in any horror film.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #36-40
40. The Descent
Neil Marshall, 2006
Neil Marshall’s tale of a group of women trapped in an underground cave is so effective and terrifying that, when the monsters show up halfway through, it’s actually kind of a relief. The violent, action-y movie that follows can’t match the creeping, gnawing dread of the first half, but is still pretty terrific in its own right. Make sure to watch the version with the original, UK ending, even though the apparently terrible sequel picked up from the weaker US ending.
39. Prince of Darkness
John Carpenter, 1987
This is generally considered one of John Carpenter’s minor works, but it’s one of my favorites. I love the central conceit of breaking theology down into quantum physics (er, sort of. . .), and the utterly relentless tension is extremely unnerving to me. Granted, I have a bit of a weakness for stories where people are turned into monsters instead of just killed by them, and this movie is chock-full of that sort of thing.
Plus, don’t even get me started on that creepy-ass tachyon-transmitted dream from the future (no, seriously, there is one of those in the movie).
38. Candyman
Bernard Rose, 1992
Candyman is a movie about an idea – quite literally, as the Candyman himself is an urban legend, a ghost that only exists because people believe in him. It’s an interesting concept that gives the movie more intellectual resonance than most and puts it right on my wavelength. Even if you don't feel the same way, Tony Todd’s booming voice will never leave your skull once you've seen it, and neither will Philip Glass’s mesmerizing score.
37. The Evil Dead
Sam Raimi, 1982
Probably the best example of can-do gumption by a bunch of nobodies who went on to be very big somebodies, The Evil Dead is cheap, nasty, and crude, but also possesses an innocence and charm that can’t be manufactured. The sequels tend to be better-loved, and are certainly better-made, but I don’t think they ever quite recaptured the magic. .
36. Slither
James Gunn, 2006
I’m a big fan of James Gunn, which is kind of weird, when you break it down. I was not a fan of the Dawn of the Dead remake and didn’t see the Scooby-Doo movies (all of which he wrote). I don’t like his Troma work. Really, his reputation is made primarily by The Specials and by this film – and really, that’s enough. Slither is a delicious cornucopia of styles and horror tropes – you have your mutation/body horror, your possession/mind control paranoia, a touch of zombies, and some big gooey latex monsters, all delivered with a razor wit and just a touch of genuine pathos.
Neil Marshall, 2006
Neil Marshall’s tale of a group of women trapped in an underground cave is so effective and terrifying that, when the monsters show up halfway through, it’s actually kind of a relief. The violent, action-y movie that follows can’t match the creeping, gnawing dread of the first half, but is still pretty terrific in its own right. Make sure to watch the version with the original, UK ending, even though the apparently terrible sequel picked up from the weaker US ending.
39. Prince of Darkness
John Carpenter, 1987
This is generally considered one of John Carpenter’s minor works, but it’s one of my favorites. I love the central conceit of breaking theology down into quantum physics (er, sort of. . .), and the utterly relentless tension is extremely unnerving to me. Granted, I have a bit of a weakness for stories where people are turned into monsters instead of just killed by them, and this movie is chock-full of that sort of thing.
Plus, don’t even get me started on that creepy-ass tachyon-transmitted dream from the future (no, seriously, there is one of those in the movie).
38. Candyman
Bernard Rose, 1992
Candyman is a movie about an idea – quite literally, as the Candyman himself is an urban legend, a ghost that only exists because people believe in him. It’s an interesting concept that gives the movie more intellectual resonance than most and puts it right on my wavelength. Even if you don't feel the same way, Tony Todd’s booming voice will never leave your skull once you've seen it, and neither will Philip Glass’s mesmerizing score.
37. The Evil Dead
Sam Raimi, 1982
Probably the best example of can-do gumption by a bunch of nobodies who went on to be very big somebodies, The Evil Dead is cheap, nasty, and crude, but also possesses an innocence and charm that can’t be manufactured. The sequels tend to be better-loved, and are certainly better-made, but I don’t think they ever quite recaptured the magic. .
36. Slither
James Gunn, 2006
I’m a big fan of James Gunn, which is kind of weird, when you break it down. I was not a fan of the Dawn of the Dead remake and didn’t see the Scooby-Doo movies (all of which he wrote). I don’t like his Troma work. Really, his reputation is made primarily by The Specials and by this film – and really, that’s enough. Slither is a delicious cornucopia of styles and horror tropes – you have your mutation/body horror, your possession/mind control paranoia, a touch of zombies, and some big gooey latex monsters, all delivered with a razor wit and just a touch of genuine pathos.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
6. Poltergeist
Poltergeist
Tobe Hooper (or was it Steven Spielberg?), 1982.
After their youngest daughter is kidnapped by the television people (aka angry ghosts), the Freeling family must find a way to rescue her without falling victim to the spirits themselves.
First off, the title doesn't make sense. They actually take a moment, halfway through the film, to explain how a poltergeist is different from a haunting, as if to justify it - but then they proceed to give us a fairly textbook example of a haunting. Weird - but I suppose the alternative title was already taken.
Nitpicking aside, Poltergeist is a really middle-of the road movie. It's got some wonderful bits of creepiness (the second conversation with Carol Anne after she disappears, for instance), and a stronger emotional pull than I was expecting (see that same scene), but it never really comes together the way it should. I think the problem is that Spielberg doesn't really want to be making a horror movie, because I have the same issue with Jaws. In both cases, you have the trappings of a horror movie, but when you dig past those trappings, you find the beating heart of an adventure film. There's a light touch to most of the peril, a strong "quest" element to the plot, and a great big ending that is simultaneously epic and anti-climactic. It should be the moment where things become most intense, but it isn't, really. It's just louder - kind of like an action movie. So you have the structure of the movie pulling it in one direction, and the moment to moment details pulling it in the other (perhaps this is the best proof that Hooper really did direct the movie), and then you have a layer of borderline satirical suburban life slathered over it just to really confuse the issue. It's enjoyable, and there's a lot of very well-crafted parts, but it's a mess overall.
6/10
Tobe Hooper (or was it Steven Spielberg?), 1982.
After their youngest daughter is kidnapped by the television people (aka angry ghosts), the Freeling family must find a way to rescue her without falling victim to the spirits themselves.
First off, the title doesn't make sense. They actually take a moment, halfway through the film, to explain how a poltergeist is different from a haunting, as if to justify it - but then they proceed to give us a fairly textbook example of a haunting. Weird - but I suppose the alternative title was already taken.
Nitpicking aside, Poltergeist is a really middle-of the road movie. It's got some wonderful bits of creepiness (the second conversation with Carol Anne after she disappears, for instance), and a stronger emotional pull than I was expecting (see that same scene), but it never really comes together the way it should. I think the problem is that Spielberg doesn't really want to be making a horror movie, because I have the same issue with Jaws. In both cases, you have the trappings of a horror movie, but when you dig past those trappings, you find the beating heart of an adventure film. There's a light touch to most of the peril, a strong "quest" element to the plot, and a great big ending that is simultaneously epic and anti-climactic. It should be the moment where things become most intense, but it isn't, really. It's just louder - kind of like an action movie. So you have the structure of the movie pulling it in one direction, and the moment to moment details pulling it in the other (perhaps this is the best proof that Hooper really did direct the movie), and then you have a layer of borderline satirical suburban life slathered over it just to really confuse the issue. It's enjoyable, and there's a lot of very well-crafted parts, but it's a mess overall.
6/10
Saturday, September 18, 2010
5. Vampire Circus
Vampire Circus
Robert Young, 1972
Fifteen years after the townspeople dispose of an evil vampiric baron, a group of vampires comes to town disguised as a traveling circus to take revenge and resurrect their master.
Vampire Circus really never gets better than its opening sequence. The vampire's attack on a young girl and the subsequent assault on his castle is thrilling stuff, and could easily serve as the climax to a mid-grade Hammer film. The bulk of the film, though, is pretty standard fare, as the vampires pick off the children one-by-one and people grow more and more suspicious. To be honest, there's more fun to be had identifying familiar actors from other roles (Hey, it's Darth Vader! Ethan Rayne! Romana II!) than in following the story, although it is livened up a bit by the producers' willingness to indulge in levels of blood and nudity that would have been unthinkable at Hammer Studios ten years earlier. The ending is fairly typical of Hammer fare, although somewhat more violent than usual, with one moment that gave me a chuckle - once the final vampire is dispatched, our surviving heroes pause for a moment to look around the room, and we see that the floor is literally covered with bodies. All in all, it's pretty typical of the studio's output in the 70's quality-wise, and makes for a decent afternoon matinee, but it's not going to stick with you.
6.5/10
Robert Young, 1972
Fifteen years after the townspeople dispose of an evil vampiric baron, a group of vampires comes to town disguised as a traveling circus to take revenge and resurrect their master.
Vampire Circus really never gets better than its opening sequence. The vampire's attack on a young girl and the subsequent assault on his castle is thrilling stuff, and could easily serve as the climax to a mid-grade Hammer film. The bulk of the film, though, is pretty standard fare, as the vampires pick off the children one-by-one and people grow more and more suspicious. To be honest, there's more fun to be had identifying familiar actors from other roles (Hey, it's Darth Vader! Ethan Rayne! Romana II!) than in following the story, although it is livened up a bit by the producers' willingness to indulge in levels of blood and nudity that would have been unthinkable at Hammer Studios ten years earlier. The ending is fairly typical of Hammer fare, although somewhat more violent than usual, with one moment that gave me a chuckle - once the final vampire is dispatched, our surviving heroes pause for a moment to look around the room, and we see that the floor is literally covered with bodies. All in all, it's pretty typical of the studio's output in the 70's quality-wise, and makes for a decent afternoon matinee, but it's not going to stick with you.
6.5/10
Friday, September 17, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #41-45
45. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Robert Weine, 1921
Considered by many to be the first real horror movie, Caligari remains a masterpiece of visual storytelling to this day, utilizing an expressionistic style that has been imitated many times, but never matched. Honestly, there’s nothing I can say about this movie that isn’t better demonstrated just by seeing it for yourself, so enjoy this fan-made trailer-ish thing I found on youtube (they didn’t make trailers back then).
44. The Masque of the Red Death
Roger Corman, 1964
For sheer consistency, it’s hard to beat the Roger Corman/Vincent Price cycle of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. None of them are bad, and several are outright classics. This film is not the very best of the series, but it’s probably the most striking, due in large part to Nicholas Roeg (later a director in his own right, and will be seen again later on this list), who serves as director of photography. It’s filled with vivid, primary colors that lend the story a greater sense of surrealism than the other films, and Vincent Price is his usual self (over the top, and loving it).
43. Hour of the Wolf
Ingmar Bergman, 1968
There is very little in my experience that is more chilling than hearing Max Van Sydow describe the ghosts that haunt him, including a bird-like man and an old woman who always threatens to take her hat off, which would be a terrible thing, because her face will come off with it. It’s a masterpiece of suggestion, the words just abstract enough to invoke chills that an actual visualization could never possibly match.
But then, we do see them. And somehow, it’s even worse.
42. Suspiria
Dario Argento, 1977
Argento’s most famous movie, Suspiria is a wonderful mixture of fairy-tale imagery and tremendously gruesome violence. As with most Italian movies of the era, there are a lot of clunky parts, but the combination of blatantly stylish visuals (ooh, the colors) and more subtle design choices (all of the doorknobs are mounted too high, to make the characters feel like children) all wrapped up in Goblin’s iconic score, weaves such a spell that it doesn’t matter. Best moment of horror? When (SPOILER) falls into a pit full of razor-wire. Ugh.
41. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
Terence Fisher, 1974
This is the last of the hammer Frankenstein films, and is my favorite of the bunch, despite some dodgy model work. Although the main difference between Peter Cushing’s Victor Frankenstein and the Henry Frankenstein of most other versions of the story is the former's outright villainy, I tend to prefer the installments where he has a bit more humanity – and in that regard, this is second only to Revenge of Frankenstein. What elevates ...Monster from Hell above that entry is the more interesting setting, the more monstrous monster, and a subtly tragic ending, when it becomes apparent that Frankenstein actually has gone mad – just not in the way that people usually accuse him of being mad.
Robert Weine, 1921
Considered by many to be the first real horror movie, Caligari remains a masterpiece of visual storytelling to this day, utilizing an expressionistic style that has been imitated many times, but never matched. Honestly, there’s nothing I can say about this movie that isn’t better demonstrated just by seeing it for yourself, so enjoy this fan-made trailer-ish thing I found on youtube (they didn’t make trailers back then).
44. The Masque of the Red Death
Roger Corman, 1964
For sheer consistency, it’s hard to beat the Roger Corman/Vincent Price cycle of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations. None of them are bad, and several are outright classics. This film is not the very best of the series, but it’s probably the most striking, due in large part to Nicholas Roeg (later a director in his own right, and will be seen again later on this list), who serves as director of photography. It’s filled with vivid, primary colors that lend the story a greater sense of surrealism than the other films, and Vincent Price is his usual self (over the top, and loving it).
43. Hour of the Wolf
Ingmar Bergman, 1968
There is very little in my experience that is more chilling than hearing Max Van Sydow describe the ghosts that haunt him, including a bird-like man and an old woman who always threatens to take her hat off, which would be a terrible thing, because her face will come off with it. It’s a masterpiece of suggestion, the words just abstract enough to invoke chills that an actual visualization could never possibly match.
But then, we do see them. And somehow, it’s even worse.
42. Suspiria
Dario Argento, 1977
Argento’s most famous movie, Suspiria is a wonderful mixture of fairy-tale imagery and tremendously gruesome violence. As with most Italian movies of the era, there are a lot of clunky parts, but the combination of blatantly stylish visuals (ooh, the colors) and more subtle design choices (all of the doorknobs are mounted too high, to make the characters feel like children) all wrapped up in Goblin’s iconic score, weaves such a spell that it doesn’t matter. Best moment of horror? When (SPOILER) falls into a pit full of razor-wire. Ugh.
41. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
Terence Fisher, 1974
This is the last of the hammer Frankenstein films, and is my favorite of the bunch, despite some dodgy model work. Although the main difference between Peter Cushing’s Victor Frankenstein and the Henry Frankenstein of most other versions of the story is the former's outright villainy, I tend to prefer the installments where he has a bit more humanity – and in that regard, this is second only to Revenge of Frankenstein. What elevates ...Monster from Hell above that entry is the more interesting setting, the more monstrous monster, and a subtly tragic ending, when it becomes apparent that Frankenstein actually has gone mad – just not in the way that people usually accuse him of being mad.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
4. Ju-on: The Grudge
Ju-on: The Grudge
Takashi Shimizu, 2002
An assortment of people with loosely interrelated lives fall victim to a curse that was left behind by a violent murder.
Ju-on: The Grudge was not the first of the modern cycle of Japanese ghost stories, but it seems to be as close to an archetypal example of the genre as anything I've seen. You've got your slow-moving, long-haired female ghost, you've got your curse that must be investigated, you've got your unnerving intrusions of the supernatural on to a distinctly modern world, your creepy little boy, etc. etc.
One thing that does stand out about this movie, though, is its structure. Many of the reviews I've come across have complained about this, but I loved it. The movie is structured almost as a series of vignettes, each focusing on a different victim of the curse. They're all interrelated somehow, with characters from one story often making brief appearances in other stories, and one story will sometimes (but not always) pick up where another left off. They're also shown out of chronological order. I found that this gave the whole thing a sort of archeological feel, which I suppose mirrors the characters' investigation into the cursed house. It also prevented any of the characters from developing all that much, but the curse itself is really the main character anyway.
Ultimately, though, there's really nothing to it beyond the experience itself, and some of the J-horror tropes are getting a little bit old, so I can't praise it too highly. Still, if you're just looking for a spooky thrill, you could do a lot worse.
7/10
Takashi Shimizu, 2002
An assortment of people with loosely interrelated lives fall victim to a curse that was left behind by a violent murder.
Ju-on: The Grudge was not the first of the modern cycle of Japanese ghost stories, but it seems to be as close to an archetypal example of the genre as anything I've seen. You've got your slow-moving, long-haired female ghost, you've got your curse that must be investigated, you've got your unnerving intrusions of the supernatural on to a distinctly modern world, your creepy little boy, etc. etc.
One thing that does stand out about this movie, though, is its structure. Many of the reviews I've come across have complained about this, but I loved it. The movie is structured almost as a series of vignettes, each focusing on a different victim of the curse. They're all interrelated somehow, with characters from one story often making brief appearances in other stories, and one story will sometimes (but not always) pick up where another left off. They're also shown out of chronological order. I found that this gave the whole thing a sort of archeological feel, which I suppose mirrors the characters' investigation into the cursed house. It also prevented any of the characters from developing all that much, but the curse itself is really the main character anyway.
Ultimately, though, there's really nothing to it beyond the experience itself, and some of the J-horror tropes are getting a little bit old, so I can't praise it too highly. Still, if you're just looking for a spooky thrill, you could do a lot worse.
7/10
3. Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing
Wes Craven, 1982
A scientist (Ray Wise) turns into a a swamp monster (Dick Durock) and takes revenge on those responsible.
I'm a big fan of Swamp Thing - that is, of the comic book character Swamp Thing. I also loved the TV series growing up. One of those (the comic) is fantastic, the other (TV show) kind of terrible, but this movie makes them both look like high art. It starts of reasonably well - it's sort of got the feel of an old Universal horror film, one of the later ones from the 40's and 50's, but crossed with a cheap 80's A-Team sort of aesthetic. It shouldn't work, but it does. The problem is mainly Swamp Thing himself - the costume just looks terrible. I'm willing to forgive a lot in my low-budget effects, but when your star's skin (I presume) doesn't even fit the actor, it's pretty tough to deal with. Add in an obnoxious comic-relief kid, a plethora of horrible "comic-booky" transitions, and another monster that manages to look even worse than Swamp Thing, and you can see it all fall apart right before your eyes.
3/10 (and I'm being generous)
Wes Craven, 1982
A scientist (Ray Wise) turns into a a swamp monster (Dick Durock) and takes revenge on those responsible.
I'm a big fan of Swamp Thing - that is, of the comic book character Swamp Thing. I also loved the TV series growing up. One of those (the comic) is fantastic, the other (TV show) kind of terrible, but this movie makes them both look like high art. It starts of reasonably well - it's sort of got the feel of an old Universal horror film, one of the later ones from the 40's and 50's, but crossed with a cheap 80's A-Team sort of aesthetic. It shouldn't work, but it does. The problem is mainly Swamp Thing himself - the costume just looks terrible. I'm willing to forgive a lot in my low-budget effects, but when your star's skin (I presume) doesn't even fit the actor, it's pretty tough to deal with. Add in an obnoxious comic-relief kid, a plethora of horrible "comic-booky" transitions, and another monster that manages to look even worse than Swamp Thing, and you can see it all fall apart right before your eyes.
3/10 (and I'm being generous)
Monday, September 13, 2010
The 50 Best Horror Movies: #46-50
I changed my mind slightly on the format. These are going to be coming five at a time, not 10. So, without further ado, here are the worst of the best (but really, just think of them as some of the best).
John Carpenter, 1995
Objectively, this is a weaker movie than a lot of the runners-up, but there’s just something about it. It may be a personal thing – 1995 was right smack in the middle of my formative years, and when you’re in that frame of mind and hear a character say something like “sane and insane could easily trade places if the insane were to become the majority,” it’s a little bit mind-blowing. Now, a lot of the metatextual commentary comes off as a tad obnoxiously smug, but even so, In the Mouth of Madness remains a fairly clever movie. It also gets bonus points for rooting its horror in a sort of creeping, almost existentialist dread, rather than the more concrete rubber monsters and crazy killers – and yet, not entirely eschewing said monsters and killers. It’s the best of both worlds.
49. Below
David Twohy, 2002
Criminally underseen, Below takes the trappings of the haunted house movie and transposes them to a novel setting – a US submarine during World War II. Ghosts are frightening enough, and submarines doubly so – which means the combination is tremendously effective. It’s not all about the high concept, however – the characters remain front and center, thanks in part to the efforts of a strong cast led by Olivia Williams and Bruce Greenwood. For those of you, unlike me, prefer your horror “realistic,” know that the movie spends most of its running time (maybe the entire time – I won’t give away which it is) playing up the ambiguity of whether there really are ghosts, or whether the things we see are the result of stress and chemical imbalances on the part of the intrepid sailors.
Robert Wise, 1945
One of many movies based loosely on the Burke and Hare scandal (by way of a Robert Louis Stevensen short story that was based on them), The Body Snatcher condenses the two graverobbers into a single character, John Gray, played by the great Boris Karloff. Most of the movie plays as a sort of sinister drama, until the chilling end that cements its genre status. Watch for the outstanding mid-movie confrontation between Karloff and his fellow legend, Bela Lugosi.
47. The Signal
David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry, 2008
The Signal is an odd hybrid between a straightforward narrative and an anthology, with a story that follows the same three principal characters, trapped in a city where a mysterious signal turns people into psychopaths, but which is broken into three chapters, each directed by a different director and each with a markedly different tone. The most notable of these is the second segment, which is largely a pitch-black comedy. This would seem extremely out of place next to the straightforwardly brutal first segment and the surreal, more intellectual third segment, but it is presented in such a way that it can be read as coming from the perspective of one of the infected crazy people. This interpretation gives another interesting level of meaning to all three segments, and helps to elevate it to the status of modern classic.
46. Hellraiser
Clive Barker, 1987
Unlike most horror icons of the era, Pinhead is not a particularly significant part of his debut movie. He may have roughly the same amount of screen time as, say, Jason Voorhees (and a lot more dialogue), but whereas Friday the 13th is all about Jason killing teenagers (okay, okay, Friday the 13th Part 2, technically), Hellraiser actually has very little to do with Pinhead and his machinations. At its core, it’s a simple story about a woman and the lengths she would go to in order to have her lover back, and the havoc (in monster form) that it wreaks on her family (hey, did someone say metaphor?). That central conflict alone could make for a strong film, but when you throw in the monsters and creatures and gooey, gooey effects, it’s magic.
2. Fright Night
Fright Night
1985, Tom Holland
A high school student believes his new neighbor is a vampire (spoiler: he's right!) and enlists the aid of a washed up horror movie star (Roddy McDowall) to stop him.
Well, that was disappointing. Fright Night is kind of a mess, with tonal problems and inconsistent performances. For every solid Roddy McDowall moment, there's a terrible William Ragsdale scene. For every good Stephen Geoffreys as a vampire bit, there's a terrible Stephen Geoffreys as a human bit. It's also oddly paced and tends to drag - our heroes head to the vampire's house to confront him with 37 minutes left, and that final confrontation does indeed take 37 minutes, and you do indeed feel every one of them.
On the other hand, there were some very effective make-up effects (the wolf transformation, Amy's mouth at the end), although those really only make up for the awful vampire design. And Chris Sarandon made for one of the better modern-day vampires I've seen. . . except when the makeup came out. I probably sound more down on this movie than I actually am - it isn't really bad. I was just expecting more. Maybe the remake (with David Tennant!) will be better.
5.5/10
1985, Tom Holland
A high school student believes his new neighbor is a vampire (spoiler: he's right!) and enlists the aid of a washed up horror movie star (Roddy McDowall) to stop him.
Well, that was disappointing. Fright Night is kind of a mess, with tonal problems and inconsistent performances. For every solid Roddy McDowall moment, there's a terrible William Ragsdale scene. For every good Stephen Geoffreys as a vampire bit, there's a terrible Stephen Geoffreys as a human bit. It's also oddly paced and tends to drag - our heroes head to the vampire's house to confront him with 37 minutes left, and that final confrontation does indeed take 37 minutes, and you do indeed feel every one of them.
On the other hand, there were some very effective make-up effects (the wolf transformation, Amy's mouth at the end), although those really only make up for the awful vampire design. And Chris Sarandon made for one of the better modern-day vampires I've seen. . . except when the makeup came out. I probably sound more down on this movie than I actually am - it isn't really bad. I was just expecting more. Maybe the remake (with David Tennant!) will be better.
5.5/10
Sunday, September 12, 2010
1. Repulsion
Repulsion
Roman Polanski, 1965
A fragile, repressed young woman goes very, very mad when left at home alone for a couple of weeks.
I was initially unwilling to include this in the October countdown, because it didn't seem appropriate, genre-wise - however, it did show up on Rotten Tomatoes' list of 50 best-reviewed horror movies, so I gave it a shot. After watching it, I'm still not completely convinced, but I can certainly see understand the argument - there are some really unsettling moments. Either way, the one thing that can't be disputed is that it's terrific, all around. From Catherine Deneuve's edgy performance to the stellar sound design, I can't think of a single element that was sub-par. Probably the greatest stroke of genius was the creation of a second set for the apartment that was used for dream sequences. It's similar to the real one, but much, much larger, and that break with reality just gave me chills. Definitely the best of Polanski's so-called apartment trilogy (also including Rosemary's Baby and The Tenant).
8/10
Roman Polanski, 1965
A fragile, repressed young woman goes very, very mad when left at home alone for a couple of weeks.
I was initially unwilling to include this in the October countdown, because it didn't seem appropriate, genre-wise - however, it did show up on Rotten Tomatoes' list of 50 best-reviewed horror movies, so I gave it a shot. After watching it, I'm still not completely convinced, but I can certainly see understand the argument - there are some really unsettling moments. Either way, the one thing that can't be disputed is that it's terrific, all around. From Catherine Deneuve's edgy performance to the stellar sound design, I can't think of a single element that was sub-par. Probably the greatest stroke of genius was the creation of a second set for the apartment that was used for dream sequences. It's similar to the real one, but much, much larger, and that break with reality just gave me chills. Definitely the best of Polanski's so-called apartment trilogy (also including Rosemary's Baby and The Tenant).
8/10
It's October! Er, almost. Kind of.
Well, hey, look at that. It's been five months since I last posted. I guess time really does fly. Don't worry, though, this isn't another boring catch-up post where I just list a bunch of movies I've seen without comment (although I will give a count of 39, which is how many first-time viewings I've had since my last accounting). No, I'm here to talk about something much more important: Halloween! Typically, I make a holiday out of the entire month of October, with lots of trips to haunted houses and a plan to view at least 31 new horror movies over the 31 days. However, this year I'll be doing some traveling, and spending some time with people from out of town, so I'm a little worried about whether I'll be able to accomplish everything. The solution? Start early. If the twelve days of Christmas can last two months (since all the stores seem to have their decorations up by Halloween day. Which, by the way, fills me with an unspeakable rage), then there's no reason the 31 days of Halloween can't become 50 days. Or so.
So what does this mean? Well, for one, it actually has me feeling motivated enough to start writing about what I watch again. Secondly, while building my queue of movies to watch this season, I've been reading a lot of "best horror movies" lists, and that's inspired me to generate my own. I'll be posting the list, in groups of 10, periodically throughout the month, with the entire thing hopefully finished by the beginning of October. That way, anyone looking for something seasonal to watch will know objectively and absolutely what the best options are.
One thing that I struggled with a bit was what exactly qualifies as horror? A lot of lists that I saw included movies such as Silence of the Lambs, Seven, or King Kong. I can certainly agree about the quality of those films, but when I think about horror movies, they just don't fit. To be honest, I'm even dubious about calling Psycho horror (fortunately, that movie won't be found anywhere near my top 50 list of anything, so the genre is moot). I tried several different criteria, but nothing worked consistently. A requirement that there be an "otherworldly" element got rid of Silence of the Lambs and Seven, but not King Kong. Plus, it didn't explain why Alien qualifies, but Aliens does not. Plus, that would eliminate 70% of the slasher genre if it was applied strictly. I also thought about defining horror in a negative sense - it's horror if there is not another specific genre that it fits - but that eliminated all manner of things, from the afore-mentioned Alien to Shaun of the Dead. Ultimately, I just had to define horror like obscenity - I know it when I see it.
Just to kick things off, I'm going to make a liar of myself by listing a bunch of movies without comment. These are the runners up, numbers 51-75, in alphabetical order:
[REC]
Audition
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Black Sunday
The Changeling
Day of the Dead
Demons
Dracula, Prince of Darkness
The Exorcist
The Haunting
The Innocents
Kill, Baby. . . Kill!
Leviathan
Lifeforce
Marebito
The Mist
Night of the Demon
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Phantasm
The Phantom of the Opera
Phenomena
Pumpkinhead
Revenge of Frankenstein
Tales of Terror
The Wicker Man
So what does this mean? Well, for one, it actually has me feeling motivated enough to start writing about what I watch again. Secondly, while building my queue of movies to watch this season, I've been reading a lot of "best horror movies" lists, and that's inspired me to generate my own. I'll be posting the list, in groups of 10, periodically throughout the month, with the entire thing hopefully finished by the beginning of October. That way, anyone looking for something seasonal to watch will know objectively and absolutely what the best options are.
One thing that I struggled with a bit was what exactly qualifies as horror? A lot of lists that I saw included movies such as Silence of the Lambs, Seven, or King Kong. I can certainly agree about the quality of those films, but when I think about horror movies, they just don't fit. To be honest, I'm even dubious about calling Psycho horror (fortunately, that movie won't be found anywhere near my top 50 list of anything, so the genre is moot). I tried several different criteria, but nothing worked consistently. A requirement that there be an "otherworldly" element got rid of Silence of the Lambs and Seven, but not King Kong. Plus, it didn't explain why Alien qualifies, but Aliens does not. Plus, that would eliminate 70% of the slasher genre if it was applied strictly. I also thought about defining horror in a negative sense - it's horror if there is not another specific genre that it fits - but that eliminated all manner of things, from the afore-mentioned Alien to Shaun of the Dead. Ultimately, I just had to define horror like obscenity - I know it when I see it.
Just to kick things off, I'm going to make a liar of myself by listing a bunch of movies without comment. These are the runners up, numbers 51-75, in alphabetical order:
[REC]
Audition
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Black Sunday
The Changeling
Day of the Dead
Demons
Dracula, Prince of Darkness
The Exorcist
The Haunting
The Innocents
Kill, Baby. . . Kill!
Leviathan
Lifeforce
Marebito
The Mist
Night of the Demon
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Phantasm
The Phantom of the Opera
Phenomena
Pumpkinhead
Revenge of Frankenstein
Tales of Terror
The Wicker Man
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