What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Justin101

The problem with IT is that it's a film of two halves, the first part when they are kids is gripping and scary while the part where they are adults confronting their demons is not very good. The fact that it ends with the adult's story means you feel a bit let down by the end of the film, but obviously there had to be that closure or it would end up being another Stand By Me (The Body). However it's not the worst Stephen King adaptation by a long shot and I did enjoy it the last time I saw it, just not as much as I thought I would.

I'd say it's now my favourite Stephen King movie, just pipping The Shining.
I can't say how well it adapts the source as I've never been able to face the slab of paper the size of a smart car that is the novel. Personally I think the adult sections work rather well though it's the childhood stuff that makes it.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by J Harker

I'd say it's now my favourite Stephen King movie, just pipping The Shining.
I can't say how well it adapts the source as I've never been able to face the slab of paper the size of a smart car that is the novel. Personally I think the adult sections work rather well though it's the childhood stuff that makes it.

It's pretty faithful, except the novel is darker and has one of the most ridiculous and creepy endings to the childhood part! (I doubt the new version will dare show it too!)

It's certainly more faithful than the Shining, at least the writers actually read the book first!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

Krampus. Michael Dougherty. 2016.

When his hillbilly extended family arrive for the Christmas holidays young Max ends up becoming disillusioned with the festivities and inadvertently summons an ancient demon intent on punishing unbelievers. Another seasonal horror from Michael Dougherty the director of modern Halloween classic Trick'r'Treat. In fact this is his first film since and only his second feature. While not up there with TrT this is still good fun particularly in the second half when we get all sorts of weird and wonderful creatures. The long clown/centipede type thing being rather creepy. Effects are great and the film is unapologetically dark in a Tim Burton sort of way. Only issue I really had was Adam Scott who is totally totally miscast as Max's dad and has absolutely zero chemistry with Toni Collette.

Krampus (2015) was my Christmas Eve film and in the above post JHarker sums it up rather well. The first half is full of unlikable characters sniping at each other and in truth is instantly forgettable. It's not until the Krampus is summoned that things perk up.

There are a wonderful assortment of creatures, one of them reminded me of the toothy killer dolls from Barbarella, however the Krampus itself isn't actually around that much. The best Krampus action is actually in A Christmas Horror Story (2015) when he slugs it out with Santa.

All in all, Krampus is okay and certainly worth a watch. It's just a shame Dougherty couldn't replicate his Trick r' Treat success with this seasonal offering.

[nosferatu42]

Venom (AKA The Legend of Spider Forest (1971))

venom-1971.jpg

A British chiller/thriller made by Peter Sykes (who made a few Hammer films, House in nightmare park and Steptoe and son ride again).

Basically some guy goes to Austria taking photographs, when he meets and falls for a young girl in the rural landscape.
She disappears and trying to find out more about her he meets the locals who are all a bit strange and say that the girl is cursed, a manifestation of a spider goddess or something ,whose lovers all die from their bites.

This part is all very interesting and draws you in to the story, with a creepy atmosphere and dreamlike feel. The woman is pretty hot too,a hippy type, and she gets her kit off too, which is nice.
Later the film takes a turn and throws in some bunkum about experiments with spider venom and a sinister organisation.

To be honest i was expecting more from this, at the start i was intrigued and entertained, but as the film wore on a few things started to "bug" me.
The guy spends all his time racing after the girl and every time he gets into trouble she just runs off, doesn't try to help at all. I don't know about you but i'd have told her were to go after the first couple of times.
Also the ending kind of ruined the atmosphere and tone of the movie and i was left feeling this would had worked better continuing along the lines of the horror aspect.

Still an interesting one that i feel i will probably appreciate more on a second viewing due to lowered expectations.

Worth a watch 7/10

[nosferatu42]

I watched Krampus too on Xmas day and i must say i really enjoyed it.

The atmosphere to me was good and it was well made,and the living toys attacking the house kinda reminded me of those dodgy 80's B movies i love like The Gate, Spookies, Ghoulies and Dolls etc.

I didn't realise it was by the Trick r treat guy so i didn't expect that much anyway, so it easily surpassed my expectations.

I'd give it an 8/10

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by nosferatu42

Venom (AKA The Legend of Spider Forest (1971))

Still an interesting one that i feel i will probably appreciate more on a second viewing due to lowered expectations.

Worth a watch 7/10

A great example of a film that's tonally all over the place. Like you i've only seen it the once and wasn't sure what to make of it. Yes it's good, but the fact it takes constant left turns made it more of a curio than a classic. Again like you i think a second viewing may define the film better.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

What? (1972)

A young American woman (Sydne Rome) traveling through Italy finds herself in a strange Mediterranean villa where nothing seems right. Her visit becomes an absurd, decadent, oversexed version of "Alice in Wonderland", with Marcello Mastroianni as the maddest of mad hatters and Roman Polanski a kinky March hare.

The above quote from IMDB sums up Roman Polanski's so called 'lost' film better than i can. It proved a wild mash up of ideas and general all round weirdness that began intriguingly as a naked Rome finds her way round the villa whilst meeting the oddball inhabitants. However once she puts a shirt on, just a shirt mind, she didn't want to overdress, it sort of comes to a juddering halt and becomes an over indulgent but extremely well made mess, whilst remaining extremely watchable. Almost like one of those dreams you don't want to wake up from.

It's a comedy but it's not funny, nor is it remotely sexy, although Rome certainly is. It's one of those films that is what it is and you either go along with it and appreciate it for it's bizarreness and absurdities or you don't. Suffice to say i did and look forward to more viewings.

[mr 420]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I'm sure the art house crowd and Walerian Borowczyk fans will love this. What does everyone else think?

Am i way out in my first viewing opinion?

YES.

[Justin101]

I must be the only person who thought Krampus was shit. I even went back and watched the last hour of it and I just hated it completely. The last scene was a bit of redemption though I guess.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by mr 420

YES.

Is that it?

Thanks for your contribution to the ongoing movie debate.