What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Not really, no! It did reduce both the number of unwatched BDs and DVDs, but not by half; I don't suppose it helped when eight BDs arrived yesterday.

I have listed all the discs which I haven't seen and try to keep the page on my website updated every day or two.

Unwatched Discs

When you say 'unwatched' I'm guessing it means the disc rather than the film?
(If not, I'd suggest you watch Full Metal Jacket ASAP!)

Out of your unwatched discs, are there any films you haven't seen before? I say this as my eyes were drawn to The Bed Sitting Room on your BD list. If you have indeed never seen it, I'd suggest you move it to the top of your 'to-watch' pile as it's a fantastic British comedy and a real treat to watch.

EDIT: Have you watched Combat Shock yet? I didn't see it on your unwatched list...

[Bringer Of Funerals]

But Lucas didnt direct eps 5 & 6 which judging by eps 1-3 is a blessing

[Make Them Die Slowly]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

An interesting and informative review there, MTDS.

Admittedly, when I saw the trailer for this, my initial reaction was: 'this is going to be shite', but understandably the makers are trying to sell a product and targeting the extreme gorehound does prove lucrative, plus certainly helps to boost the 'notoriety' of the film.

My main concern about this one was (and still is); is it just shock for shock's sake, or does it bring something new and different to the table?

Not really, it's more a throw back to Richard Kern's extreme films than continuing on from such films as "Scrapbook" or the "August Underground" series. I thought it was going to be full of extreme gore and torture from the trailer but there's not a drop of blood to be had! I also thought it was going to be more sexually graphic. On the one hand I feel slightly cheated that it wasn't the blood and cum epic I had hoped for but on the other hand, it has a grotty, arty charm of it's own. Worth picking up if you see it cheapish or have an erotic asphyxiation fetish.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Pete

Are the original versions available on DVD?

They were released in 2006 with the original theatrical versions on. Quite pricey now though.

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by Demdike

They were released in 2006 with the original theatrical versions on. Quite pricey now though.

The original versions are taken from the 1993 laserdisc masters and are non-anamorphic too and look pretty damn crappy. Better than nothing of course. I genuinely don't know why, if they can put these out, they still can't do a proper release with good transfers. Lucas can't hate them that much if he released them 6 years ago surely?

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by PaulD

The original versions are taken from the 1993 laserdisc masters and are non-anamorphic too and look pretty damn crappy. Better than nothing of course. I genuinely don't know why, if they can put these out, they still can't do a proper release with good transfers. Lucas can't hate them that much if he released them 6 years ago surely?

Because lucas dosent want you watching them, he wants you watching the NEW versions and buying all the accociated merchandise. Ok, i know thats not provable and just the cynic in me but given the amazing job done on the films in terms of pq for the blu-ray, decent quality versions of the origionals would not be a hard task.

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by keirarts

Because lucas dosent want you watching them, he wants you watching the NEW versions and buying all the accociated merchandise. Ok, i know thats not provable and just the cynic in me but given the amazing job done on the films in terms of pq for the blu-ray, decent quality versions of the origionals would not be a hard task.

Then why bother release them at all in 2006? Makes no sense. He didn't have to do that.

[Frankie Teardrop]

DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE - The Shameless version. Glad I gave it a second chance, as a clearly remarkable one of a kind was revealed to me this time round. That's not to say I fell in love with it - but I certainly succumbed more to its unabashedly weird sense of fantastique. Can't think of many other flicks that would make for easy or direct comparison.
THE MIST - A handsome S King adaption that transits with ease from CGI monsterfest to poised and sometimes poignant social critique. Shows us up for the dickheads we are when we give free reign to our irrationality in the face of the unknown. And the ending - what a downer! Not since 'Threads' have I felt so hollowed out and slighlty weepy!
INTRUDER - Let's stay with the 'terror in Tesco' theme. I bought this when, pissed off my rocker, I drunkenly didn't care that I didn't own a blu-ray player... thankfully, the new package from Synapse includes a standard issue DVD for cave dwellers such as myself. Well, I still think this is an excellent flick, a nice, linear slasher with added quirk - it may not be a masterpiece but it hits some whacky notes with its skewed POVs and camera tricks and, call me undemanding but sometimes this is all it takes to transcend mediocre slasherdom. It also has wit, verve and charm - enough to make it a winner in my book.
LUTHER THE GEEK - Only just transcends aforementioned mediocre slasherdom by featuring a villian who clucks... you'll get it if you know what sense 'Geek' is being used in here... anyway, it works in a direct to video kind of way, so for those who think they might appreciate the combo of late eighties 'units to shift' horror vibe with the added twang of circus geekery, by all means give it a go but understand it will not transform your life in any meaningful way (I'm kidding, of course it will).
KIDNAPPED COED - A real gem of a film, a serene glide through the dark landscape of seventies America, where all communication seems broken and humanity a mere flicker. The director guy did 'Axe', another piece of wonderment - if you agree with my sentiment here, you'll appreciate Kidnapped's similar, dreamily fragmented atmosphere... if you don't think 'Axe was any good, you probably shouldn't bother with this one. It's less of a genre piece, more an art film riffing on exploitation tropes, but some themes and images carry over... oblique silences... grim rural types who just kind of stare... loved it.
GRACE - A mother finds her vampiric-seeming baby needs more than milk... I liked this movie's serious, careful approach and its unusual sensitivity to its theme... a quiet, glacial style benefits it enormously. Could so easily have gone for the schlocky jugular and stayed firmly in B-movie territory a la 'Unborn' etc but stays its course until the punchline ending.
HUMAN CENTIPEDE 2 - Could really have done without the hype. I'm sure I'm not the only one here wondering what all the fuss was about - in the transgressive stakes it won't challenge those adapted to the harsher end of the spectrum (yes, I saw the uncut version). At the same time it's plenty grim, tonally more than anything. In fact, the tone would be unbearable if it didn't tip over into carnivalesque grue so readily. I actually really like this film - it works as a mood piece, a silent trawl through a depressing world where everyone's an arsehole (soon to be attached to a mouth). I'm not surprised to find stylistic comparisons to Eraserhead... the monchrome, the blurred, throbbing soundtrack, the 'world full of freaks' etc.
MARTIN - Every time I see it, it simply confirms its position as one of my favourite films. So atmospheric, still enchanting and beguiling.

[nekromantik]

Just seen the following today:

Exquisite Corpse - Not a new idea, guy who's girl dies and he has been working on a serum to bring dead people back to life. Uses this to bring his girl back to life. As always there are consequences. Average movie with a "twist" at the end.

Elevator - New indie thriller about a group of wall street workers going to a party but end up getting stuck in a lift with a bomb. You can guess the rest...its a bit like Devil without supernatural.

Neverlost - Pretty good indie thriller/drama about this guy who gets married to a girl fast and then marriage falls apart and they both hate each other. When the guy goes to sleep he goes to a dream world where his dead gf is alive. Then this guy responsible for his gfs death is there in dream world and tries to kill him. It starts out to be sort of a comedy but slowly turns into a depressing movie! The end is really a downer.

[Scyther]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

LUTHER THE GEEK - Only just transcends aforementioned mediocre slasherdom by featuring a villian who clucks... you'll get it if you know what sense 'Geek' is being used in here... anyway, it works in a direct to video kind of way, so for those who think they might appreciate the combo of late eighties 'units to shift' horror vibe with the added twang of circus geekery, by all means give it a go but understand it will not transform your life in any meaningful way (I'm kidding, of course it will).

I went into this flick not expecting much at all, and actually left being surprisingly creeped out! Bravo Troma!

Oh, and the bird in that film....egads!