What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Rik]

Originally Posted by J Harker

A fine review I've been looking forward to reading from you for a while Dem. I'm glad you enjoyed it, I was starting to feel alone. I love the opening scene with the stagecoach belting across the snow going past that old gothic cross sticking out of the snow.

I thought it was great too

P.S Excellent review Dem, perfectly sums it up

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Thanks, Rik and J. Your comments are much appreciated.

I agree with you, J. That opening with the coach was utterly compelling. It took the whole opening credits plus more to arrive but the Panavision photography was superb.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I agree with you, J. That opening with the coach was utterly compelling. It took the whole opening credits plus more to arrive but the Panavision photography was superb.

Like I said, I thought The Hateful Eight was beautifully shot, with stunning cinematography, production design and art decoration, authentic costumes, props, facial hair, and make-up effects.

I don't know if it would have engaged me more if the overall story and dialogue was a little more 'lean and mean' like Reservoir Dogs, but I didn't feel the story necessitated a three-hour running time so there were several occasions when it felt a bit baggy and 'talky', causing my attention to wander.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Like I said, I thought The Hateful Eight was beautifully shot, with stunning cinematography, production design and art decoration, authentic costumes, props, facial hair, and make-up effects.

I don't know if it would have engaged me more if the overall story and dialogue was a little more 'lean and mean' like Reservoir Dogs, but I didn't feel the story necessitated a three-hour running time so there were several occasions when it felt a bit baggy and 'talky', causing my attention to wander.

A lot of classic westerns are talky. Many begin with an action sequence and then that's it until the final showdown or whatever. Admittedly the majority of Randolph Scott films don't last two hours forty though.

[J Harker]

I was entertained the entire time so to me the three hour running time was irrelevant.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

A lot of classic westerns are talky. Many begin with an action sequence and then that's it until the final showdown or whatever. Admittedly the majority of Randolph Scott films don't last two hours forty though.

You have sort of summed up my main issue with the film. It does follow in the footsteps of other westerns in that it is building towards something – perhaps a little like Rio Bravo (141 minutes), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (123 minutes) or even Stagecoach (96 minutes). Even Once Upon a Time in the West (166 minutes) and The Unforgiven (131 minutes) are shorter than the regular version (168 minutes) of The Hateful Eight, and even The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (179 minutes) is shorter than the 187 minute 'Roadshow' version of The Hateful Eight.

[Cinematic Shocks]

Night Train Murders (1975)

***1/2 out of *****

[iank]

Curse of Chucky. In honour of the announcement that the new Chucky film is set to start shooting this week - the 7th since 1988 - I decided to rewatch the most recent, Curse of Chucky. Curse dials back on the zany factor that began in the (very funny) Bride of Chucky but nearly killed it with (the terrible) Seed of Chucky and goes back to old school basics and horror, as a family, including a young woman confined to a wheelchair, are stalked in their old house on a dark and stormy night by said killer doll, who has been waiting a long time to settle this particular score. Even on encore viewing this is a great return to form for the series, successfully darkening the tone and the character again, while still keeping a sense of humour, of course. I really enjoyed this again, great fun! Look forward to the new one!

[Deadite]

Disturbing Behavior. So James Marsden (before he lost an eye and became Cyclops) moves to one of those picture-postcard remote island bay communities that you just know is going to be full of weirdos, psychos and possibly mormons, after the death of his brother. Cue teenage angst, being the 'outsider' - quite literally, high-school high jinks, and a way too cute Katie Holmes finding out that the 'Blue Ribbons' fraternity is more than meets the eye and that the in-crowd at school have more in common with the Stepford Children than with Screech from Saved by the Bell.

A typical kind of thriller of this type a la aforementioned Stepford Children, a dash of the paranoia of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and more than a sprinkling of The Faculty, this will appeal to you if you're a fan of those films, although it does get slightly more far-fetched towards the end than might be healthy for you if you already suffer from a sprained sense of disbelief.

A decent film of its type and a solid 3.5/5 from me.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks (1975)

A Neanderthal man is lynched by villagers only for Count Frankenstein to bring the monster back to life as he tries to avoid detection from the authorities and the locals. The Count employs grave robbers including his pervy dwarf assistant who eventually acts so despicably he is kicked out by the Count. Luckily for the dwarf he comes across another Neanderthal man and teams up with him in an attempt to exact revenge on the house of Frankenstein.

Sounds terrific doesn't it. Well it isn't. Except bizarrely some of it is. I'm sure you're as confused as i am about this late Italian Gothic horror. Whilst for the most part inept, the film sports some fun ideas such as the lovely Christiane Rücker, a visitor to the castle, insisting on taking milk baths then wandering into the local cave system with the equally lovely Simonetta Vitelli for a soothing hot spa only to be spied upon by dwarves and Neanderthals alike. Scenes that are remarkably well done.

In fact the whole film looks remarkably decent with strong sets and costumes despite it's clear all round cheapness. It's just... if anything it's the monsters that let the whole thing down. Badly! They just aren't scary, menacing or indeed anything but a bit rubbish. Director Dick Randall seems comfortable with the Gothic and horror aspect as shown in other productions like The French Sex Murders (1972), The Girl in Room 2A (1974) and even 82's Pieces, none of which should be noted did he actually direct. Somehow Randall was able to get Rossano Brazzi to play the Count. Brazzi actually had the lead role in Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic 1958 musical South Pacific so it's to his credit that he plays the Count straight rather than hamming it up like some may do.

Basically if you enjoy outlandish Euro-sleaze and can leave your brain at home then Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks may well give you some pleasure as it did with me.