October Horror Movie Marathon

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Hello, Jack!

Nice to see someone recognized who it was.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Nice to see someone recognized who it was.

I thought it was blatantly obvious!

Back on with the October movies, I thoroughly enjoyed Tales of Halloween and would highly recommend it to everyone. I would need to watch it again and make notes in order to say which films/segments I thought were best and which were the worst, but it finished strong thanks to Neil Marshall and there are some great scenes and scares throughout. I'll be watching it again tomorrow with the commentary and then again, without the commentary, later this week.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I thought it was blatantly obvious!

Indeed. Although it was a toss-up between Jack Skellington and a self-portrait of Dem for me.

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Back on with the October movies, I thoroughly enjoyed Tales of Halloween and would highly recommend it to everyone. I would need to watch it again and make notes in order to say which films/segments I thought were best and which were the worst, but it finished strong thanks to Neil Marshall and there are some great scenes and scares throughout. I'll be watching it again tomorrow with the commentary and then again, without the commentary, later this week.

Good to hear. This one has received a few mixed reviews but I'm really looking forward to checking it out - hopefully this weekend sometime.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

As good as ever, Tim Burton's brisk Gothic tale is just as fun to watch now as it was 17 years ago. The headless horseman is a classic supernatural spook and it has never been bettered before or after Burton's film. One i never get bored with.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

In my opinion the best of the Halloween sequels after part 2. Although basically the same plot as the first film - Michael returns home and starts killing - it features a nicely worked journey back to Haddonfield for Michael and some wild histrionics from Donald Pleasence. Co-star Ellie Cornell is the best final girl of the series and i include Jamie Leigh when i say that.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Always enjoyable and very creepy. Featuring some delightful fear inducing sounds from the dark woods at night. Anyone who walks in the countryside at night will know what i mean. Some of the bickering in the first half wore a bit thin this time round but the final very creepy old house pay off makes up for everything else.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Sleepy Hollow (1999)
As good as ever, Tim Burton's brisk Gothic tale is just as fun to watch now as it was 17 years ago. The headless horseman is a classic supernatural spook and it has never been bettered before or after Burton's film. One i never get bored with.

I love this one too and watched it again the other night as part of my October viewing.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

I love this one too and watched it again the other night as part of my October viewing.

It just works so well. I also love the fact it's practically a who's who of British thesps. I always give Burton credit for employing what i call proper actors in his films rather than the latest sensation from Beverley Hills 902****u.

[MacBlayne]

The Ninth Gate

Corso (Johnny Depp), a book detective of sorts, is hired by a wealthy book collector (Frank Langella) to research the authenticity of his latest purchase, a 17th century occult book, "The Nine Gates" by Aristide Torchia. It seems like a simple enough job but when bodies start piling up, Corso starts to wonder if there is any truth to Torchia’s alleged co-writer…

Following Demdike's advice, I gave this a rewatch (my first since 2002) and I’m glad I did. I remember enjoying this at the time I saw it but I recalled it being a minor Polanski work. I’m delighted to say that, based on this new viewing, The Ninth Gate may well be Polanski’s most underrated film.

There is a real genius to The Ninth Gate in how it gets under your skin, especially considering how there’s very little outright horror in the film. Indeed, most of the film plays like a Euro-thriller/caper and Depp’s punching-bag performance gives the proceedings a comedic edge. But it’s in Polanski’s use of framing and editing that he creates a genuine unease. For example, in the early scenes with Depp and Langella, and in spite of the 2.35:1 scope, Polanski films Langella just behind Depp and slightly out of frame. The feeling is one of suffocation – that there is always somebody out of eyeshot pulling the shots. This paranoia is one that never truly lets up.

This is the horror of The Ninth Gate. Polanski doesn’t scare us immediately by having creepy ghosts pop up on screen. Instead, Polanski brings us along for the journey as he slowly reveals the origins behind the book. Much like Depp’s character, by this point, it is too late to turn back. The true intent of the book is terrifying, but not knowing what that intent is, is perhaps more terrifying.

The film is aided by Depp’s great performance. Reports have stated that neither Polanski and Depp were fully satisfied with the performance, but I consider it to be one of his better roles. Of course, his descent into obsession is supported by a great supporting cast. Emmanuelle Seigner and Lena Olin are mysterious, dangerous and sexually enticing, while Langella definitely conveys the aura of a man you do not refuse.

I really enjoyed The Ninth Gate. It is filled with fantastic imagery (a certain sex scene manages to be erotic and terrifying at the same time) and a cracking score. And a wheelchair that will haunt me for life.

Highly recommended!

[trebor8273]

Christine 8.7/10



Maximum Overdrive. 9/10





Tomorrow's viewings Phibes "trilogy"

Edit

Had the scores for Christine and maximum overdrive wrong way round, Christine is the better film from a technical/ direction standpoint but overdrive is just so much fun

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Zombie (1979)

This has long been my favourite zombie film and still is. However on watching Arrow's beautiful bells and whistles edition for the very first time last night (even though i've had it months) i did notice some glaring errors especially in continuity.

The first was the zombie fighting the shark. As he grapples with it the zombie clearly has lost his arm however in the next shot the shark bites it off. Secondly there's the mystery of Al Cliver's bloody shirt. When he cradles Auretta Gay's blood soaked corpse and stands up he has a small patch of blood near his arm pit. In the next scene his shirt is torn and covered in blood. When they reach the hospital the shirt is fairly clean again and not torn then reverts back to being blood soaked. Finally as our heroes begin to petrol bomb the zombies, the first is thrown followed by four more yet each one explodes in the same area showing no fire from the preceding bombs.

Also the shark fight itself. How come this zombie backs off from the shark and takes stances against it when all the other reanimated corpses just shamble along very slowly with no reaction to anything in their surroundings. Somebody should have told the shark wrangler how to act like the living dead perhaps?

Finally there's the poor reaction acting from the cast. As they walk into the room where Olga Karlatos is being eaten by a group of zombies, Ian McCulloch and Al Cliver don't even notice until one of the girls screams suggesting there wasn't actually anything happening in said room and it was two separate shots.In fact this happens more than once with poor reactions, thank god these guys never had to act with green screen. Probably best not to mention the films final shot either...

Zombie Flesh Eaters clearly isn't anywhere near perfect but i love it anyway. Besides at least this was in it -

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Zombie (1979)

This has long been my favourite zombie film and still is. However on watching Arrow's beautiful bells and whistles edition for the very first time last night (even though i've had it months) i did notice some glaring errors especially in continuity.

The first was the zombie fighting the shark. As he grapples with it the zombie clearly has lost his arm however in the next shot the shark bites it off. Secondly there's the mystery of Al Cliver's bloody shirt. When he cradles Auretta Gay's blood soaked corpse and stands up he has a small patch of blood near his arm pit. In the next scene his shirt is torn and covered in blood. When they reach the hospital the shirt is fairly clean again and not torn then reverts back to being blood soaked. Finally as our heroes begin to petrol bomb the zombies, the first is thrown followed by four more yet each one explodes in the same area showing no fire from the preceding bombs.

Also the shark fight itself. How come this zombie backs off from the shark and takes stances against it when all the other reanimated corpses just shamble along very slowly with no reaction to anything in their surroundings. Somebody should have told the shark wrangler how to act like the living dead perhaps?

Finally there's the poor reaction acting from the cast. As they walk into the room where Olga Karlatos is being eaten by a group of zombies, Ian McCulloch and Al Cliver don't even notice until one of the girls screams suggesting there wasn't actually anything happening in said room and it was two separate shots.In fact this happens more than once with poor reactions, thank god these guys never had to act with green screen. Probably best not to mention the films final shot either...

Zombie Flesh Eaters clearly isn't anywhere near perfect but i love it anyway. Besides at least this was in it -

The final shot? As in the undead shambling across the Brooklyn Bridge Dem?