Topic: October Marathon: Horror!

[RossRoy]

I don't have a good picture of it... but here is what I do have...

Don't you now have a camera with which you could take better picture of it? I'd really like to see it better...

[addicted2dvd]

I don't have a good picture of it... but here is what I do have...

Don't you now have a camera with which you could take better picture of it? I'd really like to see it better...

YEah I do... I was just about to snap a couple shots when I found out my batteries are dead... so I will have to wait till I can get out and get some batteries. I have to what with Brittany's birthday in a few days.

[Najemikon]

Yeah, I'd like to see that better too. Looks cool!

[Dragonfire]

That does look cool.  I've seen the one version with the case made to look like the cover of the book a few times.

I probably shouldn't admit this..but...I haven't seen this movie.  I'm sure I'll get around to it someday. 

[addicted2dvd]

I will make sure I take a pic or two once I get batteries for my camera again.

[Najemikon]

That does look cool.  I've seen the one version with the case made to look like the cover of the book a few times.

I probably shouldn't admit this..but...I haven't seen this movie.  I'm sure I'll get around to it someday. 

No need to admit to anything! There are thousands of films worth watching, so it's feasible to assume you've missed a few. So long as it's on your list, that's the main thing.

That's the great thing about this site because we can give each other ideas regardless of taste. A couple of weeks ago I was discussing The Big Lebowski with Goodguy who didn't like it. He was wrong, of course... but he mentioned, then reviewed, The Long Goodbye. I'd never seen it, but it's on my unwatched pile now because of that conversation. Still unwatched because his timing stinks and it was in the middle of the Horror marathon...

[Najemikon]

Evil Dead 2
5 out of 5



Ash and his girlfriend are staying at a lonely cabin when demonic forces attack and take her away. He’s forced to kill her and faces the onslaught alone until four strangers arrive.

Sort of a sequel, but more of a remake with more money and more gore! Most important of all though, it’s a smoother film. Repeats a lot from the original and loses the wonderful rawness, but still scary, more ambitious and very funny in the best possible ways.

I’ve always thought of it as just a remake, but it does just about work as a true sequel now I’ve watched them almost back-to-back. The first bit, with Ash and his girlfriend driving to the cabin, the discovery of the recordings and her subsequent abduction and rising from the grave, is all Evil Dead: The Remix. But as soon as Ash is outdoors and getting attacked, we’re overlapping and he comes over all Ripley-ish as a reborn action hero trying to take the fight back. With the introduction of the absent professors daughter it’s finally a sequel and a bloody good one too. There is more to the plot this time than just a series of gags as the group now contains one who knows how to fend off the darkness.

The script is more playful and inventive. I loved them kicking Ash down the cellar, who then hears them play the tapes where the professor explains he had to bury his wife in the cellar. Cue wifey! “Who’s in my fruit cellar?”

This is all after the marvellous sequence where Ash’s hand gets infected, all an excuse for a classic Three Stooges style gags, ending in the notorious scene of him chainsawing his own hand off! Which he then traps under a bucket, weighed down by a book called “A Farewell to Arms”. Brilliant! All the effects are more polished, but still have that great feeling that it’s a bunch of guys getting their hands dirty. No CGI required, thank you.

The pace doesn’t let up for a moment and the jokes and scares never lose their originality, right up to the darkness throwing Ash into part 3. Actually the plot Raimi wanted to do this time, but expanded budget or not, it still wasn’t enough. However, there’s a reason for everything and while I love Army of Darkness, I’m so glad he was forced to keep it in that cabin. One of the best horrors ever and it gave Bruce Campbell chance to camp Ash up into one of the genre’s icons.

“Groovy.”

[Jimmy]

One of the best horrors ever and it gave Bruce Campbell chance to camp Ash up into one of the genre’s icons.

Sorry Jon I can't agree with you there. This one isn't an horror movie at all, this is just a movie made to show that Campbell is funny and his able to do slapstick comedy. This one isn't half good than the original one who is a real horror classic. Horror and humour are two genre hard to mix and this one is just a deception at the horror and comedy levels. If I want to watch something funny "Top Secret" or "Airplane" can do the job better than this, if I want to watch an horror movie the original is already correct as it is...

I know I own it and "Army of Darkness", but it's only for the commentary.

[Najemikon]

One of the best horrors ever and it gave Bruce Campbell chance to camp Ash up into one of the genre’s icons.

Sorry Jon I can't agree with you there. This one isn't an horror movie at all, this is just a movie made to show that Campbell is funny and his able to do slapstick comedy. This one isn't half good than the original one who is a real horror classic. Horror and humour are two genre hard to mix and this one is just a deception at the horror and comedy levels. If I want to watch something funny "Top Secret" or "Airplane" can do the job better than this, if I want to watch an horror movie the original is already correct as it is...

I know I own it and "Army of Darkness", but it's only for the commentary.

Comedy and Horror are hard to mix, but Evil Dead II does so better than most I can think of. It's another comic book style horror, and it is valid as both Horror and Comedy. I like Airplane! but there are no cellars with witches in, so I'll stick with this. There is also the issue that The Evil Dead is a Horror Comedy too.

Genre has always fascinated me and it's very important to understand that comedy is not necessarily laugh out loud funny. Irony (like as Romero's zombies) is a form of comedy but it doesn't make you laugh. Another way of thinking is that comedy is simply the name for something relatively pointless, or absurd. As such, both Evil Deads are made with a tongue-in-cheek style that means they are comedies. Therefore I maintain that the slicker pace, smoother narrative and improved Ash make Evil Dead II the better film all round. So there. 

EDIT: I forgot to say, horrors of course can still be funny while being very serious, so to really screw with you mind... just because you did laugh? It ain't necessarily a comedy.

[Najemikon]

Alien: Resurrection
2 out of 5



200 years have passed since Ripley made her noble sacrifice. But now she’s back, albeit a clone.

And that’s all this film amounts too at its best: a clone of something so much better. We’re off to a bad start with the cover: ”From the director of Amelie”… just who the hell are they trying to market this film to? Good grief.

I must have masochistic tendencies. I had no need to see this again, yet here I am. I felt a need to complete the rant properly, I suppose! I mean it’s hardly fair to take the piss out of something I saw once when it first came out, is it?

Ok, so… this film is a fucking diabolical mess. A skid mark right across the franchise. Whereas ALL three previous films demonstrate a graceful elegance and a terrible beauty, this is just plain ugly, full of empty gimmicks. All the blame can be rested squarely on Jeunet’s shoulders. Seeing it now I realise what a fantastic theme they had, but he screwed it up.

Still, it isn’t as bad as I remember. I know! I’m as surprised as you! The cast is fantastic and the characters they play have great potential. After the interchangeable bald heads of Alien 3 it’s a pleasure to have such distinct people with something worthwhile to say. Most of the dialogue is cool, as you’d expect from a script by Joss Whedon. His vision is in here somewhere.

The look of the film is wonderful. The colours continue from Alien 3 and the sound design is identical. The creature effects are the best of the series. Sigourney Weaver is once again the strong anchor for the film. After all it is her story. But good though she is, should it have been about her still?

I’m not sure about them bringing Ripley back. It was always going to have a hint of cheese about it, but on the DVD they include Whedon’s first draft. If they had followed this exactly, it would have worked. It is simply brilliant. The opening shot as described evokes the previous films, as do enigmatically powerful dream sequences as the cloned Ripley comes alive. With the look of the film down, great characters played by brilliant actors, why did it go so wrong?

Jeunet didn’t follow the script. That simple wonderful opening shot Whedon describes is replaced by an odd scene with a guard squashing a insect, loading it into a straw and blowing it against a window. Pardon? What the hell is that for?

Well as I’ve just been discussing with Jimmy the nature of comedy as a genre and I think that is exactly what Jeunet made. A whimsical comic satire of the original lean horror and worse, he’s bastardising a perfect setup to do so. From what I’ve read of the script so far, he changes very little. It’s all how it was filmed. We watch Ripley, rather than follow her which is vitally important for the audience. Whedon's script gets inside her head and Weaver acts it very well, but Jeunet obviously doesn't give a damn. The film is amused by her and the other characters, rather than being empathic, so they become two-dimensional.

The marvellous creature designs are undermined by his complete inability to understand them as well. Their clean efficiency is lost as he’s more interested in showing them having personalities. As Achim mentioned earlier, the underwater sequence is great, but it was obviously supposed to be a match for the trap scene in Aliens, where the drones work out how to get above. But Jeunet’s sledgehammer approach to tension means it’s just one more noisy gag.

All this said, it could have still just about worked. It’s a fun movie, as good as the Alien v Predators, and there’s something to be valued in Ripley’s character. But then Jeunet goes and makes sure the shark has been well and truly jumped.

The pregnant Alien Queen is the single worst image I have ever seen in a mainstream film. No exaggeration. That he should de-claw one of Stan Winston’s greatest creations is a pure insult. Injury is added by having her killed by the… thing, the… what the hell is that fucking thing? A baby? Argh! It’s just… I can barely type, I’m that bloody angry! You people made me watch this again! You did it!

In another film (Invasion of the Marsh-Mallow Man?) that stupid looking dough-boy creature would be a decent villain. The effects guys gave it such incredible emotion. One minute it’s snarling, the next whimpering with its big puppy dog eyes and ickle nose… isn’t it cute?

Strangely, in that element, I can still see Whedon’s mark. His script developed the human/alien mix and I think a better director with a deadly serious intention like the others, could have made it work. But no. What a complete cock-up.

I don’t think the Scary Movie/Date Movie/Epic Movie guys have stolen anything from Alien yet. There’s no need. They couldn’t screw it up anymore than Jeunet. Thank crap I only got this off Ebay for a winning bid of 55p!

[Jimmy]

Comedy and Horror are hard to mix, but Evil Dead II does so better than most I can think of.

Return of the Living Dead and many Vincent Price's british movies (Dr. Phibes, Theater of Blood,...) are just some exemples. It just that a limit exist where there are enough comedy in an horror movie, when this limit is reach you are in the "Scary Movie" territory.

I like Airplane! but there are no cellars with witches in, so I'll stick with this.

The Grim Reaper is in the sequel I think, Its been a while since I've watched it

I forgot to say, horrors of course can still be funny while being very serious, so to really screw with you mind... just because you did laugh? It ain't necessarily a comedy.

The last time that it happens to me was while I was watching "Nekromantik". The subject isn't really funny as you could guess by the title, why laughing? No idea maybe the subject made me a little bit uncomfortable and it's a normal defense reaction from my brain. Poor theory but I'm not a psychologist 

I don’t think the Scary Movie/Date Movie/Epic Movie guys have stolen anything from Alien yet. There’s no need. They couldn’t screw it up anymore than Jeunet.

No chance since they got their material from the movie trailers of recent movie without seeing them and Entertainment tonight 

Thank crap I only got this off Ebay for a winning bid of 55p!

But the question is : Do you regret your investment (don't forget the shipping price)?

[Dragonfire]

That does look cool.  I've seen the one version with the case made to look like the cover of the book a few times.

I probably shouldn't admit this..but...I haven't seen this movie.  I'm sure I'll get around to it someday. 

No need to admit to anything! There are thousands of films worth watching, so it's feasible to assume you've missed a few. So long as it's on your list, that's the main thing.

That's the great thing about this site because we can give each other ideas regardless of taste. A couple of weeks ago I was discussing The Big Lebowski with Goodguy who didn't like it. He was wrong, of course... but he mentioned, then reviewed, The Long Goodbye. I'd never seen it, but it's on my unwatched pile now because of that conversation. Still unwatched because his timing stinks and it was in the middle of the Horror marathon...

Ok.   I was looking at these movies yesterday when I was in the one store in the mall, but I decided to go with a few others for now.  I'm sure I'll see Evil Dead eventually.  I remember when Army of Darkness came out and I thought that looked interesting but I haven't seen it either.

[Dragonfire]

 I don’t think the Scary Movie/Date Movie/Epic Movie guys have stolen anything from Alien yet. There’s no need. They couldn’t screw it up anymore than Jeunet. Thank crap I only got this off Ebay for a winning bid of 55p!

Don't give them any ideas..they might be pondering what mess of a movie to unleash on the world next.

I haven't seen much of the Alien movies.  I saw just a little bit of one on tv..it was either 3 or 4, but I didn't keep watching since I had no idea what was going on.  I will probably get around to see them some day too.

[Najemikon]

Thank crap I only got this off Ebay for a winning bid of 55p!

But the question is : Do you regret your investment (don't forget the shipping price)?

With shipping, just a sliver over £2. For that, I could have got three Cadbury's Creme Eggs and still have change, so yes, I do regret my investment.

Not really. It is the two disc edition and I had never read Whedon's script before which is included on the second disc. Plus, some of the interviews are funny as various people skirt around the issue of it being shit without saying as much! Jeunet says the best reviews were in France because they were so proud of having one of their own directors in Hollywood. They can have him back! Amelie and A Very Long Engagement are wonderful films, so he should stick to those.

[Najemikon]

 I don’t think the Scary Movie/Date Movie/Epic Movie guys have stolen anything from Alien yet. There’s no need. They couldn’t screw it up anymore than Jeunet. Thank crap I only got this off Ebay for a winning bid of 55p!

Don't give them any ideas..they might be pondering what mess of a movie to unleash on the world next.

I haven't seen much of the Alien movies.  I saw just a little bit of one on tv..it was either 3 or 4, but I didn't keep watching since I had no idea what was going on.  I will probably get around to see them some day too.

Alien and Aliens are superb and you would do worse than investing in those two at least.