Topic: Jimmy's 2009 Horror Marathon

[addicted2dvd]

That is great Jimmy! 

Unfortunately the kind of week I had there is no way I am going to beat my last year's total. 

[Najemikon]

That is great Jimmy! 

Unfortunately the kind of week I had there is no way I am going to beat my last year's total. 

Pete, don't get hung up on totals. Just enjoy the movies for the escapism that right now is important...

[addicted2dvd]

Yeah... I know Jon.. and believe me I am enjoying it!

[Jimmy]

Title : Shutter (2004)

Sorry my dvd doesn't work anymore

It seems that it is a conflict between the software I use to remove the region protection on my computer (DVD Region+CSS Free) and something on the Tartan Asia Extreme DVD. I have removed VLC from the list of DVD software supported and the disc start normally. So I will be able to watch it after Divine Intervention later today

[Jimmy]

Title : Shutter (2004)

Overview
Late one night on a country road. Tun and Jane accidentally run down a mysterious pedestrian. Fleeing the scene, they return to their lives in Bangkok, but soon discover that life has returned to anything but normal. Nightmares haunt Jane's dreams while Tun, a photographer, notice odd spectral figures begin to appear in his work. Returning to investigate the site of the accident, they can find neither rumour nor report of the victim. But when one by one, Tun's closest friends begin to die, he and Jane know they must unravel this mystery before it unravels their very lives.

My Impression
Those Asians are certainly the master to create fear without a lot of blood or music trick. This one is another one who deal with the spirit world (sometimes it get annoying since 90% of their horror films are based on that), but this one deal with the remorse and sorrow emotions also. Of course if you have seen a lot of these Asian films you will get a good idea from the start where this film will go, but it countains a good part of surprise. Be sure that this film will make you jump by moment and that some moments are really scary (by exemple the ladder scene near the end or the moving spirit in the series of polaroid). By moment the films is confusing but all will become clearer while the story progress. This isn't an american production, so don't expect a feel good ending.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

My review of Divine Intervention is completed, just in case you missed it since the review is on the previous page

[Jimmy]

Title : Brainiac (2004)

Overview
Victims are found with their heads drilled and their brains literally sucked out. As the mysterious deaths pile up, Doctor Sunday Morgan, Assistant Laboratory Director at PsyMax, finds clues to a cover-up at PsyMax.

My Impression
This movie is stupid and pointless
It's a remake of El barón del terror a mexican black & white movie made in 1962 that I've never seen, but I'm sure that it's a more enjoyable way to pass the time (all the mexican movie of this period that I've seen had a masked wrestler character, so even if they are boring we can watch a wresting match). Too bad this remake doesn't have a masked wrestler, since that would make the movie 1,000,000,000% better... But in place of that we get lousy acting, very bad special effects (Tom Savini must be ashame of himself, since he is responsible for them), a share holder meeting with 5 stockholder (the company is supposed to be on the New-York Stock Exchange), a strip club where the strippers dance with a bikini (this is probably the reason why the club had only 3 clients), a 17 years old Cheerleader who looks 35 and a story obvious from the beginning. Since I don't want to be too much negative, I've to find something positive...

(click to show/hide)

Give me some time to think it's an hard task

(click to show/hide)

...... Don't find it yet.....

(click to show/hide)

It won't be long....let me think a little bit more....

(click to show/hide)

Now I've the entire film in my head again

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

Enough teasing, even if it's much fun than this movie...

(click to show/hide)

.... Not many positive, but the monster escapes in a Mustang Convertible

I think we have a winner The Sorority isn't the worst film ever made anymore

Pete I challenge you to watch this

Rating :

[Jimmy]

Title : Doctor Dracula (1980)

Overview
Though his readers find it hard to believe, prominent author John Wainwright claims in his books to be the reincarnation of famed magician and mind controller Svengali. The black magic forces of Radcliff (Carradine) allow Wainwright to stage the ritual sacrifice of his newest Trilby, wich leads to a bizarre confrontation with the strange Dr. Gregorio - Who is actually the long undead Count Dracula.

My Impression
Even if I'm a fan of Al Adamson usually, I wasn't expecting much from this movie (this isn't for nothing if I've wait more than one year and a half to watch it). This film was destined to be a mess, why? Because it was first a Paul Aratow's incompleted movie made in 1975 under the name Lucifer's Women about a satanic cult. Years later Adamson had shoot some new footage and add a vampire plot to the film. Evidently the result is inegal and the story isn't an easy one to follow (without forgetting that the appearance of Larry Hankin had changed in 6 years). The acting isn't too good and no one seems really interested by the project. This is really sad to see John Carradine in this film, since he looks very unhealthy and had to read his text (he even do that with many difficulty). Of course
Jane Brunel-Cohen is easy on the eyes but she's one of the worst actress I've seen (and I've seen my part of bad acting in my movie genre).

By chance the movie was a part of a 3 movies set and the others were good...

Rating :

[Najemikon]

This movie is stupid and pointless
It's a remake of El barón del terror a mexican black & white movie made in 1962 that I've never seen, but I'm sure that it's a more enjoyable way to pass the time (all the mexican movie of this period that I've seen had a masked wrestler character, so even if they are boring we can watch a wresting match). Too bad this remake doesn't have a masked wrestler, since that would make the movie 1,000,000,000% better... But in place of that we get lousy acting, very bad special effects (Tom Savini must be ashame of himself, since he is responsible for them), a share holder meeting with 5 stockholder (the company is supposed to be on the New-York Stock Exchange), a strip club where the strippers dance with a bikini (this is probably the reason why the club had only 3 clients), a 17 years old Cheerleader who looks 35 and a story obvious from the beginning. Since I don't want to be too much negative, I've to find something positive...

(click to show/hide)

Give me some time to think it's an hard task

(click to show/hide)

...... Don't find it yet.....

(click to show/hide)

It won't be long....let me think a little bit more....

(click to show/hide)

Now I've the entire film in my head again

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

Enough teasing, even if it's much fun than this movie...

(click to show/hide)

.... Not many positive, but the monster escapes in a Mustang Convertible

I think we have a winner The Sorority isn't the worst film ever made anymore

Pete I challenge you to watch this

Rating :

 

Aren't bad movies such fun to review though, Jimmy? I remember fondly slagging off Craven for  Mind ripper and it wasn't even his film...

[Jimmy]

Title : Johnny Sunshine (2007)

Overview
In the year 2012, three years after the rise of zombies, a seedy underworld of exploitation and violence exists in a maze of alleyways and speakeasies just outside the city walls; where life is cheap and the drugs are cheaper. Surviving to a ripe old age has become an urban myth. At the center of it all is Johnny Sunshine, a porn-snuff star and killer for hire. She stalks the night like a tempest of sex and violence, much to the pleasure and profit of her producer, Max, and his entertainment empire. As the body count rises, Johnny becomes a victim of her own success. A secret plot is hatched to orchestrate her downfall and capture it all on camera to create the greatest snuff film ever made.

My Impression
Another deception, not that I was expecting something awesome in the first place. Poor excuse for an horror movie, the zombie had absolutly no make-up and they look just like the drunk we see at 3 AM at the bar exit This is more an excuse to show some real poor execution of snuff movie with non attractive people, one girl had a pretty face but her breasts are fake (not my style at all). If I want to watch a sadistic film I can watch an Avon Film in my collection and not lost my time like I had just done with this

What can I say sometimes we win sometimes we loose with those set...

Rating :

[Jimmy]

Title : Alone in the Dark (1982)

Overview
At a secluded mental institution, Dr. Bain ('Halloween's' Donald Pleasence) maintains order while electricity fuels the asylum's hi-tech security system that keeps the nearby neighborhoods safe from menaces like Frank Hawkes (Academy Award® winner Jack Palance*, 'City Slickers') and "Preacher" (Academy Award® winner Martin Landau, 'Ed Wood'). Meanwhile a new doctor, Dan Potter ('The A-Team's' Dwight Schultz), arrives in town with his family, but the inmates don't take kindly to his presence and believe he has killed off their former therapist. Suddenly a power outage leaves the town in chaos...and now the maniacs are free to roam the streets and hunt down the man they believe has invaded their lives. With the area quickly descending into riots and chaos, the innocent few must fight for their lives when they're left terrified, cornered and ALONE IN THE DARK! One of the most memorable and terrifying cult horror films of the 1980s, this white-knuckle shocker from director Jack Sholder ('The Hidden') delivers one seat-jumping scare after another along with a thick vein of sly, pitch-black humor. Turn off the lights and watch...if you dare!

My Impression
Damn nuclear power goes and the lunatics had taken over the asylum again, but this time they had taken the city also. This one is a pleasant memory, since I've seen it at the theater (ours was not strict at all, if it was ok with our parents no problem to enter). This one is probably one of the most frightening movie of the eighties (as you already know for me the movie that can happen for real are the scarier) who make you jump almost continuously till the end. Of course the acting is top level... which isn't surprising when you had the great Jack Palance and Martin Landau (who had surprised me at the times since I was knowing him only for Space 1999 and Mission Impossible). The supporting cast is great also with Erland van Lidth (who looks innocent but is really frightening) and Phillip Clark (who had a big surprise for you). Really this one is a strong recommandation if you have never seen it.

Surprisingly the next movie of Jack Sholder after this great "Night of the Living Dead feels like films" will be the weak Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2. Finally I love the punk music played by the Sick Fucks (God the eighties music was awesome)
 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

Title : Die You Zombie Bastards! (2006)

Overview
Thrill to the mayhem that ensues when ever-lovable serial killer Red Toole sets off on a globe-trotting quest in search of his missing wife, the lovely Violet - caught in the clutches of the evil Baron Nefarious who, of course, plans to conquer the world (or something) by turning everyone into Mindless Zombie Slaves! Sure, the story may sound familiar, but trust us - you've never seen anything like this...

My Impression
Don't expect something like a scary movie here, since it's a Troma like horror comedy (if Jon can count a movie with the word ghost in the title, I think I can do the same with mine... At least mine had naked green painted girl zombies in it ). Being a Troma like film, you already know what to expect : bad acting, cheap special effect, gratuitious nudity and juvenile humour. Yes all of this is there in this film, but this isn't really the reason why I've bought it (Troma isn't really one of my favourite studio). I've bought it because Jamie Gillis (one of my favorite American actor) have a role in the movie and Hasil Adkins was a really cool redneck. The film itself isn't too bad, even if the humour is juvenile it's funny (certainly more than the idiotic ones I've watch in another marathon) and I like the fact that everyone overact voluntary with the exception of Jamie gillis who act seriously.

Not a movie that I watch often (2 times in three years), but it's a real funny ride.
 
Rating :

[Najemikon]

Title : Shutter (2004)

Those Asians are certainly the master to create fear without a lot of blood or music trick. This one is another one who deal with the spirit world (sometimes it get annoying since 90% of their horror films are based on that), but this one deal with the remorse and sorrow emotions also. Of course if you have seen a lot of these Asian films you will get a good idea from the start where this film will go, but it countains a good part of surprise. Be sure that this film will make you jump by moment and that some moments are really scary (by exemple the ladder scene near the end or the moving spirit in the series of polaroid). By moment the films is confusing but all will become clearer while the story progress. This isn't an american production, so don't expect a feel good ending.

Overall, I found it a bit uneven (review), but I did love that final moment!

(click to show/hide)

It's the expression on the ghosts face now she's latched onto him... 

By the way, what do you think the bit in the toilets was supposed to be about? It seemed really quite odd to me. Ok in its own right, but pointless and jarring... 

[Jimmy]

Comic relief
It's a movie from Thailand and they are known from those "girls", maybe it's was a wink to their culture.
Maybe it's not odd for them to found one of these girl in the public bathroom

Of course they had choose one who isn't really good looking

[Jimmy]

Title : The Vampire Conspiracy (2003)

Overview
Five strangers are abducted by a megalomaniacal vampire and put into a deadly maze of witz and endurance. Should they make it through alive, they receive this vampire entire fortune. Should they fail, they become his victims and are placed back into the game, this time as a succubus to hunt the next round of victims.

My Impression
All I can say is, at the risk of sounding partial again, I begin to think our horror industry is the best. The best way to describe this film is "Cube with vampires and more". Of course the participants don't have puzzle to resolve to open the door since they are in a maze, but they have to find what is the common denominator between them to survive. The movie low budget doesn't really hurt it, since nothing would have been really different with more money. The acting is good, but some of the characters are a little bit too cliché. The only negative thing is the end who happen too fast and is unclear (for me it was).

Another Canadian winner
 
Rating :

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