Topic: Marie's 2012 Horror Movie Thread

[Dragonfire]

Love at First Bite

Love at First Bite Dracula has never been so funny and dashing – to say nothing of being an awesome disco dancer – as in this "delightful movie with a bang-up cast" (The New York Times) led by the epitome of suave, George Hamilton, and featuring first-rate performances from Susan Saint James, Richard Benjamin, Dick Shawn, Arte Johnson, Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford! Evicted from Transylvania, Dracula (Hamilton) goes to New York to make Cindy (Saint James), a model with an old soul, his eternal bride. To his delight, she quickly falls for his necking style. But when her would-be boyfriend (Benjamin), a descendant of the vampire-killing Van Helsings, meets his romantic rival, he's determined to put a stake in the count's plans!

I decided to watch this one again.  I fully admit it is one of my sillier vampire movies, but it is fun and entertaining and I really enjoy it.  I like the idea of Dracula being kicked out of Transylvania.  Some parts of the story are similiar to other Dracula movies, but that part is a bit more original.  George Hamilition is a tad tan for a vampire, but I'll take that over the excessively pale, sparkly Twilight vampires. 

This one is probably too silly for some people, but it is fun and entertaining.



I've posted about it here before.  I posted a longer review at Epinions a few years ago if anyone would like to take a look.

Love at First Bite

[Dragonfire]

Corpse Bride

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride Tim Burton's Corpse Bride carries on in the dark, romantic tradition of his classic Edward Scissorhands and Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Set in a 19th-century European village, this stop-motion animated feature follows the story of Victor (voiced by Johnny Depp), a young man whisked away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious Corpse Bride (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter), while his real bride Victoria (voiced by Emily Watson) waits bereft in the land of the living.  Though life in the Land of the Dead proves to be a lot more colorful than his strict upbringing, Victor learns that there is nothing in this world - or the next - that can keep him away from his one true love.  It's a tale of optimism, romance and a very lively afterlife, told in classic Burton style.

For some reason, I kept forgetting that Depp and Burton did this one too..I finally remembered when I was thinking that I'd add their newest movie this year.  I also had the thought that I have a few other ...creepy movies with Depp that would work for this too.  I ran out of time for them.  Maybe I'll remember next year.  

I first saw this one in the theater when it came out.  The story is unique and twisted in a way that fits for Burton.  I like those elements of the movie, but others may not feel the same.  The animation is done very well, with stop motion in the same way as The Nightmare Before Christmas.  The characters are interesting and they work well for the plot.  I really didn't expect how something would work out by the end of the movie the first time I saw it.  It is a creepy family movie.  A few things might bother younger children, so parents may want to check out the movie before letting kids see it.

I really enjoy the movie and think it is worth checking out. 



I did post a longer review at Epinions when I first saw the movie.

Corpse Bride

[Tom]

Love at First Bite

I have this on my wishlist, because I got a hint in the past that this may be the movie I was looking for, when I was asking here if someone can tell me which movie it is, where the girl needs to get bitten three times before she herself becomes a vampire. It's a movie I remember watching as a child. Also in the end they both fly away as bats.
Can you confirm, that this is the movie I am looking for?

[Dragonfire]

Dark Shadows (2012)

Dark Shadows After being turned into a vampire by a jilted lover, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) is entombed for two centuries until he emerges into the very changed world of 1972. Returning to his once-majestic home, he finds the few dysfunctional descendants of the Collins family who remain. Determined to return his family name to its former glory, Barnabas is thwarted at every turn by his former lover – the seductive witch Angelique (Eva Green) – in this "wildly imaginative" (Sam Hallenbeck, NBC-TV) adventure from director Tim Burton.

I know some people didn't care for this, but I really enjoyed it.  I know about the original show, though I haven't seen any of it.  I did see the revival show that was done in the 90s and I liked that one.  The plot just changed around some, which is to be expected.  Maybe one reason why I did enjoy it is because I wasn't comparing it to the original show.  I think the story is entertaining and I like Depp as a tormented vampire.  Barnabas became a vampire through the curse of a witch, but other than that, he is a proper vampire.  He can go outside in the day, but he doesn't sparkle like a disco ball doused in glitter.  He doesn't like being a vampire, but he does feed on people and he kills several.  Family remains very important to him, and he is protective of them.  He wants to help them, but he also won't put up with one member who is just a ..jerk who Barnabas doesn't see as honorable.  There is a bit of violence to the movie.  Some of the story threads don't get fully dealt with, but I think that is mainly because of time constraints.  There is humor to what is going on, which I think is something that some people didn't care for.  The movie is a bit odd and it isn't going to appeal to everyone.  Things are a bit more melodramatic.  It is different, but I think that works for the movie.  The characters are interesting and odd and I think the cast does really well with their parts.



I did post a review on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater in May.

Dark Shadows (2012)

[Dragonfire]

Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow Master storyteller Tim Burton (Batman, Edward Scissorhands) weaves an eerie, enchanting version of this classic tale of horror. Johnny Depp is Ichabod Crane, an eccentric investigator determined to stop the murderous Headless Horseman. Christina Ricci is Katrina Van Tassel, the beautiful and mysterious girl with secret ties to the supernatural terror.

I love this movie.  I've been watching it every year on Halloween for years - even before I discovered this board and the Halloween marathon.  This was the first horror type movie that I got and it was the only one I had for a while - I did have the new Mummy movie, but that doesn't really seem like horror to me I guess..though he is definitely a monster.  Anyway, back to Depp as Ichabod.

The story is very entertaining and suitably creepy.  Things look a bit dreary in Sleepy Hollow when Ichabod arrives.  That is perfect for the movie and what is going on.  It is violent and gory at times and blood gushes at times.  I think there is a decent mystery to what is going on with the Horseman.  The first time I watched the movie, I had no idea how things were going to work out.  The cast is all great.  I especially love Depp as Ichabod.  He's a bit..odd and a bit of a coward.  It still cracks me out when he freaks out over the spider. 



I have posted about this one here before ..more than once.   I did post a longer review on Epinions several years ago if anyone wants to take a look.

Sleepy Hollow

[Dragonfire]

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Johnny Depp and Tim Burton join forces again in a big-screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's award-winning musical thiller.

I've been watching this one every year on Halloween since I got the DVD.  It has been the last movie of my Horror/Halloween movie marathon every year.  This is my Halloween tradition now.  Halloween with Depp. 

The story isn't that complicated, but I think it is handled well and makes an entertaining movie.  This one isn't going to appeal to a lot of people.  It works very well as a horror movie with all the killing and blood gushing.  The movie does get gory, but it is done in such an over the top way that it doesn't bother me.  Sweeney was not exactly stable when the movie began..as things happen, he just slides further into madness.  I do think the character is complicated and I think Depp does a great job with the part. 



I posted a longer review on Epinions after I saw the movie in the theater if anyone would like to check that out.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

[Dragonfire]

And that completes the movies I watched for the Horror/Halloween Marathon this year.

41 movies - more than last year by 11 I think.
The first season of the Munsters

I also watched Halloween episodes of different shows when they were on tv.

So...I've caught up with writing about the movies I watched.

There are more movies I didn't get to. Some I waiting on watching until this marathon..I have too many now.    So I don't think I'm going to hold off on so many movies in the future.  I just can't get to all of them in October.  But I will still end with my Depp movies.

[Piffi]

Well done Marie!
I really enjoyed reading your reviews. =)

[Dragonfire]

Thank you.  I'm glad you enjoyed them.

[Achim]

Love at First Bite

I have this on my wishlist, because I got a hint in the past that this may be the movie I was looking for, when I was asking here if someone can tell me which movie it is, where the girl needs to get bitten three times before she herself becomes a vampire. It's a movie I remember watching as a child. Also in the end they both fly away as bats.
Can you confirm, that this is the movie I am looking for?

Marie, you may have missed Tom's question originally...?

[Dragonfire]

Oh my goodness..yes I did miss it.  I'm sorry Tom.

Yes, Dracula has to bite her three times for her to become a vampire.  And they do fly away together as bats at the end.

I first saw it years ago too and liked it..had no clue what the title was for a long time.  I think I finally saw it on tv again and found the title that way.  Or I went to IMDB.com and looked up George Hamiltion..I did at least remember that he was Dracula.

[Tom]

Thanks, Marie!
Seems like it is the movie I have been looking for

[Dragonfire]

Glad to help..sorry I missed when you first posted the question.