Topic: Jimmy's - 2013 Ooctober Horror Marathon

[Jimmy]

By the way this is based on a book by Graham Masterton. I can't understand why no more films are done based on his books. By exemple Familly Portrait is an excellent adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray who would make an excellent movie if well done. I'm serious this is a very good reading and it sure worth a try if you like to relax while reading a good book.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: House on Haunted Hill (1999)

Genre: Horror
Director: William Malone
Rating: R
Length: 1h33
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:78.1
Audio: English
Subtitles: English and French

Stars:
Geoffrey Rush   
Famke Janssen
Taye Diggs
Peter Gallagher   
Chris Kattan

Plot:
One night in the house, one million bucks, no questions asked. But there is a catch for anyone who accepts the offer. Murder is a way of life at the House on Haunted Hill, a jolting, effects-ramped remake of the 1959 cult classic that starred Vincent Price and was directed by screen horror legend William Castle. Geoffrey Rush plays twisted theme park bigshot Steven Price, who's hosting a scary/jokey birthday bash for his wife (Famke Janssen) at an abandoned institute for the criminally insane. Taye Diggs, Ali Larter, Bridgette Wilson, Peter Gallagher and Chris Kattan portray strangers mysteriously assembled for the event that could make them all very rich. Or profoundly dead. And you? We won't start the party without you.

My Thoughts:

Even if it's a remake I've appreciated that film. Not that it's the scariest movie ever made since it isn't really frightening, but it's a good ghost story (or mabe it isn't ), Most of the effects are practical effects wich is always a plus for me (but when they use the computer effects this is awfull, optical effects would have done the trick without looking fake). The acting is perfectly convenable, Geoffrey Rush do a good job in the role belonging to Vincent Price in the original and, since I love Ali Larter, I was more than happy at the end of the film. But on the other side Chris Kattan is highly annoying as usual...

Not the best film ever made, but better than expected.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Bloody Birthday (1981)

Genre: Horror
Director: Ed Hunt
Rating: R
Length: 1h25
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:78.1
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Lori Lethin   
Melinda Cordell
Julie Brown
Joe Penny   
Bert Kramer

Plot:
In 1970, three children were born during the height of a total eclipse of Saturn, the planet governing emotion. Ten years later these seemingly innocent children have become heartless killers able to move around under the radar of suspicion because of their youthful facades. What happens when a teenage girl and her younger brother stumble upon the horrible truth?

My Thoughts:

The films with children killers are always a good watching, when they are well done evidently, because who can suspect a child of being evil. This one is part of the good one mostly because of the three child killers (Elizabeth Hoy, Billy Jayne and Andrew Freeman) who gave quite a professional performance (to be honest child actor aren't that good most of the time and are annoying). Of course it's hard to believe that no one would catch or suspect them (even more after what they did to their teacher in the school), but it's a movie so who care... I like also how the movie end.

It isn't better than Who Can Kill a Child? but it's way better than Children of the Corn.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)

Genre: Horror
Director: Joe Berlinger
Rating: R
Length: 1h30
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:85.1
Audio: English, French and Spanish
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Jeffrey Donovan   
Tristine Skyler
Stephen Barker Turner
Erica Leerhsen
Kim Director

Plot:
After spending a night in the Black Hills of Burkittsville, Maryland, four young fans of the original Blair Witch movie descend into a nightmare realm of murder, madness and perception-bending supernatural horror in this eagerly anticipated sequel to the most successful independent film of all time.

My Thoughts:

For some unknown reasons many people doesn't like this film and I sure ain't one of them. This is a million better than Blair Witch was, but to be honest even the amateur films I did with my friends as a teenager were better (and no those films doesn't exist anymore...). Blair Witch is exactly the kind of movie who give a bad name to the independant cinema: awfull acting, bad script and complete lack of originality (Cannibal Holocaust did it before in 1980, Last Cannibal World did it before in 1976 and even Forbidden Adventure did it before in 1937 for crying out loud). In fact it's the perfect film for the stupid internet generation who tought that a film named Snake on a Plane would have been a success just because of its supid name). Anyway, I've already said in the past here how much I hate Blair Witch so move on to better thing...

I see Book of Shadows as a standlone movie who would had been most successfull without being linked to Blair Witch. In fact it's a movie about a group of five people taken by an evil force while doing an excursion in the wood (the Blair Witch crap is just unecessary bla bla). The fact they used experienced but no big name actors is a plus (only Erica Leerhsen is a newcomer who did only a short film before that one), this is certainly better than a bunch of no names who can't act to save their life. The use of progressive flasback make the film interesting to follow untill the end. The film can be confusing for some but it isn't, like they said almost at the beginning "film lied, video don't".

Really this film deserve a chance. Just watch it as a seperate entity and you'll appreciate it a lot.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

Genre: Horror
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Rating: NR
Length: 1h36
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:85.1
Audio: English
Subtitles: English and Spanish

Stars:
Jordana Brewster   
Taylor Handley
Diora Baird
Matthew Bomer
R. Lee Ermey

Plot:
Take a bone-chilling journey into evil, and witness how Thomas Hewitt became the infamous and deranged serial killer Leatherface.

Born under the most gruseome of conditions, an abandoned baby is found and taken in by the demented Hewitt family. As he grows under their morbid nurtuting, Thomas develops a ravenous appetite for chainsaws and torture. This is unfortunate for four teens captured by the shady local "sheriff" and brought to the Hewitts' sadistic house of horrors. There, the teenagers must fight to surivive as Thomas' murderous desired are unleashed and Leatherface is born.

My Thoughts:

Typical horror movie made in the years 2000: it's very violent, bloody and over the top. No that it's that much of a negative but more subtlety and restraint is more efficient to create a suspense. Of course this film make the same error than many other recent horror movies do: the killer is misunderstood and he was bullied as a kid so it's not his fault if he is like that (newsflash for you filmmakers, all of us were in their youth and 99.999% of us turn as normal adult. Enough with that it's the society fault not mine crap). I won't say the evidence that this movie had too many characters (I know they wanted to expand the family, but that doesn't work). Anyway this is the R. Lee Ermey show and this is the real reason to watch this film, since he is great in this and bring back his Full Metal Jacket personality. Evidently the film is previsible, but it is called "the beginning" so you know that it won't end well for the protagonists.

It isn't a great film per se, but the film is better than most recent remake.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

Genre: Horror
Director: Marcus Nispel
Rating: 18+
Length: 1h38
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:85.1
Audio: English and French
Subtitles: English and Spanish

Stars:
Jessica Biel   
Jonathan Tucker
Erica Leerhsen
Mike Vogel
Eric Balfour

Plot:
Prepare yourself for a level of fear like you've never experienced before...

A group of friends takes a detour while traveling through the back roads of Texas and encounter a chainsaw-wielding maniac. What happens next is beyond anyone's darkest imagination and will leave you speechless and horrified.

From filmmaker Michael Bay ('Pearl Harbor', 'Bad Boys II') and starring Jessica Biel ("7th Heaven") comes this year's most hardcore and terrifying film.

You've been warned.

My Thoughts:

First remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it had the same flaws the prequel I've reviewed just before had and I won't repeat them. But it had more problem so I can complaint a little

None of the protagonists are likeable, they are all a bunch of useless screamers from the first one to the last who can't take any logical decision. Some facts doesn't make any sense at all, by exemple why the slaughterhouse who is closed since 4 years always had pigs and hanged meats inside (I think the familly would have eat that a long time ago). But to be honest there is only two reasons to watch that film, R. Lee Ermey and the Jessica Biel's white shirt (common I'm a guy...).

Really nothing special here, I've seen worst but this is very average. 

Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Genre: Horror
Director: Tobe Hooper
Rating: R
Length: 1h24
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:85.1
Audio: English
Subtitles: English and Spanish

Stars:
Marilyn Burns
Allen Danziger
Paul A. Partain
William Vail
Teri McMinn

Plot:
It has been called "grisly," "sick," and "perverse," as well as "raw," "unshakeable," and "the movie that redefined horror." It was attacked by churches, banned by governments, and acclaimed by only the bravest of critics. It stunned audiences worldwide and set a new standard in movie terror forever. In 1974, writer-producer-director Tobe Hooper unleashed this dark, visionary tale about a group of five young friends who face a nightmare of torment at the hands of a depraved Texas clan. Today it remains unequaled as a landmark of outlaw filmmaking and unparalleled in its impact as perhaps the most frightening motion picture ever made.

My Thoughts:

No need to wrote an endless review about this one as it's a classic and everybody had seen it (and probably more than once as me). It's the perfect exemple of what is frightening, you don't need to fill the screen with blood to scare you need an ambiance. An this one sure had this dark ambiance, the dinner scene is the best exemple of a frightening image on the screen (notice how there is almost no blood). Say what you want but Gunnar Hansen is the only actor who got what is the personality of Leatherface. He isn't a big tough scary scary guy, he is a "retard" trapped in a child mind. You see it easilly by exemple in his reactions when the kids came one after another at the house. There are some great acting there whatever we talk about Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow or Paul A. Partain (yes he is highly annoying but this is the point of this character).

Highly recommanded... one of the best horror film ever made.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

I'm sure you have found what is my theme today

[Dragonfire]

Gee.....let me try to guess. 

[Jimmy]

It's an hard one I know

BTW when you'll post the film you have watched according to your banner... you have posted nothing since Practical Magic

[Dragonfire]

I know I haven't...I have been meaning to.  I'm trying to get a book review done to post on Epinions..hopefully later tonight I'll try to post about some of them...maybe get caught up.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

Genre: Horror
Director: Tobe Hooper
Rating: NR
Length: 1h41
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:78.1
Audio: English
Subtitles: English, French and Spanish

Stars:
Dennis Hopper
Caroline Williams
Jim Siedow
Bill Moseley
Bill Johnson

Plot:
n 1974, horror fans rejoiced upon the release of Tobe Hooper's brutal masterpiece, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The movie razed the stakes of in-your-face filmmaking an literally changed the face of horror. Twelve years later, Hooper got the saws buzzing again with this deviously entertaining sequel, starring Oscar® nominee* Dennis Hopper in one of the most deliciously crazed performances of his career. In this outing, Hooper splatters more blood, more guts and more gore...and takes the genre to new heights of deranged – and delightful – terror!

For a decade, Texas Ranger Lefty Enright has sought to avenge the brutal murder of his kin by the cannibalistic Sawyer family – Leatherface, Chop – Top, Cook and Grandpa. With the help of a radio DJ who's also bent on putting an end to the terror, Lefty finds his way to the Sawyers' underground butchershop, where a battle of epic proportions soon rages...and the line between good an devil gets chopped to bits!

My Thoughts:

God I hate that film, worst thing to appear in that franchise (I bet even the remake in 3D released this year is better than that). Bad acting even Dennis Hopper is crappy in that... but it was made at the time of his drinking problem so at least he had a reason to suck that much. Over acting after over acting. Tobe Hooper should be ashamed to have turn his great movie as a joke. Awfull waste of time, but considering it was produce by Golam-Globus this isn't really a surprise (common they are the guys who had destroyed Superman and Death Wish).

Avoid like the plague unless you are a completist like me.

Rating :

[Achim]

I have a weak spot for TCM 2 ; call it a guilty pleasure...?

I agree with your criticisms, but I find that opening scene in the radio station to be quite effective and Bill Mosely is genuinely creepy. There is some good gore in here, but beyond that it's quite terrible indeed.

[Jimmy]

I have a weak spot for TCM 2 ; call it a guilty pleasure...?

Nothing bad with that... I'm the guy who like Xanadu

... Bill Mosely is genuinely creepy.

But he is more or less The Hitchicker on speed and he is coming out of nowhere, almost like if The Hitchicker was supposed to be alive but they decided that it would have been too much considering what happen in TCM 1(even the fact he had a metal plate make this idea credible).

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)

Genre: Horror
Director: Jeff Burr
Rating: NR
Length: 1h25
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:85.1
Audio: English
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Kate Hodge
Ken Foree
R.A. Mihailoff
William Butler
Viggo Mortensen

Plot:
A pair of college students driving coast to coast are lured off the main highway and on to a deserted Texas road. Here they are stalked by the menacing Leatherface and his demented family... a bizarre cannibalistic clan with blood on their hands and a feast on their minds. Their only chance for escape is a survivalist with enough firepower to blast Leatherface and the rest of the grizzly predators to hell. A depraved shocker of intense terror from the gruesome beginning to the bloody finish.

My Thoughts:

Best thing to do when you fucked up a franchise is to forgot the messed episode and to do like it was never made. This is what this one do as it happen some years after the original massacre (as the intro told us). Of course that doesn't meant that some things doesn't make sense, like the new familly unit. But in that case I've decided in my mind that it was the familly of a sister of The Cook in the original movie. Common it's a way like another to fill the blanks and we are suppose to use our imagination while watching a movie

This one is far more serious and ridiculous, of course it had some joke (even the original had some) but there is a difference between a one liner here and there to decrease the tension and turning characters as laughingstock. The first time I've watched there are sure some events I didn't see coming and this is certainly a good thing for a movie to not be predictable (don't forget I never watch the trailers for that reason). The familly unit works quite well and everyone had his utility, strangely more than it was the case in the original TCM. There are some good effects depending of wich version you watch, but anyway who would watch the R rated version when we have the choice between an almost complete version and one cut by more than four minutes...

This is a good rebirth and you even got a young Viggo Mortensen in the cast.

Rating :