Much like others bloggers out there we at G-S-T are owning up to having huge gaps in our Horror vernacular. Well I guess having a blog means we need to get our act together and become well-versed in all avenues of film. So as sort of a companion piece to our 10 Flicks for Halloween, here’s our thoughts on 10 frightening films we’ve never seen before now.
So with Halloween right around the corner was this exercise worth 20 hours of my life? Do these titles have any value or live up to the hype? Well I guess you’ll just have to read and find out…
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Rosemary’s Baby – Right off the bat this is as good as they said it was and more so. The tale of a woman who gives birth to the Devil’s child sounds scary but instead it plays out like an eerie mystery (those little hints dropped make a second viewing all the more enjoyable). Is Rosemary just paranoid or is everyone in the building conspiring against her? Mia Farrow is electrifying and truly carries the film. There’s a Christopher Nolan level of detail and a story that’s well crafted in addition to being told superbly. Personally I find it to be the best of the ones in this list and think Polanski did an outstanding job.
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The Omen – Well this was another one that I think people assume would be visually frightening. Nope, it’s a slow reveal film and like Rosemary’s Baby is a bit of a mystery. Gregory Peck powers this film through but even a great thespian like him can’t hold a candle to the suffocating mood of the film…that was all Richard Donner. Impressive still is seeing young Damien start to come to terms and accept his unseen and malignant powers. The Omen works best on a suspense level and is a decent flick (albeit a little long for my taste) with moderate value in it, especially the ending. It doesn’t scream sequel but you’ll find yourself saying, “yeah, that’s pretty cool“. Take that Shyamalan!
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Wrong Turn – More like “Wrong Decision” on my part. Trite, unoriginal and highly laughable this was just a series of missteps and cliches to say the least. I thought being produced by Stan Winston (yes, THE Stan Winston) this would have been more than just a lame slasher film; I was wrong. Let’s move on.
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The House of the Devil – If there was ever a contest for Worst Babysitting Job, this would be a top contender. That said there’s 2 camps out there that will view this film with completely polar opinions at the end. There will be those who will appreciate the slow pace because the eerie set up makes the pay off HUGE and the rest will think it was a waste of time. I can be found in the former camp. Ti West‘s ability to capture and recreate the 80’s look and feel (most notably the cinematography) was perhaps the most fulfilling part of the movie. Horror seems to have become just a hack and slash (and I’d add hit and miss) variety of films. Yet this stands among the few other films brave enough to try something different…and it worked. Great thing I saw Rosemary’s Baby before this to set me up for the slow but necessary style of storytelling. I loved it But I’m not the only one. Click this link to read a glowing review from M.Carter @ the Movies.
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When a Stranger Calls – If you’ve seen Bob Clark’s Black Christmas, you don’t need to see this movie. I however believe that this is more like Halloween meets Black Christmas yet the sum of those two great parts makes for a less than thrilling whole. Ohh the urban legend of “The call is coming from inside the house” has never been more terrifying than watching Carol Kane deal with the ominous murderer. It was quite impressive. But that’s only the first 20 minutes and the rest plays out like a lame cat and mouse cop movie. This is a pass, but still better than Wrong Turn…though not by much.
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The Strangers – AKA, “What Not to Do When You’re Home Alone”. Things go from bad to worse for Speedman and Tyler in this paralyzingly thriller supposedly base on true events. These three nearly spectral “strangers” seem to have a uninhibited way of accessing the house and messing with the main characters. One would think barricading yourself is still a good line of defense, especially if you have a gun and they don’t. Further, and I’m not being sexist here but 2 of them are in fact women. Ahh but what would a scary movie be if the characters used common sense? Maybe I’m being too hard on our protagonists but this is still a justifiably creepy movie. Also, bit of dialog “Why are you doing this?… Because you were home” is one of the scariest lines in modern cinema.
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Triangle – Ever have one of those days where you try to remember something but just can’t? Sure would help your situation if you could recall what you needed to, wouldn’t it? Melissa George has an eerie case of short-term memory loss that really doesn’t help her or her new friends. When she finally remembers, she realizes this isn’t the kind of deja vu you want to experience. Triangle reveals the twist pretty quickly but it is far from boring. Expanding quite elaborately we find that the story is far beyond the humble and possibly predictable beginning. If I say that this is like Timecrimes it wouldn’t really be spoiling it, rather just letting you know that you’ll be equally impressed in the film’s structure and scale. I highly suggest you check it out!
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Eden Lake – It’s hard not to feel bad for characters that do everything to themselves. But this goes beyond feeling bad, it’s borderline hatred for characters you should be wanting the best for. Poor, poor Michael Fassbender and his lovely would-be fiancée. If Hostel taught us anything about not messing with children especially when you’re out numbered, this makes a pretty good case for it as well. Basically it makes a stronger case for not messing with country folk and staying in the city. While this plays out like The Descent in the woods, Eden Lake was lacking a good level of mistrust and infighting that made the ill-fated trip a little more interesting; this was just pointless and dumb. Again, poor poor Fassbender.
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Saw VI – In anticipation of the (supposedly) final film in the franchise I decided to see this just so I could say “yes, I’ve seen them all” Problem is I can’t tell you the premise of anything past SAW 2. Regardless, this film and the series in general really goes for the throat. Wince inducing sequences and great deal of blood definitely achieve the shock value. Yet there’s something deeper that I respect and that’s the level of depth to the story and the interweaving of the character’s lives. With each film (much like LOST actually) you find more layers to seemingly throw away players and everyone ends up being important to the overall SAW story. Let’s see that happen with Freddy or Jason…pff, amateurs:P
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Dawn of the Dead – Yup the beloved “melted crayon zombie” classic. I saw this years ago and didn’t think much of it compared to the Zack Snyder remake of adrenaline injected awesomeness. Still after meeting Romero and leaving with this cherished memento, I fired this flick up and after this go-round, I realized what you already knew; it was a joy to behold. You have to look past the dated aspects of, well, everything to see the brilliant satire of U.S. consumerism. Plus for you gore hounds, Tom Savini’s effects are some of his best he’s ever created (though his best cameo is still From Dusk Til Dawn). The only thing that really gets me is the ending. Peter’s change of heart just seems kinda lame and is made all the worse by the A-Team inspired music. Oh well it was still a fun ride!
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Overall I was impressed with this last minute effort and gained some favorites among those in the “never saw” category. I am further surprised with the thinking man’s variety of horror films. Sure wish they’d make more of them instead of the plethora of teeny-bob slashers. In the end it’s good to know there are some real gems waiting out there amongst the oceans of crap out there. I’m glad to say about half of these will become Halloween tradition from now on.
So with T-Minus 48 Hours to go before All Hallow’s Eve, anyone want to suggest some good old fashioned scares or involving horror mysteries? Love to hear from you!
