It

Tags

2010's, Andy Muschietti, Bill Skarsgård, Chosen Jacobs, Finn Wolfhard, Horror, It, Jack Dylan Grazer, Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Stephen King, Wyatt Oleff

Director

Andy Muschietti

Starring

• Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise
• Jaeden Lieberher as Bill Denbrough
• Sophia Lillis as Beverly Marsh
• Finn Wolfhard as Richie Tozier
• Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben Hanscom
• Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie Kaspbrak
• Wyatt Oleff as Stan Uris
• Chosen Jacobs as Mike Hanlon

A very successful adaptation of the Stephen King classic, It has great development in characters alongside the horror that makes it both a coming of age tale and a creepy horror.

It’s the 80’s and in the town of Derry, Maine, everyone is shocked when youngster Georgie is taken and presumably killed by an unknown evil. His brother Bill feels guilty about it as he was too sick to go out and play with his brother the day of the horrible event. Bill finds some comfort in his group of friends; loudmouth Richie, quiet, skeptical Stan and hypochondriac Eddie, who are all outcasts in a way. Summer vacation begins and Bill is still refusing to believe that his brother is dead. But as summer continues, soon something sinister takes hold and begins tormenting him and his friends. Add to this that numerous children are going missing much in the way that Georgie did and the gang are spearheaded into investigation. Around this time, Beverly Marsh( who is derided by others for alleged promiscuity, but in actual fact is being abused by her father), becomes part of the group . The group is later joined by two other lost souls in the form of loner Ben and orphaned Mike. They become known as The Losers Club. All of them are plagued by terrifying visions; making them vow to unearth what it is that causes these terrifying occurrences. Along with this, each has a variety of issues of a personal nature to deal with on a daily basis. What they discover is that the thing that took Georgie is in fact a manifestation of fear, that often takes the form of an evil clown called Pennywise. It feeds on fear every twenty-seven years and it’s targets are children. It’s all a matter of if these seven kids can defeat such evil before it’s too late.

Andy Muschietti is an accomplished director and his effective and sturdy direction that gets to the heart of the battle to overcome evil and fear is one that truly captures the imagination. He makes the film a fun but frightening ride that has the time to invest you with the people populating it and can be emotionally in tune too. From the start, this manages to carve out its own triumph and stand out . It was previously adapted as a mini series that is held in high regard and at first I wasn’t sure whether this would work. But happily, it does work and marks itself as something excellent and different. Whereas the series had two timelines, this version sticks to a setting of the 80’s. The era proves very effective as a certain level of nostalgia is very apparent thanks to many pop culture references and the visuals. With strange angles and fine lighting, there’s a genuine atmosphere to It right from the start. The visual side is a major string in the bow of an impressive film and one I highly enjoyed. Quite a lot of scenes really stand out, particularly the ones of the fear inducing variety, such as Beverly being assaulted by stands of hair down the plug hole, an intense confrontation with the creature and a sensational finale in the sewer where battle commences. Crucially, It is just as much a coming of age story as it is one of horror. The kids all have their own issues to deal with along the way. From controlling mothers to abusive fathers and being an orphan, these tribulations can often be just as frightening as the approaching evil. I appreciated this approach that deepened the pre-adolescent characters and had me rooting for them. Which isn’t to say the horror moments aren’t effective, quite the opposite in fact. It all builds gradually, showing us Pennywise and other visions at first slowly and then with great momentum and maximum scares. And while CGI is employed, it never overshadow proceedings at all, if anything it enhances the terror at play. And Pennywise is a seriously eerie thing to behold it must be said. With a stomach churning voice and seriously terrifying appearance, he’s the stuff of nightmares. A sensational music score and sound design underline everything with creepiness and soul, largely stemming from how chilling it is and how amazingly it employs sonic trickery to unleash horror. The only niggle I have with the film is that it runs a bit too long. Other than that, I’m a massive fan.

The cast make for a fine ensemble, with the biggest impacts being made by Jaeden Lieberher as the leader of the club and Sophia Lillis portraying the only girl who captures the attention of all. But there is seriously no weak link in this talented cast of youngsters who each have a moment to shine. I really enjoyed all of their performances as they fleshed out their troubled characters brilliantly.  And of course there is Bill Skarsgård; ably stepping into Tim Curry’s shoes as the nightmarish Pennywise. He’s super disturbing and enthralling, relishing the sheer evilness of the part.

An accomplished and convincing horror, with a lot of humanity in it and characters you root, It is exemplary horror movie making with a heart.

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A Quiet Place

Tags

2010's, A Quiet Place, Emily Blunt, Horror, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Thriller

Film Title

A Quiet Place

Director

John Krasinski

Starring

• John Krasinski as Lee Abbott
• Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbott
• Millicent Simmonds as Regan Abbott
• Noah Jupe as Marcus Abbott

A horror thriller that taps into many fears and is ruthlessly tense throughout, A Quiet Place is terrifying and at times quite moving in how it examines people surviving in near silence from director/star John Krasinski.

The year is 2020 and blind creatures have overtaken most of the world. Despite having no sight, they hunt via hearing which is exceptionally advanced. Any significant noise can attract these beings to potential prey. The Abbott family( mother Evelyn, father Lee and three children, Regan, Marcus and Beau )are surviving the best they can in times of darkness and crippling fear. They communicate using sign language, which they know anyway because Regan is deaf. It appears that they are some of the last remaining humans given how abandoned and desolate everywhere around them is. Though they have survived for a long time, a tragic incident robs them of one of their children. When we pick up with the family again, they are living in a farmhouse and Evelyn is pregnant. As heads of the family, while terrified of day-to-day life, they are determined to protect their family by remaining as quiet as humanly possible. They have forged an existence for themselves, with many areas of the house insulated and cameras to observe outside. Lee is the main provider for them, going out to forage for food and attempting to fix Regan’s hearing aid. Evelyn is preparing for the birth of a child while raising her other two children, plus mourning the loss of one. Anxiety hangs in the air as Evelyn’s due date is approaching and the prospect of a baby terrifies all as it spells potential horror for all if they can’t remain quiet. And ever since the loss of one child, uncertainty has grown within the right family unit. But in this time of panic, can the family survive for much longer without becoming victims of the creatures?

Director and star John Krasinski crafts suspense and an uneasy atmosphere right from the beginning and keeps the nerves frazzled with efficiency. His direction is confident and skilled at scaring us and cranking up the tension as events continue. The pacing is just on the mark, building and building to a chilling and relentless last act that will have you gasping for breath with nervousness. I dare anyone to not feel panicked as the family are menaced by the scary creatures and they are separated. Sound and the ability to use it, which we can so often take for granted is crucial to this film as noises are both amplified and subdued. This gives the creepy effect of not being able to express things and the difficulties involved when we are robbed of this essential thing. Jolts of terror and As the family has to live in almost always silence, a lot of the story is told visually. We gain information from facial expressions, symbols and sign language, which gets us involved and has the attention from the start. The life these characters have crafted offers much in the way of intrigue, helping us realise just how precious sound and especially silence are in making sure you don’t become victims to the creatures that terrorise the characters. What surprises in A Quiet Place is that as well as being frightening, it has you emotionally invested too. If anything, the main theme is parental anxiety. It’s amplified here but nonetheless shines in presenting two parents doing whatever they can to shelter their brood from harm. Especially in the case of the mother being pregnant and the collective worry of what will happen when the child is born into this startling world. The creatures are fleetingly glimpsed at the start, but when revealed are truly alarming and well designed to be etched into the memory. Marco Beltrami is on score duty, ratcheting up the scares and overriding eeriness of the piece. And speaking of sound, the effects and design are sublime in dialing up creepiness and oodles of ambience. Every sound could possibly be the last for these characters so it’s imperative that noise is well used and the often deafening silence matters. Just like the characters, we become scared of sudden sound.

The relatively small cast all convince in this merciless horror film. John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, who are a married couple in real life, excel as the protective and resourceful parents. Using body language and facial expression, they get across the terror and will power of this mother and father who are doing whatever they can to ensure the safety of their children. The fact that they are married in real life adds to the closeness of the two and how they complement one another. Krasinski’s survivalist and Blunt’s warm, nurturing matriarch are fully realised and performed admirably. The two children in the film, Noah and Millicent Simmonds exceptionally convey the uncertainty and horror that’s thrust upon their young shoulders. Millicent Simmonds is especially marvellous as the daughter who is dealing with feelings of guilt and loss . The fact that Simmonds is also deaf in real life brings a lot of authenticity to her performance as well as her expressive face.

A nerve jangling exercise in tension, A Quiet Place sustains the interest and induces terror with its story and atmosphere. This is strong stuff from John Krasinski and marks him as a director to watch.

Mother!

Tags

2010's, Brian Gleeson, Darren Aronofsky, Domhnall Gleeson, Drama, Ed Harris, Horror, Javier Bardem, Jennifer Lawrence, Kristen Wiig, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mother!

Film Title

Mother!

Director

Darren Aronofsky

Starring

• Jennifer Lawrence as Mother
• Javier Bardem as Him
• Michelle Pfeiffer as Woman
• Ed Harris as Man
• Domhnall Gleeson as Oldest Son
• Brian Gleeson as Younger Brother
• Kristen Wiig as Herald

A delirious and disturbing horror/drama movie that both enthralls and annoys, Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! is the definition of a divisive movie. I remember hearing all the buzz about the movie being one of the riskiest studio releases in a long time, and I won’t argue there. But the film squarely falls into a mixed category as to its value and what it is trying to say to us.

An unnamed couple( referred to in the credits as Mother and Him) live in a large, isolated house somewhere in the country. Mother is a domestic goddess who is refurbishing the home, as we learn there was once a fire many years before that ruined the place. She is supportive of her much older husband, a poet with a severe case of writer’s block, but a lot of the time the love seems one-sided. She seems to always praise him and be there, while he isn’t the most forthcoming in approval or thanks to his wife. Their relatively tranquil existence is disturbed by a late-night knock at the door. There is an ageing doctor who says he has mistaken their house for a bed and breakfast. Mother is against letting him stay as he is a stranger, but Him is adamant that they cater to the man. The next day his wife appears and almost immediately begins to stir trouble for Mother. However, Him seems to revel in the company of these intruders, much to the annoyance and pain suffered by Mother. Gradually, everything begins spinning out of control for Mother as yet more people descend on the house and all manner of shocking events take hold, completed by Him basking in a new batch of inspiration.

Darren Aronofsky is the man behind the camera and script. He’s always been a director who knows how to shock and disturb cinema goers with his content, from Requiem for a Dream to Black Swan. I will say that Aronofsky builds up tension rather nicely with Mother! before unleashing an abundance of sheer craziness that will have you considering what you just saw. Credit where it’s due, Aronofsky crafts something extremely polarizing and material that is bound to get people talking. But there are certain areas that don’t quite add up and make the film feel bloated as a result. Aronofsky is clearly trying to say a lot of things, but at its heart, Mother! gets extremely esoteric. That’s not to say that any thematic material is gone( there is clear biblical parallels in the story and notions on inspiration), but it feels like an overload and that he is biting off more than he can chew in a good few ways. Plus, you can’t help but feel that Aronofsky is trying to be too clever and too self-indulgent with this movie. Mother! is a film that is hard to forget for sure, especially in the latter half. With the house being bombarded by intruders, everything including the kitchen sink is thrown at the viewer as all manner of hellish act is realised and put on us. Adding to this is the burnt gold of the cinematography and frequent closeness of the camera to Lawrence, exuding a claustrophobic air to everything. There is a distinct lack of a musical score here; Mother! utilises sound effects and unusual noises to bring out the eeriness of the piece in a rather successful manner.

One part of Mother! that cannot be faulted is the acting from the relatively small cast. Jennifer Lawrence ideally plays the lead, whose existence and sanity come under severe threat as the movie progresses. Starting out quiet, subtle and demure, before her mind unravels and she goes into alarming intensity and harrowing confusion, Lawrence gives the part her all and succeeds greatly with what she brings to the screen. On screen in almost every frame, Jennifer Lawrence sells the intense nature of Mother! brilliantly. Javier Bardem at his most lupine is effectively creepy and selfish as the husband whose inspiration seems to arise from the chaos surrounding him and his young wife. Michelle Pfeiffer is a wicked delight in a keen supporting part. Playing the intrusive, forthright and ever so feline woman who begins making her presence felt in Mother’s life, she’s devilishly toxic and strangely seductive to watch. Her and Ed Harris( whose enigmatic and equally as good) don’t have a lot of time on screen, but boy do they make the most of what they have! The same can be said of the Gleeson brothers who star as brawling siblings whose violence leads us into the second act of the movie. And appearing in a startling but entertaining cameo is Kristen Wiig.

Mother! as a movie is an extremely shocking experience, that is both hard to tear yourself away from and equally as repellent. I seem to fall into the middle ground of the consensus on this movie. While I will say that the direction is stylish and provocative and the acting is of a high standard, I must also bring forward that it’s a movie that often has too much going on, leading it to be hollow in the grand scheme of things. A movie that splits opinion is the best way to describe what Mother! is.

Gremlins

Tags

1980's, Dark Comedy, Frances Lee McCain, Gremlins, Horror, Hoyt Axton, Joe Dante, Phoebe Cates, Polly Holliday, Zach Galligan

Film Title

Gremlins

Director

Joe Dante

Starring

• Zach Galligan as Billy Peltzer
• Phoebe Cates as Kate Beringer
• Hoyt Axton as Rand Peltzer
• Frances Lee McCain as Lynn Peltzer
• Polly Holliday as Mrs. Deagle

A comic horror set at Christmas, Gremlins makes for deliriously entertaining and twisted viewing after all these years. Time has not diminished both the dark humour and shocks of this Yuletide movie that has a deliciously morbid way of subverting things. This movie is perfect for Christmas viewing with an edge and has lost none of the strange charm it had upon release.

Billy Peltzer is a young man working at a bank in his hometown of Kingston Falls. It’s a largely uneventful, suburban town that is about to become anything but peaceful as Christmas approaches. His inventor and travelling salesman father Rand returns from a trip bearing an unusual gift; a fluffy creature known as a Mogwai. Billy is entranced by this present that he names Gizmo and is very grateful, yet his father warns him that he must obey three rules to do with the new pet. He shouldn’t expose it to bright light, he mustn’t get it into contact with water and most important, don’t feed it after midnight. Billy is understandably thrilled with Gizmo and spends a lot of time with the guy. But through accidental carelessness, Billy violates the rules and after getting Gizmo wet, he spawns creatures that resemble him. At first these creatures appear to be just like the furry Gizmo, but they trick Billy into  feeding them after midnight which has dire consequences. The creatures go from cute and cuddly into scaly, greedy beasts known as Gremlins, whose only goal is full on chaos. Once more of the creatures have spawned, they lay siege to the town with murderous glee and maniacal destruction in mind. With the Gremlins running wild and terrorizing the sleepy town, it’s up to Billy and his girlfriend Kate(whose quick thinking comes in handy) to stop the maniacal creatures once and for all.

Joe Dante behind everything with his excellent direction of the shocking but wholly engrossing material. One can tell he is relishing the destruction of suburbia with unusual and twisted ways being employed by the title creatures. Dante has his tongue firmly in cheek for this outing and I’d all the better for it. Shots of black humour colour so much of Gremlins that you can’t imagine the movie without it there. Irony and juxtaposition play a significant role in making Gremlins so wildly watchable and full of mayhem. For instance, the fact that such nasty little critters spawn from one of the cutest things put on screen is deliciously arch. And the various filmic references( Snow White makes an appearance as the Gremlins take a break from their carnage to sing along with it) are very much in keeping with Dante’s pop culture nods that regularly appear in his movies. Plus, while the town of Kingston Falls looks lovely, some of the residents are far from pleasant. Billy’s neighbour is a xenophobic man, but worst of the bunch is the penny-pinching old bag Mrs. Deagle. These two people are ones that are targeted first by the Gremlins, in a sort of grim poetic justice. I mean who can forget what happens to Mrs. Deagle? It’s a movie I’ve seen a million times and yet I never tire of it. A lot of that is down to the tightrope being walked between tongue in cheek humour and outright shocking carnage being depicted. Not many movies can get both camps right, but Gremlins is a success on blending these two disparate things into a sinister yet hard to resist ride. A great example of both the humour and horror is the scene in the kitchen, where Billy’s mother demolishes a bunch of hungry Gremlins. Now until this point, we’ve seen Billy’s mother as mainly just a supportive homemaker. But when the attack starts, she goes to town on the beasts with ferocity that is hilarious and alarming. And it can’t be stated enough how memorable and iconic the move and especially Gizmo and the crazy Gremlins have become in film history. The effects used for Gizmo and the Gremlins is still excellent, ensuring that all of them have a semblance of personality in the grand scope of things. Jerry Goldsmith’s score is an extremely lively and creepy one, that gets across the maniacal mischief of the Gremlins and the shocking spectacle of a picturesque town under seasonal attack.

Zach Galligan makes for a likable hero as he is a regular guy who is trying to undo what he accidentally set in motion. He is relatable and the very ordinariness of him is a gift that Galligan uses to his advantage. Phoebe Cates is similarly excellent as his girlfriend, possessing a certain girl next door charm and smarts that is endearing. Both actors are ones that make you immediately like them, because they seem like regular people who you want to succeed in stopping the eponymous creatures from even more destruction than they’ve already caused. Hoyt Axton is delightfully sly and oblivious as the inventor father whose gadgets are not quite the best, while Frances Lee McCain comes into her own as the avenging mother who protects her house fiercely. Polly Holliday is nastiness incarnate as the horrible neighbour who ends up at the mercy of the Gremlins in a very satisfying sequence that is as shocking as it is grimly amusing.

Devilishly sinister and darkly hilarious in parts, Gremlins is Christmas movie making with a difference that is sure to entertain audiences the world over. If it’s one outrageous ride into scares and chuckles you need, Gremlins is the required cure. After watching and reviewing Gremlins, I think this is the time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Tags

1990's, Anne Heche, Freddie Prinze Jr., Horror, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jim Gillespie, Johnny Galecki, Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar

Film Title

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Director

Jim Gillespie

Starring

• Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie James
• Sarah Michelle Gellar as Helen Shivers
• Ryan Phillippe as Barry
• Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray
• Anne Heche as Missy Egan
• Johnny Galecki as Max

Although penned by the same guy who wrote the game changing Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer doesn’t quite fall into the category of classic. And despise that, it’s actually quire a good horror movie. Not really newfangled or unexpected but extremely serviceable and entertaining in what it presents.

In their hometown of Southport, North Carolina, Julie James, her boyfriend Ray, best friend Helen Shivers and her beau Barry are taking part in celebrating the end of high school and the Fourth of July. After Helen is crowned beauty queen, the group continues to celebrate by visiting the beach. After a round of ghost stories and intimate moments, the popular kids hop into Larry’s prized car. As Barry is too drunk and disorderly to drive, sensible Ray takes the wheel. Yet things take a dramatic and drastic turn as their enthusiasm is brought crashing down when they accidentally hit a stranger while driving. Thinking he is dead, the group goes into meltdown. Filled with severe panic over what this could cause them and their future plans, the group agree to dump the body in the river. Julie reluctantly takes part, but feels immensely guilty about her part in it. As they are dumping the body, the man they thought was dead briefly stirs in his dying grasps, causing Barry to push him in the river. This seems to kill him and now the four friends know they are now accountable for murder. As each vows to remain silent about their involvement, this secret will soon weigh heavy on them. A year later and the group have been driven apart by their respective guilt. Julie returns home a shell of her original bubbly self, and things are about to get a lot worse. Receiving an anonymous note in the post that spouts the eponymous title, her fear escalates as she is forced to come into contact with her disparate group of friends once more. Someone obviously is aware of their actions and wants them to pay for it, but just who could it be? The very person makes his presence felt, armed with a fish-hook that he hacks victims with, leaving a growing trail behind him. All the while, he is heading for the terrified quartet who he has an axe to grind with. Investigating, the teens believe all of this terror relates to a specific person, but discover it’s a lot more complicated than it is straightforward. Before more bodies hit the floor, can Julie and her estranged friends uncover who the killer is?

As I previously referenced, I Know What You Did Last Summer is no Scream, and yet this is sometimes why there is unfair dissent us aimed at the film. Sure it’s not the hip, self-referential classic, but even though its traditional, it gets the job done handsomely. Jim Gillespie has a nice handle on things and manages some immensely good scares and jolts of nerve jangling. As a movie, it has a good sense of mystery to it which for me is a plus in a horror movie. It doesn’t take a genius to work out some of it, but it can be surprising when it wants to be. Not that it’s without plot contrivances and a little bit too much complexity, but by and large keeps you watching. The movie comes apart in the last act, where it attempts to be overly smart but ends up getting a bit ahead of itself. But for the main duration, thanks to a good script from Kevin Williamson, I Know What You Did Last Summer still has a lot of atmosphere and effective use of foreshadowing. There is also something very eerie about the fishing town setting, added to this is the moody colour palette. A shivering and strangely melodic score further brings tension to the piece.

A cast of largely 90’s idols play their parts well, even if the characters are somewhat lacking in quarters. Jennifer Love Hewitt is our main focal point; the good and largely pure girl who genuinely feels guilty about her part in the previous summer’s events. A nice vulnerability is clear in her work and it suits the role of Julie, benefiting from a quiet determination too. Out of all the characters, Julie is the one that you have the most sympathy for. Sarah Michelle Gellar, while not kicking ass in style as she did in Buffy, is very well used as the confused beauty who might be somewhat shallow, but is far from a bad person. Playing the part of resident jerk, Ryan Phillippe does a credible job of really making us despise the spoiled little brat that is Barry. You do feel genuine resentment towards the character because of his selfish actions and lack of concern for anyone but himself. Freddie Prinze Jr is the main person who is given a serious lack of things to do. And no amount of enthusiasm can perk his part up. Anne Heche provides unusual support as someone who may be linked to the case and has the off-kilter vibe to set you on edge. Johnny Galecki briefly but memorably has a role as the rather unfortunate first victim of the killer.

No classic of horror but the provider of some good scares and attractive cast, I Know What You Did Last Summer deserves a bit more recognition than its received.

Cat People

Tags

1940's, Cat People, Horror, Jacques Tourneur, Jane Randolph, Kent Smith, Simone Simon, Tom Conway

With Halloween soon upon us, the lovely Maddy asked me to join her spooky blogathon. I decided to review the classic Cat People for my entry into this fine celebration of horror.

Film Title

Cat People

Director

Jacques Tourneur

Starring

• Simone Simon as Irena
• Kent Smith as Oliver Reed
• Jane Randolph as Alice
• Tom Conway as Dr. Louis Judd

A rightfully, highly regarded horror movie that champions lighting and atmosphere to create suspense, Cat People is much deserving of its classic status.

Serbian sketch artist Irena meets marine engineer Oliver Reed one day in Central Park Zoo while drawing a panther. The two enjoy a flirtation, yet Irena is hesitant to take events any further. Eventually, Oliver charms the shy Irena and after a courtship, they marry. Yet after they are married, she reveals a strange fear to Oliver. From childhood, she was aware of tales in her village of evil women who would turn into cats when feeling jealousy or experiencing passion. As a result, she is terrified to be intimate with Oliver and consummate their marriage. Oliver tries to support his wife, but her fears and sense of terror drive him away as he finds it harder to cope with the situation. He finds support in the form of work colleague Alice, who loves him more than just simply a friend. Irena is admitted to a psychologist, who tries to dispel her anxiety of what might happen if she is to be intimate with her husband. Yet even he is slightly curious as to why Irena has this fixation on the idea of her becoming a panther when jealousy or passion are about. But it may in fact be too late, as Irena becomes aware of Alice’s attraction to her husband. With jealousy aroused the results could be deadly. Or is it all just a delusion from the mind of Irena?

Jacques Tourneur is in the directing seat with the great producer Val Lewton also making a mark with this horror that’s all about the mind and what is hinted at rather than deliberately shown. Tourneur is an adept director whose expertise and ambiguity lend themself beautifully to this gorgeous and creepy exercise in spooky atmospherics and hidden horrors. At the heart of it, Cat People is just as much a mystery as it is suggestive horror. The main question of whether Irena is simply delusional or in fact in fear of a tainted curse she has no power over, provides Cat People with a really compulsive air and a tragic one too. On the visual front, the symbolism of all things feline and entrapment abound, much like how feels so caged and frightened of what may happen if she becomes intimate with her husband. Chiefly, it’s the shadows and sounds that are key to the eeriness of Cat People with many a moment being shrouded in darkness with just the right amount of light to back up the mystery of everything. There are two specific celebrated sequences that showcase just how effective suggestion can be. In the first, Alice is followed by something and is startled by a very loud noise, which is something else than what she thinks but still a jolt to the system and quite cunningly done. It’s a sly and very creative trick to use. The second sequence features Alice in a swimming pool, with light flickering about her as the noise of a panther stalks in the shadows around her. Both scenes wonderfully use the idea of what it could be, rather than what it is to generate the spooks and creeps within you. Cat People is more chilling than jump out of your skin frightening, but that’s the strength of it. It manages to tap into something subtly psycho sexual without being to overt about it, with regards to Irena’s fear of getting close to her husband in the physical sense. Rounding out things is the suspenseful music that knows exactly how to jangle nerves in this strange story.

Simone Simon, with her already feline features and slightly off kilter appeal, is sublimely cast as the terrified woman at the centre of this atmospheric film. Is she a pretty predator or a victim of a tainted curse? That’s the best part of Simon’s performance; the deep ambiguity and exotic mystery. Her eyes convey tragedy and can be simultaneously fragile and sensual in a great balancing act that keeps you guessing just what is the meaning of her fears and whether they have any validity. Kent Smith is the All-American guy who loves Irena deeply, but really can’t work her out as the movie goes on. Jane Randolph succeeds at not simply making her character a home wrecker, but a woman who actually wants to help and is assertive along with sympathetic. Then there is who is more than a little too interested in his patient’s condition and about to pay the ultimate price. Out of them all though, it is Simone Simon who makes the largest impact to this classic horror.

A masterwork of tension and mystery, Cat People is a horror that earns its stripes through its refusal to be over the top and the way it captures the imagination of the viewer with what it presents.

Hostel

Tags

2000's, Derek Richardson, Eli Roth, Eyþór Guðjónsson, Horror, Hostel, Jay Hernandez, Jennifer Lim

Film Title

Hostel

Director

Eli Roth

Starring

• Jay Hernandez as Paxton
• Derek Richardson as Josh
• Eyþór Guðjónsson as Óli
• Jennifer Lim as Kana

With it being October and Halloween just around the corner, I thought it well to focus on some horror movies. I chose to review Hostel, the infamous shocker that I will admit I couldn’t finish all of upon first viewing. Now being older, I decided to get a spine and finally watch it all. I have to say that watching it now it deserves its reputation of being a horrifying and stomach churning movie, but also has some rather surprising parts to it. Anyway, back to my review.

College buddies Paxton and are backpacking through Europe in search for ladies, drugs and all time partying. They are joined in Amsterdam by Icelandic Óli, who is similar in interest to them and more than happy to tag along. Around this time, in between excessive sex and drug use, the trio encounter a young man with an intriguing offer. He informs them of a hostel in Slovakia that will make all their debased and carnal fantasies come true. Being horny and only concerned with having a good time, the three friends head to the hostel in Slovakia. Gorgeous ladies, drugs and partying awaits them on arrival and it seems like the perfect time for all of them. Yet it is all too good to be true as the first indicator of something amiss is when Óli goes missing. Later on, Josh also disappears and the people around the hostel are very evasive over what they know. It is left up to Paxton to discover what sinister things are transpiring around him. Searching for answers, he stumbles upon a twisted society of torture that is gleeful in its torment. Paxton is ultimately put into this nightmarish situation and must fight in order to survive the onslaught of perverted brutality.

Eli Roth writes and directs Hostel; clearly having a sort of twisted fun with the set up and then the unleashing of horrifying content. His sense of pace is very well established with how the terror unfolds for us and the characters. A slow burn covers the first half of Hostel, with events playing as a frat brother’s hedonistic dream that will soon become a nightmare. There’s boobs, boozing and all these guys could ask for. The main characters are not the most likable bunch, but they conform well to the overall Jock stereotype Roth is going for. We are given hints of something untoward going on, with the opening titles depicting something murky that will become prominent. Hostel in itself is not a very deep movie, and yet it manages to have some commentary on the gullibility of tourists in an unfamiliar place. Plus, there are many self-referential anecdotes and instances of other horror movies coming into play in an assured way, especially at the start. The last forty minutes of Hostel are a relentless excursion into jaw-dropping horror, with no let up for breathing chiefly through the graphic and gruesome depictions of torture. A strong stomach is needed for Hostel’s brutality, though it is hard to turn away despite the horror on show. Gore is the order of the day and in high supply, with Roth obviously enjoying grossing the audience out with what he depicts. It’s not all mean-spirited, just rather nasty in its unapologetic refusal to compromise on the blood. Twisted is the best word for Hostel, with many of its scenes cutting close the bone(literally and figuratively). One particular scene involving tendons is bound to induce feelings of sickness, along with the appearances of feral children who want more than money from you and will turn violent if you don’t provide it. And while it’s a horror, various thriller elements are on call for a tense finale that is gruesomely and shockingly satisfying( if that is the right word for it.) The visual style, that progressively becomes bleaker as the picture goes on, excellently mirrors the descent into depravity experienced by the characters, and chiefly us. Suspense is handled by the music, that knows how to ratchet up the atmosphere.

The cast is competent and works well within the framework of Hostel. They aren’t there to be the deepest characters going, but once the horror starts you do feel something for them. The three main men at first blend in together because of their attributes, but later one emerges in particular as very effective. Jay Hernandez is given the most to do here as the main frat boy falling into a horrific situation. He starts out as a lady-mad guy with only one thing on his mind, but once the terror hits, Hernandez finds a desperation and determination to survive the torturous world he’s thrown into. Derek Richardson is well used as the not so convinced of the journey member of the group, while Eyþór Guðjónsson lives it up as the Lothario with the gift of the gab. Jennifer Lim, out of the women in Hostel, has the most to do as the rather unfortunate traveler who also falls prey to the horror.

A movie of extreme violence and horror, Hostel is worthy of shocking credentials and title as a work of twisted depravity. Not for everyone, but a memorably brutal movie nonetheless.

Tremors

Tags

1990's, Bobby Jacoby, Comedy, Finn Carter, Fred Ward, Horror, Kevin Bacon, Michael Gross, Reba McEntrie, Ron Underwood, Tremors, Victor Wong

Film Title

Tremors

Director

Ron Underwood

Starring

• Kevin Bacon as Val McKee
• Fred Ward as Earl Bassett
• Finn Carter as Rhonda LeBeck
• Michael Gross as Burt Gummer
• Reba McEntrie as Heather Gummer
• Bobby Jacoby as Melvin
• Victor Wong as Walter Chang

A fine horror comedy that lovingly sends up and celebrates 50’s monster movies, Tremors is a fun ride and a film that has you laughing just as much as biting your nails.

Handy men Val McKee and Earl Bassett are growing bored with their lives in the desert town of Perfection, Nevada. Val is the younger of the men and more than a bit jocular, Earl is the older and more pragmatic of the two. While neither are the sharpest or brightest, they know that they can’t just doing menial jobs for their lives. Deciding to pack up and leave, their short-lived exit from town is cut short by the discovery of a dead body. The man in question is found up a pylon, dehydrated after being too afraid to climb down. Shortly following this is more gruesome discoveries and the men encounter seismologist Rhonda LeBeck, who has been investigating unusual activity in the desert area. It transpires that worm like creatures have emerged from beneath the ground and been attacking the residents, taking them underground for sustenance. With help from Rhonda, it is deduced that vibration and noise is what attracts them, leading the survivors to think up ways to communicate without being caught and plot some form of break from the growing onslaught . Holed up back in the dusty town, Val and Earl take residence in the convenience store with some of the other residents. But these creatures are getting smarter and more vicious, leading more frequent attacks .It’s now up to the group to come up with some way to escape being the next meal of these ferocious creatures.

Ron Underwood has a knowing sheen to his direction; gladly combining the humorous and shocking into one big ride. His efficient pacing makes certain that no flab is found and we get straight into the action, while still allowing the characters to take centre stage. The small community all have their respective quirks and foibles, which is pretty fun to see as they slowly band together to survive and defend themselves against the creatures. It’s a simple story, but Tremors knows this and with a winking eye to the audience, acknowledges what you’d expect from a 50’s creature feature and adds its own brand of things to the mix. Things especially hit a high point when the residents are forced onto the roof, while still attempting to conjure a plan of escape as well as keeping noise to a minimum. Having to be extremely careful not to alert the creatures of their presence The design of the worm like critters is through practical effects, and it looks well-worn by now, yet this adds something else to Tremors. What Tremors most has going for it is the humour, which is delivered in spades. The running gag of Val and Earl being unable to leave town, at first because of trivial things and soon quite deadly events, is hilariously done and plays throughout the darkly comic heart of Tremors. Horror and comedy is sometimes a difficult tightrope to walk, but Tremors does it extremely well. It ensures that the laughs are very present, but that it can ratchet up suspense and deliver the horror goods when required. Through quick point of view shots, the nasty creatures attack and we are thrown into the fray as they wage war on the residents. It’s a slice of entertainment of the highest order, complimented by a tongue-in-cheek and jaunty score that fits just right with the tone of the movie.

Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward lead the way as the two unlikely heroes of the piece. They are likable guys who while not the smartest people ever, have enough gumption and attitude to take on the terror in front of them. They are bungling, prone to disaster ,funny yet nifty when it comes to being practical and using what they have at their disposal.  A lot of the effectiveness comes from the chemistry between both actors, who clearly are having a blast and enjoy working with each other as the amusing and heroic duo. It wouldn’t be the same without Bacon and Ward in these roles, adding a goofy and irresistible charm to it. Smarts are provided by Finn Carter’s scientist, who is the real brains of the piece and a woman who can take action effectively too when the occasion calls for it. Stealing a lot of the show however is Michael Gross; portraying the war-obsessed and tooled up Burt Gummer with a boisterous personality and wicked gleam in his eye. His attitude and presence are both funny and hopeful, because at first his paranoid antics regarding a new war are laughed at, before coming in extremely useful as the horror rises. Reba McEntrie is his wife, who shares his obsession and love of firearms, while there is Bobby Jacoby as the town brat and Victor Wong as the convenience store owner whose place becomes a shelter.

An excellent pastiche of B-movies mixed with more of contemporary sensibility, it’s hard not to enjoy Tremors for just how much of a blast it is. Never taking itself too seriously, Tremors is an all round good time for horror fans who like their movies with humour.

Suspiria

Tags

1970's, Alida Valli, Dario Argento, Horror, Jessica Harper, Joan Bennett, Stefania Casini, Suspiria

Film Title

Suspiria

Director

Dario Argento

Starring

• Jessica Harper as Suzy Bannion
• Joan Bennett as Madame Blanc
• Alida Valli as Miss Tanner
• Stefania Casini as Sara

An overwhelmingly visual and sinister horror movie from Italian maestro Dario Argento, Suspiria is rightfully regarded as a work of arresting quality and bold aesthetic. If there’s a horror movie that can hold the distinction of being beautiful, Suspiria is the victorious champion.

From the moment American dancer Suzy Bannion arrives in Germany to attend a prestigious ballet academy, there is something not quite right. Firstly, she encounters a panicked student, who later turns up murdered. Then the whole atmosphere of the place is laced with a certain menace, not helped by the domineering and eerie presence of vice director Madame Blanc and teacher Miss Tanner. Suzy struggles to fit into her new surroundings, but this is nothing compared to the spine tingling things that will soon take shape. A series of creepy occurrences take place; maggots rain from the roof, there are strange footsteps at night and it would appear that the teachers are guarding something frighteningly shocking. Aided by a fellow student Sara, who is the first to think something strange is happening, Suzy sets out to uncover what is really going on at the academy. As more unusual events(complete with more murder and sickly ailments inhabited by Suzy) take place with many suggesting something supernatural at work, Suzy is thrown into the pit of horror as she strives to piece together the meaning of the school and the designs of its inhabitants.

Dario Argento is the showman, richly displaying his craft in full glory. His flair for the theatrical and stunning is left on every frame of this strangely beguiling horror fantasy. It’s clear from Suspiria that Argento is an artist of the highest order and a horror icon to treasure for his baroque attitude. Plot and character development are not what this movie is about; tension and spooky atmosphere are the main components and things it accomplishes with ease. Argento grabs you from the opening frames and pulse you into this ghoulish world he has created, where uneasy and weird things build to a crescendo of high art and horror. Most worthy of praise is the bold use of colour, in particular red, blue and green. Red is the most employed; saturating the screen in a haze of nightmarish fantasy that is as spellbinding as it is creepy. One can’t help but wax lyrical about the eye-popping and sensory areas of Suspiria, that stick with you long after the film’s finish. A certain fairy tale quality, albeit one of the unnerving and eerie variety, is ever-present here in a lot of shots, specifically the gripping opening. We witness arrival as a storm hits and she briefly sees a fellow student run away from the school. Later, the incoherent girl who fled the academy is traumatised by strange sights and then brutally murdered by a largely unseen assailant. Her lifeless body crashes through a stained glass ceiling, her neck in a noose and the glass causing the death of a friend. It’s a successful opening that clearly establishes the strange tone and often horrifying but stylish visions that Suspiria will bring in abundance. Gory violence is startlingly seen, but rendered mesmerize through the lens of artistry that colours everything here. It seems strange to describe a horror movie as lush and beautiful, but Suspiria is both of those things and more. While a lot of horror favours darkness , Suspiria is strikingly colourful and filled with a prowling eye from adventurous camerawork. This distinction makes it stand out in horror for all the right reasons. As a relentless exercise is stupendous visual splendour and growing tension, Suspiria is compelling and filled with imagination. And no talk of Suspiria would be complete without mentioning the thundering music score, provided by Goblin. An intense roller coaster of twinkling percussion, loud drums and snatches of scratchy whispers, it’s another element that sucks you into the vivid world brought to life in pulsing form.

Although plotting and characters aren’t the important parts of Suspiria, the cast is still pretty serviceable. Jessica Harper is appropriately beautiful, waif-like and innocent as the heroine and while not the best actress, she still presents an air of spirited nature as Suzy heads into the disturbing machinations at work. Joan Bennett and Alida Valli successfully transfer something sinister and unusual as two of the academy’s staff, who immediately set your nerves and mind on edge from the first moment they are glimpsed. Stefania Casini is also pretty good as a student, very suspicious of what’s going on. There are various other characters in the film, but the biggest star is Argento himself.

Gorgeously shot, hauntingly creepy and artistic to within am inch of its life, Suspiria is simply put an experience for and grandiose assault on the senses.

The Sentinel

Tags

1970's, Arthur Kennedy, Ava Gardner, Beverly D'Angelo, Burgess Meredith, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Walken, Cristina Raines, Deborah Raffin, Eli Wallach, Horror, Jeff Goldblum, Jerry Orbach, John Carradine, José Ferrer, Martin Balsam, Michael Winner, Sylvia Miles, The Sentinel

Film Title

The Sentinel

Director

Michael Winner

Starring

• Cristina Raines as Alison Parker
• Chris Sarandon as Michael Lerman
• John Carradine as Father Halliran
• Burgess Meredith as Charles Chazen
• Ava Gardner as Miss Logan
• Deborah Raffin as Jennifer
• Arthur Kennedy as Monsignor
• Eli Wallach as Detective Gatz
• Christopher Walken as Detective Rizzo
• Martin Balsam as Professor Ruzinsky
• José Ferrer as Robed Figure
• Sylvia Miles as Gerde
• Beverly D’Angelo as Sandra
• Jeff Goldblum as Fashion Photographer
• Jerry Orbach as Director

A 70’s horror with an all-star cast, I was expecting The Sentinel to be a treat. Alas, it was a shoddy mess that descended into ludicrous and incomprehensible places. There are nary any positives in this film, which could have been something special, fur floundered into the abyss of rubbish.

Alison is a young, pretty model living in New York. Though in a relationship with slick lawyer Michael Lerman, she is reluctant to move in with him or consider engagement. She decides to find her own place to live. While seemingly living the high life, Alison has baggage in her memories that still haunt her and refuse to let go. Continuing looking for a place, she is recommended by realtor Miss Logan, a beautiful Brooklyn Heights apartment. She notices a man in the top apartment window. Miss Logan informs her that it is Father Halliran, a blind priest who seems to sit there without ever really moving. Thrilled at the scope of the place and the reasonable amount being asked for, Alison moves in. Shortly after arrival, Alison encounters some of the strange tenants of the building, starting with the peculiar and intrusive Charles Chazen. Gradually, Alison’s nights are disturbed by horrific visions of her troubled past that involved an attempted suicide and is plagued by unnerving noises from another apartment. Frightened yet very curious, Alison is then shocked to learn that only she and Father Halliran reside in the complex, with no one having previously occupied it for three years. Becoming more alarmed by events that may or may not be real, Alison crumbles completely. Somehow, she is linked to a centuries old pattern that the apartment block has which poses a deadly and potentially otherworldly trouble. Can Alison really figure out why these visions appear and what sinister designs are being made for her?

Michael Winner gets some atmosphere going at the start, but his lack of taste and frankly trying direction makes The Sentinel really drag and go into a place of boredom. He plays up the overt sensationalism and outrageous moments to an extent that they aren’t frightening or remotely chilling. The visual style is one positive point( even though it’s sadly only one such instance) finding a certain gloss and at least setting some spooky aura. This however is drowned out by the sheer implausibility and inanity  of it all, that causes The Sentinel to be a major let down. The Sentinel film that could have been something if thought had actually gone into. What we are left with is a confused and histrionic film, that doesn’t generate hardly any terror or resonance. There is one scene that is rightly celebrated for its scare factor, but apart from that, The Sentinel is laughable and deplorable. I mean, I’m game for some campy and melodramatic moments in horror, often they can be quite fun. But the overload, coupled with a dragging, not to mention hard to follow story, was too much for me to take. And there is one thing in The Sentinel that really left a bad taste in my mouth. When all hell breaks loose and the supposed fright of the movie is in swing, one manifestation of evil is depicted as people with prominent deformities. The main thing I took issue with was that the people used were actually deformed themselves. When you put a physical defect or disability on screen, it should be done with respect. Here, it equates the deformities with evil, which really didn’t lie well with me. It felt exploitative and mean-spirited, especially as the implication it made was in very poor taste. The music score is passable with some unusual passages, yet like the rest of The Sentinel, over cooks events to a laughable degree.

As aforementioned, The Sentinel has an unbelievable cast. The sad news is, hardly any of them are given anything to work with and show off their skills. Cristina Raines, in the lead of tormented model, is basically required to look frightened and pretty. She does both things well enough, but there’s nothing really meaty for her else to do. Chris Sarandon at least tries his best with putting some cocky attitude into the role of the lawyer boyfriend. John Carradine, heavily made up to look older, is pretty effective as the largely silent priest whose eerie presence hangs over the building. Burgess Meredith rocks creepy to the hilt as a pesky and very unusual neighbour, who becomes more than just a common nuisance. Ava Gardner is completely wasted as the realtor of the place, only appearing a handful of times and not equipped with much in the way of action to play. Deborah Raffin is pretty bland as Alison’s best friend, while experienced veteran actor Arthur Kennedy at least contributes some mystery as an enigmatic priest. Eli Wallach and a young Christopher Walken are seen in a thread of the story that makes no sense and wastes the obvious talents of two reliable stars. Martin Balsam and José Ferrer, two fine actors, both appear in blink and you’ll miss it roles which is extremely unfortunate. Sylvia Miles and Beverly D’Angelo certainly have the strangeness down in their parts, but not much else because the script restricts them. Bit parts are also handed to Jeff Goldblum and Jerry Orbach. The mix of old and new stars was supposed to be amazing, but they are never given any time to shine or strut their stuff.

A big mess of a movie that showed potential but quickly became farce, The Sentinel is one to avoid in the horror genre.