Island of Lost Souls Year of Release: 1932 Directed By: Erle C. Kenton Starring: Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams, Bela Lugosi, Kathleen Burke, Arthur Hohl Rating: Not Rated
Overview: A twisted treasure from Hollywood’s pre-Code horror heyday, Island of Lost Souls is a cautionary tale of science run amok, adapted from H. G. Wells’s novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. In one of his first major movie roles, Charles Laughton is a mad doctor conducting ghastly genetic experiments on a remote island in the South Seas, much to the fear and disgust of the shipwrecked sailor (Richard Arlen) who finds himself trapped there. This touchstone of movie terror, directed by Erle C. Kenton, features expressionistic photography by Karl Struss, groundbreaking makeup effects that inspired generations of monster-movie artists, and the legendary Bela Lugosi in one his most gruesome roles.
My Thoughts: What a great film! Great source material, of course, but also well adapted. The performances are really what carry the film, most especially Charles Laughton's magnificent turn as Dr. Moreau. He is so arrogant, so sociopathic, and so creepy - a perfect mad scientist! I was also impressed by how well Kathleen Burke channels a cat's body language as Lota. Everyone else was also great. The technical aspects are just as impressive as the performances. The makeup is extraordinary, especially when you consider what they had to work with in 1932. It really exposes the dual nature of the beast-men, their innate animal nature; their innate human nature. The lighting and camera work are equally well done. Truly horrific in its ideas and implications, with more than a little to say about what it means to be human, I would highly recommend the movie for anyone who enjoys old films and classic horror.
Bechtel Test: Fail
Overall: 4.5/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 02, 2012, 07:23:37 PM
The Old Dark House Year of Release: 1932 Directed By: James Whale Starring: Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton, Lilian Bond Rating: Not Rated
Overview: Weary travelers find shelter in a mysterious Welsh manor in this definitive "Old Dark House" thriller and cult movie favorite by horror pioneer James Whale (the director of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man and The Bride of Frankenstein, and subject of the recent film Gods and Monsters).
Greeted with an animal-like grunt by the mansion's hideously scarred butler (Boris Karloff), three disoriented voyagers (Melvyn Douglas, Raymond Massey and Lillian Bond) find themselves in the unwelcoming company of the psychotic Femm family, whose members include a religious fanatic obsessed with mortality and other matter of the sinful flesh (Eva Moore), her browbeaten brother (Ernest Thesiger), and a scripture-quoting homicidal pyromaniac (Brember Wills)... all watched over by their androgynous, 102-year-old father (Elspeth "John" Dudgeon). Relieving the story's overwhelming weirdness are Charles Laughton and a young Gloria Stuart (Titanic) as two confused visitors to the strange estate.
As witty and surprising as it is darkly unsettling, The Old Dark House is a ghoulishly delightful treat, a one-of-a-kind macabre comedy blanketed with rain-soaked, gothic eeriness orchestrated by one of the foremost directors of the American horror film.
My Thoughts: Another great little film. I enjoyed this one as much as Island of Lost Souls, though I think Island is the better film (if by a slim margin). We have Laughton here again, in a completely different character. He was a great, versatile actor. We also have another classic horror heavyweight, Boris Karloff, doing a wonderfully menacing turn as Morgan. In fact the entire ensemble cast is good, creating unique, and often eccentric characters, even if I did think Gloria Stuart's character was incredibly silly and stupid and I didn't sympathize with her at all. The really great things about the film are the cinematography (this really is an old, dark house), and the dry, witty, darkly humorous dialogue. Highly recommended if you like old films or classic horror.
Bechtel Test: Pass
Overall: 4/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: samuelrichardscott on October 03, 2012, 12:40:57 AM
I've always found The Old Dark House to be one of Whale's overlooked gems. Glad you liked it!
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 04, 2012, 05:06:07 AM
Fiend Without a Face Year of Release: 1958 Directed By: Arthur Crabtree Starring: Marshall Thompson, Terry Kilburn, Kim Parker, Kynaston Reeves Rating: Not Rated
Overview: A scientist's thoughts materialize as an army of invisible brain-shaped monsters (complete with spinal-cord tails!) who terrorize an American military base in this nightmarish chiller, directed by Arthur Crabtree (Horrors of the Black Museum). This outstanding sci-fi/horror hybrid is a special effects bonanza, and a high-water mark in British genre filmmaking.
My Thoughts: What a fun little horror film! So obviously a B-movie, but also so well done for a B film. I loved their choice to keep the monster invisible for most of the picture. I think it really added to the terror of them. The cast was good, the camera work effective, the sound guy obviously having a great time with the fiend's noise. It's a 50's film set on a military base, so there's naturally a nod to keeping an eye on the Russians. Also there's the not-subtle-at-all fear of atomic power and science run amok. But that's what makes a good 50's monster movie! If you like these sorts of films, this is highly recommended.
Also, who wants to bet Gary Gygax saw this film? The fiend is so obviously the inspiration for the intellect devourer.
Bechdel Test: Fail
Overall: 3.5/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 05, 2012, 10:49:49 PM
Masters of Horror: Haeckel's Tale Year of Release: 2005 Directed By: John McNaughton Starring: Derek Cecil, Leeta Savasta, Tom McBeath, Jon Polito Rated: TV-MA
Overview: In a time when the laws of science battled the secrets of magic, medical student Ernst Haeckel (Derek Cecil) believes the power of life, death and resurrection lay in his arrogant hands. But on a journey to visit his gravely ill father, he finds shelter in the home of an older man and his seductive young wife (Leela Savasta) who cannot be fulfilled by mortal hungers. Somewhere in the darkness of a nearby necropolis, a defiant necromancer (Jon Polito of BARTON FINK, MILLER'S CROSSING) will now summon them all to an orgy of the undead and unleash the ultimate depravity for those who do not heed the warning of HAECKEL'S TALE.
Directed by John McNaughton in association with horror legend George A. Romero, this startling mix of erotic desire and gut-ripping horror is adapted by series creator/executive producer Mick Garris from the short story by Clive Barker.
My Thoughts: So, I unexpectedly had the day off (after working a double yesterday) and thought I'd check out something more modern than my usual fare and possibly one that might not be one to watch together with my mom. Hence, this.
This of course was originally made for the TV series Masters of Horror, but I'm going to refer to it as a film anyway. Not a bad little film at all. A bit more gore than I normally like in one scene but not so much that I wouldn't watch it again. This is the story of a beautiful necrophiliac and the handsome young medical student who becomes taken with her. And it is the story of what happens when man tries to overcome death, to return the dead to life. It had a nice creepy atmosphere that I really liked. A bit more distance let me notice a large continuity error I hadn't before, so I revised the overall rating. Still, recommended, even with the obvious-in-hindsight error, if for nothing else than the T&A.
Bechdel Test: Fail
Overall: 2.5/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 08, 2012, 04:11:30 AM
Year of Release: 1968 Directed By: Kaneto Shindo Starring: Kichiemon Nakamura, Nobuko Otowa, Kiwako Taichi, Kei Sato Rated: Not Rated
Overview: In this poetic and atmospheric horror fable, set in a village in war-torn feudal Japan, malevolent spirits are ripping out the throats of itinerant samurai. When a military hero is dispatched to confront the unseen force, he finds that he must struggle with personal demons as well. From Kaneto Shindo, director of the similarly terrifying Onibaba, Kuroneko (a.k.a. Black Cat) is a spectacularly eerie twilight tale, with a shocking feminist angle, evoked through ghostly special effects and exquisite cinematography.
My Thoughts: What a magnificent film! The cinematography is so perfect, so gorgeous, the unconventional use of lighting, the play of darkness and shadow in the film, the eerie fog that heralds entering the supernatural realm. The look of the film and its atmosphere are so wonderfully done, the use of black and white so appropriate that I can't imagine what this would look like in color. The actors are all great as well. Poetic, tragic, symbolic, chilling, I would highly recommend this for any fan of classic or Japanese horror. Avoid only if you can't watch a subtitled film (in which case, I feel sorry for you). Any other horror film I watch this month has a high bar set by Kuroneko.
Bechdel Test: Fail
Overall: 4.75/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Achim on October 10, 2012, 05:01:25 AM
We have Laughton here again, in a completely different character. He was a great, versatile actor.
If you haven't seen it already I reommend Laughon's sole directorial effort to you! The Night Of The Hunter even would match this marathon...
I think I might watch Island of Lost Sous later based on your review...
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Bechtel Test:
I may simply have missed the related post so far (catching up slowly after a few days away from the forum). What is this Bechtel thing? A Google search only had me getting confusing results.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Jimmy on October 10, 2012, 05:11:53 AM
So Achim are you back from Germany or you post from there?
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Achim on October 10, 2012, 06:34:13 AM
Thanks Jimmy. That's actually what I found on Google (slightly different spelling), but I expected it to be closer to horror than the more general test.
The lady showed Alien 3 in the list of movies that don't pass. But I find that is unfair. Anyway, it is indeed interesting to see how many films, even big and popular ones fail the test, which means women are more decoration than an element of the film.
So Achim are you back from Germany or you post from there?
No, not yet. I will go to Germany next week, for a total of three weeks. I was gone for a few days hiking in the Taiwanese mountains. Highest peak was 3,742m. Given that I had not any sort of training for years and the last time I did something similar was 20 years ago I think I did quite well. Very glad to have a holiday today though (10/10 is Taiwan's National Day), I am quite exhausted overall.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 10, 2012, 09:32:34 PM
Yeah, I have accidentally been misspelling Bechdel for some time. :-[ I watched that video, and have been keeping track for my Around the World marathon, so I thought I'd just keep track for any reviews I did.
I really enjoyed Island of Lost Souls. I hope you do too. I think I've seen the remake of Night of the Hunter, but not the original. It's now a Criterion release, though, so I'll pick it up eventually.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 10, 2012, 09:50:17 PM
Christina, princesse de l'érotisme (A Virgin Among the Living Dead)
Year of Release: 1971 Directed By: Jess Franco Starring: Christina von Blanc, Britt Nichols, Rosa Palomar, Anne Libert, Howard Vernon, Jess Franco, Paul Muller Rated: Not Rated
Overview: After losing her mother at an early age and being raised at a boarding school, Cristina Reiner is notified of her father's death and summoned to Monserrat Mansion for the reading of his will. Other members of her strange, accursed family are found there awaiting the imminent demise of Cristina's ailing stepmother, Hermione, whom she has never met. When Death finally visits the castle in the person of an elegantly attired Queen of Darkness, Cristina is approached by the ghost of her father — the noose of his suicide permanently around his neck — who advises her to flee the castle and her cold-skinned, bloodthirsty relatives. But is it already too late? Has she already lost touch with reality? Learn the answers, if you dare, in this legendary cult classic from Jess Franco — uncut in America for the first time!
My Thoughts: This is a beautiful, bizarre film and I'm not completely sure what to make of it. It has beautiful cinematography, a haunting score, great use of outdoor locations, a suitably creepy atmosphere and a gorgeous, and often nude, female lead. On the other hand the plot is sketchy and more than a bit surreal. Is it a haunted house, are they vampires, is Death really calling for her, or is she simply deliriously imagining the whole thing? I think the director intended us to question what was going on and if I'm right he succeeded. I'd definitely be willing to watch it again, perhaps I'd get more out it.
Given some of the titles he's reviewed, I think this might be right up Jimmy's alley. Could be wrong though.
Bechdel Test: Pass
Overall: 3/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Jimmy on October 11, 2012, 12:34:55 AM
Given some of the titles he's reviewed, I think this might be right up Jimmy's alley. Could be wrong though.
You are right, but few Jess Franco's movie please me (of course the fact many of them are cut and in bad shape doesn't help)...
The package says this one is uncut, and the print didn't appear to be in bad shape to me. There was a section of "deleted scenes" which included stuff that other reviewers indicate are from an entirely different movie (they certainly don't match this film at all).
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Jimmy on October 11, 2012, 01:42:22 AM
The package says this one is uncut, and the print didn't appear to be in bad shape to me.
Is the running time 1h32? It's the complete uncut version and I think it's only available in Germany but the DVD is OOP and costly.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 11, 2012, 03:10:56 AM
No, runtime is 1h19.
Comments on IMDB talk about it being later padded with footage from a film called Lake of Zombies. Certainly two large segments of the deleted scenes are filled with zombies in scenes that don't match this film at all.
There's also a rape scene in the deleted scenes, but the same scene, played a bit shorter, is in the film.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Jimmy on October 11, 2012, 03:30:45 AM
If the zombies are uniform soldiers and had green paint as make-up those scenes are from Le lac des morts vivants... So my guess would be that it was another title in the weird history of Eurociné (a defunct french studio known for its poor films filled with nudity).
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 11, 2012, 04:05:04 AM
They came crawling? slithering? out from under dead leaves in a forest, and later surrounded a girl in a cabin. Again, these are included in the deleted scenes section of the special features.
The actual film has no zombies in it and nothing to do with them. I can't see where an autumn zombie subplot would even fit in.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Jimmy on October 11, 2012, 04:27:17 AM
I'll try to watch Le lac des morts vivants (Zombie Lake) somewhere this month just to see if the added scenes come from it. I can give you a scoop about my review... this film is incredibly bad :laugh:
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Achim on October 11, 2012, 06:20:10 AM
I really enjoyed Island of Lost Souls. I hope you do too.
I watched it last night and quite enjoyed. Not having seen an old movie in a while I needed a short time to adjust, but then it was great! Charles Laughton plays the mad scientist wonderfully subtle (although there was one moment where the director had a beautiful subtle moment and then ruined it by having Laughton giving these obvious looks to the helper... :slaphead:, I am talking about the boat scene "the next morning") and the last 20 minutes must have been very scary to audiences in the 1930s! Excellent.
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I think I've seen the remake of Night of the Hunter, but not the original. It's now a Criterion release, though, so I'll pick it up eventually.
I wasn't aware of the remake. I owned the MGM release first but this being such a classic I upgraded to the Criterion.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: samuelrichardscott on October 11, 2012, 09:28:37 AM
So my guess would be that it was another title in the weird history of Eurociné (a defunct french studio known for its poor films filled with nudity).
I love watching Eurocine trailers. Some releases have a Eurocine trailer reel in the extras which is worth a look like the Arrow release of The Devil's Kiss.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: dfmorgan on October 11, 2012, 11:26:46 AM
I haven't seen this but have his earlier film Onibaba which is beautifully atmospheric and on first viewing, many many years ago, scary. Have you seen Onibaba?
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 11, 2012, 02:27:17 PM
I haven't seen this but have his earlier film Onibaba which is beautifully atmospheric and on first viewing, many many years ago, scary. Have you seen Onibaba?
Not yet. I have it here to watch though at some point. I have read lots of good things.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 11, 2012, 02:36:09 PM
I really enjoyed Island of Lost Souls. I hope you do too.
I watched it last night and quite enjoyed. Not having seen an old movie in a while I needed a short time to adjust, but then it was great! Charles Laughton plays the mad scientist wonderfully subtle (although there was one moment where the director had a beautiful subtle moment and then ruined it by having Laughton giving these obvious looks to the helper... :slaphead:, I am talking about the boat scene "the next morning") and the last 20 minutes must have been very scary to audiences in the 1930s! Excellent.
I loved Laughton's mad scientist. I thought he was just about perfect in the role. I know the scene you're talking about, and yeah, that look wasn't needed. But still a really great film.
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I think I've seen the remake of Night of the Hunter, but not the original. It's now a Criterion release, though, so I'll pick it up eventually.
I wasn't aware of the remake. I owned the MGM release first but this being such a classic I upgraded to the Criterion.
After taking a look at the remake's trailer on youtube, I've definitely seen the remake. It stars one of my favorite actors, Richard Chamberlain, but it's a terrible film. I had this memory I'd tried to forget about it, but it's still there in the back of my head. I think it's why I've put off picking up the original when Criterions are on sale.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 13, 2012, 04:53:13 AM
Year of Release: 1973 Directed By: Kevin Connor Starring: Peter Cushing, Ian Bannen, Ian Carmichael, Donald Pleasence, David Warner Rated: PG
Overview: Bolt the door, lower the lights and settle in for a stylish five-episode supernatural shocker possessed of a shivery all-star cast and drenched in evil. Welcome to Temptations Ltd., a decrepit antique shop whose unwary customers get more than they bargain for from the wily proprietor (Peter Cushing). Much more.
Go to the head of the horror class if you can predict who'll join the ranks of the doomed from among this role call of distinguished British actors: Ian Bannen, Ian Carmichael, Diana Dors, Lesley-Anne Down, Margaret Leighton, Donald Pleasence, Nyree Dawn Porter, David Warner and more. A mirror. A medal. A snuff box. An ornate door. All unleash novelty surprises for the characters – and you – in these wickedly horrific tales From Beyond the Grave.
My Thoughts: This is a fun and entertaining anthology film from Amicus, starring the great Peter Cushing. He's one of my favorite actors, so I wanted to get at least one of his films in this month. It's got a nicely creepy atmosphere, especially the blue room in the fourth story, and some pretty good acting (especially Cushing, but Donald and Angela Pleasence are also quite good in their roles). The opening sequence, as the camera moves through an overgrown graveyard, is also very well done and sets an appropriately eerie stage for the film. There isn't a lot of gore - while there's plenty of death, the camera cuts away from the act of killing. I personally kind of like this, because it forces the film to rely on telling a scary story. Recommended for fans of Amicus, Hammer, or classic horror in general.
Bechdel Test: Fail
Overall: 3.5/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 14, 2012, 04:42:15 AM
Year of Release: 1964 Directed By: Roger Corman Starring: Vincent Price, Hazel Court, Jane Asher, David Weston, Nigel Green, Patrick Magee Rating: Not Rated
Overview: Death and debauchery reign in the castle of Prince Prospero (Vincent Price), and when it reigns...it pours! Prospero has only one excuse for his diabolical deeds – the devil made him do it! But when a mysterious, uninvited guest crashes his pad during a masquerade ball, there'll be hell to pay as the party atmosphere turns into a danse macabre!
My Thoughts: Vincent Price is also one of my favorite actors, and I have loved every one of the movies he and Roger Corman did based on Edgar Allan Poe, so naturally I wanted to get one of these in this year. Like the others, Masque did not disappoint me. Price was a wonderfully sinister, cultured, cruel Prospero, and Corman's direction is solid and unobtrusive. The supporting cast is darn good as well, which can't always be said of a film with Price, but here it can be. The sets and costuming were colorful and lavish, especially for a Corman film (but in the interview extra he relates how he got sets from either Becket or A Man for All Seasons so it makes sense) and with Nicholas Roeg as cinematographer there is a great use of light and dark in the film. This is a great film for any fan of Price, Corman, classic horror or Poe (for even if the script is padded, the masquerade stays true to Poe's story). Highly recommended.
Bechdel Test: Pass, but barely (one conversation between Juliana & Francesca about Hell, Satan and losing one's soul)
Overall: 4/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Dragonfire on October 14, 2012, 07:47:49 AM
I think I saw some of this one on tv last year. I liked what I saw.
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 16, 2012, 04:38:31 AM
Year of Release: 2003 Directed By: Takashi Shimizu Starring: Megumi Okina, Misaki Ito, Misa Uehara, Takako Fuji, Yuya Ozeki Rating: R
Overview: An eerie tale of a family who is brutally killed in their own home leaving behind an evil spirit lurking in the shadows. When an unknowing homecare worker enters, the spirit is awakened and a terrifying chain of events begins, passing through all those who step foot in this dark house.
My Thoughts: Wow. We just watched this for the first time and I'm still processing the film. Unlike everything else I've watched this month, there were some definite jump moments here, some places that were really startling. I really enjoyed the film, especially how it made the viewer think and try to work out exactly what is going on. I have the two sequels (Ju-On 2 & Ju-On: White Ghost/Black Ghost) so I may have to watch them this month as well. Good film. Recommended for any horror fan who doesn't mind subtitles.
Bechdel Test: Pass
Overall: 3.5/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 17, 2012, 05:26:44 AM
Terror! Il castello delle donne maledette (Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks)
Year of Release: 1973 Directed By: Robert H. Oliver Starring: Rossano Brazzi, Michael Dunn, Gordon Mitchell, Simonetta Vitelli, Christiane Rücker Rating: Unrated
Overview: South Pacific star Rossano Brazzi plays the crackpot Count Frankenstein whose latest creature is a goofy, dome-headed Neanderthal man he's brought back to life and cleverly named Goliath. Typical of monsters, Goliath also has the hots for Frankenstein's new squeeze, Krista (Christiane Royce), who likes to bathe in milk. Things turn ugly, however, when Genz, a horny necrophiliac dwarf, is expelled from the castle for leaving his footprint at the scene of a recent grave robbery and promptly makes friends with Ook, a second Neanderthal man who just happens to be passing through town. Out for revenge, Genz then lets Goliath loose who ends up going head to pointy-head with Ook for a good old-fashioned monster rumble...
Screwball Italian horror from producer Dick Randall (The Mad Butcher) and distributor Harry Novak (The Sinful Dwarf), FRANKENSTEIN'S CASTLE OF FREAKS also stars sword & sandal muscleman, Gordon Mitchell (Atlas Against the Cyclops), "the Italian Peter Lorre" Luciano Pignozzi (billed here as "Alan Collins") and the dubiously named "Boris Lugosi" as the fun-lovin' Ook.
My Thoughts: Okay, it's not like I didn't know what I was getting into here - between the title, the overview, and the release coming from Something Weird Video, there were plenty of warnings. This is bad. Oh, man, was this bad. Now, I'll admit I haven't seen a lot of versions of Frankenstein, but any other is going to have to work very hard to be worse than this one. The acting and writing are terrible, the dubbing is laughable, and the film is cheesy, kitschy, and sleazy but I honestly expected more gratuitous nudity to make up for this basically being utter trash.
I guess the answer to whether or not you want to watch this mess depends on how much you like bad 70's exploitation films.
Bechdel Test: Pass
Overall: 1.5/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 20, 2012, 04:18:19 AM
Year of Release: 2005 Directed By: Tim Burton Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson Rating: PG
Overview: An Academy Award® nominee and National Board of Review Award winner as 2005's Best Animated Feature, 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.
My Thoughts: I love this film and I try to watch it every October. I love the dark, Gothic atmosphere, the colorful view of the afterlife, the wonderful stop-motion animation, and all of the homages and references to other films that one catches on repeated viewing. While the story is pretty simple and straightforward, the great character designs and their exquisite animation, good voice acting, and all the little details really make this an inventive, fun movie to watch. Recommended for anyone except very small children and people who hate Tim Burton.
Bechdel Test: Fail
Overall: 4/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 25, 2012, 01:23:21 AM
Year of Release: 2006 Directed By: Diana Zaslaw Starring: no one, really Rating: Not Rated
Overview: At the mention of the word "vampire," images of bloody fangs, dark capes, and a man with a hideous, spooky laugh immediately come to mind.
These conventional images, born from countless vampire films over the years, are most commonly associated with Irish writer Braum Stoker and his iconic 1897 novel Dracula. However, despite the popularity and influence of this celebrated nineteenth-century tome, the vampire myth dates back more than 1,000 years, long before Stoker ever put pen to paper. In this fascinating journey through time, THE HISTORY CHANNEL® uncovers the ancient folkloric origins of blood-craving creatures from beyond the grave. Learn how the vampire myth is strongly rooted in Eastern European lore, but how it has played a prominent role in the ancient cultures of Greece and China.
From wooden stakes to garlic apotropes to ancient burial rituals, VAMPIRE SECRETS explores how this long-standing myth has been interpreted by different cultures around the world.
My Thoughts: I found this to be a pretty decent piece from the History Channel. I put this on while I was doing some work today. It takes an overview look at the legends of the vampire and how those legends have changed over time, as well as historical people who have contributed to these legends (Stoker, Vlad Tepes, Elizabeth Bathory). It's a bit dated, since it talks about Anne Rice's novels but not the subsequent rise of paranormal romance or the Twilight phenomenon, but overall worth a watch if you're looking for a bit of Halloween-related non-fiction TV.
Bechdel Test: N/A
Overall: 2.5/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 25, 2012, 04:05:21 AM
Year of Release: 1997 Directed By: Starring: no one, really Rating: Not Rated
Overview: The name invokes images of vengeful spirits and brings to mind some of some of the most memorable horror movies ever made. But what is a poltergeist—is it a demon, a ghost, or perhaps the manifestation of the psychic energy of a living person?
POLTERGEIST investigates four distinct cases of paranormal incidents in where there is undeniable, physical evidence that 'something' happened: the actual world was affected. But by what? Dramatic reenactments and chilling interviews with victims illuminate the terrifiying encounters, exposing minute details. Listen as psychics and scientists grapple with the strange phenomena and journey to the sites where poltergeists are said to have appeared, from a Kentucky honky-tonk to ancient British universities.
A&E takes you beneath the surface of the unknown to present the mystery, the terror, and the enchantment of poltergeists.
My Thoughts: This is an episode of an A&E show called The Unexplained. It was an interesting look at four different manifestations of poltergeist phenomenon. It tried to be fair and present the issues and phenomenon from both sides - the believers and the skeptics. Like the History Channel program, worth a watch if you like these sorts of programs.
Bechdel Test: N/A
Overall: 2.5/5
Title: Re: Danae's 2012 Horror
Post by: Danae Cassandra on October 29, 2012, 03:11:11 AM
Year of Release: 1993 Directed By: Henry Selick Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Ken Page Rated: PG
Overview: Now digitally restored and remastered with state-of-the-art technology, The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector's Edition is deeper, darker and more brilliant than ever – just as Tim Burton originally envisioned it – on Blu-ray Disc™!
Bored with the same old scare-and-scream routine, Pumpkin King Jack Skellington longs to spread the joy of Christmas. But his merry mission puts Santa in jeopardy and creates a nightmare for good little boys and girls everywhere!
Hear the genius of Danny Elfman's sensational music in 7.1 Surround Sound as the fantastic talents and imaginations of Tim Burton and Henry Selick come to life in stunning Hi-Def. The Nightmare Before Christmas – now even more eerie and extraordinary on Blu-ray™ High Definition!
My Thoughts: I love this film. I know there are two camps of folks - one that see this as a Christmas film, others that see it as a Halloween film. I'm very definitely in the Halloween camp. This is a stunning masterpiece of creepy gothic imagery and magnificent stop-motion animation. Everything fits together perfectly. Yes, it's loved by lots of Hot-Topic-worshiping wanna-be goths, but we'll forgive it that. I gave it a 4.5 back in 2009, but I'm upgrading it this year. I swear this film gets better every time I see it - a not-to-be-missed classic of the season.
May I also say, in this election season, I love Halloweentown's two-faced mayor.