DVD Collectors Online

Prom Night (remake), a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Prom Night: Unrated Version
Year: 2008
Director: Nelson McCormick
Rating: NR
Length: 89 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Brittany Snow
Scott Porter
Jessica Stroup
Dana Davis
Collins Pennie

Plot:
Three years ago, Donna (Brittany Snow, John Tucker Must Die) watched in horror as an obsessed predator (Johnathon Schaech, That Thing You Do!) murdered her family. Tonight is her senior prom and although she's anxious about the past, she's excited to celebrate her future with her friends. What Donna doesn't know is that the deranged psychopath has escaped from the asylum. He's returned to hunt her down, intent on killing anyone who gets in his way. As the night races towards its heart-pounding conclusion, the question becomes not who will be prom queen, but who will survive the killer's rampage.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
Outtakes/Bloopers
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
You know... if it wasn't for the fact that I found this DVD for only $3 at Big Lots it would have never made it to my collection. Especially considering I found the original to be mediocre. And I wasn't expecting much better what with the fact that I don't like music. When I got this home I read all over the net how much this movie sucked... so that brought down my expectations even more. But I figured I got to at least give this movie a chance after I bought it. Not that I am surprised... but this one didn't impress me. I mean it isn't as terrible as I was expecting. And that may be thanks to the fact that I went into it with very low expectations. It really is no more then an OK movie.



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: Horror on December 26th, 2009)

The Whip and the Body, a review by Danae Cassandra

The Whip and the Body (La frusta e il corpo)
Year of Release: 1963
Directed By: Mario Bava
Starring: Daliah Lavi, Christopher Lee, Tony Kendall, Isli Oberon, Harriet White
Genre: Horror

Overview:
Steeped in sadomasochism and lushly photographed in the vivid hues for which the director is known, Mario Bava's THE WHIP AND THE BODY is a Gothic thriller that far surpasses the API Edgar Allan Poe films that it was intended to emulate.

Christopher Lee (Dracula: Prince of Darkness) stars as Kurt Menliff, the sadistic son of a wealthy Count, who returns to the family castle, much to the dismay of his family, their servants, and the beautiful woman with whom he shares a fondness for the lash (Daliah Lavi). When Kurt is found murdered, it brings no peace to those who had feared him, as his vengeful spirit cannot be contained by the grave, and he returns to torment those unfortunate enough to remain within Menliff Manor.

My Thoughts:
Bava has a real talent for creating atmosphere. His use of light, the howling wind, the way he frames his actors. He really makes you feel the isolation of this family. Not just the isolation of their home, with its seaside view and rugged cliffs, but the isolation they have from each other. For all that they are family, it is in name (or blood) only.

Christopher Lee really stands out as well. His entire manner presents a threat in every move he makes in this film. Daliah Lavi equally portrays the increasingly unhinged Nevenka very well. The rest of the cast is solid, but unremarkable.

I enjoyed this quite a lot. I'd recommend it to fans of gothic horror or of Mario Bava. This is my fourth film of his, and it compares very well to Black Sabbath and Blood and Black Lace, both of which were very good.

Watched For: Hoop-tober 3.0, Horror/Halloween Challenge 2016

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 3.5/5

Horror/Halloween Challenge Films: 45/52

(From Horror/Halloween 2016 Challenge on November 1st, 2016)

Angel Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: Fred is really dead and Illyria has posessed her body. There's no hope of Fred coming back - at least currently. In Angel's world death isn't as final as it seems to be. But Illyria plans to raise her army again.

My Opinion: Wesley has become very merciless even though he can't even remember some the events of the last year(s). Amy's mask and her accent are quite good - I wouldn't have recognized her. The connection between Fred/Illyria and Wesley doesn't seem to be totally broken, thus hope remains.

Synopsis: Angel, Spike and Gunn try to rescue Lindsey from a hell dimension to get more knowledge about the coming apocalypse. But they have no idea in what kind of hell he is trapped in: he lives in suburbia.

My Opinion: Average episode. Nothing special happend, except for Gunn taking the path of the penitent.

Synopsis: An old prophecy shall become true. Connor is supposed to kill Sahjhan, the demon who sent him and Holtz into the Quor'Toth dimension. But thanks to Angel, Connor doesn't know anything about this past. Unfortunately the sorcerer who took that memory is exactly the same as the one who wants to see Sahjhan dead - and he has the power to give those memories back.

My Opinion: Loose ends get tied up. I've totally forgotten about the prophecy. But I feel sad for Wesley. Now he has not only to carry the grief of Fred's death but also the old knowledge of him kidnapping Angel's son and the new knowledge of having brought back those memories. He is evn more than Angel the tragic figure of this show.

Synopsis: Illyria loses more frequently the control over her body and Angel loses more and more interest in helping the helpless but instead acts more and more like a real Wolfram & Hart employee.

My Opinion: I may be wrong, but I am quite certain that there is a plan behind Angel's actions - especially allowing that young woman to sign the contract. There are only three episodes left and I can't believe that Angel has another crisis of faith - especially since Cordelia has pulled him out of the last one. I wouldn't like that. Unless the show doesn't end with a bad surprise - in the "Buffy" comic "The Long Way Home" none of them is mentioned.

(From Angel Marathon on February 27th, 2008)