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Vicious Fun on Shudder. This 80s "horror journalist" (basically the Film and TV Cliches thread in Chat come to life) finds himself in danger when he wanders into a serial killer's self help group. Actually lives up to its name! Very funny, and pretty vicious too! It's Canadian, so support the poor Canadians right now.
 
About a year after E.T. was released, there was a rumour going around at my school that a darker, nastier sequel had been made .. it never was but someone's done a trailer for one and it's astonishing .. it's probably the best fake trailer I've ever seen. 'E.T.-X' ...

 
Watched Censor last night. Young film censor has flashbacks to her sister’s disappearance. Sets out to find answers about gore film producer’s involvement leading to scary scary. Set in the mid 80s London.

Not bad. Psychological rather than strictly horror. Good casting but a bit of an obvious plot. Had it pegged pretty accurately after twenty minutes. 3/5
 
Watched Censor last night. Young film censor has flashbacks to her sister’s disappearance. Sets out to find answers about gore film producer’s involvement leading to scary scary. Set in the mid 80s London.

Not bad. Psychological rather than strictly horror. Good casting but a bit of an obvious plot. Had it pegged pretty accurately after twenty minutes. 3/5

A review I read from someone who really knows their video nasties said apart from the lead actress, who was excellent, it was an awful, inaccurate version of the controversy and represented the middle class gentrification of the subject. Now I don't know what to think (until I see it myself, of course).
 
About a year after E.T. was released, there was a rumour going around at my school that a darker, nastier sequel had been made ..

In 1983 this video came out...

e-t-n-extra-terrestrial-nastie.jpg


BUT... it was simply a retitle of a 1967 monster movie called Night Fright--
In the UK, the film was cheekily released on VHS in 1983 by sleaze producer David Grant on his World of Video 2000 label as E.T.n. The Extra-Terrestrial Nastie – with the tagline ‘What’s 12 ft tall and eats people’ to cash-in Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi family movie and the British ‘video nasties‘ moral panic. British video renters were doubtless disappointed by the tame 1967 offering they rented on tape and, as Universal International Pictures threatened legal action, the opportunistic release was rapidly withdrawn.
https://moviesandmania.com/2015/03/...ames-a-sullivan-cast-plot-review-whole-movie/
 
Fear Street Part One: 1994: I thought this was going to be a Young Adult film with toned down horror, it's anything but tha. just most of the characters are teenst. People are stabbed, slashed with razors, clubbed, and stuck on the head with hatchets; a head is even run through an electric bread slicer A Witch has cursed Shadyside after she was hanged in 1666 and ever since she has returned to possess Shadyside residents to turn them into mass killers. After the Witch's grave is disturbed she reanimates many of the mass murders sending them after a target but they also slay others. Ful of thrills, (blood) spills and shocks but also a love story and a tale of rivalry between two towns (think Springfield and Shelbyville). Directed & Co-written by Leigh Janiak based on the books by R. L. Stine. First of a Film Trilogy. On Netflix. 8/10.
 
Freaky: Starts off with a pre-title sequence like your typical Slasher flick, four teens encounter a serial killer. But the Blissfield Butcher is more versatile than your average assassin, his prey are dispatched via bottle rammed down a throat, temples impaled by a tennis racquet, head battered in with a toilet seat lid and impaled on a wall by a spear. After that things get gruesome. Anyway a teen girl Millie switches bodies with the Blissfield Butcher, the McGuffin being an ancient Aztecan dagger which is cursed (naturally). Some good scenes with both appreciating the differences in their body strength, the now male Millie being able to bash a bully and the female Butcher finding it more difficult to subdue male victims. Some wry sub-textual commentary going on. Nevertheless, victims are subdued and eliminated some deserving it - potential rapists and a bullying teacher, another - a bitchy girl didn't really deserve to be shoved into a cryogenic therapy chamber. Anyway people get bisected by a rotary saw, cut up with a chainsaw to mention a couple of murder methods. More dark comedy than horror despite the graphic violence. There's a subplot about Millie's mother which imho could have been excised allowing the film to come in at 90 minutes rather than it's 100 minute running time. An entertaining romp though. Directed and Co-Written by Christopher Landon. 7/10.

In Cinemas.
 
Fear Street Part One: 1994: I thought this was going to be a Young Adult film with toned down horror, it's anything but tha. just most of the characters are teenst. People are stabbed, slashed with razors, clubbed, and stuck on the head with hatchets; a head is even run through an electric bread slicer A Witch has cursed Shadyside after she was hanged in 1666 and ever since she has returned to possess Shadyside residents to turn them into mass killers. After the Witch's grave is disturbed she reanimates many of the mass murders sending them after a target but they also slay others. Ful of thrills, (blood) spills and shocks but also a love story and a tale of rivalry between two towns (think Springfield and Shelbyville). Directed & Co-written by Leigh Janiak based on the books by R. L. Stine. First of a Film Trilogy. On Netflix. 8/10.
Sounds like an episode of Eastenders 2023.
 
Fear Street Part Two: 1978: The survivors of part one regroup, one of them is possessed. They visit the lone survivor of the 1978 massacre who relates her tale. A story about bullying kids at a Summer Camp who accuse one teen of being a witch; camp counselors of varying commitment (some just want drugs & sex) and the camp nurse is the mother of a child who carried out the previous massacre (in a chain of such killings going back to 1666). The nurse goes crazy and attacks one of the counselors. The fun begins - once again teen is possessed and runs amok with a hatchet, cleaving heads, decapitating other teens, chopping people to pieces. This is rather dark as many of the characters are in their early to mid teens but the blood runs freely. More of the secrets behind the curse are unveiled in an underground chamber and there are some good subterranean shots of ax attacks and teens lost in the gloom. Once again the rivalry between Shadyside and Sunnyvale is central to the narrative but possessed slashers aren't picky on who they slay. More straight horror than jump shocks, love conquers somethings but not all. Directed and Co-Written by Leigh Janiak. On Netflix. 8/10.
 
Rent-a-Pal (2020) has made it onto Sky and I watched this psychological horror last night.

Set in 1990, lonely 40-something bachelor David has no opportunity for a social life, as he is committed to caring for his elderly mother stricken with Alzheimer's.

In desperation, he turns to a video dating agency, with little initial success.
On day, in the video bargain bin he spots an intriguing video entitled Rent-a-Pal.
Oh dear! It all becomes a prolonged, uncomfortable, but inevitable car-crash from them on.

David's new virtual pal is expertly played by Will "Wesley Crusher" Wheaton, who seems a natural when turning his hand to horror.
The pre-recorded video dialog seems to be uncannily aware, but is there a genuine paranormal event occurring or is it all down to David's increasingly fragile mental state?

No make-you-jump shocks and only a quick flash of body-horror gore, but the film cleverly mixes poignancy with an increasingly unsettling and claustrophobic atmosphere.

They could probably have snipped 10 minutes from the 1hr 48m runtime, but it certainly held my interest until the jaw-dropping conclusion.
A solid 8/10 IMHO.


pal.JPG



https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12274228/
 
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It: The Dynamic Duo, Ed & Lorraine Warren strike again in a tale "based on true events". 1981, an 8 year old boy is possessed, some great effects as he contorts, transforms, stabs and attacks people, even poor Ed has a heart attack. However the Demon jumps into an older boy, Arnie. Unconscious Ed can't tell people this and the Demon tricks Arnie into stabbing his boss, believing he is a monster. As Ed starts to recover a quest begins to have Arnie found not guilty due to Demonic possession. Great fun as they consult a retired Priest who spent years combating a Satanic Cult - The Disciples Of The Ram. Satanic totems are found hidden and more cases of proxy murder by Demonic trickery are uncovered. Flashbacks and dreams/visions are well handled as are the gruesome murders. All hokum but entertaining hokum and this episode of the franchise uses quite a bit of Folk Magic and tends towards the Folk Horror end of the spectrum. Directed by Michael Chaves from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. 7/10.

While I enjoyed TCTDMMDI, Sharon Hill makes some valid criticisms of it here:

... A great article in Diabolique magazine by Robert Skvarla details how the latest Conjuring movie again misrepresents a case the Warrens were involved in. The death at the center of the case is not a mystery. Yet the movie depicts it as a case of demonic possession. As with several other supposed cases of demon possession, the victim is suffering from mental illness. ...

In this situation, portraying the Warrens as heroes enhances the belief that they were doing righteous things. Though these movies do not resemble the real story whatsoever, those with preexisting beliefs in demon possession will see their worldview supported and enhanced.

I don't agree that increasing belief in demon possession is good for modern society. The more the Warrens legacy is exposed as the awful thing that it is, the better.

https://sharonahill.substack.com/p/deceptive-and-lucrative-fake-animal
 
A Classic Horror Story: Southern Gothic but this film is set in the South of Italy and the Gothic shades into Folk Horror. There are elements of pastiche here as several tropes are mixed - a group of people who are car pooling get involved in a crash, when they come to they are in their camper van but it's in a forest clearing. Nearby is a deserted house, in it they find pictures of a Pagan cult who worship three knights who helped them in a time of famine. But there is also evidence of savage rituals, in a mini-Wicker Man they find a girl whose tongue has been cut out. Then the fun begins, hordes of cultists wearing bark masks and animal masks act out the ritual. some very disturbing scenes as ears are cut off, eyes cut out and sacrifices made as a full size Wicker Man appears. There are influences here from the Wicker Man, Midsommar and a 1975 film Race With The Devil but ACHS has it's own strengths and puts it's own stamp on things. The film takes a strange turn and their are plot twists which sends the narrative off in an even more bizarre direction as we get into the territory of Meta-Horror. While this might not be a classic it's well worth watching. Co-Directed/Co-Written by Roberto De Feo and Paolo Strippoli. On Netflix. 7/10.
 
Fear street Part Three: 1666: So we go back to the very beginning, 17th Century life is re-imagined in the Village of Union, bringing The Witch to mind. The local teens party, a few of them daringly enter the hut of a reclusive widow and see a book of magic but are chased out. Two of the girls are lovers, something which is anathema in those days. The next day adversity strikes Union, food rots, animals die, the well is poisoned. But worse is to come. the preacher Cyrus Miller is Possessed and kills twelve children, plucking out their eyes and his own. he is swiftly dispatched with a pitchfork. Hysteria then takes over the settlement. The two lovers, Hannah and Sarah are accused of being witches, the events in The Crucible are an exemplar of justice in comparison to what occurs here as the mob are consumed with bloodlust. Again disturbing scenes of horror predominate over jump scares. it's how the pile of eyes on the floor are presented, a severed hand, hanging, the incremental scenes adding up to a sense of existential dread. Secrets are revealed, what really brought the curse down on the community and why it has echoed through the centuries. The film returns to 1994 for the denouement and another battle royale with the serried ranks of reanimated mass murderers. Directed and Co-Written by Leigh Janiak. On Netflix. 8/10.
 
A Classic Horror Story: Southern Gothic but this film is set in the South of Italy and the Gothic shades into Folk Horror. There are elements of pastiche here as several tropes are mixed - a group of people who are car pooling get involved in a crash, when they come to they are in their camper van but it's in a forest clearing. Nearby is a deserted house, in it they find pictures of a Pagan cult who worship three knights who helped them in a time of famine. But there is also evidence of savage rituals, in a mini-Wicker Man they find a girl whose tongue has been cut out. Then the fun begins, hordes of cultists wearing bark masks and animal masks act out the ritual. some very disturbing scenes as ears are cut off, eyes cut out and sacrifices made as a full size Wicker Man appears. There are influences here from the Wicker Man, Midsommar and a 1975 film Race With The Devil but ACHS has it's own strengths and puts it's own stamp on things. The film takes a strange turn and their are plot twists which sends the narrative off in an even more bizarre direction as we get into the territory of Meta-Horror. While this might not be a classic it's well worth watching. Co-Directed/Co-Written by Roberto De Feo and Paolo Strippoli. On Netflix. 7/10.

Watched it last night - on your recommendation.

Wasn't initially too impressed as, it clearly plundered many ideas from dozens of other horror movies but - when the big reveal is made, it all made rather clever sense!
Glad I watched the extra bit after the titles had run. Cheeky and inspired.
A solid 7/10 in my book.
 
Werewolves Within: not often you see a film that lives up to its trailer, but this did, it was great! Really funny, solid mystery premise (guess the werewolf - if there is a werewolf, that is), even makes you think a bit. Highly recommended, the cast was excellent too.
 
Escape Room (2019): The deaths of five Polish girls in an Escape Room tragedy might have cast a pall on this film but instead it is referenced in a newspaper headline read by one of the gamers. We have the standard set up: six people make their way to the Escape Room venue, some having to solve puzzles to get their invites. While the progress of the film could be predicted, the game/room scenarios are innovative, perhaps an improvement in style rather than substance. Some rather cruel, indeed nasty deaths involving characters you may have bonded with. The reason why this particular group have been invited to participate in the game is an interesting if not original reveal, it comes after a few red herrings have been set loose.

Good acting from Taylor Russell as an introverted student, Deborah Ann Wool as a traumatised ex-marine and Logan Miller as an underachieving slacker. Director Adam Robitel delivers a good Horror/Thriller with a few shocks and scares. 7.5/10.

Escape Room: Tournament of Champions: Zoey (Taylor Russell) and Ben (Logan Miller) survived the Escape Room but no one believes them about what really happened, therapists try to explain it away. Frustrated they go the derelict HQ of the organisation behind the Game. They are tricked into boarding a subway train and their carriage is separated and crashes, then it becomes an Escape Room which is electrified. Their four fellow travelers also survived previous Escape Room events. While it's all bunkum, it's enjoyable bunkum as they traverse the Rooms. Going through ban halls and vaults, dodging lasers which cut, reaching a beach which has quicksand traps. Again characters are sacrificed, so don't get attached to anyone, they might just melt away in (acid) rain. The tension is maintained throughout and the narrative advances at such a pace that you don't have time to stop and think about the non sequiturs and plot holes. Just enjoy it! Directed by Adam Robitel from a script by Christine Lavaf and Fritz Bohm. 7/10.

In cinemas.
 
Escape Room: Tournament of Champions: Zoey (Taylor Russell) and Ben (Logan Miller) survived the Escape Room but no one believes them about what really happened, therapists try to explain it away. Frustrated they go the derelict HQ of the organisation behind the Game. They are tricked into boarding a subway train and their carriage is separated and crashes, then it becomes an Escape Room which is electrified. Their four fellow travelers also survived previous Escape Room events. While it's all bunkum, it's enjoyable bunkum as they traverse the Rooms. Going through ban halls and vaults, dodging lasers which cut, reaching a beach which has quicksand traps. Again characters are sacrificed, so don't get attached to anyone, they might just melt away in (acid) rain. The tension is maintained throughout and the narrative advances at such a pace that you don't have time to stop and think about the non sequiturs and plot holes. Just enjoy it! Directed by Adam Robitel from a script by Christine Lavaf and Fritz Bohm. 7/10.

In cinemas.
Is this not just another play on the 'final destination' theme?
 
Fear street Part Three: 1666: So we go back to the very beginning, 17th Century life is re-imagined in the Village of Union, bringing The Witch to mind. The local teens party, a few of them daringly enter the hut of a reclusive widow and see a book of magic but are chased out. Two of the girls are lovers, something which is anathema in those days. The next day adversity strikes Union, food rots, animals die, the well is poisoned. But worse is to come. the preacher Cyrus Miller is Possessed and kills twelve children, plucking out their eyes and his own. he is swiftly dispatched with a pitchfork. Hysteria then takes over the settlement. The two lovers, Hannah and Sarah are accused of being witches, the events in The Crucible are an exemplar of justice in comparison to what occurs here as the mob are consumed with bloodlust. Again disturbing scenes of horror predominate over jump scares. it's how the pile of eyes on the floor are presented, a severed hand, hanging, the incremental scenes adding up to a sense of existential dread. Secrets are revealed, what really brought the curse down on the community and why it has echoed through the centuries. The film returns to 1994 for the denouement and another battle royale with the serried ranks of reanimated mass murderers. Directed and Co-Written by Leigh Janiak. On Netflix. 8/10.
Cool.
 
Blood Red Sky: Don't skyjack a jet when there's a Vampire on board. But how were they to know; the woman presented as suffering from leukemia. Also if you're going to hijack a plane for complex reasons carry out rudimentary checks to ensure that none of your gang members are psychotic. Bookended by scenes at an airport when the compromised jet has landed, the flashbacks tell a tale of horror. The Vampire is well imagined when she reveals herself, savage looking and acting, but it's mostly a controlled violence. As she clashes with the hijackers some of then turn. The jet becomes a battleground from ducts to the cargo hold through to the cabins and cockpit. Not so much jump shocks as sheer terror of being trapped in a tube at 40,000 feet. The vampires back story is revealed in nested flashbacks. Good Horror Thriller. Directed/Co-written by Peter Thorwarth. On Netflix. 7/10.
 
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