Wes Craven manages to squeeze out Shocker, before filming more sequels to the Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise. This film is interesting to me on a lot of levels, but the story is ridiculous, so throw your brain out the window for this one.
Shocker is the story of a serial killer who’s eventually caught by a rogue agent, and then is sentenced to die via electric chair. However, before dying he makes a deal with the devil and he stays alive but not in the traditional sense. He is alive only when there is electrical current and he can possess anyone via that medium. The killer than seeks out revenge, but he’s going to have to put up one hell of a fight!
The best part of this film is not the acting, it’s not the story, it’s the instance when the killer and the cop get sucked into the television and they fight across different channels. I always wanted to see this movie when I was a child, but my parents never let me, so once I got older and finally saw it, I realized that this film could’ve been my favorite movie of all time! Seriously, this is better than when James Woods gets sucked into the television, it’s an amazing effort by the visual effects people to create a futuristic, supernatural element to this film.
The effects aren’t exactly cutting edge compared to what we see today, however, they are good for the time and seriously the best part of this classic film. The fights in between television shows are so awesome, that if you haven’t seen this film, you gotta check this mess out. Wes Craven really puts up a great effort in hindsight. Craven has had a lot of missteps, but this wasn’t one of them. The story is convoluted, the acting is subpar, but the idea of an electrical killer and a cop fighting through television stations, that’s what cult classics are made of, and Shocker delivers a great moment in horror film history.
I highly recommend Wes Craven’s Shocker, because it has that piece of special effects history, and well, I’m a sucker for it. The movie is not too scary, although it does have some horror elements, and it is for all intents and purposes a horror film. Check out Shocker at least once, or else you’ll be left behind.
Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.
One of the major categories that I appreciate in horror is blaxploitation, and while some people say that has passed us by, I say it is alive and well. I recently was given a copy of "Black Santa's Revenge" and that my friends is living proof that the Urban Horror market is alive and well.
I'm not black, but I have African American (black) friends and they love horror movies with "brothers and sisters" cast in leading roles. I for one am hoping that people do Mexploitation films because I feel like my people aren't represented well in horror,but I digress.
Here are the Scary Film Blog's top 5 Urban Horror Movies:
5. Blacula - While I haven't done a full review of this one, it's a favorite of mine none the less. This 1972 film is a shining example of taking a good horror formula and making it for an African American audience. I loved it, and I love the sequel, it's a shining example of Urban Horror in an era that would allow you to say a lot more in film, not necessarily show more. There are some lines in this vampire tale that you can't get away with today, because film makers are far more "pc" than I'd like them to be.
4. The People Under the Stairs - This 1991 film really made some great box office hysteria when it came out. I happened to remember fondly going to the movie theater and waiting in line, hearing my friends say stuff like, "I can't wait to see The People Up Under Them Stairs" as if that was the title of the movie. Sure, it's a Wes Craven film but Ving Rhames takes center stage when he has to fight flesh-eaters from beyond! Or if not beyond, under them stairs!
3. Bones - I have no idea how anyone would think that Snoop Dogg is a great actor, but he somehow made his way into a great urban horror movie with this better than expected piece of work. Bones is a 70's gangster movie trapped in a horror package and despite some terrible lines and stupid decisions by the characters in the film, there is a great deal of finesse and care taken to bring you a new scary piece of urban horror. If you haven't seen this one, watch out for Pam Grier, she's still hot.
2. Def by Temptation - I recently reviewed this one, and despite not being a great film, it has a lot of key moments that made me rethink the whole urban horror tag. Samuel L. Jackson is in it, which is one major reason to see it, but there is enough scary points to make you question your own reality. If ever there was a reason why young men should stay away from hot women, it's this one, man, I'm scared of any bar where hot chicks are hanging out. Then again, I'm scared of bars anyways, because I'm a nerd and a horror geek with a crazy imagination.
1. Tales From The Hood - The best of the genre, is not even a new film. This anthology horror film is one of my favorite horror films of all time. It features several stories that will scare you to death. Of course my favorite is the abusive father story as it is something that I had to go through in my life, well stepfather, but still, this movie packs a serious punch and it is worth checking out. If you haven't seen it, you're just missing out on a tremendous opportunity to see some great, slick Urban horror.
There you have it folks, my top 5 Urban horror films. Of course, I've seen far more blaxploitation than the average person, and while there are a lot of films that I could've shoe horned in here, I decided to go with these 5. Obviously, we can argue what is better and what is worse, but since no one really reads this site and comments enough, I'll have to take my list and run with it, until someone comes up with more movies.
NO, Ax'Em is not going to grace my lists, unless I do a "worst" horror movie list. But even Ax'Em with all the terrible things I've seen with it, isn't the worst film ever made...and NO Troll2 isn't the worst either...trust me, you don't want to see what I've seen...because I've seen the worst, worst than you can ever hope to imagine. Maybe I'll do a list later...just not now, I'm going to go and play scrabble (aka words with friends) by myself, because i have no friends.
Earlier this year I was trying to see this film, and just couldn’t get myself to see it. I tried to take a few people, and they kept telling me no, and instead of going alone, I just waited for something out. The movie is the fourth film in the Scream franchise and it brings back a lot of the original cast, and really packs a good punch, even though I couldn’t stand some of the highlights. Scream 4 is a film that will most likely pick up steam later on than now, and while Wes Craven is getting older, he can still create a visual feast, especially with some of the use of lighting, sound, and make up effects.
Scream 4 starts with a few pieces of comedy, making fun of itself and movies of the horror genre in recent years. You will enjoy the writing, and you’ll see the greatness early on, but then the brakes get started. We get thrown into modern day Woodsboro, and our original hero Sidney Prescott is back again. She is on a book tour and has to hit her hometown, and when she arrives, things have changed, but others have stayed the same. We catch up fast with Dewey and Gale, which is quite interesting and sews up swiftly before we get into the main plot point.
The body count isn’t as large, but it happens fast, and it’s interesting to see the use of gore, even if I’m on the fence as to whether or not it was CG or not. The blood and guts found here are fast, and the killer is obviously fast, but not as strong as previous incarnations. You also see that it’s more than one from the beginning. The film then starts to derail towards the mid-point, before it jumps fast and starts taking out anyone that moves. No one is safe here, and we see some sick moments with stabbings going for broke and even the Sidney gets it. My girlfriend didn’t quite nail the villains, and I was completely wrong, but you will find a lot of red herrings here before you get the death.
Scream 4 is somewhat boring at times, but it picks up in the final act. The twist ending was quite good, and I liked it a lot. They don’t pull punches in the final acts, and you’ll be amazed how things pan out, and the final acts are insane, even if it’s a bit extreme. I was just happy that there was no “identity” crisis ending.
Could there be another one in the pipeline? Probably not. This film sums up the Scream series, and it doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for anything else. If Wes Craven makes another Scream, it will have to deal with something outlandish, because at this point, there’s nothing left to be said about the characters in the series. Is it the best in the series? No. I think the second one is best, but the first is an instant classic, and I remember when it first came out, so it has a nice place in my heart. I recommend Scream 4, it is a quick moving horror slasher, and it works well in a sea of PG-13 BS that we get fed on a regular basis.
This month has been a slow month for the site, mainly because I work full time, have a second job, go to graduate school, have a girlfriend, a crazy cat, and just don’t have enough hours in the day to write as much as I want to. Oh and I also write a personal blog, a news site, and a professional wrestling website, all in all a busy schedule of random crap. Well, here I sit down and discuss 5 movies that are in the Slasher genre that you have to buy today. These are my personal favorites, although you might have a set of 5 that you want to buy, but whatever you do, check these out and patronize my sponsors to help me get ahead for a change.
5 Slashers worth buying:
5. Tenebre – An author is haunted by someone that is committing murders much like the book he has written called “Tenebre”, and no one can seem to pinpoint what is going on. In the final sequences we get a twist that is worthy of getting the number 5 spot here. The film takes a long time to set up, but once it gets into full gear, the red blood spills and the movie shifts into an Argento masterpiece. You’re bound to love it, if you’re a fan of Dario Argento or even Bava for that matter.
3. Friday the 13th – Before Jason moved through a variety of different sequels to get revenge for his mother, his mom was terrorizing anything that moved. This classic is the first one of many movies that featured the “slasher” nametag and rightfully so, it’s good, dirty fun.
2. Scream – Wes Craven rewrote the genre and made it self aware and exciting. Scream is still one of my favorite slashers and despite what anyone says or who spoofs it, it still holds up quite well. The action is brutal and the ending showcases a great start to what is one of the best horror quadrilogies ever made. From the first sequences to the end, you will see twists and turns and highlights all around.
1.Nightmare on Elm Street – The movie that made everyone stay away for a long period of time is still one of the beset ever. If you haven’t picked up this film for your collection, then there’s something wrong with you. Freddy is a child molester that is getting back at the people that set him on fire, via their children’s dreams! Wes Craven ignites the genre with one of the most iconic characters of all time.
There you have it folks, 5 slashers that you want to buy today! I know I’m going to get them, well as soon as I make some money; I’m broke at the moment.
Wow, we have passed 100 posts with this one. This is post 101 on this blog and I want to thank all 3 of you readers that have commented and made these last few months in horror movie reviews quite enjoyable. I admit, my reviews aren't the greatest, and this site isn't the greatest, but I'm giving it my best shot to update it daily with news from the horror movie genre and throw in a little science fiction for you nerds out there that are enjoying going through the site. Tomorrow I will be featuring a review on Ice Spiders. With new Entrecard regulations handed down, I'm unable to give out all the entrecard credits, but I can try to send you some...I'm sorry about that.
Chaos is a brutal and coldhearted movie that borrows heavily from “Last House on the Left” only brings the gore and violence to a near x-rating. It is NOT an easy to watch horror, slasher, or cautionary film. You have to have nerves of steel and a really good grasp on reality and fiction to sit through this one.
Chaos follows a similar storyline to “Dee Snider’s Strangeland” but resembles “Last House on the Left” a lot more. The movie is about two girls that go into the woods for a rave, score some drugs, and then are brutally raped and murdered. The rape scene’s are so intense and rabid, that at this point most will turn off their television sets. This is not too unlike the rape sequences in the film “Irreversible” but this is harder and involves mutilation and the camera doesn’t hold anything back. It is a horrible sequence of gore and horror and I wonder if the film maker’s intentions were to make a kink or snuff film because there is a very tight and fine line that the movie follows between what could be real and what definitely isn’t.
**NOTE** Since the movie is out of print, and obscure, there is no suitable trailer for me to put in this review, so just imagine it...via my boring synopsis.
The movie is hard, hard to watch, hard to believe, but is somehow true? The movie goes through a storyline of murder, then revenge, but the ending is something that bugged me greatly. I am always looking for movies where the villain wins, and in this film I get that, but not in a good way. I don’t want to see this sort of victory, and while I want an antagonist victory I don’t want it at the cost of brutality and gore for the sake of gore. I would have preferred a Hollywood hero ending, not this one, this one just seems to kick you while you’re down, considering the levels of gore and rape involved.
The movie is shot in hd but is a lower quality, and most likely was a straight to dvd release.
Why Chaos is scary: The only scary parts of this film are the facts that each year there are rapes and murders that are most likely like the ones depicted in this film. That is not to say that we should see or make films that show brutality as clear cut as shown in Chaos. The scary part is that this film’s storyline could happen, at least the first half for sure. The second half is not something that I would credit with happening, however, if John Wayne Gacy could murder so many kids and bury them under his house for so long, then this story could be rooted in the headlines of newspapers across the nation. This film is scary because of the brutality and reality of such cases.
Chaos steals the main premise of “Last House on The Left” and doesn’t credit Wes Craven at all. If you do end up watching this film, you’re going to most likely not want to watch this during dinner or after a big meal. Even the most diehard horror movie fanatic will not see this movie for anything more than a low budget attempt at snuff or horror pornography. I don’t find a whole lot of merit to this film on an artistic level, but I do understand the freedoms that would allow such a film to be made. Furthermore, I also think it’s a necessary ingredient to the bigger horror movie genre. I just don’t personally find it done well, and overall just don’t like it that much. Sure it was worth watching once, but to own it? I’m not sure if I’m the guy to watch this one over and over again. While it isn’t completely pornographic like “They Call Her One Eye” it’s got enough innuendo and brutality to make me not appreciate it the same way. Plus, this movie was done way better by Wes Craven and I would rather recommend “Last House on the Left” instead of “Chaos”, but you decide for yourself.
For those that have asked, you can purchase this movie by clicking HERE.
Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.
Revenge. It’s best served cold. I’ve always wanted revenge, especially for certain times in my life that I was completely screwed over. However, I allow vengeance to go by without incident, but that’s not what happens in the movies. When you start to look at cinema, you will find that there are a lot of movies that have one thing in mind, revenge.
In my question to see every single movie possible, I have turned my attention to the notion of getting revenge. It may not be a complete genre, but it’s definitely one of the many branches that connects horror movie and scary film aficionados alike. All my lists are a matter of opinion and if you have a differing one, then by all means voice it. If you have such a strong opinion that you absolutely have to let me have it, then write it out in word, and send it to me. I’ll post it. I don’t mind getting hit hard with a differing opinion, just make sure it’s somewhat good.
The best revenge movies are hard to quantify into a simple list, so instead of trying to make a comprehensive option, here are 5 of the best that I could think of off the top of my head. They run through the horror, science fiction, and thriller categories, so don’t throw stones, and see where your favorite lands on my list.
Scream 4
I can already hear the groans and bemoans from fans. However, go back and watch this one. You’ll find that the revenge plot that is sewn up throughout the first 3 movies gets stabbed in the back in this one. Our dear friend Sidney Prescott (the namesake for my cat), is back after ten years. She goes back to her home town for a book signing and all hell breaks loose. The ultimate revenge may not be as cold blooded as the 1970s torture films, but it’s powerful enough to get you involved. I for one loved it, but only after I saw it twice. Perhaps you need to watch it again, and see Sidney take on a new foe in this nice tie up from Wes Craven.
Irreversible
This French thrill ride is one of the best movies in the category. The revenge for a sexual assault is insanity. Showcased backwards, this movie made a lot of people cringe because of the sexual situation inside a tunnel where the camera doesn’t flinch or turn away. It feels real, it makes your heart pound, and the real married couple did one hell of a job “faking” the most brutal sexual assault on camera. There is no clapping here, so don’t get me wrong. The director, Gaspar Noe filmed the revenge sequence in a way to make theater goers sick and disoriented. It doesn’t work that well on dvd, but it is still a heavy movie to watch.
Old Boy
Chan-wook Park blew me away when I first got a shot at seeing this. With several twists and turns, the movie that seemed like it was on rails, fell apart in the third act. A visual display of sick and twisted iconography, the film flows with a certain poetry that Spike Lee can’t possibly top. It’s a hard hitting example of how you can make cinema that hurts your senses, and causes you to think, “what if” more than it should. It’s hard to top Old Boy, so go watch it. If not for the story, than for the incredible fight choreography that happens in the movie.
Death Proof
Quentin Tarantino sure knows how to pay tribute to everything that made the 1970s cool. Sex, violence, revenge, and fast cars. The way the camera moves here, the dialogue, the framing of feet, breasts, lips, and everything that can be sexualized is done with such a swift manner. It’s that type of tight framing that makes Death Proof one of the better revenge flicks you’re going to want to see again. Kurt Russell is badass in this role, and he creates havoc with that stunt car of his. The ending is a bit odd to some, but it’s that iconic 1970s low budget schlock that made guys like Sid Haig famous.
The Punisher
Tom Jane created an iconic caricature in his portrayal of The Punisher. The movie was exactly what you’d expect from a revenge flick, and it was done right. Even though I think the modern day Ennis run made the character look more like Scott Hall. This brutal take on it may get lukewarm reviews, but it had enough gusto to get on my list. Jane loved the character so much he even did a short called “Dirty Laundry”. Easily one of my favorite Marvel Superheroes, The Punisher is no one you want to mess with.
Nightmare on Elm Street
The time is now for the ultimate revenge horror movie you need to throw into your blu ray player one more time, and that’s A Nightmare on Elm Street. You burned the guy alive, and now he’s coming back and he’s not taking any prisoners. As the series kept moving forward it got more comedic, but the roots of the story was about a pedophile that got his revenge after the community burned the guy. Sick huh? Watch it again for the first time and see how Wes Craven came into an iconic series and made Robert Englund filthy rich.
What about your picks? Get on a computer and leave me a comment, buy a movie via the links, subscribe to the feed, and tell a friend, tell your mom, whatever. Jervaise where you at?
What do you mean I missed some?
Django Unchained, I Spit on Your Grave, Serbian Film, Run Bitch Run, Last House on The Left, Deathwish and so many others are easily going to fit here, but this is my blog so I picked some to talk about today. You pick your own and then link me, I’ll comment. Until next time, go watch some movies.
The year was 1972 and a young Wes Craven put out a film that was deemed very scary for the times. It’s true, it was insanely scary for the time. So if we all jump into our time machine and visit 1972. Last House on the Left is a scary movie but at times it doesn’t hold up that well. However, for this review I’m really going to try and fit my mind into the 1970’s rather than reviewing it in modern tone. It’s a very hard thing for me to do, but I’m going to give it a shot, since everyone has either already seen it, read reviews of it, or holds it up to a mantle as a classic.
The Last House on the Left is a movie about a couple of college girls that go out for a party and end up meeting up with escaped convicts who kill them. The plot thickens when they show up at a house where the girl’s parents live, and the parents find out who’s in their house. Last House on the Left becomes an epic revenge film, and despite it’s hokey ending and stupid song structure, it is revered.
Like I said in the initial paragraph of this review, we are going to have to use our imagination a little and head to the 1970’s. 1972 to be exact, and while some of us weren’t born yet, we know enough about the early 70’s to know what its like. Forget Freddy, forget Jason, forget a lot of the movies that have molded modern horror. Horror before 1972 is not too gruesome, and is not as extreme, so with that in mind lets consider the film.
We know from looking back that the film quality could be huge, but for this film the budget wasn’t very high. The acting was also subpar, and while I liked David Hess as our villain, I couldn’t help but note his striking resemblance to several pornographic stars from the same era. Especially looking a lot like a guy from the epic film “Debbie Does Dallas”, I digress. The movie is still higher quality than a lot of the modern straight to dvd movies that we are being sold these days, and the actual execution of the parts to make a whole are well done and feel like a real movie, at times.
The themes in this movie are harsh. We see urination, humiliation, presumed under age molestation and overall exploitation, and for the time this was severely taboo. For a mainstream film to have these themes was a major no-no and Craven paid for it; the film went on to be pawned off by critics as “exploitative trash” and presumably neglected by mainstream audiences. It’s funny, considering that in 1972, the biggest box office draw was “The Godfather”, which was not light on heavy themes. (like a horse head in a bed) For 1972, the imagination of your average adult and teenager was most likely not as desensitized as 36 years later, and the idea of someone molested and killed in the fashion of this film would be downright appalling.
While some might argue that smut was being sold in those days, you will have to remember that Hustler (one of the harder magazines of the 70’s) didn’t come out until July of 1974. But Jorge, some of you might be pushed to interject, didn’t Penthouse come out in 1965? Yes. You’re right, nice observation, Penthouse did start in the 60’s but while it showed genitalia and pubic hair, it did not show penetration, and it did not exploit its models through humiliation, urination, or forced lesbian sexual themes. Nor did it really flirt with bondage, as Craven does towards the end of this film. In fact, the themes in Last House on the Left and hardcore pornography the likes that we are seeing today didn’t even happen until the early 80’s at the very earliest. So these sexual exploitative scenarios are rough on the 1972 through 1980’s modern man. Remember also that home video is not general common place, so if you didn’t see The Last House on the Left in its theatrical run, you probably didn’t get a second or first shot at watching this film until 1975 when Betamax became a feasible way to watch films. Once again derailing the desensitization of culture and allowing bias to reign on what is and what isn’t exploitation and taboo.
Why The Last House on the Left is scary: Some movies are easy to define as scary, and some others aren’t. This falls into the easy category. However, I am going to go a little left of the bulls eye on the scary notion of this film. Yes, it is scary to get abducted by criminals and abused. Yes it is scary to find that your daughter has been killed and yes it is scary to plot revenge. However, the scariest moments of this film are found in the set up.
People fear a police state right now. I am constantly hit by the media about fear. If it is not the media saying that our economy sucks, it’s the leftist idiot next to me saying that Orwell’s 1984 is correct and Big Brother is going to get us. I don’t believe that, I believe more on the side of Huxley’s argument from Brave New World, that we are not going to get taken over, we are going to willingly give up our freedoms. Don’t believe me? Think about the Iphone, the biggest selling phone. It has gps, it has internet, and it’s easily tracked. You willingly give up your freedom for the phone…and no one gives it second thought. That said, consider the police in this film. The police see a weird looking car broken down on the side of the road, and they know that there are criminals on the loose. However, instead of investigating the situation, one officer calmly says “We have better things to do”. Oh really? Police negligence is now a standard in horror films. It seems that the Police never believe that anything is wrong, and it becomes the crux of 80’s horror. (Jason Series, Nightmare on Elm Street Series, Halloween) and of course tribute films: Cabin Fever, Death Sentence, Saw, Dead Silence, and of course House of 1,000 Corpses, each present a familiar stench of police carelessness or disbelief of sorts. None greater than this film’s stupid cops letting escapees go without a warning; the scariest thing to me is not police brutality, but more over the fact that the police might get so tired of people calling them out on things that they won’t help us when we need them, even if it doesn’t look like we need help initially. Sure, some might say that the small move at the beginning of this film isn’t scary, the bigger picture of cops not caring is something that is scary. The subtle negligence of the cops leads to a far scarier world for the women involved and even at the end…a scary moment in film cinema and oftentimes unnoticed by callous reviewers.
The second scary thing in this film is much more subtle then the first. I would like to call this part the “what now” part of the film. The parents exact their revenge, things get out of hand and the police finally show up, but are way too late and stupid anyways, but the parents are left with the “what now” stare as the film closes. What now is right! You got your revenge, you have avenged your daughter’s death, you are a big man right? You’re big, right? NO. You dumb idiot, you are just like them, sadistic in your revenge, horrible in your return of violence to those that harmed you, and that is scary. Human emotional response is so hard to swallow if the implied reaction to losing a loved one is to kill the villain! Seriously, think about that for a moment. If you lose someone to a tragic murder, and actually get them back, you don’t feel justified, you don’t feel good. Do you? I don’t know. The look on the parents faces at the end of the film tell it all, and Craven could’ve done a great deed with allowing the camera to fade and give us a sad musical number at the end. Instead, we get some hokey country song and stupid television show credits. The scary part of the film is how extreme the revenge is. We’re talking about gore, and extreme chainsaw action! This is pre-Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974 by the way) and while we don’t see the overtly gorey situation, your imagination runs forward and you imagine the gore take flight; which is a scary thing on its own. What’s scarier, the gore effects of the actions? Or the fact that these people are so quick to react in this fashion; at no point do they call the cops, they just go for the gusto, and win! But nobody wins, and maybe that’s the broader message.
Now let’s get back to our own time.
Looking back this film is not overtly extreme. It doesn’t show you a lot of gore, it doesn’t give you the whole enchilada (mmmmMMmmm) right away. Seriously, it’s not that bad. We’ve seen far more gore in our recent years than ever before, and by today’s standard this film isn’t that good. It has it’s moments. It gets extremely scary when the lights go out and you have the dad with a shotgun trying to kill the captors! The lighting and shadows of that scene are still stirring after you finish watching the film, and it’s more scary to not see the sequence, then to have it well lit.
The Last House on the Left is going to get a remake, and after seeing the original again, maybe it’s not so bad to get it remade. The film quality is not all there and it really can use an update, assuming they don’t change the script. I wouldn’t mind a frame for frame update like Gus Van Sant’s “Psycho” is. It might not go down like that, but it wouldn’t be so bad if it did. I highly recommend The Last House on the Left. View it twice, once with the mindset of someone that isn’t desensitized by horror, and then again with your modern eyes.
As a bonus, check out the VHS cover of this film. The director of Friday the 13th was a produce on Last House on the Left, just to clear that up. Not bad huh?
Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.
If you rewind time, and put your mind to remembering the mid-nineties you'll realize that the horror landscape was much the same like today. It was dull, it had been played out, and the 80's nostalgia thing was forcing many to hate the genre. Then a little move shook the foundations of horror and it was led by none other than Wes Craven. Looking back, the series isn't exactly a genre bender, but when it first came out, especially this original Scream film, it warranted everyone to take notice, and rightfully so. For some the genre of "slasher" was revitalized, while I just say that it was a nice jolt to the genre, not necessarily a revamping or anything along those lines.
The plot of the film is a classic one, a killer is on the loose and he's targeting teenagers. Inside the film, they are smart teens, horror movie fans and there is a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor utilized to move the plot along. Standout performances from Jamie Kennedy, Henry Winkler, Courtney Cox Matthew Lillard and others made this film rise. Some people will immediately talk about the opening sequence being one of greatness, but I'd like to forward to the ending, or the last sequences. We have a classic dilemma with the main character torn between her boyfriend and the guy who likes her, but hasn't ever had a chance. Oh and of course the reveal of who the killer is.
The gore is here, alongside with sounds. The sounds of the knife slashing might not seem too realistic, looking back, but this was a time when CG blood was not utilized. There are plenty of moments that are sick, but none of the deaths are so outlandish that they don't seem impactful. Sure, one might argue that there are some comedic deaths, but I don't believe they are quite as comedic as some of Craven's other works...say...like in Shocker.
There are no casual sex scenes (at least not like the major ones from the 80's), although there is some teasing. The movie moves fast, and you're never bored, especially with each moving piece getting closer to the climax. As the cliche's start mounting, the smart-ass characters realize that they are living a movie, and start to figure out how to survive...but by then, most are targeted and taken out.
Is Scream a Scary Film ?: Yes.
Yes, it's outlandish. Yes, it seems contrived now. However, in 1996 this film rocked the horror genre, and as a movie it holds up quite well. After watching a lot of Unsolved mysteries last night, I can really say that this film is not too far off. In fact, there are quite a bit of "copy cat" murderers and serial killers out there, and the story here is not too unlikely. Heck, the Columbine murders were blamed on Marilyn Manson's Music! So pop culture and cinema alongside real life slayings is not a far fetched thing.
The scary parts of this film are not found on whether or not it could really happen. It's more so the fact that the character seem to play it straight, at least for a good part. You being to question each one, although some claim they saw the ending coming, I'd beg to differ, you didn't see it coming and if you did, you're lying. The most scary points of this film involves being savvy yet not savvy enough to get away with murder or to survive.
Horror fans, including me, always talk about how ridiculous some of the plots in these horror films are. Yes, we should be running out the door and not up the stairs, we shouldn't have sex or drink when a killer's on the loose, but when you tear away our pride and our self-esteem you realize that in a panic, we'd probably react the same, and that notion is the scariest part of all.
Scream holds up really well. I saw the whole trilogy again and will review the other parts later, but I can say this much; Scream is a classic and is one of the better genre films of the mid-90's horror scene. It's not perfect, and there are points that you can trash, but overall? This is a great point of interest for horror movie fans, and guess what? It holds up really well, all things considered.
The other night I decided to watch Scream 4 again, my previous thoughts on the movie were dry, and devoid any sort of spark. I was in a different place back then, financially better off, just starting to blossom as a grad student, and now look at me! I’m broke, beyond belief, and can’t even afford to keep the lights on in our home. Well, I take that back, they haven’t shut off our lights or other utilities, but it’s headed that way unless this site starts kicking in, so if you have a little bit of money drop me a line sirjorge at gmail dot com and help me literally keep the lights on, I wish that was a joke.
Scream 4 is one of the many movies that I wanted to see in theaters when it came out, but instead found myself sitting on a red painted curb smoking a clove cigarette. I wouldn’t say that I’m an addict, but I miss spending time smoking, it relaxed me. Why is it that such a terrible vice calmed my nerves? At least there’s other smoking options that do the same in these modern times, but that’s for another conversation. Back to the movie, I wanted to see this in person and never did. I finally rented it while I was living in Koreatown and a new relationship was blossoming after my divorce and things in the horror world seemed boring to me. That’s why my review of this film previously didn’t ring true to what I think now.
Suffice to say that I love this movie, far more than I do the original sequels. Now, don’t get me wrong, the original movie is awesome and showcased a revival for Wes Craven after making some cheese ball movies. Albeit, my favorite is still SHOCKER, even though I am alone in thinking that. I found this movie to be stellar on the second viewing and for a lot of different reasons, actually.
I Know That Actor!
That’s right, the actors on my first go around were not that recognizable, at least not the ones that were introduced for this movie. However, that’s not the case now, I definitely spotted people I knew, included TODD from that Canadian cult show about the book of pure evil, and many others. It was then that something started to click, and the popcorn started to pop. This movie is far more entertaining than I originally thought.
The overall movie is interesting on many different levels, with our main character coming back to town in order to sign and market a self-help book on how to get over traumatic events. We then get a struggling writer and now sheriff involved in trying to resurrect her career when serial slayings start to occur. That’s not before getting a lot of self aware rants and raves about the current landscape of horror. All in all the movie flows far better than the previous incarnations, and I absolutely was thrilled with the stellar moments, and even the not so hot moments where Craven decided to pull the camera away for dramatic effect.
All in all, Scream 4 is one of my favorite horror movies to come out in recent years, and that’s say a lot, because I am usually jaded about all of these things. But not today, even though I am a few months away from being homeless, with no career to speak of, I found that this movie let me stop thinking about thing for a few hours. It gets my recommendation, even though no one will agree…so I say. Drop me a line if you have thoughts on the mater, and please, donate by purchasing items through amazon or directly through paypal, I absolutely am in need right now, thank you.
We're on our way out of 2009, and I keep pushing some greater good for you guys, and despite the fact that I have a few people reading this site on a regular basis, no one buys anything and no one comments on anything.
I must be talking to drones.
Whatever the case is, here is what hit my mailbox this month so far:
Craven only directed 2 of the Nightmare flicks. The first one in 84, and the last one in 1994. he had little to no involvement with he rest of the series except for the first script draft for part 3. What amazes is he can make amazing movies like NOES and Serpent and the Rainbow, and then make a total hackjob like Shocker. This feels like ge was trying to make a new franchise to rival what newline turned Freddy into after he left he series... a supernatural vaudeville comedian, but failed miserably to make a horror villian that's at all memorable or interesting. question: if you're a ghost who can switch bodies, why would every new body have the same limp?
I noticed the limp, and I just went with it. The effects were amazing for the time, and despite how ridiculous the film's premise is, it had some nice punches and created a good sense of horror. However, it fails on many levels, but you must remember that this is the 80's at its best. Thanks for the comment.
hmmm, well i myself, being a huge horror movie fan, dont get scared at alot of horror movies ( usually they make me laugh, hmm maybe thats why i like them) and i have being trying to get a horror i was generally scared at. I tried the new Paranormal Activity which i thought was rubbish up till the end, and then Grudge which i must admit have me the chills, then i tried this movie, and it did actualyl scare me! i like the first person idea as it really lets you SEE the zombie things up close all in all i loved it :) but nice blogs m8t
Yeah, the movie was ok. However, I saw REC first, and that movie is a lot harsher. It did have a few jump scenes, that's for sure.
Well, that's it. Only two comments so far this month, despite there being some changes in the rss feed, more updates than you can shake a fist at, and a holiday horror theme that seemed to win people over last year...I guess this year, no one gives a crap.
Happy Holidays, and if you have a comment, make sure to drop by and leave one.
Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.
Horror movies are a delicate topic, especially when you have to talk about things such as rape, strangling, and other things that happen in film that really aren’t for everybody. I’ve been banned from some venues, and advertisers have pulled their ads because I refuse to censor my viewing habits or anything along those lines. I have been writing this site for quite sometime, and despite the fact that I only have around 5 or 6 readers, I still continue to move forward. One thing that has gotten my attention is the fact that there are 5 fan favorite horror movies that get the most attention on this website. I’ve posed over 600 reviews, and despite all t hose posts, these 5 films are the number one draws. They continue to get publicity, and while no one comments on them, they still get a lot of hits.
Here are top 5 fan favorite horror movies as per the Scary Film Review Website logs:
5. Chaos – Chaos takes Wes Craven’s notion of sickness and slasher horror from the 80’s and makes it completely extreme. You will not see a more brutal film that has been released in the United States before or after this one. This film features one of the worst examples of violence on women ever seen, but still manages to have a sense of interesting story. It’s not a gorefest, even though it’s sick and twisted. I feel that it tops Craven and tops most other revenge flicks by ten fold. Too bad more people haven’t seen it.
4. Lifeforce – Space vampires and a video game? This is an amazing piece of film making and Tobe Hooper doesn’t get enough credit. I’m not sure why everyone seems to find it on my site, but I’m glad they do. Space and vampires done quite well is hard to imagine, but it’s done here with such valor that you’ll never see this film on regular tv, there’s just too much nudity. It’s well worth checking out.
3. Pinocchio’s Revenge – This movie is a hard reality about how a Disney and fairy tale idea can get terribly twisted. I liked the Simpsons notion far better, but this one takes it to an all new murderous page. You probably haven’t seen this one, but it’s worth checking out for sure.
2. Ted Bundy – Ted Bundy is an insane romp with a legit scary part of history. This film is sick, only because it’s true to life in many ways. Ted Bundy is an insane killer and wow, perfect subject matter for the Slasher genre, and it’s hard to balance the two. Some of it is in fact fictional, but still, it’s rapidly true in many ways.
1. Basket Case 3 – This film is the third installment in the Basket Case series and quite possibly the most sought after. It’s sick, twisted, and just extreme. The first was awesome, the second was laughable, but this one? Wow, gore and oddities are taken to the utmost degree. You’ll find it humorous and boring, but it will be worth your time.
So there you have it, you have 5 favorites on this blog. You gotta check them out, and possibly buy a dvd.
Alexandre Aja, director of The Hills Have Eyes remake, is the mastermind of this new new horror film starring Kiefer Sutherland entitled: Mirrors. This one opens August 15th and looks creepy as hell. Here is the official Trailer for the film Mirrors:
The synopsis is: A mall security guard becomes wrapped up in a mystery involving a particular department store's mirrors which seem to bring out the worst in people.
It's not look like a bad one, but then again, I wasn't too thrilled with The Hills Have Eyes remake, and felt that Wes Craven's continuous selling out of his old movies are detrimental to his horror legacy. I'll be marking my calendar for this one though, even if critics pan it. I have no clue whether or not Wes is behind the remakes, or is getting cash, but it just seems dumb to remake what is already good.
Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.
Here are all the horror movies that came out this month, and they aren't that bad. Check em out and help out your writer (me) since I still haven't landed my next job. It's tough out here.
Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.
