Favorite Reality Manipulation Films

I did a re-watch of the film Resolution recently and really enjoyed it. I was giving it a mulling over and realized that I love films where this sometimes sad little reality of ours is turned on its ear and shaken a bit. The day to day horrors replaced by severe changes that no one expected. While I wouldn't want this to happen to me, I love the idea that there might be something more - something drastically different in the world.

Ghosts, paranormal happenings, UFOs....they all get me happy.

So, for this round of lists, I'm going with my favorite reality manipulation films. Films where things start off one way and get...strange.

(All synopsis texts are from IMDB)

Blood Punch - I love where this went
A young man is lured into a dangerous love triangle that begins to take a series of shocking and grisly supernatural turns.



Cabin in the Woods - Some fantastic writing and a fun idea
Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin, where they get more than they bargained for, discovering the truth behind the cabin in the woods.



Resolution - Pairs nicely with CABIN IN THE WOODS. Something strange is going on
A man imprisons his estranged junkie friend in an isolated cabin in the boonies San Diego to force him through a week of sobriety, but the events of that week are being mysteriously manipulated.



Berberian Sound Studio - A very Alice in Wonderland journey into madness
A sound engineer's work for an Italian horror studio becomes a terrifying case of life imitating art.


Coherence - Dude...just...whoa...
Strange things begin to happen when a group of friends gather for a dinner party on an evening when a comet is passing overhead.



Timecrimes - A fun offering from overseas. A great story
A man accidentally gets into a time machine and travels back in time nearly an hour. Finding himself will be the first of a series of disasters of unforeseeable consequences.



John Dies at the End - A really fun and imaginative ride!
A new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: some people return no longer human. Can two college drop-outs save humanity from this silent, otherworldly invasion?



Time Lapse - Stick with it. It's a slow burn, but was worth the trip
Three friends discover a mysterious machine that takes pictures twenty-four hours into the future, and conspire to use it for personal gain, until disturbing and dangerous images begin to develop.



Identity - Just yes. 
Stranded at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rain-storm, ten strangers become acquainted with each other when they realize that they're being killed off one by one.




Plus One - Doppelgänger goodness
Three college friends hit the biggest party of the year, where a mysterious phenomenon disrupts the night, quickly descending into a chaos that challenges their friendships - and whether they can stay alive.

Triangle

Amazing WTF-ness!!!   I loved this one! 

Have others that should be on this list? Let me know! I'd love to see them. Maybe I missed one I've seen before.

Freddie Francis

A friend of mine recently sent me a link to a wacky little vampire spoof called The Vampire Happening. aka Gebissen wird nur nachts









(The trailer is NSFW - there are breasts EVERYWHERE!)


 


I see that the Director on the film is Freddie Francis and I jump over to IMDB to see what other goofy movies this guy did. Now, mind you, I'm not a name person. Tell me your name and it takes me a few times to remember it. Artist brain. :) So, I didn't place Mr. Francis' name. Not until I saw his filmography.

WHOA!


Francis was NOT who I thought he was. This was no one shot, "boobie movie" Director with two films to his credit. He's one of the biggies in genre film direction in my book. Many of the 60s and 70s drive-in style horror nuggets I loved as a kid were directed by him. DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS, NIGHTMARE, THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, GIRLY (what a fun, strange little film), TALES FROM THE CRYPT, THE CREEPING FLESH and TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS were all loved by me growing up. But, his direction wasn't the only stand out aspect of Mr. Freddie Francis.



Francis was a cinematographer as well. An Oscar winning one at that. He won for SONS AND LOVERS in 1961 and GLORY in 1990. His award list rolls on and includes several BAFTA nominations as well. He was also the Cinematographer on THE ELEPHANT MAN!

So...go figure! It turned out that Freddie Francis was one of my favorite directors and I didn't even know it! Take a look at some of his work when time allows. Just make up a big bowl of popcorn and take in some of his 60s and 70s goodness. They are a lot of fun!

HALLOWEEN LIST 2012: VAMPIRES

Vampires. Vampires that are designed for adults, not teen girls. Now, there's nothing wrong with Twilight-pires that glisten...if you're a romantic, a teen, or just have that sort of taste for film. But, the Twilight-pires are not made for the likes of THE HORROR SHOW. No my friends, we have stronger tastes. A taste for lust. A taste for blood. Maybe a little more lust, I dunno.

And...to the list!

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Blade
If you like vampires, you've already seen this film. But, re-watch it.
Half human, half vampire killing vampires? Yes, please!



Vamp
The wondrous Grace Jones leads a pack of vampires and uses a strip club as perfect honey to catch their flies - men. This pre-dates FROM DUSK TILL DAWN by ten years.



30 Days of Night
Alaska is the perfect spot for vampires during the long, dark winter.



Near Dark
Vampire with western / trailer park undertones. A fantastic film by Kathryn Bigelow.



Twins of Evil
Sexy, dubbed twins find out that their uncle is a witch hunter. One good, one naughty - the twins soon find out the real threat to the town is a vampire. Hammer Horror goodness!



Thirst
An epic vampire film from South Korea. This film is a prize and must be seen. Park Chan-wook's masterful direction and the acting of Song Kang-ho and Ok-bin Kim are pure gold.



The Vampire Lovers
The delicious Ingrid Pitt stars in this little lesbian love triangle vampire tale. Another Hammer Films classic. It's slow, but filled with great scenes and lusty feelings.



The Hunger
Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie and Susan Sarandon. BOOM! Slick, stylish vampire lives.


Salem’s Lot
This made for TV King based film is rather great. Now, it's dated in parts, but the story is solid and there are some scares throughout. Well worth a view.



From Dust Till Dawn
A strange and fun film. Half of the film plays as a crime story and the other half vampire fights in a bar. Add Tarantino and Clooney and you get gold.



The Night Stalker
The beginning of Carl Kolchak's adventures chasing monsters. The reporter tracks down a killer...who's a vampire. I could not find a trailer, but this promo will give you a taste! :)



Let the Right One In
The original Swedish version of the film. Oscar is bullied and alone...until he meets the cold and mysterious Eli. The cold, Swedish landscape is as chilling as Eli's thirst for blood and company.



Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
Ok, Kids, I know...I know...Buffy was a TV show you watched. But, back in the EARLY days of film, it was a movie. Like, one you saw in a theater. :) This is a solid film worth seeing.

HALLOWEEN LIST 2012: THE UNDEAD

"When there's no more room in hell, the dead will appear in every horror film and studios will try to cash in on the word zombie whenever they can."  Malcolm Johnson  :)

UNDEAD

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I have to say, I'm somewhat tired of zombies and the undead. When you start seeing ELLEN mentioning zombies or they appear on children's t-shirts, it's time to pack it up and put it away. :)
However, there are certain nuggets that I find myself returning to time and time again - usually around midnight...in the dark....curled up in a comfy chair.

If you've missed some of these, check them out at once. If you have a favorite, let me know in the comments section. I won't bite...






Undead
The dead downunder. Wacky, Peter Jackson style madness.A unique and fun film.


 

Shaun of the Dead

The pinnacle of  modern horror comedy. Zom-Rom-Com.

REC and REC2

The undead ravage an apartment building in Spain. Shocking. 

Return of the Living Dead

Some blissfully awesome undead, gory comedy from the 80s. 

Braindead

Splatter-gross dead from the twisted mind of Peter Jackson.

Cemetery Man

Nightmare meets madness in this horror romance from Italy. 

Planet Terror

Robert Rodriguez brings his spin to grindhouse dead. So good. 

Doghouse

The battle of the sexes with a UK comedy twist. It's no Shaun, but it's trying hard to be.

Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things

A favorite of THE HORROR SHOW from the 70s. Slow pace. High creep factor.

Versus

Asian zombie sword swirl with a dash of WTF?! Good, bloody battles.

Dead Snow

Dead Nazis rise from the snow and RUIN a groups mini-vacation. (Norwegian)

ZombiE

Italian classic. 1979 goodness from director Lucio Fulci. Main thing: SHARK VS ZOMBIE!

Dead and Buried

An interesting look at the undead, this film is packed with atmosphere and has a great story.

Pontypool

"The thinking man's zombie film". This takes place in one location and plays like a play. Fantastic.

La Horde

Step One: Remove brain. Step Two: Enjoy! This wild ride is packed with...everything, really. Great!

The Dead

A return to the ultra slow moving zombie film, THE DEAD takes place in the vast expanse of the African plains. Suspense and character based, this film rolls along nicely.