I remember watching back in the day. It was on SHOWTIME or some such and I had to see it. I looked cool and, I must admit, I thought Amy Irving was gorgeous. :) De Palma? ::shrug::: Director? And I saw Kirk Douglas in all my Mom's old bible movies, right? But....Amy....she was CUTE.
:)
Two years after CARRIE, we have another mind control, telekinesis story with X-FILES undertones. Amy and Andrew Stevens have mind powers. They can make things happen. And certain people want that kind of power on their side. Douglas plays the Father of the boy (Stevens) and John Cassavetes plays another seeking these mind power folks out.
All in all, it's grand, 70s horror fair - biting CARRIE's style here and there, but...you know...it's friggin De Palma. CARRIE was his, too. :) It's a fun flick if you can find it. NETFLIX has the disks.
Funny - I wonder when they'll remake this one. Might be cool to see, actually.
I just saw a FANGORIA tweet about a new giallo called SONNO PROFONDO (Deep Sleep) and I have to say that after watching the trailer, it's very clear that someone knows their giallo history! Some great nods to Dario Argento and Mario Bava in here. :)
The films director - Luciano Onetti - only has this film under his belt as Director, but it seems like he may have a solid start based on what I've seen here.
I think everyone should make an effort to see the film and support his efforts!
The folks over at Tirana Films passed me the latest and greatest trailer and images for their upcoming feature CRYING WOLF and I have to say that I'm excited about seeing it. We're not talking "mega-blockbuster-horror" here. We're talking "they love horror" here and that shines through in the trailer. There's a heart and soul to this feature and it has a style and look that I find very appealing.
Now, let's really look at this trailer and what it offers. Fans of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, UNDEAD, DOGHOUSE, or more specific werewolf films like AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON or THE HOWLING should be able to appreciate this effort. You can see that the filmmakers are not dealing with AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF budget, but that they are all in and really trying to present something that will entertain. It's working for me for sure. The acting stands out for me. I want to compare Crying Wolf to many other films right now, but I don't want to bash the others due to the new HORROR SHOW policy and standards for reviewing. (If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.) Suffice it to say that I've seen many films of late that don't have this level of talent. This crew seems to be all in when they are working their roles. The way the film was shot is getting me more excited about this production. This doesn't look like they broke out a single Lowel light kit, a Sony HD pro-sumer cam and a prayer. There is some attention to framing and lighting here and makes me very happy. The color and picture quality takes this film to the next level.
And they have some good old "werewolf human" practical effects going here. Prosthetics and real world effects work with some light computer work tossed in for flavor. That makes me happy as well. I love seeing this sort of effects work in film. (Why Greg Nicotero makes me so happy with THE WALKING DEAD - not a lot of CGI work) I'm a sucker for a biped werewolf. It's why I love the Howling wolves better than David in AMERICAN WEREWOLF. I love seeing this style of wolf growling around. :) And lastly, they look like they are having a damn good time making the film and that energy is coming through in spades. It takes me back to a happy time for me. That time back in the 80s or so where people were excited about making films and really trying to not only get something on film, but to make people excited and happy that they watched the film in the first place. The golden time for me where my "internet" was Fangoria Magazine which I would buy religiously and read from cover to cover until the next issue would come out. I wish these folks well and I hope that I'm on the short list when it comes to announcements in the future. I can't wait to get my soda (...or whiskey, depending on the time of day....:::grin:::), my popcorn and snuggle up with this good ole werewolf flick. BRING IT ON! I'll be looking for Tony Jopia's CUTE LITTLE BUGGERS as well!
Feel free to toss me a screener, Mr. Jopia - I'll review it with gusto! :) I really want to see this film. It just looks like tons of fun.
CRYING WOLF:
"From the director of Deadtime and the greatly
anticipated comedy horror Cute Little Buggers Tony Jopia, comes the
British comedy horror Crying Wolf.
Produced by Tirana Films
International and Great Dayne Entertainment, ‘Crying Wolf’ stars
Caroline Munro, Gary Martin, Joe Egan, Kristofer Dayne and Ian Donnelly.
Due
for release in 2014, the comedy horror movie, ‘Crying Wolf’ starts its
tale in the small village of Deddington where prankster Andy is bitten
by a werewolf that kills his friend Charlotte. Andy tries to warn his
friends, but winds up turning them into a pack of werewolves. Enter a
pair of hapless journalists doomed to a grizzly end, then add a pair of
hard boiled vigilantes hot on the heels of the werewolf pack and before
you know it, everyone’s ‘Crying Wolf! during a bloody camping holiday in
the Cotswolds."
Ok...I need to hunt this down. It looks like it's going to be fantastic.
Again, the BBC is presenting some quality programming (even though it is another zombie undertaking...so to speak. :::grin:::) with it's series IN THE FLESH .
If you've seen COLIN, you might dig it. It has a very cool look and feel with a post-human sadness to it.
Sooooo....who else is super excited about S-VHS?!?!?! Honestly, I was sad about the negatives being bantered around by some about both V/H/S and THE ABCs OF DEATH. Here we finally have some people trying to do something new and interesting in the horror realm and people railed against it.
But, as my wife says, people LOVE to hate things. Especially in this antiseptic, hidden world of the internet. Look at any site where people can put up photos or videos and you'll have a group loving them and another group ripping them apart. I guess that's why we live in America, right? :)
ANYWAY, give me more of this goodness any day! It's right up my ally and so much fun to watch.
This round features the directors:
Simon Barrett (segment "Tape 49") Also featured in V/H/S and ABCs of Death
Even more nuggets of nasty in this EVIL DEAD Redband Trailer #2. BE WARNED! This is not something for work, kids or the squeamish. It's for fellow, hard boiled horror fans.
More gore and violence and nastiness seems to be in order for this remake. More of everything. It's nasty and mean and gruesome. But, will it fly?
I can see the choice to make things WAY over the top with this and, honestly, I can't wait to see it. The original is still near and dear to my heart. Taking things in a more violent and gory space will help to separate it from it's predecessor. But will the gore-fest drive people towards the film or away from it?
The backlash seems to already be starting. Groups up in arms about what they see in the trailer. This sort of thing often drives people to see the film - the only one's being driven further away usually being those who would not see the film anyway.
I REALLY liked this low budget little nugget! Story comes first. Acting second. Then everything else you want in a good scare picture – effects and monsters and creeps. To me, that is a success. Tossing blood around the screen for 70 to 90 minutes takes no skill. Jump-scares are a bore. But, if you tell a good story and have some acting talent behind you, you can tell a good, creepy tale and have it really get to people.
Not quiet a “zombie” movie, but it does have some zombie movie aspects to it. A fun little rat disease picture, MULBERRY STREET delivers some good old movie fun and some people you actually want to see live through the movie. Check it out, keep the lights low and make sure your feet are up off the floor......
Now here is something I can get behind wholeheartedly. I may have to organize some sort of group gathering to ensure that I am surround with like minded folks when I go to see this in the theater. Seeing V/H/S in a theater with about eight other people was quaint, yet sad. More people needed to see the fun, return to horror horror that is V/H/S!
When I originally heard about ABCs, I was so very happy. 26 crazy shorts by 26 crazy folks in one crazy film sounded fantastic to me. But, then I started to wonder if it was all going to come together properly. Was it going to be too much? Would things be varied enough to remain interesting?
After seeing this trailer, I think the answer is that this film is going to be a weird, roller coaster ride through a sick and strange, ever changing landscape of horror! I can't wait!
The idea is simple. 26 directors. 26 ways to die. A through Z. Some Directors were asked to make something and others submitted ideas to be voted up or down. It was a fun and interesting way to compile an anthology film together.
I've been sitting on the WORLD WAR Z trailer and watching it every other day or so to see if I could get a little more excited about the project as a whole. Turns out I can, but just a bit.
The World War Z novel was fantastic. The story was rich and powerful and was based in a reality that sold it 100% for me. It was a disaster novel more than a zombie novel. It happened to have zombies instead of nuclear war or plague as it's base. It was a "people over trauma" story that did a fantastic job speaking to humanity pulling together to overcome. We got to hear stories from all over the world. We got to see what happened in various areas and how they made it through. We got to hear personal stories about individuals taking on the worst natural disaster since the dinosaurs were wiped off the face of the Earth.
Unfortunately, the trailer makes this look like Brad Pitt overcoming being away from his family.
Now, the only reason I choose to do a little WWZ bashing here is that trailers usually make things - even the worst drivel to shame the silver screen - look like it has promise. The DAY OF THE DEAD remake trailer sold me on the chance that it might be watchable without wanting to spit at the TV every five to ten minutes. But the WWZ trailer managed to make me less excited about this movie than the news of it being a big train wreck of a project already had. How did that happen?
Now, I have not made a movie. Not even close. I manage to hack out these little articles that a handful of people read at best, so I'm not going to sit and do the classic "well, this film is going to COMPLETELY SUCK! I would have done..." thing. That's silly. Armchair critique is not my forté. :)
However I will say this - forgive me in advance.
I can take the Pitt-centric nature of the trailer. The drama. The family stuff. All of it. But, I wish the zombies didn't look like ants. They scramble around and fleet foot it down streets and up in piles and it's so distracting! It's just a personal thing. It reminded me of 3D in video games from years ago. We were wowed back then, but now it seems juvenile. It was a funny choice to make.
That being said, I think that the trailer looks beautiful overall. There are subtle things within it (if you look carefully between the cuts of Pitt :) ) where you can see great stuff like explosions that send zombies flying in a ripple wave and the sheer scope of numbers of them on mass. That seemed to match what was said in the book.
I can only hope that this is one of those rush trailers with effects footage that is not 100%. I still remember a large cable attached to Batman as he swoops down into the museum in the Burton BATMAN trailer that was missing in the final film.
Maybe the zombies will slow down a bit and look a little more human and a little less insect-like in the final product.
Either way...I'll still see this on the big screen. :)
This fan made trailer seems to have hit the mark more than this Pitt Epic, however. Nice job finding and chopping scenes from various zombie films into one, WORLD WAR Z trailer.
Are you the type of person that gets grossed out by the idea of parasites slithering around in your insides? Of the camping out inside you? Maybe even controlling your actions?
Well, you're going to LOVE this list.
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Growth
Gross out body horror your thing? You're going to love this one.
The Faculty
Parasitic invaders start their takeover of the planet Earth at a high school...starting with the faculty. Did we mention that this was directed by Robert Rodriguez?
The Stuff
You think you're eating THE STUFF...but the STUFF...is eating...you.
Slither
More alien worms from space. James Gunn directs this gross out, sci fi, comedy horror gem that doesn't fail to serve up the giggles along with the creeping terror of spaceworms trying to slake their way into your body.
Night of the Creeps
More space parasites? Yes, please. 80s horror gold. Squirming aliens that take over your mind and make you into zombie. Above average effects work and some good, messy fun.
Parasite
What do you get when Demi Moore appears in an alien stomach-burst rip off from 1982 with lots and lots of gory splatter in 3D?
Pure awesome.
The Stuff - Enough Is Never Enough
This list needs more things on it. What's YOUR favorite parasite film?
Leave a comment!
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.
Hill House has caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people over the years. It rattles the soul and jars the nerves. Some people never leave Hill House...alive.
It started back with The Haunting of Hill House (1959) by Shirley Jackson. The story involves a scientist and three "research assistants" spending time in old Hill House looking into the things that go bump in the night there.
THE HAUNTING (1963) was a film based on Jackson's book. The film is rather well done. A simple, yet effective "Old, Dark House" tale directed by Robert Wise (The Sound Of Music, West Side Story, Run Silent Run Deep AND MORE!) and staring Julie Harris, Claire Bloom and Richard Johnson. The film was made before big special effects and gimics, so all the thrills take place in camera with the use of odd angles and zooms and the like. This makes it more enjoyable for me than some of it's other incarnations. It has that fantastic, black and white play-like set up where people interact and exchanges may mean more than their face value. And the scares - a la 1963 - are enough to make you cringe a little. Especially if you put yourself into their shoes. Little things, unseen in the shadows and heard through the walls, add to the atmosphere and the thrills.
Julie Harris is fantastic. She's our main character. We follow her out of her horrible life and into Hill House. We hear her thoughts. We know she's not 100%...balanced. And the poor thing... :)
THE HAUNTING a great, old haunted house film with some good twists and turns within it.
In 1971, Richard Matheson took a pass at the tale with Hell House. Evidently, it's close to the original book, but has more violence and situations of a sexual nature. It makes sense seeing as it was written in the 70s. I think this was more of the take of the film made shortly after Matheson's book was written.
THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE (1973) was the first HILL HOUSE film I saw. It was featured on CREATURE FEATURES and I remember it sending shivers through me a bit as a child. Bob Wilkins assured us that the film was going to be fun and it was. Creepy music and a fantastic old house made this a fave of mine for years.
John Hough was the Director on this film and he holds a little space in my heart for his film ESCAPE FROM WITCH MOUNTAIN. It's funny, he was a Disney guy for a long while, but also directed TWINS OF EVIL and DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY.
Roddy McDowall, Gayle Hunnicutt and Pamela Franklin star and they do a great job bringing the characters to life. The film sports more effects and more thrills. And, more sexual naughtiness as found in films of the 70s. Poor Pamela Franklin goes through quiet a series of mishaps. And the story is fleshed out differently with more mystery behind it in many ways. There's something wrong in Hill House - affectionately referred to as HELL HOUSE - and it involves ghosts for sure. And, more science and more psychics. The team is still the same, but more is made about their abilities and they bring WAY more equipment with them to check out the house. After seeing THE HAUNTING, I'm not sure which I like more - the old, dark house feel or the "There DEFINITELY is a ghost here!" feel this 1973 version has. I think they are both good in their ways, but if you want more punch, this is the version for you.
THE HAUNTING (1999) is fine. It's just...fine. It's a classic example of "more is not necessarily better". You have some heavy hitters in this film. Liam Neeson, Catherine...ZETA-Jones, Owen Wilson and Lili "Nutty" Taylor all do their best with the inflated script and try their best to be scared by the effects, but it's just...too much of everything. Too much attention placed on scares, too many special effects and not enough haunted house simplicity. You move through the movie and are beaten about the face and neck with effect after effect and it's distracting. Of course, if you like your scares generated by a computer, you'll love this film. It managed to take everything I loved about HELL HOUSE and added exclamation points, bells, whistles and fire to them all.
All in all, I put my money on...well, the books first - I plan to pick them up. Books always give a lot more than films. But, see THE HAUNTING, then watch THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE. You'll be happy you did. It's a great double feature!
THE HAUNTING TRAILER
THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE
THE HAUNTING
And, if you've seen the Tarantino / Rodriguez film GRINDHOUSE, you've seen the fantastic parody of the HELL HOUSE trailer. I love it!
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