Movie #3 - La Chiesa/The Church (1989) - Review

Imdb

I went into watching this film because I was on an Argento kick and was trying to devour as much of his work as possible. After watching this, myself and a friend of mine decided we weren't classing this as Argento anymore. It is directed by Michele Soavi, who directed Dellamorte Dellamore, a film I love and so I figured that the combination of two great directors would produce something special. It didn't work for me.

Watching this in the middle of my Argento-a-thon, it just didn't fit. Far from the Giallo style Argento is so amazing at, this is tale of a big Gothic cathedral, built over a mass gravesite, which is developing powers to trap people inside it. It's a fairly bizarre concept and filmed in such a way that I just couldn't get in to it. For starters the pacing was all off; it would cut from action scenes to bizarre, seemingly unrelated scenes for quite some time, then back in for some more of the people trapped in a church. It was jarring and felt confused, and I just didn't take to it at all.

The location of the cathedral and the architecture were brilliant and really lent an added depth to the film, likewise the cinematography and score were both good. The acting was hit and miss and the overall storyline left a lot to be desired, for me. 

It all boils down to personal taste really, and I tend to prefer a more real threat in my movies - a homicidal maniac, a black-gloved killer or a chainsaw-wielding nut are much more up my street than demons are, and so it takes something a little more special than The Church to get me to really love a demon-based horror. 

It's not a terrible movie, but it's really nothing special, and having seen it, I wouldn't bother to watch it again.

The Good: The setting and cinematography were well done

The Bad: It didn't flow right and the storyline didn't captivate me

I'd recommend this for: Anyone who likes demon/spirits in their horror movies and is prepared to wade through some slightly surreal stuff for it

Overall verdict: This one was not for me. In a Giallo or a movie with a more 'traditional' killer, I embrace the surreal - you have to, if Argento is your favourite director. But the concept behind this did nothing for me, and the surrealism and pacing lost me in the end. See it, but I wouldn't rush.

4/10

Movie #2 - Tenebrae (1982) - Review

Imdb

Year of Horror - Movie 2

IMDB

YEAR: 1982

Sub-Genre: Giallo

Director: Dario Argento

Main Cast: Anthony Franciosa (as Peter Neal), Giuliano Gemma (as Detective Germani), John Saxon (as Bullmer),  Christian Borromeo (as Gianni)



Dario Argento is probably my favourite director of all time. His films are like a glorious treat for your eyes, and his storylines are often complicated but always intriguing. In Tenebre, Argento tells the story of Peter Neal, a writer who has come to Rome only to have someone use his novels as motivation for murder. This is one of Argento's most linear and coherent movies, but don't let that fool you - there is plenty going on here, the kills are spectacular and the utter brilliance of the storyline, with perfect pacing thrusting you into the glorious, unexpected, wonderful ending creates a film which is nigh on perfect.

Tenebre, along with Opera, is my favourite Argento film. I cannot recommend this highly enough, everyone who likes horror, hell, anyone who just likes films in general, needs to watch this.

Later in the year I will be doing a collaborative review on Tenebre, which will be very detailed and in-depth. I hope you will read that, but for now, do yourself a favour and watch this film!!!

Why it's wrong to ask: "Should I see the original first?"

Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Carrie, The Evil Dead. All amazing films, and all being remade. I’m looking forward to all of them, and I’m certain they will all be big box-office hits. But one thing that is troubling me about the remakes coming out this year is this; the amount of people who’ve asked me, or just asked in general, if they should see the original first.

Of course, a film can be enjoyed without knowing anything about it. But if you’re asking this question, you KNOW there is an original. You KNOW this film had a predecessor. And what you’re essentially asking is if it’s okay to skip a piece of work that was so good, memorable or otherwise genius that it spawned one or more remakes/sequels, because you can’t be bothered to watch something that’s more than a couple of years old. It’s the same as writing a book report but deciding to see the film instead. You get the general gist of what’s going on, but you won’t develop a love for the material, and you certainly won’t capture the feeling that was so lovingly crafted for the piece.

You might not HAVE to see the original Texas Chain Saw to understand what’s going on in the 2013 version. You don’t need to have watched with delight Ash’s 1980’s shenanigans to enjoy the remake. But to not do so is indicative of a lot of the problems facing the movie industry, particularly horror, today. It typifies the audiences who go crazy over Paranormal Activity 72 but ignore completely anything original or indie, until some ‘trendy’ blogger declares it ‘Must-See!’

You should always see the original first. Without the original, the new version would not exist. Without seeing the original, you can’t possibly get a sense of what the director was trying to achieve with the film, what it meant or the point it was trying to make.

I know some people will disagree with this article, and say that all movies can be enjoyed without context, and I guess at a base level that is true. But what we’re talking about here is laziness, dumbing down and a general disinterest in anything that isn’t ‘now’ or current. Newsflash - some pretty epic things happened before you were born! Just because a film is 30 years old, or it’s in black & white, or it’s foreign doesn’t mean it isn’t worth seeing! In a lot of cases, you will find a film that is so much better than 90% of the films that will be released this year.

Don’t just see things because everyone else is doing it, or they are the new ‘big thing’, forgotten by next year. See movies that are genuinely good, that will make you think, that will frighten you for real and not just give you a cheap jump thrill. Do me a favour and watch the original first. They are classics for a reason.

Update

I've just got back from an amazing holiday in Florida, which is the reason for the lack of updates in the past week. I had an unbelievably fantastic time, and now that I'm back I have A LOT of catching up to do with my films!

So far in 2013 I've seen 5 horror movies:

Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Tenebrae (1982)
La Chiesa (1989)
Sleepaway Camp (1982)
Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)

The reviews for the rest of these films will be up this week, along with the other films I'm planning on watching before next week.

By the end of next week everything will be all updated! And remember to check my twitter - www.twitter.com/HQReviews for current updates on what I'm watching

Cheers!

Beth

Movie #1 - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) - Review

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

Year of Horror - Movie 1

IMDB

1974

Sub-Genre: Slasher

Director: Tobe Hooper

Main Cast: Gunnar Hansen (as Leatherface), Marilyn Burns (as Sally Hardesty), Allen Danziger (as Jerry)

Review:

I wanted the first film I watched as part of my Year of Horror campaign to be a classic, and it doesn't come much more classic than Tobe Hooper's 1974 masterpiece, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The plot is simple; five friends, driving through Texas, happen upon a deranged family, equipped with deep psychosis and chainsaws. What ensues is a desperate fight for survival, one which epitomises horror and provides some truly memorable scares.

The isolation of the setting provides the basis for the chill of terror the audience is going to feel during this movie. We sympathise with Sally; in the middle of nowhere, far away from home and slowly losing her only anchor to the outside world, her friends, she becomes a character we grow to care about and root for.

One of my favourite scenes in the movie is when Leatherface is chasing Sally through the fields outside the house. As sally runs toward you, the fear is palpable; Leatherface is behind her, closing in and all you can do is watch as she becomes closer and closer to her tormentor. The tension reaches fever pitch and then...you know what? You'll have to watch it to find out what happens next! If you've seen this film then you'll know that the ending is just glorious. An amazing, haunting ending that you'll never forget.

With the Texas Chainsaw remake looking like it will be huge, I think this is an opportunity for people who have never seen this movie to turn off the lights, settle down and prepare be terrified. Or at least revel in the utter fear-drenched delight of this film. I'd hate for someone's first experience of Chainsaw to be a remake, good or bad, when, if experienced properly, the 1974 piece of art can become one of your all time favourite horror experiences. If you have seen it before, relive it. Even when you know what's coming, the film is a captivating, enthralling experience.

A truly fantastic film, I'd recommend it to everyone.

Rating

8/10

Trailer

13 Most Anticipated Films of 2013

My 13 most anticipated horror movies of 2013

As the year draws to a close, it is customary to take a look back at the horror we’ve been given over the past 12 months. After you’ve debated your list, and argued with others about theirs, it’s time to start thinking about the new feast of horror that will be hitting your eyes in the coming months.

In the spirit of looking forward, and with my own new year’s resolution in mind (to watch 365 horror movies next year), I bring you the 13 horror movies to look out for in 2013.

These are the movies I am highly anticipating seeing in 2013, and so far, it looks like it’s going to be a good year for horror!

*The release dates and synopsis are from IMDB*


Texas Chainsaw 3D

“Evil has many faces”

Release Date: 4th January 2013
“A young woman travels to Texas to collect an inheritance; little does she know that an encounter with a chainsaw-wielding killer is part of the reward.”

Looking forward to this because:

I love the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It’s in my top 10 horror films of all time, and there’s something I find totally fascinating about the Sawyer family. I have liked all of the different interpretations of their story over the years, some more than others, of course, although Tobe Hooper’s original will always be the best for me. There has been a lot of hype surrounding this sequel and, despite the fact that I’m not the biggest fan of the 3D gimmick, I’m looking forward to meeting up with the family again!




American Mary

“She’s an artist”

Release Date: 11th January 2013
“The story follows medical student, Mary Mason, as she becomes increasingly broke and disenchanted with the surgical world she once admired. The allure of easy money sends Mary into the world of underground surgeries which ends up leaving more marks on her than her so called 'freakish' clientele”

I have heard a lot of good things about this film, and if the Soska sisters’ last effort, Dead Hooker In A Trunk, is anything to go by, this is going to be brilliant. I was gutted I didn’t get to see it at festivals this year and this is probably the film I am most looking forward to seeing.




The ABC’s of Death

“It’s not educational”

Release Date: 31st January 2013
“A 26-chapter anthology that showcases death in all its vicious wonder and brutal beauty.”

This is one of the most interesting horror films to be coming out this year. Anthologies always have the potential to be good, and this one more than most - there are 26 individual chapters, and each has been created by a different director. They were assigned a letter of the alphabet and told to choose a word around which to base a story about death. This alone makes the film sound like one of the most interesting concepts I’ve come across in years. Fangoria called it "a stunning roll call of some of the most exciting names in horror across the world.” and I can’t put it any better than that.



Warm Bodies

“Bros before brains”

Release Date: February 8th 2013
“After a zombie becomes involved with the girlfriend of one of his victims, their romance sets in motion a sequence of events that might transform the entire lifeless world.”

Zombie movies and TV shows are gaining in popularity all the time, meaning that for something to stand out, it has to have a different spin on the genre. I haven’t seen a film based on zombie-romance before, and that might just give Warm Bodies the edge it needs to break away (or walk, arms out-stretched, slowly away)  from the rest of the pack. Also is stars Nicholas Hoult, the once sweet little kid from About A Boy, so the acting should be decent, and it’s apparently loosely based on Romeo & Juliet, which, for a zombie film, should make it a laugh!



Mama

Release Date: 22nd  February 2013
“Annabel and Lucas are faced with the challenge of raising his young nieces that were left alone in the forest for 5 years.... but how alone were they?”

‘Presented by Guillermo del Toro’ is the exclamation that faces you when you research this film, and any film that has a tagline like that was always going to make this list. The guy is a genius, and his backing of this film as executive producer is like a golden seal of approval. The trailer is intense, chilling even, and films with creepy kids are always some of the most frightening for me, not to mention being a speciality of del Toro’s. Mama looks fantastic, and I’m willing to bet it will be gracing people’s top lists of 2013.



Maniac

Release Date: 15th March 2013
“The owner of a mannequin shop develops a dangerous obsession with a young artist.”

A lot of people remember the 1980 original of Maniac, and I’m sure a lot of them never pictured Frodo Baggins Elijah Wood as the psychotic Frank. I certainly didn’t. However, Wood is a quality actor and I’m sure he will give his all in this role, indeed the early reviews are showing that he does manage to pull off his performance as the insane serial killer well. I am a fan of the 80’s version of this film, with it’s tense atmosphere and the great gore it contains, and I only hope that a remake doesn’t mean we lose a lot of the gore. Alexandre Aja proved that he can take a great film and give it a thoroughly decent remake with 2006’s The Hills Have Eyes, so let’s hope he does the same again here!



John Dies At The End

“Just so you know...they’re sorry for anything that’s about to happen”

Release Date: March 22nd 2013
“A new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: some people return as no longer human. Can two college dropouts save humankind from this silent, otherworldly invasion?”

Now, as a general rule, I’m not a huge fan of horror comedy. There’s nothing wrong with it, but I prefer my horror straight-up. I’m just that sort of girl. However, I’ve been impressed by the trailers for this movie, and particularly liked the tongue-in-cheek viral ad warning against pirating it. The early reviews for it are looking goof, and the fact that Don Coscarelli, who directed the 1979 classic Phantasm, was at the helm, makes this one to look out for in 2013



Carrie

Release Date: 5th April 2013
“A sheltered high school girl unleashes her newly developed telekinetic powers after she is pushed too far by her peers.”
“You will know her name”

What to say about this one? Another remake in 2013, Carrie was a film that I loved first time around, and I’m not sure why a remake was really needed. What is good is that it will bring the story to a new generation, and possibly prompt that generation to check out the other adaptations of Stephen King books, virtually all of which I’ve love. That is the reason I’m looking forward to Carrie, King’s stories are so enveloping and entertaining that this has to be good. I hope!



A Haunted House

Release Date: 5th April 2013
“Malcolm and Keisha move into their dream home, but soon learn a demon also resides there. When Kisha becomes possessed, Malcolm - determined to keep his sex life on track - turns to a priest, a psychic, and a team of ghost-busters for help.”
I’ve already made my case clear on my general dislike of comedy horror, but this satire looks set to be a new ‘Scary Movie’, and so I’ve included it, because a lot of people like these sorts of films. Most people I’ve spoken to are looking forward to a bit of light relief with this one, so maybe I should stop being a grump and enjoy it!



Evil Dead

“The most terrifying film you will ever experience”

Release Date: 19th April 2013
“Mia, a young woman struggling with sobriety, heads to a remote cabin with her brother and a group of friends, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads to danger and horror.”
This is the one everyone is waiting for. It really needs no introduction. In 1981 a cult film was born and in April 2013, 32 years after the original, comes the remake. It seems that 2013 will be the year of the remakes, four big ones are in this list alone, and let’s all hope that this one in particular is done well. You don’t need me to tell you that the original is an amazing piece of work, and it looks as though the remake has been made with a love for that film, which has to be a good thing. I’m looking forward to this one so much!


Lords of Salem

“We’ve been waiting … we’ve always been waiting”

Release Date: April 26th 2013
“Residents of Salem, Massachusetts are visited by a 300-year-old coven of witches.”

I am a big Rob Zombie fan, The Devil’s Rejects is, in my opinion, a near perfect film, and I’m one of the people who enjoyed his version of Halloween, along with loving House of 1,000 Corpses. So it’s far to say, I was always going to look forward to this film. A lot of people I’ve spoken to are highly anticipating this one too, and from what I’ve seen I can see this one becoming one of my top 10 for 2013. Let’s review that in 12 months!


World War Z

“Remember Philly!”

Release Date: June 21st 2013
A U.N. employee is racing against time and fate, as he travels the world trying to stop the outbreak of a deadly Zombie pandemic.

This is an apocalyptic end-of-world zombie horror, based on a novel of the same name. I enjoy apocalypse type movies, and this one has been highly anticipated for quite a while. I have high hopes for it, as it has a stellar cast and a good storyline and I think this is one that will be enjoyed by a lot of people.


The Conjuring

Release Date: 19th July 2013
“A family encounters spirits living among them in their New England farmhouse.”

James Wan directed two of my favourite films of the last 10 years, Saw and Insidious and so this ghost tale, inspired by the real life story of a family who claimed they “lived among the dead”, promises to be a creepy hit. Set in the 70’s, two paranormal investigators, Patrick Wilson (Insidious) and Vera Farmiga (Orphan), are called in when strange and unexplained things start happening. The story sounds suitably spooky, and after seeing what Wan did with his last supernatural hit, I cannot wait to feast on this.  


Insidious: Chapter 2

Release Date: 30th August 2013
A continuation of the 2010 horror hit about the fate of the Lambert family and their haunted house.
I was a bit dubious when I heard they were making a sequel to Insidious; I loved this film so much and I don’t want to see the spark it had fizzle out by people trying to cash in on it. I’m going to leave my cynicism at the door, however, because with a lot of the cast from the first film signing on to be in this, and James Wan taking the helm again, I have a feeling it could retain that special something and give my Insidious blu-ray a break!



There are also a few films I am NOT relishing seeing:


Paranormal Activity 5 - Just let it go now. It wasn’t clever the first time round and it’s getting worse each time. I'm going to cry blood if I have to watch any more.

The Human Centipede 3 - I have no idea why this needs 2 sequels. One film by itself was more than enough.

Cabin Fever: Patient Zero - I did not enjoy Cabin Fever and I disliked the second even more. A third can’t possibly bring anything new.


So overall, 2013 seems to be big on remakes. A couple of original-sounding possible gems and some stars in the making, and I think we’re in for a good year! And don’t foreget, these are only my picks. There are plenty more out there! Let me know what you’re most looking forward to in the comments

Happy new year everyone, hope you have a safe, happy and horror-filled 2013

Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) - Review

Four Flies on Grey Velvet

IMDB

1971

Sub-Genre: Giallo

Director: Dario Argento

Main Cast: Mimsy Farmer, Michael Brandon, Jean-Pierre Marielle

Review:

Four Flies on Grey Velvet is the third of Argento's films, and the third I have seen. It stars Michael Brandon as Roberto Tobias and Mimsy Farmer as his wife, Nina Tobias, and is the third and final film in the unofficial 'Animal Trilogy', the others being The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and The Cat O'Nine Tails. Of the three, I would consider this one to be the weakest in storyline, and consequently the most confusing, although the final scene is the best ending of any of the films. 

The film is fragmented and sometimes maniacally shot, with scenes being edited together in such as way so that as a viewer you are never quite sure which part of the film you are seeing. This works quite well at building up the confusion, as in typical Giallo style there are a lot of characters and a lot of red herrings, pseudo reveals and possible villains. The storyline itself concerns the protagonist being blackmailed over an accident that occurs at the very start of the film, and from there on, we are taken on a chaotic and pretty befuddling journey of kills, private investigators, flashbacks and an array of characters. Sadly the kills were very tame, even for Giallos of the time, and I can't help but feel that, although the film built tension very well, and the suspense did ratchet up throughout, there would have been a lot more suspense if the kills had been more shocking. The acting is not top class, Brandon being particularly stale in some scenes, but I'd be lying if I said Mimsy Farmer wasn't captivating in the final few minutes. 

As in all of Argento's films, the beauty is there in the visuals, and although this is not as visually striking as his other films, there is one scene where a woman is in a park in the daytime, surrounded by creepy carnival music and lots of playing children. All of a sudden the park turns to darkness and we see the woman running through an increasingly mazy, fog-filled scene, trying desperately to escape her pursuer. This is one of the most beautifully shot pieces of the film, and, barring the ending, the most stunning visually. It showcases Argento's immense skill at building suspense in eerily beautiful surroundings. Another captivating visual is the frequent dreamscapes/flashbacks to a person being beheaded in a very washed out desert setting, which is also probably the most graphic scene in Four Flies. This becomes all the more mesmerising after the credits begin to roll.

Overall, while it is not the best of Argento's first three films, it is still definitely worth a watch, and although it can be confusing at times, it is not overwhelmingly so. It is a good suspenseful film, and the ending is memorable and very well done. 

Rating

6/10

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