I also am a fan of Eli Roth. And Green Inferno is a must see for any Horror Enthusiast 
4 Likes
I wouldnāt say that Iām watching it, though I am listening to it while spending my digestion time painting and sculpting. This is a love letter to horror and one produced by BBC 4: The BBCās high art channel.
To make it easy, here are all 3 episodes:
I tend to go back to this one at least once a year.
4 Likes
Well a new month and a new theme. For April, I have decided to go for Showers, Shame, Semana Santa, as well as Saviours and St. George.
As I can be lax in uploading my thoughts on each one, Iāve decided to list the first seven, with the Showers theme, first:
Drag Me to Hell (2009) - It has one of my favourite rain scenes in cinema.
Psycho (1998. Of course not - the 1960 original) - I think this is rather obvious to all but, for those who donāt know: It is the first movie with a flushing toilet!
Return of the Living Dead (1985) - That 2-4-5 Trioxin needed a means of delivery in the first two. Maybe rain was also used in the fourth and later movies but I have them very low down on my watchlist.
Last House on The Left (Iāll probably make a double bill of the 1972 and 2009 versions) - The storm instigates the whole plot.
Mimic (1997) - I donāt remember it actually stopping raining in the whole trilogy and, I havenāt revisited the first in an age.
Childās Play (1988) - Charles needed that storm to reincarnation into a doll. This will also give me a nice set-up for the Semana Santa week.
Alien 3 (1992) - The constant storm and dripping throughout the movie helped to set the tone and Blade Runner (1982) would have been far too obvious for me, even if both are movies I tend to watch more than once a year.
5 Likes
Just started an older series, āThe Killingā. I remember seeing an episode or two when it came out, but never followed it. It is on Hulu, and watched the first episode. It was cool to see two of the main characters then also did āAltered Carbonāā¦another great show.
6 Likes
Last night I revisited Drag Me To Hell and it is still a joy to watch. It has the style of Raimiās early movies and his knack for fusing the comic and disturbing always makes it a joyous watch.
The effects have also held up really well. I think only one shot, the eyes in the tool shed scene, felt really dated and akin to a rushed Final Destination kill.
Obviously usual Raimi tropes are there in full force. I actually think this is the movie with the most screen time for his 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 (the only detail I had to look-up - as I know nothing about cars). Ted Raimi is there as a doctor and the brothersā older brother Ivan, who is an ER doctor, shared screenwriting duties. Yes, he occasionally writes and acts but still carries on in the ER. Personally, I donāt know if it would be amusing or terrifying to be treated by him.
The dated credits where also a great move: When the movie starts with the 1960s Universal Logo, it puts you in a slight state of unease which doesnāt completely register consciously.
Finally, the elephant in the room: Many will know that there is a popular theory that the events of the movie actually may be a psychotic break triggered due to Christineās anxiety and the resurgence of her bulimia. I must admit that this could work in movie logic (it would be as odd as a fugue state in real-life) and all of the supernatural events involve the mouth through forced vomiting or forced ingestion. Food is also present in all the scenes where she is stressed or feeling anxious. Personally, I prefer to see it as Lamia playing with her childhood and teen anxieties in order to gain more power - As this is what Lamia does in the Greek myths and later demonologies, and the movie opted refer to it in the singular āthe Lamiaā and not the class of entity āa lamiaā.
4 Likes
As I am going for the post after watching: last night, I was mostly watchingā¦Mimic.
Hereās a bit of context for the line above for non-Brits, one which I have a tendency of using:
Now, back to Mimic. This film is exactly how I remember it: a movie made by someone from an entirely different culture trying to make a Hollywood movie - and it is really obvious. We have the main character with some official post who breaks the rules to get things done. Although, I must admit that establishing someone as a CDC representative who follows regulations to then instantly ignore them is a tad odd. In addition we have the plucky kid comic relief, though they do have the decency to get killed-off (if you havenāt seen a 26 year-old movie then donāt expect a spoiler warning). And in the end we have some noble sacrifices but one comes back from the dead to share a final embrace. All of these hint at why Guillermo del Toro disowned the movie due to meddling from the convicted rapist, sexual assaulter, swan buggerer, monkey fellator, and useless piece of shit - Harvey Weinstein (points 3 and 4 are not proven but itās hard to make a case for libel when your reputation has no credibility, especially when he tried to demand a nude scene in another movie where the actress in question was underage).
Back to the movie. This is a fun escapist movie for when you want a good laugh over a few drinks with friends. And, I think this serving suggestion will give you the best experience of it. If you have a really anal scientific friend, then donāt invite them to this party. I think Roanoke gives the best summary of all the points I would raise in this area. If you do not know about him, he reviews movies from a biological, bio-chemical and virological stance (with asides to taxonomy and other areas) but always makes it a really fun review. Although, sometimes this is just from him pulling his hair out:
Note: I forgot to mention the repeated stock squelch and squish foley used through the movie. There is also no way I am getting into Hollywood autism today.
5 Likes
Sorry to interrupt this thread but I really wanted to put this out here (in this channel).
Thanks for all the chatter about different things in āWhat are you watchingā¦ā. Besides myself, I am sure there are many others that follow the comments in this thread. Itās given me a couple shows/movies I have watch that otherwise wouldnāt have seen.
8 Likes
This thread doesnāt tend to have any rails to stop it drifting: We share what we like, donāt like and sometimes disagree. I just hope that it helps us all watch things weād never consider before or see things in a new light.
5 Likes
Last night, I was mostly watching Alien 3 Blu-ray Assembly Cut.
Yes this is a rather extended title but it is the version I like the most: This cut was patched together using all the surviving elements of Fincherās original workprint, with a far bit of restoration and added effects for those which were not finalised by the time the producers rejected it and got the scissors out. It was originally released on DVD in the Alien Quadrilogy but the later Blu-ray included improved sound (with some actors rerecording their lines) and only missing one alternative scene from the workprint: The version where the dog is not referenced during the fan scene.
But to reduce all that down: This is the cut which has the ox and not the dog.
Personally, I prefer this version a lot more as it builds up an unnerving tension and provides greater depth to all of the characters. The additional scenes which show how well Paul McGann can pull off a psychotic break in a psychopath are glorious. This extra time also lets a stellar cast to show off their skills.
Elephant in the room: I know that many at the time were pissed-off with Newt and Hicks being killed off in the first scene and others got grumpy about the teaser trailer stating that Alien 3 would be on Earth. Personally, I think that keeping Newt alive would have made the tone much darker (far too dark for a mainstream audience), though keeping Hicks would have added a little extra spice into the mix with him trying to be Ripleyās protector and the clashes which result from it.
There is actually novelisation and audio-dramatisation based on one of the abandoned alternative Alien 3 scripts which is well worth a listen - Alien 3: The Gibson Cut. For me, if one of the abandoned ideas were to be remade, Iād opt for the wooden monastery in space one which was partially incorporated into the final prison setting.
Anyway, that is enough waffle from me.
If you havenāt seen this cut, it is worth searching for. And, many happy captain sites tend to only have this one but list it as the Special Edition.
7 Likes
Bing watching Finding Bigfoot for the 100th time. Of course they never find Bigfoot, LOL!!
Probably gonna watch some Developed reruns on YouTube tonight.
3 Likes
Donāt forget the āI Spit On Your Graveā movies
Those are great
6 Likes
Iām watching some Noted episodes right now.
Credit Card is about to be exercised I think
4 Likes
I remember watching the first one many years ago when I think it was banned? Under the counter job at the old video shop before DVDs existed. I didnāt have the nerve to ask for it but my mate did. We were about 14 I think.
From memory I believe the woman who acted the main role was Buster Keatons granddaughter? I could certainly be wrong on that but itās stuck in the old memory bank from somewhere.
I do remember thinking her revenge kills were justified. The ringleader of the gang came to a particularly nasty end as I recall.
4 Likes
4 Likes
There were some brutal kills in the other 2 also.
I like these types of revenge flicks
2 Likes
Itās safe for now @SessionDrummer
Nothing piqued my interest.
Now I just have to stop reading your reviews !
2 Likes
I am tempted to watch them as I had the same thought too when watching the Last House on the Left remake last night. I got 30 minutes in had no attachment to any of the characters and couldnāt tell the two female victims apart. The female family member was much more memorable and not just for the two reasons which present themselves the second time you see her. And then it was just flaccid and mild torture porn, which falls flat on its face as Iām not invested in it: A bit like poorly seasoned sausage made with mechanically recovered meat.
When the Wrong Turn sequels are doing a better job of creating engaging characters, itās a clear sign that script writing isnāt for you.
Luckily, I always have happy animations to hand to clean my mental palette with:
3 Likes
I never saw Last House on the Left. Iāve heard about that movie for years.
Wrong Turn is a great movie. Never saw the sequel.
I think youāll like the I Spit on your Grave flicks.
I think theyāre right up your alley
5 Likes
Iāve seen the original but not the I Spit on Your Grave remake or any of its sequels/spin offs.
Oh donāt expect depth with the Wrong Turn sequels, they know what they are and stick to that schlocky style. At least it is not death by the black goo of toxic masculinity in the Black Christmas remake.
4 Likes