Horror Movies

[returnofjakedog]

Tried being festive and watched Black Christmas this weekend, holy hell what a disaster. I knew it would be bad going in but it wasn't fun bad.

They tried way to hard to give the movie meaning or to create motives/backstory. It barely made sense and didn't contribute much. They honestly should have just dumbed it down and made it a mindless slasher film. That alone probably bumps the movie from a 3 to a 5.

Also, I'm not a huge gore guy but half the deaths occur off screen and usually just involved a caped character grabbing someone before the screen cut.

Which Black Christmas are you referring to? The original from 1974, or one of the remakes in 2006, or 2019? Or one of the offshoots/sequels?

 

[Blackshirts BLVD]

I had planned on watching the 2019 Black Christmas since I saw it featured on HBO Max, but I haven't made the time yet (trying to get through Big Bang Theory before I move on to something else)... and I am not sure if it is even on there any more.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Which Black Christmas are you referring to? The original from 1974, or one of the remakes in 2006, or 2019? Or one of the offshoots/sequels?

Sorry, the 2019.

With that said, any other worthwhile Christmas horror movies? Krampus and Christmas Horror Stories were fun. Then there's always Gremlins. Feel like it's a somewhat untapped market.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Sorry, the 2019.

With that said, any other worthwhile Christmas horror movies? Krampus and Christmas Horror Stories were fun. Then there's always Gremlins. Feel like it's a somewhat untapped market.

Don’t forget the classic Santa’s Slay starring Bill Goldberg.

 

[returnofjakedog]

Don’t forget the classic Santa’s Slay starring Bill Goldberg.

That one is quite a ride! I wouldn't say its a good movie but it is certainly worth a watch for genre fans.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

That one is quite a ride! I wouldn't say its a good movie but it is certainly worth a watch for genre fans.

Definitely not great by any means but it’s fun to watch and goes by quickly.

 

[Blackshirts BLVD]

Talk about a bad, but fun horror movie, have you guys seen Jack Frost? Been a long time since I have seen it, but I recall it being hilarious for what it was.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Talk about a bad, but fun horror movie, have you guys seen Jack Frost? Been a long time since I have seen it, but I recall it being hilarious for what it was.

 

[Blackshirts BLVD]

Shannon Elizabeth lookin good lol.

 

[Taddy Mason]

sorry if it was brought up earlier, but the creepshow revival did have a christmas special. it was fun for what it was. been out of the loop here for a while, so not sure if the was known. nor being able to throw down the load of shit i've watched, since i've last been. meh, check it out if you can find it. Shapeshifters Anonymous.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Talk about a bad, but fun horror movie, have you guys seen Jack Frost? Been a long time since I have seen it, but I recall it being hilarious for what it was.

Both of those movies were hilarious. It's been quite a while since I've seen them though.

 

[returnofjakedog]

sorry if it was brought up earlier, but the creepshow revival did have a christmas special. it was fun for what it was. been out of the loop here for a while, so not sure if the was known. nor being able to throw down the load of shit i've watched, since i've last been. meh, check it out if you can find it. Shapeshifters Anonymous.

One of the best Tales from the Crypt episodes is the Christmas episode where a lady kills her husband, only to be hunted down by a lunatic Santa. It is titled "And All Through The House". I recommend it.

 

[Blackshirts BLVD]

But stylistically I can enjoy some of the gritty gore feel that Rob can achieve. I don't like it when it becomes overbearing and just seemingly plays for shock value but the best of RZ's style comes from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The difference is, no matter how preposterous it may seem, the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre actually seemed somewhat realistic. But the dark, gritty gore isn't for everyone.

Tobe Hopper did such an excellent job shooting and editing TCM. He did some other stuff I really enjoyed like Poltergeist, Lifeforce, and The Toolbox Murders but he never really matched what he achieved on such a low budget with TCM (you could debate that with Poltergeist but there is also the theory that Spielberg actually made the direction and editing decisions. But that is a seperate discussion).
Also, Gunnar Hansen was intimidating as shit as Leatherface. Unfortunately they kind of ruined him in the sequel.

Ok... I just watched Texas Chainsaw Massacre last night, unedited but with ads annnnd I am probably gonna catch some flack for saying some of this. I totally get the gritty, realistic feeling and can see some of the adaptation into Zombies films. I enjoyed the gritty, realistic nature.

There was a lot that I didn't like... what was the deal with the semi passing in the beginning and somehow knocking the wheelchair guy out while he was pissing into a can? Was it just to show how sad and helpless he is? Seemed completely pointless unless I missed something. I thought some of the character interactions didn't feel genuine, I had a few... 'c'mon, who is going to do that' moments. I found the acting to be pretty poor, particularly from the innocents. I actually found the crazy family to have done the best acting though every kill leaves you wanting as much isn't shown. It isn't very gory... at all. In fact, there wasn't even a ton of blood. I thought the dad (i thought it was the dad) did a good job looking crazy and sadistic in the truck and at the house. Leatherface was... well Leather face. The younger brother was absolutely insane (they all are, this dude is a step above lol) and did a great job making you believe that. The screaming... my goodness Sally, STFU lol. I think this is more of a product of the era it was made though. Some of the story leaves me wondering though, the dad/gas station attendant told them to not go up there, stay off peoples property... Franklin mentions that it is his dads property and that is it. The way the dad talks to Leatherface like 'did you get em all', 'did any get away' made it seem like this was their plan the whole time, but as the movie played out... it was predicated upon the innocents seeking out the crazy families house, not the crazy family seeking them out. Now we could assume that they were waiting for it to be dark, but I don't think there is enough to make that assumption. The plan seems to be that the younger brother scouts out a target, the dad provides the lookout, Leatherface does the killing, trapping, catching.... Grandpa does the eating lol. Given the vehicles and bones, it would appear that they have done this for a while, but then there is the graverobbing thing in the beginning and I recall the dad talking to the younger one about being at the cemetary. So I guess some of the bones could be from that too idk what I am supposed to think. Where did the semi driver run off to, he didn't get in the back of the truck with the girl lol, just assume he's dead?

I am rambling. I liked the gritty, realistic feel - though some of the acting takes away from that. I liked some of the shots like the close up of Leatherface after he stuffs the girl back in the freezer and looks out the window. You get that disturbed, sad, haunted vibe, yet also that maniacal killer vibe as well. There is a brief moment where you want to feel bad, but it is taken away by Leatherface licking his lips lol. The movie almost feels like a documentary, which works and I think it was meant to given the opening monologue. I thought the pacing was good. I would have liked to have seen some gore, I would have liked some better actors as the innocents. Sally screamed obnoxiously - which was absolutely expected at first, but it never stopped. There was a moment when it was doing the close up shots of her eye at the dinner table that I thought this was suppose to symbolize her coming to terms and becoming ready to fight back or something... that never happened, though she didn't go quietly into the night either. Franklin was a sad, babbling.... kid basically. I wanted to feel bad for him, but he was also annoying, I thought. Kirk, Jerry, and the Astrology girl - I mean nothing really developed for me to care about them.

What the hell was with everyone blowing raspberries to the air? The crazy brother did it repeatedly when he got kicked out of the van. Franklin did it inside the house obnoxiously as well. I didn't understand that motion/acting at all.

Don't hate me... 6.5-7 out of 10.

 

[returnofjakedog]

Ok... I just watched Texas Chainsaw Massacre last night, unedited but with ads annnnd I am probably gonna catch some flack for saying some of this. I totally get the gritty, realistic feeling and can see some of the adaptation into Zombies films. I enjoyed the gritty, realistic nature.

There was a lot that I didn't like... what was the deal with the semi passing in the beginning and somehow knocking the wheelchair guy out while he was pissing into a can? Was it just to show how sad and helpless he is? Seemed completely pointless unless I missed something. I thought some of the character interactions didn't feel genuine, I had a few... 'c'mon, who is going to do that' moments. I found the acting to be pretty poor, particularly from the innocents. I actually found the crazy family to have done the best acting though every kill leaves you wanting as much isn't shown. It isn't very gory... at all. In fact, there wasn't even a ton of blood. I thought the dad (i thought it was the dad) did a good job looking crazy and sadistic in the truck and at the house. Leatherface was... well Leather face. The younger brother was absolutely insane (they all are, this dude is a step above lol) and did a great job making you believe that. The screaming... my goodness Sally, STFU lol. I think this is more of a product of the era it was made though. Some of the story leaves me wondering though, the dad/gas station attendant told them to not go up there, stay off peoples property... Franklin mentions that it is his dads property and that is it. The way the dad talks to Leatherface like 'did you get em all', 'did any get away' made it seem like this was their plan the whole time, but as the movie played out... it was predicated upon the innocents seeking out the crazy families house, not the crazy family seeking them out. Now we could assume that they were waiting for it to be dark, but I don't think there is enough to make that assumption. The plan seems to be that the younger brother scouts out a target, the dad provides the lookout, Leatherface does the killing, trapping, catching.... Grandpa does the eating lol. Given the vehicles and bones, it would appear that they have done this for a while, but then there is the graverobbing thing in the beginning and I recall the dad talking to the younger one about being at the cemetary. So I guess some of the bones could be from that too idk what I am supposed to think. Where did the semi driver run off to, he didn't get in the back of the truck with the girl lol, just assume he's dead?

I am rambling. I liked the gritty, realistic feel - though some of the acting takes away from that. I liked some of the shots like the close up of Leatherface after he stuffs the girl back in the freezer and looks out the window. You get that disturbed, sad, haunted vibe, yet also that maniacal killer vibe as well. There is a brief moment where you want to feel bad, but it is taken away by Leatherface licking his lips lol. The movie almost feels like a documentary, which works and I think it was meant to given the opening monologue. I thought the pacing was good. I would have liked to have seen some gore, I would have liked some better actors as the innocents. Sally screamed obnoxiously - which was absolutely expected at first, but it never stopped. There was a moment when it was doing the close up shots of her eye at the dinner table that I thought this was suppose to symbolize her coming to terms and becoming ready to fight back or something... that never happened, though she didn't go quietly into the night either. Franklin was a sad, babbling.... kid basically. I wanted to feel bad for him, but he was also annoying, I thought. Kirk, Jerry, and the Astrology girl - I mean nothing really developed for me to care about them.

What the hell was with everyone blowing raspberries to the air? The crazy brother did it repeatedly when he got kicked out of the van. Franklin did it inside the house obnoxiously as well. I didn't understand that motion/acting at all.

Don't hate me... 6.5-7 out of 10.

All a perfectly fair analysis. I think my first watch through probably had a very similar overall view.
The appeal of TCM is, as you noted, very much a product of its time. There had been exploitation movies before it but none had that type of feel or characters like the family. It was the first that brought that specific unsettling feeling to the masses and challenged the perceptions of what is acceptable. It pushed the limits on societal boundaries, much like The Exorcist did during a similar time period, but on a lower budget.
*You are correct on the "protagonists". They are more fodder than actual characters and exist more to be terrorized and killed than to develop and fight back. I didn't even recall some of the details about them until you brought up. It is about the family, not the victims.
*Sally's constant screaming ,while annoying, was just to indicate how much she is broken by the events and helpless to control them. It all leads up to the iconic final scene with her cowering in the back of the truck, covered in blood and screaming while Leatherface does the swinging chainsaw dance in the sunset. She was mentally destroyed and it might have been interesting to see a follow up on her in later movies.

I think that a 6.5 to 7 is a perfectly fair rating. It is a very flawed film in many way. But it is so influential in so many ways that I personally bump it up a point or more (8 to 8.5ish) due strictly to it's overall legacy. No movie had attacked the movie audience's psych in quite that way before. Essentially every horror movie that came after it that deals with slasher killers, hunting down victims, etc took something from it.
It should be noted that I don't even like a lot of the influences it spawned. The RZ stuff takes similar subject matter and gives you the gritty, dark terror but he also tries to humanize his "bad guy" characters, which is fucking stupid and something TCM didn't attempt at all. I personally don't like the "torture-pørn" genre very much but it is very heavily influenced by TCM. Even Halloween, Ft13th, Evil Dead, etc all took influence on kills, styles, characters (particularly the killers such as Jason) from TCM.

I still stand by my statement the TCM is a must see for any horror enthusiasts. But to be clear, it isn't a must see because it is a perfect movie. Yes, some parts approach perfection (Leatherface, some of the kills, the dusty, gritty death and decay everywhere, etc) but the main reason to see it is for appreciating what it is, and how much it has affected everything that came after it.

 

[Blackshirts BLVD]

Have any of you seen Fantasmagories on HBO, part of their Latin America releases? It is in Spanish, but has English dub. They are short two minute horror stories, pretty neat. I like the style and darkness of the graphics too. Below is one of the videos, though I could only find the Spanish version.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

All a perfectly fair analysis. I think my first watch through probably had a very similar overall view.
The appeal of TCM is, as you noted, very much a product of its time. There had been exploitation movies before it but none had that type of feel or characters like the family. It was the first that brought that specific unsettling feeling to the masses and challenged the perceptions of what is acceptable. It pushed the limits on societal boundaries, much like The Exorcist did during a similar time period, but on a lower budget.
*You are correct on the "protagonists". They are more fodder than actual characters and exist more to be terrorized and killed than to develop and fight back. I didn't even recall some of the details about them until you brought up. It is about the family, not the victims.
*Sally's constant screaming ,while annoying, was just to indicate how much she is broken by the events and helpless to control them. It all leads up to the iconic final scene with her cowering in the back of the truck, covered in blood and screaming while Leatherface does the swinging chainsaw dance in the sunset. She was mentally destroyed and it might have been interesting to see a follow up on her in later movies.

I think that a 6.5 to 7 is a perfectly fair rating. It is a very flawed film in many way. But it is so influential in so many ways that I personally bump it up a point or more (8 to 8.5ish) due strictly to it's overall legacy. No movie had attacked the movie audience's psych in quite that way before. Essentially every horror movie that came after it that deals with slasher killers, hunting down victims, etc took something from it.
It should be noted that I don't even like a lot of the influences it spawned. The RZ stuff takes similar subject matter and gives you the gritty, dark terror but he also tries to humanize his "bad guy" characters, which is fucking stupid and something TCM didn't attempt at all. I personally don't like the "torture-pørn" genre very much but it is very heavily influenced by TCM. Even Halloween, Ft13th, Evil Dead, etc all took influence on kills, styles, characters (particularly the killers such as Jason) from TCM.

I still stand by my statement the TCM is a must see for any horror enthusiasts. But to be clear, it isn't a must see because it is a perfect movie. Yes, some parts approach perfection (Leatherface, some of the kills, the dusty, gritty death and decay everywhere, etc) but the main reason to see it is for appreciating what it is, and how much it has affected everything that came after it.

Very well said!

 

[returnofjakedog]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all ya horror aficionados!

 

[DJ]

This would crack me up....after my heart stopped beating like crazy.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Watched Ghosts of War, definitely worth a watch. It's a bit scattered and at times the budgetary limits of CGI can take you out of it but loved the setting, liked the cast and definitely did well with creepiness for the most part.

Watching Alice in Borderland now, first episode was solid. Has a Saw vibe to it.