Horror Movies

[UVA_Guy81]

 

[DJ Fieri]

 

[returnofjakedog]

Bubba Ho-Tep!

 

[returnofjakedog]

Dead & Buried (1981)-

People keep disappearing and/or dying in the isloated town of Potter's Bluff, and the local sheriff is determined to unravel what is going on. The more he investigates, the weirder things get as he (and others) seem to recognize new townsfolk who resemble the murder victims start appearing.
The murders themselves are a mystery to the sheriff, but not to the viewers as we see groups of townsfolks trick, sometimes seduce, and attack the victims.

I've been wanting to watch this one for years as I had the book as a kid, but never got around to it until now. Happily it is a pretty decent and kinda strange horror film.

The good:
*The biggest plus are the fxs, which are done by the legendary Stan Winston (The Thing, Terminator 1 & 2, Predator 1 & 2, Aliens, the first 3 Jurassic Park movies, etc). There are some awesome kills and gore fxs in this thing!
Stan was particularly proud of an awesome needle in the eye scene.
RIP Stan. We miss ya!
*A compact and kinda fun story centered mostly on the sheriff's investigation.
*Generally good acting with nice performances by the leads and supporting cast. A youngish Robert Englund makes an appearance.
*Solid production aspects across the board. Direction, cinematography, etc are all well done. The use of fog and lighting did a great job of establishing a creepy ambience.

The bad:
*It is a bit dated, and leans into a kinda '70s feel.
*It was described by one critic as a bit plot heavy for the typical horror fan, but too gruesome for the average viewer. While I understand this criticism, it worked fine for me and my (admitably rather heavy) bias.

It was a box office bomb, making only $216,000 against a $3 million budget. Being included on the infamous "Video Nasties" list probably had something to do with this.

I really liked it! 7.5 outta 10 range from me, which is 1 point higher than IMDB.

 

[returnofjakedog]

Been a bit MIA over here, I may have missed a post on this.

Heard great things about this movie; getting ready to watch this afternoon.

.View attachment 297151

Hey @Chef99 did you ever watch this one?

Let me know if it is worth checking out.

 

[returnofjakedog]

Horns (2013)-

Written by Joe Hill, who is Stephen King's son, and has recently been thrust into the public zeitgeist even more due to the success of the adaptation of his story The Black Phone. Also it was directed by French director Alexander Aja (High Tension, Piranha 3D, Crawl, etc.)

This is an interesting one. Not sure if it is even a horror movie, but we'll get to that.

Daniel Radcliffe is a young man whose fiancee is r*ped and killed in out in the woods. The entire community believes that he did it due to a big public break up preceding the murder, so he morns and eventually investigates the situation. The title twist is that he sprouts satanic goat horns (for no apparent reason) that make the people he interacts with tell their darkest secrets, and act on (often with a push from Daniel) their worst impulses. After his initial confusion he learns to use the influence of the horns to manipulate people to further his investigation, and seek revenge.

Lots of backstory and character development. Twists and turns occur as the story progresses.

The good:
*A very good, and interesting morality tale. However there are fairly large issues with the complexity and related execution that I'll get to.
*Solid acting. Daniel Radcliffe gives an excellent performance as the broken antagonist, and the cast in general does a very good job.
*Essentially all aspects of the production are well done. It all looks, and sounds good, and I feel that the director did a great job with the cast. Cinematography, score and soundtrack, etc are all good.
*A few good fxs mixed in here and there.

The bad:
*I use the word "convoluted" a bit too often in my reviews, but this one definitely deserves this criticism.
-Not only does the current investigation have many facets to explore, but the backstory to all of Daniel's relationships are also extensively covered.
-There were multiple points where I thought that the movie was over, but nope! Things continue, and expections are subverted I guess?
All of this makes following the plot a bit of a chore at times. There is a lot to keep track of, and it doesn't always make sense.
-Tonal schizophrenia. Literally no one seems to know what kind of movie this is. IMDB lists it as a Comedy, Crime, Drama, Wiki goes with Horror, Comedy, Rotton Tomatoes goes with Comedy, Mystery, Thriller, etc, and I can't really disagree with any of those individual views.
In my opinion, it is a drama dark comedy horror fantasy thriller romance.
I think that this is probably the biggest reason as to why it failed with audiences. No one knew what genre this was supposed to appeal to and the overlap was just too much for most to want to deal with.
At one point, you feel/think it is kinda a Gone Girl type movie, but then they throw out some comedy ala Very Bad Things only less cruel, then it is suddenly Hellboy a couple of times, it also has overtones of Ordinary People for fucks sake!
*The characters. They are all basically unlikeable. I had trouble feeling sympathy for any of them, even tortured Radcliffe is an ass in it. Heck, even the murder victim, who is portrayed as a bit of a perfect Madonna figure isn't particularly sympathetic in my eyes due to how she handled an admitably untenable situation.
*Character actions. Many characters do kinda stupid shit. If Radcliffe isn't the killer (and it isn't clear if he is or not), then why isn't he screaming his innocence at the top of his lungs instead of just going about his investigation (and drinking), and letting people assume the worst right to his face? Why does the fiancee/victim even allow the situation get to where it does?
*Some bad cgi moments, particularly the Hellboy-type related stuff.

So an interesting morality tale with essentially all production aspects well done except for a mess of a specific storyline feel.

As a whole, the reviews from both critics and audiences alike are all over the place. Half kinda really liked it, while half found it frustrating, slow, or just generally disliked it. Myself? Well, I am on the positive side as once you wade through the muck I found it to be well done and somewhat intriguing. I understand the criticisms but personally I'll go 7 to 7.5 outta 10 range.

They could have cut 15 minutes of the characters' backstories, eliminated the most slapstick comedic moments, and shifted the kinda happy ending bs, and it would have been better. But still an interesting and original experience.

 

[returnofjakedog]

Quick dump:

Gallery of Fear (2012)-

Low budget indie anthology film about a horrible bitch author/critic who is taken to an isolated and deserted gallery where she removes covers from paintings that show her graphically disturbing stories. There are 3 tales, with the first being about some sort of soul vampire who paints her victims to allow for the feeding, the second is about a seemingly mentally challenged man who lures harassers to a monster thst kills them, and the third is about a backwoods family that kills tourists that pass through their isolated area (it even has a very TCM feel to it).

Quite low budget, with decent stories, but often questionable acting, direction, scripts, fxs, etc. They don't skimp on the gore, or the shock value kills.

Wasn't as bad as you would expect. The framing story with the bitchy art critic lady is the worst, and tale 2 suffers from seriously schlocky overall C-movie, but tales 1 and 3 are well done enough for what they are.

5 to 5.5 outta 10 range from me, but I tend to over rate anthologies, and you have to overlook the budgeting and related amateurish issues to enjoy it.

Anthology of Terror (2015)-
Another low budget anthology film!

This one has a cloaked guy resembling The Shadow (1930s pulp fiction and radio hero) who sits around a fire and relates scary stories to the audience.
The first tale is about a couple of low rent hitmen who take on what is essentially Leatherface with some supernatural powers, the 2nd involves a '50s style suburban tale of spousal abuse and revenge, while the 3rd is about a post apocalyptic haunting in a radiation zone.

The budget constraints are even more obvious here, and the stories themselves are not quite as good as the other anthology above, but I give them credit for trying hard. They have some good cinematography with some ambitious shots, some decent fxs here and there, and some decent actors amongst the amateur cast. The framing narrative (not an actual tale, was weak.

4.5 to 5 outta 10 from me. A decent effort, all things considered

*Note that I probably rated these 2 low budget anthologies a bit higher than most would.

Dagon (2001)-

Yet another H.P. Lovecraft adaptation, this one from the team of Stuart Gordon and Brian Yunza that brought also brought us the likes of Re-Animator and From Beyond, as well as many, many seperate projects.

Not-Jeffery Combs and his gf and friends have their sailboat wrecked in a freak storm outside a small Mediterranean village. They scramble to the town for help, only to find it dark, wet, and inhabited by a bunch of creepy folks who hunt them through the alleyways. Lots of slimy mutants lurching around, interspersed with acts of random violence, and gross weirdness! Lovecraft ancient god lore woven into this one.

The good:
*Sets and ambience. They do a good job of displaying the Lovecraft settings, with dark, dank, rot of pervading wetness.
*Story and direction. Classic H.P. tale, and solid direction from the great Stuart Gordon (RIP).
*Fxs- some good classic B-movie gore. Not as much, or as fun as Re-Animator, but still pretty good.

The bad:
*A Spanish production, which is fine, but several of the actors were barely comprehensible. Still better than most dubbing though!
*The acting is a bit hit and miss. The lead is ok, but not great. He probably got the job because he is physically a Jeffrey Combs clone, but he doesn't have the great personality.
*The majority of fxs are practical, but a few of the cgi scenes are cringy bad.
*B-movie feel, and the budget is evident but they do a good job with it.

I'll go 6.5 outta 10. Not as good as Re-Animator or even From Beyond but Gordon and Yunza never disappoint.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Horns (2013)-

That was a pretty interesting movie but I think it could've been done better. The reveal at the end was pretty good and it was certainly a murder mystery.

I dunno, it had a little bit of a live anime movie going for it, lol. Radcliffe was pretty good I must admit and the effects were fun to watch. Definitely some things don't make sense (he acts like he's guilty when he's not lol - and the film makes it quite obvious he's not) and it's kind of all over the place, but I found it entertaining in it's own right.

Actually more I think about it, it was almost exactly like an anime movie. Some body morphing, convoluted/weird story with things that really don't make sense at times, little bit of a mystery/supernatural thing going on, murder stuff, cheesy acting moments, interesting effects, some nudity lol... yah it was all there. Anime movies to some degree always have those "WTF is going on?" moments. This did too.

That said, I didn't fall asleep or have to come back to it days later.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Dagon (2001)-

I am WAAAAAAAAAY overdue to watch this. I got it queued up like 5 years ago and somehow it got buried, but I heard it wasn't HORRIBLE and a decent B movie with Lovecraft horror.

I need to make sure it sticks on my list for this fall/winter, although ocean monsters... may just be a summer horror popcorn flick!

 

[returnofjakedog]

I am WAAAAAAAAAY overdue to watch this. I got it queued up like 5 years ago and somehow it got buried, but I heard it wasn't HORRIBLE and a decent B movie with Lovecraft horror.

I need to make sure it sticks on my list for this fall/winter, although ocean monsters... may just be a summer horror popcorn flick!

There isn't a lot to it, but it is a decent B-flick from a solid production/direction team on a low budget.
Gordon and Yunza dealt almost exclusively in Lovecraft and/or body horror, and I have enjoyed watching everything that they did, even Faust: Love of the Damned was fun in a "So bad, it's good" manner.

Anyways, I just coincidentally rewatched an episode of Masters of Horror (a great series! People should check it out.) yesterday, the episode Dreams in the Witch House, which coincidently was a Lovecraft story directed by Stuart Gordon, and starring the same Not-Jeffery Combs guy.

That was a pretty interesting movie but I think it could've been done better. The reveal at the end was pretty good and it was certainly a murder mystery.

I dunno, it had a little bit of a live anime movie going for it, lol. Radcliffe was pretty good I must admit and the effects were fun to watch. Definitely some things don't make sense (he acts like he's guilty when he's not lol - and the film makes it quite obvious he's not) and it's kind of all over the place, but I found it entertaining in it's own right.

Actually more I think about it, it was almost exactly like an anime movie. Some body morphing, convoluted/weird story with things that really don't make sense at times, little bit of a mystery/supernatural thing going on, murder stuff, cheesy acting moments, interesting effects, some nudity lol... yah it was all there. Anime movies to some degree always have those "WTF is going on?" moments. This did too.

That said, I didn't fall asleep or have to come back to it days later.

I don't follow anime so I am not able to comment on the similarities, but I do find it an interesting comparison.
A well done movie in generally all aspects, but man is hard to pin down what the were going for audience-wise.

The genre confusion combined with the 3 seemingly possible conclusions before the actual ending made it a bit frustrating. Plus the lack of any explanation at all for the horns was a bit odd. I still really liked it.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

There isn't a lot to it, but it is a decent B-flick from a solid production/direction team on a low budget.
Gordon and Yunza dealt almost exclusively in Lovecraft and/or body horror, and I have enjoyed watching everything that they did, even Faust: Love of the Damned was fun in a "So bad, it's good" manner.

Anyways, I just coincidentally rewatched an episode of Masters of Horror (a great series! People should check it out.) yesterday, the episode Dreams in the Witch House, which coincidently was a Lovecraft story directed by Stuart Gordon, and starring the same Not-Jeffery Combs guy.


I don't follow anime so I am not able to comment on the similarities, but I do find it an interesting comparison.
A well done movie in generally all aspects, but man is hard to pin down what the were going for audience-wise.

The genre confusion combined with the 3 seemingly possible conclusions before the actual ending made it a bit frustrating. Plus the lack of any explanation at all for the horns was a bit odd. I still really liked it.

Yah, will have to check out Dagon.

Yah Horns was still entertaining, again I wasn't falling asleep or just clicking through it.

As for Masters of Horror... I'd be willing to let deer woman take advantage of me

 

[returnofjakedog]

Yah, will have to check out Dagon.

Yah Horns was still entertaining, again I wasn't falling asleep or just clicking through it.

As for Masters of Horror... I'd be willing to let deer woman take advantage of me

Like the Deer Woman, Dagon also has a hot half-human/half-animal chick!

The true conundrum is: in the long run do you prefer the human top half, or the human bottom half??

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Like the Deer Woman, Dagon also has a hot half-human/half-animal chick!

The true conundrum is: in the long run do you prefer the human top half, or the human bottom half??
View attachment 301969View attachment 301968

I bet the hottie in first picture looks sexy as fuck on a bicycle! Not trying to tentacle shame, but I don't wanna have to fuckin' untangle that shit from the bike chain every quarter mile.

I mean for the record, wood and wood, but yah.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Aliens universe is coming to VR!

@returnofjakedog @Sparhawk

 

[returnofjakedog]

Aliens universe is coming to VR!

@returnofjakedog @Sparhawk

Nice! I guess I'll have to foray into the VR world now.....

 

[returnofjakedog]

Wyrmwood: Apocalypse (2022)-

The follow up to the 2015 cult hit Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead which came out of nowhere as a kinda batshit crazy mash up of Mad Max and Dawn of the Dead. The ratings here were for it here were in the 7 to 8 range.

This one picks up where the first one finishes, with essentially the same cast returning (except the one aboriginal guy who is replaced by his "sister") with a few add ons. They even brought back the one soldier character who died and lazily explain it as his "twin brother", but that doesn't matter much because the over-the-top violence and gore are still here, and possibly even ramped up a bit.

The story is basically the same: the "heros" fight the crazed doctor who is constantly doing horrible experiments on the zombies. The zombies are still used as a fuel source (they exhale methane), and there are now multiple people who are infected but retain some semblance of their humanity via vials of drug-blood stuff. There are also now more than one infected persons who can mentally control the more animalistic zombies and use them as weapons.

They have upped their production values, so it looks better and they have seemingly even more gross, schlocky fxs (but the first movie had a ton also, so maybe I need to rewatch it to confirm?). The downside would be that since it essentially a continuation with the same plot and characters from the first flick, the surprise newness of the original is gone and this can seem a bit redundant. But that is a relatively minor complaint.

High action B-movie crazed bloody schlock in a good way!

I was in the 7.5 to 8 outta 10 range for the original, and this one is similar. It does have a bit more $$ behind it and it looks slightly better but the more of the same feel detracts just slightly.
7 to 7.5 outta 10 from me! Fun stuff!

For some reason it has had little promotion (this new one doesn't even have a wiki page!) but is streaming for free on Tubi at the moment.

@FaCe-LeE-uS and @jeep99tj I know you both were fans. All other horror junkies should also check it out!

 

[jeep99tj]

Wyrmwood: Apocalypse (2022)-

The follow up to the 2015 cult hit Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead which came out of nowhere as a kinda batshit crazy mash up of Mad Max and Dawn of the Dead. The ratings here were for it here were in the 7 to 8 range.

This one picks up where the first one finishes, with essentially the same cast returning (except the one aboriginal guy who is replaced by his "sister") with a few add ons. They even brought back the one soldier character who died and lazily explain it as his "twin brother", but that doesn't matter much because the over-the-top violence and gore are still here, and possibly even ramped up a bit.

The story is basically the same: the "heros" fight the crazed doctor who is constantly doing horrible experiments on the zombies. The zombies are still used as a fuel source (they exhale methane), and there are now multiple people who are infected but retain some semblance of their humanity via vials of drug-blood stuff. There are also now more than one infected persons who can mentally control the more animalistic zombies and use them as weapons.

They have upped their production values, so it looks better and they have seemingly even more gross, schlocky fxs (but the first movie had a ton also, so maybe I need to rewatch it to confirm?). The downside would be that since it essentially a continuation with the same plot and characters from the first flick, the surprise newness of the original is gone and this can seem a bit redundant. But that is a relatively minor complaint.

High action B-movie crazed bloody schlock in a good way!

I was in the 7.5 to 8 outta 10 range for the original, and this one is similar. It does have a bit more $$ behind it and it looks slightly better but the more of the same feel detracts just slightly.
7 to 7.5 outta 10 from me! Fun stuff!

For some reason it has had little promotion (this new one doesn't even have a wiki page!) but is streaming for free on Tubi at the moment.

@FaCe-LeE-uS and @jeep99tj I know you both were fans. All other horror junkies should also check it out!

I watched and thought it was a good follow up. Not great but good enough to watch. I plan to watch them back to back next week.

 

[DJ Fieri]

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Gonna watch the Black Phone in a bit. For anyone that's seen it, yay or nay?

 

[DJ Fieri]

Gonna watch the Black Phone in a bit. For anyone that's seen it, yay or nay?

Heard good things about it.