Okay blog, I know I've been neglecting you. I have some nice movie and music stuff to feed you soon. I just wanna say how much I love it that I've had this same blog since 2002, which in internet years is like an archaeological age or something. That's 17 years!! Really really hoping it's still around for 20.
That's all! Movie catchup starts tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 05, 2019
Classic horror rewatch week part 2
The Thing ~ Me: I'm gonna watch The Thing for my rewatch week!
My seasonal depression: More snow? Really?
I think my own disorder just side-eyed me. It's fine. I'm fine. Is The Thing an allegory for seasonal depression? Maybe! That's sure how I'm taking it on what feels like day 652 of winter.
Watching this today, it's hard to believe that it once bombed. What the hell, 1982? How could a year that gave us "Eye of the Tiger," "Rosanna," and mutha friggin' "Don't Stop Believin'" get it so wrong?? This is a bleak film, and one I don't watch often for that reason. But it's also a masterpiece of effects work, pacing, tension, and simple but effective storytelling. I'm not usually into sci fi horror, so if I dig this, you know it's something special. What I am into is sweet practical effects, and this is a feast for the eyes. You also get Kurt Russell being super Kurt Russelly. He's always cool, but this might be peak cool right here. And not just because of the temperature. Dammit, I didn't mean to do that.
Everyone's seen The Thing. you don't need me to tell you to do that, but if you haven't watched it in awhile check it out. It holds up. You might wanna wait til May though, when you can go outside afterwards and smell a flower. Or you might wanna watch it now when you can extra spook yourself out. It's all good.
Frankenstein (1931) ~ Some of the most haunting imagery you'll ever see in a horror movie. The old mill, the crashing thunder, the torch mob, the flower. I don't think I'd seen this since I was a kid and not only did it hold up, it was better than I remembered. A must-see not just for horror fans, but any fan of film.
Bride of Frankenstein ~ For how disturbing these old Universal movies can be, there's something very cosy about settling in with one late at night. I love misunderstood monster stories, I can't help it. The real relationship here isn't the monster and the Bride, who is only onscreen for a few (very memorable) minutes; it's the friendship between the monster and the old blind man. I don't know if there's a scene that better speaks to the loneliness of the world. Mindless, rampaging monster may be scarier, but horribly self-aware monster is more compelling.
This movie breaks my heart every time and I love it.
Jaws ~
It's -19°F and snowmageddon here, so obviously I watched Jaws. Happy fourth of July!
I mean, this movie is pretty much perfect. Great setting, memorable characters and lines, beautiful shots, and possibly the scariest creature ever put on film. A satisfying watch any time of year. "Smile, you son of a bitch!"
Candyman ~ I need to start by saying Tony Todd's voice is the most wonderful thing in the world. I know, and the sky is blue too. I also need to say this has one of the most beautiful scores ever - not just horror, but ever - and why is that not shouted from the rooftops like, daily??
I remember seeing this in the cinema in 1992 and wondering if it was a Wes Craven film. Certain vibes and themes remind me of a really good installment of the Elm Street franchise - the disreality, the urban legend come to life, the dreamlike nature at times. But this setting is so unique and creepy on its own merits that Candyman himself almost feels like the icing on the creep cake. The Cabrini-Green project is as much the star here as Tony Todd, and that's saying a lot. I'm drawn to urban decay, so that kind of setting always pulls me in.
The husband in this movie is one of the most truly unlikeable characters ever. He's not violent or over the top abusive, he's that kind of lowkey smug cheating asshole that keeps the shit cycle turning. I love everything about this movie, even how loathsome Trevor (of course his name is Trevor) is. It gives the story added depth, and it already had quite a bit. This is probably my 3rd favourite 90s horror after Scream and Scream 2 so yeah, it's good stuff.
If I say Candyman 5 times into a mirror, will Tony Todd appear and read spooky bedtime stories to me?
The Exorcist ~ The 11th and final film of my classic horror rewatch week is... well, obviously The Exorcist. I definitely don't have anything to say about a classic from 1973 that hasn't been said already, so I'll just say this. I watched this once, as a teenager, and I've been scared to watch it again since. Well maybe not scared, but I'd think about watching it and a little something would just rise up inside me and go NOPE, you're watching Fright Night again.
All these years later, I finally did it. The Exorcist is the reason I did this rewatch week to begin with, to force myself to do it. So, was it as scary as I remembered? No. It never is. But it's still really unsettling. That staircase scene can just go RIGHT back to hell. This is a fantastic film though. I like the structure of telling Regan and her mother's story alongside Father Karras' story, and how it all culminates is amazing. I'm so glad I rewatched this.
My seasonal depression: More snow? Really?
I think my own disorder just side-eyed me. It's fine. I'm fine. Is The Thing an allegory for seasonal depression? Maybe! That's sure how I'm taking it on what feels like day 652 of winter.
Watching this today, it's hard to believe that it once bombed. What the hell, 1982? How could a year that gave us "Eye of the Tiger," "Rosanna," and mutha friggin' "Don't Stop Believin'" get it so wrong?? This is a bleak film, and one I don't watch often for that reason. But it's also a masterpiece of effects work, pacing, tension, and simple but effective storytelling. I'm not usually into sci fi horror, so if I dig this, you know it's something special. What I am into is sweet practical effects, and this is a feast for the eyes. You also get Kurt Russell being super Kurt Russelly. He's always cool, but this might be peak cool right here. And not just because of the temperature. Dammit, I didn't mean to do that.
Everyone's seen The Thing. you don't need me to tell you to do that, but if you haven't watched it in awhile check it out. It holds up. You might wanna wait til May though, when you can go outside afterwards and smell a flower. Or you might wanna watch it now when you can extra spook yourself out. It's all good.
Frankenstein (1931) ~ Some of the most haunting imagery you'll ever see in a horror movie. The old mill, the crashing thunder, the torch mob, the flower. I don't think I'd seen this since I was a kid and not only did it hold up, it was better than I remembered. A must-see not just for horror fans, but any fan of film.
Bride of Frankenstein ~ For how disturbing these old Universal movies can be, there's something very cosy about settling in with one late at night. I love misunderstood monster stories, I can't help it. The real relationship here isn't the monster and the Bride, who is only onscreen for a few (very memorable) minutes; it's the friendship between the monster and the old blind man. I don't know if there's a scene that better speaks to the loneliness of the world. Mindless, rampaging monster may be scarier, but horribly self-aware monster is more compelling.
This movie breaks my heart every time and I love it.
Jaws ~
It's -19°F and snowmageddon here, so obviously I watched Jaws. Happy fourth of July!
I mean, this movie is pretty much perfect. Great setting, memorable characters and lines, beautiful shots, and possibly the scariest creature ever put on film. A satisfying watch any time of year. "Smile, you son of a bitch!"
Candyman ~ I need to start by saying Tony Todd's voice is the most wonderful thing in the world. I know, and the sky is blue too. I also need to say this has one of the most beautiful scores ever - not just horror, but ever - and why is that not shouted from the rooftops like, daily??
I remember seeing this in the cinema in 1992 and wondering if it was a Wes Craven film. Certain vibes and themes remind me of a really good installment of the Elm Street franchise - the disreality, the urban legend come to life, the dreamlike nature at times. But this setting is so unique and creepy on its own merits that Candyman himself almost feels like the icing on the creep cake. The Cabrini-Green project is as much the star here as Tony Todd, and that's saying a lot. I'm drawn to urban decay, so that kind of setting always pulls me in.
The husband in this movie is one of the most truly unlikeable characters ever. He's not violent or over the top abusive, he's that kind of lowkey smug cheating asshole that keeps the shit cycle turning. I love everything about this movie, even how loathsome Trevor (of course his name is Trevor) is. It gives the story added depth, and it already had quite a bit. This is probably my 3rd favourite 90s horror after Scream and Scream 2 so yeah, it's good stuff.
If I say Candyman 5 times into a mirror, will Tony Todd appear and read spooky bedtime stories to me?
The Exorcist ~ The 11th and final film of my classic horror rewatch week is... well, obviously The Exorcist. I definitely don't have anything to say about a classic from 1973 that hasn't been said already, so I'll just say this. I watched this once, as a teenager, and I've been scared to watch it again since. Well maybe not scared, but I'd think about watching it and a little something would just rise up inside me and go NOPE, you're watching Fright Night again.
All these years later, I finally did it. The Exorcist is the reason I did this rewatch week to begin with, to force myself to do it. So, was it as scary as I remembered? No. It never is. But it's still really unsettling. That staircase scene can just go RIGHT back to hell. This is a fantastic film though. I like the structure of telling Regan and her mother's story alongside Father Karras' story, and how it all culminates is amazing. I'm so glad I rewatched this.
Classic horror rewatch week, part 1
Suspiria ~ This movie offers valuable life advice, such as if you go away to school and it's lit like a haunted disco, GO HOME.
Definitely style-over-substance, but when it's this stylish can I really complain? Beautiful film with one of the most haunting and engaging scores of all time. The music and visuals more than make up for some dodgy acting, and while the story is simple, it resonates within the walls of the ballet school from hell. Lead actress Jessica Harper is very good in this, I just found some of the supporting cast overwrought. At times it lent to the demented feel of the film, as the music did, but other times it took me out a bit.
Overall I think this is a must-see for horror fans, especially if you love artsy shots, and it's very rewatchable because there's so much to see. It's a film you'll probably have more of an artistic connection to than an emotional one. I think of it as kind of a giant, scary art installation. This is a film in which blood and wine look equally like bright red paint, and it's fine.
Should I watch the remake? I've heard good things, but 2 1/2 hours is a tough sell.
The Haunting ~ This isn't a haunted house, this is the haunted house. It's so beautiful and so ugly, I adore it.
Watching this in 2019 was very different from watching it as a teen in the 90s. I never picked up on the gay subtext and how there was an unrequited love triangle going on, but now it seems so obvious and makes so much more sense! I thought most of the tension was due to the house, but there's some deep interpersonal stuff going on too. This is why rewatches are so important.
While I understood the film better this time, it didn't scare me quite as much. It's still scary, but I found the psychological tension, and just the general atmosphere of the house, to be more compelling than the scares. They're pretty mild, but can be unsettling. The ONLY way to watch this is late at night in a dark room. This is a subtle film, and a beautifully quiet one that you can just sit with.
"We who walk here, walk alone."
The Ring ~ A fantastic film in its own right, with some of modern horror's most iconic imagery, and one that helped set off the new wave of supernatural horror we're still enjoying today.
The Craft ~
This is a solid 3.25 star film for me, but an extra quarter star for the Letters to Cleo song. CLEO FOREVER 🤘
While this is one of like five 90s horror films not directed by Wes Craven I actually like, it has some issues. (The 90s is probably my favourite pop culture decade, but oh Lordy was it weak for horror, excepting Mr. Craven.) And this movie is super 90s, from the opening credits featuring somehow every post-Nirvana rock song, to the Tiny Black Backpacks, to the little girl plastic barrettes, to of course, Skeet Ulrich. Ah Skeet, God's own gift to the 90s and now the 2010s thanks to Riverdale. For the record, I had a Tiny Black Backpack and like, three sets of those barrettes in an array of colours. (I did not, sadly, have Skeet Ulrich.) This movie is basically like revisiting my old closet.
While this is super nostalgic and entertaining, it has some eyerolly moments too. I know, let's pick four beautiful actresses to play witchy outcasts just because they have DARK HAIR! OoOOo. "I want to be pretty on the outside," says Neve Campbell and I'm sorry, I know her character has burns on her back but those words are still coming out of Neve Campbell's face. The racist element was weird too, like sure racism can exist any time or place but it seemed laid on a little thick for a 1996 Los Angeles high school. At least Fairuza Balk had the crazy eyes, so that worked. She went over the top in kind of a bad Batman villain way, but it was pretty entertaining. At least until the very end, which was just bad.
But there are lots of cool scenes too, like "We are the weirdos mister," "light as a feather, stiff as a board," the moving images, creepy crawlies, bald Marcia Brady, and poor, befuddled Skeet ("I was just thinking, I don't know what I'm talking about!") Overall this is an enjoyable teen horror with some disturbing, memorable moments, and it's about as 90s as it gets.
The Omen ~ I hadn't seen this since the late 80s or early 90s. It's one of those classics you think you remember, partly because it is so iconic - Damien, 666, impaled priest, the original Devil Dog: Hound of Hell, that score! But there are always those spaces in between you forget. That's why I'm doing these rewatches. The first thing you will learn is that little girls in the 70s dressed like Little House on the Prairie invariably. What an odd cultural phenomenon that was. Anyway, the Antichrist.
While this is a very good movie, it's kept from being great by a few too many spaces in between the iconic moments. This is a long movie and it feels long. Comparing it to a similarly-themed and much longer film Rosemary's Baby, whose every 137 minutes just feels delicious, this one feels cumbersome at times. I'm not sure I needed that 47th shot of Gregory Peck looking serious. Cut maybe 10 minutes out and yeah, this is that great iconic movie you remember. As it is, it's a film every horror fan should see once, both on its own merits and for being such a landmark, but one you might not often revisit.
Definitely style-over-substance, but when it's this stylish can I really complain? Beautiful film with one of the most haunting and engaging scores of all time. The music and visuals more than make up for some dodgy acting, and while the story is simple, it resonates within the walls of the ballet school from hell. Lead actress Jessica Harper is very good in this, I just found some of the supporting cast overwrought. At times it lent to the demented feel of the film, as the music did, but other times it took me out a bit.
Overall I think this is a must-see for horror fans, especially if you love artsy shots, and it's very rewatchable because there's so much to see. It's a film you'll probably have more of an artistic connection to than an emotional one. I think of it as kind of a giant, scary art installation. This is a film in which blood and wine look equally like bright red paint, and it's fine.
Should I watch the remake? I've heard good things, but 2 1/2 hours is a tough sell.
The Haunting ~ This isn't a haunted house, this is the haunted house. It's so beautiful and so ugly, I adore it.
Watching this in 2019 was very different from watching it as a teen in the 90s. I never picked up on the gay subtext and how there was an unrequited love triangle going on, but now it seems so obvious and makes so much more sense! I thought most of the tension was due to the house, but there's some deep interpersonal stuff going on too. This is why rewatches are so important.
While I understood the film better this time, it didn't scare me quite as much. It's still scary, but I found the psychological tension, and just the general atmosphere of the house, to be more compelling than the scares. They're pretty mild, but can be unsettling. The ONLY way to watch this is late at night in a dark room. This is a subtle film, and a beautifully quiet one that you can just sit with.
"We who walk here, walk alone."
The Ring ~ A fantastic film in its own right, with some of modern horror's most iconic imagery, and one that helped set off the new wave of supernatural horror we're still enjoying today.
The Craft ~
This is a solid 3.25 star film for me, but an extra quarter star for the Letters to Cleo song. CLEO FOREVER 🤘
While this is one of like five 90s horror films not directed by Wes Craven I actually like, it has some issues. (The 90s is probably my favourite pop culture decade, but oh Lordy was it weak for horror, excepting Mr. Craven.) And this movie is super 90s, from the opening credits featuring somehow every post-Nirvana rock song, to the Tiny Black Backpacks, to the little girl plastic barrettes, to of course, Skeet Ulrich. Ah Skeet, God's own gift to the 90s and now the 2010s thanks to Riverdale. For the record, I had a Tiny Black Backpack and like, three sets of those barrettes in an array of colours. (I did not, sadly, have Skeet Ulrich.) This movie is basically like revisiting my old closet.
While this is super nostalgic and entertaining, it has some eyerolly moments too. I know, let's pick four beautiful actresses to play witchy outcasts just because they have DARK HAIR! OoOOo. "I want to be pretty on the outside," says Neve Campbell and I'm sorry, I know her character has burns on her back but those words are still coming out of Neve Campbell's face. The racist element was weird too, like sure racism can exist any time or place but it seemed laid on a little thick for a 1996 Los Angeles high school. At least Fairuza Balk had the crazy eyes, so that worked. She went over the top in kind of a bad Batman villain way, but it was pretty entertaining. At least until the very end, which was just bad.
But there are lots of cool scenes too, like "We are the weirdos mister," "light as a feather, stiff as a board," the moving images, creepy crawlies, bald Marcia Brady, and poor, befuddled Skeet ("I was just thinking, I don't know what I'm talking about!") Overall this is an enjoyable teen horror with some disturbing, memorable moments, and it's about as 90s as it gets.
The Omen ~ I hadn't seen this since the late 80s or early 90s. It's one of those classics you think you remember, partly because it is so iconic - Damien, 666, impaled priest, the original Devil Dog: Hound of Hell, that score! But there are always those spaces in between you forget. That's why I'm doing these rewatches. The first thing you will learn is that little girls in the 70s dressed like Little House on the Prairie invariably. What an odd cultural phenomenon that was. Anyway, the Antichrist.
While this is a very good movie, it's kept from being great by a few too many spaces in between the iconic moments. This is a long movie and it feels long. Comparing it to a similarly-themed and much longer film Rosemary's Baby, whose every 137 minutes just feels delicious, this one feels cumbersome at times. I'm not sure I needed that 47th shot of Gregory Peck looking serious. Cut maybe 10 minutes out and yeah, this is that great iconic movie you remember. As it is, it's a film every horror fan should see once, both on its own merits and for being such a landmark, but one you might not often revisit.
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