Seen and not seen's, recommendations and queries on top films in general.

[david lloyd jones]

watched made in Britain this am. not seen since likely around when it was first out and forgot much.
seems much more nihilistic now than antisocial-the voices of authority coming over as especially ineffectual.
the violence is more personally driven, despite the 'Nazi skin' character of Trevor.  these people had friends, Trevor has none.
and all this shown on TV.

[bitewerksMTB]

The Machinist- I haven't seen this film since its release & I didn't care for it much. This second viewing was okay but definitely nothing special. I kept thinking if the director had been a little less 'clever' , the film would have been more interesting. Also, the bald-headed guy with horse teeth and stupid accent was pointless. Gotta give the actor whose name I can't remember credit for looking like a death camp victim. If he had bumped into something mildly sharp, it would have impaled him in one side and out the other.

[absurdexposition]

The Machinist- I haven't seen this film since its release & I didn't care for it much. This second viewing was okay but definitely nothing special. I kept thinking if the director had been a little less 'clever' , the film would have been more interesting. Also, the bald-headed guy with horse teeth and stupid accent was pointless. Gotta give the actor whose name I can't remember credit for looking like a death camp victim. If he had bumped into something mildly sharp, it would have impaled him in one side and out the other.

The dude had to bulk up right quick and become Batman after. 130lbs to 230lbs in 6 months...

[bitewerksMTB]

Last night was The Candy Snatchers. It's amusing how lighthearted and mean-spirited this film is. The fight & car chase scenes are goofy (action is sped up) & there's a mute boy that looks like the feral kid in The Road Warrior and you get some real choice nude shots of  Tiffany Bolling's hippie tits and the kidnapped schoolgirl tied up in her school uniform on a dirty floor of an abandoned house and other than the schoolgirl & the boy, everyone is just awful. And there's a pretty grim climax to wrap the whole thing up.

The Subversive Cinema dvd is well worth tracking down. I'm not sure it'd be worth upgrading if it ever hits Blu-ray. The film looks pretty damn good on dvd, which, also came with a cool little poster & several repro's of the lobby card set. I think I may own an original press book for the film.

[ConcreteMascara]

watched "The Void" last night. I was pretty interested based on the trailers but worried it would suck, as so many modern horror movies do.

happily I felt like it was pretty fucking great. at least to my taste. basically like HP Lovecraft, Carpenter's The Thing and the vibe of Portal's Vexovoid thrown in a blender. Lots of practical effects, rather than cgi which was great. lots of gore. pretty decent acting and dialogue. basically points of it had me thinking of all my favorite HP Lovecraft influenced works, from music to comics to books. it's fucking great to see Lovecraft's Great Old Ones presented with some visual panache.

[online prowler]

watched "The Void" last night. I was pretty interested based on the trailers but worried it would suck, as so many modern horror movies do.

happily I felt like it was pretty fucking great. at least to my taste. basically like HP Lovecraft, Carpenter's The Thing and the vibe of Portal's Vexovoid thrown in a blender. Lots of practical effects, rather than cgi which was great. lots of gore. pretty decent acting and dialogue. basically points of it had me thinking of all my favorite HP Lovecraft influenced works, from music to comics to books. it's fucking great to see Lovecraft's Great Old Ones presented with some visual panache.

Thanx for the reminder. I wrote this one behind my ear last year. Scored a copy online and saw it yesterday. Enjoyed it quite a lot, though then again I am a fan of the Astro cadre's work. See what you mean re film references and agree. I would maybe even throw in The Beyond as well into the mix. Less humor in this flick than their previous works. Think the movie suits this guise the best. Recommended watch!

[bitewerksMTB]

The Void looks interesting. DiabolikDVD is going to have some sort of exclusive Blu-ray release & there is a UK release soon. I've read that some people are getting the film on VOD; I'll have to check my cable's VOD channel for it.

Sunday night was Videodrome. Does anyone own the Blu-ray? Does it come in the Beta cassette slipcase? I wouldn't mind upgrading but not if it doesn't have the same packaging as the dvd release. As for the film, I wonder why DC chose to have Debbie Harry's earlobes pierced and not her nipples?!? Maybe that was a little too much for 1983?

Videodrome was the first first movie I rented on video back in the mid-80s.

[Kim V]

Naked (dir. Mike Leigh, 1993)
      May or may not flesh this out with an actual review later, but wanted to note that for me this is revisiting a film I first saw as a young 'un – I guess this helped draw some distinctions for me, perhaps. That might sound really extreme, but it's not intended that way; just that visceral realism is sometimes harder to digest than a splatter film with viscera all over the place. The overall atmosphere of the film and disposition of the character is not unlike certain passages/voices in late 1990s-era P.S.; fairly bogged down with paranoia and depression, not to mention intertwining such feelings with hate, but ultimately human and able to process human feeling in the full spectrum. Apologetic tone aside, I read an interview with Mr. Stab Electronics that Gaspar Noe's I Stand Alone was "power electronics in film form," or something like that. I'd say the same of Mike Leigh's Naked – rather than comparing it to any other movies, it seems to have much in common with late '80's-early '90's Whitehouse. I keep hearing the terms "black comedy" to describe both, anyway; and to be frank the character of Johnny reminds me of a certain bearded, trenchcoated fellow in early live photos. For years, I'd mistaken David Thewlis in this movie for Jared Harris in Happiness. Picture that when you watch this movie.

thanks for reminding me about this one. Probably more than 20 years ago since i saw it. Need to dig this up again.

[david lloyd jones]

spent am watching-

horrors of malformed men by teruo ishii-late sixties counter cultural variant on island of lost souls. glad to have seen this long awaited jape film.

tumbling doll of flesh.- the realism opposite to the prior film where each  assault on human flesh is seen in detail.presumed late entry to human guinea pig aesthetic. still enjoyed rather than endured

[david lloyd jones]

next viewing-

iron master by Umberto lenzi.possible Conan rip off (can't remember Conan film dates).
lenzi is usually better than his cannibal reputation, so hope this is enjoyable nonsense.

caltiki, the immortal monster. very, early bava film (with Ricardo Freda) issued by arrow with usual extras.

[bitewerksMTB]

I have Horrors of Malformed Men. It has its moments but is no where near as wild as I expected. I think it'd be a film that would be nice on Blu-ray if it could get a brand new HD scan. I've eyed the film on my shelf quite frequently as one to watch again but have yet to get to it.

While we're on the subject of freaks, I watched The Mutations aka The Freakmaker a couple of nights ago. It's kind of a bore but has some cool elements such as the monster, circus freaks/performers, weird lab equipment, plants that bleed and eat rabbits, & a loony free-jazz soundtrack. It's too bad the monster isn't used more.

[david lloyd jones]

I have Horrors of Malformed Men. It has its moments but is no where near as wild as I expected. I think it'd be a film that would be nice on Blu-ray if it could get a brand new HD scan. I've eyed the film on my shelf quite frequently as one to watch again but have yet to get to it.

While we're on the subject of freaks, I watched The Mutations aka The Freakmaker a couple of nights ago. It's kind of a bore but has some cool elements such as the monster, circus freaks/performers, weird lab equipment, plants that bleed and eat rabbits, & a loony free-jazz soundtrack. It's too bad the monster isn't used more.

clearly 'horrors...' has it's place , that in intervening years lessens the shocks, but as a period piece, works well and, for me, adds to the mania of 'blinds beast'

[david lloyd jones]

I have Horrors of Malformed Men. It has its moments but is no where near as wild as I expected. I think it'd be a film that would be nice on Blu-ray if it could get a brand new HD scan. I've eyed the film on my shelf quite frequently as one to watch again but have yet to get to it.

While we're on the subject of freaks, I watched The Mutations aka The Freakmaker a couple of nights ago. It's kind of a bore but has some cool elements such as the monster, circus freaks/performers, weird lab equipment, plants that bleed and eat rabbits, & a loony free-jazz soundtrack. It's too bad the monster isn't used more.

I have Horrors of Malformed Men. It has its moments but is no where near as wild as I expected. I think it'd be a film that would be nice on Blu-ray if it could get a brand new HD scan. I've eyed the film on my shelf quite frequently as one to watch again but have yet to get to it.

While we're on the subject of freaks, I watched The Mutations aka The Freakmaker a couple of nights ago. It's kind of a bore but has some cool elements such as the monster, circus freaks/performers, weird lab equipment, plants that bleed and eat rabbits, & a loony free-jazz soundtrack. It's too bad the monster isn't used more.

clearly 'horrors...' has it's place , that in intervening years lessens the shocks, but as a period piece, works well and, for me, adds to the mania of 'blinds beast'

seen and enjoyed 'the mutations' as freak film from long time whatever.
last film to have freaks as actors. there is usual uk other actors etch

have enjoyed this ad VHS  ex fental, bootleg DVD and recently, German issue DVD.

[bitewerksMTB]

[/quote]

clearly 'horrors...' has it's place , that in intervening years lessens the shocks, but as a period piece, works well and, for me, adds to the mania of 'blinds beast'
[/quote]

I'd love to hear that BLIND BEAST is coming soon on Blu-ray! It's one of my favorite Japanese films. It'd look great in HD, too.

I watched the CROPSEY documentary last night.

[david lloyd jones]

clearly 'horrors...' has it's place , that in intervening years lessens the shocks, but as a period piece, works well and, for me, adds to the mania of 'blinds beast'
[/quote]

I'd love to hear that BLIND BEAST is coming soon on Blu-ray! It's one of my favorite Japanese films. It'd look great in HD, too.

I watched the CROPSEY documentary last night.
[/quote]

would also love blind beast upgrade-  come on arrow!