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

[Rhan-Tegoth]

So last week in honor of Tobe Hooper my movie buddy and I watched Texas Chainsaw Massacre (I love it more with each viewing), later on the Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, and then the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake from 2003.

It's funny, I didn't see TCM until I was 20 or 21 and when I finally watched it I felt left down. I think it had something to do with the heavy disassociative drug use that was also happening. Subsequent viewing since confirmed that I'm an idiot and it's one of the best horror films of all time. So watching it again last Monday was great, etc
.
I was fully unprepared for the shitshow that is TCM 2. I'm not a big fan of silly horror like Brain Dead, Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness etc. It rarely works for me. I don't know what the fucking intent was with TCM 2 but to me it came across as overly long, overly dumb and just lacking everything that makes the first a classic. If taken only as a comedy it's passable I guess. And such a damn waste of Dennis Hopper. however I did finally recognized the sample of his voice from the Skinny Puppy track Shadowcast which I thought was a sample of DH from The River's Edge for the longest time, so silver lining.

Then there was the remake which pretty much exemplifies everything I hate about modern horror. tough guy dialogue, isntagram filters/fucked color pallets, Marilyn Manson music video set pieces, weird kids, slim to no suspense.... It wasn't the worst movie ever, but it just felt completely pointless on the whole. and way too early 2000s edge-lord in style. I did love R. Lee Ermey as the Sheriff terrorizing the group tho.

You should have watched "Eaten Alive" from 1977 instead of TCM2 to honour Tobe Hooper, that movie feels way more like the atmosphere of the original than its sequel. Never liked TCM2 either, I suppose this was intended to be a satire but it's basically just a silly and unfunny movie in the end. Not even Dennis Hopper could save it for me.

Eaten Alive trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqRVtNdkCBo (watch closely for a young Robert Englund)

The TCM remake I somehow liked. Not the worst horror remake of the 2000s, in my opinion it's watchable like the remakes of "Dawn of the Dead" and "The Hills Have Eyes". The prequel to the remake on the other hand was useless and so were all other entries in this franchise I haven't already mentioned.

[aububs]

the last act of this movie is fucking bananas

don't read anything about it before you see it

[david lloyd jones]

the last act of this movie is fucking bananas

don't read anything about it before you see it

including this?

[david lloyd jones]

looking forward to seeing newly bought 'fires on the plain' by shinya tsukamoto, of tetsuo and sneke of june etc set in a philipino island hell with stranded japanese soldiers ferociously hungry...

[david lloyd jones]

new arrow upgrades,
don't torture a duckling- lucio fulci
kill baby kill- mario bava

[online prowler]

looking forward to seeing newly bought 'fires on the plain' by shinya tsukamoto, of tetsuo and sneke of june etc set in a philipino island hell with stranded japanese soldiers ferociously hungry...

'fires on the plain' ---

Aye, me too. Been waiting for this one. Did you ever check out the momentum original from 1959? Same guy who did the classic samurai film Harakiri. Also looking forward to Arrow's release of The Untamed. Lasse Marhaug did the soundtrack on that one by the way...

[david lloyd jones]

not seen the original film as far as i know.
possibly after seeing, will track down.

[aububs]

caught a rewatch of this in the cinema last night. amazing movie. a modern classic imo.

the guy who directed this plays in realmbuilder and charnel valley

[bitewerksMTB]

I'd like to see Bone Tomahawk again. I do remember thinking it was a touch too long & the screeching sounds were kind of silly.

I attended a matinee of the controversial, Hollywood art film, Mother! The best part was when I had to hit the head to take a dump. Oh, and the film's sound design is pretty good.

[absurdexposition]

I'd like to see Bone Tomahawk again. I do remember thinking it was a touch too long & the screeching sounds were kind of silly.

I didn't find it very good, definitely too long.

I attended a matinee of the controversial, Hollywood art film, Mother! The best part was when I had to hit the head to take a dump. Oh, and the film's sound design is pretty good.

Hearing generally unfavourable reviews other than aububs one here (if that counts as a review), but I did like Black Swan, so am curious to check it out.

Last night was a Harry Dean Stanton double-header with Paris, Texas and The Cowboy and the Frenchman. I had no idea P,T was so heavy.

Today (so far) has been Salon Kitty. Lavishly sleazy Nazisploitation. It's certainly a bit long, but the cinematography is great and there are some amazing scenes.

[bitewerksMTB]

I haven't seen Black Swan though I ran across it on cable not too long ago & watched a bit but found it dull. I was surprised when I found out Mother! was directed by the same guy responsible for Requiem for a Dream.

Salon Kitty:  A friend of mine likes the book a lot & has the rights for the movie's soundtrack but it's being held up for some reason. Some of the poster images are pretty amazing. His release may be delayed due to art. Seems like he said his graphic designer didn't want to deal with it along with the pressing plant would refuse it (or complain).

[absurdexposition]

I haven't seen Black Swan though I ran across it on cable not too long ago & watched a bit but found it dull.

It all comes together in the ending, I think. It took a lot of cues from The Red Shoes.

Salon Kitty:  A friend of mine likes the book a lot & has the rights for the movie's soundtrack but it's being held up for some reason. Some of the poster images are pretty amazing. His release may be delayed due to art. Seems like he said his graphic designer didn't want to deal with it along with the pressing plant would refuse it (or complain).

Interesting. Makes sense with all the swastikas and genitals likely flying about there.

[david lloyd jones]

upgrade of eighties slasher, 'visiting hours' with bunch of nobodies and william shatner getting bloody and slashy and sleazy with any luck
this is basic upgrade with no o-card cover, multi page booklet etc.
sometimes basic is enough.

[ConcreteMascara]

caught a rewatch of this in the cinema last night. amazing movie. a modern classic imo.

the guy who directed this plays in realmbuilder and charnel valley

I thought Bone Tomahawk was terrible. I wanted to like it, I sat through the whole goddamn thing trying, but it just seemed like a massive waste of my time by the end.

I generally like Darren Aronofsky, so I'm interested to see Mother. I thought Black Swan was pretty great and had some physically cringe inducing scenes. And I enjoyed Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis lezzing out together.

upgrade of eighties slasher, 'visiting hours' with bunch of nobodies and william shatner getting bloody and slashy and sleazy with any luck
this is basic upgrade with no o-card cover, multi page booklet etc.
sometimes basic is enough.

Tried to watch a torrent of this the other week but it was all glitched out. Will have to check out the hard copy.

Hosted my annual Sleazy Slasher Saturday party this past Saturday. It was a bit shorter than in the past. Warmed up with Motel Hell and then we got through What Have You Done to Solange?, Halloween II, Maniac and Black Christmas. Nothing but the hits this year.

oh and last week I watched Raw, which was a mix of coming of age and cannibal, in the New French Extremity style. I thought it was pretty solid, especially the acting from the main chick and the visual design. The very end was way too NFE for my taste (no pun intended), but I was glad I watched it.

[ConcreteMascara]

Rewatched Hellraiser for the first time in 5 years. actually enjoyed it a lot more than I expected and remembered. Looking back at my old comments I watched it for the first time in 2012, which means I was probably hammered drunk and miserable... so yeah, last night was more enjoyable with my horror watching friend. we referred to the character Frank as the Goopman or the Goopster and basically did a riff tracks over the movie. The special effects are pretty great. an insane amount of petroleum jelly was used it looked like to me. There were some weird inexplicable direction choices, almost rivaling Fulci's spastic direction (at times). it feels distinctly '80s too, for better or worse.

all that being said, one thing that really struck me was how brutal almost all of the actors looked. i assume the budget went to KY jelly instead of attractive actors, but it made the whole seducing Julia was doing harder to believe. you can dress up a pig... anyway glad to reappraise it and I look forward to watching the second.

also re-watched Fulci's The Beyond on Sunday which easily holds up as the best of his supernatural flicks. top notch atmosphere and incredible gore scenes. the insane part with the tarantulas is so dumb and so goddamn good.