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Post by Martin Stett on Oct 18, 2017 0:32:21 GMT
I'm kind of watching a movie right now that I'm gonna give a shout out here. I'll probably watch it for real later; it seems pretty cool.
It's Prison starring Viggo Mortensen, Lane Smith and some guy that I swear is Richard Nixon. I'll just quote the plot blurb the channel provides: "An electrocuted man haunts a crumbling prison whose warden, as a guard, knew he was innocent." Directed by Renny Harlin.
Tell me that doesn't sound crazy awesome.
Edit: Wait, Lane Smith is Richard Nixon. Sweet.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 18, 2017 1:18:38 GMT
I'm kind of watching a movie right now that I'm gonna give a shout out here. I'll probably watch it for real later; it seems pretty cool. It's Prison starring Viggo Mortensen, Lane Smith and some guy that I swear is Richard Nixon. I'll just quote the plot blurb the channel provides: "An electrocuted man haunts a crumbling prison whose warden, as a guard, knew he was innocent." Directed by Renny Harlin. Tell me that doesn't sound crazy awesome. Edit: Wait, Lane Smith is Richard Nixon. Sweet. I stumbled upon this on letterboxd a few months ago. Hope to check it out at some point.
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Post by Martin Stett on Oct 18, 2017 3:43:30 GMT
I'm kind of watching a movie right now that I'm gonna give a shout out here. I'll probably watch it for real later; it seems pretty cool. It's Prison starring Viggo Mortensen, Lane Smith and some guy that I swear is Richard Nixon. I'll just quote the plot blurb the channel provides: "An electrocuted man haunts a crumbling prison whose warden, as a guard, knew he was innocent." Directed by Renny Harlin. Tell me that doesn't sound crazy awesome. Edit: Wait, Lane Smith is Richard Nixon. Sweet. I stumbled upon this on letterboxd a few months ago. Hope to check it out at some point. Well, I'm sure it's better than the movie I actually wound up watching tonight ( American Honey ). I only watched a few minutes while I was helping my dad replace his smoke detector, but in that time I got to see some prisoner steal a bus only to have Warden Nixon run in front of the bus and throw his jacket at the windshield with enough force to make the driver shit his pants, stop the bus and meekly open the door -- at which point Warden Nixon proceeded to strangle the poor innocent prisoner next to him for daring to stay on a stolen vehicle or something. As I said, I was only half watching it, but damn this looked fun.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 18, 2017 11:04:57 GMT
Day 18: Hounds of Love (2017, Ben Young)In 1980s Australia, the recent divorce of Vicki's (Ashleigh Cummings) parents becomes the least of her problems after being kidnapped by a crazed serial killing couple. A strong debut from writer-director Ben Young, he crafts an uncomfortable slow burn about survival while leaving many of the more gruesome scenes up to the viewer's imagination. Featuring a great soundtrack with songs from Cat Stevens and The Moody Blues, the instrumental score also blends well with the stylistic slow-motion shots throughout. While much of Cummings’s performance is facial expressions due to being bound and gagged, she is riveting to watch and won a best actress award at the Venice Film Festival for her work. Emma Booth as one half of the deranged couple is even more fascinating as she brings a lot of vulnerability to such a disturbing character. A very well-acted and restrained psychological thriller, Hounds of Love’s strength lies in what is left unspoken and implied.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 19, 2017 11:08:32 GMT
Day 19: The 4th Man / De vierde man (1983, Paul Verhoeven)Before sailing off into the Hollywood sunset, this was the final film Paul Verhoeven made in the Netherlands until 2006. It follows an alcoholic writer (Jeroen Krabbé) who is plagued by disturbing visions, only to have them intensify after beginning an affair with a mysterious woman (Renée Soutendijk). Not known for his restraint, Verhoeven delicately blends elements of noir, giallo and Hitchcock while also satisfying fans with moments of graphic violence and sexuality. Also infused with religious symbolism and opening credits where a spider builds a web -- a great set up for the black widow that the protagonist and viewer are about to meet. Filled with striking colors, strong performances, and enough twists and turns to make for a memorable bumpy ride.
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Post by Mattsby on Oct 19, 2017 16:56:53 GMT
I own The 4th Man on VHS, been meaning to see it for a while!
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 20, 2017 3:11:22 GMT
I own The 4th Man on VHS, been meaning to see it for a while! Hope you dig it!
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 20, 2017 11:08:26 GMT
Day 20: A Double Feature of Shocking Shorts.Cat Soup / Nekojiru-sô (2001, Tatsuo Satō)An experimental surreal black comedy, this anime short follows a kitten named Nyatta on his journey to the land of the dead and the lengths he will go to save his sister’s soul. A truly psychedelic trip, it was inspired by the works of Manga artist Nekojiru and is overflowing with bizarre and strange imagery, leaving essentially the entire running time up for interpretation. Not to be missed, you should go ahead and pour yourself a bowl of Cat Soup.Cutting Moments (1997, Douglas Buck)Stuck in a monotonous existence and loveless marriage, this short centers on Sarah and Patrick and the deep resentment growing between them. When Patrick’s dark sexual urges begin to bubble to the surface, their family begins to deteriorate all the more rapidly and Sarah is driven far beyond her breaking point. Extremely bleak and unnerving, the low budget quality only adds to the discomfort and makes Cutting Moments an unforgettable and grotesque suburban nightmare. Also a perfect example of why you shouldn’t judge something by the cover, be sure to ignore the heinous poster for this film that puts the couple in Revolutionary Road to shame.
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Post by pacinoyes on Oct 20, 2017 12:00:03 GMT
The 4th Man is a classic - the best thing Verhoeven has ever made imo and one of the most weirdly spiritual movies of all time too.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 21, 2017 15:19:34 GMT
Day 21: Julie Darling (1983, Paul Nicholas)Julie is coming down with a bad case of Electra complex and it only gets worse after witnessing her mother's death and failing to step in and stop it. Not wasting any time, her father quickly remarries and another woman is already in Julie's way. Putting together an elaborate plan to take out her new stepmother, Julie's daddy issues are taken to a whole other level in this sleazy and exploitative thriller. Equal parts uncomfortable and suspenseful, there's enough of that bright artificial ‘70s blood and Diet Pepsi to go around in this melodramatic and twisted tale.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 22, 2017 15:58:17 GMT
Day 22: Kidnapped / Secuestrados (2010, Miguel Ángel Vivas)When three criminals break into the home of a family living in a gated community in Madrid, the parents and teenaged daughter are taken hostage but decide to fight back against the intruders. An unrelenting and brutal home invasion thriller, Kidnapped is especially unsettling with its 'in real time' feel due to being comprised of only twelve long takes. From the startling opening shot until the end credits roll, the film successfully creates tension and a crescendo of absolute dread.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 23, 2017 11:03:42 GMT
Day 23: Strait-Jacket (1964, William Castle)Lucy Harbin took an ax, gave her husband 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave his girlfriend 41! And after spending twenty years in an asylum for these crimes, Lucy Harbin (Joan Crawford) attempts to re-enter society and reconnect with her estranged daughter Carol (Diane Baker). Rehabilitation doesn’t go very smoothly, however, as Lucy continues to exhibit some strange behavior much to the growing chagrin of her daughter. Fresh off of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, Crawford has the chance to chew scenery and wield axes to her heart’s delight. The film also features George Kennedy and the debut of Lee Majors. Written by Psycho author Robert Bloch, director William Castle has fun with the material and crafts an over-the-top and suspenseful thriller complete with a bombastic score and ominous silhouettes.
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Post by pacinoyes on Oct 23, 2017 11:29:21 GMT
Straight-Jacket is a lot of fun to me........I can honestly say that Joan Crawford flat out acts her head off in Straight-Jacket - I mean she is almost Pacinoesque in her (similar) commitment to ludicrous material and she's a hoot.
Some of the scenes where people are tip-toeing around her early on, to you know, not tell her she's 3 fries short of a frickin' happy meal are unintentionally very funny too.
This is a good example of the kind of American horror film that was common in the first half of the 60s - realistic settings sorta with a psychological complexity sorta.
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Post by Christ_Ian_Bale on Oct 23, 2017 12:33:52 GMT
It's a shame the Hammer Dracula movies never topped their first one (and Lee went out with such a whimper with the bullshit that was Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride), but Dracula Has Risen From the Grave was one of the more decent ones. The production is insanely good, particularly how massive the exteriors of the castle feel. Do you have a personal favorite from the series? Fear(s) of the Dark was even better than I had hoped. The animation is incredible with so many unique and memorably freakish visuals. Even the stuff like the love story with the bug collector, that feels entirely unsettling and uncomfortable even when it's at its "normal" points, with the final payoffs only being that more creepy. The last segment is the perfect embodiment of the full product's idea from the get-go. And that guy with the dogs is the stuff of nightmares. I like how he was randomly placed throughout the movie, how he was most likely to turn up between segments but would sometimes just get cut back to in the middle of one. I was a little disappointed in Night of the Comet, I guess mainly because it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Cheesiness is most certainly expected with a set up like that but those portions reminded me a little more of the sillier parts of The Omega Man, as opposed to the "The Quiet Earth by way of Clueless" vibe I'd prepared myself for. I do think it would have helped to have Geoffrey Lewis and the other scientists first appear in the third act as opposed to continuously cutting back to them throughout, giving the girls time to have more fun with the situation plus dealing with the overall effects of the isolation. I also was able to catch Amer. While I do feel it started to get very indulgent very fast, the first third is truly great and disturbing and would have made a fantastic short by itself. The 4th Man is kind of my white whale right now. I found it at a thrift store for what would have been $1, if not for the fact that the case was empty. Since then, I haven't been able to find it anywhere at a remotely reasonable price.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 23, 2017 17:46:41 GMT
Straight-Jacket is a lot of fun to me........I can honestly say that Joan Crawford flat out acts her head off in Straight-Jacket - I mean she is almost Pacinoesque in her (similar) commitment to ludicrous material and she's a hoot. Some of the scenes where people are tip-toeing around her early on, to you know, not tell her she's 3 fries short of a frickin' happy meal are unintentionally very funny too. This is a good example of the kind of American horror film that was common in the first half of the 60s - realistic settings sorta with a psychological complexity sorta. Crawford is so much fun to watch. I also didn't see the ending coming, haha, so I was so on board for that crazy ride.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 23, 2017 17:53:52 GMT
It's a shame the Hammer Dracula movies never topped their first one (and Lee went out with such a whimper with the bullshit that was Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride), but Dracula Has Risen From the Grave was one of the more decent ones. The production is insanely good, particularly how massive the exteriors of the castle feel. Do you have a personal favorite from the series? Doing this series over the last couple of years actually got me into Hammer films. I don't think I saw many, if any of them while growing up (I was exposed more to MGM monster movies as a kid). I think Dracula: Prince of Darkness is my favorite. You?
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 24, 2017 10:57:37 GMT
Day 24: Late Phases (2014, Adrián García Bogliano)While settling into his new home at a secluded retirement community, blind Vietnam veteran Ambrose McKinley (Nick Damici) is greeted by the welcoming committee of nosy neighbors, only to later meet the nasty werewolf that seems to be picking off all the old folks one by one. He quickly decides to take matters into his own hands and the film begins to feel like a modern-day Charles Bronson revenge flick set during the full moon. Although it's a bit too schlocky for its own good at times, there are some decent practical effects and a strong lead performance from Damici. Overall it offers a refreshing take on the werewolf genre and makes you hungry for more horror films with a Cocoon-esque setting. Tom Noonan, Ethan Embry, Lance Guest and Tina Louise also co-star.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 25, 2017 11:06:35 GMT
Day 25: The Reflecting Skin (1990, Philip Ridley)While growing up in rural 1950s America, a young boy’s imagination goes into overtime as he begins to suspect that a neighboring widow is not only a vampire, but also to blame for the recent disappearances in the area. Blending elements of surrealism with horror and pitch-black comedy, Philip Ridley brings his strong eye for detail to his directorial debut, even going so far as to hand paint the wheat to get just the look that he was after. Teaming up with Oscar-nominated cinematographer Dick Poop, the two create an incredibly rich, layered and strange coming-of-age tale that does well to blur the line of perception and reality. Jeremy Cooper leads the cast which also stars Lindsay Duncan, Viggo Mortensen, and the creepy twins from The Wicker Man (2006).
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 26, 2017 11:16:51 GMT
Day 26: Private Parts (1972, Paul Bartel)The debut of Eating Raoul director Paul Bartel, Private Parts centers on teenage runaway Cheryl (Ayn Ruymen) who moves into a seedy hotel run by her aunt Martha (Lucille Benson) who puts the strange in estranged. Suspecting a resident has been murdered, Cheryl begins to spy on her kooky and colorful new neighbors, one of which is George who happens to be a voyeur in his own right. A dark comedy full of interesting characters, over-the-top acting, and stunning cinematography, Private Parts makes for a weird and wild ride.
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Post by Christ_Ian_Bale on Oct 27, 2017 4:42:03 GMT
Nice. I always loved the decision to not give Lee any lines in that one and let his presence speak for itself, which it has always done anyway. That shot that just lingers on her in "Risen From the Grave" where she's just looking then it cuts to him standing in the doorway always gives me a chill without him having to do anything but just stand there. Mine is still Horror of Dracula. As a starting point for the character, I think it may even top Browning's movie. So slick and atmospheric, and finds the perfect middle ground between sophistication and B-movie. I was able to catch Kidnapped and Julie Darling this week. With Kidnapped, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, given how tired I feel the long take approach has gotten. I suppose that's unfair given its pre-Birdman release date when filmmakers weren't so obsessed with them and had forgotten that Russian Ark existed, but I really liked the way it was utilized here. It does really make you feel like you're watching something unfold for real that you shouldn't be looking at, in a way that reminded me a lot of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. It also really showed off the commitment from the actors. That scene pictured in your post is brutal, the way we have no choice but to watch the mother choke on that gag for what feels like an eternity. The split-screen was also very nicely done. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. I get what they were going for, and the idea is certainly brought home, but it just kind of left me more with a "Well this all kind of feels pointless now" feeling. I did like Julie Darling very much. It felt like if an 80s slasher director had made a gender-switched The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea. It also made me wonder if Wentworth Miller has seen it, given that crucial scene in the first 20 minutes being replicated almost exactly for the climax of Stoker. Some very good performances (except Julie's friend, what the hell was that shit?) and very intriguing, unpredictable turns. Too bad the ending was rushed as hell. :/ Found a copy of Late Phases. Very excited to check it out sometime in the next couple of days.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 27, 2017 11:22:00 GMT
Day 27: Left Bank / Linkeroever (2008, Pieter Van Hees)Eline Kuppens stars an aspiring track star who is forced to take time off to rest after being diagnosed with an immune disease. Deciding to relax with a change of scenery, she moves in with her new boyfriend (Matthias Schoenaerts) and quickly falls down a rabbit hole of obsession over what happened to the previous tenants of the apartment. A bleak and mysterious Belgian thriller, this slow burn is drenched with atmosphere and scattered with nods to Polanksi throughout. A strong debut from Kuppens, she shares some very steamy chemistry with Schoenaerts in one of his breakout roles.
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Post by therealcomicman117 on Oct 27, 2017 18:08:02 GMT
The Hammer Dracula films are a lot of fun. I think my favorite might be Prince of Darkness, but Has Risen From The Grave is a hoot as actual entertainment value. My only issue is how little Lee gets used as Dracula in the later films, I know he's supposed to be the villain, but they use him so little in the role in the later installments, still it's good.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 28, 2017 16:30:05 GMT
Day 28: Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde (1971, Roy Ward Baker)Set in Victorian London, this loose adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic has Dr. Jekyll creating a formula from female hormones that can prolong life, only to test the elixir and find himself transformed into a woman with insatiable bloodlust. Ralph Bates plays the mad doctor and Martine Beswick stars as the personification of his evil side. What sounds like a ludicrous '60s exploitation film on paper, instead is presented relatively sincerely thanks to the production design, acting and foggy atmosphere. While it's a hodgepodge of ideas with nods to Jack the Ripper, Frankenstein, and Burke and Hare, it remains a well paced and unique sci-fi/horror that must have been very shocking for its time due to the following disclaimer on the poster: PARENTS: Be sure your children are sufficiently mature to witness the intimate details of this frank and revealing film.
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Post by Martin Stett on Oct 29, 2017 1:34:01 GMT
I was a big fan of A Night to Remember, and I like respectful adaptations. Looks interesting.
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Post by cheesecake on Oct 29, 2017 12:20:49 GMT
Day 29: Highway to Hell (1991, Ate de Jong)On the way to Vegas to elope, Rachel (Kristy Swanson) is kidnapped by a demonic zombie Hellcop and her fiancé (Chad Lowe) must travel to hell to get her back. A cheesy but inventive B-horror comedy from Dutch director Ate de Jong who is better known as the man responsible for Drop Dead Fred. While it could have been stronger with its execution, there’s enough to enjoy what with literal handcuffs used to contain people, Gilbert Gottfried playing Hitler, Richard Farnsworth as the wise man spewing exposition, and 4/4 Stiller family members appearing in small parts. Steve Johnson also provides some memorable makeup and would later work on Species and both The Stand and The Shining miniseries. A quirky little film that deserves more of a cult following, Highway to Hell remains a cautionary tale as to why you shouldn’t save yourself for marriage.
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