Wednesday, 31 October 2012
What is 'The Scariest Film Ever Made'?
To wrap up Filmoria's 10 Days of Halloween, find out what the Filmoria team feel are the scariest movies ever.
See if your scariest film is on our list! It's a very interesting selection of films with many classics represented and a few unexpected ones. There's more that I would love to see on the list but many of my own personal favourites are here. My entry is on The original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a film that freaked me out beyond belief when I first saw it on TV! Particularly the final few scenes. Terrifying stuff!
Here are some choice quotes but what films are they referring to?
'If you want your horror with a happy ending, then forget it.'
'I leave unsettled and fearful of the familiar'
'It is the terrifying ending that will leave you scared to go near a TV'
'There is one film that continues to strike fear in my heart'
'The horrors that are happening largely off screen makes this one to keep you up at night'
'Imagine having to stay awake to survive. Imagine seeing your friends killed one by one and knowing you’re next. Imagine having nightmares so horrendous your hair turns grey'
'The frantic camerawork flies back and forth with so much energy that his manic incarnations literally jump off the screen'
'What scares me now is how it represents the true randomness of evil'
'The writing, directing, acting, and especially Philip Glass’ haunting score all work together to bring this horrifying tale to terrifying life'
'Terrifying audiences with his mutilation of the human body'
'I have only seen the original cinematic ending and it chilled me so much I have not even considered watching the sequels that followed.'
So what is the film that gives you the worst nightmares? What made you cower from the screen, cover your eyes, run away, cry, scream or switch off the TV? And what do you think of the Filmoria teams selection?
See if your scariest film is on our list! It's a very interesting selection of films with many classics represented and a few unexpected ones. There's more that I would love to see on the list but many of my own personal favourites are here. My entry is on The original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a film that freaked me out beyond belief when I first saw it on TV! Particularly the final few scenes. Terrifying stuff!
Here are some choice quotes but what films are they referring to?
'If you want your horror with a happy ending, then forget it.'
'I leave unsettled and fearful of the familiar'
'It is the terrifying ending that will leave you scared to go near a TV'
'There is one film that continues to strike fear in my heart'
'The horrors that are happening largely off screen makes this one to keep you up at night'
'Imagine having to stay awake to survive. Imagine seeing your friends killed one by one and knowing you’re next. Imagine having nightmares so horrendous your hair turns grey'
'The frantic camerawork flies back and forth with so much energy that his manic incarnations literally jump off the screen'
'What scares me now is how it represents the true randomness of evil'
'The writing, directing, acting, and especially Philip Glass’ haunting score all work together to bring this horrifying tale to terrifying life'
'Terrifying audiences with his mutilation of the human body'
'I have only seen the original cinematic ending and it chilled me so much I have not even considered watching the sequels that followed.'
So what is the film that gives you the worst nightmares? What made you cower from the screen, cover your eyes, run away, cry, scream or switch off the TV? And what do you think of the Filmoria teams selection?
Best of British: My Brother the Devil Review
My Brother the Devil is an extremely moving and powerful British film from writer/director Sally El Hosaini, starring James Floyd and Fady Elsayed, as well as someone I don't see nearly enough of in film, La Haine's Saïd Taghmaoui.
Read my full review of My Brother the Devil at Filmoria here.
Sometimes it sucks being a film critic and having to see films that you think are rubbish. You have to write why you don't like a film, knowing full well that others may love it. Also you know that countless people have put in huge amount of hours and hard work in bringing the film to the screen. That sucks.
Other times it is the greatest job in the world. You get to say why you loved a film and share a positive review which you hope will be read by many and will encourage them to see the film. That is the case with My Brother the Devil. I love this film but know that it will be fighting for position in multiplexes with blockbuster behemoths like Skyfall. That is why I am very glad to be doing my bit to spread the word on this great film.
And it gives me great pleasure that one of the stars of My Brother the Devil, James Floyd is extremely active on Twitter and has come across some of my writing about the film, tweeting:
Thx 2 @Filmoria 4 giving @MBTDFilm an Amazing review! *powerful performances nearing perfection* *endlessly complex* *purely entertaining*
He also retweeted this from me straight after I saw it:#MyBrotherTheDevil is likely to be 1 of the best British films of the year. Disturbing reactions from some ppl in the screening with me tho!
It really was disturbing how some people reacted in the screening I was in. To say more would be to ruin one of the biggest surprises in the film. Unfortunately there are still some disgustingly immature, prejudiced people on the planet! And I hope more of them sit through this film.
Every month I am doing a piece at Boolean Flix to help spread the word on British films that are coming to a cinema near you. This month I took a look at My Brother the Devil, Sightseers and Great Expectations among others. Read my best of British film for November over at Boolean Flix. Is this poster one of the greatest ever produced?
In other news, it looks like before the end of the day, I Love That Film might break the 12,000 hits in one month mark so thanks very much to everyone who pops by! I Love That Film loves you!
Anyone seen My Brother the Devil? What did you think? If you haven't seen it, check out the trailer below.
Read my full review of My Brother the Devil at Filmoria here.
Sometimes it sucks being a film critic and having to see films that you think are rubbish. You have to write why you don't like a film, knowing full well that others may love it. Also you know that countless people have put in huge amount of hours and hard work in bringing the film to the screen. That sucks.
Other times it is the greatest job in the world. You get to say why you loved a film and share a positive review which you hope will be read by many and will encourage them to see the film. That is the case with My Brother the Devil. I love this film but know that it will be fighting for position in multiplexes with blockbuster behemoths like Skyfall. That is why I am very glad to be doing my bit to spread the word on this great film.
And it gives me great pleasure that one of the stars of My Brother the Devil, James Floyd is extremely active on Twitter and has come across some of my writing about the film, tweeting:
Thx 2 @Filmoria 4 giving @MBTDFilm an Amazing review! *powerful performances nearing perfection* *endlessly complex* *purely entertaining*
He also retweeted this from me straight after I saw it:
It really was disturbing how some people reacted in the screening I was in. To say more would be to ruin one of the biggest surprises in the film. Unfortunately there are still some disgustingly immature, prejudiced people on the planet! And I hope more of them sit through this film.
Every month I am doing a piece at Boolean Flix to help spread the word on British films that are coming to a cinema near you. This month I took a look at My Brother the Devil, Sightseers and Great Expectations among others. Read my best of British film for November over at Boolean Flix. Is this poster one of the greatest ever produced?
In other news, it looks like before the end of the day, I Love That Film might break the 12,000 hits in one month mark so thanks very much to everyone who pops by! I Love That Film loves you!
Anyone seen My Brother the Devil? What did you think? If you haven't seen it, check out the trailer below.
Tuesday, 30 October 2012
Margin Call DVD Review
Margin Call stars an ensemble of outstanding acting talent including Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany, Stanley Tucci and Demi Moore and is an impressive directorial debut from director J.C. Chandor. MARGIN CALL is available on DVD & Blu-ray from 12th November.
To read my full review of Margin Call, head to Filmoria.
It explores both the villainy and the humanity behind the 2008 financial crisis. It is set over mostly over one night and this strengthens the script and gives it a sense of urgency, confining the drama to the claustrophobic offices of the firm. It may not have the grandstanding, scenery chomping of Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin and Michael Douglas in past films about bankers, bosses and businessmen but it does have complex characters with clear motivations, more mundane than evil.
Margin Call is Wall Street for a new generation crippled by irresponsible acts of capitalist greed and a must-see for anyone who wants to find out how the money men made critical mistakes but managed to save themselves with barely a scratch. I highly recommend it. Full review here.
To read my full review of Margin Call, head to Filmoria.
It explores both the villainy and the humanity behind the 2008 financial crisis. It is set over mostly over one night and this strengthens the script and gives it a sense of urgency, confining the drama to the claustrophobic offices of the firm. It may not have the grandstanding, scenery chomping of Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin and Michael Douglas in past films about bankers, bosses and businessmen but it does have complex characters with clear motivations, more mundane than evil.
Margin Call is Wall Street for a new generation crippled by irresponsible acts of capitalist greed and a must-see for anyone who wants to find out how the money men made critical mistakes but managed to save themselves with barely a scratch. I highly recommend it. Full review here.
I Love That Blog Post #14
Cherish these blog posts:
I Luv Cinema
takes a deserved look at overlooked early Tom Hanks film The Burbs http://iluvcinema.com/2012/10/tuesdays-overlooked-film-the-burbs-1989/
Loads of movie
bloggers helped out by giving their favourite office scenes in movies here http://blog.flexioffices.co.uk/the-greatest-office-movies-of-all-time/
Flixchatter has
five intriguing sounding documentaries playing at the Twin Cities Film Fest http://flixchatter.net/2012/10/12/spotlight-on-five-great-documentaries-and-theyre-all-playing-at-tcff/
Cinematic Paradox
turns three! If you don’t already know
this blog, get over there and change that right now! http://www.cinematicparadox.com/2012/10/cinematic-paradox-turns-three.html
Cinematic Paradox
AGAIN with some hilarious edited posters of films with their titles changed http://www.cinematicparadox.com/2012/10/if-movie-titles-laid-everything-out-for.html
Very interesting
piece on what Bond learned from Batman at The Movie Blog http://them0vieblog.com/2012/10/26/what-bond-learned-from-batman-the-dark-knight-skyfall/
Horror special of I Love That Blog Post coming soon!
World Cinema: Social and Political Context
Another one for my students, this is an example of an answer for Section A of the A2 Film Studies exam. Section A covers world cinema and there is a focus on urban stories and how they deal with issues of power, poverty and conflict. The films looked at are City of God, La Haine and Tsotsi.
Do
you think it is necessary to locate world cinema films within their social and
political contexts in order to appreciate them fully?
World cinema films often deal with
important and serious social issues.
They are frequently more realistic and socially and politically relevant
to the countries in which they are produced.
Knowledge of the context in which the films are produced can help
audiences to appreciate the films in a fuller and more rewarding way. City of God, La Haine and Tsotsi all feature
narratives that revolve around issues of power, poverty and conflict and
accurately represent the specific elements of the countries that they are from.
Film making traditions: American Independent Cinema and The history of Brazilian cinema
City of God and La Haine are both influenced by past
films in cinematic history. City of God
comes from a tradition of Brazilian and Latin American cinema that has often
been revolutionary and uses a documentary style. The founders of Third Cinema wanted film to
be a revolutionary medium with the power to make the poor people of developing
countries realise how exploited they are and that they should do something to
improve their situations. Cinema Novo of
Brazil was a movement that followed this by aiming to reveal oppression to the
oppressed people. City of God is interesting because although it might have aspects
of documentary style such as handheld cameras, it is far more like a Hollywood film in terms of traditional generic conventions
such as having a single hero (Rocket) who can escape the favelas through a
career in photography. Though it shows
the hardships and tragic circumstances of the favelas, it does not overly agitate
viewers or encourage them to be revolutionary.
It suggests that one man can exploit his access to the favelas to help
him escape a life of poverty and crime, not that society can be changed through
collective action.
La Haine on the other hand is useful to
consider in the context of American independent cinema. The director Matthieu Kassovitz was inspired
by the early works of Martin Scorsese such as Mean Streets and Taxi Driver. Also ‘hood’ films like New Jack City feed into the hip-hop inspired
culture and music of the film. Knowledge
of the references to Taxi Driver particularly with Vinz pretending to shoot at
the mirror, but also the long flowing tracking shots enhance appreciation of
the film and help the audience to position La Haine as auteur cinema. Like so many American ‘hood’ movies it deals
with young men struggling to leave the hood but being forced into cycles of escalating
violence.
White
middle class filmmakers, production, distribution and exploitation
Both films are made by white middle class
filmmakers who have gone on to work in American cinema. Kassovitz comes from a family with a
background in film and the directors of City of God, Fernando Meirelles and
Katia Lund received funding for the film from Brazils biggest TV and
commercials companies. This has led some
to accuse the films of being exploitative of the people they represent. The elite in society make films about people
in poverty and screen these films to audiences at international film
festivals. They then make huge profits
that do not benefit the people of the favelas and les banlieues. Similarly Tsotsi is made by white South
African Gavin Hood who has also gone on to work in Hollywood on X-Men: Origins: Wolverine. In this context, the films could be seen as
helping to perpetuate some negative images of people in poverty and keeping the
elite in power by making them profit.
The films could be seen as exploitation by the rich and some theorists have
referred to the increasing trend for film and TV about favelas as
‘slumsploitation’.
However some would
also argue that these films give underrepresented people in the media a voice
and serious issues such as poverty and crime can be brought to the attention of
wide audiences. There are also many
positive representations of these marginalised people and the films do not
appear to hold hegemonic values. La
Haine for example was viewed by France’s
cabinet at a special screening. This was
to help those in power to see what it is like for those in poverty who are rioting
on the streets at night and to help change their attitudes and policies.
Real
life stories
It is important to note that two of the
films are based on true stories. City of
God is based on a book written by a real inhabitant of the favelas who really
did become a successful photographer.
Many of the characters in the film are based on real people such as
Knockout Ned and the real Ned is shown talking in the credits of the film. Similarly, La Haine uses real footage of the
riots in the opening credits and was inspired by the murder of youth while in
police custody. Tsotsi is also based on
a book and features a story of a thug in a township but this is not based on a factual
person. City of God and La Haine gain
much of their power from the knowledge that they are based on real stories of
violence, prejudice, corruption and brutality.
Despite their entertaining use of genre conventions, they are about real
stories and are therefore informed by their social and political context.
Social
and political issues: racism, emasculation, exclusion, police corruption and
brutality
All of the world cinema films studied deal
with social and political issues in their narratives. They all represent racist societies where
ethnic groups are marginalised and excluded from the elite and even the middle
class. The youths in La Haine are from
diverse backgrounds and are targeted by police and skinheads for their
ethnicities. In City of God, the favela
dwellers are mostly black, the descendants of slaves brought over from Africa
by colonialism. Tsotsi shows the racial
and economic divide between those with power and wealth in South Africa and those without in the townships
of Soweto.
The films also deal with the emasculation
of modern males who no longer feel like they are ‘real’ men. Since feminism and the increase of women in
the workplace, more and more men are unemployed and are less often the
providers for their families. These
unemployed and angry young men are aggressive towards women like the youths are
in the art gallery scene in La Haine and Lil Ze is towards Ned’s
girlfriend. Tsotsi becomes more feminine
as he takes care of a baby he has stolen.
All these men are struggling to maintain a sense of masculinity in the
modern world.
Police corruption and brutality are also
dealt with in City of God
showing the shooting of an innocent young man and the selling of guns to gangs
by the police. The youths in La Haine
are tortured and the whole film revolves around the death of a youth in custody
and was even inspired by a similar real event.
These social issues are highly relevant to the films stories and an
awareness of their reality adds to the power of the narratives.
Genre
and escapism
On the other hand, these films work as
entertaining examples of genre cinema.
They can be enjoyed as escapism for people from other countries with
very little or even no knowledge of the social and political contexts. The favelas and les banlieues are depressing
but to an extent interesting and vaguely exotic locations and the inclusion of
gangster film iconography makes the films appealing to a mass audience. The guns, drugs, rise and fall of evil
villains like Lil Ze and redemptive character arcs of protagonists such as
Tsotsi and Vinz all make these films accessible and enjoyable without awareness
of the social and political context.
Also the films offer some of this context within their screenplays and
have scenes that inform and educate the audience about the contexts. For example City of God does refer to the corruption of police
and La Haine even uses real footage of riots to show the reality of the story
it tells. However this reference to
real-life context is less prominent than the engaging and exciting stories that
are told and without knowledge of the reality of the situations, some viewers
may be less moved by the films.
Overall I would suggest that knowledge of
the social and political context is vital for a full appreciation of the films
studied. It makes audiences fully
realise the based in reality elements of the films and the hardships and
prejudice that real people are facing around the world. Enjoying the films for their generic
conventions such as guns, drugs and violence is too simplistic and finding out
about the contexts that have produced these films will allow for viewers to
engage in a more active and therefore more rewarding viewing experience.
More A2 exam answers:
More A2 exam answers:
Is Fight Club a film about power and control rather than liberation?
Analysing La Haine
World Cinema: Distinctive Visual Features
World Cinema: Social and Political Context
WJEC A2 Film Studies Exam Practice Section B
A2 Film Studies Exam Practice Section B
Monday, 29 October 2012
Lionsgate UK Horrothon
On Saturday I was invited to a one day horror film festival at the Soho Screening Rooms in London. It was all part of an elaborate plan for Lionsgate UK to promote the upcoming release of Silent Hill: Revelation. Unfortunately I've got precisely zero interest in that film so am not the best person to help them with promotion. They showed us a couple of clips between the film screenings. It looks like more of the same to me. Strange creepy monster things tormenting a girl in some weird alternative reality. And this time it's got Sean Bean in it.
I guess fans of the first film and fans of the game will be interested. I'm not sure many other people will be queuing up for this one. I got a Silent Hill t-shirt and poster and some The Cabin in the Woods goodies like a keyring to take away so that was nice too.
The programme of films was extensive. They had three running at one time and I'd seen a lot of them. I sat through four films between 10am and 5pm.
To start with I had the choice of Blair Witch or Jeepers Creepers. I went for Jeepers Creepers as I'd just watched Blair Witch for this post last week. Jeepers Creepers is so frustrating. There is so much to like about it; the opening stuff with the truck, Justin Long, the old-school vibe and the tantalising early glimpses of the monster. It then gets farcical and can be quite amusing but overall it's a bit boring, a bit too silly and definitely flounders in the final police station climax.
Then it was straight into Sam Raimi's return to horror with Drag Me To Hell. This was fun but far from vintage Raimi. He still knows how to bring the gross-out moments, wild bits of cinematography and the script revels in the suffering of the heroine played by Alison Lohman. Strangely this turned out to be a Justin Long double bill so I was pleased to be rid of him by the end.
After a ten minute break for lunch, it was into The Cabin in the Woods. I chose this over The Possession which I hadn't seen but thought was old. Turns out it's a new film so I wish I'd gone for that. Nothing against The Cabin in the Woods, I've just seen it already and reviewed it here. Great film, one of the best of the year. Really fun, funny and clever. See it if you haven't already!
Starting to tire of the darkness now, I headed into the final film of the day. Out of the three choices, the only one I hadn't seen was My Bloody Valentine 3D. There was a good reason I hadn't watched it. It didn't look very good. And it wasn't very good. It's notable for having one of the longest and most gratuitous nude scenes ever! The 3D is rubbish and the killer isn't anywhere near as cool as the great slashers. It did manage to spring a last minute surprise as to the identity of the killer though!
So four horror films in one day! Not bad for the price of a train ticket!
In other news, Saw is my must-see horror movie of the day over at Filmoria. Check out other must-see horror movies here from Carrie to Scream to Evil Dead!
Thanks to Lionsgate UK. It was a fun day out. A whole day of horror! It doesn't get much better than that. Silent Hill: Revelation is out Wednesday 31st October. The trailer is below. Will you be seeing it?
I guess fans of the first film and fans of the game will be interested. I'm not sure many other people will be queuing up for this one. I got a Silent Hill t-shirt and poster and some The Cabin in the Woods goodies like a keyring to take away so that was nice too.
The programme of films was extensive. They had three running at one time and I'd seen a lot of them. I sat through four films between 10am and 5pm.
To start with I had the choice of Blair Witch or Jeepers Creepers. I went for Jeepers Creepers as I'd just watched Blair Witch for this post last week. Jeepers Creepers is so frustrating. There is so much to like about it; the opening stuff with the truck, Justin Long, the old-school vibe and the tantalising early glimpses of the monster. It then gets farcical and can be quite amusing but overall it's a bit boring, a bit too silly and definitely flounders in the final police station climax.
Then it was straight into Sam Raimi's return to horror with Drag Me To Hell. This was fun but far from vintage Raimi. He still knows how to bring the gross-out moments, wild bits of cinematography and the script revels in the suffering of the heroine played by Alison Lohman. Strangely this turned out to be a Justin Long double bill so I was pleased to be rid of him by the end.
After a ten minute break for lunch, it was into The Cabin in the Woods. I chose this over The Possession which I hadn't seen but thought was old. Turns out it's a new film so I wish I'd gone for that. Nothing against The Cabin in the Woods, I've just seen it already and reviewed it here. Great film, one of the best of the year. Really fun, funny and clever. See it if you haven't already!
Starting to tire of the darkness now, I headed into the final film of the day. Out of the three choices, the only one I hadn't seen was My Bloody Valentine 3D. There was a good reason I hadn't watched it. It didn't look very good. And it wasn't very good. It's notable for having one of the longest and most gratuitous nude scenes ever! The 3D is rubbish and the killer isn't anywhere near as cool as the great slashers. It did manage to spring a last minute surprise as to the identity of the killer though!
So four horror films in one day! Not bad for the price of a train ticket!
In other news, Saw is my must-see horror movie of the day over at Filmoria. Check out other must-see horror movies here from Carrie to Scream to Evil Dead!
Thanks to Lionsgate UK. It was a fun day out. A whole day of horror! It doesn't get much better than that. Silent Hill: Revelation is out Wednesday 31st October. The trailer is below. Will you be seeing it?
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Total Film Letter in the 200th Edition
After recently getting a letter into Empire magazine, this month I saw a letter published in my other favourite movie magazine, Total Film. This is exceptionally exciting for me as it was the 200th edition of the magazine that I first bought issue number 4 while I was over in England on holiday. I used to live in Australia and at the time I bought issue 4 with Donnie Brasco stuff and Mr Freeze on the cover because we had a long car journey visiting my sister in Wales.
Then when I moved back to England years later, I picked up Total Film again from issue 28 which had The Faculty stuff on the cover. Since then I've never missed a copy. So to get my first letter in is very exciting for me.
It's a shame that I had to lie. Please don't judge me but I thought my story needed a little embellishment to give it more entertainment value and a bit of a punch line. So the letter is all about movie locations I have visited. All the stuff about the locations I visited while in LA is true. However that was back in 2007 and not my honeymoon. But I thought it would be more amusing if I said it was my honeymoon. So that's what I did. I feel a little ashamed but not too much. It turns out lying does pay because I got in the magazine! Winning!
Then again fate is chuckling at me. As soon as I saw the letter, I was like 'sweet what DVD are they going to send me for getting in the magazine?' Men in Black 3. Somewhere the Gods are definitely laughing at me. Maybe lying doesn't pay after all.
Anyway congratulations to Total Film on their 200th edition! Keep up the great work! I hope they can one day forgive my deceit.
Then when I moved back to England years later, I picked up Total Film again from issue 28 which had The Faculty stuff on the cover. Since then I've never missed a copy. So to get my first letter in is very exciting for me.
It's a shame that I had to lie. Please don't judge me but I thought my story needed a little embellishment to give it more entertainment value and a bit of a punch line. So the letter is all about movie locations I have visited. All the stuff about the locations I visited while in LA is true. However that was back in 2007 and not my honeymoon. But I thought it would be more amusing if I said it was my honeymoon. So that's what I did. I feel a little ashamed but not too much. It turns out lying does pay because I got in the magazine! Winning!
Then again fate is chuckling at me. As soon as I saw the letter, I was like 'sweet what DVD are they going to send me for getting in the magazine?' Men in Black 3. Somewhere the Gods are definitely laughing at me. Maybe lying doesn't pay after all.
Anyway congratulations to Total Film on their 200th edition! Keep up the great work! I hope they can one day forgive my deceit.
The Blair Witch Project and Top 10 Found Footage Horror
That's why I chose to write about The Blair Witch Project as another of my Halloween must-see movies. It's the film that introduced me and many others to the found footage trend and since then I've begun a PhD thesis on found footage horror. I try to see every example but that is becoming increasingly difficult with the sheer amount that get released every year. Blame the success of Paranormal Activity for really bringing back the trend recently.
Anyway as much as people hate the found footage fad, I think there are some absolutely fantastic examples which is why over at Filmoria I decided to share my top 10 (plus a few more worth catching).
Back in July I defended found footage from its critics over at Boolean Flix which you can read here.
Yesterday at Filmoria I argued The Blair Witch Project is a must-see Halloween movie.
And is that isn't enough shaky-cam action and you want to find some other examples that you may or may not have heard of, then please check out my top 10 found footage horror movies over at Filmoria.
 |
| Poor Heather |
Forget Christmas, Halloween is definitely this horror fans favourite time of the year!
What do you think of found footage? I'm always curious to hear people's reactions to the sub-genre so whether you love it or hate it, please check out the articles above and let me know your thoughts!
Friday, 26 October 2012
28 Days Later: The Music and why it's a Must-See Movie
A while ago, I was asked by Jessy at the Filmoria team to contribute a bit of writing on my favourite use of music in horror. I wanted to avoid all the obvious choices like The Exorcist or Psycho and dabbled with the idea of doing Texas Chainsaw, A Nightmare on Elm Street and some others. But after re-watching Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later, I decided it had to be the use of John Murphy's In the House, In a Heartbeat at the climax of that film.
So today I would like to offer you a look at two more pieces I have written for Filmoria's 10 Days of Halloween. The first is my argument for 28 Days Later being a must-see horror movie. If you haven't seen this British nightmare, then really you must! It introduced us to running zombies, possibly the best horror creation ever. The 'Infected' are rage-fuelled, blood spewing psycho monsters that are absolutely terrifying.
Check out why I think 28 Days Later is a must-see movie at Filmoria here.
Then I take a closer look at the music used in the climactic scene as all hell break loose. It is one of my favourite scenes in horror cinema and the music is the perfect complement to the frighteningly visceral visuals. Other contributors to the most effective music in horror feature chose films like Gremlins and even Halloween 3 to discuss.
Check out the most effective music in horror feature at Filmoria here.
Here's the scene I'm banging on about:
Anyone out there not like this film? What's your favourite horror movie music?
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Interview with Hello Quo Director Alan G. Parker
Before the premiere of Hello Quo in London’s Leicester Square, I got the oppotunity to interview director Alan G. Parker. With the release of the 50-year-spanning rock
documentary on DVD and Blu-ray on 29th October, I sat down with the director of Who Killed Nancy? and Monty Python: Almost the Truth - Lawyer's Cut to discuss his most recent film.
We discussed the Spinal Tap similiarities, the rumours of a reunion tour for the original members of Status Quo and the challenge of fitting 50 years of rock history into a feature length documentary. Parker also mentioned his next project which promises to be another definitive look at an international rock band.
I got to spend 20 minutes chatting with the director and found him to be a really interesting guy with a great love of music. His visible tattoos and big frame but thoughtful tone make him appear the right guy for the job of making rock-docs. I even hear he has a tattoo of Sid Vicious on his arm.
The premiere was on Monday night and as I conducted the interview the fans were arriving and the barricades were being erected. I hear the band were around for a photoshoot but unfortunately I didn't get a chance to see them in person. I recently reviewed Hello Quo for Filmoria and you can read it here.
I also asked Alan G. Parker about his favourite rock-docs and he mentioned the Metallica one Some Kind of Monster which I must see. It's been on my Lovefilm list for ages but is one they have yet to send my way.
You can read the full interview with Hello Quo director Alan G. Parker at Filmoria here.
We discussed the Spinal Tap similiarities, the rumours of a reunion tour for the original members of Status Quo and the challenge of fitting 50 years of rock history into a feature length documentary. Parker also mentioned his next project which promises to be another definitive look at an international rock band.
I got to spend 20 minutes chatting with the director and found him to be a really interesting guy with a great love of music. His visible tattoos and big frame but thoughtful tone make him appear the right guy for the job of making rock-docs. I even hear he has a tattoo of Sid Vicious on his arm.
The premiere was on Monday night and as I conducted the interview the fans were arriving and the barricades were being erected. I hear the band were around for a photoshoot but unfortunately I didn't get a chance to see them in person. I recently reviewed Hello Quo for Filmoria and you can read it here.
I also asked Alan G. Parker about his favourite rock-docs and he mentioned the Metallica one Some Kind of Monster which I must see. It's been on my Lovefilm list for ages but is one they have yet to send my way.
You can read the full interview with Hello Quo director Alan G. Parker at Filmoria here.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Sexy New Spanish Django Unchained Poster
Yesterday we got a new trailer. Today there's a new Spanish poster for Quentin Tarantino's upcoming Django Unchained. The main cast are here and it's something of a departure from the bold red and black previously released UK poster.
Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio all feature on the poster with Leo's villain being all menacing in the background of the scorching red blood splattered sun.
The Western iconography is to the fore with costumes and guns on display. It's Django's shades that keep the cool factor.
The release date is set for 18 January 2013 in the UK so expect much more in the way of marketing materials before we finally get to see the film.
Read more on the new poster over at Filmoria.
The trailers just keep getting better and better for the film with this latest offering more of a glimpse at Leo as the big bad villain and a bit more of the funky music, funny dialogue and potential for bloody violence.
The Western iconography is to the fore with costumes and guns on display. It's Django's shades that keep the cool factor.
The release date is set for 18 January 2013 in the UK so expect much more in the way of marketing materials before we finally get to see the film.
Read more on the new poster over at Filmoria.
The trailers just keep getting better and better for the film with this latest offering more of a glimpse at Leo as the big bad villain and a bit more of the funky music, funny dialogue and potential for bloody violence.
Evil Dead Remake Looks Sick
Check out the brand new red-band trailer for the Evil Dead remake. Anyone who has seen the original film will know why it is hailed as a video nasty classic but personally I find it a little too cheap and nasty. The sequel on the other hand is a comedy horror masterpiece. So it is with a little regret and shame that I have to admit that this is a remake that I actually don't mind at all.
While these glossy horror remakes from the likes of Platinum Dunes usually make me nauseous with their smoking hot cast of teens that look as if they are airbrushed in every shot, this trailer is so bloody nasty that the slightly sexy looking cast can be forgiven.
Be warned this is extremely violent, brutal stuff and for fans of extreme horror, looks like a bloody fun night at the cinema. Who said Cabin in the Woods was the final word in horror movies?
What do you reckon? A remake worth getting excited for or what?
While these glossy horror remakes from the likes of Platinum Dunes usually make me nauseous with their smoking hot cast of teens that look as if they are airbrushed in every shot, this trailer is so bloody nasty that the slightly sexy looking cast can be forgiven.
Be warned this is extremely violent, brutal stuff and for fans of extreme horror, looks like a bloody fun night at the cinema. Who said Cabin in the Woods was the final word in horror movies?
What do you reckon? A remake worth getting excited for or what?
More horror posts: Creepy Kids, Scream and Saw
Filmoria's 10 days of Halloween continues with the publishing of the feature 10 Movies with Killer Kids. I contributed the entry on Macauley Culkin in The Good Son. Any excuse to watch that film again and I'm there. I was only twelve when this film came out and I loved Home Alone so much that I was determined to see the return of Culkin. Unfortunately I had to wait for it to be released on video but I wasn't disappointed. Culkin swears, smokes and turns seriously psychotic. And sweet little future hobbit Elijah Wood has to put up with Culkin gradually becoming more and more threatening to all around him.
It's a great thriller and I highly recommend it. The rest of the feature is written by Filmoria's Lesley Coffin and features a range of really creepy kids from films like The Omen to Children of the Corn. You can check out the 10 Movies with Killer Kids at Filmoria here.
Also published today is the first of Filmoria's must-see horror movies from Amanda. This time it's Wes Craven's classic post-modern slasher with smarts Scream.
Finally for today, the first of two articles I have written this week on Saw. For this one I wrote a slightly personal and vaguely academic review of the film that started the biggest horror franchise of the new millenium. Check out my review of Saw at Static Mass Empororium now.
What are your favourite creepy kids from horror movies?
What do you like better, Saw or Scream?
It's a great thriller and I highly recommend it. The rest of the feature is written by Filmoria's Lesley Coffin and features a range of really creepy kids from films like The Omen to Children of the Corn. You can check out the 10 Movies with Killer Kids at Filmoria here.
Also published today is the first of Filmoria's must-see horror movies from Amanda. This time it's Wes Craven's classic post-modern slasher with smarts Scream.
Finally for today, the first of two articles I have written this week on Saw. For this one I wrote a slightly personal and vaguely academic review of the film that started the biggest horror franchise of the new millenium. Check out my review of Saw at Static Mass Empororium now.
What are your favourite creepy kids from horror movies?
What do you like better, Saw or Scream?
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
DVD Review – Hello Quo @Filmoria
Hello Quo is the 50 years in the making story of British rock legends Status Quo. It delves into their humble beginnings and climaxes with (possibly not very) heartfelt hugging reunions. Director Alan G. Parker, who I was lucky enough to interview yesterday ahead of the film's Leicester Square premiere last night, has managed to persuade a huge range of recognizable faces to appear in his documentary including Brian May and Sir Cliff Richard.
All the hits are here with amazing access to all the members, past and present, and fans will no doubt revel in the tales of Top of the Pops performances, drug fuelled recording sessions, charity work, and where are they now details. The aging rockers make for great raconteurs and the Spinal Tap similarities will have you giggling frequently.
There is something for everyone in this exhaustive rock-doc and fans and casual viewers are likely to be amply entertained equally.
Check out the full Hello Quo review over at Filmoria now and be sure to check out my interview with director Alan G. Parker tomorrow.
Monday, 22 October 2012
Filmoria's 10 Days of Halloween
So Filmoria are going all evil and scary over the next 10 days and it's given me all the excuse I need to watch as much horror as possible. Some new, some old but all scary as a dark night in the woods all alone with only a masked psycho with a huge machete to keep you company! Now that's what I'm taking about.
So over the next 10 days, look out for the following:
On Thursday, the Filmoria team discuss the most effective music in horror films.
On Friday, I take a look at the must-see movie, Danny Boyle's rage infected 28 Days Later.
On Saturday, I take a look at the top 10 best films in found footage horror. And yes there really are some great examples of the technique being used out there. Trust me. I'll also be taking a closer look at The Blair Witch Project as another must-see horror movie.
Finally on Halloween, the Filmoria team come together for another epic horror feature to argue over which film deserves the title of the scariest horror film ever made!
There's going to be loads more over the 10 days and I'll also be doing a special Halloween I LOVE THAT BLOG POST where I'll be sharing the best of the horror-related stuff that I've read between now and Halloween.
So if you're not a horror fan, grab the pillows and hide under the sheets but if you love a good scary movie, then join Filmoria in celebrating the wonderful world of the malicious, the macabre and the downright terrifying!
Blu-Ray Review – Cockneys vs Zombies
Forget the frankly crushing disappointment of previous cinematic smack downs like Freddy vs Jason and Alien vs Predator, this low budget British gem brings much lower expectations and manages to easily exceed them.
Ever wanted to see Alan Ford (that right nutty bastard from Guy Ritchie's Snatch) calling zombies 'FACKIN MUGS!' Well this is the film to see it in. It's got zombie, cockneys, pensioners, laughs but not many scares and some highly inventive gore and deaths. It's even got ex-Bond girl and Avenger Honor Blackman in a supporting role.
If you liked British comedy Shaun of the Dead, I urge you to give this horror comedy a try. It might not have the Simon Pegg/Nick Frost double act but it's still original and a lot of fun.
To kick off Filmoria's 10 days of Halloween, I wrote a review of the Blu-Ray of Cockneys vs Zombies which you can read here.
Anyone seen it? What did you think?
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