A not so serious look at some of the best (and worst) late night movies. Whether it be Haunted Houses, Ghost Stories, Mysteries, The Supernatural or 80's Slasher, I'm sure that they will all be covered in the blog at some point. Since my childhood I've loved the creepy movies so I thought I'd share some of my recommendations here. I would love to hear your favourite scary movie gems too. The blog will tend towards older films but I will be sure to cover topical cinema too from time to time.
Actors: Chris Messina, Bojana Novakovic, Logan Marshall-Green
Director: John Erick Dowdle
Formats: DVD, Blu-Ray
Price: £3.49
Mini Review
A group of 5 strangers manage to be unlucky enough to get trapped in an elevator together. No problem, just call a mechanic right? Well, there’s a second problem, one of them is the Devil. Sure enough each person in the lift has something to hide and sure enough it doesn’t take long before the Devil claims his first victim? Who is the Devil?
Verdict
As soon as I saw the “M. Night Shyamalan” credit as a writer I was in two minds. I really enjoyed “The Sixth Sense” but really didn’t get on well with “Signs “ or “The Village”. I managed to pick the DVD up for £3 though at the local supermarket and took a gamble.
I’m pleased to say that “Devil” is actually a good movie. Contrary to what I’d imagined although the 5 actors are within the elevator for almost the entire movie there are plenty of scenes outside of it. It was a good choice as the feel of the movie would have been very different had the camera never left the elevator.
I don’t want to spoil any of the plot here regarding “who is the Devil?” The movie did keep me guessing which was really refreshing, I was convinced on one character from the start and nearly chose correctly. Actually working out the answer would almost be guesswork.
I was slightly disappointed that part of the final events were lifted straight from other movies in a movie that had up until the end been quite original. Despite that, this is still a movie worth seeing. It’s Shyamalan but without the annoying one trick pony twists of “Signs”, “Unbreakable” and “The Sixth Sense”.
Pros: Reasonably original, entertaining and will keep you guessing.
Cons: Several plot holes but nothing too disastrous.
The Haunted Cinema Rating: 7 broken elevators out of 10. Well worth a watch.
Should our review not be enough for you try these links.
Actors: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Feher
Director: Robert Wiene
Formats: VHS, DVD
Price: UK £2.99, USA $7.98
Or watch for free at the bottom of this post! :-D
Mini Review
“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” ("Das Kabinet des Dr Caligari") is best described as a Horror movie of the German Expressionist style. From start to finish the movie is highly stylised. The plot concerns a young man called Francis recalling a story of recent events to another man. He tells how a mysterious man called Dr Caligari comes to town. Whilst at the town carnival Caligari reveals the somnambulist (sleep walker to you and me). A man that has slept for 23 years and can tell the past, present and future. Sure enough it isn’t long before Cesare the somnambulist predicts a death which in turn swiftly occurs. Can the locals get to the bottom of the mysterious murders and is all as simple as it seems?
Verdict
“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” has been on my list of movies to watch for a long time. I’ve been burnt so many time though when I’ve watched a highly acclaimed movie by the critics. From the trailers it’s difficult to work out what the fuss is about, it’s one that you have to see, there really is no other option.
I generally like the silent movies, although not strictly a horror movie I still rate Fritz Lang’s Metropolis as one of the best movies ever made. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” hasn’t disappointed me either. For a 1920’s movie I was really surprised by the plot arc, it’s a movie way before it’s time in terms of technique. The sets are fantastic, I don’t think that there is a single right-angle in the whole move. Everything looks disjointed, abstract and gothic. I imagine that Tim Burton must love this movie, there’s so many of the stylings that seem to have influenced him. For those that remember the “Judder-Man” adverts by Metz back in the ‘90s I can’t help thinking that the character was modelled on the somnambulist. <--word of the day.
I’m happy that there is music to compliment the movie. Having watched several other “silent” movies with no soundtrack I did struggle to pay full attention. Luckily there is no problem here and there are alternate restorations to consider.
What stands out for me in the movie is that I just didn’t see the end coming. I really should have known better (having seen and read so much) but I was convinced that the movie would play out as I expected. For the most part it did but the last page turner made this movie for me. It’s like when you see a fantastic magic trick, you are convinced you know what’s coming but then the story takes you off on a rapid departure.
I can see now why this movie is regarded so highly and also why it is so important for the history of film. This not just a recommendation but a must see movie.
Pros: A clever plot, brilliant scenery and part of horror history.
Cons: The silent aspect may put younger viewers off. Some of the “restored” DVD editions are not as good quality as they could be considering the standard of the Nosferatu resoration.
The Haunted Cinema Rating: 8 German Expressionist somnambulists out of 10.
Should our review not be enough for you try these links.
Price: UK £2.99, USA $5.29 (Remastered Color $9.95)
Or watch for free at the bottom of this post! :-D
Mini Review
“Carnival of Souls” has a simple yet creepy. Shortly after a car accident a talented organist called Mary leave for Utah to take up a new job as a church organist. However, since the accident she has strange sightings of a zombie-like man. He appears to her several times but only she can see him. Mentally she links these sightings to an abandoned carnival and sets out to investigate the source of the visits by the strange man. There’s lots of what could be paranoia, hysteria or could it all be real. At time Mary is uable to communicate with the world around here. Can the local doctor, priest or neighbour help her? Can she help herself?
Verdict
“Carnival of Souls” is a genuinely interesting movie. I first picked this one up a few years ago. It was at a time when the £ to $ currency conversion was superb and how I built up my collection of US DVDs. On the first viewing I’d worked out the entire plot within minutes, so naturally I was initially underwhelmed by the rest of the movie. To anyone that has seen a horror movie before the plot is reasonably obvious. However, I decided to give this one another go as I did remember it at least as an interesting movie.
Second time round it was much more enjoyable. The acting is reasonably good, sometimes a little wooden but generally convincing enough. There’s some real issues in terms of continuity/plot holes, one of them big enough to have you asking yourself if you understood the movie correctly (I won’t mention any spoilers here).
Some parts of the movie seem slightly redundant. There is a sub-plot with Mary’s neighbour. A drinking, slightly rude pushy sleaze bag. Any modern girl would tell him to shove off but Mary just seems to roll with it. These segments add little in the way of pushing the story forward. For me that would be one of the key issues with the movie, the story moves reasonably slowly and it can seem like a bit of a chore at times to watch. Had this been a short story/shorter movie I think that the overall effect would have been greater.
Those are the downsides but there is a lot of goodness in this movie. It’s definitely a classic and did incorporate ideas not often seen before the early ‘60s. The production values also seem to be very good for this time period. In particular the abandoned carnival/pavilion is a very impressive setting for a movie and really works well.
Overall I do like this movie. I think that it could have been better but overall I did enjoy the re-watch of this one. I would recommend this movie. It’s not scary and so I really have no idea why it is classified as a 15 certificate in the UK. Summing up, this movie is low on scares but there is enough plot to squeeze out a good movie.
Pros: Good production, reasonably unique story, great sets.
Cons: A little low on scares and slow moving.
The Haunted Cinema Rating: 7 creepy carnivals out of 10.
Should our review not be enough for you try these links.
I’ve been looking through the sales lately and came across “Sorority Row” for £2.49. Well, for that price you can’t really complain so I thought I’d give it a go. Even from the trailer I think the director was struggling to distinguish the idea from “I know What You Did Last Summer”. The basic plot is that there is a sorority prank gone wrong. A group of Theta Pi girls pretend that one of them is dead, this accidentally leads to the girl’s boyfriend making sure. The “making sure” bit involves stabbing a tire iron through her chest, this time actually killing her. The girls swear to secrecy about the accident and dispose of their sisters’ corpse down an unused well.
Then the fun begins, on the one year anniversary of the secret one by one the girls are being murdered by a hooded figure. In addition the girls receive phone messages of their the murder weapon. Has the dead sister come back for revenge?
Having said all that I will award some odd bonus marks. The soundtrack includes Dragonette and Franz Ferdinand which is always pleasant. The movie also has a small role for Carrie Fisher as the sorority mother. I have to say her scenes were much better than most. Overall I knew what I was getting when I picked this DVD. It’s not bad at all, I wasn’t bored and there was good energy on screen. The lack of originality left me a little disappointed though. This isn't the worst slasher you will see so I wouldn't want to put readers off too much.
IMDB estimates this one at a $16,000,000 budget with just $11,915,856 gross. For the life of me I can’t work out why this would cost so much to produce.
Pros: Good value for a £2.49 DVD.
Cons: Exactly the same plot as “I know What You Did Last Summer” with murderer from “Scream”.
The Haunted Cinema Rating: 6 corpses in a mineshaft out of 10.
If you liked this try: “I know What You Did Last Summer”, “Scream”
Should our review not be enough for you try these links.
Actors:Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Sean Chapman, Doug Bradley
Director: Clive Barker
Formats: VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray
Price: £4.50
Mini Review
So, what's it all about? Hellraiser can be loosely categorised as an '80's slasher movie. In truth though I think it follows the gore/suspense formula a little closer. The story takes much from the original Clive Barker novel "The Hellbound Heart" which in turn took at least part of it's inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe's "Tell-Tale Heart" short story. The Hellraiser story has a clear set up. There is a puzzle box which when solved acts as a gateway to Hell. Those that open the box are greeted by the Cenobites, demons that deliver sadistic torture on the opener.
The main focus of the story surrounds Larry Cotton, a middle aged business man type. His daughter Kirtsy, his wife Julia and the evil uncle Frank. Having opened the box Frank is ripped to shreds by the torture of the Cenobites and his remains lie under the floorboards of Larry's house. Carelessly cutting his hand on a loose nail Larry drips blood on to the floorboards. For a reason never really fully explained the blood resurrects Frank in a horrifically gruesome scene. It is at this point that Frank enlists Claudia to help him complete his skinless body by luring men to their deaths in the house. Frank can then suck their blood and regenerate, if you listen closely there is actually the sound effect of someone sucking through a straw in one scene, it's very creepy.
With Frank back and having escaped the Cenobites there is much mischief and mayhem as you would expect. Kirsty becomes involved looking for her father and encounters Frank and uncovers his relationship to the box and Hell. I don't want to give any more detail in this review so as not to spoil any surprises. Needless to say though there is a lot of blood, the appearance of the infamous Pinhead and plenty more blood.
Verdict
From my perspective Hellraiser has a lot going for it as a Horror movie. There is well thought out pacing, the characters have depth and the movie is not fixated on the Pinhead character but rather the fear of the Cenobites and Hell. One of the highlights has to be the special effects. Often the effects can ruin a movie like Hellraiser if they are not believable. However, the skinless Frank Cotton is superbly disturbing and the images of tearing flesh are really well executed. Although we associate the character of Pinhead with the Hellraiser series he actually has less than 10 minutes of screen time in this first outing. This adds to the mystery of the character, his role is very functional and clearly not a demon to mess with. Lines like "Your suffering will be legendary!" are delivered with such conviction that what could come off as incredibly cheesy really doesn't.
The other characters feature heavily in driving the story forward. Uncle Frank is a complete bad guy, to him nothing matters apart from what he wants. Julia has a slow descent from being a slightly creepy mother-in-law figure to an all out evil sidekick, this idea is then later revisited in part 2. I think what I like most in the character work though is Kirsty Cotton. We're so used to seeing annoying blonde girls keep falling over when chased and being generally a bit dappy. Kirsty on the other hand reacts very much as you would expect someone to in real life. I'm particularly fond of the "Get the f**k off me!" line, it's exactly what you would say if an evil, skinless bleeding man was trying to kill you. It's also refreshing seeing Kirsty bargaining with the Cenobites, emphasising that from her perspective evil uncle Frank is actually more of a threat to her. This also has the benefit of revealing more of Pinheads character; he's not a mindless killer and does have a sense of right and wrong (or at least who should be punished in terms of the rules of the box). Pinhead is more of a functional character with a job to do, there's a sense that he is ageless and very composed in his line of work.
I'm not a professional critic but I will try to comment on the directing style. Clive Barker seems to have a real vision in to how the movie should look and feel. Gory scenes are nicely detailed with flesh and blood, lighter scenes of the movie have a normality feel about them. The light use of on screen Cenobite killings also adds to the threat. By "kill count" Hellraiser would not rank particularly high, however the menacing appearance of the Cenobites makes up for this. Hellraiser is a triumph for the genre. It plays with all our fears of curiosity in games like the Ouija board and also reveals and grim interpretation of what awaits us in Hell.
Pros: Well made, well directed, solid story.
Cons: If you don't like blood this one isn't for you. Also the very final 20 seconds of the movie is somewhat disconnected.
The Haunted Cinema Rating: 8 blood soaked floorboards out of 10.
If you liked this try: Hellraiser II,
Should our review not be enough for you try these links.
It's one of those movies that is incredibly divisive. There's the "That was pointless" response and also the "That was scary" response. Viewers really are split on this one as to whether "The Blair Witch Project" is worth watching. IMDBs current rating is 6.3 but the movie has a metascore of 81/100 so you can already see the inconsistency. So, is it worth watching? Is it as good as the hype? Is it completely pointless? Is it scary?
*No Spoilers*
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Back in my late teens I had heard of a movie coming from across the pond, "The Blair Witch Project". A supposedly rediscovered home movie that tracked a group of missing students. I had heard a lot of hype over this one and couldn't wait to see it. So that Halloween I set out with a couple of friends to watch the show. I'd seen the trailer so I was prepared for lots of blurry shots of foliage and poor camera work. The first thirty minutes flew by and I was really enjoying the movie, it really is like watching a documentary. From the start Heather's character annoyed me but there was always the chance that we would see her hacked to pieces by the end of the movie so I stuck with it. It was mainly her accent at first that did is for me, I should correct myself here and explain that it was more her dialect. Although I'm very British I don't mind American accents in general, Heather's character just seemed like one of those slightly obnoxious, moaning dim types right from the start. No offence meant Americans, I love your Twinkies, Peeps and Cheese in a can :-) Seriously though, you guys gave us Edgar Allan Poe and Vincent Price, we are in your debt.
Anyway, after the essential build-up of finding her two companions/film crew they set out in to the woods. I like the attempts here to talk about folklore and local legends; I would have liked more "real" material to be included here. The interview with Mary Brown seems quite creepy and I really liked the delivery of the ghost/folklore story. For me the movie then changes, it gets a little dull. There's the slow realisation that they might be lost and that they should probably camp the night etc. It's not scary in the least and I'm not actually sure that the film makers intended it to be. It's more of a "fill in the blanks" in your head to generate the scares.
Throughout the movie things go from a nice cheerful walking/movie making trip to a realisation that they are completely lost and there may or may not be the Blair Witch stalking them. For me this is the pivotal point that divides opinion. If you believe that this is just a movie then there really is nothing scary so far apart from a few leaves rustling, straw dolls etc. However, if the tape is genuine the movie will take on a different meaning. In this blog I'm not going to reveal the ending or any more of the detail as I don't want to spoil a viewing for you.
In regard to my initial question, "Is it worth watching?" My answer is "yes". The reason being is that regardless of whether you like the movie or not and believe it is genuine or not really doesn't matter to some extent. I think that many people viewing the first time did not understand the final scene where there is the real pay-off in terms of the story arc. Having a quick read of IMDB it seems that some people are still missing the point. Endless comments of "Nothing Happens" are still being posted all these years later. The elements that makes this movie are that you must listen to the documentary folk stories at the start and that in your own life you've actually had that slightly lost/stalked/frightened/haunted feeling.
If you are they type of viewer that needs endless ghosts, monsters and skeletons jumping out along with the scary music then this movie is definitely not for you. You will only be left disappointed, you won't be scared or entertained. If you’re the type of open-minded movie goer that will give most things a try there is a good chance that you will enjoy this movie. So, is it scary? Well, yes if you understand it and think about it long enough, it will all depend on the viewers interperetation and personal thoughts on the real life what if's of the story.
It’s cheap $60,000 by IMDB estimates with $248,639,099 gross earnings. Incidentally this was also the first DVD I ever bought, ironically it was possibly the only DVD out at the time that did not need to be on DVD since the original was filmed on tape.
Pros: Fairly original idea and something a little different.
Cons: Will not appeal to all.
The Haunted Cinema Rating: 6.5 straw dolls out of 10. I don't love it but I do appreciate it.
It's something I've often wondered to myself. It seems that I like less and less new horror films being released this days. Is it just me or did horror movies used to be better? Well I've made a quick piece of analysis to investigate. I've taken IMDB's 50 top ranked Horror movies, sliced and diced the stats and come to some firm conclusions.
The Time Trend
A quick grouping shows that 1960-1969 was the golden age of horror. IMDB users rating 14/50 (28%) in the Top 50. In comparison 1940-1949 has just one entry (Dead Of Night).
2000-2010 produced just 6 of our top 50. That's less than half of 1960-1969. So on the surface it does seem that there was a distinct period in which horror films were better than today. When averaging out the scores (excluding 1960-1969) it seems that 2000-2010 fared reasonably well against with 6 top movies vs 5.14 average.
So What's so Special About 1960-1969
Eyes Without a Face (1960)
Hour of the Wolf (1968)
Kwaidan (1964)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Onibaba (1964)
Peeping Tom (1960)
Psycho (1960)
Repulsion (1965)
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
The Birds (1963)
The Cremator (1969)
The Haunting (1963/I)
The Innocents (1961)
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
One thing is very notable in the list. It's the variety of movies. "Night of the Living Dead" is considered as the first of it's kind and any Zombie movie lover will have to reference this one as a best in class. There's also a Hunted House entry with "The Haunting" which I reviewed recently, again it is a classic with great production values and solid directing. There's also Hitchcock's "The Birds" and Psycho", these too are often widely referenced as Hitchcocks style was something a little bold and new. Finally there's a couple of others that broke the mould, "Peeping Tom" caused outrage over its content and "Rosemary's Baby" that showed a new spin on demon possession. I can't be more specific why this era produced such a number of great movies but it does seem that many movies were being produced around this time in a variety of styles. It's also the era that the post war baby boomers would have been teenagers in so it could be that users are rating these movies highly as they would be prominent memories at this time of life.
Greatest Horror Movie Period: Quantity or Quality?
So 1960-1969 wins hands down for quantity but how about overall quality?
Interestingly based on average ratings it is 1980-1989 that scores as our highest decade. I have to say I'm pleased as these were my childhood years and always believed that there was some good work going on. Only 3 movies 1980's movies make it in to the Top 5.
Evil Dead II (1987) 7.80
The Shining (1980) 8.50
The Thing (1982) 8.10
Looking at these titles it's easy to see what gave the 80's a small edge, all three movies are certainly in my collection. Raimi, Kubrick and Carpenter are all household names in the horror world. It's interesting that we have a slightly wacky Demon movie, a Psychological thriller and a Monster movie. It's always nice to have a variety.
Psycho (1960) takes the overall top spot with an 8.7 rating. This surprises me a little. Although it is a Hitchcock I wouldn't rate it as his best work, I may have to re-watch this one to see if I change my mind.
2000-2010 produces the lowest overall average of 7.7 making it the lowest rated decade by a wafer thin 0.03 difference between the 1940’s and 1950’s. Statistically this is insignificant taking in to account the data source. However, it is an interesting take on how the viewer’s think about modern horror. My prediction is that we will actually see the 7.7 of the 2000’s creep up a little over time as more people discover the gems in there. Overall there is a slight positive trend from 1920 to present indicating no sudden crisis for the horor movie industry.
So, in conclusion. If you are looking for quantity try the 60’s, if you are looking for quality you may find what you are looking for in the ‘80’s. On another slant though it’s worth noting that 4 of the top 10 movies are pre-1940.
However we cut this one I think it’s safe to say that horror films are in no dramatic decline in quality no matter how much some of us believe. Styles change as do audiences and the opportunity to be innovative and fresh will be a constant challenge. I can happily pick a decent movie from every decade of the last 100 years of horror.
Happy hauntings, Jiblet.
See below for the full IMDB Top 50 Horror List. Agree with the list? Are they missing your favourite? What's your favourite Horror decade? I'm interested in your thoughts, please leave a comments below.
Year: 1963 Actors: Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn Director: Robert Wise Formats: VHS, DVD Price: £3.49
Mini Review
Do you believe in ghosts? Well a stay at the house on the hill will help you find out. A psychiatrist invites three guests to take part in supernatural research. The guests are given the run of the old Hill House and are asked to report on any goings on. As you can imagine it isn't long before things start going bump in the night. The activities seem to be targeting the most nervous guest, Nell. The mystery of the knockings and banging continue throughout the movie and create quite an oppressive feel. I did find that I wanted to know the source of the occurrences but was not overwhelmed by the "solution". What will the verdict on the ghost be? True, false or something else. Whether you are a seasoned mystery/haunted house movie goer or just venturing in to the genre, this is a great example of a well made movie.
Verdict
I'm always in two minds about this movie. On one hand it is a great watch and would definitely recommend for haunted house movie lovers. There's a strong plot development and the "ghosts" are an interesting take on what should make us afraid. The acting is also rather good for this genre. It's all too easy to put some strangers in a big empty house and the whole movie go very dull, thankfully the actors keep the plot going at a nice pace.
The reason I hesitate in getting too excited about this film though is that it is a little bit predictable. As I had such high hopes for this movie based on other reviews I think that it doesn't quite live up to the ground breaking reviews that it often receives. However, I can honestly say it is a good movie and very cheap to pick up on DVD these days. Give it a go, you may really like this one.
Pros: Very solid movie, good acting and good old fashioned story telling.
Cons: The character of Nell tends to annoy me a bit due to the persistent whining. Overall the story is reasonably predictable if you are familiar with haunted house movies.
The Haunted Cinema Rating: 7 unseen ghosts out of 10.
Year: 1989 Actors: Adrian Rawlins Director: Herbert Wise Formats: VHS, DVD Price: £17.99 (due to a limited production number)
Mini Review
It's a simple set up. A young lawyer (Arthur Kidd) has been appointed to take care of the estate of a recently deceased lady. Her estate just happens to be in one of the most isolated and creepy marshes ever! Arthur soon arrives to the conclusion that something isn't right with the house, especially after an early encounter with the Woman in Black overlooking her own funeral. Arthur continues his business in the isolated house, trapped by both the incoming tide as well as the fret (sea fog) that surrounds the house.
As you can imagine, there's not too much dialogue but there is a lot of haunting music and silence. Can Arthur get to the bottom of the mystery that surrounds him? is he mad? is their a ghost? It's a gripping movie that delivers genuine spine-tingling thrills.
Verdict
Pros: Yes, yes, yes! This is ghost story telling at it's best. There's elements of suspense, story development and above all it's easy to feel the same sense of unease that Arthur Kidd is experiencing throughout the movie. Do not hesitate, this is a best in class ghost story.
Cons: I nearly s*it my pants I jumped so much at one scene in particular (you all know which one). My advice is not to sit too close to the TV in the dark with the sound on high the first time you watch this one.
The Haunted Cinema Rating: 10 night terrors out of 10.The best of the best ghost story adaptations.
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