Halloween Viewing LIst #5: High Tension

#5: High Tension (2003):

This French film by director Alexandre Aja is a good old-fashioned bloody, crying mess. Lots of suspense and adrenaline-pumping scenes, but mainly horrific gore and lots of mangled human flesh to feast your eyes on. 

Two beautiful young university students, Marie and Alexa, drive into the picturesque French countryside to visit Alexa's parents for the weekend. 

High Tension (also titled "Switchblade Romance) skips the foreplay and cuts right to the chase, delivering up gore right on your doorstep.
It could be classified as a Slasher flick, but a much higher-quality production and far for intelligent than most of those in the genre.

The lead character Marie becomes more and more of a badass as the film progresses which always a plus!

 Check it out this Halloween as an addition to your lovely, deranged, demented gore-fest. 

Enjoy! ^_^

Halloween Viewing List#4: Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

 

#4: Rare Exports, A Christmas Tale (2010):

Directed by Jalmari Helander, Strange Exports is a charming Christmas story of a young Finnish boy who learns about the sinister tradition behind Santa Claus, that has long been buried until now...

 Pietari lives with his father, a reindeer hunter, in northern Finland, butchering and packing their own meet during the long dark nights, when things start to go awry. The reindeer hunters wake one day to find that ever single animal has been slaughtered on the hillside, by an unknown creature. 
Children begin to disappear from the snowy secluded town , and Pietari sets out to stop Santa before Christmas Eve when he will kill again.

 
 There is a legend that centuries ago the citizens were threatened by horned monsters. They were able to trick them onto the lake, where they froze. One of them was cut out inside a giant block of ice and buried deep beneath the mound. And now foreign excavators from America have come to dig up the past that would have been better left buried...

This is a wonderfully made, visually awesome, endearing, cute and funny film that is well worth the watch. A lot of thought has been put into the development of the characters and their relationships, it's a beautiful piece of work, and it's fun to listen to the Finnish language.  It's a clever parody of the myth of Santa intertwined with Norse mythology, as well as consumerism in general. Enjoy! ^_^

Halloween Viewing List #3: Bug

#3: Bug

Willian Friedkin, the director of The Exorcist has only put out a handful of movies over the last few decades. This is partly due to the fact that he will not release a film until he is completely satisfied with it, and holds himself to extremely high standards; he is quoted as saying "By the time a film of mine makes it into the theaters, I have a love-hate relationship with it. There is always something I could have done to make it better."

Bug is testament to this tendency, and while it may not be for everyone, if you can stomach it you will not be disappointed. This film did not enjoy much success in the mainstream, and for that reason has been largely overlooked, but this is a very tense, disturbing and artfully written film with incredible performances by Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon (who seems to never turn off his crazed, tortured persona even in interviews...).

Bug is a great character portrait of two lonely and somewhat tragic souls who are roaming this earth, profoundly damaged and changed by past experiences, and who find something they need in each other. They say that misery loves company, and this relationship serves to whip both members into a frenzy of paranoia, mental illness and desperation. 

In a strange way, Bug is a tender love story between the two main characters who really cling to each other, almost immediately  recognizing their connection in grief, loss and despair. There is a lot in the film that is left open to interpretation, which I really like.

I won't give too much away on this film, it's best just to watch it. DON'T ASK QUESTIONS JUST DO IT. It's intense and there are some graphic scenes including some of domestic violence which may be hard for some viewers, so there is your disclaimer.
 This is more of a psychological thriller, it's hard to classify as it's very unique, but it's definitely chilling and you won't soon forget it.....

Halloween Viewing List #2: Black Christmas

#2: Black Christmas 1974:

Black Christmas, directed by Bob Clark, is often credited as being the very first slasher flick of its kind, and really signals the beginning of the teen slasher movie genre. A house of sorority sisters settling down for the holidays are plagued by a series of obscene prank calls, followed by crimes of increasing severity by a mystery sex-offender/murderer. Black Christmas was the very first film to use the "killer-cam" technique, and in my opinion it uses this technique in the most effective method to-date. 

The use of suspense is excellent and increases right through the movie, there is the use of really horrifying images that stay with you (especially if you are lucky enough to live in a big, old house with vents and an attic...)  and the classic horror theme of the lead female character knowing something is terribly wrong yet having those around her downplaying it or flat out not believing it. The film has also served as a major influence for virtually every single slasher flick that has come out since. 

What makes this film so disturbing and scary is the killer....he is so depraved and creepy, and downright bizarre that it really stays with you.  Another bonus is you get to watch the lead protagonist Margot Kidder, aka the Most Beautiful Woman in the World!

Do yourself a favour and check out this gem, educate yourself on the history of the ever-popular slasher film, and get ready to feel like someone is watching you whenever your alone for the next month!!!

Happy Viewing ^_^ 

Halloween Viewing List #1: Hausu

Here is the first segment of La Tercera Madre's recommending viewing list for this Samhain season. I've tried to pick some good unusual ones that perhaps you have not seen, mixed in with some old classics. I'll be posting the film suggestions one by one to countdown the days to Halloween, (21 days to go!) I hope you enjoy the list! Also, please forward your suggestions to me, I'm always on the look out for a new awesome horror flick.

#1: Hausu, 1977. 

This film is a must see, a surrealist dream, or nightmare from the mind of Nobuhiko Obayash. The original review reads "This satirical murder mystery pits a woman who is the epitome of glamour (played by Haruko Wanibuchi) against a clever murderer during a holiday stay at a strange ghostly mansion. Seven young women, who have chosen as nicknames the brand names of much-advertised consumer products, begin to disappear in a decidedly suspicious manner. Are they fashion victims? How else can one explain the eerie coordination between their pastel outfits and the pastels of the rooms in which they appear? It is up to the heroine -- whose every screen appearance is heralded by special lighting, gentle breezes, and a soft camera focus -- to find out what is going on."

Obayashi pulls out the stops with every imaginable mode of special effects ranging from superimposition to stop motion, this film is like nothing you've ever seen.  The film at times is full on campy slapstick to hilarious soundtrack, as well as scenes of deranged depravity and horrifying imagery (though this film retains its sense of humor throughout). Highlights include a girl being eaten alive by a piano; a fast forward slapstick kung fu battle; this film is a pajama party of delirious, experimental insanity and gory fun that will most likely leave you questioning your own sanity. Take my advice, this one is not to be missed. ^_^

 

Geek Love

tattooed lady circa 1920

I can't really describe Katherine Dunn’s novel, Geek Love, it is a just farking brilliant book with a quiet, creeping horror that grips you! It's one of those books you just can't tear yourself away from. In the story, the Binewskis, a couple that works in a freak show, deliberately give birth to freaks, so their children will always have jobs. This weird, funny and original piece of work follows the lives of the characters exploring the inner-working of our minds and our notions of the freakish and the normal, the beautiful and the ugly, the holy and the obscene.

 Katherine Dunn  is a natural story-teller who grew up in a migrant blue-collar family in the West. Her prose is frequently pure poetry and every sentence is written with a natural grace and ease. 

She has never had any formal training, but she knew from her childhood that she would one day become a writer. Once successful, she feared her lack of training would come back to haunt her because she believed she lacked the variety and flexibility of most writers. But, she continues to have a fan-base especially for her column on boxing in the local alternative paper in Portland, Oregon, where she now lives and works.Her interest in DNA and genetic manipulation came together in her novel, Geek Love. 

From Publishers Weekly, "This audacious, mesmerizing novel should carry a warning: "Reader Beware." Those entering the world of carnival freaks described by narrator Olympia Binewski, a bald, humpbacked albino dwarf, will find no escape from a story at once engrossing and repellent, funny and terrifying, unreal and true to human nature. Dunn's vivid, energetic prose, her soaring imagination and assured narrative skill fuse to produce an unforgettable tale. The premise is bizarre. Art and Lily, owners of Binewski's Fabulon, a traveling carnival, decide to breed their own freak show by creating genetically altered children through the use of experimental drugs. "What greater gift could you offer your children than an inherent ability to earn a living just by being themselves?" muses Lily. This raw, shocking view of the human condition, a glimpse of the tormented people who live on the fringe, makes readers confront the dark, mad elements in every society."

I highly recommend Geek Love, its an unforgettable read, you can purchase it here 

Sucker Punch Sucks

Sucker punch, what happened to you? You had all the ingredients to be pretty bad-ass, instead you really fizzled out into a lame, offensive, and above all very boring flick. I am disappointed in you. Mainly I just wanted to sucker-punch this movie in the face. SPOILER ALERT:


The movie is centered around Babydoll, an orphaned girl (or supposedly, we are told, a twenty year old woman, going on twelve) who is forced into an insane asylum where she is repeatedly raped by the orderlies in a dirty bathroom, and is scheduled to be lobotomized in a few days. 


To escape this grim reality, Babydoll escapes to a fantasy world...of sexual slavery in a PG rated brothel, where the girls are forced to dance for the clientele at night, and by day attend some kind of strange ballet school for wayward girls. It turns out Babydoll has a hypnotic, entrancing dance which sends her into a kind of trance and yet ANOTHER fantasy of the sci-fi, steam-punk, monster/robot fighting variety. 


Sadly even in this world, there is no entertainment to be found for the viewer, with the clumsy stunt fighting, banal dialogue and lack of audience investment in any character whatsoever. The entire movie seems to be a vehicle for skimpy insane asylum costumes and even skimpier brothel/ professional bad-ass attire. I can appreciate the artistic style and beauty of Snyder's cinematography, but in this case, it just wasn't enough to pull through. 


Sucker Punch really dropped the ball in almost every conceivable area: dialogue, character development, stunts, plot, motivation...the list goes on! For me, the hardest part to stomach was the pseudo-feminist message of "you have all the weapons you need, now fight!" 


One can only assume that the film-makers intended for there to be some sort of empowering going on here...even though these "weapons" are their bodies and sex appeal, and every single attempt the women make to alter their surroundings or defend themselves are met with violence and death.  The only place these chicks kick ass is in their dreams, and even in those dreams they are taking orders from an older male commander. 


Sadly, big guns and swords alone do not empowered women make. But don't worry ladies, you can always escape into your fantasy world and wait for things to get better while you are crying and giving lap dances. 

Black Swan

Odette, Swan Lake

It seems almost cheating to set a film to the music of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, but Black Swan certainly did the score justice.

Darren Aronofsky has previously shown his talent for sensitive character studies of those who are caught in a downward spiral descending into madness and despair; 

In Black Swan he has really perfected this technique with his portrayal of Nina, a painfully perfect ballet dancer who struggles to "lose herself" in order to embody both the Odette and Odile of Swan Lake, and finds her mental stability rapidly deteriorating in the process.

Black Swan is a tragic and sometimes terrifying look into a mind damaged beyond repair, as the character comes undone for good, reminiscent of Aronofsky's The Wrestler or Requiem for a Dream.

The Film stays almost exactly in line with original tale of Swan Lake, and theme of sacrificing everything for a moment of freedom.

Although the story is of course fraught with metaphors, they are used carefully and subtly (for the most part) in such a way that what is really going on is not entirely obvious until the very end. The suspense and tension in the film build with every scene, some of them excruciating to watch,  ending with an unforgettable climax.

Go see it while it's still in theaters, if for no other reason, to hear Tchaikovsky in surround sound! ^_^

Horrorfest viewing list

It has occurred to me that many people are in need of a good viewing list for horrors.

So here for your reference are my personal top ten (or 20) with regard to actual scare factor, that have a special place in my heart. 

To clarify, this list is specifically for creepy or entertaining films, not just outright disturbing or offensive subject matter  ( I have a separate list for those ^_^) 

This has taken me forever to decide but here they are for your viewing pleasure, with the creepiest at the top.

For maximum effect turn out all the lights, turn the sound up and watch alone. Enjoy!

• The Exorcist (the original version NOT the "version you've never seen")
• The Shining
• The Grudge (Japanese version)
• A Tale of Two Sisters
• Creep*
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1973)
• 28 Days Later 
• Silent Hill
• Ravenous 
• Devil (this one is still in theaters....catch it quick!)
• Black Christmas (original- NOT remake don't waste your time!)
• El Orfanato
• Candyman
• Meet the Feebles
• Let the Right One In (original version)
• High Tension
• American Psycho* (also a funny one)
• Drag Me to Hell (this one is actually more funny than scary)
• Casper the Friendly Ghost (had to make the list- it's a classic!)

If thrillers/creepy movies are too tame for you, and you are just looking for straight up gore-fest/offensive/disturbing film experience, most of this genre suffer from being bad movies which just contain some gratuitous scenes. 

Context is all important, so my list contains good or competent movies only, here is my recommended list for you with some favourites but be warned some of them require a strong stomach:

• Ichi the Killer*
•  Benny's Video
• Funny games*
• Das Experiment*
• Ken park*
• Antichrist (it's a must see! just make sure you get the original uncut version...)
• Dead Alive
• Natural Born Killers
• Requiem for a Dream
• Riddlington Place
• Human Centipede
• Old Boy*
• I Stand Alone*
• Threads*
• The Road (book more so than movie)
• Happiness
• In My Skin 

*Contains scenes of sexual violence

 FYI: I'll be the first to admit that there are FAR more disturbing films than these out there- I've chosen not to list many mainly because of either real scenes of animals/children being harmed.


Hope these lists are helpful to you and if I've missed something...let me know! Happy Horrorfest!

El Orfanato

Those who know me know that it's Halloween year-round in my mind. So here is a review of one of my favourite haunted-house stories.

El Orfanato by Guillermo Del Toro is an atmospheric, astoundingly beautiful ghost story set in a massive colonial era Spanish Orphanage. The lavish sets in this film as well as the flawless casting of characters make it exquisite to watch.

The tale itself definitely raises the hair on the back of your neck, it's quite suspenseful, and has a very Guillermo-esque twist ending.

The main character, Laura (Belen Rueda) returns with her husband to her childhood home, the orphanage which has since been abandoned, with the intention of re-opening it to serve a few special needs orphans. The first resident is their adoptive HIV positive son Simon.

After a series of bizarre and creepy events in the old orphanage involving Simon, Laura slowly realizes that her family is not alone in the house and that there is some unfinished business that needs taking care of before she can uncover the truth and live in peace.

The film does a great job of building intensity and suspense throughout, and by the end you are really on the edge of your seat. It incorporates all of my favourite subjects; psychics, freaks, creepy haunted mansions, ghost stories, gory death scenes, and much more...

 

I am personally a hard person to really scare with films; I can count the number of films that have truly frightened me on one hand. By the end of most horror/suspense movies I am usually left wanting a good deal more, but this film uses the right amount of gore and horror for the overall tone, it's very fitting and has genuinely scary moments.

I highly recommend this film, make sure to turn out all the lights first...

Image source

Tideland

I'm unsure how to describe the film "Tideland" as it's unlike anything I've ever seen. This was a beautifully rendered portrayal of the series of oddities and tragedies that is life, through the eyes of a nine year old girl.

Granted, her reality may be odder than most, and throughout the film it becomes increasingly surreal and somewhat disturbing.

The plot is peppered with welcome moments of dark humor and touching childlike poignancy however, and the scenery is whimsical and beautiful throughout; the film takes place in tumbledown abandoned farm-houses in endless fields of tall golden grass.  

Be warned that spoilers follow...

 The plot of the film centers around the young heroine Jeliza-Rose (Jodelle Ferland), who is neglected and later orphaned, and the bizarre characters who enter her existence as she spends the summer fending for herself in the countryside. 

Once alone, With only the heads of old Barbie dolls to keep her company, Jeliza-Rose embarks on a series of highly imagined and increasingly surreal adventures in the tall grass surrounding the farmhouse.

 Terry Gilliam's delightful eccentricities certainly come out in the film, and it touches on some difficult issues, such as childhood abuse, neglect, insanity, human taxidermy (no I'm not kidding)  and an increasingly inappropriate relationship between Jeliza-Rose and a mentally retarded man with the mental capacity of a nine year old.

Tideland is not for everyone. Even if you're comfortable with dark subject-matter and humor, many viewers will undoubtedly be completely off within the first 15 minutes. 

It only gets darker and stranger as the film unfolds, so Tideland is certainly not for all audiences, but if you do go there, you will find a perceptive portrait of  a child seeking out the simplicity, beauty and humor in a detestable and unfair reality, as a means to simply survive it.