Cult Labs

Go Back   Cult Labs > Film Discussions > General Film Discussions

Like Tree179038Likes

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #18321  
Old 8th December 2012, 02:16 PM
Demdike@Cult Labs's Avatar
Cult King
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Senior Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lancashire
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop View Post
SHEITAN - This was made around the time of that mid-noughties wave of French horror, most of which I really enjoyed. 'Sheitan' is a darkly perverse rural horror, where a bunch of urban street kids are transplanted to the country estate of a girl they meet in a discotheque on christmas eve. There, they find a yokelised and deeply sinister Vincent Cassal, rooms full of broken dolls, a bunch of in-breds and a mysterious plot about the birthing of Satan. A film which is well at ease with its own grubbiness, and features such BBFC baiting scenes (but apparently not, as it has a legit '18' certificate) as a dimwit girl sexing up a dog. The mid section drifts a bit and could've been more focussed and intense, but overall I really liked its twisted, parodic take on familial horror.

SOUTHERN COMFORT - Another sort-of backwoods horror film, the brilliant 'Southern Comfort' shows us in excruciating close up the unravelling of a national guard platoon in the face of (mostly) unseen menace. The soldiers are all completely unlikable and mostly idiotic, but the film is unwaveringly gripping and never lets go of a sense of seething tension present right from the start. Powers Boothe and Keith Carradine, who at times function almost like a chorus, give excellent performances. Their characters' detached cynicism and alienation from the shambles surrounding them provides a hook for the movie's more urbane audience, initially at least - by the end of the film, we see their mindset is pretty basic to the whole problem. This is a great study of paranoia and the isolation of the individual(ist's) psyche, way more sophisticated then something like 'The Thing', even though the the two films share similar atmospheres (and endings, for that matter). A great movie, one which I've just seen for the first time.
Two fantastic films Frankie, and two great reviews.

I much prefer Southern Comfort to its more famous inbred half sibling Deliverance.
Frankie Teardrop likes this.
Reply With Quote
  #18322  
Old 8th December 2012, 02:18 PM
Nosferatu@Cult Labs's Avatar
Cult Don
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Good Trader
Senior Moderator
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: The Land of the Prince Bishops
Blog Entries: 4
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by suziginajackson View Post
The film is also known as 'Satan'
It's been ages since I last saw this – as some indicator of time, that was when it came out as I watched it for review purposes – and really liked it, so must dig out the DVD and give it another viewing. It is the season, anyway!
Frankie Teardrop likes this.
__________________
Reply With Quote
  #18323  
Old 8th December 2012, 03:38 PM
Rik's Avatar
Rik Rik is offline
Cult Veteran
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Good Trader
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Halifax,UK
Default

Following on from yesterday's rewatch of Ruggero Deodato's most famous man-muncher film, I fancied watching another of his films, so I watched Cut and Run. Despite the version I watched having certain scenes only in Italian and without subtitles (not much of an issue, until they spoke too quick for me to transalate), I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely pick up the R1 DVD if I can source a cheap copy.
Plus, I noticed another character called Tommy that had an 80's perm, as pointed out by Handyman Joe's missus earlier in this thread!

__________________
If I'm curt with you it's because time is a factor. I think fast, I talk fast and I need you guys to act fast if you wanna get out of this. So, pretty please... with sugar on top. Clean the ****ing car!
Reply With Quote
  #18324  
Old 8th December 2012, 04:02 PM
Slippery Jack's Avatar
Cult Acolyte
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: West Midlands, UK
Default

I'm back to working crazy hours again, so film watching is barely getting a look in Tried watching Black Mama White Mama last night, but fell asleep about 20 minutes in. Got to see the shower scene, but didn't make it to Sid Haig. I'll try again tonight . . .
__________________
I now have a shiny new website! Or check out my DeviantArt profile if you please...
Reply With Quote
  #18325  
Old 8th December 2012, 05:46 PM
Demdike@Cult Labs's Avatar
Cult King
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Senior Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lancashire
Default

December 6th

Siren (2010)

Merlin's Eoin Macken heads a film about three friends travelling around gorgeous sun kissed islands in a hired yacht. Things start to take a turn for the worse when they discover a man on the point of death bleeding from the ears.

Siren is a well directed, great looking film that is well acted throughout. It has a competantly written storyline which flys along, not allowing the viewer to get bored. For a low budget British film it is a nice change to have it set in such lovely sunny locations.

But the film lacks something, that certain spark to make it memorable, its difficult to say exactly what that spark is. It may be the siren herself who is certainly pretty, but to me is not irresistibly beautiful enough to portray this mythological creature. It could be the lack of hardcore thrills and spills or gory murders. I'm not certain, as films don't begin and end with blood and guts to me. It just lacks that certain something, so for me Siren was purely ok and difficult to recommend.

December 7th

Alone in the Dark (1982)

What a highly enjoyable film with a terrific cast - Donald Pleasence, Jack Palance and Martin Landau. A slasher film but slightly different to the norm as we know from the start who the slashers are, in this case three escaped mental patients (Palance, Landau and Erland Van Lidth) who manage to get away from Pleasence's institution during a blackout and terrorize the family of their new psychiatrist.

The film is both a lot of fun and incredibly sleazy in places, especially the scene where Palance, hidden under a womans bed repeatedly thrusting a blade through the mattress with its point emerging between her thighs. It all culminates when the mild mannered shrink fights back to save his family.

The film may mix and match its genres, slasher, revenge thriller, action movie, but it all adds up to a gripping viewing experience.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg images.jpg (9.4 KB, 2 views)
File Type: jpg images (1).jpg (12.7 KB, 2 views)
Reply With Quote
  #18326  
Old 8th December 2012, 06:23 PM
Nordicdusk's Avatar
Cult Master
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Ireland
Default

images.jpg

As everyone has already said this looks amazing a real triumph for Arrow who have made me happier than words can explain.
__________________
Reply With Quote
  #18327  
Old 8th December 2012, 06:36 PM
Frankie Teardrop's Avatar
Cultist on the Rampage
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Leeds, UK
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Demdike View Post
December 6th

Siren (2010)

Merlin's Eoin Macken heads a film about three friends travelling around gorgeous sun kissed islands in a hired yacht. Things start to take a turn for the worse when they discover a man on the point of death bleeding from the ears.

Siren is a well directed, great looking film that is well acted throughout. It has a competantly written storyline which flys along, not allowing the viewer to get bored. For a low budget British film it is a nice change to have it set in such lovely sunny locations.

But the film lacks something, that certain spark to make it memorable, its difficult to say exactly what that spark is. It may be the siren herself who is certainly pretty, but to me is not irresistibly beautiful enough to portray this mythological creature. It could be the lack of hardcore thrills and spills or gory murders. I'm not certain, as films don't begin and end with blood and guts to me. It just lacks that certain something, so for me Siren was purely ok and difficult to recommend.

December 7th

Alone in the Dark (1982)

What a highly enjoyable film with a terrific cast - Donald Pleasence, Jack Palance and Martin Landau. A slasher film but slightly different to the norm as we know from the start who the slashers are, in this case three escaped mental patients (Palance, Landau and Erland Van Lidth) who manage to get away from Pleasence's institution during a blackout and terrorize the family of their new psychiatrist.

The film is both a lot of fun and incredibly sleazy in places, especially the scene where Palance, hidden under a womans bed repeatedly thrusting a blade through the mattress with its point emerging between her thighs. It all culminates when the mild mannered shrink fights back to save his family.

The film may mix and match its genres, slasher, revenge thriller, action movie, but it all adds up to a gripping viewing experience.
I really liked 'Alone in the Dark' when I saw it about five years ago, but the last time I watched it (around Feb / March this year) I found it a bit disappointing and boring in places. I can't account for the difference in 'pleasure yield' between viewings, although it's fairly typical for me to feel very differently about a film from showing to showing. I'll have to give it another shot to get things straight, or to at least find another perspective.
Reply With Quote
  #18328  
Old 8th December 2012, 06:48 PM
Demdike@Cult Labs's Avatar
Cult King
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Senior Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lancashire
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop View Post
I really liked 'Alone in the Dark' when I saw it about five years ago, but the last time I watched it (around Feb / March this year) I found it a bit disappointing and boring in places. I can't account for the difference in 'pleasure yield' between viewings, although it's fairly typical for me to feel very differently about a film from showing to showing. I'll have to give it another shot to get things straight, or to at least find another perspective.
Interesting point Frankie.

I wonder if i'll feel the same during its next viewing?
Frankie Teardrop likes this.
Reply With Quote
  #18329  
Old 8th December 2012, 06:52 PM
Slippery Jack's Avatar
Cult Acolyte
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: West Midlands, UK
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop View Post
I really liked 'Alone in the Dark' when I saw it about five years ago, but the last time I watched it (around Feb / March this year) I found it a bit disappointing and boring in places.
You sure you didn't put on the Uwe Boll film by mistake . . . ?
__________________
I now have a shiny new website! Or check out my DeviantArt profile if you please...
Reply With Quote
  #18330  
Old 8th December 2012, 06:55 PM
Demdike@Cult Labs's Avatar
Cult King
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Senior Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lancashire
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Slippery Jack View Post
You sure you didn't put on the Uwe Boll film by mistake . . . ?
I have to admit i have never been bored by a Boll film. Maybe other feelings but never boredom.
Frankie Teardrop likes this.
Reply With Quote
Reply  

Like this? Share it using the links below!

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



Our goal is to keep Cult Labs friendly. If you feel discouraged from posting by certain members' behaviour then you can e-mail us in complete confidence.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
All forum posts are contributed by members of the site; Cult Labs cannot take responsibility for all content posted on the site. If you have an issue with content posted on the site please click the 'report post' button.
Copyright © 2014 Cult Laboratories Ltd. All rights reserved.