What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Bringer Of Funerals

Have you bought the ANTHOLOGY BLU of THE EXORCIST?

I can't stand Exorcist II: The Heretic and didn't like either of the prequels when I saw them at the cinema, but I have bought the individual release of The Exorcist III, a film I really like.

[Bringer Of Funerals]

I have the ANTH on DVD

Don't know where to put this so I'll post it here - CLINT EASTWOOD Fans grab this at the brilliant price - offer ends on 2nd NOV

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clint-Eastwo...stwood+blu+ray

[trebor8273]

Alien factor

Terrible writing, direction, acting and special effects, but somehow I enjoyed it. With how poor it is I will not be giving it a score and will just say it's unique and I wouild watch it again.

Now watching afflicted and if it doesn't pick up soon I will be switching off and watching something else. Never been a fan of lost footage/ camcorder films. The charcters just seem a bunch of unlikable pricks and the way it's shot reminds me of the real world.

[Linbro]

'The Shout', via the Network BD.
Fantastic film, which has almost everything I look for - seriousness, ambiguity, and very good central performances, especially from Susannah York.Will definitely be re-watching this in the near future.
Plus, how many films have an almost surreal cricket match as the wraparound setting?
Great stuff, and I think I'll check out another Network release tonight - 'The Medusa Touch'.

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I was at the cinema last night to see The Exorcist and it wasn't until the BBFC certificate appeared (saying "The Exorcist (Director's Cut)" that I knew which version I was going to see, but had assumed it was going to be the theatrical cut.



Anyway, as most of you know, it's a film I've seen well over 100 times, probably over 150, but only once before at the cinema: in 1998. Since then, I've bought it numerous times on Betamax, VHS, DVD, laserdisc and Blu-ray (and even Super 8) and studied it academically as it formed part of my MA dissertation when I studied International Film.



The Director's Cut, formerly known as The Version You've Never Seen, is my least favourite of the two versions but, because I hadn't seen that one at the cinema, I was anticipating it as much as if it has been the theatrical cut. Considering I can basically play the film from beginning to end in my head and know at least 90% of the screenplay, I was surprised to notice something I hadn't before (a moment when part of Tubular Bells is playing) and an object which, when I was writing my dissertation, I thought was one thing, was clearly something else and now requires me to completely reassess part of my dissertation!



One would realistically expect a horror film to lose impact after so many viewings, listening to commentary tracks, watching documentaries and reading books and essays about different interpretations and how it was made, yet it was still an incredibly powerful experience, not to the extent as it was 16 years ago when it changed not only how I perceived cinema, but my entire life, but was yet another affirmation that it is the greatest horror film ever made and one of the finest films of all time.

You are Mark Kermode and I claim my £5


Glad to hear good words about Resolution and Burning Bright. Both are on Netflix and I've been tempted to watch them so will definitely be doing so sooner than later now.

[keirarts]

First power

Lou Diamond Phillips plays a traditional 80's maverick cop Logan. He plays fast and loose with the rules in order to get his man. In this case his man is a deranged satanic serial killer carving a bloody reign of terror on Los Angeles. Fortunately Logan is getting tips from an anonymous informant that helps him lay a trap. Things nearly go awry when the killer abducts a cop, fortunately Logan is able to bring him down in spite of getting stabbed. The informants one condition for her information is that once caught, the state would not go for the death penalty. Logan goes back on his word and sends the deranged killer to the gas chamber. Turns out however, that Logan should have heeded the psychics advice, as the killer is granted 'the first power' by Satan and is resurrected into an unstoppable immortal killing machine, hell bent on destroying Logan.
In spite of it's 80's credentials, First Power manages to avoid the pitfalls of mixing genres. In this case its an 80's cop movie fused with a bloody horror movie. Normally we either get a cop movie with elements of horror or a horror with elements of cop movie. Here both genres are balanced surprisingly well. The film has some well crafted action scenes and some amazing stunts that make the film thrilling and fast paced, while the soundtrack provides plenty of eerie menace that makes the film unsettling as well. Kudos to Jeff Korber as well who plays the killer and gives a chilling performance as the killer and really adds an unsettling vibe to the film.

Overall, First power is a film well worth seeking out. Sadly this blu-ray is region locked, as the transfer is frankly amazing and a real upgrade for fans. We also get lengthy interviews with Lou Diamond Phillips and Jeff Korber on the disc as extras. If you can play it, the blu-ray is well worth picking up.


Killing of America.

Released in the wake of popular shockumentary mondo films such as faces of death and mondo cane, personally I feel Killing of America outstrips them all and is still one of my favourite documentary's of all time.
Written by Paul schraders brother leonard, Killing of America assembles lots of shocking (and occasionally recognizable) footage of news events and violent killings caught on film. Killing of America's strength comes from the fact that its constructed by someone who understands film and has a serious point to make with the footage. Consequently its a film not as disjointed as the mondo cane pictures or as vague and contradictory as Faces of death. Its a chronicle of Americas love affair with guns and violence told through coldly narrated statistics and brutal, real stock footage. A rough, shocking, yet rewarding journey that is worth taking. Unlike faces this one got an uncut uk release way back, now its somewhat harder to obtain but if you can get hold of a copy then I would urge you to watch it.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by PaulD

You are Mark Kermode and I claim my £5

I wish I had his contacts within the film industry, background in journalism/film criticism and bank balance!

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Frozen Scream (1975)

Frank Roach's Frozen Scream feels like the bastard child of many a horror film, in as much as you not only get the impression of it feeling a little cobbled together from various independently sourced ideas, but also the recurring feeling that you've seen a lot of this before somewhere... most of it having been executed a lot better too.

However, it's hard to completely dislike a film revolving around mad scientists kidnapping and experimenting on the general public with a goal to turn them all into 'frozen' immortal zombies… and whilst there are certainly a few interesting scenes dotted throughout, Frozen Scream doesn't quite live up to its premise unfortunately.

The main let down here is the lack of a decent, and above all engrossing script, resulting in a haphazard, plodding pace; itself glacial at times - which is strangely fitting when considering the film's title. The performances are also excruciatingly painful all around and the dialogue does little to help, although neither does the abundance of stilted and monotone delivery of the lines from the cast - and we're not talking about the zombies here either. The frequent narration (which is mainly used as a device to build bland backstory) even talks over the on-screen dialogue at times to the extent that it leaves you wondering whether the audio syncing has been done correctly post production, or whether this was intentional. Neither would surprise me.

Overall, what could have been a chilling, suspenseful little film feels like a missed opportunity riddled with poor pacing and incoherent plotting issues and certainly won't be something I'll be returning to anytime soon.

Originally posted here: Nightmare USA Films Discussion Thread

[Linbro]

Another Network BD tonight - 'The Medusa Touch'.
Fabulous film, that I haven't seen since the dying days of vhs - about 2000, I think. Have been waiting for a blu release, and I can't see it ever getting better than this. Extras were a bit light on, though.
Next Network bd will be 'The Ipcress File', but I might watch 'Curtains' first.

[trebor8273]

Leprechaun

Long time since I've seen these movies. We have a evil leprechaun ( Warrick Davis ) that goes on a muderous rampage to retreive his gold which was stolen at the beginning of the movie by a farmer. Jump forward a few years and Jennifer Aniston and her farther are on holiday and are staying at the farm house/ cabin of the man who stole the gold. Anistons character soon bumps into a young man that gets her all hot and bothered and his painting crew which consist of his kid brother and dim witted friend.

It's not long before the leprechaun is on the lose lookng for his gold. Sadly Davis performance is the only enjoyable thing in the movie and was the only reason I kept watching. If I remember the sequels are better but hey that's no sayng much. 6/10

Well tonight's viewings sea beast , shallow ground and the blob(remake)