What Films Have You Seen Recently? - Page 4813

Frankie Teardrop · #**48121** 26th October 2018, 11:07 AM

EYEBALL – Mid seventies Giallo from U Lenzi takes us to Spain, where a coachload of the usual suspects (i.e. some generally quite wooden Euro-hacks) go sight-seeing whilst a killer in a red plastic mac offs them one by one, taking an eye as they drop. It’s nice that those concerned can still be arsed with the touristy type stuff when all this brutal murder’s going down, but one of the coppers on the case tells them it’s best if they stick to their itinerary, so who could doubt the logic in that, really. I like ‘Eyeball’ a lot – hadn’t seen it for ages pre the new 88 release, but it certainly lived up to my hazy recollections when I watched it the other night. For one thing, it doesn’t drag its heels too much, unlike many of its ilk. The talky interjections don’t derail the kills, which zip by to a canonical-sounding Bruce Nicolai score (or do if yr as pissed as I was, hic). Whilst it seems a bit less visually ‘pop’ than most people’s idea of a ‘classic’ Giallo, the odd arresting image is tossed in here and there eg the ghost train sequence, a dime-store inferno in red gel, and of course the ‘Don’t Look Now’ referencing / theft lends a bit of weight to the tired conceit of the hidden killer. But the main reason I dig it is just that there’s a sort of breathless silliness about it that’s quite enchanting after a while. You can’t say that about ‘Cannibal Ferox’ or a lot of his other stuff!

TERROR CIRCUS – Desert-set grindhouse relic with A Prine as a post-‘Psycho’ psycho who keeps women locked up in his barn. His father, a radioactive mutant, stumbles in and out. It’s slight, but fun in places. Director Alan Rudolph went on to do a lot of American indie arthouse stuff in the seventies and eighties and it’s a fair guess that ‘Terror Circus’ aka ‘Barn of the Naked Dead’ isn’t quoted in an extravagant font on his calling card. It doesn’t exactly play like a Cassavetes flick but you can see the seventies new wave coming through a bit in the loose feel of some of the performances and the sense of abstraction that veers in from the desert, and maybe there’s even a little of Rudolph’s more authentic preoccupation with isolated and eccentric characters. We also get some drive-in weirdness on the soundtrack – detuned circus parping mixed in with electronics alongside music that sounds like it’d be more at home on TV, a concoction further echoed by the surrealist image-grabs (a bloodied cleaver poised next to a spinning top) that pepper a more standard narrative. It’s perplexing rather than sleazy, and seems to offer the possibility of mean-spirited smut whilst winking at feminism. I don’t know it played back then. Again, I’m more into the atmosphere of these things, which is where ‘Terror Circus’, downbeat, hazy and a bit ludicrous, works for me.

Demdike@Cult Labs · #**48122** 26th October 2018, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

TERROR CIRCUS – Desert-set grindhouse relic with A Prine as a post-‘Psycho’ psycho who keeps women locked up in his barn. His father, a radioactive mutant, stumbles in and out. It’s slight, but fun in places. Director Alan Rudolph went on to do a lot of American indie arthouse stuff in the seventies and eighties and it’s a fair guess that ‘Terror Circus’ aka ‘Barn of the Naked Dead’ isn’t quoted in an extravagant font on his calling card. It doesn’t exactly play like a Cassavetes flick but you can see the seventies new wave coming through a bit in the loose feel of some of the performances and the sense of abstraction that veers in from the desert, and maybe there’s even a little of Rudolph’s more authentic preoccupation with isolated and eccentric characters. We also get some drive-in weirdness on the soundtrack – detuned circus parping mixed in with electronics alongside music that sounds like it’d be more at home on TV, a concoction further echoed by the surrealist image-grabs (a bloodied cleaver poised next to a spinning top) that pepper a more standard narrative. It’s perplexing rather than sleazy, and seems to offer the possibility of mean-spirited smut whilst winking at feminism. I don’t know it played back then. Again, I’m more into the atmosphere of these things, which is where ‘Terror Circus’, downbeat, hazy and a bit ludicrous, works for me.

I remember buying the Code Red dvd of Terror Circus. It was a double bill dvd and one of the films looked so bad quality wise. Can't recall which one it was. Needless to say i flogged it quite quickly. Probably an error in hindsight.

Wonderful write ups again, Frankie.

Frankie Teardrop · #**48123** 26th October 2018, 12:00 PM

Thanks, Dem. I have, somewhere in the attic, a copy of the CR release of 'Terror Circus', which I haven't seen for years but remember as being of pretty good quality. The one I actually watched was floating along with all the tripe on Amazon Prime.

Demdike@Cult Labs · #**48124** 26th October 2018, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

Thanks, Dem. I have, somewhere in the attic, a copy of the CR release of 'Terror Circus', which I haven't seen for years but remember as being of pretty good quality. The one I actually watched was floating along with all the tripe on Amazon Prime.

I've had a look. It was partnered with School Girls in Chains. That must have been the one that was awful, picture wise.

Frankie Teardrop · #**48125** 26th October 2018, 12:09 PM

… or 'University Students trapped in a Cellar', as it should have been called. Not a bad flick, but as you say crummy transfer from 'back in the day' and not one I could really be arsed to upgrade.

Demoncrat · #**48126** 26th October 2018, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

EYEBALL – Mid seventies Giallo from U Lenzi takes us to Spain, where a coachload of the usual suspects (i.e. some generally quite wooden Euro-hacks) go sight-seeing whilst a killer in a red plastic mac offs them one by one, taking an eye as they drop. It’s nice that those concerned can still be arsed with the touristy type stuff when all this brutal murder’s going down, but one of the coppers on the case tells them it’s best if they stick to their itinerary, so who could doubt the logic in that, really. I like ‘Eyeball’ a lot – hadn’t seen it for ages pre the new 88 release, but it certainly lived up to my hazy recollections when I watched it the other night. For one thing, it doesn’t drag its heels too much, unlike many of its ilk. The talky interjections don’t derail the kills, which zip by to a canonical-sounding Bruce Nicolai score (or do if yr as pissed as I was, hic). Whilst it seems a bit less visually ‘pop’ than most people’s idea of a ‘classic’ Giallo, the odd arresting image is tossed in here and there eg the ghost train sequence, a dime-store inferno in red gel, and of course the ‘Don’t Look Now’ referencing / theft lends a bit of weight to the tired conceit of the hidden killer. But the main reason I dig it is just that there’s a sort of breathless silliness about it that’s quite enchanting after a while. You can’t say that about ‘Cannibal Ferox’ or a lot of his other stuff!

TERROR CIRCUS – Desert-set grindhouse relic with A Prine as a post-‘Psycho’ psycho who keeps women locked up in his barn. His father, a radioactive mutant, stumbles in and out. It’s slight, but fun in places. Director Alan Rudolph went on to do a lot of American indie arthouse stuff in the seventies and eighties and it’s a fair guess that ‘Terror Circus’ aka ‘Barn of the Naked Dead’ isn’t quoted in an extravagant font on his calling card. It doesn’t exactly play like a Cassavetes flick but you can see the seventies new wave coming through a bit in the loose feel of some of the performances and the sense of abstraction that veers in from the desert, and maybe there’s even a little of Rudolph’s more authentic preoccupation with isolated and eccentric characters. We also get some drive-in weirdness on the soundtrack – detuned circus parping mixed in with electronics alongside music that sounds like it’d be more at home on TV, a concoction further echoed by the surrealist image-grabs (a bloodied cleaver poised next to a spinning top) that pepper a more standard narrative. It’s perplexing rather than sleazy, and seems to offer the possibility of mean-spirited smut whilst winking at feminism. I don’t know it played back then. Again, I’m more into the atmosphere of these things, which is where ‘Terror Circus’, downbeat, hazy and a bit ludicrous, works for me.

Sir!!! Hail!!

Demoncrat · #**48127** 26th October 2018, 06:33 PM

Calibre (Matt Palmer)

Scottish set beastie. Two friends, urbanites both, travel tae t'Highlands in order tae shoot at critters. I have no sympathy here. They compound an accident with a rank piece of stupidity ... and pay the price. Twas a bit generic tbh. Bonny scenery mind .....

National Treasure (Jon Turteltaub)

Illuminatian (is that a word? Tis now

) hogwash disguised as harmless actioner

. I should never really watch these Disney films sober tbh. After Mandy twas verrry strange to see the Cage in this setting

. Must find the sequel

. And watch Mandy again.
Ahem.

Demoncrat · #**48128** 26th October 2018, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

Thanks, Dem. I have, somewhere in the attic, a copy of the CR release of 'Terror Circus', which I haven't seen for years but remember as being of pretty good quality. The one I actually watched was floating along with all the tripe on Amazon Prime.

Amazon Prine??

Appy polly loggies. Couldn't resist ...