What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Popcorn (1991)

A class of film students hold an all night horrorthon at an ornate old movie theater find themselves stalked by a disfigured psycho avenging the loss of his face.

The plot is standard slasher stuff albeit with some nice gooey practical effects with the killer reminiscent pf Dr. Phibes but it's the films playing on the festival screen that take this in a slightly different direction evoking the gimmicky movies made by William Castle and the students brilliant attempts to recreate them for their audience in the stalls.

For the film Mosquito we have a large mosquito prop sent across the audience with pulleys, electrified seats for Attack of the Amazing Electrified Man and so on. It's recreated with affection by writer Alan Ormsby and director Mark Herrier.

What doesn't work so well, at least for me, were the lengthy segments of the films that we saw. They went on forever and really took me out of the actual slasher story due to their goofiness. It's okay showing the odd scene but i reckon a third of Popcorn's run time was spoof scenes playing out on the cinema screen.

Although Popcorn is okay, it didn't come close to other similar movie theater set films like Demons and Midnight Movie as far as gripping horror goes.

/ 5

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Downton Abbey (2019)

Not exactly Cult Labs material, but boy, does this look superb on Blu-ray.

A joy for the eyes to take in.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

I watched The Last Matinee last night on Ving synd blu ray.
Very Argento/Bava/Soavi orientated,gory and suspenseful.

A director to watch in the future.

Highly recommended for those who love their slasher films.

[Demoncrat]

Noted R!!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Doom Asylum (1987)

Comedy horror that is neither funny nor scary about a disfigured lawyer murdering stereotypical kids in the abandoned asylum where he was once held.

Honestly this is terrible. The dialogue, which hits us like force ten monologues from every dumb character, is monotonous drivel spouted by one and all to nobody whatsoever as they tramp around the abandoned building waiting to be killed off. It really doesn't help that none of the cast can act, including Sex and the City's Kristin Davis, but the situations they are deployed really doesn't give them much of a chance.

For example. Davis walks into a room sees the lunatic with the disfigured face wielding a drill, screams and runs away. Er' no. She shuts the door, walks towards the killer then sits in a chair directly in front of him, all the time talking f*cking rubbish. So the killer walks up to her and drills her jaw away from her skull. (Probably just to shut her up)

The killer himself spends his time seemingly watching Tod Slaughter films on a loop in his dingy lair when he's not dipping girls heads into acid baths. When you realise the film is only 77 minutes long the lengthy Slaughter inserts are clearly there to bulk out the run time.

It's absolutely nuts and only partly in a good way. The best thing Doom Aslyum has going for it are some hugely impressive practical gore sequences that Lucio Fulci would be proud of. Added to the fact it's shot on film it makes Doom Asylum appear a far better movie, at least aesthetically, than it has any right to be.

/ 5

[nicholasrope]

West Side Story

Steven Speilberg Directed version of the Musical which sees the rivalry between The Jets and Sharks., which is complicated by a Romeo & Juliet style romance. This is the 1st version, I've seen and I rather enjoyed it.

Must admit, I had flashbacks of Adam Sandler singing "I Feel Pretty" from Anger Management and TBH, I felt that this was a stronger 12A, wondering just how close it was to being a 15?

Case Of The Bloody Iris

Weird Giallo Film in which a woman escaping some sort of Cult moves into a Complex where several women were murdered. Reminded me of Sliver (Without the voyeurism) No really sure what to make of this one.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Jamaica Inn (1939)

Alfred Hitchcock's final film before he set off for Hollywood really doesn't feel like one of his productions. I think it's the presence of producer and star Charles Laughton who gives one of his over indulgent bloated performances that many 'actors' in Britain did at that time (See Todd Slaughter for another example).

It's also the least of Hitchcock's three Daphne Du Maurier films, Rebecca (1940) and The Birds (1963) being the other two, but that's not to say Jamaica Inn isn't good. It is. I like it a lot.

The wrecking scenes are well done giving the film some authenticity whilst Maureen O'Hara in her debut role gives a spirited and versatile performance. It's also safe to say that the magnificent O'Hara would never look this unkempt on screen again.

Probably due to Laughton's scene stealing Leslie Banks as innkeeper Joss Merlyn feels underused especially when he's the real main character of Du Maurier's work.

Laughton himself is actually fine once you get used to him. He's big, bold and boisterous and very theatrical both vocally and in his movements. Slightly over bearing to begin with (He's more subdued thankfully in James Whale's The Old Dark House) but he soon totally owns every scene and i quite like him, he also does 'creepy' very nicely as he attempts to flee Cornwall with the captive O'Hara as they are pursued by the militia in a gripping swashbuckling finale.

[Demoncrat]

New York Ninja (1984/2021)

Vinegar Syndrome did an amazing job with what they had here. The voice actors they got just adds to the fun. You might think you know where this one is going, but never say never ahem.


PS I love the band in Doom Asylum

[Susan Foreman]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Downton Abbey (2019)

Not exactly Cult Labs material

It's psychotronic by association!

For example:

• Creator, writer and executive producer Julian Fellows also wrote 'Gosford Park' which was released by Arrow Academy
• Hugh Bonneville appeared in 'Mary Shelley's Frankenstein', 'Tomorrow Never Dies', Burke And Hare' and the 'Paddington' films
• Jim Carter was in 'Flash Gordon', A Company Of Wolves' and 'Transformers: The Last Knight'
• Maggie Smith was in 'The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie', 'Murder By Death' and 'Clash Of The Titans'
• Penelope Wilton was in 'Shawn Of The Dead', 'The Borrowers' and 'Doctor Who'
• Imelda Staunton was in 'Harry Potter', 'Psychoville' and 'Doctor Who'

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Watched the Oz zombie epic UNDEAD on bd last night.
Ain’t seen it since ABUK released it on dvd.

It’s not bad until the alien bullshit kicks in.

Those who love Jackson’s BAD TASTE and BRAINDEAD will get a kick out of this one.

Discwise,Umbrella had done a fine job.