What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Frankie Teardrop]

SUITABLE FLESH – Interesting roll call – Dennis Paoli, Brian Yuzna, Barbara Crampton. And actually, as a stab at updating the Empire aesthetic that plays on in cosy memory, it’s pretty convincing. Nods Miskatonic all over the shop; The HPL tale that it sort of gets away with is ‘The Thing On The Doorstep’, here distaff-ised and injected with a lot of shagging. Going back to that interesting roll call, Heather Graham is a psychiatrist whose run-in with an intense young man (played by Judah Lewis, who seems capable of slight Slater / Nicholson vibes) leads to tomfoolery with the Necronomicon, soul swapping and erotic thriller style rumpus. Batting for Azathoth, Bruce Davison slimes it as an outwordly letch whilst Barbara Crampton looks to have been very well preserved by all that re-agent from back in the day. Perhaps, Jeff Combs, you could’ve turned up with your patented psychopathic nerd routine, but aside from that I feel this is a hearty recommend.

THE PROWLER – Back to slasher basics (again). This one’s about war trauma that echoes through the ages. Everyone bops along to a big band at their forties graduation, but then we’re in the future - it’s the eighties - people are busting their moves to a shit version of ‘The Knack’ or something. Behind the scenes looms an intimidating figure decked out in camos. He wields a knife – guess what? One thing about ‘The Prowler’ is that being first wave, it doesn’t really have to try to be anything other than a slasher. A tendency to dally mars the pace, but then it turns the screw, things get tense, whether it’s a chase through an empty dorm or a faintly silly swimming pool struggle. More than anything, it’s about the grand guignol. What about that stab through the head that ends with his eyes whiting out? Pure horror theatre! People don’t shove it in your face enough these days. The film’s true star, Tom Savini, delivers by blade, by pitchfork, by shotgun, and in these moments of excess you feel something forming behind the camera lens, a kind of gloating, leering attitude that wants to slow things down and wallow in bloodlust. There’s even a pointlessly ‘Carrie’ bit at the end.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

SUITABLE FLESH – Interesting roll call – Dennis Paoli, Brian Yuzna, Barbara Crampton. And actually, as a stab at updating the Empire aesthetic that plays on in cosy memory, it’s pretty convincing. Nods Miskatonic all over the shop; The HPL tale that it sort of gets away with is ‘The Thing On The Doorstep’, here distaff-ised and injected with a lot of shagging. Going back to that interesting roll call, Heather Graham is a psychiatrist whose run-in with an intense young man (played by Judah Lewis, who seems capable of slight Slater / Nicholson vibes) leads to tomfoolery with the Necronomicon, soul swapping and erotic thriller style rumpus. Batting for Azathoth, Bruce Davison slimes it as an outwordly letch whilst Barbara Crampton looks to have been very well preserved by all that re-agent from back in the day. Perhaps, Jeff Combs, you could’ve turned up with your patented psychopathic nerd routine, but aside from that I feel this is a hearty recommend.

THE PROWLER – Back to slasher basics (again). This one’s about war trauma that echoes through the ages. Everyone bops along to a big band at their forties graduation, but then we’re in the future - it’s the eighties - people are busting their moves to a shit version of ‘The Knack’ or something. Behind the scenes looms an intimidating figure decked out in camos. He wields a knife – guess what? One thing about ‘The Prowler’ is that being first wave, it doesn’t really have to try to be anything other than a slasher. A tendency to dally mars the pace, but then it turns the screw, things get tense, whether it’s a chase through an empty dorm or a faintly silly swimming pool struggle. More than anything, it’s about the grand guignol. What about that stab through the head that ends with his eyes whiting out? Pure horror theatre! People don’t shove it in your face enough these days. The film’s true star, Tom Savini, delivers by blade, by pitchfork, by shotgun, and in these moments of excess you feel something forming behind the camera lens, a kind of gloating, leering attitude that wants to slow things down and wallow in bloodlust. There’s even a pointlessly ‘Carrie’ bit at the end.

I'm hoping Suitable Flesh gets a disc release soon, it's been on my radar since before Christmas. Delighted you loved it, Frankie. Anything with Heather Graham and Barbara Crampton is always on my radar.

The Prowler is probably my favourite slasher film. I'm waiting to really want to watch it again before i pick it up on Blu. It was one of the last films i saw on my old dvd player so together with all the other times i've seen it it's never been a priority purchase, when it really should be.

Sounds to be one of your faves as well.

[iank]

Cobra. A hardboiled cop finds himself up against a cult of killers when protecting a witness. Sylvester Stallone stars in this mid 80s mix of action and slasher horror that's hugely flawed, but entertaining enough that I still go back to it every few years.

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I'm hoping Suitable Flesh gets a disc release soon, it's been on my radar since before Christmas. Delighted you loved it, Frankie. Anything with Heather Graham and Barbara Crampton is always on my radar.

The Prowler is probably my favourite slasher film. I'm waiting to really want to watch it again before i pick it up on Blu. It was one of the last films i saw on my old dvd player so together with all the other times i've seen it it's never been a priority purchase, when it really should be.

Sounds to be one of your faves as well.

Ha ha, my favourite 'slasher' is the immortal 'A Night To Dismember', a film that really deserves a genre unto itself. 'The Prowler' is fairly high up there though. I guess it's just the vibe of lurking menace and the sense that it never leaves poker-face mode despite the flimsiness working against it. I caved and bought the old Blue Underground blu ray before xmas, but I know what you mean about holding off due to accumulated viewings - you'd think a 4K update or UHD would be round the corner, it'd be a natural for any boutique, including BU if they still have the rights.
'Suitable Flesh' is definitely worth a watch. Streaming stuff is fine, but then you find something you like and end up wanting a physical copy et cetera. A pick-up at some point.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

Ha ha, my favourite 'slasher' is the immortal 'A Night To Dismember', a film that really deserves a genre unto itself.

I've never even heard of this. Not out on Blu and barely available on dvd. I doubt i'll be seeing it either.I see it's by Doris Wishman. Not someone who's work i'm overly familiar with. Double Agent 73 aside.

Wonder if it turns up on I-Player?

[Susan Foreman]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

Ha ha, my favourite 'slasher' is the immortal 'A Night To Dismember', a film that really deserves a genre unto itself

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I've never even heard of this. Not out on Blu and barely available on dvd. I doubt i'll be seeing it either. I see it's by Doris Wishman. Not someone who's work i'm overly familiar with. Double Agent 73 aside

I'm still waiting for the Doris Wishman box set that was first announced back in May 2018!

Originally Posted by nosferatu42

CONFIRMED (either by Arrow or reliable sources)

'H.G. Lewis treatment' for Doris Wishman and William Grefé (confirmed by Lisa Petrucci of Something Weird Video)

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Horrible Dr. Hichcock (1962)

Dark Places (1973)

The House That Screamed (1969)

Mill of the Stone Women (1960)

Will be reviewed in The Gothic Thread following a second viewing in the coming days.

I really enjoyed all four. I especially had fun counting all the cars in 19th-century Holland during the outdoor shots in Mill of the Stone Women.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

The Horrible Dr. Hichcock (1962)

Dark Places (1973)

The House That Screamed (1969)

Mill of the Stone Women (1960)

Will be reviewed in The Gothic Thread following a second viewing in the coming days.

I really enjoyed all four. I especially had fun counting all the cars in 19th-century Holland during the outdoor shots in Mill of the Stone Women.

Be interesting to see your thoughts on Mill Of The Stone Women Dem, I was hesitant about it but certainly enjoyed it.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Be interesting to see your thoughts on Mill Of The Stone Women Dem, I was hesitant about it but certainly enjoyed it.

Of the four it was the weakest i thought. Not an awful lot happens that's anywhere near chilling during the first hour.

Dark Places meanwhile felt like a riff on The Innocents / The Turn of the Screw.

That's why i need to re-view them all. Get used to them a bit before going into any detail.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Of the four it was the weakest i thought. Not an awful lot happens that's anywhere near chilling during the first hour.

Dark Places meanwhile felt like a riff on The Innocents / The Turn of the Screw.

That's why i need to re-view them all. Get used to them a bit before going into any detail.

Dark Places wasn't the best film even though Christopher Lee and Joan Collins were in it and didn't exactly give me a chill or wow factor.