It's one of only a few novels I read annually, the others being The Stand, The Hellbound Heart and Different Seasons(the SK book with Shawshank, Stand By Me and Apt Pupil).
I first read the Exorcist when I was 12, much to the annoyance of my English teacher, who even had a word with my parents about it, because all the other kids were reading shite like Famous Five etc :lol:

Good stuff RiK i have not been reading much lately seems like a good way for me to get back into it again.

Reminds me of the snobbish dickhead that turned round and said its a "food free cinema" in Cardiff Chapter Arts Centre last night as I watched White God even though I specifically chose Maltesers to avoid noisy eating.

:loco:

What Films Have You Seen Recently?
 

Here's my well thumbed copy, bought for 95p from a 2nd hand bookseller in Halifax back in 1991!

Attachment 159679

I have several copies, including a hardback third pressing of the first edition – I'd love a first pressing, but they are quite expensive!

Have you read the sequel Legion Rik??

Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever (Ti West, 2009).

Confused, rank and not a little dull, I only recommend this to Mark Borchardt fans, as he pops up near the end, maaaan! Ahem.:nod: And didn't notice until too late that El Topo was on Film4!!!:mad2::censored::doh:

Don't know MB?:confused:

Then I heartily recommend American Movie (Chris Smith, 1999), which is in turns hysterical and slightly heartbreaking imo....

I have yeah, couple of times. I wish Warner Bros' would release the proper version of Exorcist III, which is supposed to be more like the book, instead of having the pointless exorcism scenes tagged on!

Well, considering their track record with The Devils, I suggest not holding your breath!!

Tis an odd read, but I like the fact that it has its own story, unlike so many other sequels, which just regurgitate the first etc...

I also really like the book but, as I understand it, the hold-up with the film is more to do with Morgan Creek than Warner Bros.

Babadook piches ideas from all over the place but i wouldn't really compare it to The Exorcist.
It's a much better film! 😊

Can see a ban on the cards for you after this :lol:

As much as my comment is posted with a certain sense of adventure i actually felt that way. Granted I've only watched either film once but i look forward to rewatching The Babadook.

Fortunately we can't ban people for the films they like or dislike.

I'd have never got past the first month of membership otherwise.

Like Nordi, you really need to reappraise The Exorcist!

Good job, I'd have been long gone years ago!

Remember that Hellgate film practically everyone seems to hate...?

The one I don't mind at all?!

...that i enjoyed more than The Exorcist??

...that's still sealed on my shelf?

Hellgate?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

That i enjoyed it more is actually a fact. Whether its a better film or not is an opinion.
And Rik unwrap the damn thing fella! Its a decent film.

I'd buy that for a dollar... maybe - Part II

The Last House On The Left (1972) * * * ½
Attachment 159708
Mari (Sandra Cassell) and Phyllis (Lucy Grantham) are on their way to a rock concert. When they run into recently escaped criminal Krug Stillo (David Hess) and his gang, things take a turn for the worse - for all involved. This is a brilliant example of the rape and revenge subgenre. Made on a very tight budget, this grim and unrelenting film still works after 44 years. Apart from a few continuity errors and a overhasty third act, this film is a prime example of its genre and one of the most audacious directorial debuts ever. Hess’ perfomance is impressive.

Final Destination (2000) * * ½
Attachment 159709
Alex (Devon Sawa) has the ability to foresee horrible events. He and a few of his friends (Ali Larter et al.) survive a massive accident due to his ‘gift’, but they soon find out that their deaths have only been postponed. Although the film’s basic idea is excellent, I found the actual realisation somehow flawed. Whilst I successfully managed to ignore most of the obligatory teenage movie clichés (picking a fight for no reason, pointless conversations, stupid discussions), I found some of the death scenes either ridiculous or exaggerated. Having said that, I still enjoyed the film as a whole as it’s really great how Final Destination manages to create an atmosphere of constantly lurking terror.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) * * *
Attachment 159710
After entering a hospial and eliminating a patient, a hitman kills himself by blowing up his car. Eye witness Doctor Dan Challis’ (Tom Atkins) curiosity leads him to an outrageous conspiracy involving a toy factory boss (Dan O'Herlihy) and his very special collection of Halloween masks. Accept the story’s inconsistencies and follies (Stonehenge, anyone?) and forget about Michael Myers. This is a well-made and entertaining Horror film with lots of atmosphere. Dean Cundey’s excellent cinematography and a moody score by John Carpenter and Alan Howarth make the film look and sound more expensive than it is. Both Atkins and O’Herlihy are great.

Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) * * ½
Attachment 159711
Michael Myers survived the ending of Halloween II and, after 10 years in a coma, is back to hunt his niece Jamie (Danielle Harris) down. Scarred and walking with a limp, fellow blast survivor Doctor Loomis (Donald Pleasance) is still destined to lock him up for good. Although this film never reaches the high level of the original or its sequel, it’s still worth watching. Slightly adapted to a new film generation, this film includes more violent deaths and less moody stalking. Pleasence once more plays Loomis with heart and soul, and the ending is terrific.

Maniac (1980) * * * ½
Attachment 159712
Frank Zito (Joe Spinell) is a disturbed maniac on the prowl. Will his new acquaintance Anne (Caroline Munro) help him deal with his problems? One of the finest Slashers ever made, with fantastic SFX and an outstanding Spinell. A slightly longer review can be found on ‘The Cult Labs Members' Review Club’.

It's only sealed because I've got a huge "to watch pile", I reckon I've got around 50 DVD/BD's still sealed, and considering I keep adding to it, it never seems to go down :doh:

Yeah I bought the Scarface steelbook three years ago and, although unsealed, it remains unwatched.

The struggle is real...

You got me there!

Just watched the Criterion collection release of SLACKER

It's a sunny Texan day sometime in the late 80's (at least some time before the films 91 release) and we follow the lives of a loosely connected slackers around Texas. The film follows a character for a while before deciding that other guy seems more interesting then another character will come into play and the film follows them and so forth and so forth.
We get lots of discussions on topics such as media, philosophy, politics and history from a varied and interesting set of characters most of whom are played by non actors, and while the film has no real over-arching plot its still very watch-able and clearly shows influences from earlier independent American directors such as Jim Jarmusch as well as influencing Kevin Smith to direct CLERKS.
Slacker set the trend for a lot of stuff in the 90's and was hugely influential. It still holds up today and Criterions Blu-ray is a phenomenal presentation including a great looking transfer, three commentaries and a whole bunch of extra stuff including a 16mm short from Linklater. It also has a nifty book included in the packaging as well. Worth a look if you can play region A.

I Frankenstein

Not as bad as I thought it was going to be actually enjoyed it for what it was despite the dreadful special effects, weak story and some poor acting. 5.5/10

The babadook

While not finding it total awful like rik, also coudnt see why people gave it so much praise. Average in nearly every respect and as was Said by Rik not the least bit scary, seen more scary episodes of scooby doo. 5/10

Next up another two I have not seen before

Witching and bitching
Rabid grannies

About right on I Frankenstein treb, maybe a 6. Babadook's a 10 for me though.

Watched a lot since my last post some films some old tv shows,so let's trip arse over tit down memory lane.


Films

First up

Clown

Very good film,which I had looked forward to based on many reviews in magazines and online. It was indeed Very good & I did see the comparison with the fly. As a real estate agent puts on a clown suit which he cannot remove & gradually changes from both looking and acting normal into a deformed maniacal monster who can only exist by dining on kids. I won't say no more for those who haven't seen it but it's one you should see. 7/10


Nightcrawler

excellent film. A Lowlife with no money will steal or do anything for a quick buck,after a succession of small time thefts & stunts he accidentally falls into the world of night time journalism. Both his greed and psychosis escalate further and further throughout the film as his success at the job through vicious unscrupulous means brings him bigger cars & better contacts. A moving portrait of a narcissistic lowlifes decent from greedy bastard to stone cold psychopath. excecuted perfectly & disturbingly from start to finish without a dull moment 9/10


The Bogeyman (1980)

we've "Mostly" all seen this before but the 88 films Blu is shockingly sharp & amazing making it much easier to give the film a fairer viewing when not distorted by second rate prints that look like they've been used to wipe someones arse. not of course looking at you vipco or you vhs rip obsessives Video international! watching the film on the stunning 88 blu I appreciate it more as not a masterpiece but certainly an enjoyable yarn & one of the more worthy video nasties 6/10


Tomb Of Ligeia

Sadly for me this was probably the most boring pointless film starring the legendary Vincent Price I've ever made the mistake of watching. It's in fact the first film I've ever seen of his I disliked & I've seen nearly all of them now. It started off promising but soon demised into a cowering wreck in the corner of the room not knowing itself what the point was. 3/10


The Haunted Palace

Now this is more like it from one of the worst price films (IMO) to one of the best! This one was a treat and a half as I had never seen it like I hadn't seen Ligeia. Price as always plays his role or should I say two roles with sinister vigor. I imagine with the deformed villagers too for it's time this may have been scary. This has gone right up there into my top 5 Price films. That's quite a recommendation as anyone will tell you I'm hard to impress to the point of rating films above a maximum of 8 out of 10... 9/10


The Culling.

A film which synopsis paints it and very FALSELY as a sort of Omen come Case 39,it is about 600 miles behind either! a diabolical boring,pointless exercise that took 80% of the film to go anywhere then when it did go somewhere it was down a mineshaft head first. the acting except one actress was diabolical,the plot was well was there even one that made sense? did we even care? even at the short running time of just over an hour it managed to wear out it's welcome faster than that relative you avoid at christmas! 1/10 argg



TV SHOWS

As you may recall I picked up the "THRILLER" boxset in the network sale as it was broadcast on ITV before my time & I'd heard great things on here and elsewhere.

I'm glad I did some of the episodes were amazing & quite creepy. I imagine for their time when first broadcast many teenagers went to bed & had a sleepless of nightmare ridden night.

Although there are no "bad" episodes at all over all 43 some are much weaker & more predictable than others. whereas others especially the amazing "Coffin for the Bride" you were left gasping in shock as on a first viewing it's very unlikely you saw that coming.

Coffin for the bride sticks out for not only the eason above of being genuinely clever & with an amazing virtually unguessable twist but the fact on a second viewing even when you know what's comning it stands up & on that second viewing you can pick up all the subtle and fantastic digs at what was coming which on first viewing you would never pick up on in a million years.


The boxset as a Whole 9/10 although certain episodes deserve a full ten and some as low as 4. It is a must see for those who haven't one you'll certainly revisit many times.


I then felt nostalgic even at just 32 (LOL) So as you know with my soft fondness towards all things Australian I revisited 3 programs from my childhood.

Pugwall,Round the Twist & The Miraculous mellops (not sure i'll ever grow up)

most of you probably won't remember Miraculous Mellops it was shown on channel 4 in the early nineties at around 10.30am on school holidays. It's about a wacky family who have contacts with beings from another planet & have adventures with magic hoovers etc. their father & aunt run a nursery & they have an evil neighbour (played by aussie legend Max Phipps).

The series also boasts 1 off appearances from legends like Rowena Wallace who in a far cry from her role as evil Pat the Rat in Sons & Daughters plays a concerned martian newsreader :pound: also Maggie Kirkpatrick makes an appearance too!! luckily for the vulnerable kids not as The Freak!


Round The twist is very likely more familiar to most as a 4 series program shown over 12 years based on the writings of the fantastic Paul Jennings. This series boasted well known Aus faces too including Judith Mcgrath "colleen po face Powell" of prisoner as the equally spiteful & sarcastic Matron Gribble in the first season.

Pugwall also had big faces including Maurie Fields who is a legend of the Aus entertainment industry.

Awakening of the Beast. (1970)

Brazilian documentary in which the star of the Coffin Joe films José Mojica Marins, chairs a round table of doctors and psychiatrists in a discussion using case studies on the effects of drugs and their link with sex, repression and desires.

With 40 minutes remaining the film takes a turn for the surreal as it becomes apparent this isn't a docudrama but actually a Coffin Joe film...in colour. As Marins becomes Joe's alter ego Zé do Caixão and conducts his own experiments with LSD on four volunteer drug addicts. The film quickly becomes a halluciogenic study of sexual perversion in the surreal nightmarish world of Coffin Joe.

Definitely a film of two halves. Awakening of the Beast is mesmeric, pervy, disturbing viewing, even now 45 years later. Recommended.

Gave Faust love of the damned another go on NOs recommendation and ending it watching all this time. 7.5/10

The Babadook -
Someone on the forum said this film was more of an allegory for mental health and how you begin to fight it better when you face it and accept that it is here for the long haul, i loved that idea so much and had already enjoyed the visual marketing of the movie that i gave it a go. Now i ran out of witty things to say that lets you know i thought the film was pants... It was like watching re runs of love-joy on a black and white TV whilst scratching pictures of rod hulls balls into the furniture? That does the job.

Finally, someone who shares my feelings towards this film, that Paul Calf here sums up pretty well!

http://memecrunch.com/meme/12IXV/pau....jpg?w=400&c=1

Glad you liked it Treb. :)

As i said earlier i like it. It's a film with a bit of everything in it.

Don't get it. One of the best horrors I've ever seen.

ZOMBIES - THE BEGINNING: Ironically, Bruno Mattei's last film. That wasn't the only gag he had up his sleeve with this one. 'Zombie's - The Beginning' - well, it's a Bruno Mattei film. When I say it's not his best - does that have any real meaning at all? One thing that pleased me was the fact that a guy in his seventies or eighties got it together to make this when no-one was asking him to and the prospect of it making any impact on a £ level must have been pretty non-existent. I like to think that betrays a weirdly obsessive fannishness. Anyway, it's basically a direct rip of 'Aliens' with zombies instead of, well, aliens. It has a flat DTV look which is decidedly uncinematic to behold, but if you're interested in getting it you won't care. There are fights, chases and quite a few gory moments. What shines through is the Mattei madness - bad performances which feel like they have to be dubbed but possibly aren't, random bursts which play like incursions from other movies (one of the soldiers gets randomly ripped in two by some kind of yeti-thing for no reason), a crazy ending with an evil brain in a tank and saucer eyed kids in a zombie womb grotto-hell. I liked it, it was good. If you dig his other masterpieces of nonsense like 'The Other Hell' and 'Rats - Night of Terror', you might like it too.

BLOOD SOAKED - Micro budget indie about the day a college newbie and her girlfriend meet two Nazi sisters in a desert. It doesn't go very well. The sisters turn corpses (soon to include college girl's gf) into zombies with a secret Nazi chemical. Sounds like it could be a Troma-ish knock off, but it's not. It's just quite strange, and pretty intriguing. Given the subject matter, it can't help but be a bit tongue in cheek at points, but for the most part it's played pretty straight. Some of the sequences look really raw and nihilistic. For some reason it switches from colour to b&w after twenty minutes which seems a bit pointless, but aesthetically it gives some of the scenes an authentically grimy, bleak hopelessness, like stuff dredged up from a flea-pit in 1969. OK, you can't take something about Nazi sisters and their horde of zombies in a totally serious vein, but it did have more of an intensity about it than I was banking on. Yeah, I liked it, check it out if you want.

STARRY EYES - One which has been slowly built up a lot recently. I wasn't blown away, but I did think it was very good. It follows an actress in her bid to be taken seriously - unfortunately, she needs to get into some dark Hollywood shit involving cultic showbiz types before she can get anywhere. 'Get anywhere' seems to mean falling to pieces physically and mentally, murdering all her hipster / slacker mates, then being reincarnated as someone similar looking but with iridescent green eyes and more of a sense of evil elan. 'Starry Eyes' has a lot going for it, particularly the performance of the lead, who plays a spineless narcissistic drip who is completely unlikeable. Credit to the actress behind it all for keeping us in there. There's a slightly Polanski-esque flavour to it, and a Cronenbergian body makeover, and bits of it do feel a bit stitched together, but it kind of pulls it off in a coolly elegant way to the extent that even odd stylistic choices such as a lurch into vicious gore territory feel credible and not that jarring. Yep, I felt good about it overall - definitely worth checking out.

Here, here

Sold! :nod:

I was wondering about those two Intervision Mattei releases. What's the AV quality like Frankie?

I posted Keirarts a visitor message asking the same thing but he either never noticed it or couldn't be arsed replying. :lol: