Cult Labs

Go Back   Cult Labs > Film Discussions > General Film Discussions

Like Tree179037Likes

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #26501  
Old 8th December 2013, 10:12 PM
The Reaper Man@Cult Labs's Avatar
Cult Don
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Good Trader
Senior Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glasgow
Default

Watched ONLY GOD FORGIVES.
Beautiful and violent.

Not as good as Drive but another winner from Winding Refn.
__________________

Teddy, I'm a Scotch drinker - you know that. I just have the occasional brandy when I'm not drinking.
Reply With Quote
  #26502  
Old 9th December 2013, 01:27 PM
Demdike@Cult Labs's Avatar
Cult King
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Senior Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lancashire
Default

The Tall Man (2012)

In the small rural former mining town of Cold Rock, local children are going missing, seemingly just disappearing. The locals attribute it to the local legend of the Tall Man. When a recently widowed doctor's (played by Jessica Biel) child goes missing she vows to find the truth.

I loved this thriller from Martyrs director Pascal Laugier. Note i said thriller. The Tall Man is not a horror film. At its heart its a mystery thriller with themes of horror. The film has a wonderful twisty turny plot and nothing is as it first seems. Unpredictable is the word i would use as i had no idea how the story would unfold. The film has a terrific cast including Biel, who i have never seen better, Stephen McHattie and X-Files regular William B. Davis. In fact all the cast give fine performances which made them possible suspects in my eyes, giving the film swathes of tension no matter who was on screen. I liked the way Laugier used the theme of child abduction, thankfully never venturing into the graphic torture of his earlier Martyrs, but treating a serious subject with finesse and care whilst keeping the viewer glued to their seat.

Laugier's location filming and use of the old mining community and its surrounding area was a high point of the film for me. The camera often giving us birds eye views of the bleak woodland scenery before sweeping the area and giving the viewer a grand sense of scale not to mention a lovely gothic atmosphere. It's this skillfull cinematography that made me wonder why it never achieved more than a limited theatrical release.

I can understand if some people come away from this scratching their heads suggesting the plot twists to be implausible, but it worked for me and i for one really enjoyed it and look forward to revisiting it again in 2014.
Attached Images
File Type: jpeg 405px-Tall-man-poster-2012.jpeg (62.5 KB, 4 views)
Reply With Quote
  #26503  
Old 9th December 2013, 06:02 PM
bdc's Avatar
bdc bdc is offline
Cult Addict
Good Trader
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Belgium
Default



The Murder Clinic aka La Lama Nel Corpo (1966)

"Patients and staff of an isolated mental hospital are being killed off by a hooded maniac who stalks the halls."

As the gothic horror genre was slowly running out of steam in Italian cinema and a shift towards the giallo genre was happening,we get a sort of cross-over of both genres here.
An enjoyable mix of Italian gothic and early giallo which always reminds me of a bit of The Horrible Dr. Hichcock (1962).

The original story was adapted by Luciano Martino and Ernesto Gastaldi which will give you somewhat of an idea what to expect.
A familiar face of Italian gothic horror also pops up: Harriet White.

i remember the first time I watched this,horrible image quality from an old vhs tape.
This time I watched it in better image quality from an old vhs tape.

Seems the Italian film materials are in bad condition so I've been contacting dvd companies from all over the world to look into this one (using materials still in existence in their respective country).

Well there is hope and 2014 could be the year we finally can watch this on dvd (as well as another extremely rare Italian gothic).

Reply With Quote
  #26504  
Old 9th December 2013, 06:44 PM
Demdike@Cult Labs's Avatar
Cult King
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Senior Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lancashire
Default

The Night Porter (1974).

A concentration camp survivor (Charlotte Rampling) meets up with a concentration camp officer (Dirk Bogarde), with whom she had a sadomasochistic relationship, thirteen years after the war in a Viennese hotel.

A film that deals with sexual transgression in the context of the Nazi holocaust, The Night Porter is never the easiest film to watch. Concentrating on the relationship of captive and Officer both during and after WW2, the film deals with morally dubious subjects and adds titillation to events, thus making them even more morally dubious. Often slow moving the film is abruptly awoken by Rampling's infamous Dietrich song and dance (if you could call it dance) routine and the gift of a severed head.

The Night Porter isn't a film i'd recommend everyone to watch as entertainment, but it is a thought provoking piece that everyone should probably see at least once.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg nightporterTURK.jpg (87.2 KB, 4 views)
Reply With Quote
  #26505  
Old 9th December 2013, 07:09 PM
trebor8273's Avatar
Cult Veteran
Good Trader
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: UK
Default

City of the living dead

For me the weakest of the gates of hell trilogy. But it's still a great film in its own right. We all know the story priest hangs himself in the town of dunwich, queue teleporting zombies, entrails vomiting, town weirdo and brain ripping. Has genuine disturbing and chilling atmosphere. 8.5/10
bdc, keirarts and Rondadoronron like this.
Reply With Quote
  #26506  
Old 9th December 2013, 08:54 PM
The Reaper Man@Cult Labs's Avatar
Cult Don
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Good Trader
Senior Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glasgow
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs View Post
The Night Porter (1974).

A concentration camp survivor (Charlotte Rampling) meets up with a concentration camp officer (Dirk Bogarde), with whom she had a sadomasochistic relationship, thirteen years after the war in a Viennese hotel.

A film that deals with sexual transgression in the context of the Nazi holocaust, The Night Porter is never the easiest film to watch. Concentrating on the relationship of captive and Officer both during and after WW2, the film deals with morally dubious subjects and adds titillation to events, thus making them even more morally dubious. Often slow moving the film is abruptly awoken by Rampling's infamous Dietrich song and dance (if you could call it dance) routine and the gift of a severed head.

The Night Porter isn't a film i'd recommend everyone to watch as entertainment, but it is a thought provoking piece that everyone should probably see at least once.
Ain't watched it for years,since the Criterion DVD.
I have the AB BD but ain't got round to it.

Bleak,harrowing and a classy film,which holds your interest from start to finish.
__________________

Teddy, I'm a Scotch drinker - you know that. I just have the occasional brandy when I'm not drinking.
Reply With Quote
  #26507  
Old 9th December 2013, 09:21 PM
Make Them Die Slowly's Avatar
Cult Addict
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
 
Join Date: May 2009
Blog Entries: 5
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs View Post
The Night Porter (1974).

A concentration camp survivor (Charlotte Rampling) meets up with a concentration camp officer (Dirk Bogarde), with whom she had a sadomasochistic relationship, thirteen years after the war in a Viennese hotel.

A film that deals with sexual transgression in the context of the Nazi holocaust, The Night Porter is never the easiest film to watch. Concentrating on the relationship of captive and Officer both during and after WW2, the film deals with morally dubious subjects and adds titillation to events, thus making them even more morally dubious. Often slow moving the film is abruptly awoken by Rampling's infamous Dietrich song and dance (if you could call it dance) routine and the gift of a severed head.

The Night Porter isn't a film i'd recommend everyone to watch as entertainment, but it is a thought provoking piece that everyone should probably see at least once.
One of the finest exploitation films ever to hide behind the mask of "art". It is trash, in a good sense, covered in diamonds and expensive perfume but still trash. I love it.
Reply With Quote
  #26508  
Old 9th December 2013, 09:57 PM
Zann's Avatar
Seasoned Cultist
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Default

The House on Straw Hill

A first for me and I really enjoyed it. Udo Kier put in a good performance and it's nice seeing home counties countryside in a Nasty instead of the Staten Island ferry (not to say that isn't completely cool). Pleased to get one of the first 3000 w/ Ban the Sadist Videos included.
__________________
I was busy pushing bodies around as you well know and what would a note say, Dan? "Cat dead, details later"?
Reply With Quote
  #26509  
Old 9th December 2013, 10:22 PM
wonderlust's Avatar
Active Cultist
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs View Post
Excision (2012).

I've seen more twisted body horror the last time i pulled a bogey from my nose and realized it wasn't completely crusty.

ewwwwwwww, that's gross.

Demdike@Cult Labs likes this.
Reply With Quote
  #26510  
Old 9th December 2013, 10:45 PM
Demdike@Cult Labs's Avatar
Cult King
Cult Labs Radio Contributor
Senior Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lancashire
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by wonderlust View Post
ewwwwwwww, that's gross.

A shame you can't say the same thing about Excision.
wonderlust likes this.
Reply With Quote
Reply  

Like this? Share it using the links below!

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



Our goal is to keep Cult Labs friendly. If you feel discouraged from posting by certain members' behaviour then you can e-mail us in complete confidence.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
All forum posts are contributed by members of the site; Cult Labs cannot take responsibility for all content posted on the site. If you have an issue with content posted on the site please click the 'report post' button.
Copyright © 2014 Cult Laboratories Ltd. All rights reserved.