What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Carnival of Souls (1962)

There is something about the monochrome picture, the low-budget aesthetic, and the slightly unnerving music which means this could easily have been an episode of The Twilight Zone, but has a longer running time and is a quite exceptional feature film.

There are parts of the film which are not too dissimilar to Roman Polanski's Repulsion (1965), perhaps due to the design and overall feel and the female lead. This is paying it a huge compliment, as Polanski's film is a masterpiece.

It's a wonderfully atmospheric and unnerving chiller, and the AV quality on the Criterion Collection Blu-ray release is superb.

The Criterion Collection Blu-ray release has a scene specific commentary with director Herk Harvey and writer John Clifford, which is okay, but would have benefited from a moderator and have three people sitting in the same room. Spurred on by a comment from Demdike, I ordered the Network DVD release this afternoon solely for the Kim Newman and Alan Jones commentary.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

It Happened One Night 1934 ★★★★★

I can see why this was the first winner of the 'grand slam' Oscars (Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor and Actress) as it has wonderful performances delivering some wonderful lines and in a way which does a simple story with laughs and real heartfelt drama.

Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert are a beautifully matched on-screen couple with real chemistry, and crucially Colbert's Ellie is neither overly entitled nor spoiled in a way which is offputting, rather naïve and the victim to a marriage which we know she shouldn't have and it's only a matter of time before she realises it. Gable effortlessly oozes charm as Peter Warne, the roguish reporter who accompanies Ellie on the road trip during which they fall in love with each other and the audience falls in love with them!

This is beautifully directed by Frank Capra, a film with visual humour and tension using both visual and narrative storytelling to great effect. It's a stone cold classic and a film to show anyone who say they don't like romantic comedies.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Scarecrows (1988)

The idea of some ex-military criminals being hunted at night by some malevolent scarecrows seems like the plot for a comedy horror, not a serious genre film, yet somehow – and slightly surprisingly – this is an effective and atmospheric horror flick.

A lot of credit must go to Terry Plumeri, whose score is one of the main reasons this works. It's a really good piece of music, combining perfectly with the visuals and sets the tone early on for a film which is strangely unsettling and, as someone says early on in the film, "This is some creepy shit."

I don't know if it's because there is something primal about being lost in a strange place at night and unsure about what exactly is happening, but something makes this an engrossing watch where you begin to feel for the antagonists.

I'm glad there's no explanation during a dénouement which neatly wraps everything up because leaving the scarecrows as an inexplicable and unknown entity seems somehow more satisfactory that if there was a rational and logical explanation for what was going on and why they were doing what they were doing. If the film had better calibre of acting or perhaps a subtext with a sociopolitical commentary then it would be better. However, as it is, I like it despite any narrative or thespian shortcomings.

[trebor8273]

The Head (1959)

A enjoyable and atmospheric horror from Germany.

A scientist whom has invented a procedure that allows a head to be kept alive when removed from its body gets a new assistant who is unhinged and kills the scientist and keeps his head alive and use him to help him remove the head of a hunchback nurse whom he is in love with and transfer her head to a stripers body. 7/10

Now watching Venom (2018)

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Lake Fear 2: The Swamp (2016)

Actually titled The Everglades Killing, this is a film that for the most part is amateurish in the acting stakes and is redeemed (if that's what you call it) by rampant nudity from it's female 'stars'. Yes, Nordy, there are a lot of boobs to be seen in this one.

There's a fair sprinkle of nastiness on offer including both male and female rape as well as the usual dimly lit sequences of gore.

But then in the last five minutes it somehow gains a second star due to a real curve ball scene where gone are the redneck killers to be replaced with a girl suspended naked from an inverted cross only to have her body sliced open and her fetus ripped out then burned on the fire in a scene of satanic sacrifice.

[trebor8273]

A nice change from the usual super hero fair, reporter Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) stumbles upon a conspiracy involving a psychotic Billionaire , along the way he gets infected with symbiotic alien Venom and together they set out to stop the loony.


Really more of a buddy movie than a straight super hero film. Hardy is excellent as both Brock and Venom( who provides most of the comedy and some great lines). 8/10

Now watching Rambo Last Blood.

[trebor8273]

Loved every gore drenched revenge seeking moment. Forgot the lefty reviews it's up their with the first for me it's not anti Mexican these are awful evil human beings that Rambo dispatches that just happen to be Mexican .

One of the goriest films i seen in a long time , gore to put most video nasties to shame. 9/10

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Carnival of Souls (1962)



There is something about the monochrome picture, the low-budget aesthetic, and the slightly unnerving music which means this could easily have been an episode of The Twilight Zone, but has a longer running time and is a quite exceptional feature film.



There are parts of the film which are not too dissimilar to Roman Polanski's Repulsion (1965), perhaps due to the design and overall feel and the female lead. This is paying it a huge compliment, as Polanski's film is a masterpiece.



It's a wonderfully atmospheric and unnerving chiller, and the AV quality on the Criterion Collection Blu-ray release is superb.



The Criterion Collection Blu-ray release has a scene specific commentary with director Herk Harvey and writer John Clifford, which is okay, but would have benefited from a moderator and have three people sitting in the same room. Spurred on by a comment from Demdike, I ordered the Network DVD release this afternoon solely for the Kim Newman and Alan Jones commentary.

Arse! I had a clear out and sold my Network dvd to Cex along with a load of other bits. I totally forgot the Newman and Jones commentary wasn't on the Criterion edition!

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

Arse! I had a clear out and sold my Network dvd to Cex along with a load of other bits. I totally forgot the Newman and Jones commentary wasn't on the Criterion edition!

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

I have three copies of it (the Criterion Collection DVD and Blu-ray) and bought the Network one someone on eBay this week solely for the Newman and Jones commentary.

[Dave Boy]

Originally Posted by trebor8273

Loved every gore drenched revenge seeking moment. Forgot the lefty reviews it's up their with the first for me it's not anti Mexican these are awful evil human beings that Rambo dispatches that just happen to be Mexican .

One of the goriest films i seen in a long time , gore to put most video nasties to shame. 9/10

Just watched it. I thought it was good as well. Yeah, some great violence on show here.