Nightmare USA Films Discussion Thread

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Make Them Die Slowly

B_E have you not considered sticking pins in your eyes rather than watch all these films...just as painful but shorter lasting.

These reviews do however bring up the point that the 70s and 80s weren't the golden age people believe them to be. There is so much shit out there as with today's direct to dvd market, it is no wonder that often mediocre films are given a lofty status. I will refrain from naming them for fear of offending pretty much everyone on the forum.

The thing is though, shit or not, I find the shit from the '70s and '80s to be more endearing than the shit of today, generally speaking. Sure, they were hokey no budget affairs with wonky sets, poster paint blood and rubber monsters, but today, even the so called 'big-budget' horrors seem to be extremely poor in terms of CGI, crappy jump scares and dumbing down to achieve the converted money making PG-13 rating. What passes for low budget independent horror today tends to sway more towards the darker, gore-driven torture porn side of cinema whilst the '70s and '80s were all about cheese and silly monsters. Both have their merits and obviously you have to take things on a film by film basis, but I think the relative ease (both technology wise and financially) in making a film nowadays in comparison to the '70s has diluted the gene pool a little in terms of overall quality when scything through the cesspool of independent horror cinema.

I guess it comes down to whatever floats your boat though but I'd rather watch someone marauding around in the woods wearing a rubber monster outfit than the vast majority of straight to video cash-ins that are made today.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

The thing is though, shit or not, I find the shit from the '70s and '80s to be more endearing than the shit of today, generally speaking. Sure, they were hokey no budget affairs with wonky sets, poster paint blood and rubber monsters, but today, even the so called 'big-budget' horrors seem to be extremely poor in terms of CGI, crappy jump scares and dumbing down to achieve the converted money making PG-13 rating. What passes for low budget independent horror today tends to sway more towards the darker, gore-driven torture porn side of cinema whilst the '70s and '80s were all about cheese and silly monsters. Both have their merits and obviously you have to take things on a film by film basis, but I think the relative ease (both technology wise and financially) in making a film nowadays in comparison to the '70s has diluted the gene pool a little in terms of overall quality when scything through the cesspool of independent horror cinema.

I guess it comes down to whatever floats your boat though but I'd rather watch someone marauding around in the woods wearing a rubber monster outfit than the vast majority of straight to video cash-ins that are made today.

I couldn't have put it better myself.

[shel]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

The thing is though, shit or not, I find the shit from the '70s and '80s to be more endearing than the shit of today, generally speaking. Sure, they were hokey no budget affairs with wonky sets, poster paint blood and rubber monsters, but today, even the so called 'big-budget' horrors seem to be extremely poor in terms of CGI, crappy jump scares and dumbing down to achieve the converted money making PG-13 rating. What passes for low budget independent horror today tends to sway more towards the darker, gore-driven torture porn side of cinema whilst the '70s and '80s were all about cheese and silly monsters. Both have their merits and obviously you have to take things on a film by film basis, but I think the relative ease (both technology wise and financially) in making a film nowadays in comparison to the '70s has diluted the gene pool a little in terms of overall quality when scything through the cesspool of independent horror cinema.

I guess it comes down to whatever floats your boat though but I'd rather watch someone marauding around in the woods wearing a rubber monster outfit than the vast majority of straight to video cash-ins that are made today.

I salute you sir. Give me something good or bad from that era and chances are it'll be infinitely more interesting than anything of recent times. The movies might not hit the mark of what they were aiming for but they were most always thinking outside of the box. I watched "The Devil's Kiss" the other day and although it's not "good" by any standard I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to anyone as an enjoyable 80 odd minutes of random insanity that simply would not be made now and the Arrow book (written by Mr. Nightmare USA if I remember right) is an essential follow up to how that film came to exist.

I find the whole 70's to 80's era facinating myself and enjoy seeking out it's gems and trash.

[mr 420]

How do I put this this? Do you not find the tone of the '70s and '80s far more gritty and exploitative, rather than the general output of today? Now I know that shockers can still get made these days, but overall, do you not think that the films from then have a far rougher edge than now? Maybe it's the old rose tinted spectacles situation, but I'm definitely in the 70s/80s camp.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Generally speaking, I find the low-budget films from the 1970s and '80s more imaginative and less cynical than the ones made now. They tend to have more original ideas and are less reliant to be rehashing an idea from a film with a bigger budget or part of a cycle of films, such as possession found footage.

In general, they are more likely to be interesting.

[shel]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Generally speaking, I find the low-budget films from the 1970s and '80s more imaginative and less cynical than the ones made now. They tend to have more original ideas and are less reliant to be rehashing an idea from a film with a bigger budget or part of a cycle of films, such as possession found footage.

In general, they are more likely to be interesting.

And even when film makers were given the task of re-hashing something popular of the day the outcome is mostly way more imaginative than you get now, The Night Child (inspired by Exorcist) and Zombi 2 (riding the Dawn of Dead wave) for example.

These days you end up with the likes of the uninspiring 'Mama' which throws scene after scenes of lifted material from other better movies but brings nothing new to the table bar some shoddy CGI that could have easily been done more convincingly physically and saved some cash.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by shel

These days you end up with the likes of the uninspiring 'Mama' which throws scene after scenes of lifted material from other better movies but brings nothing new to the table bar some shoddy CGI that could have easily been done more convincingly physically and saved some cash.

Unfortunately CGI has become the norm as it actually slashes production costs in as much as you have less studio time through not needing countless re-shoots like you do with practical based effects, and is also less messy. There is also the ability to create, add, and alter scenes both pre and post production at the comfort of a desk which means that studios tend to push CGI upon directors - Argento's Dracula being one prominent example that leaps to mind.

[Rondadoronron]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Very well i accept your challenge.

Behold my champion who will bring you to your knees.

I just knew you TW@ts were buggering about.My ears were burning this week I thought it was Ebola.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Generally speaking, I find the low-budget films from the 1970s and '80s more imaginative and less cynical than the ones made now. They tend to have more original ideas and are less reliant to be rehashing an idea from a film with a bigger budget or part of a cycle of films, such as possession found footage.

In general, they are more likely to be interesting.

I think your being a bit sniffy there Nos.

Once Hitchcock released Psycho then nothing in the slasher genre for example was original.

The same goes for Plague of the Zombies, once they climbed out of their graves every other zombie film was suddenly half inching that idea.

It must be terribly difficult to come up with an original horror idea today. The genre's been about since the first Gothic horror novel in 1764.

The Italians churned out so much crap on top of the great films of the era, i think that tends to be forgotten. Take the spaghetti western. For every Django there's forty near worthless, uninspired riffs on the idea.

[Make Them Die Slowly]

I like the idea of modern films blatantly ripping off the latest big money maker or endlessly churning out the same old shit. It is exploitation cinema in one of it's more pure forms. I personally prefer 60s and 70s guff to the modern stuff but there are plenty of gems out there if you are willing to play supermarket cheapo dvd roulette....