Anyone who puts classic Universal in the same post as L**t B**s should have all his likes removed and an instant ban placed.

The Ring (2002)

http://zardoz.a.ltrbxd.com/resized/s...g?k=0bb9830547

When I first watched this one during J-Horror's mainstream peak, with my shelves crammed full of Tartan Asia Extreme DVDs and my head full of pale juvenile ghosts with wide eyes and lank hair, I considered it nothing more than a pointless cash-grab targeted at dumb western audiences who want everything spoon-fed to them and can't/don't want to read subtitles and watch a film at the same time. I just assumed everyone else who had an appreciation for the subtleties and nuances that make up a lot of Asian horror cinema thought the same.

With time however, there emerged some positivity for this one and at first my young (then teenage) self bluntly dismissed anything positive that was aimed towards it, but that denial eventually gave way to bemusement and then finally contemplation, with the thought that maybe I had missed something the first time around and this one was worth another shot - the 'three stages of re-appraisal' if you will.

Revisiting it for the first time in almost 14 years (with some trepidation I may add), but with a more open mind, I must admit that I didn't quite have the same extreme distaste for it that I did the first time around. Sure, it's clunky and awkward in places with some poor performances (I generally feel Eastern cultures and tales when transposed into more Westernised templates never quite gel right and should therefore be not cut to fit in the first place so films such as this never resonate very well with me irrelevant of how well they are executed), but there is no mistaking that Verbinski did at least try to create something with a little style and substance to it. A great deal of the eeriness and terror, which made the original work so well has dissipated, but instead we have more well-rounded characters and an interesting spin on the material rather than a straight scene-by-scene remake.

However, despite a more positive (i.e. +neutral-) reaction this time around, overall if you’re after watching a film of this ilk, I'd just advise that you stick to Nakata's original which utilises the source material and themes far more effectively than this one does, irrespective of how hard it tries.

44/100

The Lost Boys is better than Browning's Dracula.

Yeah, I said it. :p

Haxan (1922)

Benjamin Christensen's brilliant docudrama exploring the role of superstition in medieval minds and the way in which witchcraft was always deemed responsible for anything out of the ordinary especially mental health issues and the age old crime of basically growing old.

The film depicts many satanic and occult activities from the concocting of potions and black magic rituals with the Devil himself to the capture and torture of those suspected of witchcraft.

Way ahead of it's time, even now it's strong stuff in places, especially the graphic descriptions of torture and dramatized look at the satanic rites conducted in the presence of the dark one himself. Several sequences made me feel uneasy and this feeling was more than aided by a terrific atmospheric score from Bronnt Industries Kapital specially created for this release. I did begin with the original Danish premier soundtrack but it was just too jolly for what was taking place on screen.

It was interesting to note how much of this film was referenced in this years The Witch.

i agree with this i find the spanish version far superior to brownings and for me it overrated and one of the poorer universal monster movies. now i'll get my coat because i think i'm barred. i find lugosi performance cringeworthy at times

You might as well hold the door for Macblayne, he'll be joining you! :skull:

:vamp:

Hold the door for me too as i agree with you on this.

Reviews for films 13 14 15 16 17 up later why the hell did i take this upon myself.

Enough of the Lugosi bashing too :tongue1:

it really just Dracula that i don't like his performance, he does a better dracula in mark of the vampire which i enjoy far more than dracula and for me is superior in nearly every way

Film No.13

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Big Ronnie and his son Brayden run a walking disco tour around LA. Ronnie and Brayden have a very close relationship they work together and live together with the agreement that Brayden does all the cooking for his father but it's gotta be GREASY. On one of the walking tours Brayden falls for one of the customers Janet which makes his father crazy jealous and so begins a power struggle for Janets affection. Meanwhile a grease covered maniac is stalking the streets at night on a greasy rampage.

WHAT THE HELL DID I WATCH.

This is all that keeps playing through my head while i was watching this. Just like the title of the film the whole thing is greasy as F***. The music is annoying and will play over and over in your head long after the film ends. Big Ronnie spends most of the film naked with a big 15 inch love lenght swinging in the wind. There is a lot of men walking around in underpants and knee high socks it's not an easy watch i must say. Its hard to explain just how weird this film is one example is Braydens best friend oinker who to compliment his velvet underpants and knee high socks he sports a picks nose and oinks like a pig all the time. there is a phone sex scene and its one of the most disturbing things i have ever seen in my life well really every sex scene is disturbing. To sum this film up

WHAT THE F*** !!!!!

Do i recommend this one hell yeah i do its disturbing its strange its annoying it needs to be experienced and above all its GREASY.

Its not an all out horror but its scarier than any horror i have ever seen.

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