Halloween Revisited.....

Today I was watching the 1978 classic "Halloween" for the fifth or sixth time, and I will honestly say it was the best viewing yet. I felt the masterpiece qualities really kicked in, and I could understand now why it is as renowned as it has been. I have always loved the movie, but this time, it was extra scary, extra complex, and just so much more fun. I have found out that you honestly can't turn away from the screen at all, because you will miss something. Most slasher flicks are extra simple, but this one has little touches to it that make it superior. I can honestly say this is probably my second favorite horror film behind "The Shining," because it truly brings the epic nature to the genre. 

The Pit and the Pendelum(1961)

8/10 

The movie begins with a man named Francis Barnard coming to the castle of his late sister and her husband Nicholas Medina. His sister Elizabeth has died very suddenly, and Francis wants to know what happened. Nicholas and his younger sister Catherine try to convince Francis that an illness took his sister, but he doesn't buy it at all. The thing that I really love about these scenes was the way that the filming was done. The shots of waterfalls and the castles were absolutely gorgeous, and they show high proficiency for a Corman flick. I also thought that the development of characters started to come off very quickly, and the conflicts could be sensed easily. 

The first thing that impressed me with this movie was the star studded talent in front of and behind the cameras. Vincent Price nails the character of Nicholas with his insane yet often likable personality that makes the viewer want to sympathize with his character. Barbara Steele is the "Queen of gothic horror" in my opinion, and she nails this role by portraying a selfish and sneaky person. Luana Landers is an actress I'm a fan of because of "Dementia 13," and she gave another good performance in this movie as the caring sister of Nicholas. John Kerr was also impressive as the hard and skeptical Francis, and while I'm not very familiar him, I thought he did a great job. The original story of this film came from Edgar Allan Poe's short story of the same name, so a good plot is basically certain. To make things even better, Richard Matheson adapted the tale into a screenplay, and he did a great job. Being one of the best horror writers ever, I thought he was a fantastic choice for this role, and he added so much to the movie. I also found Roger Corman to be a great director for the film, because he could use his campy style to keep the dialogue moments from being boring, and he had the shock value to make a successful work. 

Being the film movie was made in 1961, there wasn't much gore at all. Despite this, the filmmakers found many ways to make the film creepy. The first way was the psychedelic undertones. Whether it was the changes of screen color, or the paint running down during the intro, it gave an eerie feel, and made the movie all the more cooler. I also felt that the slow increase to the climax helped get the viewer more anxious, because there was no way of predicting what would happen. 

The climax/ending of this movie were absolutely shocking and amazing. The full circle has come through in the mystery, and a chain of sick events begin. As these last 20 plus minutes take place, there is an underlying question of if the endangered characters will survive. This pressure makes things more intense, and the plot twists gave more of an edge. I thought that the last shots of the film were insane, because I was not expecting them at all, and it was very morbid and cool. 

Overall, this is a fun movie to watch about betrayal, revenge, and genuine insanity. While it isn't my all time favorite Price movie ever, it is one of his better, and he gave the performance of the lifetime. I definitely recommend checking it out, as it is a movie of talent, thrills, and chills. 

The Howling(1981) Revisited

Today I watched "The Howling" again, and I was hoping I could get a better opinion on it. I was pretty neutral with it the first time, and I was hoping I would figure if I liked or disliked it this viewing. What I observed was that the movie has excellent horror scenes, makeup, and a hilarious and spoofy sense of humor. The problem that I saw was the writing at times, because it was a little too silly for me. Overall I  like the movie, but I almost feel like I have to give it another viewing in the future to understand it even more. I definitely wouldn't call it Joe Dante's best work(Piranha), but it is still pretty enjoyable, and worth a watch for sure. 

Paranormal Activity

8/10

"Sometimes the things you regret the most are the chances you don't take.."-Unknown.

The above quote has nothing directly to do with "Paranormal Activity," but it is exactly how I felt after watching it. This 2007 film is one that I put off for years with the fear that I was going to hate it. I felt like it had been advertised too much, and that there was only a rave about it because of the whole "Bandwagon" thing. As I sat down to view this for the first time, my expectations were as low as could be. I had seen the positive reviews online, but I was not enthused at all. By the time this 88 minute experience was done, I was mesmerized. "Paranormal Activity" is a rare film, with its greatness being in the works of an extremely small budget. Oren Peli made all of the right choices with the film, including perfect scare techniques, a great cast, and awesome techniques as a director. I personally thought this was one of the finest horror movies of the 21st century. 

The story follows a young couple named Katie and Micah. The two of them are mildly concerned, because paranormal terrorizing has come back into Katie's life, and is starting to take the house over. Micah begins to tape their room at night, and they begin to see these occurrences happen. Right away, they call a specialist named Dr. Frederichs. Frederichs senses something wrong instantly, and suspects it may be a demon. He unveiled that the house isn't the problem, but Katie herself is being followed. Sadly, this practice is out of the man's field, but he recommends a demonologist named Dr. Avery. Micah is very against this, because he wants to take care of the problems by himself. As a result, the hauntings become worse and worse, until both of their lives become hell, and their fate becomes unknown.

The first thing that I loved about this film was the cast. Katie Featherston was very good in the role of Katie, because she made the anger and frustrations in her character come to life. Micah Sloat was awesome as Micah, because he really played a role that you could see being him in real life. He could portray a laid back coolness, or a freaked out hysteria in the matter of seconds. Mark Frederichs was good as Dr Frederichs, because he didn't make himself likable, which worked for the unreliable nature of his role. 

The movie was shot in found footage, and although I usually dislike that technique, it worked really well for this film. I thought that it gave more of the feel that what was happening was real, and added to the freakiness of scenes. I think the reason it worked in this movie was that it was shot at home, rather than in a less appropriate place like the woods. When the characters are asleep or doing casual actions(like in the film), it is much easy to keep a steady filming. In others where there is a lot of running in a big space, the camera becomes too shaky, which makes it annoying. 

As if watched the movie, I was trying to compare it to others in the supernatural genre to see what was good and bad. One of the film's that came up the most in comparison was "The Amityville Horror." This movie is not one I'm a fan of, and I felt that "Paranormal Activity" succeeded in everything that the former failed to do. Both films had a gradual increase with each occurrence to make it freakier, but the problem with "Amityville" was that it's peak was nothing spectacular at all, and it fell back to its happy go lucky nature in seconds. "Paranormal Activity" knew how to keep going with its increase until it completely shocked you, and it never went back down. I thought that this made the movie genuinely scary, because it made you wait a very long time for the payoff, but when it came it was something more than imagination could withhold. 

The DVD I bought for this film gave the option of watching two different endings to the movie. The theatrical one was perfect in my eyes, because it left a lot of mystery as to what was happening. The alternate one was much weaker in my opinion, because it went too far with its violence, and took away from the nature of the film's intended horror. I thought that it also took away any questioning as to what was occurring, because it was all on screen. I feel that the conclusion that was shown to the public was the right decision, and was part of the eventual success. 

Overall, this movie was really great. It was a smart, scary, and enjoyable film that will become a classic one day. I thought it was probably the greatest paranormal movie I've seen thus far, because of its fresh tactics in scares. I definitely recommend this to all horror fans, because it is dark and exciting, and something that you will never forget.  

From Dusk Till Dawn

10/10!!!!!

"From Dusk To Dawn" is a 1996 horror/action film directed by Robert Rodriguez, and written by legend Quentin Tarantino. It has been a cult classic ever since its release, and is a notable work by both critics and horror fans. I personally love the movie for its sharp wit, crazy battle scenes, and awesome acting.

The movie begins in a gas station where a cop and cashier talk. At first the conversation is about the hot weather, but it goes to the subject of two bank robbers known as the "Gecko brothers." The cashier then shows the cop to the bathroom, and while alone, the two criminal's pop up with women they have as hostage. The men try to keep the cashier quiet, but he fails to do this so the brothers kill both men. I thought this beginning was amazing, because it set the viewer up for craziness, and it was extremely well done. 

On the other side of the story, we meet the Fuller family. The father of this family is named Jacob, and he is a former pastor that has lost his faith in God since the death of his daughter Jen. The family is then kidnapped by the Gecko brothers, and are led on the road. Everyone stops at a club, and they are exposed to vampires. The rest of the movie is the battle between these monsters, and a fight to survive. 

The thing that struck me the most about "From Dusk Till Dawn" was how diverse of a movie it was. There was moments where it was a crime/action film, with intense shootouts and heists, there were hilarious moments of comedy throughout the whole thing, and there also some terrifying scenes of horror. This really contributed to the greatness of the movie, because it made things stay interesting. 

The cast was really awesome, because there was a lot of witty performers that could also be intense. George Clooney was my personal favorite as Seth Gecko. There were moments where he had me laughing with his sharp sense of how to say a funny line, but then there were also moments that the viewer could see the pain he was feeling because of bad events. Quentin Tarantino was pretty awesome as Richard Gecko, because he really played a psycho well, and was also hilarious in doing so. Harvey Keitel was pretty neat as Jacob, because he was likable, yet stern at the same time. You could really sense the decency that he portrayed in the character, and it was very realistic when seeing him struggle with his faith. Juliette Lewis did a good job as Kate Fuller, because she was a character that was easy to be sympathetic for, yet she had a toughness about her that was good for the female lead. Ernest Liu was pretty cool as Scott Fuller, because he just gave a simple performance as a likable guy, and he did it well. I thought that the cameos were pretty awesome, including Salma Hayek in her most seductive performance ever, Tom Savini in a hilarious and heroic role, Cheech Marin as three funny characters, and Danny Trejo as a bartender. 

The special effects in this film were pretty crazy, and in the style of a classic B-Movie. The gore was plentiful; coming from both the humans and vampires. It looked very fake, but was cool regardless, and made the movie one of the bloodiest I've ever seen. The makeup of the vampires was pretty weird, and looked unlike from any I've seen before. The prosthetics were very well done, and I give major credit to the specialists. Outside of the horror effects, there were also some very nice action ones too, including humongous explosions. 

The climax of the film was really intense, with a humongous showdown between the vampires and humans. It is known by the characters that some of them won't make it, but they will stick together until the end. I loved how this showed a redemption in the character of Seth, because instead of being the ruthless criminal, he was actually starting to care for the others. In these scenes, there were a lot of shocking deaths of certain characters, and each one was painful to witness. The ending itself was very good, because it wasn't exactly what I expected, and it left the audience on a note for interpretation. 

This movie is definitely worth the time of every movie buff. It is exciting, hilarious, and horrific all at the same time. I personally find this to be one of the coolest movies ever, and I promise that it will not disappoint. 

Deep Red

10/10

"Deep Red" is a 1975 Giallo classic from director Dario Argento. It was definitely one of his masterpieces, because it was one of the thought provoking film's of history. Critics and audiences have loved it since its release, and now I can be added to the fan club. 

The movie begins very dark, as a shadowy stabbing is shown accompanied by screams. This particular scene was very sick, because there was classical music, and it was a quick and disturbing moment. The story then proceeded to a lecture about telepathy, where psychic Helga Ullman talks about the nature of her powers. As she speaks, she then begins to convulse, as she senses a murderer in the crowd. This scene was very creepy, because it foreshadowed a possible explanation to what was happening in the very beginning.

Sadly, Helga was correct, and she is murdered by a mysterious figure with black leather gloves. The two witnesses to this incident were a man named Marcus Daly, and his friend Carlo. Marcus is a jazz pianist, and he was actually a neighbor to this lady. He tries to run up and save her, but she was already dead. One of the things that Daly noticed was that there were paintings were missing from Ullman's wall. After this first clue, he begins to investigate this murder; while a chain of other horrific events take place. 

"Deep Red" was such a smart movie in all aspects. I loved that rather than being a slice and dice movie, it also added some great mystery, and a thought provoking depiction of terror. I thought the way that Marcus found the paintings of the stabbing all over was pretty brilliant, because it was a great clue for him to find, and it was also pretty disturbing. It was also very neat that there was no way of guessing who the killer was. In most films, there is at least a slight idea, but in this one, there are so many twists that there was no way of knowing until the exact revelation. The movie had so many different ways of scaring the audience. Whether it was moving dolls, creepy noises, dead bodies, or horrendous murders, it had them all. I thought that simply all of these plot aspects were things that set the film apart from many others of the time. 

The camera work in the movie was absolutely brilliant. It had a way of moving with the audience, instead of just being in one place. I thought this added to the creepiness of the atmosphere, because it always felt like someone was stalking the characters. I also loved some of the close up shots, because they were very intricately done, and were a big factor of the work being a masterpiece. 

I personally found the cast to be absolutely perfect for the film. David Hemmings was such an outstanding lead as Marcus, because he had a great way of delivering his lines, and had such an awesome sense of how to convey his emotions. I could personally believe that every single thing that happened to him was completely real. Daria Nicolodi was very good as the female lead of the movie Gianna. She did a great job of clashing with Hemmings, because they could both be very stubborn, and she was just enough to set him off. Gabriele Lavia did a pretty awesome job as Carlo, because he could be very witty with his personality, or shift to a certain darkness. I felt that he made himself such an easy person to follow, and the audience grew to love or hate him, even if he was on screen for only twenty minutes. Clara Calamai was pretty stellar as Martha, because she was a seemingly sweet old lady, but she also conveyed a different side to herself. I liked her, because she had a great way of changing herself from time to time, and doing it very realistically. 

The film has had a reputation for being one of the most graphic films of its time, and I could probably vouch for that. There were definitely some gruesome and gory scenes, and they had a brutal nature of sound effects and movements. I thought that the most horrid scene was the hot water scene, because it was so sadistic, and the aftermath was ugly as could be. Even though recent times has way more gore, this one had a balance that made things much more realistic, which made a more terrifying feeling in my opinion. 

The movie's ending was absolutely brilliant, because there was a certain person that was thought to be the killer, but the facts don't add up, so Marcus looks around more. When he actually finds the culprit, the viewer's mind is blown, because it would've never occurred in their mind that this person could do this. I personally found this to be one of the most shocking and awesome endings in history, because it made my head turn. 

"Deep Red" is definitely a movie that every fan of cinema should check out. It is shocking, interesting, and one of the technically best movies of all time. Dario Argento really out did himself with this, and once again proved that Italian horror is the best horror. 

The Driller Killer

8/10

"The Driller Killer" was an infamous B-Movie from 1979. It was controversial at its time for its graphic and morbid violence, and was originally cut down greatly from its original form. In recent times, an unrated version has come out, and viewers got to relive the horrors that plagued society for decades. While the movie has become a sort of an obscurity with audiences, it was met with positive reviews by critics, and definitely still has some fan base. I personally loved the movie, for its crazy scenes, good acting(by the majority of the cast), and it's ruthless portrayal of urban life. 

The movie begins in a church, where two men are worshipping. One of the men named Reno approaches the other, and the other man has Reno's name and phone number on paper. Reno doesn't know what do at this point, and things become even weirder as the man grabs his hand. Reno then runs out of the church with his girlfriend Carol, and they take a ride in a limo to a club. After a night of punk music and partying, the couple goes to their apartment that they share with Pamela; Carol's other lover. Reno becomes very angry when everyone wakes up in the morning, as he looks at the multitude of money he owes in bills. I thought this beginning was all very well done, because it gave mild suspense, and some awesome character development. 

The trio begins to figure out that this financial trouble is going to put them on the streets, and they need to do something quick. Reno is an artist, and he is currently working on his best work, which at this point is the big defining piece of their standard of living. He tries to get a loan from his art dealer, but is denied, so he has to be done even faster. Tensions start to grow in his life with these troubles, and a growing anger at his new punk rocker neighbors. All of this leads for the once laid back man to become, "The Driller Killer."

The movie was pretty great, because it took liberties at its time to be one of the most disgusting and shocking film up to that point. It showed a brutal and merciless look at the madness of Reno, which included some really wild murder scenes, and a lot of gore. I was honestly not expecting this at all, being the movie was made in 1979, and the surprise was very pleasant. As long as you watch the unrated cut, then you are guaranteed for one of the most craziest films of the decade. 

Another thing that was shown very well was a sad and dark look at urban life. The movie offered themes of the rough downtown area like gangs, drugs, the homeless, etc, and didn't hold back on making it harsh. One of the saddest scenes to watch is when a homeless man is sleeping on the sidewalk, and he pukes in his own sleep. I thought that what this overall theme did was get the viewer more emotionally prepared for the horrible nature of what happens in the latter half of the film. 

The motives for Reno becoming a killer were never truly explored, as it comes up between his anger between a band and his bills(without killing the band or the landlord). What I hypothesize is that all of these pressures in his life drove him to complete insanity, and he didn't care about who he killed, nor did he fully process what he was actually doing. I thought this was a pretty haunting idea, because in the beginning, Reno seemed rough around the edges, but never would I have seen him to be a murderer. 

The movie's cast was good for the most part, as it showed a lot of raw emotion.  Abel Ferrara was amazing in the lead role Reno, because he had a very rough way about him. His scenes of insane meltdowns were pretty terrifying, and his portrayal as a murderer was so real, that I would keep an eye on him in real life. Carolyn Marz was good as Carol, because she didn't overplay or underplay the role of Reno's girlfriend. There were some awesome scenes of her just flipping out, and I was extremely convinced of her feelings. I really didn't like Baybi Day as Pamela, because she was really annoying, and while I understood that she was trying to act like a person that was quite fried out from drugs, it wasn't a good job by her, and she was my least favorite cast member for sure.  Harry Schultz II was good as Dalton, because he had a very jerky way about him, which was completely necessary for the character that possibly pushed Reno over the edge. 

One of the main parts of the movie was punk music, being Reno's neighbor was a band called the Roosters. While the singers were notoriously(and hilariously) bad, I found the songs to actually be somewhat catchy. Once again, I thought that the punk style brought a lot more realism to the condition of this time, and it was a very nice addition. 

The film's ending was quite shocking, and I loved how as a surprise event happened, all of the dialogue and such were to a black screen. This made a much more haunting feel for me, because the viewer never saw what truly happened.  This was the perfect ending of the movie, rather than some cheesy conclusion, and I thought it was a very mature decision from the filmmakers. 

The only thing that could've been changed was the occasional slow pacing. It didn't bother me a whole bunch, because I found the surrounding plot lines interesting, but some viewers may be turned off by it. 

"The Driller Killer" is definitely an important film for all horror fans to watch. It was a brutal, realistic, and controversial movie that was much more important to its time than people realize. While it wasn't a high caliber masterpiece like "The Shining," it was definitely an awesome movie, and I recommend it highly. 

Night of the Living Dead(1990)

9/10

The movie began identically to the 1968 version, with siblings Barbara and Johnnie. The two are going to a cemetery to visit their mother, and Johnnie torments Barbara with jokes. While with the grave, the family sees a mysterious old man coming at them. This man, and another that suddenly appears are zombies. Johnnie is killed while trying to fight it off, but Barbara escapes. She finds an old abandoned house, and is attacked by multiple other zombies. To her luck, a man named Ben and her are able to fight them off. Personally, I loved how the intro was executed, because it had the same shock as the original, and was very well done.  

The rest of the movie showcases the battle that Ben, Barbara, Tom, Judy, and the Cooper family have with the zombies. In order to be successful, they have to learn to put their angers toward each other aside, and become a team. None of them know their fate, and this leaves the audience on the edge of their seats right up until the end. 

The first thing that I absolutely loved about this movie was the makeup by director Tom Savini. The zombies looked great, with realistic blood and prosthetics. I think that this was a huge improvement from the original, because rather than looking just like drunk guys, the zombies were pretty scary and neat. Savini had said before that he involved himself in this because he had never gotten to do the original, and he definitely did great justice in his dream.

The cast was all very awesome, and while some people were hard to like because of the original, some were also actually better. To start things off, Patricia Tallman was far better in the role of Barbara than Judith O'Dea. My reasoning for this is that rather than being the wimpy, annoying, stereotype of a woman, Tallman turned the character into a Sarah Connor of sorts, and she kicked so much butt. She was also much more likable than the other characters, because she helped other people; rather than just helping herself. Tony Todd was pretty great as Ben, and I have such a hard time of putting him and Ariane Jones up against each other that I will call them equal. I thought that the both of them were very tough guys in the role, but I loved how Todd gave a little bit more of a dark insanity in the end. Tom Towles was nowhere near Karl Hardman in the role of Harry Cooper. In the original, the character was definitely a jerk, but there was a subtlety to the character that made the character watchable. In the remake, Towles overplayed the character way too much, and turned him into a spazzy monster. While this worked out in the ending, he really annoyed me for the majority of the film.  I thought that McKee Anderson was a huge improvement in the remake for the character of Helen Cooper. My reason for believing this was that she added a lot more life to the character, instead of the bystander of the original. Even though the character of Karen Cooper really doesn't have any speaking lines, she was probably the most iconic character of the original. In the remake, her name was changed to Sarah, and she was not nearly as scary. Heather Mazur had better makeup effects in her favor, but she lacked the same demonic nature of Kyra Schon. I really liked William Butler as Tom in this film, because was much more likable, and a more prominent role too. Katie Finneran was also better as Judy in this one, because she had much depth to her acting. Finally, Bill Moseley as Johnnie was pretty awesome, because he was very satirical and creepy, even though he was only in the movie for about a minute. 

While this version lacks the graininess and black and white aspects, I felt that their was much more intensity and scary moments. This was because the zombies were much more threatening as the villains, and there was much more tension between the leads. I think that this was a good move, because even though the original was revolutionary with its content, this was a refreshing addition for the new times. 

The movie's ending was completely different than the original, and I thought this was a great move. The 1968 version probably has one my favorite conclusions ever, because of its shocking and merciless nature. This changed very much, because even though there was still a definite darkness and brutal nature, things weren't completely sad. One surprise character survived, and showed that they were strong enough to make it. Also in this sequence, a very sad message is portrayed when the viewer is shown zombies being lynched and tortured as the humans laugh and enjoy it. Even though the monsters definitely needed to be disposed of, they deserved some dignity because it wasn't their fault that they were this way. I was particularly disturbed by this, because it seemed like a social statement of not stooping to an equal or lower level as someone that has hurt you or your loved ones. The film then ended very respectfully, with the same grainy and psychedelic style of credits. I loved the nostalgia of this, because it showed that the filmmakers really had a love for the movie. 

Overall, I thought this was the best remake that has ever been made. Many critics and horror fans called it unnecessary, but I think it was a great shining moment of the genre. The original film has been in my top 5 for a very long time, so I was very skeptical on how much I would like this. In the end, it showed me how much this was needed. I love the original for what it was, but a modern remix was a great idea, because there were so many more resources to be used. In addition to that, I felt that many flaws of the original were even improved on. So definitely check out this movie before jumping on the bandwagon that it is dumb, because you will be very surprised, and not disappointed at all. 

Piranha(1978)

8.5/10

After "Jaws" blew the minds of audiences in 1975, the movie business jumped right on to the idea of knockoffs for extra cash. Whether it was "Orca" or one of the other titles, a lot of them got a lukewarm reception. The first one to truly be loved by critics and audiences alike was the 1978 classic "Piranha." Directed by Joe Dante, and produced by legend Roger Corman, the movie has become one of the all time cult classics. I personally liked the film a lot, because of its cool story, great gore, and awesome cast. 

The movie began with a couple named David and Barbara wandering while on vacation. They find a nice body if water, and decide to go for a swim. While doing this, they begin to feel bites. At first it is thought to be a prank, but they end up being killed by piranhas. I honestly laughed really hard at this scene, because it really showed the beginning of the "Jaws" spoofing. I thought it was a very fun intro, and it worked super well. 

The movie goes forward in time as Maggie and Paul look for the two of them. The two of them find the body of water, and decide to empty it to see if their friends are in it. While trying to do this, a man panic and attacks them. Regardless, they still get the job done, and find a skeleton. As this goes on, the crazy man from before hi-jacks their jeep, and crashes it. With the fact that this man was injured badly, the two try to find some medical help for him by journeying through the area. What they never expected was what lied in the water, and the fate that they had in the near future. 

One of the great things about this movie was its tone in direction by Joe Dante. There was a good balance between darkness, and lighthearted scenes, and it kept the viewer from boredom. Even in the most gruesome scenes, there was still a little feeling of spoofiness, so even though it is pretty gross, it doesn't make one feel horrible. I thought that Dante did this very well, as he has in other films like "The Howling," and "Gremlins."

The actual piranha attacks were surprisingly well done for the B-Movie budget. Almost a copy of the "Jaws" kills, there were multiple graphic scenes of mauling by the fish, and blood filled the water. I liked this a lot, because it was giving the horror lover their gore without being unrealistically over the top. The only complaint I could make is that after seeing a couple of the kills, then you've basically seen all of them in one form. In other words, I just wish their was some more original kills that could've shocked the audience more. 

In the aspect of acting, the movie was pretty good. There were likable members in the cast, and they gave great B-Movie cheesiness in their performances. Bradford Dillman and Heather Menzies both did very well as Paul and Maggie, because they had a great connection with each other, and they were also able to do well as individuals. It was nice to see Barbara Steele in the movie, because she is one of my favorite horror actresses ever. I thought that she gave a very cool performance, and while she wasn't as crazy as usual, she gave a different vibe that really worked. One of my favorite Joe Dante regulars was in the movie, and this was Dick Miller. Miller gave a very funny performance as usual, and served as one of the really likable people throughout the film.

The film's score was mediocre at best, because there were some awesome moments, but others that were terrible. I really liked the music before the attacks, because it was very high pressure, and kind of sounded like "Halloween." It set itself apart from "Jaws," because it didn't steal the subtlety of the latter film, and they made their own thing work. The moments I didn't like we're the mellow acoustic songs, because it gave the film a very cheesy TV-Movie type of feel.  While this aspect didn't "ruin" the film, it definitely did get mildly obnoxious at times. 

The cinematography of the movie was pretty awesome, because much like "Jaws," there were some innovative shots in the water, and they gave a whole different perspective on what was happening. There were sometimes where the camera would come up from under the person, almost like the piranhas were in reality. I thought this gave a cool first-person view from the fish.  One of the overall coolest frames was when a piranha attacked one of the scuba divers. In this scene, the camera looked straight at the person's face, and the camera got closer and closer to simulate the killer fish. It was a very effective moment in my opinion, and helped the film be more technically masterful. 

About 20 minutes until the end of the movie, things become insane! The piranhas go wild, and eat every person that they can get a hold of. This is a bloody, intense, and awesome scene, and it caught me by surprise. On the other side of the story, Paul and Maggie are trying to escape, and they find an abandoned building. Paul decides to go into the water, and sneak through the bottom entrance. The ending that came in the near future had me quite shocked, and I liked it a lot for its over the top nature.

"Piranha" was a very fun, shocking, and well made movie of the 1970's. It had all of the elements needed for a horror movie, and I definitely recommend it to fans of the genre. The film was definitely better than Dante's other classic "The Howling," and it is much easier to follow. Definitely give this film a watch, because you will not be disappointed.  

Silence of the Lambs

10/10

"If Catherine lives, will the lambs stop screaming?"- Hannibal Lecter...

In 1991, cinema history was changed forever with a film so disturbing, and so iconic that the horror genre got a whole different mold, and the name Hannibal Lecter became a household name. "Silence of the Lambs" is a movie based off the 1988 novel of the same name.  It has been lauded by both critics and audiences since right after its release, and is still known as one of the best movies ever. I personally love it too, for its unique portrayal of scares, it's realism, and the amazing cast. 

The movie begins at a training camp for the FBI, and we see Clarice Starling running in the woods. She is then brought aside by her leader, and is told that she has her first assignment; an interview with Hannibal Lecter. According to Crawford, Hannibal is a former psychiatrist that was out away in the asylum because of his cannibalism and insanity. The reason they need Clarice to try to talk to him is that he won't cooperate with anyone else. During the interview, Clarice begins to ask Hannibal about Buffalo Bill; a serial killer that takes the skin off of his female victims. He doesn't exactly take this well, and sends her off without letting her do the test she needed. The one thing that he does do to help is give her a lead to one of his old patients so she can talk to her. This beginning was quite brilliant, because the viewer really gets to know the characters somewhat, and it was very suspenseful. 

On the journey to find Moffatt, Clarice goes to an old storage facility that is allegedly hers. In this place, many strange objects are found, including mannequins, and an abandoned car. Much to her surprise, this person is fake, and the garage was rented by Hannibal. This was revealed when a head of a man in heavy makeup is seen. Hannibal tells her that this man was a patient of his, and a cross dresser. Benjamin had been murdered, but not by Hannibal. Lecter then offers a psychological examination of Buffalo Bill, on the condition that Clarice gets her moved. Times get desperate as more another murder took place, and they grant the offer to Hannibal. In the rest of the movie, the journey to catch Buffalo Bill heightens, as he strikes again with a woman. Will they be able to save her? Or will it be too late. 

"Silence of the Lambs" has a lot of amazing things about it, but the most striking quality in its favor was how gritty and realistic it was.  Every scene had this, and it made me feel like I was actually there. This worked very well, because it made me more engaged, and I cared for the characters more. One of the scenes(without giving away spoilers to a more important scene) that show this well is the autopsy. In it, you can almost smell the dead body because of how bad it reeked for the officers, and you can feel the pain and anguish that Clarice goes through as she analyzes what happened. The way that these scenes played with the sense was just brilliant, because it gave a whole dimension of viewing, and is why the movie is still considered one of the best ever. 

The next amazing part of the film(that won two Oscars) was the casting. To begin with, Jodie Foster gave a very strong and likable performance as Clarice. Watching her, you could tell that she had at least some connection to the character, because her emotions were on point, and she molded into a whole different person. She was a perfect person too, because she is tougher in real life, and that was the absolute essential for the character. Her Oscar was definitely deserved, because you could tell that she put every drop of sweat, blood, and tears into the portrayal. The other Academy Award winner was Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal. Hopkins did such a perfect job, because he really let himself become the psychopath, and he had the ability of going from a kind man to a complete monster. His delivery of lines was absolutely flawless too, as he gave a feeling of brilliance in every word. The last reason why he was awesome as the deathly look he could give with his eyes, because it was extremely terrifying, and has become a staple to the film's possibility since. One of the most underrated actors in the film for me was Ted Levine as Buffalo Bill. His performance as the killer was the scariest of the film, because he had such a mocking way about him to torture the souls of his victim. It was really neat how you could see Levine convey the pain that Bill had from his past abuse from others, especially in the scene where his dog "Precious" was injured. He really showed that this elevated the insanity even more, and it was heartbreaking to watch. Scott Glenn was pretty good in the role of Crawford, because he made sure that he gave a likable feel to the character, yet could also be stern too. I thought that Brooke Smith was pretty great as Catherine, because even though she was the victim, Smith made it hard to feel sympathy for her, because of her horrible personality. I thought this was a smart twist to the typical storyline, because even though we want her to live, no one truly loves the character. 

 Surprisingly, this film was barely violent at all(except two scenes with blood).  Regardless, this movie has different ways of being scary. The first is a true suspense of not knowing what is going to happen. Right up until the end, there is the potential of danger in every character's life, and it really does get freaky. The next thing is just simply the subject matter. Even though none of these things are shown on screen, the ideas of cannibalism, skinning, and insanity give a much tenser feel, and almost a smidgen of disgust. This wasn't my first viewing of the movie, and honestly it gets more intense every time. 

The climax was pretty amazing in my opinion, as time grew shorter for saving Catherine. Things become very high-octane, and the final result is not expectable at all. The best part of the last twenty minutes is the night-vision goggle scene, which like the closet part in "Halloween" has gone down in history as one of the best horror moments ever. The ending itself was shocking in its own way too, because it leaves the viewer with a very dark foreshadowing of the future. I thought that while it was simple, it was 100% appropriate for the storyline. 

Overall, "Silence of the Lambs" is one of the best movies I've ever seen. It is extremely intense, well acted, and masterfully made. It deserved every Oscar it got, and maybe even deserved more. Every fan of cinema needs to see this film, because it is one of the greatest installments in the psychological horror genre. 

The Howling

7/10 

In 1981, "The Howling" was released. The movie was from director Joe Dante, and starred a superb cast.  Ever since its release, this movie has been one of the most famous in the horror genre.  I thought the movie was fun for its climax and related scenes, but also saw multiple flaws too. 

The movie begins during a news show, where anchor Karen White. White is currently scared, because she is being stalked by a serial killer.  She decides to help the police out by going to see this man named Eddie in an adult theater. While there, Eddie tries to assault her, and he is killed by the police. After this event, Karen gets amnesia, and is also very scarred. As a form of treatment, her therapist sends her and her husband Bill off to an area called "The Colony."  This beginning was quite good, because it had a shady nature, and it develops the characters well; especially Karen.

After the arrival to their destination, the couple meet a lot of strange people at the resort. There is Erle, whom is a troubled old man that attempts to kill himself in the fire all the time. There is also a girl named Marsha, whom is a beautiful yet bizarre girl that tries to make advances on Bill. Being he is faithful man to his wife, Bill turns her down multiple times.  One time after leaving Marsha's house, Bill is attacked by a werewolf, and after this, a whole chain of terrors begin, until the climax of a lifetime....

The first thing that I loved about this movie was its cast. Dee Wallace was superb as Karen, because she was tough and lovable, and strikingly beautiful in all ways possible. She gave the character the edge that it needed, and in my opinion completed her best performance ever. Christopher Stone did a fair job as Karen's husband Bill, because he had a hard way about him, which eventually became an uncontrollable monstrosity in himself. Dennis Dugan really excelled as Chris, because he had the right amount of internal strength in his performance that the viewer could believe that he would complete the actions he did. Elisabeth Brooks was pretty awesome as Marsha, because she had such a bizarre and seductive way about her, and she ended up playing the evil role very convincingly. The last standout of the movie was Belinda Balaski as Terri, because her scenes where she was in danger were so realistically portrayed that I cringed from her screams. She honestly knew everything that was needed to be done to seem freaked out, and made some of the most memorable scenes of the movie. 

I thought that the special effects had their good and bad moments throughout the film. The scenes where puppetry and costumes were used were pretty awesome, because the wolves looked very inhumane and freaky. On the other hand, the brief scene of animation for the wolves was absolutely terrible, and one of the cheesiest things I have ever seen. The smoke used throughout the film was a nice touch, because it gave an eerie feeling to the whole movie, and was very well executed. The gore effects were also very nice, because the blood looked real, and wasn't too excessive. The one other bad special effect was a couple of the transformation scenes, because they went way too long. What was meant to be scary with this ended up being goofy and almost boring, because there was close to a minute of watching the human turn into a wolf. This didn't effect my opinion of the movie too much, but at the moment it was happening I was pretty annoyed. 

I thought that while certain moments of the film got slow, there was still a grittiness that kept it watchable. Seeing the realistic portrayal of these simple people of "The Colony" was nice, because instead of just hearing dialogue from them, the viewer also gets to see their customs in life, and their interactions with outsiders. 

The climax of the movie was so much different than I expected, and it really kicked butt. It was brutal, suspenseful, and at times completely terrifying. This last twenty-twenty five minutes amped the movie up way higher than before, and it may be one of the greatest scenes ever. The ending itself was also very crazy, because it was a sad idea, yet there is something humorous about it in a way. 

Overall, this movie was not the best I've ever seen, but it was still very good. There were some truly fun moments, and a great cast. I think that certain aspects like the special effects needed more effort, but looking past them opens to the doors to a werewolp film with lots of bite.  

Creepshow

10/10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When George Romero and Stephen King team up, one could expect something pretty cool. In 1982, this miracle actually took place, leading to the creation of "Creepshow."  The final product was something better than I could've ever imagined. It was a film of humor, and horrors that only a genius could imagine.  Being the "Heavy Metal" of live action, it is an anthology movie, and definitely the best of them all. 

The movie begins on a dark and stormy night. A young boy named Billy is seen being disciplined harshly by his father for having a horror comic book called "Creepshow." The boy is very upset by this, because the horror genre is very much his love. As he looks out the window, a ghoul looks right at him, and the opening credits begin. Personally, I thought this was great, because I can connect with Billy's passion for horror, and one feels a lot of sympathy for him. The intro credits were also awesome, because of the snazzy animation, and spooky music. 

The rest of the film is an anthology that includes five horror stories with black comedy. It is meant to go through the very comic book that Billy's father threw away, and the stories were all either written for the movie, or adaptations of Stephen King's short stories.  I thought this was very cool, because it saved us from being bored by one plot the whole time, and gave a 5 in 1 deal. 

1. Father's Day: I thought that "Father's Day" was a very good story, because it gave a lot of good horror moments, while also being hilarious because of its morbid elements. It basically tells the story of a man rising from the dead getting revenge on his family for not giving them his cake. This plot sounds absurd, but honestly that makes it all the better. I really thought that the cast was pretty great in this number, with Ed Harris giving a cool and sarcastic performance as Hank, and Elizabeth Regan being the other standout with her unmistakable sass as Hank's wife Cass.  The ending to this short was also absolutely crazy, and everything one would expect with King's disturbing supernatural narrative. 

2: The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill: Fast paced, bizarre, and much funnier than "Father's Day," "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill kicked the sophomore slump right in the butt. It tells the story of a simple man named Jordy Verrill, whom finds a meteor in his field.  Making a very bad decision, Jordy touches the space rock, and begins to get lumps on his fingers. These small marks turn into green patches of weeds, and they spread onto everything he touches.  This story was absolutely hilarious for a few great reasons. The first was Stephen King's performance of the lead.  I never really thought of his acting skills before, but this really showed the depth of his talents. He gave such a goofy and over the top performance, while still staying appropriate for the story.  I could almost call his portrayal a crossover between Jim Carrey and Jack Nicholson.  The faces he made were priceless, and he gave such a satirically perfect performance as a hillbilly. The next thing that made this story hilarious were the dream sequences. Even though they were dark in nature, there was such a light hearted and macabre way about them that I was laughing so hard.  The ending of the story was also potentially sad in a lot of ways, but it was handled well to the point that I could still laugh. Overall this story really gave me even more interest for the film, and I was thoroughly impressed. 

3. Something to Tide You Over: This third installment in the anthology was one of the darker(if not the darkest) of the bunch. Obviously being influenced by the works of Poe, "Something to Tide You Over" tells the story of a man named Richard, whom decides to get revenge on his wife and her lover Harry.  He forces them to bury themselves on the beach with sand, and they have to withstand the tortures of the tides.  While Richard thinks he will get away with this, there is an event to later take place that he would have never expected. I thought it was an interesting move to have the two funniest people in the whole movie(Ted Danson and Leslie Nielsen) be in the least comical story of the movie. Luckily, both of them have incredible depth in their acting, and they pulled it off to the max.  Nielsen's evil side was actually terrifying in my opinion, because instead of being his bumbling self, he took his wit to portray a character that was sadistic beyond all belief. The ending of this chapter was particularly insane, and it ended on a humongous laugh showing how bad Richard messed up. At this point of the movie, this story was second to the previous one. 

4. The Crate: The next story takes a turn even further into darkness with a tale of lying, sabotage, and death. Henry Northup is a man unhappy with his marriage. He is controlled, and not even loved by his wife, who seems to only want him for his money.  His friend Dexter is just about the only person who keeps him sane, yet he still fantasizes of killing Wilma(Billie) all the time.  Dexter has recently been informed by a janitor named Michael at the college that he teaches at that there is a mysterious crate from an expedition in the 1930's.  The two men go to check it out at night, and it ends up holding a murderous creature.  Completely shocked by this revelation, Dexter runs to Henry for help. Northup decides to go to the college to check things out, and when he sees what has happened he thinks of a plan that will affect the lives of many.  Honestly, this was my favorite story in the whole film. It was gorier than all of the others, and it was also the funniest in my opinion. It had such a macabre sense of humor, and I was honestly laughing most of the time. The cast in this one was also pretty awesome, with Hal Holbrook as the unhappy husband Henry, the notorious beauty of the era Adrienne Barbeau as Billie, and Fritz Weaver giving a paranoid and emotional performance as Dexter. The thing that really set this chapter apart from the others was the attack scenes with the monster; now credited as "Fluffy." The puppetry for this character was actually the main reason I watched this movie, because the details of the body and movements were so intricate, and it was some of the best work in the field I have seen since "The Muppets."  The last quarter of this one was pretty mindblowing, because the insanity really flows, and even though the ending was somewhat predictable, it still had an ounce of suspense left in it. 

5. They're Creeping Up On You:  The final story in this amazing anthology is a tale of karma. Upson Pratt is the scum of the earth.  He shows no kindness to people at all, and he is just plain unhappy. This man is also a huge germaphobic, and he freaks out when he starts to see roaches in his house. Calling for help immediately, he hopes this can be fixed. To his bad luck, people don't come quick enough, and the house begins to swarm. Will he be able to make it? Or is this his horrifying end?  I thought that this was the second best of all the parts in the movie, because it was so well done. E.G. Marshall gave a perfect performance as who may be the meanest man on the earth.  The sight of his insanity that he creates from the isolation is priceless, and I thought that this was one of the darkest chapters. The ending scene was absolute shocking in my opinion, and it stands to be one of the greatest clips of horror history. 

I thought it was very neat how the film followed comic book format of its inspiration. There were so many cool touches to add to this, including pauses with banners shooting to the screen in scenes of fear, funny sound effects, and the color schemes; especially during the attack scenes of "The Crate." I also loved how after each story, a page in the comic flipped to the next one.  The animations for the book were absolutely beautiful, and they were so intricate that there ended up being a graphic novel in the future.  All of these factors really reminded me of a classic cartoon movie called "Heavy Metal," because they followed the same formula in a different format. 

Another great thing about the film was the special effects.  Tom Savini did a beautiful job with the gore and makeup, because everything looked so natural, and it was nasty and detailed.  The puppetry work throughout the film was also pretty awesome, and it including movie skeletons, ghosts, and the iconic "Fluffy."  I think that while they all could be construed as cheesy now, it was such a great artistic achievement, and I love them dearly. 

The ending of the movie brings us back to Billy's house again. The garbage men find the comic book, and take it home in fascination.  Then to our surprise, Billy does something that blew my mind immensely. I thought that the ending was so morbid, and so unexpected that it completely lived up to every story from before. 

It is very rare that I feel the way I did after watching this movie. I was so full of awe, because this film was a true masterpiece. It was sharper than a knife, it made me laugh like crazy, and it had some truly amazing scenes of horror. The acting was superb, and the writing/special effects were just top notch. I definitely see this as my favorite Romero film, and probably my second favorite Stephen King movie(behind "The Shining").  I definitely recommend it to all fans of the genre, because it is probably one of the all time  best, and it will be the most fun horror experience of your entire life. 

Carrie(1976)

10/10!!!!!!!!!

In 1976, Brian De Palma directed the first ever adaptation of a Stephen King book. "Carrie" too the world by storm with its shocking content, and it's realistic look at the angst of teenagers. This movie is tied with "The Shining" as the best Stephen King movie, and I can't ever see any other being better. 

The movie begins at a volleyball game. At this tournament, we meet Carrie White. Carrie is an outcast, a "weirdo," and she is picked by everybody.  After the game is over, all of the girls go into the locker room to shower. This scene was so masterfully done, because everything is in slow motion, and there is a beautiful soundtrack in the background. Every shot of the camera is so intricate and beautiful, and it shows how careful of a job the filmmakers did.  Even though everything seems fine at first, Carrie then has her period, and everyone starts throwing tampons and such at her.  She then has a nervous breakdown as this happens, until her teacher Miss Collin saves her.  Miss Collin and her principal allow Carrie to go home, and this is much to her reluctance. We then meet Carrie's crazy and abusive mother Margaret, whom is a radical "Christian," yet she basically tortures her own daughter.  With all of these horrible things happening in her life, there is also something very weird taking place. Carrie worries that she may be a telekinetic. She is able to shatter mirrors, move objects, etc.  She learns that she can use these to her advantage, as a way to get back at all of the people that had been cruel to her.  This results in one of the most shocking proms to ever exist, and a change in the life of many.

The cast in this movie is one of the most superb lineups ever.  Sissy Spacek blew me away as Carrie, because she is such a likable girl, and one really feels so much sympathy for her during all the hardships she goes through. She also really knows how to portray so many emotions, whether they are kindness, panic, or complete insanity.  Piper Laurie really freaked me out as Mrs White, because she was so convincing in the role of a mentally imbalanced woman.  She would try to act kind at moments, but then she would be completely psychotic with her brutal behavior toward her daughter. The way that she projects herself is truly scary, because it almost seems like the behavior is natural for her.  I really liked William Katt as Tommy Ross, because you could really sense the good in his personality, even though he is one of the populars that picked on her. He just had a very charismatic presence to him in the way he acted, and seemed to care a little for Carrie. Betty Buckley was exceptional in her role of Miss Wilson, mainly because of her ways to realistically change personality. There are moments where she will be the sweetest and most laid back person in the world, and then in a split second she will become completely furious. Amy Irving was pretty cool as Sue, because much like Tommy, she was completely likable, and she really let off the vibe that she liked Carrie. The most hated character of the movie is Chris, and she was played by Nancy Allen. Even though she was attractive by looks, she had the worst personality in the world, and Allen portrays this perfectly. She played the role of a cruel, heartless, and shallow girl that wanted nothing but to ruin the life of Carrie. John Travolta came in as a close second as the biggest jerk in the school as Billy. He was a rude, abusive, and dumb punk that had no redeeming qualities. I thought that Travolta did a good job at the role, because he is usually so likable, but in this one one can't help but hate him. 

I mentioned earlier that the cinematography in the opening scene was amazing, but this actually takes place throughout the entire movie.  Mario Tosi had such a genius way of capturing the mood and environment in his camera work.  When there was peace, the lighting was bright, which made it feel like a dream(or actually one). I think the most clever use of this was when Tommy and Carrie dance at prom together, because she must've felt like it was unreal.  When the darkness of Carrie's revenge came about, the screen tinted red, which made it scary as can be.  During the scenes where Carrie gets very scared, the camera really zoomed into to her expression, because the look on her face showed better than anything of how she felt. Overall, I think that this aspect of the film was brilliant, just like "The Shining," and it is really a big part of why the movie is still a masterpiece now. 

Being the movie was released close to 40 years ago, there are many activities that take place that are extremely dated. The first is the fact that Miss Wilson has the ability to strike her students, which would not fly now.  The next is when Billy drinks and drives casually. Even though this still happens now, it would not be shown as lightly as it was in the media. While none of this hurts the film in any way, shape or form, I just found it funny to compare society in present to then. 

The climax of the film really starts at prom, where life is looking good for Carrie. The romance between her and Tommy begins, and it really felt good for her to find someone to be close with. The scenes where they dance and such really gave me chills, because they were both so happy, and the chemistry between the two actors was absolutely priceless. Sadly, the happiness can't be forever, and some unnamed characters do something horrible to Carrie. My heart literally split in two when this happened, because Carrie was so likable, and the fact that I had to see her be hurt again was just awful. I loved how even though people talked, all of the sounds were drained out. Because of this, all we see is lips moving, and I feel that this really shows the shock that people were feeling at the time. Right after, the iconic scene takes place. Carrie gets her revenge..... This scene was so shocking that my eyes bulged out of my head.  Everything turned into a disaster, and it was like hell broke loose. Even after she leaves the dance, the vengeance takes place.  This really effects everyone that surrounded her in life, and even herself. I really found this climax and ending to be perfect, because every moment was unexpected, and they engrossed my emotions majorly. 

"Carrie" is much more than your typical movie, because it is also a movie about adolescent life. You get both spectrums of these years, which are the magical moments, and the times of great pain. Even though Carrie's life is probably a lot harder than most, there are still little things that everyone can relate to. Whether it's bullying, abuse from family, or just pure loneliness in the world, everyone has experienced at least one of those.  Outside of the negative moments, we also get to see Carrie go through her first love, which is something that everyone does at some point. The girl also witnesses /causes death in the film, and this is relevant because every teenager goes through loss. So overall, the underlying messages of the movie helped it set itself apart. 

It is rare for me to feel the way that I did after watching this movie. I was completely flabbergasted by what I had seen, yet totally in love with the masterpiece I had experienced. "Carrie" is most definitely one of the best horror movies ever. I would actually go as far as to tie it with "The Shining," because they both gave me the same effect. I highly recommend this movie, because it will be a movie that makes you cry, a movie that makes you cringe, and a movie that will freak you out in every possible way. 

Taste the Blood of Dracula: Movie Review

7/10

In 1970, Christopher Lee was back at it for a fifth Dracula movie from Hammer. "Taste the Blood of Dracula" is a very good movie, and while it has its weaknesses, there is also a lot of great things that make it a worthy horror film for all fans.  

The movie begins quite strangely on a stagecoach. There is three men riding, and two of them gang up on the other and throw him out. This stranded man named Weller then travels alone in the woods, where he hears screams. Running to find what was happening, he finds Dracula with a stake through his heart. I found this beginning pretty cool, because it helped the audience remember where the last film took off, and it was quite intense. 

The movie then skips time a bit, and we meet a girl named Alice, along with her family. Right off the bat, we see conflict between her and her father, because of the man she likes. We also get introduced to three men(one being Alice's father) that are looking for a good time. Their idea is to go to a cathouse, and mess around a bit.  After some time with the ladies, they go out to eat where they speak about dark things like "selling your soul to the devil."  They then meet Weller, and he shows them the ring, cloak, and container of blood that he had from Dracula. After finding these items, the men meet up with a man by the name of Courtley in an abandoned church. Courtley is a man of black magic, and they are quite skeptical about him.  They show him the objects, and he tries to make them drink the blood.  They refuse, and tell him to ingest it. Courtley then reluctantly does this, and it turns him into a vampire.  As he tries to attack the men, they beat him to death. What they didn't know was that Courtley was a servant of Dracula's, and after his death, his body turns into Dracula. Right after this change, Dracula expresses his anger, and sets out for revenge on everyone one of the men. 

The cast in this film was very good, because of their convincing portrayals of the characters, and their depth in talent. Christopher Lee was great as always, and even though he wasn't at his best in this, he still kicked butt. In this movie, he showed even more that words don't matter at all for his performance.  Lee may have spoke twenty words in the whole movie, yet he draws the audience in right away. There is just something special about his intimidating personality, and his way of giving off animal magnetism to women immediately. Geoffrey Keen really excelled in the role of William Hargood, because he really shows Hargood's downfall as realistically as possible.  Whether it was his abusive behavior, or the indulgences in alcohol, he makes it as perfectly executed as possible, and I really respect that. Linda Hayden was pretty awesome as Alice Hargood, because she was extremely sexy in looks and personality, and she had a great way of changing her emotions quickly. There were some scenes where she was happy, some scared, and some where she is seduced intensely. Isla Blair was pretty cool as Lucy Paxton, because she was much like Hayden with her emotions, yet there was also a little bit of darkness that one could see right out the bat. The last standout in my opinion was Ralph Bates as "Lord Courtley." He have such a dark and insane performance, that you could really believe he was part of the black magic cult. 

I thought that the cinematography in the movie was particularly good, because it had a grainy tone to it that helped portray the dark nature needed. It also gave a very authentic feeling that impressed me. One of the great examples of this is a scene where Secker walks into his house. There was such a high definition look to this scene that it looked like an old documentary. 

There was some very cool scenes in this movie, and they were both gruesome and just plain awesome. There was wooden stakes used, biting, etc. Part of the whole idea I liked was how two of the main characters became vampires too, and they were extremely evil because of their slavery to Dracula. It definitely gave an overall creepy tone, because they were very innocent people at first, and now they were harming others sadistically.  

The ending of the movie was pretty weird, but also amazing at the same time.  It was something that hadn't really been done before in the series, so it was much fresher than the typical stake through Dracula schtick. It was also pretty trippy at the same time, which I really liked and appreciated. I was definitely like in a state of being like "what the heck?" so it was a success in my eyes. 

The only weakness I could see in this movie was that their was a lack in the intensity compared to the others. While there was exceptions in a couple scenes, I just didn't get the same feeling of being drawn into the suspense, because there wasn't at much threat.  While this didn't ruin the movie in a big way, it definitely kept it from being one of the better in the series. 

Overall, this movie is one of the weaker in the Hammer Dracula series, but it is still a pretty enjoyable movie. There is some great acting, and some awesome scenes of violence. I definitely recommend watching the movie, because it will be enjoyable like all of the others, but don't expect it to be anywhere near the content of "Horror of Dracula" and "Dracula Has Risen From the Grave."

Dracula Has Risen From the Grave: Movie Review

8.5/10

The year was 1968, and Christopher Lee was back for his fourth Hammer Dracula movie.  "Dracula Has Risen From the Grave" really stuck out in the series for its gruesome violence, it's great display of terror, and some beautiful camerawork too. I can definitely call it one of the better in the series, and one of the coolest horror movies of all time. 

The introduction credits were really awesome in my opinion, because they were super psychedelic, with the dripping colors running all over the place.  While this could be considered dated now, I really find it cool, because I love the vintage films of this time. On these credits, there is also some amazing music in the background that may be one of the most epic scores ever.  When the movie actually starts, right off the bat comes shocking horrors. A man is walking through the church, when he finds a dead woman hanging and covered in blood. The question is who did this, and why?  The presumption is Dracula, because of the lines said by a priest. Soon after, the movie moves forward a year forward to 1906, and a man named Monsignor Ernest Mueller claims that Dracula has been destroyed.  Mueller decides to check on East European Village, and is surprised to see what has happened. The first person he ran into was an altar boy that had now become a mute. The second person is a priest that has really lost any belief in his own religion. The two of them talk about concern that Dracula is back. They then take a journey to a mountain, and the priest decides to turn back about half way through. As he goes back, he falls and hits his head. In this moment, the blood from his body falls into the mouth of dead Dracula, and he is revived.... This foolishness begins a chain of attacks at the hand of this vampire, and the control that he puts on them.

The first forty minutes were very slow. There was a couple little shocks here and there, but a lot of it was used for character development and such. I really didn't mind this, because all of these scenes were done very well, and they set up the later parts to be even more shocking. This becomes very apparent during the forty five minute mark, because there is a very intense and amazingly done scene that takes place in the woods. This actually happens to be one of my favorite parts of the series, because it was so claustrophobic, and it was filmed very well to the point where one feels like they're experiencing it. I also love the setting of the woods in this moment, because even though there are places to run, there is no one there to help. 

Even though the idea wasn't first used in this movie, I really liked how apparent that the film made it that the victims of Dracula became his slave in a sense. You can really tell this in the ways that their sanity is compromised, and by the smiles on their faces when he comes by. They become mindless minions that have no problem at all in do exactly what he wants.  I think that this is much darker than just killing people, because it shows how the people that were loved at one point became evil in a sense. The other part of it that is really crazy, is that even though signs of the people going mad happen, a lot of the public don't care to say anything or even notice.

To make the movie even better, the cast was absolutely amazing. Starting off with my favorite horror actor ever, Christopher Lee completely kills it as Dracula in this installment.  He was darker than ever in this movie, because he didn't have to say anything, but just give a look with those sinister eyes, and stand there in the presence of scared people.  He was also extremely well at portraying the seductive side of Dracula for this movie in particular, because you can show how much the characters take pleasure in his advances that lead to their bite.  Even though we know he is bad, and the people probably do too, he just has a way of drawing them in with his suave nature, and there is really no going back for them.  Rupert Davies gave a very good performance as Ernest, because he was extremely likable with his aura and personality, and he was very convincing at showcasing his fear and such. Veronica Carlson was really neat as Maria Muller. She was an extremely beautiful girl, and you can initially sense a very pure nature to her.  This changes though, because when Dracula comes into her life, she becomes a very intense and romantic girl because of his seductions. Ewan Hooper gave a very realistic and suspenseful performance as the possessed priest, because one can totally sense how much change happened to him in his life, and even though he turns somewhat, you can tell that he has a want to be good, as he battles for his own life. 

When I first saw that this movie was rated G, I was worried that it was a weak movie with low caliber attacks. I was very surprised when I saw the actual product though. There is no way that this film would be G now, and it may actually be closer to PG-13 or R. There was some pretty gruesome scenes, especially one that features blood spraying everywhere.  This is a prime example of how censors really missed the mark at times, and I find it quite humorous to be honest. 

 I was actually super impressed, because the film had a much darker tone than a lot of the ones before, whether it was because of the violence itself or the atmosphere. I think part of this was the camerawork too, because the red tinted screen made very trippy and crazy feeling when it happened a couple times. 

The last half of the movie was pretty epic, and it blew my mind. There was constant pressure about Dracula, and there was a lot of fighting too. The ending was also pretty intense, and gruesome for sure, and it left the audience at a shock, which is always the best way to finish a horror film.  All of these scenes really shaped the movie to be one of the most exciting of the genre. 

Overall, this movie really made my day.  It was a high quality, and extremely intense horror movie, and even though it started off slow, it ended up blowing me away.  There was a great cast, great technical aspects, and it is worth the time of every horror fan.  Definitely give this film a chance, because I guarantee that it will blow your mind away. 

Horror of Dracula: Movie Review

9.5/10 

Ever since the 1920's, vampires have been a big part of cinema. Whether it was Nosferatu, or the Dracula played by Bela Lugosi, they were all great, and the monsters had become a cultural phenomenon. In 1958, the character of Count Dracula was portrayed in a way like never before, and better than anyone could've ever expected. "Horror of Dracula" was the first Dracula movie by Hammer, and it starred the legend himself, Christopher Lee. Not only is this the best vampire movie ever, it also happens to be one of my favorites over all. It is a dark, macabre, and masterful movie that has captured the world since its release. 

The movie begins with a narration, and it tells of a man named John Harker. As the narration goes on, Harker enters the castle of Dracula. John journeys alone at the castle, until he runs into a woman that says she is a captive of Dracula's. Soon after Count Dracula introduces himself to John, and shows him to his room. Even though Count seems normal at first, but things get a little weird when he locks John in his room. Harker just shrugs it off, and everything seems fine.  These beginning scenes are very interesting, and their is such a beauty to all of the sets and filming. It really makes one feel like they're really in the 1800's, because their is a very bright tone in the lighting that gives the complex feeling of the times. I also found the credit sequence to be awesome, because of the great look of the words, and some very intense background music. 

In just moments to come, the movie takes a very different tone.  John meets the young lady again, and tries to help her.  She then leans into him like she's going to kiss him, and bites him.  Now extremely shocked, John gets the idea that there is vampires.  This turns into a showdown between the three in the castle, and it is one of the greatest scenes in a classic movie that I've ever seen. I could really sense the tensity and pure anxiety that the characters were feeling, and it just had such a cool look to it. In the course of the movie, we then meet Dr Abraham Van Helsing, and a rivalry of good vs evil takes place like never before. 

The first thing that I really appreciate about this movie is the stereotypes it broke from being dry. First off, it was a film about the 1800's which, sometimes lag, and second, it's a film about the period from the 1950's. Regardless of these two factors, the movie is still very refreshing, and I never got bored at all. In fact, I actually found it to be even more engaging than later films on the subject.

The next thing that is very perfect about the film is the cast. For starters, Christopher Lee was absolutely born to play Count Dracula. He really had a way of being super dark, but also suave at the same time, and I have never seen anyone be able to pull this off before. I would go as far as saying that I like him even more than Lugosi.  I really thought that Peter Cushing fit the role of Van Helsing very well, because he had the qualities of a hero, yet he could be stern and dark at the same time. These qualities were absolutely necessary for the character, because he was never written to be a bright and happy person. Another member of the cast that was special was Carol Marsh as Lucy. The reason that I really liked her is that she definitely portrays fear in her first scenes, but she turns evil and seductive in just moments later. Michael Gough was cool as Arthur, because he really gave off the vibe of a cocky scholar that thinks he's better than everyone.  I thought this was funny, because then when he is in trouble with the vampires, he depends on everyone else. Melissa Stribling's character of Mina was the most stereotypical of everyone, because she wasn't shown as strong at all, yet a woman that needed the aid of a man at almost all times. This really shows the time period of the movie, because Stribling showed no remorse for it at all. 

The portrayal of vampires and their attacks was absolutely awesome in this movie, because they were very raw, and dark, and had a lot of shock value for their time period. You could really sense the bloodthirsty lust coming from every one of them, and it's totally convincing that the actors aren't full humans anymore. Even the vampire fangs looked pretty good, because they weren't overboard, but subtle as a way of boosting the realism.  I also liked that the movie stayed very true to the vampire legends, with the garlic, crosses, and wooden stakes, because it really gave a lot of the familiar nostalgia that made the movies awesome. Even though the idea wasn't done for the first time in this movie, I actually found it quite interesting that Dracula could seduce his future victims, regardless of the fact that he is a vampire. This movie really emphasized the erotic side of the story without even being explicit, because you could feel the sexiness from a mile away. 

The ending of this movie really blew my mind, because it is a full throttle showdown between two of the main characters. In this scene, there was an immense brutality that went along with it, even though it was bloodless for the most part.  These last five minutes really made up a lot of the movie for me, because they had all of the shock that I wanted in the movie, which raised my opinion of it very high. 

If there was one weakness to the whole film, it would be that it was too short. The 81 minute run time went very quick in my opinion, and I could have sat through even more.  While keeping it short and sweet didn't hurt the movie, I wish it could be changed somehow. 

Overall, this movie was really really amazing. It had such a fun vibe to watch, because it was truly as perfect as you can get in making a vampire movie.  It was shocking, clever, and one of the best horror movies I have ever seen. It is most definitely the best Dracula movie to start, and also probably one of the best of the 1950's. Definitely check it out, because you won't be disappointed.