Mr Nobody (2009)
Any thoughts, let me know in the comments
Horror mini-reviews (3 of 3) + ranking of films
This month, I found a top 25 Italian giallo list, so because of Halloween, I decided to give a handful of those murder mysteries a watch. Soundonsight also have an interesting 150 Greatest Horror Films roundup, which also served as inspiration for my horrorthon.
Again, no spoilers for the mini-reviews:
Repulsion (1965)
Widely considered a classic, black and white psychological-horror film recommended by Josh as part of his top 10 favorite horror films. Directed by Roman Polanski, and technically brilliant, the camera work and atmosphere of the film reminded me of The Double Life of Veronique (1991), showing personal intimacy and small details in a young woman's day-to-day life. I think you can either find this style very intense or very boring. The visual language and exaggerated sound(phone, clock, church-bells) gives us a feeling of being inside the mind of the over-sensitive protagonist.
Repulsion (1965) is from the point-of-view of fragile, introverted, confused and beautiful Carol (Catherine Deneuve in a stand-out performance). Her spiral out of control and mental breakdown is a disturbing ordeal. The line is blurred between reality, madness. You could also view elements as supernatural, I don't buy that interpretation. Self-defense is also a theme.
Repulsion is the first of Polanski's "apartment trilogy" (the other two being Rosemary's Baby (1968) and The Tenant (1976).
Favorite quote: "We all have to lead our own lives in the end, you know"
Rating 8.2
Shivers (They Came From Within) (1975)
Early David Cronenberg horror film. Due to the low budget, the audio is pretty shoddy, and it does shift around between a wide range of characters more than I'm comfortable with, so characterization is at a minimum. Nevertheless, a memorable and captivating look at a medical experiment gone wrong. Takes place in in a claustrophobic, fortress-like luxury apartment complex. The worm-like creatures are incredibly disgusting, shivers indeed!!!
Suspenseful, unsettling and unpredictable. A reaction to changing attitudes towards sex during the 1970s. Brings new meaning to the word sex addict. Cronenberg was still honing his craft with this body horror film, and gives an indication of what was to come. The Fly (1986) for example. Horrifying side effects of health care industry is also a theme in Cronenberg's Scanners (1981).
Favorite quote: "Why not breed a parasite that can do something useful? A parasite that can take over the function of a human organ"
Rating 7.6
Scanners (1981)
David Cronenberg futuristic thriller. Scanners boasts some impressive special effects. We are thrown into the mind of the patient, listening to all those voices. The sound effects are disturbing, so at times painful to watch, rather than entertaining. About dangerous telekinesis, telepathy, mind control, and learning to harness your abilities. How medical industry are experimenting with side effects of a drug. Scanners look like ordinary humans. Perhaps David Cronenberg was using the film as a metaphor to comment on society's prejudicial attitudes towards the mentally ill. In the context of the story, schizophrenia comes to mind. Being forced to live on the fringes of society as their powers/weaknesses are feared and misunderstood by many. Sort of like how the "X-Men" movies worked out.
Impressed by the creepy performance by Michael Ironside, his devilishness reminds me of Jack Nicholson, and it was a pity he vanished in the middle part of the film. Uncanny how similar looking Cameron Vale (main character Stephen Lack) is to the real life David Cronenberg, he must be the director's alter ego.
I liked the film, but I wish Cronenberg had done a little more with the ideas. My rating is slightly lower than Shivers (1975), because I feel Cronenberg is covering the same ground again about dangerous side effects of health care system, albeit with different story. However, from a technical standpoint, Scanners is a step up from his 1975 work, obviously because of a larger budget.
Favorite quote: "With all those other voices in your head, how can you hear your own voice? How can you develop the self-personality"
Rating 7.5
Black Sabbath (1963)
Recommended by SDG from U, Me and Films. Italian horror tales dubbed in English. Anthology divided into three parts; The Telephone, The Wurdulak, & The Drop of Water. All of the segments feature beautiful women. The heavy metal band Black Sabbath appropriated their name from the British title of the film.
"The Telephone" creates tension by someone ringing a woman when she is home alone. (A mysterious person on the phone may have been the inspiration for opening 20 minutes of 1979 horror movie When A Stranger Calls)
The second part "The Wurdulak" was the least scary, yet best for atmospheric visuals.
"The Drop of Water" was the creepiest and most memorable of the three, I just wish the old woman's face didn't look like a wax work. Could conceivably have been even creepier then.
If you like anthology horror, I'd also recommend Dead of Night (1945), and Kwaidan (1964).
Rating 7.6
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)
Science fiction-psychological horror film. According to rotten tomatoes the 1978 remake expands upon themes and ideas only lightly explored in the 1956 original.
The opening credits sequence is spectacular, partly down to DP Michael Chapman, who also worked on Taxi Driver and Raging Bull.
Not bad, enjoyable to pass the time, an eeriness is maintained. A scene that stayed with me was when plants are going crazy, while Donald Sutherland sleeps in the garden chair.
You can read the story as an allegory of mass political brainwashing and loss of individualism.
Favorite quote: "isn't it more likely that you want him to change, because it gives you an excuse to get out?"
Rating 7.4
Santa Sangre (Holy Blood) (1989)
Recommended by 3guys1movie. Atmospheric, hallucinatory, and imaginative Spanish drama/horror/mystery by director Alejandro Jodorowsky. Ranked 476th on Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time.
If I had to compare it to anything, would be The Fall (2006)
And no, it's not about Christmas, even with Santa in the title.
The story is a little uneven and all over the place, probably to emphasize the hallucinatory state the main character is in.
In fact, it almost plays out as a silent film, the dialogue is not needed.
I got the feeling the director had thrown all his wild ideas into this project, so there's a lot to take in on the first viewing.
So why didn't I give it a higher score? Somehow so abstract, symbolic and mysterious that it never quite becomes as emotionally involving as it wants to be, and this for me lessens the impact of the imagery. Nevertheless, a visual treat for the senses. I would label this arthouse horror.
Rating 7.3
Les Diabolique (The Devils) (1955)
Recommended by David at Taste of Cinema. Has been called the greatest film that Alfred Hitchcock never made. I wouldn't call Les Diabolique a horror film, I'd label it suspense/mystery. The opening credits score had a shade of The Shining.
I liked it, wouldn't say I loved it. Not sure my nerves can handle any more films that keep the twist a secret for over an hour!!! Keeps you on the edge of your seat!
Rating 7.5
The Omen (1976)
Recommended by Jessica at The Velvet Cafe. Directed by Richard Donner, a slick, entertaining mainstream horror movie that is widely hailed as a classic. You might think twice about adopting a random child after having watched The Omen!
Only small thing that rang the alarm bells for me was the pregnancy issue, mother couldn't have children at beginning, yet doctor says she can later on?
Even though the omen warnings on photographs is an idea that is difficult for me to take seriously, the filmmakers do a good job in making Gregory Peck's character and his wife very skeptical. An engaging film, that won't scare you to death, but has plenty of memorable scenes. Jerry Goldsmith won an Oscar for the chilling score.
Trivia: A series of events happened during the making of "The Omen" (October 1975 to January 1976) that caused some speculation as to whether or not the film was "cursed".
Rating 7.6
Possession (1981)
Recommended by Sati from Cinematic Corner.
Powerful drama starring Sam Neil and Isabelle Adjani(in an award winning performance). A relationship is falling apart. Has an unease and tension that keeps you on edge, not knowing at all what is going to happen next, because there’s a lot of irrational behaviour. Fluctuated a lot between low and high audio. Anger outbursts, arguing and crazy domestic violence, I didn’t know how to react to what I saw. I think on my part it was a mix or disgust and fascination. So quite a dark film, that will not be to everyone’s taste.
The sound quality is not of the highest order, it seems it was low budget production. Several characters behave in an odd way, flirting, stealing, chasing. I’m glad I wasn’t the actor who had to keep his head under water in the toilet bowl!!! The director has stated that he wrote the screenplay in the midst of a messy divorce.
If you like the work of Cronenberg, you should give it a try. A unique experience. The film was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes.
Favorite quote: “So that’s how you’ve changed her so much! Possibly, but is it changing her or making her open to herself”
Quote: “I can’t exist by myself, because I’m afraid of myself. Because I’m the maker of my own evil.”
Rating 7.6
Carnival of Souls (1962)
Recommended by Dusty at Playground of Doom, who says it's one of his favorite films. A low budget b-movie with poor audio quality, which has gained acclaim in recent years, and is now in the Criterion Collection.
The organ music is effective in setting the mood, but the scares are a bit dated. A loner woman gets a job as a Church organist in a new town, but she is seeing unsettling things everywhere.
May have been an inspiration for a number of subsequent high profile horror films, which I’ll refrain from mentioning due to spoilers. Carnival of Souls has atmosphere, and is worth a look, and does rise above its B-movie budget. If you can handle the dodgy audio, you might get into it. Some call it overrated, others call it a gem. It held my attention.
Rating 7.4
Hellraiser 2 (1988)
The good news is you get to see the hellraiser world, which due to budgetary limitations was only hinted at in the original. There is also more money spent this time on gore. Aside from a couple of visuals from the underworld, and an underwhelming revelation of who pinhead is, the sequel doesn’t really add much else to the mythology. Lacks the freshness of the first film. Never boring, and quite an entertaining watch, but based on the trailer, I thought part 2 would have more to offer.
Rating 6.0
House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Recommended by SJHoneywell at 1001plus. A group of people are locked in a house that may, or may not be haunted, and must survive the night in order to receive $10.000. High on suspense and mystery, low on actual scares. We wait to see what will go wrong. No big action scenes, on a minor scale. Memorable performance by sinister Vincent Price as the host of the gathering. Avoid the 1999 CGI remake at all costs...
Rating 7.5
House of Wax (1953)
Entertaining, even though, in my opinion, the first half of the movie is stronger than the second half. Vincent Price sure put his safety at risk during the opening 15 minutes. Wow, doesn’t look like a stuntman! The film was one of the biggest hits of 1953, according to Wikipedia.
Favorite quotes: “To you they are wax, to me the creator they live and breath”
“If a girl don’t watch her figure, a man won’t!”
Rating 7.4
Noroi : The Curse (2005)
A Japanese found footage horror. A series of mysterious deaths, are they coincidences or a curse? A number of witnesses are interviewed. Has certain similarities with The Blair Witch Project (1999). Unfortunately I don’t have very much positive to say about Noroi, I disliked the film. Has a fanbase and has been called an ”intricate puzzle”. Sadly I found it overlong, tedious, and not at all scary. The final scene is quite memorable, that was only thing I liked. I didn’t care about the characters or the outcome, and struggled to finish. Perhaps it appeals more to an Asian audience? To me it was extremely boring. My least favorite of the horrorthon.
Rating 3.5
Black Sunday (1960)
Features in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Mario Bava's directorial debut, which confusingly goes by several different titles (see poster above for evidence). About a vengeful witch.
Loved it, strong for atmosphere, set pieces, and suspense.
I believed this place is haunted!
According to Wikipedia, Black Sunday was a worldwide critical and box office success, and launched the careers of director Mario Bava and movie star Barbara Steele.
Recommended, if you are a fan of Tim Burton, or Coppola’s Dracula (1992)
Rating 8.1
Don’t Look Now (1973)
Based on a short story by Daphne du Maurier. A psychological drama/mystery about a grieving couple, who meet a psychic. The editing is very deliberate. The colours and images are loaded with symbolism, and the city of Venice looks stunning. A film I could watch every 10 years and still notice new details. Holds up well despite being from the 70s. As rotten tomatoes writes, we feel their grief. Is this a giallo? If so, among the best.
Rating 8.2
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972)
Italian giallo mystery dubbed in English, directed by Sergio Martino. The film uses elements from Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Black Cat, and acknowledges this influence in the film's opening credits. Bookended by two memorable scenes. About a writer who sleeps around, we witness a series of murders without knowing the killers identity. Likely this film was the inspiration for the typewriter scene in The Shining (1980).
I liked the score, and how we got to know the characters. It’s a strange mix of frequent nudity, and character study. The murder mystery surprisingly takes a back seat, which may put off some viewers. Of the Italian giallo films I saw, this one would rank as the most psychologically interesting. Not simply a whodunit, the characters are also worth observing on their own merit. Uneven, pretty effective film.
Favorite quote: “Drink. Maybe you’d prefer drinking from my empty skull?
Rating 7.3
The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh (1971)
Italian giallo mystery dubbed in English. Having now watched two of Sergio Martino’s films, a trend with his work is that he wants to show nudity every 5-10 minutes, and has a love of motorcycles. Plus characters have a strong appetite for sex.
I love the wailing music theme by Nora Orlandi. Aside from the twist ending, didn’t have any other stand-out scenes. But a pretty good film, that is considered among the top 20 Italian giallos.
In an interesting sidenote, the letter "h" was added to the name "Ward" when an Italian woman named Mrs. Ward threatened legal action over the original title's potentially damaging her good name, just before the film was released.
Favorite quote: “They shouldn’t have given that killer all those free ads in the press and on TV, now he thinks he’s got to go on with the killings to live up to his reputation”
Rating 7.2
Blood and Black Lace (1964)
Early influencial giallo, dubbed in English. I really liked the first two Mario Bava films I saw this month, this was by far the worst of the three. Served as a stylistic template for the "body count" slasher films of the 1980s.
I would give it 4 for story and characters, 8 for lighting and set design. We never got to know the characters for long, so the cast feel like they are basically there to be killed off. Aside from one scene involving a burned face, to me the story lacks a spark when it comes to suspense, and the ending was unremarkable. I find this giallo film dull and overrated. There is nothing really of interest except Mario Bava’s signature flair for visuals. In Italy, Blood and Black Lace was a box office failure, and I’m not that surprised. I was bored.
Rating 5.5
The Black Belly of The Tarantula (1971)
Italian giallo mystery subtitled in English. After the success of Dario Argento’s The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), the Italian film industry set out to produce a slate of thrillers with animal-related titles.
The first 10 minutes of the film made me wonder if it was another erotic giallo in the style of Sergio Martino’s films, but that is not the case at all.
Instead the vast majority of the film is about the detective work, and for a change we get to see the home life of the detective. A couple of bizarre attacks on women are looked into.
Good story, a memorable roof chase is a highlight. I was expecting spiders to have more screen time with that title. Despite that, the film keeps you on edge the whole way. Tense soundtrack by famed Italian composer Ennio Morricone.
Having now watched a group of different giallo directors, I’m convinced that Dario Argento’s 70s and 80s work is the best of the bunch. The Black Belly of The Tarantula (1971) is however one of the finest of the non-Argento giallo films I’ve discovered.
Rating 7.4
Monthly recap
Ranking of horror marathon (my scores in brackets)
Recommended:
1.) Repulsion (1965) (8.2)
2.) Don't Look Now (1973) (8.2)
3.) Black Sunday (1960) (8.1)
4.) The Descent (2005) (8.0)
5.) The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920) (8.0)
6.) Ghost Stories (Kwaidan) (1964) (7.9)
7.) Altered States (1980) (7.8)
8.) Paranormal Activity (2007) (7.8)
9.) The Omen (1976) (7.6)
10.) Possession (1981) (7.6)
11.) Don't Torture A Duckling (1972) (7.6)
12.) Black Sabbath (1963) (7.6)
13.) Shivers (1975) (7.6)
14.) Shaun of the Dead (2004) (7.5)
15.) Peeping Tom (1960) (7.5)
16.) House on Haunted Hill (1959) (7.5)
17.) Zombieland (2009) (7.5)
18.) The Beyond (1981) (7.5)
19.) Scanners (1981) (7.5)
20.) Night of the Living Dead (1968) (7.5)
21.) Les Diabolique (1955) (7.5)
22.) Hellraiser (1987) (7.4)
23.) Carnival of Souls (1962) (7.4)
24.) House of Wax (1953) (7.4)
25.) Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978) (7.4)
26.) The Black Belly of The Tarantula (1971) (7.4)
27.) Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972) (7.3)
28.) Santa Sangre (1989) (7.3)
29.) The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh (1971) (7.2)
Not recommended:
30.) Sweeney Todd (2007) (6.8)
31.) Children of The Corn (1984) (6.5)
32.) Friday the 13th (1980) (6.5)
33.) Practical Magic (1998) (6.2)
34.) Insidious (2011) (6.0)
35.) Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) (6.0)
36.) Blood and Black Lace (1964) (5.5)
37.) Re-Animator (1985) (5.5)
38.) Noroi: The Curse (2005) (3.5)
Agree or disagree? Have you watched any of these? Which horror films did you see this October? I think I've watched enough horror to last me until Halloween next year LOL!
Again, no spoilers for the mini-reviews:
Repulsion (1965)
Widely considered a classic, black and white psychological-horror film recommended by Josh as part of his top 10 favorite horror films. Directed by Roman Polanski, and technically brilliant, the camera work and atmosphere of the film reminded me of The Double Life of Veronique (1991), showing personal intimacy and small details in a young woman's day-to-day life. I think you can either find this style very intense or very boring. The visual language and exaggerated sound(phone, clock, church-bells) gives us a feeling of being inside the mind of the over-sensitive protagonist.
Repulsion (1965) is from the point-of-view of fragile, introverted, confused and beautiful Carol (Catherine Deneuve in a stand-out performance). Her spiral out of control and mental breakdown is a disturbing ordeal. The line is blurred between reality, madness. You could also view elements as supernatural, I don't buy that interpretation. Self-defense is also a theme.
Repulsion is the first of Polanski's "apartment trilogy" (the other two being Rosemary's Baby (1968) and The Tenant (1976).
Favorite quote: "We all have to lead our own lives in the end, you know"
Rating 8.2
Shivers (They Came From Within) (1975)
Early David Cronenberg horror film. Due to the low budget, the audio is pretty shoddy, and it does shift around between a wide range of characters more than I'm comfortable with, so characterization is at a minimum. Nevertheless, a memorable and captivating look at a medical experiment gone wrong. Takes place in in a claustrophobic, fortress-like luxury apartment complex. The worm-like creatures are incredibly disgusting, shivers indeed!!!
Suspenseful, unsettling and unpredictable. A reaction to changing attitudes towards sex during the 1970s. Brings new meaning to the word sex addict. Cronenberg was still honing his craft with this body horror film, and gives an indication of what was to come. The Fly (1986) for example. Horrifying side effects of health care industry is also a theme in Cronenberg's Scanners (1981).
Favorite quote: "Why not breed a parasite that can do something useful? A parasite that can take over the function of a human organ"
Rating 7.6
Scanners (1981)
David Cronenberg futuristic thriller. Scanners boasts some impressive special effects. We are thrown into the mind of the patient, listening to all those voices. The sound effects are disturbing, so at times painful to watch, rather than entertaining. About dangerous telekinesis, telepathy, mind control, and learning to harness your abilities. How medical industry are experimenting with side effects of a drug. Scanners look like ordinary humans. Perhaps David Cronenberg was using the film as a metaphor to comment on society's prejudicial attitudes towards the mentally ill. In the context of the story, schizophrenia comes to mind. Being forced to live on the fringes of society as their powers/weaknesses are feared and misunderstood by many. Sort of like how the "X-Men" movies worked out.
Impressed by the creepy performance by Michael Ironside, his devilishness reminds me of Jack Nicholson, and it was a pity he vanished in the middle part of the film. Uncanny how similar looking Cameron Vale (main character Stephen Lack) is to the real life David Cronenberg, he must be the director's alter ego.
I liked the film, but I wish Cronenberg had done a little more with the ideas. My rating is slightly lower than Shivers (1975), because I feel Cronenberg is covering the same ground again about dangerous side effects of health care system, albeit with different story. However, from a technical standpoint, Scanners is a step up from his 1975 work, obviously because of a larger budget.
Favorite quote: "With all those other voices in your head, how can you hear your own voice? How can you develop the self-personality"
Rating 7.5
Black Sabbath (1963)
Recommended by SDG from U, Me and Films. Italian horror tales dubbed in English. Anthology divided into three parts; The Telephone, The Wurdulak, & The Drop of Water. All of the segments feature beautiful women. The heavy metal band Black Sabbath appropriated their name from the British title of the film.
"The Telephone" creates tension by someone ringing a woman when she is home alone. (A mysterious person on the phone may have been the inspiration for opening 20 minutes of 1979 horror movie When A Stranger Calls)
The second part "The Wurdulak" was the least scary, yet best for atmospheric visuals.
"The Drop of Water" was the creepiest and most memorable of the three, I just wish the old woman's face didn't look like a wax work. Could conceivably have been even creepier then.
If you like anthology horror, I'd also recommend Dead of Night (1945), and Kwaidan (1964).
Rating 7.6
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)
Science fiction-psychological horror film. According to rotten tomatoes the 1978 remake expands upon themes and ideas only lightly explored in the 1956 original.
The opening credits sequence is spectacular, partly down to DP Michael Chapman, who also worked on Taxi Driver and Raging Bull.
Not bad, enjoyable to pass the time, an eeriness is maintained. A scene that stayed with me was when plants are going crazy, while Donald Sutherland sleeps in the garden chair.
You can read the story as an allegory of mass political brainwashing and loss of individualism.
Favorite quote: "isn't it more likely that you want him to change, because it gives you an excuse to get out?"
Rating 7.4
Santa Sangre (Holy Blood) (1989)
Recommended by 3guys1movie. Atmospheric, hallucinatory, and imaginative Spanish drama/horror/mystery by director Alejandro Jodorowsky. Ranked 476th on Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time.
If I had to compare it to anything, would be The Fall (2006)
And no, it's not about Christmas, even with Santa in the title.
The story is a little uneven and all over the place, probably to emphasize the hallucinatory state the main character is in.
In fact, it almost plays out as a silent film, the dialogue is not needed.
I got the feeling the director had thrown all his wild ideas into this project, so there's a lot to take in on the first viewing.
So why didn't I give it a higher score? Somehow so abstract, symbolic and mysterious that it never quite becomes as emotionally involving as it wants to be, and this for me lessens the impact of the imagery. Nevertheless, a visual treat for the senses. I would label this arthouse horror.
Rating 7.3
Les Diabolique (The Devils) (1955)
Recommended by David at Taste of Cinema. Has been called the greatest film that Alfred Hitchcock never made. I wouldn't call Les Diabolique a horror film, I'd label it suspense/mystery. The opening credits score had a shade of The Shining.
I liked it, wouldn't say I loved it. Not sure my nerves can handle any more films that keep the twist a secret for over an hour!!! Keeps you on the edge of your seat!
Rating 7.5
The Omen (1976)
Recommended by Jessica at The Velvet Cafe. Directed by Richard Donner, a slick, entertaining mainstream horror movie that is widely hailed as a classic. You might think twice about adopting a random child after having watched The Omen!
Only small thing that rang the alarm bells for me was the pregnancy issue, mother couldn't have children at beginning, yet doctor says she can later on?
Even though the omen warnings on photographs is an idea that is difficult for me to take seriously, the filmmakers do a good job in making Gregory Peck's character and his wife very skeptical. An engaging film, that won't scare you to death, but has plenty of memorable scenes. Jerry Goldsmith won an Oscar for the chilling score.
Trivia: A series of events happened during the making of "The Omen" (October 1975 to January 1976) that caused some speculation as to whether or not the film was "cursed".
Rating 7.6
Possession (1981)
Recommended by Sati from Cinematic Corner.
Powerful drama starring Sam Neil and Isabelle Adjani(in an award winning performance). A relationship is falling apart. Has an unease and tension that keeps you on edge, not knowing at all what is going to happen next, because there’s a lot of irrational behaviour. Fluctuated a lot between low and high audio. Anger outbursts, arguing and crazy domestic violence, I didn’t know how to react to what I saw. I think on my part it was a mix or disgust and fascination. So quite a dark film, that will not be to everyone’s taste.
The sound quality is not of the highest order, it seems it was low budget production. Several characters behave in an odd way, flirting, stealing, chasing. I’m glad I wasn’t the actor who had to keep his head under water in the toilet bowl!!! The director has stated that he wrote the screenplay in the midst of a messy divorce.
If you like the work of Cronenberg, you should give it a try. A unique experience. The film was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes.
Favorite quote: “So that’s how you’ve changed her so much! Possibly, but is it changing her or making her open to herself”
Quote: “I can’t exist by myself, because I’m afraid of myself. Because I’m the maker of my own evil.”
Rating 7.6
Carnival of Souls (1962)
Recommended by Dusty at Playground of Doom, who says it's one of his favorite films. A low budget b-movie with poor audio quality, which has gained acclaim in recent years, and is now in the Criterion Collection.
The organ music is effective in setting the mood, but the scares are a bit dated. A loner woman gets a job as a Church organist in a new town, but she is seeing unsettling things everywhere.
May have been an inspiration for a number of subsequent high profile horror films, which I’ll refrain from mentioning due to spoilers. Carnival of Souls has atmosphere, and is worth a look, and does rise above its B-movie budget. If you can handle the dodgy audio, you might get into it. Some call it overrated, others call it a gem. It held my attention.
Rating 7.4
Hellraiser 2 (1988)
The good news is you get to see the hellraiser world, which due to budgetary limitations was only hinted at in the original. There is also more money spent this time on gore. Aside from a couple of visuals from the underworld, and an underwhelming revelation of who pinhead is, the sequel doesn’t really add much else to the mythology. Lacks the freshness of the first film. Never boring, and quite an entertaining watch, but based on the trailer, I thought part 2 would have more to offer.
Rating 6.0
House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Recommended by SJHoneywell at 1001plus. A group of people are locked in a house that may, or may not be haunted, and must survive the night in order to receive $10.000. High on suspense and mystery, low on actual scares. We wait to see what will go wrong. No big action scenes, on a minor scale. Memorable performance by sinister Vincent Price as the host of the gathering. Avoid the 1999 CGI remake at all costs...
Rating 7.5
House of Wax (1953)
Entertaining, even though, in my opinion, the first half of the movie is stronger than the second half. Vincent Price sure put his safety at risk during the opening 15 minutes. Wow, doesn’t look like a stuntman! The film was one of the biggest hits of 1953, according to Wikipedia.
Favorite quotes: “To you they are wax, to me the creator they live and breath”
“If a girl don’t watch her figure, a man won’t!”
Rating 7.4
Noroi : The Curse (2005)
A Japanese found footage horror. A series of mysterious deaths, are they coincidences or a curse? A number of witnesses are interviewed. Has certain similarities with The Blair Witch Project (1999). Unfortunately I don’t have very much positive to say about Noroi, I disliked the film. Has a fanbase and has been called an ”intricate puzzle”. Sadly I found it overlong, tedious, and not at all scary. The final scene is quite memorable, that was only thing I liked. I didn’t care about the characters or the outcome, and struggled to finish. Perhaps it appeals more to an Asian audience? To me it was extremely boring. My least favorite of the horrorthon.
Rating 3.5
Black Sunday (1960)
Features in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Mario Bava's directorial debut, which confusingly goes by several different titles (see poster above for evidence). About a vengeful witch.
Loved it, strong for atmosphere, set pieces, and suspense.
I believed this place is haunted!
According to Wikipedia, Black Sunday was a worldwide critical and box office success, and launched the careers of director Mario Bava and movie star Barbara Steele.
Recommended, if you are a fan of Tim Burton, or Coppola’s Dracula (1992)
Rating 8.1
Don’t Look Now (1973)
Based on a short story by Daphne du Maurier. A psychological drama/mystery about a grieving couple, who meet a psychic. The editing is very deliberate. The colours and images are loaded with symbolism, and the city of Venice looks stunning. A film I could watch every 10 years and still notice new details. Holds up well despite being from the 70s. As rotten tomatoes writes, we feel their grief. Is this a giallo? If so, among the best.
Rating 8.2
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972)
Italian giallo mystery dubbed in English, directed by Sergio Martino. The film uses elements from Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Black Cat, and acknowledges this influence in the film's opening credits. Bookended by two memorable scenes. About a writer who sleeps around, we witness a series of murders without knowing the killers identity. Likely this film was the inspiration for the typewriter scene in The Shining (1980).
I liked the score, and how we got to know the characters. It’s a strange mix of frequent nudity, and character study. The murder mystery surprisingly takes a back seat, which may put off some viewers. Of the Italian giallo films I saw, this one would rank as the most psychologically interesting. Not simply a whodunit, the characters are also worth observing on their own merit. Uneven, pretty effective film.
Favorite quote: “Drink. Maybe you’d prefer drinking from my empty skull?
Rating 7.3
The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh (1971)
Italian giallo mystery dubbed in English. Having now watched two of Sergio Martino’s films, a trend with his work is that he wants to show nudity every 5-10 minutes, and has a love of motorcycles. Plus characters have a strong appetite for sex.
I love the wailing music theme by Nora Orlandi. Aside from the twist ending, didn’t have any other stand-out scenes. But a pretty good film, that is considered among the top 20 Italian giallos.
In an interesting sidenote, the letter "h" was added to the name "Ward" when an Italian woman named Mrs. Ward threatened legal action over the original title's potentially damaging her good name, just before the film was released.
Favorite quote: “They shouldn’t have given that killer all those free ads in the press and on TV, now he thinks he’s got to go on with the killings to live up to his reputation”
Rating 7.2
Blood and Black Lace (1964)
Early influencial giallo, dubbed in English. I really liked the first two Mario Bava films I saw this month, this was by far the worst of the three. Served as a stylistic template for the "body count" slasher films of the 1980s.
I would give it 4 for story and characters, 8 for lighting and set design. We never got to know the characters for long, so the cast feel like they are basically there to be killed off. Aside from one scene involving a burned face, to me the story lacks a spark when it comes to suspense, and the ending was unremarkable. I find this giallo film dull and overrated. There is nothing really of interest except Mario Bava’s signature flair for visuals. In Italy, Blood and Black Lace was a box office failure, and I’m not that surprised. I was bored.
Rating 5.5
The Black Belly of The Tarantula (1971)
Italian giallo mystery subtitled in English. After the success of Dario Argento’s The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), the Italian film industry set out to produce a slate of thrillers with animal-related titles.
The first 10 minutes of the film made me wonder if it was another erotic giallo in the style of Sergio Martino’s films, but that is not the case at all.
Instead the vast majority of the film is about the detective work, and for a change we get to see the home life of the detective. A couple of bizarre attacks on women are looked into.
Good story, a memorable roof chase is a highlight. I was expecting spiders to have more screen time with that title. Despite that, the film keeps you on edge the whole way. Tense soundtrack by famed Italian composer Ennio Morricone.
Having now watched a group of different giallo directors, I’m convinced that Dario Argento’s 70s and 80s work is the best of the bunch. The Black Belly of The Tarantula (1971) is however one of the finest of the non-Argento giallo films I’ve discovered.
Rating 7.4
Monthly recap
Ranking of horror marathon (my scores in brackets)
Recommended:
1.) Repulsion (1965) (8.2)
2.) Don't Look Now (1973) (8.2)
3.) Black Sunday (1960) (8.1)
4.) The Descent (2005) (8.0)
5.) The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920) (8.0)
6.) Ghost Stories (Kwaidan) (1964) (7.9)
7.) Altered States (1980) (7.8)
8.) Paranormal Activity (2007) (7.8)
9.) The Omen (1976) (7.6)
10.) Possession (1981) (7.6)
11.) Don't Torture A Duckling (1972) (7.6)
12.) Black Sabbath (1963) (7.6)
13.) Shivers (1975) (7.6)
14.) Shaun of the Dead (2004) (7.5)
15.) Peeping Tom (1960) (7.5)
16.) House on Haunted Hill (1959) (7.5)
17.) Zombieland (2009) (7.5)
18.) The Beyond (1981) (7.5)
19.) Scanners (1981) (7.5)
20.) Night of the Living Dead (1968) (7.5)
21.) Les Diabolique (1955) (7.5)
22.) Hellraiser (1987) (7.4)
23.) Carnival of Souls (1962) (7.4)
24.) House of Wax (1953) (7.4)
25.) Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978) (7.4)
26.) The Black Belly of The Tarantula (1971) (7.4)
27.) Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972) (7.3)
28.) Santa Sangre (1989) (7.3)
29.) The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh (1971) (7.2)
Not recommended:
30.) Sweeney Todd (2007) (6.8)
31.) Children of The Corn (1984) (6.5)
32.) Friday the 13th (1980) (6.5)
33.) Practical Magic (1998) (6.2)
34.) Insidious (2011) (6.0)
35.) Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) (6.0)
36.) Blood and Black Lace (1964) (5.5)
37.) Re-Animator (1985) (5.5)
38.) Noroi: The Curse (2005) (3.5)
Agree or disagree? Have you watched any of these? Which horror films did you see this October? I think I've watched enough horror to last me until Halloween next year LOL!
My 100 favorite films list is finally here!
Inspired by other movie blogs, I finally decided to put together my forever-delayed 100 favorite films list. Ten (mostly old films) I saw for the first time in 2012 made the cut.
To save time, I posted the list over at letterboxd. Let me know what you think! Have I left any important films or directors out? Other thoughts?
Horror mini-reviews (2 of 3)
A new batch of mini-reviews. As always, scores of 7.4 and above are recommendations. Again, I've tried to write reviews without spoilers:
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Genuinely scary. Really enjoyed this found footage horror movie. The girl kinda looked and sounded like Jenna Fischer, the secretary from the US version of The Office? Only minor issue I had were the last 5 seconds, which I could have done without. Also, why didn't the couple close their bedroom door at night?
Very well-done, got my heart racing, that's for sure. Better than I imagined it would be. There's a good chance I might watch the sequel(s) next year.
Apparently the most profitable film ever made, based on return on investment. Proved yet again that you don't need name actors and a big budget to make an effective film.
Rating 7.8
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Quotable zombie comedy. Partly inspired by an episode of the tv-series "Spaced" entitled "Art", also starring Simon Pegg. Also, a loving tribute to George A. Romero's Dead-trilogy.
The title is a reference to Dawn of the Dead, and deals with similar themes to that 1978 movie.
Shaun of the Dead looks at how we can walk through life in a zombie-like state and not even notice what's happening. So used to violence on the news we don't pay attention unless it concerns us.
The first 30 minutes or so were the most entertaining to me. The remainder follows any zombie movie you can think of. The jokes are not laugh-out-loud funny in my opinion, a few giggles here and there. If I were Dire Straits, I might think of suing! The profanity count was pretty high for this one.
Doesn't make sense they leave the flat to head out to the pub for safety, but maybe this is part of the irony that they are making fun of the genre cliches. The ending was memorable, even though it has been done before.
Quite a bit of attention was paid to the soundtrack.
Rating 7.5
The Descent (2005)
Best to know as little as possible about the story going in, I avoided the trailer. Recommended by Eric from The Warning Sign. British horror film with all-female cast. If you want to follow a group of cute 20something girls while you watch your horror, give this a try.
I felt I was down there with them, and you won't feel the urge to explore caves after a viewing, I can guarantee it! Confined claustrophobic spaces give me the creeps. The filmmakers considered it too dangerous and time-consuming to shoot in an actual cave, and the cave featured in the film was built at the studio, which surprised me reading that afterwards, never could tell!
For suspense and tension, The Descent is brilliant. A horror alternative to The Goonies. There are moments of gore, so not for the squeamish.
The timing of the release with the London underground bombings in 2005 was a rather unfortunate coincidence, which hurt box office sales. Brits were obviously not in the frame of mind to watch horror below ground.
Spoiler: You could interpret that the crawlers never existed, and Sarah was slowly going crazy, descending, because of the trauma of losing her husband and daughter. Not learning the full truth of the origin of the crawlers, and if they are partly human, may add to the terror.
Rating 8.0
Peeping Tom (1960)
Psychological thriller about a messed up loner with father issues who stalks models with a camera. You empathize with the villain, and this was a controversial issue when the film came out.
We follow his escapades in the first person, and are a voyeuristic accomplice to the crimes, we witness the pain and fear of his victims. Among the first films to question the audiences voyeurism. What keeps us watching a film such as this about a murderer? As film lovers we are voyeurs, spying into worlds that are unknown to us. The question is, what should we watch? The protagonists sick obsessions with the captured image are comparable to the audience wanting to watch blood and gore. In other words, we are confronted with ourselves, and our own morbid pleasures.
Great performance by Karlheinz Böhm as Mark. However it was a little tame for me by today's standards, not as controversial as it once was. Good story, but I couldn't figure out what the filmmakers were trying to say, except we should try and understand obsessive serial killers and their motivations, and that people have secret desires. Not bad, just not a masterpiece in my opinion. Not sinister or dark enough to scare me.
Serial killers and voyeurism have been done so many times cinematically, that Peeping Tom may not be as powerful to me for this reason.
I could imagine the Germans hate this film considering Mark's accent. I think a rewatch is needed in future to figure out if I like this film or not. Don't let my critical review stop you from giving it a watch :)
Rating 7.5
Night of The Living Dead (1968)
The music is a big reason why it works. The camera cuts away from most of the gore, to save money I suppose due to the low budget. The audio of the actors speaking is also amateur level, but you get used to it.
I like the documentary style approach to the zombies, that there is a scientific explanation, and not just supernatural mumbo jumbo. Again, a classic that is not really scary to me, probably because flesh-eating zombies are so far from reality.
The girl's fake blond wig is very obvious, trust me to spot the little things that don't matter...
Acclaimed because it set the bar for future zombie movies. Noteworthy for its place in film history, and extra points for originality. I can only look at it with today's eyes, something tells me it was a little more powerful and impactful in 1968. These days, if this was a new release, it would be called one of many, and cliché. Back then it was inventive. Still pretty good, though I wouldn't call it great.
Apparently there is a sly political undercurrent, which has to do with unease, racism, armageddon, fear of the mob, and that you can't take anything for granted any more.
I couldn't see that at all, except the final couple of minutes, maybe people are reading too much into the film? I prefer Dawn of The Dead (1978).
The director George Romero has said in an interview: "It was purely an accident that the lead role was cast with a black actor, who happened to be a friend of ours, and who was the best actor available to us. That gave it some power, it didn't go unrecognized by us, but we were out to make a horror movie. (...) We were somewhat aware of it in the first film, in Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985) it was much more conscious, and therefore I think is much less innocent."
Rating 7.5
Friday the 13th (1980)
A little too by-the-numbers for my taste. There was a time in late 70s/early 80s when teen slasher was fresh, and classics such as A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) are still effective today.
I couldn't see anything amazing about Friday the 13th (1980) that hasn't been done in 100 other movies since then. That’s not the filmmakers fault, but just the movie business has drained the premise to cliché. Probably works as nostalgia and for teens.
Surprised it spurred numerous sequels. Part 1 does have a memorable ending.
Trivia: Siskel and Roger Ebert spent an entire episode of their TV show berating the film (and other slasher films of the time) because they felt it would make audiences root for the killer.
Rating 6.5
Insidious (2011)
I liked a couple of the ideas, the baby alarm and the coma. Overall a "meh". The movie suffers from being overhyped, was only decent to me. I never quite cared enough about the family, even though the filmmakers actually tried to make me feel for their plight. There are a couple of scares, unfortunately I was bored. Not essential viewing. Probably the most unmemorable of all the 20+ films I saw in the horror marathon.
Rating 6.0
The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920)
Considered one of the greatest horror movies of the silent era. Recommended by David at Taste of Cinema and Gregory at Film Clatter
We are thrown into a nightmarish world in which no one is to be trusted. I had to look up somnambulist, which is another word for sleepwalking. Has a few creepy moments, but mostly it was the story and atmosphere that grabbed me.
As Gregory wrote in his review, the walls, shadows, and buildings are out of shape, and add to the surreal atmosphere. Even the acting is exaggerated.
A film I could easily rewatch. This movie is cited as having introduced the twist ending in cinema.
Rating 8.0
Re-Animator (1985)
The trailer sums up the movie. About bringing the deceased back to life. I think I was misinformed that this is a comedy? Didn't make me smile or laugh one time. HP Lovecraft is a famous horror writer, so gave it a chance. I don't see the difference between this film and Frankenstein. Perhaps a short film about a headless character was what this should have been instead. Great make-up and gore effects, I'll give it praise in that department.
Must be a group of people who enjoyed it, because the rotten tomatoes score is 93%. Not for me.
Rating 5.5
Agree or disagree? Have you watched any of these? Which horror films did you see this month? If you are a horror fan, don't forget to stop by in a few days for part 3 !
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Genuinely scary. Really enjoyed this found footage horror movie. The girl kinda looked and sounded like Jenna Fischer, the secretary from the US version of The Office? Only minor issue I had were the last 5 seconds, which I could have done without. Also, why didn't the couple close their bedroom door at night?
Very well-done, got my heart racing, that's for sure. Better than I imagined it would be. There's a good chance I might watch the sequel(s) next year.
Apparently the most profitable film ever made, based on return on investment. Proved yet again that you don't need name actors and a big budget to make an effective film.
Rating 7.8
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Quotable zombie comedy. Partly inspired by an episode of the tv-series "Spaced" entitled "Art", also starring Simon Pegg. Also, a loving tribute to George A. Romero's Dead-trilogy.
The title is a reference to Dawn of the Dead, and deals with similar themes to that 1978 movie.
Shaun of the Dead looks at how we can walk through life in a zombie-like state and not even notice what's happening. So used to violence on the news we don't pay attention unless it concerns us.
The first 30 minutes or so were the most entertaining to me. The remainder follows any zombie movie you can think of. The jokes are not laugh-out-loud funny in my opinion, a few giggles here and there. If I were Dire Straits, I might think of suing! The profanity count was pretty high for this one.
Doesn't make sense they leave the flat to head out to the pub for safety, but maybe this is part of the irony that they are making fun of the genre cliches. The ending was memorable, even though it has been done before.
Quite a bit of attention was paid to the soundtrack.
Rating 7.5
The Descent (2005)
Best to know as little as possible about the story going in, I avoided the trailer. Recommended by Eric from The Warning Sign. British horror film with all-female cast. If you want to follow a group of cute 20something girls while you watch your horror, give this a try.
I felt I was down there with them, and you won't feel the urge to explore caves after a viewing, I can guarantee it! Confined claustrophobic spaces give me the creeps. The filmmakers considered it too dangerous and time-consuming to shoot in an actual cave, and the cave featured in the film was built at the studio, which surprised me reading that afterwards, never could tell!
For suspense and tension, The Descent is brilliant. A horror alternative to The Goonies. There are moments of gore, so not for the squeamish.
The timing of the release with the London underground bombings in 2005 was a rather unfortunate coincidence, which hurt box office sales. Brits were obviously not in the frame of mind to watch horror below ground.
Spoiler: You could interpret that the crawlers never existed, and Sarah was slowly going crazy, descending, because of the trauma of losing her husband and daughter. Not learning the full truth of the origin of the crawlers, and if they are partly human, may add to the terror.
Rating 8.0
Peeping Tom (1960)
Psychological thriller about a messed up loner with father issues who stalks models with a camera. You empathize with the villain, and this was a controversial issue when the film came out.
We follow his escapades in the first person, and are a voyeuristic accomplice to the crimes, we witness the pain and fear of his victims. Among the first films to question the audiences voyeurism. What keeps us watching a film such as this about a murderer? As film lovers we are voyeurs, spying into worlds that are unknown to us. The question is, what should we watch? The protagonists sick obsessions with the captured image are comparable to the audience wanting to watch blood and gore. In other words, we are confronted with ourselves, and our own morbid pleasures.
Great performance by Karlheinz Böhm as Mark. However it was a little tame for me by today's standards, not as controversial as it once was. Good story, but I couldn't figure out what the filmmakers were trying to say, except we should try and understand obsessive serial killers and their motivations, and that people have secret desires. Not bad, just not a masterpiece in my opinion. Not sinister or dark enough to scare me.
Serial killers and voyeurism have been done so many times cinematically, that Peeping Tom may not be as powerful to me for this reason.
I could imagine the Germans hate this film considering Mark's accent. I think a rewatch is needed in future to figure out if I like this film or not. Don't let my critical review stop you from giving it a watch :)
Rating 7.5
Night of The Living Dead (1968)
The music is a big reason why it works. The camera cuts away from most of the gore, to save money I suppose due to the low budget. The audio of the actors speaking is also amateur level, but you get used to it.
I like the documentary style approach to the zombies, that there is a scientific explanation, and not just supernatural mumbo jumbo. Again, a classic that is not really scary to me, probably because flesh-eating zombies are so far from reality.
The girl's fake blond wig is very obvious, trust me to spot the little things that don't matter...
Acclaimed because it set the bar for future zombie movies. Noteworthy for its place in film history, and extra points for originality. I can only look at it with today's eyes, something tells me it was a little more powerful and impactful in 1968. These days, if this was a new release, it would be called one of many, and cliché. Back then it was inventive. Still pretty good, though I wouldn't call it great.
Apparently there is a sly political undercurrent, which has to do with unease, racism, armageddon, fear of the mob, and that you can't take anything for granted any more.
I couldn't see that at all, except the final couple of minutes, maybe people are reading too much into the film? I prefer Dawn of The Dead (1978).
The director George Romero has said in an interview: "It was purely an accident that the lead role was cast with a black actor, who happened to be a friend of ours, and who was the best actor available to us. That gave it some power, it didn't go unrecognized by us, but we were out to make a horror movie. (...) We were somewhat aware of it in the first film, in Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985) it was much more conscious, and therefore I think is much less innocent."
Rating 7.5
Friday the 13th (1980)
A little too by-the-numbers for my taste. There was a time in late 70s/early 80s when teen slasher was fresh, and classics such as A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) are still effective today.
I couldn't see anything amazing about Friday the 13th (1980) that hasn't been done in 100 other movies since then. That’s not the filmmakers fault, but just the movie business has drained the premise to cliché. Probably works as nostalgia and for teens.
Surprised it spurred numerous sequels. Part 1 does have a memorable ending.
Trivia: Siskel and Roger Ebert spent an entire episode of their TV show berating the film (and other slasher films of the time) because they felt it would make audiences root for the killer.
Rating 6.5
Insidious (2011)
I liked a couple of the ideas, the baby alarm and the coma. Overall a "meh". The movie suffers from being overhyped, was only decent to me. I never quite cared enough about the family, even though the filmmakers actually tried to make me feel for their plight. There are a couple of scares, unfortunately I was bored. Not essential viewing. Probably the most unmemorable of all the 20+ films I saw in the horror marathon.
Rating 6.0
The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920)
Considered one of the greatest horror movies of the silent era. Recommended by David at Taste of Cinema and Gregory at Film Clatter
We are thrown into a nightmarish world in which no one is to be trusted. I had to look up somnambulist, which is another word for sleepwalking. Has a few creepy moments, but mostly it was the story and atmosphere that grabbed me.
As Gregory wrote in his review, the walls, shadows, and buildings are out of shape, and add to the surreal atmosphere. Even the acting is exaggerated.
A film I could easily rewatch. This movie is cited as having introduced the twist ending in cinema.
Rating 8.0
Re-Animator (1985)
The trailer sums up the movie. About bringing the deceased back to life. I think I was misinformed that this is a comedy? Didn't make me smile or laugh one time. HP Lovecraft is a famous horror writer, so gave it a chance. I don't see the difference between this film and Frankenstein. Perhaps a short film about a headless character was what this should have been instead. Great make-up and gore effects, I'll give it praise in that department.
Must be a group of people who enjoyed it, because the rotten tomatoes score is 93%. Not for me.
Rating 5.5
Agree or disagree? Have you watched any of these? Which horror films did you see this month? If you are a horror fan, don't forget to stop by in a few days for part 3 !
Film review: The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
It was the first horror film to receive an Academy Award for best picture. (You could argue it's a thriller I suppose). Not since The Exorcist (1973) had a horror flick been so applauded.
Author Thomas Harris is perhaps most widely known for this Oscar-winning 1991 film based on his bestseller novel The Silence of the Lambs (1988).
The director Jonathan Demme wisely resisted the temptation of blood and gore in favor of a riveting and spine-tingling psychological thriller.
It isn't easy to explain why a civilized person would want to watch such lunatics on screen. Harris maps the inner landscapes of both detective and criminal. Perhaps public fascination with Lecter and the other psychopath in the story Buffalo Bill, is the fascination we feel with all serial killers, the attraction of the monster in society.
Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) is only in the film for about 30 minutes altogether. A brilliant psychiatrist now safely under lock and key, and known as Hannibal the Cannibal, because of certain acts in his past.
What sets Harris's work apart from most run-of-the-mill crime-thrillers is his exploration of the motivations behind criminal madness. His killers are human monsters whose psychoses can be mapped, but Lecter remains frighteningly inexplicable. As a psychiatrist, Lecter is able to accurately analyze the inner depths of those he encounters, but he remains seemingly unreadable. Perhaps Lecter doesn't even know himself why he is a cannibal. As Clarice points out, maybe he is afraid to look at himself.
Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is the heroine detective, intelligent, competent, and also quite vulnerable due to her inexperience as an FBI investigator. The previous victims are women, and Clarice must transform the outrage she feels as a woman into something useful.
Although Jodie Foster was in Taxi Driver, and won an Oscar for The Accused, Silence of the lambs solidified her status as a leading actress. She won another Oscar for her performance as Clarice Starling.
The film and the book became attractive for both genders. The story from the point-of-view of Clarice is a reversal of the "woman-in-peril" or the "psycho chases girl", a formula seen often in "slasher" movies of the seventies and eighties.
Clarice is isolated from men, bonding only with father figures and mentors such as Lecter, and laconic Jack Crawford (above), the pragmatic head of the FBI's Behavioral Science division, who both respect Clarice’s abilities, rather than see her as merely a body. Clarice is simultaneously repulsed and curious about Lecter, as the audience is too.
The viewer can interpret the murders as clues without feeling guilty, because we are seeing things from Clarice’s case solving perspective. The FBI are only being rational in order to discover who the criminal is.
To "silence" the lambs has several possible elaborations. First, the victims of bodily violence are silent because they are invisible or dead. The other understanding of silence is the meaning that Clarice's emotion-laden narration is to represent: at 12 (the age of puberty) she heard the cries of the about-to-be-slaughtered lambs and rescued one (temporarily) from its fate (a fate it is returned to by a policeman). This rescue has become the ground of her code, the justification for joining the policemen against the world's criminals.
There are many close ups, which make you want to pull away. The Lecter character is talking directly to the audience, as if we are Clarice ourselves. We experience her fear and frustration. This transports us into the world we are observing.
Anthony Hopkins is perfectly cast as charming and psychotic Hannibal Lecter, as Jean Dujardin was born to play The Artist, you can’t imagine anyone doing it better. He walks the line of not being too over the top, and being a character we would remember forever. Feeding on pain and suffering, Lecter refuses to cooperate with Starling unless she provides him with details about her past. He is a walking contradiction, a cannibal, but he is extremely polite and intelligent. Lecter's combines the power to manipulate people through conversation, with being a good analyst, and finding the hidden vulnerabilities and motivations of others. His interviews with Clarice illustrate this power.
Director Jonathan Demme cast Anthony Hopkins because a mega star like Jack Nicholson or Robert De Niro would have focused the audience’s attention on the actor’s performance rather than the story – and thus would have weakened the film. (In my opinion, we still focus on the acting, so I don’t know if he’s right). Screenwriter Ted Tally talks about on the dvd that there was a danger Lecter would become a cartoon hero, so they needed a great actor for the role.
Demme claims Hopkins is so good that the audience finds itself rooting for Dr Lecter, in spite of his nature.
Horror director John Carpenter: “Someone like Hannibal Lecter is an interesting character because he combines this brilliant mind with an absolutely horrifying monster. We are all frightened of the unknown and also of the repressed people in our society”
The FBI viewed the film as a kind of recruiting movie for agents, which was a big issue at the time, they thought it would be a positive force in attracting more women to the FBI. However, according to the dvd booklet, the feds insisted they would never send a rookie agent alone on such a dangerous mission.
Jodie Foster interprets the Dr. Hannibal Lecter character in an AFI interview:
“I think the great thing about Hannibal Lecter is that he is not a cardboard villain, he is not somebody who sort of wags his tongue and hisses like a serpent only, he has a much deeper side to him, and it’s the fact that that deeper side is continuously disrespected by society, or perhaps by his parents, or any number of cultural problems. What’s caused him to become crueler and crueler and crueler, is the fact that his heroic side has never been respected. The thing you have to love about Hannibal is that he understands, and is interested in what is deeply emotional, and what is deeply human. He may not have that humanity himself, but he is fascinated by it, and in some ways is more empathetic to humanity, to the people who are marginalized, to the people who are trivialized. Much more sensitive to the underdog than your average villain.”
There were some critical voices that attacked the filmmakers for their portrayal of women and transsexuals, though you could argue Gumb does not represent a clear sexual identity.
Fans of the trilogy, and Michael Mann’s Manhunter (1986), will no doubt be curious about a new TV-show that is set to air in January 2013, based on a young Hannibal, starring Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Hugh Dancy as Special Agent Will Graham, and Laurence Fishburne as Agent Jack Crawford.
Have you seen The Silence of the Lambs (1991)? What did you think?
Sources:
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Baelo Allue, Sonia. "The aesthetics of serial killing: working against ethics in The Silence of the Lambs 1988) and American Psycho (1991) (1)." Atlantis, revista de la Asociación Española de Estudios Anglo-Norteamericanos 24.2 (2002).
Buxton, Jackie. "Thomas Harris: Overview." Contemporary Popular Writers. Ed. Dave Mote. Detroit: St. James Press, 1997.
dramatica analysis
Jodie Foster AFI interview
Mann, Karen B. "The matter with mind: violence and 'The Silence of the Lambs.'(depictions of women among male structures)." Criticism 38.4 (1996)
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