Jackhammer's Horror Corner (pop, title, review, covers, quote)

sweet_nothing · 11-02-2008, 05:11 PM

Ive grown to hate Hallowen. I dont know if they do this in the UK but every Halloween they show marathons of the entire film series on almost every channel, it's enought to drive me into a killing frenzy.

jackhammer · 11-02-2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweet_nothing

Ive grown to hate Hallowen. I dont know if they do this in the UK but every Halloween they show marathons of the entire film series on almost every channel, it's enought to drive me into a killing frenzy.

They played the first two the past week and that is an unfortunate side effect. Carpenter co wrote part 2 (as part of his contract for the original) but he abhors the endless sequels (as I do). It detracts from the original and that pisses me off big time.

sweet_nothing · 11-02-2008, 05:33 PM

What the hell was up with 3?

jackhammer · 11-02-2008, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweet_nothing

What the hell was up with 3?

A collective effort to try and be original but it is quite possibly one of the worst sequels ever.

simplephysics · 11-03-2008, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweet_nothing

Ive grown to hate Hallowen. I dont know if they do this in the UK but every Halloween they show marathons of the entire film series on almost every channel, it's enought to drive me into a killing frenzy.

I'd rather watch the Halloween series a million times than Halloween H20 one more time.

**Janszoon** · 11-06-2008, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweet_nothing

What the hell was up with 3?

What I've heard is that they originally intended to start making Halloween movies that were just a series of separate, unrelated stories that each took place on Halloween, but Halloween III didn't click with audiences very well so they decided to just go back to Michael Meyers for part IV.

jackhammer · 11-17-2008, 04:55 PM

Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust (1979)

A film nearly 30 years old and still courting controversy. I have included CH because of it's significance and I will say upfront that it isn't one of my favourite Horror films but I respect it and am still fascinated by it.

A little background may be needed here. Italian film making prospered significantly in the 60's and 70's with a whole slew of (in) famous directors including Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento pushing Horror into new boundaries. Just as the Grindhouse movement in American cinema tested censors with it's graphic depiction of violence (both physical and sexual), Italian directors were drawing on classic European themes of magic and legend with the baroque styling of Grand Guignol. Cannibal movies were becoming de riguer with both Deep River Savages and more specifically Mondo Cane movies reaching wider audiences. On the basis of an audience seemingly ready for this type of work, Deodato released Cannibal Holocaust.

Although it is regarded as an Exploitation film. The manner in which it was shot and edited suggested a far more thought provoking movie.

The film is split into two halves. The first half mainly deals with a N.Y.U anthropologist who is searching for four young documentary makers whos have dissapeared since venturing into the Amazon to film and record actions of primitive lost tribes. He finds their mutilated bodies and cans of film intact, to which he then goes back to N.Y to study the footage knowing that a T.V channel is very interested in what is on the footage. The second half of the movie is then devoted to the actual tapes themselves and the footage found which becomes more disturbing with each reel.

That is the plot condensed because the film is less about plot, than it is about humanity and civilisation. Because the 'real' world setting is shot on wide panoramic cameras and the 'documentary' world filmed Cinema verite, we seemingly are witness to genuine footage of cannibalism (the director and producer were actually arrested due to certain authorities convinced it was 'real' footage). this makes viewing even more uncomfortable because we (the viewer) are directly immersed in the documentary makers footage and are constantly questioning our own moral standards. Am I watching this film for entertainment? Should I just turn it off or am I fascinated by it?

I have dispensed with the minutaie of the plot because I think if you watch it, you should know as little as possible and make your own mind up as to whether it is an intelligent piece of social commentary or pure exploitation.

Please be warned though that there are numerous scenes of GENUINE animal torture, which the director regretted in subsequent interviews. British viewers need not worry as the animal killings are naturally cut in U.K releases but I do have the Australian deluxe edition (as the picture shows) which is completely uncut. This is not because I want to see animals killed on screen. Only that I want to see a film in it's most complete form it can be and then I can make my own mind up. For the purpose of reviewing this I watched the complete uncut version but (thankfully) there is the option to view an 'animal cruelty free' cut.

In summation, CH has many faults. The acting is variable (as is the dubbing on certain scenes) and the first half is fairly slow. To be fair, despite the themes and a few scenes aside, films such as Hostel are probably more graphic gore wise but this is when the plus points enter the equation- CH's set pieces and especially final ten minutes provide a much more visceral and human approach to similar films.

Massive props too for the brilliant soundtrack by Riz Ortolani that doesnt resort to cliched 'Jungle' sounds and instead delivers a mainly melancholic score that is on a par with Goblin's best work.

Piss Me Off · 11-17-2008, 05:19 PM

I see this film all the time in shops and i'm absolutley mesmerised by the concept of it but i'm far too much of a baby to have ever watched it. Animal torture? Sheeesh.

simplephysics · 11-17-2008, 05:23 PM

Sounds awesome, besides you know, the whole animal torture bit

sweet_nothing · 11-17-2008, 05:37 PM

One of my fav movies!

11-17-2008, 04:55 PM	#47 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust (1979) A film nearly 30 years old and still courting controversy. I have included CH because of it's significance and I will say upfront that it isn't one of my favourite Horror films but I respect it and am still fascinated by it. A little background may be needed here. Italian film making prospered significantly in the 60's and 70's with a whole slew of (in) famous directors including Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento pushing Horror into new boundaries. Just as the Grindhouse movement in American cinema tested censors with it's graphic depiction of violence (both physical and sexual), Italian directors were drawing on classic European themes of magic and legend with the baroque styling of Grand Guignol. Cannibal movies were becoming de riguer with both Deep River Savages and more specifically Mondo Cane movies reaching wider audiences. On the basis of an audience seemingly ready for this type of work, Deodato released Cannibal Holocaust. Although it is regarded as an Exploitation film. The manner in which it was shot and edited suggested a far more thought provoking movie. The film is split into two halves. The first half mainly deals with a N.Y.U anthropologist who is searching for four young documentary makers whos have dissapeared since venturing into the Amazon to film and record actions of primitive lost tribes. He finds their mutilated bodies and cans of film intact, to which he then goes back to N.Y to study the footage knowing that a T.V channel is very interested in what is on the footage. The second half of the movie is then devoted to the actual tapes themselves and the footage found which becomes more disturbing with each reel. That is the plot condensed because the film is less about plot, than it is about humanity and civilisation. Because the 'real' world setting is shot on wide panoramic cameras and the 'documentary' world filmed Cinema verite, we seemingly are witness to genuine footage of cannibalism (the director and producer were actually arrested due to certain authorities convinced it was 'real' footage). this makes viewing even more uncomfortable because we (the viewer) are directly immersed in the documentary makers footage and are constantly questioning our own moral standards. Am I watching this film for entertainment? Should I just turn it off or am I fascinated by it? I have dispensed with the minutaie of the plot because I think if you watch it, you should know as little as possible and make your own mind up as to whether it is an intelligent piece of social commentary or pure exploitation. Please be warned though that there are numerous scenes of GENUINE animal torture, which the director regretted in subsequent interviews. British viewers need not worry as the animal killings are naturally cut in U.K releases but I do have the Australian deluxe edition (as the picture shows) which is completely uncut. This is not because I want to see animals killed on screen. Only that I want to see a film in it's most complete form it can be and then I can make my own mind up. For the purpose of reviewing this I watched the complete uncut version but (thankfully) there is the option to view an 'animal cruelty free' cut. In summation, CH has many faults. The acting is variable (as is the dubbing on certain scenes) and the first half is fairly slow. To be fair, despite the themes and a few scenes aside, films such as Hostel are probably more graphic gore wise but this is when the plus points enter the equation- CH's set pieces and especially final ten minutes provide a much more visceral and human approach to similar films. Massive props too for the brilliant soundtrack by Riz Ortolani that doesnt resort to cliched 'Jungle' sounds and instead delivers a mainly melancholic score that is on a par with Goblin's best work. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

11-17-2008, 05:19 PM	#48 (permalink)
Piss Me Off Moodswings n' Roundabouts Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: At the corner of Dude and Catastrophe Posts: 4,512	I see this film all the time in shops and i'm absolutley mesmerised by the concept of it but i'm far too much of a baby to have ever watched it. Animal torture? Sheeesh. __________________ Last FM Rate Yr Music Muxtape