Phantom of the Opera (1989)

Robert Englund leads this 1989 adaptation of the Leroux novel, where a young opera singer is thrust back in time during an audition, which places her in Victorian London as the understudy in a grand opera house. She begins receiving voice training from an unseen ally, but her disfigured friend will stop at nothing to see her succeed, even if it means eliminating anyone who gets in her way. The lavish set design and authentic Victorian costuming give the film a large look and feel with high production values, however there are a few missteps that take away from the film. Englund's Phantom serves as a vengeful anti-hero, which leads to several bloody deaths and dismemberments that would have been expected out of a cheap 80s Slasher. What is stranger is that the character spouts out cheesy one-liners as he dispatches the cast. It isn't that the make-up or deaths were bad at all, in fact it was quite the opposite, but these choices felt oddly out of place in an otherwise straight Gothic Horror film. Each of the actors deliver solid performances, and Englund is a very good fit for the character. I enjoyed the film, it was definitely superior to Argento's late 90s remake and a good overall Horror entry.

Rating: 7/10.
Gore: 6/10.
Number of views: 1.

Great Moments in Horror: My Bloody Valentine

Horror in Culture: Direct TV Goes Horror for Christmas

Gamera Vs Monster X (1970)

After a rash of terrible Z-grade monster flicks, MONSTER X comes through as being the strongest Showa era film since the original! The costumes and FX have been vastly improved, reaching the same amazing quality as the Godzilla films. Though the models and miniatures aren't quite up to par with Toho's craftsmanship, the destructible cities also look much more convincing than their predecessors. The film still includes an upbeat score and young cast, but while it was likely aimed at the series' younger audience, this entry is much darker and more violent than any of the other films. With slightly different editing, it could have been one of the darker Kaiju films to date. The battles between the monsters are earth-shattering, and even the wrap-around story where Osaka's children attempt to aid Gamera in defeating his new foe stays engaging and fast-paced. This was a solid giant monster flick, and is easily the highlight of the earlier film series. Gamera must stop a spiny reptile beast that has been unleashed from his stony prison before it destroys Japan!

Monsters: Gamera, Monster X.

Rating: 6/10.
Number of views: 1.

Destroy All Planets (1968)

If there's one thing worse than a cheesy monster movie, its a cheesy monster movie where over half of the run-time is comprised of clips from previous cheesy monster movies. An alien spacecraft descends upon Earth with the intention to overrun the planet, but the aliens must first defeat Gamera if they are to take over the world! The plot follows a group of boy scouts as they find their way in to the alien ship and help defeat the otherworldly menace. This entry is clearly geared towards its younger audience, and is really a trial of patience for any giant monster fans. While it does have a certain cheesy B-movie charm, its slow pace and repetitive nature make it a real bore. This is a big pass.

Monsters: Gamera, Barugon, Gaos, Viras.

Rating: 2/10.
Number of views: 1.

Seed of Chucky (2004)

It's one thing to make a self-aware Horror Comedy as they did in BRIDE, but SEED OF CHUCKY is a pretty far stretch for any Horror icon to undergo. Chucky and Tiffany are reawaken into the real world by their confused and schizophrenic son (daughter?) Glen, and the deadly duo vow to give up killing to raise their family as the three attempt to possess the bodies of Jennifer Tilly and Red Man. Now, while the plot is utterly ridiculous, there are some genuinely funny moments that come out of the idea of two serial killers attempting to raise a normal family with jilted values. Each of the actors are willing to take punches as they poke fun at themselves and the industry at large, while the film also pays its respects to Horror classics from Hitchcock, John Waters, and Kubrick. The main problem is it's just plain stupid. If you are going to go for such an outlandish plot, at least throw in some awesome gore while you are at it. Sure, there are a few bloody deaths, but if you aren't taking things serious, why not go all out? While the puppet FX are pretty decent, there is also some terrible CG implemented to 'improve' the movement of the free-standing dolls, which only looks cartoony and out of place. The real saving grace in the film is Jennifer Tilly's subtle comedy as she rips on herself the entire movie in addition to a few good gags. I won't lie, I am always entertained by the film, but where do you go from here?

Rating: 6/10.
Gore: 6/10.
Entertainment: 7/10.
Number of views: 7.

DVD Releases: 11/10/2009

November 10, 2009

Nothing this week. Almost less than nothing. Same goes for last week's releases. Click the link below for a motley assortment of Direct to DVD trash and re-releases:

Click HERE for the complete list of releases!!

Terrible Moments in Horror: Freddy Vs Jason

Lori: Freddy died by fire, and Jason by water. How can we use that?



Source: www.imdb.com

Lame Cover Art: My Name Is Bruce

Ugh. At least we can give the artist credit for showing the film's true cheapness and terriblocity on the cover to avoid any impulse buying on the store shelves. Why.. Why would you take such a genuis concept and turn it into this?? Cruel fate, why must you mock us??

Source: www.dvdaf.com

Red Sands (2009)

RED SANDS is a modern-day companion piece to Alex Turner's cult Indie hit DEAD BIRDS, and finds an outpost of American Marines haunted by the sins of their past as they monitor a desolate Taliban transport route. The group also fall under the spell of an evil Djinn after they destroy its ancient statue prison. Both films share the same dark tone and psychological horror, so fans of the earlier entry will definitely find much to like here. While the acting and story are both solid, the theme of the film feels rehashed from countless other war-torn Horror films preceding it. Even so, Turner makes the most of his modest $1M budget through his impressive cinematography and expansive use of a single cramped shooting location. He maintains a creepy mood through cool filters and atmospheric lighting in the hostile desert location, where death can strike in any form. Each of the scares are well earned, built on suspense and anticipation that is only complimented by a handful of gore and creature FX. On the technical side, the film certainly outdoes most direct to DVD entries, but with so many other similarly themed war entries in the genre, RED SANDS just doesn't do enough to create its own unique identity. Still, it is a good watch and worth checking out!

Rating: 7/10.
Number of views: 1.

Bride of Chucky (1998)

This is the absolute right direction the CHILD'S PLAY film series needed to go. Self-parody heralded the death of the Slasher era in the 80s, but this was mainly because the once terrifying Slasher icons had become soft, family-friendly bogeymen. Chucky was slinging cheap one-liners by the second film, and the B-movie plot of a killer doll attempting to possess the soul of a young boy was already a silly start, so it was a logical step to write this entry as a self-aware Horror Comedy. Chucky is revived once more by his ex-girlfriend Tiffany, who becomes trapped in a doll's body herself when her deranged obsession with him drives him to kill her. The duo hitch a ride with two unsuspecting teens in search for the amulet that will let them transubstantiate themselves back into human form. Tiffany is the perfect balance to the impulsive and psychotic Chucky, and is cast perfectly by the sexy Jennifer Tilly. The combined efforts of Kirschner and Yagher in the new puppet designs also pay off in some of the most amazing and convincing practical FX in the series. What it comes down to is the film is everything it should have been: silly, stupid, but above all completely entertaining. Easily the best sequel in the series!

Rating: 7/10.
Gore: 5/10.
Entertainment: 8/10.
Number of views: 8.

Horror Trivia: Jaws 3-D

David Brown and Richard D. Zanuck, producers of the first two films, originally pitched this as a spoof under the title of "National Lampoon's Jaws 3, People 0". This was based on a suggestion by Matty Simmons and John Hughes and was about a movie studio trying to make a second sequel to Jaws (1975). It opened with author Peter Benchley being eaten in his pool by a shark and included a naked Bo Derek and shark-costumed aliens. Joe Dante was attached as director. The idea was crushed by Steven Spielberg, who threatened to walk from his deal with Universal. As it was, when Zanuck and Brown learned that their comedy was halted, they quit the studio.

Source: www.imdb.com

Sweet Cover Art: Evil Laugh

With nods to several other more successful film posters, this one is definitely borderline plagiarism, but who can really hate anything with a sweet ass Grim Reaper looming over presumably naked and drunken teens? I'll take 6 copies.

Source: www.dvdaf.com

SwagBucks Winnings!

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-Carl

DVD Buys: 11/8/2009

Blockbuster comes through once again this weekend:

Nosferatu the Vampyre
Price: $3.99.
Condition: Good.