October HorrorDays 2014

[FluffSnackwell]

Trailer park?  The extended family wasn't living there, they were just a bunch of relatives that the cannibals called in for backup when the shit hit the fan.  It might be a bit of a stretch, but I don't see why it's supposed to be impossible.  They certainly don't change how Leatherface is treated by his family; they're still chastising him for not doing good enough and causing their problems.  And the scene included Bill Mosely and Gunnar Hansen among the family (along with Marilyn Burns in a later cameo) and the DVD includes commentary tracks with those folks and Tobe Hooper all raving about how much they loved the new film, and even had the same guy from the original reprising the role of Grandpa (still holding his hammer).  They rebuilt the ENTIRE original house from scratch, down to the smallest detail.  They had the body of the trucker (the guy who came to the rescue at the end of the original) hanging up in the kitchen, explaining what happened to that dude.  And they even managed to get the original chainsaw itself back to, well, play itself.  Hell yes, that is a HUGE amount of respect.  

 

And he wasn't "redeemed", at all.  He's still the same guy.  He just found a new family member to take orders from.  Where could it lead?  A hundred different places.  (Scott Eastwood's character still has some unresolved issues, for one.)  Way more places than the remake could have; how the hell do you even start a chainsaw with only one arm, let alone wield it effectively?  (And no, Ash's chainsaw-hand doesn't count, he wasn't missing an entire arm.)

I'm well aware of the ringing endorsement from all the fine folks involved with the original. But then again that doesn't mean Tobe is immune to being a whore. What's the last movie Tobe made that anybody can even name? The Toolbox Murders remake? Hell, Gunnar himself never reprised the dead skin mask because of one thing: money; not that he hated the direction the sequels were headed in; just cold hard cash. He always felt insulted that I guess they didn't want to pay him more than any other stuntman. I guess the makers of TC3D finally ponied up though all these years later. Hey, good for him. None of the other Leatherfaces were a patch on him. But pardon me for doubting he's going to shit on the TCM movie that finally included him again; even in a cameo.

I actually expected you to bring up Henkel's Beyond The Valley of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre script as justification for this whole clan crawling out of the woodworks. Eh, to each his own, but I thought what was so weird and interesting about the original is how quickly these three destitute lost hicks (and Grandpa) quickly resort to barbarism and cannibalism once they've lost their jobs; but the real underlying theme is there is no female figure around like these idiots have no idea how to behave without a mother or other female authority figure there to make them behave. Maybe that's just some theme I pulled out of my ass though. To me, it just works so much better if it's these three kooks out in the middle of nowhere picking off people than Leatherface being Cujo and his whole clan having to constantly be in CYA mode because of the big stupid dog's fuckups. To me three lunatics who don't even know what they're gonna do next is more raw and unnerving.

I was halfway joking about a sequel to the Platinum Dung continuity. Although considering they're going full steam ahead with a teenage Leatherface is anything really off limits? That actually gave me the idea that since Leatherface was kind of treated like a mantle after Part 2 considering none of the other movies follow each other and feature wildly different takes on the character, why not have the twist be revealing the son of Leatherface as the one donning the dead skin mask? I haven't the foggiest how the hell they'd use one-armed Thomas Hewitt. Honestly, considering that they've already cheated their own continuity by changing his nose originally having rotted off from some form of leprosy to getting it hacked off by Jordana Brewster in the prequel, I wouldn't bat an eye if they did give the fucker some mechanical arm.

Don't get me wrong. I have no desire to see another TCM movie. The only two that really count are the first two. I will admit TCM III: Leatherface is kind of fun. And I consider the remake top notch for what it is; being a glossy polished turd and all. And I've never heard a damned thing about Platinum Dung's franchise being resurrected. But why not if they're gonna go the route of showing me a by the numbers piece of shit of how fat pimply 15-year old Leatherface was goaded into being what he is. Who's even gonna play him? The kid from Bad Santa and Trick R Treat.

[Brian Fowler]

 

Ah, that's better.

 

*Standing ovation*

[Brian Fowler]

I'm actually amazed they dropped the Platinum Dunes series in favor of another sequel to the original.  They made a lot of money on the 2003 one, and a decentish amount on the prequel.

 

Especially the 2003 film.  Shot if for under 10, did 80.5 million domestic, and another 26.5 foreign. 

 

At any rate, right now, I think the slasher is dead again at the box office.  Although 2015 is supposed to bring back Jason (although I don't think any other details beyond the release date have been announced.  Like director, writer, if it is a sequel to the 2009 film, if it's back in line with the earlier films, if it's another reboot...)

[jaedmc]

I thought it was going to be found footage. Or did they drop that?

[Brian Fowler]

That was rumored at one point, but the people attached to that version dropped out iirc, and nobody has said if the concept would carry over.

I really don't know how you follow F13 formula in a fine footage setting, personally.

[piranesi]

That was rumored at one point, but the people attached to that version dropped out iirc, and nobody has said if the concept would carry over.

I really don't know how you follow F13 formula in a fine footage setting, personally.

 

1) Attach Go Pro to Jason

2) Run

3) Check to see why the power is out/get naked and go for a swim/explore the abandoned cabins/etc./etc.

[Brian Fowler]

Jason having the camera would be an interesting direction.

[Hollinger.]

Not really on-topic but I wanted to post it here, because the horror fans will be checking this thread out:

 

Anybody here have the Ginger Snaps Collectors Edition BD/DVD combo pack from Scream Factory that would be willing to part with the DVD half of that package? It appears to be the only real option for a good transfer of the film, and I figure that most who bought it are only really in need of the BD.

 

Shoot me a message on here if you can help me out. I'll gladly pay postage + whatever you deem fair for the disc.

 

Thanks!

[Curt McGirt]

Speaking of which they're re-releasing Popcorn soon. Scream Factory rules. 

 

Right now on TCM: a Hammer Dracula marathon followed by a horror anthology marathon, including the incomparable Dead of Night! If you haven't seen that you absolutely must. It's legitimately terrifying and for some reason I always forget to mention it when we talk about horror anthologies on here. The lineup is:

 

Horror of Dracula (now ending)

Dracula, Prince of Darkness

Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (boss)

Dead of Night

Twice Told Tales

Kwaidan (!!!)

The House That Dripped Blood

Torture Garden

 

I know what I'm doing tonight. (oh, and sorry again, piranesi, fuck Dish)

[jaedmc]

Scorsese's Top 11 http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2009/10/28/martin-scorseses-top-11-horror-films-of-all-time.html

 

1. The Haunting

2. Isle of the Dead

3. The Uninvited

4. The Entity

5. Dead of Night

6. The Changeling

7. The Shining 

8. The Exorcist

9. Night of the Demon

10. The Innocents

11. Psycho

 

Pretty by the numbers stuff.

[Curt McGirt]

Cool of him to pimp The Changeling at least. I'm not a big fan of ghost movies but that, Burnt Offerings and The Haunting are three of my favorite horror films. 

 

I didn't pay much attention to Dracula, Prince of Darkness, remembering being bored stiff by it as a kid, but the end (which I thought was lame) is actually pretty neat. 

Dracula's coffin flies out of his crashed buggy and slides onto a patch of ice next to the castle. When the main dude goes down to stake him he busts out of the coffin. Dude's wife takes a shot at Drac and pierces the ice, leading the priest with her to shoot more holes since he can't cross running water. The water isn't running, but hey. eventually he blows enough holes that Dracula's surrounded by the cracking ice and ends up drowning. It looks really cool and is a neat, offbeat way to whack him out.

The one at the end of Dracula Has Risen From The Grave is way bloodier and even more awesome. Plus it's directed by Freddie Francis and he always nails it.

[FluffSnackwell]

Speaking of which they're re-releasing Popcorn soon. Scream Factory rules. 

 

Right now on TCM: a Hammer Dracula marathon followed by a horror anthology marathon, including the incomparable Dead of Night! If you haven't seen that you absolutely must. It's legitimately terrifying and for some reason I always forget to mention it when we talk about horror anthologies on here. The lineup is:

 

Horror of Dracula (now ending)

Dracula, Prince of Darkness

Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (boss)

Dead of Night

Twice Told Tales

Kwaidan (!!!)

The House That Dripped Blood

Torture Garden

 

I know what I'm doing tonight. (oh, and sorry again, piranesi, fuck Dish)

What's even worse than that is Dish stuck in MGM to replace TCM and those fuckers just aren't bringing the goods this year. I mean nothing against Vincent Price who they're running a marathon of on Halloween but last year they played Vampire Circus, Twins of Evil, Squirm and The Blood On Satan's Claw on Halloween and the days leading up to it. I don't see shit genre-wise until Halloween. Bastards.

[Curt McGirt]

Damn, I haven't seen three of those (I have Squirm on VHS), and we don't get MGM on DirecTV. I hope they're at least showing some more obscure Price, like the Phibes films, Theater of Blood, etc.

 

AMC's been killing with the Fear Fest this year at least. I've been digging into Halloween III again tonight but Sons of Anarchy is biting that.

[piranesi]

OG GOD I AM WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW!!!!

 

 

Of course it is called:

 

 

FUCK YEAH, WRITERS!!!

 

I can't write this up.  It's impossible.  It moves to fast.  It has Cylons, an Gorillas, and the Phantom of the Opera, and a shark, and a guy named Norman Baines who lives at the actual Bates Motel, and a ghost, and actual Silver Shamrock masks, and jumpsuits, and a Dracula, and a serial killer, and a witch named Esmerelda, and satanists, and commercials for reverse mortgages, and a mummy, and racist dry-cleaning jokes, and Kitt shooting a grappling hook, and a sword fight between a cylon and Colonel Sanders (THIS IS LITERALLY TRUE), and a Black Lagoon creature, and a 50s drive in,  and did you know KITT can analyze hair in his glove compartment and can also analyze hair samples if you show him a picture of them with your watch, REALLY!!

 

 

Montage Key: Form left to right/top to bottom:

 

Silver Shamrock mask...David Hasselhoff renting a Gorilla suit...a devil's head type 4 apparition

KITT parked at The Bates Motel house...a gorilla...a cylon about to sword fight Colonel Sanders

KITT jumping through a truck full of glass...KITT jumping through a Drive in screen...a gorilla starting a car

 

ALL OF THIS HAPPENS IN ONE EPISODE O ONE T>V> SHOW!!!!

[Curt McGirt]

You know how I said I don't really like ghost movies but I have a couple I love? Add Kwaidan to the list. This movie is seriously fucking with me right now. 

[piranesi]

Damn.  I watched that last October, like exactly one year ago tonight I think.  Standby...

 

http://deathvalleydriver.com/forum/index.php?/topic/744-october-horrordays/?p=57055

 

Aaaaaand I'm just remembering we never finished it when October ended.  damn.  Need to get back to it.

[Curt McGirt]

Man, time sure does fly. And I didn't even have to rent it this year.

 

To be honest it's a massive, slow film and I'm not surprised you didn't finish it. I just wish I didn't come in late on it and saw the entire first act which has to be the most unsettling, judging from the end. This movie is so Japanese in its sense of perfectionism artistically, everything is so precise and perfect in how everything gradually unfolds. And the sound work... man. Why am I on here, I should be paying closer attention...

[assfax]

Welp, got my Nightbreed limited edition dealie.  Watched the directors cut.  Fucking good.  Nice thick cardboard box and each version has it's own case.

[Curt McGirt]

So what all's different? Like Jae asked, is this essential?

[assfax]

Honestly, haven't seen the film in over ten years.  The Ending is definitely different.  The Decker and Narcisse thing was definitely different. Other than the musical number and one little 5 second scene where you can tell the source was lesser quality it seems like all the cut footage is seamlessly integrated.  Lot of alternate takes and the ending assault on Midian is greatly expanded.  Probably pop in the theatrical cut this weekend.  Want to watch the bonus shit tonight.

[Jingus]

I still SO need to see Kwaidan and the director's cut of Nightbreed.

 

I did remember to pimp The Dead 2, right?  It seems like nobody else is noticing this series.  They're zombie movies about white guys in foreign places when Z-day hits, and also about non-white locals trying to reunite their family in the midst of the zombpocalyspe.  But the selling point here, what I love about these movies, is the realism.  One of the first zombies has to be shot TWICE in the head to kill it; because, duh, there's countless examples of live human beings who got shot in the head and survived to tell the tale.  This is a series that engineers and military folks will appreciate, because the protagonists are just like the best of them: smart, cautious, innovative, and driven to survive and protect their loved ones at all costs (and if they can do any good-samaritan favors along the way, they'll do their best but remain practical and dedicated to their larger cause).  

 

Also finally caught The Crow 3: Salvation, and, meh.  They were trying, having William Atherton as the villain and Walton Goggins as one of the lead stooges and Kirsten Dunst as the distressed damsel were all very much appreciated; but this thing stank of low budget and desperation.  Cheap special effects, not much action, tons of padding, and they tried to redo the formula this time by making it a mystery; we don't know why this guy died, don't know why his girl died, until long into the movie.  I didn't hate it as much as I hated part 2, City of Angels (and if you wanna see me really really grumpy, see me right after a viewing of The Crow 2: City of Angels) but I also won't defend it like I'll actually defend the Edward Furlong/David Boreanez fourth one.  

[Reed]

I had no clue Katherine Isabelle was in it.

 

 

Yeah, she's pretty good and stands out amongst an otherwise pretty generic cast.

 

I'm kinda hoping Hannibal opens up more doors for her. She really deserves better than B horror movies and the odd episode of a bad CW show or something, which is basically what she's been doing up until now.

[HumanChessgame]

Is the new edition of Nightbreed bluray-only?  That's the only format I've seen it in so far.

[jaedmc]

The blu ray comes with a DVD of the film. It's cheaper for the distributors to just put them together in one box - Criterion started doing it last year too.

[Jingus]

I'm currently watching Night of the Living Dead (this must be, like, my four-hundredth viewing) but I snagged a different copy this time because why not.  This one is digitally colorized, for some damn reason.  Truthfully the color itself ain't too bad; it's inconsistent, but even at its worst it basically looks like watching a grainy technicolor movie on VHS.  But the color does hurt the scare factor, the movie works so much better in black and white.  (In a nice touch, the television footage that the farmhouse victims are watching is kept in black and white).  

 

But the really weird part is, they included a Mike Nelson commentary rifftrack.  All by himself, Mike sounds bitter and depressed. He occasionally drops little bits of legitimate historical info here and there, which makes his passive-aggressive sarcasm way more acidic as he's scornfully heckling a movie which is pretty hard to make funny.  He's trying, but without Bill and Kevin there's a definite "what the hell am I doing here?" vibe to the proceedings.