Halloween: Original vs Remake

  

I cannot the deny the fact that I am a huge fan of the Halloween franchise. I was hooked the first time I saw it. So to say that I am a little protective over my beloved slasher series, is a very fair statement. So you might be asking if I was excited or angry when I heard that they weren’t making another sequel, rather they were remaking the franchise. Well, I was both actually. I was irate beyond belief at first, and then I heard Rob Zombie would be writing and directing it, and my anger was put to the side. But in the end, how did I feel about the future of this legendary franchise? Well, continue reading to find out. John Carpenter’s Halloween is one of those films that, I believe, will stand the tests of time. It holds such iconic imagery, memorable dialogue, and an outstanding accompanying score. What truly makes this film great, is how simplistic it is. This film was put in the able hands, of young John Carpenter and Debra Hill. Two up-and-coming filmmakers looking to make a suspenseful slasher film. I do not believe they would be making the film that would change the genre forever. But that isn’t what we are here to discuss.

 When you look at Halloween, you are drawn into the world of this withdrawn child, who out of the blue, decides to kill his sister. Sure, in future sequels his need to kill her will be explained, but for now, he comes across as a sociopath, fueled by pure evil. So from the very beginning, audiences were intrigued with where the story might take them. With a film of this nature, you have to be able to look past some minor/major inconsistencies. Such as when Michael Myers kills Bob, the drunken, stoner boyfriend of Linda, most of us are ok to overlook the fact that he just got pinned to the kitchen wall with a kitchen knife, which we all know is impossible. Or the fact that while Dr. Sam Loomis is standing watch over the Myers’ house, awaiting Michaels return, that it isn’t until the end of the film that he notices the stolen car he’s been looking for, just happens to be a few houses down the street from him. It’s the suspension of disbelief that everyone must learn when going into movies.

 The main thing that makes this film so great, is the performance of Donald Pleasence, who plays Dr. Loomis. For young filmmakers to be able to get an actor of this caliber is impressive. He is by far the stand-out performer in this film. So much so, that he was the staple that held the franchise together, by appearing in a total of 5 of the sequels, up until his death. The series would never be the same when he passed away.

 Now let’s talk a little bit about Rob Zombie’s Halloween. We all knew going into this film, that with Zombie’s reputation for taking violence to the extreme, that his was going to amp the violence to the franchise up 100%. Boy did they ever. But I will touch more on that in a little bit. Zombie decided to take his opportunity with the film to dive in young Michael Myers’ life a little deeper. Ok, in fairness, since it’s more than a hour of this film, it a little more than a “little” deeper. This is one of my biggest complaints. I liked the fact that Michael killed his sister for no reason other than he was evil. But Zombie decided to go the “nature vs nurture” route, and make him home life abusive, and that he tortures small animals, and shows early signs of psychopathic behavior. This completely change the way we look at this character. I have to admit, I do enjoy the extreme violence in this opening 20 minutes, because it is just so brutal. But, even though the franchise has evolved quite a bit over the years, it just doesn’t feel like a Halloween film.

 The actors in this film do nothing for me. They aren’t my type of characters, and that isn’t a good thing when these are the people that are going to be driving the film to the finish film. Zombie once again casts his wife, Sheri Moon Zombie, as Michael’s mother. Whoosh, how can I put this nicely? I know there are many people that really enjoy her, but she is not a “leading lady” no matter how much Rob Zombie might believe she is. Maybe he just does it to make her feel better about herself. But she makes me want to cut myself from wrist to forearm, and bleed out all over the theater floor. The actor that truly stands out in this movie is Malcolm McDowell, who plays Dr. Sam Loomis in this version. He is a great actor, and gives a great performance in this film, but it isn’t Dr. Loomis. That’s just my opinion, but this is a character that Halloween fans love, and most found wasn’t done justice, no matter how good his performance was. And of course Rob Zombie has his regular cast of familiar actors that he always goes to the well to cast, so I am not going to take the time to name them all. Just know, that they are there.

 The overall story of this film is fairly accurate to the original, and it even plays homage to the original by recreating some of the more memorable scenes. Including Bob getting stuck to the wall, or Linda asking a sheet covered Michael, if he sees anything he likes, while flashing her tits. But this being Zombie, of course he has to bump it up a notch, and we get a full-on, neatly trimmer snatch shot. And who is going to complain about that? Certainly not me. 

 I actually got a chance to see an advanced screening of this about six months before theatrical release, and I have to admit, I hated the movie. Now, this was an early cut of the film, and it just didn’t flow right. It left my feeling defeated and deflated about this franchise that I have grown to love so much. So, I was very hesitant about whether or not I was going to go see this film upon its release. I decided to be the Halloween fan that I am, and support the franchise by seeing it on it’s first showing and my local theater. And I was quite surprised to see the changes that were made. It flowed much better, and was the version that I am reviewing right now. So, when it was released on DVD, I had to add it to my collection, and I picked up the Unrated Director’s Cut, and was yet again pissed, because this was the same cut I had seen the first time. What the hell is going on? Of course, I immediately went out and purchased the theatrical cut, because God forbid if they put both versions on one disc. But, if you’re looking for the theatrical cut on Blu-ray, good luck with that, because I have yet to find it.

 So to wrap this up, which version is better? That is a question that I am not going to answer. I can tell you the only Halloween film for me is the original John Carpenter film from 1978. Rob Zombie’s take on the film has its own following who enjoy it, because they find the original boring, or lack-luster. It shows the generational gap between the viewing audiences. I thank Rob Zombie for the fan-service nods to the original, but I wish it was just a little more Halloween, and a little less Devil’s Rejects. I cannot the deny the fact that I am a huge fan of the Halloween franchise. I was hooked the first time I saw it. So to say that I am a little protective over my beloved slasher series, is a very fair statement. So you might be asking if I was excited or angry when I heard that they weren’t making another sequel, rather they were remaking the franchise. Well, I was both actually. I was irate beyond belief at first, and then I heard Rob Zombie would be writing and directing it, and my anger was put to the side. But in the end, how did I feel about the future of this legendary franchise? Well, continue reading to find out.

 John Carpenter’s Halloween is one of those films that, I believe, will stand the tests of time. It holds such iconic imagery, memorable dialogue, and an outstanding accompanying score. What truly makes this film great, is how simplistic it is. This film was put in the able hands, of young John Carpenter and Debra Hill. Two up-and-coming filmmakers looking to make a suspenseful slasher film. I do not believe they would be making the film that would change the genre forever. But that isn’t what we are here to discuss.

 When you look at Halloween, you are drawn into the world of this withdrawn child, who out of the blue, decides to kill his sister. Sure, in future sequels his need to kill her will be explained, but for now, he comes across as a sociopath, fueled by pure evil. So from the very beginning, audiences were intrigued with where the story might take them. With a film of this nature, you have to be able to look past some minor/major inconsistencies. Such as when Michael Myers kills Bob, the drunken, stoner boyfriend of Linda, most of us are ok to overlook the fact that he just got pinned to the kitchen wall with a kitchen knife, which we all know is impossible. Or the fact that while Dr. Sam Loomis is standing watch over the Myers’ house, awaiting Michaels return, that it isn’t until the end of the film that he notices the stolen car he’s been looking for, just happens to be a few houses down the street from him. It’s the suspension of disbelief that everyone must learn when going into movies.

 The main thing that makes this film so great, is the performance of Donald Pleasence, who plays Dr. Loomis. For young filmmakers to be able to get an actor of this caliber is impressive. He is by far the stand-out performer in this film. So much so, that he was the staple that held the franchise together, by appearing in a total of 5 of the sequels, up until his death. The series would never be the same when he passed away.

 Now let’s talk a little bit about Rob Zombie’s Halloween. We all knew going into this film, that with Zombie’s reputation for taking violence to the extreme, that his was going to amp the violence to the franchise up 100%. Boy did they ever. But I will touch more on that in a little bit. Zombie decided to take his opportunity with the film to dive in young Michael Myers’ life a little deeper. Ok, in fairness, since it’s more than a hour of this film, it a little more than a “little” deeper. This is one of my biggest complaints. I liked the fact that Michael killed his sister for no reason other than he was evil. But Zombie decided to go the “nature vs nurture” route, and make him home life abusive, and that he tortures small animals, and shows early signs of psychopathic behavior. This completely change the way we look at this character. I have to admit, I do enjoy the extreme violence in this opening 20 minutes, because it is just so brutal. But, even though the franchise has evolved quite a bit over the years, it just doesn’t feel like a Halloween film.

 The actors in this film do nothing for me. They aren’t my type of characters, and that isn’t a good thing when these are the people that are going to be driving the film to the finish film. Zombie once again casts his wife, Sheri Moon Zombie, as Michael’s mother. Whoosh, how can I put this nicely? I know there are many people that really enjoy her, but she is not a “leading lady” no matter how much Rob Zombie might believe she is. Maybe he just does it to make her feel better about herself. But she makes me want to cut myself from wrist to forearm, and bleed out all over the theater floor. The actor that truly stands out in this movie is Malcolm McDowell, who plays Dr. Sam Loomis in this version. He is a great actor, and gives a great performance in this film, but it isn’t Dr. Loomis. That’s just my opinion, but this is a character that Halloween fans love, and most found wasn’t done justice, no matter how good his performance was. And of course Rob Zombie has his regular cast of familiar actors that he always goes to the well to cast, so I am not going to take the time to name them all. Just know, that they are there.

 The overall story of this film is fairly accurate to the original, and it even plays homage to the original by recreating some of the more memorable scenes. Including Bob getting stuck to the wall, or Linda asking a sheet covered Michael, if he sees anything he likes, while flashing her tits. But this being Zombie, of course he has to bump it up a notch, and we get a full-on, neatly trimmer snatch shot. And who is going to complain about that? Certainly not me. 

 I actually got a chance to see an advanced screening of this about six months before theatrical release, and I have to admit, I hated the movie. Now, this was an early cut of the film, and it just didn’t flow right. It left my feeling defeated and deflated about this franchise that I have grown to love so much. So, I was very hesitant about whether or not I was going to go see this film upon its release. I decided to be the Halloween fan that I am, and support the franchise by seeing it on it’s first showing and my local theater. And I was quite surprised to see the changes that were made. It flowed much better, and was the version that I am reviewing right now. So, when it was released on DVD, I had to add it to my collection, and I picked up the Unrated Director’s Cut, and was yet again pissed, because this was the same cut I had seen the first time. What the hell is going on? Of course, I immediately went out and purchased the theatrical cut, because God forbid if they put both versions on one disc. But, if you’re looking for the theatrical cut on Blu-ray, good luck with that, because I have yet to find it.

 So to wrap this up, which version is better? That is a question that I am not going to answer. I can tell you the only Halloween film for me is the original John Carpenter film from 1978. Rob Zombie’s take on the film has its own following who enjoy it, because they find the original boring, or lack-luster. It shows the generational gap between the viewing audiences. I thank Rob Zombie for the fan-service nods to the original, but I wish it was just a little more Halloween, and a little less Devil’s Rejects. 

Has The Day Of The Remake Finally Gone?

For about ten years or so, it seemed like every other movie that was coming out, was a remake of some sort. It really made it appear that the filmmakers and Hollywood machine had finally ran out of ideas. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking an older film, and remaking it to bring it to a new generation. I’m actually fine with that. But it was the fact that they were churning these turds out fast than rabbits fuck, that was the problem. With them popping so many out, in rapid succession, a lot of them by the same production company, they weren’t spending the proper amount of time on any one film. With this, we are forever burdened with films such as Psycho, The Omen, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and even Halloween.

These might be ok to many people, and that’s fine…we aren’t here to analyze your terrible taste in cinema…but everyone has to realize that these are nowhere near what they could have potentially been. But, the light at the end of the tunnel is this. Much fewer remakes are being produced. Sure, they are still going to be a fact of life. In fact, there are a couple being released this year. But they are actually listening to the masses and keeping them to a minimum. This will hopefully make the ones that do come out, just that much better. But it makes room for the original films that are being written everyday.

And yes, for all you smart asses out there that saying, “Well sequels are just as common as remakes. What do you have to say about that?” You’re right. Making a sequel is perfectly ok in my book…if there’s more than 12 months between films. Need we look at the Saw and Paranormal Activity franchise to see what happens when you wipe your ass with a piece of paper, call it a script, and throw it up on the big-screen every year. There are always exceptions to the rule, but I believe these are good rules to live by.

This next bit goes to the failure franchises. How many times do you have to “reboot” the Fantastic Four franchise before you realize you’re beating a dead horse. This is an example of 2oth Century Fox making complete garbage, just so they can hold on to the licenses they own. Making a movie just so someone else can’t is the a terrible platform to start from. But this franchise and company aren’t the only offender. Much like the most recent Star Wars film, sometimes you have to go back to the basics, and get the polluted, creative minds that obviously have lost it somewhere along the way, out of the room, and get a whole new set of eyes to bring something back to life.

I know if you look at IMDB.com or any other list online, you could say, “what are you talking about crazy man? There are a shit ton of remakes on the docket for 2016-2017 alone.” Yes there is. But what you might not realize, is that many of those projects have been up for years and years, sitting in “movie limbo”. Eventually they might happen, but I would get my hopes up on seeing the Pet Sematary remake anytime soon.

Here is just an example, Friday the 13th. Yes, the film that I’ve bitched and complained about until I was literally blue in the face. That is a remake that genre fans as a whole, more or less didn’t like. Sure, there were people out there that enjoyed the movies. But the also probably never saw a Friday the 13th movie prior to Jason X.  With the fan backlash, they decided it was a good idea to REBOOT the franchise yet again. They’ve toyed with the idea of found footage, and that met with major fan uproar. And now, the movie was slated for 2016, and it has yet again been pushed back to 2017. That means they will have waited 8 years to produce another film. This is both good and bad. You can spend too much time thinking about something, and it could just end up being a total pile of shit by the time you get around to making it. Just look at the Star Wars prequels. Once they made the remake, they should have just gone back to the basics of Friday the 13th. The formula that worked for years.

In the end what we are looking at is the Mason/Dixon line. There are always going to be people on either side fighting their points, while no one is really truly happy in the end. As I do think the “Day of the Remake” is gone. That doesn’t mean that they will never happen again. They will, and there is more than a 80% chance that they will all suck harder than Linda Lovelace. But, I’m not going to worry about that. In fact, I’m going to embrace it. I hope they are ALL TERRIBLE. That way I can bitch about them on here, and get all that lovely hate-mail I cherish so dearly.

Till Next Time Kiddies…

-RJ

 

A Look Back At The Blair Witch Project

16 years ago, back in 1999, the world was introduced to a new style of cinema, that little did we know, would influence and change the way horror movies would be made for decades to come. That film was The Blair Witch Project. The found footage film was not really known at this time. Yes, I hear people say Cannibal Holocaust, but that film isn’t a straight a head found footage film, so I don’t really think that counts. The other film people like to mention is The Last Broadcast. What, have you not heard of it? That’s the point I’m making. This film was so well received, that it continues to terrify new viewers, even to this very day. What made this film so unique, is that it is the only film where the entire film is placed in the hands of your actors. Unlike the found footage films made today, the actors were really running the equipment. This is something that would not happen today.

What truly made this film unique, is that it didn’t have a script. Sure, there was the story idea, but the actors were making everything up as they go along. When Mike kicks the map into the creek, this was as much of a surprise to the producers, as it was to the actors on camera. All emotion we see from any of the actors in this movie, is 100% real. Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way right now. Yes, this movie got the reputation, and the nickname The Blair Bitch Project…and I have to admit, I agreed with that sentiment when I first heard it, and really can’t argue with it today. There is an abundance of whining and bitching that take place in the film. The sad thing is, is that was how to were really behaving. Can you imagine how much more bitching was left on the cutting room floor. The mere thought sends a chill down my spine, strong enough to pucker my butt-hole.

The three actors we are introduced to in this film are Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, and Joshua Leonard. Truth be told, none of these actors went on to be huge Hollywood stars. Heather and Michael did a few other things here and there, but I challenge you to name a single one, without the aid of IMDB. Joshua Leonard is the one who probably has the most horror credibility amongst genre fans. He has appeared in many horror fans including a cameo appearance in Adam Green’s Hatchet, as well as the lead role in a psychological horror film called Madhouse. I wouldn’t consider myself a huge fan of his, but I give him the respect that is deserved by being able to take steps forward from this film. The other two I am really indifferent about. So instead of bashing on them for their acting abilities, I think I’m just going to move on.

The true praise of this film goes to the people behind the people with the camera. Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez are the mad scientists that cooked up this idea, and unleashed it upon the world. They have forever changed the world of horror, for better or worse. I can only imagine the meetings that took place during the pre-production stage of this film. Seeing how they tormented these poor actors, I can guarantee it was probably a pretty fun time. They shot and edited this completely on their own. The most notorious story was they purchased the camcorder from Staples for the purposes of shooting the movie, and when they wrapped, they returned it for their money back. Fuckin’ genious. There is a lot of talk about how much money truly went into the making of this movie. The number $20,000 was thrown around a lot, but the number was actually closer to $60,000 before the distributors got involved. When Artisan bought the film, the bought it for $1.1 million. They then but some money into addition post-production, and ended up spending somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 million in marketing on this film.

The marketing is the true genius of this film. There were actually people out there, my sister included, that believe this shit was real. Well why not, there was a website, and the TV said it was real…hell Sci-Fi even had a documentary on the film. Let us forget the fact that it was directed by someone who worked on the actual film. But the marketing campaign did that it was supposed to do. It intrigued viewers and put their assess into the theater seats. This small movie gross worldwide nearly $250 million. That isn’t to damn shabby for a group traipsing around the woods scaring three actors all day. Especially when one wrong move from on of the actors with the camera gear would have put an end to the whole thing.

It’s hard to put into words what this film has actually done over the years. I mean look at the fact that we are still talking about it today. Whether or not you like the “found footage” genre, this film started it, and it has never been done better. The movie spawned a so-so sequel a few years later, Book of Shadows. This was more of an actual movie, but didn’t do as well. Fans have also wanted to be taken back into the woods of Burkitsville the way they remembered. And we have been teased for years with the rumors of a third film. The rumor is still out there with talks of The Blair Witch 3 being released in 2017. I honestly don’t see that happening, but we can hope can’t we. I will say this now, if they are legitimately going to get the old crew back together to make another Blair Witch, I think it will be a couple more years down the road. It would make more sense for them to release a sequel in 2019 for the 20^th anniversary of the film. I’m just saying.

So there you have it boils and ghouls, we just took a look back at a film that many critics hated, and millions of fans adored. What did you think of this movie the first time you saw it? Comment below, or shoot us an email at themoviepit@gmail.com.

Till Next Time Kiddies…

-RJ

Watch Movies In Theaters Vs On Demand

The recent battle between movies in theaters, and movies on demand, is something that I mainly tried to stay out of for a long time. But with more and more people pushing, I guess it’s time to get my views on this subject out there. Let me be clear up front, when I start to talk about On Demand, I’m not talking about renting movies when they come out. I will strictly be referring to movies that premiere on demand, along with maybe a small coinciding theatrical release. That being cleared up, let’s begin.

We can all remember, hopefully, to our first trip to the movie theater. Chances are it was to see a Disney flick, or something else equally child friendly. All the really matter is the fact that we remember it. But why do we remember it? Was it from the smell of the popcorn and candy in the lobby? Maybe it was the dimming of the lights before the feature started. All these are factors that stick in our senses. No let’s look at the flip side, I couldn’t tell you anything about the first time I ordered an On Demand Premiere movie. Unfortunately I am not joking. Because anytime I order one, or anything like that, I’m not really thinking about it. It’s just another day of lounging around on the couch with nothing better to do. They honestly get lost amongst all the movies streaming companies out there.

But why are movie companies starting to target the On Demand crown, you might be asking. Well, that is actually pretty simple. Because they are reading into what consumers are wanting. I mean really, this is American, one of the laziest nations in the world…sorry, but it’s true. God forbid if you had to get up off you fat, lazy ass and actually go somewhere to pay for a movie (Don’t get me started on video stores…blog for another day). In many ways they think it is going to boost the sales of the movie, and they aren’t wrong. But it’s also going to boost the ability to bootleg a high quality copy of the film, leading to a decrease in sales later. Sorry, that is also a fact.

When did the movie theater get so scary? Was it the Dark Knight Rises thing? Just because some people got shot up in a theater (may they rest in peace), doesn’t mean you have to live inside a box for the rest of your life. Go out and enjoy a film how it was meant to be seen. There is nothing like the experience of going to the movies and seeing a film on a larger than life screen. Full, state of the art surround sound system beat the shit out of your ear drums. And yes, even the annoying bitch in front of you who won’t shut the fuck up, and the asshole behind you with restless leg syndrome, are all part of that movie going experience. No matter how hard you try, it is not something that you can recreate at your house. I would like to see somebody try, because I think it would be hilarious.

Do I think the On Demand trend is going anywhere, unfortunately no. I’m pretty sure it’s here to stay. That is, until they find a new and faster way to beam us the movies. I won’t let this be a total thrashing article, because I do believe there is a benefit to on demand as well. I think anything that is a children’s movie, or kid friendly movie, should all premiere on demand. That way the adults who might want to see these movies can do so in peace, without hundreds of nipple nibblers running around like rabid baboons in heat. But that’s just my opinion…

Till Next Time Kiddies…
-RJ

Everything Wrong With The Black Christmas Remake

Anyone who knows me on a personal level, knows that one of my biggest pet peeves is remakes. There are very few that have been made that I can actually stomach enough to watch. So back in 2006, when I saw this film was coming out, the blood in my veins ran cold. I was so worried about anyone remaking one of my favorite films, thinking that it would tarnish my opinion on the original material. Luckily, my thoughts about the original film still stand today, but my fears about this movie were right on point.

First off, I remember walking out of the theater, having seen this with my brother and just being in total shock. I mean, the basic idea of the original film is in this, but it has been so molested it looks like a pile of altar boys after lunch with a priest. One of the most iconic images from the original movie was the female victim who was suffocated with a black, plastic bag. Hell, they even used it for the fuckin’ poster art for Gods sake. So do you expect to see that same iconic imagery in the remake. OF COURSE. And you do. That’s not where the problem lies. The problem lies in how many goddamn times the use a plastic bag to kill someone. Once was more than enough. It was shocking, and gave the audience a good jump. Any more than that and it just shows that the writer really had no idea what to write, and apparently wasn’t feeling very creative on the kill front.

My second gripe with this film is as follows. I hate the cast in this movie. Sorry, I know many people like the fresh faced cast, that look like they could pop off the cover of Teen Vogue, but I don’t fall for it. In all honesty, it’s actually not the actors themselves, because I actually do enjoy these actors in other projects. I think it falls to these actors being cast together in this movie. The chemistry just doesn’t feel natural between the characters, and many of the performances seem forced. When performances comes across as forced, you almost lose my attention immediately. I know acting isn’t easy, but these are “professional” actors for fucks sake….ACT LIKE IT.

Let’s quickly talk about Billy. That’s right, Billy…the mysterious man in the attic (spoiler alert). What made the original so creepy and terrifying, is that you never see Billy. You hear him on the phone, and we know he’s there, but you never actually see him. Hell, as the movie is ending, after the cops are bagging up the body of the man believed to be Billy, we see that they killed the wrong man, and that the real killer is still in the attic. This is creepy. Do you know what isn’t creepy? Giving him a full fuckin’ backstory, full of child abuse and incest…and to top it off, MAKING THE MOTHERFUCKER YELLOW. That’s right ladies and germs, the big, bad killer in this movie is as yellow as Big Bird. It was about this time in the movie, so pretty early on, that I pretty much shut down. I finished the movie, and have watched it since, but it never got my full attention back every. There were so many mysteries in the original film that are no longer mysteries, it just hurts to much to think about.

I’ve heard the arguments, “well it was already done once, why would you want to see it again.” I say go fuck yourself with a rusty kitchen knife. Sure it was done before, but there are other ways around it that don’t involve the yellow power ranger. Certain things should just not be messed with. Some things are sacred. I know the original writer and director, Bob Clark (Porky’s, A Christmas Story), had a small producing role on this movie, and that we said he was pleased with this movie. I don’t by that one bit, and I think I have proof. I don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but Bob Clark and his son were tragically killed in a car crash…THE DAY THIS FILM HIT DVD. If that’s not an omen I don’t know what is. Or maybe Clark intentionally caused the wreck just so he didn’t have to see this monstrosity spread further in the world.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS KIDDIES!!!

-RJ

Unhappy Holidays: A Look Back At Black Christmas

On December 11th 1974, a small Canadian horror film opened at the box office. It would create a horror sub-genre, lay the foundation for the modern slasher and influence several other horror movies. With an initial run grossing over 4 million international on a $686,000 budget, gaining mixed reviews, it would grow to become a cult classic. That film was Black Christmas.

For those who haven’t seen it, here is a synopsis of the plot. On an evening before Christmas, a unseen stranger creeps into the attic of a sorority house unbeknownst to those inside. From then on the girls that aren’t going home for the holidays are tormented with obscene and increasingly threatening phone calls. The stranger in the attic comes down to dispatch those he finds in a number of unpleasant ways. Meanwhile, the police struggle to find clues as to the disappearances of the girls or the identity of the caller. Then in one final evening the stranger kills the rest of them until one remains. When she discovers she is in fact by herself, that’s when the police phone to inform her that the disturbing calls are coming from inside the house. She struggles to stay alive long enough for the police to arrive. The movie wraps with an ominous ending.

Production began in early 1974 in Toronto, Canada. There were a few set backs that director Bob Clark and his crew had to overcome. Gilda Radner was set to play Phyl but had to drop out a month before filming due to her Saturday Night Live commitments. The original Lt. Fuller, Edmond O’brien, left at the last minute from failing health problems. Both actors would be replaced by Andrea Martin and John Saxon respectively. Over the course of eight weeks, filming proceeded not only in Toronto but in Ontario and around Annesley Hall, a national historical site. Due to the light snowfall, several exterior scenes were created with the use of a foam material provided by the fire department. Director of Photography, Albert S. Dunk, shot the film with 35mm cameras. For the opening sequence of the movie, Albert mounted the camera to his back and climbed the house’s trellis himself. Other unique techniques were used during post production. To help aide in making the obscene phone calls sound more demented, actor Nick Mancuso stood on his head during the ADR sessions. Carl Zitrer, the film’s composer, used cutlery and combs on the strings of a piano to warp the sound. He recorded on audio tapes so he could slow down the speed.

The sub-genre that Black Christmas is responsible for creating is the holiday-themed horror film. It was writer Roy Moore and Bob Clark’s intention that they would make horror movies that centered around different holidays. Their sequel was to be set on Halloween but development issues prevented this from happening. Bob eventually let his friend John Carpenter take over the idea for his own seminal horror film, 1978‘s Halloween. The highly successful movie would cement the idea into the mind of future filmmakers. Thus making movies such as Friday the 13th, My Bloody Valentine, New Year’s Evil, Mother’s Day and plenty others possible.

One of the elements that I love about Black Christmas is that it doesn’t feature over the top gore that is commonplace among most R-Rated horror films. The onscreen kills, though violent, aren’t drenched in crimson. What we get are murder scenes that show just how powerless the victims are in preventing their demise. Clare endures the slow, agonizing death of strangulation. Mrs. Mac, who sees the hook zipping towards her on the line, can’t get of the way in time. While in a drunken slumber, Barbara can’t fend off her attack with the glass unicorn. Even Phyl, though she is killed offscreen, is done in from behind in Barb’s dark bedroom. And if you’re in the camp that I am that Jess will indeed suffer a terrible fate at the end of the film, she will do so in a medically induced stupor.
Another horror trope that isn’t used often enough but is in this film is the ambiguity of the killer. Tempting as it may be to have the shroud lifted moment. It don’t occur here. There are probable suspects but the true identity of the one responsible is never revealed. Nor is there a motive behind why the murders are happening in the first place. The unanswered reasons leave the events even more disturbing than an explanation that could’ve diminished the impact-fulness of the proceedings. By electing to not have a big reveal, the viewer gets to use their own imagination of what frightens them. Allowing to fill it in for themselves, the movie becomes more powerful than if they were fed the information. I beleive that a viewer can scare themself in their own mind worse than what they’ve seen with their eyes.

If you’ve read this far and haven’t seen the film, go watch it for yourself. And if you have seen it, watch it again. It deserves the rightful place as founder of holiday-themed horror films. For all the festivity nonsense you’ll have to endure this season, make Black Christmas one of your holiday traditions. Now you’ll have to excuse me, my phone is ringing.

-BB

Must Watch Holiday Horror Movies

Well, I’ve already posted the standard must watch list…and as I promised, here is the horror version of that list. When you think of the holidays horror might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But there it’s an old saying, “any time is a good time for horror”. There are almost as many horror Christmas movies as there are regular films. Well, without further ado…

       I hope you agree with the list, and maybe you found a movie or two that you never have heard of before. Well, that’s where I’m leaving this for today. Just wanted to post the list.

Till Next Time Kiddies…
-RJ

Where Will Horror Movies Be In 100 Years?

When you look back at the last 100 hundred years in cinema, it’s easy to see how much the world of horror has already changed. We’ve gone from silent, bloodless films, to sadistic and over the top gorefests. So this had me thinking about the future. What will horror movies be like over the next hundred years?

Well, I think it’s safe to assume that things are only going to get more and more insane. You can’t ramp up the carnage how they’ve done in recent years and backpedal to something more”wholesome”. Granted, I’m a firm believer that less is more, and acknowledge the fact that there hasn’t been a horror movie made that has “scarred” or affected me the way they should, in over twenty years. But I am a gorehound, and have grown so numb to the images put on film, that along with searching for something that actually scares me. I equally could just be looking for the next big thing to shock me.

It’s not that I don’t like the movies that are coming out in the genre over the past few years. I’m just looking for something different. Something original. Not another cookie cutter, found footage film that relies on telegraphed jump scares. As popular as this subgenre has become, I won’t be disappointed when it finally fizzles away into the ether. I’m not saying every one of these films is garbage. Because in every shit pile, there is a diamond in the rough. I personally just get tired of seeing the same old thing, just presented in a shiny new wrapper.

I said earlier that I can’t see things going back in style. That statement comes strictly from a production companies view point. As a viewer I absolutely went it to “go back to the basics”. The films of Alfred Hitchcock got into the minds of the viewer, and more importantly; they still hold up today. We need to get back into the heads of the audiences. Because when you can screw with someone’s psyche, they may be uncomfortable for a little while, but like in the past, they will tell their friends, and they will be back for more.

Till Next Time Kiddies…
-RJ

I Spit On Your Grave: Vengeance Is Mine (2015)

With a title like I Spit On Your Grave: Vengeance Is Mine, you really aren’t expecting to go in and see the cinematic masterwork of such classics as Gone With The Wind, or Casablanca. But you are expecting to see something that you might have never seen before. This being the third installment of a franchise rebooted in 2010, remake of the infamous 1978 film that caused a huge controversy, you are expecting to see something that is quite over the top. Where the previous two films lacked, and seemed to drag on from time to time, this film keeps it’s pace very nicely, and you are never waiting for something to happen. Which is a nice change for films of this nature. With the blatant “I hate all men” bashing that goes on throughout this film, albeit well deserved, you are getting an onslaught of graphic imagery, that might be very tough to watch at times; especially if you are a male.

The film starts of with Jennifer (Sarah Butler), reprising her role from the 2010 reboot), but she has changed her name to Angela, to try moving along with a new life. However, she is still haunted by the events of her vicious attack, including being raped by a police officer. Jennifer is in therapy, and by request of her therapist, she joins a rape survivors group. This is were she meets Marla (Jennifer Landon). The two become friends, and discuss there dreams of getting revenge on all woman-beaters. Unfortunately, Marla meets an untimely end by the hands of an abusive ex-boyfriend, who gets off on lack of evidence. It’s when this boyfriend turns up butchered and mutilated, that Detectives McDylan (Gabriel Hogan) and Boyd (Michelle Hurd) show up at the group to investigate the gruesome murder. As more murders begin to occur, can Jennifer keep her vengeful ways secret, or will she end up right in the crosshairs of these two detectives?

I have to say, I honestly wasn’t expecting much from this film. But was pleasantly surprised with the final results. This is honestly the I Spit on Your Grave, for the “next-generation” that I would have wanted to see in 2010. Not that there is anything wrong with that film. But times have changed so much since the original came out in 1978, and like it or not; this is the insane imagery needed nowadays to invoke the same shock the original had on viewers. To say this film can be hard to watch, is an understatement. This is by far the most graphic I Spit on Your Grave film to date. Not so much so on the rape side of things, which isn’t a bad thing, because they hit you over the face with that enough in the previous films, not to mention the flashback sequences in this film. But like I said earlier, if you are a male, there are at least two scenes in this movie that will have you clutching yourself, feeling the pain you are witnessing on screen.

The one thing I didn’t care for in this film (SPOILER ALERT), is what they did with the Jennifer character. The original tagline for this franchise was, “This Woman Has Just Chopped, Crippled, and Mutilated Four Men Beyond Recognition…But No Jury In America Would Ever Convict Her.” That was a very bold, but true statement. Because you felt for this character. However, in this film, there comes a point where she is kind of entrapping people. Playing on that misogynistic rape excuse, “well she was asking for it.” Well, at one point, Jennifer is roaming the streets in a very slinky dress, gets down on her knees, and literally asks for it. And when the male accommodates, she attacks. Now, I do believe there is an actual reason for this, that they do not mention in the film, but I don’t want to give any more than that away.

To sum all this up, if you are a fan of this brutal film franchise, I highly recommend giving this a viewing. It will hit all the points that you are expecting to see in a film of this kind. However, if you have never watched an I Spit on Your Grave film before, this probably isn’t the one for you to start down that road on, because like I said, it is brutal. Makes me wonder if Meir Zarchi and Anchor Bay have any plans to make additional sequels to the franchise. If they do, I can’t imagine what could possibly be in store for us in those. I give this film a solid 4 out of 5. I was going to give it 3.5, but because of nostalgic love for the original film, I bumped it up a bit. Enjoy the movie, and watch at your own risk.

Till Next Time Kiddies…

-RJ

John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978)

For anyone who has ever been interested in diving into the hellish world of becoming a filmmaker; there is always that one film that really pushed you to wanting to purse that field. For me that film was John Carpenter’s Halloween. Now, I had always been a movie buff, and of course a horror fanatic. But I remember seeing Halloween for the first time when I was in the 2nd Grade, and knew there was nothing else I wanted to do. From the simplistic nature that the film had, and the low-budget(for the time), the fact that this film is still noted, and shown yearly in theaters; there is a reason why this film pushed me in the industry I am now entering.

For those of you who don’t know; On Halloween 1963, the small town of Haddonfield is shocked when six-year-old Michael Myers returns from trick-or-treating and for some unknown reason stabs his older sister to death with a big kitchen knife and is found by his parents staring into space with the bloody knife in his hand. Sent to a mental institution, Michael spends the next 15 years just sitting, still staring into space despite the best efforts of his Doctor, Dr. Samuel Loomis. Now, on October 30th 1978, something triggers Michael off and during a storm manages to steal a car from Dr. Loomis and Nurse Marion (who was coming to take Michael to court to keep him locked up) and goes back to Haddonfield where he steals a white mask. There, Laurie Stode, Micheal’s younger sister, finds that Michael is stalking her during the day (at school, at her home etc – but she doesn’t know who he is.) As Dr. Loomis arrives and with the sheriff frantically looks for Michael he doesn’t know that Laurie is baby-sitting Lindsey and Tommy and that Laurie’s friends Annie, Lynda and Bob are disappearing one by one.

As I said, this film has a very simplistic storyline; but it is a premise that everyone could identify with. Every town has their own story of the one person that went crazy, and now they are locked up in a padded room somewhere. But what would happen if that person escaped, and went back to the only place they knew? That is the question John Carpenter answered, and put fear in the nation. In all actuality, this film wasn’t a big success initially. It was slammed by critics, and the box office numbers were sub-par at best. But after one review hit the market, and by the power of word of mouth, the numbers started to grow. And before too long, people were lining up around the blocks to see this film. That was something that didn’t happen for horror films. At this time, you went to the drive-in to see this kind of horror flick. But the success only got bigger, and a generation of fans was born.

For writer/director John Carpenter, this film was the huge success he need to put his name on the map. Before Halloween, Carpenter had only done a handful of shorts, and two features; Dark Star and Assault on Precinct 13. Surprisingly, those two films were vastly different than Halloween, or to the horror genre that he would inevitably becoming a staple in. To this day, John Carpenter is one of my favorite directors. There is nothing he releases that I don’t see or own. It’s just too bad that he hasn’t released too much as of late; but when he does, you can know that I will be there to see it.

It is a little sad to see Carpenter, sort of, divorce himself from the franchise he started; but to a point, I can understand. Nobody wants to be typecast, and be only known for one thing. So the fact that when he was asked to be apart of a few of the sequels, and he declined; I can respect that. Because even if he wants to separate himself from it; even he can’t deny that he was responsible for one of the biggest horror icons in history. One of the new “modern” Universal Monsters if you; in the character of Michael Myers.

Michael Myers is the character you fear coming to your house every Halloween. The expressionless shape, that can take you out at a moments notice. In this first film, he really didn’t have any motives for his actions. He was just that psychotic killer that killed for one and only reason…because he liked to kill. He was good at it. But, we all know, you can’t do that for too long, and in the later films we learn that Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is actually his sister; and the films trend down the line that Michael just isn’t a “family man” and wants all of his family to die. I was honestly fine with all that. It made for interesting story-lines, and some fun sequels. But then they killed off his entire bloodline, and the franchise hit a roadblock. That roadblock would be the reason for the Rob Zombie remake…but that will be a post for an entirely different day.

But this creation, from the mind of John Carpenter and Debra Hill, has spawned many loyal fans, and a mess of imitations. I’ve heard people argue that Jason Vorhees is “way better” than Michael Myers. I’m not going to bite. I love Jason as well. But at least give credit where credit is due. If the was no Michael Myers, there damn sure wouldn’t be a Jason; or even a Freddy for that matter. Now, Halloween wasn’t the first slasher film by any means. Hell, Psycho and Black Christmas came out years before this. But this film solidified the genre, and is truly the reason for the huge slasher boom in the 1980’s. And that is really saying something. The fact that this “little” film, that no one thought would do anything, inspired so many filmmakers to flood the market with imitations, is really a mark in favor of John Carpenter and everyone else attached to this film.

Yes, I am a Halloween fanboy, and proud of that fact. I just love the film and try to get as many people as I possibly can to watch it…if they haven’t of course. This film was one that I held a little tradition with. Every Friday night I would pop up some popcorn, kick back and throw this movie in. I have seen this movie hundreds upon hundreds of times, and it never gets old. That is the staple of a great, iconic film. So do yourself a favor. If you have been living under a rock for nearly 40 years…get out from under that rock, and watch this film. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea…but even the most hardcore haters can admit that it is responsible for so many other films that people love.

-Till Next Time Kiddies…