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facelessoldgargoyle · 9 months

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I watched Crimson Peak, and while I enjoyed it immensely, I was left dissatisfied. It’s the fundamental problem of writing a gothic novel. The story is driven by women in a world where they have no power, and that rocks. However, it fails to transcend the Madonna/whore dichotomy ever-present in gothic stories. It’s still a compelling watch, and I would recommend it, but I have complicated feelings about it.

The example of the Madonna/whore dichotomy that comes to my mind is Jane Eyre and Rochester’s insane wife, Bertha. Edith and Lucille map onto those characters pretty well. Edith, like Jane, is smart, determined, brave, and willing to face hard truths. Lucille, like Bertha, has a sexual claim on Edith’s husband, inflicts violence on Edith, was committed to an institution at some point in her life, and at the end, she is portrayed as wild, almost animalistic. “I won’t stop until I kill you or you kill me.”

I actually think Lucille is written as less sympathetic than Bertha is. In Jane Eyre, there’s a clear sense that Bertha is a victim of her circumstances. She is married off to someone she doesn’t know, taken to another country, and locked in an attic with one attendant to keep her company while her husband falls in love with another woman. Lucille, on the other hand, perpetrates her circumstances. She killed their mother, she poisons the brides, she refuses to leave the decaying manor. The movie makes it clear that she is two years older than Thomas, and strongly implies that she initiated the incest when they were children. While she’s not responsible for the abuse they suffered as children, she is the unambiguous villain of the movie.

In contrast, Thomas is allowed to be complicated, and his agency in the circumstances is downplayed or elided. His inventions require the money that they seek out brides and kill for. He chooses the women that his sister will kill. He is in every way as responsible for the violence in the movie as Lucille is, and yet the movie chooses to redeem him. He falls in love with Edith, he spares Alan, he proposes abandoning the manor and the money, and he ultimately saves Edith in the final fight with Lucille. I think this is a good story, but it disappoints me that Lucille is left as pure monster while her partner in crime gets to be complicated.

There are flickers of empathy for Lucille that make me think Guillermo del Toro might like her as much as I do. We get a full explanation of her childhood, so we know why she is the way she is. We learn that she protected her little brother and loved her baby who died. The closing narration of the movie implies that her ghost persists because of love. I just wish she got to heal from her childhood the way Thomas got to. It saddens me to think that her ghost will live on in the same rotten walls that trapped her in life.

9/10 I could talk about this movie for forever

#crimson peak #this isn’t even touching on the gorgeous costumes sets and acting #the whole movie is fucking fab #horror reviews #op

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thewarmestplacetohide · 11 days

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Dread by the Decade: Best of the 1930s

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Dracula (1931 | USA): a doctor and young man must defeat a powerful vampire. ★★★★½ Review | Screenshots | Facts

See below the cut for the rest of the list!

Frankenstein (1931 | USA): a scientist unnaturally creates life. ★★★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931 | USA): a doctor makes a potion that turns him into a violent sadist. ★★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

M (1931 | Germany): the people of Berlin search for a child murderer. ★★★★½ Review | Screenshots | Facts

Freaks (1932 | USA): sideshow performers must save their friend from a cruel trapeze artist. ★★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

Island of Lost Souls (1932 | USA): a man is stranded on a mad scientist's island. ★★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

The Old Dark House (1932 | USA): people shelter in a strange home. ★★★½ Review | Screenshots | Facts

Vampyr – Der Traum des Allan Gray (1932 | Germany): a man must save women from a vampire's curse. ★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

Doctor X (1932 | USA): a doctor tries to catch a serial killer. ★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

La Llorona (1933 | Mexico): a man fears ghosts have cursed his family. ★★★½ Review | Screenshots | Facts

King Kong (1933 | USA): an actress is abducted by a giant ape. ★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

The Invisible Man (1933 | USA): a scientist is driven mad by an experiment that turns him invisible. ★★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

The Black Cat (1934 | USA): a WWI POW seeks the man who betrayed him. ★★★½ Review | Screenshots | Facts

El fantasma del convento (1934 | Mexico): three people shelter in a strange monastery. ★★★½ Review | Screenshots | Facts

The Black Room (1935 | USA): a prophecy foretells that a baron's twin will kill him. ★★★★ Review | Screenshots

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935 | USA): Frankenstein is forced to build his monster a bride. ★★★★½ Review | Screenshots | Facts

Mad Love (1935 | USA): a mad doctor replaces a pianist’s hands with a murderer’s. ★★★½ Review | Screenshots | Facts

The Raven (1935 | USA): a doctor becomes obsessed with a young dancer. ★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

Werewolf of London (1935 | USA): a botanist is cursed. ★★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

The Devil-Doll (1936 | USA): a man uses a shrinking potion to seek revenge. ★★★½ Review | Screenshots | Facts

Fährmann Maria (1936 | Germany): a ferryman ushers Death across the river. ★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

Dracula's Daughter (1936 | USA): Dracula's daughter tries to undo her curse. ★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

Le Golem (1936 | Czechoslovakia): a rabbi reawakens a golem to save his people. ★★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

夜半歌声 (1937 | Republic of China): an actor believes he is being tutored by a ghost. ★★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

The Cat and the Canary (1939; USA): a millionaire's heirs are stalked by a killer. ★★★★ Review | Screenshots | Facts

#Dread by the Decade #Best of #1930s #master list #horror reviews

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notastranger · 4 months

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#young frankenstein #gene wilder #wonka #willy #willy wonka #horror #scary #old movies #old film #old hollywood #old hollywod glamour #horror films #horror art #horror comedy #horror movies #horror movie lover #horror reviews #horror aesthetic

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jordyvix · 3 months

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LISA FRANKENSTEIN Is to Die For

A lonely teen has her undead crush brought back to life, and he just might be the man of her morbid dreams. Written by Diablo Cody and the directorial debut of Zelda Williams, Lisa Frankenstein is an adoringly creepy and unabashedly edgy horror rom-com that’ll make you swoon — and maybe a little grossed out. Lisa (Kathryn Newton) has recently relocated in her senior year of high school to live…

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walkonpooh · 9 months

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Whalefall - Daniel Kraus Review

Jay Gardiner had a rocky relation ship with his father Mitt. Mitt is a locally renowned diver who has always wanted Jay to follow in his footsteps. Jay wanted to set his own path in life and the two diverged, Jay leaving home to couch surf until he reached college age. Then Mitt is diagnosed with cancer and commits suicide. Jay's reunites with his Mother and two sisters, but feels that his relationship with his father was unresolved. Because the suicide happened at sea, there wasn't ever a body to bury and Jay decides to go to the location where his father died to attempt to find his bones and bring them back to his family, hoping the act will resolve their relationship and give him and his family closure. During the dive, Jay is attacked by a giant squid, which is fleeing a sperm whale. Suddenly, both Jay and the squid are swallowed by the sperm whale. Stuck in the sperm whale's stomach and his oxygen running out, Jay has to try to remember everything his father taught him about the sea in order to survive. So yeah I had been anticipating this one for the last month or so and I really liked this one. It's a horror version of Andy Weir's The Martian and while I didn't find Jay as likeable as Mark Watney in that book, I liked him enough to root for his survival in a harrowing situation. I loved Kraus using the PSI of the oxygen tank as chapters and a countdown for Jay's survival, really added to the tension of the situation. The descriptions of being in the sperm whale's stomach really reminded me of a certain scene from Jordan Peele's Nope that I loved. So yeah, highly recommend this one and I plan on checking out more from Kraus!

4/5

#halloween reading 2023 #daniel kraus #reading #horror #horror book reviews #horror reviews #whalefall #thalassophobia #sperm whale #giant squid

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squirrellyshorrorreviews · 5 months

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Thanksgiving (2023)

After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts - the birthplace of the infamous holiday.

Where can I watch it: Theatrers

Rating: 8.5/10

ELI ROTH UNDERSTOOD THE BRIEF.

This is a slasher movie for people who love 80's slasher movies. It has all the campy ridiculousness and brutal kills that made the genre a delight for those that love it.

The Mystery is surprisingly clever and the writing does it's level best to keep its characters reasonable and smart. The violence hits V for Vendetta levels of wild. Some of the cinematography is pretty fantastic. It's pleasantly funny without trying too hard, the final girl is a treat.

One thing that holds this movie back from being Pearl levels of fantastic in my book is it's dependence on jumpscares. Me and my watching companion counted about 7 when we decided to keep count, but we no doubt missed a few.

Still going on the rec list though. It was too delightful not to make the cut.

#Thanksgiving (2023)#Slasher Movies #Holiday themed horror movies #Movie Reviews #Horror Reviews #Rec list

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thebloodstream · 3 months

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New episode is up, and this week I look at Nathan Faudree's flick, Site 13. You'll just have to listen to see if it drove me mad or not.

#The Blood Stream #Site 13 #Nathan Faudree #podcasts #horror reviews #movie reviews

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frecklesandpoverty · 7 months

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31 Nights of Halloween Horror: day 10

My choice for yesterday was Consecration

I rated this 6/10. A little boring to start, and I totally thought I knew where it was going, but then it changed it up a bit and surprised me. It wasn't amazing, but it was good. Jena Malone great as always, and a good performance by Danny Huston. I enjoyed the ending too.

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facelessoldgargoyle · 2 years

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Mad God made me feel like I need to lie down and stare at the sky for a while. There’s not a ton of plot per se but there’s a lot of fucked up shit. A guy gets vivisected and the doctor pulls out coins, jewelry, books, and a worm baby. Later on that worm gets squished into liquid that turns into glitter powder that a mad scientist wearing a plague doctor mask and an undulating robe turns into a new universe, possibly. I was shown many images and they were all beautiful in their craftsmanship, horrifying in concept, and slimy in texture. Um. I think I need to take vacation tomorrow. 10/10

#it’s going to give me nightmares just because it was so vivid #serisouly i wasn’t tempted to look at my phone at any point throughout the entire movie #horror reviews #mad god #op

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owlbelly · 11 months

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just watched a remake (Malum, 2023) of a movie i enjoyed (Last Shift, 2014) where both films were made by the same director - i guess the goal was just "make it again with a bigger budget" & this is why i think horror filmmakers need to have money taken away from them

the first film was a slow-burn, psychological, relatively restrained suspense-fest that used its small budget to punch up a couple of flashy/gory scares, resulting in them having more impact. it isn't at the top of any of my horror lists but it's really solid & kept me engaged!

the second film is an over-the-top gore-fest with NO interest in any subtlety - it's also very poorly written & poorly acted in comparison to the first one which is sort of baffling to me, apparently they spent all the money on the blood this time. they changed the plot to remove any ambiguity about the supernatural element & to allow for a big practical-effects demon (which was fun? and really unintentionally silly?). aside from a few very striking images, it's just absolutely terrible.

it's such an object lesson in how limits & constraints push creativity. some of my favorite horror films are shoestring-budget indies that had to think outside the box & take risks! anyway i'm disappointed as hell i don't know what i was expecting. need to rewatch the first one & appreciate it more now, haha

#horror movies #horror reviews #i should have a tag for horror movie stuff i have SO MUCH TO SAY

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notastranger · 5 months

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final girl mix on Spotify 🎶🔪

#final girl #horror reviews #horror music #horror girls #sidney prescott #ready or not #samara weaving #tara carpenter #neve campbell #jenna ortega #sam carpenter #melissa barrera #ripely #aliens #the shining #Spotify #playlist #music #final girl music

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jordyvix · 1 month

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IT'S WHAT'S INSIDE: A Clever & Comical Sci-Fi Horror

On the night before their friend’s wedding, a group of long-time pals come together for a fun-filled evening of catching up. However, things take an unexpected turn when one of them introduces a wild new party game into the mix, causing them to question each other’s intentions. Written and directed by Greg Jardin, It’s What’s Inside is an innovative science-fiction horror film with an impressive…

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scarycybird · 1 year

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I’m Back

Okay, let’s try this again

Some new ideas for how to make it work better this time #1 - No More Liveblogging. My Liveblog posts are utter hell to read. I’m gonna keep my liveblog in notes apps or something. Maybe if I get popular or something I’ll release them on patreon or something but no more. #2. Back to My Roots. That’s Right. I’m gonna work on those essays I’ve been planning in my head on The Magnus Archives! Also gonna do some work on some of the other Rusty Quill Network podcasts and probably revist Jonny’s Novels. 3. If you look at this blog’s recent likes, you’re going to see I’ve spent a lot of time in the tag for HBO’s “Barry”. I may or may not have a piece coming arguing that Season 4 of Barry might qualify as an entry into the Horror Genre despite it’s official categorization as Comedy. Because we all know how close those two genres really are. and finally - 4. Soliciting Recommendations! I need more recs! Constantly! What to watch, where to watch it! Let’s Do This! I wanna get back into this!

#horror #horror reviews #the magnus archives #thirteen stories #horror recs

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anndoeshorror · 1 year

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Soft & Quiet (2022)

I’ve always said that I’m a fan of the horror genre, but the truth is, I just like scary movies. I want to be scared, terrified, frightened... not horrified. But there’s not really a sub-genre that encompasses “movies that are scary”, one- because any genre can be scary, and two- because we all have different thresholds of “scary”.

I started seeing Soft & Quiet make the rounds among horror youtubers and tiktokers late last year, many of the reviews were light on details, they were of the “it’s better to go in blind” variety. I had a vague idea of the premise going in but that was all. I was a little dubious but the reviews generally seemed positive, several threw around superlatives like “best horror film of 2022″ and I figured what the heck, maybe there’s was a good opportunity for subverting expectations and all that jazz.

This movie is not scary in the “scary movie” sense. Which is fine, right? I mean even most scary movies aren’t really scary. (Are any of them really, truly scary at all?) Some horror fans want to be grossed out, others shocked, it’s all down to what feelings you want to experience during those 90 to 120 minutes of entertainment. So yeah, it’s not scary, it is horrifying. It’s a horror film in the purest and most technical of senses. Did I enjoy it? God no.

Some spoilers follow...

The set up is sinister, and I saw some potential in the first 20 minutes or so, but much of the movie just felt like trauma porn. Not extreme enough to be noteworthy trauma porn in a Serbian Film or Trauma (2017) kind of way, nor outlandish enough to be comical trauma porn in a The Sadness kind of way. Just plain old trauma.

I’m fully accepting that there’s nuance here that is beyond me, and that there’s something here that’s just not FOR me. The writer/director is a woman of color, and some of the film is bases on her own experiences (dear god). I would say that for some people, there’s going to be a backdrop of real life memories and trauma that will comingle with the terror of the film in a way that makes for a very different viewing experience, and I hesitate to critique in a way that may sound dismissive of those experiences. So to be clear, when I review any movie/book/etc, it’s based on my personal reaction and enjoyment. I’m no expert critic and I know very little about actual professional graduate level media analysis...

... but to me Soft & Quiet is... just about a bunch of racist white ladies who have some wine and then commit a hate crime. I’m not struck with any deeper meaning, and it doesn’t read as horror to me, anymore than a re-enactment of any other hate crime pulled from a newspaper or history book would. No twists and turns, no psychological exploration, no subverting of anything- just cold, hard, unflinching brutality. And maybe that’s the point? I’m sure there’s a thoughtful analysis out there that picks up everything I missed, and I may go searching for it.

Critics don’t agree with me, though, it seems this one is doing pretty well as far as I can tell, but for me it’s a massive thumbs down.

What it is: concise, extremely well shot, edited, and acted

What it isn’t: scary, especially original

Entertaining: 2/10

Scary: 0/10

Gory: 2/10

Common triggers: sexual assault, racism, sexism, antisemitism, homophobia, general white supremacy/nazi symbols and ideologies, mentions of infertility, alcohol

Soft & Quiet was written and directed by Beth de Araújo and filmed over 4 days

#soft & quiet #horror #horror reviews #beth de araújo #the editing alone may be enough of a reason to check it out though #the whole film looks like one long take

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amandamazzillo · 2 years

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HALLOWEEN ENDS: Satisfying, Complex Conclusion to the Halloween Saga

With David Gordon Green's Halloween Ends--the story which began in 1978 with the release of John Carpenter’s terrifying, suspenseful Halloween--comes to a satisfying conclusion.

The end of the revitalized Halloween trilogy which began in 2018 with the new sequel to the original film, explores Laurie Strode’s (Jamie Lee Curtis) journey to live her life away from the constant fear of Michael’s inevitable return time and time again.

Halloween Ends examines how the presence of evil lived within Michael now roams free and permeates every corner of Haddonfield–living in the subconscious of every resident, leading to disastrous accidents sparked by the fear of Michael being around every corner. The evil spreads its way through the town, impacting how everyone lives with the constant fear of the boogeyman's return.

Halloween Ends is a great conclusion to this story of Laura and the evil she fights against throughout her life. The film asks: Will Laurie finally find some peace and quite–some time to truly live her life?

Complex, Believable Performances

Halloween Ends gives us everything we could hope for in this final installment. We see glimpses of our favorite final girl having a moment to catch her breath. Jamie Lee Curtis gives an amazing performance which explores how Laurie has grown as a person.

Seeing a character we have watched throughout the Halloween franchise fight for her life–and the lives of her loved ones–stand up and let pent up emotions out in the open, is cathartic and freeing. Jamie Lee Curtis's performance is exhilarating as a character who finally has had enough and releases all the emotions she has been keeping inside.

Halloween Ends boasts challenging, captivating performances of complex, well-written characters who question their life as well as the history and overpowering pull toward evil in their hometown.

Andi Matichak returns as Allyson–who now lives with her grandmother Laurie Strode. Halloween Ends explores her character more intimately–examining how growing up in this family–and Haddonfield–has impacted who she is and what she wants out of her life.

One of the standout performances in Halloween Ends is Rohan Campbell as Corey Cunningham–a young Haddonfield resident- who comes under fire from the town after a mysterious and deadly night.

Campbell brings the complexity of his character to the foreground. We see Corey as an awkward, but well-meaning kid, trying desperately to deal with how the evil of Haddonfield permeated his subconscious during that fateful night. Corey’s accident, which begins the film, highlights how Haddonfield residents are always looking over their shoulder, waiting for the worst to happen–waiting for Michael’s return, even when he’s nowhere to be seen.

Throughout the film, Corey tries to handle the outcome of that night, leading to a complex and challenging role which Rohan Campbell portrays perfectly from every angle.

Gore and Creative Kill Scenes

Halloween Ends does not skimp on gory and intense kill scenes which harken back to the suspense which made us all fall in love with this iconic horror franchise with Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic.

The horror of Halloween Ends erupts beautifully from well-crafted suspense and a dark, gritty atmosphere capturing how evil seeps into Haddonfield.

The cinematography throughout Halloween Ends captures both the darkness of the holiday along with the joy of costume parties–and the warm, yet menacing glow of jack o' lanterns.

The visual world of Halloween Ends all bursts from one central location–which helps create a lived-in and scary world where we expect to see Michael Myers emerge from the shadows at any moment. The bridge–which was filmed in Sylvania, Ga–used within the film acts as a hub for the town’s evil as well as the film’s strong visual tone.

Halloween Ends builds suspense beautifully from its opening scene and continues throughout all of its kill scenes–which are both brutal and creative. Every moment of gore builds from an overwhelming sense of suspense, and utilizes the atmosphere and location of each moment well to create unique scenes that are both terrifying and unique.

Halloween Ends maintains a strong visual style throughout the film both in its most horrific scenes as well as in its scenes which capture the bright lights and excitement of the holiday. Neon lights, motorcycle rides, and the dark, open road recall juvenile delinquent films of the 1950s–brought to even more through the performances of Rohan Campbell and Andi Matichak during these moments.

Conclusion

Halloween Ends is a perfect conclusion to the Halloween franchise and is a fun, suspenseful trip inside the haunting world of Michael Myers and Haddonfield. Halloween Ends is a wonderful celebration of the season–both its tricks and treats–giving us spooky atmospheres, complex performances–especially from Jamie Lee Curtis, Rohan Campbell, and Andi Matichak–and an amazing cameo horror fans are sure to love.

#halloween ends #film reviews #halloween #jamie lee curtis #rohan campbell #andi matichak #horror #horror reviews

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