#42171  
Old 04-09-2023, 12:27 AM
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Tommy Jarvis Tommy Jarvis is offline
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Miss Marple: 4.50 from Paddington 1987 ★★½

Two trains cross and one passenger from the one train just happens to see a murder being committed in the other one. And she just happens to be friends with Miss Marple. Who woulda thunk it?

Enjoyable, but not memorable. Your typical Agatha Christie story with all the tropes: red herrings, the dramatic outburst followed by the big cough,... Also, does every single Agatha Chrstie-story have a character named Edmund?
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  #42172  
Old 04-12-2023, 02:09 AM
FryeDwight FryeDwight is offline
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THE TOY (1982) . The spoiled son of a ultra-Millionaire decides to make a black employee his new "toy". Painfully unfunny "comedy" that follows the plot of how friendship must be earned and not "bought"-not even Richard Pryor can get much of a laugh here. As offensive as the main plot is, there is also a scene involving Ned Beatty (one of my favorite character actors) being told to "...Take off Your pants" that must have been uncomfortable for him, considering He had to do that in an earlier (and much better) film that also showed off his humiliation. *
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  #42173  
Old 04-12-2023, 09:26 PM
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Tommy Jarvis Tommy Jarvis is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FryeDwight View Post
THE TOY (1982) . The spoiled son of a ultra-Millionaire decides to make a black employee his new "toy". Painfully unfunny "comedy" that follows the plot of how friendship must be earned and not "bought"-not even Richard Pryor can get much of a laugh here. As offensive as the main plot is, there is also a scene involving Ned Beatty (one of my favorite character actors) being told to "...Take off Your pants" that must have been uncomfortable for him, considering He had to do that in an earlier (and much better) film that also showed off his humiliation. *
Boy, I'll tell you, mister Hat. Movies in the 80s were... weird.
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Old 04-14-2023, 04:33 AM
FryeDwight FryeDwight is offline
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ESCAPE TO WITCH'S MOUNTAIN (1975). Two siblings with extraordinary powers escape from a millionaire who wants to exploit them and return "home".
While the premise isn't bad and there is some lovely California scenery, this is a Disney film. And as such is overloaded with far too many "cutesy" and "ha Ha" moments that really aren't.
It is nice to see Donald Pleasance in a big budget film playing the aide to Ray Milland, who was typical for this time plays an abrasive rich asshole. **
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Old 04-14-2023, 05:56 AM
classic_horror_fan classic_horror_fan is offline
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"Cannibal Campout" is a 1980s grindhouse style horror film about a group of teens out camping in the rural mountains, not knowing there is a family of young brothers who are bloodthirsty and flesheating cannibals already camping in those hills, and the cannibals are always out looking for other campers to turn into their next victims. There are a lot of beautiful artsy nature shots throughout this film. There is also a lot of good humorous dialogue and well developed characters. The kill scenes are overall intense with good fake blood and make up fx. Those into the old school done right grindhouse horror films should not be let down by this one.

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Old 04-14-2023, 05:57 AM
classic_horror_fan classic_horror_fan is offline
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"Video Violence" is another 1980s grindhouse style horror film about a married couple who just moved from New York City to a small secluded town after the husband owned his own movie theater in New York City and now owns his own local video store in the small town they moved to. The video store begins to receive home made snuff videos of people getting tortured and murdered in a lot of sick cruel bloody ways from random customers, and the local police department refuses to get involved. The husband then loses a worker who gets abducted from his own store, then tries taking matters into his own hands. The victims turn out to be those who are passing through, only to get abducted by locals who do the torturings and killings. This also has a lot of good dialogue and well developed characters, along with the kill scenes being overall well done. Those into the old school done right gory and artsy grindhouse style horror films should also find this one worth a look.
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  #42177  
Old 04-14-2023, 05:58 AM
classic_horror_fan classic_horror_fan is offline
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"Woodchipper Massacre"is actually a comedy horror that is meant to be stupid and campy looking but funny, parodying the grindhouse style horror films, and it is entertaining in that sort of over the top way. The dialogue is overall very humorous in over the top ways, and the characters are well developed, also in over the top parody ways. Even the kill scenes, despite very bloody and gory, are also silly but funny in creative satirical ways. This one is not great but still funny for those into those sorts of comedy horrors and maybe those into the grindhouse style horror films, if they can go without taking this one seriously.
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Old 04-15-2023, 12:24 PM
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Asylum 1972 ★★★

Asylum was an anthology film with stories about patients in a mental hospital.

The build up, the main idea and the twist are all reminiscent of Patient Seven.

It will not blow you away, but it's a good way to spend 90 minutes. Even if only for all the British celeb actors of the time. With horror icon Peter Cushing in a starring role and appearances by Britt Ekland and others.
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Old 04-16-2023, 12:06 PM
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Ghostbusters 1984 ★★★★★

First of all, there seems to be a group of people that consider this movie as horror. My question to them: what are you smoking? Because I want some.

From the first minute, this is an amazing comedy. Just things like the confrontation with the first ghost. How Ackroyd and Ramis glance at Murray and he gives a “oh, for fucks sake” sigh and rolls his eyes before going in. Or the “we should split up” dialogue. The uberdry delivery by Murray when he goes “yeah, we can do more damage that way”. Brilliant.

Ghostbusters has all the things an entertainment classic should have
laugh out loud moments: the are you a God-moment
excitement and spectacle by the pound
a villain you love to hate
cameos for easter eggs. Is that Ron Jeremy? And holy shit, it's the dad from Family Matters.
And so on, and so on

Five stars across the board. Well deserved.
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Old 04-16-2023, 12:15 PM
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The Hitcher 1986 ★★★★½

From the very first shot, the movie sets its gloomy, somber tone. You immediately know what you are in for.

The same goes for our main character. From the moment we see him, John Ryder gives out a menacing appearance, making Jim uncomfortable as hell. To then further up the ante with the coll, dry delivery of his actions and his threats. This is one scary dude. The late Rutger Hauer was at one of his peak moments here. Unrelenting, killing everyone in the way of him tormenting and torturing poor Jim. Even a small victory like throwing Ryder out of the car turns out to be only temporary.

And it never lets up. The moment you start to feel the slightest bit of comfort, you had better buckle up, because something scary is coming. Like the shot with the teddy bear. Jim's response just makes him look like Crazy Ralph's cousin. Or the moment in the diner where he's eating and then... wow. Talk about fish fingers.

The setting and the tone are simply amazing. The vast landscapes and the seemingly never ending roads make you feel like you can escape and yet, the danger can come from anywhere. Granted, you need a good spoon of suspension of disbelief, but with a movie this scary, you happily accept that.

Final thought: I don't care what imdb says here. The fear of hitchikers along with the eeriness and dark ending make The Hitcher into a horror film. And a great one at that.

A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child 1989 ★★

Without a doubt the worst in the series. Bland across the board.

The kills were better than I remember, but the goofiness kept them from being really good.

The only upsides were the take on me-kill and Freddy screaming "It's a boy!". And I may be in the minority, but I kinda like Super Freddy. Still better than Aquaman.

A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child 1989 ★★

Without a doubt the worst in the series. Bland across the board.

The kills were better than I remember, but the goofiness kept them from being really good.

The only upsides were the take on me-kill and Freddy screaming "It's a boy!". And I may be in the minority, but I kinda like Super Freddy. Still better than Aquaman.

Child’s Play 1988 ★★★½

Let's rewind all the way back to march of 1976. A promsing, young actor named Brad Dourif is at the Academy Awards, at what is undoubtdely the highlight of his career so far. Imagine pulling a Back to the future on him at the afterparty. No, Brad. Your career defining role will be thirteen years from now. When you play... a killer doll. Correction: a ginger killer doll.

You know, it's uncanny. Not only how the Chucky-franchise managed to last as long as it has so far – crossovers, reboot and all. But also the impact Chucky has had, with people calling him scary as hell and with professional atheletes (like soccer players Roman Yaremchuk and Hirving Lozano) being nicknamed after him.

And all this based on a movie that should not even be all that good based on the premise: a serial killer in the body of a what? A three foot tall doll?

The transition in the opening scene is silly and Brad Dourif's delivery of the line “Oh God, I'm dying”? Well, it's... something. That's for sure. And a child with a doll getting a train ticket just like that? That's not very believable either.

In all fairness, the movie does have qualities. Some of the scary moments do work. The kills are well done and they turn the premise into an advantage. Because of the silly premise, the makers need to be creative in how they let Chucky kill people. And they are. Throughout the franchise.

And you have to admit: the bit where the doll holds a voodoo doll is pretty funny.

Brad Dourif is great as Chucky, positioning himself as one of the icons of the genre and Alex Vincent overcomes his challenge as a child actor to deliver an adorable performance. In a role he would regularly revisit later in his career. Talk about growing up with a character.

Child's Play, for those who have already seen it, it's always good for a laugh and a good time. And if you have not seen it yet... what are you waiting for?

The Omen 1976 ★★★★

A movie like The Omen deservedly belongs in the canon of classics of the broad seventies (an era which in my opinion starts in the late sixties with Night of the living dead and ends somewhere in the early to mid eighties with... maybe The Fly?) and is also one of the better religious horrors out there.

One of the main reasons is the casting. Having an experienced class actor like Gregory Peck helming this project. He gives Robert Thorn the class and dignity that elevates this character above the rest. With the rest of the cast being no slouches. They are all in their place. With miss Baylock being suitably scary as the replacement nanny and father Brennan getting just the right dose of sombreness and perceived madness. He is aware of the looming danger, yet unable to articulate his feelings without sounding like a madman.

That is shown in the scary moments. With the first whammy being a big one. The glee in the eyes of the nanny as she commits suicide... brr. Or the chase scene with the rotweilers in the graveyard. Bone chilling and edge of your seat intense. And of the course, there is the decapitation scene for the gorehounds. Holy crap, that hit hard.

And of course the final glance and wave. The knowledge that evil has won. Brr indeed.

Ps: fun fact: I only found out today that the actress playing Miss Baylock was the lady behind the fascist-hag exchange in Hot Fuzz. Her very last role, no less. So... the more you know.

House 1985 ★★

House is a funny little bit of eighties horror. Not in the least because of the number of recognisable actors: Creighton Duke and Bubba from In the heat of the night as the two requisite starstruck cops (and I could swear I recognised the other cop from somewhere), George Wendt as the comic relief, the later Frau Ferbissinau even had a small part. In the starring,we have William Katt, whose smile still delivers the charm as when he played Tommy Ross.

What is this movie's main problem? Hard to tell. On the one hand, you can tell that it's dated. It really looks very eighties in the special effects and the tone and what not. On the other hand, it never seems clear what this movie really wants to be.

We know one thing: while the sequels went full on goof, this one was in essence at least (trying to be) somewhat serious. But otherwise? Are they going for scares in the vein of Poltergeist? Or are they going in a more horror comedy direction, like Evil Dead? Heck, one or two moments even had a Back to the future-like vibe to them.

The villain looks cool, but not scary and the Vietnam-link and the missing link never really managed to capture me.

It has not aged well, but it remains a nice bit of campy fun. I recommend watching it with a few friends, because it makes for good drinking games. Example: every time you see Wendt, someone shouts “Norm!” and the others do a shot.
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