Director and Composer John Carpenter is playing his movie themes on November 19th, 2017, at The Palace Theatre in Syracuse, NY to coincide with the release of his new Album “Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998”
Here is a new music video to “Christine” directed by John Carpenter
Here are his North American Current Tour Dates:
Here is a brand new cover of John Carpenter’s “Halloween” by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor. Enjoy!
“Feast,” directed by John Gulager, is one batshit crazy movie, in the most tried and true grindhouse tradition. Let me get this out of the way now, and just admit that it attempts to provide lo fi, low brow, hokey b movie schlock, and it does it well, if at times it borders on eye rolling parody instead of admiration, respect and reverance. To do this right, the film, at the expense of any real story, decides to just administer the right combination of gory monster action, explicit situations, bar humor, vulgarities, banal dialog and plenty of “I didn’t see THAT coming” moments. Gulager’s film revels in psyching the viewer out with how the main characters (All hilariously introduced by freeze frames that include off the cuff bios with life expectancies) are randomly dispatched, leaving us to wonder if any of them are safe, who’s next, and who is going to make it out alive.
It seems that some nasty alien creatures have it in for us humans and where better to come after us (they do have a reason, I suppose) than a red neck dive bar in the middle of nowhere, or rather the Californian desert…well yeah, nowhere. After the intros and obligatory set up’s are over, we get the “hero,” (Eric Dane) barging into said dive bar, all bloody and screaming to everyone that there are murderous and ravenous creatures right behind him and that they better get ready to confront them. It’s a brief respite, then all gory hell breaks loose. The scene where a macho hero tries to save the day is something we’ve all seen countless times before (especially in horror and sci fi films) and Feast is happy to break with convention and press the reset button on how the rules hold up in these situations, and with that being said, Feast becomes an otherwise cracking fun time.
It’s all an unpredictable, and honestly, a sometimes cliched affair, but, fortunately, between the monstrous excitement we are treated to some pretty funny bits of character interaction in the bar and some laugh out loud dialog. During a quiet moment, one character approaches an old bar hag asking about aliens and insults her by saying that: “Old people know shit!” It’s little bits of juvenile humor and tasteless-ness like this that makes this film hard to hate on some levels much like “Slither” from James Gunn.
The bar inhabitants in Feast are indeed a motley crew and I won’t go into who is who (though Balthazar Getty is pretty comical as an abhorrent pool hustler named “Bozo”) or what, since in the end, it doesn’t really matter, but we are reminded of many other films where people are all stuck together in one place fighting for their lives when an evil external force is trying to get in (Night of the Living Dead, Assault on Precinct 13, anyone?). Don’t even begin to think allegorically or metaphorically here, though, Feast IS NOT that type of flick. What it is, is a corny amalgam of sleazy alien attack flicks that permeated the late 70’s and 80’s in grindhouse theaters and of course, the already afore-mentioned films of Romero and Carpenter.
The movie does in fact feel like a sort of twisted black sheep sibling of Tarantino’s and Rodriguez’s ode to grind from a several years back. Gulager’s Feast seems to humorously take pride in the fact that almost none of it’s main characters have any redeeming values whatsoever and the story holds them in no esteem at all. They are very overtly un-likeable with most being crass, ugly, immature, boorish, blundering and cowardly. All the better, though, since we can’t wait to see who is eaten next, right?
By the 3rd act, when the numbers of the questionable bar patrons dwindle even more, the film gains even more gusto and gets even more gross and enters really wacky territory with an unexpected turn of events. Feast writers, Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton, excel in keeping us guessing and they are indeed students of all that has come before in this particular genre. No one is safe in Feast, and even if this is very familiar territory, Dunstan and Patrick know that they are out to entertain us with schlocky aplomb. They also whip up some very facetious dialog between the characters as they try to outsmart the aliens and even themselves. Director Gulager outdoes himself with the casual gore and gross proceedings showing us everything in harsh reds without batting an eye. Feast is a fun and rollicking flick but you have to be looking to have some fun indulging in this kind of affair. In the end it’s all empty calories and the cinematic equivalent of a Snickers bar.
The cast here are all enjoyable, the gore front and center, the action cliched, the monster mayhem all shaky and what not, and did I mention the gore? Oh yeah, I did. Anyway, Feast is indeed a Feast of crude, odious and off color alien monster goodness that knows what it’s meant to consent to even if that wink and nod is really a self aware dose of parody (but there is yet another funny as hell freeze frame late in the game that I didn’t see coming). Technically, Feast is a solid grindhouse fit and it’s shot and composed capably.
The make up FX are unexpectedly well done and well rendered and it appears that it’s all done practically with no CGI to be had anywhere. Feast isn’t a smart film in any way, but it is astute in playing the conventions that have made countless grindhouse movies so much fun back in the day. Like I said, it’s frenzied analog film-making in the breakneck style of Raimi’s “Evil Dead” and it serves up basic and elemental horror film tropes that are quite comical and dreadfully low brow, distasteful and offensively gross. Yep, batshit crazy. What gets better than that?
The Late Wes Craven, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck served as Executive Producers on “Feast.” Also, look for vet actor Clu Gulager as “Bartender.” He is the father of the Director.
Kiefer and Donald Sutherland share the screen in this brooding western about an embittered gunslinger who attempts to make amends with his estranged father whilst their community is besieged by ruthless land-grabbers.
I’m a sucker for a good western. Always have been. It’s not my go to genre but when good word of mouth along with a good director, writer and cast is attached, I get even more excited about them. And with studios still a bit antsy and ambivalent about the western, it hasn’t been exactly a dry well, of late, with them. From The Revenant, Hateful Eight, Slow West (With Michael Fassbender) to Bone Tomahawk and even TV shows dressed as modern westerns, take Justified as an example, the western still appears to be alive and well. The odds of seeing one become a box office titan like any given superhero Hollywood blockbuster is practically nil, but, many movie lovers will indulge in a western periodically and not be overtly disappointed in doing so. That is the case with “Forsaken” from director Jon Cassar of “24” fame.
Cassar’s western is so unpretentious, straightforward and completely uncomplicated that it is a bit outwardly striking at first. There is an adjustment period where one may feel that Cassar is following the playbook of “how to build a western” (the fine line between homage and just plain rip off could be debatable) but when you start to see the film is a story about an exploration and voyage then it becomes illicitly real and surprisingly charming. There is a narrow and uncompromising vision that immerses the viewer in a time capsule and transports them to the 40’s, 50’s and even the 60’s where shades of grey were sometimes less examined and scrutinized in major westerns of those eras.
In Forsaken, much of the story provided by scribe Brad Mirman (The Good Shepard), is pretty much black and white. You know who the bad guys are and you like and root for the underdogs, downtrodden and of course the protagonist, here, played by Kiefer Sutherland (24, Mirrors, The Lost Boys).
Sutherland portrays John Henry Clayton, a hardened gunslinger veteran who wanders from town to town trying to put his violent and grisly past behind him. His wanderlust brings him back home to the town he was born and raised in to find his father and town preacher, William, played by the regal Donald Sutherland (Ordinary People, Salem’s Lot, Invasion), a widower. William, who has demons of his own, is a true stoic western figure in this tale. He has never lost his faith, tends to his land and property and never lets his emotions get the better of him. Until John Henry returns home.
The two, who have great differences to work out involving JH’s recently deceased mother and longtime dead brother, have a long road to reconciliation, which Cassar explores with JH’s disbelief in the lord and William’s unfaltering acceptance in what God has bestowed to the Clayton clan, no matter how terrible the cost. It is made very clear, during a tense dinner scene, that William is most displeased with JH but he eventually sees, in his actions, that young John in hardened by his past and seeks only to redeem himself.
The two Sutherlands, in their first on screen collaboration together, are amazing to watch. Whether it is the familial bond, or the mastery of two great actors working off of each other, the dynamic is a wonder to observe as they gradually come full circle with William accepting who JH really has become and JH reconciling what he once was with who he needs to be. But the film isn’t just about them. Brian Cox (Manhunter) brilliantly plays the foul mouthed land grabber James McCurdy who enlists a “fixer” gunslinger, named Dave, to help with his “persuasion” issues with local land owners from the town who have declined to sell their land.
The fixer is played with a serious and classy gravity that lends itself to a razor precision performance by esteemed character player Michael Wincott (The Crow, Alien: Resurrection). The restless and highly volatile “heavy,” (who also works for McCurdy and is always at odds with Dave) though, is played with smarmy, dirty aplomb by Aaron Poole (The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh).
Rounding the character off in a surprising and refreshing bit of casting here, is the quietly powerful Demi Moore (Ghost), who plays Mary Ellen, and old flame of JH’s who could not wait for him any longer and ends up with a family of her own. John Henry’s return becomes more entangled and demanding when he discovers this, and has to remain a true gentleman, even though his heart is obviously stricken. Moore’s turn is a revelation (she disappears into the role) and proves that with solid material and a simple piece of drama that Moore can shine through drab make up and costumes to emote with the best of what the mostly male cast can muster up.
When Forsaken explores dark themes of redemption, lost love and disregarded faith, it works on a sublime level and to the credit of the filmmakers, takes place mostly during the day. The scenery and landscapes are beautifully rendered and composed allowing for exquisite cinematography to take precedent. In the first few minutes, Cassar gives us proper “prodigal son-returns-home” montages of a rider on a horse travelling across grassy plains with mountainous backdrops looming. And the film remains looking beautifully done until the final shot.
Let’s not forget that this journey leads somewhere and even though Forsaken doesn’t up the ante until the last 15 minutes, it’s still a great payoff with everyone (with the exception of one like-able bad guy) getting their just desserts. A bloody and well choreographed shoot-out ensues and we are treated to a simple throwback experience dropped in from right out of Gunsmoke.
Forsaken does not, in any means, try to be anything other than a brief and immensely satisfying quickie. No cliché and trope goes un-turned here. You can almost count those off with both hands, but because of it’s simplicity and the impressive look, feel and work of the stellar cast, I didn’t care one bit that I’ve seen this all before. The movie, in such a short running time, delves into such emotion, raw drama, angst of the times, family and faith issues and even the price of leading a violent life in such brave fashion. It left me very impressed. It is a assured piece of western movie-making. Everything in it rings confidently and it is not overtly slick or stylized or even “updated” in any way. It gives props to those classic western tropes that disappeared and became unwanted in mainstream Hollywood, with other genres disguising as such.
Definitely watch “Forsaken” for the strength of the Sutherlands working together and off of each other, to near perfection, and for the admirable work all around with the cast and crew. It is, in most recent memory, a prominent stand out piece of western nostalgia that relies heavily on it’s influences, as they remain where they should be…worn on it’s sleeve. Highly recommended!
There is an immense ocean of trees at the Northwest base of Mount Fuji, in Japan, that has been eeriely named “The Suicide Forest.” It is a place where an epidemic of sorts is taking place. According to FUSION writer, David Matthews, suicide is the leading cause of death for Japanese men between the ages of 20 to 44. Even more so problematic is that teen suicides are on the rise. In 2003 alone, 105 bodies were recovered (Source: Wikipedia) breaking the record of 78 in 2002. In 2010, 200 or so people attempted suicide there, with at least 54 succeeding, with hanging or drug overdose being the common method of self-disposal.
Jason Zada’s supernatural thriller “The Forest,” is not the first film to have the Aokigahara Forest as a location, to have a movie take place in. There has been Gus van Sant’s “Sea of Trees” (with Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe ), “Grave Halloween,” from 2013 and “Forest of the Living Dead,” from 2010. Zada’s film stars Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) as Sara, a young woman who travels to Japan to seek her missing school-teacher twin sister, who was reported to have been last seen entering the aforementioned “suicide forest.”
Sara, once in Japan, visits her sister’s school, and speaks to the dean of the establishment as well as a student who freaks out thinking that Sara is actually Jess, her instructor. When numerous questions, inquiries and going through her sister’s apartment (where she finds a picture of them as young girls) bear no fruit, Sara decides to try Aokigahara forest next, where she checks into a small, quaint yet creepy hotel, in order to try and look for Jess on her own. She comes across and meets an online journalist, at a nearby bar, named Aiden, played by Taylor Kinney (Chicago Fire, Vampire Diaries), Aiden, interested and captivated by Sara’s search for her sister, asks if he could chronicle her search and do a story about her, Jess and the suicide forest.
Sara agrees and as a backstory to her relationship with Jess, she tells Aiden about a horrible night in the past where her and Jess suffered the loss of their parents to a terrible car accident right in front of their home (although, that is not what we see on screen, so Sara lies to Aiden about the calamity. Or is that what we are lead to believe?). The Forest does really well with the Sara / Jess dynamic and it is a strong core that lifts the film above it’s eventual and oft banal conventions, despite having such natural beauty surrounding a ghostly and psychological central character arc.
Apparently, Sara does not see first hand what Jess saw and Jess has had to bear the burden of seeing what really happened to their mom and dad, making Jess the more stronger and darker twin. With this material Dormer manages to rise above and make a compelling case to keep watching the events unfold.
Things move forward with a good set up, decent premise, and some moody atmosphere accentuated by wonderful photography and composition from everything to Tokyo’s bright cityscapes to the lush and scenic mountain forest at Aokigahara. Zada, with dialog and exposure, keen-fully delves in cultural territory peering into differences and disparities with a quick and serious tone. But, it is all fleeting and somewhat moot once the movie changes focus to the forest. When Aiden and Sara recruit a hesitant guide to take them into the forest, the movie clearly seems to try too hard to maintain that momentum, previously set up in the first 40 minutes.
Whatever mood and elegant insight (both with characterization and visually) the film had, is lost once Zada takes his material, written by no less than 3 people, into the forest itself. Dormer, alongside Kinney, does get a chance to emote beneficially but when J-horror tropes start to rear it’s ugly head, the plot becomes pretty rote and near damn confusing and un-intelligible. Zada and the writers open some interesting doors as the Forest becomes it’s own entity in the last act, but just about at every turn, the film is sabotaged by the pseudo-psychological, by the numbers play by play. Loud jumps scares, shrieking demon-like phantasms, fake outs, weird forest noises and “Blair Witch” like machinations abound and Dormer’s pretty solid performance turns into a sleepwalking bag of empty tricks.
I’m still not sure what Zada and crew were going for in the last act and the so called “twist” is rather anemic, forcing the viewer to actually ponder, with no resolution in sight, the various outcomes that are supposedly open to “interpretation.” Whether Sara and Jess are actually 2 separate people or if (and this is stretch since there is very little to really solidify it) Jess is a splinter of Sara, and they are indeed just one person. And when Jess is released from The Forest (and we get NO explanation as to the rhyme or reason to her actions other than she may be suicidal, but still manages to be alive and well by the finale) and Sara becomes a ghost forest- demon or whatever, we are just too damn uninterested by everything at that point and we feel duped. But thankfully, as poorly executed and full of insinuations as it is, the running time is quite brief. Perhaps that being the problem as well. It’s as if they had half a story and it was only good enough for about an hour of our time.
“The Forest” starts off solid enough, with a good performance from Dormer, some mood and atmosphere, within not only the Forest, but with the beautifully captured Tokyo and surrounding landscape. Eventually, the ball is dropped by that last act and The Forest morphs into an un-scary and un-shocking J Horror wannabe. With no bite or substance, other than Dormer and the interesting springboard of a backstory, Zada’s film unfortunately becomes a short, muddled and mediocre affair, that I really wanted to like much more.
With the forest and psychological metaphors showing so overtly on it’s sleeve, the movie just doesn’t immerse us enough into that other-worldly realm with enough gusto. There are cool ideas here, but it’s a better movie to just look at than experience. Consider only as a rental for a one and done. The only real strength is the casting of Dormer, but even she collapses from too many cliches overtaking the story and her focus. Another lesser strength, is the engaging cinematography that captures, with alarming mood and definity, the actual forest. But it is definitely a missed opportunity, in my humble opinion.
“Your life is a precious gift from your parents. Think about them and the rest of your family. You don’t have to suffer alone.”
M.I.T. professor John Koestler links a mysterious list of numbers from a time capsule to past and future disasters and sets out to prevent the ultimate catastrophe.
Directed byAlex Proyas
(Updated and Re-edited by Vic De Leon)
I was actually pleasantly surprised by “Knowing.” I’ve wanted to watch it for some time simply because it was directed by the versatile and visionary Alex Proyas(The Crow and Dark City), and it had an interesting synopsis and story for it’s dynamic sci-fi plot.
What would you do if you suddenly found out that the world was ending gradually and you knew exactly when the actual end of the earth as we know it was going to happen? That it the heady and provocative tie that binds this film together and kept me interested during its two hour running time. Indeed, this isn’t the kind of film you want to actually think too hard about in the end. That is because there are quite a lot of implausible story choices to be had in the script.
I did wonder just how Nicolas Cage, who portrays an M.I.T Professor named John Koestler, found out the world was going to end so easily and how he managed to piece together so many clues through riddles, tomes, signs and predictions. Proyas’ film goes to great lengths to explain how he figures out the series of enigmatic numbers contained within the paper from the time capsule and how they correlate to real world events and disasters. But, when it comes to the biggest surprise, the inevitable end of the world, he simply hops on his iMac, does some poking around and….POOF!..He knows and deciphers the answer!
Also, other than his great and absorbing performance in Leaving Las Vegas, Nicolas Cage’s acting tends to be a bit hammy, unbalanced and overly dramatized in various films that he stars in. Unfortunately, Knowing is no exception, with Cage walking a tightrope between an all out breakdown and a finely tuned, scene chewing spectacle. To my displeasure, his demeanor often times doesn’t even fit the scenes he’s actually in and it all comes across a bit detached.
However, he is excellent at resembling a horse and drinking alcohol while looking “concerned.” One last problem before I move on to the good stuff is the special effects. It’s a tale of two movies here because the end of the world stuff looks incredible. Waves of explosions fill the sky and you see the Earth turn to instant, cinderous rubble. But, in earlier scenes involving large scale accidents (plane and train, I won’t divulge more), it looks really fake and obviously CGI. The best special and visual FX, are ones that you don’t really notice.
The film itself has a wonderful and unique visual look to it. It’s dark without coming across as tremendously dreary and the dynamic cinematography by Simon Duggan (I, Robot, Live Free or Die Hard, The Great Gatsby) is one of the films’ stronger visual attributes. Also, Director Alex Proyas creates a great sense of suspense without having to resort to cheap and banal cliches. We are drawn in by the sheer enormity of the eventual end times and can feel it inching closer as the film progresses. I will admit that the end may turn some viewers off because of how it can feel detached from the rest of the movie, but, just keep in mind that it’s science fiction…not actual science. Recommended and enjoy!
Good old Roger Corman. You could always count on him, on occasion, to cash in on a cinematic trend here, and there. Hell, he has made almost a life long career of it. When “Piranha,” an obvious and pretty blatant spoof of Jaws, (along with other notables: Orca and Grizzly) was released in 1978, the B grade campiness of this “man vs nature” film did not deter it from finding a large (and before hand, dubious) audience. Movie-goers eventually reveled in this cheesy, tongue-in-cheek schlocky fare, creating until this day, a beloved cult film from a notable director of some weighty talent and an impressive filmography.
Suprisingly, this low budget film, directed strongly by Joe Dante (The Howling, Gremlins and Innerspace), the king of monster movie parodies, and written confidently by auteur scribe John Sayles (Alligator) actually works with that neat drive-in movie, double bill charm. It’s fun, scary and not terribly gore-filled, given the genre and minimal budget trappings. Of course, the film has a very biting satirical spin on the genre that may convert fans, who admire and prefer rip off – b flicks, quickly in this particular manner.
Dante’s film also re-creates some very realistic nastiness despite the home-spun hokum that the script demands. The attacks, especially when children are involved, are quite brutal but resplendent to watch. The gore, while not over the top, provokes dread and repulsion.
The somewhat stiff but appropriately heroic Bradford Dillman plays Paul, a man of the woods type, who hesitantly pairs up with Maggie, played by Heather Menzies to investigate the disappearance of some unwary hikers at a nearby Government installation. The film, with it’s simple movie of the week plot, unfolds evenly into more of a comedy, at times, than a horror film, as our duo uncover a secret military operation involving mutated killer fish with nasty results. Joe Dante regular, Kevin McCarthy (Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Innerspace) stars as a left-behind scientist, who has been the crazed monitor and protector of the deadly piranha. His fevered performance is definitely one of the highlights of Dante’s small film.
Many things work in it’s favor and mostly because of Dante’s straight but incredibly humorous direction and guidance.The movie sports decent photography (the rivers and forests are drably sharp and lit) and the little monster fish look pretty rad, especially when zipping around underwater. Thankfully, the shots do not linger long and the bits and pieces we get do look ok.
The flesh-eating piranha are let loose upon on unsuspecting swimmers with a dire, even more scarier proposition than Spielberg’s great white shark. Mainly because there are MANY of these tiny, swimming killers with uber-razor sharp teeth and damn, they are crazy hungry! Now, I have seen enough National Geographic specials on Amazonian killer fish to know that this is a very un-probable premise, but Joe Dante pulls off the plausibility with such geeky and fun assurance, that one cannot help but really enjoy it all.
The mid section (that raft scene goes on a bit long) does drag a bit, mostly when trying to display exposition, and the film does have a late 70’s dated air about it, but I am definitely recommending it for the parodical sensibilities that Sayles and Dante imbue with humor and horror.
At one point Universal had considered chucking out an injuction to the film for it’s “Jaws” satirization (and close proximity to the release of “Jaws 2”) but they held back when Steven Spielberg (who actually was quoted as saying: “its the best of the “Jaws” rip off’s”) had stepped in and persuaded Universal Pictures from taking further action.
Also, a remake was once considered by Chuck Russell, who had one good remake under his belt in “the Blob.” It did not pan out so Alexandre Aja scooped up the project. As well, and this may come as a surprise to many, “Piranha” was re-made in 1995 and starred William Katt, Alexandra Paul and Mila Kunis (her first debut role). This version was also produced by Mr. Corman, but it remains overlooked and has been little seen, over the years, justifibly so.
In closing, I wished I owned a drive-in theater these days, because I’d definitely include this cult, b movie classic to the schedule! Maybe paired up with other famous parodies by Dante, like The Howling, Gremilns or Innerpsace? Enjoy, gang!
During my many years of watching, and sometimes dissecting horror films, I’ve noticed that it’s pretty easy to say a film is an “Atmospheric Thriller” and quite another for it to really be one. Many deeply rooted horror film fans do, every so often, enjoy a moody and realistic thriller that is convincing, refreshingly honest and which unfolds with surprises, shocks and precision. In Hollywood, it is very hard to find a film with those qualities much less those aspirations. So, occasionally, fans need to sometimes think (and look beyond borders) outside the box and check out films by Directors from other countries to try and participate in unique and sublime horror fare.
In the case of renowned Spanish Horror Filmmaker Jaume Balaguero (Darkness, REC, REC 2, The Nameless), his 2005 psychological thriller,“Fragile,”it is easy to say that it truly and easily has atmosphere, disposition and eagerness, which elevates it above very routine entries in this genre. First and foremost it is an eerie “ghost story” which takes place in the United Kingdom, on the Isle of Wight.
Calista Flockhart (Supergirl, Ally Mcbeal) impeccably and admirably portrays a newly transferred night nurse, that has come to supervise and care for children at a weathered Institution, which is about to close down permanently. Richard Roxburgh (Van Helsing, Hound of the Baskervilles) proficiently plays head Doctor Robert Marcus, of the vast and dark facility, who takes her on, not without some reservations and unwelcome aloofness.
Balaguero directed earlier efforts like “Rec 2,” which is considered another genre gem, a film that is fast moving and relentless. Preceding Rec 2, was Rec, which was just as intense. And these two films, if watched back to back, would make you feel as if you have run a 5K marathon. On the other hand, Fragile actually unfolds slowly, and languidly sets up characters in the form of directionless orderlies, nurses and the numerous ill children, with whom we all learn to care for from all of the nurturing interaction of Flockhart’s character, named Amy. One scene in particular, a young girl, staying in the Hospital, named Maggie (Yasmin Murphy), sees and hears an intimidating phantom named “Charlotte” endlessly roaming and haunting the chilling hospital.
Balaguero supplies loud noises, letter blocks moving by themselves, electrical blackouts, failing elevators and we witness just about everyone staying clear of the abandoned second floor. Apparently, It has a terrible history and secret, that only Flockhart can (or is determined to) get to the bottom of. She is resolute to help Maggie and find out who this apparition “Charlotte” really is. Even if it may cost her her job, her sanity and friendship with Roxburgh’s attentive Dr. Marcus.
The films boosts fluid and immersive photography, from Xavi Gimenez (Penny Dreadful, Red Lights) and he incorporates a true and effective amount of moody lighting, which intensifies the danger and inclination of the Hospital. Shadowy hallways abound in succeed in un-nerving the viewer as well as catching them off guard as the cinematography deepens the dread expediency of the film. The music score by Roque Banos (Sexy Beast, The Machinist) comes across strong but uncharacteristically bombastic at times. It is, though, appropriate in setting up Balaguero’s steadyfast and dependable tension.
There are some scares that we do see coming, but it doesn’t take away from the dread and evolvement of the story, co -written by Jordi Galceran (Dictado, The Method). It is quite reminiscent of Peter Medak’s seminal haunted house opus, “The Changeling,” in some ways but with a more wicked and dangerous antagonist. Apparently, the locale and setting being in a hospital instead. To note, Balaguero manages to incite some admiration in the beautiful setting, in the UK, with cloudy and rainy palettes as well as inserting some nice natural landscapes to show some disparities in the theme and story, which is a nice touch.
Another like minded Spanish film “The Orphanage,” from director J.A Bayona (The impossible) also comes to mind, with similar thematic structure and story. The movie, ultimately is in good company here. In closing, “Fragile” is a neat little supernatural flick which has an intriguing twist, has chocks loads of suspense and a commendable lead performance from Calista Flockhart, who in this film, shows some unique and welcome range, depsite the genre she picked to star in this go round. Check it out, gang. Recommended!
High school teacher Jake Epping travels back in time to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy – but his mission is threatened by Lee Harvey Oswald, falling in love, and the past itself, which doesn’t want to be changed and shouldn’t be changed.
Directed by Kevin MacDonald
Based on the Novel by Stephen King
“11.22.63” is a new original series available on the immensely popular streaming platform HULU Plus. This 8 episode limited series is executive produced by J.J. Abrams (LOST, Alias, Person of Interest) and bestselling horror and mystery author Stephen King (IT, Under the Dome, Christine, Doctor Sleep). With one new episode airing on HULU every Monday, the Pilot, “The Rabbit Hole” is now up for viewing.
King’s adapted tome was a while in the making and HULU has hit a gold mine with the highly anticipated “11.22.63.” The series in indeed on the verge of making a lasting impression much like “House of Cards” did with Netflix and “Transparent” for Amazon, even though for a limited time. Some HULU shows have trickled through-out but many feel that the slightest offerings may lead to something much more on the horizon. “11.22.63” just may be that show.
High School and Adult Education teacher, Jake Epping, Played by James Franco (Spider-man 2, OZ) is in the final stages of a divorce with his wife, and also encouraging an older and impending writer / graduate to pursue his dreams of success. Epping is a down to earth guy. Passionate but logical. Restrained, yet curious. He frequents a Diner in his hometown in Maine (duh, it’s a King story, remember?), owned by his crusty and amiable friend, named Al, played by the ever cool Chris Cooper. Al, it appears, has a secret passage in a closet in the back of the Diner that leads, well…elsewhere. After noticing that Al returns from the back of the Diner looking completely ill, unshaven and pale, Jake attempts to find out how, in just a couple of minutes, Al manages to wind up with a bad cough, claiming he has cancer, and looking like shit.
Al sees an opportunity in all of this and shows Jake his “portal” into what is the past. As one goes through, the traveller ends up appearing at the same time and same day in 1960. Yep, 1960. Jake, at first, reluctantly steps through and after he takes in a normal 1960 street scene, returns pretty freaked out. Al convinces Jake to return to his house in order to tell him everything he knows about the portal and everything he has done in the past to avoid the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. And also, to pass on his many papers, photographs and documents that he has been acquiring over time during his investigation into Lee Harvey Oswald. Al tells him he can no longer continue because he became ill while in the past. Apparently, no matter how long one stays, and Al stayed 3 years the last time, only 2 minutes pass in the Diner, in the present.
Bridget Carpenter’s understated and dynamic story places Jake in the position of a time travelling everyman in a fish out of water narrative as he decides to fullfill Al’s last dying wish. Once jake goes back through to 1960, we experience everything first hand as Jake does and much of Al’s warnings, leads, advice and omens of danger come dangerously close to fruition. Director Kevin MacDonald flashes back to Cooper on several occassions whenever we find Jake experiencing what Al called, “the past pushing back.” Carpenter’s take finds Jake as a willing participant in the past despite Al’s warning. He loves the era, (grinning at a campaign sign that states “they can’t lick our dick,” is particularly funny to him) even though he has to be quite careful of any verbal and social slip ups (his ability to win bets on the horses , say, and mentioning books and films that hadn’t been created yet in 1960), He tries valiantly to look inconspicuous in the past and finds room and board and begins his journey to use Al’s numerous techniques and information to track down shadowy figures attached, or going to be attached, to Oswald and Kennedy.
Franco is a blast to watch, no doubt having fun and projecting wonder, excitement along with doubt, hesitation and fear as he tries to make his way around this maze of parallels and conundrums. The El Conejo sequence is a very cool example of Jake stepping around the past pushing back and Jake’s foray into the Dallas Democratic Convention is another highlight. MacDonald keeps the first entry brisk and tight and leaves no stone unturned for Jake while deftly adding layer upon layer of intrigue, collusion and maipulation. Carpenter also leaves us wanting more as Jake heads further into the rabbit hole as he desperately manages despair and seeks out someone from the future, in the past. Of note, also, is King’s little peeks into some total creepiness. There is the always present figure of The Yellow Card Man, played by Kevin J. O’Conner (The Mummy, Van Helsing) who, along with some others, are consistently repeating: “You don’t belong here” and then there are roaches, near misses and the occassional weird electrical anomalies whenever Jake is near phone booths and light switches. Hopefully, all to be addressed somewhere down the line.
I really enjoyed “The Rabbit Hole” and will most definitely keep watching on HULU Plus. There is good work here done by all involved. King’s source novel being the first thing to applaud. Franco, Carpenter and director MacDonald excel as the creative forces, that inject the show with plenty of unique twists and turns and it repeatedly keeps the audience engaged and on the edge of their seats without having to resort to tricky sci fi manipulations that can lose the viewer or increase the doubt that something this important to King fans can actually work. I think it can and with the show’s Rod Serling and Richard Matheson vibe (along with the showy, confusing and heady themes that time travelling can whip up) it kicks up the tension and nostaligia practically through the roof.
Plus, I have to get the bad taste of the last season of “Under the Dome” out of my mouth and I can do it with “11.22.63” – Recommended!
LOOKS LIKE GOOD THINGS REALLY DO NOT LAST FOREVER, EVEN ON NETFLIX. HERE IS A SELECTION, NOT ALL MIND YOU, OF TITLES BEING YANKED IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER:
(The addition and removal of shows and movies are, of course, subject to change, since NETFLIX is always working on re-negotiations with movie and tv studios and companies)
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
BATMAN BEGINS
SHRINK
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
GET LOW
THE DARK CRYSTAL
K-19: THE WIDOWMAKER
THE BURBS
BROTHERS GRIMM
THE AVENGERS: ANIMATED SEASON ONE
BRIAN’S SONG
COP LAND
DAMIEN OMEN II
LABYRINTH
JUICE
THE DARK CRYSTAL
THE HUSTLER
UNA NOCHE
BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON
INSOMNIA
THE OMEN
TREK NATION
SOAP DISH
The Netflix logo is shown in this illustration photograph in Encinitas, California October 14, 2014. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Fright-Rags has teamed with IDW Publishing to bring some of Ben Templesmith’s unmistakable 30 Days of Night artwork to t-shirts.
The collection includes four pieces of Templesmith art, including the iconic trade paperback cover and artwork from 30 Days of Night follow-ups Dark Days and Red Snow. All four designs are available on both unisex tees and girls shirts.
The shirts are available now on Fright-Rags.com. Quantities are limited, and they’re moving faster than a blood-thirsty vampire in Barrow, Alaska.
Fright-Ragshas also recently released shirts inspired by The Return of the Living Dead, Fright Night, Jaws and more.
Halloween’s Tony Moran the subject of Horror Icon documentary
Horror Icon: “Inside Michael’s Mask” with Tony Moran coming October 2015
Official poster available now!
Tony Moran may not be a household name, but his face is an integral part of horror movie history. Moran portrayed Michael Myers in the final scenes of John Carpenter’s Halloween, including the unmasked sequence. His life hasn’t been the same since the influential film’s release in 1978.
Insomniac Productions and Lock it Down Productions are excited to announce Horror Icon: Inside Michael’s Mask with Tony Moran and release the official poster artwork.
The independent documentary gives viewers a rare look at the life of a genre celebrity. Co-directors David Langill and Jordan Pacheco were given unprecedented access to Moran’s life for the project. From horror conventions to home life and everything in between, nothing was off limits.
Director John Carpenter and Actor Tony Moran
The film features special appearances by Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters), Dee Wallace (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), Andrew Bryniarski (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Debbie Rochon (Tromeo and Juliet), Jonathan Tiersten (Sleepaway Camp), John Dugan (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre), Timothy Patrick Quill (Army of Darkness), Vernon Wells (Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior) and more.
“I want to show Tony for who he is,” explains Langill. “A father, a friend, an actor and a horror icon. Tony is a passionate man with a big heart and, like all of us, Tony has his ups and downs. Viewers get to see Tony as most have never seen him before.”
Pacheco adds, “This is a unique chance to see how a hit film can effect an actor years after its release, the relationships a life of acting and traveling doing conventions have made and what happens after the conventions doors close. Tony has lived an incredible life, and I’m grateful for the chance to share some of it with everyone.”
