All Things HORROR

[BD Review] Ti West's Disturbing 'The Sacrament' Is Drenched In Dread! -

Gene Jones as Father has created one of the most magnetic and original antagonists to ever grace the big screen. From the very first frame he appears, you’re instantly taken aback by his undeniable presence. I liked how West paints just a portrait of the man. He understands that the less we know about Father, the more intimidating he becomes. His introduction or as I’d like to refer it as the “interview” scene is chilling to the core. It’s that pivotal moment in the film in which West establishes that sense of dread and for the remainder of the film, methodically keeps turning it up. The atmosphere is downright suffocating. Jones’s performance will most likely be the finest we’ll see from the genre this year. I also appreciated Tyler Bates’ score. I loved how his quietly menacing music is juxtapositioned against tranquil imagery of the “harmless” community. Bates creates a sense of unease long before West starts to crank up the heat in the disturbing third act.

The Sacrament might very well be West’s finest work to date. While the third act is drawn out a little longer than it probably should, it doesn’t take away from the powerful finale. The violence in the film feels all too real. It might disappoint genre fans expecting something more gruesome but that’s not what West is shooting for. The Sacrament is more of a psychological thriller than anything else. The only thing that really associates it with horror is the genuinely frightening situation our protagonists find themselves in. This is real life horror with an antagonist more monstrous than any made up one. This is a figure right out of the headlines. The Sacrament crawls under your skin and stays there long after it’s over.
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Sounds kinda Red State-y
 
TIFF Review: Eli Roth's Cannibal Horror Tale 'The Green Inferno' | The Playlist

Admittedly, the film is solid fun once **** starts hitting the fan but it takes trudging through fairly tedious setup to get there. Credit goes to Roth for deciding against all broader commercial prospects to stage his comeback on resurrecting this weird sub-genre of horror but one wishes the film itself (aside from the bravura sequences of fountaining gore) could've been a little stronger. In many ways the film feels like a regression -- it's more juvenile, less polished and feels less labored over than his previous efforts, with much of the cast and crew held over from the "Aftershock" production. While some may see that as a good thing (and likely there will be a niche audience who goes nuts for this), it seems beneath his talents. A decade after his debut, with only 4 features under his belt, it still feels like Roth's potential hasn't quite been delivered on so those who were always hoping that the filmmaker might have a great horror film in him will have to wait a little bit longer. [C]
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I don't care. I'm excited for this.
 
Yeah, it's a Region B disc, but speaking of bonkers...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E8EFJI2/


3-DISC LIMITED EDITION SET FEATURES:
-High Definition digital transfers of three Tobe Hooper films
-Original uncompressed audio tracks for all films
-Limited Edition Packaging, newly illustrated by Justin Erickson
-Individually Numbered #/10,000 Certificate
-Exclusive Limited Edition Extras
DISC 1 – THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation from a digital transfer supervised by Director of Photography Richard Kooris
-Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
-Audio commentary with director and co-writer Tobe Hooper, moderated by David Gregory
-Audio commentary with stars Bill Moseley, Caroline Williams and special-effects legend Tom Savini, moderated by Michael Felsher
-“It Runs in the Family” – A documentary looking at the genesis, making-of and enduring appeal of Hooper’s film. With interviews including star Bill Johnson, co-writer L. M. Kit Carson, Richard Kooris, Bill Moseley, Caroline Williams, Tom Savini, Production Designer Cary White and more!
-Alternate Opening sequence with different musical score
-Deleted scenes
-“Still Feelin' the Buzz” - Interview with horror expert Stephen Thrower, author of Nightmare USA
-Original Trailer
DISC 2 [BLU-RAY] & DISC 3 [DVD] – TOBE HOOPER’S EARLY WORKS – LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE
-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition (DVD) presentation of two of Tobe Hooper’s early works, available on home video for the first time in the world
-The Heisters (1964) Tobe Hooper’s early short film restored in HD from original elements [10 mins]
-Eggshells (1969) Tobe Hooper’s debut feature restored in HD from original elements [90 mins]
-Audio Commentary on Eggshells by Tobe Hooper
-In Conversation with Tobe Hooper - The legendary horror director speaks about his career from Eggshells to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.
-Trailer Reel of all the major works by Tobe Hooper
100-PAGE BOOK – LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE
-Exclusive perfect bound book featuring new writing on the film by John Kenneth Muir, an overview of the Chainsaw franchise by Joel Harley and an investigation of Tobe Hooper’s three-picture Cannon deal by Calum Waddell, illustrated with archive stills and posters with more to be announced!
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[BD Review] 'Almost Human' Is An Affectionate Tribute To 80's Sci-Fi/Horror -

Begos shows potential in his directorial debut. He clearly has affection for the sci-fi, horror B pictures of the 80’s. Every decision he makes is a loving nod in some shape or form. The opening title sequence uses the same font found in John Carpenter’s Escape From New York. The movie’s title card is absolutely killer. For a low budgeter, Almost Human is surprisingly well-made. Shot on the Red MX, the filmmakers do a fine job of replicating the look of the era of influence. It utilizes the 2.35:1 aspect ratio to good effect. The score by Adam Green’s go-to guy Andy Garfield captured the mood spot-on. The soundtrack is a great mix of Carpenter-esque synth and orchestral.

As for issues, I got the feeling certain moments especially in the third act have been padded in order to get the film to hit the 80 minute mark. The clearly dragged out end credit roll is another indicator that there wasn’t enough material for a feature-length. As entertaining as I found Almost Human to be, it seems merely content to replicate the source without ever attempting to take it somewhere fresh. There isn’t a moment here that wasn’t inspired from something else. Astron-6, more specifically the works of the brilliant Steven Kostanski (long live Manborg) show that you can pay homage to your idols yet at the same time create something insane and new.

Almost Human is yet another feature that would have made a better short. It’s not like I was bored with the movie. With a straight face, Begos successfully captures the 80’s unpretentious charm . I just feel he did a disservice to his own material by attempting to extend it into something that it’s clearly not. Despite these setbacks, I find just enough here to recommend. If you dig the trailer and cheesy 80’s sci-fi horror is your thing, this flick’s for you. It preyed on my nostalgia of a time I will forever cherish. Armed with The Dude Designs’ awesome cover art, Almost Human would make a fine VHS rental.
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Proxy (2013) Review - Dread Central

Framed like a De Palma-esque melodrama, Proxy effectively manipulates the audience while also providing lurid perversion and copious twists and turns in a sleazy and erotic Giallo-inspired plot. Whatever you think you know about Proxy in the first hour is completely ignored as it drastically switches gears, and those who are fans of Psycho and Dressed to Kill will certainly welcome the punishing change of pace.

The film is driven by strong female performances as Alexia Rasmussen, Alexa Havins and Kristina Klebe (who plays Esther’s angry, jilted and threatening girlfriend) bring life to their divisive and unlikable characters in attention-grabbing ways. Many viewers will also appreciate Joe Swanberg, whose standout minor role is especially essential to the film’s plot and - unlike any of the other characters - is the only one viewers will be able to relate to.

Although Proxy is full of shock value, it should be noted that at a running time of 120 minutes, the film moves at an overly meandering and indulgent pace that definitely hinders the overall enjoyment of the periodic surprises throughout. If Parker had just cut 30 minutes or so, it could have been the top-quality suspenseful thriller that it definitely sets out to be.

A word of advice: Proxy is not for the weak-hearted or easily offended. The film is full of challenging bits of violence that will unquestionably upset many mainstream viewers. However, if you can make it through the film’s unrelenting first ten minutes, then you will be able to venture onto the surreal, gory and sexually-charged journey that, although it takes awhile to get to its climax, is definitely worth taking.
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Colony, The (2013) Review - Dread Central

This is a really entertaining film. It's tense and suspenseful with a lot of action and plenty of gore to go around. It has a cool story and some impressive acting performances. The Colony asks, "What happens when people go feral? When the hunger takes over?" It's definitely worth checking this film out and getting the answers to those questions. Nicely done!
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I'd like to see this NOW please...

Septic Man (2013) Review - Dread Central

In 1928, French intellectual Georges Bataille published the highly sexual and perverse novella “Story of the Eye.” Upon its release, it was considered pure pornography, but as time passed, its metaphor and subtext became representative of other works under the banner of “transgressive literature.” Bataille wrote the novella under the pseudonym Lord Auch. The word “auch” is a truncated form of “aux chiottes,” which is a slang term that means “to tell someone off by sending them to the toilet.” Loosely translated, Lord Auch means “Lord to the ****house.”

This, I believe, is essential to truly understanding the mad genius of Jesse Thomas Cook’s Septic Man. In the film, the quiet Canadian town of Collingwood is under a state of emergency due to contaminated water. People are dying, with dozens more sick of diseases heretofore unseen in the small town. A sewage worker named Jack (Jason David Brown) is called under mysterious circumstances by a man named Prosser (Julian Richings) to investigate and hopefully find the source of the contamination. With the whole town evacuated by the mayor (Stephen McHattie) and under the cover of night, Jack sneaks into the town’s water treatment plant and ultimately becomes trapped in a septic tank, whereupon his appearance begins to emulate his surroundings. Frightened and alone, he must rely on a seemingly gentle Giant with obscure motives (Robert Maillet) to escape while trying to stop his razor-toothed and murderous brother Lord Auch (Tim Burd).

On the surface, the connection to Lord Auch might be little more than an inside joke, but writer Tony Burgess, who brought us the philosophical thriller Pontypool, has never been one to simply lay it all out on the surface. He eschews explanation for abstraction, embedding heaps of metaphor and subtext into a film that many might see as little more than an exercise in excrement-filled absurdity. Like Bataille’s “Eye,” Septic Man is more than this. As Jack begins to descend into madness, his nightmare scenario literally becomes one. Time loses all meaning, he speaks to the dead, and visions of his wife and Prosser begin to appear to him as he drifts in and out of consciousness. The film is a horrific fever dream the likes of which only Burgess can conjure up, and it’s almost necessary to have an understanding of Burgess’s work to fully appreciate the film as a whole. Without it, the film might come off as a ridiculous and foolhardy exercise in absurdity.
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And yes...if you STILL haven't seen Pontypool...you must.
 
Fede Alvarez Says Sam Raimi "Determined" To Get 'Army of Darkness 2' Going, Next?! -

As for what actually comes next, here’s the skinny – Fede Alvarez, who directed the remake, seems to imply that Raimi is more focused on Army of Darkness 2 than Evil Dead 2. In fact, Raimi is already writing it! “The pressure is on them now. Because as far as I know, and heard, Sam is really determined to get Army Of Darkness 2 happening,” he revealed exclusively to Bloody. “He is actually writing [it now].”
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Rigor Mortis -

When it comes to craftsmanship, Rigor Mortis is without fault. The cinematography is consistently ace. Every shot has been beautifully composed. The visual effects are also quite effective. These elements are showcased during Rigor Mortis’ epic third act which is loaded with some slick, imaginative action beats. This is the kind of stuff Hong Kong cinema does particularly well. Their fearless sensibility is without equal. If only more Hollywood genre pictures would display such high levels of creativity. I admire Mak for taking his time developing this unique universe and the characters that inhabit it. They all have rich arcs that pay off by the end. Quirky humor is nicely infused throughout the build-up. This offsets the viewer, making the story’s darker aspects that much more jolting. Ultimately Rigor Mortis’ strengths is undone by its plodding pace. It drains the life out of the picture. The leisure manner in which the film unravels grows increasingly tedious. Things do pick up during the wild finale but by that point the damage has already been done.

It’s amazing how a film can seemingly have all of the ingredients that make up an engaging piece of entertainment yet still manage to falter. Mak spends just too much of Rigor Mortis’ running time meandering that not even a top-notch finish and good performances could reel me back in. I like a lot of what I saw throughout this picture but the atmospheric build-up sucked the energy out of the picture for me. While Rigor Mortis didn’t work enough for me as a whole, there will certainly be admirers especially fans of offbeat Hong Kong genre cinema that these filmmakers were so obviously influenced by.
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