Re93animator's Review Thread

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Hard to Be a God (2013)

I very much enjoyed the novel, but had the impression that this would be its own entity considering how artsy it looked. It retains & distorts some of the Strugatskys’ premise, then leads the viewer down an exponentially weirder and nastier path. Forget about storytelling conventions. The purpose seems to lie in immersing you in a warped monastic world.

A scientific team of Earthlings is sent to assist/study a human-like planet undergoing its own medieval period. Even knowing the basis, I had some trouble keeping up. Without the book lending me context, I probably would’ve been S.O.L. The dialogue feels like a multi-directional bombardment from a batsh*t ensemble, and much of it seems inserted simply to weird out the viewer. Extras are almost ubiquitous, and most appear to have been lifted from a sideshow. Characters even occasionally break the 4th to include the viewer in dialogues. The story would technically fall under science fiction, but genre elements obviously take a backseat to the quasi-medieval environment. I believe I would’ve preferred it in color, or at least a washed-out tint, to drab B&W though.

Heed my warning: this is vile and repulsive as can be, with an emphasis on spittle, lower intestines, and ass-slapping. Harsh as it is, it’s hard not to laugh at some of the oddball hysterics and vulgarity. There’s also noteworthy sound design that creaks, cracks, drips, & thumps, and the absence of a score puts it at the forefront.

Now, the level of detail in this movie is just absurd. The sets are crammed with furnishings, each painstakingly gone over and given grit. All dwellings feel like they were lived in by grimy hoarders. The detail isn’t just in the visuals either. Most of the long tracking shots have myriad elements that pop in & out of view and demand perfect timing. Love it or hate it, it’s a super impressive undertaking.

I’ve read comparisons to Tarkovsky, but that really doesn’t do the style justice, nor does it give viewers an entirely accurate impression of what they’re in for. It does have a ton of the foggy landscape photography, but it molds its own style with wide-angle close-ups, an uber-bizarre & colorful ensemble (with no redeeming personalities), and pervasive steadicam movement. It’s made up mostly of long tracking takes, but the pace isn’t slow. This isn’t an art film that dwells on sluggish philosophizing. It’s a radical exercise in grotesque immersion. It feels like a deranged medieval rollercoaster. Walking around after 3 hours of that, I felt like my head turned into a damn steadicam.






"My glasses. I can't find my glasses."







Little late for the umbrella.






__________________




Yeah, those images are calling to me. On a scale of 1-10 exactly how repulsive are we talking here?



Yeah, those images are calling to me. On a scale of 1-10 exactly how repulsive are we talking here?
I'd say... 9? I feel like it'd be a 10 to many, but I'll reserve that for sh*t like August Underground, The Act of Seeing With One's Own Eyes, Men Behind The Sun, etc. I think HTBAG rivals the nastiness of Buttgereit films and video nasties though.

This a safe spoiler (shouldn't really ruin anything): As I remember it, there's one scene whe- ... there's this one par- ... *deep breath there's this one scene where
WARNING: "HTBAG" spoilers below
the camera sees a child walking around. We also see a dead naked man lying face down in the mud. The camera slowly closes in on the dead guy's ass, while the child moves closer and stares at it for a few seconds. Then the child grabs a stick and scoops some muck out of the guy's crack. Then the ch- *deep breath... Then the child walks over to another corpse in the mud lying face up, and hovers the ass-saturated muck stick over the corpse's gaping mouth. Thankfully, a merciful extra comes in and pushes the kid away before the stick is overturned. We get some more lower intestine action shortly thereafter though... so yeah. It's like that. If your sense of humor can be as sick as mine, go for it.



Hard to Be a God looks kinda interesting. I may need to watch it at some point.
If you're a reader, I really would recommend the book first. The movie may be incomprehensible otherwise, and that seems to be the biggest criticism. The tone of the book is almost polar opposite too. It's a fun philosophical thriller.



I'd say... 9? I feel like it'd be a 10 to many, but I'll reserve that for sh*t like August Underground, The Act of Seeing With One's Own Eyes, Men Behind The Sun, etc. I think HTBAG rivals the nastiness of Buttgereit films and video nasties though.

This a safe spoiler (shouldn't really ruin anything): As I remember it, there's one scene whe- ... there's this one par- ... *deep breath there's this one scene where
WARNING: "HTBAG" spoilers below
the camera sees a child walking around. We also see a dead naked man lying face down in the mud. The camera slowly closes in on the dead guy's ass, while the child moves closer and stares at it for a few seconds. Then the child grabs a stick and scoops some muck out of the guy's crack. Then the ch- *deep breath... Then the child walks over to another corpse in the mud lying face up, and hovers the ass-saturated muck stick over the corpse's gaping mouth. Thankfully, a merciful extra comes in and pushes the kid away before the stick is overturned. We get some more lower intestine action shortly thereafter though... so yeah. It's like that. If your sense of humor can be as sick as mine, go for it.
Oh, pshh. If that's one of the 9's I'd say you can count me in.

Okay, it's settled, after the book I'll watch it. That's a pinky swear.



Combat Shock (1984)



Combat Shock is a stark, semi-exploitative drama from the Troma company about an ill-fated Vietnam vet moping around ramshackle NYC.

. . . . . . Drama . . . Troma . . .



Some takeaways:

- The main character is wearing his church socks.

- Narration: “Sometimes I feel like I’m losing out of my body.” I agreement.

- “When I want a song and dance I’ll get Gene Kelly.”
“Who’s Gene Kelly?”...


- It’s best not to engage moderately out of shape hoodlums.




Smut! Greasy hair, battered walls, junkies, maggots, gore, deformed plastic baby, and a shot of a clogged toilet. Of course, with Troma films, crap is the essence. I’m a dirty hypocrite. I like having fun at the movie’s expense, but picking apart a movie like this for silliness and production flaws isn’t really fair. The shoddy production is obviously the charm, and I do love it. The story can be heavy too. Still very camp, but engaging enough to hold interest, and ends very strong.

The best thing about it is that the grit feels authentic. 80s DIY is tattooed on its forehead. Maybe it shares a few too many similarities with Taxi Driver, but it’s so much filthier. As much as I love Taxi Driver, it looks like a glossy studio production next to this. This isn’t an effort from professionals recreating a mood; it’s a real f*cking street movie.











Smut! Greasy hair, battered walls, junkies, maggots, gore, deformed plastic baby, and a shot of a clogged toilet.
Ah, you really have an eye for the tease. All you really needed was that gif, to be honest. Maybe it's just me, but I found it emotionally stirring. So with that, hell yeah I'll buy what you're selling. I'll even throw in a tip for the greasy hair.

I realize how that last bit sounded, but I'm sticking to it.



Originally Posted by re93animator
The best thing about it is that the grit feels authentic. 80s DIY is tattooed on its forehead. it’s a real f*cking street movie.







Thanks



Ah, you really have an eye for the tease. All you really needed was that gif, to be honest. Maybe it's just me, but I found it emotionally stirring. So with that, hell yeah I'll buy what you're selling. I'll even throw in a tip for the greasy hair.

I realize how that last bit sounded, but I'm sticking to it.
Just know that it's probably not as 'punk' as I know you're hoping. Odd & crappy minimal synth score, and low quality filmmaking; that's what I love about it though.



Just know that it's probably not as 'punk' as I know you're hoping. Odd & crappy minimal synth score, and low quality filmmaking; that's what I love about it though.
80's, DIY tattooed foreheads and street scum, you really can't get much more punk than that. It just looks like a fun mess of a film. Punk tunes be damned, I'm still down.

Side note, I've noticed that what started as a simple fondness for nice stills is starting to borderline on obsession. I feel like that's all I focus on now. It's always "look at the pretty pictures". It's a wonder I still know how words work.


I also noticed I promised to watch a good chunk of these films. I still haven't seen Solaris. (note to self...get yo life right and keep yo promises, Muthaflippa!)



This isn’t an art film that dwells on sluggish philosophizing. It’s a radical exercise in grotesque immersion. It feels like a deranged medieval rollercoaster.
I've been interested in Hard to Be a God ever since jiraffejustin wrote about it on here awhile back, but the film looks like such a heavy, draining experience that I've continued to put it off despite my intrigue. The intimidating length doesn't help matters, either. That above quote has eased a lot of my worries, though. (And your "spoiler" once again added to my intrigue.) I can handle grotesque immersion, even if I don't know what the f**k is going on. Sluggish philosophizing, not so much.

I keep meaning to dive deeper into Troma's catalogue since seemingly all their films are available on YouTube. I've seen the The Toxic Avenger films and the Class of Nuke 'Em High films, along with a few other random titles. Combat Shock seems to get more respect than the majority of their stuff (although that's not saying much), but I watch Troma for puerile idiocy, not attempts at serious drama. After reading your review and seeing the .GIFs that you used, I can already tell that there's more fun to be had in Combat Shock than I expected.

It's always a pleasure to click on this thread. I wish you updated it much more frequently.
__________________



I've been interested in Hard to Be a God ever since jiraffejustin wrote about it on here awhile back, but the film looks like such a heavy, draining experience that I've continued to put it off despite my intrigue. The intimidating length doesn't help matters, either. That above quote has eased a lot of my worries, though. (And your "spoiler" once again added to my intrigue.) I can handle grotesque immersion, even if I don't know what the f**k is going on. Sluggish philosophizing, not so much.

I keep meaning to dive deeper into Troma's catalogue since seemingly all their films are available on YouTube. I've seen the The Toxic Avenger films and the Class of Nuke 'Em High films, along with a few other random titles. Combat Shock seems to get more respect than the majority of their stuff (although that's not saying much), but I watch Troma for puerile idiocy, not attempts at serious drama. After reading your review and seeing the .GIFs that you used, I can already tell that there's more fun to be had in Combat Shock than I expected.

It's always a pleasure to click on this thread. I wish you updated it much more frequently.
It’s certainly not slow paced at all until the very end, but the lack of a score, B&W, and odd style definitely make it ‘artsy.’ A bit like weirder & more vulgar Terry Gilliam.

Combat Shock seems to be before Troma came into their own, but I think that’s a good thing. I’ve had some fun with TA, Terror Firmer, and the like, but the style grates on me after a few minutes. It’s almost too self-aware. CS was more genuine (for lack of a better term). The shoddiness and humor actually seemed unintentional, which made it all the better for me.

Thank you so much!



pew pew pew


I started making a top 100 sci fi list a while ago, but never settled on an order and got tired of writing. I did watch a lot of movies and jot down mini-reviews though, so I have a random helping that I'll just unload here. It's not a comprehensive list nor are these absolute favorites; just some that I like and felt like writing about along the way. So, I guess this is a list of (mostly) overlooked sci-fi films. Hopefully it can turn people on to some hidden gems.



I'll separate them into multiple posts (probably 6 or 7 in total):


Ikarie XB-1 / Voyage to the End of the Universe (1963)
A nice artsy Czech companion to Forbidden Planet. The art direction is still amazing, and the narrative is more intellectual than one would expect. This is far from a campy product of the time, and may have even been an influence on 2001. It does flirt with tedium though.



I have seen the future, and the future is rain poncho.

2010 (1984)
This lacks much of the elegance, grandeur, and ambiguity of 2001, but it’s a nice companion. It’s doubtful that Hollywood producers would ever try to replicate Kubrick’s style to a tee, or that it would even work, so it’s nice to have something different yet in the same spirit. Sure, this is more accessible, but it’s still very picturesque and far from a purely commercial enterprise.


Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
The gang solves a murder in space. Shatner-isms at all time high.


The Face of Another (1966)
Disfigured man gets a handsome lifelike mask seared onto his face. A philosophical introspective about reckless vanity follows. He wasn’t the most pleasant fellow to begin with though, and becomes more amiable as his character is irresponsibly liberated. The movie is mostly relaxed, a little chatty, and brooding, with some dry humor thrown in (or maybe it’s just me). It may be too artsy for some, but I loved the surrealistic flirtations at the end.



Heart of a Dog (1988)
A distinguished surgeon, dismayed with proletariats, accidentally transforms a dog into a human. It’s a fairly close adaption of a story from Mikhail Bulgakov, whose book was barred from publication in the USSR until the 80s. Sci-fi elements take a backseat to political discourse, but the movie ups the comedic overtones, and has some of the best acting I’ve seen.

Fire in the Sky (1993)
The majority of this deals with somewhat bland pedestrian stuff, BUT the movie loses its damn mind in the last 30 minutes. Therein lies a mini-masterpiece of sci-fi horror. If the whole movie had been like that, it’d probably be in my top 25.

The Brother from Another Planet (1984)
An alien lands on Earth and is greeted by a microcosm of 80's New York. This has the grit of 80s underground NY street culture with some likeable characters and campy sci-fi.

The Invisible Ray (1936)
Despite being a Karloff and Lugosi vehicle, this is more notable for its sci-fi set pieces than a classic horror quality. It’s hard to overlook the racial insensitivities (a la 1932’s The Mask of Fu Manchu). The rest of the movie is very entertaining though. Karloff and Lugosi’s clashing dialogues are like watching 30’s horror De Niro & Pacino; great chemistry and a grand presence.



Solaris (2002)
Too slow and artsy for the general audience, and too melodramatic for the arthouse crowd? Maybe it’s not as philosophically potent as Tarkovsky, but the setting, music, and atmosphere are pure class. A great ‘ambient’ movie.

I can only take so much of Jeremy Davies’ finger twiddling though.



Hearty Greetings from the Globe (1983)
Aliens visit Earth and marvel at our strange customs. Older Czech comedy is fun and unique. This is another one that follows their tried and true formula: both dry and slapstick; both smart and stupid; both adult-oriented and childish.



Save the Green Planet (2003)
A disturbed UFO enthusiast kidnaps a bigwig businessman, under the impression that he’s an alien. A wildly inventive and dynamic movie that goes all over the place. It begins with a sort of quirky comic attitude and goes berserk mid movie, blowing through any boundaries that get in the way. Twisted, funny, and very original.

Quatermass and the Pit (1967)
Mostly better acting and a richer production than the '58 serial. Inferiorities might be a shorter runtime and a less likeable Quatermass. For those who’ve seen it drawn out to 3 hours, this might seem rushed. The ‘monsters’ are still hammier than a Canadian deli, but it’s hard not to be captivated by the story. Both versions are fun, but I’d honestly start with this one.

Wizards (1977)
An uninhibited tale of tech savvy Nazis vs. charming little nature fairies. Very fun and weird, with an odd mix of cartoon and animated live footage.




20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
I can never not be fascinated by this story, and this is such a gorgeous production. It’s flawed, but Nemo is presented greatly, and the sets are prototypically steampunk. I’m just gonna pretend that early Kirk Douglas musical bit never happened.

Planet of the Vampires (1965)
A goofy dark caricature of sci-fi wherein Bava once again shows his knack for pretty colors.

Death Machine (1994)

One of the better camp films of the 90s. With such a fun over the top blend of action, horror, and sci-fi, I’m surprised it isn’t a bigger cult favorite.

Terminal City Ricochet (1990)
Future shock punk rock. A wildly over the top political satire, and holy sh*t, Jello Biafra actually turns out to be a great b-movie actor. This is tough to rate. It’s crap, but it doesn’t care. It’s weird and would be a turn off for almost everyone, but I like the style and attitude.





Bummer that you abandoned your Top 100 Sci-Fi, as that would've been an awesome thread with your knowledge of the genre and your eclectic taste, but I guess this is the next best thing. So far it's a healthy mix of stuff I like, stuff I haven't heard of, and stuff already on the watchlist.

The Face of Another is easily my favorite to appear so far. Great movie. I agree with you about the last thirty minutes of Fire in the Sky, but for me the alien freak-out still isn't enough to make up for all the boring character stuff before it. I'm not usually a fan of Soderbergh, but I did enjoy Solaris, even if it's not a patch on Tarkovsky's original. 2010 was better than expected, and I'd probably think higher of it if not for the inescapable comparisons to what I think is the greatest science-fiction film ever made.

Save the Green Planet is indeed twisted and original. I liked it overall, but wasn't quite sure of what to make of the clashing tones. I loved the first half of Quatermass and the Pit, but once the mystery faded and the bug sh*t hit the fan, I was much less into it. So far it's my only encounter with the famous British professor.

Of the ones I haven't seen, Wizards and Planet of the Vampires are the two I've been most interested in checking out, mostly for their directors.



Bummer that you abandoned your Top 100 Sci-Fi, as that would've been an awesome thread with your knowledge of the genre and your eclectic taste, but I guess this is the next best thing. So far it's a healthy mix of stuff I like, stuff I haven't heard of, and stuff already on the watchlist.

The Face of Another is easily my favorite to appear so far. Great movie. I agree with you about the last thirty minutes of Fire in the Sky, but for me the alien freak-out still isn't enough to make up for all the boring character stuff before it. I'm not usually a fan of Soderbergh, but I did enjoy Solaris, even if it's not a patch on Tarkovsky's original. 2010 was better than expected, and I'd probably think higher of it if not for the inescapable comparisons to what I think is the greatest science-fiction film ever made.

Save the Green Planet is indeed twisted and original. I liked it overall, but wasn't quite sure of what to make of the clashing tones. I loved the first half of Quatermass and the Pit, but once the mystery faded and the bug sh*t hit the fan, I was much less into it. So far it's my only encounter with the famous British professor.

Of the ones I haven't seen, Wizards and Planet of the Vampires are the two I've been most interested in checking out, mostly for their directors.
Thank you! This list isn’t stringently ordered, but it is derived (lazily cut & pasted) from my old top 100 word doc, so I do still think the best is yet to come.

I’m a Tarkovsky fan, but actually *looks over shoulder… I actually prefer the remake.

2001 may be my #1 as well. I went in to 2010 not expecting much based on a lukewarm rep and lack of fandom, which is probably why I was pleasantly surprised.

Planet of the Vampires is a departure from Bava despite the cinematography. The camp was a bit too much for me the first time I saw it, but I warmed up to it greatly on a 2nd viewing.



Sci-fi, cool...one of my favorite genres. Especially older stuff which I see you've been watching

Ikarie XB-1 / Voyage to the End of the Universe (1963)
I've not seen that one, but I really should. I have seen the Soviet space film Planeta bur (1962) also known as Planet of Storms. You might like it, I did review it and it was one of the films in the Russian language HoF. It came in last, but I dug it!


2010 (1984)
If I had my choice between watching 2010 or 2001, I'd take 2010. 2001 is a masterpiece for sure but 2010 really expanded on that story, without stepping on the toes of 2001.


Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
I love Star Trek so I even like this film, though it's not my favorite of the original cast films.


Solaris (2002)
Count me as a fan of the remake of Solaris. That might be because I seen it first, then I watched the original. Had it been the other way around I might not have liked the 2002 version as much as I did. Another one I should rewatch.


Quatermass and the Pit (1967)
Of all the movies I've seen, this one scared me the most, or is that scarred? I seen it as a kid and the creepy music and devilishly looking insect creatures that seemed to float in the sky, scared the crap out of me.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
You said it! great production values. Though the story could've been more engaging.

Planet of the Vampires (1965)
I seen this but didn't really care for it. I was watching b grade sci fis from the 50s and 60s and someone recommended this. I even made a thread about B sci fis.



Ikarie XB-1 / Voyage to the End of the Universe (1963)
I've not seen that one, but I really should. I have seen the Soviet space film Planeta bur (1962) also known as Planet of Storms. You might like it, I did review it and it was one of the films in the Russian language HoF. It came in last, but I dug it!

Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
I love Star Trek so I even like this film, though it's not my favorite of the original cast films.

Quatermass and the Pit (1967)
Of all the movies I've seen, this one scared me the most, or is that scarred? I seen it as a kid and the creepy music and devilishly looking insect creatures that seemed to float in the sky, scared the crap out of me.
Undiscovered Country isn’t my favorite either, but a bit unfairly overshadowed by the rest methinks.

QATP is definitely my favorite and the most genuinely engaging of the Quatermass media I’ve seen, despite the plastic bugs not quite having the same effect on the adult mind.

I don’t think I’ve seen Planeta bur yet. Another chink in my armor! I’m on it. Thanks.