Horror Hall of Fame II

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I have rewatch Autopsy Of Jane Doe last week so I will put my review here right now

My favorite things about the movie is the atmosphere and the location of the movie. In my opinion a horror movie in a morgue is badass and the two principal actors are really really good. First half is awesome with all the mystery surounding the corpse and the second half is also pretty good mainly because the ending is so sweet. I really hope people's gonna like my nom (I pick something who I think horror movie fan would appreciate maybe I'm wrong but I doubt it).
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I agree with that. In fact I've been the only host to list the movie noms as they come in.
JJ posted the nominations for the Russian HoF as he received them too, though that wasn't a typical HoF set-up, since it was sort of invitational.

There's no real reason why the noms are kept private for a big reveal, other than just that's the way it was done in the past.
Was there a reason why it was set up that way to begin with? Is it to discourage more competitive members from trying to one-up each other's nominations (if that's even possible), or to prevent people from avoiding a HoF if a film they don't particularly like is in the running?

I think some people do like the anticipation of having a reveal, but if more people would like to have the films posted in advance, I'd be fine with that.



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Oh, God, not another Hall of Fame...



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There's been a couple of specialty Hall of Fames in which I didn't rate the movies in the thread, and I'm not going to do it in this one either. I saw my nomination recently so I'm not going to watch it again.

Macabre

As I mentioned before, this movie reminds me of French new wave horror, except it's out of Indonesia. The story is really just an afterthought but suitable enough. The quality of the movie is very good and there's an excellent lead villain. The first half hour is the set up for the craziness of the last hour. It ends up being a pretty violent movie; some may call it extreme. I've never seen anyone else on the forum mention it before and that's one of the reasons I nominated it. If it's the kind of horror movie that you like, then you will like it. It's a hidden gem.

Really looking forward to it. Sounds exactly like my type of movie.
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If nominations were revealed up front, instead of keeping them hush-hush for some reason, I'd be more likely to join these HOFs. I mainly worry about the availability of the films, since I try to avoid having to seek out films online, but I doubt I would've had a problem finding any of these nominations (except maybe Macabre). And it's a strong group of nominations too!
There is that concern of online viewing, and the safe ones have been found out and passed along in PM. And for most of us, nominating something that IS available is normally a priority for choosing a nom.
I agree with that. In fact I've been the only host to list the movie noms as they come in. I did that in the Film Noir Part 1 and 2 Hofs. I think it encouraged more people to join and got people to nominate better stuff too. There's no real reason why the noms are kept private for a big reveal, other than just that's the way it was done in the past.
JJ posted the nominations for the Russian HoF as he received them too, though that wasn't a typical HoF set-up, since it was sort of invitational.


Was there a reason why it was set up that way to begin with? Is it to discourage more competitive members from trying to one-up each other's nominations (if that's even possible), or to prevent people from avoiding a HoF if a film they don't particularly like is in the running?

I think some people do like the anticipation of having a reveal, but if more people would like to have the films posted in advance, I'd be fine with that.
For myself, I do enjoy the reveal very much. For the fun of it and if I knew, up front, what was being nominated I am concerned I would be on the fence about joining in at times instead of being invested right off and getting the many happy surprises I've enjoyed along the way.
There has been HoFs where someone was allowed to wait til after the reveal to make a decision. So, like many things, should a lot of folks prefer trying open nominations, it is a possibility.


BTW, great list of nominations! Like CR, I'm not a fan of horror, so I'll be more of a fly on a wall for this one. I have always been curious about Ginger Snaps, and with the Countdown up I just might find the time to check it out during this HoF and will be reading the reviews posted along with all the others.
Thanks, @pahaK for hosting this!
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I'll continue with the first one I hadn't seen before.

Hour of the Wolf (1968) N

An artist and his pregnant wife are spending a summer on an island. Man is suffering from insomnia and fear of the dark and strange visions that may be dreams, memories or just twisted reality. On the other side of the island lives a baron with his cohort and the couple is invited into their lives.


At least after a single viewing Hour of the Wolf is a disappointment after a brilliant The Seventh Seal. There's no coherent storyline and it's very hard to get a hold of von Sydow's dreamy decent into madness. It works as a depiction of insanity though and it's possible that at least part of my negativity comes from false expectations (yeah, for some reason I though this had something to do with werewolf mythology).

Bergman manages to build very tense atmosphere and there's sort of threat in its unpredictability (the fishing scene is a good example). Acting is superb and I like the black-and-white visuals of the film. Monologues at the start and end felt somehow unnecessary just like the written introduction.

Little odd film that lacks the stuff I usually seek from movies (story and characters) but still there's something strangely fascinating in it.




I'll start watching movies again next week, I have 3 20-25 page papers due for the 19th !
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Pulse (2001)


So, turns out that I had already seen this film, which pretty much sums up my feelings on it, rather forgetful. I am a fan of J-Horror but for me, this wasn't near the same level as the like of Audition, The Grudge, Ringu etc (my all time favourite is Onibaba, which is on another level to any of those)


It wasn't scary in the slightest, although I don't think it tries to be but it definitely does suffer from a lack of tension. What I got from Pulse was from a more psychological aspect and it did try to have a sense of dread throughout. I did enjoy its themes of loneliness and desolation, especially the ending.


Overall I found this to be quite dull, both visually and in terms of storytelling. There are other things that annoyed me too but no point flogging a dead horse.





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The Descent (2005)


I've always regarded this as one of my favourite modern day horror films, despite not seeing it for a long time, so I was glad to see it nominated here to give me another chance to watch it. Happy to report that it hold up really well still and I've not lost any love for it.


In director Neil Marshall's earlier horror in Dog Soldiers, we had a cast of 6 males, this time we have 6 females, who decide to go on a caving trip together. This already works for me based on setting alone, with being quite claustrophobic myself, there's a real frightening presence from the start. The film also deals with other themes, like grief but never makes it totally in-your-face so we've left with watching our cast climb their way through the caves.


The Descent has a fair amount of gore which I found looked really well, especially with the dark lighting. I know a lot of people didn't like the ending (although heard there was a different one for U.S audience?) but I loved it, totally bleak.


Quality horror.





I know a lot of people didn't like the ending (although heard there was a different one for U.S audience?) but I loved it, totally bleak.
I quite like the (original) ending as well. The US edit apparently just rolls the credits a scene earlier.

WARNING: "The Descent Ending" spoilers below
Instead of the fake-out ending that cuts back to Sarah having completely lost her mind in the cave, the film ends outside, though it does still include the apparition of her friend.



Pulse (2001)

Overall I found this to be quite dull, both visually and in terms of storytelling. There are other things that annoyed me too but no point flogging a dead horse.

I'm mentally preparing myself for another last spot in HoF



I was going to join but things came up and decided not to... I had given Pahak my nom and it was a "classic" that probably not many have seen..




I keep forgetting that Anthony Hopkins was once young haha.

That's Magic, right? I haven't seen it, but I'm very curious since the original novel and screenplay were written by William Goldman (RIP). I doubt it has anywhere near the same tone as The Princess Bride, but it could be interesting.



I was going to join but things came up and decided not to... I had given Pahak my nom and it was a "classic" that probably not many have seen..

That's another one I saw at the movies as a kid. Good flick!



eXistenZ (1999)
Pussy Galore 's Choice

The film stars Jennifer Jason Leigh as game designer Allegra Geller, Jude Law as Ted- a PR Nerd who's never played a game before, and Willem Dafoe as a black market designer operating out of a gas station. Seems like a Sci-Fi thriller at first, yet there's plenty to qualify as horror as the story unfolds (which I won't completely flash in write-up). We start at a seminar where a new virtual game called eXistenZ is freshly released. The players crack into the game setup through Synthetic DNA pods, which have replaced electronic gaming. As the plug taps into the players spine through a bioport, hefty violation themes are at stake, cyperpunk, reversal of traditional Gender expectations, massaging frightening hookups between virtual and reality, and all that Turn of the Millennium Postmodern 90s vibrations. The characters seem like junkies and the movie feels like drugs, it's also pretty funny at times too with Ted the PR Nerd (Jude Law) screaming out ridiculous anti-gaming protests as well as people running around shooting each other with weird guns made out bones. Like all Postmodern material, there's tons to talk about. The movie is directed by David Cronenberg, and I really like Videodrome, so this is like the video game variant- There's more Cronenberg I want to get into as well. My rating system may develop as this goes on, for now I'll go with thumbs. Hopping and interesting pick @Pussy Galore.



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The second new one for me. After @cricket said what it's like I practically knew I wouldn't like it. I was right.

Macabre (2009) N

A newly wed couple, groom's sister and couple of their friends help a young woman to get to her home after an alleged robbery. There the woman's family led by her mother wants to offer them a meal in gratitude.


In general I'm not a fan of New French Extremism and while Macabre is in fact Indonesian it's very much like a member of that movement. I suppose it's even slightly worse than the French ones on average as practically everything is done a notch worse (script, direction, acting and effects). If this stuff is the new wave of horror I'd rather be an old school guy.

One of the major issues I had was the script; I'm not sure if anyone made a single smart choice in the whole movie (why didn't Ladya kill the fatty after her initial escape, why was that police dude yelling "freeze" to someone who just killed one of his men, etc.). Also why did Dara's family (and she especially) move and talk like they were terminators?

I don't mind violence in movies (quite the contrary, I'd say) but still I'm not thrilled by films like this that have nothing else. The gore would have been well done enough if there only had been a decent story, now it was just boring splatter. Not my type of horror. If you like New French Extremism it may suit you better.




Deep Red


I've found that sometimes in these Hall of Fames the biggest surprises have come from movies I've already seen. I did not like Deep Red when I first saw it a couple of years ago. I think I gave it about a 2/5. This time I absolutely loved it. There's been some talk about if Giallo is horror or thriller, talk which I can understand, and I think it depends on the movie. I think Deep Red is a horror movie. It's got the story of a thriller, but the feel of a horror. The feel is more of what I go by, and I'd now call this movie the best Giallo I've seen.

The first time I watched it, I watched the original Italian version. This time I watched the American cut and I think that had a lot to do with my different response. It just seemed like a much tighter movie. It was Argento himself who made the cut, and it's available both on Amazon Prime and the free app Popcornflix.

I watched this movie with some good stereo headphones with the volume turned all the way up, and that's definitely the way to go. The score by Goblin is unbelievable, maybe the best movie score I've ever heard. Some people could find it a bit overbearing, but I found it amazing. I mean the music blasting in my ears totally transformed the experience. Everything else worked for me as well; from the story, to the performances, to the way it was filmed. It's not gratuitously violent, but the kills are done in such a matter that they were righteously shocking. I'm stunned to say that this is going to be a contender for my top 25.