CiCi's horror reviews!

Maybe for the people who hate watching foreign movies. Yes, they exist. I'm considering making a horror movie about them.

I'll give you a clue.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

[REC] doesn''t really have much in common with the common found-footage film. Can't vouch for any of the sequels, but the first one knocks it out of the park.

Film4 are showing the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Evil Dead tonight back to back... so guess what I'll be reviewing next so if you're in the UK tune in from 11pm tonight!

QUOTED FOR TRUTH.

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''Haters are my favourite. I've built an empire with the bricks they've thrown at me... Keep On Hating''
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Fantastic double feature! I hope you like them. Two of my favorites!

I know, Film4 usually show crap horrors so I was really taken aback when I saw what was on.

TCM has just finished... Evil Dead is starting now!

Without a doubt, Tobe Hooper's directorial debut has left a permanent and strikingly apparent legacy within the horror genre, that is also frequently cited as being amongst the greatest horror films of all time. I've seen it once before, but when Film4 kicked of Frightfest by showing this, I decided to watch it once again...

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre follows a group of five teenagers, including Sally (Marilyn Burns) and her paraplegic brother, Franklin Hardesty (Paul A. Partain), as they check on their grandfather's grave after a recent series of grave robberies. Upon their travels, the group decide to pick up a hitch hiker (Edwin Neal) and from there on out, everything begins to descend into chaos.

Positives

The film was produced on a minimal budget ($60,000 or just over £38,000) and as such, Tobe Hooper was perhaps forced to be extremely creative in order to create his desired effects. Therefore, we never actually see very much gore or blood at all, yet we're made very well aware of what's occurring, and the prolonged shots and sequences only make the film more disturbing. As far as I'm aware, there wasn't really a soundtrack either, which definitely worked in the film's favour, because it doesn't use sounds to build a sense of dread and to foreshadow something violent. Consequently, the violence is brief and sudden, and can't be distinguished from the remainders of the film because it's filmed in the exact same way a dialogue scene is, and that in itself is quite disturbing because its portraying violence in quite a detached way, that very few other films choose to do.

The acting is terrific as well. Marilyn Burns is perhaps the greatest scream queen out of the countless actresses primarily known for their contributions to horror. Her dedication to her role is extremely admirable, considering her finger was actually cut on screen, and she was genuinely cut quite severely on branches during her chase scenes (so some of the blood on her clothes is actually her own). Also, considering she was screaming for quite a large proportion of her scenes, she never came across as amateurish or dissuading, and her scream was one of the more creepy elements of the film without a doubt. I also really liked Teri McMinn, who played Pam (the girl on the hook) whose walk up to the house is probably one of the most iconic shots of the film. However, she came across as the most charming and endearing member of the group, so seeing her endure one of the most brutal on screen deaths was difficult to say the least. However, the rest of the cast did brilliantly too, considering the extremity of the setting in which the film was shot (the temperature consistently went above 40C or 110F and some of them were wearing suits that couldn't be washed!) so that alone is worthy of praise!

Tobe Hooper's direction was also quite interesting, as I've already mentioned with his portrayal of violence. However, the initial chase scene between Leatherface and Sally, and the following dinner scene are both extremely extended scenes, yet they're never dull, there is always an impending sense of danger and due to the strong acting, the whole thing is just so creepy and atmospheric, and is just a pure exercise in terror. The ending is fantastic as well, seeing Sally trying to get away whilst also seeing the other males catching up was both mesmerising and petrifying at the same time. Honestly, it has to be one the greatest endings to a horror film, it was nothing short of magnificent.

Negatives

The plot was nothing special, although this film was never about the plot, it's just an assault on the senses really. However, its depiction of women is slightly questionable, in that neither Pam or Sally can do a thing to protect themselves, however, they're definitely presented to be more intelligent than the males in the film i.e. Pam insists that they don't pick up the hitch hiker, which they shouldn't have done and later refuses to enter the house, again a right decision. Additionally, Sally manages to escape death several times throughout the film without resorting to physical confrontation (although the one time she does, she fails miserably) so it can be forgiven in all honesty.

This is probably due to my own irresponsibility too, because I've seen many films (including the re-make and prequel) that undoubtedly used tropes established within this very film, and they were all pale imitations to say the least. Nevertheless, I kind of felt as though I'd seen this all before, the teenagers making silly mistakes, wandering into abandoned houses and creepy forests. I have no doubt that this film was the first one to do this, but I couldn't help but be a little bit bored in places, especially in the first half, because I knew what was coming and I just wanted them to cut to the chase (no pun intended). However, when the film really started to get going, I always remained enticed in what was going on, and the film still stands very strong on its own merits despite this. Nevertheless, had I seen this when it had been first released, I can't help but feel I'd enjoy the film a lot more than I did.

Conclusion

Complete with terrific acting, directing and money management, it isn't difficult to realise why this film is beloved by so many people. Yet had I been introduced to horror with this film, I probably would have been just as deeply impacted as audiences back in the seventies were. Its continued legacy and impact on pop culture is fascinating by itself. But, I'll give this film:

Glad you liked it CiCi! I agree it gets so repetitive with teenagers making dumb mistakes, women not being able to protect themselves, men being dumb, etc.

I think you nailed it on if you were introduced you would have liked it more because even though you are pretty sure it was the 1st film to do those cliches it still can be boring and uninteresting.

It's really crazy how well this came out with the budget especially the acting. Who would have thought that a positive for 1) a horror film, and 2) a 60k budget film would be the acting. Crazy, right? haha.

I know! That's bordering Blair Witch/Paranormal Activity budgets so it did very well for itself, considering it did far more than those two films did in terms of effects and far more cast and crew members. I completely agree with you there, it's quite bizarre

Yeah, it's weird because it's horribly cliched, but it's also so original so I don't think it's aged too well because it's highly unlikely people today are going to watch a 40 year old slasher flick first. The whole deal with that is just so strange

I've also just found out I share the same birthday as Marilyn Burns! I'm kinda disappointed she didn't have too much of a career either, because she was probably one of the best things about this film I wonder why Hooper barely ever cast her again?

You seem to just throw them out one after one, CiCi!

Another great review of another great horror. Also one of the films to appear on my Top 50 Horror Films.

It might have something to do with the filming of Chain Saw. The budget was low, the conditions were awful, and most of the cast members have told several unflattering things about it. It's quite interesting, really.

She did go on to do Eaten Alive with Hooper though. It's been awhile since I've seen that one, but I wasn't very fond of it at the time.

Such a great book that I never fancied watching the film as in my head that cast just didn't seem to fit.

Didn't one of them say it worse than being shot at in Vietnam? I do know Teri McMinn had largely positive things to say about it though.

That book is stunningly gorgeous Margaret Atwood is a genius! But I've only seen parts of it on Youtube and it was nothing like I had imagined it to be, so I was really put off from it.

Thanks very much! I'm sure it'll pop up again soon though, Channel 4 seem to like showing it

For those interested, an American re-make of Martyrs has already been filmed and is set for release in 2015...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663655/?ref_=nv_sr_2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_(2015_film)

Basically, they're changing the ending, which (in my opinion) was one of the most inventive and thought provoking endings in a very long while, and they're changing it to make it more hopeful

Also, a certain character won't perish half way through the film either...

Looking at the cast, I recognise absolutely no one either, I really just don't have a good feeling about this at all

But guys... it's the Goat Brothers!

The best horror siblings at the minute are the Soskas!

They definitely have talent. I can't think of any other horror siblings right now so I can't say if you're right or not. I will say that I wasn't a big fan of American Mary personally. I think they can probably do better. But that's just me, I know a lot of people like the film.

It was a bit of a mess in places, and the acting was the strongest point by far, but I did really like the film overall, they have a film called Plastic that is set to come out this year, so hopefully it'll be good because they haven't done much since American Mary really

Yeah, that was my problem with American Mary as well - it felt disjointed and like you said, kind of a mess. But it also shows talent, so I'm looking forward to what they have to do next.