A scary thing happened on the way to the Movie Forums - Horrorcrammers

Hey, for anyone who hasn't seen either, The Torture Chamber Of Dr. Sadism, a German horror film with Christopher lee that is a favorite of mine and Captain Terror's, and Invasion of the Bee Girls (one of my favorite plays on words in a movie title) are streaming free on Prime. As is Maniac, since we've been talking about it. And Evil Dead Trap, one we discussed some time back. Looks like a good month for Prime.

Also, how do we feel about Don't Look In The Basement?
Looks terrible but so have several of my favorite films I've seen the last couple years (Messiah Of Evil, Lemora, Malatesta's Carnival Of Blood).

On the real though, Franklin sucks not only because he’s poorly acted, annoying and a cheap bit of exploitation (we endanger someone that’s handicapped!), but because he undercuts the brutal horror of the situation. Every other kill (despite being off screen) is a rough, unflinching and cruel look at innocent and likable characters being reduced to disposable livestock. It’s the dehumanization that makes the violence resonate.

With Franklin, we feel relief and amusement that such an obnoxious character has gotten got. I screened the movie for friends a couple years back, most of whom hadn’t seen it, and several of them cheered when Franklin finally got sawed.

This is antithetical to the film’s pathos and while valuable historically as an antecedent to the operation of later slashers and how we cheer for the slashes, it’s dead wrong for this film.

It's okay, but missing something in my opinion.

Like, worth watching, but not on par with Messiah of Evil at all.

Actually, this is almost exactly the reason I think he works.
Without him, the cast is formula. With him, it's much more real, which is what Hooper goes for with this film. I think the fact that he has a handicapped character who's NOT sympathetic, that alone is really different from what we see in films usually. And to see this character who is really dead weight on everyone else, it creates a certain tension within the group that I think is important to the film. I don't think of it as exploitation at all, I think Franklin serves a purpose and one that Hooper intended.

What is?
Honestly, I'm gonna spend the rest of my life looking for another Messiah of Evil. really that's what all this watching of really low-budget 70s and early 80s Horror and Grindhouse over the last several months has been about. MoE was Lemora's fault and now everything else is MoE's fault.


By the way, I watched a movie we discussed recently that I think only you have seen. Haven't written it up yet but it will probably be in my thread by tonight.

The horror genre is positively packed with vapid, unlikable fodder that were supposed to feel catharsis in seeing them dispatched. Aside from a handful of final girls, they’re usually what populates the film.

And “aren’t handicapped people a ****ing drag?” isn’t quite the subtextual win you’re claiming.

I don't think that's what I said at all.
It's actually the opposite that what he did was subvert the sympathy we all normally expect to feel for a handicapped character.

Cashing in on stereotypes that handicapped people are burdens and caring little for their well being isn’t a subversion. It’s the American way.

*gestures at the societal response to the pandemic.*

Franklin shattered stereotypes. Pretty sure that makes him a hero.

Franklin Hardesty: A Real American Hero

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I think that Don't Look in the Basement falls just a little below "Oh, wow! That had merits I wasn't expecting!".

Like, it isn't bad, but not quite in "undiscovered, surprisingly decent!" territory.

Ooh, la la!

Can't think of anything aside from Lucky that would fit that description, but also don't imagine that's what you're alluding to. Excited to read about it!

My reputation is staked on doing damage to my reputation.


Fenech is in a lot of good movies. She has never been the particular reason I've liked any of them. If it wasn't for these forums consistently elevating get to something noteworthy, I guarantee I would have never committed her name to memory.

1) Franklin is not badly acted as a character. He's over the top at times, and his fall down the hill is kind of hilariously bad, but there is a lot of nuance in what a sad sack he is. Like when he is talking with the hitchhiker and trying to accomodate his conversation about head cheese.


2) I'm on Woolys side in regards to the films portrayal of handicapped characters. Yes, in real life they are frequently treated as a burden, but in film they are generally depicted with a kind of sainthood. I find that actually more of an obstacle in viewing them as just any other person(which is how they should be viewed). I see nothing wrong with having this particular character in a wheelchair be painted in an unflattering light. I have enough disabled people in my family to know that they are quite capable of being ********, and that ******* disabled people need representation too.


3) I don't think it is unfair to criticize the film for basically garnering cheers for Frankins death. If keeping the film entirely grim and humorless is your angle, I can give that to you. But in a film where the 'dropping the hammer' scene is played as not only one of its most disturbing moments, but also one of its most blackly funny, inappropriate humor is at the heart of the film. I think giving the audience some completely horrifying things to root for is part of its deeply nihilistic appeal.

And one of my biggest blind spots, Ken Russell's The Devils, is on Shudder now.
Sweeeeeeet!

Yeah, I'm not buying this. Hardly a cash-in in any way and unquestionably a different look at the situation. Franklin isn't a burden specifically because he's handicapped, he's a burden because he's an ass. And he's handicapped. You never met a disabled person who was also an *******? They're out there, just like every other flavor of person one can imagine. And you can show that in a movie without it being an exploitative cash-in.

It's pretty depressing, FYI.

A must-watch, but also a challenging one.

Yes, I've got a general idea of what I'm in for.


Many years ago I attempted to watch all of his films and The Devils was the only one I couldn't locate. I even found Lisztomania for heaven's sake. So this excitement of mine is more of an OCD "I can finish that unfinished thing!" situation.

I think you should be excited for the film. It is excellent in many ways.

But I had been led to believe I was in for something quirky, when actually it was pretty intense and disturbing and a bit more graphically violent than I had expected.

It's his best, and I like pretty much everything he's done

And Don't Look in the Basement is fine. But it won't be if one is looking for a Messiah of Evil or even a Carnival of Blood. It's just a minor, understatedly weird, cheapo horror film that has a bit of charm but not a lot of scares. Same goes for Don't Open the Door, which is either slightly better or slightly worse, but in the same ballpark