Decent horror films...

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 broken spectre 13 Jan 2018

Any suggestions (stuck indoors here)?

Most favourite to date: American Werewolf in London

Least favourite (and arguably therefore a better horror flick): The Exorcist

Post edited at 15:34
 alx 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Perhaps the first alien film when it came out, and before CGI killed suspense and high quality animatronics.

1
In reply to alx:

> Perhaps the first alien film

Yes, that one is a corker! Seen it already though (several times)

 

 alan moore 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Spanish film called rec is pretty scary.

In reply to alan moore:

Thanks, just watched the trailer to this!

If a horror film is comparable to a good curry, Rec looks to be a vindaloo or possibly a phaal (ie terrifying!). I’m more of a rogan josh kind of a guy.

 

In reply to broken spectre:

It all depends on what you mean by 'decent'.

For fans of Hammer Horror who enjoy piles of old tosh with cheap production values and a very dated appearance, preferably involving someone like Christopher Lee - and I am one such - you could do a lot worse than something like The Devil Rides Out; utter Hammer hokum at its finest.  If you want something a little less Dennis Wheatley, then try Quatermass and the Pit.

If you want something a bit more modern but which is, in spirit, a Hammer Horror film, try The Ninth Gate.  Johnny Depp smokes his way round Europe in search of the devil narrowly avoiding certain death.

Still not convinced?  Want something that's equally after-the-pub in spirit but a  bit more 'contains mild to moderate peril and large worm things'?  Go watch Tremors.

I have high standards in horror films, as you might by now have gathered.

T.

 JamButty 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

The original Japanese Ring is excellent,  as is the original night of the living dead.

Few classic ticks to work through - Silence of the Lambs,  Original Manhunter, Nightmare on Elm St,  Poltergeist,  Shining, The Birds,  Psycho,  Saw - all those are classics or crap depending on your personal tastes....

Or a bit lighter you've got to go for Shaun of the Dead...

Oh and Shallow grave

 

 

 Chris Harris 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Eraserhead. 

 angry pirate 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Two films I thought were excellent recently: It Follows and Babadook.

Both are the right kind of scary for me. Not gore and jump scares. Definitely rogan josh

 

In reply to broken spectre:

The Descent is a decent horror film

(if you can let the silly ‘dry tooling in a cave’ plot device go...)

 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to Pursued by a bear:

Bit harsh on The Devil Rides Out, there! It's not your usual Hammer hokum but really a lot more "serious" (I know it does pander to a few Hammer tropes toward the end). Christopher Lee's performance really carries it - when you see his confidence start to erode as he twigs exactly what he's up against. I love it.

The Ninth Gate is mental - I kind of enjoyed it in a lurid way but I didn't quite "get" it.

 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to angry pirate:

I was really let down by The Babadook!
I liked It Follows a lot even if it doesn't quite stay true to itself toward the end. It's unsettling throughout. 

In the "modern horror" category I was surprised to really enjoy Insidious 1 and 2 (especially #2) and The Conjuring (first one; second one interesting but a bit cheesy but then I virtually remember the real story it's showing).

Happy Death Day was a good one from 2017

 DaveHK 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Don't Look Now

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

And continuing the theme of Spanish horror- do pans labyrinth and the devils backbone, both by Guillermo del toro, count as horror? If so, then they’re both very good indeed 

another vote for alien from me

and the ring- but I’ll be controversial and say I thought the remake was considerably better than the original...

Post edited at 18:32
1
 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

> Thanks, just watched the trailer to this!

> If a horror film is comparable to a good curry, Rec looks to be a vindaloo or possibly a phaal (ie terrifying!). I’m more of a rogan josh kind of a guy.

Angel Heart (madras)
Silent Hill (madras)
Event Horizon (vindaloo)
Poltergeist (1982 one) (jalfrezi)
Dust Devil (bhuna)
Candyman (rogan josh)
The Devil Rides Out (vindaloo)
 

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Event horizon was very good, and very disturbing...

 d_b 13 Jan 2018

Audition (Phall)

In reply to Blue Straggler:

"Utter Hammer hokum at its finest" is one of the highest praises I can bestow upon a film.

T.

"The proof is in the hamper!".

 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

RING (aka Ringu). The first one OR the first American remake. 

 Ian W 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

The Grudge.

 

 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to Pursued by a bear:

A lesser known Hammer also featuring Christopher Lee as a good guy, is "Scream of Fear" aka "Taste of Fear". Early 1960s offering too often dismissed as their "Psycho knock-off". I honestly think it is better than Psycho although I am in a minority on that. Like Psycho, it's not "horror" in the supernatural sense, it's more a mystery/psychological thriller, but it's really well done. What's the mild coconut-based curry? Bhuna?

 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

 

> and the ring- but I’ll be controversial and say I thought the remake was considerably better than the original...

Missed this comment whilst I was posting that either the original OR the remake would be OK. 
The "big scene" is slightly dumbed down in the remake but it's compensated for by that weird scene with the horse on the ferry, and of course the wonderful Naomi Watts' performance. 

 

In reply to broken spectre:

And lest we forget the obvious, try The Wicker Man. The director's cut of the original is the one to go for.

I'd rate that like a curry pasty, battered and deep-fried. You know it's bad, you don't know why you did it but it tasted good at the time and you'll probably have another one in a week or so.

T.

 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to alx:

There's no animatronics in the first Alien film, and the first full shot of the "man in a rubber suit" is risible. 

4
In reply to Blue Straggler:

> What's the mild coconut-based curry? Bhuna?

Korma I think 

 

Removed User 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Wot? No Wicker Man? That really is a bonkers film.

 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to Pursued by a bear:

> And lest we forget the obvious, try The Wicker Man. The director's cut of the original is the one to go for.


Comedy horror. Christopher Lee poncing about in a mauve frock. The director's cut adds, what, some stock footage of snails mating? It's a good film solely due to Edward Woodward's performance. Overall this film is effective but massively massively overrated. 

Post edited at 18:55
3
 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Korma! Yeah that's it

 

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Oh, it's in no way a good film.  I don't think I've ever watched it sober.  But, like a curry pasty, once in a while nothing else will do and then, it's a must-watch classic.

T.

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Maybe I ‘do’ dumb, but I liked they way they did the ‘big scene’ better in the remake. 

 

or perhaps liked isn’t the right word- that was a vindaloo moment for me....

I thought they managed to nail the video in the remake- bizarre and otherworldly. And I felt a real frisson of fear watching the tape you really shouldn’t watch...

I thought the attempt to provide a back story in the original was unconvincing and undermined the effectiveness 

both were very good, but the remake  for me is faultless 

 

 

Post edited at 19:02
 kevin stephens 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle

Scanners

Carry on Screaming

 profitofdoom 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

> Any suggestions (stuck indoors here)?

Halloween

 d_b 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

A korma grade horror comedy which i never get tired of watching is "The Abominable Doctor Phibes".  It is pure awesome.

 

 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Speaking of "better remakes"

1978 Invasion of the Body Snatchers

 d_b 13 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

The definitive version in my view.

 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Overrated but still very good:
Haute Tension (aka Switchblade Romance). Not supernatural horror, it is a suspense/psychological mind-mess 

And it stars lovely Cecile de France, so that's nice.

Other French delights from recent years:
La Horde (kind of a zombie film although not quite)
Martyrs (very graphic, hard to watch - extra spicy vindalooooo)
 

 Blue Straggler 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Quirky one where you don't really see anything despite there being a bit of mad zombie plague going on: Pontypool (Canadian thing almost entirely shot in two rooms with the action going on outside and out of sight)

And ANOTHER remake better than the original, ALSO a chemically-induced kinda-zombie thing: the 2010 version of The Crazies. Really good, very very underrated indeed. 

 The Lemming 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Not many horror films scare me however I do like to be scared senseless with a psychological horror.

 

Ladies and gentlemen I give you.....

 

1408

 

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1408/

 d_b 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

It didn't get the greatest reviews, but I found "In the mouth of madness" very enjoyable.

On the subject of John Carpenter I am also a big fan of "Prince of Darkness", and obviously "The Thing" is a must.

 

 climber34neil 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Got to be the fog for me for a classic ( original of course)

Exorcist 3 I enjoyed (many years ago)

Jeepers creepers

And on a lighter note how about bad taste ( Australian comedy horror)?

In reply to all:

I opted to try and watch 'Ringu' but inadvertently rented 'The Ring' by mistake. A different film.

 toad 13 Jan 2018
In reply to climber34neil:

New zealand comedy horror? Black Sheep

Norwegian comedy horror? Trollhunter

Irish comedy horror? Can't remember, but everyone had to get drunk to avoid the alien sea monsters

 angry pirate 13 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

I know what you mean: Babadook didn't go where I expected but I still enjoyed it.

The first five or so minutes of the Conjuring was the most terrified I've been by a horror film in a long time! The spin off was daft though.

 climber34neil 13 Jan 2018
In reply to toad:

I've seen the Irish one but also can't remember what it's called, I think I enjoyed it though

 Big Ger 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Suspirira, Dario Argento's classic cult horror. (Korma to Phal depending on your imagination.)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076786/

youtube.com/watch?v=MecSlkWMHPY&

Brilliant soundtrack too.

youtube.com/watch?v=pins1y0XAa0&

Post edited at 21:25
 deepsoup 13 Jan 2018
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

> Event horizon was very good, and very disturbing...

I was disappointed by that one - I went expecting to see a sci-fi film and it turned out that it's just 'Hellraiser' set on a spaceship.

In reply to broken spectre:

 

According to imdb:

http://www.imdb.com/list/ls009100140/

Jaws is a horror movie. 

So it definitely needs including...

 

 deepsoup 13 Jan 2018
In reply to JamButty:

> The original Japanese Ring is excellent

If Japanese films are in, 'Audition' is one to check out.

e2a:
It just occurred to me that you could probably just about call Ex Machina a horror film.  'Tense psychological thriller' is probably more accurate, but I found it almost unbearably claustrophobic.

Post edited at 21:31
 Steve Perry 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

American Werewolf in London

Bram Stokers Dracula

Hellraiser

Evil Dead II

Let the Right One in (original Swedish)

The Omen (original)

Prince of Darkness (John Carpenter)

The Thing (John Carpenter)

Near Dark 

Reanimator 

From Beyond

Blair Witch Project

World War Z

Halloween (John Carpenter)

 alx 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

> I opted to try and watch 'Ringu' but inadvertently rented 'The Ring' by mistake. A different film.

I had a similar experience with a Prisoner of Azkaban, turns out Prisoner of Ass Cabin is something entirely different and definitely does not involve wizards.

 deepsoup 13 Jan 2018
In reply to alx:

>  definitely does not involve wizards.

Not even their sleeves?

Oh, 'cabin' - that reminds me.  For borderline comedy horror - deconstructing the genre and all that, but mostly just being an absolute hoot - 'Cabin in The Woods' is a cracking film.

'Tucker & Dale vs. Evil' is a lot of fun too.

 The Lemming 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

I also quite enjoyed Night Watch, and the sequel Daywatch.

 

The Underworld films are good too.

 jasonC abroad 13 Jan 2018
In reply to davidbeynon:

Love the "The Thing" still stand up today in my opinion, watch it once a year at least.

 Tom Last 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Under the Shadow. Iranian film set in Tehran during Iran/Iraq war. Unsettling and very good, I thought. It's on Netflix. 

In reply to Tom Last:

Alas I used the free month of Netflix already (binge watching Rick & Morty). Sounds a cracker though - I'll look out for it.

Removed User 13 Jan 2018
In reply to toad:

> New zealand comedy horror? Black Sheep

> Norwegian comedy horror? Trollhunter

Two of my favourites. In a similar vein, and artery, Peter Jackson’s Braindead is the benchmark for comedy horror.

> Irish comedy horror? Can't remember, but everyone had to get drunk to avoid the alien sea monsters

That sounds good.

The Revenge of Billy the Kid is a little known gem of bestial entertainment and has the funniest sex scene of any film ever (think Last Tango in Paris meets league of gentlemen in the style of the Archers).

 

 Peter Walker 13 Jan 2018
In reply to climber34neil:

Irish one? It's 'Grabbers'.

 Bobling 13 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Dead Snow (or Dod Sno I think in the original Norweigian?).  Nazi Zombies - tikka masala.

 justdoit 14 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

maybe more psychological/thriller but 'seven' is amazing!!

 Blue Straggler 14 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Paperhouse. 1988 British no-budget thing from the director of Candyman

 Blue Straggler 14 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Stretching the definition of “horror” maybe, but Park Chan-Wook’s film “Stoker” starring Mia Wasikowska is excellent

 

keeping with Wasikowska, the vampire film Only Lovers Left Alive is excellent albeit lacking in much “horror” (it is more of a look at how vampires might actually live, in practical terms. Dry humour)

 

keeping with Wasikowska, Crimson Peak was a massive let-down and is not recommended

 BnB 14 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Can't believe no one has mentioned the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Or did I miss it?

Seminal work. Gang of adolescents get punished in high summer at a remote cabin for being good looking and sexually active. Special tension reserved for the girl made to run without a bra while clearly in need of one. Together with The Evil Dead, these wrote the book.

Post edited at 10:17
 Blue Straggler 14 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

The Mist would be a great double bill with The Crazies

In reply to broken spectre:

Not a real horror in the true sense of the genre but Black Death starring Eddie Redmayne and Sean Bean was one I enjoyed. 

In reply to becauseitsthere:

Leaving the horror theme behind briefly, your post has just prompted me to watch The One That Got Away - 1996, as Sean Bean was in Bravo Two Zero (the other book/film about the same event)

It's on YouTube split into 7 chunks

Not great resolution this upload (its quite grainy) but that's more than compensated for by the story i.m.o.

 Andy Johnson 14 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Blair Witch Project. Definitely at the vindaloo end of the spectrum for me.

 wilkie14c 14 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

the descent 

dog soldiers

eden lake

 

Best of british!! 

Removed User 14 Jan 2018
In reply to BnB:

> Can't believe no one has mentioned the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Or did I miss it?

Agreed, it's a masterpiece, albeit one I don't have a particular urge to see again any time soon.

Many of the Inside No.9 progs by Shearsmith and Pemberton (Psychoville, League of Gentlemen) are fantastic, some of them are genuinely shocking, even given the comedy elements.

OP: There is a extraordinarily creepy Spanish short film called La Cabina which is on youtube.
youtube.com/watch?v=bKkfGG9q32c&

 

 ripper 14 Jan 2018
In reply to Tom Last:

> Under the Shadow. Iranian film set in Tehran during Iran/Iraq war. Unsettling and very good, I thought. It's on Netflix. 

I enjoyed A Girl Walks Home Alone at Midnight, of similar provenance. Not particularly scary, but atmospheric

 

 Bulls Crack 14 Jan 2018
In reply to Pursued by a bear:

Re Hammer Horror, Twins of Evil made an impression on me as a lad...

 Tom Valentine 14 Jan 2018
In reply to Andy Johnson:

I agree totally.

People queue up to dismiss it and yet I can't recall much scarier.

Of course, you need an imagination for it to work.

Another very good effort in the found footage genre is a British film called The Borderlands.

 

Post edited at 18:49
In reply to Removed UserStuart en Écosse:

> OP: There is a extraordinarily creepy Spanish short film called La Cabina which is on youtube.

10/10!

 angry pirate 14 Jan 2018
In reply to wilkie14c:

Yep! Dog Soldiers is genius. Probably the best depiction of British squaddies on film (except for the massive camp fire)

 Blue Straggler 14 Jan 2018
In reply to Removed UserStuart en Écosse:

 

will check out that Spanish short, thanks.

 

another good Spanish short is The Baby’s Room.

 

also “To Let” which was part of the same series of shorts

 

 aln 15 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

> I opted to try and watch 'Ringu' but inadvertently rented 'The Ring' by mistake. A different film.

Maybe this horror classic is what you were thinking of -  youtube.com/watch?v=QAoONl2P8fw& 

 Blue Straggler 15 Jan 2018
In reply to Tom Valentine:

> I agree totally.

> People queue up to dismiss it and yet I can't recall much scarier.

I also agree that The Blair Witch Project is brilliant. 

The problem it had in the UK was that it was a summer release in the USA - June or July I think, so it should have been out in late August or so in the UK, but some bright spark in distribution thought it would be really clever to make it a Hallowe'en release. Thus, we had many more months of hearing all about this "movie phenomenon" and the ennui and backlash (inaccurate accusations of "American hype") had set in well before its release.

 

 deepsoup 15 Jan 2018
In reply to aln:> Maybe this horror classic is what you were thinking of -  youtube.com/watch?v=QAoONl2P8fw&

Ha ha - that is fantastic!

andymac 16 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Scotland v Peru (1978)

 

Post edited at 19:09
 Tom Valentine 17 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

Just watched Get Out. Good in places.

 

nikkormat 17 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Another vote for Peter Jackson's Braindead, and Bad Taste. Both excellent.

In reply to andymac:

<shudders>

and the comedy horror sequel, Scotland vs USSR (1982)...

 Blue Straggler 17 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

I stayed up late on Monday night watching Event Horizon with director and producer commentary on.

 

on Tuesday I woke up feeling quite ill and didn’t recover until this morning (Wednesday)

 

coincidence?!

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Event Horizon did spook me for a long time, I still have the odd nightmares more than 30 years after watching 'the thing'. I wonder if that is normal

 Duncan Bourne 17 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

In case anyone hasn't mentioned these already.

Let the right one in (original version mind)

Devil's backbone

American Werewolf in Paris (mainly for the condom joke)

 

 Blue Straggler 17 Jan 2018
In reply to Duncan Bourne:

> In case anyone hasn't mentioned these already.

> Let the right one in (original version mind)

 

the remake is also good and benefits from not having that ridiculous cat scene with horrendous CGI that kills a lot of the original’s atmosphere 

> Devil's backbone

 

I was very disappointed with this. And with Cronos, for that matter. And as mentioned before, Crimson Peak. Maybe I just don’t like Guillermo Del Toro as much as everyone else does  not seen Hellboy 2 though 

> American Werewolf in Paris (mainly for the condom joke)

 

i think I fell asleep and missed that

 

 stp 17 Jan 2018
In reply to deepsoup:

> If Japanese films are in, 'Audition' is one to check out.

I saw Audition in a fairly packed theatre. At about 90% of the way through the film I started hearing these banging sounds all around me. They started to grow more frequent and it didn't take long to realise these bangs were the sound of people's seats going up as they got up and left the theatre. I think by the end of the film more than half of the audience had walked out early. I've never seen anything like that with any other film.

 

 stp 17 Jan 2018
In reply to JJ Krammerhead III:

A bunch of climber friends of mine went to see Event Horizon at the cinema after taking a load of magic mushrooms. I can't think of worse film to watch under the influence of hallucinogens. I think it was rather terrifying but they seemed to survive the ordeal.

In reply to stp:

braver than me!

 d_b 17 Jan 2018
In reply to stp:

I have it on good authority that "The Wall" is a pretty bad experience when under the influence.

 

It's a pretty bad experience at the best of times.

 

 Al Evans 17 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Nosferatu.

 aln 17 Jan 2018
In reply to Al Evans:

> Nosferatu.

Which one? 

 d_b 17 Jan 2018
In reply to aln:

Bald chap, funny ears.

 aln 17 Jan 2018
In reply to davidbeynon:

Sharp teeth? 

 d_b 17 Jan 2018
In reply to aln:

That's him.

 Al Evans 18 Jan 2018
In reply to aln:

The Original.

Columbia753 18 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

The Devil Rides Out and the Wicker Man both excellent. 

 The Lemming 18 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

> the Wicker Man both excellent. 

 

Anybody seen the remake, and is it worth a watch?

 

 MonkeyPuzzle 18 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Halloween - the archetype of the late 20th century slasher with a brilliant soundtrack.

Tetsuo the Iron Man - on your curry scale it's raw chillis rubbed in your eyes.

The Greasy Strangler - is it a horror? It's definitely horrific.

Just remembered The Fly.

Classic.

 Blue Straggler 18 Jan 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

> Anybody seen the remake, and is it worth a watch?

Yes, and yes It is overall crap and risible, with an over-the-top Nicolas Cage performance, but it DOES have merit.  The isolated matriarchal society it presents is genuinely interesting and convincing. Sadly this was mostly overlooked by audiences and critics alike, and equally sadly, it does kind of give way to silliness in the film....but then again, the original is pretty bloody silly.  Actually the matriarchal society in the remake of The Wicker Man makes more sense and is more chilling than the boring bog-standard mad old pagans of the original. And Ellen Burstyn is a lot better than Christopher Lee poncing around in his mauve frock. 
Molly Parker is VERY good in it (have you seen Deadwood? She was a key player in that too)

But for sure it is inferior and overall bad. STILL WORTH A WATCH

Post edited at 21:28
 Blue Straggler 18 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

> Just remembered The Fly.

> Classic.

Weirdly, I think (without checking) that this might be the first David Cronenberg entry in the thread. 

The Dead Zone, Videodrome, The Fly, Dead Ringers (does that count as horror?) - all great 1980s stuff

Scanners was rubbish though

Columbia753 18 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

The fly yes agreed scary. Have you seen original..............so funny a fly with a wee human head on it was made in 50s I think. 

Columbia753 18 Jan 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Seen the trailer, is that with Nicolas Cage?? 

Have to disagree with you sorry. Its an insult to original same as the remake of The Prisoner is. 

 Blue Straggler 18 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

> Seen the trailer, is that with Nicolas Cage?? 

> Have to disagree with you sorry. Its an insult to original same as the remake of The Prisoner is. 

Who are you disagreeing with? The Lemming asked if it was worth watching. How can you disagree with that? I said it was crap. This seems to be your view too. You also don't appear to have actually seen it.

Post edited at 22:26
Columbia753 18 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

Hi 

A wee slip up sorry.

Wicker man remake is not worth watching no. Viewed trailer and reviews and came to my conclusion. Most modern remakes of films are rarely worth watching in my view.

Good films are one of the best things we can enjoy. Blade Runner 2049...........wow, now there's a film.  Didnt make much from what ive heard but will go down a classic as original is. 

Also went to see Sorcerer (1977) recently which is a remake of a french film Wages of fear. Would recommend you see both of them. 

Cheers

Post edited at 23:21
 Blue Straggler 18 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

 I agree most remakes are lazy but some shine! This thread mentions The Ring, The Thing and Invasion of the Bodysnatchers! YOU mention The Fly
Outside of horror there is little doubt that the 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair trounces the 1968(?) original. 

But nobody will claim that the 2006(?) The Wicker Man is better than the 1973 one. It was interesting to me because it was written and directed by Neil Labute, an infamously provocative playwright/screenwriter/director (In The Company of Men and Your Friends & Neighbours were very bold films). So The Wicker Man in his hands was bound to be interesting. Quite why it turned out so poor, I don't know - but Labute's film output was by then generally on the wane. 
 

 Blue Straggler 18 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

That is so weird that you edited your post to mention Sorcerer! It's been on my mind a bit in the past few months (was in South America in Aug-Sep, and more recently saw a friend playing a nice bridge building app game!), plus my local arthouse is screening The Wages of Fear next weekend. 

Did you see a good print of Sorcerer? I bought an imported DVD a few years ago and it was all muddy and crap like it was transferred from VHS. I don't know if they've done a restored one yet. 

The genesis and failure of Sorcerer are a topic for some other discussion but let's say for now: WTF was Friedkin thinking? Off the back of The French Connection and The Exorcist, he does a film where nobody speaks English for the first 25 minutes and you don't recognise anyone until finally Roy Scheider - known but hardly a household name - pops up and turns out to be the STAR. Then it gets totally bleak. And they release it up against Star Wars....

In reply to broken spectre:

You've had loads of good suggestions already, so i'm trying to come up with things I didn't see mentioned. 

Not everyones favourite i know because it's a slow burner but I love Paranormal Activity. 

The original Saw is very good.

I recently watched Mama and that was okay. 

Post edited at 23:35
 Blue Straggler 19 Jan 2018
In reply to Caroline_Schofield:

> You've had loads of good suggestions already, so i'm trying to come up with things I didn't see mentioned. 

> Not everyones favourite i know because it's a slow burner but I love Paranormal Activity. 

Good call (killed by the 1-second final shot that Spielberg imposed). The time-lapse stuff is very unsettling

> The original Saw is very good.

Mentioned already. Agreed. I never saw the others apart from this year's Jigsaw which I thought worked quite well 

> I recently watched Mama and that was okay. 

Well done, I lasted 40 minutes and turned off out of boredom. Does it pick up? The kids were really good but I couldn't get into it. Another in a long list of unengaging Jessica Chastain films!

 

cb294 19 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

Sorcerer is good, but the French original is MUCH better. 

CB

 Blue Straggler 20 Jan 2018
In reply to cb294:

> Sorcerer is good, but the French original is MUCH better. 

I haven’t read it. I liked the first adaptation, the French film. But the “Creation” and the legendary bridge sequence in Sorcerer were masterful, and the very end of it is so much more nihilistic than the French film’s quasi happy ending.

But yeah sweaty Yves Montand in his vest with his hand rolled cigarettes is certainly iconic

 

In reply to Blue Straggler:

> Well done, I lasted 40 minutes and turned off out of boredom. Does it pick up? The kids were really good but I couldn't get into it. Another in a long list of unengaging Jessica Chastain films!

No it doesn't improve vastly, so wouldn't bother going back to it if you didn't make it the first time. 

Pans Labyrinth? Not a horror per se but has the darkness of one. 

Can't fault the original Psycho. 

In reply to stp:

> A bunch of climber friends of mine went to see Event Horizon at the cinema after taking a load of magic mushrooms. I can't think of worse film to watch under the influence of hallucinogens. I think it was rather terrifying but they seemed to survive the ordeal.

I remember a friend having a broadly similar episode in the early 90s while watching Jacobs Ladder. A white knuckle ride that nearly ripped off the arm of the chair. 

 Kean 20 Jan 2018
In reply to wilkie14c:

Another vote for Eden Lake

 Blue Straggler 20 Jan 2018
In reply to Caroline_Schofield:

 

> Pans Labyrinth? Not a horror per se but has the darkness of one. 

 

Curious as to your definition of horror. Pan' Labyrinth is indeed an odd one in that respect, do we just call it "fantasy", or something else?

Personally I define horror as having some element of the supernatural or other-wordly(*), but this rules out all "slasher" films including classics like Hallowe'en and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (**), which a lot of people would instantly class as horror.

My next post recommends some films that at least in my book are absolutely NOT horror films but which perhaps come under that umbrella for a lot of people (I'd call them psychological thrillers)

* so I include things like John Carpenter's "The Thing", and "Alien", even though they are more like straight-ahead science-fiction than horror

** that is how the title of the 1974 film is written, trivia fans and pedants!

 Blue Straggler 20 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Neither of these are horror by my own personal definition, but well worth a mention here anyway

Hard Candy
Right At Your Door

Two of the strongest American films of the 00s. 

 Blue Straggler 22 Jan 2018
In reply to Caroline_Schofield:

Thanks

 

check out Hammer’s “Scream of Fear” aka “Taste of Fear” for a neat variation/knock-off of Psycho that some people think is a sort of superior little film

dadalolo 22 Jan 2018

THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL

THE OMEN

 

 

 Urban5teve 22 Jan 2018
In reply to angry pirate:

I second "It Follows"

A great movie as well as scary.

 Owen W-G 22 Jan 2018

Kill List

 shaymarriott 22 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

The Witch.  

 Clarence 22 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Never trust recommendations. I watched Pandorum at the weekend after it being thoroughly panned by a couple of people I know. I rather enjoyed it, good sci-fi-horror with a really good ending. On the other hand I watched the highly praised Shrooms and thought it was utter bilge, boring and annoying in equal measure.

I usually find that if the Radio Times likes it, I won't.

 Blue Straggler 22 Jan 2018
In reply to shaymarriott:

Good premise (“is she or isn’t she”) ruined by silliness (that goat) and a ludicrous ending

 Blue Straggler 22 Jan 2018
In reply to Clarence:

I liked a lot of Pandorum. The first half hour (basically just two amnesiacs in a room wondering who they are and where they are and why) was pretty bold.

it got a bit silly but the two lead performances were great, the “twist” was good and did that ending tease a sequel (something about the life-forms count )?

 Blue Straggler 22 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Back to your OP, if you like American werewolf then you might like a bizarre film called “Society” (late 1980s American satire with some gruesome sticky special effects)

 Blue Straggler 22 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

How could I forget ANGEL HEART?!

 

aside from Robert De Niro somewhat hamming it up as “Louis Cyphre” (duhhhh) it is incredibly atmospheric and actually somewhat scary, with one Hell of an ending...

 Blue Straggler 22 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

The first A Nightmare on Elm Street is already mentioned but Part Three (Dream Warriors? With Patricia Arquette and Laurence Fishburne in it) is also very good, as is the fourth-wall-breaking clever “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare” set in “reality” with the director and actors playing themselves in Hollywood and Freddie entering their nightmares demanding a new film. Possibly helps if you watch it stoned

 Blue Straggler 22 Jan 2018
In reply to Owen W-G:

> Kill List

I 100% didn’t “get” Kill List. I saw it after seeing and loving Sightseers and learning that Kill List had been the writer-director Ben Wheatley’s calling card and was an instant cult classic. I just couldn’t engage with it. I also thought his Free Fire was rubbish and I heard bad things about High Rise but good things about A Field in England 

 loose overhang 23 Jan 2018
In reply to shaymarriott:

Another vote for 'The Witch' and I just watched 'Get Out'

 Blue Straggler 23 Jan 2018
In reply to loose overhang:

 

Just thinking about Get Out over the weekend. Super film but is it horror or is it more science fiction?

 

 Blue Straggler 23 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Ooh How did I forget these two from the pen of Stephen Volk:

 

Ghostwatch (yes the infamous BBC “fake documentary” from 1992 with Sarah Greene, Craig Charles and Michael Parkinson). No joke, it is really good and still effective 

 

and more recently the feature film The Awakening starring Rebecca Hall and Dominic West. An intriguing premise and a good story, very atmospheric and well acted. Bit silly toward the end but that is ok. Good little twist even if you do feel that it is simply [famous twist film] inverted

 Clarence 23 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

> Ghostwatch (yes the infamous BBC “fake documentary” from 1992 with Sarah Greene, Craig Charles and Michael Parkinson). No joke, it is really good and still effective 

That just gave me an idea of what to spend my Xmas Amazon token on, a double disc set of Ghostwatch and The Stone Tape. Good call!

 Blue Straggler 23 Jan 2018
In reply to Clarence:

I have not seen The Stone Tape, I wonder if subconsciously I am scared of the very idea of it!

Ghostwatch really does stand up very well and arguably the casting of Craig Charles makes a LOT more sense now (to viewers) than it did in 1992 (I did not see the original broadcast and given that the BBC pretty much disowned it for 14 years or so until the BFI persuaded them to let them put it on DVD, I saw it very much "after the fact" and it was still dead good)

 Clarence 23 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

I saw it when it was first broadcast and it was great, lots of people genuinely couldn't tell if it was fact or fiction. It comes just after Threads in my list of things that scared me in my youth. I still suspect Parky to be possessed by the spirit of Mr Pipes.

 Blue Straggler 23 Jan 2018
In reply to Clarence:

I had the disadvantage of already being a fact-obsessed culture-vulture geek who would pore over Radio Times, and it was clearly listed there well in advance, as a fictional drama including a cast list. Thus, I skipped watching it because I knew it was "fake". 

What I didn't appreciate then, was that most TV viewers(*) DON'T pore over the listings, and actually just channel-surf until something catches their eye. By definition this can only happen AFTER the "something" has started (hence 1938 Orson Welles' radio production of The War of the Worlds causing chaos despite clear descriptions in listings and radio announcements that it was an adaptation of H.G. Wells' fiction)
Ghostwatch was described by the continuity announcer as being "not live and not real" and the "trailers" for it in the preceding weeks showed footage from it so keen viewers knew it was all a bit of a lark.
AND YET. It was talk of my sixth-form common room for weeks. The suicide of a young mentally disturbed man was attributed to it and made national news. Sarah Greene kind of disappeared from screens for a while. The BBC had to announce immediately after that one screening, that it was all a load of fiction and Sarah hadn't actually disappeared into limbo. 

* not just TV. People choose what to see at the cinema on a bit of a whim. I heard a few tales of people walking out on Brokeback Mountain because they didn't know there would be gay male sex in it - they just go to the cinema, look at the posters and choose a film based on who is in it. I've seen many people do this with other films - explains a lot about "star power". I once had 11 people come to see Requiem for a Dream at the cinema because they fancied a night out. Not one of them knew what to expect, they just thought "our friend's friend Blue says it'll be good". Some of those people I'd never seen before and never saw afterward, so their one memory of me is that I "made" them watch that film  

 Tom Valentine 24 Jan 2018
In reply to Tom Valentine:

Just seen that it's got 3 Oscar nominations. Fair play, I suppose.

 Dave Garnett 24 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

I enjoyed watching the Limehouse Golem last night.  The plot's a bit over-complicated with one or two holes in it but the atmosphere and characters are interesting and it's pretty gory.  

In reply to shaymarriott:

> The Witch.  

Nope!

 loose overhang 24 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

"Get Out" might be considered social commentary.  It's certainly a well constructed story.

 Blue Straggler 24 Jan 2018
In reply to Dave Garnett:

> I enjoyed watching the Limehouse Golem last night.  The plot's a bit over-complicated with one or two holes in it but the atmosphere and characters are interesting and it's pretty gory.  

Coincidence, we tried that last week and lasted about 40 minutes. Three of us all found it an overambitious muddle, I got the impression that at some point it had been intended as a mini-series  running 4 hours or so, but was condensed at script level into a feature film length. There just seemed to be a bit too much going on (and the HORRENDOUS performance of that bobby-on-the-beat)

I'll give it another shot sometime especially as you have posted about it here. I did want to see it at the cinema last autumn but it came and went in the blink of an eye. I really like Olivia Cooke, she was in a lovely film called Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and several seasons of Bates Motel (I've only seen S1 of that, though)

 Dave Garnett 24 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

> I really like Olivia Cooke, she was in a lovely film called Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and several seasons of Bates Motel (I've only seen S1 of that, though)

She can sing too, unless they dubbed her music hall numbers.  She was rather sexy doing her risque sailor's song - if that influences your decision at all!

Columbia753 25 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

Hi

Went to see Sorcerer really as the sound track is by Tangerine Dream and have had the album for many years but never seen the film.  Its better than I thought it would be.  Also it was shown at FACT a cinema in Liverpool, you can promote a film you want to be shown. They have to sell a minimum amount of tickets for this to work of course.  

Just watched Einstein's God model, interesting scifi not to sure about 'String theory' etc.  I suspect they had some one to help them out with all the science as they did with Interstellar which is another very good film. 

Cheers

 

 Blue Straggler 25 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

Again, a little funny because I saw the Tangerine Dream LP at a market stall years ago, way before I saw the film, and (pretentiously) didn't buy it because I felt that one should have at least seen a film before getting the soundtrack. It's a regret of mine now because it was only a fiver and it sells for rather more than that now. 
 

I love the tune "Creation" which is kind of the "training montage tune", it plays in full for four minutes during the wordless sequence where they are all pimping up the trucks. 

Hope you enjoyed the bleak nihilism of the film THAT ENDING, whoah. 

 Blue Straggler 25 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

> Hi

> Went to see Sorcerer really as the sound track is by Tangerine Dream and have had the album for many years but never seen the film.  Its better than I thought it would be.  

 

Did it look good? I only have a rather dubious DVD which has muddly colouring and looks a bit "soft" even just on a 32" screen at home. I know people have been crying out for a proper digital remaster etc, I don't know it has happened yet (as an aside, I'd love it with a Friedkin commentary, he's entertainingly far-right-wing and would put Judge Dredd to shame...)

 

 JamButty 25 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Having been laid up with a bad sprained ankle I hit a few horrors on netflix.

Babadook,  It Follows, Insidious 2 and Gothika.

None I would have as classics and the stories are a bit broken. Babadook was probably the best....

Columbia753 25 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

Hi

Every aspect of seeing the film was good and want to see it again so great all round. 

The best film experience for me was seeing 2001 at the Liverpool Phil. 

They have a little guy with a suit on introducing the film and the screen rises out of the stage. We were sitting right at the front in the middle so the whole thing was more mind blowing.  The film has an intermission and a little lady came out selling ice cream. Apparently that is the way it used to happen back in the day and topped off the experience for me. 

Awesome

 

 Blue Straggler 27 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

Jealous of your Sorcerer experience! Where did you see it? And as you saw it due to the Tangerine Dream soundtrack, just HOW GOOD is that “ Creation” tune, I think it is track 4 on the soundtrack, and in the film is the “training montage” tune when they are pimping up the trucks. 

 

Btw the bridge scene alone cost $1 million in 1976-7 !

Columbia753 27 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

Yeah it was cool.

FACT Liverpool art house cinema. Bloke promoting it didnt mention Dream at all. Bizzare.  And have the vinyl as mentioned.

So that saying 'that looked a million dollars' was true for bridge scene. That's a classic.

Also went to see Dream in 1980s. Still have book for the concert.

Have exhausted my Sorcerer knowledge.  

 Blue Straggler 27 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

Plenty of interesting trivia about Sorcerer but I won't bore you with it here, you can Google it if interested.

One of my regrets is not buying the soundtrack on vinyl when I saw it on a market stall years ago. 
My reasoning was that I am not a massive Tangerine Dream fan (I like their music in films, and some of those cues are nice to hear in isolation, but I thought "well I should be looking into their real classic albums before buying a soundtrack", and I had not seen the film at that point, just knew a bit about it.

Sure I could track it down now and probably pay too much for it, but the moment has passed (and I can probably Spotify it, taking ALL the charm out things )

Columbia753 27 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

Your obviously a big film fan as you've put alot of posts on this thread.  Have the '1001 Films you need to see' and have done most of the sci-fi ones.

Its mostly men who are into films to the extent of being geeks, nerds or whatever it seems.  

 

 Blue Straggler 27 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

Those books always tell you to watch, at the cheesy end of the film spectrum, something like The Shawshank Redemption - and at the "yeah right" end, something unavailable like Red Sorghum or the 10 hour cut of Stroheim's "Greed"

Columbia753 27 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

MMMM this one seems to be running on between us.  

Am gong into acting mode :-

Ok make my day punk there is no way you have seen most of these...............

Love me tonight 1932, I am a fugitive from a chain gang 1932, The lady eve 1941, The wolf man 1941, Rashomon 1950, A place in the sun 1951, Peeping tom 1960,  Faster pussycat! kill kill 1960, Mean streets 1973, The conversation 1974, THE last wave 1977, The hills have eyes 1977, Being there 1979, The jerk 1979, The big red one 1980, Fitzcarraldo 1982, UTU 1983, Paris texas 1984,  The quiet earth 1985, Down by law 1986, Caravaggio 1986, Shermans march 1986, Roger and me 1989, Short cuts 1983, Crumb 1994, Lone star 1996, The ice storm 1997, Rushmore 1998, Buffalo 1998, Memento 2000, Latana 2001, Collateral 2004, The Aviator 2004  etc etc etc

Plus many many more all english language, damn thing is so heavy it hurts to hold it after a short while. Is a serious film buffs book. 

 

 

 Trangia 27 Jan 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Schindler's List is the most chilling horror film I've ever seen because it depicts things that actually happened within my lifetime. It's very very disturbing.

 Blue Straggler 27 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

Embarrassingly only 16 of those listed. Some proper classics there that somehow I have not seen. Nice to see UTU and The Quiet Earth in there (New Zealand author maybe?). I disagree that some of those in that little list are all that essential (The Jerk is overrated and The Aviator, pfff they probably just thought they hadn't listed a Scorsese for a while). 
Best let this get back on track though.

Columbia753 27 Jan 2018
In reply to Trangia:

Hi to interject yes I would agree with you. Shindlers List is real life. How could you get more horrifying than that. 

Beyond comprehension really. 

Columbia753 27 Jan 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

Shindlers List and similar as mentioned above are surely the most scary as real life.

  

What more is there to discuss?  Am going to pick a film now so be seeing you. 

 Phil1919 27 Jan 2018
In reply to thewho:

 

I thought Liam Neeson was great in Schindler's List. Have seen in quite a few times.

 

Columbia753 27 Jan 2018
In reply to Phil1919:

Yes I think he is. Saw it years ago, its on the list for a re-watch I guess. 

 Blue Straggler 03 Feb 2018
In reply to Columbia753:

It is on Film4 right now and looking much cleaner than my ropey DVD!

Burcu 03 Feb 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

 To me, The Shining and Split are great movies.

 wercat 04 Feb 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

Event Horizon has a very chilling beginning which really makes me apprehensive, probably up to the point where the appalling Drive chamber is revealed but it deteriorates into something rather formulaic and weak, recovered at the very last moment by the rather dark ending.

May I offer Prince of Darkness and the original "The Fog", both of which build up the atmosphere rather nicely.

I love the first half hour of "Ghosts of Mars" as the vision of the driverless train coming into the station takes me right into the feeling of Peter F Hamilton's Commonwealth Saga beginning with "Pandora's Star".

 

If anyone fancies a more bookish journey into anxiety I offer Michelle Paver's "Dark Matter" as a terrifying story of growing menace set as darkness falls for the winter in the Arctic and things just go on getting worse for the protagonist, step by step by step ....

I got to the stage where I didn't want to get out of bed to go for a pee at one point.  Read it alone in the house as a winter evening darkens for the full effect.

Post edited at 13:40
 bpmclimb 06 Feb 2018
In reply to DaveHK:

> Don't Look Now

+1  genuinely spooky!

 Blue Straggler 07 Feb 2018
In reply to broken spectre:

Peter Jackson’s The Frighteners is worth a look.

its not a daft comedy splatter movie like Brain Dead and Bad Taste. It’s a bit odd in tone as it has a bit of camp/tongue-in-cheek feel to its presentation but it’s story is seemingly meant to be taken seriously, so arguably it’s a bit uneven. It was - also arguably - his audition for being director of The Lord of the Rings as it showed, after demonstrating that he can be serious and direct real actors in Heavenly Creatures,that he could handle a bigger budget and non-comedy-splatter special effects.

 

I didn’t see it until at least a decade after it was made and I still enjoyed it

 

a bit disturbing seeing a pre-Parkinson’s diagnosis Michael J Fox manifesting the presence of supernatural forces by getting “the shakes” though.

 

 

 wercat 08 Feb 2018
In reply to Columbia753:

> Hi to interject yes I would agree with you. Shindlers List is real life. How could you get more horrifying than that. 

> Beyond comprehension really. 

"Night and Fog"

we were shown it at school

Post edited at 09:36

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