Almost twenty years later, Frank Darabont’s adaptation of the Stephen King novella is still one of the most relentless and hopeless horror films ever made. “The Mist” is a merciless breakdown of humanity that shows everything from tribalism, religious fanaticism, and the extremes we’re willing to go through to make it one more day. Like Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead,” it all happens smack dab in the middle of a massive grocery store, where every aisle feels like a division of society that has broken off in to their own principles and moral codes. The longer the denizens of the store are stuck in the mist in this confined setting, the more the social structure and all semblance of civilization begins to break down.
Category Archives: Collector’s Den
Night Of The Demons 2: Collector’s Edition (1994) [Blu-Ray]
I originally saw Brian Trenchard-Smith’s “Night of the Demons 2” before ever seeing Kevin Tenney’s original 1988 classic. It was a late night viewing on Cinemax that still remains burned in to my brain. Brian Trenchard-Smith fills in with Kevin Tenney offering up a sequel that’s just as good as the original “Night of the Demons.” Hell, I wouldn’t argue if you even insisted the sequel is better.
Night of the Demons (1988): Collector’s Edition [4K UHD/Blu-ray]
There aren’t many horror movies that I’d genuinely pass out for Halloween as party favors, but “Night of the Demons” is one of them. It’s low key one of the top five Halloween horror movies of all time. It is set on Halloween night, revolves around a disastrous Halloween party and even ends on a completely pointless but fun scene involving razor blades in candy. Kevin Tenney’s horror production is known for being a cheapie production that was constrained to filming in one setting and one setting only. Kevin Tenney is talented enough to where we can barely tell the difference turning the house that the whole movie is set in in to a veritable cauldron of pure terror.
Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! (2023) (DVD)
Warner Bros. killed it and decided to throw it away, never to really be seen. Then thanks to uproar from the hardcore comic, Superman, and Scooby-Doo fan bases, “Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!” was thankfully saved and thrown in to the already massive library of “Scooby-Doo” movies. This was of course put over in to the straight to home media market where Hanna Barbera’s cash cow rests comfortably. But that’s not at all a slight, as “Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!” is a very good mixing of the crime fighting mutt, and Superman’s poochy pal.
The Exorcist (1973): 50th Anniversary Edition [4K UHD/Digital HD]
William Friedkin’s unfortunate passing in 2023 sadly came during the celebration of one of his all time greatest cinematic masterpieces. This year “The Exorcist” celebrated its 50th anniversary and its legacy has continued thriving. It’s heralded as a horror and cinematic masterpiece by some, it’s despised by religious circles, and it’s yet to be duplicated in impact and influence. This year the studios have pulled out all the stops with licensing merchandise, re-releasing the film in to theaters and of course the 50th anniversary edition of the film on 4K UHD.
The Last House on the Left (2009): Limited Edition [4K UHD/Blu-Ray]
I’ll be the first to admit that I have never been a fan of Wes Craven’s “Last House on the Left” despite its legacy. I respect it for it becoming a platform for Craven but otherwise it was a fairy dull movie that squanders a good premise. Plus I could never get over the comedic sub-plot involving the pair of deputies. Dennis Illiadis completely remakes “Last House” in to the revenge picture that I was originally hoping for. In doing this he side steps about a quarter of the rape and torture, and amps up the revenge plot involving the pair of parents that are outnumbered but not outwitted.
The Flash (2023) [Blu-Ray/Digital]
“The Flash” could have and should have been this sleek, exciting, action adventure science fiction film that chronicled what is still a very appealing superhero for the modern age. Instead, with Warner Bros. help, “The Flash” is transformed in to a silly, campy, overlong chore that spends much more time on fan service than it does building an interesting character. Although The Flash is still a popular character with comic book fans, “The Flash” should have had broader appeal and a better grasp of its subject matter. Instead Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of the scarlet speedster feels like a goofy riff on “Back to the Future” time and time again.