Who directed this movie? Was it control freak egomaniac Steven Spielberg (Still my hero, Stevie!), or poor sap semi-talent Tobe Hooper? The debate continues, and I could care less. For me, “Poltergeist” is still one of my favorite horror flicks of all time, and it’s a wonderful combination of both directors’ styles. For the Spielberg nuts, there’s wonder and magic and epic nightmarish fantasy, and for the Hooper fans, there’s the horror, the terror, the frantic energy in the climax, and that great scene of the face being torn from its bone in the mirror. This is a wonderful demented bastard child from two great directors, and “Poltergeist” is simply still a great piece of filmmaking.
Tag Archives: Supernatural
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) (DVD)
What would have been my idea of a great Twilight Zone movie? How about grabbing excellent writers and telling your own stories with twists and commentary. Instead, what we received were remakes of the best episodes of the series regurgitated in to mediocre installments with semi-horror bookends that seemed awfully shoe horned into the script. That’s not what I would have preferred as someone who absolutely loves the series with all his heart. And it’s simply not in keeping with Serling’s brilliant storytelling that’s painfully missed during the run time.
Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007)
I just wasn’t a fan of “House on Haunted Hill.” William Castle’s utter masterpiece was turned into a Nine Inch Nails video with rapid fire editing, goofy atmosphere, CGI overload, and terrible acting even from Geoffrey Rush. “Return to House on Haunted Hill” was something I really wanted to give a chance. Thankfully, this is not a sequel in name only. This new installment takes place shortly after the ending of the first film where Sara’s (Ali Larter) sister Ariel discovers she’s killed herself after a mental breakdown, and learns of the house where Stephen Price held his party and allegedly went on a murder spree. Cue plot catalyst. Ariel discovers by a professor that there’s an ancient statue of a satanic cult somewhere in the hill house and he wants it. Lo and behold we have a rival group of relic hunters who also want it and will kill anyone for it.
KillerKiller (2007)
Karma is a bitch and many times the manifestation of payback can provide some truly blood drenched results. “KillerKiller” is not a horror film that started off on the right foot with me. The audio was pretty crummy and the story began like a typical slasher film, but as the story progressed, “KillerKiller” won me over. Not only is it a great little horror film, it’s a great survival film, and a very good branch off the “strangers in a house” sub-genre tree that soon becomes a fascinating glimpse at predator and prey formulas. In Higgins’ slasher mystery, the victim is the murderer and soon the killers will make for the body count. A horror movie of this gamut with such a low budget would usually fall flat on its head, but thankfully it doesn’t.
Ghost Rider (2007)
I tell you. I tell you. “Ghost Rider” had potential, friends. “Ghost Rider” under the right set of creators, competent direction, and writers it could have been one hell of a violent horror thriller with Ghost Rider not only serving as a horrifying anti-hero, but also a potential villain if not careful. With someone like maybe Clive Barker, along with a hard R and zero camp, “Ghost Rider” would have been a horror fan’s wet dream, but alas, we’re left with this. One of the most brutal crimes from Johnson’s screenplay is that he shamelessly cribs from the “Spawn” film. And if you’ve ever seen it, you’ll know that it’s hardly the source material capable for a competent film to begin with.
RL Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It (2007)
Sure, by today’s standards, and with my current age, R.L. Stine isn’t so scary anymore. But in case many of you don’t know the name, R.L. Stine is very recognizable to the folks like me who grew up around the time Stine resided in book shelves all over the country. For horror geeks like me, Stine was a gateway drug, he was that first introduction into the horror genre before you came into the hard stuff, and I loved it all. For the teens that could get away with it, he brought us “Fear Street,” a creepier, mature, and violent series of books that had actual stories to them.
A Christmas Carol (1951): Ultimate Collector’s Edition (DVD)
It’s surprising that after all these years, after fifty five years of technology and CGI, and stylish directors bringing up this old story, that the 1951 version of “A Christmas Carol” is still the best. Why? Well, there are so many reasons. For one thing “A Christmas Carol” is filled with dread and utter morbid reveling, as it is intent on exploring the world of Ebenezer Scrooge and the punishment he’s earned for himself. Secondly, the hauntings by his old business partner are still rather chilling, including his utterly horrible howling at Scrooge’s defiance. Brian Desmond Hurst unravels a creepy and woefully dreadful vision of “A Christmas Carol” as he films most of Scrooge’s house in stark blacks while relying on factory devices of sound and mind games.