When Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneaur conceived “Cat People,” the budget was low for anything truly spectacular, thus allowing them to get creative. Director Paul Schrader definitely has a larger budget and wider scope to deal with, resulting in a fairly forgettable remake. If you can call it a remake, mind you. All the mythology is lost in favor of a hyper sexual retelling that keeps the cat people and removes everything else. “Cat People” definitely fits the nostalgia bill for people who find Nastassja Kinski especially sexy, as Schrader soaks the film in a palette of neon colors and bold bright pastels while Giorgio Moroder’s score blares non-stop.
Tag Archives: Thriller
Mike Case in: The Big Kiss Off (2013)
Director Justin Baird’s “The Big Kiss Off” is a very charming movie with a lot of good intent behind it. Often times good intentions count for much, but they don’t always turn around a good movie. The good news is that “The Big Kiss Off” strives to be a new age PI crime comedy, and works because it really does present within it a tight narrative that is interesting, even when it falters every now and then.
We Are What We Are (2013) (DVD)
It’s probably a good thing that I didn’t see the original “We Are What We Are” before Jim Mickle’s remake. I typically find time to pick up the original article, but time didn’t allow the convenience, so Jim Mickle’s remake of the Mexican horror film is what I had to base my entire opinion on. And that’s something of an advantage, since on its own it’s a fairly mediocre but interesting tale about cannibalism of the body, and the eternal cannibalism of the family unit.
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy 2-Disc Collector’s Edition (2010) [Blu-Ray]
If you’re still convinced that you’ve read everything to do with “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” then tune in to “Never Sleep Again,” and you might find a surprise or two. As a jaded horror geek convinced he’d heard it all, “Never Sleep Again” spared many a shocking anecdote about the making of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and its entire legacy. From its sequels, spin off, and misguided but notable cultural influence, “Never Sleep Again” never misses a beat and promises something entirely new for the horror fan interested in a refresher course in Freddy Krueger. After being on DVD since 2010, Image Entertainment releases the acclaimed and award winning documentary on Blu-Ray for folks anxious to indulge in Krueger on Blu.
Head Cases: Serial Killers in the Delaware Valley (2013)
Independent filmmaker Anthony Spadaccini always had a keen visual eye, leaving no stone left unturned. You can tell by watching his films that he takes great pride in every shot and every camera angle. His films are an emotional experience, but even more than that, they are a visual experience to remember. You feel as though you are entering another dimension or another universe. You are a little uncomfortable, scared, and unsure, yet you can’t look away and you can’t wait to see what unfolds next. It grabs the viewer right from the get go and doesn’t let go.
Carrie (2013)
If there’s anything I can say about the remake of “Carrie” is that it’s at least better than the 2002 version. It’s more focused and sleeker. I remember reading on many articles that director Kimberly Pierce was planning to deliver a new and dynamic version of Stephen King’s “Carrie” that differed greatly from Brian DePalma’s iconic horror masterpiece. I’d love to know what happened during the entire development of this film because watching it, all I saw were callbacks to the original DePalma movie. Surely, there’s the addition of the internet and a small riff on cyber bullying but it’s really just a riff on DePalma’s film.
Nightbreed (1990): The Director’s Cut [Blu-ray/DVD]
Thanks to the advent of home entertainment and a wonderful company like Scream Factory, director Clive Barker is finally able to realize his original vision for the cult horror film “Nightbreed.” While the film itself has gained momentum and respect over the years as a dark and morbid tale of monsters from the underworld facing human cruelty, Barker’s experience making the movie was a bitter one he often recollected with anger and sadness. With his Director’s Cut, he’s not only able to salvage old footage that he was forced to edit out of his narrative, but he re-structures “Nightbreed” in to practically an entirely new movie. One that’s better than the original cut.