Lights, Camera, Action!

Something that can make some horror movies all the more horrific is the LACK of blood and gore in it. When a movie can make you fear for your life without there being a crazed maniac running around killing people, you know that the genre of horror has been well shown.

So, on that note, my 4th favorite horror film:

Misery (1990)

This is one of many adaptations of novels by horror writer Stephen King (who also wrote books-turned-movies like Carrie, The Shining, and The Shawshank Redemption), and of the ones that I’ve seen, my favorite adaptation of his work. And, one of the reasons why this movie is so great is the Oscar winning performance by Kathy Bates, who plays crazed maniac Annie Wilkes.

Here’s the trailer:

By just watching this trailer (that still gives me chills, mind you), you can see why that performance by Kathy Bates is so terrifying. The way she just gets “set off” (you can see it a bit over a minute in the trailer) is truly frightening. Even at the beginning, where she seems sweet, you can see that there’s just something a bit off with her.

As I said at the beginning, one thing that makes movies like this so scary is the lack of gore. It’s all in the mind. The fact that James Caan’s character is absolutely helpless is what makes you truly terrified. Speaking of James Caan, he plays the role near perfectly. The way he shows how hopeless and helpless he is, makes it such a great performance, not to mention the fact that the passiveness of his character makes it so Bates’ character can be truly showcased.

This marks the “reunion” of Rob Reiner and William Goldman, who directed and wrote The Princess Bride, respectively. Looking at both of their repertoires, it’s clear that they’ve both done some great work in the past (Reiner has directed movies like When Harry Met Sally and This is Spinal Tap, and Goldman has written the screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, and All the President’s  Men, just to name a few), and this is just another example of a masterpiece.

Adaptations of movies from books aren’t always the best out there, but, this is one of a few examples that is most definitely worthy of being at the top of peoples’ lists!

Keep on watching!

R.S.

A wise person once said that there are two types of “horror” films: those that give you chills, and those that scare you. The ones that give you chills will make you jump while you’re in the theater, but it won’t stay with you on the way out. The ones that scare you, on the other hand, are those that truly freak you out. Those that follow you back to your house and into your bed while you sleep with the lights on because you’re afraid of what can jump out of the corner.

Over the upcoming week until Halloween, I’ll be updating this blog with my top 5 horror films, with short reviews for each.

Before I begin, I’d just like to say that no, I’m not a huge horror movie buff. I don’t line up in theaters to see horror movies on opening night, nor do I go out of my way to rent horror movies when they come out on DVD. But, there are a few that I’ve seen that I can truly appreciate as great films.

First up:

Saw (2004)

Before I begin, I’ll say this: This is a review of ONLY the first film, and not the other ones that have come since, which, in my own personal opinion, have not come close to doing what the first did, that being creating true frights, horror, and suspense.

Now, let’s take a look at the trailer:

If you’ve seen the trailers for the latest Saw movie, then you can immediately see a difference. The original one doesn’t try to go over the top with the traps, blood, and gore. Believe it or not, but this franchise started with suspense!

Adam (Leigh Whanell) wakes up in a bathroom, his leg chained to a pipe. Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) has his leg chained to a pipe on the opposite wall. There’s a bloody corpse with a gun in the middle of the room. There are pre-taped messages that explain their situation, and tells them what they must do to pass this “game”.

This opening scene is one that immediately gives the viewer an idea of what they are being plunged into; the mind of a psychopath who’s identity remains unknown through most of the movie (SPOILER ALERT) until he is revealed to be the corpse in the middle of the room (END SPOILER).

This movie keeps you guessing until the very end, and, unlike those that came after, it gives you an amount of suspense, almost claustrophobia, as the clock ticks on these two individuals. What will they do to survive?  Only time will tell.

This is one of those countless times where the original film in a franchise is great, and the sequels just don’t live up to the expectations. Despite this, I still plan to see Saw VI, just because I’ve lived with this series FAR too long to not know how it ends. Granted, I’m pretty sure that it never will end, and there will be a Saw XXVII 21 years from now, but, I can still get a good laugh out of it every now and then.

Keep on watching!

R.S.

Directed by: Alan J. Paluka

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jack Warden, Jason Robards and Hal Holbrook

This true story tells the story of reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward (played by Hoffman and Redford, respectively), who uncover the infamous Watergate scandal.

This political thriller has it all; great acting, great directing, and overall does a great job at keeping the entire audience guessing. It’s one of those stories that you can’t believe actually happened, even though it did! As we follow Bernstein and Woodward as they uncover more clues, the viewers are kept at the edges of their seats waiting to see what happens next.

Hoffman and Redford do a great job leading this story as the two reporters, and they both have a lot to give to their characters. Interesting fact about Hoffman and Redford’s performances: Hoffman memorized all of Redford’s lines, and vice versa, so they could interrupt each other mid-sentence. And, their connection shows, from their first meeting, where they’re almost acting in hostility towards each other, to when they become better acquaintences and even co-workers to solve this mystery.

Further in the shadows, literally, is Hal Holbrook, playing Deep Throat, the anonymous informant who hints Bernstein on how to continue with the case. Even from the shadows, Holbrook is at his most compelling.

One amazing scene that you should watch for is one 3+ minute scene, all in one shot, where Redford makes a few phone calls to try and uncover important information about the mystery (it’s around an hour in). Paluka’s direction has the camera barely moving, but slowly closing in on Redford’s head. Also, near the end of this scene, Redford accidentally makes a mistake, but, completely in character, fixes that mistake. It takes a great actor to be able to stay in character after making a mistake, especially considering how if he went out of character, that 3 minute shot would have to be done again from the beginning (the longer the shot, the harder it is to perfect).

So, I definitely recommend this movie to anybody!

Rating: 9/10

Keep on watching!

R.S.

Picture from http://www.calstatela.edu/library/mmc/100/all_president%27s_men.jpg