When a Stranger Calls (2006)

Directed by:
Simon West

Written by:
Jake Wade Wall (based on the 1979 screenplay by Fred Walton & Steve Feke)

Main Cast:
Camilla Belle, Katie Cassidy, Tommy Flanagan, Brian Geraghty, Clark Gregg, and voice of Lance Henriksen

The Plot:
High-schooler Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle) has seen better days. Not only is her relationship with boyfriend, Bobby (Brian Geraghty) on the rocks, but her parents have cut off her cell service as a result of Jill exceeding her minutes, and she has to babysit on the night of a wild bonfire party. But the problems don't end there. Within minutes of settling into the sprawling Mandrakis residence, where Jill is watching over two sleeping children, she begins to receive menacing phone calls, with the identity and location of the caller unbeknownst to her. While she initially believes it to be a prank, it quickly becomes clear that Jill and the children are not alone. And when was the last time that she checked on them?

The Review:
Right off the bat, I will be brutally honest: 1979's classic thriller, When a Stranger Calls, is one horror movie that warranted a remake. Outside of bravura, unforgettable opening and closing scenes, as well as a stellar performance by comedian Carol Kane as the babysitter, it dissolved into a mostly tedious police procedural drama. Explaining what happens to the babysitter and the man on the phone after the urban legend is over is an interesting proposition, but the script and direction were not inventive enough to bring it to life. The 1993 made-for-tv sequel, "When a Stranger Calls Back", was actually stronger overall. Both films were fine, but improvements could certainly have be made.

This remake, directed with minimal skill by Simon West, is an example of how to get everything wrong when remaking a horror film. Or, making a horror film in general. Granted, it was clearly understood by screenwriter Jake Wade Wall that the first 15 minutes of the original is precisely why it is still talked about today. But, in the process of expanding that legendary sequence to feature length, any sense of tension is diffused, with no chance of surprising the audience. In fact, the one and only decent shock was given away in the very first trailer, but I can't really blame that on the film itself.

In a case of history repeating itself, the pre-credits opening of this film is actually very good as well. While a carnival rages inside a quaint suburb, a young girl is assaulted only a few blocks away by a shadowy figure. If nothing else, it is evocative of just how easy it is for someone to be attacked with help so close by. Once the real plot gets going, however, everything falls apart.

When it comes to staging scenes that are meant to be suspenseful, West cannot sustain interest without falling victim to a lazy screenplay where misguided complications are fabricated for the sole purpose of teasing out the running time. An extended bit where Jill's frienemy, Tiff (Katie Cassidy, in an inept debut performance), pays her a visit is jaw-dropping in the sheer immaturity of the dialogue and performances. Just as the action is meant to be steadily rising to a fever pitch, it's probably not wise to introduce a silly conflict that ends up going nowhere. But then again, nearly all of the decisions made here are either not compelling or just plain idiotic, and this includes a climax that stops frustratingly short of being even moderately thrilling.

One asset that West does use to his advantage at times is the gorgeous, borderline-gaudy setting of the Mandrakis mansion. With its stunning atrium, enormous windows, and endless corridors, it's easy to imagine that someone could be committing atrocities in the house without being detected. This is ultimately botched when (literally) 20 minutes of the first act is spent with Jill as she walks around the house and observes its various quirky designs and art pieces. The editing becomes more overtly problematic as well, when it starts to become confusing which room she is in at any given time.

After impressing with her performance in The Ballad of Jack and Rose, Camilla Belle is an absolute disaster as imperiled babysitter Jill Johnson. Belle has a natural screen presence, but she seems overwhelmed by what the role asks of her. Very little of her dialogue is divulged in a believable way, none of her reactions are proportionate to what has just happened, and she cannot adequately portray Jill's growing anxiety and panic. And it doesn't help matters that she's in nearly every frame. The only actor who walks away completely unscathed is veteran character actor Lance Henriksen, who plays the voice of the maniacal caller.

Even on the level of popcorn entertainment, When a Stranger Calls misses the mark by a long shot. The script feels like a first draft, and is done no favors by the terminally bland filmmaking, with scares and twists that are strictly of the safe, easily telegraphed variety. When a cat makes its first appearance early on, the viewer knows that it will be used as a jump tactic by the end. Needless to say, we are not let down. And all of this even further undercut by a bombastic score that attempts to rouse excitement when there is none to be had. It's difficult to imagine even middle-schoolers being legitimately frightened by what's happening onscreen. What the film may possess in atmosphere, it severely lacks in wit and palpable danger.

* out of ****

The Shining (1980)

Directed by:
Stanley Kubrick

Written by:
Stanley Kubrick & Diane Johnson (from the novel by Stephen King)

Main Cast:
Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Barry Nelson, Anne Jackson, Joe Turkel, and Scatman Crothers

The Plot:
When recovering alcoholic Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) signs the contract to be winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, a cavernous getaway in the Rocky Mountains, he looks it as a new lease on life. He is warned early on by the hotel's manager that not only are the winters in the mountains deadly, with the roads usually closing up for the duration, but that him and his family would be alone for several months with minimal communication. His wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall) is skeptical at first, but sees this as a way of reconnecting with her husband. Their young son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), receives threatening visions of doom from his imaginary friend, Tony, who warns him of the dangers the family will faces should they go to the Overlook. Within days, the Torrance family is left at the huge, desolate hotel. As the weeks go by, and the snow grows heavier, the demons of the hotel's malevolent past begin to manifest themselves, preying upon Danny's telepathic power.

The Review:
An elevator door opens, to reveal a torrent of blood. Twin sisters, dressed in blue, hold hands and smile maliciously. A rooting corpse rises from the bathtub, emitting a cackle that nightmares are made of. These images are all but embedded into the subconscious of those who have witnessed The Shining, Stanley Kubrick's masterful lone foray into the horror genre, and perhaps even those who haven't yet been introduced to its myriad of spooky pleasures.

With a running time just shy of two and a half hours, unusually lengthy for this sort of thing, it is clear the film means to reach epic status. The screenplay is loosely based on the acclaimed novel by Stephen King and, at the time of its release, enthusiasts of the author were disappointed because the film version had many discrepancies from the book. But one cannot deny that the cinematic adaptation holds its own unique power to frighten, and has done so for three decades. It would be a mistake to give away all of the plot's fascinating developments, suffice to say that by the last 45 minutes, all hell breaks loose.

The Shining is deliberately paced, to be sure, but endlessly creepy and tense. From the oft-imitated opening shot of the camera moving overhead as a car drives down a road, to the shots within the hedge maze outside the hotel, the film has some of the most striking, atmospheric cinematography in cinema history, courtesy of John Alcott. Other technical credits are also superb, including the eerie score by Herbert Von Karajan, Wendy Carlos, and Rachel Elkind. More than worthy of mention is the immaculate, lived-in production design of the hotel itself by Roy Walker. It never once crosses the viewer's mind that the isolated Overlook and its surrounding hedge maze had been constructed on a soundstage. The setting becomes an additional character, one that the film literally could not exist without.

The overall experience of The Shining can best be described as immersive, the slow rhythm and gradual unfolding of the plot gaining momentum as it hurtles towards the climax, an elongated, no-holds-barred chase sequence in and of itself. Once it is clear that Jack is losing his mind, and that Wendy and Danny truly have few viable options for escape, the story takes off and doesn't give the viewer a moment to breathe. In the final act, the film makes the shift from disquieting subtlety to full-throttle suspense as mother and child run for their lives.

Jack Nicholson's portrayal of Jack Torrance is nothing short of legendary, due in large part to his intimidating presence, and the maniacal glee he exhibits once the role allows him to let loose. Scatman Crothers is also a standout as Dick Halloran, the sagely cook of the hotel who shares Danny's power of the "shining", an ability to see distorted glimpses of the past and future. Danny Lloyd, as little Danny Torrance, as totally convincing, especially manipulating his voice to portray the imaginary "Tony".

In what might be considered amongst the most divisive film performances in memory, Shelley Duvall is brilliant as Wendy Torrance. Meek and compliant, but undoubtedly committed to the well-being of her son and husband, Wendy is an unusually quirky heroine in the genre. But Duvall's characteristic oddness and genuine warmth puts the audience right in her shoes as she watches every wall of security and love crumble down around her. Her emotional breakdown is vivid and astonishing, contributing gravitas to even the most otherworldly events that occur in the film. Whether you love or hate this performance, the film would not be the same without it.

The Shining is a thinking man's horror picture, offering a notable lack of explanation by the end, decidedly leaving key plot elements to be ambiguous. This is an asset, as nothing destroys a supernatural tale more thoroughly than domesticating where exactly the threat is coming from. The solid performances, chilly ambiance, and macabre imagery make this experience simply impossible to forget. With a genius of Kubrick's caliber at the helm, this timeless ghost story is given the care and patience it requires to work, elevating it above the mediocre and securing its place amongst the all-time classics.

**** out of ****

The Conjuring (2013)

Directed by:
James Wan

Written by:
Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes

Main Cast:
Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, John Brotherton, Shannon Kook, Joseph Bishara, and Lili Taylor

The Plot:
Trusted paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) are given the most traumatic case of their lives in 1971, when they are called to a farmhouse in rural Rhode Island. Roger (Ron Livingston) and Carolyn Perron (Lili Taylor), along with their five daughters, have only just moved in when increasingly violent, supernatural disturbances infect their home.

The Review:
Old-school horror is alive and well in the form of James Wan. With the exception of Ti West, and a tiny handful of other contemporaries, no filmmaker today comes closer to invoking the classic scarefests from the 70s and early 80s. Having made his name as the co-creator of the Saw franchise, Wan has since moved onto classier fare, such as the spooky but ultimately mediocre Dead Silence. However, it was his incredibly frightening Insidious which began to tip off audiences and critics alike that a potential master was at work. And while The Conjuring is yet another film that deals with an imperiled family inside a haunted house, it never once feels derivative.

Working from a smart, three-dimensional script by Chad and Carey W. Hayes, Wan has outdone himself. Because the story is based (albeit embellished) on actual events, the production team does an outstanding job in keeping the specifics of the haunting as grounded and realistic as possible. By placing an emphasis on practical effects and makeup over CGI and excessive gore, it becomes all the more easy to believe in what is happening to the Perron family. Wan has proven himself to be a master manipulator, both in how he stages the suspense and the attention to detail he pays throughout the story. When a possibly malevolent doll named Annabelle is introduced within the first five minutes, Wan knows that the audience will not forget it, and the way he brings her back into the plot later on is absolutely delicious. Whether it is ghostly hands emerging from an armoire, or the idea that a dark figure is standing behind the bedroom door, each scene is assuredly carried out to achieve the maximum effect.

But apart from the horror aspect, what distinguishes the film even further is the relationships that are built amongst the characters. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga successfully establish Ed and Lorraine as a loving couple whose unique gifts work perfectly in synch with one another. While they have made their living dealing with the otherworldly, it refreshingly does not define them as people. Farmiga gives her a performance a particularly haunted quality, suggesting the psychological toll that each successive case has taken on Lorraine. As the patriarch of Perron family, a close-knit unit that has become prey for a hateful entity, Ron Livingston is completely servicable as Roger, but his role is the most undernourished of the bunch. However, Lili Taylor all but steals the film with her sympathetic and entirely convincing performance as Carolyn, an adoring mother whose life is about to change for the disastrous. The five young actresses playing their daughters are all superlative, especially Joey King, who gets one of the film's most indelible sequences as Christine.

Production values are all top-notch, with shadowy and intricate cinematography by John R. Leonetti, impressively layered sound design, spot-on 70's wardrobe and art direction that never appears cheesy, and a characteristically eerie musical score by Joseph Bishara. As stated before, Wan has crafted a sophisticated and truly frightening experience worthy of the genre's most celebrated pieces, affectionately recalling 1973's The Exorcist and 1982's Poltergeist never mimicking them. He understands that, without characters worth investing in, the horror will never resonate. And as the intensity continues to escalate throughout The Conjuring, the viewer can certainly sense the joy that Wan feels in making them jump out of their skin. This is one of very best of its kind in over a decade.

**** out of ****

The Exorcist (1973)

Directed by:
William Friedkin

Written by:
William Peter Blatty (based upon his novel)

Main Cast:
Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn, William O'Malley, Jack MacGrowan, and Max von Sydow

The Plot:
After the agonizing death of his mother, Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) begins to doubt his faith, and his future with the church. That is, until film actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) comes to him in desperation. Her loving daughter, Regan (Linda Blair) has recently displayed violent, abnormal behavior that - once psychiatric evaluation fail to provide an explanation - seems to be the result of only one thing: demonic possession. Karras reluctantly agrees to oversee the case, along with the eventual assistance of the elderly Father Merrin (Max von Sydow). Within time, all involved realize that Regan is not merely a sick girl, but one whose body has indeed been overtaken by an evil, otherworldly force.

The Review:
With very little competition, The Exorcist is the greatest horror film ever made. Free of imaginary boogeymen and masked killers, the antagonist of the piece is one that can easily be feared by everyone. Many films of this kind provide a few sudden jolts, but lack the ability to haunt the viewer after the closing credits have rolled. Even horror films such as 1976's The Omen, that draw upon similar material as The Exorcist, do not have the realism that William Peter Blatty's breathtaking work so effectively conveys. But these are the very reasons why this particular piece was greeted with unmatched acclaim and outrage in its 1973 release, and continues to endure today.

With its unmatched combination of a superior acting, ingenious filmmaking (as credited to William Friedkin), harrowing confrontations, and tangible setting, The Exorcist is a film that could not be remade, as there is nothing really to improve upon. The memorable scenes within the piece are plentiful: the vomiting on Father Karras, Regan's masturbation with the crucifix, the Ouija board introduction to "Captain Howdy", the infamous spider-walk down the stairs. All of the action accumulates in the titular ritual: the intense final battle between good and evil, with Father Karras and Father Merrin attempting to concentrate whilst the demon inside the poor girl hurls out insults both grotesque and vulgar.

Ellen Burstyn gives the role of Chris MacNeil a fierce, motherly devotion. It is clear from the beginning that she loves her daughter unconditionally, and finds it difficult to reconcile the fact that her daughter is now a vessel for hatred and decay. Jason Miller is excellent as the tortured, introspective Father Karras, whose disbelief in the supernatural is turned on its head once put in front of Regan for the first time. Linda Blair is sweet and affable as Regan before she is possessed, but the cast member who perhaps leaves the biggest impression is never seen, in the film nor in the ending credits. Academy Award winner Mercedes McCambridge plays the deranged voice of the demon(s) inside Regan, giving the audience an unsettling taste of what Lucifer himself just might sound like.

The sound design is among the best in film history, effectively drawing the audience into the middle of the horrific voices and curses that abound the proceedings. And once the demon's acidic presence manifests itself on Regan's skin and face, the astonishing make-up is appropriately horrific. Filmed well before the age of advanced CGI effects, the creators of The Exorcist used ingenuity to come up with simple, yet groundbreaking, mechanics. Take, for example, the head-spinning scene. The tasteful production values only serve to reinforce the realism of the events being shown. Just as with the lack of original score in 1968's Night of the Living Dead and the intentionally amateurish camerawork in 1999's The Blair Witch Project, it is clearly a case where less is more.

The timelessness of The Exorcist is due in large part to the universal fear it examines: torment by an inexplicable, evil force. It taps into these themes with emotion and humanity, preying upon deep-seated religious beliefs in the classiest, most entertaining ways possible. A great film can make the audience accept the fantastical. A great horror film can scare them within an inch of insanity. But The Exorcist is that rare beast: a masterpiece of cinema that swiftly accomplishes both. Terrifying, gut-wrenching, and ultimately hopeful, The Exorcist will remain the standard by which all other horror movies are judged for generations to come.

**** out of ****

Child's Play (1988)

Directed by:
Tom Holland

Written by:
Don Mancini

Main Cast:
Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent, Dinah Manoff, Tommy Swerdlow, Jack Colvin, Neil Giuntoli, and Brad Dourif

The Plot:
When Chicago's "Lakeshore Strangler", Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif), is fatally wounded by policeman Mike Norris (Chris Sarandon) while hiding out in a toy store, a voodoo spell allows him to transfer his soul into a Good Guy doll. Single mother Karen Barclay (Catherine Hicks) ends up buying that very doll for a suspiciously good price from a street peddler, and brings it home for son Andy's (Alex Vincent) sixth birthday. When babysitter and close friend Maggie (Dinah Manoff) is found dead on the very same night, having somehow fallen out the window of the Barclay's apartment, all evidence points to Andy. He is positive, though, that Chucky is the one who committed the crime.

The Review:
A full decade before 1998's hilarious Bride of Chucky and 2004's satirical Seed of Chucky, Child's Play was a thriller that actually aimed to frighten its audience. Against all odds, it succeeds. Tautly directed by Tom Holland (1985's classic Fright Night) and cleverly written by Don Mancini, who would go on to write every installment of the series, the deliciously creepy original still holds up splendidly.

Putting a wicked, potentially traumatic spin on the childhood notion that our toys come alive when we're not looking, Child's Play is a solid freak-fest, and a rarity of the genre in that it features such a young protagonist. The film's ingenious mixture of animatronics, puppetry, and human actors in bringing Chucky to life is completely believable, which helps immensely in making him a legitimate, threatening villain.

Catherine Hicks (who would go on to be one of television's favorite mothers in "7th Heaven") and newcomer Alex Vincent star as a believeable mother and son faced with an unexpected, pint-sized terror. Hicks is astonishingly good and brings exceptional pathos to her role, especially in a revelatory interrogation scene that she shares with Chucky, and Chucky alone. Vincent's performance ranges from good to iffy, but his fear registers when it counts. And, needless to say, the series as a whole would not be the same without the efforts of Brad Dourif, a consistently beguiling character actor. His rageful, humor-laced line readings as Chucky are far more chilling than they have any right to be.

Because the plot seems so ludicrous on the page, the fact that the film works as well as it does is a testament to the skill and commitment of director Tom Holland, who dared to have this particular work be taken seriously. Capped off by a relentless climax, Child's Play is an impressively effective staple of 80's horror.

*** out of ****

Evidence (2011)

Directed by:
Howie Asins

Written by:
Ryan McCoy

Main Cast:
Brett Rosenberg, Ryan McCoy, Abigail Richie, Ashley Bracken

The Plot:
While filming a documentary about Brett's first time camping in the wilderness, amateur filmmaker Mark, his girlfriend Abi, and Brett's girlfriend Ashley come to realize that not only are they not alone, but that something is watching them and waiting for the right moment to charge.

The Review:
Monster movies of quality are pretty rare now. Likewise, found footage has seen better days. The latter is especially difficult because it is up to the production team to find consistently believable reasons for why the person, or people, operating the camera would continue to hold it under dire circumstances. In this regard, and a couple others, Evidence falters. But, overall, it is a success.

Blending elements of The Blair Witch Project with other films that I cannot reveal in the interest of avoiding spoilers, Evidence starts off very slowly, establishing the camaraderie of the friends. The chemistry amongst the cast is palpable, even though the people they are playing are sketchily written at best. Ryan, in particular, is painted to be insufferable, but this is balanced out by the increasingly hostile reactions of his friends to his juvenile attitude.

The setup is key, as we get a tour of the woodsy setting, and an escalating sense that malevolence could really come in to play at any second. Similar to Blair Witch, there are the obligatory scenes of someone hearing a noise off in the dark and the others not believing him, or tents being shaken in the middle of the night, or petulant arguments that stem from the frazzled nerves, etc.  The opening hour is the film's best, surprisingly, and that is due to the clever manipulation techniques of the director, and the conviction of the actors. It's legitimately spooky, and the scares are brilliantly timed. There is also a rather bizarre interlude involving a wandering traveller who may or may not pose a threat of his own. I'm still trying to figure out how it fits in with the rest of the plot, and I'm not entirely sure that it does, but it's very brief and serves its purpose to unsettle.

Where the plot goes in the concluding half-hour dare not be given away, but it will certainly surprise and polarize viewers. I applaud the filmmakers for taking a creative risk, but there was a sense of deflation in my experience when I realized that the sense of claustrophobia and danger being built up during the earlier portion of the film was being exchanged for something more reminiscent of a overly chaotic survival video game. I ended up with a similar after viewing M. Night Shyamalan's The Village: "why couldn't it just be a straightforward monster movie?"

While Evidence earns points for ambition, which is invaluable in contemporary horror, there is a bit of stumbling in the conception of the denouement which leaves something to be desired. It is always refreshing to watch independent films swing for the fences. But sometimes, like in this case, less would have been more.

**1/2 out of ****

Carrie (1976)

Directed by:
Brian DePalma

Written by:
Lawrence D. Cohen (based on the novel by Stephen King)

Main Cast:
Sissy Spacek, Amy Irving, William Katt, Nancy Allen, Bette Buckley, John Travolta, P.J. Soles, Priscilla Pointer, and Piper Laurie

The Plot:
Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) is your average high school girl, albeit with numerous problems to worry about. While at school, she is tormented relentlessly by her classmates. At home, she is psychologically abused by her overly religious (Piper Laurie). However, unbeknownst to anyone - including Carrie herself - she also possesses the power to move things with her mind.

The Review:

Directed with bold style and a heightened surrealism by Brian DePalma, Carrie is one of the genre's true all-time classics. And rightfully so.

In what might be her most powerful screen role to date, Sissy Spacek is marvelous as the put-upon Carrie, instantly sympathetic as a meek, intelligent girl without a bad bone in her body who simply cannot catch a break. Nancy Allen is a riot as bitch-on-wheels Chris, and John Travolta gets his first starring role as Chris' temperamental boyfriend. Future Broadway star Bette Buckley is also memorable as Carrie's gym teacher, and one of the only characters who truly cares.

Towering above all, however, is Piper Laurie as Carrie's zealot mother. By investing the role of Margaret White with haunting pathos, frightening credibility and just the right amount of theatricality, Laurie has given us one of the screen's most indelible villains. Her monologue towards the end about the nature of Carrie's conception is nothing short of a stunner.

The classic prom scene is masterfully conceived, shot, and edited, practically engineered to get the heart pounding and the imagination racing. But even up until this point, this film is as compelling as they come, putting us squarely in Carrie's shoes and demanding that we side with her, even when her revenge take a giant step into the unjust. Some minor changes were made to the original text but, overall, this adaptation is very true to the spirit of Stephen King's text, a superior example of how to translate from one medium to another without losing an ounce of impact.

**** out of ****

Hell Night (1981)

Directed by:
Tom DeSimone

Written by:
Randy Feldman

Main Cast:
Linda Blair, Vincent Van Patten, Peter Barton, Jenny Neumann, Suki Goodwin, Jimmy Sturtevant, and Kevin Brophy

The Plot:
For their initiation into a fraternity lorded over by ace sleazeball Peter (Kevin Brophy), four college students agree to spend an evening in the notorious Garth Manor, a sprawling mansion in which a family was allegedly murdered years before. The catch: no electricity, they cannot leave before dawn, and the gate is locked up in case they try to escape. The potential inductees include good girl Marti (Linda Blair), surfer hunk Seth (Vincent Van Patten), sensitive Jeff (Peter Barton), and blond bombshell Denise (Jenny Neumann). But while three other students hide outside attempting to scare them, a killer lurks around the estate, intent on killing all of them before the night is over.

The Review:

When sitting down to watch Hell Night, there were a few givens that I naturally expected: gallons of blood, cheap scares, bare-chested guys, scantily-clad ladies, and a whole lotta screaming. But here's the surprise: the film, which was released in 1981 at the peak of the slasher film craze, not only delivers on its initial promise, but is actually an effective, well-made picture.

The story, like most in the genre, is very simple. It's not terribly original, and the acting ranges from pretty good to downright dreadful. But what puts Hell Night a step above the countless other Friday the 13th knock-offs, which were only concerned with gruesome violence, is that it aspires to be consistently suspenseful. And it succeeds admirably. The film features numerous scares - that, for once, actually caught this viewer off-guard - but also is able to have the audience biting their nails unwittingly. As vixen Denise (clad in a bustier and garter belt, mind you) slowly walks down the shadowy hallway and into the even shadowier bathroom, the payoff is both startling and highly amusing.

Director Tom DeSimone clearly understands how important a sense of mood and place is to the genre, and he establishes the setting efficiently. Complete with trap doors, secret passageways, and subterranean corridors, Garth Manor is a character unto itself, and Mac Ahlberg's impressive cinematography paints it in a malevolent light. The film's most memorable scene sees Marti and Jeff locked into a bedroom, hiding from the crazed killer. But as they console each other, they fail to notice that a carpet behind them is slowly rising off the ground, with someone underneath.

As stated before, the cast is a mixed bag, but most of them seem to understand what kind of movie they're in, and play the one-dimensional roles accordingly. The standout is 70's pin-up Kevin Brophy as fratmaster Peter, undeniably smarmy but so charismatic that it's not difficult to understand why a class of incoming freshman would be willing to follow him wherever he went. Vincent Van Patten is hilariously excessive as over-caffeinated jock Seth, who becomes an unlikely hero by the end. The real disappointment is horror veteran Linda Blair, who received an Oscar nomination for her work in 1973's classic The Exorcist. As the virginal Marti, Blair fails to imbue her character with any distinguishing characteristics, and seems disconnected throughout a good portion of the film. But, she screams well and her cleavage is spectacular.

What keeps Hell Night from being anything particularly special is that, at the end of the day, it is only a slasher movie, with one death after the other, and the vast majority of the characters are stock victims. And once we get a good look at our villain, his make-up is rather silly and nondescript. But director Tom DeSimone is clearly a talented filmmaker whose goal was to break away from the norm and give the gorehounds a bit more than expected. And for this reason, Hell Night is a perfectly commendable slasher.

**1/2 out of ****

The Lords of Salem (2013)

Directed by:
Rob Zombie

Written by:
Rob Zombie

Main Cast:
Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Judy Geeson, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Ken Foree, and Meg Foster

The Plot:
When hip radio personality Heidi (Moon Zombie) receives an anonymous record in the mail, addressed from "The Lords", she assumes it is a local rock band attempting to network their music. While broadcasting it on the air, the record starts to play backwards, and Heidi immediately has a disturbed, visceral reaction to the portentous sounds emanating from it. After this event, combined with increased attention from her suspicious landlady (Geeson), it begins to dawn on Heidi that something evil might be heading to her homestead of Salem, MA.

The Review:
In my estimation, Rob Zombie has proven twice that he has the ability to be a potent horror director. House of 1000 Corpses is not without its grungy charms, and its sequel, The Devil's Rejects, is easily his masterpiece. His two entries in the Halloween franchise were ultimately unsuccessful (there is no legitimate reason why they tried in the first place), but Zombie managed to add some curious touches to the Michael Myers mythology that were quite fascinating on their own terms.

When the announcement was made that not only would Zombie's next outing as a filmmaker feature a coven of old-school witches inflicting their magic on a modern-day Salem, but that he would also have complete artistic control, my mind was pulled in two different directions. The premise sounds killer, even if a tad similar to Hocus Pocus. However, in relation to this particular filmmaker, the term "creative control" raises a few concerns. Yes, his two most recent films didn't work, but who knows what influence Dimension Films had on the finished product. And after all, his first two outings were clearly the work of a talent who had only begun to prove his capabilities.

The result is a letdown, to say the very least. I will say that the cinematography and score are outstanding. These two elements, in tandem with a more languid pace than Zombie has displayed in the past, create a mood closely reminiscent of Argento and Polanski, as opposed to the spastic, grindhouse vibe that infused his first two films. It should also be noted Meg Foster's performance as Margaret Morgan, the witch who instigates the events of the plot, is the stuff of legend. Foster is so deeply immersed in the sheer insanity of her character, she haunts over the proceedings and makes the film worth watching all by herself.

Unfortunately, that is where the good points end. In preparation for the film, Zombie scouted locations all throughout the town, hoping to capture the immeasurable character of Salem. But his work appears to have been all for naught, as exterior shots are inexplicably kept to a minimum. And even when they are used, the scenery has been rendered completely nondescript. The story itself begins to spin its wheels once the main threat as been established, but very little momentum is built on our way to a climax. There is very little cohesion from one tepid scare to the next. Veteran actor Bruce Davison has a possibly interesting role as a Salem witch historian who means to help Heidi, but very little is done to develop him, and he exits the film before having made a single impact on where the story goes.

But my biggest problem with the movie is that, around or even before the halfway point, our protagonist stops being a character. Sheri Moon Zombie does some of her most understated work to  date, but it's not interesting to follow a character who completely shuts down and does nothing to save herself from a terrible fate. When there is no conflict, and when our heroine has lost her autonomy, there is no drama. And as for the now-infamous concluding 10 minutes, suffice it to say that the plot evaporates, leaving only an assembly line of nonsensical images, all but obliterating the few elements that had made the film engaging up to that point.

*1/2 out of ****

The Loved Ones (2010)

Directed by:
Sean Byrne

Written by:
Sean Byrne

Main Cast:
Xavier Samuels, Robin McLeavy, Victoria Thaine, Richard Wilson, Jessica McNamee, and John Brumpton

  
The Plot:
Six months later after the death of his father, high school student Brent has found himself in a pit of grievance. Obsessed with suicide and slowly withdrawing from his mother, he finds solace only in marijuana and his caring girlfriend, Holly (Victoria Thaine). When meek wallflower Lola (Robin McLeavy) asks Brent to be her date to the end-of-school dance, he politely declines. Huge mistake. Before the end of the night, Brent will discover that he has become a most unwilling guest to Lola's very own dream prom, hosted by her doting father (John Brumpton). The party favors? A rusty fork, a syringe, a hammer, and a power drill.

The Review:
The horror genre is in as sad a state as ever. But it's not for lack of trying. The talent is there. The fanbase is there. The possibilities are there. The main issue is a lack of common sense on behalf of producers and distribution companies. As with 2009's fabulous anthology Trick 'r Treat, Australian-made The Loved Ones is a masterpiece that screened in numerous festivals to rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, only to be egregiously ignored by distributors and finally released on DVD after years of sitting on the shelf. There is no way to justify how something like Chain Letter can open nationwide, while this gem must sit on the shelf, waiting for Hollywood to make the next move. Writer-director Sean Byrne's auspicious debut is a cracked-out thrill ride, one that fans of the outrageous will eat up.

A quirky, suspenseful blend of 1986's Pretty in Pink and 1990's Misery, The Loved Ones is a decidedly grotesque horror-comedy with more on its mind than merely grossing out audiences. By distilling the plot to its bare essentials, and not bogging down the proceedings in unnecessary exposition or explanation, director Byrne has crafted a lean, taut, perversely funny scare-a-thon. On top of that, it is not without relevant social implications, including the repercussions of grief, the indescribable hold that parents and children have on each other, and (yes) the fiery wrath of the high school female.

Byrne clearly has a respect and adoration for the genre, as he seems to have dissected exactly what it is about these films that audiences find appealing. The film is violent, to be sure, but just when it seems that the gore may become gratuitous or over-powering, an inspired stroke of dark comedy undercuts the action. As it stand, The Loved Ones recalls the reckless, rowdy spirit of the 80's, a time in which a committed group of filmmakers and actors pushed boundaries with the intent of taking the audience along for the journey. But at the same time, the picture is strikingly modern, forming its own identity with no intention of being a throwback.

Xavier Samuel is excellent as Brent, identifiable despite his character's gloomy condition. When the viewer first meets Brent, he is in an emotional wreck with no apparent hope for recovery. But when he finds himself staring death in the face, he must summon up every ounce of strength he possesses to fight back and survive. Victoria Thaine is a beacon of warmth as girlfriend Holly, who becomes fearful of Brent's whereabouts, and makes an effort to find him. John Brumpton is terrific as Eric Stone, a very sick man whose borderline-incestuous relationship with his daughter has sunk to unfathomable depths.

By and large, though, the film belongs to Robin McLeavy. Intent on making her party a diabolical night to remember, Lola is a villain far more threatening than initially thought possible. Because of the passion and focus she obviously brought to the role, McLeavy's portrayal transcends that of a one-note monster. Instead, she brilliantly interprets Lola as a petulant, psychotic little girl who doesn't take kindly to unrequited love, and sees her torture victims as toys in desperate need of fixing. Her chemistry with Brumpton is ripe with chaotic, demented hysteria. But it also rings true that they love - and need - each other. Lola Stone should join the canon of great horror villains, and that is not merely hyperbole.

The editing by Andy Canny is impeccably judged, keeping the story moving along at a nimble 84 minutes. Simon Chapman's cinematography is crisp, colorful, and drenched in mood. A highlight is the use of a disco ball that hangs in Lola's kitchen, casting romantic sparks of pink and purple over the sobering violence below. The soundtrack is energetic and well-chosen, making unforgettable use of Kasey Chambers' "Am I Not Pretty Enough?". Practical gore effects are used to illustrate the harm done to Brent and others, and they are perfection, always convincing and never once calling attention to themselves. And finally, special mention must go to Xanthe Huebel's costumes, particularly Lola's indelible hot pink dress. In every respect, the film could not look or sound better.

There are so few contemporary horror movies - let alone ones of the B.T.K. variety - that actually have something to say about the dark, unpredictable recesses of human nature, not to mention hold the ability to delight, intimidate, and ultimately satisfy even the most jaded fans. The Loved Ones is one such film. It is among the finest, most enjoyable movies the genre has seen in years, and seems destined for cult status. But in order for that to happen, it needs to be seen by the audience it so richly deserves.

NOTE: If you are thinking about looking up the trailer for this film............. DON'T. It gives so much away, and part of the fun is the many surprises the movie has in store. If you absolutely must watch the trailer, stop it at exactly 1 minute.


***1/2 out of ****

The Howling (1981)

Directed by:
Joe Dante

Written by:
John Sayles & Terence H. Winkless

Main Cast:
Dee Wallace, Christopher Stone, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Belinda Balaski, Elizabeth Brooks, Dick Miller, and Robert Picardo

 The Plot:
After narrowly escaping a traumatic run-in with serial killer Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo), news reporter Karen White (Dee Wallace) and her husband (Christopher Stone) seek peace at a forest retreat... only to realize that all of the patients are werewolves.

The Review:
Werewolves don't get any respect. They are arguably the least-appreciated monsters in cinema. But that's not to say the reputation is unfounded. For every An American Werewolf in London, there's another four or five more reminiscent of, say, A Mexican Werewolf in Texas. How does a filmmaker honor the lore established by Lon Chaney Jr. and George Waggner in 1941's The Wolfman, while also finding a fresh voice within a typically silly subgenre?

But The Howling gets it exactly right by turning a potentially ludicrous plot into a witty, impeccably crafted satire. Adopting the right balance between spooky and tongue-in-cheek is incredibly difficult, but director Joe Dante makes good on his initial promise from 1978's Piranha by including clever details and more than a couple moments of dark comedy, which is hugely beneficial for investing in the story.

With her three-dimensional, emotionally available performances in this and Cujo, Dee Wallace might be the horror genre's most unsung scream queen. As a woman who seeks to rebuild her lucidity after nearly dying at the hands of a psychopath, Wallace remains strong yet sympathetic throughout, and never hits a false note, even as her circumstances become increasingly outlandish. Belinda Balaski is also noteworthy as Susan, Karen's friend and confidante. The werewolf transformations and make-up effects are entirely convincing, shocking since the movie is over 30 years old. With very little in the way of competition, this is my favorite werewolf movie.


***1/2 out of ****

Hellraiser (1987)

Directed by:
Clive Barker

Written by:
Clive Barker (from his own story)

Main Cast:
Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Andrew Robinson, Sean Chapman, Oliver Smith, Robert Hines, and Doug Bradley

The Plot:
Married couple Larry (Andrew Robinson) and Julia Cotten (Clare Higgins) move into a creaky old house, where Julia discovers a blood-sucking monster hiding in the attic. Upon further investigation, the creature is revealed to be Julia's former lover, Frank (Sean Chapman), who also happens to be Larry's brother. Frank - after escaping from Hell, and the clutches of Pinhead and his demonic band of Cenobites - must now feast on human blood to regain his human form. Julia reluctantly agrees the provide to murdered bodies for this purpose.

The Review:
The particulars of the plot, at least on paper, don't sound very sophisticated. After all, it is centered around a gang of demons whose very costumes and modus operandi are inspired by S&M.

However, with the exception of its first sequel, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, the franchise's terrible five sequels have done nothing to tarnish the reputation of Clive Barker's grim, atmospheric original. Hellraiser remains an effective and downright nasty piece of work, with writer/director Barker's trademark Gothic visuals playing an important role in the movie's success. The deliberate pacing proves vital in building an atmosphere of dread, and it pays off with a macabre and frightening climax.

Ashley Laurence, as the estranged daughter, turns in a strong performance, and one would be remiss to overlook Doug Bradley's work as the iconic Pinhead. British stage veteran Clare Higgins steals it as the deliciously evil Julia, intent on bringing her beloved back to life, at any cost.

 ***1/2 out of **** 

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Directed by:
Drew Goddard

Written by:
Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard

Main Cast:
Kristin Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Bradley Whitford, Amy Acker, Tim De Zarn, and Richard Jenkins

The Plot:
Five college friends - modest good girl Dana (Connolly), nice guy Holden (Williams), boorish jock Curt (Hemsworth), newly blond Jules (Hutchinson), and philosophical stoner Marty (Kranz) - set out for a weekend getaway in the creaky, remote cabin of Curt's cousin, blissfully unaware that their every move is being monitored by a two men in business suits. What do they want, and how long before all hell, inevitably, breaks loose?

The Review:
The story of a group of nubile college friends who head up to the woods for some drunken partying, only to be faced with unforeseen danger, is one of the most tired and played-out in the book. So leave it to Joss Whedon and co. to throw caution in the wind and come up with one of the wildest cinematic rides in years. It's entertaining, imaginative, and seeks to change the rules of horror as we, in 2012, perceive them.

If 1996's Scream made audiences aware of slasher trappings, commenting upon them while they were happening, The Cabin in the Woods does something very similar, then pulls back the curtain even more. The screenplay, expertly weaving together innumerable layers is pretty genius in the way that it does not try to fool the viewer, or risk all of its goodwill on a cheap twist. Instead, it lays everything out by the five-minute mark and then gradually builds throughout the running time towards a climax that is truly insane, enough to turn the genre aficionados into a bunch of squealing children.

The ensemble cast is uniformly terrific, with Richard Jenkins and especially the hilarious Fran Kranz standing out. Nothing short of a love letter to our beloved genre, which has all too often been ridiculed for a lack of ideas and ambition, The Cabin in the Woods dares to break ground by making a case for horror's significance in cultures the world over. And on top of that, it's all in name of good fun.

**** out of ****

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