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 ****