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AntoNEO's Reviews
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
A great remake and an amazing film
on January 23, 2011
Posted by: AntoNEO
from Redwood City, CA
It was with some amount of trepidation that I first heard about the impending release of Let Me In. Like many others, I was quite taken by the Swedish original, Let the Right One In, which easily secured a spot on my Top 10 of that year. I feared that a remake would only excise the poetic nature of the story in favor of a by-the-numbers vampire film. The attachment of Matt Reeves as writer and director didn't do much to assuage my fears. Cloverfield was entertaining enough for what it was, but its gimmicky shaky-cam aesthetic didn't say much for his directorial abilities. Once the good reviews of the film started pouring in, I figured I'd see it just to say that I did and then forget about its existence shortly thereafter.
Could I possibly have been more wrong? I ultimately saw the film five times in theaters during its brief theatrical run. It's been three months since then, and I still can't stop thinking about it. Never before has my reaction to a film been so contrary to my preconceived notions. Not only do I prefer the remake, it has fast become one of my all-time favorite films, and Matt Reeves has shot to the top of my "directors to watch" list. While there is much that can be said for how Let Me In compares to its Swedish counterpart, I'm going to try and keep comparisons to a minimum, because Let Me In stands firmly on its own two feet as a film. The wonderful thing is that one film doesn't have to supplant the other. Let the Right One In is a beautiful film in its own right, and Let Me In is another faithful and unique cinematic take on the same story.
Reeves' adaptation of the material is respectful, thoughtful, and personal. In rendering his version of the story, he draws on the overall structure of the original film, various details from the novel, as well as some of his own ideas and experiences growing up. Reeves clearly has a firm grasp on the complexities of the material, and he crafts Let Me In as a poignant coming-of-age story, tender love story, and devastating horror story all at once. By thoughtfully transplanting the proceedings to 1980s Regan America, Reeves uses the social context of that era as a backdrop for Owen's upbringing, resulting in a subtle exploration of moral ambiguity and duality. Whereas most horror films these days rely on excessive gore as a substitution for intelligence, Let Me In is one of the select few that brilliantly utilizes its horror premise as a multi-layered metaphor to explore a variety of thought-provoking ideas.
While Reeves' literary adaptation is impressive in its own right, his directorial style is just as powerful and artistic. Simply put, Let Me In is one of the most elegantly directed horror films I've had the pleasure of watching in a really long time. Reeves' controlled and careful direction is a revelation in today's frenetic cinematic world. Let Me In is one of those rare films where virtually every shot helps reveal character and drive the narrative forward. Reeves is clearly an ardent admirer of Alfred Hitchcock, and his point-of-view driven visual storytelling does an admirable job of cementing the audience in the perspective of the central characters. Furthermore, he injects his film with a sense of dread and tension that would have made the Master of Suspense proud. Between Reeves' crafted cinematic approach and his cinematographer's haunting gothic visual palette, Let Me In is a breathtaking and beautiful film to behold.
Finally, a discussion of Let Me In's strong suits isn't complete without addressing the power of its two lead performances. Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Grace Moretz may have only been 12-years-old at the time of filming, but their performances exude a sense of depth and maturity far beyond their years. Let Me In may revolve around two children, but it is a dark and complex film for adults, and the fact that McPhee and Moretz are able to shoulder the weight of the film with such a sense of grace speaks volumes for their talent as actors. Richard Jenkins and Elias Koteas turn in excellent supporting performances, but the central story of Let Me In lives or dies by the success of its two leads, and McPhee and Moretz play a huge part in Let Me In's overall effectiveness.
Although it didn't do nearly as well as it should have at the box office, Let Me In deserves to find a larger audience on DVD and Blu-ray. It's a rare and precious gem that got unfairly swept aside in the chaotic rush of awards season, despite its strong critical reception. In a cinematic climate where countless films are created solely to cash in and make money, it comes as a startling surprise that such a moving, layered, and crafted piece of cinema would come in the form of a remake. And yet, Let Me In is all of these things and more. Anyone who likes their films to have equal doses of artistry, emotion, and intelligence owes it to themselves to pick up a copy of Let Me In. Don't let the genre deter you; it's not just an amazing horror film, it's not just an amazing remake, it's an amazing film, plain and simple.
What's great about it: An incredibly well-crafted film all around
What's not so great: A few brief instances of questionable CGI
I would recommend this to a friend!
+34points
40of 46voted this as helpful.
 
Wes Craven's Scream became a box-office blockbuster and breathed life into the nearly dead slasher genre. This DVD of the film is an improvement over all previous editions. The disc offers a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1. There are no subtitles on this release. Supplemental materials include a pair of commentary tracks (one from the director and another from writer Kevin Williamson), interviews with the cast and crew, theatrical trailers, television promotional spots, cast and crew profiles, making-of footage, and a special effects gallery. No matter what one thinks of the film, this is a superb DVD from Disney/Buena Vista.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
The first and best post-modern horror film
on October 25, 2007
Posted by: AntoNEO
from Orange, CA
Scream has been parodied so many times over by now that it's easy to forget what a great horror film it really is. Wes Craven was one of the forerunners of the slasher genre with his creation of Nightmare On Elm Street. Along with Nightmare's predecessor Halloween, and the later Friday the 13th series, Craven helped create the slasher genre along with its abundance of eventual cliches and tired plot points.
Nearly 20 years after Craven helped start the genre, he and screenwriter Kevin Williamson effectively jump started it and turned it on its head with the creation of the movie Scream.
Scream is a self-aware horror film in the best sense of the term. It pays tribute to nearly every film that came before it, but still manages to point out and subvert nearly every slasher cliche that plagued those films. And not only is Scream an intelligent horror film in that post modern sense, but it's just a darn good horror film all its own. The plot constantly keeps the viewer guessing, and the twists never stop. Unlike most slasher films where the viewer already knows who the killers is, Scream is a wonderfully written whodunit that keeps the viewers brain engaged throughout the entire running time.
After just watching the film again recently, it still holds all of its power and intelligence. Although it has been parodied ad nauseum thanks to the Scary Movie franchise, it doesn't diminish any of the power of the original, but in a way almost further proves what an amazing film it really is.
With Scream 2 and Scream 3 Craven tried to carry on the legacy, and although they have some very good ideas in them, they don't come anywhere near the masterpiece status of the original.
I know it's become in vogue to lambast Scream for starting the post-modern horror craze as well as the numerous horror film parodies, but the film itself is still just as amazing as ever over ten years later.
What's great about it: Great script, great direction, great everything
What's not so great: Too many parodies may have diminished the impact for some first time viewers
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
A deliberate guilty pleasure
on October 20, 2007
Posted by: AntoNEO
from Orange, CA
While Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof seems to be a much more authentic representation of 1970s grindhouse pictures, Robert Rodriguez' Planet Terror is more of a loving caricature of 1980s zombie splatter films. Nothing in the film is played straight, and virtually every scene is accompanied by a wink and a grin at the audience.
If Tarantino's effort is accused of being slow (or deliberately paced, depending on your opinion), Planet Terror never even thinks about slowing down. From the exploitative opening credits through to the final frames of the film, this is a roller coaster ride of a film that doesn't let up.
With Planet Terror, Robert Rodriguez continues his "everything and the kitchen sink" mentality when it comes to his filmmaking by throwing everything at the wall just to see what sticks. While it sometimes feels like this technique gets in the way of Rodriguez finding a true filmmaking voice, it works quite well for a film like Planet Terror where there's no room for subtlety.
The cast that Rodriguez assembled is a glorious ensemble of bygone action heroes, horror icons, and Rodriguez stock actors. They all bring their parts to life in a cartoonish sort of way that fits the tone of the movie beautifully.
While the uncut DVD edition of Planet Terror doesn't change the film drastically in any way, it definitely improves the film. It gives the film smoother transitions and fills in some gaps in the plot (though that missing reel is still there and will always remain there as one of the many comical winks at the audience). The large cast of characters are also given more beats here and there that help fill out their personas a little more. All in all, this uncut version simply allows the film to breathe a little more, rather than having to jump frantically from scene to scene in an effort to make the 84 minute running time.
At the end of the day, Planet Terror isn't going to win any awards, and it's certainly not meant to. It's simply an extremely enjoyable guilty pleasure of a film that virtually anyone with the stomach for it can probably have a good time with, especially if you're a horror fan. Take a couple of classic John Carpenter films like The Fog and Escape From New York and throw them into a blender with a couple of classic zombie splatter films like Evil Dead 2 and Dawn of the Dead and you've got a pretty good idea of what Planet Terror is like. And at the end of the day, you could definitely have a worse combination of films to pay loving homage to.
What's great about it: Great cast, cool effects, over-the-top zombie action
What's not so great: Um...it's wonderfully bad, but that's the point, right?
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Death and dialogue at 200 MPH!
on October 19, 2007
Posted by: AntoNEO
from Orange, CA
Death Proof was the second half of Robert Rodriguez' and Quentin Tarantino's audacious Grindhouse double feature, and it has just been released on DVD as a standalone film in its original uncut form, no longer trimmed to fit a three hour running time with fellow Grindhouse feature, Planet Terror.
Seeing it in its uncut form and without an hour and a half of over the top campy violence preceding it, Death Proof can now be appreciated on its own terms. Death Proof is much more successful as a standalone Quentin Tarantino film than it was as the second half of a Grindhouse double feature. The truth is, Death Proof was far too talky and way too devoid of action to sustain the climax of a three hour plus double feature. Furthermore, while Tarantino's film is indeed the more authentic 70s grindhouse picture (Rodriguez' was more of a boisterous caricature), it simply didn't have enough of the key elements to fit snugly alongside Planet Terror as a roudy good time.
So now that we have Death Proof standing its own two feet, we can truly appreciate it for its own merits, even if it is by no means a flawless film.
Across the board, the performances are wonderful. Every actor seems perfectly capable of handling Tarantino's trademark mouthfuls of dialogue. Kurt Russell gives an amazing performance as Stuntman Mike. Russell hits a variety of tones, from disarmingly innocent, to subtley frightening, to comically cowardly. His tough guy persona mirrors many of his iconic performances in John Carpenter films in years passed. By the end of the film, we witness a complete inversion of that archetypal persona that provides a wonderful ironic twist as well as some unexpected comedy for those of us who grew up on Russell's other films.
The action sequences, though only two in number, pack an enormous punch, and prove to be some of the most intense vehicle driven action sequences in a number of years. Tarantino plays everything for real with absolutely no CGI enhancement, and the result harkens back to a bygone era of visceral simplicity.
As usual, Tarantino's visual eye is spot on, making the film another directorial feat. From the aforementioned action sequences to the choices of music, he gives the film that unique Tarantino feel.
As for the weaknesses of the film, the most noticable one is that this film is just plain too talky. I know we come to expect lots of dialogue in a Tarantino film, but this really is a horror/action film at its core, and given the genre, there's just not enough horror or action. I honestly think that just cutting snippets of dialogue here and there and replacing that running time with one more action set piece would have improved the film quite a bit. Then Tarantino would have struck an appropriate balance between his own predelictions and the confines of the genre he's working in. As it stands, Death Proof is caught between Tarantino's love of the written word, and the more action oriented elements of the genre.
The overabundance of dialogue also reveals the fact that Death Proof has barely any plot to speak of. I'm not saying other horror movies have any more plot than Death Proof, but one starts to wonder how long the movie would actually be if the bulk of the dialogue was cut out. Honestly, it would be a pretty short flick, because when you get down to it, Death Proof is really just about a homocidal stuntdriver stalking and killing a group of young women, and that's about it. In fact, Tarantino essentially tells the same exact story twice, once in the first hour and then again in the second hour. This gives the film a bit of an uneven structure. Sure, it has a nice Hitchcockian flare to it, but the way its executed, one can't help but find the second half of the film a little redundant.
Despite these shortcomings, Death Proof is still a very entertaining and rewatchable film. After all, it may be a slightly weaker Tarantino film, but even lesser Tarantino is miles better than the majority of films being released these days. Just know that it's not really an action/horror film like its Grindhouse counterpart. Go into the film expecting a dialogue heavy Tarantino film with some great action/horror elements and you certainly won't be disappointed.
What's great about it: Great performances, nice cinematography, and amazing action sequences
What's not so great: Too dialogue heavy given the genre, thin plot, uneven structure
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
DVD of the year material
on October 17, 2007
Posted by: AntoNEO
from Orange, CA
The theatrical release of Kingdom of Heaven was an entertaining historical blockbuster, but not much more than that. If Ridley Scott hadn't been at the helm, it probably would have been on about the same level as the theatrical cut of Troy.
Seeing this director's cut DVD is a revelation, as it adds over an hour of footage back into the film that elevates it from run of the mill historical blockbuster to Best Picture material. It's amazing what a Hollywood chop job can do to a great film.
Scenes that originally presented the bare essentials necessary to the storyline have had the meat and potatoes put back in. Entire characters have been reinstated into the film, as well as intriguing subplots. Historical and political context has a lot more emphasis in this version of the film. And lastly, Orlando Bloom's performance has been put back in as well. After seeing the theatrical cut, I was convinced that he couldn't carry a two and a half hour film as the leading man. After seeing the director's cut, I realize he is actually very capable of carrying a film that's an hour longer than that. In the director's cut of Kingdom of Heaven, Orlando Bloom is no longer depending on his boyish charm for success, but has become a full-fledged actor in his own right.
As if the Director's Cut of the film weren't enough, WB has given this DVD release the royal treatment. It's quite comparable to the extended editions of Lord of the Rings in extras quantity and quality. From four feature length commentaries (that's nearly 16 hours of commentaries!) to documentaries and featurettes on every aspect of the filmmaking process, this release has it all. I don't think they could have included more stuff if they'd tried.
I'm convinced that if the director's cut of Kingdom of Heaven had been released in theaters it would have been eligable for a best picture nomination. Although it's a shame it didn't get that chance, we should all be very happy to have the definitive version of this film on DVD in a feature packed collector's edition that could very well be the best DVD of the year.
What's great about it: Greatly improved director's cut, outstanding special features
What's not so great: It's a crying shame the director's cut wasn't released in theaters
I would recommend this to a friend!
+8points
8of 8voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Not as good as the first, but still a worthy entry
on October 16, 2007
Posted by: AntoNEO
from Orange, CA
Wrong Turn 2: Dead End by all rights should be terrible. It's a direct-to-DVD sequel of a horror film by a first time director. Virtually every word in that sentece spells failure. So it was with great surprise that I read the flood of good reviews from fans online.
I'll be honest in saying I didn't like this sequel as much as the original, nor do I think I liked it as much as other people do. From a directorial standpoint, the film isn't nearly as strong, and the acting performances/characterizations are largely hit and miss. Those were the two elements that I thought made the original such a standout horror flick.
However, that being said, it's clear that the director loves horror movies and has done his homework, as he throws everything at the wall to see what sticks (and usually that something is some type of gore), which makes for an undeniably fun ride, even if it's a bit of a bumpy one.
I thought the horror in the film was very well done, but the comical aspects that were added in this sequel weren't as successful in my mind. I tend to find that horror/comedy only works when they're married together rather than jumping back and forth between the two-that is to say that the horror in and of itself is funny (ala Evil Dead 2 or Dead Alive). This film tends to jump and back and forth between jovial comic stupidy from the characters and shocking horror from the mountain men. Because of this, I enjoyed the film the most toward the climax of the film because the movie became more of a straight ahead horror film at that point. But overall, I much preferred the straight horror of the original to the comedy/horror of this film.
My major complaint against the original Wrong Turn was its lack of originality, and that only gets worse in this film. If the original shared a passing resemblance to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, then this film all but lifts scenes straight from it. Again, these sequences are actually very well crafted, but they definitely won't win any points for originality.
When all is said and done, Wrong Turn 2: Dead End is a much better film than it has any right to be. I wouldn't necessarily call it the second coming of DTV horror sequels as many are claiming, but it is a thoroughly entertaining (though flawed) film in its own right.
What's great about it: Gore galore, fun reality TV spin
What's not so great: Some bad performances, less classy than the original
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Despite the fact that horror fans likely missed it during its "blink-and-you-miss-it" theatrical run, director Rob Schmidt's grim, throwback chiller Wrong Turn gets a commendable DVD release thanks to 20th Century Fox. Presented in both 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and 1.33:1 pan-and-scan, the transfer of the film is virtually flawless. With solid blacks in the frequent night scenes and spot-on skin tones as the sweaty teens elude their inbred pursuers, the image is clean and free of virtually any and all distortion and grain. One of the aspects of Wrong Turn that makes it as effective as it is in providing scares is the sound, and the English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track certainly doesn't hold back when it comes to surrounding the viewer with terror. As twigs snap in the distance and various piercing objects burrow into human flesh, viewers will no doubt cringe at the remarkably vivid soundscape of this brutal film. Though at first fans may be enticed by the apparent wealth of extra features included on this disc, upon closer inspection there are really only a few truly valuable and entertaining bonuses here. A commentary track featuring director Schmidt and stars Eliza Dushku and Desmond Harrington is indeed fun in parts, and it's obvious that the trio is having a great time revisiting the film, but there are also extended stretches of silence that really grind things to a halt. In addition to citing the aforementioned use of sound and their desire to recreate that childhood rush of fear that only horror films can provide, the only other real reason to listen is to hear about the varied and numerous injuries sustained by the cast and crew during filming. Likewise, many of the extra features offer little insight into the production at all, with "The Making of Wrong Turn," and "Eliza Dushku: A Babe in the Woods" both clocking in at under five minutes -- hardly enough time to truly delve into the film's many impressive effects. The two featurettes that do stand out, however, are "Fresh Meat: The Wounds of Wrong Turn" and the one on Stan Winston, the former offering a neat look at the film's effects and the latter offering a nice retrospective in Winston's own words. Deleted scenes offer a romantic interlude under a waterfall that was likely cut for pacing, an "alternate" view of a kill that doesn't seem to differ from the onscreen version at all, and dailies of Emmanuelle Chriqui getting a mouthful of barbed wire. Rounding things out is a series of fun poster concept designs and the impressive and intense trailer.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Best of the old school horror throwbacks
on October 16, 2007
Posted by: AntoNEO
from Orange, CA
I can't believe it took me so long to see this movie. Out of all the recent horror throwbacks/remakes such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Hills Have Eyes, Cabin Fever, and House of 1000 Corpses, Wrong Turn is easily my favorite of the bunch. In fact, I would argue that Wrong Turn is much more akin to the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre than the remake actually was.
The film runs at a brisk 82 minutes, with no downtime whatsoever. Although the plot is lacking in originality, there were many things that caught me by surprise in this film. For one, the characters in this film are actually somewhat endearing and not walking cliches. Well, two of the characters are pretty cliche, but they're the first
two killed off, so they don't make much of an impression. But the rest of the ensemble are actually smart and intelligent people proactively trying to escape the horrible situation they find themselves in, rather
than doing stupid things that cause the audience to yell at the screen. There are very few "don't go in there stupid!" moments in this film, and as much as those genre conventions can be fun, it provided a nice
change of pace.
Also, the film sets up many suspenseful setpieces that put the audienceon the edge of their seats. For the first time in a long time, I actually felt tense watching a horror movie. As much as I love horror films, they so often entail waiting for the bad guy to jump out. You
know it's a going to happen, but rather it's just a question of when. In Wrong Turn there is a lot more variety when it comes to the suspense, and I always found myself in some new tense situation, rather
than retreading the same familiar ground.
Another fun element was the use of location in this film. It takes place in the forests of West Virginia, where the characters are surrounded by lush greens and gorgeous scenery. It provided a nice contrast to the horror, and a good change of pace to the usual dark and sand locations that often permeate horror films.
Lastly, Wrong Turn was a horror movie in the way they used to make them back in the day. The film thankfully steared clear of two elements: it wasn't ironic, and it wasn't completely devoid of any light. The current trend in horror films seems to either be ironic and wink at the audience every fifteen seconds self referrentially, or to be so dark and depressing that you want to take a shower when the film is over. Wrong Turj isn't either of these things. It's simply a good old fashioned horror flick in the best way possible.
Wrong Turn does a whole lot of things right, and the only glaring place I can think of where it faulters is that it's simply not an original film by any stretch of the imagination. We've seen this same story tons of times before, and although Wrong Turn has a unique execution to the storytelling, the barebones story itself is a carbon copy of all those we've already seen.
All in all, Wrong Turn may not be the most original horror movie in the world, but it does what it does extremely well, and much better than we've seen it done in a really long time.
What's great about it: Good acting, good tension, genuine scares, nice location
What's not so great: Not the most original of stories
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Though many (including much of the cast and crew) may have doubted that Jim VanBebber's epic 16 mm film The Manson Family would ever see the light of a projector bulb given the film's notoriously plagued production history, the determined auteur thankfully held steadfast to his vision to create one of the most brutal and disturbing films of the new millennium. Released to DVD overseas by Anchor Bay UK in a feature-packed, two-disc set, The Manson Family arrives stateside with all of the bells and whistles of that special edition well in place thanks to the efforts of Dark Sky Films. Presented in its original 1.33:1 full-frame aspect ratio, the transfer of The Manson Family offered here is virtually flawless -- offering vibrant colors, solid blacks, and even skin tones while simultaneously preserving the aged and well-worn look of the film that makes it actually appear as if it were filmed during the period in which it takes place. An English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio mix offers a deep, dynamic, and unsettling listening experience, and an additional English Dolby Digital Stereo mix also packs quite a punch. The sound design of The Manson Family plays a key role in keeping the viewer's discomfort level up throughout the running time, and no matter which track the viewer chooses, the tension rings through with remarkable clarity. Of course, the only thing better than actually having the opportunity to see VanBebber's labor of love after all these years of anticipation is the chance to hear about the The Manson Family's curious production history firsthand -- and the bonus documentary "The VanBebber Family" offers just that. Through interviews with much of the cast and crew (the actor who played Manson, Marcelo Games, is sadly nowhere to be seen) viewers get an insightful look into not only VanBebber's unwavering vision and dedication to the project, but his sometimes unconventional but undeniably effective directing technique as well. Over the years, the production plagues that stalled the release of The Manson Family have become something of celluloid legend in certain cinematic circles, and "The VanBebber Family" offers a refreshingly honest look back at the production that proves especially satisfying. "The VanBebber Family" documentary offers much, much more than the typical making-of featurette (a "bonus" that all-too-often amounts to little more than an extended commercial on many DVDs), and producer David Gregory and editor Carl Daft deserve special mention for their efforts. Likewise, the "In the Belly of the Beast" documentary offers an equally fascinating look into some of the independent cinema's most fascinating and controversial filmmakers. In addition to watching even more revealing interviews with VanBebber (including a look at some of his early Super-8 films), fans of director Richard Stanley will no doubt relish the opportunity to hear the filmmaker speak in detail about his troubles in getting final cut on Dust Devil, as well as a chance to hear firsthand his unfortunate side of the story regarding the The Island of Dr. Moreau fiasco. A brief glimpse at Stanley's early production art for The Island of Dr. Moreau proves especially disheartening given the grim fate of John Frankenheimer's late-career misstep. An interview with Manson himself offers a rare look at the man who inspired the historical crimes, and a pair of theatrical trailers as well as production and behind-the-scenes still galleries make this release a must-have for VanBebber fans and true crime fans alike.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
A disturbing and riveting portrait of the Mansons
on October 14, 2007
Posted by: AntoNEO
from Orange, CA
The Manson Family has been in the works for around twenty years. With the number of false starts and production delays this film has had over the years, it's a wonder it even got finished, let alone ended up being the bravura piece of horror film making that it is.
Through a wide variety of media and timelines (ala Natural Born Killers), writer/director Jim Van Bebber tells the story of the notorious Manson Family, from their humble beginnings through to the horrific murders they committed.
The framework for the story is a bit complicated, in that it's about a TV producer making a new documentary on the life of times of the Manson Family, "real" footage of their exploits, "real" interviews of the family in modern times reflecting on those exploits, as well as Manson followers trying to stop the producer from making the show.
I placed the words "real" in quotation marks because Van Bebber goes to great lengths to create a verissimilitude within the film, so that everything seems legitimate, even though everybody is an actor and the entire film is fabricated. However, the visceral nature of the vintage Manson family footage (complete with scratches, color timing issues, and psychadelic sixties filmmaking techniques) makes everything seem very real indeed, and the film is most successful during these segments.
The framing story of the television producer and the modern Manson extremists, while trying to provide modern day context, comes across as forced, and unfortunately distances the intensity of the "vintage" Manson footage. It takes us out of the moment and reminds us that we're just watching a documentary that this man is producing, which unfortunately lessons the impact of the film a little.
Aside from that minor flaw though, the film is a sight to behold and a blazing work of originality. The DVD includes two insightful feature length documentaries about the creation of the film and the horror film festivals it played at throughout its creation. An absence of an audio commentary seems like a missed opportunity, but besides that, the extras on this Special Edition are very worthwhile.
If you'd like to see a unique and disturbing horror film that's been in the weeks for nearly two decades, give this film a look. Whether you love it or hate it, you can't deny that it's different!
What's great about it: Visceral, stylish, uncompromising, and original
What's not so great: Unsuccessful framing story hinders the impact of the film as a whole
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
William Malone's remake of William Castle's classic spook story House on Haunted Hill scored high marks for special effects and humor but is basically inferior to the original. Malone's version does, however, get the benefit of this superb DVD repackaging, which does much to compensate for the movie's frailties. An excellent anamorphic widescreen transfer of the film gives it a crisp, balanced look, with no visible flaws or defects. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track has clearly been mixed to prioritize the sound effects rather than the dialogue, ensuring that all the eerie creaks and clanks are rendered with maximum impact. The disc comes with an excellent array of additional features, including the original theatrical trailers for both Malone's and Castle's films. The 20-minute "Tale of Two Houses" featurette analyzes the two versions in some depth and is thoroughly absorbing, even if it leaves the viewer surer than ever that Castle's original is the better of the two. Six behind-the-scenes mini-documentaries explain many of the undeniably impressive special effects used in the film, and among the DVD-ROM features is a silly but mildly entertaining game called "Escape from the House." Director Malone introduces the deleted footage from the movie, including a strangely low-key but amusing epilogue, and explains the reasons for the deletions. He also provides a commentary track, and his observations are generally very interesting and incisive. House on Haunted Hill may be only a moderately successful horror film, but judged on its own terms this is an outstanding disc.
 
Customer Rating
2 out of 5
2
See the original
on October 13, 2007
Posted by: AntoNEO
from Orange, CA
The remake of House on Haunted Hill starts promisingly enough with the introduction of Geoffrey Rush's character, Price (named after the star of the original film, the indelible Vincent Price). However, once the characters get to the haunted insane asylum and the film begins proper, everything starts to go down hill (no pun intended).
The story is convoluted at best, and sometimes feels like the writer was just making it up as he went along. The production design is eerie, owing much to the stop motion animators The Brothers Quay. There were certain design elements and sets in this film that seemed all but lifted from a few of their short films. But if you're going to steal, steal from the best I guess.
The acting performances are actually pretty fun. They're very tongue in cheek and always played with a wink and a nod at the audience. Although perhaps being one of the films stronger points, it also proves to be a major chink in the films armor. The reason is that the performances are played strictly for camp, whereas the rest of the film are played as straightforward horror, and there's a major tonal inconsistency here that doesn't work in the films favor. The original film played
everything for camp, presenting a good old fashioned haunted house horror movie. I wish this film did more of that with its horror elements.
Speaking of the horror elements, perhaps the most detrimental fault of the movie is that it just isn't that scary. It has some creepy images and a few scenes have a nice surreal to feel them, but somehow they
don't add up to much of a scary whole. More often than not I was thinking "oh, that's a cool image, even though I've seen it already in this other movie." Some of the individual scenes are kind of cool, but they don't add up to anything all that spectacular.
By the end of the film, it has become completely bogged down in unconvincing CGI and convoluted plot points, as seems to be common among the majority of horror remakes.
When the movie I was over, I just wanted to watch the original again. Besides for a few good elements to the film, I would suggest skipping this one and going straight to the original.
What's great about it: Good production design, some fun acting performances
What's not so great: Tone is inconsistent, story is thin and just not that scary
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Classy, spooky 1970s horror remake
on October 11, 2007
Posted by: AntoNEO
from Orange, CA
Phillip Kaufman's Invasion of the Body Snatchers has got to be one of the finest remakes ever created, especially in the sci-fi/horror genre. This is one classy sci-fi paranoia thriller.
The script is intelligent and well written, the directing captures the paranoia of the film wonderfully, the ensemble cast members seem to fit their roles perfectly, and the special effects are way ahead of their time and still quite startling to this day.
Unfortunately, with this DVD release MGM continues their string of somewhat disappointing 2-Disc Special Editions. When a Special Edition is spread over 2 discs, I tend to expect a load of special features, which is usually what I get from most studios. However, virtually all of MGMs 2-Disc Special Editions have a quantity of extras that could easily fit on one disc. I suppose if their releases were only one disc I wouldn't respond as negatively because the quantity of extras would seem appropriate.
Quantity aside, the quality of what we have here is pretty good. The only elements that get terribly short changed are the groundbreaking special effects, which are all but ignored save for the opening title sequence.
The anamorphic transfer is also much better than the previous non-anamorphic DVD release. Much more detail and much less grain, so that was a pleasure to find.
Overall, this film is a classic that stands proudly right alongside the original, and it should definitely be seen by any true sci-fi/horror fan. The DVD release leaves a bit to be desired in the extras department, but what's there is good. Definitely worth checking out!
What's great about it: Great remake that stands on its own, great film on all levels
What's not so great: Somewhat disappointing as a DVD
I would recommend this to a friend!
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