Rant #1 - Underrated Horror Movies

[jetpack_monkey]

hjcallipygian requests: The top five under-appreciated horror movies of our time and why I should watch them (I guess this might be more of a rave than a rant, but... eh).

Right you are it's a rave, but I'm easy (and remarkably cheap! With just four short installments of... I'm off-topic)


In no real order (and note that I've completely ignore the "of our time" bit - it's not out of spite, I just didn't see it until after I'd written everything).

1. Dead & Buried (1981, Gary Sherman)
Never heard of it? Doesn't surprise me. Saddens me, perhaps, but doesn't surprise me. A New England sherrif investigates mysterious deaths, yadda yadda yadda, town secret, blah blah blah... Not the most original plot ever, but that's certainly not the point. It's a moody, atmospheric film with loads of suspense and a serious creep factor (which is all the more remarkable, since the film was shot as a black comedy and then re-edited to appease the Friday the 13th demographic the money people thought the film should be going after). I mean, c'mon, with lines like "You can't kill me; you can only make me dead," you really can't resist! Bonus points for the visually inclined - what primary color is almost completely excluded from the film?

2. The Black Cat (1934, Edgar G. Ulmer)
Not underrated in the sense that it is disliked by the majority - more underrated because it's often regarded as a minor footnote to Universal's chillers of the 1930s. Often unfairly disregarded merely because it didn't fit into any neat monster category, The Black Cat was the court magician to the studio's royal family of horror - intelligent, enigmatic, and full of dark delights. It was the first film to team Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff on-screen (and the only one to utilize them equally) and the effect is stunning.

Karloff plays a Satan-worshipping architect who has built a macabre mansion (which looks like something Frank Lloyd Wright might design under instruction from Alestair Crowley) on an battleground where he once betrayed his troops to the enemy. One of those troops, Lugosi, has come back to battle him in a game of wits, with the souls of a young couple hanging in the balance. While Karloff dominates here with an elegant restraint, Lugosi holds his own as a man who no longer views himself as living - merely as an instrument of revenge.

Atmospheric direction, a moody and intriguing plot, and two legendary actors giving some of their most nuanced work. Why wouldn't you want to track down the now out-of-print VHS tape (since Universal won't release the movie on DVD seeing as it doesn't fit in their neat little "Legacy Collection" scheme).

3. Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows (2000, Joe Berlinger)
Some horror films pick up a bad rep that's so pervasive, one wonders how anybody could see anything good in the movie. Blair Witch 2 is one of those movies. It's been common knowledge since it's release that the movie isn't worth the celluloid it was printed on. Luckily for me, I managed to see it before that knowledge became common. I was at the late afternoon screening directly after school and I was blown away. Director Joe Berlinger and screenwriter Dick Beebe manage to invert the rather gimmicky premise of the original and create a fully-formed mindfuck thriller that still remains somewhat true to its predecessor. The cast isn't any great shakes, but it's the direction and plotting that make this one a pretty exciting ride.

4. God Told Me To (1976, Larry Cohen)
God is in the details, they say. They were wrong. God is in Manhattan, and He hates you.

Utilizing a bare-bones realistic approach, writer-director Larry Cohen crafts an intricate storyline involving a cop investigating a series of murders committed by ordinary citizens whose only explanation is the titualar expression. All filming was on location in New York City, which lends much to the sense of authenticity that the movie needs to instill before it can go completely crazy on you. There's a certain proto-X-Files vibe to the film, which is a recommendation in and of itself. Also, watch for Andy Kaufman in a small but vital role as a cop.

5. Re-Animator (1985, Stuart Gordon)
Okay, it's one of the biggest cult hits of all time. It has its own double-disc Millenium Edition DVD from Elite Entertainment for the love of Mike. Surely this film isn't underrated! You'd be surprised how many folks just don't get it. See, Re-Animator is a lot like that first significant romantic relationship. It's awkward and rough around the edges, and there's some parts that look absolutely ridiculous to people on the outside. But it's true, it's honest, and you'll never forget it. Eventually, you might grow apart a bit, but when life brings you down, you'll always have Miskatonic University (home of the Fighting Cephalopods).

A very basic outline of the plot. Boy loves Girl. Boy meets CreepyBoy. CreepyBoy reanimates dead. Boy and CreepyBoy shag join forces to explore chains science together. Boy and CreepyBoy fail to realize consequences of actions until it's too late. CreepyBoy is accosted by DerangedMan (and makes no mention of the fact that he looks like John Kerry). CreepyBoy separates DerangedHead from DerangedBody, reanimates both separately. DerangedHead kidnaps Girl. DerangedHead tries to give new meaning to the term "giving head." Chaos ensues.

It's a wacky ride with enough slashtastic subtext to power an entire fandom (which is why it's so curious that it hasn't powered an entire fandom).

And now, a small list (comment-free) of overrated horror movies:
1. The Shining
2. The Exorcist
3. The Haunting '63
4. Friday the 13th
5. The Brood


Remember, I'm still taking rant requests.