A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

Been in a Wes Craven mood lately so I thought as with 'Last House On The Left' I'd dig out the classics and see how they bare up today. In the 80s this scared me to death, and again with so many films by Wes intelligently reinvented the genre for the decade. Serial child murderer Freddy Krueger sets upon haunting the children of Elm Street for the crimes of their parents. The only difference being he reaches them in their dreams, where they cant escape! Expertly played by Robert Englund and featuring a very young Johnny Depp amongst others the films still great... Maybe because it was just so original for its time, but it still has genuine scares and a nice pace that never drags. A genuine genre classic and always worth a watch.
8/10

Rec 3 Genesis (2012)

Paco Plaza directs the third installment of the brilliant Rec series, but theres no doubt this is a little dissapointing. I get they wanted to do something compleyely different with the third film but the humorous touches really dont sit well and only contribute in reducing the tension that the first two films capture so well. Let it be said Rec 2 is all out action and is terrifying! Basically Rec 3 shows a young couple on their wedding day when guess what... one of the guests starts acting strangley. You know how this plays out! The trouble is the plots as simple as that, falling into some really cheesey 'fan boy festival' moments and some horrible genre cliches. A brave move into something different, but in no way captures the genuine fear of the first two films. That said, its beautifully shot. I mean seriously, the colours and cinematography are amazing. Some great special effects and make up too. Just not scary... Bit of a shame. We'll see where the last film takes us...
4.5/10

Juan Of The Dead (2011)

Set in Havana Cuba, this zombie comedy like 'Shaun' and 'Zombieland' tells the story of a group of petty criminals and layabouts who embark on capitalising on the zombie apocalypse by killing and disposing of your infected love ones.... For a fee of course! Like all good zombie films the undead plague are very much the background plot for a more subtle political and social story of Cuba and the proud people that live there. The zombie hoard at first are reported to be mercenary dissidents from a once propoganderous Cuban media! The comedy is fast and well thought out, the characters are great and the film overall is enjoyable from start to finish. A real triumph from writer and director Alejandro Brugues. Definately worth a watch.
7/10

Scream (1996)

Written by Keith Williamson and directed by Wes Craven this is the film that reinvented the long dead teen slasher genre for the 90s. All to aware of the genres conventions over the years, the films 'ghost face' killer plays with his victims on the phone, quizing them on their favourite horror movies, before brutally killing them! With a big budget cast and crew that included Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell and Couteney Cox, I shyed away from this in the 90s, but reflecting on it now, its a real triumph that a big Hollywood movie reinvented a genre so well and got it bang on the money. I always get the feeling from Cravens films that lurking underneath is a feeling of a disfunctional America... This is no different. A real classic that has already stood the test of time.
8/10

Detention (2011)

One of last years Frightfest' late screenings this fast paced, witty teen horror from Joseph Kahn definately needs the audience to be alert and on point! The humours comes thick and fast and the plot takes you through more strange and random turns than you can think off. In its simplest form it tells the story of a serial killer who starts bumping off tthe kids at Grizzly High... Our group of teens try and work out who the killer is on a Saturday Detention... Trust me though theres alot more to it than that! Great acting and script... Beautifully shot indie slasher. My critisms lie in it being too fast paced at times, not allowing for any real payoffs... The heavy graphics at the begining are slightly overcooked, but dont get me wrong its a great watch... Reminds me alittle of Donnie Darko. Repeat viewings will only help conquor the ellaborate and unconventional plot. Good fun though!
7/10

The Third Part Of The Night (1971)

The first featue film of Polish director Andrzej Zulawski, who was the man responsible for the all time horror classic 'Possession'. Set in Poland during the German invasion of WW2, the film is an unsettling and frenzied attack on the senses. Combining past and present events alongside each other the film creates a feverish hallucinatory feeling with death and despare underpinning every scene. Based on a young man, who after a period of illness witnesses his wife, mother and son being murdered by German officers. Moving back to a heavily occupied city he joins a rebel organisation who stay out of the grasps of the Germans, because of their Typhus work and infections of the disease. Creating vaccines for the disease, the work involves strapping boxes of lice to the skin and letting them drink the patients blood. The Germans feared this and the disease so much they left these people to it. Harboring rebel activity it also was advantageous work because it warrented extra rations and a better way of life. Meeting another woman who resembles his dead wife and helping her give birth to her son (in what seems an actual childbirth), the film whirlwinds out of control. Is fairly difficult to keep up with at times, but thats the intention. Based on Zulawski's fathers real accounts of the time the film is totally ingrossing. Trademark performances dragged from the soul of the cast only add to this. A film thats really not for everyone, but if you have a nose for world cinema definately worth a watch.
7/10

Last House On The Left (1972)

Wes Cravan's notorious banned 'nasty' sees its first uncut UK release by Metrodome. I have seen many versions of this film over the years and unfortunately its been cut and messed about with over its history meaning it's hard to say what I've seen or havn't seen. Im sure however I've seen a European version that has longer scenes in, but that's debatable. The story is a simple but effective tale of two teenagers who go to the city for a rock concert. Trying to score some grass they stumble into Krug (David Hess) and his criminal gang. The girls are kidnapped and suffer a humiliating ordeal before being exicuted in the woods. The story then shifts to examine how the peaceful parents of one of the teens can turn into ruthless killers just like Krug and friends. Being such a notorious genre piece my first thought is does it hold up now? The answer is yes. The film clearly shows the ugly side to the tranquil all American dream of the era, but even now has some geninely nasty and uncomfortable moments in it. Sandra Cassell's acting really packs a punch and is one of the key ingredients to this still holding up (David Hess and Fred Lincoln are great too). Iconic, groundbreaking and still worth a watch.
6/10

The Octagon (1980)

Chuck Norris plays the lead as a disillusioned martial arts specialist who is forced to put an end to a terroist ninja training camp who is being run by his evil half brother; Seikura, who Chuck seems to have some telepathic connection with. Unnesasary dialogue and plot makes the film drag to the point where it becomes like a strange cinematic opiate. Watching this late at night resulted in it taking 5 sittings! However, the combination of ninjas, Chucks painful wooden acting, bad script, shonky editing, A Team-esque scoring, all on a murky VHS like print makes it thoroughly enjoyable. The original poster art looks amazing and no doubt sold the film to a lot of martial arts fans... Who in true 80s style were probably a bit disapointed!
4.5/10

Drag Me To Hell (2009)

Directed by the legendary Sam Raimi, the film tells a moral heavy tale of a bank worker who refuses an old woman a loan and then suffers from a supernatural curse that tries pushing her to the edge of sanity. Back to the old school with Raimi's slapstick humour and gore, this plays out like a rollercoaster. Full of fun and thrills and never taking itself to seriously its a great watch.
7/10

Skyfall (2012)

A disgruntled agent starts to attack the secret service with a very personal vendetta against M. 007 does his upmost to protect her.... That really is it! With the plot as simple as this its plainly obvious the film's far too long and far to serious! Im not a Bond fan but the traights of the past are missing... No gadgets and a lack of european beauties and femme fetales. That said the big chase and shoot em up set pieces keep the film from slipping into the boring camp. No countries' Javier Bardem makes for and impressive villain and saves the film for me. Ok but for a film with this hype distinctly average.
5/10

Massacre At Central High (1976)

David; A high school tranfer student makes waves at his new school by slowly killing an opressive gang of bullies. However once they're gone the newly liberated class mates start to fill their shoes revealing their own ugly signs, resulting in David dishing out more punishment. A very odd film that aside from its floors is quite charming. Because of its era it reminds me of films like My Bloody Valentine and The Burning... Packed full of explosions (which in some scenes were alot more than intended resulting in stunt men being knocked out) and a weird little vibe its definatley worth a watch. Even though the sountrack is so poor it kept director Rene Daalder from watching his own film for years.
4/10

Ace Ventura When Nature Calls (1995)

Ramping up the general craziness, the second film with Carrey is the better film of the two. Retiring after an unfortunate Racoon death Ace is approached to come out of retirement with a group of monks and investigate the disapearance of a white sacred bat. Failure to locate the bat will result in two neighbouring African tribes going to war with each other. More goofey humour ensues but with alot more laugh out loud moments than the first film.  Definately worth a watch and genuinely good fun.
6.5/10

Ace Ventura Pet Detective (1994)

The first in Jim Carreys series whereby he invesigates the case of the Miami Dolphins missing mascot. Ridiculous goofy humour, somewhat inapropriate for a 12 certificate, but totally enjoyable none the less.
5/10

Cockneys Vs Zombies (2012)

Another highlight from Frightfest 2012 and starring Good Life's Richard Briers and all round legend Alan Ford amongst many others. This comedy romp in the same style as Shaun Of The Dead, tells the tale of two brothers who pull a bank job to raise money to save an OAP home where their grandad resides. Meanwhile builders uncover a cursed tomb and release a plague of zombies onto London town. Ridiculous in places but with some genuine laugh out loud moments too this is a good light hearted film. Chas and Dave provide an infectious theme song.
6.5/10

Sinister (2012)

Written and directed by Scott Derrickson and from what I'm told a highlight of this years Frightfest. The film tells the tale of a well known crime writer who knowingly moves his family into the house were a family has died and a small girl has dissapeared. There he uncovers some old cine films that detail their deaths and uncover a supernatural force that puts his own family in the firing line. In essence the film has a nice old school creepy feel and has some good jumps and a great soundtrack, including Warp's Boards Of Canada. Some absurd and unbelievable dialogue alongside an overplayed final quater lets it down, loosing its potentially strong individual creepiness. A good effort but could have been better.
6.5/10

A Horrible Way To Die (2011)

Very stylisic and melancolic film about a recovering alcoholic who finds out her ex boyfriend (a notorious serial killer) has escaped from prison and maybe on the hunt for her. Falling for another ex drinker at an AA meeting the pair await the inevitable confrontation as the bodies start to mount up in the killers wake. Directed by Adam Wingard the film is well put together, really atmospheric and well acted. My only critisicism lies in the camera work being too shakey and overly stylised in places and ultimately the plot and storyline. Which i feel was alittle too vague and alittle weak. Could have been so much better, but certainly has an originality about it. Overall better than your average new school thriller/horror.
5/10

Tabloid (2010)

Eroll Morris directs this intrigueing documentry on Joyce McKinney. Who was at the centre of media histeria in the late seventies when it was alledged she kidnapped a mormon missionary and raped him for 3 days in a cottage in Devon. Interviewing Joyce, the film shows her side of this weird story and her life after the media attention. The film also depicts the media battle between paper giants the Mirror and the Daily Express and marks Joyce as potentially one of the first media driven celebrities of our time. Very interesting and entertaining. A definate watch on this one.
8/10

A Lonely Place To Die (2011)

Nice little British Horror/Thriller that tells the tale of 5 rock climbers in Scotland stumbling across a small Serbian girl buried in the wilderness. Realising she has been kidnapped the group realise they've stumbled into a delicate situation with the kidnappers soon chasing after the group. The film has a real UK festival feel to it and although the script and acting is pretty good the film drifts off alittle in the second half and becomes alittle stagnant. As new UK genre films go its not at all bad, but wont find itself in the 'classics of its time' pile.
6/10

Eyes Without A Face (1960)

Directed by Georges Franju this slick black & white french film tells a simple but haunting tale about a professor come surgeon who with the aid of his partner, kidnaps young girls in an attempt to remove their faces and graft them onto his own disfigured daughter's. Blaming himself for his daughters facial disfigurement the film touches on themes such as anguish, guilt, desperation and loneliness. The cinematography is wonderful, as are the costumes and mask of the young girl. The music's great too and overall has a genuinely haunting and creepy feel to it. A triumph of its age and well worth checking out.
7/10

Dance of the Dead (2008)

Teen Horror Comedy set around a high school prom where zombies invade the proceedings. The obvious stereotypical 'no date' misfits save the day from the impending zombie apocolypse. Some humerous moments and solid characters and script set this apart from your average fare, and with a running time of around 80 minutes it doesn't outstay its welcome. OK , however... personally it still languishes in adverage zombie territory.
5/10

Creepshow 3 (2006)

Unfortunatley this new attempt at furthering Romero and King's Creepshow series comes no way near its predecessors.... Even the slightly ridiculous Creepshow 2! Bad graphics, animation and effects are its main bugbear alongside the quality of the 5 new stories it presents. Trying to tie in the stories at the end doesnt really work either. Overall its quite fun with some amusing moments but fails to deliver on storyline and good old fashioned gore.
3/10