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