31 days of Horror: Day Seven:A Lovecraftian Double Feature:The Whisperer in Darkness & La herencia Valdemar

The Whisperer in Darkness (2011)

Directed by Sean Branney

Tonight I had a few people over, and decided to see how a couple of modern takes on Lovercraft would turn out, with typically mixed results.

First up we watched The Whisperer in Darkness, the newest film by those fine folks in The HP Lovecraft Historical Society,These are the same people who produced the silent version of Call Of Cuthulhu a few years ago. That earlier film may just be my favourite piece of lovecraftian cinema, so I went in to this one with high expectations. Some of these Were met, and others weren't. Let's start with the good. The Whisperer in Darkness looks great shot as it was in glorious black and white. It really does invoke that old fashion Horror Move expirence. The acting is also quite solid, specially cosidering that this is an amature production. Matt Foyer who plays Albert Wilmarth, a Folkloreist who's pulled into a mystery involving the existence of flying crab creatures in rural Vermont, is a stand out. much of the film rests on his shoulders and he pulls through wonderfully. I also really liked the sci-fi elements of the story which reminded me of a 50's style X-Files.

The mystery builds throughout the running time of the movie only to go off the rails at the end. The problem may have bee that the film was too ambitious, with both the reveal of the crab monsters, and the high flying climax making use of some mediocre CGI. After the inventive practical effects of Call Of Cuthulhu, including the incredible stop motion monster that appears at the end, the lazy CGI couldn't help being a bit of a letdown. I would have been much happier with a more modest climax, even if it was just a fist fight with some dudes in rubber suits.

Those complaints aside, The Whisperer in Darknessis still a stylish  and entertaining film, that I heartily recommend.

 La herencia Valdemar AKA The Valdemar Legacy (2011)

Directed by José Luis Alemán

The second film on my list was well reviewed Spanish film, and was described as an atmospheric Old Dark House movie with lovecraftian elements. It started strong With a real estate assessor going to assess an old Victorian mansion, and grade it's contents. It's a rush job, because the assessor originally assigned to the case dissapeared, and is thought to have run off with some valuable objects. When she arrives at the house she soon makes a grizzly discovery, and awakens an evil entity. So far so good, but then the films jumps back to the early 20th century for an extended flash back the lasts most of the rest of the movie. This flashback details how the Valdemar family goes from faking photographs of ghosts at bogus seances to becoming involved in occult activities along with  Aleister Crowley. 

Each part of the film is fine on it's own, but the structure feels disjointed, and when it became clear that the first story wasn't going to be resolved till the (poorly reviewed) sequel, I was actively annoyed. It's too bad these structural problems get in the way because it is an atmospheric little film, nicely shot and well acted. 

Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy is featured in a small but significant role as the Valdemar's servant, in the flashback seqence. It would turn out to be his final role as he died after filming, but before the film was released. I also enjoyed the creature summoned by the occultists, which reminded me of Eddie, Iron Maiden's mascot.

The Lovecraftian elements are present, and appear to be expanded upon in the sequel. I would recommend this one, but only cautiously, and prepare to be somewhat frustrated.

31 days of Horror: Day Six:Phantom of the Paradise

Phantom of The Paradise (1974)

Directed by  Brian De Palma

In 1974 Director Brian De Palma followed up on the success of his psycho thriller Sisters with a film that combined plot elements from The Phantom Of The Opera, Faust, and The Picture Of Dorian Grey. I don't know why he decided to make it a Glam Rock musical, but I'm glad he did.

The movie tells the story of Winslow Leach, a naive but gifted young songwriter who runs afoul of Swan, a ruthless music producer played by Paul Williams. Swan steals Winslow's music, and when the young man starts making trouble has him framed for drug trafficking. Winslow escapes from prison, and makes his way to Swan's record plant, where he goes on a rampage, before being shot by a security guard, and having his face crushed in the record press. He is believed to have died from his injuries, but soon a mysterious masked figure begins carrying out acts of sabotage at Swan's new Rock Club, The Paradise. Swan immediately recognises Winslow, but instead of calling the police, he makes a deal where if Leach will continue writing music, he will have it produced the way the young songwriter wants. He will also use the new singer Leach has taken a shining to. Of course Swan has no intention of ling up to his end of the bargain, and this second betrayal sends Leach even further off the murderous deep end.

The Phantom Of The Paradise is an incredible visual spectacle, almost on the level of some of Ken Russel's 70's musicals like Tommy, or Lisztomania. Winslow, as the Phantom, is wrapped in black leather, with a metallic bird like mask. There are a number of time when I wondered if the outfit was an influence on Darth Vader's look from a couple of years later. The music written by Paul Williams, is great too. Moving from styalized 50' Rock And Roll, to Glam Rock to pop ballads. I'll also single out Williams performance as Swan, where he just radiates both power and malice.

It's hard not to bring up The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) when discussing this film. Another 70's Glam Rock musical, with sci-fi elements, and a queer sensibility. Rocky Horror is already deeply associated with Halloween, and I think it's well past time for The Phantom Of The Paradise to come out of the shadows. If you like one, chances are quite good you'll like the other. They'd make a great double feature.

31 days of Horror: Day Five:Rats - Night Of Terror

Rats - Night Of Terror (1984)

Directed by Bruno Mattei

I almost decided not to write about this one. Not that it isn't a fine example of shitty, but entertaining Italian horror schlock, because it most certainly is. No the problem was one that comes up from time to time when watching (particularly Italian) horror films of a certain era. The problem is animal cruelty. Some of the worst examples of this phenomenon come from the cycle of popular cannibal films released in the late 70's/early 80's. In those cases cynical directors increased the notoriety, and levels of gore in their films by featuring animals being brutally killed on screen. The situation with Rats - Night Of Terror, isn't that bad, it's closer to watching an old western, and seeing horses fall down, and knowing it's because they were tripped. Rats is a horror film about killer rats, where it becomes obvious on a number of occasions that little care is being taken with the well being of the animals used in the film.

This situation spoils an otherwise fun low budget genre crossover. See Rats - Night Of Terror isn't just a horror film, it's a Post-Apocalyptic action/Horror hybrid. In the year 2015 nuclear war devastates the earth, forcing the human survivors to live underground. A century later the survivors break into two groups, with some people returning to the surface where they form primitive societies (riding motorcycles, and wearing studded leather), while the rest stay underground and continue to live with high technology. The movie begins 225 years after the nuclear war where we meet a gang of marauders in search of food and supplies. They discover a town in the desert, with not only food, but a water purification system, and indoor greenhouses. Unfortunately the town is also home to thousands of hyper intelligent man eating rats. Over the course of a single night, the gang parties, explores, and eventually does battle with the hoard of rats. It also turns out that the town is an outpost for the underground dwellers who plan their own return to the surface.

The movie feature awkward dialogue, bad haircuts, terrible dubbing, poor decision making and gross out gore. It also has an awesome EC comic style twist ending, and I wish I give it my enthusiastic recommendation. Instead I leave it up to the reader to decide if this sounds like their kind of thing.

31 days of Horror: Day Four:Dracula (Spanish Version)

 Drácula (1931)

Directed by George Melford 

One of the problems the introduction of sound created for the movie studios was that it was no longer as easy to release films in foreign language markets. In the silent era all you needed was a few translated inter titles, and you were set. Eventually the use of subtitles, and dubbing would solve these problems, but before those solutions became the norm, studios would sometimes make whole different versions of films. That was what happened in 1931 for Universals production of Dracula. During the day Tod Browning would shoot Bela Lugosi, and company, and when night would fall they'd pack up and hand things over to director George Melford, and his Spanish speaking cast, who would shoot all night on the same sets.

I've been hearing for years that Melford's movie was Superior in most ways to Browning's, but I never got around to seeing it. I'm glad to say I remedied that situation this very night. What did I think? Well it's difficult for me to accurately compare the two film, because it's been a few years since I've seen the Browning version, but I was greatly impressed by Melford's. Both movies were shot using the same script (translated of course), but The Spanish version is almost 30 minutes longer. Melford seems to linger on things a little longer. and this unhurried pace may be one of the reasons his version is praised for it's impressive atmosphere. He certainly knew how to compose a shot. I was constantly blown away by how beautiful the film was. Melford takes full advantage of the wonderful sets created for Dracula's Castle, and these early scenes really establish a spooky mood, that then carries over to the rest of the movie.

One of the criticisms regularly used against Browning's Dracula, is the stiffness or staginess of the acting (Legosi somewhat exclude). The acting in the Melford version is quite good, quite expressive, but it falls down in one very important area. Carlos Villarías while passable does not endow his Conde Drácula 

(as he's called) with the malicious power that Legosi brings to Dracula. This weakness at the center of the film is really too bad considering how good everything else is. Still, if you like Dracula, the Spanish version is very entertaining, and well worth your time.

31 days of Horror: Day Three: Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack

Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack (2012)

Directed by Takayuki Hirao

My first encounter with Japanese Manga creator Junji Ito was his late 90's horror masterpiece, Uzumaki. The Uzumakie manga  was among the best pieces of horror fiction I have ever read. Lovecraftian, and epic. The film adaptation was less successful, but still very interesting. The next thing released in English (that I read) was Gyo. a less ambitious, but still wonderful story that asks the age old question, What if sharks had legs, and could chase you around your house? Even starting from such a sill premise, the resulting work was exciting, gross, and even scary. Today's movie pick is the brand new anime adaptation, which if not wholly successfully, is still a lot of fun.

Three young women are enjoying a summer vacation by the sea, when things are interrupted by fish with legs. At first just a little fish. It's quite stinky, and skitters around in a menacing fashion, but isn't really that bad. It's when the giant shark shows up that things get really scary. But even that is just the beginning. Soon thousands of fish of all sizes are skittering out of the ocean, and running rampant in the cities. This brings about an near apocalyptic nation wide panic. Kaori, our protagonist, decides to head back to Tokyo, to find her fiance, and a young photojournalist she meets on the plane comes along for the ride hoping to get to the bottom of the story.

 Our two heroes encounter riot squads, mad scientists, and more of those pesky land sharks. Meanwhile Kaori's two friends left behind at the sea side are having adventures in body horror all their own. This adaptation simplifies, and streamlines the story from the manga quite a bit, to fit the run time of an hour and ten minutes, but still manages to be an entertaining ride. The atmosphere of creepy menace from the book is not quite as pronounced, and so I would recommend this movie as a nice way to sample the story, but if you like what you see at all, you should follow up with the manga itself.

Or will it...

31 days of Horror: Day Two: Curse Of The Crimson Altar

Curse Of The Crimson Altar (1968)

Directed by Vernon Sewell

I've had this British chiller on my "to watch" list for years, and who could blame me with that killer cast. Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff, and Barbara Steele all in the same movie. That must mean it's the greatest Horror Movie ever made, right?....Well, maybe not. The truth is, Director Vernon Sewell squanders the situation. Karloff and Lee really aren't given much to do, but at least Steele gets an amazing wardrobe.

Though if you lower your expectations a bit, there's still some fun to be had here. This is the sort of movie that would be great to happen upon on late night television. When you're a little sleepy, and your critical faculties are down, that's the time when Curse Of The Crimson Altar's charms are most apparent. The threadbare plot involves an antique dealer (Mark Eden) going off in search of his missing brother. He tracks his brother's last whereabouts to an isolated mansion, and manages to arrive on the night the locals celebrate the burning of a famous witch. The party is in full swing, with plenty of champagne, and topless dancing. The owner of the mansion, Christopher lee says he never saw the missing brother, but invites Eden to stay on at the house. Throw in a professor who specializes in Witchcraft (Karloff), a shifty servant, a well endowed love interest, and recurring hallucinations, and you have an unspectacular, but entertaining little film.

The hallucinations, or dream sequences are where the movie really shines. These are the scenes with Barbara Steele in that incredible rams horn headdress. And it's not just Steele, those scenes are filled to the brim with psychedelic weirdness. People in animal masks, a goat, an executioner/torturer dude in a leather speedo, and kaleidoscopic camera effects. It's too bad these scenes are so fleeting, and that there are so few of them. If more of that colourful strangeness found it's way into the rest of the film, we'd all be better off.

It's fun to see Karloff, and Lee in their brief interactions. This in fact was one of Karloff's last films, before his death the following year.

31 days of Horror: Day One: Coven

 Coven (1997)

Directed by Mark Borchardt

Here we go. It's October 1st, and that means I'm going to watch and write about a different horror film every day till Halloween. You can check out last years list by scrolling down this very blog, and see the lists I did with Adam Clarke for the scope newspaper going back to 2008 at the handy dandy Scope web page. It's worth taking a look, because we wrote about some pretty awesome films.

For my first movie this year I chose Mark Borchardt's short film, Coven. Borchardt will be familiar to people from the Documentary American Movie, which chronicled the life of the low budget film maker, Including the making of this very film. I was a huge fan of American Movie, and so was curious to see the finished product. I think the thing that surprised me the most about this film, was that despite the way it was portrayed in the documentary (which was as an Ed Wood level exercise in incompetence*) it wasn't half bad. The black and white photography in particular was often very effective. Not that it was a good movie, but given the limitations it could have been a lot worse.

The basic plot (and the plot is pretty basic) is that Mike (played by Borchardt himself) is an alcoholic writer just about ready to hit rock bottom. A friend of his suggests he come to a meeting of a self help group that in fact turns out to be a coven (I guess that would be a spoiler if you'd never seen a movie before). The coven is up to no good (or something), and soon Mike is being pursued through the woods, and stabbed in the knee. The whole thing is pretty loose, and never quite makes a lot of sense, but that's never too big an issue with horror films.

What it does have going for it is some pretty great photography, a moody if uneven score by Patrick Nettesheim, and some spirited performances from the mostly armature cast. There are a couple of particularly good rants by members of the self help group. Borchardt hasn't managed to finish another film since this one, and that's too bad. I feel like there's a lot of promise in this short, though he might want to find a competent writer to collaborate with.

If you enjoyed American Movie, or just like low budget regional horror films, this is well worth 30 minutes of your time.

 *Not that I really think Ed Wood was incompetent.