Here Comes the Devil (2013) - A Review

It's no secret that I love foreign horror. For a long time, Italy was at the fore front of the foreign horror movement, with Dario Argento leading the force. However, there are a good number of countries out there that are starting to make names for themselves in the horror world; Japan, France and Korea have been making waves for some time now. Recently though, some pretty disgustingly tasty things have begun trickling out from many others, one of the most recent being our neighbor to the south: Mexico.

I posted a review in the past for the amazing Somos lo que hay, which was very successfully remade into the American We Are What We Are. It goes without saying that I was very excited about Here Comes the Devil. I am happy to be back at it and reviewing the flick, so let's get started, shall we?

The Conjuring (2013) - A Review

“Based on the true case files of the Warrens”

James Wan is someone that I have struggled with (pretty much) since day one. Aside from Saw, I have seen very little warrant in his work as, in my opinion, it has been on a steady decline from quality to mindless factory-line horror drivel. It was due to these opinions that when word of The Conjuring began circulating one thought crossed my mind: “Great, another franchise opportunity for Wan.”

I have a general rule for horror films however. I will watch any film once, with an open mind, always in hopes that I will walk out of the experience with a smile on my face. There is nothing better to me than being proven wrong by a director or film. Eli Roth did it with Hostel (I hated the first viewing) as did Rob Zombie with The Devil’s Rejects. I was not looking forward to watching The Conjuring, but here I sit, typing this review and I have to say, it may have done exactly what I was hoping it would.

Texas Chainsaw (2013) - A Review

Evil wears many faces…

In 1974, a film was released that was so disturbingly grotesque and horrifying that it was subsequently banned in over 10 countries, some for as long as 23 years before the film saw the light of day. It’s opening crawl, voiced by John Larroquette, has gone on to become one of the most recognizable and chill inducing moments in the history of horror. 

It is The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

This film serves as the backdrop of my horror history. It is one of the few films that will continually send shivers down my spine, even just thinking about it. Unfortunately this review is not focusing on the 1974 classic, however on the direct sequel that was released in January of 2013. I held off on watching it, not based on any reviews, but because it didn’t look very good to me (based on trailers and promotional materials). However, due to its recent release on Netflix I decided to give it a go and see if it really is as bad as everyone seems to think it is. Let’s take a look at Texas Chainsaw (3D).

Se7en (1995) - A Review

Long is the way, and hard, that out of hell leads up to light.

 

Seven deadly sins. Seven deadly crimes, each more ghastly than the last. David Fincher’s 1995 film Se7en  is an exercise in the macabre that carries an impact (like a sledgehammer, haha) that can last many years. In my case, it’s been over 10 and the film still rattles me to my core.

Se7en holds a very special place in my heart. It helped to ignite the spark of horror love in my dark little heart, and it was also the first review that I ever wrote which went on to be submitted (and posted) on Bloody-Disgusting, over 8 years ago. On a recent trip to Fry’s, to purchase my copy of You’re Next, I decided to scoop up a copy of the film on blu-ray and on Friday night I treated myself to another viewing of the amazing film.

While I half expected a rather mild viewing of the film I was treated to a wonderful joy ride, yet again, and it was cemented in my mind that this will always be one of my favorite horror films. It’s a work of art that often goes overlooked, so I decided that I would re-review it without having read my old review for BD and take a gander at how they match up. It’s always fun revisiting horror films after a good few years and seeing how your opinions change.

Fun, no?

V/H/S/2 (2013) - A Review

Boy, am I ever late to the train on this one. Regardless, here it is and I’m glad to be reviewing it. 

I’ve also realized that I have not posted a review since Gravity, and that breaks my little heart. The past few weeks have been rough but I am very excited to be getting back into it. Once I get a new laptop (which should hopefully be very soon) you guys will be getting too much of me, so I bet you’re just so excited about that as well. 

Regardless, enough yammering, I am even boring myself. Here we GO. 

Last year, was a big year in the world of horror anthologies. Not only did we get ABC’s of Death (review), we got my personal favorite of the year, V/H/S. Produced by Brad Miska and directed, written and starring the newest up and comers in the world of horror, the Mumblegore Crew, it is a fantastic found-footage film that chronicles 5 stories of death and desperation. I loved it, and was naturally very excited when it was announced that a follow up to the film would be released in 2013. I’ll admit, I was very late to the game in seeing this one. Due to a mixture of a faulty computer set up and a bunked up schedule that did not allow me to catch any screenings of it, I was finally able to settle in for a viewing when it was released on Netflix earlier this week. 

Creepshow (1982) - A Review

The most fun you’ll ever have…. BEING SCARED!

Anthology films are fun. While they are not necessarily my favorite, there are always exceptions to the rule, this being that very exception. Written by Stephen King and directed by George A. Romero, this film features a powerhouse of horror icons, including special effects by Tom Savini, King himself (in a one-man segment of the film), Adrienne Barbeau and music by John Harrison. 

Let’s dig on in, shall we?

George A. Romero's Day of the Dead (1985) - A Review

“First there was ‘Night of the Living Dead’, then ‘Dawn of the Dead’… and now the darkest day of horror the world has ever known.”

I had the wonderful privilege of attending the Day of the Dead Soundtrack Festival on Monday night at the beautiful Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. George A. Romero was in attendance, along with composer John Harrison, Howard Sherman, Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead) and Joe Pilato for a post-screening Q&A. It was a dream come true for any horror fan, and to be sitting a mere 20 feet away from the godfather of zombies was quite an honor. 

While I have grown weary of the current zombie infestation that seems to be infecting every inch of pop culture, I had a wonderful time watching this film and getting a nice reminder about why George A. Romero is one of the horror greats. No matter how many zombies I see, his will always be the best. 

For those of you who have not seen Day of the Dead, it is a wonderful zombie with a twist. It’s strangely heartfelt, whacky, zany, hilarious and extremely graphic. It’s a very fun ride, you will laugh, you will cringe, you will jump, you may even get a little misty eyed, but mostly you’ll laugh. A lot. 

Event Horizon (1997) - A Review

Infinite Space – Infinite Terror 

There are a few flicks that I remember vividly from childhood. Not because I watched them every day or because they made up that prized stack of VHS tapes that received the honor of repeat viewings, but because they absolutely horrified me. I’m talking, being dragged out of the theater/room while screaming and bawling my eyes out horrified. I love, love, love revisiting those old horror flicks. They make up a huge part of the reason why I love the genre today, and continue to be fascinated by it. 

While I may not necessarily love the films themselves, I love the feelings that they imparted and I enjoy having another watch after all these years to see if those fears might be reignited and terrify me yet again. While most of them, Child’s Play, Tremors and End of Days, cause me to laugh at my ability to be so terrified at them, Event Horizon is a film that has been on my list for a while. I have extremely vivid memories of this one; having to sit outside of the theater for the duration of the film, because I simply and absolutely could not handle the film. Even covering my eyes didn’t seem to help, the sounds alone terrified me and made me cry. 

While re-watching this film (unfortunately) didn’t send me back into a state of comatose fear, I did enjoy it thoroughly. I believe that this film is a good example of Rotten Tomatoes not always being right, as it boasts a rather sad rating of 22% on the site.

You're Next (2013) - A Review

Did you remember to lock the door? 

As Home Invasion Celebration Week has come to an end, I have to apologize for not getting this review up earlier. As I mentioned yesterday, I came down with a wee bit of the sickness and have been meaning to get this up but have only just found the energy and time to devote to this review. I am very excited to finally be posting this, as this film has been highly anticipated in the world of Rg Lovecraft since 2011, when it first started making its festival rounds. 

Unlike Evil Dead I had no apprehension walking into this film. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt that this film was going to deliver, and boy howdy did it ever. As entertaining and funny as it is dark and gruesome, You’re Next delivers on all fronts and has definitely made Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett a force to be reckoned with in the modern world of horror cinema.

Tons of Stuff Coming Soon! YOU'RE NEXT, EVENT HORIZON, THE LOVED ONES and MORE All Get Reviewed!

So I've been sick and as I'm sure you all know, being sick in the summer sucks. It leads to crankiness, laziness and a general malaise BUT I still dragged my happy ass out to the theater on Thursday night to see You're Next and I loved it. I meant to get the review up on Friday, but I started getting sick before the movie on Thursday and am barely coming out of my fog now. SO keep an eye for that review this afternoon!

In the meantime of not posting, I've been watching tons of flicks, so you can also be expecting reviews for:

Event Horizon (1997) 
Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door (2007)
The Loved Ones (2009)
Session 9 (2001)

AND the first ever Lovecraft Reviews NOVEL review of Awake, including a very special Q&A with upcoming author Matthew Blake!

Stay tuned, and as always, thanks for reading. 

Keep it spooky,
Rg Lovecraft

The Last House on the Left (1972) - A Review

To avoid fainting, keep repeating: “It’s only a movie, it’s only a movie, it’s only a movie…”

A huge allure of horror films when I was younger was the taboo that seemed to encapsulate them. I was strictly forbidden from watching them when I was young, at least when mom was in the house, so naturally (much like any other young child who is told they can’t do something) I was drawn to them. I think that’s something that transcends young age, and in the world of horror it is far from unheard of for films to be banned for decades before they are seen within the borders of some countries. Many films have met this fate, such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes, but one of the biggest to be slapped with the fated rating of X was the exploitation horror, The Last House on the Left. 

Written and directed by Wes Craven, this film broke boundaries when it was released in 1972. It was exceedingly violent, gruesome, perverse and downright awful, but then again that’s what makes it a horror film that we are still discussing 40 years later. Funny enough, Sean S. Cunningham (who went on to direct Friday the 13^th) actually produced this one through his own studio so we saw two great masters of horror working together years before they went on to mark their names in the horror books forever. Friday the 13^th meets A Nightmare on Elm Street? Sounds tasty. 

TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT! YOU'RE NEXT Tears It's Way Into Select Theaters at 10PM, Nationwide Release Tomorrow!

I certainly hope that you're as excited as I am, it feels like I've been waiting FOREVER for this movie to come out! I have my ticket for tonight's 10PM showing, make sure you get yours so you can be the first on the block to see Adam Wingard's You're Next. This should be exciting for all you Re-Animator fans as well, seeing as Barbara Crampton makes another big screen appearance in this one.

The review will be coming tomorrow, and stay tuned for the final review of Home Invasion Celebration Week, The Last House on the Left!

When A Stranger Calls (1979) - A Review

“Every babysitter’s nightmare becomes real…”

Considered to contain one of the scariest scenes in horror history, When A Stranger Calls has achieved cult status simply due to the first 20 minutes of the film. The story of a babysitter and a dangerous man upstairs evokes terrifying imagery, and has become an archetypical scenario for hundreds of horror movies to follow (i.e. The House of the Devil). Inspired by the success of Halloween in 1978, Fred Walton decided to revisit a short film that he had done entitled The Sitter, which became what we now know as When A Stranger Calls, one of the first of many home invasion films to come out of the horror genre. 

HOME INVASION CELEBRATION WEEK - WHEN A STRANGER CALLS Review Coming This Afternoon

We're moving right along with Home Invasion Celebration Week, today's entry will be that of When A Stranger Calls, the 1979 feature directed by Fred Walston and starring Carol Kane and Charles Durning.

Funny Games (1997) - A Review

A Nightmare. 

There’s something innately terrifying about home invasion films. Someone coming into the place that you consider the most sacred, the place that you feel safest, and stripping you of all those comforts. The psychological toll, along with the physical, is enough to take the energy out of the audience and leave them on the edge of their seats in silent anticipation of what will happen next. I mean, isn’t that the point of a good horror film? 

I almost sympathize more with the victims of a home invasion horror film, but then again, this is one of my favorite sub-genres of horror. While there are tons of these types of films, it’s always special when you find an exceptionally good one, and Michael Haneke’s Funny Games is just that type of film. Intelligently written and beautifully acted, it’s another film that I regret having waited so long to see. 

Sinister (2012) - A Review

 

“Once you see him, nothing can save you.”

Oh Scott Derrickson and Blumhouse Productions, we meet again. Once again, you’ve lured me into your traps and have successfully devoured yet another slice of my horror soul, one that I will never see again. 

Sinister is a film that I have put off seeing for a quite a while. I’m not a huge fan of this style, I often think that its scares are cheap and its storylines are moronic at best, but I decided to give it an unbiased shot. I hate close-minded horror viewers and I try not to be one. I always love when I can watch a horror movie by a director/production company that I have previously disliked, or avoided, and they are able to make me change my opinion. That’s a sure-fire way to make me a lifelong fan. So last night, I ponied up to a 2 hour viewing of Sinister and here I am, writing this review once again convinced that I need to trust my gut instinct. 

Now, I know a lot of people are huge fans of this film. I will say that I went into this film excited to see it and ready to give it a genuine shot. My views may not be very favorable in this, as a lot of it is venting and expressing personal opinion. If you do not want to read something like that, please do not read past the break. If you want to know my thoughts, I’d love to hear yours as well. I do my best to foster an open minded environment on this blog, so I felt the need to present this warning to anybody who may be a fan of this film.

Classic Review: Re-Animator (1985)

 

Herbert West has a good head on his shoulders… 

And another on his desk.

Herbert West is a scientific genius with a special gift. He can bring the dead back to life. There is no supernatural hocus pocus, no book of evil or supernatural burial ground involved. His key is his latest project, a serum that he has invented that when injected into the skull of a recently deceased subject, restores motor functions… often to disastrous results. 

Adapted from HP Lovecraft’s (it’s about time I get to something written by my namesake) short story “Herbert West – Reanimator”, Re-Animator went on to become one of the greatest cult-hits of the horror genre. With the lead character brought to life by Jeffrey Combs, it remains a fan favorite and must-see for every horror fan of every age. 

Maniac (2012) - A Review

I warned you not to go out tonight…

In this remake of the 1980 cult classic, Elijah Wood stars as Frank Zito, a mentally disturbed mannequin conservator who has a mean mommy complex and a fascination with women’s hair. In this modern day revisioning, we are introduced to a whole new format for the horror genre, in that the entire film takes place in the viewpoint of the killer. We are not following the victims here, we are looking at them through Frank’s eyes. The only time we actually see Wood is either in his own reflection or in the rare instance of 3^rd person viewing. 

This film has been receiving rave reviews since its release at last years’ Cannes Film Festival, however it was only up until last Friday that the American audience was able to see it in select theaters and nationwide on VOD platforms. I have been anticipating this film for a while, so I was excited to finally feast my eyes on the pure and savage brutality that it promised. 

Read on, for the full synopsis and review!

New Review Coming - MANIAC (2012)

Hello folks, I'm back. 

On Sunday night I finally got to see Maniac, the much raved about remake of the cult classic, and the review will be coming shortly (Spoiler Alert: I fucking loved it). Keep your eyes peeled!

-Rg Lovecraft

Classic Review - The Exorcist (1973)

Something almost beyond comprehension is happening to a girl on this street, in this house... and a man has been sent for as a last resort. This man is The Exorcist.

When the subject of iconic horror movies gets brought up, there is one that almost always tops the list. 

When the subject of the most terrifying films of all time gets brought, it’s also pretty much guaranteed to top that list as well. 

When The Exorcist was released in 1973 it shook the very ground it stood upon. Nothing like it had ever been presented on the big screen, and people didn’t know how to react to it. It opened to mixed reviews, but the general consensus was the same. This was the scariest movie of all time. Critics didn’t know how to react to it, many of them claiming that it was a “claptrap” and nothing but “religious schlock” with one general direction: perverse scares. 

Call it what you want, The Exorcist did what every horror movie strives to do. It horrified, disgusted and revolted. It caused fainting and vomiting, it caused countless sleepless night and it continues to scare every subsequent generation since its release. While it garnered plenty of bad reviews, they did not carry the blow intended by the critics. Calling a horror movie disgusting, vile and perverse does nothing but to blatantly promote said horror film, and everything that these critics said was in fact true. It is a horrible film, but in that is what makes it one of the greatest horror films of all time. 

I will give a bit of a warning, this review will be long. This is the first major classic that I will be touching upon in this blog so forgive me, but I have no intention of making this a short one. 

Now, please read on.