tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post3468273701645995378..comments2024-03-24T13:26:57.317-07:00Comments on Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule: SLIFR FORUM: THE FUTURE OF HORROR?Dennis Cozzaliohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-67474301299012181112007-06-14T09:59:00.000-07:002007-06-14T09:59:00.000-07:00I'm pretty burnt on the subject of Hostel too, Cin...I'm pretty burnt on the subject of <I>Hostel</I> too, Cinebeats, and I'm looking forward to moving on to altogether more pleasant ground. That said, I just finished the Poland thread (at least as much of it as existed on June 7), and there was, as you say, a high percentage of name-calling and lazy shorthand arguments in there, and from some fairly high-profile sources. A couple of commenters, one Dellamorte and the other, Jeff McM (who has commented here, under the <I>Hostel</I> post too), attempted to mount an intelligent defense not of <I>Part II</I> (which he and everyone else had yet to see), but of the use of violence in horror films in general, but was continually rebuffed by some pretty lame "arguments" by <I>Variety</I> critic Joe Leydon, whose entire thrust and parry seemed to boil down to, "Anyone who likes this kind of shit, they're way beneath me." How do you argue with someone like that? <BR/><BR/>Anyway, thanks for being a part of what I agree has been a much more civil and enjoyable and (I think) fruitful discussion. I hope to hear from you when you get to the movie yourself!Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-74861842666163230902007-06-14T09:35:00.000-07:002007-06-14T09:35:00.000-07:00For what it's worth, I think Irreversible is one o...For what it's worth, I think <B>Irreversible</B> is one of the best horror films - and it is a horror film - made in the last decade. I hope some day you'll watch the movie for yourself Dennis so you can make up your own mind, but you might not care for the films deeply disturbing, emotional, visceral and real world horrors that it perfectly portrays.<BR/><BR/>To be honest, after managing to make my way through Poland's review I really didn't bother reading all the comments. I found his review so unprofessional, uninformed and offensive that it was just plain hard to read. When a writer declares moral judgment over a filmmaker after buying a bootleg copy of his film, he's just shot himself in both feet and I can't believe that anyone took what he had to say seriously. I assumed that any argument that would follow his review would sort of be like watching Dumb and Dumber review films.<BR/><BR/>The chatter in your own blog about Roth was much more civil than other conversations I came across and that's terrific!<BR/><BR/>I haven't seen Hostel 2 yet so I'm avoiding your review until I do, but at this point I'm rather burnt out on the whole "torture porn" controversy as well as the personal attacks on Roth. Many critics have decided he's going to be their whipping boy and I think they've pieced together a poorly structured straw man argument against him.<BR/><BR/>I look forward to reading what you have to say about the Bava films you watch!Kimberly Lindbergshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17605498572070631516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-50229143843485706712007-06-13T21:15:00.000-07:002007-06-13T21:15:00.000-07:00And, Steve, is that anything like Skynet becoming ...And, Steve, is that anything like Skynet becoming self-aware on August 25, 1997 (or whatever date it actually was)?Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-23903778702236572532007-06-13T21:12:00.000-07:002007-06-13T21:12:00.000-07:00I'll cop to the charge of prejudging Irreversible ...I'll cop to the charge of prejudging <I>Irreversible</I> as far as simply not wanting to see it based on what I've read in reviews and heard from responsible critics and friends who have seen it. But I draw the line at saying it's a bad movie or an irresponsible one, because I don't know firsthand and, because I simply don't want to put myself through it, I doubt I ever will.<BR/><BR/>Now, for a real festival of folks prejudging a movie (in the negative AND the positive), you really must check out the long string of comments behind the Poland column. As of last Thursday, when I printed out the comments, Poland was the only one who has anything to say who had actually seen the movie, albeit on a bootlegged DVD of a workprint that, in at least one instance I can think of, varied from the movie that was actually released. The rest of the comments (163 pages worth, and that's only, as I say, as of Thursday) were submitted by people who HADN'T seen the movie and were judging it as either acceptable or mindless gutter trash apparently based on Roth's previous two movies or the ubiquitous advertising campaign. Even so, there are a few exchanges amidst all the clutter that were actually worth following, but I don't know if I've got the stamina or the time to print out and read all the comments that surely followed in the wake of the film's release.<BR/><BR/>As of this evening, I now have access to my blog at home again, but I really should do some studying first before committing much time to this. But what I'm grateful for is the civility of the exchange on this site so far regarding the movie-- the Poland thread devolves several times into ridiculous name-calling and other scurvy tactics that just aren't useful to the kind of discussion that should be going on about a movie that pushes these kinds of buttons. Having read the comments here and at Poland's site, I feel like at the very least there's a sense here that differing opinions will at least be respected, and that makes this one a more valuable thread to me.<BR/><BR/>(I'll try to post some brief thoughts on <I>Hostel Part II</I> immediately after I post this comment.)<BR/><BR/>Kimberly, thanks for the Bava syllabus. I look forward to getting to THOSE studies an lot more than my other ones, to be sure, and I will get to them! I love <I>Planet of the Vampires</I> and <I>Twitch of the Death Nerve (A Bay of Blood)</I>, by the way, and <I>Black Sunday</I> too, though I was less enthusiastic about <I>Baron Blood</I>. <BR/><BR/>And, Steve, don't go away. I'm really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the Roth movie too!Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-11595162570588582882007-06-13T16:59:00.000-07:002007-06-13T16:59:00.000-07:00I still haven't had a chance to see Hostel 2 mysel...I still haven't had a chance to see <B>Hostel 2</B> myself but it seems to be suffering from the same fate that <B>Grindhouse</B> did and frankly, I think that's a shame. Hopefully I’ll make to the theater soon. Both <B>Hostel 2</B> and <B>Grindhouse</B> at least look more entertaining than a lot of the garbage currently making money at the box office so I don’t understand the lack of interest. Of course the term "garbage" is debatable but as a woman I've got to say that I personally find the concept of the comedy <B>Knocked Up</B> a hell of a lot more offensive than <B>Hostel 2</B>. Of course I haven't seen <B>Knocked Up</B> so I'll defer from passing judgment on it.<BR/><BR/>I did want to mention how disappointed I am when I see film lovers in this thread as well as other critics, bloggers, etc. rather brutally criticizing movies they've never even bothered to see. A lot of the criticism about <B>Hostel</B> (as well as films like <B>Irréversible</B>), Roth and horror cinema in general that I've read lately has been rather sad to read. Oh well...<BR/><BR/>As for Bava, I wanted to mention that if you haven't seen a lot of Bava films Dennis I think it's best to start at the beginning of his filmography. Of course you're limited by what films are available, but I would start with the great gothic thriller and monster movie he made with Riccardo Freda. <B>I Vampiri</B> (1956) and <B>Caltiki The Immortal Monster</B> (1959). From there you can work your way chronologically through his other horror films and thrillers. I highly recommend <B>Black Sunday</B> (1960), <B>The Girl Who Knew Too Much</B> (1963), <B>Black Sabbath</B> (1963), <B>The Whip and the Body</B> (1963), <B>Blood and Black Lace</B> (1964), <B>Planet of the Vampires</B> (1965), <B>Kill, Baby... Kill!</B> (1966), <B>Five Dolls for an August Moon</B> (1970), <B>Hatchet for the Honeymoon</B> (1970), <B>Twitch of the Death Nerve</B> (1972) and <B>Shock</B> (1977). I happen to also really like the two horror films he made with Elke Sommer, <B>Baron Blood</B> (1972) and <B>Lisa and the Devil</B> (1973), but fair warning - I seem to be in the minority so you might want to avoid them.<BR/><BR/>Of course you should also check out his terrific spy spoof <B>Danger: Diabolik</B> (1968), his great sexy comedy <B>Four Times That Night</B> (1972) which was inspired by Akira Kurosawa's classic <B>Rashomon</B> as well as his entertaining western <B>Roy Colt and Winchester Jack</B> (1975) to see what else Bava was capable of.<BR/><BR/>Last but not least, if you can enjoy old-fashioned, but stylish action pictures I also recommend <B>Hercules in the Haunted World</B> (1961) and <B>Knives of the Avenger</B> (1966).<BR/><BR/>As much as I love horror films, I kind of think it's a shame that he wasn't able to make more films outside the genre since he clearly had wide-ranging skills as a filmmaker.<BR/><BR/>Hope these suggestions are useful! I expect you've seen a few of the ones I mentioned, but either way, I'm envious of the films you might be experiencing for the first time in the future. You've got some incredible viewing ahead of you!Kimberly Lindbergshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17605498572070631516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-13853728529210831082007-06-13T05:12:00.000-07:002007-06-13T05:12:00.000-07:00Saw this last night and was surprised -- this is e...Saw this last night and was surprised -- this is essentially the torture-porn (ooh!) genre reaching self-awareness. The Mattarazzo interlude is unfortunate, and Roth still has a lot of development ahead of him; nevertheless, I think this is a step forward.<BR/><BR/>More later, possibly... (I'm bummed I missed all this discussion already!)Steve C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01958138092537744506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-15496637526867824722007-06-12T16:08:00.000-07:002007-06-12T16:08:00.000-07:00True, Matheson's work has been generally screwed o...<I>True, Matheson's work has been generally screwed over on film... but James's "Casting the Runes" was made into a terrific film, "Night of the Demon" (or "Curse of the Demon"). It can be done.</I><BR/><BR/>And don't forget <I>Duel</I>.Damian Arlynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07937513879456460221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-52374853348358291292007-06-12T11:45:00.000-07:002007-06-12T11:45:00.000-07:00Campaspe - the only LeFanu (who I'm not that famil...Campaspe - the only LeFanu (who I'm not that familiar with) adaptation I've seen was a version of "Carmilla" with Roddy MacDowall and, I think, Meg Tilly (and possibly even Ione Skye). It wasn't so hot.<BR/><BR/>The best DVD cover I've ever seen in my life was for a movie called "Vampires vs. Zombies". The cover art shows the profiles of a zombie and a vampire squaring off, like the poster for a heavyweight prizefight. At the top, it says "Based on J. Sheridan Lefanu's classic vampire tale, 'Carmilla'".<BR/><BR/>Check it out: http://www.horrormovies.com/images/VampiresVsZombies.jpgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-29938944767527305312007-06-12T11:15:00.000-07:002007-06-12T11:15:00.000-07:00Dennis, if I may get sappy in a horror-movie threa...Dennis, if I may get sappy in a horror-movie thread for a moment, disagreeing with you must rank as one of my great blogging pleasures. That is because not only are you an unflappable gentleman about it, but you do also prompt re-examination of my little film pieties. And that is more than healthy, it is essential--or else one really does into Bosley Crowther. <BR/><BR/>Butting in, politely, on Alex & Bill's sidetrack -- my personal favorite in the Victorian horror/mystery/Gothic pantheon, Le Fanu, does not seem to have been well-served by the adaptation I saw, a rather tedious British TV "Uncle Silas" from 1987. If any of the numerous 'Carmilla' versions are worth seeing, give me a heads-up, would you?The Sirenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13587505433284584391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-1304133796400407322007-06-12T10:02:00.000-07:002007-06-12T10:02:00.000-07:00The best stories by MR James tend to be those that...The best stories by MR James tend to be those that play directly into his antiquarian interests: those involving medieval churches or cathedrals, in particular (which side-step the usual English hyper-obsession with haunted country houses). But he was a very good writer, almost every horror story he wrote is well worth reading.<BR/><BR/>Curse of the Demon is a very good horror movie indeed, but I'm not sure it would work today. You can make a MR James adaptation in period dress and settings - but I'm doubtful whether you can update his work into the present moment (I won't use period dress or settings for my own personal reasons). 1950s England (the setting the movie updates the original Edwardian story) was probably the last place where you could easily transplant MR James' Victorian / Edwardian settings. English television has done a fair number of these period adaptations of MR James (i.e., usually in period dress and settings) over the years, and I don't find the results very compelling.<BR/><BR/>I do think an adaptation of Fritz Leiber's Our Lady of Darkness is both possible and could be extremely frightening (the book is very good indeed).Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16615199937354749817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-40380183070415044142007-06-12T09:50:00.000-07:002007-06-12T09:50:00.000-07:00Well, the arguing rages on even, when the movie di...Well, the arguing rages on even, when the movie didn't do particularly well over the weekend, and here I am, ready to sit down and finally write about <I>Hostel Part II</I>. But for some reason, I am suddenly unable to access any Blogger-based sites, including my own, from any of the three computers I have at home. (I'm writing this at work.) So, until I get home tonight and can sit down in front of Microsoft Word and do a little writing, my thoughts will have to wait. If Blogger magically fixes itself and I can post tonight, I will. If not, I'll bring it in and post from here tomorrow morning.<BR/><BR/>Until then, here's a couple more essential links to the argument swirling around Roth's rumpus. <BR/><BR/><I>SLIFR</I> friend and all-around great blogger and film aficionado Campaspe checks in and does not worry about being perceived as Crowtheresque in her negative reaction to the whole Eli Roth phenomenon. Her terrific piece is called <A HREF="http://tinyurl.com/2ys3vh" REL="nofollow">"You Think I'm Hostile Now..."</A> (and stick around for the comments!)<BR/><BR/>Neil Sarver has more to say (and to link to) at his blog <A HREF="http://tinyurl.com/2d8n4x" REL="nofollow"><I>The Bleeding Tree</I></A>.<BR/><BR/>And Christopher Stangl has some of the most intelligent and passionate commentary you're likely to read anywhere, regarding not so much the movie, but the reactionary response to it, as capsulized by the term "torture porn." Many thanks to Chris for writing such a smart post which addresses, among other things, the assumption by a lot of folks who don't care for <I>Hostel Part II</I>, or horror movies in general, that there's something a little bit wrong with those of us who do. You'll find it at his great site, <I>The Exploding Kinetoscope</I>-- it's called <A HREF="http://tinyurl.com/28fyf9" REL="nofollow">"Critical Disconnect: The 120 Days of <I>Hostel Part II</I>"</A>.<BR/><BR/>Finally, if you're tired of Eli Roth altogether (and who isn't honestly, at this point?), Peet offers up an altogether more <A HREF="http://tinyurl.com/2dubpy" REL="nofollow">pleasant</A> alternative topic of conversation. And he has pictures too! Suddenly I feel much better about the world.Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-19809078261981067002007-06-12T06:19:00.000-07:002007-06-12T06:19:00.000-07:00Also, I didn't necessarily mean I wanted those wri...Also, I didn't necessarily mean I wanted those writers works to be adapted to film (although that would be good, too); my point was really that I wished there were horror filmmakers who were inspired by those writers, who were on the same wavelength. I want to see a the cinematic equivelant of a Thomas Ligotti or Robert Aickman story, whether it's based on one or not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-56688601473952335422007-06-12T05:15:00.000-07:002007-06-12T05:15:00.000-07:00True, Matheson's work has been generally screwed o...True, Matheson's work has been generally screwed over on film (I'm sure I'm not alone among Matheson fans in having no faith in the upcoming adaptation of "I Am Legend"), but James's "Casting the Runes" was made into a terrific film, "Night of the Demon" (or "Curse of the Demon"). It can be done.<BR/><BR/>I have the collected works of James, but have only just started reading him. What else do you recommend by him? I'll be a passenger in a car a lot this coming weekend, so I'll be able to get a lot read.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-8409010628057720672007-06-11T18:37:00.000-07:002007-06-11T18:37:00.000-07:00"but I deeply wish horror films would be made by p..."but I deeply wish horror films would be made by people who read and appreciated authors like M. R. James, or Thomas Ligotti, or Robert Aickman. Then we'd really start seeing something."<BR/><BR/>I don't know. Richard Matheson's work has been put up on screen a lot, and it's usually much more effective on paper. I myself have played around with thinking of M.R. James stories as potential projects for me to film, but I've come to the conclusion that they can't work well on screen.<BR/><BR/>"I'd love to hear about any Campbell titles or any other horror authors that you think are worth reading."<BR/><BR/>Algernon Blackwood - "The Willows", "Wendigo"<BR/>William Hope Hodgson - House on the Borderland, Night Land<BR/>Fritz Leiber - Our Lady of Darkness, "The Terror from the Depths"<BR/>Arthur Machen - short stories: The Great God Pan, Hill of Dreams, The Novel of the Black Seal, The White People<BR/>Fred Chapell - Dagon<BR/>H.R. Wakefield<BR/>Oliver Onions - "The Beckoning Fair One"<BR/>T.E.D. Klein - "The Events at Poroth Farm", "Black Man with a Horn", "Children of the Kingdom"Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16615199937354749817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-83529119860921827372007-06-11T14:38:00.000-07:002007-06-11T14:38:00.000-07:00Oh, me too. It's weird, because I really do want ...Oh, me too. It's weird, because I really do want to see this movie now, but the fact that it's not meeting expectations financially gives me some satisfaction schadenfreudally speaking (what? That's a word right?). I think Roth's "this is about America!" posturing clearly comes from his believing the (largely overseas) press telling everyone that's what it was about. But weren't there a lot of non-American torturers in that first movie...?<BR/><BR/>Speaking of which, talking about "Hostel" and Miike reminds me of what I think is possibly the most chilling moment from the first movie, which was Miike's cameo as a rich man just leaving the Torture Dome (or whatever it's called) and saying "You can spend <I> all </I> your money in there." Really a great moment, I think, and I hope for more in that vein in the sequel.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-2378324833789682522007-06-11T14:06:00.000-07:002007-06-11T14:06:00.000-07:00Bill: I think it only matters insofar as, once aga...Bill: I think it only matters insofar as, once again, boffo general audience numbers have been predicted for what is essentially a niche horror film, not really a mainstream film at all. It's even divided people who normally line up for this type of thing-- perhaps too many people have gotten the idea that, for them, it does indeed go too far. And, according to the <I>L.A. Times</I> reportage on the front page of its Saturday edition, the current slate of horror movies and remakes have been experiencing a consistent downturn in terms of how much money the fan base is willing to shell out for movies they are perceiving to be uninspired retreads of tired ideas. <BR/><BR/>Of course, it doesn't matter one bit as to whether <I>Hostel Part II</I>, or <I>Ocean's 13</I> or anything else, is any good. But like his movie or not (and I do), I'm taking this as a good sign for those of us who have had enough of the director's weak attempts to bill his craftily rendered carnage as any kind of reflection of the real world, and as such I am considering Roth officially taken down one peg.Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-69959804474980961272007-06-11T11:02:00.000-07:002007-06-11T11:02:00.000-07:00Dennis, regarding this comment: "I just thought it...Dennis, regarding this comment: "I just thought its violence was so overdone and unpleasant, with a faint whiff of that 'if you can't take this, then you're a pussy" attitude that I've been told courses through Gaspar Noe's work, particularly Irreversible.'"<BR/><BR/>Exactly. That attitude, which is very prevelant these days among horror films and fans, really burns my ass, and is one of the main reasons I'm not very optimistic about the genre.<BR/><BR/>For the record, I didn't get that vibe from "Irreversible". I think Noe would have been more judgmental of people who weren't horrified by the movie. But the other important point about "Irreversible" is that it's actually not very good, and lives on only due to it's shock value.<BR/><BR/>And I want to see "Hostel, Part II" more now than I did before. Oh, and if it matters to this discussion, I gather that, box-office-wise, it didn't do so hot.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-6679449870684388112007-06-11T10:12:00.000-07:002007-06-11T10:12:00.000-07:00Bill, Peet: I hadn't mentioned Ichi the Killer bec...Bill, Peet: I hadn't mentioned <I>Ichi the Killer</I> because I bailed out on it about halfway through-- I just thought its violence was so overdone and unpleasant, with a faint whiff of that "if you can't take this, then you're a pussy" attitude that I've been told courses through Gaspar Noe's work, particularly <I>Irreversible</I>. I don't find that attitude in Roth's movies so much as I sense a childish glee in what he's been able (so far) to get away with. It's not the most mature attitude a filmmaker can have, but it's probably what keeps me from getting too twisted up about what he's doing from a moral perspective. <BR/><BR/>I hope the reactions keep coming in. Thanks to Damian for pointing everyone to the man called Filmbrain, who, in addition to his own well-spoken negative reaction, provides a great link to S.T. Van Airsdale's equally offended take on Roth's movie, plus some highlights of his own Q&A with the director after the screening.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, an unexpected schoolwork snafu is going to keep me plenty occupied through today and prevent me from writing about the movie today (a friend and I saw it Saturday night). I will say though that, certain reservations aside-- and I will talk about those reservations-- my reaction to <I>Hostel Part II</I> surprised me. After several days of conversation about it here and other places, I was ready to not like it, and I'm still not convinced that Eli Roth has a whole lot in his bag of tricks as a filmmaker. But I have to admit that I thought <I>Hostel Part II</I> was effective and surprisingly sharp, especially when compared to the previous movie. I don't know how much of my reaction was dependent on my increased vulnerability to seeing women in positions of victimization as opposed to men. Whether or not my empathy level is based to some degree (at least as far as movies are concerned) on gender is a question I've been wrestling with since Saturday. But I will say that my friend and I left the theater somewhat exhilarated by the experience of the movie as a piece of <I>giallo</I>-influenced shock, a reaction neither of us anticipated. Roth stumbles every time he tries, in interviews or in the actual movie, to draw a direct line between what happens in his gruesome fantasy and what is happening in the rest of the world. But part of what made the movie successful for me was the way it threw somelight on what would drive a certain (American) type to particpate in these horrific business transactions.<BR/><BR/>I've already said too much. I'll get into it more later, including the Heather Matarazzo character, either in these comments or as a separate post. But until then, I'd love to hear more from those who have seen it, those who have links to interesting material, and anything else related you wanna talk about. <BR/><BR/>The one thing I think I'm pretty sated on is Eli Roth himself. Enough interviews and puff pieces. Enough questionable after-the-fact rationalizations. Enough of the largely self-created cult of Eli Roth.Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-58358933917899476582007-06-11T07:59:00.000-07:002007-06-11T07:59:00.000-07:00Another good recent horror novel is "The Ruins", b...Another good recent horror novel is "The Ruins", by Scott Smith (writer of the novel and screenplay "A Simple Plan"). To try and summarize the book would both ruin it and make it sound ridiculous. Just know he asks you to suspend quite a lot of disbelief in order to go with the story, but I think it works brilliantly.<BR/><BR/>Also, for the record, I realized what my cut-off is: the actual killing/harming of animals. This has been done in lots of movies, not just horror, but I think it's impossible to justify in any way, and it's why I'll never see "Cannibal Holocaust".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-27220734163517877792007-06-11T05:58:00.000-07:002007-06-11T05:58:00.000-07:00dennis --- my 2 favourite ramsey campbell books we...dennis --- my 2 favourite ramsey campbell books were mentioned earlier. i definitely recommend reading 'the doll who ate his mother' and 'the face that must die'. these books don't necessarily best represent campbell's body of work, but they are the ones that hooked me on his writing (none of his other books that i've read have equaled the impact that these 2 had on me).<BR/><BR/>i'm glad you mentioned miike's banned masters of horror episode, 'imprint'. though there's a whole elizabeth bathory thing going on in heather matarazzo's final scene in 'hostel part 2', it reminded me of a similar, though i'd have to say more upsetting, scene in 'imprint'. <BR/><BR/>so.. i saw 'hostel part 2' over the weekend, and i have to say that i liked it. i thought it was a big step up from roth's other flicks --- creepy, suspenseful, disturbing, and confrontational.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-75009348991242188072007-06-10T18:49:00.000-07:002007-06-10T18:49:00.000-07:00Filmbrain isn't female...but his piece is excellen...<I>Filmbrain isn't female...but his piece is excellent, and worth taking a look at.</I><BR/><BR/>Oops. My bad. :(<BR/><BR/>I guess I always assumed that that image of the woman with her finger on her lips was the actual author of the blog. How embarassing.Damian Arlynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07937513879456460221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-13053189416030186612007-06-10T18:28:00.000-07:002007-06-10T18:28:00.000-07:00I "liked" CABIN FEVER pretty well, as I found the ...I "liked" CABIN FEVER pretty well, as I found the characters somewhat likable, the situation scary and funny, and the over-the-top grossness more fun than depressing. But HOSTEL, for me, went way too far in the direction of showing people being tortured and suffering horrible mutilation and terror, and while I agree that it had a clever premise and a suspenseful beginning, I was left with an empty, depressed feeling: I'd just sat through this pointless, horribly ugly film to be entertained. I admit I haven't read all the commentary here yet--I only had a little time--but I ought to figure out what HOSTEL was supposedly telling me about our world today, or whatever (I admit it had some kind of resonance for me about international paranoia and the greed of the rich, but it's fuzzy for me). If anything, though, the repulsive ads for HOSTEL II have convinced me of what I'd already decided: I don't want to go see it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-49972506602972929512007-06-10T18:00:00.000-07:002007-06-10T18:00:00.000-07:00Filmbrain isn't female...but his piece is excellen...Filmbrain isn't female...but his piece is excellent, and worth taking a look at.David Loweryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02844946230991009106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-9274728237987996602007-06-10T16:49:00.000-07:002007-06-10T16:49:00.000-07:00I know you are interested in hearing female perspe...I know you are interested in hearing female perspectives on this film, Dennis, so I thought I'd provide you with yet another link. <A HREF="http://filmbrain.typepad.com/" REL="nofollow">Filmbrain has some interesting things to say </A>about the movie .Damian Arlynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07937513879456460221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-28152451239025292502007-06-10T14:11:00.000-07:002007-06-10T14:11:00.000-07:00Well... Nipple-slicing is where I personally draw ...Well... Nipple-slicing is where I personally draw the line (just like I won't view breast operation footage, simply because I adore the damn things too much). And yes, that's one of the reasons I'll stay away from Ichi the Killer, no matter how cartoonish the violence may be.<BR/><BR/>That said: I have a lot of respect for other work by Miike, including AUDITION. A definitive exception would be VISITOR Q--one of the most repulsive films I have ever endured (it would make a great double bill with IRREVERSIBLE if you need a little help slicing those wrists). Thing is: it's a black comedy, but I lost all appetite for humor after the first two shocking family tableaus.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com