(Image: shadowlocked.com)
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Happy Halloween everyone!!!!
I just want to wish everyone a Happy Halloween and I hope you all have a great one!
(Image: shadowlocked.com)
(Image: shadowlocked.com)
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Top 20 Horror Films of the Past 20 Years, Part Two (Top Ten, Halloween reviews)
Continued... (Oh yeah, Happy Halloween!)
10. Ringu (The Ring): This Japanese horror film and it's American remake are insanely terrifying, one critic describes as "(makes) Blair Witch Project seem like a stroll through the woods" (paraphrasing). Following the story of a cursed video tape haunted by the spirit of a deceased young girl, this series made J-horror a big thing in the Western world, and inspired countless other, equally scary films, such as The Grudge (Ju-On), Shutter, and The Eye.
9. Saw: Despite it being credited with creating the abysmal and sickening torture porn subgenre, the first film in this franchise (the only film helmed by hit director James Wan) is actually a really original, suspenseful, and well-crafted horror-thriller, and isn't as gruesome as it's sequels, although there's some really gut-wrenching scenes including a middle-aged man crawling through a barbed wire maze and the severing of a foot (although this isn't seen on screen, but is disturbing because you have to imagine it for yourself). The main cast, including Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Leigh Whannell (the film's writer), Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith due a great job, and although one scene with Elwes is a bit over-the-top, the performances are surprisingly convincing and the characters feel like real people, which makes the film rise above some other torture porn films. It's Wan's direction, Whannell's writing, the cast, the editing, the inventive death traps, scary villain, twist ending, and original score that make Saw worth several viewings, and perfect to watch around Halloween.
8. The Sixth Sense: One of M. Night Shyamalan's better films, this Oscar-nominated drama follows Bruce Willis as psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe, who must help a young boy named Cole (Hlaey Joel Osment), a troubled but kind young boy who claims to be able to communicate with the dead. Despite being more of a drama/thriller, this film still is creepy enough to be considered a horror film, and although the performances and scares are excellent, and the movie is well written, it's the infamous twist ending (something that would become a staple of M. Night's films) that makes this movie memorable.
7. Let the Right One In: This foreign vampire drama focuses on a young boy who wants revenge because he is constantly bullied and overlooked by others, and falls in love with a beautiful young girl next door, who is hiding a dark secret. This disturbing but beautifully shot and well-written horror-drama is one of the best vampire films of the past decade, and wad followed by a decent American remake in 2010 titled Let Me In.
6. The Devil's Rejects: This extremely violent, controversial and disturbing Rob Zombie film is a sequel to the well-intentioned but misguided and mediocre House of 1,000 Corpses, and this film goes for a more realistic tone and has even more brutal and excessive violence than the previous film. It follows the murderous Firefly clan (now only Otis, Baby, and Captain Spaulding are left), as they run from the police in the Southern US in the late 70's. The cast, featuring Rob Zombie regulars such as Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie, Tyler Mane, Ken Foree, Danny Trejo, Leslie Easterbrook, and William Forsythe, all do great jobs, portraying insane and over-the-top characters, but it works for the tone of the film. Forsythe plays the crazy antihero sheriff, who tries to catch the killers and avenge the death of his brother. You root for him most of the time, but towards the end, it's left to the viewers opinion on who to root for: the sheriff or the killers. The use of Southern rock is really interesting, and the use of "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd was very clever and awesome. The film is not for the faint of heart, it is gory, repulsive, and grim, but that's why it's also one of the best horror films of recent times.
5. Audition: Takashi Miike's unsettling J-horror film is probably one of the most intense and disturbing thrillers ever made. It follows an aging widower, who is urged by his film producer buddy and young son to find love again after the death of his wife. He and his film producer friend hold a fake audition to find the perfect woman. He is enticed by a young woman named Asami, who is sweet, innocent, and cheery. But she is not what she seems, and the widower does not realize he has just opened the door into a nightmare, and he won't be the same ever again. The film builds the tension and mystery up until the final sequence, which is a disturbing and graphic torture scene, and is one of the most stomach-churning scenes ever put to Celluloid.
4 1/2. Session 9: In this independent psychological horror film from Brad Anderson (The Machinist, The Call, Fringe), an asbestos removal crew works on an abandoned (and possibly haunted) asylum, and begin experiencing strange activity all throughout the building, possibly caused by the former residents of the infamous establishment. A sub-plot follows the story of a very troubled former patient whose dark past is slowly revealed and unraveled via nine recorded session tapes, a sub-plot which eventually proves to be more important to the main plot than one would think. The suspense, acting, clever writing, unsettling atmosphere and location, cinematography, ambient music, huge plot twist, and creepy and ambiguous final scene make this horror-thriller one I would definitely recommend.
4. The Cabin in the Woods: This horror-comedy from Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Firefly, Buffy, Angel, Dollhouse) and Drew Goddard (writer of Cloverfield, World War Z, Alias, and Buffy) is a hilarious, gory, creepy, surreal, and incredibly well-written homage to horror films. The star-studded cast are excellent, the comedy is extremely well-executed, the horror bits are genuinely scary, and the final sequence is hands-down one of the greatest, if not the greatest, homage to the horror genre in all mediums, but especially film.
3. Insidious: James Wan's surreal and terrifying supernatural thriller film follows a family (Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, and others) who are shocked to find their son Dalton has slipped into a coma. After discovering Dalton's spirit can leave his body in his sleep and has attracted some undead attention, the family must try to get their son back while battling the evil forces surrounding their home. The imagery, music, creature designs, performances, and story are really awesome, and the designs of the ghosts are not only original, but they will stay in your head long after the credits roll.
2 (tie). Sinister: From the producers of Insidious and Paranormal Activity comes this extremely frightening and harrowing film starring Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, James Ransone, Fred Dalton Thompson, and Vincent D'Onofrio. Hawke gives a great performance as a conflicted true crime novelist who discovers a box of old home movies during his latest investigation, only to discover graphic snuff films depicting the murders of families, and must solve the mystery before he and his family are consumed by a supernatural force haunting the films. The use of the medium of film in Sinister is really interesting, especially since the film is written by a former film critic from Spill.com. Director Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) is able to bring the horrifying story of the film to life, and uses some cool cinematography and practical effects (something also employed in Insidious and Cabin in the Woods) to pull off the disturbing images and sequences in the movie. Sinister is a deeply upsetting horror-thriller that will haunt your dreams for a few nights to come.
Frailty: Bill Paxton's directorial debut stars himself and Matthew McConaughey, and focuses on a man's childhood and he and his younger brother's relationship with their religious father (Paxton), who believes God has commanded him to vanquish demons in disguise form the Earth. The man (McConaughey) recounts this story to the FBI, who are hunting the "God's Hand Killer", as the man believes that killer to be his brother, who always believed in their father's quest. A smartly constructed and taut thriller with an unexpected twist, it challenges religion and morals and is one of the better horror films on the 2000s.
1. The Blair Witch Project: The first hugely successful found footage film not only proved to be a box office and critical success, but was also a huge phenomenon when it was released, due to the clever Internet and television marketing campaign, and how some of the posters fro the film were missing persons posters for the characters in the film. Not only that, but the characters in the film are named after the actors portraying them. The shaky camera work, slow-building tension, creepy imagery, fantastic performances, and heart-stopping ending are just a few of the reasons that Blair Witch is still terrifying over a decade later.
Runner-ups: The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Cube, Hostel, Evil Dead, Haute Tension, The Orphanage, The Call of Cthulu (short film), Off Season (short film), Thirst, The Gift, Signs, The Host, Cloverfield, Slither, Dark Water, The Eye, Ju-On: The Grudge, House of 1000 Corpses, Trance, Twixt, Repo Men, Shutter, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), Friday the 13th (2009), V/H/S, V/H/S/2, The Girl Next Door, Shrooms, Cronos, Dawn of the Dead (2004), Paranormal Activity, New Nightmare, Scream 4, Scream 2, 30 Days of Night, Grave Encounters, The Troll Hunter, Black Death, Them, They, Pan's Labyrinth.
(Images: Wikipedia)
10. Ringu (The Ring): This Japanese horror film and it's American remake are insanely terrifying, one critic describes as "(makes) Blair Witch Project seem like a stroll through the woods" (paraphrasing). Following the story of a cursed video tape haunted by the spirit of a deceased young girl, this series made J-horror a big thing in the Western world, and inspired countless other, equally scary films, such as The Grudge (Ju-On), Shutter, and The Eye.
9. Saw: Despite it being credited with creating the abysmal and sickening torture porn subgenre, the first film in this franchise (the only film helmed by hit director James Wan) is actually a really original, suspenseful, and well-crafted horror-thriller, and isn't as gruesome as it's sequels, although there's some really gut-wrenching scenes including a middle-aged man crawling through a barbed wire maze and the severing of a foot (although this isn't seen on screen, but is disturbing because you have to imagine it for yourself). The main cast, including Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Leigh Whannell (the film's writer), Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith due a great job, and although one scene with Elwes is a bit over-the-top, the performances are surprisingly convincing and the characters feel like real people, which makes the film rise above some other torture porn films. It's Wan's direction, Whannell's writing, the cast, the editing, the inventive death traps, scary villain, twist ending, and original score that make Saw worth several viewings, and perfect to watch around Halloween.
8. The Sixth Sense: One of M. Night Shyamalan's better films, this Oscar-nominated drama follows Bruce Willis as psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe, who must help a young boy named Cole (Hlaey Joel Osment), a troubled but kind young boy who claims to be able to communicate with the dead. Despite being more of a drama/thriller, this film still is creepy enough to be considered a horror film, and although the performances and scares are excellent, and the movie is well written, it's the infamous twist ending (something that would become a staple of M. Night's films) that makes this movie memorable.
7. Let the Right One In: This foreign vampire drama focuses on a young boy who wants revenge because he is constantly bullied and overlooked by others, and falls in love with a beautiful young girl next door, who is hiding a dark secret. This disturbing but beautifully shot and well-written horror-drama is one of the best vampire films of the past decade, and wad followed by a decent American remake in 2010 titled Let Me In.
6. The Devil's Rejects: This extremely violent, controversial and disturbing Rob Zombie film is a sequel to the well-intentioned but misguided and mediocre House of 1,000 Corpses, and this film goes for a more realistic tone and has even more brutal and excessive violence than the previous film. It follows the murderous Firefly clan (now only Otis, Baby, and Captain Spaulding are left), as they run from the police in the Southern US in the late 70's. The cast, featuring Rob Zombie regulars such as Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie, Tyler Mane, Ken Foree, Danny Trejo, Leslie Easterbrook, and William Forsythe, all do great jobs, portraying insane and over-the-top characters, but it works for the tone of the film. Forsythe plays the crazy antihero sheriff, who tries to catch the killers and avenge the death of his brother. You root for him most of the time, but towards the end, it's left to the viewers opinion on who to root for: the sheriff or the killers. The use of Southern rock is really interesting, and the use of "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd was very clever and awesome. The film is not for the faint of heart, it is gory, repulsive, and grim, but that's why it's also one of the best horror films of recent times.
5. Audition: Takashi Miike's unsettling J-horror film is probably one of the most intense and disturbing thrillers ever made. It follows an aging widower, who is urged by his film producer buddy and young son to find love again after the death of his wife. He and his film producer friend hold a fake audition to find the perfect woman. He is enticed by a young woman named Asami, who is sweet, innocent, and cheery. But she is not what she seems, and the widower does not realize he has just opened the door into a nightmare, and he won't be the same ever again. The film builds the tension and mystery up until the final sequence, which is a disturbing and graphic torture scene, and is one of the most stomach-churning scenes ever put to Celluloid.
4 1/2. Session 9: In this independent psychological horror film from Brad Anderson (The Machinist, The Call, Fringe), an asbestos removal crew works on an abandoned (and possibly haunted) asylum, and begin experiencing strange activity all throughout the building, possibly caused by the former residents of the infamous establishment. A sub-plot follows the story of a very troubled former patient whose dark past is slowly revealed and unraveled via nine recorded session tapes, a sub-plot which eventually proves to be more important to the main plot than one would think. The suspense, acting, clever writing, unsettling atmosphere and location, cinematography, ambient music, huge plot twist, and creepy and ambiguous final scene make this horror-thriller one I would definitely recommend.
4. The Cabin in the Woods: This horror-comedy from Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Firefly, Buffy, Angel, Dollhouse) and Drew Goddard (writer of Cloverfield, World War Z, Alias, and Buffy) is a hilarious, gory, creepy, surreal, and incredibly well-written homage to horror films. The star-studded cast are excellent, the comedy is extremely well-executed, the horror bits are genuinely scary, and the final sequence is hands-down one of the greatest, if not the greatest, homage to the horror genre in all mediums, but especially film.
3. Insidious: James Wan's surreal and terrifying supernatural thriller film follows a family (Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, and others) who are shocked to find their son Dalton has slipped into a coma. After discovering Dalton's spirit can leave his body in his sleep and has attracted some undead attention, the family must try to get their son back while battling the evil forces surrounding their home. The imagery, music, creature designs, performances, and story are really awesome, and the designs of the ghosts are not only original, but they will stay in your head long after the credits roll.
2 (tie). Sinister: From the producers of Insidious and Paranormal Activity comes this extremely frightening and harrowing film starring Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, James Ransone, Fred Dalton Thompson, and Vincent D'Onofrio. Hawke gives a great performance as a conflicted true crime novelist who discovers a box of old home movies during his latest investigation, only to discover graphic snuff films depicting the murders of families, and must solve the mystery before he and his family are consumed by a supernatural force haunting the films. The use of the medium of film in Sinister is really interesting, especially since the film is written by a former film critic from Spill.com. Director Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) is able to bring the horrifying story of the film to life, and uses some cool cinematography and practical effects (something also employed in Insidious and Cabin in the Woods) to pull off the disturbing images and sequences in the movie. Sinister is a deeply upsetting horror-thriller that will haunt your dreams for a few nights to come.
Frailty: Bill Paxton's directorial debut stars himself and Matthew McConaughey, and focuses on a man's childhood and he and his younger brother's relationship with their religious father (Paxton), who believes God has commanded him to vanquish demons in disguise form the Earth. The man (McConaughey) recounts this story to the FBI, who are hunting the "God's Hand Killer", as the man believes that killer to be his brother, who always believed in their father's quest. A smartly constructed and taut thriller with an unexpected twist, it challenges religion and morals and is one of the better horror films on the 2000s.
1. The Blair Witch Project: The first hugely successful found footage film not only proved to be a box office and critical success, but was also a huge phenomenon when it was released, due to the clever Internet and television marketing campaign, and how some of the posters fro the film were missing persons posters for the characters in the film. Not only that, but the characters in the film are named after the actors portraying them. The shaky camera work, slow-building tension, creepy imagery, fantastic performances, and heart-stopping ending are just a few of the reasons that Blair Witch is still terrifying over a decade later.
Runner-ups: The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Cube, Hostel, Evil Dead, Haute Tension, The Orphanage, The Call of Cthulu (short film), Off Season (short film), Thirst, The Gift, Signs, The Host, Cloverfield, Slither, Dark Water, The Eye, Ju-On: The Grudge, House of 1000 Corpses, Trance, Twixt, Repo Men, Shutter, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), Friday the 13th (2009), V/H/S, V/H/S/2, The Girl Next Door, Shrooms, Cronos, Dawn of the Dead (2004), Paranormal Activity, New Nightmare, Scream 4, Scream 2, 30 Days of Night, Grave Encounters, The Troll Hunter, Black Death, Them, They, Pan's Labyrinth.
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(Images: Wikipedia)Monday, October 28, 2013
Top 20 Horror Films of the Past 20 Years, Part One (Halloween reviews)
Today, I decided, in celebration of Halloween, to count down my favorite horror films of the past 20 years. By the way: my reviews of The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Batman: Arkham Origins, Grand Theft Auto IV, and The Wolf Among Us should be up soon enough.
20. Fido: This black comedy/satire starring Billy Connolly, Dylan Baker, Carrie Ann-Moss, and Tim Blake Nelson entertains you with it's very odd story about a boy and his best friend: his pet zombie named Fido. The film has some pretty dark moments, but they're played for humor, and the film never feels unbalanced, and keeps the horror elements equal with the comedic ones. It's a strange, clever, and twisted movie, but it's one of the best horror-comedies of the past 10 years.
19. The Signal: A dark and strange independent horror film. In the fictional city of Terminus, a strange signal being broadcast via television stations and radio waves is turning normal people into psychopaths. The city begins to collapse into chaos, and groups of survivors attempt to escape. The movie chronicles three different stories, which all intertwine, and all have different genres that they cover: the first is a gruesome splatter film, the second is a gory black comedy, and the third is a horror-romance. The actors really pull the characters off, and the writers and director made a really original and clever horror film. The ambiguous ending was the perfect way to end it.
18. Jeepers Creepers: Victor Salva (Clownhouse) and Francis Ford Coppola's collaboration starring Justin Long and Gina Phillips has many faults, but overall is a chilling thriller with a very creepy villain. The use of the song "Jeepers Creepers" was so effective that now the song, originally a romantic piece, is associated with horror. The disturbing imagery, surreal atmosphere, and terrifying villain make this film worth watching.
17. Grindhouse: This fantastic homage to sleazy grindhouse films of the 70's is packed with sex, gore, and A and B-list actors. The fake trailers at the intermission, grainy look, over-the-top graphic violence, and cinematography make these films look really authentic. These are mandatory viewing by any fan of grindhouse films, or film fanatic in general. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's double feature is entertaining and fun, even if it sometimes crosses the line, and was successful enough to spawn the spin-offs Machete and Hobo with a Shotgun.
16. The Conjuring: James Wan's terrifying true story chronicles the real-life tale of the Warrens, two paranormal investigators, whose most horrifying case was that of a family haunted by a vengeful demon. The fantastic acting, writing, pacing, and special effects make The Conjuring one of the scariest movies of the past 5 years.
15. Shaun of the Dead: This horror-comedy from Edgar Wright stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as two slackers who must fight to survive when a small zombie apocalypse breaks out in their small English town. This movie is gory, hilarious, and witty, and is not only one of my favorite comedies, but one of my favorite zombie movies.
14. The Others: This Spanish-British film starring Nicole Kidman features some incredibly eerie imagery and has a great twist ending. The movie is suspenseful and harrowing, and the scene with the pale little girl covered in the sheet is enough to send shivers down the spine.
13. The Devil's Backbone: Guillermo del Toro's disturbing but beautifully shot Spanish ghost story features some incredibly unsettling images of dead children, but is not too frightening, in fact it has some intriguing and deep themes that fans of straightforward dramas can enjoy.
12. Land of the Dead: George A. Romero's return to the zombie film genre is an action-packed, gory, and clever social satire and shows how humans have adapted to survive the zombie apocalypse. John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper give really awesome and over-the-top performances in the movies, and the main zombie "Big Daddy" is really cool and kind of the hero of the film, and he actually begins to evolve to be more humane and less flesh-hungry. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost also make cameos as zombies in the film, as Romero really enjoyed Shaun of the Dead and asked them to appear in the film.
11. Freddy vs. Jason: This made the list for sheer entertainment factor. It's not the most clever or well-written or original horror film, but it's just really cool to see these two horror icons battle it out. Of course the ending is left ambiguous so as not to piss off either fan base, which is kind of disappointing, but overall the fight scenes and gore make this movie a standout in the slasher subgenre, and it's also one of the better "versus"/crossover movies out there.
To be continued...
(Images: Wikipedia)
20. Fido: This black comedy/satire starring Billy Connolly, Dylan Baker, Carrie Ann-Moss, and Tim Blake Nelson entertains you with it's very odd story about a boy and his best friend: his pet zombie named Fido. The film has some pretty dark moments, but they're played for humor, and the film never feels unbalanced, and keeps the horror elements equal with the comedic ones. It's a strange, clever, and twisted movie, but it's one of the best horror-comedies of the past 10 years.
19. The Signal: A dark and strange independent horror film. In the fictional city of Terminus, a strange signal being broadcast via television stations and radio waves is turning normal people into psychopaths. The city begins to collapse into chaos, and groups of survivors attempt to escape. The movie chronicles three different stories, which all intertwine, and all have different genres that they cover: the first is a gruesome splatter film, the second is a gory black comedy, and the third is a horror-romance. The actors really pull the characters off, and the writers and director made a really original and clever horror film. The ambiguous ending was the perfect way to end it.
18. Jeepers Creepers: Victor Salva (Clownhouse) and Francis Ford Coppola's collaboration starring Justin Long and Gina Phillips has many faults, but overall is a chilling thriller with a very creepy villain. The use of the song "Jeepers Creepers" was so effective that now the song, originally a romantic piece, is associated with horror. The disturbing imagery, surreal atmosphere, and terrifying villain make this film worth watching.
17. Grindhouse: This fantastic homage to sleazy grindhouse films of the 70's is packed with sex, gore, and A and B-list actors. The fake trailers at the intermission, grainy look, over-the-top graphic violence, and cinematography make these films look really authentic. These are mandatory viewing by any fan of grindhouse films, or film fanatic in general. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's double feature is entertaining and fun, even if it sometimes crosses the line, and was successful enough to spawn the spin-offs Machete and Hobo with a Shotgun.
16. The Conjuring: James Wan's terrifying true story chronicles the real-life tale of the Warrens, two paranormal investigators, whose most horrifying case was that of a family haunted by a vengeful demon. The fantastic acting, writing, pacing, and special effects make The Conjuring one of the scariest movies of the past 5 years.
15. Shaun of the Dead: This horror-comedy from Edgar Wright stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as two slackers who must fight to survive when a small zombie apocalypse breaks out in their small English town. This movie is gory, hilarious, and witty, and is not only one of my favorite comedies, but one of my favorite zombie movies.
14. The Others: This Spanish-British film starring Nicole Kidman features some incredibly eerie imagery and has a great twist ending. The movie is suspenseful and harrowing, and the scene with the pale little girl covered in the sheet is enough to send shivers down the spine.
13. The Devil's Backbone: Guillermo del Toro's disturbing but beautifully shot Spanish ghost story features some incredibly unsettling images of dead children, but is not too frightening, in fact it has some intriguing and deep themes that fans of straightforward dramas can enjoy.
12. Land of the Dead: George A. Romero's return to the zombie film genre is an action-packed, gory, and clever social satire and shows how humans have adapted to survive the zombie apocalypse. John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper give really awesome and over-the-top performances in the movies, and the main zombie "Big Daddy" is really cool and kind of the hero of the film, and he actually begins to evolve to be more humane and less flesh-hungry. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost also make cameos as zombies in the film, as Romero really enjoyed Shaun of the Dead and asked them to appear in the film.
11. Freddy vs. Jason: This made the list for sheer entertainment factor. It's not the most clever or well-written or original horror film, but it's just really cool to see these two horror icons battle it out. Of course the ending is left ambiguous so as not to piss off either fan base, which is kind of disappointing, but overall the fight scenes and gore make this movie a standout in the slasher subgenre, and it's also one of the better "versus"/crossover movies out there.
To be continued...
(Images: Wikipedia)Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Friday the 13th (1980 original): One of the first "true" slasher films (Halloween reviews)
Today, I look at one of the most influential films of the slasher film subgenre.
Friday the 13th:
In 1979, some young adults decide to spend a few days having fun at the newly renovated Camp Crystal Lake, which was shut down years earlier because of some brutal and unsolved murders there. Unfortunately for the teens, someone has decided to be a copycat killer and begins picking them off one-by-one, usually after they do something promiscuous, such as having pre-marital sex or smoking some weed. This film was one of the biggest box-office successes of 1980, and, although Halloween is a fantastic movie that set up a lot of slasher movie ground rules, Friday has one thing that that film didn't: gore, and plenty of it. It also had a fair amount of nudity. The original Halloween only had one small scene where a woman is briefly seen topless, and had almost no blood (save for one small moment). This film appealed to the two main selling points of horror films at the time, and the two most primal human interests: sex and violence. The cast, being a bunch of young unknowns, do a decent job with the roles they're given. Kevin Bacon even has a supporting role as a camper who is (spoilers) killed via an arrow through the neck (one of the most memorable kills in the series). This was before he got big with Footloose. Adrienne King (Saturday Night Fever, Hair) does a good job as the leading lady Alice, who is the "last girl", a cliché in slasher films, where the final survivor who defeats the killer is a virgin girl (usually a brunette). Betsy Palmer does a great job as Mrs. Voorhees, the mother of a little boy named Jason who drowned at the camp as a little boy. That's right, Jason was not the killer in the original, it was his crazed mother, who was driven to kill after counselors failed to save her deformed son from drowning, as they were too busy having sex in a cabin somewhere. (Sorry for spoiling the twist.) Palmer has this really creepy moment, where she starts talking to herself, but talks to herself as if it was Jason speaking to her, telling her to kill Alice and the other campers. The movie has some great suspense and really brutal kills, which were considered extremely graphic at the time, some even said it crossed the line. The music is really atmospheric, and the main theme/chant (ch-ch-ch-ah-ah-ah) is iconic and eerie. The composer Harry Manfredini said in an interview he got the idea for the Jason theme by taking Betsy Palmer's line "kill her mommy" and broke it down to just "k-k-k-ma-ma-ma" to create the chant. The direction by Sean S. Cunningham (producer of Wes Craven's classic The Last House on the Left) and writing by Victor Miller are satisfactory, and Miller is responsible for the creation of the iconic Jason Voorhees and his crazy mother. The special effects and makeup work by Tom Savini are extremely well-done and were pretty innovative at the time. You really have to appreciate all the hard work Savini did to make the film work, without him, the film wouldn't have all the awesome effects and gore people love the series for. Friday the 13th may not be the greatest horror film ever made, but it is really entertaining and is one of the most influential and successful horror films of all time. (The ending scare is also one of the most well-executed "jump scares" ever, and is one of the most effective ending scares in any horror film.) 3.5/5 stars.
(Image: Wikipedia)
Friday the 13th:
In 1979, some young adults decide to spend a few days having fun at the newly renovated Camp Crystal Lake, which was shut down years earlier because of some brutal and unsolved murders there. Unfortunately for the teens, someone has decided to be a copycat killer and begins picking them off one-by-one, usually after they do something promiscuous, such as having pre-marital sex or smoking some weed. This film was one of the biggest box-office successes of 1980, and, although Halloween is a fantastic movie that set up a lot of slasher movie ground rules, Friday has one thing that that film didn't: gore, and plenty of it. It also had a fair amount of nudity. The original Halloween only had one small scene where a woman is briefly seen topless, and had almost no blood (save for one small moment). This film appealed to the two main selling points of horror films at the time, and the two most primal human interests: sex and violence. The cast, being a bunch of young unknowns, do a decent job with the roles they're given. Kevin Bacon even has a supporting role as a camper who is (spoilers) killed via an arrow through the neck (one of the most memorable kills in the series). This was before he got big with Footloose. Adrienne King (Saturday Night Fever, Hair) does a good job as the leading lady Alice, who is the "last girl", a cliché in slasher films, where the final survivor who defeats the killer is a virgin girl (usually a brunette). Betsy Palmer does a great job as Mrs. Voorhees, the mother of a little boy named Jason who drowned at the camp as a little boy. That's right, Jason was not the killer in the original, it was his crazed mother, who was driven to kill after counselors failed to save her deformed son from drowning, as they were too busy having sex in a cabin somewhere. (Sorry for spoiling the twist.) Palmer has this really creepy moment, where she starts talking to herself, but talks to herself as if it was Jason speaking to her, telling her to kill Alice and the other campers. The movie has some great suspense and really brutal kills, which were considered extremely graphic at the time, some even said it crossed the line. The music is really atmospheric, and the main theme/chant (ch-ch-ch-ah-ah-ah) is iconic and eerie. The composer Harry Manfredini said in an interview he got the idea for the Jason theme by taking Betsy Palmer's line "kill her mommy" and broke it down to just "k-k-k-ma-ma-ma" to create the chant. The direction by Sean S. Cunningham (producer of Wes Craven's classic The Last House on the Left) and writing by Victor Miller are satisfactory, and Miller is responsible for the creation of the iconic Jason Voorhees and his crazy mother. The special effects and makeup work by Tom Savini are extremely well-done and were pretty innovative at the time. You really have to appreciate all the hard work Savini did to make the film work, without him, the film wouldn't have all the awesome effects and gore people love the series for. Friday the 13th may not be the greatest horror film ever made, but it is really entertaining and is one of the most influential and successful horror films of all time. (The ending scare is also one of the most well-executed "jump scares" ever, and is one of the most effective ending scares in any horror film.) 3.5/5 stars.
(Image: Wikipedia)
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Triple Review: September Movies (Prisoners, Don Jon, and Rush)
Today, I'll be reviewing three different films I saw recently, which include the directorial debut of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and a sports drama directed by Ron Howard.
Prisoners:
On Thanksgiving, two little girls go missing after playing around an old RV. The two families, the Dovers (Hugh Jackman and Maria Bello) and the Birches (Terence Howard and Viola Davis) are devastated. Detective Loki apprehends a suspect, an odd, but quiet and peaceful young man named Alex Jones (yeah, like the conspiracy theorist) who lives with his kind old aunt. Loki must let him go as he can't find any evidence against him. One of the fathers, Keller Dover, becomes obsessed with the suspect and attempts to take the law into his own hands. Meanwhile, Loki investigates further, and uncovers far more disturbing than he expected. This movie isn't as good as some other drama-thrillers I've seen, but this is a good movie. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal (Loki) are really awesome in the movie. Both are obsessed with the case, but they handle their obsession differently. Jackman sees the case as an ends justify the means-type of situation, and resorts to criminal activity to get what he wants. Gyllenhaal stays within the law, but does use violence from time to time, like beating up a suspect in a fit of rage. The rest of the cast are great as well. It includes big name stars such as Maria Bello, Viola Davis, Terence Howard, and Melissa Leo. Paul Dano gives a good performance as Alex Jones, and you start to feel bad for him, because he takes an extreme beating in this movie. Poor Paul Dano, every movie he's in, whether it be There will be Blood or Looper or this, he always plays an innocent guy who gets horribly wronged in some way for no good reason and you feel really sorry for him. This movie is very dark and grim for most of the running time, and it's really emotionally draining, so if you're looking for a light-hearted movie, go see something else. It's entertaining, but at times it's a bit slow, and it's about 2 and a half hours long, so you've really got to be in the mood for it. The film is well-written and it's got some beautiful cinematography, but it's a bit slow and a little too bleak. The plot is really complex and gets a bit convoluted and confusing at points, but I was able to keep up with it, and the twist ending isn't that big of a surprise, as you can predict it ten minutes before it actually happens. Prisoners is a well-made and realistic thriller, but it can drag it's feet a little too often, but the performances make up for that, I'd recommend it if you're a fan of films like Zodiac and Brothers (both of which also feature Gyllenhaal). 3.5/5 stars. Note: the film was executive produced by Mark Wahlberg.
Don Jon:
Jon is a somewhat immature and porn-addicted young man living in New Jersey. He prefers porn to actual sex, until he meets a beautiful young woman named Barbara, who likes him but hates porn. He gives it up for a while, but then secretly attempts to pick up his old habit, but is caught by Barbara. He now must learn what to do about his porn addiction and how to fix his relationship. That's about all I can say so far. I will say the film can be pretty funny at times, but it's a lot different than I thought. Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a great job in the film, especially since he has a triple role (director, writer, main star). Originally, Channing Tatum was cast as the main star, but his role was restricted to a cameo. The rest of the cast, which includes Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Brie Larson (who has one line), and Glenne Headly, do a great job as well. Besides Tatum, other celebrity cameos include Anne Hathaway, John Krasinski, Cuba Gooding Jr, Emily Blunt (Gordon-Levitt's costar from Looper), and Meagan Good. The film has a pretty cool soundtrack and some good acting. The film has some good editing and interesting cinematography choices. Don Jon is pretty entertaining and well-made for a directorial debut, even if it's not at all like I thought it would be. 3/5 stars.
Rush:
This film chronicles the true story of the rivalry between Formula 1 drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt. It also chronicles the struggles they went through to become world champions, including Lauda's infamous burning injury during a race. Ron Howard directs this sports drama, and he shows he still knows how to make a good movie. Chris Hemsworth and Peter Bruhl give effective performances as Hunt and Lauda, respectively. Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara, and Pierfrancesco Favino also appear in supporting roles. The plot moves at a brisk pace, but still feels pretty long, because the film is 2 and a half hours. The soundtrack in this film is really good, and the racing scenes are thrilling and fast-paced. The film is really compelling and is very true-to-life, similar to last year's film Argo. The film, despite being marketed as focusing on Hunt, focuses more on Lauda and is mostly narrated by him. Howard does a great job directing and doesn't drag his feet in too many places. Peter Morgan's script is really good and I really enjoyed the dialogue and characters. This and Prisoners are probably my favorites out of the three films I've reviewed today. Rush is a well-paced and exhilarating but also intriguing biopic and drama film, and probably one of the best of the fall season. 4/5 stars.
(Images: Wikipedia)
Prisoners:
On Thanksgiving, two little girls go missing after playing around an old RV. The two families, the Dovers (Hugh Jackman and Maria Bello) and the Birches (Terence Howard and Viola Davis) are devastated. Detective Loki apprehends a suspect, an odd, but quiet and peaceful young man named Alex Jones (yeah, like the conspiracy theorist) who lives with his kind old aunt. Loki must let him go as he can't find any evidence against him. One of the fathers, Keller Dover, becomes obsessed with the suspect and attempts to take the law into his own hands. Meanwhile, Loki investigates further, and uncovers far more disturbing than he expected. This movie isn't as good as some other drama-thrillers I've seen, but this is a good movie. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal (Loki) are really awesome in the movie. Both are obsessed with the case, but they handle their obsession differently. Jackman sees the case as an ends justify the means-type of situation, and resorts to criminal activity to get what he wants. Gyllenhaal stays within the law, but does use violence from time to time, like beating up a suspect in a fit of rage. The rest of the cast are great as well. It includes big name stars such as Maria Bello, Viola Davis, Terence Howard, and Melissa Leo. Paul Dano gives a good performance as Alex Jones, and you start to feel bad for him, because he takes an extreme beating in this movie. Poor Paul Dano, every movie he's in, whether it be There will be Blood or Looper or this, he always plays an innocent guy who gets horribly wronged in some way for no good reason and you feel really sorry for him. This movie is very dark and grim for most of the running time, and it's really emotionally draining, so if you're looking for a light-hearted movie, go see something else. It's entertaining, but at times it's a bit slow, and it's about 2 and a half hours long, so you've really got to be in the mood for it. The film is well-written and it's got some beautiful cinematography, but it's a bit slow and a little too bleak. The plot is really complex and gets a bit convoluted and confusing at points, but I was able to keep up with it, and the twist ending isn't that big of a surprise, as you can predict it ten minutes before it actually happens. Prisoners is a well-made and realistic thriller, but it can drag it's feet a little too often, but the performances make up for that, I'd recommend it if you're a fan of films like Zodiac and Brothers (both of which also feature Gyllenhaal). 3.5/5 stars. Note: the film was executive produced by Mark Wahlberg.
Don Jon:
Jon is a somewhat immature and porn-addicted young man living in New Jersey. He prefers porn to actual sex, until he meets a beautiful young woman named Barbara, who likes him but hates porn. He gives it up for a while, but then secretly attempts to pick up his old habit, but is caught by Barbara. He now must learn what to do about his porn addiction and how to fix his relationship. That's about all I can say so far. I will say the film can be pretty funny at times, but it's a lot different than I thought. Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a great job in the film, especially since he has a triple role (director, writer, main star). Originally, Channing Tatum was cast as the main star, but his role was restricted to a cameo. The rest of the cast, which includes Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Brie Larson (who has one line), and Glenne Headly, do a great job as well. Besides Tatum, other celebrity cameos include Anne Hathaway, John Krasinski, Cuba Gooding Jr, Emily Blunt (Gordon-Levitt's costar from Looper), and Meagan Good. The film has a pretty cool soundtrack and some good acting. The film has some good editing and interesting cinematography choices. Don Jon is pretty entertaining and well-made for a directorial debut, even if it's not at all like I thought it would be. 3/5 stars.
Rush:
This film chronicles the true story of the rivalry between Formula 1 drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt. It also chronicles the struggles they went through to become world champions, including Lauda's infamous burning injury during a race. Ron Howard directs this sports drama, and he shows he still knows how to make a good movie. Chris Hemsworth and Peter Bruhl give effective performances as Hunt and Lauda, respectively. Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara, and Pierfrancesco Favino also appear in supporting roles. The plot moves at a brisk pace, but still feels pretty long, because the film is 2 and a half hours. The soundtrack in this film is really good, and the racing scenes are thrilling and fast-paced. The film is really compelling and is very true-to-life, similar to last year's film Argo. The film, despite being marketed as focusing on Hunt, focuses more on Lauda and is mostly narrated by him. Howard does a great job directing and doesn't drag his feet in too many places. Peter Morgan's script is really good and I really enjoyed the dialogue and characters. This and Prisoners are probably my favorites out of the three films I've reviewed today. Rush is a well-paced and exhilarating but also intriguing biopic and drama film, and probably one of the best of the fall season. 4/5 stars.
(Images: Wikipedia)
Friday, October 18, 2013
Top 10 Slasher Movie Villains: The worst of the worst when it comes to serial killers in movies.
Another birthday top 10 (I started writing on my b-day, didn't post until now), this time, I cover the most influential, scary, and effective villains in the slasher movie sub-genre.
10. Chucky from Child's Play series: Serial killer Charles Lee Ray, after being shot-down, uses a voodoo spell to transport his soul into the body of a "Good Guys" doll, and then stalks a young boy named Andy, trying to place his soul in Andy's body. Although this character is more funny than he is scary, he still has left an impact on the horror genre, and the "killer doll" sub-genre. Even though none of the Child's Play films amount to anything more than guilty pleasures or dumb fun, Chucky still manages to scare many people. I've never personally found him scary, but I guess many people still do. Brad Dourif (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Lord of the Rings) does the voice perfectly, and you can tell he has fun playing the character. Even though the series has now gotten so stale it's become straight-to-Bluray fare (Curse of Chucky), Chucky is still a lot of fun to watch, and he's pretty funny, too, for a serial killing doll.
9. Ghostface from Scream series: This character was originally two different killers masquerading as one, and has now become a series of murderous duos who have taken on the mantle of "Ghostface", who all want to kill Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends. Although the Scream series is more like a mix of comedy, teen romance, and horror, the killer in the films is still really effective and threatening. He has a really cool voice, provided by voice actor Roger L. Jackson. Jackson has a really sinister and awesome voice, and he sounds like he's having the time of his life playing the ruthless and sadistic killer. Jackson is also famous for voicing Mojo-Jojo on Powerpuff Girls, after learning that, I don't think I'll ever think of that show the same. Anyway, the Ghostface killer possesses nearly superhuman strength and stealth, despite always being the average human being, and those two abilities make him a force to be reckoned with, and he's responsible for injuring and even killing off beloved Scream characters in nearly every movie. He's one of the few horror killers on this list to really seriously injure or even kill recurring characters in his respective series.
8. Norman Bates from Psycho series: Norman is a handsome but shy and very awkward and lonely young man who manages his family business, the Bates Motel, located off a dark highway. He lives with his aging and sick mother, who seems to control her son, and force him to do evil things for her benefit. Anthony Perkins delivers a fantastic performance in all the films, playing the disturbed and lonely Norman Bates. You take pity on him in much of the film, as his evil tendencies are brought on by a split personality named "Norma", which was brought on by years of abuse from his controlling and strict mother. Norman is one of the most influential horror killers ever, influencing everyone from Alex in A Clockwork Orange, to Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs (in fact, they were based on the same real-life person: Ed Gein).
7. The Firefly Family from the Rob Zombie films (House of 1,000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects): This sick, sadistic, and completely insane family enjoys torturing, raping, and inhumanely killing random, innocent people, including children. Led by Captain Spaulding, a killer clown; Otis B. Driftwood, a crazed "artist" and serial killer; and Baby, the beautiful but evil daughter of Spaulding and half-sister of Otis, this clan of inbred psychos was eventually killed off, ending their brutal reign of terror. The performances are fantastic in the two films, and the actors really do a great job bringing these insane and inhumane characters to life.
6. Pinhead and the Cenobites from the Hellraiser series: Despite this series not really being a slasher franchise per se, Pinhead and his small, but fiercely loyal group of sadomasochistic demon followers are terrifying. The creations of horror writer Clive Barker, they are extradimensional entities who travel through time and space to claim victims (those who accidentally unlocked an ancient puzzle box), no one can reason with them or escape, once you are caught, you are subjected to an eternity of a twisted mix of excruciating pain and divine pleasure. They themselves are victims of the puzzle box, who were claimed throughout time, and have lost memories of their past selves. Tragic but eerie figures, these S&M monsters have become a staple of pop culture, and a favorite among horror fans. Doug Bradley has played Pinhead in every single film, even the direct-to-video ones, and he really does a great job portraying the emotionless and ruthless leader of the Cenobites. These characters and the films they exist in were creepy enough to get Stephen King to label Clive Barker as "the future of horror fiction".
5. Jigsaw from the Saw series: Despite this franchise being more of a torture porn/violent crime-thriller series, you can't deny Jigsaw's impact on pop culture and the horror genre. An aging and diseased man, John Kramer (aka The Jigsaw Killer, portrayed by Tobin Bell) plays twisted "games" with people he views as not appreciating their lives, which usually involve them being gruesomely tortured mentally and physically through intricate traps, and shedding some of their blood, and the blood of others, to stay alive. As Jigsaw does not every directly kill anyone, he cannot be considered a "slasher" or serial killer, but he, like many others, has become a beloved horror icon and has become one of the more recognizable horror villains (even though he technically is an "antihero", as he does what he does to "better" the world around him). Just like Ghostface, Jigsaw is actually a line of killers trained by the original. John Kramer is actually only alive during the first 3 films, and is seen throughout the other 4 in flashbacks and on videotapes, but his role is still very important and prominent. Tobin Bell also gives a really good performance as Kramer, who, like many cinema psychos who kill for a "good cause" (like in Seven), defends his actions with sound logic.
4. Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th series: Even though Jason actually didn't appear in the first film, and his hockey mask didn't show up until part three, Jason is still one of the most recognized and popular horror characters of all time. Despite not having much of a personality (being a lumbering, mute zombie), he still is very memorable for his inventive and brutal kills, signature look, and trademark machete (even though he sometimes uses a hatchet). Jason has been played by many different actors but I believe the three most memorable ones who really pulled it off were Kane Hodder (who played Jason in four films, from part six-part ten), Ken Kirzinger (Freddy vs. Jason), and Derek Mears (the 2009 reboot). The song of a crazy mother-turned-murderer, Jason is a tragic character who was a deformed child who was teased constantly, and who drowned in a lake at summer camp. Returning from the grave as a hulking zombie behemoth, Jason took to killing anyone who entered his territory, the abandoned Camp Crystal Lake. Showing off his now superhuman strength, stealth, and endurance, Jason is unstoppable and comes back from the dead time and time again to wreak havoc on the teens who invade his home.
3. Leatherface, aka Jedediah "Jed/Bubba" Sawyer, aka Thomas Hewitt, from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series: Now, two versions of the character actually exist: the original, played by many actors (originally it was Gunnar Hansen), who, while large and strong, is nothing more than a "big baby" (according to director Tobe Hooper), who obeys his family's demands and is taught to fear strangers, and sees what he does as self-defense (the baby behavior is also due to his mental retardation, which was possibly brought on by inbreeding). The remake version (portrayed by Andrew Bryniarski), while still mentally disabled, appears to be a much more brutal and sinister figure, with an even scarier mask to boot. He is now basically a superhuman giant with a tragic backstory and a bad skin condition who obeys his family, but also has his own goals, even if they are minor ones. Leatherface, no matter which portrayal you prefer, will always be very scary because he feels real. There's nothing about the character that seems fake, cheesy, or over-the-top, you actually believe the actor portraying him may be a mentally disturbed murderer, and that's pretty scary to think about.
2. Michael Myers from the Halloween franchise: Another character with two distinct versions, I'm gonna go with the classic version, because, as much as I respect Rob Zombie and like his work, the remake version is total fucking garbage, it ruins the whole character. The original incarnation of Michael is not huge or excessively brutal and certainly doesn't talk, (Seriously, why did he talk in the remake series, what the fuck was that?) he's just a normal-looking guy with some serious issues. Murdering his teenage sister on Halloween night in 1963, he was taken to a mental ward as a child and escaped on October 30th of 1978, 15 years later. Now a grown adult, he took out his anger and rage on a group of promiscuous teens on Halloween night in the fictional city of Haddonfield, Illinois. But, instead of getting really angry like Leatherface or being really aggressive like Jason, Michael Myers stalks his victims very stealthily, and takes them out with surgical precision, and doesn't overdo it, he does what he needs to do and moves on, like an assassin or hitman. Michael Myers has gained some enemies over the years, including teenage babysitter Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) and his psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis (played by Donald Pleasance), as they are about the only two people who have ever escaped him. Michael Myers was the first true slasher villain and the "silent, stalking murderer" become the basic character type for all slasher villains to come... all until 1984.
1. Freddy Krueger from the A Nightmare on Elm Street series: A sadistic child murderer who was killed in a building fire, this scarred and burned, wise-cracking murderer now haunts the dreams of teens and adolescents, waiting for the right moment to strike. Now, as much as I love the other characters on this list, Freddy is #1 because he is one of the few slasher villains to have a really distinct face and voice, where most other villains are masked and silent (Myers, Jason), or masked and rarely speak coherent words (Leatherface). Freddy not only has a distinct and somewhat mismatched outfit (which the series has sometimes self-mocked), but he has a funny and original personality. Nobody before 1984 ever thought a slasher villain would spew bad one-liners and puns every time he killed a victim. Freddy also has some of the most unique kills ever put to film, as, since he invades his victims' dreams, he can do almost anything. Now, the remake version was good, too (that version was portrayed by Jackie Earle Haley), but I'm mainly focusing on the original version, portrayed by Robert Englund, who portrayed Freddy so well he stayed on as the character throughout every film except the 2010 remake. The series may have gotten a little too cheesy and over-the-top after a while (until New Nightmare and Freddy vs. Jason came out), but Freddy always remained consistently entertaining to watch. Robert Englund and Wes Craven really were able to bring this character to life. Freddy's personality, striking and distinct appearance, inventive and gruesome kills, and bad puns and jokes make Freddy the number 1 slasher villain of all time.
Runner-ups: The Leprechaun from Leprechaun (didn't make it because the character isn't all that influential and the series is kind of stupid), The Creeper from Jeepers Creepers, Victor Crowley from Hatchet, Candyman from Candyman (not really a slasher), Pennywise the Dancing Clown from Stephen King's IT (not a slasher), Xenomoprh from Alien, Predator from Predator, Pumpkinhead from Pumpkinhead, and Dr. Hannibal Lector from the Hannibal series (not really a slasher villain).
(Images: horror-movies.wikia.com, BeyondHollywood.com, Wikipedia, lookatmissohio.wordpress.com, ign.com, comicvine.com, halloweenmovie.wikia.com)
10. Chucky from Child's Play series: Serial killer Charles Lee Ray, after being shot-down, uses a voodoo spell to transport his soul into the body of a "Good Guys" doll, and then stalks a young boy named Andy, trying to place his soul in Andy's body. Although this character is more funny than he is scary, he still has left an impact on the horror genre, and the "killer doll" sub-genre. Even though none of the Child's Play films amount to anything more than guilty pleasures or dumb fun, Chucky still manages to scare many people. I've never personally found him scary, but I guess many people still do. Brad Dourif (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Lord of the Rings) does the voice perfectly, and you can tell he has fun playing the character. Even though the series has now gotten so stale it's become straight-to-Bluray fare (Curse of Chucky), Chucky is still a lot of fun to watch, and he's pretty funny, too, for a serial killing doll.
9. Ghostface from Scream series: This character was originally two different killers masquerading as one, and has now become a series of murderous duos who have taken on the mantle of "Ghostface", who all want to kill Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends. Although the Scream series is more like a mix of comedy, teen romance, and horror, the killer in the films is still really effective and threatening. He has a really cool voice, provided by voice actor Roger L. Jackson. Jackson has a really sinister and awesome voice, and he sounds like he's having the time of his life playing the ruthless and sadistic killer. Jackson is also famous for voicing Mojo-Jojo on Powerpuff Girls, after learning that, I don't think I'll ever think of that show the same. Anyway, the Ghostface killer possesses nearly superhuman strength and stealth, despite always being the average human being, and those two abilities make him a force to be reckoned with, and he's responsible for injuring and even killing off beloved Scream characters in nearly every movie. He's one of the few horror killers on this list to really seriously injure or even kill recurring characters in his respective series.
8. Norman Bates from Psycho series: Norman is a handsome but shy and very awkward and lonely young man who manages his family business, the Bates Motel, located off a dark highway. He lives with his aging and sick mother, who seems to control her son, and force him to do evil things for her benefit. Anthony Perkins delivers a fantastic performance in all the films, playing the disturbed and lonely Norman Bates. You take pity on him in much of the film, as his evil tendencies are brought on by a split personality named "Norma", which was brought on by years of abuse from his controlling and strict mother. Norman is one of the most influential horror killers ever, influencing everyone from Alex in A Clockwork Orange, to Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs (in fact, they were based on the same real-life person: Ed Gein).
7. The Firefly Family from the Rob Zombie films (House of 1,000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects): This sick, sadistic, and completely insane family enjoys torturing, raping, and inhumanely killing random, innocent people, including children. Led by Captain Spaulding, a killer clown; Otis B. Driftwood, a crazed "artist" and serial killer; and Baby, the beautiful but evil daughter of Spaulding and half-sister of Otis, this clan of inbred psychos was eventually killed off, ending their brutal reign of terror. The performances are fantastic in the two films, and the actors really do a great job bringing these insane and inhumane characters to life.
6. Pinhead and the Cenobites from the Hellraiser series: Despite this series not really being a slasher franchise per se, Pinhead and his small, but fiercely loyal group of sadomasochistic demon followers are terrifying. The creations of horror writer Clive Barker, they are extradimensional entities who travel through time and space to claim victims (those who accidentally unlocked an ancient puzzle box), no one can reason with them or escape, once you are caught, you are subjected to an eternity of a twisted mix of excruciating pain and divine pleasure. They themselves are victims of the puzzle box, who were claimed throughout time, and have lost memories of their past selves. Tragic but eerie figures, these S&M monsters have become a staple of pop culture, and a favorite among horror fans. Doug Bradley has played Pinhead in every single film, even the direct-to-video ones, and he really does a great job portraying the emotionless and ruthless leader of the Cenobites. These characters and the films they exist in were creepy enough to get Stephen King to label Clive Barker as "the future of horror fiction".
5. Jigsaw from the Saw series: Despite this franchise being more of a torture porn/violent crime-thriller series, you can't deny Jigsaw's impact on pop culture and the horror genre. An aging and diseased man, John Kramer (aka The Jigsaw Killer, portrayed by Tobin Bell) plays twisted "games" with people he views as not appreciating their lives, which usually involve them being gruesomely tortured mentally and physically through intricate traps, and shedding some of their blood, and the blood of others, to stay alive. As Jigsaw does not every directly kill anyone, he cannot be considered a "slasher" or serial killer, but he, like many others, has become a beloved horror icon and has become one of the more recognizable horror villains (even though he technically is an "antihero", as he does what he does to "better" the world around him). Just like Ghostface, Jigsaw is actually a line of killers trained by the original. John Kramer is actually only alive during the first 3 films, and is seen throughout the other 4 in flashbacks and on videotapes, but his role is still very important and prominent. Tobin Bell also gives a really good performance as Kramer, who, like many cinema psychos who kill for a "good cause" (like in Seven), defends his actions with sound logic.
4. Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th series: Even though Jason actually didn't appear in the first film, and his hockey mask didn't show up until part three, Jason is still one of the most recognized and popular horror characters of all time. Despite not having much of a personality (being a lumbering, mute zombie), he still is very memorable for his inventive and brutal kills, signature look, and trademark machete (even though he sometimes uses a hatchet). Jason has been played by many different actors but I believe the three most memorable ones who really pulled it off were Kane Hodder (who played Jason in four films, from part six-part ten), Ken Kirzinger (Freddy vs. Jason), and Derek Mears (the 2009 reboot). The song of a crazy mother-turned-murderer, Jason is a tragic character who was a deformed child who was teased constantly, and who drowned in a lake at summer camp. Returning from the grave as a hulking zombie behemoth, Jason took to killing anyone who entered his territory, the abandoned Camp Crystal Lake. Showing off his now superhuman strength, stealth, and endurance, Jason is unstoppable and comes back from the dead time and time again to wreak havoc on the teens who invade his home.
3. Leatherface, aka Jedediah "Jed/Bubba" Sawyer, aka Thomas Hewitt, from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series: Now, two versions of the character actually exist: the original, played by many actors (originally it was Gunnar Hansen), who, while large and strong, is nothing more than a "big baby" (according to director Tobe Hooper), who obeys his family's demands and is taught to fear strangers, and sees what he does as self-defense (the baby behavior is also due to his mental retardation, which was possibly brought on by inbreeding). The remake version (portrayed by Andrew Bryniarski), while still mentally disabled, appears to be a much more brutal and sinister figure, with an even scarier mask to boot. He is now basically a superhuman giant with a tragic backstory and a bad skin condition who obeys his family, but also has his own goals, even if they are minor ones. Leatherface, no matter which portrayal you prefer, will always be very scary because he feels real. There's nothing about the character that seems fake, cheesy, or over-the-top, you actually believe the actor portraying him may be a mentally disturbed murderer, and that's pretty scary to think about.
2. Michael Myers from the Halloween franchise: Another character with two distinct versions, I'm gonna go with the classic version, because, as much as I respect Rob Zombie and like his work, the remake version is total fucking garbage, it ruins the whole character. The original incarnation of Michael is not huge or excessively brutal and certainly doesn't talk, (Seriously, why did he talk in the remake series, what the fuck was that?) he's just a normal-looking guy with some serious issues. Murdering his teenage sister on Halloween night in 1963, he was taken to a mental ward as a child and escaped on October 30th of 1978, 15 years later. Now a grown adult, he took out his anger and rage on a group of promiscuous teens on Halloween night in the fictional city of Haddonfield, Illinois. But, instead of getting really angry like Leatherface or being really aggressive like Jason, Michael Myers stalks his victims very stealthily, and takes them out with surgical precision, and doesn't overdo it, he does what he needs to do and moves on, like an assassin or hitman. Michael Myers has gained some enemies over the years, including teenage babysitter Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) and his psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis (played by Donald Pleasance), as they are about the only two people who have ever escaped him. Michael Myers was the first true slasher villain and the "silent, stalking murderer" become the basic character type for all slasher villains to come... all until 1984.
1. Freddy Krueger from the A Nightmare on Elm Street series: A sadistic child murderer who was killed in a building fire, this scarred and burned, wise-cracking murderer now haunts the dreams of teens and adolescents, waiting for the right moment to strike. Now, as much as I love the other characters on this list, Freddy is #1 because he is one of the few slasher villains to have a really distinct face and voice, where most other villains are masked and silent (Myers, Jason), or masked and rarely speak coherent words (Leatherface). Freddy not only has a distinct and somewhat mismatched outfit (which the series has sometimes self-mocked), but he has a funny and original personality. Nobody before 1984 ever thought a slasher villain would spew bad one-liners and puns every time he killed a victim. Freddy also has some of the most unique kills ever put to film, as, since he invades his victims' dreams, he can do almost anything. Now, the remake version was good, too (that version was portrayed by Jackie Earle Haley), but I'm mainly focusing on the original version, portrayed by Robert Englund, who portrayed Freddy so well he stayed on as the character throughout every film except the 2010 remake. The series may have gotten a little too cheesy and over-the-top after a while (until New Nightmare and Freddy vs. Jason came out), but Freddy always remained consistently entertaining to watch. Robert Englund and Wes Craven really were able to bring this character to life. Freddy's personality, striking and distinct appearance, inventive and gruesome kills, and bad puns and jokes make Freddy the number 1 slasher villain of all time.
Runner-ups: The Leprechaun from Leprechaun (didn't make it because the character isn't all that influential and the series is kind of stupid), The Creeper from Jeepers Creepers, Victor Crowley from Hatchet, Candyman from Candyman (not really a slasher), Pennywise the Dancing Clown from Stephen King's IT (not a slasher), Xenomoprh from Alien, Predator from Predator, Pumpkinhead from Pumpkinhead, and Dr. Hannibal Lector from the Hannibal series (not really a slasher villain).
(Images: horror-movies.wikia.com, BeyondHollywood.com, Wikipedia, lookatmissohio.wordpress.com, ign.com, comicvine.com, halloweenmovie.wikia.com)
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Top 10 Giant Monster Movies
I decided that I should do a top 10 list today, so I figured I might as well count down some awesome giant monster movies. Also: today is my birthday.
10. "It Came from Beneath the Sea": This Ray Harryhausen classic about a giant octopus is a cheesy and kind of outdated 50's sci-fi film, but it's still pretty awesome today, and you can't help but admire the stop motion effects, as, for the time, they were groundbreaking, and Harryhausen put hours of hard work to create them.
9. "Tarantula": You can't have a giant monster movies list without including a movie about giant bugs. This is another cheesy 50's monster movie about a small desert town being attacked by a giant spider who is eating the locals. Despite the poster showing the spider going on a rampage through town and eating a woman, this scene never actually happens as (SPOILERS) the army blows it up before it reaches the city limits, something I was kind of disappointed by.
8. "The Incredible Shrinking Man": This sci-fi classic features Grant Williams as a man shrunk to the size of an ant, who must fight for his life against common household pests and pets, including a housecat and spider. This concept was later used in the hit family comedy Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
7. "The Giant Claw": This movie makes the list because of it's hilarious-looking monster. The film actually isn't all that bad, but, unfortunately, once the monster appears on screen, it looses all sense of seriousness and becomes one of those "so-bad-it's-funny" movies. Apparently the main star was at the screening in his home town, and left the theater, embarrassed and furious, when the audience burst out laughing when the monster appeared on screen.
6. "King Kong vs. Godzilla": This is one of the first "versus" movies, and, although it's dated, is still pretty cool. This Japanese film pits Godzilla ("King of the Monsters") against the American creation King Kong ("The 8th Wonder of the World"). Now, like most versus movies, who wins the fight is left ambiguous, which may disappoint some people, and the costumes are really bad-looking by today's standards, but it's still pretty awesome to see the two biggest names in the giant monster movie sub-genre fight, and unlike other entries on this list, it's in color!
5. "Cloverfield": This J.J. Abrams/Drew Goddard project is one of the better found-footage films and is actually pretty effective and scary. Despite a lot of shaky cam, the film is quite effective and has a cool-looking monster. There are also smaller "parasite" monsters that I found even more terrifying than the main monster, nicknamed by the crew "Clover". This movie is probably one of the more intense movies on the list, and might even cause some motion sickness (if you're prone to that sort of thing).
4. "The Host": Another modern-day monster, this Korean horror film focuses on a tadpole-like creature which rises from the Han River to attack random bystanders. It's an innovative and thrilling movie, and the design of the creature is very original.
3. "Them!": This 50's B-movie about giant ants was considered terrifying for the time, and the concept of ants eating people is frightening, but nowadays it's pretty campy and funny to watch, but you can still appreciate it, and I can understand why people in the 50's found it scary. Director Joe Dante (Gremlins, The Howling) admits he walked out of the theater when he saw it as a kid because he was too scared.
2. "Gojira" aka "Godzilla": Only at #2?! I know what you're thinking, how can this be only #2? Well, even though it was incredibly influential and kick-started the long-running Godzilla franchise, it's still kind of dated, and the American cut is just God-awful. The Japanese cut, however, is actually kind of dark and depressing. It has a lot of imagery which is similar to the Hiroshima bombing, and shows Godzilla as an evil and devastating force, even though he eventually became a hero in later films.
1. "King Kong": I chose this for the #1 spot because, despite Godzilla being very influential, this film has not only inspired countless filmmakers, it also revolutionized special effects, and even today, it's amazing how much work they had to put in to get it made. It's one of the movies that was considered absolutely amazing at the time, and it broke tons of new ground. It's inspired everyone from Peter Jackson to Ray Harryhausen. It definitely deserves the #1 spot on this list.
Runner-ups: Gamera, Rodan, Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, The Deadly Mantis, The Beginning of the End, The Black Scorpion, Mothra, Starship Troopers, The Mist, Mimic, The Water Horse (didn't make the list as it's more of a family film, not the typical "monster movie", and the monster isn't a monster, it's friendly and good-natured), The War of the Garagantuas, Godzilla: Final Wars, The Lost World, Mighty Joe Young, The Killer Shrews, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, 20 Million Miles to Earth, Tremors, Jurassic Park, Anaconda, The Iron Giant (again, not really a monster), Monsters, Pacific Rim, Super 8, The Troll Hunter, Journey to the Center of the Earth, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Behemoth the Sea Monster, Q The Winged Serpent, The Day The World Ended.
(Images: Wikipedia)
10. "It Came from Beneath the Sea": This Ray Harryhausen classic about a giant octopus is a cheesy and kind of outdated 50's sci-fi film, but it's still pretty awesome today, and you can't help but admire the stop motion effects, as, for the time, they were groundbreaking, and Harryhausen put hours of hard work to create them.
9. "Tarantula": You can't have a giant monster movies list without including a movie about giant bugs. This is another cheesy 50's monster movie about a small desert town being attacked by a giant spider who is eating the locals. Despite the poster showing the spider going on a rampage through town and eating a woman, this scene never actually happens as (SPOILERS) the army blows it up before it reaches the city limits, something I was kind of disappointed by.
8. "The Incredible Shrinking Man": This sci-fi classic features Grant Williams as a man shrunk to the size of an ant, who must fight for his life against common household pests and pets, including a housecat and spider. This concept was later used in the hit family comedy Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
7. "The Giant Claw": This movie makes the list because of it's hilarious-looking monster. The film actually isn't all that bad, but, unfortunately, once the monster appears on screen, it looses all sense of seriousness and becomes one of those "so-bad-it's-funny" movies. Apparently the main star was at the screening in his home town, and left the theater, embarrassed and furious, when the audience burst out laughing when the monster appeared on screen.
6. "King Kong vs. Godzilla": This is one of the first "versus" movies, and, although it's dated, is still pretty cool. This Japanese film pits Godzilla ("King of the Monsters") against the American creation King Kong ("The 8th Wonder of the World"). Now, like most versus movies, who wins the fight is left ambiguous, which may disappoint some people, and the costumes are really bad-looking by today's standards, but it's still pretty awesome to see the two biggest names in the giant monster movie sub-genre fight, and unlike other entries on this list, it's in color!
5. "Cloverfield": This J.J. Abrams/Drew Goddard project is one of the better found-footage films and is actually pretty effective and scary. Despite a lot of shaky cam, the film is quite effective and has a cool-looking monster. There are also smaller "parasite" monsters that I found even more terrifying than the main monster, nicknamed by the crew "Clover". This movie is probably one of the more intense movies on the list, and might even cause some motion sickness (if you're prone to that sort of thing).
4. "The Host": Another modern-day monster, this Korean horror film focuses on a tadpole-like creature which rises from the Han River to attack random bystanders. It's an innovative and thrilling movie, and the design of the creature is very original.
3. "Them!": This 50's B-movie about giant ants was considered terrifying for the time, and the concept of ants eating people is frightening, but nowadays it's pretty campy and funny to watch, but you can still appreciate it, and I can understand why people in the 50's found it scary. Director Joe Dante (Gremlins, The Howling) admits he walked out of the theater when he saw it as a kid because he was too scared.
2. "Gojira" aka "Godzilla": Only at #2?! I know what you're thinking, how can this be only #2? Well, even though it was incredibly influential and kick-started the long-running Godzilla franchise, it's still kind of dated, and the American cut is just God-awful. The Japanese cut, however, is actually kind of dark and depressing. It has a lot of imagery which is similar to the Hiroshima bombing, and shows Godzilla as an evil and devastating force, even though he eventually became a hero in later films.
1. "King Kong": I chose this for the #1 spot because, despite Godzilla being very influential, this film has not only inspired countless filmmakers, it also revolutionized special effects, and even today, it's amazing how much work they had to put in to get it made. It's one of the movies that was considered absolutely amazing at the time, and it broke tons of new ground. It's inspired everyone from Peter Jackson to Ray Harryhausen. It definitely deserves the #1 spot on this list.
Runner-ups: Gamera, Rodan, Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, The Deadly Mantis, The Beginning of the End, The Black Scorpion, Mothra, Starship Troopers, The Mist, Mimic, The Water Horse (didn't make the list as it's more of a family film, not the typical "monster movie", and the monster isn't a monster, it's friendly and good-natured), The War of the Garagantuas, Godzilla: Final Wars, The Lost World, Mighty Joe Young, The Killer Shrews, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, 20 Million Miles to Earth, Tremors, Jurassic Park, Anaconda, The Iron Giant (again, not really a monster), Monsters, Pacific Rim, Super 8, The Troll Hunter, Journey to the Center of the Earth, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Behemoth the Sea Monster, Q The Winged Serpent, The Day The World Ended.
(Images: Wikipedia)
Monday, October 7, 2013
Psycho: The Hitchcockian classic based on Robert Bloch's semi-biographical novel. (Halloween reviews)
Today, I look at the classic psychological horror film from Alfred Hitchcock, the "Master of Suspense". (Contains a spoiler.)
Psycho:
Marion Crane is having an affair with a divorcee named Sam Loomis, and when her boss entrusts her with a client's cash, she decides to steal it. After skipping town, she comes across a place for her to stay: the shadowy Bates Motel, run by the awkward and shy but kind and handsome Norman Bates, who lives with his controlling and bitter mother, who lives in their manor up on a hill behind the motel. Marion is killed by the mother, and Norman tries to cover it up, but when Marion's peers come looking for her, he and his mother are forced to keep them from finding the truth, using any means necessary. Based on Robert Bloch's hit thriller novel, which in turn was partially based on murderer and grave robber Ed Gein (the inspiration for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs), Hitchcock's classic psychological thriller/horror film may be a bit overrated, but it is really good. It has a fantastic and iconic theme by Bernard Hermann, a great cast (featuring stars such as Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins), fantastic writing, and some excellent suspense. It also is considered one of the most shocking films of all time, as it was considered gruesome and violent for the time, and killing off the lead actress halfway through. Hitchcock even ensured that no one would enter the film late so that they wouldn't be confused why Leigh wasn't in it, which I thought was ridiculous as she wasn't killed off until the 48-minure mark, and I doubt people would enter a movie nearly an hour late. Perkins is sympathetic as Norman, but also unsettling and creepy at times. This was a surprise at the time, as he was known for his "boy next door"-type roles, nobody expected him to be so effective as the mentally troubled mama's boy. The ending twist is really good, but it's kind of ruined by being over-explained in the film's final scene, although the final shot is haunting. Janet Leigh can be considered the first "scream queen", and her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis became the star of John Carpenter's classic slasher film Halloween. Psycho became the inspiration for all psychological thrillers and slasher films to follow, and it shows. It's a classic of modern cinema, and is one of the most influential films of all time, it's got a great music score, cast, and story, and it's worth at least a few viewings. 4/5 stars.
(Image: Wikipedia)
Psycho:
Marion Crane is having an affair with a divorcee named Sam Loomis, and when her boss entrusts her with a client's cash, she decides to steal it. After skipping town, she comes across a place for her to stay: the shadowy Bates Motel, run by the awkward and shy but kind and handsome Norman Bates, who lives with his controlling and bitter mother, who lives in their manor up on a hill behind the motel. Marion is killed by the mother, and Norman tries to cover it up, but when Marion's peers come looking for her, he and his mother are forced to keep them from finding the truth, using any means necessary. Based on Robert Bloch's hit thriller novel, which in turn was partially based on murderer and grave robber Ed Gein (the inspiration for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs), Hitchcock's classic psychological thriller/horror film may be a bit overrated, but it is really good. It has a fantastic and iconic theme by Bernard Hermann, a great cast (featuring stars such as Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins), fantastic writing, and some excellent suspense. It also is considered one of the most shocking films of all time, as it was considered gruesome and violent for the time, and killing off the lead actress halfway through. Hitchcock even ensured that no one would enter the film late so that they wouldn't be confused why Leigh wasn't in it, which I thought was ridiculous as she wasn't killed off until the 48-minure mark, and I doubt people would enter a movie nearly an hour late. Perkins is sympathetic as Norman, but also unsettling and creepy at times. This was a surprise at the time, as he was known for his "boy next door"-type roles, nobody expected him to be so effective as the mentally troubled mama's boy. The ending twist is really good, but it's kind of ruined by being over-explained in the film's final scene, although the final shot is haunting. Janet Leigh can be considered the first "scream queen", and her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis became the star of John Carpenter's classic slasher film Halloween. Psycho became the inspiration for all psychological thrillers and slasher films to follow, and it shows. It's a classic of modern cinema, and is one of the most influential films of all time, it's got a great music score, cast, and story, and it's worth at least a few viewings. 4/5 stars.
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(Image: Wikipedia)
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Top 10 Classic Horror Movie Monsters: The creatures that started it all.
I've decided for Halloween, to count down the top 10 monsters and villains from classic horror and thriller films. Criteria: When I say "classic", I mean anything from the 1920's-1950's.
10. Gill-Man/The Creature from The Creature from the Black Lagoon: This amphibian/reptile humanoid mostly stays in the waters of the Amazon. The last character to be part of the classic Universal monsters, he is a mix of classic horror and the "Atomic Age" (the term used to describe horror movies of the 50's, which exploited audience's fears of nuclear disaster). He only appeared in 3 films, and is low on the list because he is not as influential as the other monsters on this list, and doesn't do that much in the films he's in.
(Wikipedia)
9. Dr. Griffin/The Invisible Man from The Invisible Man: This mad scientist created a formula that accidentally permanently turned him transparent. He is completely insane and terrorizes a small village. He is lower on the list as he, again, isn't as influential as the other monsters on the list, despite being well-known. He also only appeared in one or two films, whereas other monsters had at least four or five films.
(screeninsults.com)
8. Mr. Edward Hyde from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Hyde is the alter-ego of kindly Dr. Henry Jekyll, who drinks a serum to unleash Hyde, who is the embodiment of Jekyll's inner demons. Hyde is an abusive rapist and murderer, he is the embodiment of everything evil and wrong in the world. Both versions of the character (the 1931 version and the 1941 version, portrayed by Fredric March and Spencer Tracy, respectively) in classic cinema are fantastic, and those performances are what put him higher than others on the list.
(doctormacro.com)
7. "The Freaks" from Freaks: The titular characters may be deformed and monstrous, but they actually serve as the antiheroes of this disturbing film from Tod Browning, director of Dracula. They dismember a beautiful, gold-digging acrobat and her lover for trying to screw over one of their own in the ending of this classic. The climax of this film is haunting, and although you feel bad for the villains, you also root for the freaks. The cast were actually rounded up from various sideshows, so none of the freaks are enhanced by makeup, these are actual deformed people, which would never be allowed in a mainstream film today.
(best-horror-movies.com)
6. Karras the Mummy from the Mummy sequels: This silent, lumbering, bandaged corpses limps his way through The Mummy sequels. He was portrayed by Lon Chaney Jr. in the Universal films, and Christopher Lee in the Hammer Studios reboot, and was kind of like a slasher villain: he's slow, silent, has a masked face, and kills all who stand in his way, usually through strangling them of all things. The films which feature this character may be hit-or-miss, but he's memorable, and his character type has becoming a staple of pop culture: the slow, lumbering mummy wrapped in bandages.
(doctormacro.com)
5. Kong from King Kong/Gojira aka Godzilla from the Godzilla series (tie): First, let's look at Kong: This humongous ape is another staple of pulp culture, and he has been featured in many films, including unofficial King Kong films made in Japan. He has climbed the Empire State Building, faced off against Godzilla, and fought a robot version of himself. He is also the star of one of the most influential and innovative films of all time: 1933's King Kong. Now, let's look at Godzilla: He's a giant, radioactive lizard who's been resurrected and rebooted many times, and faced off against countless monsters, including Mothra, King Kong, and King Ghidora. He has a son, and faced several clones of himself, including Space Godzilla and Mecha-Godzilla. He is one of the most influential characters in modern culture.
(fact.co.uk) (scifinow.co.uk)
4. Imohtep from The Mummy: This undead Egyptian priest (portrayed by screen legend Boris Karloff) is the star and antihero of the original 1933 film. He just wants to resurrect his beautiful lover from ancient Egypt, but he will kill anyone in his way to do it, and he's basically a zombie, so he definitely has monstrous quality. Karloff's performance is fantastic, and it really holds the film together.
(Wikipedia)
3. Lawrence Talbot aka The Wolfman from The Wolfman: This wealthy and kind man was bitten by a werewolf, so every full moon, he is forced to become a mindless killing machine, a "wolf-man". Lon Chaney Jr. gives a good performance, and it's tragic because the transformation is completely against his will, and as the wolf-man, he cannot control his actions. It is funny though, that in this film, he strangles his victims, not bite them like a normal wolf.
(quietroomentertainment.com)
2. The Monster/Frankenstein's Monster from the Frankenstein series: Boris Karloff's iconic monster is a tragic figure in horror cinema. He is innocent, and is confused and scared of the world surrounding him, which will never understand or tolerate him. He does kill people, but it is almost always an accident or in self-defense, but he is always painted as the monster by the public in all the films. Karloff is the definitive Frankenstein Monster. Christopher Lee also gave a good performance in Hammer's The Curse of Frankenstein, where the creature is portrayed as a straight-up monster.
(Wikipedia)
1. Count Dracula from Dracula: Bela Lugosi's Dracula is now a staple of pop culture and the definitive vampire. The voice, the look, and the personality are now the first thoughts that come to people's heads when they think of Dracula. I am also including Christopher Lee's role as the count from Hammer's Dracula films, as both versions are equally influential and memorable, and both movies helped make the careers of the main stars (Lugosi and Lee). Gary Oldman also gave a great portrayal of the character in Francis Coppola's 1992 adaptation.
(briansdriveintheater.com) 
(soundonsight.com)
Runner-ups: Gamera, The Thing from Another World, Erik the Phantom from The Phantom of the Opera.
10. Gill-Man/The Creature from The Creature from the Black Lagoon: This amphibian/reptile humanoid mostly stays in the waters of the Amazon. The last character to be part of the classic Universal monsters, he is a mix of classic horror and the "Atomic Age" (the term used to describe horror movies of the 50's, which exploited audience's fears of nuclear disaster). He only appeared in 3 films, and is low on the list because he is not as influential as the other monsters on this list, and doesn't do that much in the films he's in.
(Wikipedia)9. Dr. Griffin/The Invisible Man from The Invisible Man: This mad scientist created a formula that accidentally permanently turned him transparent. He is completely insane and terrorizes a small village. He is lower on the list as he, again, isn't as influential as the other monsters on the list, despite being well-known. He also only appeared in one or two films, whereas other monsters had at least four or five films.
(screeninsults.com)8. Mr. Edward Hyde from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Hyde is the alter-ego of kindly Dr. Henry Jekyll, who drinks a serum to unleash Hyde, who is the embodiment of Jekyll's inner demons. Hyde is an abusive rapist and murderer, he is the embodiment of everything evil and wrong in the world. Both versions of the character (the 1931 version and the 1941 version, portrayed by Fredric March and Spencer Tracy, respectively) in classic cinema are fantastic, and those performances are what put him higher than others on the list.
(doctormacro.com)7. "The Freaks" from Freaks: The titular characters may be deformed and monstrous, but they actually serve as the antiheroes of this disturbing film from Tod Browning, director of Dracula. They dismember a beautiful, gold-digging acrobat and her lover for trying to screw over one of their own in the ending of this classic. The climax of this film is haunting, and although you feel bad for the villains, you also root for the freaks. The cast were actually rounded up from various sideshows, so none of the freaks are enhanced by makeup, these are actual deformed people, which would never be allowed in a mainstream film today.
(best-horror-movies.com) 6. Karras the Mummy from the Mummy sequels: This silent, lumbering, bandaged corpses limps his way through The Mummy sequels. He was portrayed by Lon Chaney Jr. in the Universal films, and Christopher Lee in the Hammer Studios reboot, and was kind of like a slasher villain: he's slow, silent, has a masked face, and kills all who stand in his way, usually through strangling them of all things. The films which feature this character may be hit-or-miss, but he's memorable, and his character type has becoming a staple of pop culture: the slow, lumbering mummy wrapped in bandages.
(doctormacro.com) 5. Kong from King Kong/Gojira aka Godzilla from the Godzilla series (tie): First, let's look at Kong: This humongous ape is another staple of pulp culture, and he has been featured in many films, including unofficial King Kong films made in Japan. He has climbed the Empire State Building, faced off against Godzilla, and fought a robot version of himself. He is also the star of one of the most influential and innovative films of all time: 1933's King Kong. Now, let's look at Godzilla: He's a giant, radioactive lizard who's been resurrected and rebooted many times, and faced off against countless monsters, including Mothra, King Kong, and King Ghidora. He has a son, and faced several clones of himself, including Space Godzilla and Mecha-Godzilla. He is one of the most influential characters in modern culture.
(fact.co.uk) (scifinow.co.uk)4. Imohtep from The Mummy: This undead Egyptian priest (portrayed by screen legend Boris Karloff) is the star and antihero of the original 1933 film. He just wants to resurrect his beautiful lover from ancient Egypt, but he will kill anyone in his way to do it, and he's basically a zombie, so he definitely has monstrous quality. Karloff's performance is fantastic, and it really holds the film together.
(Wikipedia)3. Lawrence Talbot aka The Wolfman from The Wolfman: This wealthy and kind man was bitten by a werewolf, so every full moon, he is forced to become a mindless killing machine, a "wolf-man". Lon Chaney Jr. gives a good performance, and it's tragic because the transformation is completely against his will, and as the wolf-man, he cannot control his actions. It is funny though, that in this film, he strangles his victims, not bite them like a normal wolf.
(quietroomentertainment.com) 2. The Monster/Frankenstein's Monster from the Frankenstein series: Boris Karloff's iconic monster is a tragic figure in horror cinema. He is innocent, and is confused and scared of the world surrounding him, which will never understand or tolerate him. He does kill people, but it is almost always an accident or in self-defense, but he is always painted as the monster by the public in all the films. Karloff is the definitive Frankenstein Monster. Christopher Lee also gave a good performance in Hammer's The Curse of Frankenstein, where the creature is portrayed as a straight-up monster.
(Wikipedia)1. Count Dracula from Dracula: Bela Lugosi's Dracula is now a staple of pop culture and the definitive vampire. The voice, the look, and the personality are now the first thoughts that come to people's heads when they think of Dracula. I am also including Christopher Lee's role as the count from Hammer's Dracula films, as both versions are equally influential and memorable, and both movies helped make the careers of the main stars (Lugosi and Lee). Gary Oldman also gave a great portrayal of the character in Francis Coppola's 1992 adaptation.
(briansdriveintheater.com) (soundonsight.com) Runner-ups: Gamera, The Thing from Another World, Erik the Phantom from The Phantom of the Opera.
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