In 1945, Ealing studios released a film that would make a lasting impression on the Horror movie genre. Not only was, ‘Dead of Night’ a frighteningly good movie to watch, but it also pioneered the anthology idea. Showcasing five separate tales within one main storyline really was a stroke of genius. And not only did it appeal to cinemagoers… but also to many up and coming filmmakers.
A few more anthology Horrors would appear over the next two decades, but it wasn’t until Amicus films arrived on the scene that things really took off. Suddenly, the anthology formula was the hottest formula of all when you were putting together a creepy flick. Needless to say, a long list of these movies quickly came about; ‘Dr Terror’s House of Horrors’, ‘Torture Garden’, ‘The House That Dripped Blood’, ‘Vault of Horror’, ‘Tales From the Crypt’… And these all proved to be enormously popular.
The ’80’s horror flick Fright Night got itself a remake and was released in August this year. Now lets us be clear here, Fright Night the original was easily one of horrors best vampire movies ever made. It had very good special effect especially for that era and it was filled with a horror and comedy. Considering the success of the original movie one would think that it was a big budget movie but it was not.
Nowadays it seems easy to create a horror film dedicated to the modern era - different concepts can be invented in almost all spheres including even R4i Card data storage unites. However, it seems difficult to create a credible movie related to older ages such as the Victorian times. And From Hell is a movie just brilliant, probably among the best horror-thrillers ever created, that depicts exactly the times of Victorian London and the murders committed by one of the most famous serial killers - Jack the Ripper.
‘One day someone would look back and say that I gave birth to the twentieth century.’
Jack the Ripper
Directed by the famous Hugh brothers and starring Johnny Depp (a police inspector) and Heather Graham (one of Jack’s targeted victims), the film tells the story of the investigation of the famous Whitechapel killer. The movie is a brilliant mixture of Gothic elements, freemasonry rituals and trends among the high class British society. Inspector Abberline is the only capable police officer in Scotland Yard able to discover and successfully investigate the monstrosities of the Ripper. Despite being overcome by drug addiction and alcohol use, his abilities to foresee and analyze the steps of the murderer lead him to the path of finding the true identity of the Ripper.
Filled with blood, mystery and darkness, the film is a perfect representation (according to many the best ever made) of the events in 1888 when London was hit by the notorious serial killer. Combining brutal scenes of murder, depicting the true self of a mentally disturbed man obsessed with the ritual of murder, the Hugh brothers managed to create a horrific and yet somehow different film. The perfect play by the actors makes the spectator almost feel as a part of the mystery, the brutal ways Jack dealt with his victims would make even a completely calm person shake. Using true facts and slight bits of fiction, the directors have managed to produce one of the most accredited horror movies of Hollywood.
In 2009, a film came out which actually did unsettle me; more than that it made me consider the direction of modern cinema and wonder back to the days of old when horror films were, for me, an intense fascination and something to marvel at. I wouldn’t say it scared the pants off me, but what I will say is this: if you’re the kind of person who rarely watches horror films, this will be one that proves why…
Imagine you reply to an advert for a babysitting job; you’re a student and this? It seems like what you’ve been waiting to find for ages, and it should just about save you from being late to make your rent. This is what you think it is, until you finally meet the person who placed the ad – after a strange series of events such as them not meeting you where they said they would and not answering their phone – and discover that it isn’t what you thought it was. You’re slightly anxious about this…not so much worried as a bit weirded out. But, despite your friend telling you this is too bizarre and begging you to leave with her, you go to the job: the house which is in the middle of nowhere, in the dead of the night…
Rather than going for cheap gags and shock value, it opts for a minimalist approach
What’s really fascinating about this film, other than the fact it looks almost identical to the B movies of the 1970s and 80s, is that it is such a slow burner. Much of the film is shrouded in mystery and questions: what is really going on? Why is nothing happening? Will anything ever happen?
At least, until things DO start to happen. It is at this point when things take a turn for the worst…and when the horror of what really lies inside the dreaded house is finally exposed…what has been lying in wait all along…
Like a tailor made suit website , the film is taught and well made. It is clean, precise, and realistic. Rather than going for cheap gags and shock value, it opts for a minimalist approach where, as stated before, large periods of time are spent showing us very little. In these respects you might think it a boring film, but this is, in fact, where it succeeds: by making plot points out of the mundane and immersing the viewer in normality which we can all associate with, we see things from the main character’s pint of view. It is this which is ultimately more frightening than an assortment of special effects and blood & guts.
A friend of mine showed me the trailer for a film called Grave Encounters the other day, another one of those films that is shot in a documentary style to create that Blair Witch “is it real?” fashion. As much as I meet a lot of people who groan about these types of films consistently being made I have to say I do enjoy them. They are kind of becoming their own sub genre of horror and they always have More
· ‘REC'- a ground-breaking Spanish Horror movie made in the ‘shaky camera'vein.
· ‘Quarantine'– a very good American remake of ‘REC'except for one big problem…
As far as American cinema goes, remakes of foreign language films can be a very lucrative business. You take a good, solid story with plenty of imagination, couple it with a bigger budget, add oodles of CGIs and turn it into a blockbuster. Of course, this can sometimes go horribly wrong and you More
Back in the mid-1980s, everyone with a love of scary films had seen ‘The Hitcher’. It’s just the way things were; like using a bikini hair removal kit (if you were female) or wearing a ‘Frankie Says Relax't-shirt!
After its release in 1986, ‘The Hitcher'rapidly became a cult classic. Rutger Hauer had finally found his niche and all was well in the world of Horror. Until 2007 that is… when some ‘bright spark'decided to create a remake of this landmark More
If you thought that Horror movies were a modern idea, then you most definitely need to think again. They have actually been in existence for a whole lot longer than you would have imagined; right from the earliest days of cinema in fact!
‘Okay, but surely any vintage Horror flicks are not going to be any good….' Wrong again! Of course, there More
Okay, so ’28 Days Later'may now be nine years old, but it is still one of my most favouritist Horror movies ever. When Danny Boyle created this masterpiece, he got everything in exactly the right place; ace photography, a superb story, an excellent cast and that music!!! Wow, it simply has to be one of the best soundtracks for any Horror film; ever! But when ’28 Days Later'was first released, I was actually a little bit hesitant about watching More
