Movie Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Random Thoughts' started by sphinxvc, Dec 29, 2015.

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  1. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Yes, the book had depth & insight the movie totally lacks. Its central idea--that vampires would fear and near-worship an anti-creator, he who relentless destroys them--is a welcome epiphany in all the vampire fiction I've consumed (a lot).

    That concept confers a quasi-spiritual dimension + considerable nuance to vampires as a group. And that's very welcome given the odd limitations of the vampire myth, where we usually see their behavior but not their interior lives. Beyond all the stalking, killing & blood-drinking, I've always been fascinated by the idea of beings who kill to live forever. What would such a creature's consciousness & self-image be like?
     
  2. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

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    Zombie/Vampire/Post-Apocalypse is my favorite genre. Will Smith is probably not who I would have chosen for the role of Neville, but I consider it his best film if that means anything.

    That was actually the third film adaptation of Matheson's novel - the first being The Last Man on Earth with Vincent Price in the 60's, and them Omega Man with Charlton Heston in the 70's. Those should be tough shoes to fill, but the most recent is certainly the best of the three IMHO.

    So there is that......
     
  3. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    It should be noted Akiva Goldsman was brought and wrote the eventual film I Am Legend, which explains alot. He's written some truly terrible movies over the years and seems to be the studios go-to guy when a movie needs to be productiion ready (as in dumbed down as much as possible for a global audience).
     
  4. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

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    Among my favorites is still Interview With The Vampire, from the Anne Rice novel of the same name. I like Tom Cruise even less than Will Smith, but it's a great movie nonetheless.

    I think I will watch it again. Has been a while.
     
  5. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    "Us" was stellar in its first half, but as MrColtFire mentioned it was a bit too monologue-heavy towards the end. I don't mind all the talking very much since Lupita Nyong'O's delivery was fricking brilliant (IIRC she coordinated with a vocal coach and someone with a very specific speech impediment to create that voice), but as someone who grew up with Asian horror cinema I agree that western horror tends to show and tell too often and too blatantly. Not sure if I've brought this up here before but one example that I keep going back to is Mama (2013)— you hardly see anything of the titular ghost in the first two thirds and then she's just... there for the rest of it, which takes away from a lot of the dread established in earlier parts of the film. Sometimes just leaving people scared and dumbfounded is a better way to end a film than giving them any sort of hard resolution.

    Shyamalanesque twist at the tail end that I'll not spoil accentuates some very heavy-handed symbolism throughout the film. Kinda tempted to rewatch so I can get a better pulse on what it's trying to say but I might just end up watching Dumbo with the family for nostalgia's sake instead. I don't expect to like it but will give it a shot considering how much I love the original animation.

    Back to Us, it does have something of an open ending, but given how things pan out I don't actually give much of a bother how things turn out. I'm guessing this is where audience members are supposed to latch on to the not-subtle thematic elements about how society is divided but I just came out of the cinema thinking "... huh, cool."


    I don't really follow behind-the-curtains stuff very often (unless it's weeb culture, haha) so this is my first time hearing of this person. I looked up his Wikipedia page and saw that he worked on Batman & Robin and the Dark Tower film adaptation.

    That was enough.
     
  6. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Really didn't like the film. And of course the book (which I liked but didn't love) was way better.

    Here are my top vampire films ever seen, regardless of when made:

    1. NOSFERATU THE VAMPIRE (1979): With one of Europe's greatest directors, Werner Herzog, and 2 European actors at the top of their game, Klaus Kinski & Isabelle Adjani. This film does it all by staying close to the book and focusing intently on character. Kinski's makeup and manner are exceedingly creepy. You get the sense of this long dead thing in human form scuttling around like a blood-sucking beetle.

    2. NEAR DARK (1987): A very modern, violent take on vampirism. Great acting by the leads, including one of the great/terrifying roles by Lance Hendrikson, who spiced up numerous horror films in his day. The bar scene (vampires vs bikers) immediately entered into cinematic legend.

    3. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (2008): Don't bother with the US remake. The original Swedish film is magnificent. A young bullied boy meets a very strange young girl (who is 200 years old). A weirdly beautiful love story. The actors, particularly Lina Leandersson, are amazing. Very different & very good.

    4. SALEM'S LOT (1979): Sure, it's a '70s TV movie starring David Soul. Must be terrible, right? Wrong. This is a very competent & occasionally very scary 4 hr adaptation of the Stephen King novel, one of the best vampire stories every written. Watch for the typically subtle/nuanced work by James Mason.

    5. THE ADDICTION (1995): Everybody's favorite grunge/downtown NYC director, Abel Ferrara, turns in a very fine & distinctive take on the genre. Great work by Lili Taylor & Anabella Sciorra.

    6. NADJA (1994): Not everyone liked this film as much as me. I loved its weirdly formal dress, rhythms, and pace, leavened by occasional inventive cinematography. The best thing is the focus on vampires as individual people with wildly different needs & desires.

    7. 30 DAYS OF NIGHT (2007): A fascinatingly different vampires vs humans scenario (total darkness of the North Pole). Much to like here; most noteworthy IMO are the exceedingly violent, cruel, malevolent bloodsuckers, led by an actor, Danny Huston, I can never again see as anything but Satan with fangs.

    (of course I left some films out--otherwise this already long post would become epic in length)
     
  7. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    I would add 'A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night' to must watch list of any Vampire fan. It's not only one of the best debut features of all time but a fantastic surreal/noir/hip take on the vampire genre. Ana Lily Armipour burst onto the film scene with it a few years ago.

    The Lost Boys kind of goes without saying with regard to great vampire flicks. Was a staple of my 80s childhood and I used to visit the Santa Cruz beach boardwalk setting. Love how Peele implemented that setting into US. At one point the film even references the shooting of Lost Boys (the mother mentions they are shooting a film near the carousel... she's talking about Lost Boys)
     
  8. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

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    Lost Boys absolutely belongs on the best list!

    Near Dark and 30 Days of Night also (the sequel is awful though).

    I did not mind Let Me In (the remake of the Swedish film), though the original was better.

    I have A Girls Walks Home Alone at Night on my HDD but have not watched it yet. Have to get to that soon......
     
  9. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    I would definitely make it a priority. Criminally underseen gem.
     
  10. Pharmaboy

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    How did I fail to hear of "A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night"? Just imdb'd it & would love to see this one. Of course it's unavailable on Netflix, the only paid streaming outlet I have.

    (damn)

    Great suggestion!

    PS: left out Lost Boys, despite my great fondness for it, because it was less hardcore & more Hollywood than my personal taste in vampire films (shallow of me, but there it is). I also left out one of the more intriguing vampire films ever, THE HUNGER, because for me, it failed to arouse that visceral fear & dread that I so look for in this genre (but w/those actors & that setting, it was beyond fascinating).
     
  11. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    I was much more impressed by the look of The Hunger than the story. It's got amazing cinematography and is appropriately moody but it wasn't all that memorable for me outside of that. Kind of like the original Blade Runner.
     
  12. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    'A Girl...' is available to rent through YouTube and other VOD services for $2.99. Well worth the money.
     
  13. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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  14. Boops

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    @ColtMrFire @Pharmaboy did you guys see Only Lovers Left Alive? It’s a great Jim Jarmusch vampire movie. What We Do in the Shadows is also good.

    On I Am Legend, who do you think would have been good in the lead?
     
  15. Pharmaboy

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    I've heard of both movies but didn't see either. The second one was prescient, as vampire (and other human monster) mockumentaries can now be found in TV series.

    My vote for the lead in I AM LEGEND would be either:
    • a young Michael Rooker
    • or a somewhat younger Christian Bale
    (ie, must be able to act physically as well as psychologically--and brood/reflect on loneliness)
     
  16. Jinxy245

    Jinxy245 Vegan Puss

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    IDK if it's i his wheelhouse or not, but I bet Mahershala Ali could have pulled it off brilliantly, Karl Urban as well as Ricky Whittle also pop to mind.
     
  17. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    You're so right about Mahershala Ali...one of our greatest actors. Of course he would've hit it out of the park.

    Not familiar w/the other guys. Original members of the Monkees?
     
  18. DEATHxMACHINE

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    Got around to watching The Highwaymen. Initial impressions is that it is pretty mediocre 2 and half hour hollow dramatic chase with no real suspense or surprises. The two main characters have no character arc or development. Two crusty Texas Rangers chasing two killers. Sometimes it plays on old ways vs new technology. The film misses out on the opportunity to utilize some political aspects like disbanding of the Texas Rangers, disregarding jurisdictions and confrontations with other law enforcement agencies but it glosses over them. Relies too much on the public delusion of Bonnie and Clyde being Robin Hood heroes. I wanted to like it. Good score though.

    And surprise ending spoiler: it does not end well for Bonnie and Clyde
     
  19. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Sounds like the typical Netflix film.
     
  20. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    HA! Actually spit out some coffee when I read that.

    Reportedly HIGHWAYMEN II will feature a suspenseful cross-country hunt for criminals that kidnapped Nipper, the famous RCA Victor "Master's Voice" mutt (1st trademark/canine kidnapping in U.S. history).
     
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