The Gate (1987)

"You've got demons."

I heart this film.  I'm very happy to have experienced it again, a truly important film from my youth, with you all.  It is a true example of many creative forces working together, most people doing multiple jobs for not a lot of money, to tell a story they all care about.  This movie is a true gem.  It's a horror movie for children, thus the happy ending and children protagonists, but one that has the "guts" (pun intended) to put some seriously scary stuff in.  One that respects the fact that children can handle fear, that they are braver than adults often give them credit for.  Plus, it makes for a horror film that you can still love every bit of as an adult (I'm going to be watching this one with my own kiddos one day, that's for darn sure).  I don't think scary movies made for kids have the same bravado anymore.  Do they even make scary movies for children anymore?


I'm leaving this one very open ended.  I just want to hear your
thoughts.  What did you think of The Gate?

'80s Anthology TV Shorts

The '80s was a magical time for TV shows to be short horror tales (Tales from the Crypt, The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone re-boot, Tales from the Darkside, and Monsters, to name a few).  They serve as excellent study pieces, because limited budgets and very short shooting schedules led to stories that had to be told with minimal characters in a minimal amount of locations.  The two we watched in class were created by the same writing team - "Trick or Treat" (Tales from the Darkside) and "The Match Game" (Monsters).  Tales from the Darkside was first, had a bigger budget, and had the infamous George A. Romero, father of the modern day Zombie movie, attached to it.  Monsters had a lower budget, but it had a handful of the same passionate writers who, after Darkside's demise, kept fighting to tell creative tales, and although they had more restrictions budget wise, the show has a lot of charm and heart.  Sometimes creative solutions to restraints cause for creative results.



I love both shows, and feel like they both had creative teams that cared about their work deeply.  What are your thoughts on each show?  Which one do you like better?  Why?


If you missed them, or would simply like to watch them again because they are stinkin' rad, the links are here:  Tales from the Darkside.  And, Monsters part 1 and part 2.

Drag Me to HELL (2009) - EXTRA CREDIT

In order to snag up some sweet extra points here, check the movie out from your local library, rent it from your nearest video store, borrow it from a friend, and finish the film.  You'll be glad you did!

Once you've watched it, write on here what you thought?  Mr. Raimi has a very distinct horror film style, and "campy"... well, let's just say Sam Raimi and Campy are two peas in a pod.  Sam is the jelly to Campy's peanut butter.  Don't believe me?  Check out these delicious trailers, they serve as proof: Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness.

Did this style work for you?  Did you like Drag me to Hell?  Why or why not.

Finish the movie, comment below, and those sweet sweet extra credit points shall be yours.

The Others (2001)

Before we get into this blog post I need you all to raise your right hand to the square and make an oath to never, no matter how excited you are about this movie, spoil it for anyone.  You can tell them it is a great ghost story and that they should see it.  You can tell them it is set in the '40s in England, that it has fantastic acting, that it was directed by a thoughtful Spanish filmmaker, that it has crazy awesome set design, great period costumes, amazing cinematography, and that it is scary and brilliantly crafted.  But, you must never spoil the movie for them, is that understood?  Now, everyone, raise that hand, make the oath...

Good job, thank you.  Good filmmakers, and good film-watchers, never spoil a movie.  This is the unspoken creed between us.  If you wish to be a part of our elite group, you too must adopt this creed.  So much power comes in a good story with the moments being saved for the viewer.   

This movie, in my opinion, is a masterpiece.  But, what is your opinion?  What are your thoughts?  Did you like this movie?  Why or why not?  Would you watch it again knowing now what you know about the story? Be thoughtful in your answers.

And, always remember your oath...

Horror Book Reports (Due Friday November 8th)

Book reports!  Turn in your book reports!

In order to give us more time to engross ourselves in the horror genre, students who have chosen to do their book reports on the horror genre will be turning them in here, as a response to this post.  I am very excited to read about what you have learned.

Please present us with enough material in your response below that one would find in a 5 minute oral report in front of the class.  This response needs to be longer and more detailed than most your film responses.  This is worth 50 points.

Remember to include your name, what book you read, a brief idea of what this non-fiction book talks about (it can be very brief, we want to read more about what you learned), and what you learned about the genre.  Tell us how what you learned benefited you as one who is studying the genre, how it will influence the way you think about horror from now on, and how it might influence your screenplay you will be writing soon.

This report is due on November 8th!  You also have your at home movie review due on the 10th, so get crackin'!

The At Home Horror Watching Hullabaloo (Due November 10th)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

What a perfect week for this assignment to be posted.

As you enjoy watching horror films at home this fall season, especially this Halloween week, you can totally kill two birds with one stone (...I always found that saying to be quite morbid, but based on the assignment we are doing, I guess it's quite appropriate). 

Two rules:

One, it must be something your parents are OK with you watching.  Please, get permission from them if it is something stronger than you'd see at school.  Heck, if you want, watch it with them.  Nothing like a warm bowl of popcorn on a dark night while getting the the living daylights scared out of you with your loved ones! 

Two, it must be a film you have never seen before.  I expect you to watch your favorite Halloweeny tales this week.  I just watched The Thing last night, which is my annual Halloween tradition.  But, for this particular assignment, stretch yourself - look up lists of some of the best horror films, try something older, something in black & white maybe, or something from a different country.  Who knows, maybe you'll discover a new Halloween tradition.  

After you watch the film, write a review of it as a comment on this post.  Make sure you tell us your name (so we know who you are, and not just your blog name), the name of the movie you watched, and a very basic non-spoilery plot synopsis, for example: "After a misunderstanding, Earnest P. Worrell unleashes an evil troll on Halloween," (that's straight from Earnest Scared Stupid's official IMDB page; best movie synopsis ever!).  Nothing spoiled there.   Or, respect points for anyone who can guess this film, "A man decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, reconciling his relationship with his mother, and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living."

Then, write if you think other members of the class should watch it, and why.  Write about ways in which this film was a typical horror movie, and in what ways it may have deviated from the normal horror characteristics.  Ask yourself, "did this movie deliver the expected elements of the genre, or not.  If not, did it go above and beyond, or was I disappointed?"

Have this bad boy watched and posted by November 10th for full credit.


Enjoy... if you dare!

When a Stranger Calls (2006)

If I had to describe this film in one word, I'd use the word formulaic.  Defined, that means: "A method of doing or treating something that relies on an established, uncontroversial model or approach".  This film ain't no Kubrick's The Shining (which, interesting fact, Stephen King hated Kubrick's representation of his book, maybe because it was so unconventional (I personally think it is fantastic!)).

Why, then, do you think I chose a "formulaic" piece to start off our journey down the path of horror in cinema?  Remember our packet on genres by our friends Ken Dancyger and Jeff Rush, film scholar extraordinaires, as they, in a sense, said making a genre piece comes with it a contract with its audience.  You better deliver the goods just as the audience expects - if you don't, it better as heck be something much better.  Do you feel like this movie delivered the goods?

Being formulaic doesn't necessarily mean something is bad.  But, it also doesn't mean something will be good.  Maybe the formula made it uninteresting to you.  That's valid.  Maybe the formula made it fun for you as you geeked out over the filmic elements common to the genre.  That's valid, too.

I appreciate the formula.  To me, it is an indicator that the filmmakers understand the genre, and they delivered.  Have I experienced more satisfying horror films?  Heck yes.  Would this movie be one of my favorites?  Not even close.  But, I respect this little film for what it is, and what it does.  Plus, I always smile when a low budget film with no-name actors gets made, especially if I feel like it was made with care.

What are your thoughts and feelings?  Why do you think I chose this film to show first?  Did you feel it was formulaic as well?  Did that bother you?  Why or why not?  And, most importantly, I want to know: did you like the movie?  Did you enjoy watching it?  Why or why not?  Be extremely thoughtful in your answers.  Remember, it is OK to disagree with people, but do so respectfully.  We are all given the ability to form our own opinions, and how boring a world it would be without that.  I'm excited to read your thoughts.

Now.... go!