The Hills Run Red

Año: 2009

Duración: 81 min

País: Usa

Director: Dave Parker

Guión: John Carchieta, John Dombrow & David J Schow

Reparto: William Sadler, Sophie Monk, Tad Hilgenbrink

No sé, igual me equivoco y todo, pero creo que debo empezar nuevamente a seleccionar con  más precisión las películas que quiero ver.

Comenta  la gente que estamos siendo inundados de cine zombie, no es mentira pero, ¿y el cine que hace gala de ser de terror y de ir con muy buenas intenciones, para que posteriormente se quede en nada?. Pues no sé qué es peor entonces. El  cine de terror con jovencitos en una casa del bosque, una fiesta en casa de un colega o encerrados en algún instituto, por dar algunos ejemplos. O la ola de zombies de todo tipo, talla y género.

Me decantaría por la segunda opción. Prefiero ver gente deambular, lenta o rápida, pero con tripas colgando y detrás de carne fresca. Si le sumamos a esto, como en alguna que otra propuesta de estos últimos años, un toque de humor, pues bienvenido sea.

Me refiero a todo esto, teniendo en el punto de mira The Hills Run Red. Una película que se nos presenta como un nuevo ejercicio de terror, pero a la que yo no le veo ese terror por ningún lado. Mira, puede ser que no sepa buscarlo.

Si con mostrar alguna escena gore, bastante buena, y otras escenas donde corre la sangre, ya tenemos el film de terror realizado. Entonces, lo mejor es que cojamos rumbo hacia la cama, y así, no perderemos más el tiempo. No sé, me vuelvo a repetir, pero es muy mal camino el elegido por mi y por esa gente que busca un film diferente, entretenido, que te pueda enseñar algo y por supuesto, que te pueda asustar. ¿Con cuántas películas al cabo del año, nos podemos encontrar de este tipo?.

Para empezar, la portada de The Hills Run Red no me gusta, me  convence bien poco. Otra cosa aparte, es el cartel (de la película perdida) que veremos una vez comenzada o durante el transcurso de ella.

Las colinas sangrientas, llamada así en este país. Cuenta la historia de Tyler, un fanático de las películas que deseoso de encontrar una copia completa de un slasher se adentrará junto a dos amigos a los bosques donde fue rodada. Pronto descubrirán el motivo por el que la película nunca se completó en aquel bosque cuando su aventura se convierta en una terrible pesadilla…

Pero no todo iba a ser malo. Ese fanatismo por el cine y la ansiedad de encontrar una copia de un slasher inacabado. Fue una premisa que me alegró rápidamente. Un ingrediente bastante apetitoso. Ya que siempre me ha gustado la mezcla de varias películas en una misma. Cine dentro de cine, vamos. Pero todo se queda ahí, en una propuesta interesante que no termina de convencerte y que deja muchas cosas en el aire. Por no hablar, que es muy predecible desde bien pronto. La película no es mala, pero tampoco es buena, vale para pasar un rato y descubrir algunas cosas. Soy amante de los slashers y todo el cine violento en general. Ésta me dio alguna alegría, pero terror hay bien poco.

Otra inforamción

Imdb

Trailer

Note: This entry is the fourth part of a continuous series in which I list, describe, ridicule, poke fun at, and sing my praises for horror films I am thankful for. Check for weekly updates until the end of November.

A Nightmare on Elm Street holds a special place in my beating heart, being the first viewed on a long list of 80s slasher films that I missed as a child frightened of horror.

Don’t fall asleep because you may never wake up, nightmares are completely in our minds. However, when you venture into Freddy’s world, you play by his rules, which means you die!

Nancy is having grisly nightmares. Meanwhile, her high school friends are having the very same dreams of a man with knives for fingers. One by one they are being slaughtered in their sleep by the hideous fiend of their shared nightmares. With no help from the authorities, Nancy confronts the killer in his shadowed realm of nightmares.

Top 5 Moments of the Film

1. Tina dies in her sleep, but it is not a peaceful death. Her body is thrown around like a rag doll, sliding up the walls and rolling around the ceiling as her boyfriend Rod watches unable to stop the horror of her nightmares. It is the featured kill in A Nightmare on Elm Street, being sliced open and her body levitating from the bed.

Not on the ceiling, that's gonna stain!

2. The well-known jump rope song spawned for A Nightmare on Elm Street. Sung by girls jumping rope throughout the film, it tells the tale of Freddy and his plot of haunting children’s nightmares. “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you. Three, four, better lock your door. Five, six, grab your crucifix. Seven, eight, better stay awake. Nine, ten, never sleep again.” Nancy also sings it when she is the bathtub when Freddy’s clawed hand creeps from the waters.

3. Freddy alone! I cannot choose one singular moment in the film that he is involved with to single out because all of the moments must be pictured to really portray Freddy. He is so much different compared with the other, silent stalkers of 80s slasher films, such as Jason and Michael. He is vulgar, rude, and snide, a man who never stops jeering at his victims before he kills them.

4. Nancy takes a trip through Freddy’s world with Glen watching over her to wake her up before Freddy can kill her. She witnesses Freddy entering falsely accused Rod’s cell, encountering the body bagged Tina before Freddy comes after her. She delivers one of my favorite lines from the film after being woken up by her alarm clock: “Glen, you bastard.” He fell asleep, bad move!

5. Glen, poor Glen, got sucked into his bed along with his television set, only to be spewed out in a fountain of blood. It is another iconic death scene from the first installment of the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Oh Johnny, and it was your first starring role!

NOOO! I asked for a chocolate fountain!

A Nightmare on Elm Street is such a treat for me. I was once so freaked out by Freddy’s appearance that when a younger kid dressed up like the razor-gloved villain, I avoided him the entire night at this party when I was in elementary school. His makeup had been undeniably creepy! But now, I cannot stop from laughing at Freddy’s zany one-liners and his grotesque antics. A Nightmare on Elm Street introduced such an amazingly creepy and creative 80s slasher villian. Come to Freddy!

Special Note: I would like to thank the amazing BodyBags Count site for the death scene images and for being a wondeful resource for the kills from all of the classics.

Para entrar a vivir

Año: 2006

País: España

Duración: 65

Director: Jaume Balagueró

Guión: Jaume Balagueró & Alberto Marini

Reparto: Macarena Gómez, Adriá Collado, Nuria Gonzalez, Ruth Díaz, David Saldaña y Roberto Romero

Este director Catalán tiene en su haber una filmografía densa dentro del campo del terror, pero con la que realmente ha tocado  lo más alto de la cumbre, ha sido con [REC], de [REC]2 ya hablé en su día (podéis encontar la reseña en el blog). Pero aquí, nos vamos a ocupar de un producto directo para Tv.

Se trata de Para entrar a vivir, una película protagonizada por Macarena Gómez, Adriá Collado y Núria Gonzalez entre otros.

Para entrar a vivir comienza con una pareja joven, Macarena y Adriá,  que  está buscando piso para poder tener su propia vida y crecer como familia. Encontrarán un anuncio de un piso bastante interesante en cuanto a precio, metros, y ubicación. Quedarán con la chica, Nuria Gonzalez,  responsable de enseñarles el piso, un piso a las afueras de Barcelona. La primera impresión al llegar al lugar, no será nada buena. Una vez dentro del edificio, sus sospechas de que todo puede ser una gran tomadura de pelo, empezarán a ser cada vez más grandes. Visto el piso y, tomada la decisión de que no se lo van a quedar, deciden comunicárselo a la encargada de la supuesta agencia, pero aquí es donde empezará el verdadero calvario para los dos jóvenes.

Lo que un principio parecerá una simple tontería, verán como es más serio que una mera tomadura de pelo. Se verán secuestrados y martirizados por la dueña, siendo sometidos  a torturas psíquicas inimaginables.

Sesenta y cinco minutos realmente entretenidos y con algunas secuencias inolvidables, cargadas de tensión, sangre y pasión por el cine de terror.

Otra información

ΨÐ

Filmaffinity

Trailer

Talvez tenha a ver com a falta de fé no processo civilizatório, com o estrago causado pela colonização e as guerras e as criancinhas famintas. Talvez seja o manto do fim do mundo se estendendo sobre o pessoal de pouca fé. Talvez a humanidade simplesmente não funcione. Vai saber. O fato é que num mundo onde o jornal do café da manhã te saúda com velhinhas acorrentadas e desmoronamentos em bairros miseráveis, qualquer coisa que pretenda te fazer pular da cadeira tem que ter a temperatura um pouco mais alta que o normal.

Não que tenha sido assim desde sempre. Faz tempo que o termostato vem subindo. Levamos, sei lá, uns dois séculos até a conta do gás começar a preocupar. E do mal puro, mágico, arquetípico, sedimentado – na Casa de Usher, de Edgar Allan Poe, e adelante no Dracula de Bram Stoker e no Chthulhu de H. P. Lovecraft – passamos ao horror domesticado pela ciência. Construímos o inferno e sua falta de sentido nas trincheiras, bombas atômicas e campos de concentração das Grandes Guerras.

Depois que a humanidade inventou sua própria narrativa do fim do mundo – assim, quase de brincadeira (afinal, continuamos todos aqui) – o horror, talvez numa mostra de domínio da ciência sobre os terrores visíveis e invisíveis, some. Até o fim dos anos 60, o jogo parece reduzido ao medo do experimento científico que deu errado, ou à própria cabeça de uma humanidade que não andou se comportando muito bem. Mas nem todas as aranhas gigantes do mundo e psicopatas catalogados deram fim à nostalgia do tempo em que os calafrios não precisavam fazer sentido, quando agiam a serviço do mito, nos lembrando de tomar cuidado com as coisas que se escondiam no escuro. E não nos esquecíamos daqueles contos de antigamente, quando o horror era apenas fantástico e nos lembrava de grandes possibilidades esquecidas.

Talvez a história tenha virado nos anos 60 com a onda oriental-mística dos hippies, quando a teoria esotérica encontrou a psicologia e nos fez lembrar do que achávamos tão legal no Mr. Hyde de R. L. Stevenson. Do mesmo modo como em O médico e o monstro o estrago é causado pelo encontro da medicina com doutrinas mágicas vitorianas, coisas como O exorcista e O bebê de Rosemary têm seu motor no casamento do misticismo com a psicologia. O horror técnico, da máquina que não funciona, de cérebros e reatores nucleares descalibrados, dá um passinho atrás. Voltamos a nos fascinar com o incompreensível por si só. Com o que não é do nosso mundo e pronto.

É curioso que, de mãos dadas com o medo místico dos anos 60 e 70, andasse o horror natural. As convulsões de mundos invisíveis parecem nos lembrar, em obras como Tubarão – e em seu primo, o filme catástrofe –, do medo do nosso próprio mundo. Como se nossa impotência diante dos desígnios ocultos nos despertassem para o fantástico e para a aparente falta de sentido gestada pela natureza.

Como consequência extrema disso tudo, daria até pra arriscar um subproduto extra, o terror social. Ali, o medo seria alimentado também por um outro mundo – agora, alimentado pelo descompasso de costumes. Em vez do fantástico, a selvageria que se esconderia nos pontos cegos da civilização, fora do espectro urbano. Como nas famílias de caipiras esquisitões de Spider Baby e o Massacre da serra elétrica.

Daí, não demorou para que tudo pulasse à matança slasher; à narrativa sobre psicopatas despida de leitura sobre motivos ou consequências, na total falência do mito. Na estrita contagem de machadadas por tempo percorrido, corpos empilhados como garantia de eficiência. Sem curiosidade, sem indagações, sem fantasia. Medo sob encomenda, a vitória da cultura da fábrica.

Claro, a história não para por aí. Dos anos 80 pra cá, tudo se misturou de um bom tanto. O terror místico se casou com o slasher, o horror natural usa gatilhos psicológicos, a ciência que deu errado desvela fantasmas. E apesar de às vezes nos reaproximarmos dos clássicos, a fantasia deu lugar ao entretenimento dos sustos previsíveis – ou ao puro sadismo. Nosso domínio dos códigos do horror nos deixou cansados, insensíveis e céticos. Talvez esteja aí um dos motivos da ascensão do torror oriental – nosso desconhecimento da cultura dos povos do outro lado do mundo nos deixa livres para sentirmos medo, e simplesmente imaginar. No descobrimento dos temores alheios, mapeamos possibilidades, especulamos novos mundos. Marco Polo deve ter se sentido mais ou menos assim.

Friday the 13th is a 2009 American horror film directed by Marcus Nispel, and written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. It is a reboot of the Friday the 13th film series, which began in 1980 and previously released the 2003 crossover Freddy vs. Jason. Nispel also helmed the 2003 remake of Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), while Shannon and Swift wrote the screenplay for Freddy vs. Jason. The film stars Derek Mears as Jason Voorhees, with Jared Padalecki, Amanda Righetti, and Danielle Panabaker portraying the male and female leads. Friday the 13th follows Clay Miller (Padalecki) as he searches for his missing sister, Whitney (Righetti), who is taken by Jason while camping in the woods at Crystal Lake.

The concept for the 2009 film originally started as an origin story, but the film evolved into a reimagining of the first four Friday the 13th films. Along with bringing the film back to its tonal roots, Jason was designed as a leaner and faster killer, with a backstory that could provide a little sympathy for the character, but not enough that he would lose his menace. Although this film reboots the continuity, Jason’s iconic hockey mask, which was not introduced until the third film in the series, is acquired through the progression of the film. In keeping with the tone of the film, Jason’s mask was also brought back to its roots, created from a mold of the original mask used for Part III; though, subtle changes were made to keep it unique to the new film. Friday the 13th also incorporated some of Harry Manfredini’s music score from the original Friday the 13th film series, as the producers recognized the iconic status it held.

The film was released on Friday, February 13, 2009 to the most theaters of any of the Friday the 13th films. Although the film was met with primarily negative reviews, it earned approximately $19 million in its opening night and $40 million for its opening weekend. With its opening weekend, Friday the 13th broke two records, having the largest opening day for the film series, and the largest opening weekend for any horror film. It currently sits as the second highest grossing film in the Friday the 13th franchise with $65 million, and has earned just over $91.3 million worldwide.

Directed by Marcus Nispel
Produced by Michael Bay
Andrew Form
Brad Fuller
Written by Screenplay:
Damian Shannon
Mark Swift
Story:
Damian Shannon
Mark Swift
Mark Wheaton
Characters:
Victor Miller
Starring Jared Padalecki
Danielle Panabaker
Aaron Yoo
Amanda Righetti
Travis Van Winkle
Derek Mears
Music by Steve Jablonsky
Cinematography Daniel Pearl
Editing by Ken Blackwell
Studio Platinum Dunes
Distributed by North America:
New Line Cinema
International:
Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) February 13, 2009
Running time 97 min.
Country United States
Language English
Budget $19,000,000
Gross revenue $91,379,051
Preceded by Freddy vs. Jason

INAFFF (Indonesia International Fantastic Film Festival)  2009. Awalnya saya tidak tertarik untuk menyaksikan festival bergenre horror, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, & anime. Kenapa? Nyali saya nol dan semakin menciut menjadi minus kalau sudah berurusan dengan genre yang satu ini. Tapi karena rasa penasaran terus menggerogoti, saya langsung mencari tiket untuk film openingnya. Thanks to Mas Dodi cos i saw the uncut version. And of course thanks to Sly, the festival director who made it happen this year.

Macabre/Darah/Rumah Dara. Kamu bisa menyebutnya dengan berbagai judul. Tapi yang pasti, ini benar-benar rumah darah! Kamu akan melihat darah di sepanjang film ini dan juga berbagai macam alat yang membuat tetesan darah bercucuran layaknya air.  Bagi yang belum pernah mendengarnya, wajar saja karena film ini justru beredar lebih dulu di berbagai festival film di luar negri.

Film hasil besutan The Mo Brothers (Kimo Stamboel dan Timo Tjahjanto) ini sebenarnya bukan film mereka yang pertama. Bagi yang sudah menonton DARA dalam film antologi horor “Takut: Faces of Fear”, tentunya film ini menjadi sajian yang kamu tunggu-tunggu.

Saya tidak akan memberikan spoiler, saya hanya akan membiarkan imajinasi anda melanglangbuana melalui kata-kata saya. Premis film ini adalah: “Enam orang sekawan yang ingin pulang ke Jakarta tetapi bertemu seorang wanita tersesat yang membawa mereka ke dalam petualangan berdarah di sebuah rumah misterius di tengah hutan.” What’s in ur imagination? Here we go..

Dara, diperankan dengan sangat anggun dan dingin oleh Shareefa Dhanish. Jangan pernah membayangkan sosok ibu yang baik hati dan ramah, Dara sangat ahli menipumu dalam menit-menit awal. Meski suaranya diberat-beratkan agar terkesan seram (saya agak terganggu dalam bagian ini), peran yang dimainkannya cukup membuat penonton menunggu setiap aksinya terhadap 6 sahabat itu. Karena kepiawaiannya pun, ia mendapatkan penghargaan sebagai Best Actress dalam Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan 2009).

Kedatangan Ario Bayu, Sigi Wimala, Julia Estelle, Daniel Mananta, Dendi Subangil, & Michael Lucock diterima dengan sangat baik oleh Dara. Tapi pertanyaannya adalah “Akankah mereka bisa keluar dari rumah tersebut dalam kondisi yang sama seperti mereka masuk?” Suasana mencekam mulai terajut dari aksi-aksi yang dilakukan oleh Imela Therinne, Arifin Putra, & Ruli Lubis. Sebagai anak Dara, mereka punya “kebiasaan” yang sama dengan sang ibu.

Plot ceritanya tidak terlalu cepat. Di setengah jam pertama kamu hanya akan dibuat beberapa kali kaget (atau mungkin bisa juga tidak). Pembantaian tidak terjadi secara terburu-buru. Kimo & Timo ingin mengenalkan rumah Dara secara lebih detail dan membuat penonton merinding dengan semua karakter dalam film, dekorasi dan semua properti di dalamnya. Pedang, kepala-kepala kijang, proyektor tua, dan gramafon. Ditambah lagi music scoring dari Zeke Khaseli, bulu kuduk saya merinding! Bravo Zeke!

Setiap orang punya pengalamannya sendiri dalam rumah itu. Mereka berpetualang dengan banjir darah. Awalnya saya enggan melihatnya, namun karena sepanjang film ada darah di mana-mana, jadinya sudah terbiasa. Agak terlalu berlebihan, tapi untungnya mereka punya poin lain yang cukup kreatif. Benda-benda yang digunakan untuk membuat darah-darah itu berceceran seperti pedang, gergaji mesin, bahkan tusuk konde! Upss..

Macabre membawa angin segar bagi kamu yang sudah bosan dengan film horor Indonesia yang ya..kamu taulah Bagi kamu yang ingin menonton, film ini akan tayang di ruang publik pada bulan Januari 2010. Tapi sayangnya akan ada banyak sensor. Oiya, kalau kamu lapar, Dara akan membawakan hidangan yang sangat lezat.  Dia chef yang handal lho! Kamu siap mencicipi sajiannya? Di sana akan ada banyak toples juga.. isinya? Hmm yummy..

Yah..Kalau kata Chef Dara “ENAKK KANN??” Selamat menonton

-my cubicle 20.10.09 @11.45-

Vertige

Año: 2009

Duración: 90 min

País: Francia

Director: Abel Ferry

Guión: Abel Ferry

Reparto: Justin Blanckaert (Anton), Nicolas Giraud (Fred), Raphaël Lenglet (Guillaume), Johan Libéreau (Loïc), Fanny Valette (Chloé), Maud Wyler (Karine)

Siempre me han gustado las películas en las que la Naturaleza forma parte del guión. Ya haya sido para bien o para mal, es un campo muy amplio, del que se pueden sacar grandes cosas. El ejemplo más claro es esta cinta francesa.

Abel Ferry es el director de Vertige, y debutante a la vez, tras la cámara. Una película de una belleza increíble y ya entenderéis por qué lo digo. Una historia simple, pero bien contada. Abel Ferry se alimenta de muchos clásicos en un pudin preparado por él mismo

Vertige es la aventura de cinco amigos que deciden  adentrarse en las montañas croatas, para pasar unos días de escalada y senderismo. Llegarán al primer gran escollo del viaje, una gruta que está cortada por arreglos, pero que hacen caso omiso y logran superar sin apenas esfuerzo. Con la adrenalina por los cielos, ninguno se podrá  imaginar lo que  les aguarda en cuestión de metros. Tras pasar un largísimo y estrecho puente cuatro de los cinco amigos. Quedará en último lugar y guardando las espaldas del resto, Karina. Una especializada en temas de montaña, que verá como su vida está a punto de decir adiós tras soltarse los tirantes de dicho puente, justo cuando está terminando de cruzarlo. Un primer susto, que avisa de que la montaña está muy viva. Momentos después, cuando todo parece estar calmándose, y poco a poco van retomando las pulsaciones idóneas. Se encontrarán con una de las vías del ascenso cortada. Ya se les había avisado al principio. Pero Fred, el más experimentado de los cinco, intentará resolver el problema adelantándose para buscar algo que les facilite esa subida a los demás. En ese mismo instante, se complicará la situación para los que están colgados de la pared, que están  esperando a Fred y a Fred, que acaba de…

Vertige es una propuesta eficaz, porque entretiene, está muy bien dirigida y tiene momentos, pues que son buenos, todo hay que decirlo. No es nada del otro mundo, ni pasará a la historia del cine como una de las mejores películas en su género (por favor). Pero quien busque entretenerse, disfrutar de un espectáculo visual  y vertiginoso de los paisajes, sumándole buenas secuencias de violencia y terror. Esta es la película que buscaban. Películas que consiguen este estado anímico, hay muchas y hemos visto todos, muchas.

Otra información

ΨÐ

Imdb

Donosita Kultura

Y si queréis descagarla y ver otra opinión, podéis pasaros por la página amiga, Gore Nation.

Trailer

]]> http://elrinconoscuroblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/maestros-del-terror-1%c2%aa-temporada/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:50:05 +0000 rubeniperez http://elrinconoscuroblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/maestros-del-terror-1%c2%aa-temporada/ http://cinefrikiterror.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/slime-city-massacre-ocupas-rituales-y-graves-consecuencias/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:40:38 +0000 davidgore http://cinefrikiterror.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/slime-city-massacre-ocupas-rituales-y-graves-consecuencias/

Greg Lamberson dirige esta película que probablemnte se estrene en USA a lo largo de 2010. No se, pero creo que se pasará todavía un tiempecito para poder disfrutarla.

Slime City Massacre nos sitúa en las ruinas del centro de la ciudad de Manhattan siete años después de que una bomba suicida diezmara el distrito financiero. Mientras tanto,  cuatro ocupas descubren  el Elixir de Zachary Devon y su yourt del Himalaya en las ruinas de su cocina.

Aclarar que Zachary Devon, fue un lider de culto, que trás conseguir un grupo de gente y realizar un ritual. Estos, terminaron por quitarse la vida después de dicho acto. A partir de éste momento y trás beber  ese extraño elixir. Los cuatro ocupas se transformarán en sucias criaturas con ganas de matar y beber mucha sangre, incluso,  serán poseídos por aquellas personas muertas en el ritual. Además, la historia abarcará caníblaes, mercernarios, etc… Toda una fiesta salvaje.

Slime City Massacre está cargada de viejos efectos de látex, aunque en realidad, se usara silicona (en palabras del propio director). Hay mucha acción  y las referencias a películas de los años 80, son muy claras.

Lloyd Kaufman y Roy Frumkes tienen su pequeño papel en la película. Estaremos muy atentos, a nueva noticias sobre este film algo paranoico

No hay de momento ningún trailer de la película. Esperaremos un poco  a ver si hay suerte. Por las imágenes, la cosa promete y mucho.

The Pumpkin Karver (2006)

Directed by Robert Mann
Writing credits Robert Mann Sheldon Silverstein

Amy Weber …. Lynn Starks
Michael Zara …. Jonathan Starks
Minka Kelly …. Tammy
Terrence Evans …. Ben Wickets
Misty Adams …. Yolanda
Briana Gerber …. Vicki
Charity Shea …. Rachel

Further proof Showtime can be a real go to when it comes to bad movies. This week’s showing: The Pumpkin Karver. Yeah that’s right with a K! Now at some point this plot could have been interesting but confusion and boredom win out with this movie. I enjoy B movies as much as more than most. I watch them religiously. I give them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to judging them. They can be bad but they need to be entertaining. That being said The Pumpkin Karver whiffs in every attempt that it makes. I had hopes for it because man the killer has a mask made of a rotting pumpkin and carves smiles into his victim’s faces. Anyhoo Let’s sit down and dig into this rotted pumpkin.There may be some spoilers in here:

Halloween night, Jonathan (who starts the movie off creeper than the killer) sits at the kitchen table carving a pumpkin. As he obsessively does this we meet his older sister and her caricature moron boyfriend. He tries to sex up the sister and then when she leaves (to get in costume) he takes the time to hassle her brother.

Spoiler Alert!
When you think back to this opening scene with him later on, it becomes harder and harder to believe that his “evil” spirit could possibly be behind the killings to come.
End Spoiler Alert!

Big sis then gets paid a visit by a pumpkin-masked, knife-wielding maniac, who she believes is her idiot boyfriend until he attacks her.

Spoiler Alert!
Jonathan rushes in and bludgeons the masked psycho to death with his carving knife only for it to be revealed to be her boyfriend. It was all just a Halloween prank gone wrong.
End Spoiler Alert!

Jump forward a year and we find Jonathan and sis living in a new town. The town name you ask why it its none other than Carver. Yeah Carver is a town that apparently specializes in growing/carving pumpkins into Jack-o-Lanterns. Yeah you read that right.

Spoiler Alert!
That makes total sense for a mom (we never meet) to move a son who killed his sisters boyfriend in a pumpkin mask with a fricking pumpkin carving knife to a town named carver. Did I mention he has to take pills to control the visions of said pumpkin masked guy?
End Spoiler Alert!

It’s Halloween time again. Jonathan’s sister has semi set him up with a local chick. Her ex boyfriend (a big oafish looking guy) is not happy about this. He doesn’t think they’re broken up and also seems to think physically assaulting one’s her and her friends is a good plan to win her back. This movie may be about how horrible Boyfriends are as they come across as real ass clowns in it. We’re also introduced to a variety of other potential young friends for Jonathan, and one would guess for the killer to kill off. Not so fast my friend. Many of these poorly written/acted characters will get way too much screen time for people that never get killed. Hell these cutout “youths” are rarely in any danger. From there, characters go to an outdoor Halloween concert, characters sit around playing party games, and characters wander around and talk to one another. It is here we get the creepy old guy to warn everyone. He never really warns anyone though. We do find out that he is an old pumpkin carving guy. He just keeps showing up to rant and raves like a psychopath. He almost becomes a red herring but the movie maker’s efforts with him really become too heavy handed. Jonathan it seems keeps having visions of the pumpkin-masked creep-o attacking him, and in a shocking move said pumpkin-masked killer actually bothers to kill somebody. He is a very lazy killer.

The Pumpkin Karver tries to be successful as the typical B movie slasher flick, but it simply doesn’t make the cut. It has most of the formula down pat. You know teens having a late night Halloween party in a remote area, a killer shows up. A few scares Yadda, yadda yadda lots of gore. The problem was the movie lacked in both the quality scares and gore. The scares were virtually non -existent. I mean they couldn’t have gone with the old standby of character hears noise-character investigates noise and after tense seconds a cat meows? Have these people even seen a horror movie-ever? The movies kills were pretty weak as a whole. The plot becomes nothing more than look kiddies its Halloween and someone is killing people. The problem with that is the killer really doesn’t even make an appearance or a kill for nearly the first hour. Further that with the “victims” not there are many don’t even realize what is happening till there is about 20 minutes left. The movie did kill off a character that you wouldn’t normally expect to be killed off, but that is not enough to save the movie. The carving smiles into the faces of those he kills thing—turns out really only to happen to the first and last victim. I will give props for the fact that they were pretty cool when actually done. In reality this slasher flick is nothing more than a story based around a bunch of stock characters (who offer us nothing in terms of kills and thrills) that seems to be more of a way to waste time until the highly confusing/implausible coup de grace. Again have any of those associated with the making of this movie ever seen an actual slasher flick? Cool mask and all Pumpkin-masked killer dude is not even in the same sport let alone league of Michael Myers or Jason. Overall production isn’t too horrible though there are some fun slip ups to catch.

Gore factor: 0
Writing: 1
Scares: 0
Watchability: 1

Half a Lugosi out of 5!

The Stepfather (1987)

Family is one of the most important things that a man can have. Not only is it a way for you to live on in the memories and hearts of the next generation, but it is also a way to give the illusion of normalcy. If a man has a kind loving wife and a well behaved friendly child, then it is safe to say that he is a normal and good man.
With that in mind, the original film ‘The Stepfather’ (not the horrible trashy 2009 re-make) is terrifying to it’s core. The titular character is a chameleon. He goes from place to place, finding the most ideal and borderline cliché towns and then finds a widow to prey on. He enters the community and gets a job selling insurance or real estate, or something else that requires charm. Then he finds a widow with a child and goes about courting her.
The thing the film does so well is that it doesn’t make him a soulless nut job. This isn’t Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers. This is an abused and damaged mind, lashing out and trying to find the perfect family. One to make up for his horrible upbringing. His compulsive need to find a family and make it as perfect as possible is what drives him to kill. They film only lightly toys with the idea that he could just as easily be viewed as a hero, a vigilante. He stands up for the ‘family’ and wants nothing more than to love and be loved. Terry O’Quinn (who you may know from Lost or Millennium) does an outstanding job as the demented father. He plays the part with intensity and seething insanity, but never once does he go too far. His slow deterioration and eventual meltdown don’t seem like forced plot points through his acting.
The script is a little weak. It has a very ‘80’s Slasher’ vibe to it that actually hurt the film. The direction is interesting and almost as engaging as the supporting cast.  But while the dialogue that other characters have, and some of the side plot may seem poorly crafted, O’Quinn’s portrayal of the desperate father is both stunning and effective.
There are two sequels. The Stepfather 2 (1989) and the lazy by-the-numbers trash The Stepfather 3 (1992). While the second film stars Terry O’Quinn and does its best to be a good and though provoking film, it doesn’t play out as well as the perfectly encapsulated first entry. The third however is a messy affair without Terry’s acting skills and with a cheap Michael Moriarty rip off in the lead role.