Part 3!
Near DarkThis is the movie that makes vampires look awesome. Before, they were just there to be villains; a target of our hatred. Near Dark, however, presents them in such a light (dark?) that there will indeed be times where you'll think:
Man, I wish I could be one of them. The Lost Boys tried this, but ultimately became too bogged down in making them straightforward antagonists, whereas here our minds are constantly conflicted over the matter. Should we hate them or not?
This is because the Vampires in Near Dark are undoubtedly evil. It's just that they have such a good time doing what they do. When they're luring unwary people to their deaths, or simply terrorising helpless victims, it just looks like fun, regardless of the horrific results. Adding to this is the pitch-perfect casting. Not only do we get
Lance Henriksen (!) as Jesse, the "pack" leader, but also
Jenette Goldstein (!!) as his undead squeeze, as well as (prepare to be blown away)
Bill Paxton (!!!), proving himself once again to be the ultimate badass whilst he plays the smooth and just a little insane Severen.
But what really stands out in this film is its atmosphere. Amazingly, Kathryn Bigelow (who at the time was in a relationship with James Cameron, which may or may not have had something to do with the casting) succeeds in blending a large and diverse number of genres. We already know about the vampire element, but this is also a western, a road movie, and a romance. What you get as a result is one of the most unique films ever made. You'll go from feeling startled by the movie's frequent (but never too graphic) violence, to admiring the wonderfully dusty cinematography, to getting a rush from the action sequences, and to being drawn into Near Dark's many touching and poignant scenes (helped to no end by Tangerine Dream's mellow soundtrack). There's nothing else quite like it.
Unfortunately it's not perfect. The area that suffers the most is the plot. It's not that it's
bad; far from it - Near Dark has an excellent story! It's just that there are a few little 'issues' I have with it. For instance, dawn just seems to happen too quickly, or when it's necessary to move the plot along. I realise that it was probably unavoidable, but it is very noticeable. Also (and this is really just
my problem), it's anticlimactic. You might not think so, but it just ended too quickly for me. Ultimately, though, my complaints shouldn't nearly be enough to damage anyone's enjoyment of the film.
'
Who ordered pizza?'
4/5
Friday The 13th (2009)You know, even though I welcomed the remarkable change of pace that was Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday, to a film series as stale as Friday The 13th was by that stage, taking the titular character into space with the next installment, Jason X, was a step too far.
And that's exactly why this remake succeeds. It takes Jason back to the woods for some bare-basics slashing. It's all very simple: teenagers come to Crystal Lake for some premarital bonking, and Jason kills them. Bloodily. Surprisingly though, the writers managed to add an interesting enough subplot involving a guy looking for his missing sister; so there's more to this movie than just tits 'n' gore.
But that's not all this remake manages to achieve! The characters are,
whisper it, likeable... Well, most of them are likeable. One guy's a dick. But it's okay, because we're meant to dislike him! He's the resident knob. Speaking of characters, Jason has never looked better. Derek Mears not only has the perfect physique for the psycho-killer, but also acts in such a way that Jason becomes menacing for the first time in God knows how many sequels. And he runs, too! None of that plodding and teleporting bull, but rather a realistic approach to the Jason character, where he uses underground tunnels to cover large distances quickly. It works (though there will surely be many butthurt fanboys as a result, the wimps).
While the kills may not have been the most inventive (the film actually wastes a few opportunities for maximum gory carnage), they are certainly carried out with skill; and there's more than enough splatter to keep you entertained. With that in mind, it's clear that the new Friday The 13th ticks all the right slasher movie boxes, and ticks them well. Heck, it may be the best Friday yet...
Oh, and:
Quote from: severen76 on Oct 02, 2009, 07:52:18 PM
Epic boobs were epic.
3/5
Fright NightAlongside
The Lost Boys and
Near Dark,
Fright Night completes what is essentially an unofficial vampire film trilogy from the late 80's, although this was made first in 1985. It's also probably the best of the trio, too (though this is indeed an arguable matter). This is mostly due to the movie's style. Whilst
The Lost Boys attempted to make it look hip and cool to be a vampire in the 80's, and
Near Dark took a gritty and atmospherically hard edged approach to the Nosferatu,
Fright Night spins something of a more traditional take on the genre.
That's not to say it's all business as usual, though. Sure, there are classic vampire film conventions aplenty; including stakes, crosses, garlic, bat and wolf transformations, a creepy old house, and even a couple of vintage
Dracula-style plot elements. What's so impressive, however, is the constant undercurrent of humour that subtly runs beneath the dominant horror aspect. Basically,
Fright Night is to vampire movies what
Scream is to slasher movies! A quasi-parody! It's doubtful that you'll laugh out loud, but you will notice and appreciate the film's ability to make fun of its own genre. And for that reason, this is a film that's way ahead of its time.
But what with this being a vampire movie, you can be rest assured that there is certainly some horror to be found.
Fright Night may not be the most terrifying film ever made, but it does contain some genuinely frightening sequences - helped to a large degree by several gruesome makeup effects lavished upon lead vampire Jerry Dandridge (and minions). Dandridge is portrayed by Chris Sarandon, and I'll be damned if he isn't the coolest vampire ever depicted on celluloid! Imagine if Dracula was a young, hip bachelor in the 80's. That's Dandridge! He's effortlessly suave, and faces no challenge in seducing any female characters the story should provide him with. Severen may have been badass... but Dandridge is the
man!
In direct contrast is Peter Vincent (wonderfully portrayed by the late, great Roddy McDowall), a jittery has-been vampire movie star who main character Charlie enlists to help destroy Dandridge (his new neighbour, as luck would have it). McDowall's character screams hopelessness, and he hilariously runs scared from several vampiric confrontations. Charlie, on the other hand, is somewhat less compelling. He should get an award for 'Most Naive Protagonist Ever' or something (watch the scene where he tries to convince a police detective that his neighbour is a vampire... oh dear). But I guess it adds to the charm. Typing of charm, things get a bit raunchy at times - and Brad Fiedel's (of
Terminator fame) synth score compliments the film's sensous atmosphere greatly.
For real...4/5
The Fly (1986)Errr, yeah. Gross.
Seriously, though, this is one of those films that just gets better and better every time I see it.
The Fly is a timeless classic; easily aping its 1950's predecessor (of which this is a remake) and taking bold leaps and bounds for the horror genre. Being a Cronenberg movie, it's all about the body horror. When Seth (OMFG JEFF GOLDBLUM!!!1!) Brundle steps out of that telepod, only for his body to begin decaying thanks to that titular flying insect being in said telepod with him at the same time, the movie taps into the universal fear that we, as human beings, are indeed gradually decaying. But apart from that, this particularly gloopy film crafts one of the most convincing love stories ever told! Not to mention one that is tragically doomed. It's a...
Ahhhh! Nnnnn! Must. Resist! Noooo... don't, TJ. Don't! Mmmmmm.... Maaaa....
MASTERPIECE!!!
5/5
