31 Days of Halloween

My first introduction to Phantasm was watching part II with my older brother when I was 10 or so. The eeriness, dreamlike quality, and trick ending blew my young mind.

Yeah, Phantasm II was my first introduction to the franchise at about the same age. It was such a fun and different horror film, and blew my mind as well at the time. So many unique and wtf elements, the spheres, the dwarfs, the gas mask guy, the Tall Man. It was crazy, didn't make a lot of sense, and was so much fun. I think I need to revisit this series.

Hellbound: Hellraiser II is definitely one of those rare superior horror sequels, but the rest are garbage. Only the first two are required viewing.

Day Nine: TCM Presents Silent Horror - Part One

This Friday, TCM ran a spotlight on silent horror films from the 1920s (hosted by Ron Perlman!) and I thought it be fun to dive in!


Nosferatu


*Reposted from last year

I first saw Nosferatu on a pretty crappy transfer and felt I owed the film a rewatch. Sure enough, this is a much better movie than I remembered. The key to the film's success are the visuals, which are clearly amazing and way ahead of their time. F.W. Murnau and his cinematographers capture some of the most striking images you'll ever see. The greatest is most certainly Orlock's shadow and it's slow descent up the stairs. There's also the rats pouring out of the coffin, Knock running through the streets, Orlock in the door way, Orlock's rigid standing up on the ship, Orlock in Ellen's room in the end...basically any scene with Orlock. It's all very striking and helps build a tangibly creepy atmosphere which never lets up. Murnau also makes use of some pretty bold editing for the time.

For anyone who doesn't know, this is an unofficial retelling of Dracula and Max Schreck's Count Orlock (A.K.A Dracula) is one of the best takes on the legendary vampire. He's a horrifying creature (thanks in large part to the art direction and make-up) that silently stalks his prey, showing no mercy. This film is also the best I've seen in regards to treating Dracula as the fearsome threat that he is. One of my favourite scenes is when Orlock is preying on Hutter, and simultaneously a hypnosis is falling over Hutter's wife Ellen in another country. It's a great example of what an otherworldly and horrifying being this is.

This is one of the absolute greatest silent films. It's place in film history is undisputed. This is a wildly important film which took bold risks and did a lot to advance the medium. As a work of storytelling, it's also highly effective. There's something inherently mythical about silent films that makes them akin to fables, and Nosferatu really embodies that. It's a dark and twisted nightmare which explores what we fear at the most basic level.

A+


The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari


The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a fascinating beast; a film that feels very much of its time yet also ahead of it. This fits in perfectly with the German expressionist movement of the day for example, but applying such a style to film was a largely unprecedented stroke that would go on to have deep influence. Indeed, the visuals are what people typically remember about Caligari. The sets and matte paintings depict a world of frighteningly contorted shapes; a dark and twisted reality. It doesn't exactly look "real", but it creates a disorienting atmosphere and the impression of a living nightmare. However it is not just the visuals that are exceptional, but the story too. The psychological twists may not seem that big a deal today, but I can only imagine how shocking this was for a film in 1920. It's also worth noting that the twists are not exactly clear cut. There's a certain ambiguity to the ending which becomes more haunting upon reflection.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is one of the cornerstones of cinematic history (horror or otherwise) and a must-see. It tells a gripping story and Robert Wienne elevates things even further through his expressionist style and chilling imagery.

A+

The Unholy Three


This movie was played during TCM's spotlight on Silent Horror, but it isn't really a horror movie. The Unholy Three is really a strange crime movie about a group of circus performers who decide to perform a heist of sorts. There are two things that give this a sort of horror vibe though. The first is Lon Chaney, an actor known for horror films, and he does give a pretty sinister performance. The second is director Tod Browning, also must known for making horror films, and he does bring a certain dark sensibility to The Unholy Three. Browning's directing is indeed really strong here. He stages scenes very well and he also utilizes some neat (if obvious) tricks in the third act involving forced perspective.

There are some pretty cool scenes here, but the narrative has its share of problems. First off, the big scheme this group has seems a bit wack to me. I mean, it involves the ventriloquist imitating the sounds of parrots while in a bird shop so rich guys will buy them. Then when they get the parrot home and it doesn't take the rich call the group over to address the problem and while in the home the gang can do some thievery. Oh, and the ventriloquist is dressed like an old lady and the little person as her grandson. The film also introduces a lame love story which goes way too far in the third act and leads to a dumb ending.

So yeah, the film has problems, but I do think Browning makes a lot of it work, Chaney and Harry Earles give good performances.

C+

Oh yeah.

Honeymoon planning, from us to you.

Pfft. Lesser movies.

And add Sleepaway Camp II into the fold for your line of questioning.

Such a solid list. Impenetrable.

I've watched Sleepaway Camp, I'll roll to #2....

There is overt commentary on Freddy, Jason Michael Myers, and everything that slashers were up until that point. .

I think of it as the antislasher of the time. A proto-Scream with more disgusting kills.

We're doing Yeoman's work here

Day Ten: TCM Presents Silent Horror - Part Two


The Phantom of the Opera


Right behind The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu, The Phantom of the Opera is one of the major works of silent horror. The film is probably most well-remembered for Lon Chaney and the make-up effects used to turn him into the phantom, both of which are awesome. Chaney gives an energized performance and the make-up looks great even in 2016. The film also has a handful of amazing sequences, including an awesome moment involving a falling chandelier, Christine's journey through the Phantom's lair, and the finale. The highlight though is the masked ball where the Phantom arrives dressed as the Red Death. The scene is shot in colour and uses it to striking effect. The Phantom's red cloak looks awesome, particularly the scene where it's blowing in the wind against a black sky. The movie as a whole has a great visual style and the overall effect is mysterious and tantalizing.

Awesome as parts are, it's not quite perfect. The film gets off to somewhat of an awkward start and I'm also not really sure how the mob found the Phantom's lair. Beyond that, the film does sort of lack the elegance and artistry of films like Caligari and Nosferatu. Still, this is certainly quality horror cinema and worthy of being called a classic.

A-


Haxan


*Reposted from last year.

Haxan is a pseudo documentary about Witchcraft from the early 20s, but the film is mostly remembered for it's dramatizations of witches, Satan, and all sorts of evil. That stuff is indeed the highlight of the movie. The visuals are fantastic and I can see a direct influence on silent classics Faust and The Passion of Joan of Arc. Beyond the influence though, these scenes just have really striking imagery that sticks. Unfortunately I never really cared for the overarching story exploring witchcraft and the modern manifestations of mental illness. All that material seemed totally irrelevant. With a better framing story, Haxan might well be a silent film classic. As it is though, it's still pretty good.

B-


The Penalty


A boy who wrongfully had his legs amputated as a child grows into a crime lord of San Francisco. The film is probably best remembered for Lon Chaney's performance which helped established him as a major actor and he indeed is pretty awesome here. He gives a really intense turn and the special effects used to turn him into an amputee are pretty effective. The film does have some really effective moments and is a fairly compelling watch, but the film ends up having a pretty dumb ending which only becomes dumber the more it's stretched out. Disappointing as that is, the movie has a certain charm that stops me from fully dismissing it. Chaney's performance goes a long way and the filmmaking is pretty solid, particularly when one considers how early this is.

C+


The Unknown


Closing out TCM's night of silent horror is The Unknown, another film directed by Tod Browning and starring Lon Chaney dealing with the circus (like The Unholy Three) and a film where Chaney plays a supposed amputee (just like The Penalty). Specifically, Chaney plays an armless man who works with the circus and develops an obsession with a female performer. As has been the case with a lot of these movies, Chaney gives a really awesome performance. This is a very physically demanding role and Chaney also displays mastery over subtle facial expressions. It's a really great performance and Chaney brings a lot of nuance to the part.

The film itself tells a pretty straightforward, but the few twists do work pretty well and Browning does a good job presenting everything. The film is a bit too short and a little lacking in substance, but its a gripping little ride with some strong moments along the way.

B-