horror films

[The Amstor Computer]

Blimey! Byron - are you my long-lost twin? I don't think I'd pass up a single movie on that list (provided Cat People isn't the 80s remake...)

BTW - have you seen the DVD of Dead of Night? Very disappointing, I thought. Hopefully someone will prepare a restored version for a future release.

[Bico]

Does Freaks count as a horror, though?

[Wils]

Amicus' anthology films. I can watch them over and over again. One of the most disturbing bits of any of them is the sight of Terry-Thomas in a pair of pink, frilly knickers. :s

[Bico]

By 'disturbing', do you mean 'arousing'?

[Wils]

No. I'm afraid you're alone in your Terry-Thomas fetish, Bear. ;p

[The Amstor Computer]

Heh :-)

The Amicus anthologies always had fun guest stars - Pertwee in "The House that Dripped Blood", Roy Castle in "Dr Terror's House of Horrors", Tom Baker in "Vault of Horror" - as well as greats like Cushing & Lee.

Great stuff, and I'd *love* to see someone with the passion and talent make a modern equivalent of "From Beyond the Grave" or "Asylum", but I don't think Britain has the kind of film industry that would support genre flicks like that anymore...

[Byron Virgo]

Robert Bloch contributed quite a few tales to Amicus' early anthology (or portmanteau) films: he wrote all of both Asylum and The Torture Garden (which starred the excellent Burgess Meredith, and Amicus' sole appearance by Hammer stalwart Michael Ripper). Later they turned to EC adaotations (Tales From the Crypt, Vault of Horror), before finally Milton Subotsky went it alone to make R. Chetwynd Hays-based films (The Monster Club). Of course, none of them ever quite match their progenitor, 1945's Dead of Night (not much of a DVD, you're right), which was part of a whole series of anthology format films that became popular in the the 1940's and eventually dies out again in the late 1950's.

"One of the most disturbing bits of any of them is the sight of Terry-Thomas in a pair of pink, frilly knickers"

That's Vault of Horror (always felt sorry for him in that - he might have been a prickly shit, but he's still Terry Thomas and doesn't deserve to get murdered with a hammer and then turned into a zombie by Curt Jurgens). Interestingly, that film is only available in its cut form on DVD and video, which cuts part of the denoument, though you can usually see the full version if you catch it on television.

"Does Freaks count as a horror, though?"

Yes, because it was directed by Todd Browning (sick bastard).

And of course I'm talking about the original Cat People - much as I sometimes love Paul Schrader, he can't hold a candle to the genius that was Jacques (son of Maurice) Tourneur.

[House of Usher]

Has anyone else seen The Devil's Rejects?

I saw it last night. Ooh! Ooh! Excellent film - very horrible indeed, but not as gut-churningly awful as the remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Still pretty gruesome though.

[Woolly]

Just watched Land of the Dead.


It sucks.

BIG time.
:(

[House of Usher]

You big liar. It's not even out yet!

[Dark Jimbo]

Anyone seen J Carpenter's Prince of Darkness? Pretty bad effects in some places and some laughable bits of plot, but one of the most shit-scary and unsettling films i have EVER watched.

[Mudcrab]

"from before your mum and dad were even conceived"

That'll be Nosferatu then. Not many others prior to 1930.

"whats wrong with horror films theyre good for laughing at what do you prefer barbie meets the little ponys" FUCK OFF TROLL.

[House of Usher]

He trolled right off on June 27th. He said something about coming back in 7 weeks or so, which means he should be about to return any moment now.

[Mudcrab]

Oops, didn't realise the thread was old :o)

[Richmond Clements]

Anyone seen J Carpenter's Prince of Darkness? Pretty bad effects in some places and some laughable bits of plot, but one of the most shit-scary and unsettling films i have EVER watched.


Great movie, and an underratted film in the Carpenter cannon. It's got an awesome ending too.