DVD Review - A Nightmare On Elm Street - When Social Media Fails as an Idea in a Horror Remake (warning: several spoilers)

        A Nightmare On Elm Street, the remake, will be out on DVD and Blu-Ray on October 5th.  The film did not pan well amongst critics and horror fans when it was released in theatres, and I don’t want to reiterate those sentiments.  Instead, I’d like to use this dvd review opportunity to list a few suggestions for director Samuel Bayer, and screenwriters Wesley Strick and Eric Heisserer, since they are both scheduled to work on A Nightmare On Elm Street 2. God help us all.

1.    Some development of characters in any film, of any genre, is crucial, and should never be neglected.  A Nightmare On Elm Street opens with Dean Russell (Kellan Lutz, Twilight), who has been spending a copious amount of time in a diner, ordering coffee in order to stay awake.  Waitress Nancy (Rooney Mara), warns him that if he falls asleep in the restaurant again, he will be kicked out.  As it turns out, Nancy will become the film’s protagonist, and she’s not just a waitress, she’s actually a high school student as well.  Gorgeous yet annoying blonde Kris (Katie Cassidy – yes – David Cassidy’s real life daughter), joins Dean at the diner, trying to understand what is happening to him.  Dean murmurs something about his dreams, Freddy, etc.  Bored now.  While Kris slips away use the little girl’s room, Dean falls asleep and is attacked by the legendary Freddy Kruger, just as Kris returns.
      Every death in this film is a relief to the audience.  The acting is so dreadful, and the characters are so rudimentary, that it is impossible to care when they die.  In order to create fear and anxiety amongst viewers, it is important that they are invested in the characters on screen; that they fear for the death of the character.  Otherwise, the audience will throw a party when your protagonist dies, and ultimately when your horror movie ends.   

2.      If your goal is to create a scary film, make sure that your monster isn’t laughable.  In the remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street, Freddy’s voice is echoed, forced, over done, and reminiscent of Christian Bale’s in the Batman movies.  This is not a good thing.  If Christian Bale can’t pull it off, neither can Jackie Earle Hayley (Krueger).  Krueger’s makeup also needs some work.  He looks more like a wax figurine than a monster.  Robert Englund was so flawless in the original films that Bayer was bound to come up against some criticism, but the new Kruger fails on all accounts.     
      The script is of poor quality as well, which doesn’t help.  After Kris finds her dead dog, we hear Kruger, in his most sinister, and exaggerated voice say, “I was just petting him!”  Really?

Old Freddy:        

VS.

New Freddy:

3.      Last, but definitely not least, continuity is imperative in cinematic story telling.  If a film doesn’t make sense, or if the narrative is jolted in any way, viewers will notice, and despite what Bayer may think, horror audiences aren’t stupid.  I’m a strong supporter of horror films that are original, unique, and deal with current issues.  I think it’s only a matter of time before we see a horror movie about facebook, twitter, or IPhone apps (in fact, check out  A Killer App, a super cool, zombie short directed by Keram Malicki-Sánchez).  For example, Fear dot Com, although not wonderful, dealt with the power and horror of the internet.   In A Nightmare On Elm Street, I think it’s a great idea that Nancy discovers one of Freddy’s other victims on a personal blog/youtube-like video website.  Nancy watches Marcus (Aaron Yoo) online as he describes his nightmares, Krueger, and his difficulties in staying awake to stay alive.  In Marcus' last video-blog, his head smashes into the camera lens, breaking it.  Marcus has fallen asleep, perhaps to his death?  Of course, he must have been well enough to upload his video on the blog after that though, right?  Riiiiiiiight.

       When it comes to writing film reviews, I try to be objective, and examine both the positive and the negative of a movie.  A Nightmare On Elm Street is the worst remake of the year, no contest.  But, I do enjoy how Bayer unexpectedly kills of one of the characters I initially thought was being groomed as main character.  This came as a genuine surprise to me.

       My advice to you, horror fan, would be to check out A Nightmare On Elm Street on DVD/Blu-Ray next week, because at the very least, it may save you from spending money on the sequel in theatres next year.

xox
Lianne Spiderbaby
Twitter:  @liannemac
http://sbhonesty.blogspot.com/

Gareth Edwards’ MONSTERS – A Captivating Examination of the Human Race, Free of Manipulation and Exploitation

        Monsters is not a horror film in the conventional sense. Yes, there are large, alien-formed species that are visible on-screen, but instead of calling them “monsters” in the film, they are known as “the creatures." So, who then, are the monsters? Where are they? Director Gareth Edwards invites spectators to figure out these questions on their own; the film is free of overt stylistic manipulation, instead allowing the viewer to watch the growth of a relationship between the two main characters, who lead us to the true monsters.

         We are first introduced to Andrew Kalder (Scoot McNairy), a photojournalist trying to capture images of the creatures and/or people who have been killed by the creatures for a major magazine. He is also assigned the job of escorting his boss’ daughter, Samantha (Whitney Able) back home to the U.S. from Mexico. Not such an easy task, considering a huge portion of Mexico has been placed under quarantine, due to the fact that it is “infested” with new life forms that have grown from aliens that landed on Earth six years ago. Kalder and Sam first try to make it home by ferry for the high price of $5,000, but when that falls through, they pay $10,000 for a private army to take them straight through the infected zone by boat and foot. 

        Monsters was made on a very low budget. The script was minimal, and the actors often improvised lines. Shot in Central America, Edwards relied on the locals to be a part of the film, and to deliver a sense of realism. We never learn much about what life was like for Kalder or Sam prior to their meeting, but Edwards allows their relationship with one another to unfold naturally on-screen. The cinematography is brilliant and bravura, making it easy on our eyes, permitting spectators to lose themselves with Sam and Kalder, and the scenery around them.


      I suspect many horror fans may be disappointed with the direction that Monsters goes in. The title can be deceiving. I also suspect that horror films in the future may pick up

on the notion that the real horror is within ourselves, and the world we live in, without monsters, vampires or psycho killers. Monsters isn’t fast-paced, the music doesn’t cue us to feel fear, and blood isn’t aplenty. The horrors in the film are much more real. To get academic on your ass, my favourite film theorist, André Bazin, believed that the best films depict reality, direction is invisible and the interpretation of a film is left to the spectator. Edwards has achieved this in Monsters.

    
     The best way to approach this film is to go in with an open mind. It’s original, fresh and entertaining.  Monsters is all about the chaos and the complications of traveling back home, but in the process, Kalder and Sam begin to understand the human species, and how the United States does business with those who are different from them. Kalder and Sam also discover a piece of home within themselves.

Follow me on twitter:  @liannemac
xox
Lianne Spiderbaby

James Wan’s INSIDIOUS – There Aren’t Enough Words…

…to express how much I loved this film. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival

, Insidious is frightening, creepy, disturbing, unsettling, engaging, and exhilarating.  I had no idea what to expect, and the film blew my mind.  Director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell have created one of the most unique and passionate horror films this year, all on a relatively low budget.  Just when you think you have it all figured out, Insidious takes another turn, and you are left in the dark again, to fend off gruesome ghosts along with protagonists, Josh (Patrick Wilson), and his wife Renai (Rose Byrne).

 

            At first, the plot seems relatively simple, and quite familiar:  a family moves into a new home and weird things start to happen.  Books fly off the shelves, belongings go missing, voices are heard on the baby moniter

, and doors open and close on their own.  Josh and Renai’s young son, Dalton, falls off of a ladder and bangs his head, later slipping into a coma; or so the doctors believe.  After several months, Dalton does not wake up, and that’s when the ghosts start to appear around the house. 

            Until this day, I have always thought that the scariest films allow their audiences to come up with the worst-case scenario all on their own.  Meaning, the less we see of the ghost/demon/witch/monster, the scarier.  Think Blair Witch Project.  However, in Insidious, we see ghosts galore, and every single one of them is horrifying, and diverse.  Renai and Josh do everything they can to get their son Dalton back, which includes a trip into a realm called The Further.

            After several years of brutal remakes, Insidious gives genre fans a reason to love modern horror films again.  The film was free of cheesy gimmicks, though it does include some humour, which only serves to lighten the mood for a few mere minutes.  Influences are present, (Poltergeist, The Exorcist, even Silence Of The Lambs) but not copied.  It helps that the film is cast perfectly, as Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson are flawless.  Insidious takes place in an extremely visual space, if the acting is not believable, the whole film and its fear factor could easily fall apart.  Both Wilson and Byrne owned it, depicting genuine fear and anxiety.

            If the film is well received in theatres (which, I suspect it will be) Insidious will likely continue in sequels, as did Wan’s previous film, Saw.  Insidious keeps the audience guessing right up until it’s finale – it’s unpredictable and wonderfully original.  Wan has proved himself to be a horror master, and I’m just as excited for his next project as I am about Insidious.  I wrote Wan personally to thank him for this great contribution to the genre (and for the nightmares I will have tonight and probably all of next week), and I’d like to thank him again –

Thank you, James Wan, from the bottom of our horror-ified hearts.

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John Carpenter’s THE WARD -The Master of Suspense Is Still That, Minus A Foreseeable Finale

         Premiering at The Toronto  International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness showcase, John Carpenter’s newest film, The Ward, left its audience with mixed opinions. After nine years, the master of suspense (director of classic horror films "Halloween," "The Fog" and "The Thing") has created another film on the basis of building tension and creating an ominous mood. However, all of the anxiety-inducing and frightening scenes in the film come to a halt in the end, when the film finishes off with a predictable twist, a popular convention that is used so frequently in horror films today.  I won’t spoil the film for you, but if you’ve seen Aja’s horror masterpiece High Tension, or more recently, Scorsese’s Shutter Island, you will see the ending of "The Ward" coming from a mile away. In fact, by the time I’m finished giving you a synopsis of the film, it is likely that you will have already guessed how it ends.

        The story takes place in the 1960s, when Kristen (the lovely Amber Heard) is admitted into the State Mental Hospital after setting a house on fire. Kristen is rebellious, intuitive and determined to get out of the hospital as soon as possible. There are four other young girls living at the ward as well: Iris (Lyndsey Fonseca), Emily (Mamie Gummer), Sarah (Danielle Panabaker) and Zoey (Laura-Leigh). The turnover rate at the mental institution is rather high, due to the fact that the ghostly and ghastly Alice is determined to have her revenge on the mental ward and its inhabitants. When the doctor and the head nurse show no remorse or concern after one of the girls disappears without a trace, Kristen knows she must escape the ward -- and Alice -- before it’s too late.

       There is some good in The Ward. To the surprise of the audience, old tricks like ghosts appearing in mirrors, unknown horrors waiting on the other side of the door and music that communicates fear and suspense are still effective. Even the toughest, most desensitized spectators will jump out of their seats. The makeup and special effects by the K.N.B. EFX Group were very well done. Alice is disgusting from afar and even worse up-close, and one young woman in the ward dies from a pretty vile instrument to the eyeball. Carpenter has also created an eerily clean and claustrophobic space that feels unsafe even with the lights on.

     However, there are aspects of The Ward that are unpleasant -- and unforgiveable.  Carpenter did the best he could with the horrendous plot twist in the script, written by Shawn and Michael Rasmussen. The acting (other than Heard) is equally dreadful. Mamie Gummer’s character is perhaps the most annoying; her version of “crazy” screams fake and phony, a far cry from what her mother, Meryl Streep, is capable of.

      Girl, Interrupted this is not. The film isn’t innovative in the slightest, and while we could give Carpenter the benefit of the doubt and assume his latest is an homage to horror films of the past, I’m skeptic. The Ward isn’t self-reflective, it isn’t subversive, and while it is entertaining, the film’s finale ruins whatever good impressions are made up until that point.

       Regardless of what The Ward has to offer, it has John Carpenter’s name on it, so without question, the film will do just fine in theaters. It’s fun, entertaining and easily marketable.  The movie is likely to disappoint dedicated and devoted horror fans, especially because this is Carpenter’s first film in nine years. Hopefully we will not have to wait another nine for an original film by the master, and here’s hoping that he writes the script himself.



By Lianne Spiderbaby

TWITTER: @liannemac

SAW: The End of A Series

         Right on time, the newest installation of the Saw series will be released in theatres this Halloween.  Capitalizing on the latest trend, Saw is in 3-D, and this will be the seventh and final chapter of the series.  As far as I'm concerned, this is the end of an era.  We haven't seen a horror series with this kind of longevity since the '80s: Halloween, Friday The 13th and Nightmare On Elm Street.   Horror fans have differing opinions on the Saw films.  Some hardcore horror fans feel that the Saw movies are catered to teenaged boys who like to scare their girlfriends into getting to third base.  This sentiment is based on snobbery, and I believe dedicated horror fans are entitled to that.  We can be the hardest of critics because of how devoted we are to the genre.   However, I think the Saw series deserves a closer, more critical look at how the films have contributed to the horror genre, as well as the issues Saw has dealt with that horror fans have quickly dismissed.

         Recently on Canadian radio station CBC, George Romero spoke about his disappointment in the horror genre, and how films today lack social and political criticism.  Romero stated that horror has always had an underlying commentary, but since the late 1970s, it has disappeared (cbc.com).  I tend to agree with Romero on this point.  Although, I think that while Saw has been successful in selling tickets at the box office, it has also been auspicious in commentating on the American government, and how poorly the country was run by the Republican party.   The Saw films are so graphic and violent, that these political messages often get lost in the shuffle of blood, guts, and well… bad acting. 

        I will not argue against the fact that the more recent Saw films are very much like the one before it.  After six films, I have trouble keeping track of which is which. The first Saw film paneled well with critics and audiences, thus the continuous sequels.    Gradually, with each film, the reviews got worse, and even the teenaged boys trying to get into the pants of their girlfriends became tired with the same old.  However, Saw VI was slightly more successful, scoring a 42% on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes (rottentomatoes.com).  This may not seem like an accomplishment, but Saw V scored a very low 13%.

         In Saw VI, Tobin Bell resumes as his character Jigsaw, and this time, he is out to teach William Easton (Peter Outerbridge), major executive of a health insurance corporation, a lesson in how to live his life.  Perhaps one of the biggest issues in American politics is national health care - and with the election of President Obama in 2008, health care seems like a possibility for the country's future.  Saw VI was released in October 2009, and the film overtly criticizes health insurance companies and the executives who make decisions on who should live, and who should die.

          As we know from previous Saw films, Jigsaw was a cancer patient who's goal was to “help” people discover themselves, their lives, and the choices they make.  In Saw VI, we learn that Jigsaw (or John when he's not torturing people), once visited his friend, Easton, and begged for funding to treat his cancer.  Easton instantly turned him down, not able to foresee how this decision would affect his own life years later.  As expected, Easton dies a brutal death after suffering through several tests curated by Jigsaw, his minion wife, and newest helper, Detective Hoffman. 

          Saw VI also took a stab at mortgage lenders for their victimization of innocent homebuyers.  The film is all about revenge and punishment.  The first time I saw the Saw VI (which, I will admit, was not in theatres), I felt like I was watching Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story, cue the torture porn.

          And, ah, torture porn.  Saw was one of the first American films to be labeled as such.  Torture porn has it's own can of worms that I will not elaborate on, but the movement did take gore to a whole new level in the mid-2000s.  The Saw series was an influential part of that, and the extreme mutilation in the films helped the series to become the most profitable horror film franchise of all-time (Lariam Peter. October 24, 2008, New York Post.) 

          After the wave and popularity of torture porn films, the newest trend in horror was the remake.  Torture porn was replaced by rearticulations on original ideas of horror-past.  Although I have enjoyed a few remakes (namely, Aja's The Hills Have Eyes), I do miss original ideas: horror films where I don't already know the final outcome, what I should fear, and who will and won't survive.  In a surge of remakes: Friday the 13th, Nightmare On Elm Street, My Bloody Valentine, The Amityville Horror, Halloween, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the Saw series provided us with some form of uniqueness, despite the fact that the Saw films themselves resemble each other.  One could even argue that Saw revolutionized gore: it inspired and desensitized us, making way for Tom Six's gross-out Human Centipede (First Sequence), and the meticulously detailed deaths in Adam Green's Hatchet.

      At this point, it is hard to predict how Saw 3D will do in the theatres.  It's safe to say that the 3-D aspect alone will draw audiences, but Saw 3D will be competing with other October horror releases Paranormal Activity 2 (October 22), and Wes Craven's new film, My Soul To Take (October 8).  I plan on seeing Saw 3D in theatres opening weekend with a large group of friends, to celebrate the success of the series.  Six sequels is impressive and exclusive to the horror genre, which is worth throwing a theatre party for.  See you on the 29th of October! And please follow me on twitter:  @liannemac