4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films is all about letting the visuals do the talking.
Today’s director is one of the most important names in the history of American horror cinema, George Romero!
4 Shots From 4 George Romero Films
Night of the Living Dead (1968, dir by George Romero, DP: George Romero)
Season of the Witch (1973, dir by George Romero, DP: George Romero)
Dawn of the Dead (1978, dir by George Romero, DP: Michael Gornick)
Creepshow (1982, dir by George Romero, written by Stephen King, DP: Michael Gornick)
Released in 1958, How To Make A Monster is a clever little horror satire from American International Pictures in which the stars of Teenage Werewolf and Teenage Frankenstein are hypnotized into believing that they actually are the monsters that they played! The main culprit is a movie makeup artist (Robert H. Harris) who has been deemed obsolete by the new bosses at AIP.
Dawn of the Dead (1978, dir by George Romero, DP: Michael Gornick)
Dario Argento not only produced and edited the European cut for 1978’s Dawn of the Dead, he also introduced George Romero to Goblin. The Italian band, famous for their horror movie soundtracks, provided the classic score to Dawn of the Dead.
(Admittedly, the score is is used far more prominently in Argento’s cut of the film than in Romero’s.)
For today’s horror song of the day, here is Goblin’s Main Theme From Dawn of the Dead.
Here are 6 trailers for the Thursday before Halloween!
The Monster Squad (1987)
I swear, there are some people out there who really, really love this movie. And good for them! Love is what makes the world go round. Personally, I’ve never watched it but it seems like everyday, someone on twitter makes a comment about the wolfman having nards.
2. Trick ‘R’ Treat (2007)
This is another movie that people around me seem to love. Strangely, I haven’t seen it, though the trailer seems to suggest that it’s something that I would enjoy. So, consider this my promise to you — next year, I will review Trick ‘R’ Treat for horrorthon!
3. Trick or Treat (1986)
“Rock and roll will never die!” And neither will Halloween.
However, make no mistake about it …. horror is not just a Halloween thing. It can infect any holiday….
4. New Year’s Evil (1980)
From director Garry Marshall comes an all-star film about the moments that make us who we are and the one night when everyone is celebrating…. oh wait. Sorry, wrong movie. This is actually a Canadian film that featured a killer who commits a murder in every time zone at the stroke of midnight. I’m not sure why anyone would think that was a viable plan but it was the 80s and cocaine was everywhere.
So, to make clear …. Garry Marshall was in no way involved with this film.
5. Slaughterhouse Rock (1988)
New Year’s Evil was not the only slasher film to feature a soundtrack of rockin’ 80s music! There was also Slaughterhouse Rock, which had a Devo soundtrack and which featured Toni Basil in a small but key supporting role!
Finally, let’s finish things off with one more horror musical spectacular.
6. Black Roses (1988)
OH MY GOD, LOOK AT THOSE DELOREANS!
Still, despite their really cool cars, this band is not a band to listen to. There’s only way you can get your band to sound as bad as the one in this movie and that’s too make a deal with the the devil! Losing your soul to sound terrible …. it’s just not worth it.
Though, admittedly, those car are pretty freaking cool….
Anyway, Happy Eve of Halloween! Enjoy these trailers and be sure to enjoy some wonderful films as well!
The 2021 film, Break Every Chain, tells the story of a cop with a problem.
Struggling with the memories of his own troubled childhood and also with the responsibilities of having a family of his own, Jonathan Hickory (Ignacyo Matynia) throws himself into his work as a member of the police force. He’s considered to be a good cop, one who is given important assignment and who can be trusted not to abuse his authority. At one point, when it appears that a drunk man is pointing a rifle at him, Jonathan is smart to realize that opening fire on the man is not the way to deal with him. Jonathan, in many ways, seems like a throwback to the days before the American police force became the militarized behemoth that it is today.
Jonathan is promoted to riding a motorcycle and it must be said that the motorcycle that he receives is pretty badass. Jonathan investigates accidents. He gives speeches about the important of not driving drunk. To the world, he’s the ideal cop. But, secretly, Jonathan is falling apart. Haunted by the things that he’s seen as a member of law enforcement, Jonathan has turned to drinking and has been neglecting his family. Soon, Jonathan is full-blown alcoholic and it’s only a matter of time before his drinking catches up to him.
Break Every Chain is a pretty simple film but it’s effective. Matynia gives a good performance as Jonathan and the film doesn’t try to force some sort of cure-all solution on the audience. Jonathan does get help for his problems and he does turn to his church for support. And, yes, it’s not all surprising when it turns out that Jonathan’s pastor is played by Dean Cain. However, the film itself is not particularly preachy, at least not by the standards of most faith-based films. It suggests that, for Jonathan, devoting himself to religion gives him another way to deal with life that doesn’t involve getting drunk and neglecting his family. The movie isn’t incorrect about that. Regardless of whether one agrees with Jonathan’s religious beliefs or not, he is correct to believe that the human mind needs something else to obsess on beyond its addictions.
I should admit that films about addiction, especially alcoholism, always tend to effect me more than other social problem films. My family tree has its share of drinkers, some of whom could handle their alcohol better than other. I know firsthand the trauma that can come from seeing a family member struggle with their addictions. One reason why I don’t drink is because I know that I have certain compulsive tendencies. I tend to channel those tendencies into watching and writing about movies and, of course, making lists. The way some people are about having that glass of wine before bed, that’s the way I am about making sure that my To-Do List for the following day has been written out and it’s ready to go. Some people are addicted to drugs. Some people are addicted to booze. I’m addicted to making out lengthy To-Do Lists. That said, there’s no greater feeling than crossing something off of your To Do List. For instance, I just crossed reviewing this film off of my list and now, I’m feeling great!
I have to be honest. I get the feeling that all of this film’s best moments were crammed into the trailer. The quotes insisting that this film is destined to be a “cult classic” also leave me feeling a bit skeptical. It’s very rare that any film described as being a future cult classic actually becomes one.
That said, the trailer does promise a mix of gore and comedy. If the filmmakers manage to maintain the right tone throughout the entire film, it seems like this could be fun. I do plan on watching The Invisible Raptor so I hope the film lives up to the hype of the trailer.
Today, everyone was saddened to hear about the passing of actress Teri Garr. The veteran actress and dancer, who was best-known for her comedic performances but who also showed that she could handle drama, was 79 years old.
Since this is October, it seem fitting to share two scenes from 1974’s Young Frankenstein, featuring Teri Garr as Inga.
4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!
Today, the Shattered Lens honors Paul Morrissey, a pioneering director who passed away yesterday at the age of 84.
Though he may not have been as well known as some of his contemporaries, Paul Morrissey was one of the godfathers of independent film. He first came to notice as a collaborator of Andy Warhol’s. Morrisey’s first films were shot at the Factory and starred the members of Warhol’s entourage. At a time when the indie film scene barely even existed, Morrissey was making boldly transgressive films and distributing them largely on his own. In fact, it could probably be argued that, if not for Paul Morrissey, the American independent film scene would never have grown into the impressive artistic and financial force that it is today.
There’s always been some debate over how much influence Warhol had over Morrissey’s films. Morrissey always said that Warhol had next to nothing to do with the films, beyond occasionally taking a producer’s or a co-director’s credit. Others have disagreed. What can be said for sure is that, even after Warhol retreated from directly involving himself in the cinematic arts, Morrissey continued to make fiercely independent films.
Paul Morrissey made films about outsiders. While other directors were telling stories about the middle and upper classes, Morrissey was making movies about junkies, prostitutes, and people simply trying to make it from one day to another. His films also frequently satirized classic Hollywood genres. In fact, his two best-known films, Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula, not only satirized the old Universal horror films but also the Marxist-themed films being made in Europe. A devout Catholic and a political conservative, Morrissey took a particular delight in tweaking the left-wing assumptions of the counterculture. Who can forget Joe Dallesandro’s gloriously shallow revolutionary in Blood for Dracula?
Here are….
4 Shots From 4 Paul Morrissey Films
Chelsea Girls (1966, dir by Paul Morrissey and Andy Warhol)
Seriously, I’ve been to West Virginia. It’s a beautiful state and the majority of the people that I met while I was there were just lovely. And before anyone trots out all the usual stereotypes about rural communities, let me say that one of the nicest used book store that I’ve ever been to was in West Virginia. It’s a nice state, one that feels like a throwback to a less cynical universe. Even all of the bridges and the streets named after the loathsome Robert Byrd added to the lovely quaintness of the place.
And yet, when it comes to the entertainment industry, West Virginia is rarely portrayed in a positive light. The coastal elite has never had much use for West Virginia or the surrounding states and that’s something that comes out in the films and television shows that are made in New York and California. Whenever anyone says that they’re from West Virginia in a movie or a television show, you can be sure that they’re either going to be a meth cook or a villainous redneck. West Virginia is one of those regions that’s never given much respect in Hollywood and that’s a shame.
Take Wrong Turn, for instance. First released in 2003, the original Wrong Turn taught an entire generation that West Virginia was full of cannibals and blood farmers. If you’re going to go for a drive in the wilderness of West Virginia, this film tells us, keep an eye out for barb wire booby traps. If you’re going to hiking in the mountains, notify your next of kin because you probably won’t be coming back. Wrong Turn follows a group of friends as they are tracked by a family of cannibal hillbillies and the main message seems to be, “For the love of God, stay out of Appalachia!”
(When I first started writing for this blog, I caused a mini-controversy when I said that no one would pay good money to see a film called The Vermont Chainsaw Massacre. My point was that Texas has a reputation, albeit one that has more to do with fevered imaginings of out-of-staters than anything rooted in reality, that made it the only place where that film could really be effectively set. The same is true of Wrong Turn. It’s a story that people wouldn’t buy if it was happening anywhere other than in Appalachia. Nobody would care about cannibals living in Minnesota, for instance.)
West Virginia slander aside, the original Wrong Turn holds up well. It’s a slasher film from the era right before slasher films started taking themselves so seriously. It’s a throwback to the rural horror films of the 70s, with an attractive cast getting picked off in various gruesome ways. The cannibals are frightening and the victims are all likable without being so likable that you can’t handle seeing them killed off. Jeremy Sisto and Lindy Booth both bring some comic relief to the film before their characters are dispatched. Desmond Harrington is a sold-enough lead. When I first saw Wrong Turn, my main reaction was that Eliza Dushku kicked ass and that was still my reactions when I rewatched it. The film is bloody, shameless, and fully willing to give the audience what it wants without scolding them for it. In short, it’s a perfectly fun slasher film and, watching it, it’s hard not to miss the era before horror films started taking themselves so damn seriously.
Wrong Turn‘s a fun movie. But West Virginia is a lovely state and that should never be forgotten!
The main thing you need to know about 2023’s Don’t Look Away is that the killer looks like this.
Yes, the killer is a mannequin and a rather silly-looking one at that. Silly or not, the mannequin is undeniably creepy, as mannequins tend to be. The mannequin is apparently stalking a group of friends. Frankie (Kelly Bastard) is convinced that the mannequin is alive and possessed by some sort of supernatural power. Her friends disagree …. until they start dying, one-by-one.
Now, I should make clear that, for the majority of the film’s running time, we don’t actually see the mannequin kill anyone. At the most, we see the mannequin suddenly show up behind someone. He evens shows up in a swimming pool at one point. Occasionally, his facial expression seems to change but, for the most, he always has the same goofy smile painted on his face. The mannequin stalks one person-at-a-time and if you see him behind you and then look away, he’ll be closer the second time you look at him.
We do see the aftermath of meeting the mannequin. As silly as it may seem to get killed by a mannequin (and I mean, seriously, how do you handle that shame while waiting in Purgatory), Kelly’s friends are actually dying, though it appears that they could all just be having unfortunate accidents or committing suicide. Is it possible that the mannequin is just a mess delusion and that Kelly’s paranoia has poisoned the group? The thing is, though …. if you were going to imagine a scary mannequin trying to kill you, wouldn’t you actually visualize something a lot more scary than a naked, emasculated wooden man with a silly smile on his face?
Don’t Look Away doesn’t quite work. None of the friends really make a huge impression or even register as anything more than horror movie stereotypes. There’s a scene set in a disco that I appreciated but that’s just because I appreciated anything that’s set in a disco. Don’t Look Away suffers from a common affliction amongst horror films that were made after It Follows, in that the action moves way too slowly. When the film should be fast-paced and silly, it’s somber and strangely self-serious.
The film’s big star, of course, is that mannequin. Here’s another shot of him.
I mean, yeah, he’s creepy. The first few times that you see him, he’s legitimately scary. But then, after a while, he just become silly. There’s only so much you can do with a goofy-looking mannequin. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’ve seen some good killer mannequin films. Mannequins can definitely be scary and I wouldn’t want to get locked in a warehouse with them or anything like that. Mario Bava’s Lisa and the Devilmakes wonderful use of the creepiness of mannequins. But the mannequin at the heart of Don’t Look Away becomes less creepy and more goofy every time that you see him. I’ll admit that I looked away a few times in an effort not to laugh.
Through the Shattered Lens