I remember the marketing for Children Of The Corn when I was a kid. The commercials were absolutely terrifying, and at 11 all I knew about Stephen King was that he was “The Master of Horror”. I don’t think I started reading his work yet, but when I did I was hooked and had my chance to see this when it arrived on cable a few years later. Back then the story of child cults and murder were so fresh and creepy it made an indelible impression on my young mind. Rewatching it now, I can see many of the seams and problems (man this is a dull movie) but I’d be lying if I said it was a complete failure.

Reviews

Hooptober 11.0 – Humanoids From The Deep (1980)

Being Film #3 for Hooptober 2024

I can appreciate all the breaks Roger Corman gave people through his films over the years. And I can appreciate the fun schlock of many of his films – with the best of them there’s a charm and imprint that can’t be denied. And huge kudos to the man for giving female directors a chance to shine: I’m attributing anything good about Humanoids From The Deep to Barbara Peeters who took a swing with this Jaws ripoff and inject a sense of fun and social consciousness to the proceedings. But if you know anything about this film, it’s probably about the image I used for the header, which is not only exploitative in the worst possible way, but was done so without the cast and crew’s knowledge. So let’s get into why a few inserted scenes basically makes this a non-starter for me.

ChrisSeptember 16, 20241 Comment

Reviews

Hooptober 10.0 – Gothic (1986)

Being Film #23 for Hooptober 2023

Having finally felt like I caught on to Ken Russell’s particular and peculiar wavelength, I called an audible and went back to a film I saw as a teenager and never revisited. Gothic purports to dramatize the night that Lord Byron, Dr. John Polidori, Percy Bysshe Shelley and, of course, Mary Shelley spent on holiday and the events of which formed the basis for Shelly’s writing of Frankenstein. In Russell’s hand it becomes a delirious dog freakout, where breasts grow eyes, imps sit devilishly on a beautiful woman’s chest (that iconic poster and shot in the film) and everyone has their emotions and performance buttons pushed and dialed to 11. And while narratively it might not be as steady as Lair of the White Worm (which is saying something), it’s another dizzying ride that – taken in the right spirit – is a blast to watch.

ChrisOctober 10, 2023Leave a comment

Reviews

Hooptober 10.0 – The Lair of the White Worm (1988)

Being Film #22 for Hooptober 2023 Man, Ken Russell is naughty, huh? I mean, yeah…I knew this in theory have seen The Devils, but maybe his predilection for the excesses of every appetite was maybe limited to the type of story being told? Uh, no, and that’s a good thing. The Lair of the White Worm, his adaptation of Bran Stoker’s other vampiric narrative, is … Continue reading Hooptober 10.0 – The Lair of the White Worm (1988)

ChrisOctober 7, 2023Leave a comment

Reviews

Hooptober 10.0 – Dead Ringers (1988)

Being Film #16 for Hooptober 2023 I think the biggest mystery of Dead Ringers is how it didn’t win ALL the awards, especially for Jeremy Irons. I’ve always held the film at arm’s length, admiring its execution but getting precisely what I wanted from a Cronenberg movie. Well that was then and now I’m older and not nearly as dumb (please note I didn’t say … Continue reading Hooptober 10.0 – Dead Ringers (1988)

ChrisSeptember 30, 2023September 30, 20231 Comment

Reviews

Hooptober 10.0 – Psycho II (1983)

Being Film #15 for Hooptober 2023 “Pick a film from the year you turned 10” they said. Easy enough. I had been meaning to get to Psycho II for more years than I can remember. For years it had been been the subject of reconsiderations; cries of “underrated” and “hidden gem” being floated about with abandon. Finally sitting down with it, watching Scream Factory’s great … Continue reading Hooptober 10.0 – Psycho II (1983)

ChrisSeptember 29, 2023Leave a comment

Cinema Dual (TEST SITE)

Examining a life through the media we consume. In other words, I’m reviewing all of my physical music media in alphabetical order, one day at at a time. Except when I don’t, as has been the case for the past few years. Still, we march onwards…Coffee essential, but not mandatory

Tag: 1980s

Hooptober 11.0 – Children Of The Corn (1984)

Hooptober 11.0 – Humanoids From The Deep (1980)

Hooptober 10.0 – Gothic (1986)

Hooptober 10.0 – The Lair of the White Worm (1988)

Hooptober 10.0 – Dead Ringers (1988)

Hooptober 10.0 – Psycho II (1983)