It's Day 295 of the year and of my projects. This makes it Day 21 of the 31 Days of Hallowe'en challenges. As always, I'm starting off with my own 31 Days of Hallowe'en challenge, which I talked about back in August. My mini challenge today is Evil Clowns. I picked the Terrifier 2
On the anniversary of a brutal killing, the serial killer escapes from the morgue and beings again. Can a teenager and her young brother stop him from destroying the town?
Okay, so...I've seen it. I'm sort of fenced on this movie. I saw the original in the franchise few years ago, and thought it was done well enough for an indie horror. Same with this one. I get what it's trying to do with the throwback to the how horror was done in the 1970's and early 1980's. Just not carrying what the general public was going to think, and just making a movie with a halfway decent plot and a very unforgettable killer. It does that, and it does that to low budget perfection.
And what do I think could have used some tightening up? The length of this movie! It could have had been a half hour shorter and it still would have the same results. I also understand why they have so much extra time happening of nothing. Just talking, or scenes of the lead character building her Hallowe'en costume, or extra long chase scenes... so that when the brutality of it happens, you're shocked that much more. I get it. And in a way, it's brilliant for that. You're lulled into a false sense of comfort and near boredom then stuck over the head with such a visual slap. But, the party scene didn't need to be as long as it was. And what the hell is with this franchise and poop?
If this movie had come out in the early 1990's, my teenaged self would have loved it. But my 50 year old self could have done with a trimmed down version. I know everyone seems to really dig this movie, but it's just not living up to the hype for me. I will give it props for not caring what the general public thinks and just going all out. And it's managed to gather a massive following in the horror community. Sort of makes you wonder how twisted some of us horror people have become over the last few decades doesn't it?
And the 31 Days of Horror challenge being hosted by Nightmare on Film Street. Their mini theme today is Korean Horror. I picked Thirst.
When a priest who is suffering from a life threatening illness, decides to join a medical experiment, he turns into a vampire because of it. Soon, people start treating him like a miracle worker, asking him to heal their wounds and illnesses. One of whom happens to be his friends' wife. They soon begin an affair and when she learns he's a vampire, forces him to make her one too.
This is a metaphor for greed and guilt. The priest is ashamed of his actions, but feels that if he's given in once, then he might as well keep going. While the housewife is manipulating everyone around her, even to the point of killing her husband. She at first glance, convinces the priest to have sex with her, but you realize it's more of a rape then seducing him, as she never looks at him when it's happening continuing to keep her back to him. She later on seduces other men in the neighbourhood doing the same thing to them. She's more of a vampire as a human than our vampire is. There is a scene later on in the movie, where the priest has decided to end everything, and makes sure to get caught naked in a public area "attacking" a homeless woman. It's his last act of humanity before going into the sunlight, as he needed everyone who cares about him to think that he's the worst person ever, in order not to look for him afterward. By destroying his reputation and committing this socially immoral act, he's secured his own way out.
I like that this movie asks you to examine what is true and what others tell you in order to keep you under pressure. How nothing is always as it seems.
Don't forget to check out my daily Letterboxd lists, as I am doing a few movie challenges this October. The #100HorrorMoviesIn92Days being one of them.
Come back tomorrow to see what I've picked for the next round.
Comments