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Hammerfanatic46
Favourit Movies:Hammer and British Gothic,Indie,European Art Movies,50s Sci-fi and Western Movies,War movies,Swashbucklers.Hitchcock.
TV:Costume Dramas,Classic British TV,Life on Mars,Ashes to Ashes.I am 48 Years Old.
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Valerie a týden divu (1970)
Re: Go With The Flow
It is best not to attempt to "understand" this surreal masterpiece on an intellectual level. How can anyone comprehend the thoughts ,fantasies ,dreams and emotions of a young girl on the threshold of womanhood ? Instead ,I would suggest that you simply drift downstream with the movie ,allowing it to carry you where it may.
Based on a Czech novel which seeks to examine Gothic themes in the light of Freudian psychology , it is most of all a visual feast in which every scene is a ravishingly beautiful composition. The dream-like quality is enhanced by the hauntingly atmospheric music and outstanding performances. Paramount among them is that of Jaroslava Schallerova as the titular character , even more astonishing when one remembers that she was only 14 at the time.
Viewing "Valerie" is tinged with more than a little sadness when one considers that it was made shortly after the brutal crushing of the "Prague Spring " by the invading Soviet tanks. Tragic to think that the creative talents involved in this film would be destined to spend their careers stifled by Stalinist conformism.
The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)
A Lost Opportuntiy
My feeling when watching "The Satanic Rites of Dracula" (1973), is always one of disappointment at a lost opportunity.
"Satanic Rites " is a near miss. Please don't misunderstand me :it is not a bad movie, in fact, it is a huge step up from it's predecessor, "Dracula A.D.1972 , in every sense. However, with just a little more imagination , it could have been ,not only a great genre entry , but may have taken the Dracula franchise in a whole new exciting direction.
The central concept is very promising, instead of simply having the Prince of Darkness nibble maidens necks, TSROD takes the Dracula myth a stage forward to it's logical conclusion. Here we see the Count as the Anti-Christ , ( although this idea is never explicitly stated ), seeking to visit annihilation upon mankind. Even more interesting is his intended method of achieving his goal. He employs a group of corrupted Establishment figures, to act as the "Four Horsemen of his own created Apocalypse", spreading a plague across the Globe. A suggestion is even mooted that a jaded Dracula would welcome his own demise when he ceased to have the blood of the living to feed upon.
This intriguing plot is extended by having Dracula pose as a property developer, a metaphorical blood-sucker ; D.D. Denham.
Sadly , this is as far as the interesting developments go. The idea of Dracula as Satan Incarnate, is side-lined for well-staged, but conventional, action involving vampires in the cellar of a country house and climactic pyrotechnics . Worse , in order to conform to then-contemporary audience tastes, we get an uncomfortable blend of horror movie and police thriller , with a hint of James Bond and The Avengers.
Alan Gibson's direction is much more assured than it was in "Dracula A.D.1972, and the performances are more than adequate. As one would expect, Lee and Cushing play it for all it is worth. Michael Coles Detective Inspector Murray is good enough to suggest he would have merited a gritty TV cop show of his own and Joanna Lumley makes a spirited replacement for Stephanie Beacham as Van Helsing's Granddaughter .
Of it's self, "The Satanic Rites of Dracula" is fairly entertaining, and an interesting cinematic artifact of the period. Still , if only Hammer had exercised a larger measure of ambition , they might have initiated the cycle of "Satan Movies " that were to dominate the Horror Genre in the 1970's .
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)
Best Hammer Dracula Sequel
Dracula Has Risen From The Grave has always been one of my favourite movies. In so many ways it is the quintessential Hammer horror film. It has all of the elements which have made me a fan of the Studio. The fairy-tale Central European setting , the Gothic Castle Dracula with the quaint little village huddling under it's menacing presence, Christopher Lee as the Count , Veronica Carlson as the flaxen-haired maiden threatened by the powers of darkness, the iconography of the crucifixes, garlic and rituals. But it has much more than that .
One of Freddy Francis' best outings , DHRFTG has lashings of atmosphere, greatly enhanced by an exceptional score by James Bernard .The usual Hammer issue with day-for-night photography aside , Arthur Grant's cinematography is excellent, giving the Production that unique Hammer "look" which so often belied the minuscule budgets the company operated within.
The performances are several notches above the Hammer average. The young leads acquit themselves admirably . Barry Andrews is much more animated than is usual for the *romantic hero" of British Gothic movies and Veronica Carlson is far from being merely the feeble screaming heroine. While Lee has few lines as Dracula, he doesn't need many words to dominate every scene he graces with his commanding presence. Throw in Rupert Davies reprising his pompous ,but kindly and avuncular priest from Witchfinder General ( 1968) and you have a very superior cast indeed.
It is the unusually complex thematic elements and the way in which they are explored that makes "Risen From The Grave " more than just another genre entry for me. The movie digs deeper into spiritual, psychological and sexual layers than is customary in a Hammer film .Importantly it deals with more than just the Manichean struggle between Good and Evil. We see the tortured priest whom Graves' Monsignor has taken under his wing ,struggle with his fears and doubts . Atheism enters the arena in the form of student Paul who must find his faith to prepare himself for the final, epic struggle , by far the most visually and emotionally stunning of climaxes seen in any Dracula movie.
Never before has the sensual power of Dracula been so effectively foregrounded . In his first encounter with the virtuous Maria, we see her grip a childhood doll before embracing adult sexuality and pushing the toy from her bed. Similarly, we observe the Count draw the besotted Zena ,like a moth, quite literally , to the flame.
On it's release , this, the second Hammer Dracula sequel ,( if one discounts "Brides" ) , was treated with a large measure of contempt by those critics who deigned to review it. I have been deeply gratified to witness the films improving reputation over recent years . A Blu-ray release with all the appropriate extras would seem to have been delayed by copyright issues and is now well over-due.
The Company of Wolves (1984)
Freudian Fairy Tale
I watched "The Company of Wolves" yesterday, only my second viewing in thirty years, and was delighted at how absorbing it remains. Passing the test of time, it is as fresh as ever .
The Movie is not quite a Horror film, but inhabits the realm of Fantasy Cinema, a genre which has always shared a porous border with horror.
"Wolves" weaves an intriguing tapestry of folklore and Freudian psychology as it links the dark, but sensual ,Grimm's fairy tales to adolescent fantasies and sexual anxieties, framed in a narrative which is a story, within a story, within a story, wrapped in a dream. In doing so, it takes us deeper into Hammer's dark woods and bucolic Gothic imagery.
Thematically, it strays far from Hammer, but aesthetically, it is firmly rooted in the British Gothic tradition. Not only does it's pastoral setting , secluded village and menacing atmosphere recall the mood of Hammer's best productions, but the cinematography and even the opening titles, are suggestive of Hammer influences.
Admittedly, some of the visual effects leave much to be desired to the modern viewer. I am no great fan of CGI, but perhaps the film would have been enhanced ,under Neil Jordan's restrained eye, by SFX that belonged to the 21st Century rather than the era of "An American Werewolf in London" .
Having said that, "The Company of Wolves" is an intellectual and visual treat, which will reward repeat viewing . It certainly won't be three decades before I venture into it's enchanted forest once again.
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Like , Oh My Gawd !
"A ditsy Joisey Goil goes back to 18th Centuary France and finds,its,well like,Cool.She gets to party with some awesome dudes and ho's,even getting to star in a Rock video.Like, you know ,her bling is tubular , but the clothes ! gag me with a spoon ! Everything is just totally chillin until some Trailer-Trash Revolution guys appear and put a crimp in her whole day." The worst Hollywood "history" movie since, well,the last one.If there is any justice Dunst's next movie should be "Friday The 13th:Part 27" and Coppolla's would go back to making her little Pop Video things,but as Marie Antoinette probably said "There ain't no Justice "
Open Water 2: Adrift (2006)
Undemanding
This film offers some undemanding entertainment if Your in the the right mood.Characteraisation is one-dimensional at best with only Pratt standing-out and deserving of a much better role.Made on an apparently shoe-string budget,not always a bad thing,but very evident here,the direction is low key to put it mildly.
I haven't seen the previous "Open Water " effort so I cant comment on that,but this seems like a rather unnecessary sequel even in a Hollywood that is inclined to regard any kind of risk as a step too far and which seeks to create a franchise out of any remotly money - generating Movie concept.
Madame Bovary (1991)
Flaubert Wthout Passion
Strangely anaemic version of Flauberts classic novel.This movie looks wonderful ,meticulously recreating a French country town in the mid-Nineteenth Centuary , but singularly fails to inject any life into its characters.
The main problem is the normally excellent Isabelle Huppert's performance as the eponymous Madame B,not only does she fail to register any real emotion,far less do justice to the many facets of Flauberts creation,but at 39 ,she is,frankly, just tOo old for the role.
The Film is also severely hampered by a leaden script that commits the cardinal sin of adapting a great novel,it employs the device of having a narrator read large chunks of the book.One would think that the 1974 Version of "The Great Gatsby" had amply demonstrated the folly of this approach.A voice-over reading portions of the source-novel is just not cinematic.
The BBC's 2000 TV production was a much better attempt at capturing the atmosphere of the Novel as well as the complexities and contradictions of the central character.
L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo (1970)
Typical Argento Fair
The reasons for Argento's positive reputation have always been a mystery to me.This Movie is fairly representative of his output ,with TV show production values,insipid colour ,poor acting,and an irritating score.The leading character is American,but there is no plot-related reason why this should be the case.There are other illogical plot developments too,for instance,why do the Police encourage an amateur to take part in their investigations ?.
Perhaps the worst aspect of this movie however is,that it is totally bereft of any suspense,surely a fatal flaw in a film with pretensions to being a thriller.Comparisons with Hitchcock are completely invidious.give this a miss and view an example of The Masters work instead.