hoggaglust-1 Reviews

Yogen (2004)

satisfying but not scary

[6/10 · 5 September 2007]

Much criticism is being pointed at the new(ish) crop of Asian horror, due in part to a lack of originality. Yogen, aka Premonition, can at least be spared this criticism - not one grumpy long haired female spectre in sight! The story itself is also fairly original, with our protagonist stuck in an eternal hell as the curse of the 'Paper Of Death' weaves its evil spell over him and his family. Unfortunately, the director never quite delivers on the scares the premise promises, and too many missed opportunities to strike genuine fear into the audience leave us with yet another Asian Ghost flick that, whilst it has its moments, overall will disappoint those looking for genuine creeps.

Having watched the film several times, along with its J-Horror Theatre predecessor 'Kansen' (amongst others), one criticism I do have of the 21st Century glut of Asian horror is that most simply aren't that frightening, and Yogen is no exception.

The reason I began collecting Asain horror DVDs was that they brought a genuine breath of fresh air to a genre long since left stale by a seemingly endless run of American slasher flicks, with their annoying, half naked teen protagonists, cartoony killers and cheap 'scares'. The Japanese showed us that horror lurks, not in 250 litres of fake blood, but in the darker corners of the imagination. Using intelligent, often sensitive stories, minimal special effects and striking imagery, fans of the genre were buoyed by the knowledge that the Horror film was not, after all, dead. I quickly began to buy the films that I had read about; Audition, Ju-On, Dark Water etc etc and eagerly looked forward to new releases, only to realise quickly that I already had the creme de la creme of Asian Horror. It is with each new release, and subsequent purchase that I again look forward to, if not stunningly original, then at least frightening films, and can honestly say that that hasn't happened in a while.

Yogen appears (for the moment at least) to be the last of the J-Horror Theatre releases, the promised remaining 4 proving elusive. It also continues the trend of heavy atmospherics, interesting visuals and mainly scare free script. Not that Yogen doesn't have its moments, but the majority of the film follows the usual 'investigation' plot, where our heroes must find out 'why' the events are occurring. Surely much of the fear factor is 'not' knowing? Anyway, suffice to say that Yogen still entertains on a level, it's just that that level is more psychological than genuine horror, and with a (literally) big bang start and intriguing conclusion, the mid section drifts through a desert of scare free exposition and ubiquitous, sometimes dull plot development that sadly, I have come to expect from more recent releases. I'm just hoping that the next in the series, the writers and director remember that they are producing a 'horror' film.

Infection (2004)

Interesting, but low on genuine scares

[7/10 · 3 September 2007]

If like me, you are a fan of Asian horror, then Infection; (AKA Kansen) is a worthy addition to your DVD collection. Whilst disappointing in the lack of genuine scares, Infection never the less offers a sustained creepy and unsettling atmosphere throughout, which when all's said and done is more than your usual horror fair. An interesting, if occasionally melodramatic film, with effective and stylish visuals, Infection succeeds in keeping you gripped until the very end.

The horror 'set pieces' such as they are, revolve around creeping about darkened hospital corridors searching for an 'escaped' infected patient, lone individuals 'minding' a decaying corpse; (the result of their collective malpractice) and the effect of the infection itself on those unfortunate enough to fall foul of the 'green slime'. All unpleasant stuff, but none of these elements alone delivers the kind of scares that, for example, Audition or The Eye did. To this end, the whole truly is better than the sum of it's parts, and whilst Infection may not demand the attention of those used to more visceral shocks, it does at least reward it with a consistently uncomfortable atmosphere, eerie and unsettling visuals and an ending that, whilst offering more questions than answers, is at least less convoluted than other Asian Horrors in the canon.

The Music Lovers (1971)

Over the Top and not altogether accurate - what else would you expect!

[8/10 · 21 August 2007]

As startling and entertaining a piece of cinema The Music Lovers is, on the whole it will disappoint those who (not unreasonably) may be expecting an accurate (if typically melodramatic) biopic.

Rife with inaccuracies, The Music Lovers however occasionally elicits tantalising moments of truth which will be familiar to those who might have studied the great man and his music. The moment of madness during the composition of the violin concerto, Tchaikovsk'y mixing fact and fiction during the composition of Eugene Onegin; (resulting in his disastrous marriage), the brief glimpse of his benefactress during a stay at her apartments, the failed suicide attempt etc etc. However, these fascinating glimpses into well documented occurrences are undeveloped, and in their place we are left with a pastiche either of overly romanticised or histrionic scenes of theatrical fantasy.

The real strength here lies in the actor's performances, even Richard Chaimberlain's stuffy and occasionally irritating performance has its moments and Glenda Jackson is wonderful as the vulnerable, unloved wife. The cinematography too is wonderful, evocative and colourful - perfectly in tune with the music of Tchaikovsk'y which also is used to great effect.

If you can take Ken Russel's notorious penchant for the ridiculous (and at times, distasteful) and are not expecting the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, then The Music Lovers is worth watching if only for its being so gloriously over the top!

A View to a Kill (1985)

Plenty of missed opportunities in Moore's final outing

[7/10 · 16 August 2007]

A View To A Kill - referred to as AVTAK from now on to avoid repetitive strain injury, is a bizarre Bond film to watch. Not necessarily because of Roger's age, as some Moore dissenters will continue to bemoan; (Moore looks in better shape at 58 than a younger Connery did in Never Say Never), but because AVTAK doesn't really 'feel' like a Bond movie.

The reasons for this are manifold. Firstly, the locations are sadly lacking... I'm sure Paris and San Francisco are wonderful places, but unfortunately remain ubiquitous and uninspiring locations for film-making, presenting little opportunity for innovative, original or aesthetically pleasing capers and stunts (with the single exception of the Eiffel Tower leap). Hence we have 2 rather pedestrian car chases and a scene with a burning building... wow. Where the film makers try to inject original elements; (eg a car chase in a fire-engine) the obvious restrictions of filming in such environments severely limit the opportunity for more exaggerated, exciting stunts.

Where the film makers do have opportunities to inject more adrenalin inducing capers, they miss their chance... For example:

1) The Paris car chase could have been far more elaborate and could have easily continued on the river Seine. 2) Another potential car Chase is lost When Pola Ivanova attempts to seduce Bond for information. 3) A fight early in the film is totally lacklustre thanks to Bond's companion being the geriatric Patrick Macnee, and takes place in a very small and not overly convincing packing room. 4) Another fight which takes place in Stacey Sutton's house is again totally devoid of thrills, partially because the setting is devoid of anything to destroy and because a load of heavies simply 'run away' from Bond who is armed with a rock salt loaded shotgun ... (presumably Bond misplaced his Walther PPK whilst cooking quiche the previous evening). All in all, the film is full of missed opportunities and overall lacks the 'ball's and excitement one comes to expect from the franchise. The film isn't 'bad' by any means, it has a more down to earth approach, Christopher Walken's Zorin is about as good a Bond Villain as you could get, even Grace Jones polishes up well as a charismatic side-kick and the story is OK. Whatever you think of Roger Moore's tenure as 007, you can't deny that he at least brought fun to the role. Disappointlingly, AVTAK lacks the colour and vibrancy of Moore's previous outings and is a disappointing swan song to his 12 year reign.

The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001)

Bizarre, infectious and throughly mad

[14 August 2007]

Skipping any attempt to outline the story; (which for Takashi Miike, is remarkably blithe), The Happiness of The Katakuris is an often hilarious journey through cross genre pastiches, dealing with familiar themes of family breakdown, violence, murder, sexual perversion and criminality, only with a delightfully lighthearted twist.

The whole film is dripping with a camp amateurishness which makes it all the more marvellous to watch; from the farcical musical numbers, to the occasionally outrageous acting and unlikely dialogue. The Happiness of The Katakuris isn't afraid to go anywhere, and succeeds in shocking only because no genre is left unexploited; (comedy, horror, slapstick, family drama, musical, animation, crime drama etc etc etc). There were a number of scenes I watched almost mesmerised by the film's abject refusal to be in the least bit 'normal'- take for example the scene where the family are discussing the merits of the 'Female' singer parading around on the TV... nuff said! Like other Takashi Miike films, The Happiness is definitely an assault on the senses, with semi-naive but non-the-less complex claymation, hammy song and dance numbers accompanied by over the top lighting and visual effects you might be forgiven for thinking that the movie is simply a mish-mash of cross-genre parodies, however, the whole is certainly better than the sum of its parts and The Happiness stands as a unique and totally watchable - nay - immensely enjoyable movie.

Save the Green Planet! (2003)

A stunning film which successfully crosses genres with ease

[10/10 · 14 August 2007]

Save The Green Planet was one of those films that kept 'looking' at me from the shelves whilst DVD shopping. Usually, I only collect Asian horror movies, but (as with the equally bizarre Happiness of the Katikuris) I couldn't resist taking a look at this one. I'm so glad I did.

I know that you should never judge a book by its cover, but looking at the Green Planet's sleeve notes, you'd be forgiven for assuming this was a lighthearted, screwball comedy with the trademark 'bonkers' story line and characterisations. How wrong you would be. Whilst many of the elements in Green Planet are about as bonkers as bonkers gets, the film is intrinsically a touching, sad and fulfilling piece of cinema. There are some truly horrifying moments too, and it's only when we realise the truth behind the protagonist's irrational and violent behaviour that we can feel heartfelt sympathy for his empty, one man crusade against 'alien' invaders. The tension in the scenes where the protagonist's hostage tries; (and almost succeeds) to escape from his underground dungeon is about as effective as anything you will witness in a movie.

At once funny, tense, horrifying, and inevitably tragic, Save The Green Planet is a strange, sad but uplifting film well worth a place in your DVD collection.

The Red Shoes (2005)

Nicely filmed, but overlong, and frankly not frightening

[4/10 · 14 August 2007]

Recently, there is much criticism aimed at a seemingly stagnant Asian Horror market, with increasing remarks that the genre has run out of ideas with more and more modern releases stealing blatantly from other, more successful films such as The Ring, Ju-On and Dark Water.

Whilst The Red Shoes isn't exactly an exercise in originality, 'borrowing' ideas is not the problem here. Yes, there are similarities with other movies mentioned above; we indeed have a single mother and young daughter relationship at the film's core, yes, they have a penchant for renting a dirty, run down apartment and yes, we have a cursed inanimate object - or objects - (the eponymous shoes) that reek havoc on those who encounter them.

We also have atmospheric, claustrophobic cinematography; (although epileptics should be aware that there are more flashing neons here than in an 80's themed disco). We also have decent acting, but much of this is style over substance. The film takes itself deadly seriously, but the concept of haunted footwear just plain isn't frightening.

With The Ring, the curse spread through various copies of the video-tape, but in order for the curse to spread here, we have to endure scenes of histrionic screaming women and girls trying to steal the shoes from each other at various times of the day/night - the whole thing just seems so unlikely. Not content to lend the shoes an air of supernatural mystery, the film-makers also 'treat' us to some pretty looking, but ultimately distracting and too frequent flash-backs where the shoes supposedly tragic (but ultimately dull) history is revealed.

Finally, The Red Shoes also falls very short in the scares. I watched it twice, alone, and not one of the film's attempts to chill/shock or scare me worked. All in all, The Red Shoes will prove a bitter (and expensive at £20.00) disappointment to fans of horror, who like me, expect - if not originality, then at least to be frightened.

The Eye (2002)

Very much a film of 2 halves, but some very effective scares

[8/10 · 14 August 2007]

I became a fan of Asian horror films following the release of the much hyped 'Ring'; (Japanese, not the terrible American remake). My collection soon grew to include what must be the accepted best of all modern Asain horror releases to date; Audition, Dark water, Ju-On, Tale of Two Sisters etc etc. It was with much hope then that I purchased The Eye soon after it's UK release after reading some very favourable reviews.

Having never been a fan of blood and guts horror - I felt that the genre as a whole was pretty much killed off by 20 or so years of trashy American slasher flicks, it was fantastic to see the emergence of horror films that were not only treated with sensitivity and intelligence, but which were also genuinely frightening. The Eye however, is something of an exercise in frustration, and does not quite the classic status that many reviewers credit it with.

The first half of the film is immensely enjoyable and offers some genuine and effective scares, truly creepy atmospheres and some grim visuals that stay with you long after the movie slides, disappointingly, into a pedestrian and totally tame and fright free 'detective' story, where our heroine must discover why she sees the things she does.

This The Eye does this about 50% way through the film, and whilst the remainder is still watchable, it seems to sit awkwardly with the first half, mainly because the heroine of the piece seems to overcome her terror at a time where she (apparently) stops seeing ghosts. This is a real shame for the audience, since the visual flair and often innovative horror sequences that populate the first part of the film with startling regularity, suddenly stop. What we are left with are various scare-free exposition scenes and an explosive and unlikely ending that wouldn't be out of place in any Hollowood blockbuster.

The Eye is still a cut above most other horror films out there, and is an must have for any self respecting fan of the genre. The fact that the last half of the film is totally devoid of any scares is a disappointment, however, since there are more genuinely creepy moments in the first half than in most horror films throughout, then this is a small price to pay.

The Eye 2 (2004)

Not as good as its predecessor

[5/10 · 14 August 2007]

The Eye was something of an exercise in frustration, an excellent first half with some truly chilling moments, lapsed quickly into a pedestrian 'detective' story for a scare free, and ultimately fairy dull second half. Scare free and dull because the film-makers reveal the background and explain why the heroine can see ghosts... Once this is revealed, the fear factor is quickly lost as the ghosts then have a motive - a reason for being. The element of the unexplained is lost, and it is that very element; particularly in ghost story, that can provide the most effective scares .

The Eye 2 (which is not a true sequel) suffers in exactly the same way, as very early in the film, the appearance of the ghostly visions are fully explained, as are their motives ... The unfortunate consequence of this is that once the spirit's motives are known; (unpleasant enough as they are) the ghosts themselves cease to be in the least bit scary.

The Eye 2 is by no means a bad film, it simply fails to deliver the scares that The Eye; (well, the first half at least) did with such effective aplomb. Whereas the former film's scares were born from the confusion of the newly sighted heroine seeing things she (and the audience) couldn't accept or understand, The Eye 2 relies all too heavily on cheaper scares and 'jump' inducing sound effects. If it's a genuinely creepy horror film you are after, The Eye 2 may leave ardent fans of the genre more than a little disappointed.