Monday, January 03, 2011
Michael Allen
This past year has been interesting for pieces of horror to watch. But if one was to pick and choose the five that stands out from the rest - presented here in no particular order are:
The Human Centipede
This film is worth watching once just for the shock value. Some of its appeal is built on the hype it's received since its premiere. And there is a unique tale to this one that some may appreciate.
The visuals are certainly a homage to David Cronenberg's style of body horror. But if this film is trying to make sense about the atrocities Nazi doctors perform in an era painful to look back on, it’s fallen on deaf ears.
Maybe its time to switch gears, and read H.G. Well's classic, The Island of Dr. Moreau.
This film's trailer can be seen here:
Human Centipede Trailer
The Wolfman
Out of all of Universal's remakes from their golden age of terror, this one stands out as the best of the three. In this version, director Joe Johnston shows how well he understands the source material. He takes the best out of gypsy folk tales and Brothers Grimm, and also shows that the Victorian age is indeed dark and gloomy.
Here, what Johnston provides are visual elements straight out of a gothic revival. The cinematography is gorgeous and this film works by being more down to earth than something glorified by the Hollywood glitz.
The film's trailer:
The Wolfman Trailer
The Crazies
2010 could very well be the year with plenty of horror makeovers and this film is leaner and meaner than the original. The plot is intelligent. Instead of having the town’s populace totally clue in to what's happening, the town is slowly being besieged by a plague. With those people who realize it’s time to leave, do they really escape?
The better tale that encompasses this microcosm is the idea of big brother watching over this zombie apocalypse.
A trailer for this zomberific film is here:
The Crazies' Trailer
Black Death
Released in the UK, Germany and at Screamfest in 2010, this film is worth checking out because of its portrayal of the terrors that plagued Western Europe during the time of the black plague.
If this film feels like Lord of the Rings — but more with a horrific twist -- that's because Sean Bean is in it. And the quest the warrior monk, Osmond (Eddie Redmayne), takes here treads on similar territory.
In what director Christopher Smith has created, it's simply a parable in its truest form. Smith has crafted his own version of Dante's Inferno with this tale here.
A trailer for this feature is here:
Black Death Trailer
Piranha 3D
Pure schlock is one way to describe what 3D terror can effectively do. It's like Snakes on a Plane but only better. The action builds to a crazy crescendo of terror that's more fun to watch than a barrel full of monkeys.
This product simply requires people to turn off their thinking caps once the 3D glasses are on. And the film becomes reminiscent of those 3D films of the 50’s, which try to get people jumping out of their seats.
The era of William Castle's own cadre of B-movies is gone, and thankfully for modern audiences there are no electric buzzers under one's seat. If water guns were planted in front of the stage, would that be carrying the gimmick too far?
To find out, just visit Universal Studio's various 3D attractions. If sitting in the first 3 rows of the theatre isn't one's cup of tea, then there's safety in numbers at the back.
Watch the trailer for this feature film here:
Piranha 3D Trailer
Some of the horror films mentioned here are also available below:
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Posted in: 2011,black death,ed sum,human centipede,piranha,piranha 3d,sean bean,the crazies,top 5 horror blockbusters 2010
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