IS IT REALLY HORROR?

 

Universal, it seems ,has not, as previously reported, killed off their DARK UNIVERSE franchise idea. According to Screenrant (https://screenrant.com/dark-universe-monster-movies/ ) producer Holly Goline is still connected to the concept.

Holly Goline had begun as an assistant to actress /director/producer Angelina Jolie ,has worked on films in various capacities until becoming a producer on IN THE LAND OF MILK & HONEY (Sony,2011 ).

So, like the classic monsters of old, there seems to be a spark left in the idea of reviving the collective creatures.

The thing is-should they?? I mean ,are they actually horror films anymore?

The change began with Universal‘s THE MUMMY (1999). Director /writer Stephen Sommers had come to audiences and critical attention with his film DEEP RISING (Hollywood/Disney,1998). That film began as a high seas action adventure story ,with hijackers out to rob a luxury liner, only to end up fighting for their lives against an unleashed monster.

A well written well directed story,with a great cast led by Treat Williams, Famke Janssen, and Kevin J. O’Connor,superb set pieces as well as scares and laughs galore, the film failed to make back it’s estimated $45,000 budget (U.S. box office $11,000) but it did well on home video and cable television .

It was enough to impress Universal  so that they hired him to remake THE MUMMY for a new audience. Columbia Pictures had shown in 1992 that an A budget and all star cast could give prestige and financial rewards with their version of BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA . Though uneven in tone (along with some miscasting and overacting ),the movie was a stylish treat that had both scares and a romance that worked in combination . The film made double its production cost in the United States alone, which made Hollywood take notice.

Columbia tried to have lightening strike twice and revive another classic creature with style , and two years later unleashed MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN . Once again an all star cast was gathered to retell the famous tale, but to this day critics and fans are divided upon this production, and the movie only made back half of it’s production budget for it’s American release . It eventually made a profit overseas and with the home video market .

Universal was undeterred ,and realizing that they had their own original creations that were known and marketable, they decided it was time to make their own monster epic.

With a high budget ( $80 million) , THE MUMMY film clicked with both audiences and critics alike , and made $155,247,825 in the U.S. alone upon its original release, and was a strong seller on video .

But it was the beginning of the slide away from being a pure horror film.

The film had a few jump scares but it was more along the line of a thrill ride , Indiana Jones style. The wonderful pairing of Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz gave us a couple we could cheer on as they went through some exciting adventures set during 1925 (three years after Tutankhamen’s grave was discovered,starting the mania in Egyptian artifacts).  Add to that a wonderful supporting cast including John Hannah and Kevin J O’Connor as comic companions , Odeth Fehr as Ardeth Bay and Arnold Vosloo as the immortal Imhotep  (Bay and Imhotep are the names used by Karloff  in the Universal 1932 THE MUMMY ),and one had a real crowd pleaser.

It resulted in THE MUMMY RETURNS (2001),an animated series that ran for 26 episodes between 2001 & 2003  , THE SCORPION KING(2002) (the last two films truly launching the movie career of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson,with THE SCORPION KING  being a standalone prequel set in the distant past )  and finally THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR (2008).

Each film moved further and further away from horror into more fantasy tinged adventure stories.

Looking at low budget films from the 70s,80s and 90s, I think that the original HALLOWEEN(Compass,1978) and FRIDAY THE 13TH (Paramount ,1980) were a better template for what a mummy movie could have been.   Both figured silent figures who appear invincible and once they decide that you are their target they will not stop until they have killed you, usually in some horrible fashion.  Like  the slower moving Mummy of the Universal classics , MIchael Myers and Jason both strode purposefully ,never running , to overtake their victims , What these films lacked in gloss they more than made up for in suspense and scares ,something that the Mummy series lost more and more as the series went on.

Stephen Sommers only directed the first two Mummy  films (though keeping his hand involved in all of them),prepping instead for an even bigger film . Sommers formed his own production company in 2004 with plans of making an Homeric retelling of the beloved villains.

The result was VAN HELSING (Universal,2004) ,a loud  bloated everything but the kitchen sink major misfire. With a more than generous $160 million production budget (as well as an initially big publicity push ) ,the film was critical disaster, and made only $120 million domestically, luckily for the studio making a profit thanks to overseas box office ( worldwide cume : $300,257,475 ), which was also the start of studios looking for overseas markets to make their movies get out of the red.

 

The film seemed determined to start at 11 (to reference THIS IS SPINAL TAP,Embassy 1984   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xgx4k83zzc ) and build in shrieking volume.  Almost everyone screams their lines (with poor Shuler Hensley ,who had worked with star Hugh Jackman on Broadway in OKLAHOMA!,being the one directed the most to bellow everything      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rev5Z6Dg91A ). The story is a ghoulish goulash has Gabriel Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman ) as a bounty hunter of monsters for the Roman Catholic church.

He takes on a CGI Mr Hyde and then high tales it to Transylvania ,meets up with fellow monster hunter Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsdale) and goes after the Frankenstein Monster, the insane Igor (Sommers‘  talisman ,actor Kevin J. O’Connor ),a werewolf who is Anna’s brother (Will Kemp) and Dracula (Richard Roxburgh, who was more frightening in his more  semi -comic role for MOULIN ROUGE (Fox,2001))and his undead brides want to hatch a cavern-full of gigantic Alien -like eggs , which are in fact vampires awaiting to be born(Vampires lay eggs??) .

 

Universal was so sure that they had another hit series on their hands , they kept the sets built in Prague for the film up, which meant they had to keep paying for the land  rental use while they remained.  Upon the movie’s release, however, they decided that a sequel didn’t seem like a financially sound idea.  They also scrapped a planned Transylvania land for the  Universal Studios Theme Parks ,as well as a planned Transylvania tv series.

The film failed to work as either an adventure or a horror film, but became a CGI riddled massive video game that seemed to be designed by a ten year old with A.D.D .(a charge which ,to be fair , now seems to describe the majority of theatrical releases lately).

 

Ten years later, Universal wanted to re- reboot their monsters into the summer blockbuster market . DRACULA UNTOLD (Universal, 2014) was the result.  The film basically goes back to the Vlade Tepes legend ,though instead of a annointed sociopathic Prince with a fetish for driving stakes up the hindquarters of his enemies (which included practically everyone), he is transformed into a fierce warrior,loving husband,father and nobleman  (Luke Evans )who makes a deal with The Master Vampire (Charles Dance ) for his aid in getting his son back from the Turks who have abducted the boy and about a thousand other youngsters.   What he gets ,however, slowly transforms him .

The film is indeed epic in it’s look and design, and handsomely mounted .There is also some very clever sound design and editing which gives the audience a bit of a jump once and awhile.  However, as it was planned for a summer market, the film was PG-13 rated, and the scares toned down for a larger target family audience.  Done on a $70 million budget , the film only made $56,280,355 domestic , $160,843,925 internationally for a final  worldwide tally of  $217,124,280 . The film also underwent some reshoots when Universal felt that this film needed to be tied into its just announced idea of their Dark Universe plans.

The Dark Universe franchise was to be Universal‘s answer to the many superhero films whose main power was siphoning the cash out of a willing public . Not having a superhero of their own (did they forget about DARKMAN (1990)?),they looked to the properties which they did have ,and rather than reviving Francis The Talking Mule (which would literally be beating a long dead horse) they turned instead to their creature creations . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfxLdBDr1ww

There had been some talk of Dracula turning up in  a future Dark Universe film only to have executives change their mind again, wanting the Dracula in the series to be different from the one portrayed in DRACULA UNTOLD .Talk about too many mad doctors spoiling the creations!

The “official” first release for the Universal Dark Universe turned out to be –THE MUMMY (2017)!  A re-boot of the reboot (a re-reboot?)of the character again.

                                                             The MUMMY 2017 vs THE MUMMY 1999 -sand bites!

 

With a  $125 million budget  (and an advertising budget said to be at least equal to that),THE MUMMY was slammed by critics and fans, taking in only  $80,227,895 domestically, but being saved by countries where Tom Cruise still opens strong ,taking in a final total  $409,231,607 . The film is considered to have been a failure,due to various costs attached to the project, with as much as a $95 million dollar final loss .

So, Universal decided it was time to quickly kill the DARK UNIVERSE.  Alex Kurtzman and Chris Morgan, who were in charge , left to pursue other projects. By November, 2017 , the idea was considered dead. Only, as I stated in the beginning,rumors of it’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.    

Is it possible to do a proper horror film on a big budget ? The answer is yes.  The thing is to convince fans to come out and see them.

A perfect example is the 2010 THE WOLFMAN . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZabAU7ySbmE . That movie was a glossy remake of the 1941 classic .  So why didn’t fans like it? A common complaint was that they had seen the story before (but if it had varied from the original ,fans would be crying it varied so much it should not be called THE WOLFMAN ). That the story wasn’t strong ( a bit of tightening perhaps could have been used, but it followed the template fairly closely ).  That it wasnt gory enough, that it used CGI,etc.  Even professional viewers seem to contradict their own opinion . The Huffington Post review said it had cardboard characters, and yet just a few lines down :  “the film spends an obscene amount of time on a twisted father/son dynamic, and not enough time with actual werewolf terror.”  So which is it?

The film certainly looked lavish ,and the make up by the great Rick Baker and Dave Elsey won a Best Make-up Oscar.

 

So where did it go wrong? Benicio de Toro, an avowed fan of the original ,was cast in the lead in 2006 . Andrew Kevin Walker,who wrote Tim Burton‘s love letter to Hammer style horror ,SLEEPY HOLLOW (Fox,1999) ,did the screenplay.

Rick Baker , of course, adhered as much as possible to the classic Jack Pierce creation.

Director Mark Romanek was attached to the film on February 8, 2007. Romanek directed powerful music videos like Johnny Cash’s “Hurt “ video in 2003 as well as the disturbing  thriller ONE HOUR PHOTO (Fox Searchlight 2002).  The budget was set at a  reasonable (for such a big production) $85 million.  After working on the project for a year, Romanek left the project ,using the “creative differences” comment.

Several directors were interviewed including Brett Ratner (no!) ,Martin Campbell (MASK OF ZORRO, Columbia,1998),James Mangold (the  stylish 3:1O TO YUMA remake, Lionsgate, 2007),Joe Johnston (the sadly neglected THE ROCKETEER ,Disney,1991),Frank Darabont (great choice ,a screenwriter of classic horror remakes,as well as directing  some of the best Stephen King cinematic adaptations) and Bill Condon ( another superlative choice . A longtime classic horror fan, he made the James Whale biopic GODS & MONSTERS (Lionsgate ,1998) .

Almost a year to the date that Romanek had first signed on, Joe Johnston took over  to direct on February 3,2008.   Work on the film continued while Johnston brought screenwriter David Self .This was not a good sign to horror fans ,as Self wrote the awful adaptation of THE HAUNTING (Dreamworks,1999) .   Still , changing directors early on and bringing in new writers is not unusual.

 

 Not the 1999 THE HAUNTING ! Gahhh!

 

A month later, filming began in England from March to June ,2008 . Having had only 3 weeks to develop the film,Johnston decided that CGI would help patch over any cracks in the project. Rick Baker expressed his disappointment to that fact, and the increasing use of CGI was the main reason the make up effects ace decided to retire in 2015.

 

The studio began to meddle around with the film ,trying to make a classic period piece and make it a more action packed movie.  Composer Danny Elfman had written his score and left to work on other projects ,and other composers were brought in to bridge the gaps due to retakes and studio demanded edits. The movie ended up losing nearly a half hour of footage ,mostly character scenes.  The Blue Ray restores some of these scenes, and it indeed improves the film.

 

The tinkering went on longer and longer, so the opening date moved from late 2008 to several dates in 2009, only to finally open in February 2010.

 

 

The original 1941  was a modest $170,000 budgeted film that ran 70 minutes.  The newer version ran 102  minutes (though the director’s cut on BLU RAY runs 119 minutes ). The 2010 version  final budget (before advertising costs , ended up totaling $150 million.  Mixed reviews and poor word of mouth had the film fail to recoup even it’s production budget ,taking in only $139 million world wide.

However, I think this film needs to be re-evaluated.  It is a much better film than it’s original reviews led one to believe. It was also a decent remake of the classic film, and it had one thing that several of the other remakes have had, some decent scares. With the idea of the DARK UNIVERSE project, this film was considered a stand alone one-off.

Look also at Del Toro’s beautiful ghost story CRIMSON PEAK (Universal, 2015),not part of the Dark Universe . A feast for the eye with lavish costumes and set designs ,and some actual scares, the film only grossed about $74 million worldwide  on a $55 million budget .  Why did this film not do better?  It was a visual feast for the eye, but it failed to find the audience it deserved. Is it horror fans really now just want more gore and less style?? INSIDIOUS 3(Blumhouse/Focus), released the same year, made over ten times it’s production cost ($11 million).

Perhaps the people now in charge of nursing Universal‘s DARK UNIVERSE concept will reconsider what  made the originals classics and will consider reducing the slam bam action and return to horror.  The original plans were that the “Universe” would be linked by Prodigium, a secret society dedicated to hunting supernatural threats, run by none other than Doctor Henry Jekyll (Russell Crowe).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCowxWN2c_Q      I am sure that concept is now deader than a vampire staked in sunlight while lying in holy water as rose thorns are floating through it atop a garlic garnish.

Projects that were cancelled due to the failure of THE MUMMY were

THE INVISIBLE MAN to star Johnny Depp.

The cancelling of Bill Condon‘s BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN project was perhaps the biggest disappointment of the announced remake.

THE WOLFMAN .

DRACULA

a VAN HELSING reboot –Tom Cruise was once announced for the role, but I guess he decided upon THE MUMMY instead).

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON – this poor creature has been bandied about for decades, with names like John Landis and Guillermo del Toro attached at different times. Guillermo del Toro got tired  of waiting and made his own version ,called THE SHAPE OF WATER ( Fox Searchlight,2017).   One should note that this wonderful film ,even with Oscar wins, only took in  $194,742,801 worldwide,with almost $64 million coming from the U.S.

Perhaps Universal should study that film,as well as on films like GET OUT (Blumhouse/Universal,2017)  and figure on moderate budget films that deliver on the scares.

I think they could also learn from the old Hammer Studio model of designing films to make use of sets ,etc ,while developing their own stock company of stars .

-Kevin G Shinnick

THE MIMIC (2017) ( update -CONTEST NOW ENDED-6.3.2018)Enter for a chance to win a blu ray copy from Well Go USA

UPDATE- this contest is now concluded. Thank you for all the entries. The winner is being contacted and their prize is being mailed to them- Thank you to everyone who played. – Keep following us for future contests and articles.-Kevin

Well Go USA (http://www.wellgousa.com/) is offering one lucky SCARLET reader a chance to win a blu ray disc of their new release ,                                                                                                         

  THE MIMIC .

Enter for a chance to win a copy of THE MIMIC Blu Ray .Contest ends                          June 1,2018.

CONTEST NOW OVER-

Screenanarchy.com posted : “…Huh Jung directs what is is probably the best commercial Korean horror film in years.”

To Enter , send an email to

SCARLETTHEFILMMAG@yahoo.com

with the heading ” MIMIC CONTEST”

and in the body of the letter, tell us what you think the scariest movie involving a child was and why.
Also include your name and an address .

ONE winner will be drawn at random from all entries on June 2,2018 . The winner will be emailed a notification of their win. Contest ends June 1,2018.

THE MIMIC (Well Go USA),releasing on DVD as well as BLU RAY ON  June 12,2018  is a South Korean horror film directed by Huh Jung (HIDE & SEEK).

 

Based upon the legend of the ‘Tiger Of Mt. Jang”,in the film
a family gets involved with a mysterious creature known as “Jangsanbum.” This creature can imitate a human’s voice and entices children to eat them.

 

The Mimic stars Yum Jung-Ah (Tell Me Something), Park Hyuk-Kwon (A Taxi Driver), Shin Rin-Ah (Ode To My Father), Heo Jin (The Wailing), Kil Hae-Yeon (Missing) and Lee Yool (Hello Murderer).

100 mins. Color . Korean with optional English subtitles. REGION A.

TRAILER
https://youtu.be/d6p-XXamvAU

If you want to order your copy now for purchase (either Blu Ray or DVD )instead of playing the contest  , please go to https://www.amazon.com/Mimic-Blu-ray-Park-Hyeok-kwon/dp/B07CBH6GQT/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1527085404&sr=8-2&keywords=the+mimic+blu+ray&dpID=51CtvJK1VgL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Big thank you to WELLGOUSA.

Like and Follow us . https://scarletthefilmmagazine.wordpress.com

Like and Follow us on Facebook . https://www.facebook.com/SCARLETreviews/

Looking for reviewers , writers, contributors (all sadly unpaid ,but a chance to get your work seen).  Contact Kevin at scarletthefilmmag@yahoo.com

CONTEST IS NOW OVER. Thank you to all who entered. The winner is being contacted and the prize is being sent to them shortly. Keep following us for future contests and articles. -Kevin 6.3.2018

ENGLAND IS MINE (2017) Blu Ray

ENGLAND IS MINE – (Cleopatra Blu Ray) 2017. color.94 mins. Region A. $29.95- https://www.amazon.com/England-Mine-Blu-ray-Jack-Lowden/dp/B074R49SZX/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1513794098&sr=8-2&keywords=ENGLAND+IS+MINE

 

Indie icon Morrissey continues to stir controversy. His first album in three years, LOW IN HIGH SCHOOL, was released on a new label that he created after he felt his last release was mishandled.

 

He claimed that HMV was refusing to carry the album due to it’s anti -monarchy cover art as well as throwing his support behind an anti-Muslim politician in the U.K. (who was trounced) rather than throwing his arms around Paris. After seemingly defending Kevin Spacey and other serial abusers (“When you are in somebody’s bedroom, you have to be aware of where that can lead to. That’s why it does not sound very credible to me. It seems to me that Spacey has been attacked unnecessarily”), he has sworn off any future print interviews, saying that he was misquoted.

 

Plus, he has cancelled a recent spate of performances for a variety of reasons (one because the venue was “too cold”), so he has been front and center in the public’s eye, and not for his music. Even today as I write this, an hour ago he claimed that he was interviewed by the Secret Service after a flip comment about Donald Trump.

 

ENGLAND IS MINE is a film that seeks to explore what turned shy socially awkward intellectual became the darling of the alt rock scene as well as a dissent magnet.

 

 

Steven Patrick Morrissey (born 22 May 1959) to Irish Catholics who immigrated to Manchester, a poor working-class area. The film opens with Morrissey (marvelously embodied by Olivier Award winner Jack Lowden, also in the epic DUNKIRK( W.B,2017 )and to portray Lord Darnley in the upcoming MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS (Focus,2018) deep in thought about his place in life observing churning waters that seem to reflect his own inner turmoils.

He and his friend and confidante Anji (Katherine Pearce, recently in MY COUSIN RACHEL, Fox,2017) go to local clubs wherein he writes blistering letters to N.M.E.(New Musical Express). She says he should stop complaining about others and start his own band. To this end, she contacts another musician, who shows up at the appointed place, but Morrissey’s shyness has him run away before even chatting.

 

Meanwhile, all is not good at home, as his father abandons the family at Christmas, forcing the young man to take a dead-end job at the Inland Revenue Service. His outlook is bleak until he meets free spirited artist Linder (Jessica Brown Findlay, so good in VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN, Fox,2015). She exemplifies what he would like to be, and so he finally joins a band.

 

There first gig is so well received that an agent gives them his card. Morrissey quits his dead-end job, thinking that stardom is now his but finds that the agent only wanted their guitarist.

 

Morrissey plunges into a massive depression, made worse by Linder leaving for London due to her art.

 

The film ends just as Morrissey joins up with Johnny Marr (Laurie Kynaston, THEY FOUND HELL, Cinetel ,2015) to form The Smiths.

 

Lowden & Kynaston as Morrissey and Marr

 

Sadly, since this was not an authorized biography, the movie was not allowed to use any of Morrissey’s music. Instead, music that he loved and inspired him is used as a soundtrack to events happening. One would have liked music by the composer to be used, especially with The Smiths (The title ENGLAND IS MINE comes from “Still Ill”, a Smiths song (“England is mine, and it owes me a living”). The film began production as “Stevie”).

The real Marr & Morrissey

 

However, since this is set just prior to their formation, one could be forgiven that absence if more New York Dolls and Sex Pistols had been used. Instead, we are treated to Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Diana Dors, The Shangri-Las, and The Marvelettes pops up. Mostly, it is not even used as ironic counterpoint. It might have been wiser to have had a completely original score.

 

“Heaven Knows, I’m Miserable Now” (another Smiths hit) may have been a more appropriate title for the film, as this kitchen sink drama gets caught up in the depressive side of the singer composer’s life.

 

First time director Mark Gill (who co-wrote the screenplay with William Thacker) get the air of depressiveness that overwhelmed England during the time of Margaret Thatcher, but makes his lead a most unlikeable smug egomaniac (accurate perhaps, but not one with whom you wish to spend 90 minutes of cinema time).

 

It is odd that one of the producers of ENGLAND MADE ME was involved with CONTROL (Weinstein, 2007) which dealt with the life and early death of Ian Curtis ,the lead singer of Joy Division, at age 23. That film got it so right.

Another rock star biopic by a first-time director that works was NOWHERE BOY(Weinstein,2009), about young John Lennon.

The filmmakers make a lot of assumptions that the audience for this are die hard Smiths fans alone, and so no explanation is given for example of the fixation for the Moor Murders by the characters. For those who do not know, The Moors murders were of 5 children sexually assaulted and murdered between 1963 and 1965 around Manchester. Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were both convicted for the killings, Brady dying in prison in 2002, and Hindley just this past May,2017.

The Blu Ray disc from Cleopatra accurately reproduces the dark drab grays and blues of cinematographer Nicholas D. Knowland (The Quay Brothers’ INSTITUTE BENJAMENTA, Image 1995). It is presented in a widescreen ratio of 2.35:1

The 5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1 is serviceable, but nothing memorably outstanding.

The extras include:
SMOKE & MIRRORS: an onset chat with cinematographer Nicholas D Knowland .

Audio Commentary: Actor Jack Lowden and director Mark Gill discuss the making of the film. Both have a great deal of respect about each other’s work. Stand out moment to me was when Lowden said the most difficult thing for him to learn was to use a record player (! I’m old).

SAD FACTS WIDELY KNOWN: Some behind the scenes footage. It is without commentary, so it is best to check this out after watching the film to see what is going on.

Optional English subtitles: this may come in very handy for those not accustomed to English accents, and it follows the action quite well.

Original theatrical trailer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DHJa10Sa8A

The film will be of interest to

Fans of Morrissey (of course) who may say “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want”.

British Drama.
–
  –  Kevin G Shinnick

We have a winner! BETTER WATCH OUT from WELL GO USA

Here is the winner of our WELL GO USA contest to win a copy of the DVD/BLU RAY of BETTER WATCH OUT .

Contestants had to turn a classic Christmas tale into a  horror story . The winner was drawn at random .

 

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

Son of Sam Snowman Welcomes you to Christmas Town at the North Pole
Where Mrs. And Mr. Satan Claus Live now known as Mr and Mrs Santa Claus,
I Will tell you the story of how one murderous reindeer saved Christmas !

Mr. Satan Claus was a evil man that got by making money off the holiday season he would show up with his pack of reindeer led by Donner and make ends meet off the donations an cookies !

This year was a bad snowstorm and the pack wouldn’t be able to make it to town through the woods.

This year was also the year that the lead Reindeer Donner gave birth to his son Rudolph upon birth though everyone notice something not quite right with their new fawn.

He had bright bloody nose and it would bleed whenever he cried, as he grew older in the next year others noticed other differences like when he was angry things would mysteriously break on their own.

Objects would fly about like they were being controlled by thin air.

Donner was quick to try and hide his sons bloody noses and pretend he was normal not wanting to lose his job or spot on Satan Claus’s Team.

Donner went about training his son for the annual reindeer games, Once there Rudolph meets a nice fawn named Clarice he is very attracted to her and is seen talking to her but some other reindeer they come up and pick a fight with Rudolph an one shoves him down knocking off his disguise an angering him in a fit of rage Rudolph flies through the air and attacks the other throwing him so far that he instantly killed him summoning with magical forces shards of broken barn fence he pierces the hearts an heads of the other attacking reindeer ! By default being the last man left to win the Games !

Satan Claus notices his power and ability to fly and how it can be used to his advantage !

He sees the flying reindeer as something to become famous an therefore bring him in money in fame plus now he would be able to not only go to his town but every town with his fast flying reindeer.

They enjoy many years of fortune and murderous rampages stealing from all the boys and girls parents wallets taking their hard earned money and shelling out nothing but cheap foreign made toys in return.

The end…… Merry Christmas !!

Tommy Freeman

(Congrats ,Tommy. We will be sending you your prize-THE DVD/BLU RAY combo of BETTER WATCH OUT from WELL GO USA.

This contest is closed. Our thanks to WELL GO USA http://www.wellgousa.com

Follow SCARLET THE FILM MAGAZINE on WORDPRESS and FACEBOOK to read future articles and contests.

 

The Creep Behind The Camera (Synapse S.E. Blu Ray)

The Creep Behind the Camera (Color,111 min .2014)/The Creeping Terror (B&W,75 min.1964) / (Blu-ray) (Synapse )All-Region $24.99 s.r.p.
http://synapse-films.com/synapse-films/creep-behind-the-camera-the-blu-ray-special-edition/

 

Back in the late 1960s, I caught this awful science fiction film on an UHF channel. At that time, you had to adjust antennas to get a good signal ,as weather could affect your receiving a broadcast. I thought that film was going to be THE CREEPING UNKNOWN (1956, aka THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT,Hammer).

The film I experienced was another matter entirely. I mean, it had a spaceship and a creature, but– this seemed awfully inept . And the sound ! Where was the sound for long stretches ? Adjusting the antenna did nothing to bring it in.Oh there it is-narration?? Dubbed voices?? I realized I was watching an American made cheapie, but in those pre VTR days ,as a Monster Kid, you sat and watched what you could get.

For a short film ,it seemed mercilessly drawn out , with nothing happening for what seemed like ages. When it ended ,I remember thinking well I’ll never watch that again.

 

Wrong. Years later it was released by several Public Domain companies (as well as more reputable ones ) who would find a poor 16mm dupe of films and put them onto VHS for a hungry new video market. Ah, while working at a video store, how often it would be brought to the counter and I’d stay silent unless asked for my opinion.

The Creepie Crawlie Meets the Troops

 

Later, the film was “discovered” by a larger audience when Mystery Science Theatre 3000 “riffed the show in their sixth season (episode 606 ,September 17,1994) . The inept film had finally found its audience ,who all laughed at the pictures dreadfulness.

What the majority of us were unaware of was that the true monster was not the carpet creature, but the sadistic sociopath who convinced many that he was the next Orson Welles ,while abusing and using women and possibly even being involved with child pornography.                                                                                         Vic Savage

Writer/Director Pete Schuermann (who directed the comedy Star Trek Spoof ,HICK TREK:THE MOOVIE(1999,ATOZ Films) was someone fascinated by the film THE CREEPING TERROR ,and started to look into the history of the film.

What began as a straightforward documentary developed into a hybrid recreation/documentary/true life film on the project and it’s insane creator Vic Savage .

 

Savage was a perfect moniker for him, as he was seemed to be the poster boy for Anti Social Personality Disorder (ASPD). Those who have this may show symptoms as far back as childhood.Those with ASPD tend to lie, break laws, act impulsively, all with a lack of regard for the well being of others or them selves. That seems to be Savage to a T”.

Born in was born August 14 ,1933 in Bridgeport, Connecticut as Arthur Nelson White , one of the lies he would tell people is that he was born in Oklahoma of Cherokee descent .

Somehow, he met actor Joseph Sargent ,and for some reason Savage gave Sargent his first opportunity to direct . Savage co-produced the film (under his real name Arthur N. White) with Karl Kappel while co-writing the screenplay with Lois White (his long suffering spouse?? ).Savage also cast himself in a supporting role as a 26 year old street punk in the film STREET FIGHTER (1959,Joseph Brenner Associates).

The film ,shot in Savage’s own Bridgeport Connecticut , tells the story of an arrogant teen gang leader who when his girlfriend is murdered, decides to clean up his life .

Star Dora Conn seemed to have appeared only in this one film but actress Ann Atmar appeared in INCUBUS (Contempo III Productions ,1966 , itself a film that was briefly lost )as well as a COLD WIND IN AUGUST(U.A.,1961). Ahmed Bey had appeared in an Arabic film, EL zanati Khalifa in 1952, and was a boxing champ.

Director Sargent went on to direct television episodes of STAR TREK (Paramount,1966-1969) and feature films like COLOSSUS THE FORBIN PROJECT (Universal,1970).

STREET FIGHTER the  film is practically lost. In an odd footnote, in October 2014 , Savage’s ex-wife placed her VHS copy of the film up for auction. The original film print was destroyed by her after it was transferred to this VHS copy, supposedly the only existing copy of the movie . I could not find if this print had been sold .

 

                                                                                               Old DVD cover

Savage bummed around for awhile ,until he got the idea of making a monster movie ,originally to be called ‘Dangerous Charter”. Here ,his con man skills sparked into full gear, fooling nearly everyone that he was a star producer ,getting people to donate materials ,locations, and most of all money to his project .

He also slept around ,often in front of his terrified and abused bride , basking in her helplessness. He also was drugging himself to fuel his excesses, and may have also been involved with creating children pornography. All facts that will make it harder to now sit and laugh through the resultant mess that was and is THE CREEPING TERROR (released by Crown International in 1964).

Pete Schuermann with his THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA creates an appropriately interesting hybrid film, interviewing certain surviving members of the film which are inter-cut with the dramatic recreation of the insanity and terror behind the scenes.                                                                               (A weird fetish of the director ? )

The film definitely holds your attention, thanks in no small part to the powerful performance of actor Josh Phillips. A working actor , this film is a showcase for Phillips, as he goes from goofy to terrifying, often within the same scene. One hopes he was not as method as Daniel Day Lewis, for to be around a personality like that would be too much ,especially on a low budget film.

 

He is matched by the performance of Jodi Lynn Thomas, who suffers more abuse than anyone should or could imagine. That the real life Lois survived and indeed is interviewed for the film is a testament to her inner strength .She even co-wrote a book (HOLLYWOOD CON MAN by Lois Schwartz and Janice Wenger ,iUniverse (January 4, 2001))wherein she changes names of many of the people but tells a sad compelling tale of physical and mental abuse since childhood.

Thinking she found love when she married, she soon realized that another even more vicious abuser had her in his control. That she escaped and is now happily remarried is a reassurance about her but makes you wonder how many thousands of others go through such hell on a daily basis ?

The technical aspects of the film are fine with the early 1960s well recreated ,again on a low budget. The photography and sound are sharp and serve the story, rather than drawing attention to themselves.

Imagine if you will a much darker ED WOOD (Touchstone,1994) and it will give you an idea of what to expect from THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA .

 

                                                                             (Model kit of the Creepie Crawlie)

The Synapse single disc Blu Ray release of THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA is a hi-definition 1080p (1.78:1)presentation with a super sharp image and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound .

Synapse has not skimped on the extras on this release.

They include :

-An all new 2K Scan of the original THE CREEPING TERROR. Having only seen this film in dupey washed out prints ,it is nice to see it as how it probably looked upon its original release. That said, there is nothing that can be done about the QUALITY of the actual acting and storytelling.

-An informative running commentary by Schuerrmann, along with Producer Nancy Theken and actors Josh Phillips and Jodi Lynn Thomas. The group seem to enjoy recalling the making of their film with a lot of laughter as well as awe for the work that was put into their project .

-A Behind The Scenes – MAKING OF documentary

                                                                          (Another VHS box cover )

–HOW TO BUILD A CARPET MONSTER– this multi part doc shows the progress of creating their recreation of the infamous thingie,though done with materials that were probably unavailable to the original creators.

–Breaking Down Art’s Death Scene

–Monster Movie Homages

–ONE MICK TO ANOTHER – Byrd Holland (the original Sheriff from CREEPING TERROR ) and Allan Silliphant (screenwriter, later known for directing /writing /producing the successful 3-D nudie cutie THE STEWARDESSES (Hollywood Films, 1969) over 50 years later about their experiences and lives since CREEPING TERROR.

                                                                                  And another VHS Cover

– Alternate Ending

–The Original Theatrical Trailer

–SCREAMFEST Promo Trailer

–SCREAMFEST Q&A with Frank Conniff (TV’s Frank from MST3K ).An interesting talk with the director and two stars ,with Josh looking like he is auditioning to join the band THE MISFITS !

 

                                                                                   (Annnnnd another VHS release)

–Removable SDH English subtitles .They seem to follow the dialogue fairly closely.

As I am writing this review, Harvey Weinstein  of Miramax /Weinstein  fame is becoming a Pariah due to his long history of sexual misconduct and abuse. He says his attitude was due to the work enviornment of the 1960s.  Vic Savage would smile in sadistic delight.

 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

–Kevin G Shinnick

THE PRISON (blu ray) contest from WELL GO USA (update: CONTEST OVER.CONGRATS TO THE WINNERS-9.2O.2017)

CONTEST OVER.CONGRATS TO THE WINNERS-9.2O.2017

Win one of 4 blu rays of WELL GO USA ENTERTAINMENT‘s HE PRISON.

After a fatal accident, Yu-gon, a former police inspector, is sentenced to hard time in a prison he once helped fill. Once inside, he discovers the entire penitentiary is no longer controlled by the guards, but by a vicious crime syndicate that breaks out at night, using their prison sentences as the perfect alibi to commit intricate heists. Looking for revenge against the system that placed him inside, Yu-gon joins the syndicate… but with every man out for himself, how long can the perfect crime last?

Director: Na Hyun Producer:Lee Sung-Hun
Cast:
Choi Sung-Won, Joo-Wan Han, Han Suk-Kyu
Genre: Action & Adventure, Foreign
Run Time:125 mins.
Korean with English subtitles

See the trailer here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFoLR2ARyBY

“The Prison is a ferociously effective genre film from Korea that feels like the kind of movie Hollywood will remake in its own image. But adding star power and the English language won t necessarily improve things, as The Prison is brutally entertaining just the way it is.” –Fort Worth Star-Telegram

To enter, merely like and follow both

https://www.facebook.com/SCARLETreviews/

and

https://www.facebook.com/WellGoUSA/ ,

then send an email with the heading

“Take Me to THE PRISON”
to

scarletthefilmmag@yahoo.com

Include your name and mailing address in the body of the letter.

Deadline is September 19th,2017.

Four winners will be drawn at random .

THE PRISON will be released on BLU RAY from WELL GO USA ENTERTAINMENT on September 19th.

$29.95 value

 

 Thanks to WELL GO USA ENTERTAINMENT for sponsoring this contest .

(update : CONTEST OVER.CONGRATS TO THE WINNERS-9.2O.2017)

 

CLINICAL (2017)

CLINICAL (Campfire/Netflix) Now Streaming on Netflix since January 13,2017. 1 hour 44 minutes.color. Horror.

The movie CLINICAL is a 2017 horror/thriller done so well that it will have the viewers at the edge of their seats, feeling the terrified emotions of central protagonist Dr. Jane Mathis, played by talented actress Vinessa Shaw who hasn’t aged since she played Allison in the 1993 movie, Hocus Pocus (Walt Disney Pictures). For those who are into intense emotional horror movies, this film, available on Netflix is definitely worth your time.

Dr. Jane Mathis is a psychiatrist who treats patients who experience trauma. One of her young patients, Nora, brilliantly portrayed by India Eisley who does creepy really well, breaks into Jane’s office, while Jane is there, and uses broken glass to first attack Jane, and then cut her own throat, right in front of Jane, who is too wounded and scared to stop her. Nora survives her self-assault and is institutionalized, while Jane is emotionally traumatized, despite making a full physical recovery from the attack.

 

Time passes. Jane begins seeing a psychiatrist of her own, to deal with what has happened. She is still plagued by nightmares about Nora, while furthermore emotionally haunted by the self-doubt of her failure to effectively reach Nora, which makes Jane question her own abilities and methodology as a psychiatrist. This helps make Jane a highly relatable character to people who have ever felt less than successful in their profession.

Nestor Serrano as Dr Saul

Jane takes on a new client, Alex, a man who has been disfigured and is emotionally suffering, too, convincingly portrayed by Kevin Rahm. While Jane has serious apprehension about trying to treat Alex, he persuades her to continue. Jane uses the controversial, yet popular strategy of trying to help her patient recover from his trauma by first recalling and acknowledging the cause of his trauma, even if he is trying to repress the painful memory. Dealing with Alex, however, is dredging up Jane’s memories of her horrific incident with Nora, making it rather ironic that Jane’s strategy for her client is having an adverse impact on Jane, as it becomes unintentionally applied to her own situation.

The story goes on with twists and surprises that will startle, intrigue, and entertain the viewers, who can make their own conjectures as to what will happen next and how the story will resolve itself. For those who easily become squeamish with depictions of blood and gore, there are some scenes that may be difficult to take, but you will still find this excellently done horror movie worth your time.

I highly recommend it.
-Sean Fallon

 

Hey,isn’t that William Atherton too? Cool.

FEED- review by Sean Fallon

FEED- Sony Pictures- Now Playing Theatrically

Troian Bellisario’s new movie FEED provides a fascinating insider look at eating disorders, while simultaneously giving fans of thrillers an entertaining story. While those who suffer from eating disorders are the primary target audience, outsiders to that type of sickness still get to experience a captivating story, even if our takeaway is vastly different from what Troian Bellisario intended when she wrote the script.

Bellisario plays the central protagonist, Olivia, a high school senior on pace to become valedictorian. She has a twin brother named Matt (Tom Fenton), with whom she is very close. As Matt is driving Olivia home from a party they attended together, they get into an argument, leading to a crash that is fatal for Matt, and emotionally devastating for Olivia.

Olivia still interacts with “Matt,” after the crash. In my instant video reaction at bit.ly/sfffeedv I speak about how “Matt,” could either be perceived as a haunting from Matt’s ghost, a demon impersonating Matt, or as a manifestation of trauma-induced insanity in Olivia’s head. After researching “Matt’s” actual meaning, however, all three of those scenarios, although plausible and loaded with high entertainment value, are not consistent with the intent of Troian Bellisario. “Matt,” actually is supposed to be a personification of the destructive voices that some people with eating disorders hear inside their heads, a concept that makes clear sense to insiders who have had that experience.

The sharp contrast between my list of possible perceptions and the writer’s vision is actually quite eye opening, in that it further shows how we process what we see through the lens of what makes sense to us, which can often blind us to what is truly going on inside other people’s minds and hearts. While Bellisario’s goal was to help provide hope and inspiration for people with eating disorders, an endeavor that was largely successful, she also helped provide outsiders to those illnesses with a greater awareness and understanding of the need to be sensitive to people who display behaviors that we have a difficult time processing or understanding. Thus, in addition to being highly entertained, viewing the movie the way I saw it at the time I saw it, I feel as if God used this movie, and my post-viewing research on its true meaning to help make me a better person. I highly recommend this movie to mature audiences, particularly those who have experienced eating disorders.

Sean Fallon

THE BIG SICK review by Sean Fallon

THE BIG SICK (Amazon Studios/Lionsgate ) 2h 4m . Theatrical release June 23,2017.

 

The movie THE BIG SICK is a romantic comedy based on the true story of comedian Kumail Najiani, and his romantic encounter with Emily V. Gordon. Set primarily in Chicago, THE BIG SICK delves deep into the internal conflict experienced by the self-portrayed Kumail Najiani (t.v.’s SILICON VALLEY;H.B.O.). He comes from a Pakistani Muslim culture, yet falls for Emily a white American, convincingly played by Zoe Kazan. Kumail’s inner turmoil is not of a personal religious nature, as he is not strong in his faith, but it is in knowing that his family would not merely disapprove of Emily not being a Muslim, but would outright disown Kumail if he chooses Emily over his family’s cultural tradition of arranged marriages between Muslims.

 

When Kumail and Emily first meet, they are not forthcoming towards each other about major issues that could adversely impact their relationship. Emily initially fails to mention that she had been previously married, while Kumail fails to mention that his parents are constantly trying to set him up with Muslim women to marry, and would never approve of his relationship with her. When Emily finds out that Kumail could not realistically see a future with Kumail and Emily together, their relationship comes to an unpleasant end.

 

Soon, Emily is hospitalized with an undiagnosed condition. Kumail finds out, and under the influence of a doctor, claims to be Emily’s husband, granting him permission to sign a paper consenting for the hospital to place Emily into a medically induced coma, for the sake of diagnosing and curing her ailment. Soon, Emily’s parents arrive at the hospital, enhancing the quality of the production with excellent acting performances by Ray Romano and Holly Hunter.

 

 

The window that the movie provides into Islamic culture is one that requires further clarity, if the viewing audience is intended to take away a positive perspective. Islamic parents disowning their children for religious reasons paints Allah, the Islamic understanding of the God of Abraham, as being a god who is ultimately unloving and disinterested in the well-being of his children, and merely requires obedience for his own sake. This is very different from the Christian understanding of our all-loving God whose love never fades, no matter how far we have strayed, a God who wills for all to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth, a God who so loves the world that He sent His only son, so that he who believes in Him may not perish, but have everlasting life, a God who we can refer to as “Our Father.” These two very different views of God, however, could be shown as reflecting the different views that Ishmael and Isaac had towards Abraham, Ishmael being the child of a slave woman, with Isaac being the beloved free-born son of the promise of God.

 

While making light of ISIS in stand-up comedy is in extremely poor taste, and truly good comedy does not require profanity, the movie definitely will have the audience laughing at various parts, while also captivating the audience with the emotionally deep drama of the plight of Emily in the hospital. It is there where the audience will truly be captivated by the story, pulling for a positive outcome for all involved. I recommend this movie for mature audiences. Beyond the high entertainment value, it brilliantly demonstrates how cultural clashes disturb both internal and external tranquility, yet conveys a tone that desires for true love to overcome.

 

The real Life Husband & Wife

-Sean Fallon

See the official trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z_o-8pkiVo

The RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (2016)

THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (Alpha New Video) DVD-r. Region 0. Released March ,2017. $ 7.98. 69 Min. Color. BONUS:  Lost in Limehouse (1933) B&W. 20minutes 33 seconds.

http://www.oldies.com/product-view/1103D.html
Sherlock Holmes continues to be popular with fans of mysteries ever since his first appearance in Beeton’s Christmas Annual ,1887. Stage plays, movies, radio, television shows, books continue to explore and exploit the Master Detective’s adventures in both canonical and original works. New fans discover the tales of Holmes and his Boswell, Dr. Watson, and celebrate his tales.
One of those is 22-year-old Joshua Kennedy. Beginning at the tender age of five, Kennedy has made a dozen projects, including this his latest. Kennedy is obviously a true classic movie buff, as his previous efforts have been inspired by the output of Ray Harryhausen ,1950s science fiction, and Hammer films. The director has been twice nominated for a Rondo Award.

THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES is perhaps his most accomplished piece of cinema. The opening titles and uncredited music suggest the great Holmes adventures like THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (U.A.,1970). The cinematography and editing throughout the film are first rate. Camera set ups reference THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (Hammer,1959) and the Jeremy Brett series (Granada ,1984-94). The choice of locations (shot on or around Pace University, NY) for the most part suggest Edwardian London. The costuming is serviceable, considering the ultra-low budget under which that the film was shot. The story is a good one that weaves in elements of Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Empty House” (1903) and “The Adventure of The Six Napoleons (1904), both later part of the collection The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1905).

Where the film fails for me is a common bugaboo in no and low budget films is one of the most important- the acting. Joshua Kennedy gives himself the lead role, and acquits himself quite nicely. He is energetic, quirky, and holds the viewer’s attention with his portrayal. Sadly, the rest of the cast is defeated by British accents, often cockney, that would make Dick Van Dyke wince.

(‘Oi!”)

 

The range of performances go from monotonic to wildly gesticulating. The best actor in the film, Mark Redfield, appears in a blink or you’ll miss it cameo as Professor Moriarty. Dr. Watson is played by actress Bessie Ellis. Having a female Watson follows the precedent set by James Goldman’s stage play THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS (London,1961, later the basis for the 1971 Universal film) and more recently delightfully played by Lucy Liu on TV’s ELEMENTARY (C.B.S./Paramount ,2012-). Interestingly, all the women Dr. Watsons are intelligent companions to Holmes, often providing essential information to the Master Sleuth.
I wish that these films would take that extra step and audition performers who can perform. For me, a grating performance takes me out of a film faster than an ineffective special effect.

It would have been nice had there been a commentary track on the making of the film, as I am sure that many like myself would be interested in the director/writer’s process. There is a blooper reel (8 minutes 23 seconds) that shows that the cast and crew had an appropriate time making the movie, as well as how carefully shots had to be set up or modern traffic would be shown rolling by.

An interesting extra is the two-reel comedy short LOST IN LIMEHOUSE or LADY EMSERELDA’S PREDICAMENT (Masquers Club ,1933). The Masquers Club is an L.A. group founded in 1925 by former Broadway actors who moved West to make motion pictures and would be instrumental in helping to form The Screen Actors Guild in 1933.Their motto is “We Laugh to Win” and they would often put on skits or “Revels “of which proceeds went to various charities. From 1931 to 1933 the Masquers produced a series of comedy shorts that were co-produced by R.K.O. Radio Pictures. Their best remembered work is THE STOLEN JOOLS (1931) which had a large cast of major film stars, such as Laurel & Hardy.The Masquers,note Boris Karloff

LOST IN LIMEHOUSE is a broad spoofing of Victorian melodramas with British Stiff Upper Lip clashing with cads and dastardly Tongs. Lady Esmeralda (Laura LaPlante, best known for Universal’s 1927 silent THE CAT & THE CANARY and 1929’s SHOWBOAT (released silent and sound)) seeks help from Sheerluck Jones (Olaf Hytten, later to appear in a small role in Universal’s 1942 SHERLOCK HOLMES & THE VOICE OF TERROR) and Hotson (Charles McNaughton). Her father, the Duke of Dunkwell (Ivan F Simpson) is held captive by mustache twirling Sir Marmaduke Rakes (John Sheehan). The trail takes them to Limehouse, where they meet tongs led by a Fu Manchu like evil mastermind.

 
The film is pure silliness, full of lines like: “It was then I realized my dear Hotson that the victim was dead.” “How did you deduce that?” “His head was missing.” Plus, when someone sneezes at one point, they are clearly saying “Hashish!”. The film ends with everything blowing up (via some stock footage). Silly but fun.

 
How much you enjoy this disc depends on how much you are willing to overlook budgetary constraints (I was) and the mixed acting (I couldn’t for the most part). That said, Kennedy has a loyal fan base and I am sure that this disc will be well received.

 

 

See the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I47tddDo8UA

Kennedy already has another film finished (his last as a Pace University student, a remake of THE OMEGA MAN, W.B.,1971) and was doing a Kickstarter campaign to do a tribute to Harryhausen in an upcoming story of THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR.
I understand that Kennedy is planning on moving to England. Perhaps when there, Kennedy will do a Holmes sequel using actual London locales and a stronger cast.

–Kevin G Shinnick
–
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