| Board List | |
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| Topic | What four Americans are on the Non-Political American Mt. Rushmore? +TIEBREAKER |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 7:37:12 PM #46 | Fred Rogers
Bob Ross Wright brothers I can't think of a fourth shit --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s - Juliet Starling vs Senua / Monika vs Flowey |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 7:18:41 PM #2 | Juliet
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s - Juliet Starling vs Senua / Monika vs Flowey |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 7:17:52 PM #1 |
Welcome to the best video game character of the 2010s, a continuation of an ongoing contest series dedicated to finding who is the best video game character introduced in each decade. The 2010s saw the amazing tail-end of the 7th generation & the rise of the 8th generation with incredible games and amazing characters from said games. Bracket - https://challonge.com/1e9oonm5 Side Bracket - https://challonge.com/ag5nvgd1 Previous Results Cuphead / Hat - (14 / 13) Velvet / Max - (13 / 9) Juliet Starling (Lollipop Chainsaw) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/2/2ea52f43.jpg vs. Senua (Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/48526463.jpg Monika (Doki Doki Literature Club) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/1/1c521b32.jpg vs. Flowey (Undertale) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4588c4a0.jpg Easy Vote Juliet / Senua Monika / Flowey --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s- Cuphead v HatKid / VelvetCrowe v MaxCaulfield |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 6:12:38 PM #36 | up
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | What's the most technically impressive PS2 game? (Day 12) + GCN final |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 5:52:55 PM #2 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 5:11:28 PM #423 | Since I haven't given a hint in a while, the next film has a #2 ranking!
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s- Cuphead v HatKid / VelvetCrowe v MaxCaulfield |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 4:55:33 PM #35 | up
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 3:13:52 PM #416 | Outlier
Fortybelowsummer - 157 Jcgamer107 - 123 Karo - 123 Inviso - 115 Evilordexdeath - 107 Seginustemple - 104 Snake - 98 Johnbobb - 96 Bitto - 91 Plasmabeam - 86 Mythiot - 85 Rockus - 78 Lightning - 74 I had a premonition who won outlier but I won't say! --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 3:00:07 PM #415 | Also since there were a lot of write-ups bemoaning the lack of horror in the film (which I predicted in my head and can agree with), I still included it just like I did Fire in the Sky on the 90s list or Bird Box in the 2010s because I think horror can be a lot of things and straddle the line on a lot of genres and offer unique perspectives on what the genre can be.
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 2:54:35 PM #414 | Evilordexdeath - First of all, I question the inclusion of this one on the list. Yes this is an adaptation of a Stephen King book directed by David Cronenberg, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a horror film. It's more of a weird-fiction yarn about a few episodes in the life of an English teacher who develops psychic powers after being bitten by a radioactive car accident. It's a fun little tale, but the overarching story is too loose - although the episode that ends things off is set up early, I felt like I was waiting for a stronger and more cohesive story to coalesce out of the individual incidents. While the premise of a man seeing visions of the future and trying to change it could be fertile ground for interesting moral quandaries, the villains are too over-the-top, and the questions raised by the narrative too clearly answered for the film to really rise above an entertaining popcorn-munching distraction. For example, I would've liked what happens after the ending, in which the protagonist makes a failed assassination attempt on a politician his psychic powers tell him will start a nuclear war - to be left ambiguous. That would've left the viewer with some intrigue to puzzle over in the manner of another almost mystifying Cronenberg film I hope to see higher on the list - instead it's just spelled right out for you and rendered almost completely uninteresting, the politician gets discredited and Christopher Walken (whose presence is definitely a big part of why this film is as high as it is on my list,) dies a hero. Most other incidents feel the same in this narrative defined by wasted potential.
Karo - After a traumatic brain injury, this guy discovered that he has the ability to see someones future when he shakes their hand. Or sometimes the past. Or even the present! Anyway, he eventually shakes hands with a politician who will someday cause nuclear armageddon, and so he tries to assassinate him but fails at that like everything else in his life. The pacing seem far too slow and features too much of just the protagonist acting morose and self pitying than really exploring his new abilities. The movie's title is thrown out once in a sentence and not really explained further despite ample time to do so, and the plot seems to straggle on without direction throughout. I mean, one minute we're a lovelorn rip van winkle story, then next we're an episode of 'Medium', and now he's doing secret agent shit or something? There is no cohesion. It is a fine but rather forgettable movie that doesn't really add anything new to the psychic/clairvoyant trope, and to place it in the horror genre at all is the stretchiest of stretches. Rockus - Another novel Stephen King premise, and heightened by the talents behind and in front of the camera. In a way it almost feels *too* normal for a guy like David Cronenberg and it almost plays more like a drama than a horror film. Its also almost more unsettling from the implications it hints at than events that it depicts on screen. Unsurprisingly, Christopher Walken is phenomenal in this. He really brings the film together and his presence keeps it on track when its semi-episodic pacing gets a little carried away. Very good movie but feels minor compared to the rest of Cronenbergs work. Bitto - Raitng: C The fodder line. The execution is good, but the premise is just lame. It feels like 4 stories loosely tied together. Johnny's an interesting character. I like that he's reclusive and hates his talent. He has a nice arc throughout the movie. The scenes where Johnny is physically in the hallucinations are the strongest: the house burning and the Castle Rock Killer. Stillson is a fun antagonist, but he just doesn't really get as much time as you would hope for. Snake - The Dead Zone is mainly a compelling exploration of psychic burdens and the weight of foresight as Christopher Walken delivers a powerful performance as Johnny Smith. The film excels in its suspenseful atmosphere, building dread around Johnny's increasingly disturbing visions and the moral quandary they present. Martin Sheen is equally captivating as the charismatic politician Greg Stillson, whose dark future Johnny glimpses. Their dynamic forms the core of the narrative, creating a complex struggle between fate and free will. I love how the film loosely plays with horror and isnt really the main focal point, mainly focused on creating a tense thriller more than anything. However, compared to the novel's sprawling narrative, I feel the movie condenses the story significantly, sacrificing some character development and plot details. This streamlining can feel rushed at times, particularly in the later sections. Still, I think this film absolutely sticks the landing regardless Seginustemple - This one I'd argue isn't quite horror, more along the lines of detective mystery/political thriller. You would think King x Cronenberg would be a body horror extravaganza but it's restrained on that front, only one moment stands out as being particularly visceral (the scissor suicide). Walken is a good pick for a man haunted by Crossing Over with John Edwards powers, he has that chilly morose energy. I like that there's a logical progression from crime to politics as he comes to grips with his ability, from which point Martin Sheen steals the show as an uncannily Trump-like character. And the throughline of the post-coma grief/the lover who had to move on keeps it emotionally well-grounded. But I think there is an episodic nature to the story that seems more fit for a miniseries, as a film it's somewhat disjointed. Fortybelowsummer - While its not the scariest Stephen King offering, Dead Zone is one of the best film adaptions of one of his stories. Sandwiched in between the madness of his two other classics on our list, Videodrome and The Fly, David Cronenberg directs with subtlety and thoughtfulness that proves his genius beyond the body horror genre. Its more mainstream and accessible but he really pulls off the psychological thriller aspects. Christopher Walken isnt asunorthodox here as he can sometimes be, but by no means is he boring as the subdued but intense Johnny. Its really not a stretch to call this one of his best performances. He captures the emotional weight of a man struggling with the power that hes been given. Martin Sheen is awesome too and though hes not in it a lot hes perfect in the corrupt power-hungry politician role. They certainly bring their charisma as they careen towards the dramatic ending, and thats much needed because the movie does at times feel kind of bland. I also feel like there wasnt enough buildup to Johnny and Stillsons final encounter. It seems to happen so quickly that he realizes the grave danger that Stillson poses, acquires the gun, and makes his plan. Still though, the ending is impactful and its a solid movie that will rank fairly low for me but only because so many other favorites are here. --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 2:54:26 PM #413 | 14. The Dead Zone (1983 / 188 points)
Directed by: David Cronenberg / Screenplay by: Jeffrey Boam https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/c/c0ef5fc6.jpg Why Its Significant - While often overshadowed by the more visceral works of Stephen King and David Cronenberg, their 1983 collaboration, The Dead Zone, still holds a place in the horror genre, offering a unique blend of psychological horror, supernatural suspense, and political thriller. Up until this point in his career, Cronenberg had established himself with a cult classic collection of seminal body horror works, but here, Cronenberg explored a different avenue with his first film not written by himself but Jeffrey Boam (who would later go on to write The Lost Boys and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) and of course based on Stephen Kings novel originally. The film explores the potential for evil within seemingly ordinary people as Stillson's ambition and ruthlessness are presented as equally horrifying as any supernatural entity. The Dead Zone paved the way for a new wave of horror & thrillers that explored the psychological and social aspects of fear. Films like Silence of the Lambs, The Sixth Sense, Inception, & Get Out owe a debt to its focus on internal struggles and the blurring of lines between sanity and madness. The Dead Zone was followed by a television based on both the novel & film, and The Dead Zone had been the subject of many parodies over the years. The Rankers Plasmabeam - 4 Inviso - 5 Lightning - 8 Jcgamer107 - 12 Johnbobb - 12 Evilordexdeath - 14 Karo - 15 Rockus - 15 Mythiot - 18 Bitto - 19 Snake - 20 Seginustemple - 22 Fortybelowsummer - 24 Plasmabeam - One of the most underrated King books leads to one of the most underrated King movies. This stays pretty faithful to the source material (which is a GREAT thing), and the only real issue I had with this movie was Christopher Walken being cast to play Johnny. In the book Johnny was more of an energetic goofball (at least early on), and this movie couldve benefited from that. Still, the important pieces are here, and this story does a great job exploring supernatural concepts and piercing themes. Inviso - Its so weird, having grown up in the nineties, when Christopher Walken became a comedy icon for his appearances on SNL, to see him as a serious actor dealing with serious issues in a serious manner. The concept behind this movie is fascinating: you have a guy who was just a normal, every day English teacher, but he gets caught in a car accident that leaves him comatose for five years. When he wakes up, hes lost everything about his old life, and gained the power of precognition. Within a day of rousing from his coma, he saves a little girls life by touching a nurses hand and realizing her daughter is trapped in a house fire. The movie is basically told in three parts. You have the intro and the coma, and the realization that Johnny Smith has psychic powers (including realizing that his doctors mother is still alive, after she sent him off to safety during World War II, and embarrassing an arrogant reporter with the secret knowledge of his abuse towards his sister, before he killed herself). At that point, Johnny is just trying to recover, and these powers are new and strange to him. Then we get to the middle of the film, where the police seek him out for aid in a serial killer casewhich he solves by discovering that the killer was the sheriffs deputy. But ending his reign of terror, Johnny still gets shot for his troubles, and decides hes better off to go into hiding and stay out of the public eye. This all sets up the third act, where a very charismatic Martin Sheen (Greg Stillson) is running for president, and we spend a great deal of time focusing on his character in the background, until Johnny winds up at a campaign rally and shakes his hand. Suddenly, he realizes that Stillson is secretly a maniac behind his everyman persona, and hes destined to plunge the United States into nuclear war via his rash actions. And then the narrative goes from if I sit back and keep to myself, anything bad is not my fault to if I do nothing, everything bad this man does is on my conscience. So, he attempts an assassination, fails, but still succeeds in his goal because Stillson uses a baby as a human shield. He dies happy, knowing he did the right thing. I just thought the movie was structured well. They did a great job of building Johnny up as this guy who just wants to live his life, and he doesnt want all the additional shit that comes along with being a psychic. And I love the slow ramping up of his visions: helping individuals with their lives becomes stopping a serial killer becomes stopping a nuclear war. And each time, Johnny is forced to suffer because he doesnt want the responsibility for being a savior in these moments. Its a really well-told story, and the only real flaw Id say is that they might not have needed the scene with Stillson blackmailing a newspaper editor. That wouldve made the reveal of his evil all the more shocking (and made it more of a moral conundrum in the eyes of the audience as to whether or not Johnny should put a stop to him.) Lightning - THE ICE IS GONNA BREAK! More of a science fiction thriller with some horror overtones than a straight horror film, this represents one of the very best Stephen King adaptations with a great lead performance from Christopher Walken. I found the structure of this one kind of fascinating, were this released today it would definitely be a TV series rather than a movie. There is very much a longer form structure to this, almost episodic rather than a traditional three act structure. It works however, as it helps to give you the feeling of Johnnys life changing over time as the impacts of his ability to see peoples future are felt. Ultimately this film hinges on Christopher Walkens performance as Johnny Smith, he perfectly blends his unique, slightly frantic energy with a cool charisma and inner turmoil. He is charming at the beginning and always keeps you with him even as he gets increasingly desperate. You hang on his every word, even when they are hammy such as the above quote. There is also a great turn from Martin Sheen here, and its cool to see these actors fully formed even forty years ago. What makes this the best Stephen King Adaptation of its decade to me is the fact that it really sells the characters, and that understanding of character is what makes Kings style what it is. Of course, the films other technical aspects are very strong as well. Cronenbergs direction shows that he doesnt need to rely too heavily on body horror to deliver a strong picture. There is still a pretty shocking moment of body horror with the scissor suicide of course! Really though what is at the heart of Cronenbergs films is suspense, and you get plenty of that here. This is a tense, thrilling political story that does not let go of you and unfortunately feels increasingly relevant even in the present day. 4/5 Jcgamer107 - 6/10 Johnbobb - The Dead Zone is one of the first Stephen King books I think I read back in high school, and I really dug it at the time. I wasn't as big a fan of the movie, mostly because it changed things from the book and I was one of those "the movie has to be exactly like the book" people for a while. Rewatching it now for the first time in over a decade, I really dug it. It helps that Walken is one of my favorite actors, and he really gets to play to his strengths. The concept is basically "what if Bruce Willis' character from Unbreakable didn't become a superhero and instead tried to assassinate the next mass murdering politician. Honestly, I'm here for it. --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 2:46:55 PM #412 | I know of it but never seen it fully!
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s- Cuphead v HatKid / VelvetCrowe v MaxCaulfield |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 1:35:52 PM #33 | up
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s- Cuphead v HatKid / VelvetCrowe v MaxCaulfield |
| Snake5555555555 04/16/24 3:16:22 AM #32 | Not blind, I've just been not including it... for some reason
https://challonge.com/ag5nvgd1 --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Anybody remember any users with "Shadow" and a 7 in their name? |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 9:31:20 PM #3 | This topic made me remember Se7enthrust
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 9:21:37 PM #395 | Karo - A nerdy young man becomes the owner of a sentient yandere automobile named Christine and predictably a lot of people end up as roadkill.
The concept is kinda cool I guess, its like herbie the love bug turned into a murderous psychopath, and it is fun to cheer on as many bullies and assholes get their just desserts (though quite sadly Arnie's obnoxious parents are spared). Unfortunately most of the human characters are dull high school stereotypes who leave almost no impact other than being speedbumps for Christine to roll over, and that's kinda all the movie is. A few months later and all I will remember about this film was that there was a killer car, and it will get deservedly filed under forgettable mediocrity. Snake - I hate that I have to disparage another Carpenter film so soon after saying hes my favorite director, but Christine is unfortunately just another weaker one in his canon. The concept of a killer car is inherently campy. Carpenter walks a tightrope between genuinely unsettling and unintentionally funny but often stumbles and falls into the realm of the latter. Im always one for dissecting themes in films, especially horror, but any serious point I can make is really undermined by its own concept. However, Christine does offer moments of visual flair and Carpenter's signature style can be glimpsed throughout. The director's knack for crafting atmospheric scenes and his skillful use of lighting and sound design occasionally shine through, providing brief respites from the film's more ludicrous elements. Ultimately though, I just dont really find the story all that compelling. Fortybelowsummer - Christine is one of Stephen Kings most iconic characters and shes fun to watch especially if you have a penchant for cool old cars. The first time she repairs herself is visually impressive and the fiery chase down of the main bully is epic (how old was that guy anyway, seriously). John Carpenters mastery of the directorial craft is evident, and its shot and editedwell (Im not good at describing the technicalities). Keith Gordon gives a really good performance, transforming from a friendly, nerdy Arnie to a more sinister leather vest wearing, Baywatch babe groping psycho as he falls more and more under Christines influence. What is that influence, anyway? In the book, iirc, its more implied that the last owners spirit is the corrupting force, and he even sacrificed his daughter to the car. Here, we see that Christine is evil right off the assembly line. Its kind of annoying not knowing why this sentient car is killing people, but you just go with it I guess. Anyway, the problem is, and Stephen King has said this himself, is that the movie is kind of boring. Christine, while cool, isnt really all that scary and I personally could have used some more gore, particularly with the first bully that gets cut in half. On the whole, its a fun watch, just not overly exciting or memorable. Lightning - You better watch what you say about my car. Shes real sensitive. Based on the Stephen King novel and directed by John Carpenter, Christine represents one of the most iconic examples of the object comes alive and kills you subgenre. Everybody knows what you mean when you say Christine, the same way everybody knows what you mean when you say Cujo or Pennywise. Of course while the idea is iconic, the question of if it is still good remains and I found the answer to be a resounding meh. While I generally try to avoid comparisons to the source material, especially with Stephen King adaptations in the 1980s, it really needs to be emphasised just how much this one has been slimmed down. The novel ultimately is a ghost story and Christine is possessed by the spirit of a gangster who is trying to take over Arnie, which explains why he spends time slowly turning into a greaser. Here Christine is just a car that comes alive, so it loses that aspect of the expanded lore, making everything seem simpler and frankly less interesting. Arnies slow transformation into a greaser too, along with the 1950s aesthetics make a lot less sense without that aspect. The characters themselves are also heavily reduced, here basically being cyphers to be chased by a car. While John Carpenters style is great when its showing a flaming car chasing someone down an empty road, it struggles with the high school aspects and all the Americana this story is commenting on. The soundtrack also doesnt quite work for the same reason. With that said, its still a somewhat entertaining film with some good setpieces. Whenever Christines engines are running, its exciting. It it not quite scary, but does manage to be thrilling at a few moments, and as is so often the case with the films on this list the practical effects are great. Overall while this film is nothing to write home about it is still worth a watch. 3/5 Jcgamer107 - 2/10 --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 9:21:26 PM #394 | 15. Christine (1983 / 200 points)
Directed by: John Carpenter / Screenplay by: Bill Phillips https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/8961399f.jpg Why Its Significant - Horror traditionally relies on monsters be they supernatural beings, slashers, or the undead. Christine takes a sharp turn, making the monstrous entity a car. While concepts like this had been tried in the past here and there, like in 1977s The Car or The Twilight Zone episode You Drive, Christine truly solidified the idea and gave it way more pathos than any piece of media really tried to in the past. Christine represents a twisted version of the car as a symbol of freedom & independence, and Arnie's relationship with Christine is undeniably obsessive. He prioritizes the car over everything his friends, family, and even his own safety. Christine is also indicative of one of the most prevalent undercurrents of the 80s - technology turning against us. Christine no doubt started a small wave of killer car movies, something Stephen King (though he actually doesnt enjoy this adaptation of his original book much) enjoys a lot in Maximum Overdrive & Trucks, to even films like Joy Ride, Rubber, or Jeepers Creepers taking some inspiration from it, to the trashiest of trash like Super Hybrid taking all the wrong cues. Christine is in talks for a remake from Bryan Fuller. The Rankers Bitto - 4 Rockus - 8 Inviso - 9 Johnbobb - 9 Plasmabeam - 9 Mythiot - 10 Seginustemple - 14 Evilordexdeath - 18 Karo - 18 Snake - 21 Fortybelowsummer - 26 Lightning - 26 Jcgamer107 - 28 Bitto - Rating: B+ Decent plot, amazing execution. The characters all feel real good in this, including Christine. I really love the characterization of Christine through 50s songs played on the radio. Arnie is especially fun to watch, because it really did feel like his life was being controlled and his decision to buy Christine is the one time Arnie acted for himself. Of course, it really transforms Arnie to the point where he's just unrecognizable. I love that scene where they're toasting and Arnie says "Cheers to all the shitters in the world dying!" and Dennis is just "Dude...how about toasting to friendship?" and Arnie is like "...Oh, yeah, friendship." The slasher-esque scenes with Christine really make the most of the fact that the villain is a car. And...I dunno, I just really was enthralled the whole time. Just a fun watch from beginning to end that was also strangely moving. Rockus - Its that timeless story of boy falls in love with car, car falls in love with boy, cars demonic spirit permeates into boys psyche to infect him with its own toxic aura. You know, that old chestnut. Maybe its that these classic cars are just inherently cinematic but Ill be damned if this isnt one of the best shot horror films of the decade, maybe even in general. That shot of the car on fire stalking that guy like its Jason, perfection. The practical effects like that reverse footage shot of the car repairing itself, brilliant. Is just so much fun. Its kind of campy, kind of self-aware. Its a genuine classic, maybe a little underappreciated. Inviso - Its weird to talk about this movie, because the human element in the form of Arnie as a kind of main character islacking. Were introduced to this nerdy little dweeb early on, and hes both a weirdo AND a bullying victim, and I get that were supposed to take his side because hes your standard nerd archetype who needs to get more self-confidence. And thats finebut I feel like once he gets his hands on Christine, he goes from nerdy loser to aggressive douchebag far too quickly to showcase the corruption Christine brings into his life. Plusthe human characters who wind up fighting Christine in the end feel like theyre far too detached from the plot to justify them being the heroes, BECAUSE Arnie is such a dickhead. With all that being said though, the star of this fucking movie is Christine. From the first moment she appears on-screen in the assembly line, slamming her hood on a guy thats manhandling her, and then somehow murdering a guy off-screen for smoking inside her, shes fucking GREAT. Its almost funny; I watched this immediately after Sleepaway Camp, and going from Angelas creepy, dead-eyed stare to Christine just sitting there, menacingly, with the same kind of ice-cold frozen stareits great. The movie does an amazing job of somehow managing to anthropomorphize a vehicle to feel like a human serial killer. Halfway through the movie, I was just picturing this psychotic girlfriend protecting her man, rather than an animate car. Hell, that scene where Christine repairs herself in front of Arnie, complete with seductive musicit really sells Christine as like, seducing Arnie to the dark side. SHES his girl, not Leigh. Christine is the character that makes this movie and she sells this movie, and if John Carpenter hadnt nailed her characterization, this would not rank this high. Johnbobb - This decade gave us Freddy, Jason, Predator, Beetlejuice, Chucky, Jack Torrance, The Thing... but the real horror icon? Christine all the way. The immortal self-repairing car that pretty cleverly capitalizes on the tendency of some people (men in particular) to personify their cars to a point bordering on obsession. I mean, just looking at the other teens boys on this list, how many of them had posters of cars just like Christine taped to their walls? Christine manages to have more personality than most horror movie serial killers without even having a face. Plasmabeam - One of the rare early King books that I havent read. This adaptation was pretty solid, and I particularly loved the nerd/jock buddy duo. Really enjoyed seeing the nerd develop into a menace. Seginustemple - Solid fun, I was hoping it would dig into the Ship of Theseus element of the car a little more. Love the opening w/ the Bad to the Bone needle drop, indicating the car is evil right off the assembly line. Then 20-30 years on this kid buys the car and starts fixing it up with scrap parts from a junkyard, to the point where the owner makes a crack about rebuilding the entire car with parts from his yard. So I end up wondering is it just an evil chassis, or is it the idea of 'Christine', the naming of the car that imbues it with a spirit? Besides that I enjoy the Rockwellesque Americana vibe and I find the basic story of a kid buying his first car and letting it dominate his personality very relatable - I bet most people knew a guy like that in high school. Evilordexdeath - Believe it or not I wasn't really looking forward to seeing the adaptation of the Stephen King book about the yandere car. This movie turned out to be a lot less awful than it probably has any right to be, I suppose thanks to John Carpenter's solid direction. The trick is that it mostly doesn't focus on the sublimely idiotic premise. It really spends a lot of its runtime building up the characters and their relationships with one another and the core story is more about the mental degeneration of the main character than it is about the car. I'm not going to pretend it's a masterpiece of psychological horror or anything but I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't totally unbearable. --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s- Cuphead v HatKid / VelvetCrowe v MaxCaulfield |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 7:18:27 PM #4 | Previous Results
Madeline / Bridges - (16 / 11) Clementine / Goose - (23 / 9) --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s- Cuphead v HatKid / VelvetCrowe v MaxCaulfield |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 7:15:40 PM #2 | Cuphead
Max --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s- Cuphead v HatKid / VelvetCrowe v MaxCaulfield |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 7:15:13 PM #1 |
Welcome to the best video game character of the 2010s, a continuation of an ongoing contest series dedicated to finding who is the best video game character introduced in each decade. The 2010s saw the amazing tail-end of the 7th generation & the rise of the 8th generation with incredible games and amazing characters from said games. Bracket - https://challonge.com/1e9oonm5 Cuphead (Cuphead) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/701d3d96.jpg vs. Hat Kid (A Hat in Time) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/5/570539c4.jpg Velvet Crowe (Tales of Berseria) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/1/1f186476.jpg vs. Max Caulfield (Life is Strange) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/8f12615e.jpg Easy Vote: Cuphead / Hat Velvet / Max --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Characters of the 2010s - Madeline vs. Bridges / Clementine vs. Goose |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 6:23:25 PM #36 | up
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | What four game shows are on the Game Show Mount Rushmore? |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 6:20:03 PM #5 | What's My Line?
Jeopardy Wheel of Fortune The Price is Right --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Characters of the 2010s - Madeline vs. Bridges / Clementine vs. Goose |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 5:12:37 PM #35 | up
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | What's the most technically impressive Gamecube game? (Day 11) + GBA Final |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 5:01:01 PM #5 | Resident Evil 4
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 3:30:31 PM #385 | Fright Night won the tie breaker 186 adjusted against Phenomena's 190 adjusted (determined by removing the highest and lowest rankings for each film)
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 3:18:36 PM #383 | Outlier
Fortybelowsummer - 136 Karo - 119 Jcgamer107 - 118 Evilordexdeath - 104 Inviso - 100 Seginustemple - 95 Johnbobb - 88 Snake - 86 Mythiot - 76 Bitto - 75 Plasmabeam - 70 Rockus - 70 Lightning - 57 Karo grows bat wings and makes a big flight to the top of the board --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 3:12:35 PM #382 | Bitto - Rating: C+
I've seen many movies stumble the third act, but rarely the first one. This one does and it really painted my view of this movie in a bad light. The characters were nonsensical, the pacing felt entirely off, the murder plot being so obvious was baffling, and I couldn't tell where this movie was poking fun at silly horror movies or was a silly horror movie. I was ready to have this be in the bottom tier. Once Peter Vincent really comes into the fray, the movie really finds its identity. Vincent is a really fun character and, honestly, the only good acting in the movie. That said, all the other main characters begin to find their identity too. Evil Ed, a complete nothing of a character, actually becomes somewhat compelling after he becomes a vampire and dies to Peter Vincent. The premise and the plot really start to click in, too. Johnbobb - This was much better than expected! Seriously, the movie opens with its teen protagonist trying to pressure his girlfriend into sex. Not a great way to introduce your hero! But this is honestly a pretty fantastic Rear Window meets Buffy type of movie. It has pretty much everything I'd look for in a vampire movie: seduction, paranoia, intimate violence, heavy religious symbolism, goofy prosthetics... ok, scratch the last one, but I've seen worse! Lightning - Youre so cool, Brewster! Fright Night is a bit of an odd one in that while the film was always well received and successful, it is not that talked about in the modern day despite also being subtly one of the most influential horror movies ever made. At its core this is a fun modern vampire story that mostly keeps to classic tropes with some great practical effects, especially when the vampires die. That bat looked bad though. What really makes it work however is that it is one of the first to have characters truly aware of the horror genre and its tropes. This is one of the first of a number of the meta-horror films that are so common now. You can see its influence perhaps most notably in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, both the movie and more importantly the TV series, which clearly views this as a seminal text. We as audiences are so used to horror tropes, we always complain whenever a character does something stupid like going up those stairs or splitting off from the group, and what Fright Night does is reflect this audience, if people are aware then the characters should be too. This makes it a more effective horror film, it feels like there is more threat when the characters are smart and know what theyre doing. Even despite the knowing meta aspects the film still does all of the traditional vampire elements well, there is a charming vampire, a fun twist on the idea of a wise old vampire, and a romance you want to see succeed. The vampires are scary and there is some good tension and laughs. It is effective at just about everything it tries even if it is somewhat lacking in narrative depth. 4/5 Snake - Fright Night is a fun blend of horror and comedy that mainly shines with its charismatic performances, though its not a huge favorite of mine or anything. Roddy McDowall steals the show as Peter Vincent, perfectly walking the line between cheesy and charming, delivering some of the movie's most quotable lines like Peter Vincent's not even my real name!", slays me every time. Chris Sarandon is equally captivating as the suave yet menacing Jerry Dandridge of course. William Ragsdale though I must say isnt really that compelling of a protagonist. The plot can be predictable at times, relying on some familiar horror tropes, and the pacing can also feel uneven, with some stretches dragging a bit. Additionally, some of the humor is dated and only really funny to someone familiar with classic horror media (which I am but it doesnt change the point). Plasmabeam - An all-too-familiar story with all-too-underwhelming comedy. Karo - So this teenager has a vampire move in next door to him, something he finds out about because the bloodsucker in question fails to take even the most basic steps to safeguard his identity. I mean seriously you just lug your fucking coffin across the yard right out in the open what the hell is wrong with you. Basically theres all these awful kids who do stupid high school shit and one of them sees all this dracula stuff and nobody will believe him ha ha ha. It's the one joke of the movie that is quickly beaten into the ground. They enlist the services of a TV actor who plays a famous monster hunter because everyone knows that TV shows are real and a lot of inconsistent vampire lore later the others find out the truth and Bitey McFangerson comes after everyone to keep the news from getting out. The vampire is so intent to silence those who know his secret that he just up and murders a couple of bouncers in full view of hundreds of people. Nobody seems to really notice this or calls in the army or anything. I honestly think it would have been better if it all turned out to be a hilarious misunderstanding, rather than just being a generic monster flick featuring a bunch of unconvincing performances as a bunch of forgettable characters but that was probably hoping for too much. It is a mess that doesnt work on any level, and while it is indeed a very dumb movie, it suffers a fate far far worse than being merely stupid - it is boring, and incredibly so. It is less a fright night, and more a shite night. Fortybelowsummer - First off, I have to ask: why the hell did the kid whos a horror fanatic have to go to his obnoxious friend to tell him how to defeat a vampire? Garlic, holy water, dont invite him into your house? Yeah no shit, Charley, I know you werent necking with young Marcy Darcy during all of those shows. Anyway, maybe its partly having watched Lost Boys just before this, but Fright Night didnt really do it for me. The aforementioned does almost everything better; the main character is more likeable (I actually hate Charley), the sidekicks are more likable, the mom is less annoying, the vampires are cooler and scarier, and its funnier and more exciting to watch. That about covers it, but it wouldnt be fair to judge it just on comparison to another movie alone. On its own it has very little suspense, Dandrige isnt the least bit scary (maybe a little in his final form), and I actively rooted against the whiney, pleading main character (but hes a vaaaaaampire! cant you just hear his stupid voice). I will say the last 20 minutes were pretty good with some killer special effects and makeup that were enough to keep it out of my 30 spot. Seginustemple - Chris Sarandon makes a charming villain, the sfx are great, but the core idea of a meta vampire/werewolf movie has way more potential than what this delivers. The protagonist is so lame and spends half the movie with a bad case of "I know it sounds crazy but you gotta believe me" just spinning his wheels. I take it his lameness is intentional, hence "you're sooo cooooool Brewster", but in any case the guy doesn't work for me. And then his buddy Evil Ed is just aggressively awful. Every scene with that ham is grating, his delivery is like nails on chalkboard. There's a scene towards the end where he gets gored in wolf form and tries transforming back to human to garner sympathy from Roddy McDowall, and I'm thinking dude, just stay as a wolf because you are way less likable as Evil Ed. Good transformation sequence, though. My favorite bit is Sarandon prowling around a neon nightclub in a Wesley Crusher turtleneck, just basking in the seductive vampire role. I mean, vampires are cool people, are they not? --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 3:12:26 PM #381 | 16. Fright Night (1985, 221 points)
Directed / Written by: Tom Holland https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/5/525bf376.jpg Why Its Significant - Like many classic monster movies of the 80s, Fright Night (along with The Lost Boys) helped revitalize the played out vampire genre. With a teenage angle and a healthy dose of comedy, the film switched up the vampire mythos. Jerry Dandrige, the charismatic vampire, was sophisticated, seductive, and held a dark sense of humor like the vampires before him, but he didnt reside in some stuffy old castle - he was your next door neighbor. This simple but effective twist along with Charley's fight against the vampire is met with skepticism, mirroring the anxieties of teenagers often dismissed by adults. Fright Night was followed by a sequel, remake, sequel to the remake, stage play, documentary film, video game, novelizations, & comic book series. The Rankers Evilordexdeath - 5 Jcgamer107 - 6 Inviso - 10 Rockus - 10 Bitto - 13 Mythiot - 13 Johnbobb - 14 Lightning - 16 Snake - 22 Plasmabeam - 25 Karo - 28 Fortybelowsummer - 29 Seginustemple - 30 Evilordexdeath - Ostensibly, this is the story of a guy who gets a new next-door neighbor and instantly realizes that he's a vampire. It feels like an opposite to Christine - in that film the protagonist mentally unravels as everyone around him tries to help. By contrast, one message you could take from this movie is that everyone will let you down - bro's friend becomes a thrall of the vampire, his girlfriend gets seduced by the creature right in front of him, the police think he's a lunatic, and even his mom goes out and invites the vampire over so he can get around the whole clause that vampires can't enter a house uninvited and attack the kid. Everyone will disappoint you, that is, except maybe out of work T.V. actors, because this film is really the story of Peter Vincent, a hammy faux-vampire hunter who the kids enlist to help with the monster, who reveals himself to be a complete coward but then spends the entire film gradually transforming into the character he's used to playing in movies. It's him who kills the vampire's thralls, him who saves the much more static protagonist Charley Brewster, and his character arc that the film centers around - at one point he fails to wield a crucifix against the vampire because "you need faith for it to work," only to manage it successfully in the climax. I was absolutely onboard for every moment of it, and his character made this movie one of the big pleasant surprises of the list. Jcgamer107 - 7/10 Inviso - This is a really fun concept for a film, particularly one that feels like its a few full-frontal nudity scenes away (cutting, not adding) from being a Disney Channel original movie. You have a kid whos obsessed with this late-night horror anthology show, and then he happens to glance outside and realize that theres a new neighbor next door who sure does have a coffin, and then several women going to his house who are later discovered to be murdered. Why, its almost like theres something about this next door neighbor thats unsavory. But yeah, Charley catches the neighbor about to bite his victim, revealing himself to be a vampire, and suddenly he finds himself in Jerrys (yes, the big bad vampire is named Jerry) crosshairs. I think the first half of the movie does a decent job of setting the stakes by introducing Charley as this dorky guy who somehow has a girlfriend willing to round home base with him (despite him getting distracted from sex by goings on outside his house). Evil Ed is his douchey loser of afriend? Nah, acquaintance. And then of course theres Jerry. I love how they set him up with Charley going to learn vampire lore, specifically the lore about how vampires cant enter your house without permission, only for a scene later, his mom invites Jerry over for drinks. Jerrys not even subtle about his sinister behavior, and it really works well to sell this guy as a smarmy, dangerous douchebag. Its actually funny to see Fright Night on the 80s list, because Jerry comes across as a total 80s businessman in terms of how he acts throughout this film. Anyway, the movie is fine in that first half, with Charley trying to get ANYONE to listen to him, and his friends just humor him and eventually rope in Peter Vincent, the vampire hunting movie star from Charleys favorite show. But it turns out hes a non-believer and a coward at that, and when he discovers that, oh shit, Peter actually IS a vampire, he just wants to hide out and avoid this situation entirely. Watching Roddy McDowall have to play a reluctant hero instead of the brave, bold, conquering vampire hunter is pretty amazing, and hes the best part of the film as a result. The final act, with the battle in Jerrys house, is great. Jerrys SO cocky and just toying with Charley and Peter (having kidnapped Charleys girlfriend and turned her into a vampire spawn herself), and we get some great stuff with Peter killing Ed (just generally fucking Ed up with a cross burn to the forehead before the endgame, and then killing him when he turns into a wolf for some reason), and then Peter and Charley teaming up on Jerrys thrall to kill him. But the best part is when Peter tries using a cross and Jerry rebuffs him, saying you have to believe in the cross for it to work, and this comes back later when Peter has Jerrys back against a window with the rising sun, and he truly starts to believe and empower the cross. And then of course we end on the heroes breaking all the windows in Jerrys basement to get him overwhelmed by raw sunlight and save the day. It's a FUN movie; not the BEST, but I think Jerry plays the sinister villain well, and Peter plays the washed-up phony well. And the concept of facing down your new neighbor when he turns out to be an evil vampire is a fun one, especially when its one of those situations where NO ONE is going to believe you, so it falls on you to save your own ass. Seems to happen a lot when leads in these movies are teens, but I guess that makes sense, with the old children should be seen and not heard mantra. Rockus - Initially I was thinking the first thirty minutes of this was like a suburban Rear Window, but with vampires. But really its probably more like a teenage version of The Burbs, but with vampires. But after that it gets really good with the first real glimpse of Chris Sarandons true vampire form, the introduction of Roddy McDowalls Peter Vincent as a major character rather than just a B-horror personality on television, and we get ESCALATION. The movie is in its bag with a wolf transformation, a green goopy death, a slimy bat transformation and all of it delivered with some great practical effects and detailed makeup. They just dont make them like this anymore and its a real shame. Vincent even gets to have his own little mini-character arc about regaining some of his faith and, I presume, satisfaction with his career. Great premise, great effects, just a great picture. --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Characters of the 2010s - Madeline vs. Bridges / Clementine vs. Goose |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 1:50:22 PM #34 | up
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Fill in the Blank 255: ___ In |
| Snake5555555555 04/15/24 3:55:41 AM #25 | Steal
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 11:01:10 PM #367 | Lightning - Look at her - the Lady of the Flies!
In the 1970s Dario Argento came to prominence with his giallo films which combined horror with his unique style, bright colours and overpowering sound. Most of these were fairly tight thrillers with minimal plot, but here he goes completely over the top and throws all he can at the wall. Frankly this is an absurd film with murders, a girl who can talk to insects, a helpful chimp, speed metal, a lake catching fire, an ominous boarding school. It is an absolutely bonkers film and yet it works. There are a lot of flaws here. A young Jennifer Connolly and the great Donald Pleasance give really good performances here, but the rest are not as strong. The dubbing that Argento typically employs for his films can be really grating here. The dialogue is silly and the story makes no sense. There is another bad portrayal of physical differences. It is a film that on paper should not work at all. Despite that, the film simply goes for it so much you cannot help but enjoy it. You really have to just go with it but it is a lot of fun if you can get on its wavelength. And since it is an Argento film there is some great imagery here, in particular the arms emerging from the darkness was terrifying. There is also Argentos usual use of intense sound, here through the use of metal in key moments including Iron Maiden which gives them a unique twist. That really is the word for this film, unique. There are better movies here but none quite like this. 3/5 Plasmabeam - Not for me. Too slow, and not enough edge to keep me engaged. --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 11:00:29 PM #366 | Fortybelowsummer - Starring Jennifer Lord of the Flies Connelly, Phenomena comes to us courtesy of 70s/80s Argento who was dropping giallo classics left and right. While its not, in my opinion, top tier (Deep Red, Opera) its still one of the best examples of the notorious Italian film genre. The main thing I want to touch on is how good the soundtrack is. The music actually feels out of place at times, but its an intentional technique that leaves you feeling unsettled and on edge. Do you expect to hear Motorhead in a somber moment when the corpse of a pivotal character is being wheeled out? Nope, but I find that choice fascinating along with the Judas Priest utilization. Interwoven with more atmospheric and operatic melodies it really lends to the whole jarring experience. Visually, its super interesting as well even if it is more toned down in terms of blasts of color or explicit drawn-out violence. You still get the bright red blood, rolling heads, and weird camera positions not to mention the decidedly un-giallo supernatural fly hordes (that they actually hatched for the movie). Some consider this an Argento effort that shows a decline in quality but its still very good and the last 20 minutes are, wait for itphenomenal.
Inviso - This movie could have been great. On paper, the concept of a serial killer in Europe (Europe being an inherently terrifying region for Americans, if later horror films would prove anything), and then you introduce this girl with strange, psychic powers to control insects, which allow her to investigate the murders like a paranormal Gil Grissom. Thats pretty interesting and unique, and some of the imagery in the film (like when her whole school is bullying her and she just summons a swarm of bees to envelope the school building) is pretty solid. The problem is that the film doesnt know how to pick a fucking lane. You have the serial killer, but youre already stretching the concept by adding the insect control X-Men character to the mix. But then the movie just decides to add more shit for dumb reasons. Long story short, Jennifer Connolley is sent to a European boarding school, and in her first scene, shes shown driving with this uptight semi-headmistress. And several students from the school get killed while Jennifer has premonitions or visions of the killings. So, she goes to see Donald Pleasance, whos playing an entomologist that is trying to solve the case, and thats perfect because she has bug powers. Also, Pleasance has a chimpanzee helperwhich feels completely out of place given the tone of the film, but its somehow important to the ending. Anyway, Jennifer investigates and finds the house where the murdered used to live, but meanwhile, the murderer kills Pleasance to keep him from getting too close. Jennifer, at this point, is in over her head and just wants to go home, so she tries AGAIN to contact her rich movie star dad (or his manager) to get her back to America. This gets relayed to the headmistress, who says Fine, fine, you can go. But your plane isnt leaving until tomorrow, so you can stay in my house. And its at this point that Jennifer realizes Oh shit, this woman is the murderer because of all the bug larva crawling around her house. And she gets captured. In a way, its a very horror clich where you get brought to the house of someone who you think you can trust, and then they turn out to be the killer all alongbut sometimes cliches work for a reason. And all of this would be fine if it was just Jennifer has to outwit and escape her captor. But its not. Once Pleasance dies, a new character is introduced: Detective Geiger, who I guess was needed after the 75% mark of the film. Hes investigating the murders and finds the house Jennifer found, and he goes to interview the headmistress, because he learns she was raped in an insane asylum fifteen years prior. This is all exposition delivered as the film should be reaching its climax, via a character who doesnt need to be in the movie. His investigation serves no purpose and hes just there to make Jennifers eventual triumph feel even less valid. Seriously, he talks to the headmistress, she captures him, and then when Jennifer tries to escape, this guy is the one who stymies the headmistress efforts. Its not like Jennifer tries to help him, or they even really interact at all (beyond him INTERRUPTING HER WHEN SHES TRYING TO CALL THE POLICE, FOR A CHEAP JUMP SCARE)so why did he need to be in this film? Anyway, Jennifer discovers the headmistress deformed child is also murdering people, so she runs off and winds up burning him alive after he tries to kill her on a motorboat. In a HILARIOUS scene, the actor dads manager shows up looking for Jennifer, after having been off-screen all film, and he goes to collect her, only to get decapitated in a single shot, because it turns out Geiger failed to finish the job of overpowering a physically weaker woman who he definitely beat the shit out of. And then again, Jennifer doesnt even proactively save herselfbut rather the HELPER MONKEY SHOWS UP and kills the headmistress with a goddamn razor! This movie goes off the rails SO HARD at the end, and it completely removes all agency from Jennifer as a character (aside from her summoning bees to attack the mutant child when hes trying to kill her) in favor of characters that dont add anything else to the plot. Its BIZARRE. Also bizarre? The random heavy music that plays inappropriately over numerous scenes in the film. Ill give it creditI was never bored, but what the fuck WAS this? Jcgamer107 - 4/10 Bitto - Rating: C- It's a fun movie concept. A girl who is a connection with insects uses her connection to figure out a serial killer. She also sleepwalks, which...doesn't really play into the movie at all. It may have isolated her from her schoolmates, but maybe the fact that she can control insects might be a bigger reason for that. The serial killer is...fine, but I have a bit of difficulty understanding the motives here. I can't tell if it's because her son being so deformed caused her to go mad, if she's killing due to influence of the son, or if the son is abused from her, or...yeah. They just really don't give enough time. Also, that scene of Jennifer trying to console the son and she literally takes one look at his face and runs away screaming is wild. That must have been comedic, right? Like, how else are you supposed to read that scene? And it's kinda fucked up! --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 11:00:02 PM #365 | 17. Phenomena (1985 / 221 points)
Directed by: Dario Argento / Written by: Franco Ferrini, Dario Argento https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/38d3183c.jpg Why Its Significant - No list of the most influential horror movies ever made is complete without a Dario Argento film. While not his most mainstream offering (though few of his films are), Phenomena is another stunning example of a specific type of slasher film Argento perfected - giallo, complete with his young woman protagonist and beautiful yet disturbing aesthetic mixed with a supernatural element, all prominent hallmarks of Argento filmmaking. Now I will be fully transparent here and say I dont think this film is THAT influential in the grand scheme of things compared to other films on this list, but I still found it worthy of inclusion (other than being an Argento film) for being the main inspiration behind the Clock Tower series of survival horror games, with the original Clock Tower featuring a protagonist named Jennifer and design lifted straight from Jennifer Connellys character, plus a few plot similarities. The Rankers Johnbobb - 5 Snake - 8 Karo - 10 Evilordexdeath - 13 Rockus - 14 Seginustemple - 16 Fortybelowsummer - 20 Inviso - 21 Jcgamer107 - 21 Bitto - 22 Lightning - 22 Mythiot - 23 Plasmabeam - 26 Johnbobb - Obviously the Final Girl is a big horror trope, but is there a name for the girl at the beginning that inevitably gets killed off to introduce the movie? The First Girl? Because this is a top tier first girl. I mean, wondering into a stranger's house calling out "Is anybody there? I'm a foreigner and I'm lost!" pretty much just locks down the standard for First Girls. This movie is absolutely ridiculous and just filled with memorable lines. "With this we can determine the date of death." "Or MURDER." "My name is Sophie. I'm freench." Jennifer Connelly is eating baby food, then says it tastes like cat food, and continues eating it. What is happening? "If I thought about your father, I'd never fall asleep!" fucking DAMN girl "Do you take something, like - do you understand - drugs?" "WE WORSHIP YOU. WE WORSHIP YOU." "I love you. I love you all." Why is her hair blowing in the wind when she's inside Legitimately the bugs swarming the building shot was great. What is this soundtrack? I mean, I like it, I think, but it's all over the place and almost never matches the tone of the scene Snake - Enigmatic murders, stylish cinematography, and a focus on suspense. I am very biased here since Clock Tower is one of my favorite game series, and I watched this film after learning where Clock Tower got its inspiration from, and yes it probably made me love it more than I reasonably should. But, but, it still stands out well on its own! This movie is WILD. Dario Argento throws everything at the wall in this gloriously insane giallo. Jennifers telepathic connection to insects, an outcast, ostracized by her peers, lush Swiss landscapes and the opulent boarding school setting juxtaposed with brutal murders and grotesque insect swarms, and a razor-wielding chimpanzee for some reason. Theres technically a Goblin score here that throbs with suspense yet the film also has tons of heavy metal songs with bizarre usages and hell I aint complaining. I dont know, it just all works for me and sometimes I wish more horror movies could be this wild and fun all in one package more often. Karo - A young girl goes to a swiss boarding school plagued by a mysterious killer. She can also control insects for some reason that isnt explained. I give the movie props for seeming fresh and different, and full to the brim with an air of genuine mystery. Red herrings are everywhere, scenes are set with daring music picks that seem the choices of a madman yet somehow work. I just wish everyone would talk like real people, rather than speaking with this off putting weirdness that seems like it was generated by an AI algorithm rather than a real human mouth hole. But where the movie truly falls apart is the very end, where it degrades too much into sensationalist shlock - the most egregious of which was everything involving Brukner's son, all of which was unnecessary, exploitative and ableist. Just because someone has a deformed face doesnt mean they should have less humanity than a fucking chimpanzee. All in all it is original and complex film with a tone of all its own to help it stand out from the pack, yet unfortunately also saddled with deep flaws that prevent it from being fully engaging. Evilordexdeath - From what I understand having not seen it, Suspiria would've been an auto-include if we were doing 70s horror, and this is kind of the Dario Argento film we get in its place since it's 80s. I was hoping I'd like it more than I did but would end up comparing it to goofy slasher films like Sleepaway Camp more readily than the, let's say, art horror films I was hoping it would resemble. The central idea that the main character can communicate with and control insects is fun, and makes for some of the coolest imagery in the film, but this and the murder mystery plot feel generally unconnected except one instance where main character Jennifer (who, fun fact, was the main inspiration for the main character in the SNES classic Clock Tower, which resembles this movie in a few other ways as well,) uses a corpse fly to try and track down the killer. This is also one of those horror movies where the climax drags on for way too long, where the hero seemingly reaches safety like 5 times only for the antagonist, or some new antagonist that's barely even been alluded to before, to pop up once again and threaten her for like 20 seconds before getting clocked. I'm ranking this above some other similarly weak films mainly for the occasionally amusing bit of eccentricity, most particularly how a major part of the plot is the murderer being tracked down by a vengeful chimpanzee. Rockus - This might be a little overstuffed and some of the elements come off as kind of silly, the monkey butler especially, but Argentos direction is still assured and somehow it all comes together in the end. A part of me still wishes it was as bold and colorful as Suspiria but theres still a dreamlike quality to a lot of the night sequences that looks great. Its both parts absurd and gruesome and has like three finales packed into the last 20 minutes and theyre all bangers. Also, even with the supernatural ability to talk to and control insects Argento still manages to dedicate a lot of screen time to a bunch of stabbings. Seginustemple - "Monkey Butler" could be the tagline for this. I don't quite understand it, but boy does it have flavor. Gloomy boarding school, insect powers, random metal song, necrotic fleshpit, mutant pig-boy, it's like Lord of the Flies as a proto-Saw movie. It takes a while to get going but that final act goes nuts. Gold Star to Donald Pleasance as the entomologist for delivering this line: "What is this association between insects and the human soul...is it because of the multifarious mystery of them both?". Yeah man, that's gotta be it, it's the multifarious mystery! --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | What is the most difficult accomplishment in a video game you've achieved? |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 7:37:36 PM #10 | GranzonEx posted...
I also managed this. I did not realize this was a hard feat! I thought it was extremely hard! Especially that last section with those huge doors before Wesker, HOLY SHIT --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | What is the most difficult accomplishment in a video game you've achieved? |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 7:28:44 PM #2 | Two that spring to mind for me are Batman: Arkham Asylum 100% All Achievements or Resident Evil 5 Professional Solo. Two torturous but somehow enjoyable experiences I never want to go through again! Those challenge maps on AA especially had me pulling my god damn hair out.
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 7:19:41 PM #364 | Again ranking will be later tonight. (Just how weekends are for me!)
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Characters of the 2010s - Madeline vs. Bridges / Clementine vs. Goose |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 7:16:02 PM #2 | Madeline
Clemetine --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Characters of the 2010s - Madeline vs. Bridges / Clementine vs. Goose |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 7:15:12 PM #1 |
Welcome to the best video game character of the 2010s, a continuation of an ongoing contest series dedicated to finding who is the best video game character introduced in each decade. The 2010s saw the amazing tail-end of the 7th generation & the rise of the 8th generation with incredible games and amazing characters from said games. Bracket - https://challonge.com/1e9oonm5 Previous Results: Sans / Jesse (13 / 12) 5-Volt / Kitsuragi (3 / 16) A near upset and a blowout in the same day. Madeline (Celeste) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/60615ea8.jpg vs. Sam Porter Bridges (Death Stranding) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a5574199.jpg Clementine (The Walking Dead) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/b/b5e015d6.jpg vs. Goose (Untitled Goose Game) https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/b/ba0ef487.jpg Easy Vote Madeline / Bridges Clementine / Goose --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s - Sans vs. Jesse Faden / 5-Volt vs. Kitsurugi |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 7:14:03 PM #30 | BSkullX posted...
Jesse I'm sorry I have to deny this vote since it was past 24 hours --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s - Sans vs. Jesse Faden / 5-Volt vs. Kitsurugi |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 5:36:18 PM #26 | up
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 3:43:16 PM #354 | Same here though I can understand some of the criticism put forth here by the lower rankers.
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | What's the most technically impressive GBA game? (Day 10) + Saturn final |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 3:10:28 PM #17 | UF8 posted...
Iridion 3D --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 2:57:13 PM #351 | Outlier
Fortybelowsummer - 120 Jcgamer107 - 104 Karo - 100 Inviso - 90 Evilordexdeath - 89 Seginustemple - 80 Johnbobb - 74 Snake - 71 Bitto - 67 Mythiot - 67 Rockus - 67 Lightning - 52 Plasmabeam - 52 JC haunts up a big boost here closing in on Forty's lead --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Video Game Character of the 2010s - Sans vs. Jesse Faden / 5-Volt vs. Kitsurugi |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 2:31:25 PM #25 | up
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 2:05:23 PM #348 | Evilordexdeath - I saw this one once before, with family, and we all thought it was really cheesy and hard to take seriously, but that was years ago and a lot of my family is like that with every movie so I knew I had to rewatch. I was worried if I didn't I would underrate a well-known classic, but the second viewing mostly just solidified all the reasons I don't like this movie. The early family scenes are kind of cute, providing a decent buildup for a horror flick, and JoBeth Williams' and especially Zelda Rubenstein's performances are compelling, but once the plot begins to unfold everything just becomes so overdone. So many scenes are just every character screaming at the same time for like 10 minutes, every "scare" prior to the stupid paper mach skeleton monster at the end is just this visual clutter of flashing lights and objects flying around, and if all that isn't enough the score will make damn sure you know that what's happening is scary. I hate the music in this movie, it's always either overstating how spooky events are or just sounding likeStar Wars when it's completely out of place. This also has one of those false horror movie endings that annoys me so much when I'm not enjoying a film. They get their daughter back and the funny little medium lady says "this house is clean," great, give me a couple minutes of falling action and take me to the credits. Instead the haunting starts up again for another 20 minutes of the most visually and auditorily noisy action of all. It really feels like a precursor to the kind of CGI-fueled Hollywood mediocrity that defines so much of cinema today.
Fortybelowsummer - Is Poltergeist the best haunted house movie ever? Probably so, but I have to admit I think its kind of overrated. It seems like youll hear nary a bad word spoken about this movie, but for me its just tooSpielberg-y. I know its Tobe Hooper, but it has Spielbergs fingerprints all over it, to the point where he was accused of secretly directing it. Dont get me wrong, I like Spielberg as a director and producer, but I just dont care for his style in muh horror. There are things to like, mainly the idea of taking the haunting out of the traditional old creaky mansion and putting in a modern home right in the middle of idyllic suburbia. That idea does have a lot of appeal, and coupled with the believable performances and script make it scarier because its something that could take over the very home youre sitting in. The last twenty minutes or so are actually amazing and right up my alley, the chaos and dread ratcheted up, presumably more under Hoopers influence. Poltergeist is definitely not bad, but as far as haunted house stories go, there are a number of others that resonate more with me. Rockus - Now this is a modern (for its time) haunted house film with its 1980s suburban setting and the way it utilizes modern (for its time) technology by using a television as a means of interacting with its paranormal entities. The film is a little tame by Tobe Hooper standards but is still ultimately pretty solid. A handful of iconic moments give it a bit of a kick, mostly involving the little girl. Who could forget the theyre here moment? Good movie, but maybe not great. Karo - Greedy real estate developers build a subdivision over a cemetery and nothing bad happens. The story is kind of slow to start, focusing on the day to day life of an ordinary suburban family with some of the most questionable parenting practices ever, I mean who buys this horrifying clown doll and then sits it up in a chair so it can watch their children sleep, jesus fucking christ. Anyway the furniture starts moving of its own accord so they have to call the ghostbusters to deal with the titular poltergeist. Except that's not what it is. The medium clearly states that a poltergeist is a spirit tied to a specific person, as opposed to a haunting being based on a location. This is clearly the latter, so good job giving a your movie an inaccurate title? Also. the desecration of burial ground narrative does not even match up with the mythology presented, where all the people at rest would have long since 'gone into the light' before the graveyard was bulldozed. This film is a prime example of nothing but cinematic fluff, most things happen without rhyme or reason and seem more just a vehicle to showcase a lot of stupid looking special effects, while the tone is inoffensively commercialized to the point of being completely soulless and lacking any bite. Bitto - Rating: D+ This is an interesting family-friendly horror movie. I dunno if child abduction is family-friendly, but most of the scares here are minor, the main cast is generally likable, and there's no on-screen or even off-screen murder. I appreciate the horror of losing a child and the parents sell that pain really well. I feel like most movies would make the paranormal investigators some degree of comical, but again, there's an earnestness to them. I feel like I should like this more, considering I really appreciate sincerity, but this movies feels too.......Christian. The plot also feels really thin, like...there's a lot of scenes about really nothing. Every character introduced afterwards feels like they could inject something in the plot and they just...don't. Seginustemple - Competently made but relatively tame, with scares ranging from bright light/large fan to Ghostbusters fare - I get the sense this has been defanged by parody over the years, and if I had been around to see it in '82 I'd have probably been blown away. But once the paranormal crew shows up dressed in tan the rest of the movie goes down tasting like ecto cooler. You what really resonates though, is the underlying conflict about real estate. Naturally, the developer built the house on a former cemetary and the haunting merely indicates the entitlement of the dead to the land, skeletons popping out of fancy luxury coffins to protest new occupants. Nothing better to do in death than covet property, so lame. --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 2:05:11 PM #347 | 18. Poltergeist (1982, 222 points)
Directed by: Tobe Hooper / Screenplay by: Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais, Mark Victor https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/b/b6f5d718.png Why Its Significant - A box office smash and critical darling, Poltergeist was a collaborative effort between two legends who need no introduction - Tobe Hooper & Steven Spielberg. Poltergeist innovated and redefined the haunted house genre. Poltergeist steered away from gothic mansions and placed the horror within the idyllic confines of a California suburb. Another distinctive feature of Poltergeist was its melding of the supernatural with the technological age. The television, a symbol of connection and entertainment, became a conduit between the real world and the spectral realm. Poltergeist was also lauded for its special effects, produced by Industrial Light and Magic, utilizing a mix of practical and innovative techniques that received an Academy Award nomination for their efforts. It ushered in a new era of suburban horror and explored the anxieties of a changing world. It received two sequels, a remake, a TV series, Italian imitation (Ghosthouse), amusement park attractions, and potentially a new remake & TV series in the works, as well as being parodied by countless pieces of media over the decades. The Rankers Jcgamer107 - 3 Mythiot - 6 Inviso - 7 Lightning - 11 Snake - 16 Johnbobb - 17 Plasmabeam - 18 Evilordexdeath - 23 Fortybelowsummer - 23 Rockus - 23 Karo - 24 Bitto - 25 Seginustemple - 26 Jcgamer107 - 8/10 Inviso - The one was legitimately unsettling in the best possible way. No one actually dies in the entire film, which is kinda crazy for a horror movie. I was worried at first that having an almost two-hour long movie kick off the demonic stuff and literal abduction of a child around thirty minutes in would make the rest of the movie feel like it was dragging, but it didnt. If anything, thats where the movie really got interesting for me. Like, you start things off by setting the stage in a quiet suburb of cookie cutter houses (even emphasizing the formulaic design with two remotes operating on the same frequency in different houses), but even in those early scenes, with get the general creepiness of Carol Anne hearing voices in the static on TV. Hell, the earliest haunting scenes, as quick as they are to show up, set things up as well maybe youre not EVIL ghosts, right before flipping the switch and hitting the family with the abduction. Anyway, Carol Anne gets ghostnapped (and her brother Robbie is nearly eaten by a demonic tree), and you see the toll it takes on the family. How are they supposed to explain that their daughter is in some weird ghost realm? The introduction of the paranormal investigators is both campy, yet also played completely straight, and it really sells the setting when theyre caught completely off-guard by how intense the haunting is. These are people legitimately terrified to have been brought into the house, and its only with the introduction of the creepy spirit medium that it feels like the tables are turning. Everything gets super intense, with the family trying to rescue Carol Anne and cleanse the spirits, and it SEEMS like this is where the movie is coming to its happy conclusionbut I LOVE that theres one final snag, as the Beast spirit is not ready to give up so easily. The burial ground twist is funny too, especially once the entire neighborhood starts getting overwhelmed by the demonic power of the house. Its also just so weird to watch a house implode into a vortex of demonic energy. It just gives the movie a sense of weirdness and wackiness without diminishing the horror aspect of it, and I think that sells the film really well. Lightning - Theyre here! This is one of the biggest horror hits of the 1980s, defining a whole new wave of fun horror movies with almost a family friendly edge to them. Through all that it still manages to be effectively scary. You can feel the influence of Spielberg throughout this film, which makes sense as he purportedly ghost directed it. This really is just a lot of fun throughout, from the early suggestions of a haunting to the scenes with the ghost hunters to the scares in the climax to the gag at the very end. It does feel a little predictable, though films like this are so influential you have to wonder if the reason for that is that this just affected so many other films. Overall Poltergeist is a warm hearted yet still pretty frightening rollercoaster ride of a horror film that set the stage for a lot of modern, thrill ride style horror movies that we see today. Its far from the deepest film on the list, but it is one of the most enjoyable of them all. 4/5 Snake - Poltergeist is a chilling yet thrilling ride that takes the classic haunted house trope and infuses it with Spielbergian wonder. The film excels at building suspense. What starts with flickering television screens and furniture moving on their own escalates to clown doll attacks (TERRIFYING) and assaults from tree appendages. What really elevates the film are the performances though. The Freelings are a relatable family, and the actors breathe life into their characters in a way that makes you care deeply about their fate. JoBeth Williams, as the concerned mother who fiercely protects her children, shows a masterclass in conveying escalating terror, from initial disbelief to raw maternal desperation. Craig T. Nelsons transition from denial to action is believable and adds depth to the narrative. And of course, Heather O'Rourke is simply unforgettable as Carol Anne, her wide eyes and unwavering chilling line delivery in "They're here..." are both parts endearing and deeply unsettling. And even Zelda Rubinstein as the quintessential horror film medium with her quirky charm and unexpected fierceness. All these combinations make Poltergeist a genuinely unsettling and emotionally resonant experience and theres a reason its one of the most famous horror films of all time. Johnbobb - For the most part, I enjoy Poltergeist. In many ways, it's kind of ahead of it's time in terms of special effects. However, I'm at a loss for things to really say about it. It's better than most 80s horror, and has a handful of very memorable and legitimately terrifying moments, even if it ultimately doesn't stick with me all that much as a whole. Plasmabeam - Like most stories about domestic hauntings, it didnt move the needle for me. --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Fill in the Blank 255: ___out |
| Snake5555555555 04/14/24 3:44:26 AM #31 | Strike
--- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/13/24 10:20:40 PM #335 | Outlier
Fortybelowsummer - 115 Karo - 94 Jcgamer107 - 86 Evilordexdeath - 84 Inviso - 78 Johnbobb - 73 Seginustemple - 72 Snake - 69 Rockus - 62 Bitto - 60 Mythiot - 55 Plasmabeam - 52 Lightning - 45 Very few shifts now as we enters the teens --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/13/24 10:10:48 PM #333 | Inviso - Before I forget, the ending credit scroll with Congratulations to Princess Diana and Prince Charles on their weddingdid not end well. Just wanted to throw that out there. But as for the movies content, I wanted to like it more than I did, but the pacing screwed everything up. You get the opening with two guys wandering around the countryside, sure. And then theres the werewolf attack, and then up until around the fifty-minute mark, its just foreshadowing. David has nightmares about being a wolf or a werewolf, but theres zero suspense thereobviously hes becoming a werewolf, and conveniently enough, he was in a coma for three weeks, so the movie doesnt have to waste a whole lot of plot time on waiting for the next full moon.
I guess the problem is that the movie is very slow until it suddenly becomes TOO fast. There are a lot of plodding scenes (like David dicking around Alexs apartment the whole day hes waiting for his first full moon), and then we get the cool werewolf transformation and subsequent kill scenes, and thats where the movie actually starts to get interesting. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the film is over by that point, so everything after that point feels rushed. But that last third or so is actually compelled. The aftermath of waking up naked in a wolf enclosure is funny (as is him stealing a ladies overcoat to cover up). The realization that hes a murderer and TRYING to do whats right (turning himself in to the police, who dont take him seriously; calling his family to say goodbye; TRYING to kill himself) is interesting. And then we get the porno theater scene, which is hilariously camp. Just watching a badly-acted porno while chatting with your dead and decaying friend, as well as six other victims (including the most amazingly cheerful undead couple youll ever meet)its ACTUALLY amusing. And then he transforms again (which feels wrong, since shouldnt the full moon only happen once a month, not two nights in a row) and goes on another killing frenzy, which somehow leads to the cops getting involved, a decapitation, and a WAY over-the-top car crash sequence. Its all greatand then the ending happens, and its disappointing. I dont knowI think I knew David had to die, but then the ending is an anti-climax. They try to inject emotion by having Alex make an emotional plea, but that fails and David just gets shot. Even one last lingering scene of someoneANYONE carrying on the werewolf bloodline wouldve been better than David is shot and killed, end of movie. As a result, its another okay film that shouldve been better than it was. Lightning - A naked American man stole my balloons. This is without a doubt one of the most popular and influential horror comedies of all time, that set a new standard for werewolves, makeup, effects, and tone in horror movies. Watching through the list chronologically, this film felt like a real turning point for the genre, where the films truly started to feel of their moment. Unfortunately, that also makes it one of the most dated feeling films on the list. Huge parts of this movie work. The setup is moody, funny, and effective all at once. The makeup and effects are truly stunning (this was the first recipient of the Best Makeup Oscar), especially in the big transformation sequence at the heart of the film. The chases we see in the last act are quite thrilling, and you do really root for David by the end despite knowing that he is doomed. Its all very entertaining, and keeping the werewolf aspects to the side until the transformation sequence most of the way through the film was an inspired choice. Where the movie comes up short is the dated comedic aspects. These days a lot of the jokes no longer land, and being an 80s comedy of course it has some frankly weird sexual and gender politics to it. Also, Ive been to local pubs in the North of England and none of them are like that. The portrayal of London is okay but the portrayal of the North is stereotypical and frankly a bit offensive. In the version I watched at least there was a dedication at the end congratulating Charles and Diana on their wedding which about sums it up. This is still an entertaining watch but absolutely showing its age. 3/5 Karo - This two kids are vising backwater English villages for some reason and one gets turned into a werewolf, but there's a conspiracy to gaslight him into believing everything is all right because these country hicks are apparently the Illuminati and so nobody asks any questions about the giant claw marks across his chest or anything. His 'friend' shows up as ghost to warn him, but then almost immediately jumps right to a suggestion of suicide right off the bat so fuck that guy. What follows is standard werewolf fare, and although the transformation scene is impressive for pre-cgi era there is nothing really remarkable about the story. The serious and comedic elements are fused poorly and just feel incredibly off, like at the end where we go straight from the shot of the grieving girlfriend right into bow chicka wow bop a dop doo wop a bang dang a ding dong. This is really what you want the audience to take out of the theater? For fucks sake. The characters all feel weird and unbelievable, none moreso then than the incredibly thirsty nurse who shows zero concern that the random guy she invited into her house is hearing voices in his head and claims to have just been bitten by a monster. It's not really scary, nor is it really funny. It really needed to pick a lane rather than smashing though every traffic cone on the center divide and leaving us with a movie that is not only half cooked, but is completely bloody raw. Seginustemple - Ayy, its the transformation sequence from all the monster movie highlight reels! It really is quite a spectacle. Rick Baker's effects still hold up. Overall, I was lukewarm on this one. David Naughton is a charming lead and there's some decent pathos in his story, but I'm not into the comedic correspondence with undead Griffin Dunne. I really bought into their rapport in that first scene when they're alive/human, but everything after the death has a certain type of corny self-aware goofiness that just doesn't work for me, even if the corpse makeup is excellent. The romance with the nurse is saucy though, esp. the makeout scene with the Van Morrison song. I do love that you can tell this is by the same creative team that made the Thriller video, it has that same tone throughout. Fortybelowsummer - There are some things to like about Werewolf. The beginning sets an ominous tone in a setting that lends well to a sense of dread. It sprinkles in some funny moments, and the characters, particularly the main, are enjoyable enough to watch. The makeup is really good (academy award winning in fact!) and, of course, the transformation scene is legendary and still fascinating to watch. However, most of the first hour is slow and boring and even when David does transform, his rampages are underwhelming. I assume the close-up shots of the wolf face were done out of necessity to avoid the logistical problems of a full wolf body, but I didnt care for them. Aside from some pretty decent post-mauling gore, the attacks werent as terrifying as they could be. And then theres the ending, which is unforgivably inconsequential. I was actually pissed off that he went on an anticlimactic killing spree, got backed into a dead-end alley, had a half assed I love you moment, and then went down helplessly in a hail of gunfire. I respect how important Werewolf is in the genre but its just too flawed for me. --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
| Topic | Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror - The Rankings |
| Snake5555555555 04/13/24 10:10:37 PM #332 | 19. An American Werewolf in London (1981 / 230 points)
Directed / Written by: John Landis https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/308daf22.jpg Why Its Significant - It's not just a werewolf movie with one of the most memorable transformation scenes in the entire genre (one that also earned Rick Baker the first-ever Oscar for Best Makeup), but John Landis (who was previously most known for directing screwball comedy films) combined horror & comedy that directly paved the way for films like The Lost Boys, Fright Night, Scream, Shaun of the Dead, and countless others. Despite the comedy leanings though, An American Werewolf proved something The Wolf Man tried to all those decades ago - that becoming a werewolf is agonizingly painful and grotesquely physical, the psychological toll and isolation of being a monster arguably on the forefront more than even the comedy aspects. An American Werewolf in Londons success led directly to John Landis and Rick Baker being chosen by Michael Jackson to create the iconic Thriller music video, and the film received a sequel, radio adaptation, documentary film, is alluded to in John Landis Masters of Horror film Deer Woman, and an unauthorized Bollywood loose remake. The Rankers Evilordexdeath - 9 Snake - 11 Rockus - 12 Plasmabeam - 13 Bitto - 15 Jcgamer107 - 16 Johnbobb - 16 Inviso - 18 Lightning - 21 Karo - 23 Mythiot - 24 Seginustemple - 24 Fortybelowsummer - 28 Evilordexdeath - I watched this film in my teens for reasons other than its status as a horror film. What I remembered, before watching it again for this list, were the transformation scenes, the sex scenes which were way more explicit than I was used to at the time, the downer ending, and, for me the most representative of the movie: the sequence where the werewolf main character, after having transformed and rampaged the night before, wakes up naked in a wolf pit at the zoo and has to streak back home covering his balls with funny objects and camera angles. Sometimes when a film is labeled as a horror-comedy it comes off like Tommy Wiseau retroactively dubbing The Room a Black Comedy - that's to say the movie is just an attempt a horror so awkward and stilted it's kind of funny. This is definitely not that kind of movie. There are parts in here that are clearly supposed to be horror and a lot of parts that are obviously intended as comedy. The clearest examples of this are the aforementioned nude running sequence and a part near the end where David talks to the ghosts of his victims in a porno theater about how he should kill himself to end the werewolf curse keeping them undead, with repeated cuts to a porn parody movie where things like someone calling the lead actress with the wrong number and a man walking in on two lovers as if one of them is cheating on them, them responding that neither of them has ever seen him before, and him simply apologizing and leaving the room take place. In the end, I'd say it ends up being more of a comedy than a horror with the climactic sequence having a big silly chain car-crash caused by people panicking at seeing the werewolf ragdoll more bodies around than the beast itself actually mauls. On the horror side, the most tense scenes are the ones set in Northern England where distrustful Yorkshiremen issue vague and creepy warnings to the boys and later the doctor. They have a definite sense of social anxiety to them. While the werewolf rampages don't really chill me to the bone, the special effects in this are damned impressive, both for the TF sequence and the ghostly visits from the main character's dead friend, who becomes more and more decayed with each appearance. It's a fun, straightforward movie, but werewolves are still waiting for a truly iconic depiction to define them the way Dracula did for vampires. Snake - An absolute gem of a werewolf movie, a genre-bending masterpiece that blends scares with side-splitting humor. Landis script is perfect, capturing the youthful energy and camaraderie of an adventure between David and Jack, making their brutal encounter with a werewolf all the more shocking. The special effects that depict David's transformations are truly groundbreaking, even by today's standards. Rick Baker's innovative techniques create a nightmarishly realistic werewolf that's both terrifying and awe-inspiring. Its my second favorite werewolf transformation EVER only second to The Howling. Landis masterfully walks the tightrope between horror and comedy, with hilarious dream sequences and witty dialogue providing laugh-out-loud moments that land every single time for me. Despite the laughs though, even more impressive for me is the films surprisingly graceful exploration of isolation, loss, and the burden of transformation illustrating just how much of a nightmare it is to become such a monstrous creature. Rockus - After the first gruesome attack the movie leans into some psychological turmoil with a series of nightmares and visions, some of which are kind of campy to the point of Davids friend Jack showing up and being like KYS. Like a lot of monster films from the time period it features some amazing practical effects and makeup work that is mostly lost today. The transformation scene is an all-timer. Its self-awareness and sly winks over its own tropes are almost like a way of catching the viewer off guard so the movie can gut you. Great picture. Plasmabeam - Never been a big horror-comedy guy, but this one works because the characters are relatable and fun to be around. Also, the practical effects remain jaw-dropping. Bitto - Rating: C Lots of small things I like, but the overall product isn't really memorable to me. I love the intro to this movie. Having played and DMed multiple TTRPGs, I'm always looking for inspiration and everything leading to the werewolf bite has a strong TTRPG feeling in it. The werewolf transformation is, of course, great. I like Jack constantly coming back to haunt David and how he progressively gets worse over time. The suicide plot being the main tension pull is pretty interesting. I just don't really like how it develops or how it ends. Jcgamer107 - 6/10 Johnbobb - This nurse did not wait a single moment to hook up with her bizarre patient that keeps telling her to her face that he's full on crazy. The real monster here is the absolute annihilation of ethical standards. Also it was real gross when he turned into the werewolf --- I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back. If you're gonna scream, scream with me |
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