The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast #252: Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Blood Explosions and Fried Chicken
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The MFF podcast is back, and this week we’re talking about the criminally underrated Dracula: Dead and Loving It. We love this Mel Brooks directed spoof, and think it deserves more recognition because it’s a loving and hilarious take on classics such as Dracula (1931), Nosferatu (1922), Dracula (1958), and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). In this episode, we discuss fried chicken, blood explosions, shady shadows and hair wigs. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast make sure to send in some random listener questions so we can do our best to not answer them correctly. We thank you for listening and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean,or Spreaker.
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
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Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an excellent film full of heartbreaking moments, beautiful vistas and wonderful performances. I know I’m using a lot of adjectives here, however, I can’t help but heap praise onto this film. Directed by Celine Sciamma (Girlhood, Water lilies) Portrait of a Lady on Fire tells the story of a painter named Marianne (Noemie Merlant) being commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of a woman named Heloise (Adele Haenel) on a remote island in 1770 France. What follows is a story about love, loss and art.
The cinematography by Claire Mathon (Atlantics – which also looks great) is wonderful, and I love how she framed each shot like a painting. After watching the movie, I dove into research to see how she achieved the look of the film because I loved how unique it looked. Mathon used the Red Monstro 7K with Leica Thalia lenses to create her own “18th century (AKA 2018th century) look, which I love because it avoids the traps of a flat-looking period piece that relies on predictable production design and excessive color grading to give it an old fashioned look. Here is what she had to say to IndieWire about the look:
“The choice of shooting format was discussed at a very early stage. Tests combining a 35mm/Leica Summilux and a Red Monstro/Leica Thalia gave an analogue reference for the grading of the digital images and made us choose the Red Monstro for the personification and presence that emerged from the first faces filmed. Even though Celine Sciamma’s film relates to the memory of a love story that took place in the 18th century, we did not want to highlight this dimension but, on the contrary, invent our own 18th century (our 2018th century)” with a contemporary echo.”
“The precision and very rich colors give a pictorial dimension to the film. The rendering of the skin tones was essential in my work on this film full of faces and portraits. Inspired in particular by Corot’s intimate portraits, I sought both softness and a slightly satiny, unrealistic rendering while remaining natural and very vibrant.”
To showcase the excellent cinematography, here are some GIFs to give you an idea of the look of Portrait of a Lady on Fire.
You should watch this movie on the biggest screen possible so you can be immersed in the story, look and vibe of the film. You will love it, and you won’t regret it!
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VFW: An Excellent Action-Thriller That Brings the Violent Goods
When I first heard about the Joe Begos (Bliss, Almost Human) directed VFW in 2019, I knew I had to watch it. I was sold on the idea of Stephen Lang (Avatar, Don’t Breathe), William Sadler (Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight), Fred Williamson (From Dusk Till Dawn), Martin Cove (The Karate Kid) and David Patrick Kelly (The Warriors) battling drug-addled “zombies” who storm their VFW to recover a backpack loaded with a drug called Hype. The movie didn’t disappoint, and I knew I loved it during the initial siege when various “Hypers” have their heads smooshed into oblivion (think a watermelon stuffed with lasagna and cherry syrup). VFW is a neon-drenched siege thriller that is refreshingly straight-forward and always entertaining.
The film takes place in a near-future that is overrun by drug addiction, poverty and violence. The drug “Hype” has turned users into “zombies” who are totally fine jumping off buildings (and exploding when they land) to get a fix. The drug trade is controlled by Boz (Travis Hammer), a leather-clad drug lord who is looking to keep up with the incredible demand (not a bad thing for a drug dealer). However, his latest shipment is stolen by a kid named Lizard (Sierra McCormick) and everything goes to a very bloody hell as he and his second-in-command Gutter (Dora Madison) send an army of “zombies” to recover the “face-liquefying” drugs inside a local VFW, which is filled with soldiers who are supposedly “good at dying.”
What follows is an excellent and refreshingly straight-forward siege thriller that features head-squishing violence, excellent cinematography by Mike Testin (the handheld camera work keeps you in the action), and a likable group of badass veterans beating people to death with baseball bats. Joe Begos follow up to Bliss (one of our favorite horror movies of 2019. Watch it on Shudder) is an excellent example of low-budget, big stakes film making that stretches it’s budget to the limit while never showing its limitations. It’s a legitimate throwback that looks grungy, feels grungy and is unapologetic about being grungy (this is a good thing). There is no gloss or shine, this is a dark and violent story of veterans engaging in one final war.
If you are looking for a straight-forward and ultra-violent siege thriller that has an excellent synth score, you will love VFW.
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John’s Horror Corner: Unhinged (2017), an equally lame remake of the forgettable 1982 exploitation slasher film.
MY CALL: Ooof. Every bit as regrettably bad as its 1982 predecessor. Terrible remake; terrible horror flick. Why even bother…? MORE MOVIES LIKE Unhinged: For more rural outings-gone-wrong, try The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), Frontiers (2007), The Damned (2013) and Tusk (2014). Also, maybe try the original Unhinged (1982), not that it’s any better than this weak remake.
On their way to a wedding, four friends find themselves stuck in woodsy rural England. So, low on gas and seeking help, Melissa (Kate Lister; Fox Trap, The Final Scream, Curse of the Scarecrow, Mandy the Doll, Suicide Club), Lisa (Lucy-Jane Quinlan; The Cutting Room, The Carrier, Cage, 60 Seconds to Die), Gina (Becca Hirani; Lucifer’s Night, Deadly Waters, House on Elm Lake, Mother Krampus, The Bad Nun) and Thalia (Lorena Andrea; Warrior Nun, House on Elm Lake) find a lonely old house occupied by Miss Perkins (Michelle Archer; Let’s Go Home, Curse of the Witch’s Doll, Mother Krampus).
Honoring the 1982 original is that the acting in this ranges from very bland to terrible. Did you happen to read the movie titles in parentheses in the previous paragraph? Whereas the 1982 original had an entirely inexperienced cast, this remake seems to have targeted only actresses with abundant experience… in B-movies, none of which I knew existed.
REMAKE/REIMAGINING SIDEBAR: For more horror remakes, I strongly favor the following: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), An American Werewolf in London (1981), The Thing (1982), The Fly (1986), The Mummy (1999), The Ring (2002), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), The Hills Have Eyes (2006), Friday the 13th (2009), Let Me In (2010), Evil Dead (2013), Carrie (2013), The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014), It (2017), Suspiria (2018) and Child’s Play (2019). Those to avoid include Body Snatchers (1993; the second remake), War of the Worlds (2005), The Invasion (2007; the third remake), Night of the Demons (2009), Sorority Row (2009), A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), Patrick: Evil Awakens (2013), Poltergeist (2015), Cabin Fever (2016) and The Mummy (2017). I’m on the fence about An American Werewolf in Paris (1997), The Grudge (2004), Halloween (2007), It’s Alive (2009), My Bloody Valentine (2009), Fright Night (2011), The Thing (2011; a prequel/remake), Maniac (2012) and Pet Sematary (2019), which range from bad to so-so (as remakes) but still are entertaining movies on their own.
Writer and director Dan Allen (Mummy Reborn) had only done short films leading to this remake, and he should have stuck to them. Attempts to make this remake “fresh and different” include stronger criminal themes, protagonist relationship drama, an odd wedding dress fixation, and deeper psychological parallels into Psycho (1960) with a sprig of the preternatural. None of it works. And the scare tactics employed in the final act fall into incomprehensibly stupid territory as I constantly wondered “but… why would the killer do any of this?”
Something especially odd about this remake is that we see a murder, then the screen says 35 years later—which is the disparity between the 1982 original and this 2017 remake—as if to suggest this was actually perhaps a sequel to the events of the original. We have also switched from a regal mansion (Unhinged 1982) to a somewhat weathered house (2017) in the woods.
The death scenes are totally phoned-in, with nothing interesting, scary, shocking or gory occurring on-screen. The final death was much bloodier, but still very weak. Even the torture scene was weak. That stupid mask the killer wore was a cheap and stupidly convenient tactic. A better filmmaker would have better utilized light, darkness, a thicker veil or a sneakier killer to keep their face obscured from victims.
The most satisfying scene, in terms of “gore”, was a scared girl vomiting. And the best part of the film were its final moments, which were actually pleasantly cheeky (i.e., dry cleaner scene). But those two scenes—at a combined 10-15 seconds of the film’s running time—were the best that was offered. I may have never before seen a remake with such low production value. Do yourself a favor and don’t watch this.
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MY CALL: An early slashersploitation movie that packs good ideas, but backs them with not one ounce of worthy execution. MORE MOVIES LIKE Unhinged: For more rural outings-gone-wrong, try The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Wrong Turn (2003), Frontiers (2007), The Damned (2013) and Tusk (2014). Also, maybe try the remake of Unhinged (2017), not that it’s any better than this original.
After crashing their car on a rural road in the woods, three college girls awaken in the wealthy Ms. Penrose’s remote home. Now house guests of the elderly Ms. Penrose and her daughter, the girls uncomfortably witness the psychological abuse imposed from elder mother to daughter. Their Bates-ian toxic relationship is palpable and the girls are stuck until their care can be recovered.
The atmosphere tends toward Black Christmas (1974) as a stalker skulks around, spying on the women, heavily panting in the darkness. The girls catch onto this fast but have little action to take—the mansion has no phones, they have no car, and they’re nowhere near the next town.
The pacing is slow, with only one death in first 60 minutes. The killer uses a scythe and garden sheers (and other stabbing implements) and the death scenes are quite bloody, but the killing action occurs off-screen. So the death scenes are nothing special, nor are they intense.
Leading a generally inexperienced cast, writer and director Don Gronquist (The Devil’s Keep) didn’t get much work after this film. But I’ll give him some credit. He tried… emulating the peeping Tom’s eye through the light of the door slit from Black Christmas (1974), the Leatherface-esque mouth-breathing, and the Psycho-inspired (1960) genderplay. The acting, however, is devastatingly wooden despite clear attempts to keep the dialogue thoughtful.
This film was banned in the United Kingdom, but one may struggle to discern the logic behind that—unless it was to spare us from the acting. Perhaps because this classy flick opens with a very revealing (and long) shower scene, and yet another equally long and graphic shower scene later. There’s almost never a “good” reason to include a shower scene. But these don’t even stage any stalking, peeping, suspenseful shots or death scenes. They’re just… there.
I often enjoy watching older and less popular horror. But this entry simply had nothing to offer. The kills weren’t fun or shocking, the twist was weakly delivered (although interesting in concept), and the movie never really had its own style or feel to it. Shame.
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If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
The MFF podcast is back, and this episode we’re talking about the 1994 cult classic Street Fighter. If you are looking for one of the weirdest (and awesome) action films ever made, you’ve come to the right place. Directed by prolific writer Steven de Souza (Die Hard, Commando, Predator), Street Fighter is underrated film that features inspired production design, memorable monologues and stealth boats that are in no way stealthy. In this episode, we discuss street fights, self portraits and calling out the kicks you’re about to throw.
If you are a fan of the podcast make sure to send in some random listener questions so we can do our best to not answer them correctly. We thank you for listening and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean,or Spreaker.
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
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John’s Horror Corner: Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988), in-your-face goofy shenanigans veiled in murderous menace with fantastic creature effects!
MY CALL: What a joyously fun dose of 80s horror nostalgia with fantastic monster make-up. If you enjoy 80s horror, just go buy this already. MORE MOVIES LIKE Killer Klowns from Outer Space: For more evil clown movies, try All Hallows’ Eve (2013), Terrifier (2016), Stephen King’s It (1990, 2017), and maaaybe even Stitches (2012), Scary or Die (2012) and Clown (2014).
The premise is all too familiar. Much as we enjoyed in Night of the Creeps (1986), The Blob (1988) and Critters (1986), aliens from outer space land on Earth and terrorize the citizens of a small town. Only these aliens look like twisted monstrous clowns and their spaceship resembles a circus tent. So now you know what kind of movie this is gonna’ be.
Among this movie’s strengths is its pacing. It wastes no time introducing our protagonists to the alien clowns and their elaborate spaceship. Glowing like a meteor entering our atmosphere, Mike (Grant Cramer; New Year’s Evil, Father’s Day) and Debbie (Suzanne Snyder; Night of the Creeps, Return of the Living Dead Part II) see the flash of light across the night sky and, of course, go investigate to see whatever it was up close.
Among the cast, the crotchety Officer Mooney (John Vernon; Curtains, Blue Monkey, The Uncanny) acts as a secondary antagonist, balanced by the more proactive Officer Dave (John Allen Nelson; Deathstalker III, Feast III).
Director Stephen Chiodo had decent experience in special effects (Critters 1-4), and I thought Killer Klowns was an absolute blast that holds up well. But somehow he only ever directed this one feature film. Which shocks me, as this movie is visually ambitious and loads of fun. The spaceship boasts grand, colorful and creative sets thematically meshing Sci-Fi and circus motifs.
And much in the way Gremlins (1984), Critters (1986) or Hellraiser (1987) gave each of their monsters a slightly different look and personality, so does Killer Klowns. But being that these are larger creature effects than rubber monsters or hand-puppets, I find the artistic endeavor much more ambitious here. Even if the action is hokey (and often deliberately so), the special effects are great! These clowns are grinningly silly demonic fiends with pretty impressive latex work. Much nuance went into the Klowns’ faces and hair to make them unique, and their eyes and mouths are awesomely realistic—the teeth especially.
The clown themes are thorough. They shoot popcorn rifles, throw acidic pies (in the now-melting face) and craft balloon animal tracking dogs. They encase victims’ bodies in cotton candy cocoons and drink their sweetened blood with super curly straws. They perform shadow puppets and eat people with them (yes, with the actual shadow puppet).
And their popcorn turns into little monstrous clown worms (like Deadly Spawn). Following trends set by Ghoulies II (1988) and The Gate (1987), there’s even a particularly large “boss” clown that’s meaner and more beastly than the others.
The tone of the entire movie is on the verge of slapstick. So much of the clowns’ victim-foraging antics come off as just in-your-face goofy shenanigans veiled in murderous menace. And you know what? It’s great!
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John’s Horror Corner: The Grudge 3 (2009), watchable but easily worst of the franchise (so far).
MY CALL: It’s not awful, but the overall quality has dropped notably from parts 1-2. I’d still call this an entertaining one-watch horror flick. It just lacks the impact of Takashi Shimizu’s hand. MORE MOVIES LIKE The Grudge 3: Well, The Grudge (2004), The Grudge 2 (2006), Ju-on: The Grudge (2002) and Ju-on: The Grudge 2 (2003) would be the best place to start; followed by The Ring (2002) and Ringu (1998), then Ju-on (2000) and Ju-on 2 (2000). There is also the second remake of The Grudge (2020) and Lights Out (2016).
FRANCHISE SIDEBAR: Her neck broken by her infuriated husband, an unfaithful woman’s spirit came to haunt the house of her death where the angry enraged spirit (Kayako) infected the subsequent occupants of the home and even the caretakers of their elderly mother. After yet more deaths, an international high school student Allison (Arielle Kebbel; The Uninvited) comes in contact with the spirit and brings it home to the United States in The Grudge 2 (2006). Then Kayako killed young Jake’s entire family in Chicago.
This third Grudge movie continues in the Chicago apartment building where The Grudge 2 (2006) ended. After the death of the occupants of apartment 305 (i.e., Jake’s family), the building superintendent hopes to rent the unit to Japanese visitor Naoko, who is secretly investigating the deaths (that occurred in Japan) for herself.
Traumatized and institutionalized after the events of The Grudge 2 (2006), young Jake (Matthew Knight; Skinwalkers, The Grudge 2) is overseen by Dr. Sullivan (Shawnee Smith; The Blob, Saw I-III/VI). Sullivan doesn’t believe his ghost story and poor Jake doesn’t last long with Kayako ever on the loose. The boy is utterly brutalized by Kayako, who slams him across his holding cell (like Shia LaBeouf in Constantine) to the tune of countless compound bone fractures. The scene is just plain mean, and even though the CGI is weak, the intensity sticks with you.
THE RULES: In The Grudge (2004) the haunting was limited to the house of origin. But in The Grudge 2 (2006) Kayako’s ghostly reach extended beyond her old haunt into the rest of Tokyo and even to Chicago… much as Freddy’s Revenge (1985) and The Ring 2 (2005). At that point, the Kayako and her cat-groaning son apparently became able to appear anywhere they wish whenever they wish. There don’t seem to be any rules governing their abilities or behavior. They can go where ever they please as long as it is in pursuit of those victims who have come into contact with them.
Our croaking ghost is back, staggering down hallways and scurrying across the floor like a sprayed roach, she’s behaving more like Samara (The Ring) than ever as she emerges through bleeding paintings and crawls toward scrambling victims. Meanwhile her cat-groaning little boy ghost is up to his old shenanigans as well… and that meowing kid gag is really getting old. Attempts at horror feel noticeably less inspired, and there isn’t much gore (just blood). The first director to take on Kayako since Takashi Shimizu (Ju-on 1-2, The Grudge 1-2, Flight 7500), Toby Wilkins (Splinter) fails pretty hard to deliver what franchise fans want.
Some of the visuals are shocking, but overall this strikes me as less scary or creepy than its two predecessors. And not that it’s awful, but the writing, acting/casting and direction have all dropped notably from parts 1-2. I’d still call this an entertaining one-watch horror flick. It just lacks the impact of Takashi Shimizu’s hand.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast #250: The Thing, Kurt Russell’s Beard and Squishy Noises
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker. (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere)
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
250 episodes! We’ve hit a major milestone, so naturally we had to talk about the absolute classic that is John Carpenter’s The Thing. We love The Thing, and think it’s a perfect film that features timeless special effects, great hats, beautiful beards and loads of suspense. In this episode, John Leavengood and I discuss blood tests, jerky aliens, and spaceship construction. Thank you for all the support! We hope you enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast make sure to send in some random listener questions so we can do our best to not answer them correctly. We thank you for listening and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean,or Spreaker.
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
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John’s Horror Corner: Jennifer’s Body (2009), the shockingly well-written, well-directed and well-acted movie where Megan Fox is a man-eating demon.
MY CALL: I can understand how this may sound like a cheesy raunchy flick about a sexy succubus. But you’d be wrong. This film is more layered and thoughtful than what occurred to me upon first viewing. It’s not sexist or misogynistic. This is an awesome horror film that loves its characters. MORE MOVIES LIKE Jennifer’s Body: For more supernaturally powerful women behaving badly, check out The Craft (1996), Carrie (2013), The Babysitter (2017).
What happens when a down-on-their luck indie band doesn’t follow all the instructions during their virgin sacrifice to win fame and fortune from Satan…? A demon-fueled high school cheerleader with a newfound appetite for boys’ souls to sustain herself and her glowing complexion. And sure, I can totally understand how this may sound to most like a cheesy raunchy trope-tired skin flick about a sexy succubus. But you’d be wrong.
Smartly written and boasting a great dry sense of humor, our story is recounted by Needy (Amanda Seyfried; Lovelace, Red Riding Hood). Friends since their sandbox youth, Needy and Jennifer (Megan Fox; Transformers, Jonah Hex, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) live an interesting symbiosis seesawing Needy’s sincerity and Jennifer’s desperate yet controlling codependence. And despite both being beautiful, Needy’s humility serves prey to Jennifer’s arrogant frailty.
Just a few scenes deep, it’s evident that the editing, storytelling and script are top notch with a style that seems to meld American Beauty (1999) and Mean Girls (2004)… but notably lower brow. Truly, this isn’t just a good horror movie—this is exemplary filmmaking. It saddens me that being a “horror film”, or worse a “horror comedy” about a man-eating succubus, likely cheapens its status among perfunctory movie raters. The “sex” scenes are not exploitative and don’t offer any nudity—at all. The sexuality is all in the social interpersonal dynamics of the characters. In fact, the sexuality reminds me very much of a contemporized Interview with a Vampire (1994), with Needy and Jennifer mirroring Louis and Lestat.
Actually, other aspects of this soul-devouring demon movie follow the tenets of vampirism. Jennifer has a frightful ghoul-like transformation phase (after emerging from her natural death) during which she projectile vomits evil ichor after trying to eat regular food; she uses sexuality to lure male victims to their demise (much as many monsters of folklore and mythology); she becomes invigorated and indestructible (i.e., regeneration) and looks vibrant after feeding, but looks anemic and weak when hungry; and she possesses a sensual love for her best friend.
Director Karyn Kusama (Aeon Flux, XX, The Invitation) impresses with every aspect of her filmmaking. Great photography and shots; the gore effects are sloppy and gross and awesome; and steering far from cheap jumpscare fare, there are many abruptly shocking moments. Jennifer’s demonic roar followed by projectile vomitous bile was an exquisitely shocking highlight.
And wow, the cast! Watch out for a deliciously sociopathic Adam Brody (Ready or Not, Yoga Hosers, Scream 4), a likably douche-y Chris Pratt (Jurassic World, Passengers, Guardians of the Galaxy), the hilariously deadpan J.K. Simmons (The Snowman, Dark Skies), and solid performances by Amy Sedaris (Stay, Strangers with Candy) and Kyle Gallner (A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Haunting in Connecticut, Red State, The Cleanse).
I find this film to be much more layered and thoughtful than what occurred to most (including myself) upon first viewing. It’s not sexist or misogynistic, it’s not basic, it’s not just some flick. This is an awesome horror film that loves its characters.
Movies, Films & Flix 