9.21.2009

3 Film Recommendations


Mini-reviews of three different movies, all of which I highly recommend.

1) Antibodies (2005)




If you’re excited to see Pandorum, then you should definitely check out this film—not because they are similar by any means but for the talent behind the camera. From the same director, Christian Alvart, Antibodies is a tense film about a small-town cop and a twisted serial killer locked in a battle through prison bars. This film is best watched not knowing a lot about the movie. You may hear comparisons to Silence of the Lambs, but I would argue that this movie is better. Technically speaking, the film is brilliant. Acting, direction, editing, cinematography, and production design are top notch. And the story is sure to blow you away…at least I was left with my jaw-dropped for the last 30 minutes of the film.

2) The Legend of Hell House (1973)




Classy stuff from  talented writer Richard Matheson. Subtle effects and creepy tonalities make this a classic telling of an old story. A team of psychics and a physicist are sent to the Mt. Everest of hauntings to rid the house of the evil presence. What ensues is a series of bizarre events that never go over the top. The cinematography is wonderfully presented in true 70’s fashion, full of close-ups with wide angles and hard, contrasty lighting. You’ll also be pleased to find a forgotten style of British performance from skilled actors. Deviant sexuality, black cats, possessions, and ectoplasm are some of the jewels you can expect from this one.


3) Opera (1987)





If you’re an Argento fan, chances are you’ve seen this film.  Although it was not well-received, I consider it to be one of Dario Argento’s best films in a career that has been less than consistent. An upcoming opera singer is targeted by a sociopath after a series of bizarre incidents during the production. With obvious ties to Phantom of the Opera and lots of subconscious terror, Opera is atmospheric and thematic. Extreme close-ups of animals, carefully composed master shots, and the bold use of color are all signature elements we have come to expect from the Italian mastermind. It also features one of the best horror setups in history—you’ve seen the image: needles taped to the bottom eyelids, forcing the victim to watch. Voyeurism is at the center of this film and it demands your spectatorship.


11 comments:

  1. ?Never seen antibodies, but Hell House and Opera I'm definitely down with. Old School Brit Horror and Argento for the win!

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  2. Added a couple of those to my Netflix queue. Antibodies looks interesting, and I may or may not have seen The Legend of Hell House. This is the same story as The Haunting, yes? Based on the book? Looks good.

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  3. They are based on different books, but they are similar stories. Legend of Hell House is based on the novel, "Hell House" and The Haunting is based on "The Haunting of Hill House." I suppose you could say Hell House (the film and the novel) is a harsher version of the original story.

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  4. Cool flicks... I think antekorper is my fav... but hell house was amazing. Opera's ending was stupid so... yeah not on my list.

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  5. I have Antibodies in my to-watch pile. Picked it up as the free one in one of those buy 2, get 1 free previously viewed dvd sales... Didn't know what I'd think of it, you just got it upgraded to the to-watch-soon pile. =) Thanks for the recommend.

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  6. Good to see ANTIBODIES in your arena, Becky. It's an excellent film. I was fortunate enough to see it at the cinema during its brief theatrical run.

    OPERA is, in fact, my favorite Argento film. I think it's his most cohesive. Then I'd go with BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, SUSPIRIA, DEEP RED, CAT O' NINE TAILS.

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  7. I caught ANTIBODIES purely by accident as friends brought it over and left it just as our small-town cop wandered into the big city. I finished it and was thankful for it. It's one of the reasons I'm excited for PANDORUM. And THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE is another fine choice.

    But I've not seen OPERA. Given the previous two and the response from the comments here, it's going into my queue right now. I'm quite surprised I've not seen this before.

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  8. The only one I've seen is Hell House, though I do own Opera. Perhaps I need to watch it...

    good mini-reviews, BTW!

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  9. Becky - I have never heard of Antibodies before but it sounds very intriguing. I'll make sure to avoid spoilers.

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  10. Thanks for saving the day Becks, I have been on the brink of deleting Antibodies from my wishlist for weeks because it never drops in price, but I will hold out til that one glorious day when it is within my cheap ass price range!

    If you cant tell from the blog, I have a certain affinity for OPERA, absolutely love it!

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  11. Yes, I thought of you when I was writing about Opera. :)

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