What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

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Fossy
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by Fossy »

Bog (1983)

This movie is about a monster living in Lake Bog. It sucks the blood out of humans and mates with human women. Starring in the film is Gloria DeHaven who has a dual role of pathologist Ginny and the "hag of the forest", Adriana who is the "mate" of the monster. This was Gloria`s 25th feature movie and her first of two starring roles.

Interestingly, the street I live in (Bunyip Close) is named after such a monster. The bunyip is a mythical aboriginal monster which lives in billabongs and rivers, etc. The name bunyip translates as demon or devil. There are a few interpretations of what it does. Originally the bunyip devoured passing maidens, or if it was feeling a bit peckish it would also eat men.

In the 1950s "Billo the Bunyip', a happy, friendly, smiling monster became the symbol of Melbourne`s Moomba Festival.

During WW2, a US Air Force Squadron based in Australia adopted as it`s emblem a "Bunyap, an Australian aboriginal death demon". The usual spelling is Bunyip. The squadron is known as "The Screaming Demons". Their version of what a bunyip looks like can be found here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_Fighter_Squadron
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MichiganJ
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by MichiganJ »

I watched the wonderfully wacky British horror film Horror Hospital (aka Computer Killers) (1973). It stars Konga's Michael Gough as a wheelchair bound doctor who essentially lobotomizes hippies, turning them into weight-lifting zombies (and such).

Too much to love but don't miss the dwarf servant, the biker boys (Gough's henchmen) and especially the Rolls Royce, which comes with a retractable blade. (Which comes in handy for all the decapitations.)
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RedRiver
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by RedRiver »

Most of the hippies I knew pretty well lobotomized themselves!
feaito

Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by feaito »

Kevin, your Una O' avatar is superb! From what movie is it?
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MichiganJ
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by MichiganJ »

feaito wrote:Kevin, your Una O' avatar is superb! From what movie is it?
It's from The Invisible Man, one of many of her great performances.
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feaito

Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by feaito »

Thx...A great film I must revisit!
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by Rita Hayworth »

Time Machine 1960
Starring Rod Taylor

The Machine
Image

This has been always my sentimental favorite SCI-FI movie to watch; and TCM had it on today. Its was wonderful to re-visit again seeing Weena (played by Yvette Mimieux, so marvelously) the lovely blonde girl that became a friend to H George Wells. This is enduring classic that Mr. Wells journey to the year 800,000 where two groups the surface ELOI and the subterranean MORLOCKS existed.

This is one Amazing movie!
RedRiver
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by RedRiver »

Lord help me! Do not get me started on this positively adorable fantasy. A near perfect adventure, served more than a little by the understated, and underrated, Rod Taylor. Taylor's insight into the character of the time traveler; the fascination and the heartbreak he experiences, stay with you long after the movie is over. The writing is precisely on target. The visuals by the unique George Pal are enthralling. The story? Well...

A friend of mine feels the middle of the film slows down a little. In the future, but before the action with the morlocks. That doesn't bother me. Taylor sees a promising new world. We see it through his eyes. Not only is it not dull, it's sadly promising.

This is one of those movies I simply can't fault. There are three, maybe four members of this genre that rank well above the others. This just may be the best of the bunch!
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by Rita Hayworth »

Image
Wonderfully Directed by Rouben Mamoulian who did "Blood and Sand" with Rita Hayworth, Tyrone Powers, and others.

I've not seen this movie in years because not I'm not lazy; but never got around to see it. This got to be one's of the best horror/drama/romance movie of all times! Fredric March did one impressive performance and the visual effects of him changing from Jekyll to Hyde in a 1931 film astounds me! I was in awe of his mannerism, his style of acting, and his zest of character. Every single actor/actress did a wonderful job ... especially Miriam Hopkins who played his love interest to Dr.Jekyll as Ivy Pearson. Outstanding performances to Rose Hobart, Halliwell Hobbes, and Edgar Norton.

Cast of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Fredric March ... Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Miriam Hopkins ... Ivy Pearson
Rose Hobart ... Muriel Carew
Holmes Herbert ... Dr. Lanyon
Halliwell Hobbes ... Brigadier-General Sir Danvers Carew
Edgar Norton ... Poole
Tempe Pigott ... Mrs. Hawkins
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MichiganJ
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by MichiganJ »

I watched the terrifying Devil Girl From Mars (1954) which is about a spaceship landing near an Inn somewhere in the Scottish highlands. Patricia Laffan plays Nyah, the Devil Girl who has come to Earth to collect men to help repopulate Mars. Seems there was a literal war of the sexes on the Red planet and the females won; but at a cost. Dressed in dark knee-high boots, patent-leather mini-skirt, skull cap and flowing cape, Nyah looks a bit like Darth Vader, if Vader were a dominatrix. But her ray gun is just as lethal.

Like The Day the Earth Stood Still, she is the lone occupant of the spacecraft, except of course for her robot--which looks a lot like a refrigerator box with an old fashioned police siren for a head. It's no slouch with the lasers, either.

Based on a stage play (!), the Inn itself is populated with some interesting folks (including the beautiful Hazel Court!), and some not so interesting (Hugh McDermont). Overall the film is considerably better than it's reputation, with some decent effects (the mattes work well), and some wonderfully cheesy (the flying sink-stopper flying saucer).

[youtube][/youtube]
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feaito

Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by feaito »

Kevin, what a great avatar from Island of Lost Souls!! The Panther Woman (Kathleen Burke)!! I have two versions of Island of Lost Souls (European) ...I wonder about the version that Criterion is going to release on Blu Ray...
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MichiganJ
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by MichiganJ »

Fernando, I have it on laserdisc, and, from what I've read, the print used for that transfer was lost, which is why there wasn't a region 1 DVD release before this. I don't know where Criterion found a print, but their Blu/DVD is a restoration of the uncut theatrical version.
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by Rita Hayworth »

MichiganJ wrote:I watched the terrifying Devil Girl From Mars (1954) which is about a spaceship landing near an Inn somewhere in the Scottish highlands. Patricia Laffan plays Nyah, the Devil Girl who has come to Earth to collect men to help repopulate Mars. Seems there was a literal war of the sexes on the Red planet and the females won; but at a cost. Dressed in dark knee-high boots, patent-leather mini-skirt, skull cap and flowing cape, Nyah looks a bit like Darth Vader, if Vader were a dominatrix. But her ray gun is just as lethal.

[youtube][/youtube]
I want to see this movie! The You Tube Clip is far-out!
feaito

Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by feaito »

MichiganJ wrote:Fernando, I have it on laserdisc, and, from what I've read, the print used for that transfer was lost, which is why there wasn't a region 1 DVD release before this. I don't know where Criterion found a print, but their Blu/DVD is a restoration of the uncut theatrical version.
Thanks for this very valuable info, Kevin. That Laserdisc is a treasure!
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srowley75
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Re: What Horror and Sc-Fi films have you seen lately?

Post by srowley75 »

I just recently bought the two-disc Blu-ray of classic horror film The Exorcist and had my semi-annual viewing of the movie. I think it holds up surprisingly well, though I wonder about all those surveys that call it "the scariest film ever" - not sure what that says about our society. Friedkin's version does the book justice to a point, though the makeup goes over the top. It'd have been much scarier if the possession scenes had stayed a bit more grounded in reality - and perhaps it wouldn't have seemed so ripe for parody.

This time around, I also thought more of the acting than I normally do. The contribution of Mercedes McCambridge as Pazuzu's voice is invaluable, though I think Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller and Max von Sydow are all excellent. Even poor Linda Blair who, given the state of her career since the movie's release, must feel as though the role jinxed her, does an admirable job as Regan, especially in the early scenes before Pazuzu takes over.

The documentaries that accompany the film are also very interesting, but I was still left a bit disappointed: I had seen a YouTube clip that featured Mercedes McCambridge's scenes in the "Making of" documentary, but it seems that they were edited out of the disc's version. Still, a worthwhile buy - the video quality of the film is stunning.

In closing, a fun pair of video clips:

One, Mercedes McCambridge and William Friedkin discuss arguably the greatest voice-over performance ever in a film:

[youtube][/youtube]

Two, a montage of clips showing the reactions of people to the release of the film. Assuming they're not manufactured to gin up publicity, my, how far we've come.

Blatty has always insisted that the spinal tap scene was the scene that many people responded to with such disgust, and I tend to agree. That scene still makes me squirm in my seat.

[youtube][/youtube]
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