spaceSuicide's Horrortastic Horrific Horror Film Thread...Of Horror!

[burnmotherfucker!]

Man I can't get into the social commentary without spoiling the movie. But, you know, a woman saying "I CAN do this without you; I'll no longer have to be who you want me to be" to a male figure: there was a bit of that in there.

The Conjuring was fucking great. The spinoffs are hit and miss.

I, myself, love Insidious and Paranormal Activity and Sinister, as well as, say, Absentia, Berberian Sound Studio, Exists, Occulus, The Eyes of my Mother, Host, Skinwalker Ranch. I could go on and on. I dig pretty damn deep for horror movies.

I honestly think that Wan was trying to do something more like an indie movie with this one. I think he was going AGAINST the very tropes he created with The Conjuring.

It looked like a big budget indie horror to me. Maybe it was a bit too long.

Oh ok, I could see that. I don't think I made that connection myself due to the "relationship" between the main character and that male figure.

As to the other movies you mentioned, I've seen most but not all of them. I respect the first Paranormal Activity for what it was trying to do but it's success basically gave the industry an excuse to not care about budget or cinematography in horror. "Found footage" is a term that makes me lose interest almost instantly because of the way that style is abused to try and drive up profit margins while playing it safe. I prefer when a film swings for the fences, even if it doesn't hit the mark. But I do really like Berberian Sound Studio and Sinister (save for the last act that kinda cheapens what comes before imo). And I loved Eyes of My Mother. That one scene, without spoiling too much, when a child finds a woman chained up is stuck in my mind. The imagery is scary but the context it occurs in is deeply tragic and just sad. I like it when a film pulls off something like that.

With the Conjuring stuff, I've heard it described as the Marvel of horror and I pretty much agree as I feel nearly the same way about Marvel films. It's not that I wish those films didn't exist or anything, people seem to enjoy them after all. But they're all so bland to me I just find it depressing that they all make billions while better films don't ever make it into the zeitgeist the way they would have in decades past.

Like with Malignant, in 2021 in the middle of covid and nobody's films doing well in the cinema except disney, it pulls in 30 million at the box office in a few weekends. And then you look back at 2019 right before the world went to shit and people still felt safe to go out en masse and a film as unique as The Lighthouse has a total box office of 18 million. Its just sad to me regardless of their initial budgets that the clearly better film gets less traction.

I can see it now, WB will say Malignant made 30 million not even including HBO max numbers (which has to be the way the majority of people watched it, I did)? Now we'll have a franchise where that character learns to harness that "power" and runs around backwards as some sort of horror/super hero franchise. And the worst part is it would make a ton of money. Just look at A Quiet Place. Those films pulled in well over half a billion combined and they are just...vanilla.

But then again my take is basically that I wish the audience at large had better taste in films like I do. Which is pretty goddam snobbish and self centered of me. Not to mention completely unrealistic.

[Something Underneath]

I know it'll sound like I'm making this up, but I believe some of the stuff that might seem comical is actually meant to be. The more I've seen it and Midsommar, the more some of the dark and twisted humor in them has come to the surface (moreso in Midsommar, but Hereditary has its fair share). I don't think they're horror comedies, but there is definitely a sick sense of humor at play when you watch them. They're not 100% serious.

I can absolutely see some dark humor in Midsommar,not sure about Heretidary at all though. Was it intended comedy or was it just a first time director dialing in the melodrama so high audiences in a movie theatre laughed at Charlie's clicking noise because it's the least scary thing in the world?

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

Man I can't get into the social commentary without spoiling the movie. But, you know, a woman saying "I CAN do this without you; I'll no longer have to be who you want me to be" to a male figure: there was a bit of that in there.

The Conjuring was fucking great. The spinoffs are hit and miss.

I, myself, love Insidious and Paranormal Activity and Sinister, as well as, say, Absentia, Berberian Sound Studio, Exists, Occulus, The Eyes of my Mother, Host, Skinwalker Ranch. I could go on and on. I dig pretty damn deep for horror movies.

I honestly think that Wan was trying to do something more like an indie movie with this one. I think he was going AGAINST the very tropes he created with The Conjuring.

It looked like a big budget indie horror to me. Maybe it was a bit too long.

We have the same tastes. When the Paranormal Activity movies were all the buzz, I really, really liked the first two. However, I had NO idea that they all connect (In a messy order) but I love when franchises do something like this, even if they don't all land, it made me want to watch all of them.

The indie feel is what I got from Malignant as well. But for me, it felt like a bunch of different genres smashed into a nice little box of weirdness and that is what made me enjoy it so much. I tend to let movies move me along instead of trying to figure it out, or every little thing making the movie tick, even if my conscious is telling me this is what is going on, I tend to ignore that little voice and turn my brain off. I used to dig deep into movies as I was watching them and it would sort of ruin the experience for me.

[BRoswell]

I can absolutely see some dark humor in Midsommar,not sure about Heretidary at all though. Was it intended comedy or was it just a first time director dialing in the melodrama so high audiences in a movie theatre laughed at Charlie's clicking noise because it's the least scary thing in the world?

Melodrama is inherently funny to me, mainly because melodrama and comedy are usually about playing emotions to the max. So yeah, I think he knew what he was doing with it. As for that sound, I thought it was amusing until the scene where her brother has his freakout in class, because the theater I saw it in had a pretty good surround system, and when he heard it up close, it sounded like it was right in my ear, and I jumped out of my seat. For me, the film kind of plays out like a much more twisted version of Poltergeist (the original, natch), and Poltergeist has some really macabre humor in it as well.

Or maybe I just have a really sick sense of humor. Either way, I think horror fans expect horror films to be wild comedies or 100% dark with no humor in sight, and I love it when horror films (films in general really) blur the lines.

[elevenism]

Oh ok, I could see that. I don't think I made that connection myself due to the "relationship" between the main character and that male figure.

As to the other movies you mentioned, I've seen most but not all of them. I respect the first Paranormal Activity for what it was trying to do but it's success basically gave the industry an excuse to not care about budget or cinematography in horror. "Found footage" is a term that makes me lose interest almost instantly because of the way that style is abused to try and drive up profit margins while playing it safe. I prefer when a film swings for the fences, even if it doesn't hit the mark. But I do really like Berberian Sound Studio and Sinister (save for the last act that kinda cheapens what comes before imo). And I loved Eyes of My Mother. That one scene, without spoiling too much, when a child finds a woman chained up is stuck in my mind. The imagery is scary but the context it occurs in is deeply tragic and just sad. I like it when a film pulls off something like that.

With the Conjuring stuff, I've heard it described as the Marvel of horror and I pretty much agree as I feel nearly the same way about Marvel films. It's not that I wish those films didn't exist or anything, people seem to enjoy them after all. But they're all so bland to me I just find it depressing that they all make billions while better films don't ever make it into the zeitgeist the way they would have in decades past.

Like with Malignant, in 2021 in the middle of covid and nobody's films doing well in the cinema except disney, it pulls in 30 million at the box office in a few weekends. And then you look back at 2019 right before the world went to shit and people still felt safe to go out en masse and a film as unique as The Lighthouse has a total box office of 18 million. Its just sad to me regardless of their initial budgets that the clearly better film gets less traction.

I can see it now, WB will say Malignant made 30 million not even including HBO max numbers (which has to be the way the majority of people watched it, I did)? Now we'll have a franchise where that character learns to harness that "power" and runs around backwards as some sort of horror/super hero franchise. And the worst part is it would make a ton of money. Just look at A Quiet Place. Those films pulled in well over half a billion combined and they are just...vanilla.

But then again my take is basically that I wish the audience at large had better taste in films like I do. Which is pretty goddam snobbish and self centered of me. Not to mention completely unrealistic.

You've also got to realize that stuff like The Lighthouse ABSOLUTELY isn't for everyone, and that goes for a LOT of horror movies I love.

Not everyone wants a viscerally uncomfortable and purposefully disorienting movie that has them trying to figure out what exactly the symbolism was all about for days on end.
I mean, as for ME, I LOVE that shit. Raw is another great example.

Part of it has to do with intelligence, yes. But part of it ALSO has to do with TIME.

For instance, visiting my brother's family during Cold and Black and Infinite, I was baffled to see him and my sister in law turn on an Adam Sandler movie on Netflix. They're both of above average intelligence.
But they're ALSO raising two kids while trying to make ends meet, working twelve hour days and such.

Meanwhile, my wife and I are unable to work due to health shit.

So, we pick out the most nuanced, interesting stuff. But with my brother and sister in law, when they finally get a chance to relax, it's "Oh. Adam Sandler. From Water Boy. Comedy. Comedy movie goes hahaha. Horror movie goes BOO!"

Both of those things are why something like The Lighthouse didn't receive mass appeal. It's over a lot of people's heads, and it's too much of an investment for busy working people with kids.

[burnmotherfucker!]

I tend to let movies move me along instead of trying to figure it out, or every little thing making the movie tick, even if my conscious is telling me this is what is going on, I tend to ignore that little voice and turn my brain off. I used to dig deep into movies as I was watching them and it would sort of ruin the experience for me.

This is the only way to watch a movie imo. I also used to try to figure them out like a puzzle or something. Then after I saw Mulholland Drive for the first time I learned my lesson. Film is more an experience than something that needs to be figured out. I save the thinking for later after I've seen the film. But with that said, when I'm watching a film and I do notice where it's headed or what formula it's following it really annoys me specifically because I'm not looking to do so. So if I see it without trying it must be pretty cookie cutter basic. And those kind of movies always feel like such a waste of time.

[burnmotherfucker!]

You've also got to realize that stuff like The Lighthouse ABSOLUTELY isn't for everyone, and that goes for a LOT of horror movies I love.

Not everyone wants a viscerally uncomfortable and purposefully disorienting movie that has them trying to figure out what exactly the symbolism was all about for days on end.
I mean, as for ME, I LOVE that shit. Raw is another great example.

Part of it has to do with intelligence, yes. But part of it ALSO has to do with TIME.

For instance, visiting my brother's family during Cold and Black and Infinite, I was baffled to see him and my sister in law turn on an Adam Sandler movie on Netflix. They're both of above average intelligence.
But they're ALSO raising two kids while trying to make ends meet, working twelve hour days and such.

Meanwhile, my wife and I are unable to work due to health shit.

So, we pick out the most nuanced, interesting stuff. But with my brother and sister in law, when they finally get a chance to relax, it's "Oh. Adam Sandler. From Water Boy. Comedy. Comedy movie goes hahaha. Horror movie goes BOO!"

Both of those things are why something like The Lighthouse didn't receive mass appeal. It's over a lot of people's heads, and it's too much of an investment for busy working people with kids.

Oh for sure all those things are at play. Not to mention I come from the type of small town where most of the people would turn their nose up at the idea a film could be art and not just entertainment and a waste of time. And that is the majority of people.

And if there are small kids in the room, then yeah you can't just put on The Shining without some consequences. But then again that argument also applies to the Conjuring franchise.

And I'm not saying I don't understand the mindset of busy people, after all I am often one of them. But for me it's the exact opposite. I was in college when I first really started to watch film more seriously, and it was a time where I'd regularly go weeks at a time getting 4 hours of sleep a night and feeling like a zombie.

If I'm drained and tired and had a long shit week and I finally have 2 hours carved out to put on a film and relax. Netflix's newest comedy is the furthest thing from my mind. I want to see something that's going to be worthwhile. Ironically, vapid mainstream comedies tend to crush my soul in an existential kind of way. Makes me feel like I'm in a Black Mirror episode or something.

Part of the reason I love horror is it tends to be more malleable and playful. It can be dark or funny or both. And the lower budgets give filmmakers more room to experiment and so the good ones come out feeling like they have more humanity to them. Like there's actual people making them instead of an algorithm. Which I find existentially uplifting.

Idk, I guess the average person still goes to church or something to scratch their existential itch. But for me music, film, and literature are really the best tools we have for that. And that it goes unrecognized by most people, its not that I don't get it, it just depresses me.
Which is why I love this section of the forum. Horror fans, even if they disagree about particulars, are just a good group of people imo.

[hellospaceboy]

Anybody else checked out No One Gets Out Alive on Netflix? It was really excellent!

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

This is the only way to watch a movie imo. I also used to try to figure them out like a puzzle or something. Then after I saw Mulholland Drive for the first time I learned my lesson. Film is more an experience than something that needs to be figured out. I save the thinking for later after I've seen the film. But with that said, when I'm watching a film and I do notice where it's headed or what formula it's following it really annoys me specifically because I'm not looking to do so. So if I see it without trying it must be pretty cookie cutter basic. And those kind of movies always feel like such a waste of time.

Agreed! I saw Jungle Cruise, and while it was very formulaic and predictable, I still was able to turn my mind off and have a good time; movies like this are an exception for me once in a while. I absolutely understand your disdain once you are thinking the movie may make a clever turn, and all it does is lead to that anticipated twist or climax... Just like you with Malignant .

[elevenism]

Anybody else checked out No One Gets Out Alive on Netflix? It was really excellent!

EXCELLENT?
Seriously?
I'll have to give it a go.
I kind of ignore Netflix exclusives because I've seen too many bad ones,.but it would certainly make.sense that I'm missing good ones here and there.

[hellospaceboy]

EXCELLENT?
Seriously?
I'll have to give it a go.
I kind of ignore Netflix exclusives because I've seen too many bad ones,.but it would certainly make.sense that I'm missing good ones here and there.

It's based on an Adam Nevill novel, the same guy who wrote The Ritual (which was also adapted into a movie, and which I also really liked).

Let me know what you think once you watch it!

[marodi]

I bought one Blu-ray. $20. 3 movies I haven't seen on it.

I was one of those compilations dics that come out seasonally.

The movies: Hereditary, Midsommar, The Witch.

October 31 is going to be AWESOME!

[elevenism]

It's based on an Adam Nevill novel, the same guy who wrote The Ritual (which was also adapted into a movie, and which I also really liked).

Let me know what you think once you watch it!

Oh, word? I liked the ritual, too.

[burnmotherfucker!]

I bought one Blu-ray. $20. 3 movies I haven't seen on it.

I was one of those compilations dics that come out seasonally.

The movies: Hereditary, Midsommar, The Witch.

October 31 is going to be AWESOME!

Watch The VVitch, then Hereditary as a double feature. Save Midsommar for later.

[elevenism]

Watch The VVitch, then Hereditary as a double feature. Save Midsommar for later.

Idk dude. I think they're all great.

[marodi]

Thanks for the recommendation @burnmotherfucker!

@elevenism I think I know why though: I do believe that they are all great, based on what I've read and heard but The Witch and Hereditary are both supernatural in nature while Midsommar is more about crazy cult killings.

They are all giving me the creeps. I hope I won't chicken out!

[burnmotherfucker!]

@elevenism They are all great and I enjoyed them all. However @marodi specifically mentioned watching them all on Halloween. So there were a few things that popped into my head that made me suggest that.

Firstly, Midsommar is the least Fall/Halloween film ever made possibly in the horror genre. It takes place 99% in the bright ass day time in the middle of the summer in a place where the sun stays up for nearly 24 hours a day that day. Secondly, Ari Aster is a great director but the man does not cut anything out of his movies and both Hereditary and Midsommar together would total nearly 5 hours. And that's if you watch the very much superior theatrical version of Midsommar instead of the nearly 3 hour director's cut. Idk about others, but my brain turns to mush after that many hours of TV in one day.

Secondly, these aren't exactly fun watches. They are thematically heavy material and I know I needed time after I saw each one to properly digest it. I wouldn't want to watch them and then just skip over to the next film, ya know?

And finally, yeah even though I love Midsommar and all, it just isn't on par with the other two imo. I might give it an 8/10, but it isn't the caliber of horror film the other two are in my eyes. The VVitch is far and away the best of the three for me and a perfect film and Hereditary is also near perfect. This is why I say watch the VVitch first as it deserves the full attention. It also had the closest to a Halloween seasonal fall feel to me.

But that's only my experience with them, your mileage may vary. I suppose if I were going to try and watch all three in a single day I'd try and watch Midsommar first thing in the a.m. and then take a long break and come back for the others after dark. Or just watch one for each night of that weekend.

Either way that's still a great triple feature so get you some popcorn with lots of butter!

[Swykk]

I’d do The Witch first, then Hereditary and skip Midsommar entirely but if you’re going to watch them all? I guess I’d do Midsommar first, then The Witch and have the main event be Hereditary.

I loved Hereditary and it resonated with me; that’s what a family is, in my experience, psychologically. It had rich characters and Spoiler: I dug the cult stuff. The last 25 minutes are insane in the best way.

Midsommar I didn’t enjoy at all. I hated all the characters except Dani and even she was obnoxious at times. You can see the end coming way ahead of time. The movie was boring when it wasn’t annoying.

The Witch is an effective slow burn with really cool creepy things happening throughout and has an excellent conclusion.

[Deacon Blackfire]

Kind of daunting for me to jump into this thread because I love horror and have been watching/collecting horror films for years, and I never really know where to start, but here it goes!

To stay somewhat relevant, while I absolutely despise the terms like "elevated horror" invented by people who, upon seeing a film like The Witch or Hereditary, think that intelligent and thematically dense horror films are some kind of new innovation and not something that has existed practically since the beginning of fucking cinema, the films that frequently have that term applied to them are quite excellent. The Witch is a dread soaked descent into a Puritan nightmare, a wrenching exploration of the kind of chaste, spiritually and emotionally atrophied world these people lived in and I am a huge fan. I liked Midsommar quite a bit, though the Director's Cut is overly long and I would recommend the theatrical cut, which makes some smart edits that trim unnecessary fat. But Hereditary is on another level compared to Midsommar. That film is so gloriously, viscerally traumatic and affecting, and to echo the comments above, it resonates with me and my sense of family in deeply personal (and upsetting lol) ways. So many terrific scenes and moments, and the whole finale is white knuckle shit. The fact Toni Collette didn't even get an Oscar nomination for it is all you need to know to disregard award shows forever.

All in all, both Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse) and Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) have gone two for two in a big fucking way and I can't wait to see their next films. It's always great to have new talented directors producing films as fertile and rewarding as these. Hopefully they keep their momentum. I absolutely love Kill List and some of Ben Wheatley's films afterwards are pretty interesting too but his latest film, In The Earth, left me pretty disappointed.

The latest talk of the horror scene seems to be the Hellraiser reboot remake (on Hulu? wtf) and the fact Jamie Clayton is playing Pinhead, and I guess I have mixed feelings about it. That there is mouth-breathing backlash to incorporating more sexual diversity in adapting Clive freakin' Barker is pretty rich and casting a trans person as a Cenobite is interesting and in some ways even appropriate. However I really hope the internet doesn't pull a Ghostbusters 2016 with this, that this stupid non debate doesn't become so married to the film so early in its development that its quality and success become some kind of distorted referendum on whether or not the chuds were right about diversity and inclusion instead of being evaluated as a film, adaptation, and remake. The guy directing it, David Bruckner, directed The Night House, which I haven't seen but have heard good things about and is on my 'to watch' list. Once I see that I'll have a better sense of how I feel about this project but it's hard to imagine it topping the overpowering, incredible putrescence of the original. As I have discussed with friends of mine, it's a film that you feel like you can smell and the palpable pulpiness of its gooey effects, juxtaposed with the heaving British soap opera story and the romantic swell of Christopher Young's beautiful score... It's the kind of thing you don't recreate. They say it will be a very close adaptation of Barker's original novella The Hellbound Heart but frankly, aside from Kirsty's role being changed from "Rory's friend" to "Larry's daughter", the original film was already a very close adaptation of The Hellbound Heart, not to mention written and directed by the original author.

[elevenism]

Holy christ. I THINK I saw @Deacon Blackfire ! Or, it might have been a GHOST!
All jokes about your scarcity aside, Deacon, that's a fine bit of insight.

SO
It being October, I got The Secret of Sinchanee, V/H/S 94, The Manor, Madres, and Detention.

Have y'all seen any of these?

Recently I also got Black as Night, Bingo Hell, Martyrs Lane, The Dark and the Wicked, Anything for Jackson, The Hole in the Ground, and Obsidian.

Any picks or pans for these?

Where in the hell is @Deepvoid when you need him? :/

[burnmotherfucker!]

Kind of daunting for me to jump into this thread because I love horror and have been watching/collecting horror films for years, and I never really know where to start, but here it goes!

To stay somewhat relevant, while I absolutely despise the terms like "elevated horror" invented by people who, upon seeing a film like The Witch or Hereditary, think that intelligent and thematically dense horror films are some kind of new innovation and not something that has existed practically since the beginning of fucking cinema, the films that frequently have that term applied to them are quite excellent. The Witch is a dread soaked descent into a Puritan nightmare, a wrenching exploration of the kind of chaste, spiritually and emotionally atrophied world these people lived in and I am a huge fan. I liked Midsommar quite a bit, though the Director's Cut is overly long and I would recommend the theatrical cut, which makes some smart edits that trim unnecessary fat. But Hereditary is on another level compared to Midsommar. That film is so gloriously, viscerally traumatic and affecting, and to echo the comments above, it resonates with me and my sense of family in deeply personal (and upsetting lol) ways. So many terrific scenes and moments, and the whole finale is white knuckle shit. The fact Toni Collette didn't even get an Oscar nomination for it is all you need to know to disregard award shows forever.

All in all, both Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse) and Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) have gone two for two in a big fucking way and I can't wait to see their next films. It's always great to have new talented directors producing films as fertile and rewarding as these. Hopefully they keep their momentum. I absolutely love Kill List and some of Ben Wheatley's films afterwards are pretty interesting too but his latest film, In The Earth, left me pretty disappointed.

The latest talk of the horror scene seems to be the Hellraiser reboot remake (on Hulu? wtf) and the fact Jamie Clayton is playing Pinhead, and I guess I have mixed feelings about it. That there is mouth-breathing backlash to incorporating more sexual diversity in adapting Clive freakin' Barker is pretty rich and casting a trans person as a Cenobite is interesting and in some ways even appropriate. However I really hope the internet doesn't pull a Ghostbusters 2016 with this, that this stupid non debate doesn't become so married to the film so early in its development that its quality and success become some kind of distorted referendum on whether or not the chuds were right about diversity and inclusion instead of being evaluated as a film, adaptation, and remake. The guy directing it, David Bruckner, directed The Night House, which I haven't seen but have heard good things about and is on my 'to watch' list. Once I see that I'll have a better sense of how I feel about this project but it's hard to imagine it topping the overpowering, incredible putrescence of the original. As I have discussed with friends of mine, it's a film that you feel like you can smell and the palpable pulpiness of its gooey effects, juxtaposed with the heaving British soap opera story and the romantic swell of Christopher Young's beautiful score... It's the kind of thing you don't recreate. They say it will be a very close adaptation of Barker's original novella The Hellbound Heart but frankly, aside from Kirsty's role being changed from "Rory's friend" to "Larry's daughter", the original film was already a very close adaptation of The Hellbound Heart, not to mention written and directed by the original author.

So much to reply to here, unfortunately I don't have the time to really get into all of it at the moment, just wanted to say keep bringing these kinda comments! I agree with most of what you're getting at here.

Btw, putrescence is the EXACT word to describe Hellraiser that I've been looking for since the first time I saw it so thanks for that.

Also, with some of the stuff you were saying about Hereditary and the VVitch. It reminded me that I had a thought the other day. Much like the Beatles and Elvis. You can divide horror (elevated horror to harp on the term) fans into two groups. Those who think The Shining is the greatest, and those who think The Exorcist is the greatest. I'm in the former camp and I think The VVitch is the modern Shining while Hereditary is the modern Exorcist.

[burnmotherfucker!]

Holy christ. I THINK I saw @Deacon Blackfire ! Or, it might have been a GHOST!
All jokes about your scarcity aside, Deacon, that's a fine bit of insight.

SO
It being October, I got The Secret of Sinchanee, V/H/S 94, The Manor, Madres, and Detention.

Have y'all seen any of these?

Recently I also got Black as Night, Bingo Hell, Martyrs Lane, The Dark and the Wicked, Anything for Jackson, The Hole in the Ground, and Obsidian.

Any picks or pans for these?

Where in the hell is @Deepvoid when you need him? :/

Out of all of those I believe the only one I've seen is the Dark and the Wicked. It was good. Promising beginning and built up some nice dread. But if I'm being honest there were a few minor scenes that used cgi and it took me out completely. Still worth a watch. Maybe it's a me thing but once I notice cgi in horror I'm pretty much out.

[Jinsai]

I saw VHS94… it’s stacked top-heavy in quality, and the arcing story that ties the vignettes together feels like a FMV cut scene collection from a Sega CD game like Night Trap, acting included, but maybe that was the goal. There’s some good stuff in there but it didn’t feel as well put together as the other entries I’ve seen.

Regarding the Hellraiser reboot, I dunno. I like that Barker is involved and I think the casting change to a female or androgynous pinhead could be cool. It’s been a while since I read the book but I remember something about the description of the character having an androgynous voice and that the pins had jeweled decorative heads.

The series has already been laughably bastardized by ridiculous sequels, and they already tried recasting Pinhead with an actor who looks like Bobby Monaghan doing an SNL skit making fun of horror. If they’re going to do anything with the material as a cinematic franchise, it needs a hard reboot.

[Deacon Blackfire]

You are correct, the lead Cenobite is described in very androgynous terms in the original novel. I wouldn't describe Jamie Clayton similarly because she's clearly a woman and a total babe but as I said previously there is definitely something interesting and even appropriate about casting a trans person in the role. And yes the vast majority of the Hellraiser "franchise" has been dogshit. I love the original, and Hellbound: Hellraiser II is a generally very cool and consistent sequel that directly follows the events of the first while building the world out a little further, but starting with Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth it became a joke. In the first two films the Cenobites were terrifying but almost morally neutral supporting characters - the real villains were Frank and Julia, and Dr. Channard. Evil human desires brought them into the story. Starting with III, they decided to capitalize on how iconic Pinhead was and make him the central antagonist, trying to fit him into the mold of a Freddy Krueger type slasher star and it was a terrible fit that really damaged the series and the character. From there it became a farcical joke, culminating in that horrid bargain bin Pinhead you just mentioned.

Amusingly enough the only Hellraiser after the first two that I like at all was Hellraiser: Inferno. It wasn't even written as a Hellraiser film originally but the role it carves out for Pinhead and the series' lore is low key in a way felt way more in line with the first two films. It's no masterpiece but it's a more dignified entry than the silly lunacy of camera-headed, CD flinging Cenobites or Pinhead in space (which weirdly happened a year before Event Horizon was released).

So I agree, if they want to do something with the material it needs to be a reboot of sorts. I'm just not sure if they should. Like I said I need to see The Night House to see if Bruckner has the chops to do something special. Also I picked up The Dark & The Wicked a while ago but have yet to watch it, I'll be sure to share my thoughts when I do.

[elevenism]

For the record, @Jinsai and @Deacon Blackfire , The Hellbound Heart is just about the most disturbing little bit of insanity i've ever read.

As far as dogshit sequels? Well, SOMEWHERE along the way, that became THE formula.

A. Create badass movie. MAYBE stick around for the second one
B. Sell the rights, or whatever it is that they're doing, exactly
C. Sit back and collect those sweet, sweet checks

That's why i'm currently looking for The Amityville Horror part 26...literally...because i saw that a reviewer from some horror website actually liked it.

I think, though, that Amityville and Hellraiser are the guiltiest of this sort of tactic.

Although, there are ELEVEN Children of the Corn movies- eleven movies from one short story.

[Jinsai]

Yeah I don’t feel crazy great about David Bruckner, but all I’m going by is The Ritual, which I detested.

[elevenism]

Yeah I don’t feel crazy great about David Bruckner, but all I’m going by is The Ritual, which I detested.

i thought The Ritual was allRIGHT? Maybe? Passable?

[Jinsai]

i thought The Ritual was allRIGHT? Maybe? Passable?

"Passable" horror that's trying to be "deep" pisses me off I guess. It's a thing where, if you're gonna go there, you have to own it and be good at it or GTFO.

[october_midnight]

[october_midnight]

We haven't been able to just change this thread title to The Horror Thread yet? Pain in the ass to find sometimes.