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Raevenskye

Seer of All Things Spooky
I'm always shopping for good paranormal/spooky/chiller/horror-type movies...anyone seen anything that MUST be checked out? I've seen all the obvious ones: Exorcist, White Noise, etc...so...I'm digging deep, here....
We just watched "Below" the other night....tense little movie.
 
Mogwa said:
Pan's Labyrinth.
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Try Communion (1989) - I know it's got an 'ET' angle, but I watched it when it first came out and I haven't been able to watch it since. Some people say it's a 'laughably bad' film - I didn't feel that way when I watched it.

I'm not squeamish when it comes to films - I have watched and enjoyed many horror films - but the 'weirdness' of Communion managed to 'get under my skin'. I don't know, perhaps I'd feel different if I watched again now...it's been over 15 years since I first saw it...
 
I saw "Communion" a few years back and it is a good movie and worth seeing, especially if you enjoyed the book. However, the low quality visual effects detract from it and give what is now a campy feel to it.

Supposedly Strieber's novel "The Grays" is in development. I think that could make a great "realistic" UFO film.

-todd
 
Hmmm. I might have to rent that one again, now that you mention it.

I saw it when it came out, right after reading the book. The book completely blew me away. But then when I watched the movie, it's one of those things where the vision of the director did not match my vision of Whitley's book. It was so beyond Striebers matter of fact, pragmatic writing style, that I threw the movie out as worthless.

But yes, 15 years later, perhaps it's worthy of a revisit. I remember thinking it was beyond wierd. These days, though, I like beyond wierd, and it's so far away from when I read Communion, that detachment creates an open-mindedness for a second look.

I like that one :)

Rick Deckard said:
Try Communion (1989) - I know it's got an 'ET' angle, but I watched it when it first came out and I haven't been able to watch it since. Some people say it's a 'laughably bad' film - I didn't feel that way when I watched it.

I'm not squeamish when it comes to films - I have watched and enjoyed many horror films - but the 'weirdness' of Communion managed to 'get under my skin'. I don't know, perhaps I'd feel different if I watched again now...it's been over 15 years since I first saw it...
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Tom Levine said:
But yes, 15 years later, perhaps it's worthy of a revisit. I remember thinking it was beyond wierd. These days, though, I like beyond wierd, and it's so far away from when I read Communion, that detachment creates an open-mindedness for a second look.
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I can't remember whether I read the book before the film, but I do feel it would be like confronting a phobia for me to watch Communion again now. It triggered many sleepless nights the first time I saw it, so if I could pluck up the courage to watch it again now, I might see how ridiculous it really is.

Another weird film that I have a 'mental block' on is Eraserhead (1977) - I think it's basically a 'nightmare' put on film. I was in my teens when I saw it and found it too disturbing (probably the sign of a very good film)...

I also think The Elephant Man (1980) is one of the best films ever made - but there is no way I can watch that film again either, it's just too harrowing.
 
I think Communion made the "aliens" look fake and unrealistic on purpose, as a metaphor for the surrealness of it all. Perhaps making a point of these things being between what we consider real and unreal at the same time.

As for movie recommendations, Green Mile.

I loved 2 of the 3 Ginger Snaps movies. The first two. First one isn't really a horror movie, the second one is though kinda. They're considered "intelligent horror" movies, instead of the cookie cutter kind. The use of the werewolf theme is a metaphor for what we (especially females) go through in adolescents.

I mostly watch comedies if and when I watch movies. Speaking of which, Jackass the movie number 2 had some disturbing things in it:)
 
I feel like I need to take a shower after watching "Eraserhead"..hehe...never heard of the "Ginger Snaps" movies, but I'll look them up.
I recently saw "The Green Mile" for the first time, and I was amazed..it was so good!

We watched "The Dead Girl" this week too....good movie...wasn't ready for the ending. Anyone seen it?
 
Raevenskye said:
I feel like I need to take a shower after watching "Eraserhead"..hehe...never heard of the "Ginger Snaps" movies, but I'll look them up.
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I just watched Eraserhead online - wow, it's not half as bad as I remember it being (20 years ago). I guess I've become a lot less sensitive in those 20 years...I think I'll give Communion another go...

...soon.
 
A.LeClair said:
I never seen Eraserhead but just did some reading on it.
Eraserhead - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Says it's hard to understand and there are different interpretations of the film. Sounds weird. It might be interesting to watch and then make a thread discussing everyone's interpretations of the movie.
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You can watch it for free here tv-links.co.uk - This website is for sale! - dvd videos Resources and Information.

...I can't recommend it though...

...why not watch Capricorn One instead (it's on the same page) :D
 
A.LeClair said:
Wow. Cool site if you can watch all those shows and movies for free. Wonder how they get away with it. Thanks a billion for the link.
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I think it's because they just provide the links to other sites...

...better get in quick before they shut it down...
 
Rick Deckard said:
Another weird film that I have a 'mental block' on is Eraserhead (1977) - I think it's basically a 'nightmare' put on film. I was in my teens when I saw it and found it too disturbing (probably the sign of a very good film)....
Click to expand...

OMG, another score! That movie was incredible. What a freakshow before it's time. I wracked my brain forever trying to figure what all of the symbolism meant in that flick. The final analysis: nothing. It meant absolutely nothing. It was all purely nonsensical imagery designed to make you pull meaning out of it using your own warped, twisted mind. That was my take. And yeah, that summarizes a nightmare perfectly, doesn't it?

I still have that image of that chick dancing and squishing those little brain, jelly, fetus, whateverthehell they were stuff on stage. Blech. I'm disturbed right now, twenty some odd years later, just remembering it. Excellent movie. Timeless.

Make a list, Rick, and put it up on myspace!
 
A.LeClair said:
Wow. Cool site if you can watch all those shows and movies for free. Wonder how they get away with it. Thanks a billion for the link.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Rick. That link alone is worth gold. Now I don't have to spend a couple hundred dollars on a TV tuner for my new laptop ;) Thanks buddy!

As for recommendations, how about Faces of Death, parts 1 through 6, et al. Nothing like watching real people die, to get the paranormal blood flowing. I remember finally building up the strength and bravery to turn the original one on, and satisfy my morbid curiosity with death. In the end, it wasn't actually that compelling or scary at all. I remember seeing some guy kill his wife on a local television news broadcast in Los Angeles, in the mid 90's. I felt completely violated by that, and thought it was neither newsworthy, nor tasteful. In fact, it was probably illegal. In any event, that was much scarier, more morbid, and more genuine than Faces of Death. But still, gotta put it on the list I would think.
 
Tom Levine said:
Yeah, Rick. That link alone is worth gold. Now I don't have to spend a couple hundred dollars on a TV tuner for my new laptop ;) Thanks buddy!
Click to expand...

You're welcome - your mileage may vary; I've got about a 50% success rate with the links. I think the more successful the film, the less likely that the link will work...the quality also varies from excellent to just 'watchable'...

...having just said that, I did watch Aardman Animation's latest "Flushed Away" the other day on a link from that site and the quality was excellent...

...but back to weirdness, I just finished watching Naked Lunch (1991) ...it's one of those films that I've been told about, but never got round to watching, so when I saw the link on the site, I decided to gave it a go.

It pushes all the same buttons Eraserhead does - there are some truly bizarre images in this film that are very well executed, but the meaning of the plot was lost on me; I had to go and look it up. There are quite a few, shall we say, 'unsavoury' acts depicted, which were quite unexpected and will probably offend quite a few people of the more 'straight-laced' mindset - if you're easily offended then don't watch this film.

RE: Faces of Death - just read the info IMDB - I think that film would be far too challenging for me. I'm still affected by the cow being slaughtered at the end of Apocalypse Now...was that for real? Having just read that back to myself, I see the irony of it - I can sit through 3 hours of simulated human slaughter, but when it comes to an animal, I get all squeamish. Crazy world.
 
I'm not sure I get how they've got some of it organized on there (the TV link site). 24, for example: They've got 2 sets of season 6. The first set looks horrible and hacked. The second set, is beautiful.

BTW, the site is simply a link-site...None of the content is stored on their servers. So, that's how they "get away with it". I think LeClair wondered that.

On to your point about the slaughtered cow: My thought is that if its for real, it's upsetting, even if it's not graphic. When it's simulated, I feel safe, because subconsciously, I know they're all going out for pizza after the last take. Don't know if A.Now's cow was real...Will have to watch it again, although I'm kinda burned out by all the Vietnam movies from the 70's and 80's.
 
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