The real story begins long before you know it in Desert Road, a very smart, trippy chiller that plays with the conventions of survival horror and takes them in a wholly unexpected and, ultimately, really quite moving direction. Making her directorial debut, Shannon Triplett shows a sophisticated grasp of genre dynamics, with a bold use of space — a stretch of the Mojave Desert doubling for Death Valley — that proves more and more gripping as the film’s mysteries unfold. At which point, its boundaries begin to blur, slipping between horror and sci-fi in a way that recalls a hypnotic blend of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s The Endless and Herk Harvey’s Carnival of Souls.
The woman in question is Clare Devoir (Kristine Froseth), a twentysomething photographer who is throwing in the towel after too many disappointments as a struggling artist in Los Angeles. Clare is driving home to...
The woman in question is Clare Devoir (Kristine Froseth), a twentysomething photographer who is throwing in the towel after too many disappointments as a struggling artist in Los Angeles. Clare is driving home to...
- 3/14/2024
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
Clockwise from top left: The Exorcist (Warner Bros.), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (New Line Cinema), Evil Dead Rise (New Line Cinema), It (Warner Bros.)
Graphic: AVClub
Halloween month is nigh and if you’re a horror fan, Max is a solid place for an October binge while you...
Graphic: AVClub
Halloween month is nigh and if you’re a horror fan, Max is a solid place for an October binge while you...
- 9/29/2023
- by The A.V. Club
- avclub.com
As human beings, we can’t accept death. Most of us have trouble reconciling the end of one’s existence and the afterlife. It’s a hard pill to swallow — but it’s an inevitable conclusion that comes sooner or later. In life, we love and are loved, hoping that we make some small dent in the world. In death, we hold fast to the people we once were, desperately straining to stave off such a brutal coda. With both Herk Harvey’s wonderfully-peculiar Carnival of Souls and Alejandro Amenábar’s dream-like The Others, the characters learn what it means to live and die and how dangerous holding on can be.
Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) works as a church organist but shows no interest in religion itself. She simply perceives it as just another job. “I’m not taking the vows; I’m only gonna play the organ,” she tells her new boss,...
Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) works as a church organist but shows no interest in religion itself. She simply perceives it as just another job. “I’m not taking the vows; I’m only gonna play the organ,” she tells her new boss,...
- 5/11/2023
- by Bee Delores
- bloody-disgusting.com
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movie: "Sole Survivor"
Where You Can Stream It: Shudder
The Pitch: Among the five installments (soon to be six) of the celebrated "Final Destination" franchise, one maxim sits at the core of every elaborate death contained therein, summed up by Tony Todd's Bludworth: "In death, there are no accidents, no coincidences, no mishaps, and no escapes." When someone escapes death -- say, a plane crash that kills everyone else on board -- the resident Reaper figure of the franchise explains that near-death experiences are something like bugs in a system that, in the end, always gets their man. Death as an active enforcer was a hit concept for these movies, but "Sole Survivor" was playing in the same sandbox decades ago.
The Movie: "Sole Survivor"
Where You Can Stream It: Shudder
The Pitch: Among the five installments (soon to be six) of the celebrated "Final Destination" franchise, one maxim sits at the core of every elaborate death contained therein, summed up by Tony Todd's Bludworth: "In death, there are no accidents, no coincidences, no mishaps, and no escapes." When someone escapes death -- say, a plane crash that kills everyone else on board -- the resident Reaper figure of the franchise explains that near-death experiences are something like bugs in a system that, in the end, always gets their man. Death as an active enforcer was a hit concept for these movies, but "Sole Survivor" was playing in the same sandbox decades ago.
- 2/1/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Every decade — on the "twos" for some reason — Sight and Sound releases what may very well be the definitive list of the greatest movies ever made.
The organization asks film critics and filmmakers from all over the world, people who really know their stuff, to present their own lists of the ten greatest motion pictures in history. Those lists are tabulated and spun out into a mighty Top 100, giving movie lovers a chance to learn about a lot of amazing movies and consider the impact that history and cultural shifts in our collective opinions about movies have over time.
And as usual, we learned that critics and filmmakers over the world don't seem to like horror very much.
There are a handful of scary films on the Sight and Sound poll in 2022, but most are squarely in the realm of arthouse cinema, and could also be classified as dramas or...
The organization asks film critics and filmmakers from all over the world, people who really know their stuff, to present their own lists of the ten greatest motion pictures in history. Those lists are tabulated and spun out into a mighty Top 100, giving movie lovers a chance to learn about a lot of amazing movies and consider the impact that history and cultural shifts in our collective opinions about movies have over time.
And as usual, we learned that critics and filmmakers over the world don't seem to like horror very much.
There are a handful of scary films on the Sight and Sound poll in 2022, but most are squarely in the realm of arthouse cinema, and could also be classified as dramas or...
- 12/2/2022
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Anticipating new interest in one of the most influential horror films of all time, Criterion gives George Romero’s zombie classic the boost to 4K. Pittsburghs’ most famous movie production returns American horror to its down-home roots, with excellent docu-drama direction and enthusiastic performances. It’s like a Disney film: every seven years a new generation will arrive to debate whether the besieged victims should have fought upstairs, or all retreated to the basement. It’s a 3-disc set, one 4K Uhd and two Blu-rays. Where’s the Bill ‘Chilly Billy’ Cardille theme song?
Night of the Living Dead 4K
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 909
1968 / B&w / 1:37 Academy; should be widescreen / 96 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 4, 2022 / 49.95
Starring: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman, Keith Wayne, Judith Ridley, Kyra Schon.
Cinematography: George Romero
Film Editors: George Romero, John Russo
Written by John Russo,...
Night of the Living Dead 4K
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 909
1968 / B&w / 1:37 Academy; should be widescreen / 96 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 4, 2022 / 49.95
Starring: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman, Keith Wayne, Judith Ridley, Kyra Schon.
Cinematography: George Romero
Film Editors: George Romero, John Russo
Written by John Russo,...
- 10/15/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Photo: ‘Carnival of Souls’ ‘Carnival of Souls’: No Money? No Problem! The film we’re talking about today is remarkable for a few reasons, not the least of these being the fact that it was directed by someone who wasn’t really a director and produced by a film studio that wasn’t really a film studio. ‘Carnival of Souls’, released in 1962, is the only feature film directed by Herk Harvey, who would work somewhat prolifically on short films (mostly educational) in the 1950s — shorts with such captivating titles as ‘Manners in School’ and ‘Your Junior High Days.’ Harcourt Productions, the studio Harvey worked with, produced educational shorts and seemingly nothing else; it was one of those small-time studios that, if not for ‘Carnival of Souls’, would be completely forgotten today. Somehow, though, these people managed to produce a horror movie, on a budget of roughly 30,000 in 1962 money, and...
- 8/12/2022
- by Brian Collins
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
In horror films, cheap thrills are just as good as expensive ones. You don’t need a huge budget to scare your audience senseless. Take the new British chiller Host, described by Dread Central as “the scariest film of the past decade” – it all takes place on a laptop screen, and features a handful of actors and just a sprinkling of effects, but manages to be incredibly effective and unsettling. Here’s a selection of some of the best low budget horrors that have revolutionised the genre with their cost-cutting approach to fright, using resourcefulness, new technology and canny marketing to work around budgetary restrictions.
Night of the Living Dead (1969)
George A.Romero’s zombie shocker, featuring a group of people under siege from the undead in a farmhouse, cost a little over $100k and made over $18million at the box office. Superbly scripted and beautifully photographed, Romero garnered terrific...
Night of the Living Dead (1969)
George A.Romero’s zombie shocker, featuring a group of people under siege from the undead in a farmhouse, cost a little over $100k and made over $18million at the box office. Superbly scripted and beautifully photographed, Romero garnered terrific...
- 12/2/2020
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
By Todd Garbarini
In the history of cinema, it is a known fact that the producers and director of a film all have their own opinions about what a finished film should be titled. Movies generally use a working title which rarely ends up being used upon release. Even the film’s own writer invariably believes that it is his/her title that should be used with consideration given to no one else. One can only wonder how Steven Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) would have fared at the box office had it been marketed under its original title, A Boy’s Life. Ridley Scott’s initially panned and now revered science fiction masterpiece Blade Runner (1982), its title taken from a 1979 novella by William S. Burroughs, would have found difficulty being displayed on movie marquees had it gone by the jaw-breaking title of...
By Todd Garbarini
In the history of cinema, it is a known fact that the producers and director of a film all have their own opinions about what a finished film should be titled. Movies generally use a working title which rarely ends up being used upon release. Even the film’s own writer invariably believes that it is his/her title that should be used with consideration given to no one else. One can only wonder how Steven Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) would have fared at the box office had it been marketed under its original title, A Boy’s Life. Ridley Scott’s initially panned and now revered science fiction masterpiece Blade Runner (1982), its title taken from a 1979 novella by William S. Burroughs, would have found difficulty being displayed on movie marquees had it gone by the jaw-breaking title of...
- 9/30/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Kelly Copper and Pavol Liska's The Children of the Dead is showing February 20 - March 20, 2020 on Mubi in the series Direct from the Berlinale.Above: Behind the scenes of The Children of the Dead. Photo by Ditz FejerIn 2016 we were invited by the Austrian art and performance festival, steirischer herbst, to make a project in the Styrian countryside. We knew we wanted to ground ourselves to a particular place—to go deep, to make something which would be rooted in landscape and land, time and tide. We were drawn to the heimatfilme and bergfilme genres, that naively celebrate landscape and rural life (in reaction to the horrors of WWII) and we were looking for a Austrian text to build this work upon... when someone suggested we should read Elfriede Jelinek’s Die Kinder der Toten, a 666-page epic entirely rooted in the Styrian landscape, a book in which the...
- 2/12/2020
- MUBI
Il fauno, written and directed by Febo Mari, represents state-of-the-art filmmaking for 1917, which is to say the tableaux long-shots are broken up by closer views that jump in to enlarge persons of interest, but there are no reverse angles. However, the cinematography is extraordinary, with atmospheric single-source lighting bringing out the contours and contributing hugely to the movie's sensual effect.At the start, Mari himself steps out from behind a curtain to introduce his film in the best Universal horror manner, then he becomes the titular mythic man-beast, a statue brought to life who seduces his sculptor's mistress and runs away with her to the country.You can't make a convincing faun with 1917 special effects, according to conventional wisdom (if you can get conventional wisdom to consider such a question). The whole reason Ray Harryhausen gave his cyclops goat legs in The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, as I see it,...
- 5/9/2019
- MUBI
Joshua Winning Dec 3, 2018
Dancing Mormon ghosts, dodgy distributors and a barely-there budget couldn't stop Herk Harvey from crafting a creepy modern classic
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
“Anybody that produces a film runs into problems when they come to distribution,” said director Herk Harvey told Timothy De Paepe in 1983, somewhat understating the reality of the trials he endured while making his 1962 directorial debut, Carnival Of Souls. Not just distribution, but budget, filming permissions and location difficulties all contributed to his film's unconventional birth. Perhaps the strangest thing about it, though, is that despite a legendarily problematic production, Harvey succeeded in crafting a horror film with such enduring and haunting power, it inspired the likes of George A. Romero, David Lynch, and M. Night Shyamalan, and continues to earn new fans today.
It all began in 1961. While driving back from Los Angeles to his home in Lawrence, Kansas,...
Dancing Mormon ghosts, dodgy distributors and a barely-there budget couldn't stop Herk Harvey from crafting a creepy modern classic
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
“Anybody that produces a film runs into problems when they come to distribution,” said director Herk Harvey told Timothy De Paepe in 1983, somewhat understating the reality of the trials he endured while making his 1962 directorial debut, Carnival Of Souls. Not just distribution, but budget, filming permissions and location difficulties all contributed to his film's unconventional birth. Perhaps the strangest thing about it, though, is that despite a legendarily problematic production, Harvey succeeded in crafting a horror film with such enduring and haunting power, it inspired the likes of George A. Romero, David Lynch, and M. Night Shyamalan, and continues to earn new fans today.
It all began in 1961. While driving back from Los Angeles to his home in Lawrence, Kansas,...
- 12/3/2018
- Den of Geek
Chris Cummins Nov 16, 2017
A timely episode of Riverdale mixes the serious with the supremely goofy. Spoilers ahead in our review...
This review contains spoilers.
See related The Punisher episode 2 review & nerdy spots: Two Dead Men The Punisher episode 1 review & nerdy spots: 3Am The Punisher spoiler-free review
2.6 Death Proof
Tonight's episode began with another obvious yet still true observation from Jughead - that we often wear masks that cover who we really are. Although this episode was written and filmed before the Harvey Weinstein/Louis Ck/et al stories broke, its impossible to view it outside of the context of that news cycle and how it gave rise to the #metoo movement. There's a lot going on in this week's episode but the most important element here is far and away the Cheryl/Nick/Veronica storyline. Last week we saw Nick St. Clair go transform from New York City-based textbook case...
A timely episode of Riverdale mixes the serious with the supremely goofy. Spoilers ahead in our review...
This review contains spoilers.
See related The Punisher episode 2 review & nerdy spots: Two Dead Men The Punisher episode 1 review & nerdy spots: 3Am The Punisher spoiler-free review
2.6 Death Proof
Tonight's episode began with another obvious yet still true observation from Jughead - that we often wear masks that cover who we really are. Although this episode was written and filmed before the Harvey Weinstein/Louis Ck/et al stories broke, its impossible to view it outside of the context of that news cycle and how it gave rise to the #metoo movement. There's a lot going on in this week's episode but the most important element here is far and away the Cheryl/Nick/Veronica storyline. Last week we saw Nick St. Clair go transform from New York City-based textbook case...
- 11/16/2017
- Den of Geek
Your ultimate Halloween horror movie binge is here. Edgar Wright has joined forces with Mubi to list his 100 favorite horror movies, and the collection is full of classics and surprising choices that range from 1922 to 2016. The director, who himself has given the genre a classic title thanks to “Shaun of the Dead,” names recent horror hits like “Raw,” “The Witch,” and “Train to Busan,” as well as classics from horror masters James Whale and Mario Bava.
Read More:Edgar Wright’s 40 Favorite Movies Ever Made (Right Now): ‘Boogie Nights,’ ‘Suspiria’ and More
Wright wrote an introduction to his list, in which he makes it clear this is simply a list of 100 favorite titles and not his definitive list of the best horror films ever. You can read Wright’s statement below:
Here, for Halloween, is a chronological list of my favorite horror movies. It’s not in any way...
Read More:Edgar Wright’s 40 Favorite Movies Ever Made (Right Now): ‘Boogie Nights,’ ‘Suspiria’ and More
Wright wrote an introduction to his list, in which he makes it clear this is simply a list of 100 favorite titles and not his definitive list of the best horror films ever. You can read Wright’s statement below:
Here, for Halloween, is a chronological list of my favorite horror movies. It’s not in any way...
- 10/26/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
[To get you into the spooky spirit, the Daily Dead team is spotlighting double features that we think would be fun to watch this Halloween season. Keep an eye on Daily Dead for more double feature recommendations, and check here for our previous Halloween 2017 coverage.]
It’s always been my dream to own a movie theater and program just my favorite genre fare. Of course, showing nothing but the oeuvre of William Girdler would leave me destitute within a month (okay, a week), so naturally I’d have to expand my programming. I’ve always found that double features are a great tool (and if anyone knows what it’s like to be a great tool, it’s me) for finding the connective tissue between films that may appear to be dissimilar upon a quick pass, or to highlight and illuminate similarities that create an entirely new experience.
First up in my double feature entitled "Why Am I Always The Last To Know?" is Herk Harvey’s Carnival of Souls (1962), a Twilight Zone-ish tale of a young woman who finds herself in a state of disconnect following a car accident, constantly followed by ghoulish visions at every turn.
It’s always been my dream to own a movie theater and program just my favorite genre fare. Of course, showing nothing but the oeuvre of William Girdler would leave me destitute within a month (okay, a week), so naturally I’d have to expand my programming. I’ve always found that double features are a great tool (and if anyone knows what it’s like to be a great tool, it’s me) for finding the connective tissue between films that may appear to be dissimilar upon a quick pass, or to highlight and illuminate similarities that create an entirely new experience.
First up in my double feature entitled "Why Am I Always The Last To Know?" is Herk Harvey’s Carnival of Souls (1962), a Twilight Zone-ish tale of a young woman who finds herself in a state of disconnect following a car accident, constantly followed by ghoulish visions at every turn.
- 10/25/2017
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
Nick Aldwinckle Oct 30, 2017
This month's round up of genre DVDs and Blu-rays features Ray Harryhausen, Willard, rats on the rampage and more...
The underappreciated ‘nature gone wild’ porn horror movie subgenre has a somewhat patchy history, with a viewer’s search more likely to end up in some SyFy channel Megapterranoshark Versus Crocosaur cul-de-sac than something of the calibre of a Jaws or Arachnophobia. Sharks, spiders and gators are all well served, though (alongside the glaring lack of a movie adaptation of Guy N. Smith’s glorious Night Of The Crabs books) rodents have had something of a raw deal.
See related 26 new TV shows to watch in 2017
Fear not, though, faithful readers: we’re not going to drift off into Stuart Little territory just yet (that’ll be next month’s Stuart Little IV: The Rattening), as this month brings with it not one but two seventies rat-themed monster movie classics (well,...
This month's round up of genre DVDs and Blu-rays features Ray Harryhausen, Willard, rats on the rampage and more...
The underappreciated ‘nature gone wild’ porn horror movie subgenre has a somewhat patchy history, with a viewer’s search more likely to end up in some SyFy channel Megapterranoshark Versus Crocosaur cul-de-sac than something of the calibre of a Jaws or Arachnophobia. Sharks, spiders and gators are all well served, though (alongside the glaring lack of a movie adaptation of Guy N. Smith’s glorious Night Of The Crabs books) rodents have had something of a raw deal.
See related 26 new TV shows to watch in 2017
Fear not, though, faithful readers: we’re not going to drift off into Stuart Little territory just yet (that’ll be next month’s Stuart Little IV: The Rattening), as this month brings with it not one but two seventies rat-themed monster movie classics (well,...
- 10/24/2017
- Den of Geek
Streaming might represent the future of film, but that future doesn’t have to come at the expense of its past. Netflix, however, doesn’t seem to care. A platform so monolithic that it’s become synonymous with streaming itself, Netflix may offer a seemingly bottomless library of content, but their “classic movies” section contains a whopping 42 titles, and one of them is “The Parent Trap.” No disrespect to “The Parent Trap” — a movie so good that it was rendered obsolete by a remake starring Lindsay Lohan — but it’s not exactly “Citizen Kane.” Hell, it’s not even “Citizen Ruth.” It feels like these films were left here by accident, like someone came by to clear out space for a new season of “Fuller House” and this random selection of stuff is just what fell through the cracks.
Physical media and repertory screenings are still the best options for cinephiles,...
Physical media and repertory screenings are still the best options for cinephiles,...
- 10/11/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
“It’s funny… the world is so different in the daylight. In the dark, your fantasies get so out of hand. But in the daylight everything falls back into place again.”
Carnival Of Souls (1962) screens Thursday October 5th at 7:00pm at Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Avenue Maplewood, Mo 63143).
It’s often the case with horror films that the best ones are those that rely on the power of suggestion rather than gallons of fake blood and impersonal computer-generated special effects – think of the work of Val Lewton, for example, which showed a rare intelligence for a much-maligned genre.
Herk Harvey’s Carnival Of Souls (1962) was shot on a budget with no big-name stars, and yet succeeds in unsettling the viewer to a degree that goes far beyond many of its mega-budget rivals. A young woman, Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss), survives a plunge off a bridge in her friend’s car and,...
Carnival Of Souls (1962) screens Thursday October 5th at 7:00pm at Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Avenue Maplewood, Mo 63143).
It’s often the case with horror films that the best ones are those that rely on the power of suggestion rather than gallons of fake blood and impersonal computer-generated special effects – think of the work of Val Lewton, for example, which showed a rare intelligence for a much-maligned genre.
Herk Harvey’s Carnival Of Souls (1962) was shot on a budget with no big-name stars, and yet succeeds in unsettling the viewer to a degree that goes far beyond many of its mega-budget rivals. A young woman, Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss), survives a plunge off a bridge in her friend’s car and,...
- 9/29/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
By Kieran Fisher
In 1962, Herk Harvey unleashed a masterpiece that's informed horror cinema ever since.
The article The Enduring Influence of ‘Carnival of Souls’ appeared first on Film School Rejects.
In 1962, Herk Harvey unleashed a masterpiece that's informed horror cinema ever since.
The article The Enduring Influence of ‘Carnival of Souls’ appeared first on Film School Rejects.
- 9/26/2017
- by Kieran Fisher
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Of all the legendary early horror films Carl Theodor Dreyer’s vampire nightmare was once the most difficult to appreciate — until Criterion’s restoration of a mostly intact, un-mutilated full cut. Dreyer creates his fantasy according to his own rules — this pallid, claustrophobic horror is closer to Ordet than it is Dracula or Nosferatu.
Vampyr
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 437
1932 / Color / 1:19 Movietone Ap. / 73 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 3, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Julian West (Baron Nicolas De Gunzberg), Maurice Schutz, Rena Mandel, Sybille Schmitz, Jan Hieronimko, Henriette Gérard.
Cinematography: Rudolph Maté
Art Direction: Hermann Warm
Film Editor: Tonka Taldy
Original Music: Wolfgang Zeller
Written by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Christen Jul from In a Glass Darkly by Sheridan Le Fanu
Produced by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Julian West
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer
Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Vampyr is a tough row to hoe for horror fans, many of whom just...
Vampyr
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 437
1932 / Color / 1:19 Movietone Ap. / 73 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 3, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Julian West (Baron Nicolas De Gunzberg), Maurice Schutz, Rena Mandel, Sybille Schmitz, Jan Hieronimko, Henriette Gérard.
Cinematography: Rudolph Maté
Art Direction: Hermann Warm
Film Editor: Tonka Taldy
Original Music: Wolfgang Zeller
Written by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Christen Jul from In a Glass Darkly by Sheridan Le Fanu
Produced by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Julian West
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer
Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Vampyr is a tough row to hoe for horror fans, many of whom just...
- 9/19/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)
This week’s question: In honor of David Lowery’s “A Ghost Story,” what is the best movie about the afterlife?
Kate Erbland (@katerbland), IndieWire
It will come as no surprise to anyone that, as a child, I watched a lot of television. A lot. I was mostly obsessed with HBO — our single movie channel, number 2 on the dial; yes, my childhood TV had a dial, don’t ask — with intermittent deviations into mostly inappropriate mini-series (thus explaining my rarely disclosed expertise on “The Thornbirds”), and was pretty much given free range to watch whatever the hell I wanted, whenever I wanted. This is why my favorite...
This week’s question: In honor of David Lowery’s “A Ghost Story,” what is the best movie about the afterlife?
Kate Erbland (@katerbland), IndieWire
It will come as no surprise to anyone that, as a child, I watched a lot of television. A lot. I was mostly obsessed with HBO — our single movie channel, number 2 on the dial; yes, my childhood TV had a dial, don’t ask — with intermittent deviations into mostly inappropriate mini-series (thus explaining my rarely disclosed expertise on “The Thornbirds”), and was pretty much given free range to watch whatever the hell I wanted, whenever I wanted. This is why my favorite...
- 7/10/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Dislocation is something that everyone has experienced in their life, or at least can relate to; be it from friends, family, or co-workers. Sometimes we feel alone, or conversely wish that we were left that way. No horror film captures a sustained sense of isolation and dread better than Carnival of Souls (1962), Herk Harvey’s only narrative film and a low budget miracle.
Released by Herts-Lion International Corporation stateside in September as part of a double feature with The Devil’s Messenger (1961), Carnival of Souls was lucky to have any distribution at all on a budget of $30,000 (!) and it came and went with nary a notice. Until 1989, that is; a critical reappraisal was in order and the film was rereleased for a new generation to discover it through home video, where it rightly holds a place as one of the finest and influential horror films of the ‘60s. Not a...
Released by Herts-Lion International Corporation stateside in September as part of a double feature with The Devil’s Messenger (1961), Carnival of Souls was lucky to have any distribution at all on a budget of $30,000 (!) and it came and went with nary a notice. Until 1989, that is; a critical reappraisal was in order and the film was rereleased for a new generation to discover it through home video, where it rightly holds a place as one of the finest and influential horror films of the ‘60s. Not a...
- 5/6/2017
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
“Here is the screen’s most shocking exposé, of the ‘Baby-Facers’ just taking their first stumbling steps down Sin Street U.S.A.!” Robert Altman’s first feature film is far too good to be described as any but an expert step toward an impressive career. But he had to deal with a young actor who drove him up the wall, Tom Laughlin.
The Delinquents
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1957 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 72 min. / Street Date March 21, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring: Tom Laughlin, Peter Miller, Richard Bakalyan, Rosemary Howard, Helen Hawley, Leonard Belove, Lotus Corelli, James Lantz, Christine Altman, George Mason Kuhn, Pat Stedman, Norman Zands, James Leria, Julia Lee, Lou Lombardo.
Cinematography: Charles Paddock
Film Editor: Helene Turner
Second Unit Director: Reza Badiyi
Produced, Written and Directed by Robert Altman
The hoods of tomorrow! The gun molls of the future!
Ah, the glorious Juvenile Delinquency film, or J.D. Epic,...
The Delinquents
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1957 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 72 min. / Street Date March 21, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring: Tom Laughlin, Peter Miller, Richard Bakalyan, Rosemary Howard, Helen Hawley, Leonard Belove, Lotus Corelli, James Lantz, Christine Altman, George Mason Kuhn, Pat Stedman, Norman Zands, James Leria, Julia Lee, Lou Lombardo.
Cinematography: Charles Paddock
Film Editor: Helene Turner
Second Unit Director: Reza Badiyi
Produced, Written and Directed by Robert Altman
The hoods of tomorrow! The gun molls of the future!
Ah, the glorious Juvenile Delinquency film, or J.D. Epic,...
- 4/18/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Here are a bunch of little bites to satisfy your hunger for movie culture: Movie Franchise History Lesson of the Day: Watch Harry Potter superfan Ezra Miller, who stars in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, recaps a bit from the franchise that might be significance for the upcoming spinoff/prequel (via /Film): Music Video of the Day: Darth Blender used footage from X-Men movies, including Logan, to make a music video for Wolverine covering "Hurt": Actor in the Spotlight: Ranker's latest actor-focused supercut shows us that Sylvester Stallone is always hanging from things: Filmmaker in Focus: The art of Herk Harvey is celebrated in this video on Carnival of...
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- 11/4/2016
- by Christopher Campbell
- Movies.com
Mark, Aaron and Eric Ford begin a month of horror with the micro-budget cult classic, Carnival of Souls. We talk about what makes this such an enduring classic that has held up over time, the bizarre story about how it was made, its influences and what it has influenced, and what type of artistic aims the filmmakers tried to reach.
About the film:
A young woman in a small Kansas town survives a drag race accident, then agrees to take a job as a church organist in Salt Lake City. En route, she is haunted by a bizarre apparition that compels her toward an abandoned lakeside pavilion. Made by industrial filmmakers on a small budget, the eerily effective B-movie classic Carnival of Souls was intended to have “the look of a Bergman and the feel of a Cocteau”—and, with its strikingly used locations and spooky organ score, it succeeds.
About the film:
A young woman in a small Kansas town survives a drag race accident, then agrees to take a job as a church organist in Salt Lake City. En route, she is haunted by a bizarre apparition that compels her toward an abandoned lakeside pavilion. Made by industrial filmmakers on a small budget, the eerily effective B-movie classic Carnival of Souls was intended to have “the look of a Bergman and the feel of a Cocteau”—and, with its strikingly used locations and spooky organ score, it succeeds.
- 10/13/2016
- by Aaron West
- CriterionCast
Sometimes, one definitive masterpiece is all that a true artist needs. In the world of punk rock, The Sex Pistols never really recorded a proper follow up to 1977’s Never Mind The Bollocks, so that LP stands alone in their discography. And industrial filmmaker Herk Harvey has but one narrative feature movie to his credit: 1962’s Carnival Of Souls. So it is with actor Ron Livingston and YouTube viral videos. The actor, probably still best known as slacker Peter Gibbons in Mike Judge’s Office Space, has a YouTube channel of his own, brilliantly called Livingstown. Said channel boasts exactly one upload: a 27-second-long clip from 2010 entitled “Keyboard Cat Redux.”
Donning cat ears and a shapeless blue shirt, all while nimbly manipulating fuzzy little puppet arms through the puffy sleeves of the garment, the Band Of Brothers star pretends to play a brief but jaunty keyboard solo ...
Donning cat ears and a shapeless blue shirt, all while nimbly manipulating fuzzy little puppet arms through the puffy sleeves of the garment, the Band Of Brothers star pretends to play a brief but jaunty keyboard solo ...
- 8/19/2016
- by Joe Blevins
- avclub.com
Right on the heels of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 reunion held in Minneapolis last month, the RiffTrax gang is back with two new shows. First, Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett will be taking on 1961’s kaiju klassic Mothra in a previously-announced live event on August 18. And then, just in time for Halloween, the RiffTrax team will be revisiting Herk Harvey’s Carnival Of Souls, a low-budget schlocker from 1962 that influenced the films of George Romero and David Lynch. The RiffTrax event will mark the first time the full-color restored version of Carnival Of Souls will be shown on the big screen.
The A.V. Club chatted exclusively with Nelson and Murphy about the upcoming shows, delving into the droll organ music of Carnival Of Souls as well as their favorite kaiju.
The A.V. Club: You’ve done popular and critically acclaimed films for ...
The A.V. Club chatted exclusively with Nelson and Murphy about the upcoming shows, delving into the droll organ music of Carnival Of Souls as well as their favorite kaiju.
The A.V. Club: You’ve done popular and critically acclaimed films for ...
- 8/16/2016
- by Mike Vanderbilt
- avclub.com
In this episode of CriterionCast Chronicles, Ryan is joined by David Blakeslee, Arik Devens and Scott Nye to discuss the Criterion Collection releases for July 2016.
Subscribe in iTunes or RSS.
Episode Links Links to Amazon Amazon.com: A Touch of Zen Amazon.com: Carnival of Souls Amazon.com: Muriel, or The Time of Return Amazon.com: Night and Fog Amazon.com: The In-Laws Amazon.com: The New World The In-Laws The In-Laws (1979) “Serpentine! Serpentine!” The Impeccable Madness of The In-Laws Carnival of Souls Carnival of Souls (1962) Carnival of Souls on iTunes Watch Carnival of Souls | Hulu Herk Harvey on Carnival of Souls Carnival of Souls: “Thinkin’ Like That, Don’t It Give You Nightmares?” Carnival of Souls Introduction to Carnival of Souls A Touch of Zen A Touch of Zen (1971) A Touch of Zen on iTunes Notes on A Touch of Zen A Touch of Zen: Prowling, Scheming, Flying...
Subscribe in iTunes or RSS.
Episode Links Links to Amazon Amazon.com: A Touch of Zen Amazon.com: Carnival of Souls Amazon.com: Muriel, or The Time of Return Amazon.com: Night and Fog Amazon.com: The In-Laws Amazon.com: The New World The In-Laws The In-Laws (1979) “Serpentine! Serpentine!” The Impeccable Madness of The In-Laws Carnival of Souls Carnival of Souls (1962) Carnival of Souls on iTunes Watch Carnival of Souls | Hulu Herk Harvey on Carnival of Souls Carnival of Souls: “Thinkin’ Like That, Don’t It Give You Nightmares?” Carnival of Souls Introduction to Carnival of Souls A Touch of Zen A Touch of Zen (1971) A Touch of Zen on iTunes Notes on A Touch of Zen A Touch of Zen: Prowling, Scheming, Flying...
- 8/11/2016
- by Ryan Gallagher
- CriterionCast
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit the interwebs. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Belladonna of Sadness (Eiichi Yamamoto)
It all begins with Once Upon a Time. Such a simple introduction for Belladonna of Sadness, a 1973 Japanese animated feature whose newfound legacy includes a decades-long disappearance, a dramatic re-emergence, and a growing reputation as a frenzied, pornographic freakout. The final entry in anime elder statesman Osamu Tezuka‘s erotic Animerama trilogy has remained largely unknown to even the most die-hard cult cinephiles,...
Belladonna of Sadness (Eiichi Yamamoto)
It all begins with Once Upon a Time. Such a simple introduction for Belladonna of Sadness, a 1973 Japanese animated feature whose newfound legacy includes a decades-long disappearance, a dramatic re-emergence, and a growing reputation as a frenzied, pornographic freakout. The final entry in anime elder statesman Osamu Tezuka‘s erotic Animerama trilogy has remained largely unknown to even the most die-hard cult cinephiles,...
- 7/15/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
By Raymond Benson
“We’Re Not In Kansas Anymore”
By Raymond Benson
The Criterion Collection released Herk Harvey’s 1962 cult film classic, Carnival of Souls, sixteen years ago as a two-disk DVD set, but that edition has long been out of print. Now, a new Blu-ray restoration is available from the company, and it is worth upgrading even if you happen to own the original. Note that Carnival of Souls is a public domain film, so it is available on DVD from many inferior manufacturers in bad-to-okay quality versions, but the Criterion’s releases are the ones to grab.
Carnival is indeed an oddity. Harvey worked at Centron Corporation, a maker of educational and industrial short films based in Lawrence, Kansas. It was much like Calvin Films in Kansas City, where Robert Altman cut his teeth making shorts in the 1950s. Needless to say, Lawrence, Kansas is not Hollywood, and...
“We’Re Not In Kansas Anymore”
By Raymond Benson
The Criterion Collection released Herk Harvey’s 1962 cult film classic, Carnival of Souls, sixteen years ago as a two-disk DVD set, but that edition has long been out of print. Now, a new Blu-ray restoration is available from the company, and it is worth upgrading even if you happen to own the original. Note that Carnival of Souls is a public domain film, so it is available on DVD from many inferior manufacturers in bad-to-okay quality versions, but the Criterion’s releases are the ones to grab.
Carnival is indeed an oddity. Harvey worked at Centron Corporation, a maker of educational and industrial short films based in Lawrence, Kansas. It was much like Calvin Films in Kansas City, where Robert Altman cut his teeth making shorts in the 1950s. Needless to say, Lawrence, Kansas is not Hollywood, and...
- 7/14/2016
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Herk Harvey's Carnival of Souls is a weird little movie. Made in 1962 for about $30,000, Carnival of Souls is one of the creepiest films of the early '60s, and not entirely on purpose. The film was shot by Harvey and produced by the team at the Centron Corporation, a company based in Lawrence, Kansas that focused on industrial and educational films. The story was that Harvey had driven past the abandoned Saltair Resort outside of Salt Lake City, Utah was was creeped out enough to realize that it would be a great setting for a horror film. He and co-worker John Clifford started writing and not too long ofter, they had a script that would become one of the great unheralded cult classic films...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/13/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Every week we dive into the cream of the crop when it comes to home releases, including Blu-ray and DVDs, as well as recommended deals of the week. Check out our rundown below and return every Tuesday for the best (or most interesting) films one can take home. Note that if you’re looking to support the site, every purchase you make through the links below helps us and is greatly appreciated.
Belladonna of Sadness (Eiichi Yamamoto)
It all begins with Once Upon a Time. Such a simple introduction for Belladonna of Sadness, a 1973 Japanese animated feature whose newfound legacy includes a decades-long disappearance, a dramatic re-emergence, and a growing reputation as a frenzied, pornographic freakout. The final entry in anime elder statesman Osamu Tezuka‘s erotic Animerama trilogy has remained largely unknown to even the most die-hard cult cinephiles, a fate determined after its commercial failure bankrupted Tezuka’s production company,...
Belladonna of Sadness (Eiichi Yamamoto)
It all begins with Once Upon a Time. Such a simple introduction for Belladonna of Sadness, a 1973 Japanese animated feature whose newfound legacy includes a decades-long disappearance, a dramatic re-emergence, and a growing reputation as a frenzied, pornographic freakout. The final entry in anime elder statesman Osamu Tezuka‘s erotic Animerama trilogy has remained largely unknown to even the most die-hard cult cinephiles, a fate determined after its commercial failure bankrupted Tezuka’s production company,...
- 7/12/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Cinema Art from Lawrence, Kansas? Industrial filmmaker Herk Harvey comes through with a classic horror gem for the ages. A haunted church organist begins to suspect that her hallucinations are more than just nerves. And who is that ghoulish man who keeps appearing in reflections, or popping up out of nowhere? Carnival of Souls Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 63 1962 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 78 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date July 12, 2016 / 39.95 Starring Candace Hilligoss, Frances Feist, Sidney Berger, Art Ellison, Stan Levitt, Herk Harvey. Cinematography Maurice Prather Film Editor Dan Palmquist, Bill de Jarnette Original Music Gene Moore Assistant Director Raza (Reza) Badiyi Written by John Clifford Produced and Directed by Herk Harvey
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Herk Harvey's marvelous Carnival of Souls is an anomaly in screen horror, a regional effort that transcends its production limitations to deliver a tingling encounter with the uncanny. Harvey was a prolific producer of industrial films,...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Herk Harvey's marvelous Carnival of Souls is an anomaly in screen horror, a regional effort that transcends its production limitations to deliver a tingling encounter with the uncanny. Harvey was a prolific producer of industrial films,...
- 7/8/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Guest writer Bill Shaffer takes us back to Lawrence Kansas in 1989, for a cast and crew re-premiere of Carnival of Souls. By Bill Shaffer Note from Glenn Erickson: I think I first crossed emails with Bill Shaffer around 1998, when I was still the editor for MGM Home Video and just beginning to write MGM Video Savant. Bill sent along info that helped me convince the MGM restorers to include a flashback at the end of Duck You Sucker. Although I didn't find out until much later, Bill was a producer at the PBS station Ktwu in Topeka, Kansas, and had actually interviewed Eli Wallach once about The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Bill became a major source for info and connections when it came time to do the extras for the MGM releases of the Sergio Leone movie; all just to help out. I think the fact that...
- 7/8/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
A film that’s as influential as it is frightening, Herk Harvey’s Carnival of Souls (1962) is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on July 12th from Criterion. Poor Mary Henry and the ghouls who haunt her will appear more clearly than ever before, as the Blu-ray features a new 4K restoration as well as a lengthy list of extras that should please fans of the horror classic:
From Criterion: “A young woman in a small Kansas town survives a drag race accident, then agrees to take a job as a church organist in Salt Lake City. En route, she becomes haunted by a bizarre apparition that compels her toward an abandoned lakeside pavilion. Made by industrial filmmakers on a modest budget, the eerily effective B-movie classic Carnival of Souls was intended to have “the look of a Bergman and the feel of a Cocteau”—and, with its strikingly used locations and spooky organ score,...
From Criterion: “A young woman in a small Kansas town survives a drag race accident, then agrees to take a job as a church organist in Salt Lake City. En route, she becomes haunted by a bizarre apparition that compels her toward an abandoned lakeside pavilion. Made by industrial filmmakers on a modest budget, the eerily effective B-movie classic Carnival of Souls was intended to have “the look of a Bergman and the feel of a Cocteau”—and, with its strikingly used locations and spooky organ score,...
- 4/28/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
How would you program this year's newest, most interesting films into double features with movies of the past you saw in 2015?Looking back over the year at what films moved and impressed us, it is clear that watching old films is a crucial part of making new films meaningful. Thus, the annual tradition of our end of year poll, which calls upon our writers to pick both a new and an old film: they were challenged to choose a new film they saw in 2015—in theatres or at a festival—and creatively pair it with an old film they also saw in 2015 to create a unique double feature.All the contributors were given the option to write some text explaining their 2015 fantasy double feature. What's more, each writer was given the option to list more pairings, with or without explanation, as further imaginative film programming we'd be lucky to catch...
- 1/4/2016
- by Notebook
- MUBI
Special Mention: The Last Wave
Directed by Peter Weir
Written by Tony Morphett and Peter Weir
Australia, 1977
Genre: Psychological Thriller
The tagline reads, “The Occult Forces. The Ritual Murder. The Sinister Storms. The Prophetic Dreams. The Last Wave.”
Peter Weir follows up on his critically acclaimed masterpiece Picnic at Hanging Rock with this visually striking and totally engrossing surrealist psychological thriller. Much like Picnic, The Last Wave is built around a mystery that may have a supernatural explanation. And like many Peter Weir movies, The Last Wave explores the conflict between two radically different cultures- in this case, that of Aboriginal Australians and the white Europeans.
It is about a white lawyer, David Burton (Richard Chamberlain), whose seemingly normal life is rattled after he takes on a pro bono legal aid case to defend a group of Aborigines from a murder charge in Sydney. The mystery within the mystery surrounding...
Directed by Peter Weir
Written by Tony Morphett and Peter Weir
Australia, 1977
Genre: Psychological Thriller
The tagline reads, “The Occult Forces. The Ritual Murder. The Sinister Storms. The Prophetic Dreams. The Last Wave.”
Peter Weir follows up on his critically acclaimed masterpiece Picnic at Hanging Rock with this visually striking and totally engrossing surrealist psychological thriller. Much like Picnic, The Last Wave is built around a mystery that may have a supernatural explanation. And like many Peter Weir movies, The Last Wave explores the conflict between two radically different cultures- in this case, that of Aboriginal Australians and the white Europeans.
It is about a white lawyer, David Burton (Richard Chamberlain), whose seemingly normal life is rattled after he takes on a pro bono legal aid case to defend a group of Aborigines from a murder charge in Sydney. The mystery within the mystery surrounding...
- 10/27/2015
- by Ricky Fernandes
- SoundOnSight
Are zombies really that memorable? When you think about it, today’s undead munchers are not exactly an interesting crowd since all they do between meals is wander around in a trance. The pre Romero vegetarians are even worse, as they spend most of their time under the thumb of a zombie master, although on the odd occasion they do rebel against their tyrannical leader.
Zombie movies are a dime a dozen these days, and apart from a few moderately successful variations, they haven’t progressed beyond the flesh-eating antics of Night of the Living Dead (1968). But on the odd occasion a couple of zombies stand out from the faceless crowd of walking corpses, and what some these ghouls lack in personality, they make up for in other ways.
So here’s a list of ten memorable zombies that stood out for me, as an avid horror movie fan.
The...
Zombie movies are a dime a dozen these days, and apart from a few moderately successful variations, they haven’t progressed beyond the flesh-eating antics of Night of the Living Dead (1968). But on the odd occasion a couple of zombies stand out from the faceless crowd of walking corpses, and what some these ghouls lack in personality, they make up for in other ways.
So here’s a list of ten memorable zombies that stood out for me, as an avid horror movie fan.
The...
- 3/15/2015
- Shadowlocked
There’s something a little funny about them that you can’t quite put your finger on — because you physically can’t put a finger on them. They’re always cold to the touch. They can’t seem to keep their appointments and keep forgetting where they have to be most of the time, because they wind up back at home anyway. They wear the same outfit almost every day, which is weird, but hey, who’s judging? And, oh my god, they’ve been dead the whole time. For many a horror character, and for some in dramas in between, the reveal that they’ve actually been dead the entire movie is a frightening prospect. There were plans! Lives to be lived! But nope, it’s eternity chained to whatever sweater you were wearing when it went down and constantly chatting with Haley Joel Osment instead. It’s a boundless trope with excellent examples, and...
- 11/7/2014
- by Samantha Wilson
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Top 100 horror movies of all time: Chicago Film Critics' choices (photo: Sigourney Weaver and Alien creature show us that life is less horrific if you don't hold grudges) See previous post: A look at the Chicago Film Critics Association's Scariest Movies Ever Made. Below is the list of the Chicago Film Critics's Top 100 Horror Movies of All Time, including their directors and key cast members. Note: this list was first published in October 2006. (See also: Fay Wray, Lee Patrick, and Mary Philbin among the "Top Ten Scream Queens.") 1. Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock; with Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam. 2. The Exorcist (1973) William Friedkin; with Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow (and the voice of Mercedes McCambridge). 3. Halloween (1978) John Carpenter; with Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Tony Moran. 4. Alien (1979) Ridley Scott; with Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt. 5. Night of the Living Dead (1968) George A. Romero; with Marilyn Eastman,...
- 10/31/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
In 1962, there was no commercial room for a film that now stands as one of the year’s most fabled, at least amongst horror aficionados. Arguably, there’s never really been a niche for the likes of Carnival of Souls, Herk Harvey’s first (and last) feature, with its favoring ambiguity, atmosphere and suggestiveness above more bluntly sensational concepts and “jolts.”>> - Dennis Harvey...
- 10/26/2014
- Fandor: Keyframe
In 1962, there was no commercial room for a film that now stands as one of the year’s most fabled, at least amongst horror aficionados. Arguably, there’s never really been a niche for the likes of Carnival of Souls, Herk Harvey’s first (and last) feature, with its favoring ambiguity, atmosphere and suggestiveness above more bluntly sensational concepts and “jolts.”>> - Dennis Harvey...
- 10/26/2014
- Keyframe
Stars: Alex Essoe, Amanda Fuller, Noah Segan, Fabianne Therese, Shane Coffey, Natalie Castillo, Pat Healy, Nick Simmons, Maria Olsen, Marc Senter, Louis Dezseran | Written and Directed by Kevin Kolsch, Dennis Widmyer
Determined to make it in Hollywood, reluctant waitress Sarah Walker (Essoe) goes on countless casting calls in hope of getting her big break. After a series of weird auditions at the mysterious Astraeus Pictures, she lands her dream part. But with this opportunity comes with ramifications that will change her life… literally.
Part occult tale of ambition, possession and the true cost of fame and fortune. Skilfully and scarily showing the ways in which tarnished Tinsel Town can turn a sweet starlet into an ego-maniacal monster, this nightmarish tragedy reveals for all to see what it means when actors talk about putting their soul on the screen.
Yet another example of a slow-burning horror movie, Starry Eyes has a very old-school feel about it.
Determined to make it in Hollywood, reluctant waitress Sarah Walker (Essoe) goes on countless casting calls in hope of getting her big break. After a series of weird auditions at the mysterious Astraeus Pictures, she lands her dream part. But with this opportunity comes with ramifications that will change her life… literally.
Part occult tale of ambition, possession and the true cost of fame and fortune. Skilfully and scarily showing the ways in which tarnished Tinsel Town can turn a sweet starlet into an ego-maniacal monster, this nightmarish tragedy reveals for all to see what it means when actors talk about putting their soul on the screen.
Yet another example of a slow-burning horror movie, Starry Eyes has a very old-school feel about it.
- 8/23/2014
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
It’s that wonderful, frightful, cool and creepy time of year again, when everything including the leaves on the trees are dying and our taste buds are craving sugary sweets and pies made from the guts of our jack-o-lanterns. It’s October, which means Halloween is nearly upon us! Get you costumes completed, your home haunts constructed and your candy collected for trick’r treaters, because you have to make time to watch some of the scariest movies this time of year.
In an effort to assist you in your cinematic scare-fest, we’ve come up with a list of the scariest movies to watch on Halloween… with one caveat. We have excluded virtually all “slasher” flicks. Why? Well, let’s just say we all know them, we all love them on some level, but really… don’t we all want something more in our scary movies? In honor of...
In an effort to assist you in your cinematic scare-fest, we’ve come up with a list of the scariest movies to watch on Halloween… with one caveat. We have excluded virtually all “slasher” flicks. Why? Well, let’s just say we all know them, we all love them on some level, but really… don’t we all want something more in our scary movies? In honor of...
- 10/30/2013
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Every year, we here at Sound On Sight celebrate the month of October with 31 Days of Horror; and every year, I update the list of my favourite horror films ever made. Last year, I released a list that included 150 picks. This year, I’ll be upgrading the list, making minor alterations, changing the rankings, adding new entries, and possibly removing a few titles. I’ve also decided to publish each post backwards this time for one reason: the new additions appear lower on my list, whereas my top 50 haven’t changed much, except for maybe in ranking. I am including documentaries, short films and mini series, only as special mentions – along with a few features that can qualify as horror, but barely do.
****
Special Mention:
Häxan
Directed by Benjamin Christensen
Denmark / Sweden, 1922
Häxan (a.k.a The Witches or Witchcraft Through The Ages) is a 1922 silent documentary about the history of witchcraft,...
****
Special Mention:
Häxan
Directed by Benjamin Christensen
Denmark / Sweden, 1922
Häxan (a.k.a The Witches or Witchcraft Through The Ages) is a 1922 silent documentary about the history of witchcraft,...
- 10/30/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
A face appears in the night. Amid the darkness emerge two sunken-in eyes surrounded by pale white skin. It’s hard to tell whether the ghastly expression is that of someone living or dead. This face initially appears to Mary while driving to her new job in Salt Lake City as she passes the Saltair Pavilion. It’s a simple and yet creepy face that repeatedly haunts the main heroine of Carnival of Souls throughout the duration of the movie and will no doubt leave a lasting impression on the viewer as well.
Carnival of Souls, a mostly forgotten film from 1962, stands as the only feature film directed by Herk Harvey. The film’s original intention was to have the “the look of Bergman” and the “feel of Cocteau” that would eventually appeal to arthouse filmgoers. After a long and frustrating battle between Harvey and the distributors, Carnival was eventually...
Carnival of Souls, a mostly forgotten film from 1962, stands as the only feature film directed by Herk Harvey. The film’s original intention was to have the “the look of Bergman” and the “feel of Cocteau” that would eventually appeal to arthouse filmgoers. After a long and frustrating battle between Harvey and the distributors, Carnival was eventually...
- 12/3/2012
- by Michael Haffner
- Destroy the Brain
Throughout the month of October, Editor-in-Chief and resident Horror expert Ricky D, will be posting a list of his favorite Horror films of all time. The list will be posted in six parts. Click here to see every entry.
As with all lists, this is personal and nobody will agree with every choice – and if you do, that would be incredibly disturbing. It was almost impossible for me to rank them in order, but I tried and eventually gave up.
****
Special Mention: Gremlins
Directed by Joe Dante
Written by Chris Columbus
1984, USA
Gremlins gets a special mention because I’ve always considered it more of a comedy and a wholesome Christmas flick than an actual horror film. This tribute the 1950s matinee genre stands the test of time from a time when parents would take their children to family films that pushed the boundaries of the MPAA. Joe Dante is...
As with all lists, this is personal and nobody will agree with every choice – and if you do, that would be incredibly disturbing. It was almost impossible for me to rank them in order, but I tried and eventually gave up.
****
Special Mention: Gremlins
Directed by Joe Dante
Written by Chris Columbus
1984, USA
Gremlins gets a special mention because I’ve always considered it more of a comedy and a wholesome Christmas flick than an actual horror film. This tribute the 1950s matinee genre stands the test of time from a time when parents would take their children to family films that pushed the boundaries of the MPAA. Joe Dante is...
- 10/15/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Brazil Movie Director’s Cut screening at the Academy’s Film-to-Film Festival The original director’s cut of Terry Gilliam’s controversial Brazil, Mark Sandrich’s Oscar-winning short So This Is Harris (Sandrich was the director of several Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals), and Herk Harvey’s cult classic Carnival of Souls are a few of the features and shorts to be screened as part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “Film-to-Film Festival,” which runs September 27-29 at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills and the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. (Photo: Terry Gilliam’s Brazil movie.) [Full list of Film-to-Film Festival movies.] The information [...]...
- 9/21/2012
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
In celebration of its recent film preservation efforts, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will launch the first-ever .Film-to-Film. Festival, which will run September 27 through September 29, in the Academy.s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills and the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. A year ago the Academy Film Archive launched an ambitious effort called .Project Film-to-Film,. aimed at preserving as many films on film as possible over a two-year period. The initiative.s main goal is to take advantage of the current, but threatened, availability of film stock to create new prints of a diverse range of motion pictures, encompassing the whole history of the art form.
More than 390 new prints have already been created from the best available film elements, covering significant narrative features and documentaries, as well as experimental, animated and short film titles. The wide variety of titles range from .Navajo,. the only film...
More than 390 new prints have already been created from the best available film elements, covering significant narrative features and documentaries, as well as experimental, animated and short film titles. The wide variety of titles range from .Navajo,. the only film...
- 9/19/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Choosing my favourite horror films of all time is like choosing between my children – not that I have children, but if I did, I am sure I would categorize them quite like my DVD collection. As with all lists, this is personal and nobody will agree with every choice – and if you do, that would be incredibly disturbing. Also, it was almost impossible for me to rank them in order, but I tried. I based my list taking into consideration three points:
1- Technical accomplishments / artistry and their influence on the genre.
2- How many times I’ve revisited the films and how easily it makes for a repeated viewings.
3- Its story, atmosphere and how much it affected me when I first watched them.
Finally, there are many great films such as The Witchfinder General, The Wickerman and even Hour Of The Wolf that won’t appear here. I...
1- Technical accomplishments / artistry and their influence on the genre.
2- How many times I’ve revisited the films and how easily it makes for a repeated viewings.
3- Its story, atmosphere and how much it affected me when I first watched them.
Finally, there are many great films such as The Witchfinder General, The Wickerman and even Hour Of The Wolf that won’t appear here. I...
- 10/29/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
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