FanFare

From its first publication in 1992, Men, Women, and Chain Saws has offered a groundbreaking perspective on the creativity and influence of horror cinema since the mid-1970s. Investigating the popularity of the low-budget tradition, Carol Clover looks in particular at slasher, occult, and rape-revenge films. Although such movies have been traditionally understood as offering only sadistic pleasures to their mostly male audiences, Clover demonstrates that they align spectators not with the male tormentor, but with the females tormented―notably the slasher movie's "final girls"―as they endure fear and degradation before rising to save themselves. The lesson was not lost on the mainstream industry, which was soon turning out the formula in well-made thrillers. -- publisher
posted by johnofjack on Oct 16, 2024 - 2 comments

Best friends Marie and Alexia decide to spend a quiet weekend at Alexia's parents' secluded farmhouse. But on the night of their arrival, the girls' idyllic getaway turns into an endless night of horror. [spoilers inside] [more inside]
posted by johnofjack on Nov 20, 2022 - 8 comments

The guests invited to weekend in the country share their supernatural stories, beginning with Walter Craig, who is haunted by half-remembered dreams and senses impending doom. [more inside]
posted by johnofjack on Nov 18, 2022 - 2 comments

On the outskirts of the village Tumbbad, We find the son of the late village lord, Vinayak. We follow his intensive search for a secret inherited treasure. He believes his cursed great-grandmother has the answers his looking for. After confronting her he is now faced with the reality of this treasure, but also its evil protector. [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown on Jul 1, 2020 - 1 comment

A visually rich, gothic re-telling of an old Basque folk tale about a young girl caught in the middle of a battle between a blacksmith and the Devil. Available streaming in the original Basque or dubbed on Netflix.
posted by DirtyOldTown on Oct 24, 2018 - 7 comments

As a mother and daughter struggle to cope with the terrors of the post-revolution, war torn Tehran of the 80s, a mysterious evil begins to haunt their home. A Farsi-language horror/drama currently streaming on US Netflix. 99% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
posted by DirtyOldTown on Oct 23, 2018 - 3 comments

Cited recently on the blue for its grand guignol opening scene, this movie is actually a horrible turd, but it's a delicious hate watches that still manages a few truly memorable moments, some intentional, some not so much. [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown on Oct 26, 2016 - 8 comments