We here at RAJ are pretty rabid fans of horror flicks (good ones, anyway). By "good ones", we mean "old ones", as the genre has literally devolved into a caricature of its former triumphs of the '70's and '80's.
Consider:
Halloween (1978)
Halloween (2007)
Based on the individual trailers, which film would you rather see?
Hopefully, you'd choose the original Halloween. If not, then hop in your Dragula, crank up "More Human Than Human", and drive straight up your own derivative ass.
Fortunately, there is someone currently making horror films who realizes that good old-fashioned suspense is a heck of a lot more terrifying than extreme gore. Ti West has directed four horror films, including 2009's cult classic, The House of the Devil, about a female college student who takes a one-night job watching an elderly woman in rambling old house out in the middle of nowhere. The film is lauded by fans and critics alike for its authentic rendering of the early '80's from the set design and wardrobe to the score and the title credits. West has said in interviews that it's not intended as a kitchsy homage to films of that era like Halloween and Friday the 13th but that it is a genuine period piece. The film looks and feels like one of those classic '80's horror films and that quality (along with rampant word-of-mouth recommendation) is what has helped it achieve such broad acclaim.
Now West is back with The Innkeepers, a film about a haunted old New England hotel based on the actual hotel in which West and crew lodged while filming The House of the Devil. Early reviews are positive, so don't wait for Netflix to catch this one.
For our fellow Chicagoans, West is in town tonight at the Music Box in Lakeview for a double screening of The Innkeepers and The House of the Devil.
No comments:
Post a Comment