Horror Reviews Are In - Part II

Here it is readers as promised, part two in the horror review series. Just as the initial entry, these posts are to provide you all with various film reviews written by me personally and will range from films that for the most part have for decades been under the radar. However, for those of you that prefer more up-to-date movies there's no reason to worry because I've got a few of those included as well. Now that I've said all that, lets DISH on my latest marathon...


I have to say that initially when I went to view this film, I was quickly bored and found myself distracted and tuning out. However, it was 2:30 in the morning so I could have just been tired. Not giving it a second thought until it was announced that an updated version would be filmed and released in 2009, I went back to it and tried again. This time it was 9 p.m. and I was wide awake. I have to say, Sean Cunningham and Wes Craven did an excellent job with this piece. While the film is extremely violent with its presentation of rape/murder/drugs, etc., the idea represented in this film is quite different than anything that had been put together to this magnitude back in the early 70's. The theme of good vs. evil is clearly represented, however it is showcased in a much different manner than traditional horror films. You've got the rapists and murderers who commit unspeakable acts of cruelty, and then you've got the loving and devoted couple who end up seeking revenge on the deviants that preyed on their daughter. The choppiness of the film is something that had bothered me slightly but after a few viewings, I find that it actually adds more terror and a sense of being stranded with no hope of survival. The graininess too is something that if it had not been there and the picture were more clear, then it would have felt like an entirely different film. Definitely a film to add into a collection and a must if you intend on viewing the 2009 version. Enjoy and just remember to repeat to yourself "It's only a movie!"


Everyone knows I have a place in my heart for the originals, however it's a key part of my life and who I am to give these new additions a chance! I am happy to say that this one definitely doesn't disappoint. It kept all of the important factors that made the 1972 feature so unique and fresh for its time. Obviously with the new technologies available today, this film has an entire different look and feel to it, but don't let that turn you off because it works. The infamous rape scene is still there and just as disturbing as it was before. In terms of alterations to the film, I'd have to say that the most significant change in terms of character development in this update of the classic was that of the escaped convicts son; Justin. This time around he is much more together and not nearly as crazed as his family. He is remorseful and wants to help the victims escape, however it comes off that he himself is somewhat of a victim too. What is important with his character is the sense of redemption that lies beneath his trapped exterior. The casting of the parents seeking revenge was very well done, the intensity on their faces when they discover their daughter and that instant switch that seemed to go off in their eyes. Look closely you can see it on camera the moment they decide to seek vengence. Wes Craven did a phenomenal job here, it's definitely one to go see! Enjoy!!!


"The Dorm That Dripped Blood" is a film that in my opinion is not worth watching twice. The way in which I determine what makes a film fall into that category is whether or not you remember it. I had seen this film once before but it was clearly forgettable since I had no recollection of ever seeing it before. That is why this film is one I'd say is safe to pass on. The killings were nothing special and while I do give kudos to the rare end fate of the killer and survivor girl, the cops were completely ridiculous and stupid. There is nothing worse than poorly written characters, which is sad in this case because the premise of the film is quite intriguing. Unfortunately, the execution of the film as a whole fails completely. Don't expect too much going into it, and maybe you won't be too disappointed.


While the 80's was a time in which the horror genre spawned an abundance of films (most of which were simply forgettable and were also released in an attempt to cash in on the successes of Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees), "The House On Sorority Row" was one of the few that earned its rightful place to be remembered. Now does this mean I think it is a classic and one that blew me away? NO! Absolutely not. The story was quite unique for it's time, however the way in which the events unfolded after the initial killing just did not seem to flow well enough for me. With the updated version coming out in the 4th quarter of this year, I would recommend all true horror fans to see this film first. It is important to recognize and respect the original movie before viewing and judging the newer versions so that way you can see the differences to the story and film style. The big question is will this film end up in my collection... only time will tell.


George A. Romero is one of my all time favorite film makers, and for the most part is known for his extraordinary ability to depict a deteriorating society. With his film currently receiving a Hollywood "upgrade", I just had to re-watch the original to recall what I did and did not enjoy about the film. Let's go with the negatives first, I simply detested the constant sound of the drums anytime something military was going on. It took away from the dialogue for sure, and if you watch/listen closely you can notice that when the actors speak, you can barely hear what they said during these "drumming-moments". There was just no need for that to be in the film as much as it was. The beginning of the film where the story is unfolding almost instantly, I feel was both good and bad. The negative here was that it seemed a bit choppy and all over the place and I couldn't really focus on who was speaking to who via telephones and radios and so forth. However, in terms of film style I feel that this made a great deal of sense regarding the message of the film itself. Romero was showing the audience a series of events in a manner that while slightly confusing, was directly correlated to how a real life event such as this would play out. The bottom line here is chaos would ensue. As a whole in terms of execution of the film and the telling of its story, it doesn't do it for me. However, Romero has remained in tact regarding his film style and storyline. Much like his work on the 'Dead' series, this film expresses what we as human beings revert to in the most terrifying of circumstances. We don't know who to trust or who to help, we simply are looking out for ourselves and those we hold most dearly to our hearts. Like most of his endings, this one too ends with sadness but is also left wide open at the same time. Most audiences are seeking a happy ending, but seriously this is the horror genre; all that should be expected is an ending of some kind. There is no logical reasoning in having a horror film end with a 100% happily ever after feel to it. That is something I have always admired about Romero and the horror genre itself, and someday I will incorporate those themes into my own works! Stay tuned for the new version of Romero's film which hits theaters on February 26, 2010.

That concludes part two of the DishThis! horror review marathon. I hope all you genre fans enjoyed this read and be sure to stay tuned for the next installment. Until then, stay frightened, lock your doors, bolt your windows, and PLEASE... never say "Who's there?"

Horror Reviews Are In - Part I

The first in a series, these posts will provide readers with a variety of films reviewed by me personally and will range from films that have for decades remained under the radar or been forgotten about. However, for those of you that prefer more up-to-date films there's no reason to worry because I've got a few of those included too. With that said, lets DISH on my most latest genre marathon...


I find it funny that this film is called "Offerings", seeing as how it 'offers' absolutely nothing to the horror genre. Full of nothing but direct extractions from the "Halloween" series in terms of the score and physical actions of the killer himself. Yes the maniac in this story at one point actually tilts his head to the side when his name is called out. Then there's the criminal psychology professor hot on his trail, and at one point he ends up at the grave site of the family member he killed only to discover the headstone removed. HELLO!! Can you say Dr. Loomis? For god's sakes the killer in this film was shot 6 times by the 'survivor-girl' and still managed to pursue her. Now, can you say Michael Myers? Seriously, there came a point where I felt like I was watching Michael Myers walk on the set of the wrong film. As for the characters, every single one of them including the Sheriff must have been high or something, because after not only discovering one body part and then another and eating 2 pies of pizza topped with human appendages they still managed to believe that nothing was wrong. They're totally unbelievable and even with the ending shot of the tear cascading down the killer's cheek; it doesn't make up for the previous 90 minutes. My recommendation: if you've never seen Carpenter's "Halloween" first of all there is no excuse for that but watch that first and then this film and you will see just how much this film is a copycat movie.


This film was utterly ridiculous! I would like to say that it got better once the story got going or that the film itself lives up to the title in which it was given, but sadly it falls way short of that. More often than not, "Blood Diner" is described as a horror-comedy, but I must say that frankly this film was neither horrific nor funny! While the story itself is all over the place and the acting is clearly just that, I found it to be quite insulting over the random amounts of 'Hitler' dressed characters; swastika's and all. There was just no reason for that as it did not pertain to the "storyline" of the movie. In addition to that, while times may be different now and this was made in the late 80's, I still wonder why it was that necessary to have such blatant negative connotation made towards the apparent homosexual brother rather than his heterosexual brother? They were both serial killers and equally guilty with their actions, so I just found it unnecessary that the dialogue used conveyed the homosexual brother as being 'more' twisted than that of the heterosexual brother. In the end, the few people in this world who may enjoy films such as these clearly do not have a finely tuned palate in regards to real film making and writing. I guess for mindless fun or to have something on in the background when you've got a group of people hanging out, this could work but I'd say don't waste your time!


What you have here is an erotic thriller directed by Paul Verhoeven that greatly resembles his film "Basic Instinct" which would come along nine years later. Since I have seen the Sharon Stone version many times before and have always respected that film, it was quite interesting to stumble upon this Dutch film and compare the two. I must first say that for those of you who don't have the patience for subtitles then you can stop reading the review now, because you will not watch this since it is filmed in Dutch. With that said, "The 4th Man" ends up being an entirely different film than that of it's American version released in 1992. The film style and direction clearly is quite similar seeing as how both films had the same director. However, the story you see here while still focusing around a "Black Widow" type of leading lady it is actually the man she is preying on with the underlying homosexual desires. The audience becomes aware of this desire in the earlier part of the film and spends more or less the remainder of its runtime building up to the moment in which he succumbs to his basic cravings. In addition there is this sense of distorted reality where the audience begins to wonder whether or not he is actually seeing these things or if it is just his relentless intake of alcohol. I find this distortion definitely keeps the audience invested in the story until the climactic end in which the truths are revealed. For those of you who are fans of "Basic Instinct", you should check this film out and to those who have not yet seen either...I'd say watch "The 4th Man" first and then follow it up with the Sharon Stone version. Enjoy!!!


Okay let's get the abundance of negatives out of the way first shall we... I have to say that this film depicts some of THE most obnoxious and ridiculously stupid characters in the entire history of the horror genre! As a whole there's nothing new here; you've got a group of high school students who think they are better than everyone else and decide to play a prank on the geek and boom there's an accident he becomes facially deformed and goes nuts and seeks revenge on those responsible. What makes these specific characters so stupid is their lack of acknowledgment over what is happening to them and their complete disregard for their so called friends' welfare. Even after discovering two of their friends dead, they still manage to wander off on their own. Then there is the girl who is married to one of the guys and after discovering a dead body, she decides to seduce her husband's best friend and then tell him that he is in fact the father of her child. Hello, what are you doing there are dead bodies all over the place and you're busy cheating on your husband? In terms of the score, well let's just say I was expecting Jason Voorhees to pop out of the shadows at some point! Seriously, listen closely and you'll hear the similarities between the chase scenes in this film to those of the "Friday the 13th" series. "Slaughter High" has no characters with any redeeming qualities, except maybe one of the girls whom in my opinion based on her death scene could have survived. While the film is ridiculously cliched, you have to remember it is a horror film from the 80's and anything that came after Michael Myers, and then Jason Voorhees, and then Freddy Kruger are simply imitations that tried to cash in on their successes. Regarding death scenes there are only two that I felt were visually unique and satisfying, while the rest were mediocre and nothing original. Which now brings me to the positive and my final thought! This film did offer something quite different to horror audiences that was not seen much at all to my knowledge. Fans of the genre have for many decades become accustomed to and more often than not sympathize and root for the "good guys" to triumph over the killer. However, I found myself relating to the "bad guy" in this film and frankly wanted him to get his revenge on those that wronged him. My recommendation is to not go in expecting too much in terms of originality, but more than anything focus on the theme of good vs. evil and try to determine which title belongs to whom. Have fun!


Here we have yet another American horror remake, this time of a South Korean film titled "Into The Mirror". However, unlike many of those that have come before; this one actually is both visually and psychologically satisfying. "Mirrors" has something for everyone. While the story itself is unique, it does hold the same recipe as that of "The Ring" in terms of that it's about discovering a secret from many years in the past that has now caused some type of otherworldly disturbance in the present. Kiefer Sutherland stars as an ex-cop (wow talk about type-casting lol) whom is desperately seeking answers to the mysterious occurrences of the abandoned New York City department store he watches over during the graveyard shift. However, as he begins to uncover the truth of it's history it is those he holds most dear to his heart that are in danger of forever being lost in the world of the mirrors. Alexandre Aja not only writes and directs, but I must say delivers an exceptional film to avid horror followers. You have to admit that it is quite an accomplishment for a french film-maker to take a South Korean film and adapt it into an American version! The performances were quite good and while people I am sure can nitpick at the slightest discrepancies in the storyline and/or film-making, it is what the film does to you as a whole that counts. On a personal and creepy note to say the least as I viewed the climactic scene when the mirrors explode, out of nowhere a sentence that read "don't worry just hold my hand it will be okay" showed up on the screen as a mirror-type image. It stayed there as the scene went on and I felt that something did not make sense, so I slowly reversed the DVD and watched the words disappear slowly. I proceeded to play the scene again, but no words appeared. I have no idea what it was or why it happened but it definitely heightened my already tense nerves. LOL - My final thought is that the film delivers on all counts of performance and style, and is sure to satisfy a wide range of horror fans.

This concludes part one of the DishThis! horror review marathon. I hope all you genre fans enjoyed the read and stay tuned for the next installment coming soon. Until then, stay frightened and never say "Who's there?"