Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
I agree about Gleeson. Saw another of his films: Perrier's Bounty. Not as good as The Guard, imo; but still a good, enjoyable movie.
What DVD / Video did you watch last night? (pt3)
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I agree about Gleeson. Saw another of his films: Perrier's Bounty. Not as good as The Guard, imo; but still a good, enjoyable movie.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
This is an awful, boring, amateurish film, not even that offensive or deserving of its 'nasty' status. I bought it for ~£4 and sold it for roughly the same.
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
This is an awful, boring, amateurish film, not even that offensive or deserving of its 'nasty' status. I bought it for ~£4 and sold it for roughly the same.
I'd tend to agree, though I thought it was pretty funny in places. It certainly has it's share of sleaze in it, that's for sure. Did you have a copy of the AVI VHS, out of interest? (I had an original of that years ago).
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
No, I bought the Arrow DVD release. It was one of the few nasties I hadn't seen and I was expecting something at least entertaining, but it's just 2 hours of boring softcore porn and rubbish murders with no decent effects work. I ended up fast forwarding it to the end.
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
Fair enough - I sat through the whole thing during a viewing session. I was mildly entertained, but like yourself, not impressed, and it's a film that would have been forgotten about were it not for it's "nasties" notoriety.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
The King's Speech - rancid propaganda
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
Ratman (1988) - dir. "Anthony Ascot" (aka Guiliano Carnimeo) - This one involves a crazed scientist creating a rat/human hybrid on a tropical island, which immediately escapes from captivity and goes on a killing spree. Various people are bumped off within the first 20 minutes, including the daughter of a US senator, and the victim's sister (Janet Agren) teams up with TV screenwriter (David Warbeck) to investigate her murder. Their efforts to locate the murderer bear little fruit, and meanwhile more victims pile up, including the crazed scientist who meets his fate at the hands of his creation. The Ratman seems unstoppable, even turning up at the local police station for some killing. Warbeck and Agren board their plane home, having hit a dead end in their investigation. But who's that in the holdall, ready to cause airplane-bourne mayhem?
This film demonstrates how Italian horror had hit some truly unfathomable depths in the late 80's. "Ratman" is indifferently filmed, and the print is so dark at points that you can't see anything. The script, by the usually reliable Dardano Sacchetti, is shockingly poor. The plot and pacing of the film is all over the shop, and there's some rather scenery-chewing acting on offer, to say the least (the crazed scientist takes the top prize for this). The killings are either done off-screen, or filmed so badly it's hard to make out what's going on; the splatter element is poorly realised too. The ending is truly ridiculous (had Sacchetti run out of ideas, or was he simply bored with the script?). The direction is very lacklustre, and the film plods along for its 78 minute duration - I was hoping for it to end a lot sooner. The score - a Claudio Simonietti rip-off - is synth-driven mediocrity, and adds nothing to the film.
The only positive note at all is the presence of genre stalwarts Warbeck and Agren. However, they are underused in the film, and both give not exactly involved performances. As for the Ratman himself, the 2 foot 4 inches Nelson De La Rosa, his use in the film is not so much exploitation as exploitative. He comes across as a drooling, slobbering, blood crazed animal, and starts proceedings locked up in a very small, uncomfortable looking cage. You get the impression that the viewer is meant to point and laugh at him...a distasteful use of a man of his stature, really.
Guiliano Carnimeo is best known for his cycle of 70's spaghetti westerns, and directed his final effort in 1988. On the strength of "Ratman", whatever talent he had had all but dried up by this film. This, along with the Lucio Fulci/Bruno Mattei effort "Zombi 3", earmarked pretty much the end of the road for Italian horror cinema as a vital genre. Only the likes of Dario Argento and Michele Soavi were still delivering the goods, and as time has shown, Argento's quality control has subsequently nosedived, whilst Soavi retired in the mid 90's to care for his son, leaving the Italians with nothing to offer the cineaste these day. It's a sad state of affairs (Belusconi has a lot to blame for funding drying up in Italian genre cinema), but time moves on and the horror sphere is catered for by other nations these days.
As for "Ratman", this barrel-scraping effort deserves to be put on the "avoid" pile. Just remember that the late David Warbeck was a genuine stand up guy, and this film is unworthy of his talents.
This film demonstrates how Italian horror had hit some truly unfathomable depths in the late 80's. "Ratman" is indifferently filmed, and the print is so dark at points that you can't see anything. The script, by the usually reliable Dardano Sacchetti, is shockingly poor. The plot and pacing of the film is all over the shop, and there's some rather scenery-chewing acting on offer, to say the least (the crazed scientist takes the top prize for this). The killings are either done off-screen, or filmed so badly it's hard to make out what's going on; the splatter element is poorly realised too. The ending is truly ridiculous (had Sacchetti run out of ideas, or was he simply bored with the script?). The direction is very lacklustre, and the film plods along for its 78 minute duration - I was hoping for it to end a lot sooner. The score - a Claudio Simonietti rip-off - is synth-driven mediocrity, and adds nothing to the film.
The only positive note at all is the presence of genre stalwarts Warbeck and Agren. However, they are underused in the film, and both give not exactly involved performances. As for the Ratman himself, the 2 foot 4 inches Nelson De La Rosa, his use in the film is not so much exploitation as exploitative. He comes across as a drooling, slobbering, blood crazed animal, and starts proceedings locked up in a very small, uncomfortable looking cage. You get the impression that the viewer is meant to point and laugh at him...a distasteful use of a man of his stature, really.
Guiliano Carnimeo is best known for his cycle of 70's spaghetti westerns, and directed his final effort in 1988. On the strength of "Ratman", whatever talent he had had all but dried up by this film. This, along with the Lucio Fulci/Bruno Mattei effort "Zombi 3", earmarked pretty much the end of the road for Italian horror cinema as a vital genre. Only the likes of Dario Argento and Michele Soavi were still delivering the goods, and as time has shown, Argento's quality control has subsequently nosedived, whilst Soavi retired in the mid 90's to care for his son, leaving the Italians with nothing to offer the cineaste these day. It's a sad state of affairs (Belusconi has a lot to blame for funding drying up in Italian genre cinema), but time moves on and the horror sphere is catered for by other nations these days.
As for "Ratman", this barrel-scraping effort deserves to be put on the "avoid" pile. Just remember that the late David Warbeck was a genuine stand up guy, and this film is unworthy of his talents.
DexterTCN
Troy and Abed in the morning
Shadow of the Vampire. Dafoe and Malokovitch on top form. Original, darkly funny, scary...with a slightly Tarantino-esque monologue by Orlock/Shrek about Stoker's Dracula book. Carl Elwes pops up too.
About 80 odd minutes long, too.
(tonight will be Django, Taxi Driver or Twelve Monkeys.)
About 80 odd minutes long, too.
(tonight will be Django, Taxi Driver or Twelve Monkeys.)
TruXta
tired
It gets a lot better IMO. Am up to ep 5 or 6, head and shoulders above S1 I reckon.American Horror Story Series 2, Ep 1.
A decent start, I suppose. The way it's shot is annoying, but I suspect it's done like that to keep the tension up or something. Lots of film references in there: Clockwork Orange, Cuckoo's Nest, etc.
Looking forward to the rest
Fez909
toilet expert
The first series got better as it went on, too, I thought. Good to hear this one does as well.
DexterTCN
Troy and Abed in the morning
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
Bought a whole stack of DVDs for $1 each. Sadly, the first one wasn't worth the money. It was "Down with Love" with Ewan McGreggor. I think it might be a contender for the worst movie I've ever seen. The last Die Hard movie was better, FFS. I stuck the DVD back in its box and dropped it in with garbage. I wouldn't want to inflict that on an unsuspecting soul.
Ranbay
The same rules apply
Supine
Newt Member
Wow, another fantastic film. The Butler. The story of a man from child slave, to the butler of presidents during the black civil rights movement right up until Obama was elected.
Featuring an all star cast including Forest Whitacker, Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, Vanessa Redgrave, Lenny Kravitz, Robin Williams, John Cusack, Alan Rickman, Jane Fonda. Amongst many others.
A big 9.5 Black Panthers out of 10. I don't mind admitting it made me cry. Twice
Featuring an all star cast including Forest Whitacker, Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, Vanessa Redgrave, Lenny Kravitz, Robin Williams, John Cusack, Alan Rickman, Jane Fonda. Amongst many others.
A big 9.5 Black Panthers out of 10. I don't mind admitting it made me cry. Twice
DexterTCN
Troy and Abed in the morning
Taxi Driver.
I'd watched this years ago but didn't get it. Didn't get what a masterpiece it is. Losing the best film Oscar to Rocky is akin to Pulp Fiction losing to Forrest Gump.
And that's just a little bit, that's just the story.
"Are you talking to me?..." On one level he's planning and practising; on another he's fantasizing about interaction with others, stringing together longer tomes of dialogue and confidence than he's expressed since the start.
I'd watched this years ago but didn't get it. Didn't get what a masterpiece it is. Losing the best film Oscar to Rocky is akin to Pulp Fiction losing to Forrest Gump.
After the shoot-out at the end, the camera floats above the scene and withdraws....now he is a hero, the parents of Iris thank him, the press lauds him as a hero, Betsy comes for him, he is a friend of the other taxi drivers, respected, he can communicate....was that him dead?
or is that just the roll of the dice after what happened...and that little clock is still ticking away...but he's happier now because he knows it will happen....or is he cured and he knows it won't happen, it was cathartic?
or is that just the roll of the dice after what happened...and that little clock is still ticking away...but he's happier now because he knows it will happen....or is he cured and he knows it won't happen, it was cathartic?
And that's just a little bit, that's just the story.
"Are you talking to me?..." On one level he's planning and practising; on another he's fantasizing about interaction with others, stringing together longer tomes of dialogue and confidence than he's expressed since the start.
Voley
🐀
That's an interesting take on it. I shall have to dig it out again with that in mind.
DexterTCN
Troy and Abed in the morning
Well...only two scenes in the film, I think, don't have Bickle in them...both to do with the women in his life and the other guy involved with the women. Both scenes show subtle interaction to different extremes between the women and these other guys...
...he threatens one with a military form of karate (having watched them through the office window), he shoots the other (the pimp)
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
The Designated Victim (1971) - dir. Maurizio Lucidi - Italian thriller based on Hitchcock's "Strangers On A Train". Conventional yet engaging, with a good performance by lead Tomas Milian. Different from the giallo cycle, but worthwhile viewing if you don't mind a traditional storyline.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
An odd night...
Berberian Sound Studio - or at least an hour of it because the recording was fucked.
I was hooked, so can't wait for it be on again so as I can see the whole thing.
The Hitcher remake - erm, okay
Carnage - quite enjoying it, still 30 mins to go.
Berberian Sound Studio - or at least an hour of it because the recording was fucked.
I was hooked, so can't wait for it be on again so as I can see the whole thing.The Hitcher remake - erm, okay
Carnage - quite enjoying it, still 30 mins to go.
Grandma Death
Reconfiguring & Reconstructing
Avatar, Titanic (3D Blu Ray) and World War Z
I missed Avatar in the cinema and wanted to wait until I got a swanky TV and Blu Ray 3D player before watching it. Let me just say the plot is slimsy and there's some awful dialogue but hats off to Cameron for the effects and world he created-it really is breathtaking.
I bought Titanic because I dont own any movie that have been retrospectively fitted with 3D and for all its faults Titanic is a big blockbuster movie and the boat sinking sequence is great. I have to say impressed with the retro fit-not bad at all-in fact I couldnt see much difference TBH
World War Z....my god what an abortion. Big brash action sequences stitched together by a flimsy plot, piss poor script and plot holes you could drive a bus through. My turkey of 2013 without any doubt.
I missed Avatar in the cinema and wanted to wait until I got a swanky TV and Blu Ray 3D player before watching it. Let me just say the plot is slimsy and there's some awful dialogue but hats off to Cameron for the effects and world he created-it really is breathtaking.
I bought Titanic because I dont own any movie that have been retrospectively fitted with 3D and for all its faults Titanic is a big blockbuster movie and the boat sinking sequence is great. I have to say impressed with the retro fit-not bad at all-in fact I couldnt see much difference TBH
World War Z....my god what an abortion. Big brash action sequences stitched together by a flimsy plot, piss poor script and plot holes you could drive a bus through. My turkey of 2013 without any doubt.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
mentalchik
"I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit."
Drive - bloody marvellous if not a bit "
" inducing towards the end
" inducing towards the endSimilar threads
