Quick thoughts on some horror
Been too lazy to write full reviews, so some short thoughts on a few recent viewings:
Suspiria (Dario Argento, 1977)
Suspiria is one of those films that will take your breath awake. I appreciate it’s visual expression… the almost child-like naivity of the characters. The style is the film, but I almost wished they were used with a little more darkness… The battle of the Italian horror masters, Argento vs. Bava. I prefer the paranoia of Bava, but I need to see more from both. I wish I liked it more.
Black Sunday (Bava, 1960)
I want to have sex with Barbara Steele… my god, so sexy.
The rest of the movie is pretty good too, great atmosphere, incredible sets, and lots of creepy.The dub is a little distracting, but it feeds into the dreamy atmosphere. I love how they move from set to set, and scene to scene… it’s really like a nightmare. I love it SO MUCH.
Onibaba (Kaneto Shindô, 1964)
Sexual frustration is a *****! It’ll drive people to do some pretty inconceivable things. War and sex, they rule all.
Black Christmas (Bob Clark, 1974)
Black Christmas is a pitch-perfect horror film. The editing, especially with sound are incredibly effective. For a film set during the holiday season, it could not be more bleak, or more cold. I am never looking at a telephone in the same way. I am frankly terrified.
October 9, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Suspiria definitely is visually stunning…but scary? I dunno. Any suggestions on other italian horror?
October 10, 2008 at 12:01 am
I think the last little bit are definetely scary. From what I can tell, these films aim to create scares through atmosphere, I’m just unsure if Suspiria’s really worked for the most part. I’ve only seen 3 Italian horror films, I guess I’d recommend Black Sunday and Kill, Baby, Kill :p
October 10, 2008 at 10:49 pm
No, no, it’s scary! I insist upon it! Ah, if only I could watch it right now just to prove it . . . look at those gels and feel the heebie-jeebies!! Don’t go to that window, girl!!!! Don’t look at the drain, you’ll get sucked right in! Anything can happen!
October 12, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I watched Bertolucci’s “The Sheltering Sky” last night for the first time in years and, among other discoveries, I’ve convinced myself that Bertolucci dubbed the ‘lady from the consulate’ with (or she was played by?) the same actress who dubs Suzy’s roommate– at any rate, the same voice as dubs Alida Valli in “Inferno.” Normally I don’t pick up on these things- but as I was watching it I found myself confronting TSS as a “horror” film of sorts– it left me at times feeling more uneased than ever; but then, curiously, this connecting the aural dots seems to have helped relieve (dodge?) the existential trauma by having a “trivia”l discovery to impart. Now I’d better watch it again . . .
October 12, 2008 at 5:15 pm
There is actually something quite disturbing about that idea, without having picked up on it, I’m almost confronted with the same kind of unnease you’re describing.