Showing posts with label visualization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label visualization. Show all posts

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Suspiria 4K Restored Version at The New Parkway Theater

I got to check out the 4K restored version of Suspiria showing at The New Parkway Theater in Oakland CA  last night with my wife and it was...fantastic. Crisp, bright, and lush - like watching a completely new film.  For those of you who have not been to the New Parkway, it's quite an experience. It's the "local theater" that I remember going to as a child growing up in Novato California - small, sweet, and friendly. Not big box branded. Not filled with glitz and Coke ads. Just two theaters showing current and past films. And, there's more. Much more. 

One theater has cool theater style seats with a selection of other seats and bean bag chairs on two levels. The other theater has an even more eclectic collection of seats, booths, sofas, and chairs in a large theater space. It's super comfortable. Like watching in your living room. But...that's NOT all! 

They also have beer, wine, various other beverages, fresh popcorn, and full meals. In short, the ideal date place. A one stop shop for the film lover who wants things to be more plush than polished...generic. And the staff is super friendly.  Ya need to go if you're in the area. But, enough about them! hehehe


Suspiria on the big screen was a first for me. My wife and I went and I wasn't sure how she was going to take it. She's not a horror fan, but she does like films, so I was curious to see what her take away was going to be. Turns out she enjoyed the film and thought many aspects were interesting. She also knew that I loved it, so I think she was even more forgiving. Seeing as the film started at 10:30pm (when we're usually in bed), I was extra pleased that she made it through. 

I saw things in this restored version that I had never noticed before. Up until now, many aspects of the film were either too dark or too grainy to make out. The level of detail and the crispness of the images were fantastic. The audio quality was fantastic as well and I was able to really sink into the experience on all fronts. Literally like watching a new film. 


The one thing that I wasn't 100% on was the red level at the theater. I wasn't sure if it was the theater's projection or if I just happened to be seeing the film the way it was SUPPOSED to be rather than how I've been seeing it up until now. I remembered the red being far more punchy, but maybe the restored version is a bit more tame. That didn't stop me from enjoying the HELL out of the viewing, however. 

If you get a chance to see the restored version in the theater - GO!

Now, I pre-ordered the SYNAPSE FILMS version of the 4K steelbook, so I'm not feeling bad about using their images below! :)   I can not wait to get this baby. I'm not sure what it is about this film, but I just love it to death. I can't wait to see a non-projected version of the film in my home...in the deep dark. Of course, I may need to get a better TV.....hmmmm...   :)







Friday, September 22, 2017

THE IRON ROSE


I'm a Jean Rollin fan. I get that his works isn't for everyone - totally makes sense. I've watched a handful of his films and love the strange storylines and pace choices. I'm all in. However, the IRON ROSE had me blinking blankly at the screen and questioning whether or not I was going to fast forward or simply switch films.

When I looked it up later, I saw that many sites bill it more as a fantasy rather than a horror film.

We have The Girl and The Boy who see each other at a party and make plans to go for a bike ride together. The ride around and play flirty games. It's very sweet. Then they decide to take a break from cycling for a bit and do a bit of exploring in this large, beautiful cemetery. Now, you may want to call shenanigans here, but I could totally see doing the same thing. The place was beautiful.



Here's where things run a bit off the rails. They decide to get some privacy by climbing down into this crypt and end up making love. Spoiler. :) Well, they stay down so long that day turns to night and all the visitors have left. They can't find their way out and slowly slip into a hysterical state as they try to find their way.

And they wander, pontificate, scream, explore.....

All the while, it's very pretty, but it's also so arthouse it hurts. I was happy that I got to see the film that was called out as one of his best. It is gorgeous. But, man is it an odd one! heh Knowing what I know now, I'd settle in for more of a fantasy or self exploration film and wouldn't expect horror elements. I believe that that is what confused me more than anything. I thought one of the characters was going to be the "villain" or that the dead would rise or something, but it really never goes there.




Françoise Pascal, though. My goodness. She's one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. She's amazing and mysterious and super interesting. 


There are some rather haunting images in the film as well. It never goes into "horror", but they can be creepy and scary in their own way for sure!

I do recommend watching the film, but make sure you check out some of his other films as well - like THE GRAPES OF DEATH or THE LIVING DEAD GIRL if you're looking for true horror. THE IRON ROSE is a beautiful and poetic film and well worth a viddy!




Thursday, January 29, 2015

Amer

AMER (2009)
Directors: Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani
Writers: Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani
Stars: Cassandra Forêt, Charlotte Eugène Guibeaud, Marie Bos


I love the work of Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani. It just makes me so very happy. It's exciting, visually stimulating and mentally challenging on many levels. It's not "light reading" material - you're not going to just toss it on as filler. However it ticks off so many boxes and works on so many levels that I think the films are very re-watchable and highly entertaining if you like the style.

We're talking very Bava, Argento (early Argento) giallo style films with lots of curious scenes and some wondrous, dream-like cinematography.



AMER is the story of a girls life. But, not an ordinary life. Not an ordinary film, either. It's a film in three parts, looking at her life as a child, maturing teen and a woman. Each section is handled in a stylistic way and each could be looked at by itself or as the full set.



Cassandra Forêt plays the young girl in the first section. This area has a very Argento feel. Something is going on in the girls house and the mother and father chat in whispers while the grandma deals with... something...downstairs.  The girl peeks through keyholes and ventures out to investigate and things get very, very strange and creepy. I think this was my favorite section. It has very little dialog, but a rich storytelling that I enjoyed a lot. Creepy shadows and characters bump around the old house and creep about creating a fantastic, gothic feel with strong, Suspiria-like fantasy tones.



Charlotte Eugène Guibeaud plays the adolescent girl in the second section. This was the most normal section of them all and really just shows the girl getting ready to venture out into the world and away from her mother...and towards men. This section, too, has very little dialog if any at all and is shot in a wondrous style similar to a Milo Manara comic (...without so much sex and nudity, mind you :::grin:::)  Emotion through eyes and lips and actions.

Milo Manara's style seems present



Marie Bos enters as the adult and ventures back to the house where we saw her as a child. The place is a rundown, older home now and is in disrepair. She explores in shadows and something or someone eventually starts shadowing her. More giallo than fantasy horror, this section is also shot beautifully and has some grand, bump-in-the-night moments.


All three sections play like a separate film, but all three work wondrously together as well. While the second section drifts away from horror,  it still works well to show the development of the woman. And I found all three sections to be visually stunning.



As I watch more of the Directors works, I can see that the style is basically the same with their work, but this works for me because I love their style. :)

If you like visuals, arthouse films, the early works of Dario Argento and Italian giallo mysteries, seek this film out.


You may also enjoy:
http://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-strange-color-of-your-bodys-tears.html







Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters



My sister-in-law gave Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters a go recently and really enjoyed it. "It was fine. I mean...you know...it was just fun and light." I made note and gave it a go and she was right - it was just a fun film.

You know the drill - Hansel and Gretel story with a new twist where they continue their witch killing as youths, teens and into adulthood leading to the resolution where there is a major witch happening that they need to take on. There are "Van Helsing Style" steampunk weapons, a troll, bad humans and enough fighting and spell casting to make things interesting throughout.



The cast is fine and doing what they need to do to sell the story. Jeremy "Hawkeye" Renner is dashing and tough, the delicious Gemma "Quantum of Solace" / "so damn cute" Arterton is her so damn cute self and tough and the age defying Famke "Jean Grey / Xenia Onatopp" Janssen chews up everything in her path and plays the evil up to 13 in a fun, nasty witchy way. Man, she looks the same as she did in 1995. It's amazing.



The film follows the Van Helsing path, switching up the old tale with some new, alternate history madness where Gatling guns and tricky, self loading crossbows are weapons of choice. But, you know what? I'm totally fine with both films, really. At least someone is doing something interesting, fun and new-ish. And, they make use of some practical effects here as well. Good old fashioned makeup, prosthetics and costumes mixed in with computer effects. The troll was a lot of fun and felt like some of the Henson Dark Crystal work.



A small rant:
A recent view of THE BELL WITCH HAUNTING made me want to kick a...well...whoever greenlit the project, really. :::grin:::  It was more of the same, found footage nuggetry that is all over the place. All hell is breaking loose, yet people are still compelled to point a camera around. DEVIL'S DUE is running into the same madness. A man's pregnant wife is speaking like a demon and he doesn't fail to continue rolling tape. Mind boggling.  Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is just playing around. Tommy Wirkola knows what he's doing both behind the keyboard (writer) and behind the camera. However, as with his previous feature DEAD SNOW, I'm not sure people get that he's playing and having fun. I'm not sure what they are expecting, but to rail against this film is just silly. If you saw the trailer, you knew what you were getting into straight away.



It would be like me complaining if I went to see DEVIL'S DUE after seeing the trailer. I know it's not for me - why rip it more than I have already? :)

If you're not afraid to take in some fun, try out Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. It's a hoot. :)







Some fun PRACTICAL effects work in here as well. Like this fun troll, Edward. :)

Saturday, July 27, 2013

ONE LAST DIVE



Jason Eisner - you got me. :)
Not sure why, but this friggin short short REALLY gave me the creeps. Loved it.
And, loved his VHS2 and ABCs of DEATH work. I need to track down some more Eisner goodness!

So damn creepy. What a great storyteller. Great, "Bava-like" colors as well. Grand!


One Last Dive from jasoneisener on Vimeo.


Monday, November 26, 2012

Jordu Schell


http://schellstudio.com/

Artist Jordu Schell creates some amazing sculptures and his work comes alive in some truly creepy ways. The Schell Studio has been kicking out creatures and visions for over ten years for everything from AVATAR to RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD to STAR TREK. The dynamic range of the work is fantastic.