Horror Movie Talk Blog Posts

When Do Remakes Go Too Far? Sometimes, dead is better This is a question that, like many in the subjective domain of art, has no simple answer: “When do remakes go too far?” By what metrics do we determine when they veer too off course from their respective source material? Where are the lines drawn, if any, when setting out to recreate an iconic work and how do we constitute the terms of said boundaries? Chances are, if you ask a hundred different people, no two responses will be exactly alike. Make sure to listen to our podcast reviewing the original Pet Sematary (1989) https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2019/04/03/pet-sematary-1989-review/ As vigilantly as some consumers & critics try to be impartial, ultimately, there’s realistically no way for even the most experienced film “veterans” or “experts” to set & enforce a universal standard for 100% objectivity. In the words of World War Z author Max Brooks, “That's not stupidity or weakness, that's just … [Read more...] about Pet Sematary: Original Vs. Remake

If you were hoping for a review, then I’m sorry to disappoint. Truthfully, there’s little I can say about 1982’s divisive (to say the least) Halloween III: Season of the Witch that hasn’t already been said regarding the film’s quality or lack-there-of. Countless critics have already covered this movie in more depth than I ever could in a single blog, both to defend it and/or systematically tear it apart. However devoted its cult following has grown over the years, the fact remains that it was a critical and box office flop that was directly responsible for the series’ decision to return to Haddonfield and resurrect the cash cow of Michael Myers, much to John Carpenter’s dismay. Over years of sequels, remakes, and reboots, however, the brand that was once a household name has stagnated to the point that many fans now agree Season of the Witch was a better direction. For all its infamy over the alternate universe, convoluted plot, acting, antagonists, new music, socio-political … [Read more...] about Halloween III: Were the Fans Wrong About Season of the Witch?

Before anyone jumps to conclusions, let’s be clear: I do NOT prefer 2010’s Nightmare on Elm Street over Wes Craven’s 1984 original. To me, it was at best a mediocre, formulaic slasher with moments of quality. At worst, it was a thoroughly disappointing, uninspired homage filled with wasted potential and overused obnoxious jump-scares. It made money but crashed & burned overall in living up to its predecessor’s legacy. To be fair, that was no small task to begin with. If you would like to watch A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) or the remake A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) please click through those links to watch them on Amazon and it will support the podcast! Some argue that the project was doomed from the start due to Robert Englund’s retirement after an irreplaceable performance as the franchise’s icon, poorly timed debut near the Blu-ray anniversary re-release of earlier entries (according to Englund’s speculation), and a history of development + production problems such … [Read more...] about A Nightmare on Elm Street: Original vs Remake

When enough examples of a specific outcome about a topic or action occur, it can become understandable to generalize about it. One common example of such stereotyping in horror is the jump-scare. While exceptions of course historically exist in which this trope is utilized to a quality result, the majority (particularly in recent years, as many would attest) are over-saturated in what amounts to a shortcut. Executed at its best, a jump-scare’s function within a movie generally demonstrates how the experiences of a character can disarm or lull the audience into a false sense of security in a variety of scenarios, which in turn leads to a sudden event inciting surprise or fear. These can include a calm scenario where danger is perceived as not currently existing or having yet built up, such as with a character in everyday activity. It can be suspenseful when you’re aware danger is present or in the process of playing out and anticipate it but cannot accurately foresee what form, time, … [Read more...] about Art of the Jump-Scare: Film vs. Video Game

Saturating media today probably more than any monster, zombies have so persistently infected pop-culture not only through fear of their countless variants but what the creature represents: The personification of death & the unknown. Outside generations of varying socio-political commentaries, the undead have from one perspective always symbolized death's creeping inevitability, possibly the most primal fear we can connect with regardless of cultural differences. Whether it's the suspense of not knowing if/when/how they'll catch you, how long you can stay a step ahead, debating what the point of it all is, or whether to end it on your own terms, the Hollywood zombie’s unique approach thoroughly embodies this. Moreover, what better, more natural, relatable vehicle for this concept than a plague? Be it viral, fungal, bacterial, radiation, supernatural, or aliens, the base-concept of "If it gets you, you become one of them" works. The simple but cruelly brilliant psychological … [Read more...] about Slow Zombies vs. Fast Zombies: How Have They Influenced The Genre?

When we originally started the podcast, I thought we had picked a pretty good, well-defined niche. However, as David and I started discussing what kinds of movies we could watch and review on the podcast, we ran up against an interesting question: what counts as a horror movie? It seems like a simple question, but when you start thinking about it, many of your assumptions about what defines a horror movie can be easily challenged. Does a Horror Movie Need to be Scary? For example, does a horror movie have to be scary? What about comedic horror movies? I wouldn't be scared during many comedic horror movies, but they still use the same tropes and are considered legit horror movies because of it. Does a Horror Movie Need to be Supernatural? Some say that a defining characteristic is that there is a supernatural element. Well, not always! Many slasher movies are just a guy with a knife. Is Scream supernatural? One of David's favorite recent horror movies is The Invitation - … [Read more...] about What Counts as a Horror Movie?

I was having a discussion with a friend recently who asked me why I thought it was such a good time for the horror genre. The question took me by surprise because I have spent so much time in recent years just being thankful that good horror is becoming a thing again that I never stopped to wonder why. As I thought about it, I came up with a quick and dirty theory, so let me know what you think. Check Out Our Podcast Review of Halloween (1978) https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2018/10/31/halloween-1978-review/ Slasher Flicks Got Played Out The 70’s birthed the era of the slasher which ran into the 80’s and produced some great horror flicks. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) gave way to Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). The genre boasted a single lunatic who was seemingly unstoppable and would go on killing sprees that escalated into insanity. Slashers were a huge box-office draw – no one had seen anything like them. Slashers capitalized on … [Read more...] about How Slashers Killed Good Horror Movies