Alky, he's referring to The Cavern, I believe, not The Descent with the following remarks.

The cameraplay throughout the caves in The Descent offers no sense of orientation, but instead of giving the viewer the same suspense of being 'lost' as the unfortunate ladies in the film it is instead just rather bewildering.

The creatures they encounter are not very impressive either, and to make matters worse the director employs the trendy hyper-kinetic editing style to show us that the girls really are 'kicking ass' in case we were in any doubt - Kung-Fu fists fly, bones crunch, familiarity breeds contempt.

But you're obviously all going to see it anyway given that everyone here seems to think this mediocre horror movie is the best thing to come out of Britain since Frank Bruno, so we hope you enjoy your revised 'safe' ending since it's been made all fluffy for the country housing the world's 2nd biggest stash of nuclear weapons.

:D

Yes... I was only referring to "The Cavern". As to the remarks about how old I am... let's just say that my age has nothing to do with my views... I AM a fan of horror... not gore! There is a difference! If one takes a film such as " The Fly" (original version from the 1950's) or the Bela Lugosi incarnation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" , or even the earlier German "Nosferatu"...you have TRUE HORROR. No sheared body parts...no pools of body organs... just imagination and a good classic way of 'spooking' the audience, instead of making them sick... this is horror!

"The Cavern" had a bit of the suspense of a good horror film, but cancelled its effect by lousy photography and a poor ending.
"The Descent" may have gore... but, the sheer terror is there to balance it or, perhaps, even surpass it. I will go to see "The Descent", as it contains the elements of a good fright film...plus the fact that you can se what is going on!

Rent "The Cavern".... you will see what I have described as its failures. I did, in fact, like the "Cave"... and anticipate that "Descent" will far outclass the suspense of either film.

... and leave the remarks in your waste basket, sport . They are not needed here.

With the confusing cinematography and rapid-fire editing... good luck!

Bruno? At least say Lewis.

Oh right, I take it "The Descent" has only just come out in the US or something? I saw it in the cinema back in 2005. In fact its on the TV right now lol...

It's not that great.

I'll say it again, I believe the British nu-wave of horror movies are better received in America because they are not American films and this is still quite a novelty.

The film isn't that bad, but the buzz surrounding it is quite surprising and, as with Dog Soldiers, 28 Days Later and Shaun of the Dead, it isn't really deserved.

Dog Soldiers is okay.

28 Days Later isnt great.

But Shaun of the Dead is amazing! However Americans dont seem to understand our humour too much, but in UK Shaun of the Dead is loved by all.

Not by me it isn't.

It's like watching two episodes of Spaced and The Office with its dry characters and irreverent humour, and some Manty Piythaan and slapstick thrown in (the fence-vaulting is a corker) and a zombie theme.

The end seige at the pub was particularly disappointing, devoid of laughs and any real tension.

The film wants us to care about its characters (or are we supposed to be too busy rolling around the floor in mirth?), but this is impossible as we constantly anticipate the next gag or clever parody of the genre.

you didnt even like the record throwing scene ?

Hmmm not really - I couldn't get over the fact that they were just (rather limply) tossing records across the garden.

I might have missed that this was a parody of something, though - because a lot of folk go on about it like it's hilarious.

:confused:

not a parody - just the choices were funny ..

i think the one they decided to throw was the Batman soundtrack - one of those albums everyone has and nobody ever plays ..


i think there is a lot to what you said about the novelty to the NA audiences though - and its a good reason for us to like them .. i dont know the TV shows you're comparing them to so it still seems fresh and funny to us ..

its like you liking Miami Vice ..hard for me to get my head around ..

its also why I got turned onto the new black filmakers when Lee and Singleton etc came on the scene .. it was fresh and new at the time... a novel approach - and a much needed change ... same with the asian horror films ...
maybe they feel the same way about their films as you do re. the UK flicks ...

I saw shaun of the dead and thought it was rather stupid. I dont laugh at much though. Even if its a really good comedy, I still dont usually laugh much. somethings wrong with me, I must be sick

Same here. I didn't think Shaun of the Dead was THAT amazing. It was alright. Didn't laugh much either, twice or so. I prefer other horror comedies.

I know what you mean - I guess familiarity and maybe cynicism play a part in that. But sit me down in from of Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock or Airplane! and I'll split my sides.

I think it's new concepts that are important to me now, not just different approaches. Miami Vice was as fresh to me as a kid as discovering Italian and Japanese horror. But frankly I'm bored of them all now.

It's good that films like The Blair Witch Project, Fight Club, Pulp Fiction and Trainspotting come along every once and a while to make you sit up and take notice again - and rethink your attraction to cinema. Unfortunately, only one of these is a horror film.

hey, trainspotting is close. I'll watch anythign by Boyd, i like his style. I love 28 days later.

Hmmm I think the wheels fell off Danny Boyle's wagon right after Trainspotting, with the bizarre A Life Less Ordinary and derivative 28 Days Later.

I have a certain fondness for The Beach however, and have yet to see Millions.

Millions is well worth a look ..


jesus he did Life Less Ordinary ?
that was a jerky uneven mess ..

No offense but Americans dont understand our humour, or at least have the same type of humour...the closest to our type of humour you come to is "Curb Your Enthusiasm" but even that is way over the top in our opinions.

It's just because we are two different countries.

canadians do - if you've been exposed to it long enough ..


actually - other than very topical political or personal references - i dont understand why anyone wouldnt understand the UK humor ..

anyone with a brain that is ...

Canadians are great :)

not all of them ... mostly just me..

Haha, fair enough.

I wonder what our American cousins make about being so dense?

they dont know - they cant understand :p

I've been on the outside looking in, even as an american. Trust me, the average american is unaware that they are dense.
"A flea thinks the dog is the world" is an apt analogy.

I like English humor to a point. I thought a lot of the subtle things in shaun of the dead were great, like Shaun lumbering along with a hangover, oblivious to the massive bloody handprint on the fridge door at the convenience store. Had me rolling.



I dont htink 28 days Later was terribly derivative, ithought it was a great spin on an old idea. While the disease thing had always been mentioned in "Zombie" films, there was never an actual root cause, aside from Return of the living dead, but i considered the first 2 spoofs.

Another great thing about it was that it was a non-zombie zombie film. Not a single walking corpse in the whole movie.

not that it's something i require in a movie - especially horror - but 28 Days was also the closest thing to a plausible 'zombie' movie ... like the Crazies, or Rabid ..

I agree, thats part of what i liked about it. It really worked on feelings of isolation in the beginning. I had a dream once that i was trpped out in the country in a small house on a foggy morning, and zombies started comingout of the woodwork. it played on the feelings i had had in that dream very well.

This is the kind of thing I'm getting at - sure, the irony and analogy in scenes like these is present and correct... but Shaun of the Dead is hardly the bellowing laughter-soaked genius of comedy it's made out to be in some quarters. It's a knowing, self-aware film... and I find such things exceptionally difficult to like (except Airplane!, which is of course eternally brilliant).

I've seen so many (mostly shite) post-apocalyptic films in my time that when 28 Days Later came along, all I could see was the same old survivor-story tarted up with low FPS, flashy editing and CGI. When it came to any real suspense or intrigue, I found the film badly wanting.

did you ever watch the deleted seens from 28 days later, the director cut his favorite seen, i think it would have been among the best seens in the movie, why do directors have such stupid superstitions. i thought the movie was a bore anyway

I though 28 Days Later was quite poor IMO. The only thing I liked about it is the music they used (In The House - In A Heartbeat) because I like the growing crescendo of that song.

I absolutely agree with both points you just made.

'Shaun', for me, was nothing more but a chuckle, and a little boring.

And 28 Days Later just didn't work for me.

I never looked at Shaun as a bellowing laughter-soaked genius of comedy.....but it sure did make me smile.:)

28 Days Later......meh......take it or leave it.

that sums it up for me, but i'm only a stupid american :)

on a side note i have a special place in my heart for british humor. growing up i wasn't allowed to watch too much tv. i had parents that wanted me outside playing sports, which was great but its sucks being the only kid not "in the know" w/ tv, video games, etc. when i was allowed to watch tv it was mostly PBS (they refused to get cable). i grew up on: monte python, keeping up appearances, are you being served, fawlty towers, mr. bean, the black adder, etc. definitely an acquired taste, but clever and definitely funny.

Next British comedy/horror coming soon is "Severence". Obviously a pun on the film "Deliverence" so will probably be along the same lines as that film, but with limbs getting chopped off :D

Not sure when you guys in the US will get it though. I'll write a review or something when its out, its from the same people as Shaun of the Dead. It doesnt look amazing, but could have some good bits.

pun intended ?

lol :P