So we finally got around to watching this last night... And I have to say that I was not only surprised, but ridiculously impressed.
I've never seen the original, so I don't have it as a frame of reference, but...
The direction was clean, purposeful, interesting well-done.
All of the characters were fascinating (the costumes were brilliant).
And Crispin Glover steals the show (which isn't that much a surprise).
My only two critiques:
- The end was a little silly and non-sensical (then again, if it's Hershel Gordon Lewis, then non-sensical, well, makes sense... Also, everything blurs at a certain point and you need to just suspend your sense of disbelief).
- There wasn't enough gore. For a film entitled "Wizard of Gore" that actually had a huge budget,I was expecting Glover's stage performances to actually shock me (let's go beyond what exploitation and torture porn have already put on film for us and find a new level of gore to test the audience)...
Despite my critiques, however, I absolutely loved this film. Unfortunately I don't have the original for a frame of reference, so I can't speak as to whether or not it's a good
remake, but for a good horror film itself, it was amazing. Absurd. Surreal. Bloody. Horrific.
I'd recommend to everyone.
A-/A