Chrono's Horror Movie Marathon Week 2: Werewolves (There Wolves!)

[ChronoGrl]

Hey hey - Sorry for the delay!

I still owe a response re An American Werewolf in London - Short answer is that I absolutely loved it, the effects were amazing, the massacre scene was great, and the only thing I DIDN'T like was the writing for the nurse.

SO

I chatted with Mett on FB and said I'd start on 6:30 but that's like in 20 minutes so I'm not sure if it's feasible for other folks.

And if it's just you two guys then, yes, I would prefer FB chat... I worked from home today and never put my face on... I probably look as good as Ginger does at the end of the film.

[ChronoGrl]

Originally Posted by metternich1815

Just in case anyone was interested, I will repost my thoughts on An American Werewolf in London from the "Last Seen 70s/80s Movie" thread:

"I have seen this film a few times before (though it had certainly been a while since my last viewing), and while I mentioned on another thread I enjoyed the Howling more than an American Werewolf in London, it is still, without question, an incredible film. The film is able to find the right balance between horror and comedy. If you like straight horror, this may not be the film for you, but otherwise it is really good. And, what is interesting is that the comedy does not detract from the horror. It really is quite complementary. There were also some great special effects and excellent makeup. Additionally, the direction draws you in from the beginning to the end. To add to this, the score really matched the film and the soundtrack was well-selected as well. The story is not particularly novel, but that is unimportant. The film is interesting because it takes traditional elements of werewolf films and uses them in new and often unexpected ways. For example, the ultimate "werewolf causes mayhem and is tracked down" scene begins in a porn theater. There was also a really good performance by the main actor and his character was very well-developed. Sadly, many of the other major actors/actresses were not as strong particularly the nurse. In fact, that whole sub-plot just seemed a bit forced and unrealistic. Many of the other minor characters were well-done though on a more positive note. While there may be some not as well-done things in the film and it is not straight horror, it is still a very strong horror film and one of the better werewolf films. If you still have not seen this film, I highly recommend it."

I totally agree with everything that Mett posted here - I'm actually surprised at myself for having written this movie off (well, SORT OF surprised - There was a period of time that I was VERY WARY of 80s horror... And I still am) - The fact of the matter is...

• The direction is really tight, from the English countryside to the car wrecks in London; it's incredibly artfully done
• The special effects are excellent, and I completely understand why it won best effects that year - The corpse makeup for Jack Goodman especially gave me the willies - I love it when I see a horror movie that can still make me cringe (love practical effects!)
• The transformation scene was incredible. This was my first time seeing it in full and it's truly harrowing, horrifying, and well-done.
• And the comedy was great! I love the subtle (yet disturbing) comedy of his victims cheering him on to kill himself to the more broad comedy of him running around the zoo naked
• I loved his dreams of werewolf Nazis
• I loved the final scenes of just pure mayhem, cutting between the Monster and the just pure destruction is was causing - the car crashes, broken glass, and marred bodies. There's definitely a lot that the movie is saying about violence here; I think I'd need another viewing to dissect it further (I mean, the end itself is particularly sudden and jarring - in a good way)

Unfortunately, as Mett pointed out, the very worst and weakest part was the nurse and the subplot involving their relationship - I honestly thought that it was downright creepy that she asked a patient to stay with her... I thought that most of the reactions in the hospital room (from her, the doctor), were just inappropriate. It was really the writing here that was the issue.

Good news is that the weak parts did NOT over-shadow what I ultimately thought of as a really excellent werewolf movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it will now live on as one of my favorite horror movies.

Wow - I should probably give The Howling a second try too, huh?

Originally Posted by Sculpt

Good write-up, Mett. Basically I took American & Howling the same. I enjoyed American, but was never a big fan of it. Always enjoy Naughton (got his record too). The horror-to-comedy has a natural fusion, it's the just the movie story as a whole never sat right with me... something felt disjointed that kept me at bay, an elusive core/heart.

...

Naughton has a record???

HEY! Has anyone else been watching werewolves this week? :danger:

[Sculpt]

Originally Posted by ChronoGrl

Naughton has a record???

A single on record. Was the theme song to a TV show by the same name, in which he starred. Ole Dr Pepper preformed it. Good disco song. Was written by the duo who wrote 'I Will Survive' and 'Reunited'.

[hammerfan]

Originally Posted by Sculpt

A single on record. Was the theme song to a TV show by the same name, in which he starred. Ole Dr Pepper preformed it. Good disco song. Was written by the duo who wrote 'I Will Survive' and 'Reunited'.

ROFL, I remember that

[hammerfan]

Last night, metternich, ChronoGrl and I watched Ginger Snaps. Not my favorite werewolf movie, but enjoyable. I thought Mimi Rogers did a great job playing the Mom. The two actresses playing the sisters were very good, too. Loved the teeth they gave Ginger.

Yeah, that's all I have. I'm not as good at writing as the rest of you.

[The Villain]

Sorry I wasn't able to participate Chrono. I'm not a big fan of werewolf movies but I actually do like all of those.

[Sculpt]

Originally Posted by hammerfan

Last night, metternich, ChronoGrl and I watched Ginger Snaps. Not my favorite werewolf movie, but enjoyable. I thought Mimi Rogers did a great job playing the Mom. The two actresses playing the sisters were very good, too. Loved the teeth they gave Ginger.

Yeah, that's all I have. I'm not as good at writing as the rest of you.

Oh well, guess you'll just have to stick to typing instead.

I'll have to wait till Wednesday to watch Ginger Snaps.

[Sculpt]

I watched Ginger Snaps.

I thought it was OK. The first half was intriguing. Getting to know the two sisters, their relationship with each other & their mom, & young womanhood. Found the last half and ending disappointing.


SPOILERS....................
The slow change to werewolf, relating to puberty, specifically for a woman, was a nifty story device. But a little bit past the midway point, there was very little development, and it got fairly stale to me. Although the older sister (Ginger) continued the change to the obvious outcome (animalistic, in both ways), there was no more reveal, development nor change of the younger sister, nor their relationship. So I was waiting for the end for the last half of the film... which just seemed a bunch of filler of teen angst, smoking & saying f*ck... I was starting to think this was for teens.

Also, I thought the ending was disappointing, as it seemed abrupt, contrived & not a resolution to all the interesting aspects of the film, namely: puberty, sisterhood, daughter-mother. I'm all for 'unhappy' or 'realistic' endings, but it should still be the film's resolution. Film saying menstruation means the end of sisterhood & motherhood relationship, or AIDS is deadly? If the ending attempted to say puberty brings an end to childhood relationships & begins new adult relationships, I'd be fascinated; but I didn't see any attempt at resolution.

Am I expecting too much from a horror film? Maybe, but I got the impression Ginger Snaps was something more, not just something a little different.

[ChronoGrl]

So I never got around to posting about Ginger Snaps, but I thought that Sculpt's review is eloquent and on point - Sculpt outlines what I love about the movie - The relationship between the sisters and the mother - I love the allegory of Ginger becoming a werewolf with puberty...

I do agree about the end in some ways but ultimately this has become one of my favorite werewolf movies - I think it's ambitious and I like that it features two female leads - I still wonder how I would have received it when I was in high school - they're moody and goth - I probably would have idolized them in a bizarre teen angst sort of way...