Thank You, Wes Craven

I'm a bit late posting this - I wrote it a few days after he passed away on August 30 - but I wanted to share my thoughts on what Wes Craven's films have meant to me.

Meeting Wes Craven at a screening of 'Wes Craven's New Nightmare' at the Arclight Hollywood, October 2003.

The first time I saw Wes Craven's 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' was in 1992, over seven years after its release.  I was 13 years old, nearing the end of 8th grade, and, having grown up in a household where such films were strictly forbidden, it was one of the first horror films I had ever seen.  Of course, like any other child of the eighties, I had heard of Freddy Krueger and knew what he looked like - the sweater, the hat, the glove - but, knowing little else, I thought of the 'Nightmare' series as mindless slasher films. However, it was a quiet Sunday afternoon, I was home alone, and the film was airing on basic cable.  

From the beginning, I was hooked.  While I had little to no expectations, the film turned out to be a carefully constructed, terrifying and surreal exploration of dreams, full of strong characters, suspenseful moments, and an array of plot twists.  The opening nightmare sequence, featuring the 15 year-old Tina (Amanda Wyss) being stalked through a cavernous boiler room, had me hiding next the TV, peering around to see when Freddy would jump out next.   Assuming that Tina was the main character, I was shocked when she met a gruesome demise only 20 minutes into the film, and her best friend Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) assumed the lead role.  Nancy proved to be a strong, resourceful character, and I followed her journey with bated breath as she desperately tried to figure out why her dreams had become deadly and how she could face the terrifying monster that wanted to destroy her.

The film was exactly what I needed at the time.  Full of teenage angst, I latched on to the theme of inter-generational conflict (in addition to Freddy Krueger himself, every adult character in the film serves to makes things worse for the teenage protagonists) and admired the perseverance, inner strength, and self-reliance of Nancy.  Freddy Krueger, played brilliantly by Robert Englund, was a terrifying creation and an alluring anti-hero with glimpses of the humor that would come to define the character in the sequels.   As a young teenager struggling to figure out my own identity, it was a welcome feeling to have something that truly resonated with me, something for which I had a genuine enthusiasm.

And embrace it I did.  Before long, I was a full-on Freddy fanatic.  My bedroom was filled with posters, magazines, books, memorabilia, and VHS tapes of the films (that I had to hide and watch when my parents were away).  I went to the library and devoured as much information on the films as I could, including film theory and behind-the-scenes stories.  When Wes Craven returned to write and direct another 'Nightmare' film, 'Wes Craven's New Nightmare,' in 1994, I counted down the days until its release, dragged friends to the theater, and was completely enthralled by his latest masterpiece, literally sitting on the edge of my seat through the last act of the film.  

Although my teenage angst is long gone, I've continued to embrace that fandom in the decades since.  In college, I had a 'Nightmare on Elm Street' website (back in the days of Geocities) that connected me to other fans around the world.  I immersed myself in film history and film theory courses as an undergraduate, often using them as a springboard to research and write about the 'Nightmare' films.  I moved to Los Angeles after college and started attending film screenings, speaker events, and fan conventions related to the series and horror films in general, making new friends in the process.  I even appeared on a game show as a "Nightmare on Elm Street Expert."  Although I ultimately decided to pursue a career in the non-profit sector, I spent years writing horror screenplays in my spare time.  When I interviewed for admission to the MBA program I attended, my interviewer asked me, "If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be?"  My answer: Wes Craven.

Though we will never have that lunch together, I was incredibly fortunate to see him on a handful of occasions in Los Angeles when he made public appearances.  The first time, in April 2001, he was giving a speech at Cal State Fullerton; a friend who was a student there invited me to attend the event with her.  Eager to say something that would leave an impression, I approached him after his speech and said, "Your films have really inspired me and changed my life."  He responded with, "Wow, I hope it was in a good way!"

And while my current situation might not seem to reflect it -- I now live in upstate New York and work in university administration -- his work really did change my life.  His films gave me something to latch on to, something in which to find inspiration and excitement, and a way to connect with new people.  And so I thank you, Wes Craven, for all that and more.

Movie Review: The Sleeper (2012)

Director: Justin Russell
Writer: Justin Russell
Notable Cast: Cameo from Joe Bob Briggs

Six degrees of A Nightmare on Elm Street: This film features Joe Bob Briggs, who was in Ghosts of Goldfield with Marnette Patterson, who played a little girl in A Nightmare on Elm Street 5 (her line: "9, 10, he's back again!").

 

Though the film is available on DVD, I saw it this past weekend at the inaugural CineMayhem Film Festival in Thousand Oaks, CA.  Released in 2012, the film is a loving throwback to the slasher films of the late 70's and early 80's.  

And sure enough, anything negative comments I could give The Sleeper could also apply to that aforementioned group of films, e.g. Final Exam, The House on Sorority Row, Slumber Party Massacre, etc.  Some of the acting is a little spotty, the characters make dumb decisions, the killer's motive and backstory are never sufficiently explained, the plot holes are enormous, and the practical gore effects have their limitations.  

But that's what we love about those movies, and writer/director Justin Russell successfully tapped into that aesthetic.  The bulk of the film takes place on a college campus in 1981, where an anonymous killer targets a group of sorority girls, one at a time, as well as a couple of their new pledges.  All the conventions are there: the detective (a la John Saxon in Black Christmas), the doting house mother, the horny college boys, and an extremely large sorority house with only a few inhabitants. 

The lead actress, Brittany Belland, seems very natural; she has an unconventional (but cute) look, and, to her credit, she comes across more like a real person than an actress.  Ms. Belland plays one of the pledges, while the five sorority sisters, some better actresses than others, are differentiated enough that I was never confused about who was who.  That you can tell them apart is pretty much the best thing I can say about the characters; we don't really delve beneath the surface of any of these girls: one is a party girl, one is a competitive swimmer... one, um, looks like Elisha Cuthbert...   Surprisingly, there's no "bitch" character; they all seem pretty nice. 

And you certainly get your money's worth in terms of stalking sequences and on-screen kills.  For a low-budget film, there are a great many characters for the anonymous killer (Jason Jay Crabtree) to hack his way through.  His weapon of choice is a hammer, but the writer/director tries to make each kill as interesting as possible; we get to see crushed skulls, slashed throats, a decapitation, and a ripped-off face.  Some of the gore looks pretty great; some of it, not so much.  

The pacing is a little off at times; despite the many characters and high body count, there are times when the story drags.  In some cases, the lighting and choppy editing leads one to think that more time has passed in the story than actually has (several times, I thought it was the next day, when it was still the same evening).  A couple characters simply disappear toward the end of the film, while other characters, especially the detective, make some non-sensical, asinine decisions.

For the most part, this does feel like a film that could have been made in 1981.  Some of the forced retro dialogue is cringe-worthy ("You ruined my shoes!  How am I gonna do the Running Man?"), but there is an AMAZING choreographed disco dance sequence, led by the "party girl" character who looks like Claire Daines.  

And, finally, let's talk about the Joe Bob Briggs cameo.  He makes a brief appearance as a doctor towards the end of the film, and his acting is fine, but he wears his ridiculous bolo tie under his white coat, which looks absolutely ridiculous.  Maybe I'm being nitpicky, but that stupid tie was the only thing that took me out of the world of the movie.  

In short, I would recommend this film, but ONLY to someone who loves the late 70's and early 80's slasher movies.  While The Sleeper is a great addition to that specific subgenre, anyone who watches it as a straight horror film may end up disappointed.  

Movie Review: Mother's Day (2010)

Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Writers: Scott Milam, based on the 1980 screenplay Mother's Day by Charles Kaufman and Warren Leight
Notable Cast: Rebecca De Mornay, Jaime King, Briana Evigan, Shawn Ashmore, Frank Grillo, Deborah Ann Woll (TV's True Blood), Kandyse McClure (TV's Battlestar Gallactica), with cameos from A.J. Cook and Alexa Vega

Six degrees of A Nightmare on Elm Street: This film features Jaime King, who was in White Chicks with Lochlyn Munro, who played Deputy Stubbs in Freddy vs Jason.

Mother's Day, from Darren Lynn Bousman, director of Saw II-IV, and based on a low-budget 1980 offering from Troma Films, was originally scheduled for a theatrical release in early 2010.  Unfortunately for the filmmakers, the release date was pushed back several times before the film was dumped on a few screens in 2012 and subsequently released on video.  Personally, I'd been hearing about the film for years and was eager to see it for its impressive line-up of horror actresses.  Jaime King is a swell final girl, Deborah Ann Woll is brilliant on True Blood (or was, at least, in the few seasons I saw), and who doesn't enjoy seeing Rebecca De Mornay be evil? 

The basic premise: Jaime King's character and her husband, played by Frank Grillo (who seems to be aging in reverse - the actor is almost 50, but looks like he's in his late 20's), buy a house and invite a small group of friends over.  Unbeknownst to them, this house belonged to "Mother" (Rebecca De Mornay, who still looks stunning) and her attractive but demented offsping, who return to claim what is rightfully theirs.  Mother believes that there is money hidden in the house that belongs to her family, and no one will get out alive until the loot has been recovered.  

So, is it any good?  To be honest, this kind of movie makes me a bit uncomfortable.  I don't know if the subgenre has a name, but there are certain reality-grounded horror films where a group of unsuspecting nice-ish people get held up at gunpoint by baddies, harassed and tortured for awhile, before finally, the villains get their brutal comeuppance.  Some examples off the top of my head are parts of The Devil's Rejects, Last House on the Left, and, to some extent, I Spit on Your Grave (although that movie has a singular victim).  We watch our "heroes" go through hell for most of the film, wondering how much physical and psychological abuse they can take.

All of it leads up to the payoff, when we see the protagonist(s) get their brutal revenge, giving us an excuse to cheer for and enjoy the intense gore. The film spends its first two thirds showing us how awful these people are (and, in this film, at least, they really are that awful) so that we can enjoy their eventual torture, torment, and destruction.

And to be honest, I'm not above it.  The final act of the film is a bloody good time, watching the cat-and-mouse game between the villains and the surviving cast.  It's the preceding hour of undeserving people being tortured and killed that disturbs me.  Do we really need to see two friends brutally attack each other in a fight where the loser's girlfriend will be raped?  It is hard to enjoy, and if someone had walked into the room while I had been watching some of the early segments, I would have had a difficult time justifying my viewing choice.  Sure, most horror movies feature undeserving people getting killed, but we generally don't watch periods of extended suffering as the victims are robbed of their basic human dignity.

That being said, it is a well-made and well-acted film.  Rebecca De Mornay is fantastic as the mother; sweet one moment, and vicious the next.   Briana Evigan was swell as the slutty tough girl (a favorite horror movie archetype of mine), and Shawn Ashmore and Deborah Ann Woll turn in sympathetic performances. I also appreciated the cameo from A.J. Cook (who also seems to be aging in reverse - until I saw the end credits, I thought it was just some 20 year-old who looked kind of like her), but it is a short scene that is uncomfortable to watch.

I'll give it this: the film is never boring and will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Just not always in a good way. 

Movie Review: Dark House (2009)

Director: Darin Scott
Writers: Darrin Scott, Kerry Douglas Dye
Notable Cast: Jeffrey Combs

Six degrees of A Nightmare on Elm Street: This film features Jeffrey Combs, who was in The Attic Expeditions with Andras Jones, who played Rick in A Nightmare on Elm Street 4.

Okay, it took  me a month, but I'm finally writing my first non-introductory blog post!

Dark House was one of the eight films released under the "Fangoria Frightfest" label in 2010, and had the honor of being the only of those films to get a token theatrical release.  I wasn't expecting much from the set-up - a dead teenager body count movie in a haunted house - but this film actually delivers on its premise rather well.

The story begins "14 years ago," when a religious woman stabbed to death seven foster children in her care, before dispatching herself in one of the more gruesome ways imaginable.  Jump to the present day, where Claire (Meghan Ory), a girl who witnessed the events of the massacre, has grown up into an attractive theater student who has repressed the memories of that day.  When a haunted attraction promoter (Jeffrey Combs) decides to convert the site of the massacre into a haunted house, he highers Claire and five of her classmates to be his actors for opening night.  Claire agrees to participate, hoping it will help her remember and recover from the events of her past.

While not very big, the haunted house is chock full of sophisticated holograms featuring mad scientists, axe-wielding maniacs, and medieval torturers, among other things.  The technical sophistication of the holograms involves some MAJOR suspension of disbelief, but it would be a pretty cool attraction if it actually existed.  When Jeffrey Combs (being his Jeffrey Combsiest) hires Claire and her five friends at $300 a pop, my first thought was, "How would a haunted house make enough in one night to cover $1,800 in actor fees?"  But if such realistic and effective holograms actually existed, I'll be damned if he couldn't charge an insanely high ticket price for admittance. 

But I digress.  Anyway, things go horribly wrong, illusions come alive, people die, and the ghosts of Claire's past return to haunt her.  You get the gist...

While the characters are paper thin - each one has one personality trait that every line of their dialogue reflects (goth girl!  geek!  lesbian!) - and we never get the impression that any of them really like each other that much, they are at least differentiated enough that we know who's who, and it's easy to keep track of their declining numbers.  The writer/director makes a valiant effort to give us gory, creative deaths, and succeeds more often than not, making effective use of the location and scenario.  He also manages to work in a large number of potential victim characters - we have six actors, three other employees at the haunted house, and two reporters.   So thank you, Darin Scott, for giving us a body count movie with lots of bodies to count!

There's even an interesting reveal regarding Claire's memories from 14 years ago, and I have to say I found those scenes a little chilling.  The rest of the film wasn't terribly frightening, but it moved along at a good pace and did its best to be consistently inventive and entertaining.  

I've only seen one other Fangoria Frightfest film - The Tomb - and this one was far and away a better film.  It won't go down as a horror classic, but worth a look if you like the subgenre of horror films.

Welcome, and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year 2013!!

Welcome to my new blog!  I'm a huge horror fan, especially the Nightmare on Elm Street series, and wanted to start a blog to keep track of the movies I watch and horror film-related activities I do, e.g. screenings, conventions, visits to famous film sites, etc.. 

A little about me: I'm in my 30's, live in Los Angeles, and work in the non-profit sector.  My last attempt to make a website was in the late 90s, when I made a website called Dave's Supergroovy Nightmare on Elm Street Page or something like that -- it wasn't great, but I used to get tons of page hits, because it would come up as one of the first results on search engines, and it was fun to get emails from Nightmare fans around the world.  Anyway, that was my last foray into online horror fandom, and I'm relieved that I can now write a website about horror without fussing around with HTML codes.  Hooray!

This time, I won't be focused entirely on A Nightmare on Elm Street and may occasionally stray from horror, but everything will be coming from a horror/Nightmare fan's perspective.

Thanks for visiting, and enjoy!

Dave