Dismembering Horror

Happy Thanksgiving! What better way to give thanks than to watch a classic that the whole family can enjoy? This week we got a jolt of energy with “Shocker.” With a plot that’s a little half-baked, it’s not one of Wes Craven’s best works, and earned a double “stream” from us. That’s not to say there wasn’t some wonderfully nutso moments, including an original and unmatched final fracas. Needless to say, we hope you have a great Thanksgiving— we are both very thankful for you, our listeners (don’t get ‘shocked” by using the electric carving knife)!

Shocker (1989)

Written and Directed by Wes Craven

Where we watched: iTunes rental

RecommenDEADtions: IG: @seventiesscifiart / The Last Podcast on the Left Ep. 358 “The Electric Chair”

The hat always knows (as proven by the miraculous event of Ryan wishing for 1922’s “Häxan” to be this week’s film and Tim actually pulling it from the hat)! And boy oh boy, what a wonderful, witchy, delight this film was. Grabbing the brand new Criterion Blu-ray gave us all we could ask for. The brilliant imagery and masterful art direction of this haunting cinematic experience earned an unwavering double “buy” from the guys.

RecommenDEADtions: The Plague Dogs / The Big Nowhere (Book)

Häxan (1922)

Directed and written by Benjamin Christensen

Where we watched: Blu-ray

“It’s called ‘Trench 11,’ not ‘Underground Base 11.’” Need we say more for this week’s episode? A meandering, lackluster, derivative film that failed to live up to its potential. Despite some fun “squidges and squooshes” from the “angel hair pasta” parasite, and a few standout, gory, special-fx moments, Tim and Ryan just couldn’t muster up any real praise for “Trench 11.” Rating it with a lower-tier double “stream,” you’re probably better off just watching “Overlord” again.

Trench 11 (2019)

Directed by Leo Scherman

Written by Leo Scherman & Matthew Booi

Where we watched: Amazon Prime

RecommenDEADtions: The Devils / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Existential dread? The allure of the sea? The impending madness of isolation? The mercy of the wind? Or just “two guys inside a giant phallus?” Whichever way you want to kill the one-eyed seagull, you better have gone to the theater to see (sea) “The Lighthouse,” because Ryan and Tim dive deep with the merfolk for this week’s film. Earning a double “buy,” Robert Eggers’ follow up to “The Witch” did not disappoint in the least. So take a climb up to the lamp, and see if you can bear to look inside.

The Lighthouse (2019)

Directed by Robert Eggers

Written by Robert Eggers & Max Eggers

Where we watched: Arclight Hollywood

RecommenDEADtions: Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II / The Seventh Seal

IT’S HALLOWEEN! What better way to celebrate the greatest holiday then by watching (arguably) the greatest horror film? After a month of slashing up the sequels to the famed original, we finally arrive back at where it all started with Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, “Psycho.” Among all the explorations and analyses of “Psycho,” Tim and Ryan attempt to pull something new from it by (inherently) viewing it in the world of 2019. And of course, they give it a double “buy” rating.

Psycho (1960)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Written by Joseph Stefano

Where we watched: Blu-ray

RecommenDEADtions: 78/52 / The Last House on the Left (1972)

We made it to the fourth installment of the Psycho franchise, and it was quite the bookend. Exploring the origin as well as the ultimate fate of our beloved Norman, this combination sequel-prequel was a fun way to transition us back to the original film. The guys had their differences on this one, but were able to agree that Psycho IV gives the audience an appropriate conclusion. With a “stream” and of course a continuing “buy” rating from Ryan, one thing is for sure: Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates means it’s worth checking out.

Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990)

Directed by Mick Garris

Written by Joseph Stefano

Where we watched: Amazon rental

RecommenDEADtions: Joker / The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014)

What a whirlwind this has been so far! Coming off the heels of "Psycho II," we jump right back in with Norman trying to turn over a new leaf, and find that he’s gone and turned that leaf right back over. With the exhilarating discovery that this third installment was, directed by none other than Anthony Perkins himself (and with beautiful results) the guys really enjoyed the blend of Mr. Perkins’ touches using clear homage to “Hitch’s” original aesthetic. This continuation in both story and style earned "Psycho III" a “buy” from Ryan and a very strong “rent” from Tim.

Psycho III (1986)

Directed by Anthony Perkins

Written by Charles Edward Pogue

Where we watched: Amazon rental

RecommenDEADtions: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls / Solarbabies

October is here, and for the first time the guys at Dismembering Horror are covering a full series: The “Psycho” movies! Here’s the twist: we are starting with “Psycho II” (this week’s film) and continuing the whole month until we circle back to the original for our Halloween episode. So how did the guys take to the sequel of Hitchcock’s masterpiece? Ryan just went all in with a “buy” for the whole series, while Tim gave an enthusiastic “rent” to the two-decades-delayed character study that is "Psycho II." There was a multitude of praise for this installment with virtually nothing that didn’t work to report, so come grab a room at the Bates Motel and stay for a while!

Psycho II (1983)

Directed by Richard Franklin

Written by Tom Holland

Where we watched: Amazon rental

RecommenDEADtions: Glass / Bone Tomahawk

DEAD ALERT! Double “avoid” film from Tim and Ryan! A rarity for the pair, how this week’s K-Horror installment made it onto a top horror list proved an even harder problem to solve than the incoherent riddles of "Death Bell"’s killer. Don’t fret though, fellow horror fiends: there’s always some sweet ore to mine even in the face of “mysteries with no mystery.” The guys do pick apart the failings of “Death Bell” but find solutions that they felt would have added up to a much better film (yay math puns).

Death Bell (2008)

Directed by Hong-Seung Yoon

Written by Hong-Seung Yoon and Eun-Kyeong Kim

Where we watched: Hulu

RecommenDEADtions: Super Mario Bros. / Scare Tactics

“The Eyes Of My Mother” lulled us into a sweet and delectable, American-gothic horror story, and explores the effects of nature vs. nurture when the nurture goes away. With haunting performances and immaculate visuals, Tim and Ryan couldn’t help but be entranced by nearly every aspect of this black-and-white beauty. Earning a “rent” from both of them, there was plenty of praise to go around.

The Eyes of My Mother (2016)

Written and Directed by Nicolas Pesce

Where we watched: Netflix

RecommenDEADtions: The Righteous Gemstones (TV show) / Young Sherlock Holmes