Dismembering Horror

Some call it "the British 'Psycho.'” We just call it groovy cinema. Though maybe not a perfect film like the comparison suggests, “Peeping Tom” is still a colorful, smart thriller. And hey, it’s always fun to play with the filmmaker-making-a-film-within-a-film-on-a-film-set trope, alongside the exploration of psychosis from the point of view of the psycho. The guys had plenty to dismember on the positive side, earning it a double “rent.”

Peeping Tom (1960)

Directed by Michael Powell

Written by Leo Marks

Where we watched: Blu-ray

RecommenDEADtions: On the Rocks / Sightseers

Next week’s film: The Entity (1982)

This week we have a stay with “The Tenant,” a film by the extremely problematic Roman Polanski, which we discuss at length prior to our review of the film (and let this serve as a warning for those who may not be interested in hearing about him). We then move forward and focus on the filmmaking and all the contributions of the many other people that contributed to making “The Tenant.” Ultimately, we found this third entry in Polanski’s unofficial “apartment trilogy” to be an artistic success, and an interesting psychological thriller with lots to explore, garnering a double “rent” from the guys.

Where we watched: Amazon Prime

The Tenant (1976)

Directed by Roman Polanski

Written by Roland Topor, Gérard Brach, Roman Polanski

RecommenDEADtions: Laurel Canyon / They Look Like People

Next week’s film: Peeping Tom (1960)

Not to be confused with the remake, this pitch perfect 1960 “Village of the Damned” captures all the paranoia, intrigue, suspense, and mystery of the best "Twilight Zone"/"Outer Limits" episodes (and in a crisp, not-too-long-not-too-short running time). This solid entry earned a “rent” and a “stream,” but don’t let that fool you: thanks to a solid story and atmosphere, this British creeper sticks with you, and has stood as an influence for many filmmakers.

Village of the Damned (1960)

Directed by Wolf Rilla

Written by Stirling Silliphant, Wolf Rilla, and Ronald Kinnoch

Where we watched: Blu-ray

RecommenDEADtions: The Daniel Craig Bond films / Blink (book)

Next week’s film: The Tenant (1976)

No, not teenage angst! “Angst” with a long ‘A’! And boy did this one earn that ‘A’ (+)! After being a bit too much for the faint of heart when it was originally released and being shelved for years, “Angst” has since made its way back into availability: and let it be known this is quite the movie. Ryan and Tim were just on the verges of our top rating, settling on a “rent” for Tim and just over the line to a “buy” for Ryan, with both heaping tons of praise onto the extremely intense filmmaking within. Its incredible camera work, along with superb performances and a truly unsettling depiction of insanity, make “Angst” one not to be missed.

Angst (1983)

Directed by Gerald Kargl

Written by Zbigniew Rybczynski and Gerald Kargl

Where we watched: Shudder

RecommenDEADtions: Gunda / The Bad Batch

Next week’s film: Village of the Damned (1960)

Dario is back with a return to the Giallo genre! Unfortunately, despite the fans this one has, the guys didn’t love this one. With the exception of a few stand out scenes, “Tenebrae” fell short of coming together in a fully complete, cohesive film for Tim and Ryan. The clear Argento-ness that we know and appreciate was there, but at the end of the day the twist didn’t quite work out as well as it could have. Thus, “Tenebrae” earned a double “stream,” resulting in a fun conversation about how to approach this film differently.

Tenebre (1982)

Written and Directed by Dario Argento

Where we watched: Blu-ray

RecommenDEADtions: Josie and the Pussycats / Sputnik

Next week’s film: Angst (1983)

This week we traveled to Brazil to watch their first horror film ever! It’s a wild one, too. “At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul” was independently made, and ushered in a new era of horror for the country, along with the introduction of the iconic Coffin Joe. The film dives right into the macabre “Poe-esque” morality tale structure, and was made that much better by a wild performance from the lead actor (who happens to also be the director). Well worth the watch, this one garnered a “rent” and a “stream” from Ryan and Tim respectively.

At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul (1964)

Directed by José Mojica Marins

Written by Waldomiro França, José Mojica Marins, & Magda Mei

Where we watched: Blu-ray

RecommenDEADtions: Game of Death / The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV show)

Next week’s film: Tenebrae (1982)

We’ve got a real juicy one for you this week from our friends across the pond. Who doesn’t love some runes, a curse, and an ACTUAL DEMON? Right from the get-go, “Night of the Demon” threw us into a mysterious, windy, wet and witchy world with just the right amount of whodunnit. Even with a pretty unpalatable protagonist, the surrounding talent (both on-screen and behind the camera) carried this film all the way to its grand finale. Garnering a double “rent” from the fellas, there was plenty to commend.

Night of the Demon (1957)

Directed by Jacques Tourneur

Written by Charles Bennett and Hal E. Chester

Where we watched: Blu-ray

RecommenDEADtions: The Mamas & the Papas (band) / Calibre

Next week’s film: At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul

“Motel Hell” is one of those crazy-subversive, maybe-it’s-just-dumb-oh-wait-no-it’s-genius-how-did-I-not-know-about-this kinda movies. You know the type! Tim and Ryan had so much to dismember, the personal highlight being the psychedelic pinwheel human livestock fertilizer, which you have to see to believe. All in all, it’s a deeply intense satire, wrapped in a goofball cannibal slasher. What more could you ask for? We gave it a double “rent” this time around. Do not sleep on (or at) “Motel Hell!”

Motel Hell (1980)

Directed by Kevin Connor

Written by Robert Jaffe and Steven-Charles Jaffe

Where we watched: FandangoNOW

RecommenDEADtions: Seaspiracy / Vivarium

Next week’s film: Night of the Demon (1957)

Look, Mia Farrow is great, this movie is not. Even though there is some good stuff at the core of the story, we were underwhelmed, plain and simple. There’s a couple cool deaths, too. Ryan appreciated Mia Farrow enough to enjoy “Full Circle” overall more than Tim, but both agreed it was a slog through and through, earning it a “stream” and an “avoid,” respectively. But if you like moody, 70’s, low-quality haunt mysteries, this might be just what you're looking for.

Full Circle / The Haunting of Julia (1977)

Directed by Richard Loncraine

Written by Harry Bromley Davenport, Dave Humphries, Peter Straub

Where we watched: YouTube rental

RecommenDEADtions: Easy Rider / Open 24 Hours

Next week’s film: Motel Hell (1980)

What a wild ride we went on this week with none other than Christopher Walken, and a plethora of different aliens doing... well, we’ll leave that up to your imagination. Based on a true account, this one gave us quite a few things to discuss. One thing is for sure: Walken couldn’t be more perfect as an eccentric fiction novelist with writer’s block who gets abducted by aliens. We gave it a “stream” and a “rent,” and pontificated a lot about why!

Communion (1989)

Directed by Philippe Mora

Written by Whitley Strieber

Where we watched: Amazon Prime

RecommenDEADtions: The Elephant Man / The Phoenix Incident

Next week’s film: Full Circle / The Haunting of Julia