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The Psychology of Screenwriting: Theory and Practice
Book
The Psychology of Screenwriting is more than an interesting book on the theory and practice of...
YN
You're Not Dead Until You're Forgotten: A Memoir
John Dunning and Bill Brownstein
Book
Much to his chagrin, John Dunning was born into the movie business. But once he came to accept his...
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Scanners (1981) in Movies
Sep 7, 2020
I'm Gonna Suck Your Brain Dry
Scanners- is anethor excellent film directed by Cronenberg. I love his style which is sci-fi mixed with horror. With disturbing, gory effects.
The plot: Scanners are men and women born with incredible telepathic and telekinetic powers. There are many who exercise the benefits of their special gifts in a safe and judicious manner. However, there is a group of renegade scanners who plan to create a race that will rule the world.
In the film, "scanners" are people with unusual telepathic and telekinetic powers. ConSec, a purveyor of weaponry and security systems, searches out scanners to use them for its own purposes. The film's plot concerns the attempt by Darryl Revok (Ironside), a renegade scanner, to wage a war against ConSec. Another scanner, Cameron Vale (Lack), is dispatched by ConSec to stop Revok.
Writer and director David Cronenberg has called Scanners one of his most difficult films to make, citing an incomplete script when the shooting schedule commenced, as well as a lack of constructed sets.
The iconic head explosion scene was the product of trial and error, eventually settling on a plaster skull and a gelatin exterior packed with "latex scraps, some wax, and just bits and bobs and a lot of stringy stuff that we figured would fly through the air a little better" as well as "leftover burgers." When other explosive techniques failed to give the desired effect, special effects supervisor Gary Zeller told the crew to roll cameras and get inside the trucks with doors and windows closed; he then lay down behind the dummy and shot it in the back of the head with a shotgun.
Michael Ironside is a excellent job as the villian.
Its a excellent sci-fi body horror film.
The plot: Scanners are men and women born with incredible telepathic and telekinetic powers. There are many who exercise the benefits of their special gifts in a safe and judicious manner. However, there is a group of renegade scanners who plan to create a race that will rule the world.
In the film, "scanners" are people with unusual telepathic and telekinetic powers. ConSec, a purveyor of weaponry and security systems, searches out scanners to use them for its own purposes. The film's plot concerns the attempt by Darryl Revok (Ironside), a renegade scanner, to wage a war against ConSec. Another scanner, Cameron Vale (Lack), is dispatched by ConSec to stop Revok.
Writer and director David Cronenberg has called Scanners one of his most difficult films to make, citing an incomplete script when the shooting schedule commenced, as well as a lack of constructed sets.
The iconic head explosion scene was the product of trial and error, eventually settling on a plaster skull and a gelatin exterior packed with "latex scraps, some wax, and just bits and bobs and a lot of stringy stuff that we figured would fly through the air a little better" as well as "leftover burgers." When other explosive techniques failed to give the desired effect, special effects supervisor Gary Zeller told the crew to roll cameras and get inside the trucks with doors and windows closed; he then lay down behind the dummy and shot it in the back of the head with a shotgun.
Michael Ironside is a excellent job as the villian.
Its a excellent sci-fi body horror film.
A History of Violence (2005)
7.2
Rate It
Movie Watch
Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is living a happy and quiet life with his lawyer wife (Maria Bello) and...
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Shivers (1975) in Movies
Sep 3, 2020
They Came From Within
Shivers- is a distubing, terrorfying, horrorfying, sci-fi film directed by David Cronenberg and it was Cronenberg's first featured film and what a way to start.
The plot: After a scientist living in a posh apartment complex slaughters a teen girl and kills himself, investigators discover that the murderer had been carrying on experiments involving deadly parasites. Roger St. Luc (Paul Hampton), a doctor living in the building, and his aide, Nurse Forsythe (Lynn Lowry), then realize that the parasites are on the loose, attacking fellow tenants. And those who become hosts turn into erotically obsessed maniacs who pass the bugs on through violent sex.
It was also known as The Parasite Murders and They Came from Within, and, for the French-Canadian distribution, Frissons). The original shooting title was Orgy of the Blood Parasites.
Shivers was Cronenberg's first feature film, and was the most profitable Canadian film made to date in 1975, but was so controversial that the Parliament of Canada debated its social and artistic value and effect upon society, because of objections to its sexual and violent content.
Its disturbing but a excellent film.
The plot: After a scientist living in a posh apartment complex slaughters a teen girl and kills himself, investigators discover that the murderer had been carrying on experiments involving deadly parasites. Roger St. Luc (Paul Hampton), a doctor living in the building, and his aide, Nurse Forsythe (Lynn Lowry), then realize that the parasites are on the loose, attacking fellow tenants. And those who become hosts turn into erotically obsessed maniacs who pass the bugs on through violent sex.
It was also known as The Parasite Murders and They Came from Within, and, for the French-Canadian distribution, Frissons). The original shooting title was Orgy of the Blood Parasites.
Shivers was Cronenberg's first feature film, and was the most profitable Canadian film made to date in 1975, but was so controversial that the Parliament of Canada debated its social and artistic value and effect upon society, because of objections to its sexual and violent content.
Its disturbing but a excellent film.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Jason X (2001) in Movies
Feb 1, 2021
Jason X might be trash, but by God its glorious trash.
At this point, we're in full blown "fuck whatever has happened in the previous films" territory, with liberal splashings of narrative bullshit just to get Jason into a space setting, as he's cryogenically frozen only to be unwittingly thawed 450 years later aboard a spaceship, where he is snapped out of his slumber by teenagers shagging in another room. It's damn good then, that Jason X knows just how silly it is. The first Friday the 13th movie to release in a post Scream landscape, its self awareness gives it a much needed pass, as Jason slashes his way through a suspiciously 2000s looking cast.
The set looks cheap as hell, the CGI is terrible, the script is overspilling with cheesy one liners and puns, most of the characters are generally forgettable or unlikable, but despite all of this, it's an incredibly enjoyable film. Kane Hodder is back (sadly, for the last time movie wise) as Jason and once again cuts an imposing figure (especially when Uber Jason infamously rocks up near the films climax) and just to top it off, there's an inexplicable David Cronenberg cameo near the beginning.
Jason X is obviously flawed, but it's a damn good time, isn't boring, and boasts some decent gore. A two star film that I would recommend to anyone. Final thought - it's weird that Jason has a full head of hair in this...
At this point, we're in full blown "fuck whatever has happened in the previous films" territory, with liberal splashings of narrative bullshit just to get Jason into a space setting, as he's cryogenically frozen only to be unwittingly thawed 450 years later aboard a spaceship, where he is snapped out of his slumber by teenagers shagging in another room. It's damn good then, that Jason X knows just how silly it is. The first Friday the 13th movie to release in a post Scream landscape, its self awareness gives it a much needed pass, as Jason slashes his way through a suspiciously 2000s looking cast.
The set looks cheap as hell, the CGI is terrible, the script is overspilling with cheesy one liners and puns, most of the characters are generally forgettable or unlikable, but despite all of this, it's an incredibly enjoyable film. Kane Hodder is back (sadly, for the last time movie wise) as Jason and once again cuts an imposing figure (especially when Uber Jason infamously rocks up near the films climax) and just to top it off, there's an inexplicable David Cronenberg cameo near the beginning.
Jason X is obviously flawed, but it's a damn good time, isn't boring, and boasts some decent gore. A two star film that I would recommend to anyone. Final thought - it's weird that Jason has a full head of hair in this...
Morgan Spurlock recommended Scanners (1981) in Movies (curated)
American Woman (2019)
Movie
A political activist (Hong Chau) helps take care of a group of America’s most wanted fugitives —...
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Suspiria (2018) in Movies
Feb 25, 2019
Not the Suspiria you were looking for.
"Reimagined" would be the only word to describe this new vision of the original cult horror Argento classic from director Luca Guadagnino. It reminded me of a lot of other 70s and 80s horror including the original Hellraiser, The Wicker Man, or some early David Cronenberg body horror films.
The same basic story of American dancer Susie Banion coming to join a famous European dance company only to discover its leaders are a coven of witches is still there, but with much more complexity. As with the original, the coven does not take kindly when girls try and leave the group and usually meet with some sort of gruesome outcome.
Things get intense slowly over the 2 1/2 hour runtime with the last 20 minutes being some of the most explicit freak show, sadistic, torturous bloodbath I have ever seen. Not sure how this would play with a mainstream audience. I think some would be bored with the beginning and then get up and leave during the extreme climax scene.
Since I watch a ton of movies, I seek out the strange and unusual at this point and this one did not disappoint. It is interesting to see another director's take on the story and going in a completely opposite direction. Argento was always known, especially in this film, for his use of wild colors and patterns and this new version stands as a stark contrast opting for more neutral tones and white and black.
If you have a strong stomach and crave an interesting challenge, I highly recommend. Then let me know so we can discuss.
The same basic story of American dancer Susie Banion coming to join a famous European dance company only to discover its leaders are a coven of witches is still there, but with much more complexity. As with the original, the coven does not take kindly when girls try and leave the group and usually meet with some sort of gruesome outcome.
Things get intense slowly over the 2 1/2 hour runtime with the last 20 minutes being some of the most explicit freak show, sadistic, torturous bloodbath I have ever seen. Not sure how this would play with a mainstream audience. I think some would be bored with the beginning and then get up and leave during the extreme climax scene.
Since I watch a ton of movies, I seek out the strange and unusual at this point and this one did not disappoint. It is interesting to see another director's take on the story and going in a completely opposite direction. Argento was always known, especially in this film, for his use of wild colors and patterns and this new version stands as a stark contrast opting for more neutral tones and white and black.
If you have a strong stomach and crave an interesting challenge, I highly recommend. Then let me know so we can discuss.