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The Walker
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The Walker is based in a time where traditional Chinese culture is on the crossroads of...
The Sussex Devils: A True Story of the 1980s Satanic Panic
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"Heartbreaking and breathtaking." (Clive Barker, author of Hellraiser). In 2012 Marc Heal stumbled...
We Sold Our Souls
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Grady Hendrix, horror writer and author of Paperbacks from Hell and My Best Friend’s Exorcism, is...
All of a Winter's Night
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When Aidan Lloyd's bleak funeral is followed by a nocturnal ritual in the fog, it becomes all too...
James Wood recommended Revulsion: Thomas Bernhard in San Salvador in Books (curated)
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Exorcist (1973) in Movies
Oct 17, 2019
Its a scream
This is a guest review for the stage show of The Exorcist not for the movie written by my good friend jappyscraps (on instagram) which I'm very thankful for.
The Exorcist on stage – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, 16/10/19
It’s my number one film of all-time so naturally I approached this production with some caution. Any stage adaptations of films have to be stripped down for obvious reasons and with The Exorcist having some key technical moments I was eager to see how they achieved them or even included them at all.
There’s a very clever build-up to the show with a steady drone of religious chanting and indecipherable voices, whispers and moans which stay with you before a massive crack rips through the sound system and the theatre is plunged into total darkness. It’s quite unsettling and there were a lot of nervous giggles and squeaks in the audience. A light appears at the top of the stage set and Father Merrin (played by Paul Nicholas, yes him of 80’s sitcom ‘Just Good Friends’ fame and one-time pop star) appears, speaks a few lines which we couldn’t hear at all and then promptly disappears and the stage lights reveal the MacNeil household below where Chris MacNeil and her daughter Regan. They obviously have a close bond and the next few minutes is spent establishing this and introducing the character of Burke, a film director and friend of actress Chris, who provides some occasional comedy touches. There are scenes of Regan playing with a Ouija board which she discovers in the attic. This is the first introduction of the demon that Regan refers to as Captain Howdy. Unlike the film, we hear the demon speaking in the early stages of Regan’s possession. The demon’s voice is provided by (a pre-recorded) Sir Ian McKellen and his performance is brilliant despite it sounding nothing like Mercedes McCambridge in the original.
At this stage we have lost one of the key characters and if you know the story well you will know who this is. As Reagan’s behaviour deteriorates, we are introduced to various doctors and psychiatrists before a priest friend of Chris suggests she talks to Father Karras, a key character in The Exorcist. When Karras first meets Regan she is in her bed, restrained by straps and speaking in the demon’s voice. Susannah Edgeley as Regan does a magnificent job lip-synching to McKellen’s voice, she does not miss a beat and her performance overall steals the show.
Father Karras is not convinced that an exorcism is the answer but, as we know, events take a turn for the worse and a frail Father Merrin is summoned for a showdown with the demon, which is the show’s dramatic (and loud) finale.
If you are wondering if all of The Exorcist’s key moments are included in the stage show I can confirm that most of them are, even if they don’t appear in the same scenes in the film. So, the crucifix scene is present and correct, though not so bloody and graphic. Regan’s head spin is there, achieved by what you might describe as a Penn & Teller trick but it is surprisingly effective. Regan does vomit during the exorcism but the classic scene of her projectile vomiting over Karras isn’t there, probably a step too far for a stage show. There is no levitation in the exorcism but there is a clever effect where Regan is catapulted forward on the bed, as if pushed forward by the demon. It’s all very impressive stuff.
The Exorcist on stage is very good, fans of the film will enjoy picking up on the original dialogue and dissecting the new lines and plotline. Some characters from the film don’t appear at all, the key one being Lieutenant Kinderman (played by Lee J. Cobb in the film) which I was a little disappointed about. My main issues were with the sound on occasions, particularly not hearing the actors deliver their lines clearly but it was a minor niggle. The character of Burke Dennings is renamed Burke Dennis in the stage show and I have no idea why – I was frankly irritated by it. The performances of Susannah Edgeley and McKellen’s demon more than make up for it though. The stage set is excellent and the lights and sound effects were top notch. I’d recommend it without hesitation, just don’t expect a scene for scene reboot of the film or you will be very disappointed.
The Exorcist on stage – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, 16/10/19
It’s my number one film of all-time so naturally I approached this production with some caution. Any stage adaptations of films have to be stripped down for obvious reasons and with The Exorcist having some key technical moments I was eager to see how they achieved them or even included them at all.
There’s a very clever build-up to the show with a steady drone of religious chanting and indecipherable voices, whispers and moans which stay with you before a massive crack rips through the sound system and the theatre is plunged into total darkness. It’s quite unsettling and there were a lot of nervous giggles and squeaks in the audience. A light appears at the top of the stage set and Father Merrin (played by Paul Nicholas, yes him of 80’s sitcom ‘Just Good Friends’ fame and one-time pop star) appears, speaks a few lines which we couldn’t hear at all and then promptly disappears and the stage lights reveal the MacNeil household below where Chris MacNeil and her daughter Regan. They obviously have a close bond and the next few minutes is spent establishing this and introducing the character of Burke, a film director and friend of actress Chris, who provides some occasional comedy touches. There are scenes of Regan playing with a Ouija board which she discovers in the attic. This is the first introduction of the demon that Regan refers to as Captain Howdy. Unlike the film, we hear the demon speaking in the early stages of Regan’s possession. The demon’s voice is provided by (a pre-recorded) Sir Ian McKellen and his performance is brilliant despite it sounding nothing like Mercedes McCambridge in the original.
At this stage we have lost one of the key characters and if you know the story well you will know who this is. As Reagan’s behaviour deteriorates, we are introduced to various doctors and psychiatrists before a priest friend of Chris suggests she talks to Father Karras, a key character in The Exorcist. When Karras first meets Regan she is in her bed, restrained by straps and speaking in the demon’s voice. Susannah Edgeley as Regan does a magnificent job lip-synching to McKellen’s voice, she does not miss a beat and her performance overall steals the show.
Father Karras is not convinced that an exorcism is the answer but, as we know, events take a turn for the worse and a frail Father Merrin is summoned for a showdown with the demon, which is the show’s dramatic (and loud) finale.
If you are wondering if all of The Exorcist’s key moments are included in the stage show I can confirm that most of them are, even if they don’t appear in the same scenes in the film. So, the crucifix scene is present and correct, though not so bloody and graphic. Regan’s head spin is there, achieved by what you might describe as a Penn & Teller trick but it is surprisingly effective. Regan does vomit during the exorcism but the classic scene of her projectile vomiting over Karras isn’t there, probably a step too far for a stage show. There is no levitation in the exorcism but there is a clever effect where Regan is catapulted forward on the bed, as if pushed forward by the demon. It’s all very impressive stuff.
The Exorcist on stage is very good, fans of the film will enjoy picking up on the original dialogue and dissecting the new lines and plotline. Some characters from the film don’t appear at all, the key one being Lieutenant Kinderman (played by Lee J. Cobb in the film) which I was a little disappointed about. My main issues were with the sound on occasions, particularly not hearing the actors deliver their lines clearly but it was a minor niggle. The character of Burke Dennings is renamed Burke Dennis in the stage show and I have no idea why – I was frankly irritated by it. The performances of Susannah Edgeley and McKellen’s demon more than make up for it though. The stage set is excellent and the lights and sound effects were top notch. I’d recommend it without hesitation, just don’t expect a scene for scene reboot of the film or you will be very disappointed.
JT (287 KP) rated The Possession of Hannah Grace (2018) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
If there was ever somewhere befitting of a horror film it’s in a morgue. But unlike the terrifying Autopsy of Jane Doe which, uses the location in a dark and gothic manner, The Possession of Hannah Grace feels overworked and desperate to please.
When an exorcism goes horribly wrong the body ends up within the confines of a Boston hospital morgue three months later. There, ex-cop Megan (Shay Mitchell) who is recovering from her own personal trauma, takes a job working the graveyard shift. The setting had so much potential it’s annoying that the film just saunters along, relying on cheap jump scares to capture audience attention.
As Megan walks about with not much to do until the eventual arrival of Hannah Grace’s disfigured corpse, she spends the time familiarising herself with the creepy surroundings. Megan’s backstory is far more interesting. Suffering from PTSD after watching her partner get gunned down, she battles an addiction to pills and now has the thankless task of having to battle a demon – hardly job satisfaction.
The setting had so much potential it’s annoying that the film just saunters along, relying on cheap jump scares to capture audience attention.
In fairness to director Diederik Van Rooijen, he has chosen a tried and tested subgenre. And he isn’t helped by Brian Sieve‘s poor script. There is the odd positive moment, mainly when Hannah’s twisted body offers a glimpse at something more sinister lurking inside her. But that’s about it.
“When you die, you die. End of story,” says Megan – and after 85 minutes we’re pleased it did.
When an exorcism goes horribly wrong the body ends up within the confines of a Boston hospital morgue three months later. There, ex-cop Megan (Shay Mitchell) who is recovering from her own personal trauma, takes a job working the graveyard shift. The setting had so much potential it’s annoying that the film just saunters along, relying on cheap jump scares to capture audience attention.
As Megan walks about with not much to do until the eventual arrival of Hannah Grace’s disfigured corpse, she spends the time familiarising herself with the creepy surroundings. Megan’s backstory is far more interesting. Suffering from PTSD after watching her partner get gunned down, she battles an addiction to pills and now has the thankless task of having to battle a demon – hardly job satisfaction.
The setting had so much potential it’s annoying that the film just saunters along, relying on cheap jump scares to capture audience attention.
In fairness to director Diederik Van Rooijen, he has chosen a tried and tested subgenre. And he isn’t helped by Brian Sieve‘s poor script. There is the odd positive moment, mainly when Hannah’s twisted body offers a glimpse at something more sinister lurking inside her. But that’s about it.
“When you die, you die. End of story,” says Megan – and after 85 minutes we’re pleased it did.
Eugene O'Neill: A Life in Four Acts
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A major new biography of the Nobel Prize-winning playwright whose brilliantly original plays...
Wrigglezeus (511 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter in Video Games
Sep 15, 2020
First four detective cases (2 more)
Can skip mini games at risk of losing trophies / achievements
Graphics are great for what they had and voice work is great
Trail and error mini games and puzzles (3 more)
Poor level design
Loading times
A lot of backtracking
The great sleuth is just messing up and trying again
I love Sherlock, from the novels to the TV series and even those Robert Downey Jr Movies. I have even enjoyed previous games in this franchise. This however, was a joke.
Sometimes the mini games are unnecessary, with most out of place and just infuriatingly fiddly. Furthermore as a great sleuth a lot of the mini games seem entirely down to trail and error, results in Holmes’ death and many restarts of the puzzles. Including one during a case with moving tiles. In a world where everything is cleverly thought out, it seems these were not the case.
The storyline was somewhat decent with build up towards the end, with the four cases before hand being somewhat irrelevant towards the grand ending. As I pushed my way through this game it dawned on me that I was starting to get rare achievements, by the end of this game barely 10% of those who played it actually finished it. With around 20% only finishing the first case.
Further work needs to be put in place for this to be a true Sherlock experience, without the need to move the thumb sticks into a circle so I can eavesdrop or balance on a beam. Sometimes the quick time encounters worked amazingly well, including during an exorcism. Whilst otherwise. Awfully and out of place.
I would not recommend this game for even the truest of fans and to read up the plot online instead.
Sometimes the mini games are unnecessary, with most out of place and just infuriatingly fiddly. Furthermore as a great sleuth a lot of the mini games seem entirely down to trail and error, results in Holmes’ death and many restarts of the puzzles. Including one during a case with moving tiles. In a world where everything is cleverly thought out, it seems these were not the case.
The storyline was somewhat decent with build up towards the end, with the four cases before hand being somewhat irrelevant towards the grand ending. As I pushed my way through this game it dawned on me that I was starting to get rare achievements, by the end of this game barely 10% of those who played it actually finished it. With around 20% only finishing the first case.
Further work needs to be put in place for this to be a true Sherlock experience, without the need to move the thumb sticks into a circle so I can eavesdrop or balance on a beam. Sometimes the quick time encounters worked amazingly well, including during an exorcism. Whilst otherwise. Awfully and out of place.
I would not recommend this game for even the truest of fans and to read up the plot online instead.
156Reviews (7 KP) rated Extra Ordinary (2019) in Movies
May 1, 2020 (Updated May 1, 2020)
Ghosts, hell demons, possessed animals, sex, a car chase, people exploding, ware-wolves (Kind of), Extra Ordinary has it all. Is it some kind of Hollywood blockbuster staring Benedict Cumberbatch? No, it's a small independent Irish comedy staring little known actors, and Will Forte of course.
The film begins by introducing us to Rose Dooley (Maeve Higgins), a very single driving instructor in a small town who has a “Talent”. She can talk to Ghosts. After the death of her father when she was a child, Rose no longer uses these talents though. She spends her days teaching the locals how to drive, and her evenings with no trousers on, eating microwavable meals for one and ignoring messages on her phone from people asking for supernatural help. That is until she gets a call from Martin Martin, who is being haunted by his dead ex-wife, and her journey back to the exorcism business begins.
What this film does best is keep the ordinary and the supernatural events very grounded. Instead of screaming angry spirits howling in the night they see messages like “You must pay ..... The car tax” or “Dog has worms”. The dead don't stick around to terrorise, they are here to make sure we're doing the recycling properly, or donating enough money to charity. Even Christian Winter (Will Forte) the satanist pop-star dubbed “One hit Winter” seems like an every-day man, doing the ironing and making cups of tea between sacrifices and demon summoning.
As the films big-bad, Will Forte does a decent job of keeping the film flowing, even if it is almost identical to his Last man on Earth performance. It's Rose and Martins relationship that really pulls the film forward. After Martins Daughter starts floating in mid-air, he reaches out to Rose for help. Directors Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman succeed in making Rose and Martins journey through the mysterious, humorous yet believable, a will they-won't they without the cheesiness.
Overall this is a very funny, well made film, not afraid to take the time from driving the plot to include some great, if possibly unnecessary scenes, Christian Winter's driving lesson is a particular highlight. Everybody involved has done an excellent job making a great film. It's absurd, it's funny, it's weird, it's well worth a watch.
The film begins by introducing us to Rose Dooley (Maeve Higgins), a very single driving instructor in a small town who has a “Talent”. She can talk to Ghosts. After the death of her father when she was a child, Rose no longer uses these talents though. She spends her days teaching the locals how to drive, and her evenings with no trousers on, eating microwavable meals for one and ignoring messages on her phone from people asking for supernatural help. That is until she gets a call from Martin Martin, who is being haunted by his dead ex-wife, and her journey back to the exorcism business begins.
What this film does best is keep the ordinary and the supernatural events very grounded. Instead of screaming angry spirits howling in the night they see messages like “You must pay ..... The car tax” or “Dog has worms”. The dead don't stick around to terrorise, they are here to make sure we're doing the recycling properly, or donating enough money to charity. Even Christian Winter (Will Forte) the satanist pop-star dubbed “One hit Winter” seems like an every-day man, doing the ironing and making cups of tea between sacrifices and demon summoning.
As the films big-bad, Will Forte does a decent job of keeping the film flowing, even if it is almost identical to his Last man on Earth performance. It's Rose and Martins relationship that really pulls the film forward. After Martins Daughter starts floating in mid-air, he reaches out to Rose for help. Directors Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman succeed in making Rose and Martins journey through the mysterious, humorous yet believable, a will they-won't they without the cheesiness.
Overall this is a very funny, well made film, not afraid to take the time from driving the plot to include some great, if possibly unnecessary scenes, Christian Winter's driving lesson is a particular highlight. Everybody involved has done an excellent job making a great film. It's absurd, it's funny, it's weird, it's well worth a watch.