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Ask any genre enthusiast to break down the success of Halloween and they are all-but-guaranteed to have a full-blown thesis prepared for such an occasion. With notes by their side, they will readily launch into an impassioned sermon; expounding upon the film’s merit as a cinematic milestone and waxing poetic about everything from its economic use of lighting, to its meticulous framing and atmospheric score.
Indeed, there’s no shortage of people lining up to feleate Carpenter’s iconic masterwork. I myself wrote a particularly conceited essay about it at University, despite being unable to formulate a remotely compelling argument. I just ended up reiterating what countless others had already articulated before me and ultimately failed to say anything more insightful than ”that Michael Myers is well creepy!’
Unfortunately, a similar critique can be leveled at For the Love of the Boogeyman, a sycophantic documentary that tellingly markets itself as being made ‘by fans and for the fans”. Translation: ”it’s a fawning circle-jerk, with little-to-no substance and a startling lack of fresh perspective”. So in that sense, it is strikingly reminiscent of my flimsy uni assignment, only much longer and with less uses of the word ”thus”.
You see, there’s no illuminating analysis to speak of here, just people repeating variations on the phrase ”first and last word in genre film-making”. Which would be fine if you were doing a quick review or perhaps a blog post. But there’s not enough meat on those bones to justify a paltry video-essay, never mind a 40 minute project comprised of dozens of interviewees!
What’s worse is that, over the course of the piece, alternate readings are never even hinted at, giving it a very narrow view. This is partly because the talking heads are all interchangeable, with comparable interests and matching opinions. Consequently, they all approach the material from the same, bland position. There’s no contrast to the discussion here. No variety. No back and forth. Just people rabbiting on in circles about how much they love a 40 year-old movie.
Given that none of the presenters actually worked on Halloween, you would think that they’d at least have interesting takes to make their commentary worth listening to. But they don’t! They just offer banal praise of every facet of the film-making, like they’re dutifully ticking off all the Oscar categories or something.
”The acting is great. And the directing is great. And the cinematography is great. And the production design is great. And the music is great. And the best animated film is great!’ If you want to simulate the experience of watching For the Love of the Boogeyman, simply copy and paste that quote about 200 times and you’ll get the picture.
It’s just a surface-level appraisal that only serves to endorse a pre-established consensus. No one needs to be told that Halloween is a fantastic movie, that’s pretty well cemented by now. If that’s all you’ve got to say, then your project has more in common with an episode of Collider Movie Talk than it does with an actual documentary.
Although this shortcoming is disappointing, it isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker. After all, it can be nice to listen to people talk passionately about something they love, even if they don’t have anything especially original to contribute. What severely hampers Boogeyman however, is the fact that its interviewees deliver near-identical soundbites throughout.
It turns out that they’re not only on the same page as one another, but sometimes the exact same fucking sentence! Every time that someone comments on a specific aspect of the movie- be it Jamie Lee Curtis’ formidable performance, the unknowable presence of The Shape, or the way that synth music acts as a metaphorical voice for Michael Myers- you then have to listen to that same point being repeated ad nauseum by about 20 other people Before long you start to feel like you’re in some kind of hellish echo chamber.
Of course, it’s only natural that people will have similar feelings when talking about one of the greatest horror films ever made. The talking heads aren’t necessarily to blame for that. But if you’re the person putting this documentary together, then it’s your job to weed out such duplications.
Speaking of editing, the rhythm of cutting here is awfully distracting, as we’re constantly jumping around between talking heads without a chance to properly settle. You rarely stay with a single person for longer than 10 seconds, so none of them are afforded the opportunity to meaningfully expand upon their arguments or substantiate them with evidence. Sometimes you can even hear them being cut-short mid-sentence, just so they can be interrupted by someone else. It all adds to the insubstantial feeling that presides over the entire documentary, where everything comes across so slight and bitty.
At least the visuals are okay: cycling through different locations and giving us cool memorabilia to look at (kudos to Paul Stier and Nathan Thomas Milliner for the impressive artwork). It would have been nice to have clips from Halloween to better illustrate points and break up the interviews but if there were legal obstructions preventing this from happening, then the production team obviously can’t be blamed for that.
Over all, For the Love of the Boogeyman’s is a rather simplistic and under-cooked offering. You could argue that it’s intention is not really to pick apart its subject, and that it just wants to celebrate the anniversary of a landmark release. But if that’s the case, then there are far more entertaining ways of doing that.
The Executioners is a septic turd of a movie, devoid of any redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Conceptually, it is indistinct from every other home invasion film in existence, save for the fact that it has a leering obsession with sexual violence and a gang rape scene that seems to go on indefinitely. So if that pitch gets your motor running, then you’ll likely have a whale of a time. Otherwise, it’s probably best that you stay away and go watch literally anything else.
Alternating between two settings; ”Crushingly Dull” and ”Relentlessly Unpleasant”, The Executioners manages to be pull of the unenviable trick of being consistently off-putting. When it’s not boring, it’s sordid. When it’s not generic, it’s just stupid. And when it is is not tiresome and uneventful, that’s only because it is showing us a woman being forced into fellatio.
Not only that, but director Giorgio Serafini has precisely zero new ideas. Even his last minute plot ”inversion” is a predictable staple of the genre. Without giving too much away, a variation of this reveal is used in almost every home invasion flick (see the infinitely superior You’re Next or Better Watch Out for further reference), so somehow the twists and turns here are also by-the-numbers!
Worse still, there is a pervasive attitude of seediness that clings to the film throughout, specifically in relation to the (exclusively-female) victims. The camera is constantly ogling them, even when they are in a states of severe emotional distress/ physical peril, and they take their clothes off at seemingly random intervals, as if they’re trying to meet a quota or something.
Honestly, it’s telling that this gawking continues after the aforementioned assault, because the sleaziness of this film truly knows no bounds. How anyone could derive titillation from the sight of naked flesh AFTER already giving us a rape scene is truly beyond me, but apparently Serafini thought he’d give it the old college try.
Speaking of that churlish, needless rape sequence, boy is it a doozy! Overlong, uncomfortable and shamelessly exploitative, its only purpose in the film is to aggravate and disturb, which is pretty shitty when you think about it. It has no narrative justification for existing, other than to be used as a base shock-tactic. The heroines could have just as easily been under threat by armed killers or burglars and it wouldn’t have made an iota of difference. The only reason the filmmakers opted to go with rape is because that’s more ”extreme” and attention-grabbing.
Did I mention that the whole ordeal is presented as a montage too? Just to make it more untenable and crass.
Anyone who knows me personally will testify that I am not easily offended or upset and that I have seen FAR worse things than The Executioners before. So it’s not that I’m overly fragile or sensitive, nor do I automatically have a problem with rape appearing in films.
I just think it should have a reason for being there. Which is what I found so objectionable about this film. It went nowhere with its nastiness, there was nothing else to it besides endless misery. It was like having someone poking at you with a stick, repeatedly asking ”Are you shocked yet? Are you shocked yet?”
Also aren’t these rape-revenge narratives supposed to focus on the eventual retribution and payback? You know, the part of the story that’s actually cathartic and exciting for the audience? Take I Spit on Your Grave for example. That film dedicates significantly more time to showing the villains getting their, arguably even more brutal, comeuppance. By contrast, The Executioners kind of just shies away from all that stuff and is curiously hesitant to show us the perpetrators getting what they deserve. Why unflinchingly depict the suffering of the women like that, but then go so easy on the bad guys? It doesn’t make any sense!
There’s truly nothing positive that I can say about this film. The closest I can get to a compliment is that it successfully elicited a visceral reaction from me, but even then, that response was one of vitriol twinned with boredom.
Whilst it is indeed true that talented filmmakers like David Fincher and Martin Scorsese have made a name for themselves by producing provocative and twisted work, there was crucially always some substance to back up their edge. It takes real skill to do what they do, to keep people watching in-spite of the grime. Alas, Giorgio Serafini does not have that skill, so he comes across less like a dangerous maverick and more like a desperate try-hard with nothing to say.
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Reel Opinions is a UK based film review group that covers just about anything. From reviews of terrible movies to interviews with casts and directors Reel Opinions covers everything we can be bothered to make.
A final (late) addition to Harrison’s horror game series, this time featuring not just one recommendation but several!
What’s that? You thought I was done? Oh you poor, sweet fools. I’m afraidthat you can never escape from my pretentious pontificating. No, I still have so much that I’m simply dyingto share with you. The horror genre is a vast enterprise, comprised of the some of the finest games of all time. To recommend only 7 would therefore be a disservice to an incredibly diverse and prestigious gaming tradition. So, even though it’s admittedly a little late, I thought I’d pool together a collection of honourable mentions for you to take a stabat (Assuming that, like me, you have no friends or social obligations to attend to on Halloween). Enjoy. If you dare.… That one didn’t really make any sense…Sorry.
Left 4 Dead
We’ll kick off the honourable mentions with something completely different; a first person shooter. Not only that, but a cooperative first person shooter of all things! Those two concepts should never blend well with horror, as a focus on constant gun fights inherently undermines any attempts at creepy tension building (see F.E.A.R for further reference). Meanwhile, a human controlled companion provides an unwanted sense of safety and comfort, one that is clearly detrimental to the required feeling of vulnerability and isolation that is integral to horror (see Resident Evil 6 for further reference). Indeed, for these reasons, Left 4 Dead is not a scary game in the slightest. It’s an action shooter through and through, albeit one with a horror wallpaper slapped over it. Still, if you and your friends are looking for a fun, fast paced, zombie-killing time, then you can’t get much better than this.
By heavily emphasising the cooperative nature of the gameplay, Left 4 Dead is effectively the perfect team-building tool. In each of the game’s survival scenarios, you will have to work together in order to prevail, be that by sharing supplies, rescuing each other from attacks, or by coordinating last stand defences. It makes for a very engaging multiplayer experience, one that refreshingly prioritises communication and strategy.
This unique dynamic can then lead to rather effective unscripted moments of drama. For instance, if one member of the group selfishly abandons everyone and sprints for safety during an attack, they may later find themselves ambushed by a horde of monsters with no one left to save them. There’s subsequently lots of potential for water-cooler anecdotes, and you’ll soon find yourself regaling people with stories of the time an incompetent teammate kept accidentally setting off a car alarms and alerting enemies to your presence.
That’s what works so well about Left 4 Dead, the way that you keep having fresh experiences every time you play. This is aided to no end by the A.I director, a system that procedural adjusts gameplay factors like ammo distribution, enemy placement and weather effects, in order to maximise the tension of any given campaign. All in all, Left 4 Dead might not be the scariest zombie game, but it is one of the most fun.
RATING: 9/10
Dino Crisis
I’ll be perfectly honest with you, I barely remember this forgotten 1999 title. I was only four when it came out, so the only recollection I have is of watching my father play it on the PSone. I remember a T-Rex smashing through a window and I remember constantly looking around for card keys. That’s about it. I also remember an abysmal sequel in 2003 (Dino Crisis 3) which was inexplicably set in space. Anyway, I digress, Dino Crisis has one hell of a central concept at its core. It is basically Resident Evil with dinosaurs. Seriously that’s it. It’s got the same mechanics, the same design mentality, the same awkward controls and even the same director. If that sounds like a criticism however, it’s not. Classic Resident Evil is a masterclass in video game design and it’s basically the perfect template for a horror game, so there’s accordingly no shame in reusing the style in a new context. And when that new context is an intense, gory, dinosaur themed horror game, then I’m all on-board. It just works. At least, that’s how I remember it.
RATING: I don’t remember/ 10
Silent Hill 3
Whilst Silent Hill 2 stands head and shoulders above… well every other horror game ever, that doesn’t mean that we should overlook everything else that the series has to offer. After all, with a likeable protagonist, refined combat, and an abundance of imagination, Silent Hill 3 is yet another instalment in the legendary franchise that warrants classic status.
This time you take control of Heather Mason, a hot-headed teenager who one day discovers that she is being hunted by a cult that worship evil Lovecraftian gods. What I like about this game in particular, is that it refuses to simply rehash the 2nd game, something which later became the go-to-state for a Silent Hill sequel. Storywise it’s totally different; Heather has no hidden guilty past, she isn’t being punished for anything, and the reason that she is being pursued is because the villains believe that she can birth a supernatural deity. Secondly, the game isn’t even set in Silent Hill for the most part, which means that we get an entirely different creepy aesthetic and surrealist atmosphere, but one that crucially still feels in keeping with the rest of the franchise.
The scares on offer are also quite different, with an emphasis on body horror and pregnancy related imagery. For this reason, all of the creatures and puzzles are unified by the theme of child birth and conception, which makes for a nice change when compared to the generic enemies that you’ll encounter in most horror games. The title also features one of my favourite bits from the whole series, in which you visit a demonic amusement park that’s overrun with monsters. That section in particular allows for the creative minds at Team Silent to run wild with their demented imaginations, leading to all kinds of terrifically memorable moments (special mention must go to a visit to a certain haunted house ride). It also features gaming’s most sophisticated jump scare too.
RATING: 8/10
Dead Space
This particular entry was originally published at The Edge SUSU on October 31st 2014.
Before the sequels arrived to actionize the hell out of this series (with mixed results), there was the slower paced, dread filled franchise starter that nicely filled the void left behind after Resident Evil started to lose some of its mojo. Taking control of engineer Isaac Clarke, players battle their way through the stranded Ishimura starship, fighting off the monstrous nercromorphs; terrifying creatures that are a mix of Giger’s Xenomorphs and John Carpenter’s The Thing.
With a level of difficulty seldom seen in modern games and a scarcity of resources, Dead Space makes the player feel how all good survival-horror games should: powerless. The ingenious mechanic that dictates that your enemies can only be killed by the strategic dismemberment of their limbs also forces more trigger happy gamers into being conservative with their ammo, so that there’s a real tension to every encounter.
Several of the scripted scares are orchestrated with distinct panache (that bloody ending) but where Dead Space really excels is in its atmosphere. Deservedly winning several awards for its lighting and sound design, the game expertly inflects every crevice of the stunningly realized environment with a genuine sense of threat and the unknown. Rarely has sound been so pivotal to a gaming experience, but here it really does make all the difference. Keeping you constantly on guard, the various indecipherable noises never allow you to feel truly safe and even when you venture into the oxygen free expanses of space, the eerie silences take on their own unnerving menace.
RATING: 8/10
Resident Evil Sequels
If you’ve already played through the first game in this landmark series but are still hungry for more, then worry not, there’s still a whole back-catalogue of hits to plough through. Each game has something unique to recommend, from Zero’s inventive gameplay style that has you simultaneously control two characters, to 3’s groundbreaking use of the relentless stalker boss; Nemesis. Whilst Resident Evil 4 is undoubtedly the franchise’s high point, its action-oriented bent makes it a harder sell for Halloween. Therefore, my pick for the best horror resi game has to go to the seminal Resident Evil 2.
Relocating the action from the Spencer Mansion to the nearby town of Raccoon City, this sequel ups the ante in every department, without sacrificing the restraint and attention to detail that made the first game so hugely successful. With a larger map, even smarter puzzles, more varied scares, better combat, and the same signature level design as before, this is a truly magnificent follow up that improves upon its predecessor in almost every respect. It also has the distinction of including one of my favourite gaming creatures of all time, the hideous Lickers.
RATINGS
Resident Evil 0: 7/10
Resident Evil 2: 9/10
Resident Evil 3: 8/10
Resident Evil 4: 10/10
Resident Evil 5: 8/10
Resident Evil 6: 3/10
Grabbed by the Ghoulies
Apparently this endlessly quirky and quaintly charming adventure game garnered a relatively mixed reception upon its debut, which is something of a shame. It might not be a classic, but it holds a special place in my own heart, albeit largely for nostalgic reasons.
In this underrated children’s title, you control Cooper, a young boy who ends up at a creepy mansion after taking a wrong turn during his travels. When his girlfriend is kidnapped by the nefarious Baron Von Ghoul, Cooper makes it his mission to get her back by any means necessary. This largely entails exploring the spooky residence and battling all kinds of colourful and cartoonish creatures, from staple monsters like Vampires, Mummies and Skeletons, to more oddball creations like possessed household appliances, ninja imps, and vampire chickens.
Gameplay consists of simple beat-em-up mechanics that allow you to use almost any item in a given area, like chairs, fire extinguishers and even billiard tables. Each room is basically a mini-level, designed to be completed in about 1-2 minute(s). The catch however, is that there will be a specific challenge or rule enforced upon every encounter. For example, you might have to complete a room in under a certain time limit, or without breaking any nearby items. Should you fail to meet the imposed criteria, then the Grim Reaper will appear and pursue you relentlessly throughout the rest of level. The Reaper is an especially intimidating foe, as he cannot be killed, yet can mercilessly defeat you with a single touch. Of course, it’s not impossible to clear a stage with the Reaper on your tail, but it is difficult, so you’ll want to avoid failing his tests as much as you can. This strange little mechanic makes for a really innovative gameplay experience, one that still feels fresh and unique thirteen years later.
Overall, Grabbed by the Ghoulies is a charismatic gem that has been unfairly forgotten by the history books. With a lovable art style, classically spooky score and energetic visual comedy, it’s the perfect game to accompany a more family-friendly Halloween celebration. After all, it’s basically Resident Evil retold in the style of Scooby Doo.
RATING: 7/10
P.T
Okay, this one technically isn’t a full game, but I had to overlook that technicality as I simply couldn’t ignore this chilling mini-masterpiece. After all, P.T is potentially the scariest thing to happen to gaming since Silent Hill 2. For those among you who are unaware, P.T stands for ‘Playable Teaser’. The reason for this, is that the game was intended to function as an atmospheric taste of what gamers could expect from Guillermo Del Toro and Hideo Kojima’s ill-fated Silent Hills. Now however, it’s all that remains of the tragically cancelled project. The silver lining in this cloud, is that it consequently works as a standalone title that can be appreciated in its own right, one that you absolutely need to check out.
The ingenious premise is deceptively simple. There’s no combat. There’s no hiding. All that you do is walk around in a circle repeatedly. That’s it. In this teaser, you play as an unidentified man who finds himself caught in a Groundhog Day style time loop. Forced to walk in an endless cycle around a suburban house, you gradually start to notice that things are changing each time you pass through. At first it’s just little details; a door might open a crack, some new sounds might be heard, or cryptic writing might appear on the wall. But as it goes on, things get exponentially creepier, and you’ll soon find yourself dealing with a ghost, a talking paper bag and an undead fetus in a sink. No I did not make any of that up by the way.
The location is totally restricted to a single L-Shaped corridor (and a bathroom), so in terms of level design this is as minimalist as they come. And yet, the developers constantly find new ways to make the repeating location feel engaging, be it by introducing new clues and threats, or simply by changing the lighting. This claustrophobic setting has a profound effect on the game, as it it creates an unbearable sense of unease. Because the location is so small, you know that you’re never more than a few feet away from the next horrific occurrence. You’re never remotely safe. Much like in Silent Hill 2, you get the feeling that you’re literally playing through someone’s nightmare. And for whatever reason that really seems to appeal to me.
Speaking of nightmares, this game gave me a couple of my own, mostly thanks to Lisa. Never before has a video game antagonist effected me to the point where I was afraid to sleep at night. You see, I normally can’t be scared of gaming characters outside of the virtual words that they inhabit, because I’m all too aware that they’re just pixels on a screen. Lisa is different however. She lingered with me until long after I finished P.T.
A pregnant woman who was murdered by her husband, Lisa’s spirit shows up throughout the game at unexpected intervals, purely to scare the crap out of the player. Her uncanny movements, permanent smile and missing eye may give her a horrific appearance, but it’s her unpredictable behavior that really unnerves you. You never know when she could be waiting right behind you, or when she might be watching. The only warning you ever get is the radio’s instructions to ‘look behind you’ (a course of action I wouldn’t recommend) and her signature sobbing. The fact that these hysterical cries are indistinguishable from her insane fits of laughter is perhaps the scariest thing of all however. I really can’t stand her. I mean that as a compliment by the way, she was a properly terrifying creation.
Unfortunately, I can’t recommend that you play P.T if you haven’t already, as Konami have since removed it from the PlayStation store. I can therefore only suggest that you look up a commentary-free playthrough on YouTube. It won’t be the same, but it’s better than nothing I suppose. Just be prepared to sleep with the light on.
RATING: 9/10
Okay that’s it. Shows over folks. I got nothing else to give you. I can only apologise to those people who have been waiting for their favourite games to be name-checked, only to be disappointed in the long run. Yes I am more than aware of Amnesia, Condemned, Eternal Darkness and Fatal Frame, but frankly it’s my list and if for some reason you’re upset by any perceived omission, then please don’t get pissy about it. God knows those games are all bound to crop up in other lists elsewhere (even if Condemned is grossly overrated).
Anyway, thanks for sticking with me through all this. It means a lot. Now I just need a spooky pun to sign off with…. Erm… It’s been a real…. Scream! ….That’ll do. I don’t know how the Crypt Keeper comes up with this shit on a regular basis.
can only be killed by the strategic dismemberment of their limbs also forces more trigger happy gamers into being conservative with their ammo, so that there’s a real tension to every encounter.
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