Not Quite Horror: “Carnage” (2011)
Not Quite Horror contains reviews of films not traditionally considered horror films. By analyzing them as horror films (identifying the monster, discussing the shared worry for the audience and the main characters, and understanding the depth of horror available to the viewer), who knows? There’s more than one way to watch a movie.
Carnage (2011)
The Monster: Cobbler. Truthfully, the most frightening creatures in Carnage are the two sets of parents (one couple played by Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly and the other is played by Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz). The child of one family knocked two teeth out of the child of another family, and all four adults sit down to find the best course of action for their two kids.
The trouble is the adults are much more distressed then their children. When their inability to swallow their own pride in the spirit of compromise becomes apparent, they unload all of their pain and suffering. None of them are able to find solutions, and the film lets them wallow in the hells they’ve created.
The Horror: Cobbler. The family of the boy who struck the other son might have escaped if the mother (Winslet) hadn’t eaten a helping of cobbler. The dessert mixed with the tension in her gut and swirled around.
These awful people might have escaped each other’s wrath if the cobbler hadn’t come up all over the coffee table. Once bodily fluids and property destruction came to the party, no one had any hope of escaping.
The Shared Fate: Awfulness lives inside most human beings, but somehow we make excuses and escape from confronting the true suffering of others. For the couples in Carnage, a cobbler and an upset stomach led a massive pile up of emotional pain.
For other awful people, a traffic mishap, a weather anomaly, or even a stray dog could be enough to keep them with other awful people until the truth comes out. Then, let the carnage begin!
— I am indebted to Noel Carroll’s The Philosophy of Horror for his ideas on defining horror, as well as John Skipp and Craig Spector’s article “Death’s Rich Pageantry, or Skipp & Spector’s Handy-Dandy Splatterpunk Guide to the Horrors of Non-horror Film†in Cut! Horror Writers on Horror Film for a similar idea.–
–Axel Kohagen
Slasher Studios Podcast: Horrorhound Weekend 2013
On this week’s episode of Slasher Studios, our hosts Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz will be discussing their experiences at Horrorhound Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana with Don’t Go to the Reunion. If you were part of the Horrorhound Weekend experience, make sure to call in with all your gory stories. Thursday night, September 12th at 10PM central.
To listen live or to check out an archive:
Slasher Studios Podcast: Horrorhound Weekend
Not Quite Horror: “MacGruber” (2010)
Not Quite Horror contains reviews of films not traditionally considered horror films. By analyzing them as horror films (identifying the monster, discussing the shared worry for the audience and the main characters, and understanding the depth of horror available to the viewer), who knows? There’s more than one way to watch a movie.
MacGruber (2010)
The Monster: MacGruber (Will Forte). A relic of the 80s, MacGruber sees no need to use guns to solve problems when he has his intellect, imagination, and the ability to tear out people’s throats. MacGruber claims to be focused on saving the world, yet his ego and rage make him so unstable he has trouble focusing on saving the world when he’d rather get revenge on a bad driver.
The Horror: MacGruber shameless exploitation of others turns every mission he attempts into a lifetime of self-loathing. He may debase himself by offering his body for violation in exchange for another chance at tracking down his arch enemy. He might allow others to risk getting shot in his place, or even insert celery into bodily cavities to distract the enemy.
Spend any time around MacGruber and you are likely to be debased and murdered. If you do somehow survive, you may end up violated by the “hero†as he offers up a pathetic one-line joke. Worse yet, you may end up becoming just like MacGruber.
The Shared Fate: MacGruber attempts to be a loving homage to the rugged, individualistic heroes of the 80s. However, the satire in the film is so vulgar and gory it effectively de-sanitizes memories of Reagan and Bush the First era heroism.
This is best summarized by a scene where MacGruber has imaginary sex with his deceased wife on her grave. For him, this is a magical moment. Someone stumbles upon this act, and the real act becomes visible. A naked MacGruber moans and thrusts over his wife’s monument in a dark graveyard.
Elsewhere, men and women who exploit and use others while convincing themselves they are dashing heroes make things just as awkward as MacGruber undulating away in a cemetery. You may work with a MacGruber today.
— I am indebted to Noel Carroll’s The Philosophy of Horror for his ideas on defining horror, as well as John Skipp and Craig Spector’s article “Death’s Rich Pageantry, or Skipp & Spector’s Handy-Dandy Splatterpunk Guide to the Horrors of Non-horror Film†in Cut! Horror Writers on Horror Film for a similar idea.–
–Axel Kohagen
Slasher Studios Exclusive: Final “Don’t Go to the Reunion” Trailer
We are here to brighten your slasher Monday here at Slasher Studios with a brand new trailer to our very first feature, Don’t Go to the Reunion. Recently released on DVD, we thought we would create a full length trailer for those who have yet to check out the film. Thanks again everyone for the terrific support. This is a movie made by the slasher fans for the slasher features. Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think! Also, don’t forget to pick up a copy on DVD today!
Slasher Studios Interview: Joshua Dean (“Off the Air”)
On a special episode of Slasher Studios Podcast, our hosts Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz will be chatting with Joshua Dean, the writer/director of the upcoming thriller “Off the Air.” Make sure to tune in at 10PM central with any questions you want have for Joshua. It’s going to be bloody good fun!
To listen in live or to check out an archive of a previous episode:
Slasher Studios Interview: Joshua Dean (Off the Air)
Danielle Harris Has Some Devilish Fun: “Among Friends” Review
When Marcus, Melanie, Adam, Jules, Sara, and Bernadette (Christopher Backus, Jennifer Blanc, AJ Bowen, Brianne Davis, Kamala Jones, Alyssa Lobit) get together for an 80s prom themed party, they have no idea what’s in store for them. When arriving to the party, they are told that they are going to be taking part in a Whodunit game. Noticing that one of their friends is missing, they assume it’s all a part of the game. But things quickly begin to change when one member of the group takes the game to a whole new, and bloody level by causing secrets to be revealed and the friends to turn on one another.
The film is the directorial debut of horror Scream Queen actress, Danielle Harris of Halloween 4 and 5, as well as Rob Zombie’s two Halloween films and many other horror flicks. For her first time directing Harris does an extremely well-done job. She has a vision only a horror vet can see and it’s evident she has a love for 80s horror films. While many may look at the film and call it “stupid” or “bad acting”, in all actuality it’s not. This is very much a homage to 80s horror through and through. We are given some brutal and bloody situations, as well as some very over-the-top performances by its cast. The villain especially gives this off by giving the evil performance with random outbursts, but also can be intimidating by how calm they are during the torture scenes or watching the characters panic.
While some may not get into the story, fans of 80s slasher films like Happy Birthday to Me or April Fools Day will find some enjoyment in it. The film also features some great cameos by known horror stars such as Kane Hodder of the late Friday the 13th films and the Hatchet trilogy, as well as a cameo by the director herself in a very big nod to her early Halloween days that will please fans. The film isn’t exactly a slasher and sometimes pales because of it, but it has a slasher feel to it. The characters aren’t exactly the most likable either, but it’s comical watching these characters interact with each other.
So if you’re a fan of cheesy, over-the-top 80s horror, or a big Danielle Harris fan, I definitely recommend it.
–Cody Landman
Not Quite Horror: “Festen aka The Celebration” (1998)
Not Quite Horror contains reviews of films not traditionally considered horror films. By analyzing them as horror films (identifying the monster, discussing the shared worry for the audience and the main characters, and understanding the depth of horror available to the viewer), who knows? There’s more than one way to watch a movie.
“Festen aka The Celebration” (1998)
The Monster: A family secret. This secret is far from supernatural, yet it torments them just as a ghost in a haunted house would.
At the family patriarch’s 60th birthday party, his son Christian (Ulrich Thomsen) reveals the real reason behind the suicide of his sister in front of a house full of guests. The sympathetic staff hides everyone’s keys, forcing the family to weather the vengeance of this painful secret until the bitter end.
The Horror: The revelation of a family secret turns formerly safe memories into confusing anxieties. Christian’s family attempt to hold onto the way things used to be, even if it means they become petty and aggressive with each other. When the truth cannot be avoided, they must find ways of putting the anger and frustration to rest before the spirit of the secret destroys their entire family.
The Shared Fate: Thinking of upsetting family secrets as hauntings may be as good a way of conceptualizing those secrets as anything else. After all, they become unearthed, upset the order of things, and must be properly buried before life can move on.
Festen demonstrates the mechanisms of haunted house films can scare without spectral visions in white or bleeding walls. By this standard, some of the houses in your neighborhood are already haunted.
— I am indebted to Noel Carroll’s The Philosophy of Horror for his ideas on defining horror, as well as John Skipp and Craig Spector’s article “Death’s Rich Pageantry, or Skipp & Spector’s Handy-Dandy Splatterpunk Guide to the Horrors of Non-horror Film†in Cut! Horror Writers on Horror Film for a similar idea.–
–Axel Kohagen
Adam Wingard’s “You’re Next” Slashes Up One Hell of a Good Time
This Slasher Studios review comes all the way from the Netherlands as Ferdi Akkulak takes a stab at the critically acclaimed slasher “You’re Next”. Make sure to check out his video clips and subscribe to his Youtube Channel for more.
I have to be very honest, I didn’t know there was a movie called ‘You’re Next’ until I saw it on the release schedule in July. That probably proves that this was a pretty unknown movie by the time… When I did some research for this movie I found out this movie was made way back in 2011 and got picked up from a festival by Lionsgate but it took them two whole years to finally release this movie in theatres. That’s kind of weird… I think the distributor didn’t have much confidence in this movie and it sat on the shelf for an amount of time. In America the trailer got released on Youtube at the end of March 2013. While the distributor that would release the movie in Holland didn’t release the trailer on Youtube until July 1st… So I have seen the trailer for You’re Next multiple times on the big screen but also on Youtube, in my opinion the movie looks really promising especially as me being a slasher lover and this movie seems to be delivering the good stuff already based on the previews. The spooky atmosphere, the unknown but certainly not bad cast, the song in the trailer is very chilling and the terror really seems to be amazing! Definitely a movie to look out for and that’s just based on a trailer of 2 minutes.
The cast of You’re Next is pretty unknown to be although I do see one familiar face. Let’s start with her: Sharni Vinson, the Australian actress. Now I haven’t seen her in a single movie but I do recognize her by face. I do know that she starred in recent movies like Step Up 3D and Bait 3D (I really tried to see this movie on the big screen, but I failed). So yeah, but she is still the mostly known cast member of You’re Next. Cannot wait to see her in this movie and to see what her acting is like, from what I’ve read, her acting in other movies is pretty solid. Nicholas Tucci also stars in the movie but I don’t know this actor, at all! Next up is Wendy Glenn, she’s mostly known of starring in the horror movie ’11-11-11′ that I never got around to see but heard pretty bad things of. Further than that I don’t know this actress. Next up is A.J. Bowen, now this actor is kind of familiar in the horror/slasher genre as he has starred already in movies like: Creepshow III, The House of the Devil, Hatchet II and A Horrible Way To Die. None of those movies I have seen but glad to see a cast member with a lot of credibility. Next up is Joe Swanberg who has also starred in A Horrible Way To Die and Cabin Fever: Spring Fever. However he has recently directed, wrote and produced a movie called Drinking Buddies that stars Anna Kendrick and Olivia Wilde so that is pretty big! He also directed a segment in the horror anthology movie V/H/S. Next up is the older actress Barbara Crampton, again I don’t know this actress but she has a pretty nice slate of horror/slasher movies on her resume and was even considered a scream queen back in the days. She starred in 80’s movies like: Re-Animator, Chopping Mall, From Beyond and Puppet Master. All very well-received horror/slasher movies so it’s pretty awesome that she has experience with starring in these kind of movies! She also recently starred in The Lords of Salem. And finally last but not least is the well known horror director Ti West which actually has an acting role in You’re Next. That is pretty awesome and a nice move from a director to translate into an actor for one movie. He has as so far directed movies like: The Wicked, The Roost, Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever, The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers (Really looking forward to see this movie, the trailer looks promising) and some segments of V/H/S and The ABCs of Death. He also has an acting part in Drinking Buddies which just shows how collaborate this cast is! Pretty cool!
You’re Next is directed by indie director Adam Wingard (You’re Next features his first major and wide release in America so that is pretty amazing). He has previously directed horror movies like: A Horrible Way to Die and segments in V/H/S and V/H/S 2. As he really worked his way up in Hollywood over the last years and he really has experience with directing and casting horror movies I am pretty much pumped to see what the final result of You’re Next will become. This would be my first movie I would see directed by Adam. I heard so many positive things about his movie and ofcourse the inspirational story of someone who started with short films and mostly went low budget and indie and grew to direct these bigger horror/slasher feature films.
You’re Next is released by Lionsgate in America, a well known distributor that is mostly known for releasing the Saw franchise and The Hunger Games franchise. They picked this movie up two years ago. In my country Holland this movie gets released by Dutch FilmWorks, a well known Dutch distributor that has so far released some major movies but also some small indie movies. It should be in good hands with this distributor. The running time of the movie is 94 minutes, which is a decent running time for a horror/slasher movie. Longer than average but you can see that it could’ve been much longer. I don’t complain though, it might have some nice tricks up its sleeve and I am very excited for that to see. Wonder if there is some character development in the movie. You’re Next has a reported budget of under the $1 million although there is not an actual figure. Sources tell that the movie was actually made for under $1 million which is terrific and also very low budget! It has that kind of budget that the original Halloween and Friday the 13th had back in the days. This suggests that this movie is gonna be very profitable for Lionsgate! The movie was released in America just this past Friday on August 23rd 2013, box office prospects were pretty high for this movie but what it has grossed in its first 3 days of release is pretty disappointing, even considering its micro budget. It has so far grossed a paltry $7 million, it means that is may be already in the green and earned its money back but still one might thought this movie would’ve done so much better and more close to the numbers of recent horror movies: The Purge ($34 million, opening weekend) and The Conjuring ($41,8 million, opening weekend, now that I think of it, that would be highly unlikeable). But to read that it faced the worst opening of any horror movie in 2013 (even behind Dark Skies of earlier this year) is pretty depressing. I just hope this movie does better in the long run and might score a cult following. It is pretty uncertain what its chances are overseas, there are no numbers available yet… Reviews were certainly not the problem of why it underwhelmed during its debut, as of right now You’re Next has a Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes of 80% Fresh which is pretty damn good! Far better reviews than lets say The Purge which earned so much more money. The consensus that most critics gave the movie in America was: ‘You’re Next’s energetic and effective mix of brutal gore and pitch black humor will please horror buffs and beyond.’. It’s good to see that most critics were impressed by this movie and just a small share thought it was bad. Praises were given to the performance of Sharni Vinson, the horror elements and the bloody death scenes. Also praise was given to its dark humor. In my country Holland You’re Next got released in theatres on August 22nd 2013 (A day earlier than in America, that totally rocks!). Reviews were pretty similar to the ones given in America, if not slightly more worse. What the quotes were that critics gave You’re Next: ‘The buzz was not there for nothing.’ ‘You’re Next blows new life into a milked out genre and that should be celebrated.’ ‘Adam Wingard has potential as a horror director.’ . There were also some negative reviews but I don’t bother to quote them as they are pretty much ridiculous and very complaining.
As a movie goer and horror/slasher buff I decided long before release that I would see You’re Next on opening and I did! I saw the movie on August 22nd 2013 (Attended the first showing of the day at a movie theatre in my city) and I of course went in with pretty high expectations! Did the movie live up to the hype? Me: Damn sure it did! Not only did I thought this movie was terrific, it is by far the best and smartest horror movie of 2013! Much better than recent horror movies like: Mama, Evil Dead and The Purge. Although The Conjuring is still not seen by me so maybe things can change. Anyway back to You’re Next! This movie has all the right ingredients that simply work with me: A good story, great cast, one hell of a bad-ass final girl that gives all the scream queens and final girls of the past a run for their money, great horror elements and jump scares, a lot of blood that is really noticeable in the awesome and original death scenes and most importantly pitch black humor that really goes great into the mix!
Some scenes might not be for the faint of heart (blender, anyone?) but the fighting back nature in this movie feels so original and an idea that has not been done in the past before. The characters however, I can’t say that I like them all as most come over as whining and complaining and definitely underdeveloped. However the one that stood out for me with her awesome axe was the bad-ass and incredibly beautiful and talented Sharni Vinson! She gives a performance that is so well put together that I am wondering why she doesn’t star in more horror movies. This was a very challenging role for her and knocked it out of the park in my opinion! What a talented actress and an incredible final girl! Not that it is some kind of spoiler but this was really the only girl of the family that actually fought back and that was just so awesome and inventive to see that happen. She proved that there aren’t just only those stereo type characters that only scream and run around. The rest of the cast, honestly for me they were just there. They didn’t do anything that made me love them or hate them even more. I don’t have my complaints, the acting was definitely a strong thing of You’re Next. Allthough the situation escalates quickly and a lot happens in so little time you do start to think it looks very realistic. The opening scene is really the only aspect of this movie that felt flat. It was so generic and not a genre bender but I see what the makers were trying to do with this opening scene, they tried to let the audience they have already seen this all before until they unleash the real terror. Also I have to say, this movie was fairly funny, I laughed a lot cause even when terror strikes, the movie still manages to score a laugh or two. That is really one of the best things going for You’re Next, besides all the blood and screams and terror there is some fun to mess around and make the audience laugh. It mixes so well with the overall movie, it’s amazing!
I also have to note that You’re Next is ten times better than the disappointing movie of earlier this summer called The Purge, I just wished this movie was released before The Purge so it wouldn’t fell victim of having a bad taste from an earlier movie… The Purge seriously underwhelmed in my opinion. You’re Next proves to be the opposite! Cause the movie comes from the right people that knows how to bring horror and terror on the big screen unlike the director of The Purge who simply went for making another cash cow.
As a result, I really found myself enjoying You’re Next and I can highly recommend it to anyone to see it on the big screen! It has a great cast (amazing performance by Sharni Vinson), bloody death scenes that are extreme but also not so much, great atmosphere and suspense, a great 80’s vibe and soundtrack and the movie is full of twists and turns. The way I like it, it was definitely not all that predictable! This movie went where very few movies has gone before.
In my opinion the horror sensation of 2013 that is both terrifying and smart in a way that will wow general audiences and slasher fans alike, such a smart good old fashioned horror/slasher that succeeds in delivering the goods! And the ending is probably one of the best a horror movie could wish for! Just when you thought it was all over… Go see You’re Next! This movie is gonna have a cult following in the next few years, I can’t wait to experience that time period, I am so buying this movie when it comes on DVD, day one! And I am for sure seeing it a few more times on the big screen!
