Welcome to the first edition of Reviews from the Horror Chamber. Hi, my name is Anthony Thurber and I'm your gatekeeper to the Horror Chamber. This is going to be a bi-weekly column here on FilmArcade.net. Usually this column will have two or three reviews of current and/or past horror/sci-fi films in each edition. In every column, I will begin with a few words on horror/Sci-Fi news and/or thoughts. Before I start the first edition, I want to thank TonyD for letting me write this column and putting together a great site where the average person can let loose on their thoughts on movies. I definitely suggest that you check out what other reviewers at Film Arcade have to say about the latest hits before running to your local multiplex or video store.
Rob Zombie’s Halloween (2007)
Year: 2007Director: Rob Zombie
Studio: Dimension Films/MGM
Stars: Malcom McDowell, Tyler Mane, Scout Taylor-Compton
Rating: Unrated
Running Time: 121 Mins
Review Rating: 4 Stars
Running Time: 121 Mins
Review Rating: 4 Stars
For all the bitching, I did on Myspace about this remake of one of my 50 favorite films of all time. Yes, My inevitable review of Halloween (2007) is here. This is Rob Zombie’s revision of John Carpenter’s classic film.
The film focuses on a young kid named Michael Myers, who murders three people including his sister and his mother’s boyfriend (William Forsythe).
Sixteen years later, he is institutionalized in a mental hospital where he escapes. He (Tyler Mane) then, returns to the town of Haddonfield to stalk a shy teenager who is his younger sister (Scout Taylor-Compton) and her friends (Danielle Harris, Kristina Klebe). Soon his doctor (Malcolm McDowell) tracks him down and must stop his killing spree before he kills the only living family member left. Sherri Moon Zombie (The Devil’s Rejects), Brad Dourif (Child’s Play, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers) and Danny Trejo (Grindhouse, From Dusk to Dawn) co-star in the film. There are a lot of horror icons that make either make cameos including Dee Wallace Stone (The Howling), Richard Lynch (Bad Dreams), Clint Howard (Ice Cream Man), Udo Kier (Shadow of the Vampire) and Sid Haig (The Devil’s Rejects).
For whining that I made about this film, before I’ve seen it. I sadly take back everything I said about this film pre-release because it surprised me that I really liked this film. Rob Zombie, a director that I vowed to never to see any of his films again after seeing the first fifteen minutes of his first film House of 1,000 Corpses, I also take that statement back. I’m surprised that he did a very good job with this film, especially the first part of the film, where it was mostly a psychological horror film. I thought his screenplay did deliver on the scares and suspense, while adding grindhouse elements to the film. He made Michael Myers more human like unlike the original film, which helped the film be different, in my opinion. Also I liked how the movie ended abruptly, as there is probably no room for sequel to this reincarnation, which is good.
I thought the acting in this was very good. I thought both Malcolm McDowell and Scout Taylor-Compton bought different things to the roles compared to the original. I thought McDowell brought a more sinister look to the Dr. Loomis while Taylor-Compton brought more of an innocent and scared look to Laurie Strode. Another person who surprised me in this project was Sherri Moon Zombie. Besides being the wife of Rob Zombie, who knew that she could act. She really nailed her role down, as Deborah Myers. Her scenes with young Michael were great.
While this was different from the original version from John Carpenter’s Halloween (which I still think it’s better than this), Rob Zombie does deliver on the frighten aspects of Michael Myers. Rob Zombie’s Halloween will not be a disappointment to those fans that love the original.
For whining that I made about this film, before I’ve seen it. I sadly take back everything I said about this film pre-release because it surprised me that I really liked this film. Rob Zombie, a director that I vowed to never to see any of his films again after seeing the first fifteen minutes of his first film House of 1,000 Corpses, I also take that statement back. I’m surprised that he did a very good job with this film, especially the first part of the film, where it was mostly a psychological horror film. I thought his screenplay did deliver on the scares and suspense, while adding grindhouse elements to the film. He made Michael Myers more human like unlike the original film, which helped the film be different, in my opinion. Also I liked how the movie ended abruptly, as there is probably no room for sequel to this reincarnation, which is good.
I thought the acting in this was very good. I thought both Malcolm McDowell and Scout Taylor-Compton bought different things to the roles compared to the original. I thought McDowell brought a more sinister look to the Dr. Loomis while Taylor-Compton brought more of an innocent and scared look to Laurie Strode. Another person who surprised me in this project was Sherri Moon Zombie. Besides being the wife of Rob Zombie, who knew that she could act. She really nailed her role down, as Deborah Myers. Her scenes with young Michael were great.
While this was different from the original version from John Carpenter’s Halloween (which I still think it’s better than this), Rob Zombie does deliver on the frighten aspects of Michael Myers. Rob Zombie’s Halloween will not be a disappointment to those fans that love the original.
Bacterium
Year: 2007Director: Brett Piper
Studio: Shock-O-Rama Cinema
Stars: Alison Whitney, Benjamin Kanes, Chuck McMahon
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 80 Mins
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 80 Mins
Review Rating: 3 Stars
Bacterium is latest film from underground / low budget Filmmaker Brett Piper. For those who probably don’t know his work, he’s one of those directors who directs, writes and most importantly does all of his visual effects for his films on a very low budget. I first discovered his work when I picked up copy of his first Shock-o-Rama film Screaming Dead. The only reason I brought it, because Misty Mundae (former Seduction Cinema star) was in the film. To my surprise, that film was very well made horror film. Ever since then, I’ve been a fan of his work, which leads me to his latest film Bacterium.
The film is about a group of friends (Alison Whitney, Benjamin Kane, who accidentally discover a biological weapons experiment gone wrong in an abandoned building. Soon the biological monster is loose and it begins to spread from person to person, turning the person to ooze. Soon it begins to multiply and a convert military force is forced to take extreme measures and try to find out what’s causing the slithering growth of this biological monster before turns the earth into a planet covered by ooze.
Bacterium is another example of science gone wrong. It’s one of those rear movies, where you have to be patience for good material. For the first fifteen minutes or so, I had this feeling that this was going to suck ass, as it felt like there were missing scenes that was affecting the film. But once I got over that, it was decent Sci-fi/horror film. I thought Brett Piper did a good job here, even thought this is not his best work. I thought there were some gaps in the beginning of his screenplay but started to be creepy once it got over it. I thought the last half-hour was suspenseful. The visual effects were very good as it looked professionally made especially the last twenty minutes of the film. The acting was also good, as he gets good solid performances for this type of film.
If your interested in checking this film as starting point to Brett Piper works that I suggest you check out Screaming Dead or Shock-O-Rama before checking this film out. Despite a rough beginning with this film, Bacterium is a nice creepy B movie.
The film is about a group of friends (Alison Whitney, Benjamin Kane, who accidentally discover a biological weapons experiment gone wrong in an abandoned building. Soon the biological monster is loose and it begins to spread from person to person, turning the person to ooze. Soon it begins to multiply and a convert military force is forced to take extreme measures and try to find out what’s causing the slithering growth of this biological monster before turns the earth into a planet covered by ooze.
Bacterium is another example of science gone wrong. It’s one of those rear movies, where you have to be patience for good material. For the first fifteen minutes or so, I had this feeling that this was going to suck ass, as it felt like there were missing scenes that was affecting the film. But once I got over that, it was decent Sci-fi/horror film. I thought Brett Piper did a good job here, even thought this is not his best work. I thought there were some gaps in the beginning of his screenplay but started to be creepy once it got over it. I thought the last half-hour was suspenseful. The visual effects were very good as it looked professionally made especially the last twenty minutes of the film. The acting was also good, as he gets good solid performances for this type of film.
If your interested in checking this film as starting point to Brett Piper works that I suggest you check out Screaming Dead or Shock-O-Rama before checking this film out. Despite a rough beginning with this film, Bacterium is a nice creepy B movie.
Well that’s it for the opening edition of Reviews From The Horror Chamber. If you’re interested in having your horror film reviewed in the horror chamber, you reach the Chamber Keeper himself at Anthonythurber@gmail.com or the head of Film Arcade TonyD@filmarcade.net
Very good reviews here. I am happy that you liked Halloween after all was said and done.