Monthly Archives: July 2018

Cushing, Lee, and Price – Hidden Gems in Their Filmography

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This past weekend marked the birthdays of not one, but three icons of the horror genre. Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Vincent Price would have all celebrated birthdays over the last weekend of May. Throughout the 1950’s to the late 1970’s, all three performers defined the horror genre with their various roles. They are horror royalty associated with some of the more memorable films from that era.

Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee will forever be linked with their roles in the Hammer productions of Dracula and Frankenstein. From House of Wax to The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Vincent Price was a horror box office staple in the United States. For this edition of The Chopping Block, in honour of these three legends, I take a quick look at a hidden gem in each performer’s filmography. These are films that, while well-regarded by critics and fans, are often overlooked.

Theatre of Blood (1973)

https://youtu.be/lGcT8gFzH14

Vincent Price is largely recognized for his films with gimmick filmmaker William Castle and his Edgar Allan Poe film series with B-film maestro Roger Corman. Arguably, House of Wax stands as Price’s best film. Yet my personal favourite in Price’s filmography is the 1973 film, Theatre of Blood.

In Theatre of Blood, we find Vincent Price camping it up with absolute relish as failed Shakespearean actor, Edward Lionheart. After a humiliating rebuttal at an awards ceremony by London’s most prestigious critics, Lionheart jumps to his apparent death. Somehow surviving the fall, Lionheart executes an elaborate revenge on his critics rooted in some of Shakespeare’s most morbid murders.

Following a similar narrative as the successful The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Theatre of Blood almost plays out like a dark comedic predecessor to the slasher subgenre and the Saw franchise. It’s an extremely offbeat, idiosyncratic horror with some truly odd moments. Price’s Lionheart is assisted in his revenge by a motley collection of homeless people who have inexplicably embraced the Shakespearean thespian. Midway through the film, Lionheart squares off with Ian Hendry’s Peregrine Devlin in a bizarre fencing face-off … on trampolines no less.  Lionheart’s carefully orchestrated murders includes force-feeding one of the critics his own poodles – to whom he refers to as his ‘babies – in a homage to Titus Andronicus.

Theatre of Blood

Throughout the proceedings, Price is clearly having a blast as Lionheart. Fans of Price and 1970’s horror films will also enjoy the film’s intentional campiness and irreverent plotting. Theatre of Blood is undoubtedly a hidden gem among the icon’s extensive work.

The Devil Rides Out (1968)

https://youtu.be/LCZnuo1vuWU

For all of the horror films produced by Hammer Films, the studio didn’t really dabble much in occult-based films. And Christopher Lee was rarely given the opportunity to play the protagonist. Based on Dennis Wheatley’s novel, and a screenplay by Richard Matheson, The Devil Rides Out is one of the best films produced by Hammer Films. It’s absolutely soaked in atmosphere with a rich, twisting narrative. This film also boasts one of the better scores for a Hammer film.

As Nicholas Duc de Richleau, Christopher Lee turns in one of his best performances in a Hammer film. He’s arguably given much more of an opportunity here to demonstrate range. Lee was always physically imposing in his roles, but with more dialogue, he casts a commanding presence in The Devil Rides Out. Sadly, it’s hard in Canada to get a hold of this film, either on streaming platforms or Blu-ray. Hopefully, that’s an oversight that gets corrected sooner than later.

The Brides of Dracula (1960)

https://youtu.be/LR8CaOgSSuc

Hammer’s first sequel to the Horror of Dracula, The Brides of Dracula has a somewhat misleading title. That is, Dracula does not actually make an appearance in this sequel. This film’s undead villain is the Baron Meinster. Aside from a brief name-drop in the opening prologue and the presence of Peter Cushing’s Van Helsing, The Brides of Dracula shares little continuity with the Horror of Dracula.

Nonetheless, I actually personally prefer this film to its predecessor and the sequels that followed. Its story is more suspenseful and its pacing much more tight. Since the film isn’t tethered to Bram Stroker’s novel, Hammer regular Terence Fisher is actually able to weave in some mystery into the story. The film’s reversal of expectations early in the film regarding the villain is a nice twist. Fisher also includes some genuinely chilling moments, particularly one scene where a new vampire crawls out from her own grave. The Brides of Dracula also includes the best climax in Hammer’s Dracula series.

While The Brides of Dracula suffers a little from Lee’s absence, Cushing is dashing as always as the resourceful Van Helsing. His performance in this sequel stands out as his best characterization of horror’s most famous doctor. Cushing balances the eccentricity of the character with charisma and intelligence. His horrified expression as he witnesses the birth of a new vampire serves to humanize the character. To date, Peter Cushing’s version of Van Helsing stands as the best among existing portrayals.

Youth Gone Wild: Super Dark Times A Sombre Thriller

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Super Dark Times received a lot of buzz on horror critics’ ‘end-of-year’ lists. Less a horror film and more of a psychological character study, Super Dark Times marks the directorial debut of Kevin Phillips and certainly highlights him as a filmmaker to watch in the future. Available now on Netflix, Super Dark Times has been on my ‘must watch’ list since the trailer surfaced several months ago.

Like another hidden gem, Boys in the Trees, the film is a coming-of-age-story minus the supernatural elements, where horror perhaps serves as allegory for both growing up and loss of innocence. Set in the mid-1990s, before Columbine, its story will nonetheless be familiar to most viewers as Columbine has become symbolic of public fears about American school violence in the twenty-first century.

Synopsis

Super Dark Times follows two best friends – Zack (Owen Campbell) and Josh (Charlie Tahan) – as they grapple with the challenges that inevitably emerge in the transition from childhood to young adulthood. From debates about comic book superheroes to unrequited crushes and that inevitable first experience of rejection, Phillip spends much of the early runtime of the film exploring the normalcy of the boys’ relationship. Social outcasts who spend their days playing video games and avoiding the school druggies and ‘tough guys’, Zack and Josh will look and, more importantly, feel familiar to anyone who identified as a geek in high school.

An afternoon messing around in the park with social hanger-on, Daryl, and his younger friend, takes a tragic turn that leaves the best friends hiding a dark secret. Matters are further complicated when Allison – a mutual crush of both boys – begins to show an interest in Zach. While Zack tries to move forward like nothing has happened, Josh becomes more withdrawn and erratic, feeding into suspicion, paranoia, and an inevitable confrontation.

Depth and Character Over Cheap Jumps

Super Dark Times is not a film for audiences looking for jump-scares punctuated by loud sounds and slickly choreographed violence. This is an independent film at its core concerned more with exploring how guilt can destroy lives and relationships. Campbell and Tahan both turn in excellent, believable performances – they talk and sound like teenage boys. The dissolution of their friendship is foreshadowed in early scenes as Zach’s more boyish naivety is contrasted with Josh’s moody, introspective demeanor. In its first half the film feels like a spiritual cousin to other coming-of-age tales like Stand by Me. This authenticity in the depiction of the boys’ friendship makes the violence that emerges later in the film as they drift apart much more tragic.

This is an independent film at its core concerned more with exploring how guilt can destroy lives and relationships.

The latter half of the film is a slow-burn of tension and escalating suspense as Zack increasingly questions Josh’s mental state while struggling with his own guilt. It’s in this second half where the horror elements of the film begin to emerge. Other reviewers have taken some issue with the film’s shift to a “slasher” film approach but I would consider this a matter of personal preference. There is not much in the way of excessive violence in Super Dark Times – we don’t see the carnage on-screen and the camera never lingers. Additionally, I would argue that the ending of the film was very much set from the outset, particularly in a post-Columbine era.

Sparing, But Shocking Violence

Yet it’s Phillips’ scant use of violence – committed by young kids against other kids – that shocks and lingers long after the film ends. Zack’s paranoid nightmares, which evoke the dreamlike atmosphere of Donnie Darko, are the closest the film comes to traditional horror. Much of the film’s suspense comes from Zack’s fearful anticipation of what Josh may or may not do next. And Phillips very effectively builds a sense of urgency to the proceedings. One scene outside the principal’s office in particular gives the audience a window into Zack’s fear and desperation.

While the second half of the film does give in to some horror film conventions, Philips never loses sight of the humanity of his characters. Allison, the boys’ mutual crush, played by the excellent Elizabeth Cappuccino, keeps the film grounded, and its her denouement that gives Super Dark Times added resonance, elevating it beyond straightforward horror.

A Stand-Out Entry from 2017

Overall, Super Dark Times is clearly an independent, low-budget affair, where the focus in on atmosphere and character, which will ultimately determine whether you love or hate it. For the patient, discerning film fan, Super Dark Times lives up to the positive word-of-mouth from the horror community. Its underlying exploration of guilty, and perhaps the guilt of moving beyond childhood friendships as we grow older, will linger long after the onscreen violence is over.

THE PROFESSOR’S FINAL GRADE: A-

Prom Night: Make a Date With The Original, Ghost the Remake

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Following the slasher-lite renaissance that capitalized on the success of Wes Craven’s Scream, major studios soon opted to re-visit the ‘Golden Era’ of the slasher. The 2000’s witnessed major and minor titles alike get the remake treatment. Unfortunately, studio executives forgot about the ‘slashing’ part in their zeal to corner the youth market. This was exactly the problem that plagued the 2008 remake of Prom Night. Released to theatres 28 years ago, the original Canadian slasher Prom Night was a minor hit. Jamie Lee Curtis also solidified her status as a “Scream Queen’ it it. For this edition of Re-Animated, I mark Prom Night’s anniversary by comparing it to the 2008 remake.

Prom Night (1980) Makes for a Fun Date

While not one of the three major slasher franchises of the 1980’s, Prom Night was one of the better B-level slashers. Directed by Paul Lynch (Humongous), Prom Night is a near perfect synthesis of the major slasher film tropes.

At the film’s start, a ‘Terrible Past Incident’ unfolds as a children’s game ends in tragedy. Years later, the now grown children begin receiving anonymous threats before their ‘Prom Night.’ While a known rapist was wrongly convicted for their crime, someone knows what they did. Is it the same rapist who has now escaped custody? Or is someone else out for revenge?

At its best, Prom Night exudes enough idiosyncratic charm to rank alongside other minor slasher classics including the superior Canadian offering, My Bloody Valentine. The film’s opening, with its odd children’s game of tag in an abandoned warehouse, offers a suitable level of strange tension. It’s also arguably one of the more compelling backstories driving a slasher film. A few of the death scenes still stand out enough to make Prom Night memorable including the ‘van scene’. During the crowing of Prom king and queen, one character ‘loses his head’. It’s the second best prom moment in horror film history (sorry, but the honour still belongs to Carrie).

Prom Night Will Never Confused for a Classic Slasher

It’s worth noting that most horror fans would like agree that the original Prom Night isn’t necessarily ‘scary’. Aside from the opening scene, Prom Night delivers one genuinely suspenseful chase sequence. Seasoned horror fans aren’t likely to find many jumps. There also isn’t much of a body count. And most of the deaths are relatively tame compared to other 80’s slasher films.

At its worst, Prom Night is most aptly described as a derivative slasher film. Red herrings are introduced and dropped with little or no follow up. Leslie Nielsen’s grieving father character just disappears all together from the film at around the midpoint. The masked killer doesn’t really make much of an impression. Perhaps the strangest part of Prom Night is the inexplicably extended disco dance sequence that preceded the climax.

It’s a minor classic from the ‘Golden Era’ of the slasher film.

The original Prom Night isn’t original but what it does, it does well. It’s good enough to make it horror comfort food. And like it’s odd, memorable beginning, Prom Night’s final reveal is surprisingly melancholy and excuses some of the film’s familiarity. It’s still a minor classic from the ‘Golden Era’ of the slasher film.

You’ll Wish You Stood Up This Prom Night (2008)

How did this happen to Idris Elba?

The original Prom Night was no classic, but the remake makes it look like The Shawshank Redemption. It’s a truly awful movie that has not one redeeming quality. First and foremost, it’s an updated slasher film that has not one genuinely scary moment or jump scare. There’s also an almost bizarre lack of actual lack of ‘slashing’ in this tame, bloodless remake. Horror films can certainly be PG-13, but if you’re remaking a slasher film where a decapitated head rolls across a stage, you better deliver some bloodletting. I’m not certain that it’s even possible for cut throats to bleed as little at they do in this Prom Night.

This is utterly lazy filmmaking at its worst. Aside from Idris Elba, not one single actor registers with the audience. Its young cast of beautiful television stars are almost indistinguishable from one another. I couldn’t even remember the name of Brittany Snow’s character, and she’s the film’s ‘Final Girl.’ Johnathon Schaech’s obsessed stalker may be the most boring and generic antagonist in slasher film history. The storytelling is generic and predictable. One gets the distinct impression that director Nelson McCormick – who also directed the equally awful Stepfather remake – knew he had a giant turd on his hands because Prom Night ends rather abruptly.

This is utterly lazy filmmaking at its worst.

What’s truly bizarre are about this insipid remake is how long it feels. Technically, Prom Night clocks in at just under 90 minutes, but it ‘feels’ like the longest awkward dinner date.

Another Dreadful 2000’s Slasher Remake

Younger audiences may not connect with the original Prom Night, but older horror fans fondly remember it. The remake isn’t much different than looking up an ex on Facebook – very disappointing and unnecessary. It suffers the same problem as several of the 2000’s slasher remakes. Everything about it feels like a cynical and lazy attempt to cash in on name recognition. However, it’s worst crime is wasting Idris Elba. If you’re look for a good horror date, stick with the original Prom Night.

Bug Off: The Best Giant Insect Movies

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Summer is in full swing and while the black flies have receded, mosquitoes are in full swarm. This week marked the anniversary of the classic The Fly and, on this day in 2002, the nostalgic ‘giant insect’ film Eight-Legged Freaks was released. To mark these horror moments, in this edition of The Chopping Block, I’ll be looking at some of the best ‘giant insects’ horror films. A fun subgenre of science-fiction and horror film hybrid that surfaced in the 1950’s era of the atom bomb and drive-in theatres,

Tarantula

Tarantula is pure 1950’s sci-fi/horror fun for audiences that appreciate old-style black and white fare. It’s story of a tarantula that grows to the size of a house when it’s a test subject for a radioactive super-nutrient is nostalgic drive-in fun. Like all 1950’s monster movies, Tarantula takes its time giving the audience what it wants, but it’s worth the wait. The special effects are impressive for the time period and arguably still hold up enough to deliver the creeps you expect from a movie about a giant tarantula.

Eight-Legged Freaks

Eight-Legged Freaksis an open love-letter to the sci-fi horror films of the 1950’s. It’s story of accidentally leaked toxic chemicals causing spiders to grow to massive proportions could have come from any number of black and white B-films. Not all the intended humour of Eight-Legged Freaks lands. In addition, the film occasionally loses sight of what makes spiders creepy for most people. Nevertheless, Eight-Legged Freaks remains infectiously fun even if it runs a little longer than necessary. Some of the visual effects are a little suspect, but they hold up well when compared to some of what you’ll see in the average SyFy film.

Mimic

Mimic may not be Guillermo del Toro at his best, but it’s still a fun and grossly disgusting ‘giant insect film. To combat a disease carried by crack roaches, entomologist Dr. Susan Tyler creates a new breed of insect to hunt and kill the pests. Despite being bred to die off after one generation, the insect breed mutates, grows, and develops the ability to ‘mimic’ human beings. Critics expecting another Cronos were disappointed with Mimic. Fans of B-films, however, will appreciate del Toro’s homage to 50’s sci-fi horror accompanied by his usual stunning visuals. The monster effects are pure creature fun.

Starship Troopers (1997)

In the 1980’s, director Paul Verhoeven gave us the classic RoboCop. Ten years later, Verhoeven bestowed the fun, brilliant satirical Starship Troopers upon us. Sadly, audiences in 1997 weren’t ready for a film about fascist military propagandizing dressed up as a science-fiction action hybrid about giant alien insects. Even if you didn’t appreciate the ‘recruitment ads’ interspersed throughout Starship Troopers, it’s still a fast-paced ‘shoot’em up’ action film with good special effects and lots of Rated-R blood and guts. Smart films and their messages typically age well. Today, Starship Troopers is even more relevant than it was 20 years ago. As an added bonus, you get Neil Patrick Harris. And Jake Busey.

Them (1954)

If there are two films that define the 1950’s sci-fi horror wave, it’s The Blob and Them. While many of the ‘ large insect’ films that popped up in the 1950’s and 1970’s were cheesy B-films, Them plays it straight with its story of ants mutated to massive size as a result of atomic testing in the desert. Like most older monster movies, Them keeps its creatures hidden for much of the first half, only dropping hints that are effectively foreboding. There are a lot of little things that elevate Them from its B-film monster cousins, making it timeless. Its creature effects are impressive for the time period, the story actually weaves with some actual suspense, and the moments traumatized little girl provides the film its title adds some gravitas. Simply put, Them is a perfect midnight creature creature for horror fans who don’t mind an old-fashioned black and white approach.

The Fly (1958): A Classic That Deserves To Be Passed On

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Universal Studios and their Gothic supernatural monsters dominated the horror genre for two decades. Following World War II and the dawn of the atomic age, horror films looked to the skies or science for frights. Science fiction and horror formed a mutually beneficial relationship across drive-in theatres in North America during the 1950’s.

One of the better sci-fi/horror offerings released in the 1950’s was The Fly. Its story of a scientist accidentally fused with a common housefly was a box office hit for 20th Century Fox. The Fly marked another early foray into horror for icon Vincent Price following his successful turn in House of Wax. Nearly 30 years later, David Cronenberg re-imagined The Fly for modern audiences, creating on of the best horror films ever made. In this edition of The Vault I take a look at the original classic on its 60th anniversary.

A Sympathetic Monster

One thing The Fly intuitively understands is the importance of creating a monster with whom the audience can sympathize. Older films are more slowly paced and reliant on dialogue. Fortunately, The Fly’s story benefits from a more methodical pacing. James Clavell’s script carefully develops scientist Andre Delambre as an altruistic and passionate scientist. His weakness isn’t so much hubris as it is his drive and impatience to create something that could benefit humanity.

This emotional core not only serves to distinguish The Fly from other 1950’s B-films, it also adds a necessary gravitas to a concept that could have easily come across as laughable.

Watching Andre slowly lose his humanity coupled with his desire to ensure that no one ever repeats his mistake is a heartbreaking character arc. His final sacrifice, with his wife activating the hydraulic press, is reminiscent of the Monster’s sacrifice in Bride of Frankenstein. This emotional core not only serves to distinguish The Fly from other 1950’s B-films, it also adds a necessary gravitas to a concept that could have easily come across as laughable.

An Iconic Horror Moment

The Fly also sets itself apart from its B-movie cohort by virtue of featuring an iconic horror movie moment. Even The Simpsons paid tribute to the moment in one of their Halloween episodes. If you’ve seen The Fly you know the scene to which I’m referring – the fly in the spiderweb moment.

Like the rest of the film and its concept, it’s a moment that could easily prompt laughter but it’s captured in such a way that it is sad and haunting.

Much of the film involves its characters searching for the fly with a ‘white head’. By the film’s conclusion, young Phillippe brings Vincent Price and the Inspector to a spiderweb where they find the fly with Andre’s head and arm. For a 1958 film, the special effects still hold up fairly well. But what sells the scene is the tiny voice screaming ‘Help me’ as a spider descends on it. Like the rest of the film and its concept, it’s a moment that could easily prompt laughter but it’s captured in such a way that it is sad and haunting.

Simple and Effective Storytelling

The Fly could have turned out to be a ridiculous B-film that was remembered for all the wrong reasons. A movie where it’s monster was man with a fly’s head and ‘claw’ could have prompted more snickers that scares. As discussed above, the emotional character arc helped alleviate some of this problem. But The Fly also executes its premise with a simple yet effective approach to storytelling. The Fly adopts the film noir tradition of starting its story at the end. This adds a sense of fatalism to the proceedings that adds to the sense of tragedy.

The Fly’s story weaves its tragic events with a sense of purpose. Director Kurt Neumann’s decision to hide Andre’s face under a dark cloth with only glimpses of a clawed had adds mystery. The reveal should be a big moment and The Fly delivers. Andre’s unmasking may fall short of the spiderweb scene, but it’s is suitably dramatic and well executed. At this point, Neumann has sucked you into the story enough to not really mind the costume effects.

The Fly is a Classic That Deserves to Be Remembered

Before writing this post, I sat down to re-watch The Fly with my 9-year-old son. He found it  a little slow to start but he was quickly hooked and filled with questions. Twice he remarked that it was a ‘ sad’ story. He was also suitably creeped out by the spiderweb scene. It says something about a film’s quality when it can still impact audiences 60 years later. David Cronenberg’s 1980’s remake updated and arguably improved upon the 1958 version. Nevertheless, the original The Fly is a classic that horror fans should re-visit.

The Visit Is Worth a Trip to Grandma’s House

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It’s been nearly 20 years since M. Night Shyamalan burst onto the scene with The Sixth Sense. For a directorial debut it doesn’t get much better than this finale jaw-dropping effort. His follow-up, Unbreakable, was an understated gem. A few cracks began to show with the still decent Signs. Audiences and critics alike though thought Shyamalan was trying to too hard to stick another huge twist with The Village. From that point onward, Shyamalan turned out some truly dreadful films, leaving fans to wonder if he had made a deal with the Devil that came with a ‘Past Due’ date.With the success of last year’s Split, and the announcement that Unbreakable will get its long overdue sequel, Shyamalan is officially back. But before Split, Shyamalan got his groove back with the found-footage creeper The Visit. It wasn’t necessarily as well received as Split, but The Visit finds Shyalaman back in full creepy mode.

Synopsis

Single-mother Loretta has neither seen nor spoken to her parents in 15 years after running off with her high school teacher. Now her children, 15-year-old Becca and 13-year-old Tyler, are going for a five-day visit to meet their grandparents for the first time. Becca wants to make a documentary of the visit in the hopes that it will mend her mother’s relationship with them. With each passing night on their visit, their grandparents’ behaviour becomes increasingly strange. Will Becca and Tyler survive ‘The Visit’?

Shyalaman Re-Discovers How to be Truly Scary

The Visit never reaches the heights of the atmosphere or scares generated by The Sixth Sense. Yet in its own right, The Visit is a genuinely creepy film that understands how to turn up the slow burn. Shyamalan shows some early cracks in the surface in the old family home – a locked shed, strange late-night behaviour, and an off-limits basement. With each night the grandparents’ behaviour becomes increasingly alarming, generating real fear for the safety of Becca and Tyler. The slow burn can be tricky; it’s a fine line between methodically ratcheting up scares and just being boring. At his best, Shyalaman knows the different and it shows in The Visit.

Rather than relying on jump scares, Shyamalan prefers to elicit tension from uncomfortable interactions and off-putting behaviour.

Rather than relying on jump scares, Shyamalan prefers to elicit tension from uncomfortable interactions and off-putting behaviour. Nana asking Becca to climb into the oven to clean immediately calls to mind ‘Hansel and Gretel’; it’s a simple, quiet moment that generates a great deal of suspense. One thing Shyamalan has always been adept at has been allowing horrifying images or moments to organically develop, often in the background. A game of hide and seek under the house leads to a brilliant ‘did I just see that‘ moment. The Visit boasts a lot of moments that leave you feeling uncomfortable. For the first time in years, Shyalaman has crafted a scary movie.

Unnecessary Use of Found Footage

By the time The Visit hit theatres, the found footage format was running out of steam. There were still a few successful found footage efforts getting released (see Creep), but most of the films felt like leftovers playing to the law of diminishing returns (i.e., The Gallows). The truly great found footage horror films either used the format to heighten a documentary feel, like The Blair Witch Project, or to embed some subtext into their film (see George A. Romero’s underrated Diary of the Dead). Most horror films adopted the format because it was cost effective.

Like all found footage films, The Visit also suffers from the consistent need to justify why people would keep filming.

While I might be missing something, there really was no reason for Shyamalan to adopt the found footage format for The Visit. The format adds nothing to the story or any possible underlying commentary. If anything the format actually restricts what is a genuinely creepy film. At times, one can’t help but get the feeling that there were some good scares left on the table due to the limitations of handheld cameras. Like all found footage films, The Visit also suffers from the consistent need to justify why people would keep filming.

Terrifying Grandparents, Annoying Grandkids

Peter McRobbie and Deanna Dunagan, as the grandparents, are absolutely excellent. Much of what makes The Visit scary depends on how McRobbie and Dunagan deliver their dialogue as well as their body movements and facial expressions. The Visit is a horror film so we know something terrible is inevitably going to happen. It’s the sudden shifts in moods delivered by both actors and Dunagan’s eccentric mannerisms that deliver the scares.

As the grandchildren, Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould, both turn in good performances. Oxenbould is particularly charismatic and largely entertaining as Tyler. There are times where the two child actors do become a little annoying and tiresome, but this has more to do with the script than anything about the actors. Becca’s constant need to call her grandfather ‘ Pop Pop’, for instance, becomes increasingly grating. But the performances themselves are convincing and The Visit offers fully realized and sympathetic arcs for both characters.

I See … A Good Scary Movie

After years of futility, M. Night Shyalaman has re-established himself as a filmmaker who knows how to generate scares. He still shows a proclivity for twist endings, but at least in The Visit, the film isn’t reliant on how good or bad its final reveal turns out. Shyamalan didn’t forget to flesh out characters with satisfying arcs in The Visit and, ultimately, the reveal in the final act works.

THE PROFESSOR’S FINAL GRADE: B+

The Final Girl: Five Best Examples in Friday the 13th

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Today, horror fans are pretty familiar with the concept of the ‘Final Girl’. Following Wes Craven’s post-modern Scream , slasher films have only gotten more meta In fact, horror movies now openly acknowledge the ‘Final Girl’ trope. Little seen and underrated Cherry Falls flipped the convention by having its killer targeting virgins. Cult classic Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon then explicitly laid out the rules of the ‘Final Girl’. According to Film Studies professor Dr. Carol J. Clover, the ‘Final Girl’ is the virginal, resourceful female character who survives to confront and defeat the killer. IWhile The Friday the 13th franchise didn’t create the narrative, with 12 films spanning three decades, it has its fair share of ‘Final Girls’. For this edition of The Chopping Block, I’ll be ranking the five best ‘Final Girls’ to appear in one of the most enduring horror franchises.

5 – Chris Higgins (Dana Kimmell, Friday the 13th Part III)

Yes, Chris Higgins may be a more controversial ‘Final Girl’ to include on this list, particularly with the exclusions of Rowan from Jason X and Tina Shepard (Lar-Park Lincoln) from The New Blood. Neither of those characters is a typical ‘Final Girl’. Several characters survive in Jason X, while Tina Shepard is basically a ‘Carrie’ rip-off. In contrast, Chris Higgins is the traditional ‘Final Girl’. Friday the 13th Part III establishes her as a survivor building in a prior encounter with a ‘stranger’ in the woods. She also gives Jason a run for his money in the movie’s final third. While she does ‘get a hand’ from a surprising character, Chris ultimately ‘kills’ Jason. She may not be as las Ginny from Friday the 13th Part II, but Chris Higgins fares quite well in Part III. Her character arc is remarkably similar to traditional franchise ‘Final Girls’, Alice and Ginny.

4 – Alice (Adrienne King, Friday the 13th)


She was the first Friday ‘Final Girl’ in what still stands as the franchise’s best movie. Adrienne King’s Alice isn’t quite the prototypical ‘Final Girl’ according to Clover’s full criteria, but she’s ‘sexually unavailable’ and it’s her character that is truly left alone to confront the film’s killer, Mrs. Voorhees. The original Friday’s final 15 to 20 minutes would set the template for the franchise’s third act across the next four sequels. While Alice does a lot of screaming, she’s resourceful and resilient, delivering one of the franchise’s best kills. It’s also her character that helps introduce Jason to the franchise. Unfortunately, the franchise killed off Alice in Part II’s opening moments, cheapening her survival.

3 – Trish Jarvis (Kimberly Beck, Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter)

Technically, Trish Jarvis doesn’t meet the strict criteria for a ‘Final Girl’ – she’s not left alone to fight off Jason. It’s younger brother, Tommy (Corey Feldman), who puts the ‘final’ in Jason’s Final Chapter. Yet in reality, most slasher films don’t actually have a ‘Final Girl’ that meets all the criteria of Clover’s definition. Aside from having some help, Trish is a definitive ‘Final Girl’ and one of the best in the Friday the 13th franchise. Trish proves to be much more of a match for Jason than the laughably useless Rob. No, she isn’t the one to kill Jason in the climax. Nevertheless, Trish makes a defiant last stand and delivers a striking blow. She also shows a little more courage than some of the other characters on this list. After all, Trish willingly lures Jason to protect her younger brother.

2- Megan Garris (Jennifer Cooke, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives)

Megan Garris from Jason Lives may be the least consistent with the ‘Final Girl’ trope. She’s confident, defiant, and sexually assertive. While she doesn’t do drugs or drink onscreen, one gets the impression she wouldn’t be opposed. Not surprisingly, Megan also happens to be one of best characters in the franchise not named ‘Jason.’ Megan is resourceful, but she’s also fearless. Although Tommy Jarvis drives the story in Jason Lives, Megan is arguably the brighter of the two. She’s also the one that ultimately ‘kills’ Jason.

1- Ginny Field (Amy Steel, Friday the 13th Part 2)

There wasn’t really any doubt, was there? Amy Steel’s Ginny is one of the most popular characters in the franchise. Fans also generally regard Ginny as the best ‘Final Girl’ across all 12 films. A psychology graduate student, Ginny is independent, intelligent, and extremely likable. When Jason finally confronts her, she gives him a run for his money unlike any other character. Ginny also proves to be the most resourceful ‘Final Girl’, using her psychology background to manipulate Jason. Though she gets an assist from boyfriend Paul, Ginny is the one who does the rescuing and ‘kills’ Jason. If Paul had listened to her earlier, he might have lived to the end, too. But did Paul really die? Who knows?

Class is in Session: The School Promises Haunting Atmosphere

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From Wolf Creek to The Bababdook, Australia has delivered some great horror imports over the years. Just last year, the gritty Hounds of Love and the supernatural-themed Boys in The Trees garnered some critical praise for ‘Down Under’ filmmakers. Later this month, Cinema Management Group (CMG) will be distributing the creepy looking Aussie horror offering, The School.

Who’s Making It and When It is Coming Out?

Award-winning short film director Storm Ashwood will be making his feature-length directorial debut with The School. The film was made through Australian studio, Bronte Pictures, with worldwide distribution rights acquired by Cinema Management Group (CMG). Ashwood did some work behind the scenes on another fantastic Australian supernatural thriller, Boys in the Trees. At present, the release date for The School is set for July 27, but it’s not clear whether this will include a limited theatrical run or just select VOD services.

What Is it About?

Dr. Amy Wintercraig is successful surgeon whose son nearly drowned to death. Since the accident, he has remained hospitalized in a coma with little chance for recovery. Amy, who obsessively clings to the belief that her son will wake up, inexplicably falls into her own coma. She wakes up in an abandoned school where she is confronted by supernatural forces that haunt her with the memories of children she has treated in the past. Believing her son may be lost in the same dark world, Amy must confront the horrors of ‘The School’ to save him.

Who’s In It?

Given that it’s a small, independent Australian horror film, none of the cast will be recognizable to most North American audiences. Megan Drury is playing Dr. Amy Wintercraig, while Nicholas Hope, who appeared briefly in one of the live-action Scooby-Doo films, plays Amy’s disapproving supervisor, Dr. Wang.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of The School isn’t ‘who’s in it’, but where it was filmed. Much of The School was shot in a real abandoned hospital, the Gladesville Mental Asylum. The facility was opened in the early 1800’s and, like much of mental health treatment in that era, Gladesville harshly warehoused its patients. Over a thousand unmarked graves of patients are reportedly on the filming location, adding a bit of haunting legitimacy to the project.

What Does the Promotional Material Tell Us?

https://youtu.be/ADP2PxRq9M8

Much of what you’ll gather from both trailers is largely a sense of the atmosphere and visual style of The School. The second trailer fleshes out the film’s official synopsis a little more, but wisely keeps most story elements shrouded in mystery. What stands out most is the visual style, which looks to have some elements of Silent Hill, Guillermo del Toro, and Turkish horror import Baskin. There are some admittedly very cool shots and visuals in the two trailers. If the trailer isn’t giving us the best parts, The School promises to offer some distinct creature effects and genuine atmospheric horror. The premise alone looks to offer horror fans a story that doesn’t feel familiar or tired.