REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA

Hands-down the best film of 2008 (and boasting one of the all-time greatest soundtracks), Repo: The Genetic Opera is a relentlessly original “horror” movie with 99% of its dialog delivered in an operatic fashion laced with heavy gothic undertones. Steampunk styles mixed with mind-blowing set designs make for an extremely effective and unforgettable movie watching experience.

The thoroughly-engrossing story concerns Shilo (Alexa Vega – Spy Kids), a young girl with a rare blood disease who is secluded from the outside world by her overprotective father (Anthony Stewart Head – Buffy the Vampire Slayer). What Shilo doesn’t know is that her “perfect” dad is actually a contracted killer who repossesses organs from various victims who default on their payments. The film brilliantly weaves violence, gore, humor, and sentimentality into a very satisfying package that delivers something NEVER seen before – an experimental underground cult film with a high degree of quality and competency.

In addition to a great script, wonderful cast, and stunning visuals, Repo: The Genetic Opera also has an infectious soundtrack (which has the distinction of having the most songs EVER recorded for a film). Every song is brilliantly delivered by the talented cast who all display surprisingly strong vocal performances. Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas) is an accomplished opera singer and gets quite a bit of material to work with here, but make no mistake – Anthony Stewart Head (an accomplished musician himself) OWNS this movie. His vocal ranges, acting, and delivery outshine everyone else on screen (which is quite a feat considering that everyone is exceptional).  The Repo Man is actually the main hero of the film and Anthony Stewart Head draws the audience in with his sympathetic and complex character.

The film moves quickly from one elaborate scene to the next, never losing any steam along the way. It is an exciting, engrossing and completely unique production that will undoubtedly please fans of experimental cinema. There are no wrong turns or shortcomings whatsoever in this film - Repo: The Genetic Opera is nearly flawless from beginning to end.

My Score: 10 out of 10

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CANDYMAN: FAREWELL TO THE FLESH

1992 saw the release of a brand-new genre classic unlike any horror film before. That movie was Candyman, a classy, effective entry into the overly-saturated market of mediocre and highly-forgettable fright flicks. It was a new era for the horror film – disturbingly realistic violence, original story, solid performances, and a haunting musical score all presented in an operatic manner that could not be easily dismissed by critics as “just another slasher film”. In fact, the reviews were anything but bad.

Candyman was here. And it was good.

Three years later (which, in “horror sequel” world is an eternity), the hook-handed killer returned for an exceedingly well-made follow-up to the stylized original. Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh continues the story of Daniel Robitaille, a slave who fell for his master’s daughter and was consequently tortured and killed for his actions. The story retains both the quality and eeriness of the original and yet manages to improve on character development by weaving a fascinating, plausible backstory into the origins of the Candyman himself. Whereas the first film was considered simply a very strong entry into the horror genre, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh works on so many more levels. At its core, it remains a relentlessly entertaining horror film, but it also works as a thriller, a human drama, and even a romance.

It is very rare for a horror movie – especially a sequel – to have as much going for it as this one does, but when everyone involved both behind and in front of the camera is as professional and competent as the filmmakers and actors here are, the end result will be reflected in the film. For an excellent film to be completely outdone by its own sequel is an amazing accomplishment. Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh is, without a doubt, one of the greatest horror sequels ever made.

My Score: 10 out of 10

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HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES

Filmed in 2000 and shelved for three years due to NC-17 rating concerns and being dropped by BOTH Universal and MGM studios after they saw the finished movie (and later picked up by Lionsgate, home of Saw – go figure!), rocker Rob Zombie’s directorial debut, House of 1,000 Corpses, is an all-out assault on the senses and good taste. It’s disjointed. It’s sick. It’s depraved. It’s disturbing. And it’s fantastic.

The story concerns a group of four friends who are traveling the country backroads in search of serial killers and other local legends – most notably, the one of a sadistic madman known as “Dr. Satan”. When they stop at an intriguingly weird gas station/circus sideshow hybrid, they unknowingly step into a world of murder, cannibalism, sadism, torture, and Satanic worship at the hands of the Firefly family led by the gleefully twisted Captain Spaulding.

What transpires on-screen for the next 90 or so minutes is a rollercoaster of nervous humor, dazzling visuals, unsettling atmosphere and a wonderfully haphazard plot that keeps everything moving rather quickly. The movie’s style covers quite a wide array of the genre. The first half of House of 1,000 Corpses is an enjoyable throwback to the late ‘70s/early ‘80s era of slasher films, while the second half is reminiscent of the pacing of late ‘80s  and early ‘90s entries. Rob Zombie, who at the time of filming this movie had only directed a few music videos, does an effective job of blending flashy lights, quick cuts, and old archival-type footage into a workable finished product that will stand out on the merits of its style alone (one point of interest: Director of Photography, Alex Poppas, also serves as Director of Photography for SyFy’s ‘Ghost Hunters International’ - awesome!).

While the violence and realistic gore is definitely in strong supply, it is the subject matter of House of 1,000 Corpses that people will find most disturbing. The fact that its stars Sid Haig, Sherri Moon Zombie, Karen Black, and Bill Moseley all seem to be having WAY too much fun as the cannibalistic clan of murderers makes the film even that much more sickly enjoyable.

House of 1,000 Corpses is not for everyone. But if sick humor and twisted horror is your cup of tea (it certainly is mine), then grab some biscuits. The perfect movie for you has arrived.

 My Score: 8 out of 10

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WOLFEN

Veteran director Michael Wadleigh delivers a heavy-handed horror film about the consequences of man’s encroachment on nature and society in probably one of the finest examples of a great “werewolf” movie to ever hit the screen. Released in 1981 (the same year as the wildly-popular werewolf movies An American Werewolf in London and The Howling), Wolfen is one of those rare horror films from the 80’s that showcases great skill – both in front of and behind the camera.

Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos, and Gregory Hines star as members of the NYPD embroiled in a gory murder mystery surrounding the death of a successful architect, his wife, and their chauffeur. At first, the murders appear to be the work of a ritualistic killer, but soon appear to be caused by the hands of something more supernatural – an ancient species of “super wolves” bent on protecting their ever-dwindling land and hunting grounds.

While the slow pacing of Wolfen may initially dissuade some viewers, the intriguing storyline and strong moral values about society and man’s callous behavior towards both nature and wildlife should keep many viewers glued to their seats. This is a “thinking” person’s horror movie – the fear comes not from what actually transpires onscreen, but rather the “what-if” scenario caused by urban sprawl that we are experiencing more and more in our real, everyday lives.

Superior in all aspects, Wolfen delivers the goods. It is a well-written, somber, horror tale sprinkled with just enough supernatural elements and Native American customs to make for a highly-rewarding movie watching experience. This is truly a great film that you will undoubtedly want to revisit numerous times. It’s definitely worth a spot in your home DVD library.

My Score: 9 out of 10

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SILENT SCREAM

This odd horror film is neither scary nor bloody but, rather, a fairly entertaining thriller that was released in 1979 (which, by the way, was a GREAT year for horror movies). While Silent Scream is undoubtedly a “bargain-basement” cheapie, the story is actually pretty solid.

Four college students rent rooms at an old mansion run by a creepy family with some dark secrets of their own. When the teenagers start showing up dead, two detectives set out to uncover the mystery. Although the ending is a bit of a letdown, the journey getting there is actually pretty entertaining. The film is competently made and its entertainment value has not waned over the years (remarkably, it has aged extremely well). However, it does seem to suffer from an ending that tries to be better than it actually is, which seems oddly out of place with the tone set by the rest of the movie.

The casting is odd as well; Yvonne De Carlo (“Lily” of TV’s The Munsters) and comedian Avery Schreiber are cast alongside a bunch of no-name kids who all fall victim to a perfectly creepy Barbara Steele (in probably the most disturbing role ever with no dialogue) - her facial expressions alone are enough to make your blood run cold. Her performance shows why she was one of Europe’s “scream queens” and it is her performance that helps to slightly elevate Silent Scream above many of its peers. In fact, some of today’s better horror films seem to have taken a page from this film (for example, the idea of unsettling classical music playing is alluded to for several scenes in 2001’s Jeepers Creepers).

While Silent Scream is certainly not fast paced, it isn’t boring either. Characters are enjoyable, the story is interesting and (at least up until the lackluster ending) the story delivers exactly what it should – no more, no less. It’s no classic, but you could do much worse. It’s definitely worth checking out.

My Score: 6 out of 10

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CHOPPING MALL

1986 was a great year for cheesy horror films. The “slasher” craze was at the top of its game and new horror movies were being cranked out almost weekly - either as “straight-to-video” releases or to cinemas in a very select amount of theaters. Many of these films got lost in the endless parade of new titles and often served no other purpose than to help fill up shelves at the local mom & pop video store. Some were bad, some were good, but all managed to find some type of an audience. To me, one gem stood out in particular and, while overlooked and forgotten about for many years, is now poised to find a new audience thanks to its recent debut on DVD which can finally replace the long out-of-print VHS copies that are scarcely available. That movie is Chopping Mall (a.k.a. Killbots) and it holds the honor (or dishonor - depending on what you think of my taste in movies) of making my list of “Top 10 Favorite Movies Of All Time”.

In the film, a new line of experimental security robots is activated at a popular shopping plaza. Eight teenagers working at this same mall decide to hide out in a mattress store until closing time for an all-night party of drinking and “other things”. During a storm, the control center for these machines is fried by lightning turning the robots into unstoppable killers, trapping the kids inside. So begins one of the most entertaining journeys in the genre of horror films…

Corny, cheap, and gloriously stuck in the 80s, Chopping Mall is a wonderful homage to the decade of excess and mindless entertainment that actually holds up better today than it did during its initial release. A very likeable cast (who are surprisingly good in their roles), a biting sense of humor, non-stop action, a decent (if not implausible) storyline, great robots, cool cameos, and a highly-addictive electro-synth soundtrack help solidify Chopping Mall as the ultimate cult-classic, along with one very important thing: rather than developing a cult following on the basis of being strange or outlandish, Chopping Mall is actually GOOD. I can say without fear of contradiction that watching Chopping Mall will be the best 77 minutes of movie viewing experience you will ever have.

Check your brain at the door. Grab the popcorn. Turn out the lights. Crank your TV. Let Chopping Mall entertain you like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. It’s unforgettable. You’ll love it.

My Score: 9 out of 10

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INSIDIOUS

Over the years, I’ve seen literally hundreds of “haunted house”-themed horror films. Many were lackluster (Paranormal Activity), many were decent (The Amityville Horror), and many were actually quite good (Burnt Offerings). Regardless of how good and/or original they were, they always managed to pale in comparison to the seminal ghost film, Poltergeist – that is until I saw Insidious.

This tense, believable and well-researched horror film may have de-throned the Steven Spielberg-produced/Tobe Hooper-directed fright flick as the “greatest haunted house film”. A very impressive feat considering that its creators James Wan & Leigh Whannell (the talented creators of Saw and the criminally overlooked Dead Silence) managed to outdo one of the classics of modern day cinema widely considered to be one of the very best horror movies ever made.

Right from the beginning, Insidious grabs you with its depiction of typical American life. A family goes about their normal daily routine as odd things slowly begin to unfold one-by-one. A fall at home lands their young son in what appears to be a state of coma. Heartbroken, the close-knit family presses on. A series of unexplained events transpires and, when the frequency and intensity of these begin to escalate, the family decides to move. However, that is only the beginning of their problems as they soon realize that their son is not in a coma but, rather, has the ability to astral project (in essence, a sleepwalking spirit) and may have gone too far – opening the door for demons and evil spirits who are hell bent on destroying the entire family.

VERY scary, extremely entertaining, and relentlessly paced throughout, Insidious is a phenomenal movie which I cannot recommend highly enough. I NEVER jump or get unnerved during horror movies, but Insidious got to me. There are several moments that actually gave me some serious goosebumps and I was kept on edge through the entire film. For those that think the horror genre is dead or running out of fresh ideas, see Insidious. It will change your view of current horror movies – and, quite possibly, make you a believer in the paranormal. One of the greatest horror films in recent memory.

My Score: 10 out of 10

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