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- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsSissy SpacekPiper LaurieAmy IrvingCarrie White, a shy, friendless teenage girl who is sheltered by her domineering, religious mother, unleashes her telekinetic powers after being humiliated by her classmates at her senior prom.Sissy, sweet nightmare
In the '70s, "Carrie" was a show worth your money. By today's standards, it is not a horror movie at all. But horror isn't the point of this movie anyway. King goes much further than the simple scaring of the audience. "Carrie" is a primarily sad and heavy drama about an unhappy childhood, while supernatural aspects of the story and horror ending just serve the purpose of amplifying the drama. Mother, religious fanatic, was much more convincing to me in the 2013 remake, but Sissy Spacek really nailed her part. Although the movie does not give us enough time and background to get to know her well enough, Sissy's performance is so real and convincing that she transfers her emotions to the audience from the very beginning of the movie. We feel her sadness, her loneliness, her fears, her anger. When other kids mistreat her we want to kill them all. And at the end of the movie, that sweet shy little creature transforms into a frightening monster. Makeup cannot do that transformation on its own. Sissy nailed it. She is so creepy and scary at the end that she established herself as one of the most terrifying nightmares in horror movies history. Still, I prefer the remake.
7/10 [10/10 for Sissy] - StarsDavid SoulJames MasonLance KerwinA novelist and a young horror fan attempt to save a small New England town which has been invaded by vampires.Good but long-winded
The great adaptation of Steven King that is struggling to escape from three hours of a boring movie. Everyone who knows at least a bit of King will recognize his background here, even those who did not read this book or even knew about it. The story is completely King-ish and it's very good. Acting, music, scenography, everything is great. Nevertheless, I fell asleep during watching this movie and I had to rewind a few times. The story simply does not contain enough material for three hours movie. If they took more details from the book three hours wouldn't be nearly enough, but when they reduced the book to a minimum there was not enough left to fill three hours. I suppose they intended to build a tense atmosphere slowly and gradually, and maybe in the '70s the movie was accomplishing that goal, but today, or at least for me, this was an extremely boring experience.
6/10 - DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.Kubrick's top three
I never paid too much attention to directors and in the most of the movies I saw I was unable to recognize them. Besides Lynch and Jarmusch, Kubrick is one of the few that I could never mistake for someone else. All of his movies, however different their stories might be, share that insane atmosphere that simply screams Kubrick. Frames, angles, sound and his particular kind of creepy unmistakably betray him. While watching any of his movies I have flashes from his other movies. Although their plots are not related, this movie reminds me of "2001: A Space Odyssey" and bit of "Clockwork Orange", and with those two makes the holy trinity of Stanley Kubrick's heritage. In my opinion, one of the best movies of all time.
10/10 - DirectorGeorge A. RomeroStarsHal HolbrookLeslie NielsenAdrienne Barbeau"Creepshow" is a 1982 movie that tells five grisly tales from a children's comic book: a murdered father rising from his grave, a bizarre meteor, a vengeful husband, a mysterious crate's occupant, and a plague of cockroaches.Disappointing
An omnibus of five stories based on horror comics from the fifties, directed by George Romero and written by Stephen King. It sounds tempting, but it just sounds. Too silly to be scary, not silly enough to be funny.
5,5/10 - DirectorJeff SchiroStarsMichael Earl ReidBert LinderTerence BrandyA man tries to explain to his psychiatrist that the Boogeyman is real and has been killing his children.The story is decent and quite faithful to King's original, and performance of Michael Earl Reid, playing a man who is trying to explain to his psychiatrist that the Boogeyman exists and that it killed his children, is impressive. But overall, the movie is pale and boring and more or less it's a waste of time. But considering the fact that this is pretty much "one man show", where Jeff Schiro did the screenplay, directing, editing and music, and on top of that this is his movie debut, I can not bury it completely. I do not like it, but I respect the efforts.
4/10 - DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKeith GordonJohn StockwellAlexandra PaulA nerdish boy buys a strange car with an evil mind of its own and his nature starts to change to reflect it.Oh man, there is nothing finer than being behind the wheel of your own car! Except maybe for pussy!
Deeply romantic story by Stephen King about true love and how jealousy and possessiveness can become fatal. True love between man and his car in all its glory. Carpenter made right choice by leaving previous owner from the back seat out of this movie, because "three's a crowd". To me, this movie is awesome.
9/10 - DirectorLewis TeagueStarsDee WallaceDaniel Hugh KellyDanny PintauroCujo, a friendly St. Bernard, contracts rabies and conducts a reign of terror on a small American town.Watchable and nothing more than that...
19 February 2017
I didn't read the original story by King, so I cannot judge how faithful adaptation is, but the movie alone is barely watchable. It is not complete crap, but it is not much above it either. Technically this movie is mediocre. Level of entertainment... well, I had to force myself to stick to it till the end. But I must admit that it has some really scary parts. Most of it is boring and redundant, but few scenes really made me shiver. If they could make the whole thing at least half that intense it could have been really good horror/drama. But this way it does not deserve more than 4, being an average of 8 for scary parts and 2 for every other aspect of the movie.
Warning: Spoilers
Specific objections to the story:- First half an hour show us family relations in the house of the victims and wife's love affair that has no influence on the main course of the story. It is like they put it in the film only to pull on enough material for 90 minutes. That part is painfully boring.
- Wife and kid are stuck in the car for 48 hours and nobody noticed they're missing. Is it possible/probable that they have no family, friends, neighbors or anyone else they have everyday communication with and who would notice they're missing...
- They are in the courtyard of the local mechanic, just 7 miles from their home. Is it possible/probable that no one knows where they're gone, no one stopped by to fix their car or came across for any other reason for whole two days and nights...
- Cop that finally starts searching for them soon comes across their car all battered and covered in blood. Logical sequence of procedures would be to park police car close to victim's, use the police radio to call backup and tell what he saw, then pull out his gun and carefully get out of the car and go to take a look into the victim's car. In that case, the victim would tell him what is happening and he would have two options. Either to carefully look for the beast and kill it or to get victims into the police car and get a hell out of there, while calling the competent service to solve the issue. Instead, he parks far away from the bloody car, does not call for backup or at least to say where he is and what he found, gets out of the car unarmed and nonchalantly strolls across the yard. Of course, beast lurks and grabs him by surprise. And when he finally decides to use his gun, he is too freaked and clumsy so he drops his gun on the ground and he gets killed. Cops may be believed to be stupid, but this kind of carelessness is in contrary with basic instincts of self-preservation.
- At the end, when the mother finally succeeds to defend her child by sticking broken baseball bat into the beast, she takes the gun from the ground and gets into the house without even checking if the beast is really dead. Those bolder would probably approach the beast to check if it's still alive, but everyone would at least empty the whole magazine into it, just in case. She did neither and, of course, she gets attacked from behind once again. Completely retarded.
There is more of smaller illogicalities and nonsense, but what I listed above should be enough. For moments scary, but mostly dull and poorly told life drama. Without those few emotionally strong moments this movie would barely deserve 2/10.
4/10 - DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsChristopher WalkenBrooke AdamsTom SkerrittA man awakens from a coma to discover he has a psychic ability to foresee future events.From this team, I expected more
Written by Stephen King, directed by Cronenberg, starring Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen, music by Michael Kamen... this simply cannot be a bad movie. And it isn't. But it isn't especially good either. The story is entertaining and nicely told, acting and music are good, the ending is distinctively Kings, but this really good movie lacks something to be great. I am not sure what genre it is, but I would say supernatural thriller, and for a thriller, this movie has a serious lack of tension and anticipation. Emotionally it did not move me an inch. It does not make you smile, it does not make you cry, it does not force you to think, it does not scare you or keep you at the edge of the seat. Smart, entertaining, but not strong or deep enough for excellence.
7/10 - DirectorJohn WoodwardStarsEleese LesterGabriel FolseSteven YoungA couple passing through a small Oklahoma town discover that it has been taken over by a homicidal cult that worships a crow god--and that all the cult members are children.First adaptation of the "Children of the Corn"
One year before the famous adaptation of King's "Children of the Corn" from 1984, student John Woodward made this twenty-minute film. Not only was he the first to adapt the "Children of the Corn", but practically with no budget, and with amateurs and actors in their first roles, he made a horror that in some respects is even better than the franchise that followed. Although it's too short, and just when it reaches its peak it ends, Woodward manages to achieve a very effective eerie atmosphere, which is particularly difficult in a movie that takes place during the daylight, and the acting is surprisingly realistic and believable. If he only had a little more money and time this film could occupy the place where today is the movie from 1984.
7/10 - DirectorFrank DarabontStarsMichael CornelisonDee CroxtonBrian LibbyShe is incurably ill, but she cannot die. Only her son, a lawyer, could bring her relief. When he decides to do so, it starts his personal nightmare. The short story by Stephen King from his 'Night Shift' collection was sold to Frank Darabont.Frank Darabont debut
The directing debut of Frank Darabont, a man who signs cult adaptations of Steven King, "The Shawshank Redemption " and "The Green Mile", is also an adaptation of King's story. "The Woman in the Room" (1983) is a thirty-minute psychological drama about a lawyer whose mother is dying in pain and his emotional and moral dilemma of whether to release her from her agony. The film was done almost without a budget, with only three actors in two rooms, and it's based almost entirely on facial expressions and the building of the atmosphere. It is interesting that the actress who plays mother also appears in "The Green Mile", and the supporting actor also has roles in both, "The Green Mile" and "The Shawshank Redemption". King stated that this is the best short film made on one of his stories.
7,5/10 - 1983–198820mTV-147.1 (571)TV EpisodeDirectorMichael GornickStarsBruce DavisonKaren ShalloPatrick PiccininniStruggling writer Richard Hagstrom receives an upgraded computer from his computer-whiz nephew Jonathan right before Jonathan dies in an accident. Thanks to Jonathan, this word processor has the power to grant any wish that Richard desires.20 minutes never was, isn't and never will be enough time for decent adaptation of Stephen King. Story is of course good, but so intensely hasty and compacted that it loses any meaning. It does not have that recognizable King's charm at all and if I didn't know it was King adaptation I would never guess.
So, if you had computer that by pressing Enter button makes real whatever you typed on the screen, but from the moment you realized that till complete overload and breaking down you have just a few minutes available, what would you type? Let's say, first three things that would came to your mind in those few minutes of excitement, shock and panic?
5/10 - DirectorFritz KierschStarsPeter HortonLinda HamiltonR.G. ArmstrongA young couple is trapped in a remote town where a dangerous religious cult of children believes that everyone over age 18 must be killed.Hteo sam da napišem recenziju za ovaj film, ali onda sam naleteo na recenziju IMDb korisnika The_Void i u potpunosti se slažem i sa recenzijom i sa ocenom.
6/10
"Stephen King is often cited to be the father of modern horror, and this view isn't wholly unfounded. King's stories have had a large impact upon the horror genre, and many of them are very good stories in their own right also. However, when it comes to translating King's words onto the screen; many filmmakers have proved that they are not up to the task. I haven't read the book, 'Children of the Corn', but I'm sure it's better than this movie. While the film isn't especially bad; it's hardly a tour de-force of horror cinema either, and like many Stephen King films; this one could have been a hell of a lot better. Actually, this story isn't one of King's better efforts; it follows a small town whose children murder their parents on the instructions of a mysterious preacher; a little kid calling himself Isaac. The story picks up three years after this terrible event when a young couple drive into town for some reason. They find the village completely devoid of adults and it isn't long until they discover what's happened and seek to put an end to it!
This film has missed several opportunities, the most glaring of which is the subterranean manifestation that dwells beneath the soil in the cornfields. We get several glimpses of this creature, but we never get to see it properly; and because of this, the monster is about as threatening as a bunch of little kids. Oh wait. Anyway, the film draws parallels with other evil kids films such as Village of the Damned in the way it plays out, but it never really gets out of first gear. While the atmosphere of the town is foreboding and well done on the whole, the plotting isn't very exciting and there's very few moments of real tension or suspense, which ensures the film isn't as engaging as it could have been. The cornfields and the corn that inhabits said field's makes for an unlikely horror prop, and some scenes within the fields are genuinely creepy. The kids themselves are rather well done also, with both of the main ones having good screen presence. If you were to pigeonhole King's films into 'good' and 'bad', this one would firmly be in the latter side. On it's own, however, it's not all that bad, and if you're a fan of King's work, you'll no doubt find something to like here. Or you might hate it for not living up to the book, one of the two." - The_Void - DirectorMark L. LesterStarsDrew BarrymoreDavid KeithFreddie JonesA couple who participated in a potent medical experiment gain telepathic ability and then have a child who is pyrokinetic.Awesome finale
Till now I did not like Drew Barrymore too much, but after this movie where, as a nine years old girl, she nails leading role, she definitely enters my list of favorite actresses. Drew plays daughter of parents who, in their youth, participated in a government experiment, gained some abilities and then got married and brought to world daughter, whose extreme pyrokinetic abilities are just waiting to be triggered. The movie reminds of "Carrie" a little bit, but while "Carrie" focuses on horror angle, "Firestarter" is more of an action drama. The secret government agency is trying to capture this family, they kill mother (Heather Locklear), so father (David Keith) and daughter live on the run, until agents find them, attack them and all hell breaks loose. The movie keeps a balance between the dramatic display of inner fight between a sweet little girl and a killing machine and well-directed action scenes with good effects. Legendary Tangerine Dream were in charge of music and their eccentric compositions give a weird note to movie atmosphere. Overall, this is one of the best King adaptations I saw so far. I saw all King movies done before this one and several done after and only "The Shining", "Christine" and "The Shawshank Redemption" are better.
8/10 - DirectorKenneth J. BertonStarsBob MendelsohnVicki SaputoStruan RobertsonAn evil demon that inhabits a monkey doll takes over the mind of a suburban housewife to carry out its plans.Cheap and predictable, but enjoyable
"The Devil's Gift" is a low budget, maybe even an amateur horror film, inspired by King's story "The Monkey." Girl of single-parenting father brings monkey-doll as a present for his son birthday. It turns out that in a monkey resides a murderous demon which is impossible to get rid of. When I saw the IMDb rating of 2.4, I was thinking whether to give it a chance at all, but I was dead set to see all the films inspired by Stephen King and not to skip anything. The first half hour is a real agony. The film shows an idyllic life in the suburbs and everything is bright and cheerful and the atmosphere is like in some Disney comedy for little children. In addition, the film is so cheap that it is difficult to classify it as B production. Rather somewhere in the range from X to Z. Literally nothing happens, not even introduction to characters so we can empathize with them later. So virtually redundant unprovoked half an hour. I was at the very edge of giving up on it when the movie finally caught my attention, until finally, I was sitting at the edge of my chair, and even stood up to go and turn the lights on. The story is great, and the film manages to be very creepy and even scary, despite the fact it is happening during the day and despite the complete absence of almost all elements typical of horror. There is no darkness, no surprises, no monsters, no gore. Even despite the terrible production. The end is quite predictable, but the fact that I knew what was going to happen did not spoil my experience at all. I was rather eager to see if I was right, and when the prediction came true, I rejoiced as a child. People resent the lack of nudity, violence, and gore typical of the B horrors of the '80s, but these objections are unfounded, since those elements do not fit into this story. Basically, the only really significant drawbacks are idling in the first half of the movie and poor production. With a decent budget, it might have been a great episode of some horror series, like "Twilight Zone" or "Tales from the Darkside". With better production and run-time between 30 and 45 minutes, this would be a strong eight, maybe more, but this way I rate it five out of ten, more for effort than objective quality.
5/10 - DirectorLewis TeagueStarsDrew BarrymoreJames WoodsAlan KingA stray cat is the linking element of three tales of suspense and horror.True King atmosphere
Omnibus of three stories by Stephen King, weirdly connected together by a cat. King wrote the screenplay for the movie. The first two parts are adaptations of his earlier short stories, while the third is an original story written for the movie. First two stories are realistic, one dark humorous and other very tense, while third reminds a bit of Gremlins. James Woods and Alan King play great roles in the first story, while the star of the third one is once again ten years old Drew Barrymore, who plays leading role in King's previous movie. An underrated gem of 80's and one of the best King adaptations I saw so far.
9/10 - DirectorDaniel AttiasStarsGary BuseyEverett McGillCorey HaimIn a small town, brutal killings start to plague the close knit community. Marty Coslaw, a paraplegic boy, is convinced the murders are the doings of a werewolf.Family movie, loved it
Although I knew who's the werewolf from the 'very beginning, it does not make this movie any less tense or fun. Understandable considering it was King who wrote the script based on his own novel. I would not say it's a horror movie. It's more children/family fantasy drama spiced with some horror elements. The cast is very good, especially 14 years old Corey Haim, who perfectly played little paraplegic hunting werewolf. A bit naive, but warm, fun and with a just about right amount of suspense for one nice family King.
8/10 - DirectorFrank De PalmaJodie FosterRichard FriedmanStarsMiranda BeesonBill CainJeff ConawayCompilation of five horror stories from Tales from the Darkside (1983) that takes the viewer into the dark world of vampires, cursed objects and sinister humor. Despite the title, only the final story is by Stephen King.From the "Tales from the Darkside" TV series
"Stephen King's Golden Tales" is a compilation of five episodes from the "Tales from the Darkside" TV series, of which only one actually is an adaptation of King's story. I have no idea on what basis these episodes are selected because their quality is rather uneven and, as for the entire series, which I recently watched, the average score is somewhere around
6/10
Tales from the Darkside (1983–1988)
Few gems mixed with a bunch of nonsense
11 November 2017
Although there are some real masterpieces, most of it is just mediocre and there are even some episodes that make 20 minutes seem like an eternity. Still, I recommend this show because good ones are worthy of getting through bad ones to see them.
6/10 - DirectorStephen KingStarsEmilio EstevezPat HingleLaura HarringtonA group of people try to survive when machines start to come alive and become homicidal.The Longest AC/DC Video Ever :D
Recently I decided to watch all adaptations of Steven King's work in chronological order, even those I already saw or know by heart. This movie is something special. Although plot is simple enough and even stupid occasionally, movie has some special charm that elevate it above sea of similar nonsense. Scenario is Stephen King's adaptation of his own novel, and he is not called King in vain. Acting and directing are very good and whole thing is followed by AC/DC music. There's so much AC/DC in this movie that it looks like huge AC/DC music video and I think that soundtrack is the main reason why this movie is so much above its genre. AC/DC are simply perfect background for what happens in this movie and I can not remember another movie where soundtrack is so much fit and adds so much to overall atmosphere. But quality or trash, one thing is certain - this is one of the craziest and most entertaining movie rides I ever had pleasure to enjoy and I warmly recommend it to everyone.
7,5/10 - DirectorRob ReinerStarsWil WheatonRiver PhoenixCorey FeldmanA writer recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy.Many claim this to be the best adaptation of Stephen King. I will refrain from such claims until I saw them all (so far I have seen 14 out of around 80), but it sure is great. Story is not typical King, but, even if I didn't know what I'm watching, I would recognize King by overall atmosphere. This adventure is placed at the end of '50s, also one of King's signatures, and followed by excellent choice of music from that period. Fans of horror, fantasy and suspense adventure may be disappointed by the lack of all, cause this movie almost has no plot and it's based on characterization and human relationships. For just hour and a half, that summarize two days of boys adventure, we get to know those four twelve years old boys so good that we get impression we grew up together with them. Besides King's writing and Reiner's directing, great merits for such an impression go to four boys that will soon grow up into famous actors - star of Star Trek Wil Wheaton, prematurely deceased River Phoenix (who, strangely, dies prematurely in movie too), less famous but very productive Corey Feldman (Gremlins, Goonies, voice of Donatello in TMNT), Kiefer Sutherland and lots more of more or less known faces. All in all, if you don't expect typical King and know how to enjoy good family drama, this movie would be shame to miss.
8/10 - DirectorMikhail TitovA man kills a toy designer and steals his latest product. The product, a mini-army complete with weapons, then wages war on the killer.Сражение (1986)
Hitman kills toy designer and steals his latest design, a miniature army complete with weapons and fully functional miniature nuclear warhead. But when he arrived home, "toys" are starting to attack.
This Russian short animated film is an adaptation of Stephen King's story "Battleground". The only reason it was not boring for me is that ten minutes is not enough time to get bored. Although, I must admit that it is developing a pretty good story in such a short time and the animation is unusual. I do not like it, but I can not say it's not good.
6/10 - DirectorLarry CohenStarsMichael MoriartySamuel FullerRicky Addison ReedA man and his son vacation to the quiet vampire populated town of Salem's Lot.A Return to Salem's Lot (1987)
5/10
"It's no Salem's Lot, but not as bad as others might have you believe either. Michael Moriarity returns from South America to get his mal-adjusted son and brings him to a house he inherited in Maine in the cozy little town of Salem's Lot. This film has no bearing on the original source, nor is it a similar film in any way. Larry Cohen directs and creates his vision. He shows us a town where vampirism is an accepted and seemingly normal lifestyle. The story has plenty of flaws, and sure does ask you to do a lot of suspending belief, but it has at its core a pretty interesting story of a father and a son bonding amidst their own weaknesses and a horde of vampires. Moriarity is good and some of the character actors are in fine form, especially Samuel Fuller barking out one-liners and Andrew Duggan (his last film) as the head vampire with New England grace and charm. Some exceptionally weak areas are special effects. The evil vampire face is absurd-looking, like a mask from a shop! All in all, I enjoyed this very flawed film for its heart." - BaronBl00d - DirectorMichael GornickStarsGeorge KennedyLois ChilesDomenick JohnThree macabre tales from the latest issue of a boy's favorite comic book, dealing with a vengeful wooden Native American, a monstrous blob in a lake, and an undying hitchhiker.This time we got just three stories and new director. Sure, King's presence is felt throughout whole thing and sequel is more or less on the same level with original. Because of really great last story I even rated it bit higher than it's prequel. To all horror and King fans I strongly recommend to see at least that last one.
6/10 - DirectorPaul Michael GlaserStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerMaria Conchita AlonsoYaphet KottoIn a dystopian America, a falsely convicted policeman gets his shot at freedom when he must forcibly participate in a TV game show where convicts, runners, must battle killers for their freedom.Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Jesse Ventura and Sven-Ole Thorsen. No, I didn't watch Predator again. :D
Futuristic action movie based on Steven King's story, published under pseudonym Richard Bachman, tells a story about modern gladiator games in which convicts get a chance to win their freedom if they survive the arena. Movie about totalitarian regime, media monopoly and a world at the edge of ecological and economical disaster. And about always current 'panem et circenses' tactics. It was made in 1987. and story is placed in 2017. Once described future comes to pass, futuristic movies usually become unconvincing, but not this one. Although actual 2017. and 2017. in this movie seemingly have no touch points, difference is only in appearance, while essentially they are much more alike than we are comfortable to admit.
"Schwarzenegger rising, with his criminal one-liners, which had already developed their own personality and received a fee on separate bank account." - Aleksandar Urošević
If you are searching for top cinematography better pass this flick, but within the genre it's pretty good and, if you are looking just for good entertainment with decent plot, I warmly recommend it.
6/10 - DirectorJim ColeDaniel ThronStarsAdam HouhoulisMelisa WheldenNat WordellA man, upon learning of the suicide of his sister, flashes back to a summer when they were kids and he saved her from falling from a dilapitated ladder.Pointless
I have no idea why adaptations of Stephen King's stories tend to be a disaster, but this is no exception. This amateur ten-minute movie is not so badly shot at all, but it has no point. Not as bad as it is useless.
3/10 - DirectorJames GonisStarsE.D. PhillipsAndy ClarkHelen HanftA man hires a one man lawn care service who turns out to be a dangerous religious psycho.Barely watchable
Written by Michael De Luca as an adaptation of Stephen King's story, but as much as these names are big, that much this short movie is bad. Although it lasts just 12 minutes it was torture to endure to the end.
2/10 - DirectorMary LambertStarsDale MidkiffDenise CrosbyFred GwynneAfter tragedy strikes, a grieving father discovers an ancient burial ground behind his home with the power to raise the dead.Believe it or not, occasionally someone succeeds to adapt Stephen King story in a good movie. First time I saw it, back when it was released, I was ten years old and I couldn't sleep for a very long time. Also, I shuddered at the very thought of cats or graveyards. Till today it stands as one of the most traumatic movie experiences of my life. Almost three decades later I decided to watch it again and I must admit it is pretty much scary even for a forty years old. Mary Lambert nailed King's atmosphere, story is simple but accurately hits primeval fears in us, and acting is good enough for movie to be convincing. Especially strong impression on me was left by Fred Gwynne and little Miko Huges, who stands shoulder to shoulder with legendary Damien from Omen. Interesting fact is that cult song by Ramones "I Don't Wanna Be Buried in a Pet Sematary" was nominated for Razzie Award for Worst Original Song. This is definitely my favorite Ramones song. Anyway, however different our tastes may be, this movie is mandatory for every true horror fan.
8/10 - DirectorRalph S. SingletonStarsDavid AndrewsKelly WolfStephen MachtIn a very old textile mill with a serious rat infestation, deadly accidents start happening, but the corrupt foreman continues to put his workers in danger, until they discover a horrifying secret deep in the basement.Worst so far
26 December 2017
Although it is adaptation of Stephen King, I really do not want to waste time or words on this nonsense crap.
3/10
If you are really eager to read review, take a look at one written by rparham, cause that one really nailed it right:
"Stephen King and Hollywood has always had an unsteady relationship. For every good to decent film produced from the prolific horror-meister's works (Misery,Pet Semetary,Stand By Me) there have been several more middling to downright awful ones (Children of the Corn,The Lawnmower Man,The Dark Half). Graveyard Shift, a 1990 adaptation of King's same named short story, is absolutely in the latter category. Graveyard Shift is a complete waste of time and celluloid, devoid of any scares, laughs or any other redeeming quality. If you want a bottom of the barrel Stephen King film, look no further than this travesty.
Set in a cotton mill in what I guess is supposed to be Maine (one character references Castle Rock, King's well known fictional Maine town), Graveyard Shift begins with a character who likes to shoot rats with rocks being attacked by . . . something . . . and then dying in the cotton picker. Into town walks John Hall (Dave Andrews) a drifter looking for work, who lands a job at the mill, under the direction of the rather unkind, and potentially unhinged, foreman, Warwick (Stephen Macht). Warwick is a rather despicable character, using the female employees to fulfill his sexual needs while trying to cut a few bucks here and there in regards to worker safety. When he is ordered to clean up the basement or be shut down, he recruits several of the plant workers for the job, but they quickly realize that there is . . . something . . . down there in the basement with them.
Graveyard Shift is the kind of film that used to be cranked out in the 1970s and 80s by major studios, I suspect, because they were cheap to make and even with a lower than average box office compared to major films, they still managed to turn a decent profit for the studio. Because it is almost certain no one was greenlighting Graveyard Shift because it promised to be a good movie. And a good movie is definitely not what director Ralph S. Singleton and screenwriter Jon Esposito have supplied. There is nothing of value in Graveyard Shift. The characters are almost exclusively ciphers, existing for no other reason than to be picked off one by one by the film's creature that lives in the mill. Main character John Hall has no development to speak of, and the attempt by the filmmakers to create a relationship between him and female worker Jane (Kelly Wolf) is dead on arrival. Neither character is interesting, or heck, even really present, other than to serve as something for the camera to be focused on most of the time.
Stephen Macht provides a seemingly hissable villain in the form of Warwick, but he is almost completely a caricature, a creation of the screenplay to give us someone to root against, not a three dimensional character. When he goes off his rocker towards the end of the film, it is completely out of left field, not something that has been building throughout the narrative. The only character who is even vaguely interesting is the exterminator called in to deal with the rat problem at the mill, played by Brad Dourif. His exterminator holds a personal vendetta against rats due to their use in torture when he was in Vietnam (and I wonder if some material intended for his character was transplanted to Warwick at some point in the re-write stage of development). But slightly interesting doesn't equal necessary, and Dourif's character is even given the weakest, most pointless send-off of any of the film's characters.
The makeup effects of the creature are acceptable, I guess, but we are never given much of a good look at it. But, for the most part, the film's gore quotient, one of the reasons people would show up to these films, is pretty limited. And there is certainly no tension, scares or suspense to speak of. Never once was I concerned for anyone on screen, and there is a jump scare or two, but nothing remarkable, and many of them are predictable.
Graveyard Shift was released in 1990, at the end of the horror film era of the previous two decades, before the genre would go into remission for a few years before being re-born with the self referential Scream series followed by Hollywood's brief dalliance with J-Horror. And frankly, if Graveyard Shift is representative of what the genre brought to the table, then it was deserving of being buried." - rparham - StarsRichard ThomasTim ReidAnnette O'TooleIn 1960, seven pre-teen outcasts fight an evil demon who poses as a child-killing clown. Thirty years later, they reunite to stop the demon once and for all when it returns to their hometown.They all float down here
I was eleven and I had nightmares for months and was afraid of horror movies and clowns for years. I began to watch horrors again only few years ago and clowns still give me the creeps. Almost three decades later I decided (not to say I gathered courage) to see "It" again. Thank you for childhood trauma, Stephen.
In the small town, where children are disappearing and being murdered, a group of boys and one girl joined forces to fight evil and became friends for life. Decades later, the killings begin again, and they leave their lives and gather in their home-town to defeat evil once more. The movie alternates between these two timelines, which is typical of Stephen King's style. There are other features of the "King of Horror" - a childhood trauma, an evil that lurks hidden behind the facade of a quiet town, ordinary people (often children) who, with their mutual trust and unselfish sacrifice, win victory over supernatural forces. The acting is good, especially performances of the children, but Tim Curry steals the movie in the role of Pennywise, character that will make you hate clowns forever.
7/10 - DirectorRob ReinerStarsJames CaanKathy BatesRichard FarnsworthAfter a famous author is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels, he comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.I doubt that any writer in history had so many film and TV adaptations of his stories. According to my account, there are about a hundred of them and, as King is one of my favorite writers, I went straight in. I do not know whether he's difficult to adapt to a screenplay or it's just an unhappy coincidence, but most of these adaptations are a big disappointment for the fans of "king of horror". However, there are exceptions. Ten years (and seventeen King adaptations of questionable quality) after Kubrick's masterpiece "The Shining", Rob Reiner treated us with magnificent "Misery".
This psychological drama-thriller is so powerful that it borders with horror. The movie starts quite relaxed, but from the very beginning gradually builds a hypnotic atmosphere that will keep you pinned to the screen. From minute to minute it becomes more tormented and tense, and it does not ease up even for a moment. King does not need monsters, explicit bloodshed, shock scenes or sudden turns, to keep you on the edge of the seat and distort your stomach. Nevertheless, the greatest merit for this film's impressiveness does not belong to King's story, but to the magnificent Kathy Bates. Even without her rich acting career, the role of Annie Wilkes in "Misery" would be enough to put her among the best actresses of all time. The persuasiveness of her instant transformations is amazing and she deservedly won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role. The masterpiece that everyone should see at least once.
10/10 - DirectorJohn HarrisonStarsDebbie HarryMatthew LawrenceChristian SlaterTo stall a witch plotting to eat him, a boy reads her horror tales dealing with a collegian's resurrection of a mummy, a murderous cat, and an artist's pact with a gargoyle.Much better than the series
A boy delivering newspapers gets caught by a modern witch, who plans to prepare him for a gala dinner. The witch gives him cookies to fatten him up and a book titled "Tales from the Darkside". In order to postpone the oven, when the witch returns home, the boy delays by reading her the best stories from the book. This combination of "Hansel and Gretel" and "1001 night" serves as a wraparound story for the omnibus of three short horror films.
The first one is an adaptation of the short story "Lot 249" by Arthur Conan Doyle, characterized by a dark and mystical atmosphere and good acting and directing, although it lacks tension. The second film is an adaptation of Stephen King's "Cat from Hell", story about a hitman hired to kill a cat, which is much easier said than done. The last one is an original "love" story by Michael McDowell, quite predictable but no less striking.
The film is better than the TV series of the same name for many reasons. The most obvious one is a considerably larger budget that allowed in every respect better production. The movie gathers famous cast, including Debbie Harry, Christian Slater, Steve Buscemi and Julianne Moore, which provides a much better acting than the one in the series. It is far from a masterpiece, but for the lovers of '80s horror, this is a real treat.
7,5/10 - DirectorTom McLoughlinStarsTim MathesonBrooke AdamsRobert RuslerA man and his family return to his hometown, where he is then harassed by teenagers who died when he was a kid.The group of high school thugs intercepts two elementary school brothers in the railway tunnel, but the classic teenage bullying turns into tragedy when the older of the brothers, in an attempt to free himself, runs into the knife that one of the goons holds in the hand. At that moment the train comes and runs them over. 27 years later, killed teenagers come back from the dead to get revenge on surviving brother. The film is well-written, directed and acted and builds distinctive King's atmosphere. It would be one of the better adaptations of the King of Horror, if they didn't, as usual, spoil it with two completely redundant elements. At one point thugs, who seemed normal all the time and led us to wonder if everything was just in the mind of the main character, decide to take on the faces of rotting zombies, and thus a very tense atmosphere is spoiled by ridiculous visual effects. Another, perhaps worse, mistake is the pathetic dialogue at the end of the film, which replaces the impression that you have after watching horror with the impression that you have after watching teenage drama.
5,5/10 - CreatorStephen KingStarsKeith SzarabajkaFelicity HuffmanEd LauterAn elderly janitor hurt in an explosion at a secret army lab run by "The Shop" starts to grow younger. A ruthless operative is sent to cover it up, so the janitor and his wife go on the run with help from a sympathetic female agent."Golden Years" is a 1991 series, based on Steven King's idea, for which most of the scenario he wrote personally. The first season consisted of 7 episodes in a total duration of about 6 hours and ended with cliffhanger. Unfortunately, from episode to episode series had weaker and weaker ratings, so it was canceled. For the purpose of DVD release it was turned into a film. It was shortened to 4 hours and an alternate ending was filmed, so it doesn't stay unfinished.
The idea is great, story and characters are developing well and it had the potential to be one of the better King's accomplishments. Unfortunately, it's not. The first hour is so slow and boring that I was on the verge of giving up. Later, the story becomes more and more exciting, and once you get yourself attached to the characters, 4 hours just fly by. Nevertheless, there is an omnipresent feeling that something is wrong. As much as they skillfully turned the six-hour season into a four-hour film, although I did not watch the original version, I always felt that something was missing. But all of this would not have a major impact on the overall impression if there wasn't for a catastrophically bad ending, which so obviously does not belong to this film-series that it's simply painful to see. The story develops for 4 hours in its slow but atmospheric natural pace, and then suddenly ends, as a knife cut, with the end that is forcefully sewn to where it doesn't fit.
However, I recommend King's fans to watch it anyway, as well as fans of the series "X-Files", because the film has an atmosphere very similar to this series, as well as a couple of joint actors that enhance this impression. All in all, I enjoyed it, but I would not watch it again.
6/10 - DirectorMick GarrisStarsBrian KrauseMädchen AmickAlice KrigeA mother-and-son team of strange supernatural creatures move to a small town to seek out a young virgin to feed on.Cats Rule
"sleep'walk'er n. Nomadic shape-shifting creatures with human and feline origins. Vulnerable to the deadly scratch of the cat, the sleepwalker feeds upon the life-force of virginal human females. Probable source of the vampire legend." - Chillicoathe Encyclopaedia of Arcane Knowledge, 1st edition, 1884
The first half of the movie is quite promising and I was glad to finally have the opportunity to see the horror that is also a quality movie. Adapted from the story by Stephen King, directed by Mick Garris, with a bunch of familiar faces, among which are Leo from "Charmed", Shelly from "Twin Peaks", enchanting Alice Krige, Hellboy, John Landis, as well as my favorite horror authors Stephen King and Clive Barker in minor roles. Unfortunately, somewhere around half, movie unexpectedly turns into completely ridiculous crap and stays that way till the end.
The epilogue, which I would like to add to the end of the film: Half a century later we see Tanya, which has since remained the old lady spinster, lying dead on the couch in a dusty little apartment, surrounded by dozens of cats. I am not saying that this would significantly improve the impression, but a bit of black humor is always welcome spice.
5/10 - DirectorDavid PriceStarsTerence KnoxPaul ScherrerRyan BollmanA journalist and his son travel to Nebraska to investigate the mysterious town of Gatlin where, unbeknownst to them, a murderous cult of children are still waiting in the corn fields.Makers of this crap should be sent to a corner to kneel on a corn
(pun intended)
A horror is supposed to be scary, but this one is just scary dull. There is no mystery, no excitement, no twists or surprises, no tension or anticipation. I will have to read King's story because I don't believe that King wrote something so bad, and again, if the original story is good, why are both films totally lousy... The film has a few strong moments, like the scene of a man who bled to death in a church, and a girl on a moped is too cute, but the movie overall is stupid and drowning in mediocrity.
5/10 - DirectorMary LambertStarsEdward FurlongAnthony EdwardsClancy BrownA teenage boy and his father move to his recently-deceased mother's hometown, where they encounter the ancient Native American cemetery with the power to raise the dead."Dead is better."
Sequel to cult horror "Pet Sematary" is, technically speaking, a better movie than its predecessor but, although I can not argue why, it simply leaves a weaker impression. Edward Furlong isn't as good as in "Terminator 2", but he gives quite a solid performance, and the performance of Clancy Brown is the only really striking thing about this movie. The story combines elements of drama and horror, with the occasional dash of humor, and brings a variety of topics, such as the death of a parent, teenager's relationship with his stepfather, bullying, and others. If you pay attention, you can notice that some scenes are made as a homage to other adaptations of Stephen King, and in particular "The Shining". The music is good, and as with its predecessor, the song of the band Ramones closes the film. Still, although the movie is undoubtedly good, it lacks a horror atmosphere. There is no mystery, tension, unexpected twists, and, although not lacking in nasty scenes, it simply isn't scary.
5,5/10 - DirectorBrett LeonardStarsJeff FaheyPierce BrosnanJenny WrightA simple man is turned into a genius through the application of computer science.This has nothing to do with King
I did not read the story of the same name, but to anyone who is familiar with his works it will be quite obvious that this is not and can not be the adaptation of Steven King. This SF film brings a story about a slightly retarded mower who, as a guinea pig of an ambitious scientist, and with the help of virtual reality, develops his consciousness to unexpected possibilities, until his reason kneels before god complex. I like the idea, but the story is very uninspired written and in combination with extremely outdated effects leaves the impression of cheapness and amateurism. I think that some of the effects, such as burning priest, are tragicomic even for its time. The only thing in this movie that I liked is Jeff Fahey, whose presence and performance are quite impressive. Well, two things - Jenny Wright is pretty sexy, especially naked. I can not say that I was bored, but it is definitely a disappointment, especially if you are a fan of Steven King.
5,5/10 - DirectorFraser C. HestonStarsMax von SydowEd HarrisBonnie BedeliaA mysterious new shop opens in a small town which always seems to stock the deepest desires of each shopper, with a price far heavier than expected.You are disgusting, I like that in a person
"Needful Things" is an adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name. It is heavily judged by the fans of the book, but for us who didn't read it, this is a pretty good movie. Mysterious older gentleman moves to Castle Rock, King's fictional town in Maine that you can often encounter in his work, and opens some Kind of antique shop, where everyone can find what they desire the most. But the owner isn't interested as much in their money as he wants his customers to do some favors for him. These seemingly small favors, in mutual interaction, threaten to turn this peaceful town into the scene of the local apocalypse.
I can imagine that screenplay probably butchered the original material, but for us who didn't read it, this is quite decent and very imaginative story. There is a variety of interesting and quite well-developed characters, and cast and their performances are probably the strongest quality of this movie. Ed Harris is expectedly good in the role of the local sheriff that saves the day, and Max von Sydow is a perfect mysterious salesman. There's also Amanda Plummer, Honey Bunny from "Pulp Fiction", whose character is one of the most interesting ones and whose clash with Valri Bromfield is, in my opinion, the most powerful scene in the movie. In one of the main roles is Bruce Willis' wife from "Die Hard", sexy Bonnie Bedelia, as well as Duncan Fraser in the role of a priest. Directing and camera have several really good moments, effects are totally decent for their time, and also there are few quite nice slasher/gore scenes. Admittedly, the movie lacks some seriousness and suspense and overall atmosphere seems more like an adaptation of comic-book than a novel. For my taste, it's not a bad thing, although it's hard for me to consider it a horror movie. But to be honest, King essentially isn't a horror writer at all, King is a genre of its own.
7,5/10 - DirectorGeorge A. RomeroStarsTimothy HuttonAmy MadiganMichael RookerA writer's fictional alter ego wants to take over his life...at any price.George Stark. Not a very nice guy.
This horror thriller tells a story about an author who publishes quality under his real name and lives of commercial bestsellers that he writes under pseudonym George Stark. Under the pressure of blackmail that his pseudonym will be exposed, he decides to address the public and symbolically bury his alter ego. But it turns out that George Stark is more than ordinary pseudonym and he does not want to die.
"The Dark Half" is an adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name. It is one of the best and most faithful adaptations of this author. The story is inspired by events from King's real life in the period when he revealed his own pseudonym Richard Bachman and fought with alcoholism. In it, he introduced several elements from his life, and Romero very skillfully transferred his style and atmosphere to the big screen, so that, while watching the film, I had the feeling of reading Stephen King.
8/10 - StarsJimmy SmitsMarg HelgenbergerJohn AshtonThe small town of Haven becomes a hot-bed of inventions all run by a strange green power device. The whole town is digging something up in the woods, and only an alcoholic poet can discover the secret of the Tommyknockers.They did it again... :(
Stephen King's bestseller "The Tommyknockers" is adapted for television in a form of mini-series, three hours long movie aired as two hour and a half long episodes. The film is full of well-known faces, which are not famous enough for me to know their names, but which leave the impression of dear friends that I have not seen for a long time. The only face I immediately linked with the name is the face of Traci Lords, although the first association to this name definitely isn't a face. The first hour and a half introduces us to the Haven, a small town in New England, brings us closer to its inhabitants and slowly introduces us to the story through a series of inexplicable events. Near the end of the first part, these events are getting more and more serious, but altogether it can not be classified as horror. The film is based almost exclusively on characterization, while only indications of the real plot test our patience in anticipation of the second part. Although it captured King's atmosphere well enough, to many of you it will probably be boring, for what most movies pack in the first ten minutes this one stretches to ninety. However, I quite enjoyed it. In the second part, the story gradually accelerates, culminates, and ultimately disappoints with the outcome that essentially makes sense, but is made in an over-the-top manner that is inconsistent with the rest of the film. And once again a good movie is spoiled by an explicit display of unconvincing creatures and an action finale that is naive and stupid. If the end had been left indecisive, only implying what happened and leaving us to wonder and speculate, the film would have been more balanced and stronger. But I'm not surprised, because spoiling a potentially good story in this way is quite common, and when it comes to adaptations of Stephen King, one can say that it's a tradition.
5,5/10 - DirectorFrank DarabontJeff SchiroStarsMichael CornelisonDee CroxtonBrian LibbyStephen King's "dollar baby" double bill consisting of Frank Darabont's The Woman in the Room (1984) and Jeff Schiro's The Boogeyman (1982).The Boogeyman (1982)
I do not like it, but I respect the efforts
22 July 2018
The story is decent and quite faithful to King's original, and performance of Michael Earl Reid, playing a man who is trying to explain to his psychiatrist that the Boogeyman exists and that it killed his children, is impressive. But overall, the movie is pale and boring and more or less it's a waste of time. But considering the fact that this is pretty much "one man show", where Jeff Schiro did the screenplay, directing, editing and music, and on top of that this is his movie debut, I cannot bury it completely. I do not like it, but I respect the efforts.
4/10
The Woman in the Room (1983)
Frank Darabont debut
1 September 2018
The directing debut of Frank Darabont, a man who signs cult adaptations of Steven King, "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Green Mile", is also an adaptation of King's story. "The Woman in the Room" (1983) is a thirty-minute psychological drama about a lawyer whose mother is dying in pain and his emotional and moral dilemma of whether to release her from her agony. The film was done almost without a budget, with only three actors in two rooms, and it's based almost entirely on facial expressions and the building of the atmosphere. It is interesting that the actress who plays mother also appears in "The Green Mile", and the supporting actor also has roles in both, "The Green Mile" and "The Shawshank Redemption". King stated that this is the best short film made on one of his stories.
7,5/10 - DirectorFrank DarabontStarsTim RobbinsMorgan FreemanBob GuntonOver the course of several years, two convicts form a friendship, seeking consolation and, eventually, redemption through basic compassion."Geology is the study of pressure and time. That's all it takes, really. Pressure... and time. That and the big goddamn poster."
Many believe that the IMDb Top 250 list is quite bad and unrealistic. I partially agree. The trouble is that cult classics, that have passed the test of time, are mixed with the latest blockbusters that enjoy enormous but only temporary popularity. Many of these films have a high rating due to strong marketing and internet hype, and will disappear altogether within a few months or maybe a few years, but I think that the positions of the films that have been on the list for more than a decade, with little variation or without any, pretty much reflect their real quality. "The Shawshank Redemption" deserves the first place it holds.
To me, this movie is just perfect. Great camera, masterful directing, a pace that makes two and a half hours simply fly by, top actors and their performances, well-integrated music, and most importantly Darabont's excellent adaptation of the King's story, make this film a timeless masterpiece. This prison story found the perfect balance between drama and humor, sadness and joy, alienation and friendship, malice and empathy, terror and hope. It can be viewed as an interesting adventure with a great plot twist, but also as a metaphor for life in general. "The Shawshank Redemption" was nominated for seven Oscars, it is at or near the top of almost every list of best films of all time, it's Freeman's favorite own film, King's favorite adaptation of his own story, by far the best adaptation of King and, if not the best, certainly one of the best movies of all time. I saw it several times and not once have I been able to write about it right after watching. It simply leaves me speechless every single time.
10/10 - StarsGary SiniseMolly RingwaldJamey SheridanAfter a deadly plague kills most of the world's population, the remaining survivors split into two groups - one led by a benevolent elder and the other by a malevolent being - to face each other in a final battle between good and evil.Not nearly enough powerful
A deadly virus has "escaped" from the government laboratory and caused an epidemic of apocalyptic proportions. The human race is decimated and rare survivors, who for unknown reasons are immune to the virus, are finding each other and regrouping. In their dreams appear an old woman, who claims to receive instructions from God and calls them to herself, and the mysterious man who directs them on the opposite side. Slowly, people begin to gather in two larger camps, one in the east, the other in the west, and prepare for the final battle between good and evil.
"The Stand" is a six-hour film, directed by Mick Garris, broadcast in the form of a mini-series, if four "episodes" of 90 minutes each can be called a mini-series. The story is quite faithful to the source material, which was expected because Stephen King himself adapted his own novel into the screenplay. It gathers a wealth of familiar faces, including Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Jamey Sheridan, Laura San Giacomo, Miguel Ferrer, Rob Lowe and Stephen King himself. But despite the fact that it was written by King, great cast and a length that leaves more than enough time for elaboration, the story impressed me as two-dimensional and shallow, and characterization is rather unconvincing. Still, the film is distinctly King-ish and very atmospheric, largely contributed by discrete but excellent music, mostly blues. I enjoyed it, but not enough to ever spend six hours on this adventure again. Recommendation for fans of Stephen King and B production of the eighties. The rest of you should better skip it.
6,5/10 - DirectorJames D.R. HickoxStarsDaniel CernyRon MelendezJim MetzlerTwo brothers connected to the murderous children's cult of Gatlin, Nebraska are taken to Chicago by an adoptive couple.Garbage
"Urban Harvest" continues where "The Final Sacrifice" has left. The story was not much even in the first two films, but now it's even worse, full of holes and illogicality. However, we do not expect a high-quality story from this type of film, and as a horror it is quite effective. It is satisfactory tense, has a creepy atmosphere and just enough gore. Although the story bored me, the atmosphere kept me watching, and even at one point, I was thinking of rating it higher than its predecessors. But then came the big finale, which is one of the stupidest things I've ever seen in my life. If you have watched Henenlotter's films, try to imagine the creature even more stupid and the effects even worse than his. Moreover, Henenlotter is in "so bad it's good" category, while this is just plain stupid, at the edge of unwatchable. I'm sure that King had nothing to do with this project. I do not recommend it even to die-hard fans of King and B horrors. This is a complete waste of time.
3,5/10 - DirectorTaylor HackfordStarsKathy BatesJennifer Jason LeighChristopher PlummerA big city reporter travels to a small town where her mother has been arrested for the murder of an elderly woman for whom she worked as a housekeeper."Sometimes, being a bitch is all a woman has to hang onto"
A young New York journalist returns to her hometown in Maine, as she learned that her mother, whom she had not seen for fifteen years, was charged with murdering a woman she had been nursing for over two decades. This drama follows the murder investigation, as well as the renewal of the relationship between mother and daughter, while frequent flashbacks show us their very traumatic past and slowly reveal the events that caused the breakdown in the family and indirectly brought Dolores to the indictment bench.
The movie gathers a great cast. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays Selena, woman fractured by childhood trauma, who escaped from her past burying herself in career and alcohol. John C. Reilly plays the local sheriff, Selena's childhood friend, who is torn between the desire to help and apparent guiltiness of her mother. Oscar-winning Christopher Plummer plays the detective who leads the case against Dolores and who, at all costs, tries to maintain his "perfect score". And, of course, leading role is entrusted to phenomenal Kathy Bates, to which this is the third appearance in the adaptation of Steven King, after "Misery" and "The Stand". The only reason why I'm not impressed with her performance in this film is that, with her role in "Misery", she set the standard so high that it is almost impossible to surpass. But with Dolores, she came close enough. Directing and camera are very good, and I especially liked the colors in some flashback scenes.
While watching this movie, I could almost visualize the book by which it was written. I was imagining the way King wrote the things that I see on the screen and details that have been omitted in the adaptation. And now, when the film is finished, I feel like I've read a good book. Although I haven't read this novel, I think it's safe to say - Bravo, this is the way to adapt Stephen King.
8/10 - StarsPatricia WettigDean StockwellTom HollandMost of the passengers on an airplane disappear, and the remainder land the plane in a mysteriously barren airport.Unusual approach to time travel implications
Ten passengers wake up during the flight from Los Angeles to Boston and realize that all the other passengers, including the crew, disappeared. Everything is fine with the plane, they are on the right course and, fortunately, one of them is a pilot. But soon they discover that the unexplained disappearance of their companions is the smallest problem they have.
The adaptation of King's story "The Langoliers" was done as a three hours long film, broadcast as a mini-series of two ninety-minute episodes. This mysterious SF drama has a very interesting premise, excellent characterization, and a good atmosphere, and the first "episode" promises a great movie. The second "episodes" keeps these qualities, but unfortunately also introduces some new, completely unnecessary ones, which have severely lowered the level of the film. I could forgive unconvincing reactions of the characters in certain situations, as well as a few pathetic scenes but CGI, that is so bad it will make you laugh in disbelief, I can not. If these CGI scenes were necessary for the development of the story, and if the technology of that time and the budget did not allow them to do them properly, that might have somewhat mitigated my reaction. But these scenes are not only unnecessary, they are also completely uncalled for, and they would spoil the film even if they were made at the level of today's multi-million blockbusters, so the film is tainted and corrupted without any need. If it had stayed a psychological SF drama, "The Langoliers" would be a strong eighth, but with this tragicomic attempt of CGI horror, I really can not rate it higher than
6/10 - DirectorTobe HooperStarsRobert EnglundTed LevineDaniel MatmorA laundry-folding machine has been possessed by a demon, causing it to develop homicidal tendencies.Freddy Krueger as the owner of a possessed laundry company
This underrated horror by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Poltergeist) is an allegory of industrial capitalism and very graphically depicts the worth(lessness) of labor in relation to the survival and development of businesses in the eyes of the owner. But even if we look at it only superficially, "The Mangler" is a film that has quite enough to offer. The story, albeit linear, is not superficial and illogical, as in most of the horrors of the '80s and '90s, but multilayered and mysterious, yet not complicated. I would say, just right. It is well filmed and directed, with effects that make a significant contribution to the story and amplify the horror atmosphere, as opposed to excessive, unconvincing, and often ridiculous effects on which we are accustomed in movies of this type. The movie is dark, satisfactory tense and bloody, with good dialogues and a dose of black humor. I think it could be adapted into an excellent novel, especially if written by Stephen King. :D
7/10 - DirectorMick GarrisStarsChristopher LloydMatt FrewerRaphael SbargeTraveling showman Aaron Quicksilver tells horror tales: a psychotic hitchhiker falls prey to a relentless dangerously-sharp set of chattering teeth, and a human hand that comes alive.Two of my favorite writers
"Quicksilver Highway" is another in a series of films, typical for the eighties and nineties, in which several unrelated "horror" stories are more or less clumsily connected by the common narrator. This time we have two stories of cult authors directed by Mick Garris.
The first story is an adaptation of "Chattery Teeth" by Stephen King, about the traveling salesman who picks up a maniacal hitchhiker. Although the atmosphere is pretty good, and Silas Weir Mitchell nailed the role of the maniac, the story itself is stupid, and I could not have guessed that it was Stephen King, not in a million years. It's not a crap, but it is pretty lousy.
5/10
The second story is an adaptation of Clive Barker's "The Body Politic", about the hands that decide to become independent of their owner. The very premise is horrifying, and Matt Frewer in the leading role made it frighteningly convincing. To this story I really have no objections. Everything from the scenario, through acting, directing, sound and effects, is well executed and leaves a really strong impression. Unlike the first story, this one can rightly be called a horror.
8/10
Overall impression:
6,5/10 - DirectorNikolaj ArcelStarsIdris ElbaMatthew McConaugheyTom TaylorA boy haunted by visions of a dark tower from a parallel reality teams up with the tower's disillusioned guardian to stop an evil warlock known as the Man in Black who plans to use the boy to destroy the tower and open the gates of Hell.The Dark Tower is one of my favorite books and definitely #1 fantasy saga, but I'll try to distance from my emotions as much as possible to bash this crap objectively. Observed as book adaptation, this movie is complete failure. Never in my life I saw anything that mutilates original material to these proportions. Believe it or not, even Russian Lolita is more faithful to the book than this blasphemy. Explanation why and how this movie insults The Dark Tower saga would become saga itself, and I really have no time and nerves to spend hours in review of something I'm sick of. As adaptation of the book this movie is 0/10. Now, if I try to observe it unrelated to the book, I must admit it is not complete disaster, but it's still lousy. If you did not read the book, movie will be too fast and confusing. Story can not be understood correctly without pre-knowledge from the book, and yet, if you have that pre-knowledge you will understand better and hate it better. Observed independently from the book this movie is below average fantasy action, and I would rate it 4, maybe 5 out of ten. And finally, visual impression is slightly above average for this genre, let's say 7/10. Overal, I'll rate it
3,5/10 - DirectorGreg SpenceStarsNaomi WattsJamie Renée SmithKaren BlackA nurse returns to her hometown in Nebraska, only to find that the town's children have fallen under a mysterious mass illness connected to its sinister past.No, it's not porn
Nine for the erection I get every time Naomi appears on the screen, and all other aspects of the film do not exceed five. Sexy leading actress and a sorry excuse for the story may pass in porn, but I expect a little more from the alleged adaptation of King. Average rating... skip this nonsense, and if you are really tempted to see Naomi, you can always google her or see her in some better movie. You are more likely to spend the night with Naomi if you drop in at her door unannounced, than to get any benefit and fun from this crap.
4/10 - DirectorAdam GrossmanStarsMichael GrossAlexis ArquetteHilary SwankA man and his daughter return to his hometown only to be terrorized by demons who had sacrificed the man's sister in the past."If a gardener with a big mouth is alone in the field being tortured and no-one has to hear him scream, does it still hurt?"
Extremely low ratings on film sites not only do not deter me from watching the movie, but on the contrary, they make me more curious. And quite often, watching these films turns out to be a good choice. This one is no exception. "Sometimes They Come Back... Again" (1996) is far from a masterpiece of cinema, and it's not even close to the top of the genre, but it is quite a decent low-budget horror and it is better than its predecessor. The story is interesting (understandably, since it's an adaptation of Stephen King), it has a nice atmosphere, it doesn't exaggerate with special effects (which is a common flaw of the genre), it holds attention from the beginning to the end and, although acting isn't particularly great, characters are quite believable. Alexis Arquette, sister of Patricia Arquette, while (s)he was still Patricia Arquette's brother, is rather creepy as the main villain and without her/him the movie would have lost much in effect.
6/10 - DirectorFarhad MannStarsPatrick BerginMatt FrewerAustin O'BrienThey thought they had destroyed him, but the simple gardener-turned-superkiller has found a way to reboot himself in Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace.Really bad, but not that terrible
"Job's War" is a direct sequel to "Lawnmower Man" from 1992, but it doesn't fully comply with it. It is a fact that this film does not have much to do with its predecessor, and absolutely nothing with King. It is also a fact that in every aspect, with no exceptions, it is very badly made. Nevertheless, it's not that much rubbish to earn two out of ten on the IMDb and the reputation of one of the worst movies of all time. The story is badly told, but it's quite interesting. The fact that all the actors are replaced by others is irritating, and the acting is mediocre at best, but it's not so bad either. All in all, it's quite watchable trash. Although I must admit that I was much more amused by reading the reviews on the IMDb than by the movie itself.
4/10 - DirectorTom HollandStarsRobert John BurkeJoe MantegnaLucinda JenneyAn obese attorney is cursed by a gypsy to rapidly and uncontrollably lose weight."Like it? You kiddin' me? I fuckin' love it!"
A fat lawyer kills a gypsy in a car accident. He's guilty, but he has good connections and goes unpunished. Or at least he thought so until her father had cursed him. Now his life is falling apart as he tries to find a way to take off the curse.
The film is an adaptation of Stephen King's story from 1984 and the original version faithfully follows it, but due to poor audience reaction at test screenings, it is subsequently changed. On the technical side, film has no major flaws, but nothing especially stands out either, but King is not considered the king of horror for nothing (although this is more of a dark fantasy drama, with just a little bit of elements of B horrors from the eighties), so the story itself raises this movie above average. This is one of the better adaptations of King, so I recommend it not only to his fans. If you do not have too high expectations you will have a good time. And King's fans will find additional pleasure in discovering references to other his stories and films, as well as in his cameo appearance.
7/10 - DirectorStan WinstonStarsMichael JacksonPat DadeAmy SmallmanThe mayor of a nameless town gathers a mob to confront a hermit living in a "haunted house," but when the mob arrives, the man has a few tricks up his sleeve to convince them that he's not that bad."You're weird. You're strange. I don't like you."
This forty-minute film by Michael Jackson holds the Guinness World Record as the longest music video. The film includes three songs: "2 Bad", "Is It Scary" and "Ghosts". Songs are written and performed by Jackson, the script is written by horror legends Stephen King and Mick Garris, and director is Stan Winston. It was originally conceived as a promotional film for "Addams Family Values" (1993). That was dropped, but Jackson finished it a few years later. If you like Michael Jackson you will surely like this. The story is nicely done, music and dance numbers are great, and the effects are on the level of high-budget films of the time.
7,5/10 - DirectorMark PaviaStarsMiguel FerrerJulie EntwisleDan MonahanA reporter is on the trail of a vampiric murderer who travels by plane."Never believe what you publish, never publish what you believe"
"The Night Flier" is one of the better adaptations of Stephen King I encountered so far. Although, If I didn't know it was King and I had to guess, I would assume it was Clive Barker. Both the story and its technical realization are totally average and the film leaves a very average impression, so the realistic rating would be six. However, when taking into account the budget of only a million dollars, one must acknowledge the quality of special effects that can compete with much more expensive films of the time and are very effective. The film stars Miguel Ferrer, a legend of supporting roles, who here proves that he is more than capable to carry the entire film on his shoulders. He always reminded me of Bogart and I am sorry that I did not have the opportunity to see him in some more demanding roles, because I think his skills deserve much more than background roles for which he is known. And finally, I want to mention the end of the movie that, although somewhat predictable, is very powerful and striking, and for which I simply have to ignore the impression of the six I had during the entire film and raise my rating to
7/10 - StarsRebecca De MornaySteven WeberWil HorneffA recovering alcoholic must wrestle with demons within and without when he and his family move into a haunted hotel as caretakers.Are you going to hurt me, daddy?
While Kubrick's "The Shining" is just based on the famous King's novel, the 1997 adaptation is much more faithful to the source material, as King himself adapted the story for television. Kubrick's version is an objectively better film, but essentially these two movies are not quite comparable, because their approach to the story, techniques and intentions are pretty much different. While Kubrick's film is more a psychological horror drama, mini-series directed by Mick Garris is a typical supernatural horror with an atmosphere distinctive of these two legends of the genre.
Although no one can feign madness as Jack Nicholson (if he fakes it at all), and the fear of Shelley Duvall creeps chills to the bone, the cast is okay for such a TV movie, and it is composed of recognizable and dear faces who gave quite decent performances. Rebecca De Mornay is a sight for sore eyes, Steven Weber is not nearly as intimidating as Nicholson, but his madness is convincing enough, and although it took me some time to get used to the unusual appearance of little Courtland Mead, his performance in some scenes is really striking.
The mini-series consists of three parts for a total of four and a half hours. The first part is a bit slow, which is typical for King, who likes to introduce us to the characters and their backgrounds, and to wait for us to develop a closeness to them, before he leisurely leads us into the main story. In the second part, tension gradually increases and what seemed to be a family drama slowly transforms into supernatural horror, with jump-scares and... visual effects. And I think that is exactly where the biggest drawback of this film lies. What had the potential to be a great psychological horror drama, by decently done (except for the scenes with topiaries, which are an unforgivable failure) but totally unnecessary effects, has been transformed into something similar to the B horrors of the eighties, and for that genre, which is more often ridiculous than terrifying, over four hours is definitely too much, the tension is lost and the whole thing becomes quite unconvincing and even boring. The third part is probably the best done, both visually and story-wise, but it is spoiled by inappropriate and somewhat pathetic ending, that is better suited to melodrama than horror. Not to be perceived as a nag, I just want to praise really extraordinary sound and music.
Although I preferred this version of the story itself over Kubrick's, the movie is terribly over-stretched and the atmosphere is, although I admit that it kept me on the edge of the chair on several occasions, too frivolous to leave an impression that could compete with the Kubrick's masterpiece.
7/10 - DirectorChris ThomsonStarsTimothy BusfieldBrenda BakkeAidan DevineAliens arrive, parking in a geostationary orbit over Nevada. Using powers unknown to us, they declare war, and use unmanned trucks as weapons."Just hang on, folks. I repeat, just hang on."
"Maximum Overdrive" is considered a bad movie and one of the worst adaptations of Stephen King (which I firmly disagree with), although it was adapted by King himself. Chris Thomson and Brian Taggert were not satisfied with how badly this film was made, so they decided to show that it could be done much worse, adapting the same story a decade later, in the form of the movie "Trucks". Objectively, the film is in every respect cheap trash, and in addition, it lacks the AC/DC soundtrack, which has largely pulled out "Maximum Overdrive", but there are a few really memorable scenes for which I strongly recommend you to see this flick. The scene in which a small plastic remote control truck is killing a postman is at the same time one of the most idiotic and one of the most unforgettably hilarious scenes of death in the history of cinema, and the scene in which protective suit kills its owner with an axe does not fall far behind.
4/10 - DirectorBryan SingerStarsIan McKellenBrad RenfroJoshua JacksonA boy blackmails his neighbor after suspecting him to be a Nazi war criminal."Oh, my dear boy, don't you see? We are fucking each other."
In the mid-eighties, a high-school student, obsessed with Nazi crimes during WWII, accidentally stumbles upon an old SS officer, hiding under a false identity right in his own neighborhood. He gathers proofs of the old man's past and blackmails him into vivid storytelling about his firsthand experiences, details they don't teach you in school and that you can not find in history books. But this relationship turns out to be much harder to handle than he expected.
Although considered a "king of horror", classic horror is not King's stronger suit. Besides his masterpiece, an epic adventure "The Dark Tower", his best work lies in dark drama that only tends to horror. It is interesting that in the sea of bad adaptations of King, three very good ones come from the same book. The story "Apt Pupil" was published in the short stories collection, which includes "The Body", adapted into the movie "Stand by Me", and "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption", after which was made probably the best adaptation of this author and one of the best movies of all time, "The Shawshank Redemption" from 1994. And all three are drama, not horror.
Ian McKellen nailed the aged Nazi officer. His performance is flawless and it will make you disgust and sympathize with his character at the same time. The fourteen-year-old rising star, Brad Renfro, has very well presented the role of a young sociopath and it is a great pity that he allowed the drugs to ruin his promising career and soon afterwards his life. He was OD'd at twenty-five, not giving himself a chance to really shine. The story is a dark drama with a touch of thriller and is based mainly on the characterization of these two characters and the development of their relationship. Brian Singer's directing is great, which is no surprise when we know his previous film is cult "The Usual Suspects". After two such films, his switch to the "X-Men" franchise is, although financially understandable, a great disappointment for me. The movie has a slightly slower pace, but has a good atmosphere and keeps the attention from beginning to end, and the ending, although completely different from King's, is in my opinion much more suited to the genre and the story itself, and has contributed significantly to the power of the overall impression.
8/10 - DirectorEthan WileyStarsStacy GalinaAlexis ArquetteEva MendesSix college students on a road trip take a wrong turn and end up trapped in a strangely deserted rural town inhabited by a murdeous cult of children.Eva Mendes's movie debut
Lazily written and cheaply recorded, pathetic collection of clichés. There are a couple of interesting scenes and Eva Mendes (for those who like her).
4/10 - DirectorDaniel Zelik BerkStarsClayton RohnerFaith FordMax PerlichOn a arctic circle radio shack, an ancient evil lurks, ready to strike at a psychologist, an army man and their collective forces.This has nothing to do with King
This film has nothing to do with the franchise to which it belongs, nor with Stephen King. It is placed in the scenery obviously inspired by Carpenter's "The Thing", not to say that it is a total rip-off. The movie is so unoriginal, unimaginative and boring, that I barely forced myself to see it through. The only bright spot is Faith Ford in the lead female role.
2/10 - DirectorKari SkoglandStarsNatalie RamseyGary BullockAlix KoromzayAs a teenage girl comes to Gatlin to find her biological mother, the town's infamous cult plots a comeback as their leader, Isaac, awakens from a coma.Not nearly as bad as you might think
The sixth part of the "Children of the Corn" franchise has very bad ratings and criticism and, under the influence of negative reviews and not very impressive beginning, I almost gave up on it. I didn't and I don't regret it. The film is low-budget and quite sloppy made, but it has its qualities, which, I dare to say, rise it above all previous sequels and, together with the original movie from 1984, make it the only installment in the franchise worthy of watching.
Unlike the previous parts, which rely on visual intimidation, almost completely neglecting the story, "Isaac's Return" is based on a fairly good idea and a decent script, with an interesting story and nice twist. The acting is on the level for this type of flick and the directing is good, with some interesting solutions. It has many flaws and drawbacks and it is not nearly intense and frightening as one horror and one adaptation of King should be, but it's quite decent entertainment for one viewing.
5/10 - StarsTim DalyColm FeoreDebrah FarentinoA dangerous blizzard hits an isolated town and brings along a mysterious stranger intent on terrorizing people for his own desires.Why is this happening to us?
"Storm of the Century" is a mini-series of three episodes in a total duration of just over four hours. The script was written by Stephen King, but this time it is not an adaptation of his novel, but the story written directly for television. It's a pity, because, as a fan of Stephen King and his writing style, all the time while watching I was imagining how it would look like in written word, and I believe it would be one of his better novels. On the other hand, the film is nothing special. For starters, more than four hours is really too much for this story. If they rearrange it into a two-hour movie, it would be much stronger. This way, it is just unnecessarily diluted.
The story, as usual, takes place in Maine, on a small island with a few hundred people, the same one where Dolores Claiborne lives. During the unprecedented snowstorm, which has cut off this community from the world, a mysterious and terrifying stranger appears on the island and begins to terrorize them. After three hours of building the atmosphere, when the tension of the viewer already balances on the edge of boredom, the stranger sets a terrible ultimatum and the film finally comes to culmination and unexpected denouement. Now that my impressions settled a little, I'm ambiguous whether the stranger is really the bad guy in this story or the villagers themselves only got what they deserved. Whether his ultimatum was real or just a bluff that played on the card of their false morality and essential disunity. Why the only guy who wasn't sinful ended up screwed the worst, or maybe he, in fact, suffered the least... But I do not want to go deeper into that, because I don't want to spoil the story for those who may decide to see it for themselves. But if you saw the movie, I would like to discuss this more specifically with someone.
The acting and directing are good, the atmosphere is dramatic and tense enough, the effects are decent for the television series of the nineties, but it is too stretched and too tiring to watch all at once. There are no major flaws, but no prominent qualities either. The only thing that raises this series above the average is the story itself and the message it conveys, and in particular the fact that there is no happy ending, which gives it an additional effect.
Finally, I would like to point out that the real fans of Stephen King, as a special treat, will have the opportunity to hunt for references to many other King's stories and films. What I managed to catch include: "The Last Stand," "The Shining," "It," and "Dolores Claiborne", as well as many faces that I know from other King's adaptations.
7/10 - DirectorFrank DarabontStarsTom HanksMichael Clarke DuncanDavid MorseA tale set on death row, where gentle giant John Coffey possesses the mysterious power to heal people's ailments. When the lead guard, Paul Edgecombe, recognizes John's gift, he tries to help stave off the condemned man's execution."I've done some things in my life I'm not proud of, but this is the first time I've ever felt in real danger of hell."
I usually comment on movies right after watching them, while still under strong impressions. Of course, provided that the film does leave impressions. Movies over two hours I watch in halves, two days in a row, or even thirds, in case they are extremely long and slow-paced. Also, I tend to "rewind". I often watch certain scenes two or more times, whether to understand them better or simply because I like them. I take breaks to search the Internet for answers to questions that pop into my head (Where have I seen this actor before? When did this guy die? What exactly does this word mean?), to make screenshots of powerful cadres, write a note in the skeleton of future review, do something that comes to mind and I'm afraid I'll forget if I don't do it right away...
"The Green Mile" lasts over three hours. It flew by faster than a sitcom episode. I saw it in one breath, without a single "rewinding" or pausing, without even blinking. Without a single thought unrelated to the movie. I don't remember the last time a movie caught my attention like this, and when it ended, I was left speechless. Even now, a day later, I am unable to write anything analytical about it. The technical aspects are excellent, but essentially irrelevant. I would only like to mention the performance of Michael Clarke Duncan, which was so convincing and full of emotional charge that he repeatedly brought tears to my eyes. The story this movie tells, the message and the emotion it conveys, are enough to make this film fully deserving of its reputation and its high place on the list of the best films of all time, side by side with "The Shawshank Redemption". If I recall correctly, King himself stated that this film is the most faithful adaptation of one of his novels. And when it comes to adaptations of Stephen King, we can divide them into two groups - Frank Darabont's adaptations and all the other adaptations that, compared to Darabont's, can only go to the corner to be ashamed of themselves (with the exception of Kubrick's "The Shining" and Reiner's "Misery").
10/10 - DirectorGyörgy PálfiStarsIsabelle AdjaniAnouk AiméeWoody AllenA simple yet timeless love story between a man and a woman, told using scenes edited together from hundreds of other films.
- DirectorKatt SheaRobert MandelStarsEmily BerglJason LondonDylan BrunoA horrible massacre strikes up after an outcast teenage girl is taunted by a group of high school jocks, all of them unaware of her cutthroat telekinetic powers."We're missing another killer party"
The sequel to the cult film "Carrie" from 1976 is more of recycling or reboot. It tells the essentially same story, placing it in a somewhat different environment, and the way it connects with the original is totally unimaginative. Flashback scenes taken from De Palma's film, as well as excursions in black and white, are completely unnecessary and even irritating, and the ending is pathetic. On the other hand, Emily Bergl in the leading role is very cute and she handled her movie debut quite well, and the film is a "horror" version of a classic high school romantic drama-comedies or a series like "Beverly Hills", so if you like that style you will probably enjoy it. It was a decent pastime for me to relax after a hard day's work.
6/10 - DirectorJay HolbenStarsTonya IveyMark ReynoldsPatrick GealogoTwo girls named Pamela and Rebecca wake up after a night of heavy drinking and get paronoid about what they got up to the night before.....Monodrama
I came across this short film while digging for screen adaptations of Stephen King's work. This is not a classic adaptation, but a seven-minute monodrama in which Tonya Ivey recites and acts King's poem of the same name. The reviews I came across were mostly extremely positive, but, honestly, to me, this was pretty much pointless.
5/10 - DirectorGuy MagarStarsClaudette MinkKyle CassieMichael IronsideWhen a girl named Jamie repeatedly tries to contact her grandmother to no avail, she investigates by going to her apartment in Omaha Nebraska....only to find that it's been condemned and overtaken by possessed children! As she digs deeper, she discovers a dark secret about her grandmother & awakens a dark, demonic force that wants Jamie dead and will stop at nothing.Pleasant surprise
I think that "Children of Corn" is a mediocre film, watchable but not worth repeating or recommending. Still, it must be a matter of my subjective taste, because it spawned one of the longest-running horror franchises. How the franchise survived long enough to push through to "Revelation" is a mystery to me, as all five parts between the original film and this one range from bad to tragic. Accordingly, I did not expect anything from the seventh. Maybe that's why it pleasantly surprised me.
The idea is interesting and had the potential for seriously good horror. Unfortunately, it was wasted on a low-budget film made by mediocre filmmakers. Only Michael Ironside stands out with appearance and performance which are the only impressive things in this film. Everything else is mediocre, but quite better than in all previous films. However, the general impression is positive, because "Revelation" manages to establish a creepy atmosphere and tension from the very beginning and maintain them until the very end, so, unlike all its predecessors, it can rightly be considered a horror.
6/10 - DirectorScott HicksStarsAnthony HopkinsAnton YelchinHope DavisWidowed Liz Garfield and her son Bobby change when mysterious stranger Ted Brautigan enters their lives."Then we grow up, and our hearts break in two."
I approached this film with caution, because King's screen adaptations vary from masterpieces to total garbage, with the lower half of the scale predominating. Fortunately, this one did not disappoint. There is no special virtuosity here, neither from the technical nor from the essential side. Okay, Anthony Hopkins gives it weight, but that's the only thing that makes the film stand out. The story is linear and simple, but lively and emotional, with a handful of strong and very true views of life. The story of growing up, with an atmosphere similar to "Stand by Me", will hold your attention, not with visual wonders or tense events, but will melt you on the couch under a flood of nostalgia. One of those films that do not have a happy ending and that many of us see off in tears, but which still fill us with warmth.
7/10 - DirectorMichael Hamilton-WrightStarsLance HenriksenChelse SwainPhilippe BergeronA teenager girl mistakenly downloads the Mangler 2.0 computer virus into her highschool's new state of the art computer system and all hell breaks loose."Useless piece of American garbage"
Seven years after the rather good adaptation of King "The Mangler", director Tobe Hooper refused to direct the "sequel". It is not surprising, because such a scenario would be rejected by anyone who has any self-respect. The movie is at least a class below the worst installments of the "Scary Movie" franchise, without being a parody, but a film that takes itself seriously. It is so bad and in such a way that it cannot pass either as "so bad it is good" or as a guilty pleasure. This is just plain and simple miserable on all fronts, to the point of exhaustion, and accompanied by unbearably irritating music. Right now I can't think of a single movie that has a worse soundtrack. Do I even need to mention that it has nothing to do with King... Ok, the girls aren't that bad (one is half-naked for almost the whole movie), but everything else is. Why Lance Henriksen agreed to play in this movie and how this script was even approved for production is beyond me. It says Horror/Sci-Fi... true, it's fantastically scary how I wasted an hour and a half of my life.
2,5/10