Lazario's Contemporary Horror Digest - Volume 1

[Lazario]

<center>1 (of 23) :
Rosemary's Baby

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Sub-genres: Occult / Satan, Psychological Thriller, Paranoia / Surreal, Melodrama
Director: Roman Polanski
Screenwriter: Roman Polanski
Cast: Mia Farrow (Rosemary), John Cassavetes (Guy Woodhouse), Ruth Gordon (Minnie), Sidney Blackmer (Roman), Maurice Evans (Hutch / Edward Hutchins), Ralph Bellamy (Dr. Abraham Sapirstein), Patsy Kelly (Laura-Louise), Charles Grodin (Dr. C.C. Hill), Hanna Landy (Grace Cardiff), Victoria Vetri / Angela Dorian (Terry Gionoffrio), Elisha Cook (Jr.) (Mr. Nicklas), Phil Leeds (Dr. Shand), Emmaline Henry (Elise Dunstan), Tony Curtis (voice of Donald Baumgart), William Castle (Man by Pay Phone), Sharon Tate? (?)
Producers: William Castle, Dona Holloway
Music Composers: Krzysztof Komeda, Ludwig van Beethoven
Cinematographer/Director of Photography: William A. Fraker
Film Editors: Sam O'Steen, Bob Wyman
Production Designer: Richard Sylbert
Art Director: Joel Schiller
Set Decorator: Robert Nelson
Costume Designer: Anthea Sylbert
Estimated Budget: $3,200,000
Gross: $30,000,000
Filming Location(s): New York City (New York), Los Angeles (California), Central Park West (Manhattan, New York)
Filming Dates: August 21, 1967 - December 6, 1967
Production / Distribution Studio: Paramount Pictures Corp.
U.S. Theatrical Release Date(s): June 12, 1968
Advertisting / Promotional Tagline(s): Pray for Rosemary's Baby
Filmed in: Widescreen / Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Major Awards Won: 1969 Best Supporting Actress Oscar - Ruth Gordon, 1969 Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Oscar - Roman Polanski, 1969 Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe - Ruth Gordon
Region 1 DVD first released: October 3, 2000 (1 release to date) / Screen Format: Widescreen, Languages: English & French Mono, Subtitles: English / Scene Chapters: 32 / Special Features: Original Documentary, New Featurette


Notable Facts / Trivia
1. The hotel/apartment complex named The Bramford in the film was actually The Dakota Building on Manhattan's Upper West Side
2. Mia Farrow received divorce papers from then-husband Frank Sinatra on the set
3. It's been widely rumored that Alfred Hitchcock was once offered the opportunity to direct Rosemary's Baby. This has been determined to be false and the director was never approached to make the movie
4. There is a popular rumor that Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey gave technical advice and portrayed Satan in the impregnation scene. This is false - LaVey had no involvement with the film
5. Oscar-nominated editor Sam O'Steen later directed the television-made sequel, Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby (1976).
6. Director Roman Polanski's pregnant wife, actress Sharon Tate, was murdered in 1969 by Charles Manson and his followers, who titled their death spree "Helter Skelter" after the 1968 song by The Beatles. Bandmate John Lennon later lived in the Dakota apartment building where Rosemary's Baby was filmed
7. There is a rumor that Sharon Tate appears unbilled at the party Rosemary gives for her "young" friends
8. Mia Farrow sings the vocals on the title-sequence lullaby
9. This was Roman Polanski's very first adaptation, and it is very faithful to the novel. Pieces of dialog, color schemes and clothes are taken verbatim
10. William Castle acquired the movie rights to the novel. Robert Evans of Paramount agreed to green-light the project if Castle did not direct. This was due to Castle's fame and reputation as a director of low budget horror films. Castle was allowed to make a prominent cameo appearance, however, as a man near a phone booth, meant to resemble another character from the film
11. According to Mia Farrow, the scenes where Rosemary walks in front of traffic were spontaneous and genuine. Roman Polanski is reported to have told her that "nobody will hit a pregnant woman"
12. This film, along with Repulsion (1965) and The Tenant (1976), forms a loose trilogy by Roman Polanski about the horrors of apartment/city dwelling
13. This was Roman Polanski's first American film. His first American film was going to be Downhill Racer (1969), but Robert Evans of Paramount decided that "Rosemary's Baby" would be more suited to Polanski
14. Director Roman Polanski originally wanted Tuesday Weld to play Rosemary and Robert Redford to play Guy. Redford was busy shooting Downhill Racer (1969) and head of production Robert Evans preferred Mia Farrow to Weld. Jack Nicholson had also been shortly considered for the role of Guy Woodhouse
15. Mia Farrow actually ate raw liver for a scene in the movie
16. Roman Polanski was so faithful to the novel that he asked Ira Levin the date of the issue of the New Yorker in which Guy Woodhouse sees a shirt he wants. Levin confessed that he had made up the detail
17. The last movie of special effects creator Farciot Edouart
18. The devil costume that Anton LaVey was falsely rumored to have worn in the impregnation scene was later re-used in the film Asylum of Satan (1975). A small woman had difficulty fitting into the tiny suit
19. Tony Curtis makes a cameo, playing the voice on-phone of the actor who is struck blind by a witch's curse so that Rosemary's husband can get an acting job
20. Rosemary (Mia Farrow) says to Terry Ginoffrio (Angela Dorian), "I thought you were Victoria Vetri, the actress," to which Terry responds, "Everyone says that, but I don't see the resemblance." Victoria Vetri is Angela Dorian's real name
21. Members of the cast and crew were visited on the set by Joan Crawford and Van Johnson
22. According to Kenneth Anderson, author of "Rosemary's Baby Book: The Making of the Film that Changed Horror Films Forever", Lauren Bacall, who was living at the Dakota at the time, would often come outside and watch the filming with the other tenants
23. Jane Fonda was offered the role of Rosemary but turned it down to film Barbarella (1968) in Europe. Tuesday Weld was second choice but refused to test for the role
24. According to John Parker's recent biography of Jack Nicholson, Polanski originally offered the role of Guy to Warren Beatty but he turned it down saying it wasn't big enough. Robert Redford was then approached but was in a dispute with Paramount studios at the time. Robert Evans suggested Jack Nicholson to Polanski but, after their meeting, Polanski stated that "for all his talent, his sinister appearance ruled him out"
25. Production chief Robert Evans has admitted that he simply used an offer to direct Downhill Racer (1969) to lure Roman Polanski from Europe. It was his intention to have Polanski direct this film all along


Disney Connection : When Rosemary is in downtown Manhattan during the Christmas season of 1965 (her baby, we are told, is due to be born in June 1966), the title of the movie on the marquee of Radio City Music Hall is The Happiest Millionaire (1967), which didn't open until the Christmas season of 1967.


What the Critics Have to Say:

Roger Ebert - "4 (out of 4) stars." "Rosemary's Baby is a brooding, macabre film, filled with the sense of unthinkable danger." "...it also has an eerie sense of humor almost until the end. It is a creepy film and a crawly film, and a film filled with things that go bump in the night. It is very good." "...it is much more than just a suspense story; the brilliance of the film comes more from Polanski's direction, and from a series of genuinely inspired performances" "The best thing that can be said about the film, I think, is that it works. Polanski has taken a most difficult situation and made it believable, right up to the end. In this sense, he even outdoes (Alfred) Hitchcock."

Leonard Maltin - "4 (out of 4) stars."

The Village Voice, Ed Park - "Rosemary’s Baby (1968) is the definitive cinematic treatment of what husband John Cassavetes patronizingly calls the "pre-partum crazies." Superbly acted...it's a satantango in the land of Is-this-real-or-am-I-crazy?, with a luridly literal ending that doesn't negate the previous, more interior terrors."

Philadelphia City Paper - "waiting for the penny to drop is actually pleasurable; every few minutes, another tiny clue falls into our lap, and Polanski has his finger so squarely on the audience’s pulse that he knows just how long he can make us wait until the next one."

DVD Verdict, Norman Short - "Rosemary's Baby is a horror film that relies on tension and atmosphere more than thrills to speak its message, and works on every level. One of the greatest horror films of all time; it led the way to films like The Exorcist that would draw horror out of seemingly real life; bringing the feelings of dread and fear to the viewer in a way that slashers and classic monsters never could. Director Roman Polanski and a stellar cast, along with an Oscar nominated screenplay, created a...film that could be considered "great" on its own merits."

The Video Graveyard - "4 (out of 4) stars." "Excellent horror/suspenser...is fairly subtle in its horror delivery which just helps make it an engrossing, thoughtful and interesting film." "...a good cast of actors" "...has a few moments of disturbingly surreal imagery, this is one of the most intelligent horror films ever made."

The Cavalcade of Schlock, Brian J. Wright - "an obviously exquisitely-crafted film that has had an enormous impact upon the genre and is remembered, by most horror fans, as one of the true greats." "...a wonderfully ambiguous paranoid chiller"

Zombie Keeper - "4 (out of 4)" "Needless to say, Rosemary’s Baby is a modern classic. "Rosemary’s Baby is harrowing, suspenseful, claustrophobic, and paranoid." "Polanski...makes it work on many levels, often at the same time." "Rosemary’s Baby is a film that no horror fan should miss. It's considered by many to be one of the greatest horror films ever made and for good reason. It's an intelligent film made by an intelligent filmmaker for intelligent viewers, and not a weakness is to be found throughout." "Rosemary’s Baby should be a part of every horror fan's permanent video collection. If you haven't seen it, what the hell are you waiting for? A true classic that rightfully deserves all the praise it's received."

Mondo Digital - "...an eerie and deeply upsetting film, all the more remarkable for its restraint, a particularly remarkable achievement... They just don't come any better than this." "...a real mindbender"

SF, Fantasy, and Horror - "5 (out of 5) stars." "Rosemary's Baby is a film that really embodies the dark converse side of the American dream. It is as dark and twisted, if not even more subtle, in its vision of the world turned upside down as Night of the Living Dead."

The Terror Trap - "Rosemary's Baby is a modern classic." "...a full cast that all give equally strong performances" "This is truly psychological terror at its best! I completely understand why most of the women I know are frightened by this movie's premise and won't even watch it."

Arrow In the Head - "4 (out of 4)." "I can't think of one fault to attribute to this film. All the bases are covered. This movie will get under your skin and once it's over youtll probably come to the same realization I did… You just witnessed one of the best horror flicks ever."

Horror DVD's - "Rosemary's Baby is a powerful horror film that is still a classic of the genre." "Rosemary's Baby is a chilling film filled with great atmosphere and fabulous acting." "Rosemary's Baby strikes a perfect balance of suspense and the supernatural, and the real and unreal." "Strong performances and excellent direction make it a must see for every horror fan."


<center>Photo Gallery
(All the widescreen ones are enlargeable- just click)


Director Roman Polanski (and wife Sharon Tate)








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[Isidour]

nice review Laz n_n I didn´t knew most of the trivia facts but now I do, Thanks

[Lazario]

You're welcome. And there should be a lot more coming (if I can help it).

[Isidour]

weeeeee n_n you made my day n_n

[Lazario]

A different movie every couple of days.

(You switched your avatar just in the time it took you to reply to both posts)

[Isidour]

(You switched your avatar just in the time it took you to reply to both posts)

That´s because I switched and posted at the same time n_n I love Firefox

[The Little Merman]

Wow, that's a mouthful! Nice to know people still respect classic horror.

*tlm

[Lazario]

<center>2 (of 23) :
Twitch of the Death Nerve

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Alternate titles: Bay of Blood, Carnage, Last House on the Left II, Bloodbath
Sub-genres: Slasher, Foreign, Serial Killer(s), Gore, Giallo
Director: Mario Bava
Screenwriters: Mario Bava, Filippo Ottoni, Giuseppe Zaccariello / Joseph McLee
Story Writers: Franco Barberi, Dardano Sacchetti
Cast: Claudine Auger (Renata), Luigi Pistilli (Albert), Claudio Volonté / Camaso (Simon), Anna Maria Rosati (Laura), Chris Avram (Frank Ventura), Leopoldo Trieste (Paolo Fossati), Laura Betti (Anna Fossati), Brigitte Skay (Brunhilda), Isa Miranda (Countess Federica Donati), Paola Rubens / Montenero (Denise), Guido Boccaccini (Duke), Roberto Bonanni (Robert), Giovanni Nuvoletti (Count Filippo Donati)
Producer: Giuseppe Zaccariello
Music Composers: Stelvio Cipriani
Cinematographer/Director of Photography: Mario Bava
Film Editor: Carlo Reali
Production Designer: Sergio Canevari
Special Effects: Carlo Rambaldi
Art Director: Sergio Canevari
Costume Designer: Enrico Sabbatini
Filming Location(s): Sabaudia, Latina, Lazio, Italy
Filming Dates: January 18, 1971 - February 28, 1971
Italy Theatrical Release Date(s): September 8, 1971
U.S. Theatrical Release Date(s): May 3, 1972
Advertisting / Promotional Tagline(s): (1) They Came to Play, They Stayed to Die... / (2) Terror Flows Deep / (3) Diabolical, Fiendish, Savage... You May Not Walk Away From This One! / (4) The first motion picture to require a face to face warning *may be the last shock film you will ever want to see!* Every ticket holder must pass through The Final Warning Station. We must warn you face-to-face!
Filmed in: Widescreen / Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Major Awards Won: Catalonian International Film Festival - Best Special Effects, Carlo Rambaldi
Region 1 DVD first released: October 19, 1999 (2 releases to date) / Screen Format: Widescreen, Languages: English Mono / Scene Chapters: 12 / Special Features: Theatrical Trailer, Bonus Trailers, Radio Spots, Photo Galleries, Text Biography, Text Filmography, "Murder Menu" / Currently Out of Print


Notable Facts / Trivia
none known at this time


International Video History/Facts
1. The UK video release has been cut by 43s by the BBFC. There are 7 cuts in total to various scenes of violence.
2. The Region 1 version released by Image Entertainment as part of their "Mario Bava Collection" is the uncut version, containing all the gore and violence.
(SPOILERS in this section, below)
3. The following was cut from the UK release:
(A) The first murder of a teenage girl loses 2s in 2 cuts, the first of her throat being cut from behind and the other of a graphic hatchet blow to the head.
(B) 21s (nearly the entire scene) is cut from a boy dying with a machete embedded in his face.
(C) 3 cuts totally 9s diminish the death of couple impaled with a spear whilst making love. We see the blood welling from the wounds and their writhing whilst impaled.
(D) 11s has been cut from the death of Simon being forced up a wall by a spear impaled in his stomach.


What the Critics Have to Say:

Leonard Maltin - "3 (out of 4) stars." "The ne plus ultra-" (English: the highest degree) "-of (Mario) Bava's colorful horror movies, this influenced such later films as Halloween and Friday the 13th.", "...extraordinary mastery of cinema technique", "vivid"

The Video Graveyard - "stylish directing"

The Cavalcade of Schlock, Brian J. Wright - "(a) beautiful bloodbath", "big points for fun", "Mario Bava hasn't let me down yet, and he manages to pull off even such an unlikely prospect as this", "Betcha can't watch that just once", "A hoot, a howl, and everything in between. Highly recommended"

Zombie Keeper - "the make-up effects are terrific."

Mondo Digital - "(a) trendsetting shocker", "essentially tears the horror genre apart from the ground up, dispensing with linear plotting or realistic characterization in favor of a mechanical, devious catalog of murders, all served up with tricky, sumptuous photography", "unforgettable", "haunting and darkly funny", "clever (and) subtle", "even with limited means, he (director Mario Bava) conjures up a swirling symphony of poetic images", "Stelvio Cipriani's deft score wavers between beautifully sustained and creepy", "(a) crafty and essential chapter in the horror genre"

The Terror Trap - "The undisputed father of the slasher genre", "imaginative", "(a) delightful powderkeg roller coaster ride"

Horror DVD's - "a great murder mystery with some nice, graphic murder scenes", "I did enjoy Twitch of the Death Nerve, and I certainly recommend horror fans check it out."


<center>Photo Gallery
(All the widescreen ones are enlargeable- just click)


Director Mario Bava








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[Isidour]

Never saw it but maybe I´ll rent it later

[Lazario]

<center>3 (of 23) :
The Exorcist


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Sub-genres: Occult / Satan, Psychological Drama, Demonic Possession
Director: William Friedkin
Screenwriter: William Peter Blatty
Cast: Ellen Burstyn (Chris MacNeil), Jason Miller (Father Damien Karras), Max von Sydow (Father Lankester Merrin), Linda Blair (Regan MacNeil), Lee J. Cobb (Lieutenant William Kinderman), Reverend William O'Malley (Father Dyer), Kitty Winn (Sharon Spencer), Peter Masterson (Dr. Barringer), Jack McGowran (Burke Dennings), Rudolf Schündler (Karl), Barton Heyman (Dr. Klein), Mercedes McCambridge (voice, The Devil)
Producers: William Peter Blatty
Executive Producer: Noel Marshall
Associate Producer: David Salven
Music Composers: Steve Boeddeker, David Borden, George Crumb, Hans Werner Henze, Mike Oldfield, Krzysztof Penderecki, Anton Webern
Cinematographer/Director(s) of Photography: Owen Roizman, Billy Williams
Film Editors: Norman Gay, Evan (A.) Lottman, Bud (S.) Smith
Production Designer: Bill Malley
Set Decorator: Jerry Wunderlich
Costume Designer: Joe(seph) Fretwell (III)
Special Effects: Marcel Vercoutere
Estimated Budget: $12,000,000
Gross: $39,661,731
Filming Location(s): 3600 Prospect Avenue, Georgetown, Washington, District of Columbia, USA (The MacNeil Residence); Al Mawsil, Iraq; Bellevue Hospital - 550 First Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York (hospital scene); Brooklyn, New York City; Ceco Studios(now Cameramart) - West 54th Street, Manhattan (McNeil residence interiors); Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, Georgetown, Washington D.C. (bridge scene); Dahlgren Chapel, Georgetown University - 37th and O Streets, Georgetown, Washington D.C. (Church used for desecration scene); Fordham University - 441 E. Fordham Road. Rose Hill, Bronx, New York City; Georgetown University - 37th and O Streets; Goldwater Hospital, Welfare Island, East River, New York City (psychiatric hospital interiors); Goldwater Memorial Hospital, Roosevelt Island, East River; Healy Hall, Georgetown University ('Crash course' filming scene); Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan; Hetra, Iraq (Pazuzu excavation site); Hitchcock Steps - 36th and Prospect Streets, Georgetown; Holy Trinity Church, Georgetown (church sermon scene); Key Bridge, Georgetown; Mosul, Iraq; New York University Medical Center - 550 First Avenue, Manhattan; The Tombs - 1226 36th Street NW, Georgetown (bar scenes)
Filming Dates: August 14, 1972 - July 20, 1973
Production / Distribution Studio: Warner Bros.
U.S. Theatrical Release Date(s): December 26, 1973; March 17, 2000; September 22, 2000
Advertisting / Promotional Tagline(s): (1) Something beyond comprehension is happening to a little girl on this street, in this house. A man has been called for as a last resort to try and save her. That man is The Exorcist / (2) Somewhere between science and superstition, there is another world. The world of darkness / (3) Nobody expected it, nobody believed it, and nobody could stop it. The one hope, the only hope: THE EXORCIST / (4) The Devil Inside
Filmed in: Widescreen / Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Major Awards Won: 1974 Best Sound Oscar - Robert Knudson and Christopher Newman; 1974 Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Oscar - William Peter Blatty; 1975 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA's Golden Scroll - Best Horror Film, Best Make-Up: Dick Smith, Best Special Effects: Marcel Vercoutere, Best Writer: William Peter Blatty; 1974 Golden Globe - Best Motion Picture Director: William Friedkin, Best Motion Picture: Drama, Best Motion Picture Screenplay: William Peter Blatty, Best Motion Picture Supporting Actress: Linda Blair
Region 1 DVD first released: March 26, 1997 (3 releases to date) / Screen Format: Widescreen, Languages: English & French Mono, Subtitles: English & French / Scene Chapters: 47 / Special Features: Original Documentary, 2 Audio Commentaries, Storyboards and Production Sketches, Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots, Production Notes


Notable Facts / Trivia
1. Entertainment Weekly voted this the Scariest Movie of all time
2. The film was not released on video in the UK for 14 years
3. If adjusted for inflation, this would be the top grossing R-rated film of all time
4. The substance that the possessed Regan hurls at Karras is actually thick pea soup. The soup used was Anderson's specifically. The crew tried Campbell's but didn't like the "effect". Linda Blair hated vegetable so much at that time, that the use of the soup actually did make her throw up.
5. Mercedes McCambridge had to sue Warner Brothers for credit as the voice of the demon
6. Lalo Schifrin's score was rejected; see also The Amityville Horror (1979). Friedkin later said that had he heard the music of Tangerine Dream (who scored his later film Sorcerer (1977)) earlier, he would have had them score The Exorcist (From the Sorcerer (1977) soundtrack liner notes)
7. Jane Fonda, Shirley MacLaine, and Geraldine Page were approached to play the role of Chris MacNeil. Audrey Hepburn was also approached and only agreed to do it if it was filmed in Rome. Anne Bancroft was another choice but she was in her first month of pregnancy and was dropped
8. The studio initially wanted Stanley Kubrick to direct the film, but he turned it down. He later directed The Shining (1980). Following the success of The French Connection (1971) the studio finally agreed to go for Friedkin and signed him for the film. Other directors that Warner had approached to direct the film included Arthur Penn (who was teaching at Yale), Peter Bogdanovich (who wanted to pursue other projects, subsequently regretting the decision), Mike Nichols (who didn't want to shoot a film so dependent on a child's performance), and John Boorman (who declined because he felt the storyline was "cruel towards children". He did, however, accept the offer to direct Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
9. Author William Peter Blatty once won $10,000 on the Groucho Marx show "You Bet Your Life" (1950). When Groucho asked what he planned to do with the money, he said he planned to take some time off to "work on a novel." This was the result
10. William Friedkin had to take an all-British crew to film in Iraq because the US had no diplomatic relations with Iraq at that time. They were allowed to film on conditions that included teaching Iraqi filmmakers advanced film techniques as well as how to make fake blood
11. The sound of the demon leaving Linda's body is actually the sound of pigs being herded for slaughter
12. The original teaser trailer, which consisted of nothing but images of the white-faced demon quickly flashing in and out of darkness, was banned in many theaters, as it was deemed "too frightening"
13. The demon mask used in the movie Onibaba (1964) inspired William Friedkin to use a similar design for the makeup in subliminal shots of a white-faced demon
14. This was the film in which makeup legend Dick Smith hired Rick Baker as his assistant
15. When originally released in the UK a number of town councils imposed a complete ban on the showing of the film. This led to the bizarre spectacle of "Exorcist Bus Trips" where enterprising travel companies organised buses to take groups to the nearest town where the film was showing
16. When released in 1973, the film caused such mass hysteria, with people screaming, fainting, and paramedics being called to theaters- making it one of the most controversial films ever made
17. A filmgoer who saw the movie in 1974 during its original release fainted and broke his jaw on the seat in front of him. He then sued Warner Brothers and the filmmakers, claiming that the use of subliminal imagery in the film had caused him to pass out. The studio settled out of court for an undisclosed sum
18. Due to death threats against Linda Blair, Warner Bros had body guards protecting her for six months after the film's release
19. The "spider-walk" sequence, which was cut from the original version, was reworked for Ruby (1977) and other low-budget films
20. The name Captain Howdy is also used as a killer's chatroom alias in the film Strangeland (1998). This film was written by Dee Snider, the former lead singer of Twisted Sister. On the album "Stay Hungry" there is a song called "Stay Away from Captain Howdy."
21. There were three separate beds built to do three separate movements
22. Father Dyer is played by Reverend William O'Malley, an actual priest who still teaches to this day at Fordham University
23. There are tales about ominous events surrounding the year-long shoot, including the deaths of nine people associated with the production and stories about a mysterious fire that destroyed the set one weekend. Actors Jack MacGowran & Vasiliki Maliaros died before the film was released


What the Critics Had to Say

Due to a Computer Glitch, totally beyond my control, over an hour's worth of work in this section was deleted and can't be replaced until, at which point you'll notice this post will have been *Edited*, about a week from now or more (if my computer is actually working at that time, we'll see)


<center>Photo Gallery
(All the widescreen ones are enlargeable- just click)


Director William Friedkin








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[Isidour]

well...is a classic...but nothing to be afraid of...

[Loomis]

Ooh, horror talk. Me like.

Rosemary's Baby is one that has often left me cold. I do like Polanski's brand of horror - especially The Tenant, which I believe to be one of the most unnerving films, if not traditionally 'scary'. (See also: Repulsion). There is certainly much to like about RB, and I have come to appreciate it more in recent years. As many of the critics above mentioned, Polanski is especially good at creating mood.

The Exorcist has lost much of its edge of the last thirty years or so, but I think it still manages to retain its iconic status.

I'd never heard of Twitch of the Death Nerve to be honest, and it may be worth an investigation at the video store this weekend.

[Lazario]

Ooh, horror talk. Me like. Rosemary's Baby is one that has often left me cold. I do like Polanski's brand of horror - especially The Tenant, which I believe to be one of the most unnerving films, if not traditionally 'scary'. (See also: Repulsion). There is certainly much to like about RB, and I have come to appreciate it more in recent years. As many of the critics above mentioned, Polanski is especially good at creating mood.

I adore Rosemary's Baby. Because it's very complex and one of the most interesting films I've ever seen. There are still so many questions I find I ask myself when I see the movie. It's just interesting. So many people complain about it's length and the fact that it's made so matter-of-factly that that's sort of where the horror is. It's in the fact that where she is, everyone is plain evil. But they're a functioning sort of evil.

(Spoilers in paragraph below)

I really can't stand The Tenant. I remember being really into Roman Polanski's acting and I like his performance a lot. But the idea of this movie is so incredibly stupid. People seem to like the fact that it is a really wacky movie. For those of you who haven't seen it, I don't mean wacky like comedy-wacky. It's so bizarre and weird, that it goes beyond subtle terror, and straight into over the top. And, who can dig an ending where a guy dresses up like a woman and jumps off a balcony...twice? Yeah, so the person who tried to kill themselves in his apartment was a woman. But that's not enough of an explanation. This movie was just weird for weirdness' sake. And it didn't have a strong character, just strong experiences that he went through. It's a movie where he goes insane because of paranoia... But we never see what the heck is causing the paranoia. It's like walking into the theatre 35 minutes after the movie started and all the plot having been set up in that time, so you missed it. Only, that's the way it is the entire movie long. Nothing makes sense in that movie. And weird endings are okay, if you can understand something of why they are happening. Nothing in this movie makes any sense whatsoever, so nothing matters.

I'd never heard of Twitch of the Death Nerve to be honest

Yeah. I haven't seen it yet (one of maybe 2 or 3 I'll be mentioning here that I haven't seen). But it's number 1 on my list of horror movies I want to see. Both DVDs of the movie are out of print. There were rumors floating around about a special edition of the movie coming out, but God only knows when that'll happen. Instead, the company that releases all the Mario Bava movies (almost all of them) isn't doing anything with them. They just keep going out of print and the only copies available skyrocket in price. So there are a great many people who haven't seen it, but it needed to be mentioned because it truly is the first true slasher film. Some people say Psycho, but Psycho was much more mystery-oriented. I hope someone finds it in a video store, but I think it's fair to say : good luck.

[Lazario]

<center>4 (of 23) :
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

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Sub-genres: Slasher, Cannibal(s), Psychological / Surreal, Based on True Story, Exploitation
Director: Tobe Hooper
Screenwriters: Kim Henkel, Tobe Hooper
Cast: Marilyn Burns (Sally), Paul A. Partain (Franklin), Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface), Allen Danziger (Jerry), Edwin Neal (Hitchhiker), Teri McMinn (Pam), William Vail (Kirk), Jim Siedow (Old Man / Cook), John Larroquette (Narrator), John Dugan (Grandpa)
Producers: Tobe Hooper, Lou Peraino
Executive Producer: Jay Parsley
Associate Producers: Kim Henkel, Richard Saenz
Music Composers: Wayne Bell, Tobe Hooper
Cinematographer/Director of Photography: Daniel Pearl
Film Editors: Larry Carroll, Sallye Richardson
Production Designer: Robert A. Burns
Art Director: Robert A. Burns
Make-Up: W.E. Barnes, Dorothy (J.) Pearl
Estimated Budget: $83,532
Gross: $30,859,000
Filming Location(s): Austin, Texas; Bagdad Cemetery - Bagdad Road, Leander, Texas; Bastrop, Texas, (Gas Station and BBQ Shack); Round Rock, Texas
Filming Dates: July 15, 1973 - August 14, 1973
U.S. Theatrical Release Date(s): October 1, 1974
Advertisting / Promotional Tagline(s): (1) Who will survive and what will be left of them? / (2) After you stop screaming, you'll start talking about it / (3) What happened is true. Now the motion picture that is just as real, just as close, just as terrying as being there! / (4) Can you survive? / (5) The most brutal and bizarre series of crimes in America / (6) For five young friends, a typical summer afternoon drive becomes a terrifying nightmare / (7) Before Halloween... Before Friday the 13th... Before Scream... There Was the Saw
Filmed in: Widescreen / Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Region 1 DVD first released: October 6, 1998 (3 releases to date) / Screen Format: Widescreen, Languages: English Stereo & Mono, Subtitles: none / Scene Chapters: 16 / Special Features: Audio Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Behind the Scenes Footage, Bloopers, Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots, Bonus Trailers, Photo Galleries, Cast & Crew Profiles


Notable Facts / Trivia
1. Entertainment Weekly voted this the 2nd scariest film ever made, making it a runner-up to The Exorcist (1973)
2. Despite the obvious implications of the film's title, only one victim is killed by a chainsaw
3. Director Tobe Hooper claims to have got the idea for the film while standing in the hardware section of a crowded store. While thinking of a way to get out through the crowd, he spotted the chainsaws
4. The film was originally entitled "Headcheese", but was changed at the last minute. Other alternate titles for the film included "Leatherface" and "Stalking Leatherface"
5. Tobe Hooper intended to make the movie for a "PG" rating, by keeping violence moderate and language mild, but despite cutting and repeated submissions, the Ratings Board insisted on the "R" rating for the effectiveness of what is onscreen and what is implied offscreen. Hooper had a similar ratings problem with the sequel
6. When it was first released, the film was so horrifying that people actually walked out on sneak previews for it
7. The film's scenes were shot in chronological order
8. Tobe Hooper allowed Gunnar Hansen to develop Leatherface as he saw fit, under his supervision. Hansen decided that Leatherface was mentally retarded and never learned to talk properly, so he went to a school for the mentally challenged and watched how they moved and listened to them talk to get a feel for the character
9. Leatherface had "lines" in the script that were gibberish with little side notes indicating what he was trying to say
10. The soundtrack contains the sounds an animal would hear inside a slaughterhouse
11. During the dinner scene towards the end of the film, when Leatherface cuts the girl's finger, he actually does cut her finger because they couldn't get the fake blood to come out of the tube behind the blade
12. The human skeleton in the house at the end of the movie was a real human skeleton. They used a real one because a human skeleton from India is far cheaper then a fake plastic skeleton
13. Leatherface's teeth were prostheses made especially for Gunnar Hansen by his dentist
14. Even in his lift-boots, Gunnar Hansen could run faster than Marilyn Burns, so he had to do random things when chasing her through the woods (you'll notice in one head-on shot that he starts slicing up tree branches in the background)
15. The movie wasn't released in Australia until the early 1980s
16. The film was banned by the British film censors in 1975, but, it did get a limited cinema release, thanks to various city councils. It was banned again in 1977, when the censors' attempts to cut it were unsuccessful, (for the purposes of a wider release), then it was banned again in 1984, due to the growing controversy involving 'video nasties'. In 1999, after the censors finally changed their policy, they took the plunge, and passed it uncut, for the cinema and video, after 25 years, since they first banned it
17. Due to the low budget, Gunnar Hansen had only one shirt to wear as Leatherface. The shirt had been dyed, so it could not be washed; Hansen had to wear it for four straight weeks of filming in the Texas summer. By the end of the shoot no one wanted to eat lunch with Hansen because his clothing smelled so bad
18. The chainsaw used in this film was a Poulan 306A, with a piece of black tape covering the Poulan logo in order to avoid a possible lawsuit
19. Gunnar Hansen wore three inch heels so that he was taller than all the cast and had to duck to get through the doorways in the slaughterhouse
20. Gunnar Hansen hit his head on doorways and other objects several times during the shoot because the Leatherface masked severely limited his peripheral vision and the 3 inch heels made his 6'4" frame too high to clear all obstacles
21. The close-up of Leatherface cutting his leg on the chainsaw was the last shot to be filmed; the actor was wearing a metal plate over his leg, which was then covered with a piece of meat and a blood bag
22. Marilyn Burns, whose character was chased by Leatherface through the undergrowth actually cut herself on the branches quite badly, so a lot of the blood on her body and clothes is real
23. The actress whose character was hung up on a meat hook was actually held up by a nylon cord that went between her legs, causing a great deal of pain
24. After getting into the old-age makeup, John Dugan decided that he did not ever want to go through the process again, meaning that all the scenes with him had to be filmed in the same session before he could take the makeup off. This took about 36 hours, during a heat wave where the average temperature was over 100 degrees, with a large portion of it spent filming the dinner scene, sitting in a room filled with dead animals and rotting food. Edwin Neal, who played the Hitchhiker, said that making the film was more miserable than his service in Vietnam and said that he might kill director Tobe Hooper if he ever saw him again - "Filming that scene was the worst time of my life... and I had been in Vietnam, with people trying to kill me, so I guess that shows how bad it was."
25. A family was actually living in the house that served as the Sawyer family house in the later half of the movie. They rented out their house to the film crew and continued to stay there during the entire shoot. Since the film was released, the Sawyer family house has changed completely. The land where the house used to stand on a hill has been cut in two for a major freeway. There is no sign there ever was a house there. The house itself has been relocated and is used as a restaurant in Kingsland, Texas
26. Hooper used a stunt double for Sally's leap through the window; all the same, Marilyn Burns actually hurt herself shooting the insert of her falling to the ground
27. The financing for this film came from the profits of a previous film the production company financed Deep Throat (1972)


What the Critics Have to Say:

Roger Ebert - "a real Grand Guignol of a movie", "it's well-made, well-acted, and all too effective", "simply an exercise in terror", "is scary and unpalatable. But the movie is good technically with its special effects, and we have to give it grudging admiration on that level", "bizarrely effective performances", "(is) really a lot better than the genre requires"

Leonard Maltin - "3 (out of 4) stars"

Slant Magazine, Eric Henderson - "4 (out of 4) stars" "uniquely unsettling", "absolutely perverted", "anarchic, cynical hysteria—it's bizarre and dark-as-hell gallows humor", "maintains a level of miasmic, grimy funk that is just about unparalleled in horror cinema", "impressive", "the film fully earns him (director Tobe Hooper) a place alongside the greatest malaise-shredding horror mavericks"

Philadelphia City Paper - "if you haven't seen it in a while, here's a reminder: It's really f***ing scary" "the gritty physicality of Texas Chainsaw is all too terrifyingly real", "it's a chilling portrait of a nation with nowhere to hide, where selfish hippies are preyed upon by maniac rednecks in a world devoid of order. Hysterical, excessive and, oh yes, a masterpiece"

The Austin Chronicle, Mike Emery - "still packs a punch with its rough look and disturbing overtones", "(a) twisted foray into the heart of the Lone Star State. Here, what was perceived as the most stable of institutions, the American family, is the beast. With that, it's no coincidence that the scariest scene in the film takes place at a dinner table" "horrid yet engrossing"

DVD Verdict, Patrick Naugle - "One of the most horrifying films of all time, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has gone from 16mm independent film to full-blown horror classic. Tobe Hooper's nightmarish vision from 1974 is a grim and unsettling tale that paved the way for such indie fare as Halloween and Re-Animator", "it relies upon atmosphere and timing to implement the scares, thoroughly engrossing the audience in a world more terrifying than they can possibly imagine", "realistic", "this is a very good horror film filled with images of terror that will make you stare at the ceiling in the dark just before you fall asleep"

The Video Graveyard - "4 (out of 4) stars", "a stylish (and pretty nifty) little film. Truly a classic"

The Cavalcade of Schlock, Brian J. Wright - "this is one creepy skin-crawler of a movie", "shocking and horrifying", "It's all stark and ugly and unrelenting, just a pure assault of terror terror and more terror, certainly living up to the wonderful tagline, "Who will survive and what will be left of them?", "loaded with a lot of excellence and style, guaranteed to haunt you for quite some time. If you haven't seen it yet, where have you been?"

Zombie Keeper - "3 and a half (out of 4)" "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the fore-fathers of the slasher genre. I truly believe if this movie wasn't made, we might not have seen movies like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, or Friday the 13th", "if you're at all a fan of horror, and I suspect you are or you wouldn't be reading this, go rent or buy this movie. Trust me, it won't disappoint."

SF, Fantasy, and Horror - "4 (out of 5) stars" "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre redefined horror by stripping it of all classical motive", "has the jagged ripped-open edge of a bad acid trip", "Tobe Hooper seems almost to have set out to wear down one's nerves from the outset"

The Terror Trap - "Has there ever been a movie with a more terrifying title than The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Those four words can send chills up your spine" "relies on suspense and an unrelenting claustrophobia that doesn't let up", "(a) chilling score", "(an) excellent cast", "What a movie! The years have not diminished the power of this one and I would not dare to watch this alone. It's a tangible horror (film)", "it leaves you breathless!", "it makes for great nightmares!"

Horror DVD's - "Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a masterpiece. It's an unrelenting terrifying no holds barred film that relies more on setting and atmosphere than over the top gore", "a rollercoaster of horror each scene more horrific than the next", "The tension that builds during the film is excellent and really drives the film", "It's a highly effective and relentless horror film that is very unique and at times disturbing"


<center>Photo Gallery
(All the widescreen ones are enlargeable- just click)


Director Tobe Hooper








</center>

[Loomis]

Ah, Texas Chain Saw Massacre! Now this I have a soft-spot for.

Absolutely one of the top films to genuinely have an effect on me.

Spoilers

The scene in which Leatherface slides open a steel door, grabs a victim, drags them inside and just as swiftly vanishes through the same door slamming it shut is perhaps one of the most profoundly disturbing scenes in the film. Not because it is graphic - indeed, the film offers far less blood than the title would imply - but because the door has shut the viewer out of knowing exactly what is happening to the character. We can only imagine it is something horrible, leaving us terribly unsettled.

End Spoilers

Indeed, unsettling is a good word for TCM. The almost documentary-style feel to the film, and the casual way in which the camera plays around the characters, keeps us on our toes the whole time. It is disturbing because it feels real. This is probably the major fault of the remake - it was far too slick.

[Isidour]

Maybe is just that I like to think Gorier(or should I say more gory)=better I rather like the new edition

[Lazario]

I hated the remake / new edition. Not because it's not gory, I love gore. But because - first of all when it comes to remakes, I say : if the idea itself was worth the existence of a remake, it wouldn't need the original film's reputation and title to work. And the idea for the Texas Chainsaw remake didn't warrant it's existence. Besides, one of horror's strongest attributes is intensity. True intensity can work without gore. So the original Texas had that as a strongsuit.

[Lazario]

<center>5 (of 23) :
Carrie

<img src="http://image.allmusic.com/00/adg/cov200 ... "></center>

Sub-genres: Occult / Satan, Teen Drama, Psychological Thriller, Paranoia / Surreal
Director: Brian De Palma
Screenwriter: Lawrence D. Cohen
Cast: Sissy Spacek (Carrie White), Amy Irving (Sue), Piper Laurie (Mrs. Margaret White), William Katt (Tommy), Betty Buckley (Miss Collins), Nancy Allen (Chris Hargensen), Priscilla Pointer (Mrs. Snell), P.J. Soles (Norma), John Travolta (Billy Nolan), Sydney Lassick (Mr. Fromm), Stefan Gierasch (Mr. Morton)
Producers: Brian De Palma, Paul Monash
Associate Producer: Louis A. Stroller
Music Composers: Pino Donaggio
Cinematographer/Director of Photography: Mario Tosi
Film Editor: Paul Hirsch
Art Directors: Jack Fisk, William (Bill) Kenney
Set Decorator: Robert Gould
Costume Designer: Rosanna Norton
Special Effects: Greg(ory M.) Auer, Ken(neth) Pepiot
Estimated Budget: $1,800,000
Gross: $33,800,000
Filming Location(s): Pier Avenue Junior High School - 1645 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach, California; San Fernando, California; Santa Paula, California, USA
Filming Months: May - July, 1976
Production / Distribution Studio: MGM-UA
U.S. Theatrical Release Date(s): November 3, 1976
Advertisting / Promotional Tagline(s): (1) If you got a taste for terror, than you have a date with Carrie / (2) If only they knew she had the power / (3) You were warned never to push Carrie to the limits. Now you must face the evil consequences / (4) If THE EXORCIST made you shudder, CARRIE will make you scream / (5) Take Carrie to the Party. I Dare You! / (6) Don't mess with Carrie, or you will die
Filmed in: Widescreen / Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Region 1 DVD first released: September 29, 1998 (2 releases to date) / Screen Format: Widescreen, Languages: English 5.1 Stereo Surround, English Mono, & Spanish Mono, Subtitles: French and Spanish / Scene Chapters: 32 / Special Features: 2 New Documentaries, 1 New Featurette, Animated Photo Gallery, Theatrical Trailer, Text Notes


Notable Facts / Trivia
1. This was the first Stephen King novel adapted into a movie
2. The name of the high school is Bates High, a reference to Norman Bates from Psycho (1960). In addition, the four note violin theme from Psycho is used over and over in the film
3. Melanie Griffith auditioned for the title role
4. Sissy Spacek wasn't considered for the role of Carrie until her husband, Jack Fisk, convinced director Brian De Palma to allow her to audition. Her audition so pleased De Palma that she got the lead role
5. The pig's blood dumped on Sissy Spacek was karo syrup and food coloring, although she was willing to have real blood dumped on her. The concoction kept drying and adhering to her skin because of the hot lights. The only solution was to hose her down when the substance got gluey
6. Initially, P.J. Soles was only cast for two weeks, but after she hit Sissy Spacek over the head with her red baseball hat during the volleyball scene, Brian De Palma decided to keep her around longer
7. Sue Snell and her mother are played by real-life daughter and mother Amy Irving and Priscilla Pointer
8. Ever the stickler for authenticity, Sissy Spacek insisted that she - not a double - be the one whose hand shoots up out of Carrie's grave during Sue Snell's nightmare sequence
9. George Lucas and Brian De Palma held a joint audition for Carrie and Star Wars (1977). There is a long-standing rumor that originally, Sissy Spacek was cast as Princess Leia, and Carrie Fisher as Carrie, but when Fisher refused to appear in nude scenes and Spacek was willing to do them, they switched parts. However, Fisher refuted this story in a Premiere magazine article called "The Force Wasn't With Them," about actors who auditioned unsuccessfully for Star Wars (1977). That article quoted Fisher as saying, "Not only do I love being nude, I would've been nude then... But anyway, it's total bullsh*t" (that Fisher refused to play Carrie)
10. Amy Irving, who played Sue Snell, originally read for the part of Princess Leia, and William Katt, who played Tommy Ross, originally read for the part of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars
11. Nancy Allen, who was the last person auditioned for the film, claims that she never realized that her character was going to be so evil until she saw the finished film, she thought that she and John Travolta were playing such self-centered, bickering morons that they were there for comic relief. Piper Laurie also thought that the character of Margaret White was so over the top that the film had to be a comedy
12. For her screen test, Sissy Spacek rubbed Vaseline into her hair and didn't bother to wash her face. She also wore a sailor dress (which her mother had made for her when she was in the seventh grade) with the hem cut off
13. The script called for a model of the White home to be crushed by a hail of rocks. The filmmakers spent an evening trying unsuccessfully to pull off the effect, and as dawn approached, they abandoned the rocks and decided to burn it down. They liked what they saw so it stayed in the film
14. Betty Buckley provides the voice over ("Creepy Carrie! Creepy Carrie!) for the little boy on the bike that chastises Carrie on her way home
15. The boy on the bike was played by Brian De Palma's nephew Cameron
16. Brian De Palma wanted Betty Buckley to really slap Nancy Allen. Because Allen couldn't get the reaction De Palma wanted, Buckley ended up slapping her as many as thirty times
17. In the scene where the fire hose kills P.J. Soles's character, the water pressure actually burst her eardrums, knocking her unconscious
18. The dizzying camera shot during the prom scene was achieved by placing William Katt and Sissy Spacek on a platform that was spinning in one direction, while the camera was being dollied in the opposite direction
19. When Carrie flips Billy's car, the interior shot shows them spinning along with it. This effect was not achieved by actually rotating the actors in a car but by simply spinning the film frame in post production
20. Sissy Spacek asked Brian De Palma how he wanted her to react when Carrie first realizes that she is bleeding in the showers at the start, De Plama told her "It's like you've been hit by a truck". Spacek talked to Jack Fisk (Art Director), who as a child had been run over by a car when he was standing in the streets looking at Christmas lights a neighbor had put up, and used his description of the experience as a basis for the scene
21. The uncredited band that performs at the prom is named "Vance or Towers". The uncredited song that they perform, "Education Blues", is available on their 1975 self-titled album
22. In the second-to-last scene (where Amy Irving lays flowers on Carrie's grave) to make it more "eerie", the shot was filmed-- then run in reverse in slo-mo-- to give it a surreal effect. This is evidenced by a background automobile traversing the perpendicular intersection backwards, which the viewer can clearly observe as driving in reverse
23. Betty Buckley, who plays the gym teacher in the film, went on to star as Carrie's mother in the ill-fated Pitchford/Gore musical version of Carrie. The song "When There's No One" from the show is included on Buckley's Sterling records release "Children Will Listen." No official cast album exists, although several unofficial recordings have been made
24. Many of the girls present in the locker room were originally hesitant to appear nude in the film, but after Brian De Palma showed them the nude shots of Sissy Spacek, they became more confident
25. The film that Tommy and Sue are watching on TV when Tommy agrees to take Carrie to the prom is Dual At Diablo (1966)
26. John Travolta drives a 1967 Chevelle SS 396 hardtop in this film, and in Pulp Fiction (1994), he drove a 1964 Chevelle Malibu convertible


What the Critics Have to Say:

Roger Ebert - "3 and a half (out of 4) stars" "Carrie is an absolutely spellbinding horror movie, with a shock at the end that's the best thing along those lines since the shark leaped aboard in Jaws. It's also (and this is what makes it so good) an observant human portrait", "very good performances by Sissy Spacek, as Carrie, and by Piper Laurie, as Carrie's mother", "Carrie is a true horror story. Not a manufactured one, made up of spare parts from old Vincent Price classics, but a real one, in which the horror grows out of the characters themselves. The scariest horror stories -- the ones by M.R. James, Edgar Allan Poe, and Oliver Onions -- are like this. They develop their horrors out of the people they observe. That happens here, too. Does it ever"

DVD Verdict, Mike Jackson - "With Carrie, my expectations were not high. Did it live up to my low expectations? No… it far exceeded them", "has great visual flair", is "interesting-looking", "Carrie is a classic", "I recommend it heartily", "strong, visceral filmmaking"

The Video Graveyard - "3 (out of 4) stars" "Strong performances by Spacek and Laurie, De Palma's stylish directorial touches and an impressive finale makes this effort based on Stephen King's novel shine"

The Cavalcade of Schlock, Brian J. Wright - "Carrie is a fine movie that should be seen by just about anybody into horror, into DePalma, King, (or) high school movies"

Attack of the 50 Foot DVD - "It's really easy to dismiss Carrie as a cheesy horror film. The image of Sissy Spacek, covered in pig's blood, telekinetically wreaking havoc at the prom is, like Freddy's knives or Jason's mask, iconic. What I had forgotten, and what is so deceptive about relegating it to cult horror status, is that it's a truly heartbreaking story, thanks largely to Sissy Spacek's painful vulnerability and chameleon-like beauty"

Zombie Keeper - "is the movie really that good? Yes", "DePalma was obviously not afraid to push the limits of what he could do while making Carrie", "delivers thrills like an old fashioned fright flick ought to", "packs a lot of whollop"

The Terror Trap - "Carrie may be his (Brian De Palma's) greatest work. This terrifying tale of an awkward and withdrawn girl with special powers, combines horror with humor and a poignancy rarely found in horror films. It is an extremely satisfying film on many levels... a modern classic", "a beautiful, dream-like score, punctuated by string sections which clearly recall PSYCHO", "the gorgoeous look of Carrie goes to Mario Tosi for his wonderful cinematography", "a classic example of slow, methodical suspense", "simultaneously gives chills *and* stimulating, rounded character development", "De Palma's direction is inspired, Donaggio's soundtrack is superb and Carrie is one of horror's all-time showstoppers", "Thoughtful"

Horror DVD's - "This movie is full of tension, happiness, sadness, hate, and pity. Director Brian DePalma did a terrific job bring Carrie to the big screen. Some of the scenes throughout the climax that display Carrie's emotions are brilliant", "Sissy Spacek is perfect in the role of Carrie. She is extremely convincing", "Terrific film! Should not be missed by any horror movies buff. This is truly a classic film"


<center>Photo Gallery
(All the widescreen ones are enlargeable- just click)


Director Brian De Palma








</center>

[Lazario]

<center>6 (of 23) :
Suspiria

<img src="http://image.allmusic.com/00/adg/cov200 ... "></center>

Sub-genres: Occult / Witches, Slasher, Thriller, Surreal, Giallo
Director: Dario Argento
Screenwriters: Daria Nicolodi, Dario Argento
Cast: Jessica Harper (Suzy), Joan Bennett (Madame Blanc), Stefania Casini (Sara), Alida Valli (Miss Tanner), Udo Kier (Dr. Frank Mandel), Giuseppe Transocchi (Pavlo), Barbara Magnolfi (Olga), Rudolf Schündler (Professor Milius), Flavio Bucci (Daniel), Eva Axén (Pat), Renato Scarpa (Professor Verdegast), Miguel Bosé (Mark)
Producer: Claudio Argento
Executive Producer: Salvatore Argento
Music Composers: Goblin, Dario Argento, Philip Glass
Cinematographer/Director of Photography: Luciano Tovoli
Film Editor: Franco Fraticelli
Production Designer: Giuseppe Bassan
Costume Designer: Pierangelo Cicoletti
Special Effects: Germano Natali
Italian Gross: 1,430,000,000
Filming Location(s): BMW Building, Munich, Bavaria, Germany; De Paolis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy; Haus zum Walfisch, Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (Tanzakademie exteriors); Hofbrauhaus, Munich, Bavaria, Germany; Königsplatz, Maxvorstadt, Munich, Bavaria, Germany; Munich Airport, Munich, Bavaria, Germany; Munich, Bavaria, Germany; Villa Capriglio, Turin, Piedmont, Italy
Filming Dates: July 26, 1976 - November 30, 1976
Italy Theatrical Release Date(s): February 1, 1977
U.S. Theatrical Release Date(s): August 12, 1977, re-released in: 1979
Advertisting / Promotional Tagline(s): (1) The Only Thing More Terrifying Than the Last 12 Minutes of Suspiria, Are the First 92! / (2) Once You Have Seen Suspiria, You Will Never Again Feel Safe in the Dark! / (3) The Most Terrifying Film You've Ever Heard!
Filmed in: Widescreen / Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Region 1 DVD first released: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 (2 releases to date) / Screen Format: Widescreen, Languages: English, Italian, & French 5.1 Surround, Subtitles: none / Scene Chapters: 26 / Special Features: Bonus CD Soundtrack (Limited Edition exclusive), Original Documentary (Limited Edition exclusive), Theatrical Trailers, TV Spot, Radio Spots, Interview Blooper (Hidden feature), Lobby Cards (Limited Edition exclusive), Music Video, Cast and Crew Text Biographies


Notable Facts / Trivia
1. This film is the first part (with Inferno, 1979, being the second part) of an incomplete trilogy of films about the "Three Mothers." The third installment is highly rumored to be in development in 2005 and 2006. However, many sources claim this is not yet confirmed
2. This is Joan Bennett's last feature film
3. A glass feather is plucked from an ornament. Director Dario Argento's feature film debut was directing The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1969)
4. Director Dario Argento's original idea was that the ballet school would accommodate young girls not older than 12. However the studio and producer (his father) denied his request because a film this violent involving children would be surely banned. Dario Argento raised the age limit of the girls to 20 but he didn't rewrite the script, hence the naivety of the characters and the occasionally childlike dialogue. He also put all the doorknobs at about the same height as the actress' heads, so that they will have to raise their arms in order to open the doors, just like children
5. Director Dario Argento, composed the creepy music with the band Goblin and played it at full blast on set to unnerve the actors and elicit a truly scared performance
6. It is often incorrectly assumed that, to achieve the rich color palette, the film was shot using the outdated 3-strip Technicolor process. This is untrue: no film after the mid-1950s was shot using this method. The film was instead shot on normal Eastman Color Kodak stock and was then printed using the 3-strip Technicolor process, utilizing one of the last remaining machines. This issue has been confused somewhat by the fact that, on the 25th anniversary documentary featured in the 3-disc DVD set, a discussion of the printing process by cinematographer Luciano Tovoli was incorrectly followed by a diagram showing a 3-strip camera
7. Originally the film was to have starred Daria Nicolodi, who was Argento's girlfriend at the time and who also wrote the screenplay. However, Argento decided to go with a younger actress. Daria Nicolodi does appear in the film twice: she can be glimpsed in the film's opening sequence that shows Susy walking through the airport, and she also provides the gravelly voice of Helena Markos


Disney Connection : Dario Argento is a great admirer of Disney films, and specifically designed scenes in the script to look and feel like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Alice in Wonderland, among others.


What the Critics Have to Say:

Leonard Maltin - "3 (out of 4) stars." "(A) terrifying tale", "brilliant camerawork, atmosphere, music score and performance", "chilling effectiveness"

DVD Verdict, Bill Gibron - "Suspiria is a horror film unlike any other in that it ventures far away from the standard 'old dark house' or 'living creature' notions of terror to invent a world where setting, style, and sound are more frightening than the bloody victim on the floor", "Suspiria is a true amalgamation of fairy tale, mythology, theory, childhood memories, Disney cartoons, and regional superstition. When creating the film, Argento was inspired by Lewis Carroll, the Brothers Grimm, the German Expressionists, and, Uncle Walt's Snow White and the Seven Dwarves", "the movie is mostly an exercise in silent story telling and tone setting. The brilliance of Argento is that he indeed matches his actors to their visual roles perfectly", "never wastes a shot or misplaces a frame", "(presents) images rarely seen outside the experimental film", "mesmerizing moments", "no one can match his (director Dario Argento's) flair with the camera", has an "eerie, underlying soundscape", "Argento is a master of containment, and he sifts the elements carefully, like a great chef, adding the right mix of borrowed and original ingredients, simmering them within the cinematic crock pot of this camera, hoping (and succeeding) to perfect his recipe of terror. Suspiria is a rich, decadent dish", "each new sequence is a work unto itself and tells its own twisted tale", "(an) unreal otherworldly universe", "beautiful in a decaying, malevolent way"

(same review:) (Argento / the film has a) "portal fixation. No entrance opens into somewhere specific. Each one leads to another hallway, another path to traverse, another secret to unravel. Having them slowly evolve and reveal themselves in all their tensile glory", "Watch what happens as individuals open doors. Colors shift, tones change, and the security of a room is broken to let the heinous forces of the outer in. Like the wheezing, decaying silhouette behind the curtain in the makeshift gymnasium dormitory, there is evil behind the walls of Suspiria, be they brick or linen. And Argento will show us all of it, each and every disgusting aspect. When he wants to", "strives to capitalize and intensify the film's visual approach", "splash(es) paint and pain around the ruins to full flashy effect. Characters may claim fear, or express worry, but it is only with striking colorization and well-crafted cinematic tableaus that the true essence or mood is revealed", "sweeps the viewer into an absolute dreamscape by utilizing the emotion, power, and reference of hues", "pushes the subliminal reality of hyper-colorization, relying on it to wash away surface artifacts and reveal the image beneath", "Argento (is a) true mastery of horror", "intimidating in its style and setup", "Suspiria is a masterpiece. It is one of the few horror films that works as both art and unsettling entertainment", "Argento makes a fluid, elegiac statement"

"this is a celebration of horror as sorrow, as grief for the loss of innocence and the destruction on the soul. In life, when someone dies, a long last breath escapes from their lips as the sigh, as life force flows forth in one last whisper of wind. In reality, when someone acknowledges the misery and torment of their life to themselves, a sigh adds the halfhearted exclamation point. When a killer cuts into the body of a victim, the very essence of humanity and existence seeps out in little devilish winds, sighs from the wounds. Suspiria is the realm and source of such air, of such painful and wicked breezes. And standing nearby, drinking every last horrendous waft in, is Argento. He wants you to experience the atmosphere of death. Suspiria is an artist's interpretation of that atmosphere", "is achingly beautiful and masterfully composed", "beautiful to look at", "bizarre locations, kinetic music, and subtle sound shifts", "an effective horror film", "a compelling exercise in visceral, supernatural fear", "passionate, hellacious", "simply creates nightmares and waits for you to surrender", "experience unrelenting dread on a basic, primal level", "(a) cinematic classic. Suspiria is a brilliant, unique, and disturbing motion picture. It is not to be missed"

Slant Magazine, Ed Gonzalez - "4 (out of 4) stars" "deliriously artificial horror film", "Argento's visuals actively evoke a fairy tale fantastique, engaging and toying with the Technicolor glory of Disney's (animated) version of Snow White", "The delirious Goblin composition that accompanies the film's opening scene brings to mind the sounds of a little girl's ballerina music box", "fabulous and detailed engagement and reworking of fairy tale motifs. The film's opening "once upon a time" giddily anticipates the nasty folktale that follows", "psychedelic terror", "Every single image is ravishingly beautiful"

Zombie Keeper - "3 (out of 4)" "this is Argento's best film. The sets used here are stunning and are the best I've seen in any of his films. The incredible use of lighting throughout the film is also second to none. The reds, greens, and blues all give the film its eerie atmosphere. Performances by the cast members are also very solid", "nerve-wracking", "I recommend (to) others"

Mondo Digital - "a glorious celebration of cinematic style as an instrument to terrorize", "Suspiria is a difficult experience to forget. Apart from its secured status as one of the most visually ravishing horror films, Suspiria stops at nothing to keep the audience in its grip", "the pleasure lies in the bizarre little sideroads it takes along the way, offering up a seemingly boundless array of nasty delights at 24 frames per second", "the disorienting air of a nightmare which must simply be accepted in order to enjoy the ride", "anchored by Harper's wonderfully sensitive lead performance", "(an) air of refined, decadent unease, creating a setting in which every well-appointed door and curtain leads to something dark and unspeakable behind it"

The Terror Trap - "Suspiria is his (Argento's) masterpiece. The garish primary colors, masterful camera work and a pounding score by the group Goblin create a truly nightmarish atmosphere", "astounding", "a one of a kind movie experience. Suspiria is really an operatic horror film. It's not to be missed", "creates (an) atmosphere of un-reality, which is really fascinating. The whole effect is one of extreme style in a dream-like state"

Horror DVD's - "I fell completely in love with Suspiria. It is without a doubt a visual masterpiece. Dario Argento makes fantastic use of colors, creating a surreal environment for the viewer. Background colors and, what I consider to be, subliminal images, play a vital role in instilling a sense of fear into the viewer's subconscious. That, along with what is easily the creepiest score ever created, is what separates Suspiria from the standard horror film. Goblin's score in Suspiria is their finest work ever - it creates the perfect nail biting edge-of-your-seat atmosphere for the many suspenseful scenes in the film. I for one, truly become frightened as I watch the film. The reason is simple - Dario Argento's use of these elements is scary. Even during this review I find my heartbeat increasing as I watch the film", "The film also boasts great acting, especially from Jessica Harper", "you'll find yourself engulfed by Suspiria in no time", "Each time you watch the film, you'll notice more and more hidden aspects that make it the classic horror film it has become"


<center>Photo Gallery
(All the widescreen ones are enlargeable- just click)


Director Dario Argento









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[Isidour]

I love Carrie excelent film and even when it isn´t very scary is disturbing(but I have to admit, the dance scene freaked me out)

I never saw suspiria...is it good?