Come Out And Play - Lisa's Review

This is a remake of the original Who Can Kill A Child? which we have already reviewed as part of 'Beyond Nasty'.  While we both enjoyed the original movie (read the review above for the premise), I have to say for me at least, this movie falls very far short.

Quite often you see a remake and think.... why?  What was the point in that?  Sometimes you hear a movie is going to be remade and you think... it may be ok, I'll give it a chance.  I was in the latter camp, having enjoyed the original but not having put it on some kind of pedestal, that the idea of a remake would have been abhorrant.

Sooo, why was I unimpressed?  Well the remake added nothing at all, so I struggle with the need for a remake.  As far as I could see, the only difference was a few more graphic images, which ironically were not as strong as the lack of a clear view in the original.  Images include the repeated stabbing and pelting with rocks of an elderly man who is being dragged through the street by his feet.  This ends with a rock being dropped on his head from a great height.  In the original movie, the old guy was actually used as a piñata by the kids and although the images were nowhere near as graphic, to me it seemed more sadistic and twisted to be using someone as an actual plaything.

We also see the body of a young woman which has had its faced pretty well caved in and its abdomen cut open and most of its contents removed.  The children are playing with the body and seem to have no squeamishness at all.  One girl actually wears severed fingers and ears as a necklace.

Maniac - Will's Review

So a slasher this week - Yay! I do love me a slasher!

A very atypical one though; Maniac avoids the conventions of following a group of potential victims (a la FT13th, Elm Street) or even one stand out victim (a la Halloween), instead we follow the killer; but even for that, this isn't a "hero killer" movie, not do we understand his motives (beyond "he's crazy") for quite a while.

On the subject of his crazy, the insanity is brilliantly written and acted - this is no hammed up 'conversations with himself' insanity; this is real non-linear crazy.

As he nails each of his latest victims' scalp to a mannequin (which is his MO) he does have a habit if conversing with himself, but he switches sides of the conversation rapidly; there is no 'call and return' preformed by two distinct personalities, just a jumble of thoughts that bleed into one another. At times these little monologues genuinely unnerving, not because if any particular content, but because you could easily believe them as the ramblings of a madman.

I also found the level of remorse interesting; at times he would seem genuinely sorry for his killings, even while performing them.

It's a shame then, that the story is so straight forward, and the killings so bland; well executed (by FX maestro Tom Savinni) but dull. The only real stand-out death being when Savinni himself (appearing simply because he already cad a cast of his own head) is shot in the head, causing his head to explode in a spectacularly over the top fashion.

There are some nice quasi-supernatural parts near the end, but they aren't enough to rescue the movie.

Despite a great performance from the lead, I found the whole affaire to be a little slow; I can see why this one has been re-made.

I enjoyed it well enough, but can't recommend it due to the pace.

Maniac - Lisas Review

***SPOILERS***

Back with a familiar feel this week.  This weeks movie felt like we were back on our Beyond Nasty challenge again.  Is that a bad or good thing I hear you ask?  Well, neither kinda..... this is one of those films that pass an hour and a half and you don't think its bad enough to slate, but at the same time you're left feeling kinda 'meh' about it.  I don't want to be too unkind about this movie as it actually wasn't too bad, but I can't help but feel Joe Spinnell is more deserving of better material... unfortunate that he actually wrote 'Maniac'.

So our premis here is a middle aged, chunky, single man (Frank) living in New York.  Its shown pretty much from the getgo that he's a bit of a freak.  We are shown that he murders young women, scalps them and then places the scalp on a mannequins in his appartment.  He has several mannequins, obviously hinting that he is a seasoned serial killer.  After several nights of sleeping with his new scalp adorned mannequins.  He goes out to find a new victim.

We are also made aware that he has a bit of a mother complex.  His mum was a nasty piece of work who died in a car accident.  Frank isn't quite ready to accept mummy dearest has gone so he seems to think each of the mannequins IS his mother, having full, allbeit one-sided conversations with her.

Silent Night, Deadly Night - Lisa's Review

*** SPOILERS ***

I'll be quick this week as we have a house full of lurgy, a migrane ridden husband and a sick child.

I'm torn yet again with what I thought about this weeks movie.  I can definately see the appeal to the masses.  It's a typical 80's slasher movie.  Young boy (Billy) witnesses a tragedy that is the murder of his parents and rape of his mother by a criminal dressed as Santa Claus (who he already has a fear of Santa anyway following a rather sinister conversation with his 'supposedly' catatonic grandfather in a home - who it turns out is far from catatonic).  This leaves him and his brother Ricky as orphans.  This already warped young mind is further twisted by nuns in the orphanage where he is placed.  Evil catholic nuns is a favourite in horrors.

As an adult, for reasons best known to himself, Billy ends up working in a toy store. For a boy/young man who has such a problem with Santa/Christmas its possibly not the best choice of career.  Predictably he ends up having to stand in for the store Santa and spends the day scaring the bejezus out of all the kids.

Here Billys killing spress starts after he witnesses the girl he thinks he is in love with that he works with getting off with someone else.. another horror staple for pushing the guy over the edge.  There is plenty of opportunity for topless women, another staple.... you can see why I'm not jumping up and down about this one....