THE DANMAN CAN

I started November off by watching A Nightmare On Elm Street  (1984) (my review here ), so it’s only fitting that I’m (coincidentally) watching another  Wes Craven  film on the last day of the month. I've gone back and forth on ratings for The Hills Have Eyes (1977) over the years but I've settled back on 3 stars.  I've seen  THHE  many times since my introduction some time in the 90s. I've owned the film on DVD, Blu-ray and now 4K UHD. I'm not sure how to categorize Hills —I don't quite consider it a classic but I do appreciate the gritty, low budget quality and there are some truly harrowing moments. There are also, unfortunately, some unintentionally humorous and goofy moments, much like Craven's previous film (not counting the porno he made in between), his disturbing 1972 debut, The Last House On The Left   (though nothing in THHE  is as egregious as TLHOTL ). THHE  is heavily indebted to  The Texas Chain Saw Massacre   (1974) (my review here ) and Cra

The Borrower (1991) is one messy, tonally bizarre film but it’s weird, kinda cool, and has some nice gore courtesy of Kevin Yagher  and team. While watching this movie I kept thinking how it felt like a remnant of the 80s. Then I noticed in the credits that the copyright is from 1989 and that test footage for the film was shot as early as 1987, only a year after John McNaughton ’s previous film, Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer  (my review here ), was released (and also explains why Mädchen Amick has such a small role in a film released after she’d already been in Twin Peaks ).  The Borrower never quite successfully hits its stride, but it’s an interesting sophomore film for McNaughton, after the brutally realistic and downbeat  Henry . Recommended for fans of Repo Man (1984),  Re-Animator  (1985) (my review here ), The Hidden (1987) (my review here ), Street Trash  (1987) (my review here ), and Dead Heat (1988) (my review here ).  John McNaughton Feature Films Ranked

Simply one of the most influential action films and one of the best sequels (that also just edges out its predecessor, my review of which is here )—with one of the most thrilling finales—ever made. George Miller 's  Mad Max 2 (aka The Road Warrior ) (1981) features some of the most insane stunts, frenetic camerawork, badass chases, wildest vehicles, iconic costumes and baddies, and general mayhem of any film. A pivotal part of (and frequent rewatch during) my teenhood, one of my Top 100 Films , and a movie I’ll love ‘til I die.  Mad Max Franchise Films Ranked

Color and ceremony and betrayal and battle. Akira Kurosawa Films Ranked Top 20 Directors

The adult version of Santo In The Treasure Of Dracula (1969), known as  El Vampiro Y El Sexo , was not shown to the public until 2011 after being discovered in a vault of the original production company.  El Vampiro Y El Sexo  is a whacky, Z-grade cheapie featuring copious amounts of bare breasts, zero logic, a kitchen sink approach, Santo wrestling (of course), and a MexiDrac doling out tramp stamps with a big ring. It's a really poorly made film in every regard that plays out like a Scooby-Doo episode (which incidentally first aired the year the “family” version of this film was released) and it’s not "sexy" in the slightest but it sure is fun to laugh at.

Steven Soderbergh  taps once again into the realm of  Elmore Leonard  with 2021's No Sudden Move , a twisty-turny, all-star crime caper filled with fun, backstabbing characters, and just the right amounts of humor and politics. The film is filled with typical stylish Soderbergh cool,  David Holmes delivers another customarily groovy score, and Don Cheadle working with Sodie again is a boon. Recommended for fans of Out Of Sight  (1998), Jackie Brown (1997), and Get Shorty   (1995). You can find my  Steven Soderbergh  Feature Films Ranked  list  here . You can find my  Top 20 Directors  list  here .

Revisiting the Director’s Cut of  Legend  (1985), it’s striking how differently the film plays from the US theatrical version ( review ). The story is largely the same and the edits aren’t always drastically different but  Jerry Goldsmith ’s lush orchestral score dramatically alters the atmosphere and mood of the film.  The longer running time gives Legend more breathing room and in many scenes that proves really effective. The DC has a more timeless quality, and while I am incredibly appreciative that it exists (and likewise love it), I don’t feel that all of the extended/alternate scenes are necessary (nor necessarily make the film better). The extra screen time afforded to the character of Meg Mucklebones, along with some briefly extended moments between (Lord of) Darkness and “Goth Lili” are easily my favorite parts. Having grown up with the US theatrical cut of Legend  though—it’s the version that I am accustomed to, the version that holds a special place in my heart, and the ve

I’m not sure how else to say this, but Ridley Scott ’s vision of fantasy is exactly my taste. In his 1985 film  Legend , he played with character archetypes and genre tropes in a way that is wholly satisfying. I don’t need elaborate back stories for this film, nor would I want them. The 1980s were chock-full of fantasy films (many of which I love) of varying degrees of quality and aimed at both kids and adults alike, but Legend remains perhaps the most underrated and underappreciated one (save for those of us of a very specific age that were introduced to it at just the right moment). Legend is a film that I find impossible to be objective about—and anyway, the older I get, the more I think being objective about art is a lot of BS. This movie, along with  The Dark Crystal  (1982) (my review here ) and The NeverEnding Story (1984), were staples of my childhood and inform who I am to this day. I'll take the darkness and danger of Legend  and The Dark Crystal  over a film like  Laby

While it is undoubtedly not as good as its predecessor (my review here ) and while it definitely retreads a lot of the same ground,  Lamberto Bava ’s 1986 sequel, Demons 2 , is still a lot of fun. It swaps the movie theater setting and hard rock/metal soundtrack of the first film for a high-rise and new wave/goth, respectively. It’s goofier, the f/x aren’t quite as impressive (though the makeup is still quite good), and the characters are even dumber, but returning DOP’s Gianlorenzo Battaglia ’s cinematography is effectively moody and Demons 2 is an enjoyable (often hilarious) little slice of 80s horror that makes a great double feature with the original. 

Demons  (1985),  Lamberto Bava ’s amped-up riff on 1978's  Dawn Of The Dead  (my review here ) is short on logic, full of gooey gore galore, and endlessly entertaining. For maximum enjoyment: unplug your brain, soak up the sumptuous cinematography, and bang your head to the soundtrack, as  Sergio Stivaletti 's practical f/x melt your eyeballs. 

I used to own Duel To The Death  (1983) on DVD and I remembered it being awesome, but it’s honestly even more awesome than I recalled. I am thrilled to own the film on Blu-ray (from a 2K restoration from the original film elements), thanks to Eureka Entertainment . Kickass fights, ninjas (and not just ninjas, but ninjas burrowing in sand, ninjas becoming invisible, ninjas flying through the air horizontally, kamikaze ninjas, multiple ninjas joining together to form a giant ninja, and a naked female ninja!), gravity-defying stunts, bold camerawork, a bombastic synth-heavy score—this contemplative, operatic, at times surreal wuxia  has it all. Even in its most ridiculous, inexplicable moments, it’s almost never goofy and even when it is, it’s still really fun. DTTD  provides a perfect bridge between the Lone Wolf And Cub series and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon  (2000), marrying the exploitation and far out qualities of the former and the grace and polish of the latter. A total blast

A cool little tribute to Mr. Vampire (1985) and its sequels (and featuring some of the same cast), Rigor Mortis  (2013) tones down the comedy and amps up the pathos. RM has some evocative imagery, heavy drama, intriguing characters, and solid action, but I still found the storyline to be a touch hard to follow and the film uses a bit too much CGI for my tasters. The  jiangshi  (hopping corpses from Chinese folklore that resemble both vampires and zombies) are very interesting though and it's piqued my interest in checking out  Mr. Vampire .

It's the 16th day of the month and it's been three months since the last  DB Mix   was posted, so we've got two killer new mixes for you! Read on to be seduced by the sounds of  DB Mix Series 12 – Animal Magic ! For those unfamiliar with these music challenges—my cousin Bryan and I alternately choose a concept, we each choose the allotted number of songs (from our MP3 collections), make a playlist, share with each other, then I mix the playlists, design the album art, and share with everyone! You can check out the previous  DB Mixes  here . The concept this time was chosen by me—22 songs with animal names in the titles. The rules I set were as follows:  - Any kind of animal is allowed—mammals, birds, insects, fish, etc. - Each animal name can only be used once. - Scientific versions of names of animals are allowed, as well as common names, slang, and foreign names. - Any genre of music is allowed and soundtrack/score songs are allowed, as are songs from singles/EPs. - Use o

Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy   (2010) is an exhaustingly comprehensive (4-hour) documentary that incorporates almost every major participant in the  Nightmare On Elm Street  franchise . Every time I watch it I am reminded of how this is my favorite horror series for many reasons and how I enjoy the backstories on the making of these films almost as much as the films themselves. NSA  does a great job of being honest—rather than just have the interviewees gush over each other, they actually acknowledge the shortcomings of each film. This doc also reinforces the fact I can always find aspects of even the lesser entries to appreciate. A must watch for every true  Freddy  fan. You can find my reviews of the  NOES  films  here ,  here ,  here ,  here ,  here ,  here ,  here , and  here . You can find my  Nightmare On Elm Street Films Ranked  list  here . 

Following many years of development ,   Freddy Vs. Jason   (2003) arrived nine years after the previous (non-canonical)  NOES  entry,  New Nightmare  (which saw  Wes Craven  return to the franchise), and two years after the previous  Friday The 13th  entry, Jason X  (one dumb film). Chronologically, FVJ takes place after 1991's  Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare  and 1993's  Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday .  I saw FVJ  in the theater when it was released and I remember having a blast with it then—there was definitely a lot of buzz surrounding the film. I was in my early 20s at the time and I recall being very excited for it, to the point of wearing my  Freddy  glove and a fedora at the screening I attended. A co-worker of mine wore a Jason mask as well and it was fun to root for our "team." The film ended up being the highest grossing of either franchise.  I've seen FVJ  a number of times since then and it really shows its age now (it's such an ea

A mere three years after  Freddy Krueger  was (supposedly) killed off in  Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare , Wes Craven  returned to the franchise (ten years after his original film was released and seven years after he wrote the story for the  third  film ) with the (non-canonical) New Nightmare . This would be the last NOES  movie for a full nine years until  Freddy vs. Jason  appeared in 2003 .  Overall I don’t find  NN  to be quite as great as many fans feel it is but I do like it a lot, my favorite aspect being the returning focus on the character of  Nancy Thompson . I don't always tend to go for meta horror but Wes did a nice job with it here, before he mined that well again (very successfully, financially) with  Scream  (my review here ) two years later. Heather Langenkamp  (who was still only 29 when this film was made) is at her best here—radiant, fiery, and delivering an excellent performance. I don't tend to be a fan of children in peril in horror films (I pr

I'm pretty sure that I saw Dr. Giggles   (1992) when it first hit home video, but it's entirely possible that I just watched the trailer enough times to convince myself that I had seen the film. I remember the poster being everywhere as well. If I had seen DG , I basically forgot most of it. What a blast this movie is though, especially with the right audience. Giggles  jumps right into the action with no build-up (honestly I love when films do that). Crammed with more medical puns (some of which fall flat but most of which are a delight) than should be considered legal, DG  ticks every box on the Horror 101 checklist—it's a veritable slasher tropefest.  Larry Drake  plays the titular character and he plays it with relish. He just seems to understand the essence of this material and goes to town with it (and he delivers on those giggles, let me tell you). Director Manny Coto  does a more than competent job of satisfying expectations (mine, anyway) for a low budget horror f

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) is a frustrating sequel for a number of reasons. It has some cool ideas and a few great set pieces but it's an uneven film. I commend director Rachel Talalay (who had been involved in the  Nightmare On Elm Street  franchise  in various capacities since the very beginning) for attempting to make a unique entry that does its own thing, but the outcome is a mixed bag. Her work with John Waters shows through as an influence, along with Twin Peaks  (1990–1991), which is name-dropped. Freddy 's appearance this go-around is too polished for my tastes—it comes off looking like a mask rather than appliances. In the Freddy scenes  Robert Englund  is solid, but it feels like he's going through the motions more often than not. His one-liners are lacking and he cackles just a bit too much. In the flashback scenes however, he gets a bit more to work with and those provide some of the best moments of the film. I quite enjoy Englund sans mak

The enjoyment that one gets out of watching  New York Ninja (2021) is as much from marveling over the labor of love that rescued this 1984 film from obscurity (more on that here ) as it is from the ridiculousness of the film itself. NYN  is a whole lot of fun, the dubbing is very well done, and the score by Voyag3r  (a band I’ve long been a fan of) is exceptional. The strive for authenticity in every facet of this project shines in the outcome. Thank you Vinegar Syndrome , thank you Kurtis Spieler , and thank you John Liu . For fans of  Ninja III: The Domination  (1984) (my review here ),  Miami Connection   (1987), and  Revenge Of The Ninja   (1983) (my review here ).

A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989) was, in this viewer’s opinion, the start of the decline of the  Nightmare On Elm Street  franchise . It's a shame because, even though the series was mostly playing it for laughs at this point, the previous sequel, The Dream Master ,  was still quite good.  The Dream Child  doesn't really attempt to scare its audience, which is a waste because there are certainly dark themes to be found here. ANOES5  has some of the most striking visuals of the whole series—thanks to some excellent production design—yet some shots look really cheap and more than a little cheesy. It's also kind of a dull movie overall with pretty uninteresting characters. Director  Stephen Hopkins  had a hand at another sequel the following year— Predator 2   (my review here )—and that one turned out a lot better. ANOES5  starts out promisingly enough and the kills are very fun and imaginative (even while they are incredibly silly)— KNB EFX Group  did a gr

1988: the year  Freddy Krueger  became a pop culture phenomenon.  Robert Englund  received top billing in A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master , which became the highest-grossing film in the  Nightmare On Elm Street  franchise  in the United States until the release of Freddy vs. Jason  in 2003. There was a (cheesy as hell) one hour MTV tie-in special . Freddy's likeness was on all sorts of merchandise.  The Fat Boys  had a song in the end credits of  NOES4  (but not on the soundtrack), " Are You Ready For Freddy ," and an accompanying music video —starring Englund, who also raps on the track (he had previously appeared in  Dokken 's " Dream Warriors " music video for the prior sequel ). DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince wrote their own (better) song about Freddy, " A Nightmare On My Street ," which was submitted but rejected by the producers for inclusion in ANOES4 —and the once long-lost (and great)  video for resurfaced in 2018. On

The French Dispatch (2021), Wes Anderson 's ode to journalism (via the likes of  Harold Ross , James Baldwin , and more), draws inspiration from (and pays homage to) sources as varied as Jacques Tati , The Adventures Of Tintin , Jean-Pierre Melville , Serge Gainsbourg , and Henri-Georges Clouzot , just to name a few. In typical Anderson fashion, TFD  features an enormous ensemble of famous actors (many of whom have worked with him before), but it also spends a healthy amount of time with a select few charming characters ( Benicio Del Toro , Frances McDormand , and Jeffrey Wright being standouts).  Split into three main stories plus a wraparound, TFD is incredibly dense (even for Anderson), both on the visual and storytelling front. Most of the amazing design, tongue-twisting dialogue, visual effects, animation, and information zips by at lightning pace. And yet there are some slower, more drawn out moments that really shine as well.  Alexandre Desplat  delivers another wonderful