THE DANMAN CAN

" Perhaps you had better start from the beginning. " It's funny to think that 1957's  The Curse Of Frankenstein ,  Hammer 's first color horror film , first in their  Frankenstein  series, and the film that helped establish their horror legacy, was considered  very  gory in its day and received an X rating when originally released.  TCOF  is a strong update of the  1931 Universal version  ( review ), with plenty of gothic flavor, wonderfully moody and meticulous lighting, beautiful cinematography and costumes, and excellent performances from  Peter Cushing  (as the further and further unhinged titular character) and  Christopher Lee  (as The Creature ). Terence Fisher Films Ranked

The Andromedan Strain Yorgos Lanthimos Feature Films Ranked

Tragic, traumatic, terrifying, terrific. "Faster and faster." David Lynch Feature Films Ranked Top 20 Directors My Criterion Top 10 [Vol. 4]

"My face frightens me. My mask frightens me even more." Georges Franju Feature Films Ranked

Akira Kurosawa 's High And Low (1963) is like main character Kingo Gondo's ( Toshirō Mifune ) ideal shoe: comfortable, durable, yet stylish (and also: gripping, procedural, yet dynamic). Akira Kurosawa Films Ranked Top 20 Directors

I remember thinking when I first saw A History Of Violence twenty years ago when it was released in theaters that this was a more straightforward David Cronenberg . That's intentional in the design. While it feels more like a studio film than any other Cronenberg film, it's definitely still a Cronenberg film—the bursts of violence, the beautiful Howard Shore score, the rich Peter Suschitzky  cinematography, that last scene (and last shot). It's just more subdued.  AHOV  is a very good film and it rewards rewatches. It's funnier than I remembered. Viggo Mortensen  is good,  Maria Bello is really good. I never realized before how much of  John Ford 's (and  Clint Eastwood 's  Unforgiven  (1992) ( review )) influence hangs over this one as well—violent pasts, identity, the myth of the idyllic American dream. Still, something has always felt missing. Several of the situations feel a bit too contrived. The accents are a bit too forced. I like t...

 This cheese is so thick, you need a double-edged sword to cut it. Deathstalker Franchise Films Ranked

"If you ride like lightning, you're gonna crash like thunder." Derek Cianfrance Feature Films Ranked

Back To The Future Part III  (1990) was a blast right from its release. Filmed simultaneously with  Back To The Future Part II   (1989) ( review ) and released six months later, it's amazing how different the two films are. I still give them the same star rating, but, much like the  Indiana Jones  franchise , the third film is my second favorite of the series (my review of the first film  here ).  BTTF III  is simply a ton of fun, has the best action sequences of the three, and the most exciting finale of the  BTTF  series . It's also the most romantic without being overly sappy ( Christopher Lloyd  and  Mary Steenburgen  really shine in that regard). For fans of the genre, the film plays with Western tropes (including some nice homages to classics) in a very pleasing way without being too serious  or  too goofy about it.  Michael J. Fox  is, as always, the perfect lynchpin to the series. Addi...

Four years after  Back To The Future   ( review ) became an international phenomenon, its sequel,  Back To The Future Part II   (1989), was released. It's always been the whackiest, most over-the-top entry in the  BTTF  franchise , but for that I love it.  BTTF II  brought us through three timelines (1985, 2015, and 1955) via clever writing, including an entertaining revisit to events that transpired in the first film. Though silly at times, the gags, visual effects, production design, makeup, and costumes are incredibly inventive and fun. The characters' interactions with their other timeline selves is a joy. As an amped-up sequel that dared to be different,  BTTF II  is  admirable for its audacity and remains a treat. Robert Zemeckis Feature Films Ranked

Forty years ago,  Back To The Future   was unleashed on audiences and an instant classic was born. Despite some problematic elements and despite some logical flaws, I still consider the film a masterpiece (and one of my  Top 100 Films ). It's endlessly fun, rewatchable, and quotable.  Michael J. Fox  as Marty McFly is the picture of effortless charisma.  Christopher Lloyd  as Dr. Emmett Brown is a lovable weirdo.  Robert Zemeckis ' direction hits all the right beats.  Dean Cundey 's cinematography is legendary.  Alan Silvestri 's score is rousing and instantly recognizable.  Huey Lewis And The News ' songs are slices of  pop   perfection .  Drew Struzan 's poster is iconic.  BTTF  raked in box office and for good reason—it's the definition of blockbuster entertainment and, like a sizable portion of the human population, I love it dearly. Zemeckis (who has final rights to the films in the  BTTF...

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) ( review ) 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 ...

Salvador (1986) is chaotic and a bit muddled, in the same way that some other  Oliver Stone  films are, but here his gonzo guerrilla style fits the subject matter.  James Woods ' character, based on journalist  Richard Boyle , is portrayed as kind of a scumbag (which is fitting), but I'm okay with imperfect protagonists, and there is a sense of realism to many of the scenes. Oliver Stone Feature Films Ranked

Horny low budget barbarian bullshit. Not terribly good but still pretty fun and occasionally very funny. Sword and sorcery? More like Swiss and Sartori. Deathstalker  Franchise Films Ranked

In my previous review of Adrian Lyne 's Jacob's Ladder (1990), I wrote that it's a beautiful and creepy film that ought to be held in higher regard. 10 years later, I believe the picture has found its audience and its appreciation has risen. I also previously mentioned that the movie deserved better treatment (visual/supplemental) on Blu-ray and, thankfully, that has come to fruition (the recently released 4K UHD features a great transfer and a slew of new and archival extras). JL  is filled with fantastic performances, unsettling effects, lush cinematography, brilliant editing, and a gorgeous score. The film has plenty of moments of terror and psychological horror, but at its heart it's a moody and meditative thriller. I love its languid pace, surreal atmosphere, and melancholic quality. Recommended for fans of  Angel Heart   (1987) ( review ),  The Exorcist III  (1990) ( review) ,  The Silence Of The Lambs   (1991) ( review ), and  S...

 Super dumb and totally awesome. A  Kostanski  joint through and through. Steven Kostanski Feature Films Ranked Deathstalker  Franchise Films Ranked

Trauma, hallucinations, gaslighting, cabals. Francesco Barilli 's The Perfume Of The Lady In Black (1974) hit me a lot harder on this rewatch. Mimsy Farmer is stunningly beautiful and plays unhinged exceptionally well. The cinematography and production design is sumptuous. The score is wonderfully melancholic. A somber and singular giallo (more of a psychological thriller). Recommended for fans of  Rosemary's Baby   (1968) ( review ),  Repulsion   (1965) , and  Short Night Of Glass Dolls  (1971) ( review ). Giallo Feature Films   Ranked

The  Weirdo Wednesday Podcast  had the honor of guesting on the  When Scary Met Stabby Podcast  to discuss Robert Fuest 's The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) ( review )! Read on... Schlocktobermess rolls along! We're joined this week by fellow regional horror enthusiasts from the hosts of the Weirdo Wednesday Podcast,  Uncle Spooky ,  Demented Danman , and  Lil Spooky , as we dive into a very fun slice of '70s Vincent Price action. Come to hear us talk about a really fun horror comedy that's as fun to look at as it is to watch, and stay to hear us discuss such topics as new band names, the badassery that is Vulnavia, and perhaps maybe we even discover just who was phone! Listen to When Scary Met Stabby Podcast: Season Five, Episode Three here . In the Massachusetts area? Check out WW every week at  Cinema Salem  at 7:30pm (tickets  here )! Additionally, check listings for Freakout Fridays at  The Owl Theatre  in Lowel...

A surreal gothic fever dream.  Werner Herzog 's visuals are painterly poetic,  Klaus Kinski is suitably unsettling, Isabelle Adjani is breathtakingly frantic, and Popol Vuh 's score is moodily sublime. Werner Herzog Films Ranked