From us to you.
What,When or wherever you're Haunting...The PictureHouse hopes you all manage to have a Ghoulishly Good Time!
Happy Halloween 🎃
10 Days Of Halloween: 5
Frankenstein:
Following the obsessed scientist Dr. Henry Frankenstein as he attempts to create life by assembling a creature from body parts of the deceased. Aided by his loyal misshapen assistant, Fritz, Frankenstein succeeds in animating his monster, but it escapes into the countryside and begins to wreak havoc. Frankenstein searches for the elusive being and eventually must confront his tormented creation.
There's no other collection of films that screams "Spooky Season" quite like the Black & White classic Universal Monster movies! So this year I've chosen my all time favourite of the bunch. Boasting stellar performances by Karloff & Clive,grand sets,all the hightned acting anyone could dream of,some of the greatest creature make up & designs,oozing with atmosphere & full of heart. Frankenstein is genuinely one of the greatest pieces of creature feature cinema thats ever been created...
As the cold air creeps around your homes and specters rise from their crypts Frankenstein is the perfect choice to make anyone's Spookie Season feel ALIVE!!!!
Jack 🎃
Well here it is folks the reveal of our final Trick or Treat.
31 🎃 10
For those who've been asking yes its coming and we're happy we can finally give you that answer.
It's been an incredibly long time coming and we still have a lot to get through leading upto the big day.But we hope you'll be there when that time comes.
We just want to say a massive thank you again to those who've supported us this far.
It genuinely means a lot and we're focused on giving you all the best we have...
Jack 🎃
Nikita 🔪
Hellraiser:
Hellraiser tends to go unnoticed by the larger Horror landscape. Apart from its central villain It just doesn't fit in. It's rich with mythology,blurs lines and deals with concepts we could only dream to imagine. But sadly Clive Barker's masterpiece has been used,abused & bastardised for years. The Lament Configuration finally has a new owner but does David Bruckner's adaption offer pleasure or pain?
The love,admiration and respect Bruckner has for the franchise oozes in every frame. It's clear that he's set out to get this nightmare back to its roots and my god it touches the soul to see the Cenobites are finally in good hands.
Everyone is at the top of their game. The cinematography is stellar,the imagery is perfection,costumes/designs (although I still prefer the black leather) are beautifully grotesque & the score is the best concoction of the old weaved into something new.
There's very little I could complain about. The run time starts to hang 90 minutes in,the script could have been trimmed down in places and some heightened moments do become draining but really I'd just be nitpicking.
There's one piece to the puzzle that absolutely deserves to be spoken about however. The Hellpriest herself Jamie Clayton. She has a beautiful stillness to her performance. She waits for her pray with sadistic patience,every line is said with ease,every movement is calculated and her presence is mesmerising. She adds such gravitas to not only the role but the film itself.
So if you're looking for something different to watch over the Spooky season Bruckner's respectful love letter to Barkers twisted universe will have such sights to show you.
But hey give it a go and see how you feel about it.
Jack 🎃
Werewolf By Night:
I've grown very tired of Marvel's output of late. The mass of "content" being shovelled on our screens has become rather tedious to witness. But the announcement of Werewolf By Night peaked my interest. I was intrigued to see if the factory filmmaking powerhouse could produce something that appears to be an authentic homage to classic Horror of yesteryear.
Classic films hold a special place in my heart. Some of my earliest memories are curled up with my grandparents endulging in Black & White cinema. The look,the feel,the fuzziness of old microphones are all things that inspire a burst of nostalgic energy inside me. Although apathetic at this point I was willing to give Disney one more chance.
For the most part Werewolf By Night will play incredibly well to the MCU faithful. It has the tone,jokes,flare & feel that they know & love but for myself I was left rather disappointed. Majoroty of the Black & White felt very synthetic,the lack of full commitment to the visual aesthetic became irritating,the bulk of the story goes nowhere,the unnecessary humour is tiresome and the absence of orchestral silence was deafening.
I'm clearly not the intended audience for this regardless of what they're homaging. Admittedly im too close to this style of film and have a very set vision of what it should be. But made for me or not the positives absolutely should be praised.
Gael García Bernal brings a beautiful quietness to his character layered with subtleties & nuance perfectly separating the man from the beast whilst intricately linking the two at the same time. Harriet Sansom Harris a villain anyone could dream to have masterfully chews every inch of scenery and flawlessly carries close to every moment she's present.
The violence is surprisingly aplenty, atmosphere,camera work and lighting is expertly executed within its final act and the titular werewolf looks phenomenal!
Overall I feel like this will be the perfect throwback halloween treat for
Jeepers Creepers Reborn:
The early 2000's was a low point for original Horror. But there was one creature feature that stood among a few in the sea of garbage and became a shining example of the decade. Unfortunately for said franchise however it's creator was soon revealed to be as sinister & monstrous as its lead antagonist.
Victor Salva... The ever present & unavoidable stain on the franchise. It's mark isn't so easily scrubbed away no matter how hard we try. But I do believe that Jeepers Creepers can have a chance to grow & thrive without him but after this recent release maybe withering away into obscurity like it's creator is the right path to take.
Let's get right to the point.
Jeepers Creepers Reborn is a f**king travesty!!!
Its budget is pissed up the wall for the majority of this flick and even when its used well it doesnt present anything worthwhile. It lacks any redeemable qualities and should be studied as a masterclass of how not to make a movie. Its dull,lacks any impact,nothing happens,its "plot" is nonsensical,its characters lack humanity & by the end I was begging for the credits to roll.
It's biggest failure is the Creeper himself. Hidden away behind his gaffa tape covered hat & battered coat is a roaring monster in a budget Spirit Halloween costume. Lacking any charm,character,nuance & threat Johnathan Breck beautifully put forward in the originals.
When its clear that the studio doesn't care then why should we? Watching paint dry would be a far more productive use of your time. I doubt even lovers of bad movies could get a chuckle out of this one.
But hey give it a go and see how you feel about it.
Jack.
Hocus Pocus 2:
29 years ago children of the 80's & 90's were gifted a Halloween movie treat. A movie so beloved it became a holiday tradition for many. As this cooky little picture grew in popularity three icons were born.The child hungry Sanderson Sisters... And yes Boils & Ghouls the Witches are finally back but is the long awaited sequel just a bunch of hocus pocus?
Fortunately Disney have delivered a faithful entry that tries it's damndest to capture the heart & soul of its all singing all dancing predecessor. But try as they might catching lightning in a bottle a second time may have proven to be a far more difficult task than they'd hoped.
As a whole part 2 is a fun family friendly flick. It lives and breathes everything the gateway subgenre should. Its charming,there's plenty of laughs,it captures the halloween spirit and it treds the line of what's acceptable for kids perfectly. It's still something that's very much needed when it comes to Horror.
This is how you bring classic characters back! The villainous siblings are on fire! (Especially Bette Midler) They may be older but it feels like they've never been apart.The new cast is great too but unfortunately they do become overshadowed when the two groups share space. However it does have a few problems. It drags towards its finale,the run time needs to be trimmed down,the overall aesthetic feels a little manufactured and it suffers from its made for TV trappings.
It may not feel as impactful as the original but rather than dwell on what it could have been I enjoyed it for what it is. A Hocus Pocus for a new generation to cherish & pass down for the years to come.
If you want something fun and full of heart to watch with the family this Halloween season then Hocus Pocus 2 will absolutely put a spell on you.
But hey give it a go and see how you feel about it.
Jack.
Happy Spooktober everyone!
Rejoice the Spooky season is finally upon us!
This is the busiest time of year for us so there will be plenty of Tricks & Treats to fill your feeds.
In the next coming days we'll post our run down of what to expect from us this year with plenty of things to get your horror hearts beating.
Followed by a bonus review for Hocus Pocus 2 later on today.
Hope you all have a fantastic weekend.
All the best
Jack.
Rob Zombie's The Munsters:
When it comes to Horror Rob Zombie is a name that for some is accompanied by a groan. He's a divisive film maker but one things for certain he's absolutely made his mark on the landscape.
One of my biggest love's is The Munsters. It holds a very warm place in my heart and its clear that it does too for Zombie. But admiring something doesn't necessarily mean that you should be handed the keys to that property.
The Munsters is obviously a deep rooted passion project for Rob. The sets are beautifully intricate,the costumes are a stunning highlight and the makeup is perfectly recreated but as for everything else? It's a bit of a mess. It all just feels a bit off. The laughs don't really land,tonally its all over the place,the run time drags,the score is dull and the narrative doesnt really go anywhere. It just feels like a waste of time.
Everyone is clearly trying. The trio are acting their hearts out (Daniel Roebuck being the clear stand out) and I wouldn't say the casting is wrong either. They know what they're doing and there's moments where things fit into place but there just isnt enough for them to plant their feet into these roles completely.
I genuinely believe that the final act should have been its start point. The moment they leave Transylvania a far more compelling story arises that Zombie could have really poured his heart and soul into being a somewhat industry outcast. But by the time that happens the movie has far outlived it's welcome and I was crying out for it to end.
The Munsters (with a few more rewrites & several passes through comedy creatives) could have been something genuinely special but sadly it lacks the charm of the original series.
I desperately wanted to love this movie. it's not the worst flick out there but I really don't know who it was made for.
But hey give it a go and see how you feel about it.
Jack.
