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 A scene from John Carpenter's 'Halloween' |
Prepare for a scare: Halloween arrives Friday. To mark the occasion, we look at selected horror DVDs freshly risen from the dead.
But, first, what drives the hunger for horror? "I believe that the desire to be frightened is as universal as the desire to be loved," author-filmmaker Clive Barker rasps in the documentary, Halloween: 25 Years of Terror. "We want to take the journey."
Montreal filmmaker Maurice Devereaux -- whose excellent horror DVD, End of the Line, debuted this month -- tells Sun Media that the horror genre feeds people's hunger in a primal, yet entertaining way.
"To equate horror films with roller coasters or jumping out of planes, why would people want to have a rush of adrenalin? I guess it's because it's fun! It's a way to live high emotions but in a safe context.
"If you look at most audiences for horror films, usually you'll hear screams followed shortly thereafter by laughter and smiles because of the fact that they had just been scared. So it's part of a fun film-going experience, even if some films can actually be tough going. Yet it is still something that will hit buttons and get your blood moving and the heart beating a little faster."
We look at a few of the new DVDs that tantalize and terrorize:
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End of the Line (released Oct. 14): Writer-director Devereaux plunges us into madness in the Toronto subway as religious cultists run amok. Working on a higher plane than most, his slick if low-budget movie adroitly provides suspense, gore and social satire. The widescreen-only DVD arrives fully loaded, including a commentary and a making-of called A Splatter of Faith.
Halloween: 30th Anniversary Commemorative Set (Oct. 14): John Carpenter's 1978 scarefest, Halloween, is the mother of the modern horror movie. Much copied but rarely matched, his legendary indie title introduced boogeyman Michael Myers and changed forever the nature of All Hallows Eve. This six-disc, widescreen-only set recycles three Halloween movies -- the original plus Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers -- and adds unique treats. Included is the Halloween Blu-ray disc, along with the standard version.
You also get that 2005 documentary, Halloween: 25 Years of Terror. As an independent film, it covers the history of the franchise, good and bad, without hype. Throughout, it shows how greed distorts creativity. But, as Carpenter says: "Much like the killer himself, Halloween seems never to die!" The prize in the box, besides the cool way the DVDs flip out, is a collectible. Stare at Myers' miniature latex mask and you can see its William Shatner/Star Trek influences. Oooh, that's creepy!
Zombie Strippers: Unrated Special Edition (Oct. 28): Weird. American Jay Lee put Robert Englund (without finger knives) in the same movie as porn star Jenna Jameson -- and she scores as the superior actor! Overall, the title is better than what lurks inside as strippers turn into zombies and devour lapdance clients. As club manager, Englund is embarrassingly unwatchable while chewing up scenery and dialogue. For fans of the stupidly ridiculous, the widescreen-only DVD has plenty of extras.
Jack Brooks Monster Slayer (Oct. 7): Canadian Jon Knautz's kooky, made-in-Ottawa movie is awkward, yet also wildly funny and gory. It also features Englund. This time, the horror legend is good as a demon-possessed professor who starts eating his students. With a hint of Bruce Campbell, Trevor Matthews plays the title character, a man with anger management issues who finally finds his calling. The widescreen-only DVD has great extras.
bruce.kirkland@sunmedia.ca