Howdy horrorphiles! Ratty here to deliver the fantastic (well, it's not really dramatic) conclusion to my top 10 list. This is a list of memorable performances by women in horror films, in every case I feel these actresses were pivotal in the transcendence these movies make from the status quo into the mighty realm of the classic. With these next 5 titles, I am venturing into the world of foreign films, by this I mean anywhere but Hollywood.
Once again these come in no "order" of merit, for they are all essential viewing, and to me they highlight the importance of a convincing performance when dealing in the currency of terror. Here we go!
Cécile De France in Haute Tension
Haute Tension is probably still my favorite horror film made this century. Alexandre Aja's debut film was a flagship in the new trend of "high impact violence" in horror films, and was poorly emulated time and time again by Hollywood in the following years. It was spared a remake, but re-released in the USA under the awful title Switchblade Romance.Cécile De France's flawless performance in a truly multi-dimensional role as both victim and perpetrator shows us vulnerability, fear, strength and pure insanity.
Elizabeth Moody in Braindead (Dead Alive)
Peter Jackson's all time splatter comedy opus will never be topped, the gore sequences are the most inventive and brilliant use of traditional makeup and special effects on a limited budget. But if not for the fantastic performances, this is all we would ever remember. No one who has seen this film could ever deny that Vera is the embodiment of the mother from hell, and that's BEFORE she is infected with the rabid monkey-virus and transforms from the undead into a 20 foot tall monstrosity. Poor Lionel! Jackson also featured Elizabeth Moody in Heavenly Creatures and the first Lord of the Rings film.
Manuela Velasco in REC
First of all, I must say I am not a fan of the hand-held camera style shooting appearing more often in films, it is a fantastic concept but requires extreme skill to be pulled off successfully by both the cameraman and the actors, and of course in most cases (Blair Witch, Cloverfield, The Last Exorcism) it comes off hokey and noticeably takes away from the enjoyment of the film. To me REC is an exception to the rule, thanks in no small part to the lead role of Angela Vidal, the news reporter who is trapped in a building where an unknown contagion is sending the residents bonkers. Velasco's beautifully understated performance allowed me the very rare suspension of disbelief I don't usually experience these days.
Nanako Matsushima in Ringu and Ringu 2
The film that started the explosion of Asian horror films that would grab the Western film-goer by the throat; and provide Hollywood with endless poor remake fodder. It also set the iconic "evil little girl with long hair over eyes" as a standard for many other Asian films to emulate, in most cases poorly. It is a truly eerie, harrowing and inventive film, and the fate of the main character Reiko is what leaves the viewer in suspense with every scene, as she tries to uncover the mystery of Sadako's deadly video tape. I include both the original and the sequel, as in my mind they are equally good and should be watched as one story. Matsushima's terror, especially in the well sequences, is convincing enough to chill the blood of any viewer.
Morjana Alaoui, Mylène Jampanoï and Isabelle Chasse in Martyrs
I only watched this film recently, and was blown away. I had heard about how
incredibly graphic and disturbing it was, and like many films I waited for all the
hype to die down a bit, and expertly avoided spoilers so I could watch the film
without someone else's opinion in mind. I did the same thing with A Serbian
Film, which also blew away my high expectations, but to me this is the winner
when it comes to recent shockers. These young women give ridiculously
well crafted performances, I had to end with this example as protest to the
cheesy "Scream Queen" article that started me writing this to begin with. There
is so much screaming in this film, terrifying, awesome, realistic, cringe inducing
screaming.
The film has the unique storyline which makes both female leads main
characters, of course I have included Isabelle Chasse who plays the "creature",
possibly the finest full body makeup job I have seen in any film. This is not
to be missed, brutal, upsetting and perplexing from the first minute to the
explosive conclusion. This is probably the ultimate example of a film which
required extraordinary acting for it to work at all. A triumph.
So there you have it folks, I hope that this reminds you of the tireless efforts
Howdy horrorphiles! It's the Ratman, here once again to deliver a safer injection. Today I have decided to contribute an article in honor of Women in Horror Recognition Month and all the wonderful women that make horror so fantastic and eternal. I have been waiting in the wings this month, but after reading an awful piece listing 10 great "Scream Queens" (a list which seemed to judge its winners by how strong an erection they gave the author) I had to create balance in the Force by publishing my own list of 10.
My list is actually about horror films and memorable performances by women in these films. Films that are essential viewing for anyone who appreciates true method acting, and wants to understand just a little about what it might take from within to create moments of true terror. All of these films sit among my all time favorites thanks to such wonderful actresses. So ladies, I tip my hat to thee. There is no order as they are all superb.
Barbara Hershey in The Entity
Whether they liked the film as a whole or not, no critic could ever deny the strength of Barbara Hershey's performance in The Entity. The supposedly true account of a woman who was sexually assaulted by spirits would be laughable without something truly convincing from the lead actress. What we get is just that, Hershey immersed herself in the role of Carla Moran, and lay herself bare for the camera, and I speak not of her clothing. This is a true example of a film that trusted in a stellar performance to make it work.
Shelley Duvall in The Shining
Until I saw The Shining (perhaps the first movie to truly terrify me) I always thought of Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl from the much loved childhood favorite Popeye. A strange parallel can even be made between Olive and The Shining's Wendy, at least in the opening of the film - she is the ultimate submissive, vulnerable and "weak" wife character, dominated by her aggressive husband. Her terrifying ordeal is played out to perfection, leaving most viewers as shaken as Wendy is by Jack's explosion into psychotic violence. This is one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema, in one of the finest horror films ever to be made.
So many thoughts ran back through my head when recalling this film, so many moments and memories and other things connected to this film. Growing up in the 80's, this was a film so talked about, it probably takes the crown as the film I waited longest to actually see. I cannot choose a single performance from a female in this film for the list, in fact all 5 featured roles were delivered wonderfully, including the least developed character of Dana (Dominique Dunn) - after all that happened, it's a shame that some people only got to know this movie through its controversy, rather than its merits.
Sigourney Weaver in Alien
Science Fiction and horror were rarely mixed in equal doses in a film with any success, until Ridley Scott brought us Alien. Female protagonists were rarely the first to pick up the big guns and come to the rescue via serious ass-kicking, until Sigourney Weaver brought us Ellen Ripley. In my opinion, this film is perfect. It has everything I want in a film, and is crafted with the care and design of a formidable list of talent. I can assume almost everyone who will ever read this blog has seen this film many times over. Sigourney Weaver is the ultimate woman, end of story.
Linda Blair in The Exorcist
As this is one of the most written-about films and performances in all of horror, there's really nothing I can say that is original. This performance, along with Jodie Foster's performance in Taxi Driver, should always be seen as the cardinal example of bravery and strength in a performance by a young lady. I could not imagine what went through Linda Blair's mind as she was made up to be the incarnation of the devil, cursing and bleeding and vomiting and screaming her way into the critics' best lists. Though her demonic voice was performed by Mercedes McCambridge, from this footage linked below we can clearly see this young girl is phenomenally good.
I have decided, through my sore back and also for the sake of brevity, to make this a two part feature. Now we have the added element of suspense. Who will take out the next 5 spots on my list? Find out in the next installment (spooky noises)
This is a very short story I wrote yesterday during a particularly strong bout of anxiety. Further proof that we can overcome the strongest symptoms of mental illness and turn the energy into something creative. Hope you like it!
He lay tightly curled on the wet floor, clutching at his own knees as though he were holding onto the branch of a tree, trying to save himself from the raging currents of a flooding river. When he opened his eyes for a moment, they saw nothing but a swirling chaos of images he knew could not be real, unless he had been transported directly into a painting by Salvador Dali or Hieronymus Bosch. He managed to see through this illusory blanket of terror, and focused on the place on the wall where he had pressed the tip of his pen to draw a large eye. The eye was simple in design, but its perfectly round iris held the reflection of all the complexities of madness. The liquid which had ran down the wall, leaving its dark shadowy drips on the surface had long dried. But he had outlined the marks with his pen to form teardrops, the glisten of which looked as though they had just streamed from the eyes of a mother mourning a lost child. The inscription above the permanently wide and weeping eye was still a blur, but he knew just what it said, and just how it looked, and just what it meant. "Sometimes we all need a place to cry" - the advice he had inscribed for no one but himself to see.
The corner of the fire escape was walled in with cheap fibre board, leaving a doorway into a dead corner. His place. The place where his secrets dwelled while he slept, sometimes he felt that they fed themselves on the scraps of rotten food and cigarette butts that littered the floor, growing in their strength and power, ready to invade his shell once it lay shaking on the floor again. They would never be set free from this place, for he would never allow them to see the light of the alley, or the street, or the world, or the universe outside. They would forever be trapped in the black of the ink which was manically applied to the wall by a shaking hand, inside the unblinking prison of the eye, forever waiting. His death was warm, and wrapped around him like a dirty blanket as he closed his eyes for the last time.
Howdy horrorphiles! Ratty here once again, to transport you back to a better time. A time of wonder, discovery and innocence. A time before the shiny dvd came slicing through the available selection of underrated gems and undiscovered masterpieces existing happily within the universe of the Video Home System, like some unwanted Phantasm ball.
It is some time in the late 80's, the end of an era, what I now like to call B.P.H,D.H'E - Before Please Hammer, Don't Hurt'em. (I was all set to make a joke referencing this album, and the fact that to me it spelled the end of the 80's, only to discover quite spookily that it was in fact first released on January 1st, 1990. CUE THEREMIN!)
On a handful of occasions throughout my school years, I got sick. Sometimes, to my absolute delight, I got really sick. Pale green, shivering hot and cold, spraying semi digested spaghetti from both ends sick. Sick enough to have a FEW DAYS off school. Call me Joe Hollywood, but let's cut to the chase. Sick young Ratty at home + parents at work + video store = 10 weeklies for $10.
The best deal around. Ten clamboxes, I could barely carry them home with me in my weakened condition. The wonderful by-product of dollar tapes was the development of my love for B-movies. I was willing to hire out ANYTHING, no matter how bad it looked, and also came to discover that these were the films that always made me feel better. Between watching, vomiting, and rounds of dry toast and flat lemonade, I would always think to myself "I hope I never get better...." Luckily I never did, my sickness for low budget classics and cheesy stinkers prevailed well into adulthood.
So take a stagger down memory alley with me folks, here's ten of the best, ten films I only would have discovered through the magic of serious illness and ten dollar deals. Ten films I still love today.
Food Of The Gods
Giant rats everywhere!!! Filled with wonderfully unconvincing effects and corny lines, this Bert I. Gordon classic had me wondering if I had torn something in my stomach from doubling over with laughter.
THEM!
More giant creatures, this time the ever popular ant invasion theme. This was one of the first 50's alarmist sci fi films I ever watched, and after exploring the genre, I can safely say this is a top pick - sensational stuff, in every sense of the word.
Eat The Rich
This highly underrated black comedy is worth tracking down for so many reasons if you have not seen it - a ridiculous storyline, lots of amazing cameos, and of course Motorhead.
Terrorvision
TOO RUDE! This is absolutely one of the greatest horror comedies of the 80's. Everything about this film is a win for me. I must have watched it at least 5 times the first time I got it out. That's 20c per viewing!
I Bought A Vampire Motorcycle
This incredible low budget British gem is campy, crazy and genuinely funny. Not enough people have seen this film. Go get it at all costs. The talking turd made me feel a bit more human at the time, too, as it looked a little worse than the ones I was pinching.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Take note: This is the greatest thing Disney ever did. They made a horror movie for kids, based on the work of one of the finest writers of all time, with an all star cast. This was a film I rented repeatedly, even after it stopped scaring me. Obviously not a B movie in any way, but needed to be included.
Blood Hook
This still stands as one of my all time favourite Troma releases, and one of the first films I saw which was openly gory but in no way scary, nurturing my love for good splatter comedies.
Curse Of The Cannibal Confederates
Another classic Troma release, and the first hicksploitation zomedy I ever watched. This is B heaven. Terrible performances, butcher shop effects and safety scissors editing. Pure gold, a film which made me want to yick as much as the gastro did.
The Astounding She-Monster
Another 50's monsterpiece, well not so much a monster as a scary looking broad in a silvery jumpsuit. Ooooh, frightening! This movie is so lacking in everything, it must be seen. At the time I was not impressed. I'm still not. But I love it!
The Video Dead
If anyone remembers the fancy-as-hell hologram-embedded clambox cover for this movie, you may agree that it was one of the finest examples of cover art making the difference in anyone ever having watched this film. Now used generally as "poor example" of 80's zombie fare, this movie, with it's ridiculously hokey premise, comical cast of zombies and some really great gore effects is still a favourite with me!
There you have it folks, ten completely random films as I would have chosen them back in the day - I hope you can get your hands on the ones you have not seen, and relive the days of video magic!
Howdy horrorphiles, and a happy 2011 to you all. As the haze of ringing in the new year fades along with the ringing of my two ears, I present the first injection to kick off this century's adolescence. I have had enough of the best of 2010, it's so last week, and I made it safely through without writing some painful list of things that were either popular to like, or popular to rag on. It's just, so last week. Last year, even. But in the new year, in order to move forward, it is important for one to reflect. So I present my small tribute to one of my favourite film makers, Frank Henenlotter, a man whose movies represent my idea of outrageous fun and pure enjoyment. Frank thankfully returned to our screens in 2008 after a very long break from directing, which made me more excited than a 5 year old on Santa's knee. But there was a time, of course in my foolish youth, when I was not even aware that one man was responsible for all these cinematic delights. Perhaps this realization was a part of my passage into foolish adulthood. Let's explore these movies in the order I saw them.
There was a joyous time before the advent of the infomercial and cable TV in Australia when the screen would come alive after midnight with movies that could not be shown during prime time, thankfully my parents were honest and hardworking people who simply ceased to function after about 10pm, so run of the kitchen TV was always mine. The tiny screen would glow through the night, my hand always close to the volume to quieten screams and squelches and boost dialog to an audible level. One night, during a routine milk and cookie run, I flicked on to see what was on offer. The picture had a very strange glow and the colors were all wrong. Great, I thought, the TV has finally had the dick. I soon realized I had stumbled into the disturbing world of Brian and Aylmer.
Brain Damage (1988)
I couldn't believe what I was seeing at first. It seemed too good to be true, as quite often I tuned in to a late night movie having missed most of the action. In this case, I was lucky enough to take in the greater part of this cerebral and unnerving outing. The misadventures of Frank and his newly acquired alien brain Aylmer may seem like a totally trashy romp at first glance, but the themes of desperation, addiction and control are explored with visceral aplomb. As a youngster, I was fascinated by the effect that Aylmer's addictive brain secretions had on poor Brian, the hallucination sequences and insanity suffered were attractive prospects to a pre-teen already well versed on the topic of drugs, particularly LSD. The impact this film had on me was long lasting, and it was years before I tracked it down and watched it again. Of all Henenlotter's films, this one remains my solid favourite.
Basket Case 2 (1990)
At this point I was only 13, and was familiar with the film "Basket Case" only from it's VHS cover, boasting a quote from a review: "The sickest movie I've ever seen" - hence this movie sat in the "someday" pile of my mind, something to look forward to once I was allowed to rent the coveted R-rated selections at Videomania. It was a great surprise one week to see that a sequel had come along, and it was reviewed on the weekly movie show, usually reserved for more mainstream fodder. But famed Australian critic David Stratton could not resist, and after watching the footage, I knew I had to convince my dad to take me to the movies. He caved, and we had a genuine moment of bonding watching this much lighter and more comedic sequel - the amazing cast of freaks that join Duane and his vicious, blobby separated twin Belial in their quest to be understood completely blew my mind. This soon became my favourite movie of the moment, and one I was always convincing my friends to watch, and subsequently judging them based on what they thought about it. In a way, I am lucky to have seen this first, as the mystery of the original film would remain in my eternal curiosity, lurking, like a vicious blob in a basket...
Frankenhooker (1990)
This was it! My moment of realization, that amazing epiphany where all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Upon seeing the cover for this film in the video store, I instantly knew 2 things. The first, of course, was that I wanted, nay, NEEDED to see this movie. The second thing was (upon reading the tagline "From the creator of Basket Case and Brain Damage!") understanding that one film maker knew how to push all of my buttons, and deliver everything I was wanting out of horror movies at the time (and still do). Frank Henenlotter's Frankenhooker. This is zany fun at its very best, a medical student attempting to resurrect his bride-to-be after a hilarious (and of course, tragic) lawnmower accident - only to create a monster that retains the mindset of the prostitutes whom he cut up for parts. "Wanna DATE?" - Once again, Henenlotter's genius in disguising serious themes behind all the fun is evident, in this case the subject of obsession and unhealthy desire is explored throughout this classic romp.
Basket Case (1982)
My moment had finally come - probably about 15, my dad agreed to let me rent Basket Case, as he remembered how much fun we had watching the sequel, and I had also recently introduced him to Bud the CHUD, so he saw no harm. The shock I experienced seeing such a raw and unforgiving tale was very real. The sense of uneasiness created by this film still stands strong today, despite it being limited by budget, the suspension of disbelief will carry the average film goer above this, and leave them wanting a shower or in need of some light hearted relief. It's gritty, seedy and raw, and a carries similar desperation in main character Duane to Brian in Brain Damage - but for an entirely different reason. Is Belial really just a reflection of himself? Do we all have a nasty little blob telling us to do despicable and horrific things? And how long can we keep this hidden in a basket? This is such an important genre film, at a time when many films were going the way of the watered-down slasher, this bad boy stood up and slashed everyone in the face with long dirty claws.
Bad Biology (2008)
As I mentioned earlier, when I heard about Henenlotter's return to film making, I was completely overjoyed, and also very surprised to hear about his collaboration with RA the Rugged Man, who I was familiar with only from his hip hop music - it all seemed unreal, and I kind of waited to wake up from an annoyingly realistic dream. But NO! It was for real, and after watching this movie, 18 years worth of "hole inside" was instantly filled by a tale of a woman with 7 clitorises. This is an amazing film, capturing the true spirit of his other movies - something with a seemingly ridiculous subject, over the top delivery distracting the viewer from the very real and addressable themes. In this case, sexual identity, desire and corruption of self lurk behind the inevitable meeting between the irresistible pussy and the immovable penis. The added element from the world of hip hop, including star cameos, made this the most satisfying film I saw that year, and something that made me believe again!
Now, I understand I have left out Basket Case 3, but you can fill in the blanks on that one. I was thrilled to recently have a very quick chat online with Frank, and it was wonderful to finally thank him personally for the many years of enjoyment... This is in no way an interview, but I'd like to share it.
Ratman: Greets from Australia Frank! Seeing Brain Damage on late night TV as a youngster was a revelation, I forgot the name of the film and sought it out for years after that, so I guess I've been a fan before even I knew it! I was THRILLED with Bad Biology, and amazed at the collaboration, as I am also a big hip hop fan, love RA and find these are 2 worlds which don't cross that often.... Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Frank: Well, thank you, Joel. Brain Damage and Bad Biology are my two favorites. I don't know a thing about hip hop music, but I like the way it was used in Bad Biology. It felt right to me.
Ratman: Well take it from a real hip hop head, it was a treat! And J-Zone gave a really great performance. Can't wait to see what's next from you, I'm just so glad you're back.
Frank: J-Zone was phenomenal. We wrote some crazy dialogue for him and told him to make it crazier. We didn't know what the fuck he was talking about but it was great. He was great.
Ratman: He's a clever cat, one of the best humorous rappers around, but always regarded for his skills as an MC. His album "A job ain't nothing but work" was an instant classic. The more I found out about RA after seeing your film, the more amazed I was - I also notice that you've written other scripts with him? This excites me, as does your HGL project.
Frank: Yeah, I wrote a couple of scripts with RA but they all scared investors too much. Which is why he basically financed "Bad Biology" himself.
Ratman: An amazing achievement, I sincerely hope that with the success of the film, your bleedingly obvious devoted fan base and other factors will all contribute toward moving forward and turning out more all time cult classics. I must thank you so much for taking these moments to chat to me, it's a wonderful experience after 25 years or so of enjoying your work! I think I now need to write an article about all this, I'll be sure to post it here when I am done.
