Mr. Jones

Mr. Jones
Karl Mueller // 2014 // 84 mins

Snowpiercer

Snowpiercer 
Bong Joon-ho // 2014 // 126 mins

Prisoners

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The Counsellor

The Counsellor
Ridley Scott // 2013 // 117 mins

30 Days of Horror | Day 24

An Effective Jump Scare
Wait Until Dark

There were no other choices for this post.

I'm going to be awkward now and write this post without actually giving anything away about the jump scare in question. That is simply down to the fact that it is, without a doubt, the best example of the jump scare that I have ever seen in a film, and as a jump scare is only as effective as its unknowing viewer I don't want to spoil it for anyone.

Wait Until Dark was advertised as more of horror film than it actually is, the film is a crime thriller in which a newly blinded Audrey Hepburn unknowingly homes a doll that contains a large amount of heroin. Dealer and general bad guy Harry Roat (Alan Arkin) plans to regain the doll and its contents by invading Hepburn's home with the help of two small-time con artists. The film is based upon a stage play of the same name and builds suspense through the consistent terrorisation of Hepburn's helpless protagonist. Both Hepburn and Arkin are fantastic in their respective roles, and the film works so well because of the strong characters they have helped build throughout the narrative.

When the film was first released cinema owners were given strict instructions that for the last eight minutes of the film lighting in the cinema would be reduced as low as it was legally allowed so as to heighten the experience. This is certainly a film that requires you be sat alone in a dark room with a big screen and the volume up in order to get the maximum effect. When I first saw this film I knew that it featured a fairly notorious jump scare but I was completely in the dark (sorry) as to when it would occur, and it got me good.

I'm a sucker for jump scares and no matter how badly executed they are they will quite often get the desired response from me, but this really is one of those truly brilliant scares that deserves it's reputation.  If you watch this film for nothing else, watch it for this scene.

The Call

The Call
Brad Anderson // 2013 // 94 mins

The House Of The Devil

Films about Cults. I have a shaky history with films about Cults. I saw the remake of The Wicker Man a few years back and hated it. I saw the original Wicker Man this year and didn't feel much more. I've seen enough horror films that have started promising and then played the 'twist' cult card for the final act to last me a lifetime. Outside of Rosemary's Baby and Martha Marcy May Marlene I have never enjoyed the depiction of cults in cinema. Outside of Rosemary's Baby and Martha Marcy May Marlene a filmic cult has never managed to scare me even slightly. For these reasons it was at least partially refreshing to see a film open with a title card proclaiming that it would eventually enter cult territory, a warning if you will, allowing me to brace for the inevitable moment where someone gets tied up and bled on.

Black Swan

A spotlight descends upon the figure of a young woman. She is wearing a sparkling white dress and, as she begins to dance, is joined by a male dressed entirely in black. The camera swiftly follows as the two weave in and out of each others' movements and the male transforms into a crow like figure. The girl desperately tries to flee the presence of the creature but is overcome. As white feathers fall to the ground around her the girl flutters her arms in a newly revealed swan costume. And so, Black Swan begins.

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Complete with the lead performance of an until now unheard of third Olsen sister, the vision of a debut feature director and writer Sean Durkin and possibly the most mind-bending, tongue-twisting title ever, Martha Marcy May Marlene gained incredulous amounts of hype after its power-run at numerous film festivals. Defying every blank-faced shop assistant who (cruelly) asked me to repeat the name of this film when asked for it, I finally bought and watched Mary Minnie Mia Marie this month. Here is what I thought.

Chronicle

Within recent yeas a distinctive style has emerged within cinema. Made hugely popular through The Blair Witch Project, the use of handheld cameras to present a story has thrived within the horror genre, however it has also proven effective when used within Sci-Fi and Action films, as evidenced in Cloverfield. Chronicle develops upon this style, amping it up the the nth degree.

*WARNING* Features descriptions and images which contain spoilers.

The Wolfman

In 1941 Universal Pictures released their latest horror, The Wolf Man. The film led to the character becoming one of the most iconic movie monsters of the classical Hollywood period. 69 years later the same studio produced a remake, a splendidly gothic tale of familial tensions and an ancient curse. Oh, and there's bucket-loads of gore too.

Prometheus

I have never seen a film from the Alien series all the way through, none of them have ever appealed to me. I'm not a huge fan of Sigourney Weaver and I'm not a huge fan of Sci-Fi films in general. Despite having no prior relationship with the Alien series, I have been hugely excited for the prequel for quite some time. Hyped up by an incredible cast and one of the best trailers of the year, I finally saw Prometheus last night.

*WARNING* Features descriptions and images which contain spoilers.

The Woman in Black

Hammer Horrors latest turnout provides a strong post-Potter performance for Daniel Radcliffe and shows just how terrifying a rocking chair can be.