Bluray Review Bob Clark Horror Collection
Horrible Bob Clark collection
Directed by Bob Clark.
Cast: John Saxon, Margot Kidder, Alan Ormsby, Jane Daly, Len Carlin, Richard Backus, John Marley, Anya Ormsby, Olivia Hussey, Art Hendel, Douglas McGrath.
Summary:
A collection of three classic 70s horror films from director Bob Clark.
Bob Clark is not a name you often see in discussions of horror movies. This was made possible by the late director's 1980s teen sex comedy Porky and its sequel Porky II. It's a post-date and fluffy family comedy Christmas story (as well as a Sylvester Stallone/Dolly Parton musical horror flick , but we won't hold it against him) but in the mid-'70s, Clark cut his teeth and directed the trio. The horror films that gave her some credibility and credibility to the genre, especially the third film in this unrelated trilogy, and thanks to 101. Together, these three films can be found in Brooke's Blu-ray box set.
The first was 1972's Kids Don't Play With Dead Things , and on paper this movie looks more interesting than it actually is, because the plot is basically a group of young hippies who perform crazy rituals and unwittingly raise their own dead. However, this was Clarke's second directorial project, and it's clear the director's work is still finding its feet, because despite the straightforward plot and the chance to make a post-Night of the Living Dead sensation, the bad pacing and terrible script drag down the 86-minute run time. It makes work difficult.
A group of disturbing characters go to a small island to perform a mysterious ritual up to no good. The group, led by Alan Wise (Bob Clarke's co-writer Alan Ormsby), land on the island for a surprise game night, where Alan is held in court by pretending to be a master of magic. . This is nonsense, of course, as Alan creates a cast of zombies to attack his unsuspecting classmates, but when the group recites a ritual and the dead living in the graveyard outside, they start to move. Go to the attack.
But you'll have to wait over an hour to get that raid, during which time you'll need to hunt down the undead to complete the disturbing footage. Looking back now , Kids Shouldn't Play With Dead Things in 1972 was probably more shocking because it was colorful, unlike Romero's black and white zombie work, and zombies aren't bad if they don't wear makeup. Considering that. . Small budget. However, the film is described as a horror comedy and falls short, especially when viewed through a modern lens, resulting in an effective but ultimately boring zombie film that is currently full of costumes and costume jokes. will come . Terrible action. However, the Blu-ray looks great considering the original material it was shot on, and the colors really pop when all the carnage finally starts.
Next is Deathdream , Dead of Night , from 1974, and you can see the development of a more confident and well-made film in the style of Bob Clark. Written by Alan Ormsby, Death Dream is basically an expanded version of Stephen King's Timmy Batterman episode , although it was ten years before King wrote it, and the Clarke/Ormsby team was clearly on the creative list.
Richard Backus plays Andy Brooks, a young man fighting in the Vietnam War. His parents, Charles (John Marley) and Christina (Lynn Carle), who we see on screen, receive an official letter announcing Andy's murder at work, but his family, including Andy's sister Katie (Anya Ormsby), mourn him. . Before Andy leaves, he returns home, albeit late, but his family keeps what he saw during the war.
All is not well, but things take a turn for the worse when Andy starts acting strangely and Charles witnesses his son strangle the family dog with one hand, and corpses start showing up all over town. Charles knows who's responsible, but Andy's loving mother, Christine, won't listen to it, forcing Charles' father to do something he shouldn't, only Andy has other ideas.
Stronger than Kids Shouldn't Play With Dead Things , Death Dream is a huge step up stylistically and technically. The acting is top-notch, perhaps thanks to lead actor John Marley ( The Godfather ) and Richard Backus, though he doesn't have much to do, with absolute controlled fury and chilling tension. He smiled and gave his teammates a death glare. It is not really a spoiler to say that Andy is a zombie because he needs blood to look young, although with vampire tendencies, the reasons why and how are not given. He's just there and that's all we need to know, which adds another layer of risk because he doesn't want to explain everything in the movie (although it's surprising that some exec didn't come up with a pre-script somewhere, but give it time).
A Dream of Death then deliberately fills in the same length as the previous box-office film, but the tension is constantly intensified and comes to a climax in the last 10 minutes, with more apocalyptic zombie flashes than today. But this may be more due to the budget than anything else, but Bob Clarke's ability to finish the film without dragging it out is totally on point.
And finally we come to Black Christmas, arguably the best film of the show for many. Black Christmas , also released in 1974, is now seen as the original slasher film, four years before John Carpenter's Halloween (but fourteen years after Psycho , so it really depends on your definition), and arguably, I understand. His influence on the genre exploded after the Carpenter film, but that's a discussion for another day. In the context of this box set , Black Christmas marks the point at which Bob Clark became a full-fledged genre filmmaker .
This film is almost fifty years old and has had two remakes, so you may know the plot by now, but in any case, the film takes place in a family home as the students prepare for Christmas. Unfortunately for the new girls in the house, there is a psychologist who tortures them with prank calls and when the students start killing, the police are called and since John Saxon is leading the police, they think things are going to happen. It works. Be gentle, but it's a Bob Clark movie, maybe not.
What's often forgotten about Black Christmas is how superior it was compared to the risque teen movies that came after it, especially the endless cycle of Friday the 13th . The characters here are clearly defined and Bob Clark takes the time to build them up from the first moment we meet them. Main characters Jess (Olivia Hussey) and Barb (Margot Kidder) would be among the first to be killed off in any '80s setting, especially since Barb was the group's spokesperson, but she's far from being fodder for the lunatics. Both. Characters are given backstories and situations far removed from The Summoner's main plot, making them relatable and likeable. Even the cops who always stand a few steps behind the action are more than your average tough cops, with John Saxon and Douglas McGrath considering the input of the characters and at times bringing relief. But it is much better with smart writing and strong performance.
Like the other two films in this collection, Black Christmas is a slow film that takes a lot of scenes to sink in, especially if you go into it expecting a little grit and grime, but when you turn it on, the light soaks up the atmosphere and appreciates the artistry of the creation, if you stir it up. Movies is a slightly more intellectual horror film. And despite the relative lack of blood and gore, Black Christmas still has some effective scares thanks to Bob Clark's creative cinematography. Make a mark.
Overall, while the characteristics of each film are different, this excellent box set shows the director's evolution in concept and style, embracing what came before, integrating what was contemporary, and showing where the horror genre is headed. last one. In the next decade. Children Don't Play With Dead Things is the weakest of the films here, but that doesn't mean it's not pointless, because it gives you a springboard for Bob Clarke and his career (it's even funnier because there aren't three pills and the cheap makeup is well lit ), and because it's the first, It will only be better if you watch the movies in chronological order.
Each disc contains its own extras, including voiceovers and outtakes and crew retrospectives. But best of all is the full documentary "Deathdream" included on the Deathdream CD, which includes Bob Clark's horror films; All three participated in the filming , but in 2010 There's also a flip sleeve for each disc, as well as a collector's booklet and a hard case to house it all in, so 101 Movies went to town presenting Bob Clark's work in the best possible way, and they succeeded. The Exclusives: A true offering of these films, but a visually pleasing box set: a beauty the collector will want to own, and above all, a Bob Clark film that's definitely worth revisiting, so it should be returned to again and again.
Glowing Legends Rating - Kids Shouldn't Play With Dead Things - Movie: ★★ / Movie: ★★
Shining Fairy - Death Dream - Movie Rating : ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Rating Flickr Legend - Black Christmas - Movie: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Chris Ward
