Darko's Recently Viewed Diary

Sorority Row - I really, really enjoyed this. The kills were fun, the acting spot on, it never dragged and there were enough twists and turns to keep me interested. It's never going to be considered a classic of the genre but for a remake of a largely forgotten 80s horror its damn good. The story is pretty much I Know What You Did Last Sorority Party but it works and tbh at the end of the day it's unassuming fun which really delivers it's share of fun and when compared to the likes of the Prom Night remake it's Oscar material.

The cinematography in the opening scene is superb and features some truly jaw dropping shots.

The House of the Devil - Wow, just wow. The House of the Devil is for want of a better word the perfect old school horror film.

It features a truly unnerving atmosphere, a slow delicate build up, spot on performances and gorgeous cinematography. Shot to resemble an 80s horror film which is does superbly it is a real throw back of the suspense horror or yesteryear. There is little in the way of gore or violence for the vast majority of the run time relying instead on a truly amazing central performance and a great atmosphere of true horror.

I really can't remember the last time a horror film has left me staring at the screen and thinking that I can't wait to re-watch it. It's just a truly magnificent achievement and one which I really do wish had played cinemas here.

Thir13en Ghosts - One of those real love it or hate it films it would seem and while I don't entirely love it I certainly don't hate it. It's old-fashioned fun with enough fun deaths and truly stunning creature design to ensure a good time. A higher body count would have been appreciated, but what deaths we see are gory and fun.

The Cell - Visually one of the most astonishing films I've seen in a long time though considering it's Tarsem Singh that's to be expected. Some of the grotesque environments within Carl's mind were both beautiful and grotesque. The performances were a little underwhelming at times, Lopez really should have been recast and it's odd seeing Vaughn in the serious hero role considering how his career has gone. The real stand out is Vincent D'Onofrio who is absolutely fantastic.

The film is currently 4 euro in Xtravision and is well worth investing in.

Phenomena - How can you not love any film in which Yes, Phenomena is pure unadulteraded 80s Argento cheese, full of ridicolous plotting, dreadful dialogue, numerous plots holes and every other cliche in Argentos repetoir.

Yet it's never less than watchable, the ludicrous kills, dream sequences and great score all make Phenomena a true delight.

Backwoods - One of those films which strives to be more than it really is. At it's heart, Backwoods is a grubby little backwoods horror film which should indulge in the sleaze rather than trying as it does to be a serious thriller. The plot is old hat, have been recycled time after time, group of city folk arrive in the country and after meeting the rather backward locals set on a spot of hunting, 10 minutes later and they've found a deformed girl locked away in the forest. No prizes for guessing where it goes from here.

The performances from the main cast are for the most part serviceable, though Paddy Considine a true great is wooden as they come in most of his scenes with only Gary Oldman seeming to be enjoying himself albeit it with one of his more restrained performances.

2001 Maniacs - Rewatched this preparation for Field of Screams, it's an absolute hoot and one of my favourite horror films in recent years. It's also one of the few remakes which betters the original.

The film has everything you want in a horror film, it's funny, well-played, has some great deaths and is the perfect companion to a six-pack and some pizza.

Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film - An interesting documentary discussing the early classics of the genre. Many of the interviews are informative and fun but there are some grave oversights, the lack of any mention of Black Christmas (The film which laid down the rules of the genre) is near unforgivable.

Some of the contributions are priceless though everything being said on screen has been repeated a dozen times before. If you enjoy the genre then it's a fun way to waste 80 minutes but for anyone looking for an examination of the genre look elsewhere.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning - I really enjoy this, it's got an interesting premise and some nice gore. The film shows the birth of Leatherface and goes some way to explaining the actions of the family. The deaths are nice and grisly, the acting is good and the story is interesting which for a prequel to a remake is rather impressive though the rather lack-struck ending does leave a sour taste in the mouth,
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - A rather effective remake, the kills are good, the acting is fine and it isn't just a copy and past remake of the original. It's one of the best remakes around and it is on par with the original.

One gripe I do have is that the supposed uncut version is lacking a lot of material which was cut in America in order to avoid the film getting an NC-17 rating.

Triangle - Quite simply a breathtaking film which will leave you with a massive smile on your face as you realise just how well thought out the whole thing was.

It's hard to talk about the film in any detail as it's best experienced knowing as little as possible beforehand, i really cannot stress that last part enough, go in with as little knowledge as possible and the film iss just a truly striking piece of cinema which rewards the viewer.

The Hills Have Eyes 2 (remake) - Like Craven's original sequel it's a missed opportunity. The ingredients are all there for a fun gore and guts good time but the lack of any real characters development or in fact a single character to care about turns the film into a generic slasher. There are some great moments, some of the deaths are very well handled but at the end of the day it's a quickly made cash in which decides to bathe most of the action in gloom making for a rather lackstruck experience.


From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter - This is how you do a sequel, take the formula which worked so well first time round, tweak just enough to make it different and add gallons of blood. Anyone familiar with the original won't get lost here, a group of weary unsuspecting travellers stumble into the vampire den. The film is 90 minutes of blood spilling nonsense which will raise a smile in any genre fan.

Highwaymen - Robert Harmon returns to the highway unfortunately it's no Hitcher but it does remain a very entertaining and enjoyable film with a great idea which Tarantino borrowed for his dreadfully dull Deathproof. Jim Caviz Jesus travels the dusty highways searching for his wifes killer and in the process we witness some great automotive destruction. With a running time of 70 minutes it's over doesnt out stay it's welcome and does what it does well for those 70 minutes.

Silent Hill - Not just a great game adaptation but a great film on its own merits. Silent Hill is one of those much maligned and derided films which is actually a bonafied modern horror classic. It's great fun, has number of genuine scares and some truly exceptional creature design.

Day of the Dead (Remake) - An entertaining albeit dreadful remake which jettisons everything that was great about the original and replaces it with vegetarian zombies and ones with the ability to crawl across ceilings. Was it called anything but Day of the Dead it would be an acceptable time waster but by trying to sell its self on the classics name it loses serious points. Watch it if you're drinking with friends though if thats the case just grab the original instead.

Nightmares in Red, White and Blue - One of the best documentaries on the horror genre and how society shapes the tales we see on-screen. Highly informative, well made and featuring a montage of Friday the 13th deaths it's a must watch for horror fans.

Piranha 3D - Went to see this last Saturday and don't think I ever left the cinema with such a feeling of meh. It's one of the most pointless uses of 3D yet, I can't even think of one scene which utilised the technology to its advantage. The deaths were too few and far between and the ending was just ridiculous . There was so much potential for a fun film there but unfortunately it was squandered in a film which really should be premiering on the sci fi channel. Anyone looking for a truly great killer fish film should check out the vastly superior Frankenfish.

Laid to Rest - One of the more entertaining and inventive slasher films of recent years, the story is all over the place with characters seemingly determined to do the most idiotic thing possible in order to ensure their death. Thankfully then that the gore is superbly handled with faces torn off and a whole host of B movie stars meeting rather grisly ends.

Survival of the Dead I'm sorry George, but you've lost it. After the fantastic land of the Dead you gave us the tepid and not very good Diary of the Dead and now you deliver the truly abysmal Survival. Every aspect of the film is lacking, the story is woeful and the zombies seem like an idea tacked on at the last-minute, the effects are poor with some truly abysmal cgi, the acting is wooden, in fact the only nice thing you can say about the film is that it looks nice. I really hope that Romero delivers at least one more classic but on recent evidence it may be for the best if he were to retire, any more misfires like Survival and his reputation as the Godfather of the Ghouls may be in trouble.

American Grindhouse - An interesting documentary charting the evolution of grindhouse cinema though like most documentaries on cinematic movements a large portion of the area is overlooked. Loaded with clips and famous talkin heads it's an informative if rather short overview of one of the most constantly entertaining genres in cinema.

Lifeforce - A thoroughly entertaining sci-fi/horror from back in the days when the words Directed by Tobe Hooper werent a warning. The original title, Space Vampires perfectly sums up the film.It's good old-fashioned fun which is well worth a watch.

While She Was Out - Technically I wouldn't classify this as a horror film but it seems that most do. The simple premise should lead to a decent film but unfortunately it's one fo those great ideas butchered. There's absolutely no sense of impending doom, no suspense, mediocre acting and 90% of the film is bathe in darkness meaning that at times it's almost impossible to see what's going on. THere is one fun kill but it's not enough to recommend the film and the ludicrously over the top ending which is over before you get a sense of what's happening ends things on a low.

Adrenalin: Fear the Rush - From one of the most reviled directors to ever work, Adrenalin is one of those action horror films which has a great basic idea but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Christopher Lambert is his usual gruff self and his lack of screen time is regrettable. Worth a watch if you've 90 minutes to kill but for Gods sake ensure you get the uncut version and not the butchered 70 minute cut.

Outpost - One of those truly great hidden gems. Outpost is one of the most inventive and exciting low-budget films of the past few years. A great cast, a unique and entertaining story and a number of great scenes make it well worth your time.

Roadkill - Another hidden gem which most people write off before even giving a chance. The cast including Steve Zahn and Paul Walker are great and the story has enough twists and turns to keep you interested. It's a bloodless version of the Hitcher but still manages to rack up the tension to 10.


Dracula 3000 - A truly dreadful film which has absolutely no redeeming factors. A dreadful story, atrocious acting, effects which would have look dated 20 years ago and one of the worst endings in cinema history. The best thing that can be said about the film is that the DVD will make a nice coaster.

Dead Silence - Dead Silence is one of the creepiest films of the past decade. With little in the way of gore of shock tactics it instead relies on a truly astonishing atmosphere of dread which will have you right on the edge of your seat right through to the credits. It features one of the most genuinely chilling baddies in horror history and is a real throw back to the past masters.

Le Horde - Le Horde is pretty much Left 4 Dead the film, a high-octane, breakneck thrill ride with some truly fantastic moments of violence. More of an action film than straight up horror but even still it's years ahead of the crap the Romero has been churning out lately. Die Hard of the Dead is perhaps the most apt description of what is the most entertaining zombie film of the past few years.

Raw Meat - Donald Pleasence at his most brilliant in what is a pretty decent film by anyones standards. The plot is simple, people are disappearing from the underground and it's all down to the work of a cannibalistic dwellers who call the tunnels their home. An effective little film with some outstanding moments but it's Pleasence who makes the film a must see.

Heartless - Heartless is an absolutely stunning film featuring some gorgeous cinematography, interesting creature design and a constant sense of dread. The film is reminiscent of the equally fantastic The Truth About Demons two films which back to back make a perfect double bill. Watching Heartless it's difficult not to constantly expect John Constantine to walk on-screen at any moment given just how well the film captures the mood of the comic series.

Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane - Enjoyable hokum which does exactly as it says on the case. There's a plane, there are zombies and there's a whole lot of carnage. Trashy fun at it's best, featuring the always value for money Kevin J. O'Connor. If you're a fan of B movies then Flight of the Living Dead is the perfect nights viewing.

Body Snatchers - Abel Ferrara how I love thee work. It's no secret that I'm a Ferrara fanboy aswell as a lover of old school sci fi/horror so this for me is heaven. Rather than simply remake/adapt the source material the film instead concentrates on an isolated outbreak which allows for more defined characters. WHile it's not the best adaptation of the novel it certainly is a lot of fun and well worth seeking out.

Jack's Back - An entertaining oddity from before back James Spader warped into William Shatner 2,0 The plot is simple, on the 100th anniversary the Ripper killings a serial killer is recreating Jack's kills. Spader does a Van Damme and plays twins albeit twins who never share any on-screen time. It's entertaining hokum with some good performances and a decent script.