Horror > 1987 Horror > Barker, Clive

Thank god I could never solve a rubik's cube!!!

Advantages: cheap, atmospheric, terrifying
Disadvantages: starting to look a little dated

WE WILL TEAR YOUR SOUL APART!!!! Generally speaking, the Eighties were not good to the horror film. Films made in this decade were either comedy horror's like evil dead, or films that were designed to make you jump, like nightmare on Elm Street. Most times, films like this were not truly scary. More often than not, it was the orchestral soundtrack that made you jump, rather than a particularly scary plot or effect. There were, however, occasional ...
...possible to pull the proverbial needle from the Eighties haystack. One such needle, is Clive Barker's directorial debut, Hellraiser. Barker was not well known. Previously he had written three short horror storybooks called the 'Books of blood'. Although highly enjoyable in their own right, they are more notable for the quote that was published on the front cover. " I have seen the future of horror, and his name is Clive Barker ". When Something like ...

giksy21 26.10.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Hellraiser (Special Edition) (DVD)

It can't tear anything apart. Can it?

Advantages: Its a bona-fide scary movie.
Disadvantages: Too scary?

I watched Hellraiser for the first time last night and for a horror-lover like myself, this was long overdue. Perhaps it was down to the fact that i put it off until i could muster a moments peace to dim the lights and watch it alone. This, in hindsight, would prove a harrowing plan. It takes little time in setting the scene and its clear the foundations are being laid bare for the onslaught of sheer terror that ensues. Never has a film had me so ...

thecrust 12.08.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Hellraiser (DVD)

Dead Gory

Advantages: Well written, tense, black humour, make up and effects, Davina McCall(!)
Disadvantages: Violent and very gory, a little padded in places

...format. 3. Parts of Dead Set are pretty gruesome, so if you’re of a nervous disposition you may not even want to read the rest of this review, never mind follow any of the links at the end. Not Ideal Boyfriend Material How’s this for a nightmare scenario? You’re a lowly female member of the production team on Big Brother. No no, that’s not it. There’s more. Not long ago you were engaged in a passionate clinch with Danny, your new almost-boyfriend, ...
...above scene appears early in Dead Set, a zombie thriller by Charlie Brooker, who writes a humorous column in The Guardian and also writes and presents TV programmes including Screenwipe. The original idea for the story came, surprisingly, from watching an episode of “24”, the American thriller series starring Kiefer Sutherland. In one of his Guardian columns Brooker wrote: "The idea for my TV show Dead Set (in which zombies attack the Big Brother ...

jonathanb 06.11.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional
Review of Dead Set (DVD)

He's Behind You... Again!

Advantages: Funny, scary at times, tension
Disadvantages: Lacks the atmosphere the first film had, unintetionally funny, becomes a bit silly

...crazed Michael Myers did on Halloween of 1978, after trying to kill teenager Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) he seemingly met his end after being shot by his doctor (Donald Pleasance). However when Michael is nowhere to be seen it would seem that Halloween is far from over for Laurie and Doctor Loomis. Laurie is rushed to hospital after her ordeal with Michael whilst Doctor Loomis continues on in his hunt for Michael before more people are made ...
...her at the hospital… Halloween II is a direct sequel to 1978’s Halloween. Halloween II was released in 1981 but was set on the same night back in 1978 straight after Michael is shot. You’d think that three years on there might be some continuity issues but it seemed to me as though Rick Rosenthal had got everything right in this film, even it’s star Jamie Lee Curtis didn’t look as though she’d aged more than a day. If you’re planning on watching ...

Great_reviewer07 06.11.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Halloween 2 (DVD)

The Dead Zone : A dark portrayal of one man's misery

Advantages: Gripping, intense, powerful, realistic, keeps you on the edge of your seat, spectacular ending
Disadvantages: None for me, though some people may find it too depressing

...Johnny's doctor) Tom Skerritt (as the Castle Rock Sheriff) Martin Sheen (as Greg Stillson, political candidate) Director: David Cronenberg Producer: Debra Hill Music: Michael Kamen Screenplay: Jeffrey Boam (Adapted from Stephen King's novel, The Dead Zone) Running time: 103 minutes Released: 1983 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some time during the 1970s (possibly the early 1980s), I read Stephen King's book "The Dead Zone", and ...
...me laugh a little at the way some of the conversation was written (I believe Stephen King did intend those parts to be amusing). Overall, I didn't understand the book too well as I found it rather verbose in parts, and felt it kept drifting away from the plot to the point where I lost it altogether. In the early to mid-1990s, I went through a phase of buying a lot of videos of feature films, and "The Dead Zone" was one of them. It was a second-hand ...

CelticSoulSister 05.11.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Dead Zone (DVD)