Netflix Flick Pick: ‘Carrie’

The week long special Halloween edition of Netflix Flick Pick is winding down and for the penultimate pick we’re going with a film so good Hollywood has remade it twice in the last 11 years. I’m of course talking about the film that introduced American movie going audiences to telekinesis, Carrie. Based on the Stephen King book the film tells the story of an outcast teenage girl who gets asked out to the prom and well you know the story.

Brian de Palma brilliantly showcases the horrors of high school in Carrie, which despite two modern day remakes remains the definitive version of the film. While we all know the story, it’s become part of the shared American culture, the film still manages to make the well known climax tense and keeps you in suspense and hopeful that things turn out okay for Carrie. To be honest the film doesn’t turn into a full out horror until the last half hour. The moments up until the film’s climax are filled with some rather vicious bullying of Carrie. She gets tampons thrown at her in the shower, her mother locks her in a closet to pray, and she gets set up on a prank date to the prom.

When the horror does come it is really intense as the put upon Carrie has finally been pushed too far by the school’s sadistic bullies and murderously snaps in a frighteningly prescient cinematic moment. Turns out dropping pigs blood on a girl on her prom night is not a good idea. If you know the story but haven’t actually seen the film it’s time to start streaming, because mere words do not do the film justice. Religious fanatacisim, pig slaughtering, bullying and telekinesis are the ingredients for this horror film classic but one of the film’s lesser talked about elements is its visual style. de Palma delivers a film that is shot brilliantly, contrasting a dream like state with a darker more traditional horror atmosphere when the time comes making it all the more intense. So stay home and enjoy the original before you go out to see the remake, when you’re done you might not feel the need to.

Netflix Flick Pick: ‘Ghostbusters’

It’s day 4 of the special Halloween edition of Netflix Flick Pick and I think it’s time to shift gears a little bit. So far I’ve given you a selection of straight Rated R horror films but what if you wanted to watch something with the kids. Don’t worry tonight’s Netflix Flick Pick, Ghostbusters, has got you covered.

Written by Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramos, and directed by the legendary Ivan Reitman this paranormal comedy delivers ghosts, demons, gods and a giant monster intent on destroying the city. Best of all it does it all while staying family friendly so you don’t have to put the kids to bed in order to watch. Heck dress them up as Ghostbusters and turn it into a full blown Halloween party.

Starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Sigourney Weaver, the all star cast delivers even beyond lofty exoectations. Bill Murray especially delivers one of his funniest performances ever, which should be enough to make you run to your TV and start streaming immediately. It’s not just Murray though, Aykroyd and Ramis’ script allows for everyone to shine and Reitman deftly balances the inspired comedy with enough horror to make things tense and keep the stakes high.

Dan Aykroyd is working on a script for a third installment in the franchise but it’s been confirmed that Bill Murray will not be a part of any such endeavor. Not sure that it can be done without the legendary actor and star of the first two films but here’s hoping it turns out well. Until then enjoy the original classic with all four members of the Ghostbusters that taught you the lesson to one of life’s most important questions, “Who you gonna call?”

 

Netflix Flick Pick: ‘Scream’

Day 3 of the special Halloween edition of Netflix Flick Pick brings us a major turning point in horror history. The film that made meta cool, tonight’s Netflix Flick Pick, Scream. Directed by horror legend Wes Craven and written by the sometimes brilliant Kevin Williamson, Scream changed the rules of horror in the 90s. It was no longer enough to be scary or gory, you had to be funny and self referential.

What makes Scream so endearing is the fact that it was clearly written by someone who loved and grew up with horror movies. It’s not just the film nerd in the movie who knows the rules of the horror genre but all the characters have passable knowledge. Even the characters who hate the genre know enough to point out its cliched flaws. This referencing of horror films also serves as the main, though not the only source of humor in the film and the fact that everyone knows so much about horror films leads to some interesting developments.

Scream is still technically a slasher film but it adds the extra layers of meta and whodunit mystery to it. The film offers several feints, unsuspected twists and turns and famously unsuspected deaths. (Spoiler Alert) For those who don’t know Drew Barrymore was originally billed as the film’s star but was immediately killed off, leaving audiences anxious and in great suspense as it was made clear that no one was safe. While Scream is no longer marketed in this way it was quite an impressive bit of dedication on the parts of everyone involved to keep this lie up through the film’s initial run.

Drew Barrymore describes it best, “I loved that it actually got tongue and cheeky but it was still scary and it was this great game that sort of described genres and revived them at the same time and redefined them all in one script.” This continued with Scream 2 and 3 (also available on Netflix) and countless other copycats but it’s the original that still shines brightest.

 

Netflix Flick Pick: ‘Evil Dead’ ‘Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn’

Day 2 of the special Halloween edition of Netflix Flick Pick continues with a 2 for 1 special. These films clearly have fans of blood and gore in mind but sacrifice nothing in terms of pacing and horror. I’m talking of course about the films that made Bruce Campbell a cult icon, tonight’s Netflix Flick Picks, The Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn. I’ve already written about The Evil Dead as the subject of an earlier Netflix Flick Pick and you can read that in its entirety here. If not enjoy this snippet:

“The film is steeped in lore. As the story goes the film got financing after being shown as a short before The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Then, the extremely low budget independent film got made but couldn’t get US distribution until Stephen King saw it and wrote a rare review that raved it was the ‘most ferociously original horror film of the year.’ This of course led to one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time and oh yeah it launched the careers of the Cohen brothers who worked as editors on the film.”

The Evil Dead is an intense, horrifying, bloody gorefest but Evil Dead 2 is the rarest of things, a sequel that is actually better than the original. Dead 2 tells essentially the exact same story as the original, only it does everything better. Better script, better directing, better acting, better special f/x, more horror, more blood, more gore, more action and it even throws in some fantastically dark comedy throughout the movie to balance out the intensity of the horror. It also wins the award for best use of a chainsaw ever. What am I talking about? Just watch and find out.

In fact watch them both, back to back even. It’ll take less time than watching a Lord of the Rings movie. No knock on Tolkien, I’m just saying these films are a good investment of your time as director Sam Raimi is at his creative best in these films, showing an incredible combination of resourcefulness and visual mastery the likes of which have rarely ever been seen. While the franchise has just been rebooted, it appears Raimi will be bringing the fourth installment of the original franchise, Army of Darkness 2 to theaters. Here’s hoping it’s as good as Evil Dead 2.

Netflix Flick Pick: ‘Rosemary’s Baby’

With Halloween just days away you might be scouring Netflix for some horror movies to watch. Unfortunately every year around this time stacks of horror movies seem to disappear off of Netflix Instant and all those horror movies you’ve added to your My List (formerly Instant Queue) to watch now, just aren’t there anymore. This year The Omen, The Thing, and Night of the Living Dead are among the horror movie classics to have been removed. No need to panic like a sex craved teen about to be taught a lesson in modesty by a serial killer that’s impossible to kill (or his mommy) there’s still some great movies to watch on Netflix for Halloween. I’ll be doing a special Halloween edition of Netflix Flick Pick from now until the 31st starting with today’s pick Rosemary’s Baby.

Rosemary’s Baby isn’t a slasher film. It doesn’t deliver a lot of death, blood, or gore. What it does deliver is arguably the creepiest movie experience ever, one that will linger with you long after you’ve watched the movie. And if you’re brave enough to watch it again the creep factor only increases as the timeline of sickening events that unfold and reasoning behind certain characters’ actions become abundantly clear the second time through. To add to the creep factor, the depravity isn’t confined to the film. Rock legend John Lennon would later be shot and killed in front of “Rosemary’s building” by a deranged man and the film’s director would flee the country wanted for rape. He is still at large.

The 1968 film holds up better than most films released last summer, that is to say it hasn’t aged one bit. Fantastic acting, a wonderfully twisted story and masterful direction and cinematography never go out of style. Those who haven’t seen the film should just watch it but if you need a synopsis a married couple moves into a building where historically, bad things tend to happen. That’s it, I’m not saying any more. Take solace in the fact that visual master, legendary director and wanted rapist Roman Polanski delivers what is without a doubt one of the best horror films ever made.