Horror Movies, oh my! "As Above, So Below" and "Shadow of the Vampire"
So, as usual, I watched a film with the horror movie gang on Friday. Aaaand then this evening, I caught another that they'd watched a couple weeks ago - I had to miss it because my computer wasn't cooperating.
As Above, So Below (IMDB)
Someone compared it to National Treasure... well, it's a pretty ridiculous film, so let's go with that. The Paris catacombs have a secret chamber in which the Philosopher's Stone is hidden? SURE, WHY NOT.
Actually, it's surprisingly okay. I mean, sure, the lore in the film doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and if you're expecting a halfway accurate portrayal of archaeological stuff, look elsewhere. But it has some pretty creepy moments, and I liked the French characters a lot. So... y'know. I'd suggest avoiding if you hate shaky-cam, though. To be technical, it isn't a found-footage film; it's a "go-pro" film - the crew is filming their exploits (mainly via cameras attached to their headlamps) but it isn't found at the end.
Is it amazing and super scary? Nah. Worth giving a watch if the idea of a creepy adventure in the catacombs sounds interesting to you? Sure!
Shadow of the Vampire (IMDB)
Unlike the above, I would say that this one is definitely worth watching, especially for anyone who likes the following: vampires, silent film, and the classic horror movie, Nosferatu. This movie has been around a bit, and probably many people have seen it, but this was my first time watching it the whole way through. A favourite? Hm, I wouldn't say so. Very good? Yes. Definitely worth a watch, maybe a re-watch depending on where your tastes lie.
The IMDB description gives me a laugh: The filming of Nosferatu (1922) is hampered by the fact that its star Max Schreck is taking the role of a vampire far more seriously than seems humanly possible. Funny, and yet, a pretty good way of putting it. The idea of course is that Schreck is actually a vampire (I guess this is technically a spoiler, but - it's so obvious from all angles, so) and because of this, everything goes... wrong.
Anyway, aside from being a pretty good vampire film with some delightfully creepy moments, it's actually a pretty neat metatextual look at horror, the silent film industry, and film in general, and I'm sure that someone far more articulate than me has made some wonderful comment on this already, but I'm not about to go looking for it.
There is one part of it that made me feel oddly... sympathetic toward the vampire. In a way. It's the following scene-
This is from the scene where Schreck creeps up on some of the film crew who're getting sloshed at night, and settles down with them-
[Asked what he thought of the book, Dracula]
Max Schreck: It made me sad.
Albin: Why sad?
Max Schreck: Because Dracula had no servants.
Albin: I think you missed the point of the book, Count Orlock.
Max Schreck: Dracula hasn't had servants in 400 years and then a man comes to his ancestral home, and he must convince him that he... that he is like the man. He has to feed him, when he himself hasn't eaten food in centuries. Can he even remember how to buy bread? How to select cheese and wine? And then he remembers the rest of it. How to prepare a meal, how to make a bed. He remembers his first glory, his armies, his retainers, and what he is reduced to. The loneliest part of the book comes... when the man accidentally sees Dracula setting his table.
That, combined with two other lines from the film-
There was a time... when I... fed from golden chalices. But now... Don't look at me that way!
and also
Tell me how you would harm me - when even I don't know how I could harm myself.
It brings to mind someone who has been around far too long, who has been reduced to... something. Something a fraction of his former self, his former glory, something that is far different from what he was and what he wishes he could have been. "Even I don't know how I could harm myself" - to me, that suggests that he has tried, but not succeeded. I feel oddly sad for him. So maybe the end - maybe it was an end that he needed.
...Anyway. Yes. Shadow of the Vampire - pretty good film. I suggest watching it if you haven't already.
This entry was originally posted at http://yuuago.dreamwidth.org/3473114.html. You can comment here or at the original entry.
As Above, So Below (IMDB)
Someone compared it to National Treasure... well, it's a pretty ridiculous film, so let's go with that. The Paris catacombs have a secret chamber in which the Philosopher's Stone is hidden? SURE, WHY NOT.
Actually, it's surprisingly okay. I mean, sure, the lore in the film doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and if you're expecting a halfway accurate portrayal of archaeological stuff, look elsewhere. But it has some pretty creepy moments, and I liked the French characters a lot. So... y'know. I'd suggest avoiding if you hate shaky-cam, though. To be technical, it isn't a found-footage film; it's a "go-pro" film - the crew is filming their exploits (mainly via cameras attached to their headlamps) but it isn't found at the end.
Is it amazing and super scary? Nah. Worth giving a watch if the idea of a creepy adventure in the catacombs sounds interesting to you? Sure!
Shadow of the Vampire (IMDB)
Unlike the above, I would say that this one is definitely worth watching, especially for anyone who likes the following: vampires, silent film, and the classic horror movie, Nosferatu. This movie has been around a bit, and probably many people have seen it, but this was my first time watching it the whole way through. A favourite? Hm, I wouldn't say so. Very good? Yes. Definitely worth a watch, maybe a re-watch depending on where your tastes lie.
The IMDB description gives me a laugh: The filming of Nosferatu (1922) is hampered by the fact that its star Max Schreck is taking the role of a vampire far more seriously than seems humanly possible. Funny, and yet, a pretty good way of putting it. The idea of course is that Schreck is actually a vampire (I guess this is technically a spoiler, but - it's so obvious from all angles, so) and because of this, everything goes... wrong.
Anyway, aside from being a pretty good vampire film with some delightfully creepy moments, it's actually a pretty neat metatextual look at horror, the silent film industry, and film in general, and I'm sure that someone far more articulate than me has made some wonderful comment on this already, but I'm not about to go looking for it.
There is one part of it that made me feel oddly... sympathetic toward the vampire. In a way. It's the following scene-
This is from the scene where Schreck creeps up on some of the film crew who're getting sloshed at night, and settles down with them-
[Asked what he thought of the book, Dracula]
Max Schreck: It made me sad.
Albin: Why sad?
Max Schreck: Because Dracula had no servants.
Albin: I think you missed the point of the book, Count Orlock.
Max Schreck: Dracula hasn't had servants in 400 years and then a man comes to his ancestral home, and he must convince him that he... that he is like the man. He has to feed him, when he himself hasn't eaten food in centuries. Can he even remember how to buy bread? How to select cheese and wine? And then he remembers the rest of it. How to prepare a meal, how to make a bed. He remembers his first glory, his armies, his retainers, and what he is reduced to. The loneliest part of the book comes... when the man accidentally sees Dracula setting his table.
That, combined with two other lines from the film-
There was a time... when I... fed from golden chalices. But now... Don't look at me that way!
and also
Tell me how you would harm me - when even I don't know how I could harm myself.
It brings to mind someone who has been around far too long, who has been reduced to... something. Something a fraction of his former self, his former glory, something that is far different from what he was and what he wishes he could have been. "Even I don't know how I could harm myself" - to me, that suggests that he has tried, but not succeeded. I feel oddly sad for him. So maybe the end - maybe it was an end that he needed.
...Anyway. Yes. Shadow of the Vampire - pretty good film. I suggest watching it if you haven't already.
This entry was originally posted at http://yuuago.dreamwidth.org/3473114.html. You can comment here or at the original entry.