1313: Haunted Frat, from director David DeCoteau, available on DVD today....
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween to all! In honor of this horrific holiday, today and the past few days, i've been doing several Halloween related posts, all of which have some gay connection. So, scroll the next two pages and see the posts on Halloween H20, Trick R Treat and the Night Of The Demons series. Plus, a special post - 13 films for a gay Halloween! Enjoy!
Unfortunately I didn't get to the obvious gay Halloween choice, Hellbent, but it is listed in my 13 films and i'll be posting pics and a review of it sometime in the future. If you haven't seen it, check it out.
Unfortunately I didn't get to the obvious gay Halloween choice, Hellbent, but it is listed in my 13 films and i'll be posting pics and a review of it sometime in the future. If you haven't seen it, check it out.
Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later
Director: Steve Miner
1998
Halloween H20 is a brilliant sequel, sometimes with the feel of a remake, recapturing moments and the creepy feel of the original Halloween. It also pays small homage to other horror classics, Psycho, Friday The 13th and the Scream films.
Set 20 years after the original Halloween, this is a direct sequel to Halloween II (which, storywise took place on the same night as Halloween), ignoring the continuity of the other sequels. With the unfortunate real life passing of actor Donald Pleasance who portrayed Dr. Loomis in all the previous films, the film makers called on two other Halloween veterans to revitalize the franchise. Jamie Lee Curtis reprises her role as Laurie Strode, now living under an assumed identity, Keri Tate, to hide from her brother. Nancy Stephens reprises her role as Marion Chambers, Dr. Loomis' associate in the first two Halloween films. Jamie Lee's real life mother, Janet Leigh, also takes a small role; Janet Leigh is famously remembered for her role in the original Psycho.
In recapturing the feel of the original Halloween and giving it somewhat the feel of a remake, H20 recreates many of the famous sequences from the original film, as well as from other sequels. There's a brief flashback using film from the original Halloween of Laurie hiding in the closet while Michael Myers busts in. We hear the old song, Mr. Sandman, used at the conclusion of Halloween II. Similar to the original, there's a long stalker sequence through the beginning and middle of the film, where Michael silently watches his future victims. Similar to the original's classroom scene with Laurie's discussion about fate, this time Laurie is the teacher while Molly (Michelle Williams) explains the redemption of Dr. Frankenstein, finally confronting his monster which also plays as a foreshadowing theme of this film; this time it's Molly looking out the classroom window and seeing Michael lurking, watching. Once the chase sequence begins, the film replays Laurie hiding the kids in the closet and later sending them down the road to call the police from a neighbor's. Similar to Halloween II (Laurie on her knees and Michael comes through the doorway stabbing the nurse from behind and lifting her off her feet, in front of Laurie), this time we get similar treatment with Laurie's new boyfriend. Even the near finale replays from the original film, this time Michael being repeated stabbed instead of shot but falling over the balcony to his "death," only this time Laurie is too smart to believe and takes the film further, replaying the finale of Halloween 4 with Michael being thrown off a moving vehicle and then run over. That's still not the end. For the final finale we get the ending we've always dreamed of: Michael's head cut off!
In somewhat of a homage to other horror films, near the beginning, Jimmy wears a hockey mask that scares Marion. There's a line about 'in 20 years you'll be running a motel in the middle of nowhere with your mom' in homage to Psycho. As I already mentioned, Janet Leigh, star of the original Psycho has a small role, in part she stands in front of a 1957 Ford Sedan, the same car she used in Psycho while a brief clip of Psycho music plays. The film also uses tiny bits of music from Scream and Scream 2, and in one scene the girls are shown watching Scream 2, a scene with Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Overall, a great film. If you haven't seen it, go watch. Better yet, make it a marathon: Halloween, Halloween II and Halloween H20!
Story: 20 years after the previous Halloween massacre, Laurie Strode now lives as Keri Tate, the head mistress of a secluded private school in California. Still haunted by fear that her brother, Michael Myers, will someday find her and finish his murderous goal. Every year she fears his return but this year she must face it and this time must protect herself and her teenage son, John.
Gay Factor: No gay characters. Co-producer, Kevin Williamson is gay. Kevin Williamson also had uncredited script re-writes, particularly of dialogue.
Related (although not making this film gay) - Co-star Michelle Williams first became a known star for her portrayal of Jennifer, best friend to the gay jock, Jack, on tv's Dawson's Creek. Later, she was in the blockbuster, Oscar winning, gay film, Brokeback Mountain. Joseph Gordon-Levitt can be seen playing gay in an episode of That 70's Show and as a gay/bi prostitute in the film, Mysterious Skin.
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Trick 'R Treat
Director: Michael Dougherty
2007
Quite possibly the best Halloween film outside the classic Michael Myers franchise. This takes on a bit of everything from a serial killer, a "vampire," a pack of werewolves and ghost zombies from a Halloween massacre 30 years earlier! The story is told as an anthology of separate stories, all in the same town on Halloween night that tie together in the end. A brilliant film and a must see for any Halloween lovers. The film's writer, Michael Dougherty, announced he is planning a sequel.
Story: Four interwoven tales on Halloween night: A school principal who has a secret life as a serial killer; a self-concious 22 year old virgin girl, out to celebrate the holiday with her friends; a group of kids out to pull a prank on their classmate, but find themselves getting it in the end; and a wife who hates Halloween but must contend with her husband's love of the holiday. In the background of all the stories is a mysterious scarecrow kid, "Sam."
Gay Factor: Unfortunately no gay characters, but the film's producer, Bryan Singer, is gay and the film's co-star, Anna Paquin is bisexual.
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