Both [REC] movies have proven to be huge worldwide hits. [REC] and [REC]2 have successfully entrenched themselves as some of the best horror films to be released in the last decade – not a small feat for a Spanish horror movie. If there’s any firm indication for its success it would be the fact that it got a Hollywood remake in the form of Quarantine (which is a pale imitation of the original). With success like this, you know you’ll be getting more [REC] in the future. [Read more…]
The Orphanage remake announced
Yet another remake has been announced.
I knew that when The Orphanage, the Guillermo del Toro – produced and Juan Antonio Bayona directed horror film was released and gained great reviews from critics worldwide that Hollywood won’t be able to keep its talons off this beautiful film.
New Line / Warner Bros. has announced that it will embark on a remake of The Orphanage. Instead of hiring original director Bayona, the studio has announced that it has signed Mark Pellington to direct the English language remake.
Even though Bayona will not be sitting on the director’s chair for this remake, Guillermo del Toro will still be involved as one of the producers (along with Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson). Del Toro will also co-write (along with Larry Fessenden) the script for the remake. With Del Toro’s close involvement in the remake there is hope that this is not going to suck as much as the other Hollywood remakes that essentially just butcher the source material for the sole purpose of Americanizing it.
Director Pellington’s previous credits include Arlington Road, The Mothman Prophecies and Henry Poole is Here. He also directed the concert movie U23D. So in the directorial front, it looks like there is a bit of promise too. Let’s hope that the Hollywood version of the The Orphanage is a refreshing interpretation of a wonderful Spanish horror movie.
Neve Campbell to return for Scream 4
A few weeks ago, I blogged about the new Scream sequel being developed. Courtney Cox was set to reprise her role as Gail Weathers but Neve Campbell was iffy about joining the new movie.
Speculations can now end now that Campbell has signed on to return and reprise her role of Sidney Prescott. Production for Scream 4 will begin in April or May.
Scream 4 is the first part of another Scream trilogy so better dust off that Scream mask, it’s going to get popular next Halloween again.
Movie review: Rec
The last decade has seen the explosion of Asian cinema in the world stage. The films of John Woo, Johnnie To, Fruit Chan, the Pang Brothers, Wong Kar Wai and Ang Lee have enjoyed a growing worldwide audience that fully appreciates the new things that these Asian directors have contributed to cinema.
Aside from the Asian art cinema contingent, another contribution of Asian cinema during the last ten years is the reinvigoration of the horror genre. The last ten years has also seen a spate of Asian horror movies that have redefined what is scary and how to give show it in fresh, delightfully ghoulish ways. Before the Asians, horror movies mostly followed the Hollywood formula of tricky camera angles so that “surprise” images will jolt the audience. The Asians went the opposite route and delivered slowburn horror movies that build on the dread without any clear directions of what will happen. And the imagery that is brought to film is truly horrifying indeed without even showing blood or entrails.
Not surprisingly though, the Asian horror genre has been suffering from too much exposure. Fresh ideas are coming in fewer amounts. But it looks like another continent may yet claim the title of horror capital of the world.
Europe has been quietly churning out horror movies that evoke the Asian horror explosion. Films from France and Spain are gaining a lot of popularity among horror fans. One particular movie that should be mentioned, which I saw this week was Rec.
Rec is a Spanish horror movie that relies on the cinema verite style that was successfully used in both Blair Witch Project and more recently Cloverfield. The movie is a tour de force in horror, one that brings you in an ever increasing spiral downwards towards horror and madness. The movie starts off with a woman reporter and her cameraman filming footage for a TV show. They are following the lives of firemen as they go through their midnight shift. Things were proving to be uneventful until a call comes in about an old woman who may have been injured. The media people tag along for the call and upon entering the building they discover that it is far from a routine call and that they have been locked inside the building by government authorities who fear there may be a deadly infection inside the building.
This is where the story really picks up and the sense of dread and helplessness pervade the whole movie. No one knows what is happening outside and the situation inside the building is fast turning from bad to worse. The film effectively brings the audience within the milieu and involves them through the creative use of the camera. One good thing about Rec is that the jerky camera movements have been kept to a minimum, which will surely delight those who complain and whine about how dizzying Cloverfield was. The story, too, is quite easy to follow and no convoluted plot twists were used. The only twist would be the sudden change in direction from scientific to paranormal. But this too was quite effective as it threw a curveball at the audience – one that they least expected.
Rec is a horror movie that should be seen by movie fans. Watch it before the inevitable American remake is shown this year.
Rating: A –
European Horror Films You Should Check Out
Halloween is just around the corner and you’re probably already preparing for your Halloween parties. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and ever since I was in college, I’ve made it a point to have a horror movie marathon on October 31. In fact, it has become somewhat of a tradition in my home that my old friends eagerly anticipate our annual horror movie fest.
One reason why my friends love the horror movie marathons I host is the diversity I provide them. They’re sure to watch a movie they haven’t seen before and not the tired old Hollywood horror movies that everyone knows about.
If you want to host your own horror movie marathon and want to give your friends a real movie treat, why don’t you get some of these great horror films that were made in Europe. They probably haven’t heard anything about these movies, which will make it a scarier experience for them. [Read more…]