Eeek!!! The above image totally freaks me out. It's from The Strangers, starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, a film whose poster I've already praised right here. There's another creepy shot from the movie over at BD.
Yes, The Strangers does have a generic-sounding story (not to mention title) - couple terrorized by semi-faceless people busting into their home for unknown reasons - that seems to be all the rage these days: we've got the British film Ils (Them), which I spoken of before right here and will hopefully be released here in the States because word on it is excellent; and we've got Michael Haneke remaking his 1997 film Funny Games, which as far as I'm concerned is tops in the Cinema of the Terrorized-Family-Unit, for the English-speaking audience. And I feel like there's even another one out there but I'm blanking.
Anyway, what I like about these films being made is first off, horror films with protagonists older than 18 need to be made more often. Period. And second off, it's such a basic set-up that these stories usually strip away all the excess fat and just get their jobs done. They're effective little thriller-machines. There's no need for half-an-hour of setting up what black-haired girl died in the house you've just moved into in some horrible way and has found some way to shove her ghost-hair up drain-pipes. You've got people trying to get in and cause violence, and you've got some sort of recognizable family unit trying to keep the people out. Freudian in their simplicity.
Of course different filmmakers can take this structure and put what they will into it; Haneke uses his some-might-call-unbearably long shots to fully unnerve the audience and question the very impulse of "looking," while somebody like Sam Peckinpah will turn his heroine into the portrait of misogny. But it's really a perfect structure to get the job done, nice and simple, for better or for worse, and I'm glad there are some filmmakers out there taking it on.
Also, I'm a little exhausted by two-plus-hour horror films, if ya can't tell.
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Yes, The Strangers does have a generic-sounding story (not to mention title) - couple terrorized by semi-faceless people busting into their home for unknown reasons - that seems to be all the rage these days: we've got the British film Ils (Them), which I spoken of before right here and will hopefully be released here in the States because word on it is excellent; and we've got Michael Haneke remaking his 1997 film Funny Games, which as far as I'm concerned is tops in the Cinema of the Terrorized-Family-Unit, for the English-speaking audience. And I feel like there's even another one out there but I'm blanking.Anyway, what I like about these films being made is first off, horror films with protagonists older than 18 need to be made more often. Period. And second off, it's such a basic set-up that these stories usually strip away all the excess fat and just get their jobs done. They're effective little thriller-machines. There's no need for half-an-hour of setting up what black-haired girl died in the house you've just moved into in some horrible way and has found some way to shove her ghost-hair up drain-pipes. You've got people trying to get in and cause violence, and you've got some sort of recognizable family unit trying to keep the people out. Freudian in their simplicity.
Of course different filmmakers can take this structure and put what they will into it; Haneke uses his some-might-call-unbearably long shots to fully unnerve the audience and question the very impulse of "looking," while somebody like Sam Peckinpah will turn his heroine into the portrait of misogny. But it's really a perfect structure to get the job done, nice and simple, for better or for worse, and I'm glad there are some filmmakers out there taking it on.Also, I'm a little exhausted by two-plus-hour horror films, if ya can't tell.
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3 comments:
Jesus, this shot scared the hell out of me. And I love the poster. Straight out of the 70s.
Hopefully this movie will be as creepy as this visual. We will see.
I ahd not heard "Funny Games" was being remade. I love that film! I hope they don't screw it up!
Well it is director Michael Haneke remaking his own film, and as far as I'm concerned he's the greatest living director, so I have faith he'll do well by his own material. I mean, it's an odd chocie for him to make, remaking what I already consider a great film, but I'll take what I can get from him.
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