Here's the basic rule- if it wasn't what I expected, it makes the List.
It can be in a good way. It can be in a bad way. It can be in a 'WTF am I watching?!?' way.
All clear? Good.
10. Beware the Slenderman: A serious Documentary? Why not? I didn't know what to expect when I was given a digital version of this Film, but found it to actually be quite interesting. I'm certainly not just mentioning it since a Verdict for one of the Defendants just came out last week either. Good Film.
9. Demonwarp: I knew that it would be weird. The Poster featured a Swamp Zombie-thing, George Kennedy with an axe and Alien Spaceships flying in the background. Actually watching it, however, proved that it was still even crazier than I thought. Aliens turn men into Bigfoot to kill people to fix the ship while a 19th Century Priest worships it- why not?!?
8. Czechoslovakia's Beauty and the Beast: Earlier this Year, I watched 2 different Versions to connect to the new Disney one. The French one is a Classic and generated many of the ideas in Disney's versions- like everything in the Castle being alive. This one is way more obscure and turns the Beast into a Bird Man that drinks Deer blood. No, really.
7. Wild in the Streets: That got unexpectedly-dark! The first of two Films that got its Plot outdated very first- the other being Daddy's Gone A' Hunting-, this one is still darker. Daddy's featured a man hunting down and terrorizing an ex-girlfriend that aborted their child (back before Roe v Wade). This one outdoes it, however, by featuring a megalomaniacal Singer becoming President, rewriting the Constitution to let his fans under 15 vote themselves into the Senate AND forcibly dosing anyone over 30 with LSD. Holy shit!
6. Nothing Left to Fear/Under the Bed: Two low-budget Horror Films that sound forgettable. They both didn't suck! Good for you.
5. Astro-Zombies M3: The late Director managed to make this boring. How did a tale of mutants who kill people with machetes get so dull? I'd ask him, but, well, you know.
4. It Comes At Night: Is it Horror? No. Is it about Survival and in-fighting? Yes. Is it depressing? Hell yes.
3. Twin Peaks: I knew that it would be weird. Who could have ever predicted that it would be THAT weird though? Focusing on random, new people. Barely-explaining anything. Spending over 75% of the time making you follow a version of McLachlan that you don't care about. Even for you, Mr. Lynch, this was weird and random!
2. Instant Death: Lou Ferrigno's Taken. In his '60s, the guy is trying to be an Action Hero again. The actual Film is super-dark and super-violent. This...is a thing.
1. Batman and Harley Quinn: You turned Batman into Porky's! Actually, that one is a Cult Classic. So...you turned Batman into Porky's Revenge.
Why?
So those were my biggest Surprises of the Year. Did I miss one? Let me know.
It can be in a good way. It can be in a bad way. It can be in a 'WTF am I watching?!?' way.
All clear? Good.
10. Beware the Slenderman: A serious Documentary? Why not? I didn't know what to expect when I was given a digital version of this Film, but found it to actually be quite interesting. I'm certainly not just mentioning it since a Verdict for one of the Defendants just came out last week either. Good Film.
9. Demonwarp: I knew that it would be weird. The Poster featured a Swamp Zombie-thing, George Kennedy with an axe and Alien Spaceships flying in the background. Actually watching it, however, proved that it was still even crazier than I thought. Aliens turn men into Bigfoot to kill people to fix the ship while a 19th Century Priest worships it- why not?!?
8. Czechoslovakia's Beauty and the Beast: Earlier this Year, I watched 2 different Versions to connect to the new Disney one. The French one is a Classic and generated many of the ideas in Disney's versions- like everything in the Castle being alive. This one is way more obscure and turns the Beast into a Bird Man that drinks Deer blood. No, really.
7. Wild in the Streets: That got unexpectedly-dark! The first of two Films that got its Plot outdated very first- the other being Daddy's Gone A' Hunting-, this one is still darker. Daddy's featured a man hunting down and terrorizing an ex-girlfriend that aborted their child (back before Roe v Wade). This one outdoes it, however, by featuring a megalomaniacal Singer becoming President, rewriting the Constitution to let his fans under 15 vote themselves into the Senate AND forcibly dosing anyone over 30 with LSD. Holy shit!
6. Nothing Left to Fear/Under the Bed: Two low-budget Horror Films that sound forgettable. They both didn't suck! Good for you.
5. Astro-Zombies M3: The late Director managed to make this boring. How did a tale of mutants who kill people with machetes get so dull? I'd ask him, but, well, you know.
4. It Comes At Night: Is it Horror? No. Is it about Survival and in-fighting? Yes. Is it depressing? Hell yes.
3. Twin Peaks: I knew that it would be weird. Who could have ever predicted that it would be THAT weird though? Focusing on random, new people. Barely-explaining anything. Spending over 75% of the time making you follow a version of McLachlan that you don't care about. Even for you, Mr. Lynch, this was weird and random!
2. Instant Death: Lou Ferrigno's Taken. In his '60s, the guy is trying to be an Action Hero again. The actual Film is super-dark and super-violent. This...is a thing.
1. Batman and Harley Quinn: You turned Batman into Porky's! Actually, that one is a Cult Classic. So...you turned Batman into Porky's Revenge.
Why?
So those were my biggest Surprises of the Year. Did I miss one? Let me know.
'Wild In The Streets' is one of those movies that I saw a preview for as a kid and haunted me for decades till I tracked it down as an adult.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of a satire/comedy but as a kid I read its preview as horror... particularly that quick shot of wacked out Shelly Winters trying to climb a barbed wire fence.