As you can likely imagine, I go through quite a few horror movies every October. . . and not every one I watch meets my strict criteria and earns a review. But, that is not to say that these films may not interest you, so, instead of letting them fall behind in the forest for the proverbial psychopathic serial killer, I’ve decided to start this new blog feature in which I will provide you with the good, the bad and the ugly on those horror flicks that just missed the bloody cut.
2017’s A Ghost Story, written and directed by David Lowery, is arguably one of the more creative and unique iterations on a spectre in some time. A deep philosophical rumination on love, life, death, loneliness, time and ghosts, it takes the rare position of showing the ghost’s point of view. Less a typical horror story and more along the lines of a fantasy drama, the movie stars Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara as the two leads. Kind of a spoiler, but not really, Affleck dies early on, and, instead of moving on, he feels like he has unfinished business, and returns to live a pale existence of what life once was.
Covered with a white sheet, he is relegated to watching (also, by channelling his energy, lights can flicker and he can move items), losing his essence as time flows in abstract ways. Stuck to this one location, the original meaning for his return seeps away with the years, though, with different planes of existence, that may not be totally true.
Though wholly original, it is the type of film that is likely to be seen once, stick with you for some time, never to be watched again (one of my criteria for reviews is that the film should be watched more than once). It is a slow burn, with long takes, depictions of grief, loss, and pain, leaving the viewer with a plethora of questions. . . perhaps, most specifically, what was written on that note? (you will know what I mean if you’ve seen it). Definitely worth a watch for more adventurous film buffs, it may not appeal to greater horror audiences, but is by no means a sheety movie (I apologize for the wordplay), just an existential study on what it means to exist.
The Initiation, a 1984 slasher flick, written by Charles Pratt Jr. and directed by Larry Stewart, is, in a sense, like a weaker version of a Brian De Palma film (e.g. Carrie, Dressed to Kill). Perhaps best known for being the first starring role for Daphne Zuniga (and only her second feature film), her parents were played by icons Vera Miles and Clu Gulager.
Following a group of sorority pledges, Zuniga’s character is a rich girl plagued by the same reoccurring nightmare, picked on by the leader of the pack and forced to track down the keys to her father’s department store – where she and the rest of the pledges must complete a specific task to be welcomed into the fold.
A seemingly common occurrence during this era of films, several individuals have escaped from an insane asylum, at least one of them tied into the lives of the main characters.
Though the dialogue is a bit staid, the story a tad formulaic and there being some pacing issues, The Initiation is still an entertaining little venture back to the 1970’s and 80’s horror craze. It is also exciting to see as it really has been lost to time, and so few people know anything about this one. Released soon after Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street, it was overshadowed by the huge success of this picture, meaning that many critics did not even review The Initiation when it was first running in theatres and drive-ins. Perhaps the best moment comes at the end, the locked down mall being a grand menacing location filled with nooks – danger round every corner. Lights flickering and a serial killer on the loose, their pranks and inane shenanigans quickly turn to horror, some realizing it sooner than others. Though it may not match the likes of Bob Clark’s Black Christmas or John Carpenter’s Halloween, The Initiation is a fun late addition to a style of horror film that was waning in 1984.
The Initiation sounds pretty interesting. I think I’d watch it. Still disappointed with the lack of good horror flicks on TV this month! I still prefer the old Jack the Ripper movies.
Saw ‘A Ghost Story’ and was very antsy in my seat waiting for something, anything to happen. It is extremely slow moving, to say the least. When I left the theatre, I was mostly annoyed at the experience, however, in retrospect, several months later, I now see it as quite an interesting and thought-provoking film, though I would have to be in the right frame of mind to see it again.