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hauntfreak13
Reviews
Wicked, Wicked (1973)
Campy Horror That Never Takes Itself Too Seriously
"See the Hunter! See the Hunted! Both at the same time!"
This is the tagline for this schlocky slasher set in a luxurious beachside hotel. The plot is simple: a crazed killer is stalking and killing all the blonde female guests. When singer Lisa James (Tiffany Boling) is booked to perform in the hotel's lounge, she becomes the killer's newest obsession. Head of hotel security and Lisa's former lover Rick Stewart (David Bailey) is on the case to catch the killer before he strikes again.
The big gimmick for "Wicked, Wicked" is that the movie is presented almost entirely in "Duo-Vision" (MGM's fancy term for split-screen). There are times when this is used quite cleverly. A guest discusses her past as a dancer in a prestigious ballet company on the right side of the screen while we simultaneously see her dancing topless in a bar with men drunkenly cheering at her on the left. There is an elderly organist character that appears solely to provide music for the movie's more climactic scenes. She has no dialogue and doesn't interact with any of the other characters. She's simply there. Playing the organ. It gave me the vibe of an accompanist playing live music in a theater for a silent film.
And it's little quirks and light touches of comedy like that that give "Wicked, Wicked" its charm. The movie's title song is one of the most catchy, kitschy tunes ever featured in a horror flick and I love it. Where the movie fails is that it plays its hand way too early. You'll not only have the killer's identity guessed prematurely but fully revealed to you by the halfway point. A bit of a bummer but it doesn't completely spoil the rest of the film. If you can track down a copy of the uncut version, give it a watch!
Below (2002)
A Spooky, Claustrophobic Gem
It's World War II. The USS Tiger Shark picks up 3 survivors from a British hospital ship that was attacked by a German submarine. Among them are 2nd mate Kingsley, nurse Claire Paige, and one of her badly injured patients. With enemy boats hot on the Tiger Shark's tail and the closest British port a near 3 day detour, the ship has no choice but to stay on course with the three on board. Soon strange events begin to occur that indicate there may be something else on board with all of them...
There are very few paranormal horror flicks set in a submarine, which makes recommending "Below" so much more satisfying (closest thing I can think of to it is "The Thirty Fathom Grave" episode of "The Twilight Zone"). It perfectly blends two genres that rarely meet and that alone is commendable. While the plot is a tad easy to guess, the journey is chock full of suspense and some genuinely chilling moments, my favorite of which happens while four of the men are fixing an oil leak within the ship's outer hull. Unfortunately most of these moments are spoiled in the trailer, which I would strongly advise against watching.
"Below" features great performances all around, most notably Bruce Greenwood, Olivia Williams, and Matthew Davis. Zach Galifianakis makes an appearance as a fun, superstitious crewman Weird Wally. The dialogue for the most part is well-written thanks to David Twohy, Lucas Sussman, and Darren Aronofsky of "Black Swan" and "Requiem For A Dream" fame. This movie was overlooked at the box office, raking in a measly $2.6 million worldwide on an estimated $40 million budget, which is a real tragedy because it deserved so much more love.
Cages: LIVE from DTLA (2021)
How Does It Feel To Feel?
Step back in time to the city of Anhedonia, where everyone's hearts are locked in cages. The citizens wander through the streets unable to show emotion--an act punishable by death. High above them, a man named Woolf (CJ Baran) lives in the city's clock tower. He lives in isolation but longs for something more. Soon he meets a girl named Madeline (Allison Harvard) and a secret love begins. Taking inspiration from silent films like "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", the city of Anhedonia is a foggy, colorless landscape with asymmetrical buildings lining the streets. It's the perfect setting for a dystopian love story that is narrated by a character called The Chemist (Harwood Gordon).
The music by CJ Baran and Benjamin Romans has something to fit almost every taste, ranging from electronic to rock to orchestral. It's truly difficult to choose a favorite song (the soundtrack is now available on several music platforms).
I was so happy when they decided to do this live stream of the show during the lockdown when entertainment venues were forced to shut their doors. "Cages" eventually bid Los Angeles farewell and moved overseas to London for a while with a new cast. I'm hoping a return to L. A. is in the cards sometime. There was such a great vibe and it was never disappointing. All in all a fantastic show.