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owen-170
Reviews
Scream and Scream Again (1970)
Flawed and flawed again!...because of the cuts!
I remember a cinema viewing of this (the most complete version I've seen), then a TV broadcast, then a video, and in more recent years a DVD. All versions were different with scenes cut, & re-edited, plus the music variations: There is a scene with a coroner kissing a corpse before being disturbed, a scene where the hitchhiking man & woman are being tortured – especially the man. Other scenes with Alfred Marks bringing down Michael Gothard, using a weapon in the quarry & worst of all: a shortened scene involving Lee & Price talking. I'm told there are other cuts at the end too - but I can only remember what I have mentioned. Because of this & the fact a lot of these scenes have never been restored (or maybe others out there have the more complete versions), I'm afraid the forthcoming Blu-Ray could be a real letdown; unless it has an extras section. If it hasn't, what would be the point of another edited release? This movie was a big enough mishmash in the first place!
Lord of Tears (2013)
Formidable eeriness
Imbued with creepiness from the opening, this is a fabulous ride into psychological horror - I enjoyed it more than I thought I would!
It's a throwback to the old ghost stories, with palpable atmosphere I haven't experienced in a horror movie for a long time. In recent years (if we are talking mainstream), I think Insidious is a movie which almost deliver's this sort of atmospheric flavour, but Lord Of Tears isn't a big Hollywood production, it is independent, so this achievement is impressive indeed and built on the sheer talent of the film makers alone. It's also refreshing to watch a movie of this genre with none of the Hollywood pretensions; it's stripped bare of any unnecessary trimmings or overwrought special effects – so it's back to basics, making it natural, raw and authentic.
I would love to give a breakdown of my favourite parts, but I don't want spoil it; so I can only recommend it as a fan of the genre. In time, this should garner a cult (if not, mainstream) following.
I look forward to future projects & I hope this reaches the larger audience it deserves. Beautiful to watch & equally frightening, in both vision & sound, I definitely got my horror fix today
Now breath slowly
it's only a movie.
Dirkie (1969)
Enduring forgotten classic
I saw this film as a double bill with 'The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad' back in 1974, with my father when I was growing up in Sutton Surrey. As an 8 year old it had an enduring impact on me. I then remember seeing it again in 1980 one Monday afternoon on TV - which confirms it was broadcast on British television at least once. I'm still searching for a copy on DVD which I believe is available now after all these years. It's a shame that this film of a boys survival & a fathers determination to find him has been largely forgotten now. It was powerful as a children's film, but certainly rises above a lot of the pointless movies made for children these days. I'm looking forward to finding a copy very soon. Regards