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Post by GL on Oct 5, 2010 9:51:00 GMT -5
1,2. These go together so I'm grouping them into one answer:
I have no interest in those film genres, so I would've hated Psycho even more had it gone that way. Or I wouldn't have seen it to begin with as it wouldn't have been a horror film, which is what I want and watch. Following either of those plotlines would've definitely made it appeal to me even less than it does now.
3. Totally missing the point of what I mentioned. You're still going into it expecting there to be a twist: why else would you change that which has gone before (the film-showcasing methods you mentioned) that had worked into now us being forced into arriving at the filmmaker's convenience not ours? Because there's something shocking he wants us to see, which is the plot shift.
4. It doesn't matter what came after it, it only matters that focusing on that ares to begin with doesn't work no matter what happens to it. You can do whatever you want to try to change it up, but the simple fact of the matter is, a film focusing on that area never works, so because it uses it, there's nothing that can be done to make it watchable.
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HNT
Grizzled HMaM Vet
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Post by HNT on Oct 5, 2010 12:03:32 GMT -5
1&2) perhaps you wouldn't have cared, but the suggestion that the plot twist is innevitable completely ignores the body of Hitchcock's work in which the web of crime might very easly be weaved from a seemingly minor event into a huge and deadly criminal conspiracy. Again, North by Northwest did exactly that with teh mere hand off of a brief case. At first glance, it seemed even more mundane than this.
3) Sure they were selling the plot twist to a degree, but the real issue was that this was the first film to be released with an age restriction, they had to come up with a way to limit who had access to the theater, and this was a way to do it without causing the average person to believe the film was pornographic (based on the fact that never before had there been such restrictions).
4) Nothing that can be done to make it watchable??? One of the most highly regarded films of all time??? IT is certainly more than watchable. You can suggest that you don't like it if you want, but again, considering that you watch flying Godzilla drop kicks, I simply cannot believe that you plan to argue that this film is not even watchable. It might not be your cup of tea, but clearly that is another discussion altogether
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Post by GL on Oct 6, 2010 9:47:58 GMT -5
1/2. But how would I have known it would be watchable had it went that way since I wouldn't have seen it since it went along that route? Since it would've done that, I wouldn't have cared to see it, and so I wouldn't have known about it whether or not it was good.
And your following assumption carries even less weight with me since I've only seen three of his films (this one, Birds and Frenzy) since those are the only horror films in his collection, everything else I've heard about his work has no weight or importance on my end, so arguing for those doesn't really make much impact on my end.
3. And again, you're making my point: all of these outside forces, which are completely useless in most causes, are forcing the viewer to expect something monumental to happen, and therefore it doesn't really make much of a difference one way or another.
4. Films which focus on the killer, to me, just utterly suck. I don't care to know about them, they should remain hidden. Frankly, I just need a name or a one-line motive and that's it, anything else is just overkill and takes me out of the film quite quickly.
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HNT
Grizzled HMaM Vet
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Post by HNT on Oct 6, 2010 10:35:25 GMT -5
Honestly, I have no idea what you are talking about in the first three paragraphs of this post. The last part I understand your point as a matter of personal preference.
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Post by abraxas on Oct 6, 2010 13:09:25 GMT -5
Well GL looks like your missing out on some of the greatest horror films ever made, judging by that criteria. That makes no sense to me. Going by that Id hazard to guess that you judge a film like Silence of the Lambs to be one of the worse films ever madfe....Im sorry but that is just crazy talk. I would like to say though that that was one of the finest arguments I have ever come across, there between you two guys.....as they say
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Post by CT on Oct 6, 2010 20:32:38 GMT -5
GL, I think I could film a movie that fits your criteria on my iPhone camera using action figures floating in a bathtub.
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Post by GL on Oct 7, 2010 9:42:22 GMT -5
HNT, I'm sorry. I was a little tired yesterday and wasn't really thinking right. I meant to say that had it gone for the more crime-film driven plot, I wouldn't have watched the film since it wouldn't have been a horror film in that incarnation. I barely think it is now, but it's a lot closer to one than it would've been had it done what you said, go for the crime-drama plot.
Abraxas-I haven't seen it since I don't consider it a horror film. Just like the rest of the series, Seven, Croenenberg's discography or most of the so-called critical horror films of that time, I don't think they're horror films so I don't watch them. I'm more than happy just sticking with my ultra-crap instead of those kinds of films because I know I'll enjoy them and they're horror films, not those other films.
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HNT
Grizzled HMaM Vet
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Kiss my tuchis
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Post by HNT on Oct 7, 2010 9:56:12 GMT -5
Ah, I see. Hard to believe that there are no non-horror films that you want to watch ever, but if you feel that way, I hear ya. Thanks for explaining your point again. I got it completely now
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Post by abraxas on Oct 7, 2010 12:56:48 GMT -5
Well whatever floats the proverbial boat
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Post by The Walking Dude on Oct 7, 2010 15:31:15 GMT -5
Silence of the Lambs is most definately a horror film, we have one character who eats people,and another who skins his victims,to make a human suit,I can't think of anything more horror than that.Especially when they were inspired by the same man who influenced Psycho.
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Post by GL on Oct 8, 2010 9:53:06 GMT -5
It's a psychological thriller, not a horror film, at least from what I've seen, heard and read about it, and I care not one iota for films of that style. Go full-on into the style or not at all, as far as I'm concerned.
And HNT, to say I don't ever want to watch non-horror is to completely miss out on all my Godzilla movies, for one.
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HNT
Grizzled HMaM Vet
Horror in General & Everything Else Moderator[/i]
Kiss my tuchis
Posts: 6,296
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Post by HNT on Oct 8, 2010 9:56:22 GMT -5
So if you believe that it is all or nothing, does that mean that a film like Braindead/Dead Alive is no good to you because it is as much a slapstick comedy as a horror film, and most of it is played for laughs and not at all frightening?
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Post by abraxas on Oct 8, 2010 16:23:05 GMT -5
Yeah but that movie tells you too much about the plot and the reasons for why the people are doing what they are doing.....so But then again so does just about every movie that has ever been made. I would be interested in seeing GL's list of movies he does deem worthy, must be a short one Oh well the guy loves Godzilla so.......
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Post by GL on Oct 11, 2010 9:56:30 GMT -5
So if you believe that it is all or nothing, does that mean that a film like Braindead/Dead Alive is no good to you because it is as much a slapstick comedy as a horror film, and most of it is played for laughs and not at all frightening? No, it's a horror film, as long as that part is determined I don't mind if there's injections of comedy. As long as it's a horror film, I don't mind, but if you're not a horror film but are more of a psychological thriller, that's where I draw the line. Yeah but that movie tells you too much about the plot and the reasons for why the people are doing what they are doing.....so But then again so does just about every movie that has ever been made. I would be interested in seeing GL's list of movies he does deem worthy, must be a short one Oh well the guy loves Godzilla so....... I have no idea what on earth you're going for here. Either it's earlier or I missed something due to the layoff in responding to this, but a little extra help here, man.
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Post by The Walking Dude on Oct 12, 2010 6:35:51 GMT -5
Just grabbed the 50th Anniversary Blu-Ray today - so expect gushings of praise over the next few days.
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