Wes Craven marathon!

[akiratubo]

I don't consider Wes Craven a horror movie master.  Let's face it, his work is made up of far more crap than quality.  I don't even think too highly of A Nightmare on Elm Street (great idea, mediocre execution).  So, I really can't tell you what possessed me to watch FOUR Wes Craven movies in a row yesterday but I'm glad I did.  My opinion on Craven isn't exactly changed, but I can see he has more genuine talent that I generally credit him.  Anyway, here's the rundown ...

The Hills Have Eyes
A whitebread family finds itself at the mercy of a clan of cannibals.  Horrible things happen.

This is easily Wes Craven's greatest achievement.  I don't know what was going around in the 70s, but movies of that era are grittier, more brutal, and just plain meaner than movies from any other period.  The Hills Have Eyes is one of the best examples of this phenomenon.  The cheap filmstock, the bad acting, the minimal foley, and the simple camera work combine to give this move a sense of immedicacy and authenticity that the overly slick and polished remake can't even dream of matching.  I can find absolutely no weaknesses in this movie.  Some might object to The Beast, the civilized family's dog, seeming to be more intelligent and sensible than any of the human characters.  I can't complain about him much because his behavior is within bounds for a very intelligent dog.  He may even be a trained, police dog (the family's patriarch is a retired cop).

The Hills Have Eyes, Part 2
Have you seen an 80s style slasher movie?  Ok, then, we don't need to discuss this any further.  Man, I like bad 80s slasher movies, but this ... cripes.

Deadly Friend
A boy genius builds a sentient robot named BeeBee.  BeeBee is destroyed by a crazy neighbor and her shotgun.  On top of that, boy genius's kind-of girlfriend gets killed by her drunk father.  A little over the edge at that point, boy genius uses part of BeeBee's CPU to resurrect her.  Hilarity ensues.

This movie is stupid.  It's honestly one of the stupidest movies I've ever seen, which is an impressive achievement.  But, you know what?  It still almost works!  Once that chip goes into the girl's head and she becomes a techno-zombie, the movie makes, if not a complete 180, at least a sharp 90.  Kristy Swanson suddenly develops some gosh-darned acting chops and sells her role, which all by itself comes damn close to making the whole movie.  She's not herself anymore, she's a thing, and she knows it.  Boy genius goes from being, well, an 80s-era boy genius to being a downright creep.  It becomes apparent pretty quickly that he sees his zombiefied friend primarily as a science project.  Once you come to see him in that light, some of his past actions take on a much more sinister aspect, as well.  It's really quite amazing.  Deadly Friend goes from being stupid crap to almost being a honest-to-gosh horror movie!  Pity Craven blows it spectacularly with that damned denoument ...

The Serpent and the Rainbow

A medical researcher goes to Haiti to bring back a sample of a zombification drug, which may have far reaching benefits to the medical field.  Horrible things happen.

Bill Pullman, Paul Guilfoyle, and Michael Gough in the same movie?!?!  Sign me up!  Unfortunately, this is primarily Bill Pullman's show, Guilfoyle and Gough are only in a few scenes.  Look, I like Bill Pullman as much as the next guy, but he is best used in supporting roles.  He has it in him to steal scenes but he lacks the charisma to carry an entire movie.  Pullman aside, this movie has a lot going for it.  If The Hills Have Eyes is the best "bad" movie Wes Craven ever made (and it is), The Serpent and the Rainbow is the best "good" movie he ever made.  In an era of wisecracking slashers and special effects-driven ghosts and monsters, Wes Craven made a quiet, slow-burning horror movie -- and a damned good one.  I'd never have thought he had it in him.  The DP on this film sure earned his paycheck.  This is one of the best looking movies I've ever seen, and the lighting is amazing.  Bringing in Brad Fiedel to do the music was also a great choice.  If only a more charismatic actor had been cast in the lead role ...

[Skull]

Hehe... over the weekend I was playing Freddy Trivia and I was starting thinking "Gees the Elm Street series does suck!" lol

I really like part 2 because its so dark and part 3 because it was so fun (hands down Elm Street 3 is the best of the series) Personally I do find the original Elm Street too difficult to watch because its gets so boring.

The others in the series has gotten too campy too fast, the only enjoyable parts is when Freddie would make his one-liner before the kill and you got 15 mins of sillyness until the next kill.

*Although my wife hates the idea of an Elm Street remake, Im a little excited with the idea, but it better not be rated PG-13!


hehe I think The Serpent and the Rainbow is his best work... :)

its been years that I seen The Hills Have Eyes... but i do remember it was semi good (I should make plans in watching it again since I thought the remake was really good )

But The Hills Have Eyes part 2... suck so bad it kept me away from watching the original story!!! (Although I wasnt expecting much from the remake of part 2, I did find it fun to watch... although it wouldnt take much for the The Hills Have Eyes part 2 to be better then the 1985 story)

hehe... I think I need to rewatch Deadly Friend, something telling me that I might find it likeable the next time around... :)

[Jack]

My interest in that guy pretty much begins and ends with the first Nightmare on Elm Street.  That was a darned good slasher.  I've seen the first 20-30 minutes of the rest of them.  Saw a half hour of Hills Have Eyes 2.  He's like one of those guys who has one good book in him but goes on to have a long career as an author.

[Psycho Circus]

I like "Swamp Thing" and "Shocker" is a bit of guilty pleasure (mainly due to the soundtrack though). I think Craven's best work is "Hills Have Eyes" & "A Nightmare On Elm Street", after that he has pretty much put out utter crap IMO. It's the Scream series which has kept him around and making vast amounts of cash, but his films aren't scary and now lack any originality.

[meQal]

I have to admit, I liked Deadly Friend. It was creepy enough to enjoy but it is a bad movie. I never knew Wes Craven directed it however. The "chiller" ending was stupid however. Mostly because it was too impossible. Had the boy genius invented nanobots maybe but a freaking CPU chip was a bit too far fetched to believe for the ending let alone the who reanimating the dead concept.  Despite it's flaws, it is fun to watch.
I have seen the rest you listed and have to agree with you take on them, they are not that good. Granted The Serpent and the Rainbow did have one cringe worthy scene that makes me want to wear a steel plated cup if I ever travel to Haiti.

[zombie no.one]

suprised there's no mention of Last House On The Left yet. definitely the best Wes Craven film Ive seen, it's not a masterpiece or anything but still good. I was never a fan of the Elm Street or Scream stuff. never heard if Deadly Friend before.