Thursday 20 October 2016

Thursday Movie Picks #118: Halloween Edition - Science Fiction Horror


A new Thursday Movie Picks for you, this week it’s Science Fiction Horror – check out http://wanderingthroughtheshelves.blogspot.co.uk/


This hammer horror adaption of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel isn’t the best, it doesn't even try doing some impressive editing with the transformation scene, unlike the classic from the 30s. Anyway, during this transformation scene Henry Jekyll turns into a dashing, confident handsome man, losing his beard in the process...dunno why. He is able to play everyone against each other because nobody recognizes him...dunno why...but what is interesting the film’s attitudes towards sexuality and adultery….quite ahead of its time.


From Beyond is a science-fiction horror in a similar mound to Re-animator which isn’t a surprise considering they share two stars and a director. Some of the practical, makeup effects are stunning some are not and Ken Foree in his red underpants isn’t the prettiest sight.

The Brood is like a dark version of Kramer vs Kramer, in fact David Cronenberg even joked that it's his version of the Oscar winner of the same year The Brood was released (1979). It is, in my opinion, Cronenberg’s best film.

16 comments:

  1. Whoa! I've never heard of any of them (I know JEKYLL & HYDE's story, though).

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    1. Always good to bring unheard of film to someone's attention. Sometimes that's my aim.

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  2. Haven't heard of the first but it has what sounds like an interesting twist on the story, how attitude can change perception if I read your description correctly. I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

    Years ago when I worked at Blockbuster I saw the poster for From Beyond and the seemingly melting face told me it just wasn't for me.

    The Brood grossed me out but then I'm not a horror guy and I've had others tell me they thought the film was good so different strokes but it fits the theme well.

    As I said not a horror fan so I had to cast about a bit scrapping the barrel's bottom for my final, and watched the first of my picks specially for this after years of putting it off.

    Hollow Man (2000)-Scientist Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon) and his team (including Elisabeth Shue and Josh Brolin) invent a serum that produces invisibility. They test it on Caine and he vanishes but something goes wrong and they can’t rematerialize him. As the team struggles to reverse the process Caine’s grip on reality begins to slip away.

    The Fly (1986)-Scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) invents a teleportation device, then decides to test it on himself. What he doesn’t realize is a housefly is in the device during the process, causing a comingling of man and insect. As the fly's cells begin to take over his body and he becomes increasingly fly-like his girlfriend (Geena Davis) must stand by helpless in horrified disbelief as he deteriorates into a monster. What separates this from the norm is the perfect casting of Jeff Goldblum in the lead, his gawky angularity suggesting a fly-like physique even before he begins to transform. He and Geena Davis share a great chemistry, no surprise they were briefly married after this film. Directed by David Cronenberg.

    Monster A Go-Go (1965)-Astronaut Frank Douglas (Henry Hite) and his rocket disappear on their way back to earth and the next thing you know there’s a series of murders happening where the victim’s blood is turned to powder. Could they be related and who is the enormous rotting man roaming the countryside while people toil and look at papers in what appears to be a high school science lab? Nonsensical story atrociously acted with production values not even worthy of a grade school project, see if you can keep count of how many times the camera wobbles, it happens in almost every scene. One of the worst movies ever made this is inept in EVERY way, the best thing about it is its title.

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    1. I think The Brood will gross you out whether you like horror films or not!

      The Fly is a great film, haven't seen the remake. I do want to see how bad Monster A Go-Go is, haha.

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    2. Hollow Man, I think it's one of those it's so bad it's probably good - I remember it as being so cheesy.

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  3. I haven't seen any of these, but I feel I definitely need to see The Brood now.

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  4. I can't believe I still haven't seen The Brood.

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  5. i haven't seen any of these but always up for a Roger Corman film. The Brood sounds too scary for me and the same with from Beyond

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  6. I'm intrigued by The Brood but Croenberg freaks me out!

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  7. Haven't seen any of these, but all have been on my watchlist for a long time. Need to get on them.

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    1. Films to tend to get stuck on one's watch list.

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  8. I've read Stevenson's novel a few weeks ago and wasn't crazy about it. I was expecting something more I guess. This adaptation sounds interesting though, I don't really know why.

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