Hello there, and welcome to a very spooky edition of the Library’s monthly film club blog. Yes of course, it’s that time of year again: when the pumpkins are carved, costumes made and sweet treats are bought. Another thing those who celebrate Halloween love, is a good old scary movie or two to keep you up at night. In this blog we’ll look at a selection of films that highlight several creatures you or children might typically find yourselves dressing up as during this festival of frights, including Aliens, Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies!
We begin however, with both a costume favourite and a horror classic, Frankenstein (1931). One of the original horror films, it was the second entry in Universal’s classic monsters’ film series (1931-1956). Adapted from a 1927 play, which was of course based on Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus, it starred Colin Clive as the titular Dr. Frankenstein and Boris Karloff (also The Mummy, 1932) as his monster. For those who may not know the world-famous story, it starts with an unusual fourth wall break from one of the actors, delivering a line of caution to the audience of what they are about to witness. In a quant village in the Bavarian Alps, Henry Frankenstein and his hunchback assistant Fritz piece together a human body (made from the bodies of those freshly buried and recently hanged criminals, with the intent of creating life. The only thing missing is a brain, thus the doctor sends Fritz to steal a healthy brain from a nearby school (in the class of Henry’s former teacher to be exact). Unfortunately, Fritz accidently damages the brain while trying to remove it, so brings a criminal’s corrupt brain (shown to the class for a comparison study) instead, which has unforeseen consequences…
Meanwhile, Henry’s fiancé Elizabeth and friend Victor are worried about him & his work, and proceed to contact his former teacher Mr. Waldman for information. He reveals all on Henry’s plan, and they arrive at the lab just in time to see Frankenstein’s creation brought to life courtesy of a lightning storm in the area. Though seeming completely innocent at first, an overwhelming series of events causes the creature to be seen as no more than a violent and uncontrollable monster to all but his creator. Soon there becomes a race against time to destroy Frankenstein’s monster (misunderstood though he may be). Well received by both critics and audiences alike, Frankenstein was a major commercial success for its time. Becoming an iconic entry in the horror genre, its legacy includes a number of sequels, spin-offs, remakes and naturally Halloween costumes over the years. It’s also great for a look at classic early cinema for those studying film. Loan the DVD of this seminal horror now, only in the Library! Watch the trailer by clicking the link below:
From one Halloween staple to another… Aliens! (No, not the film) in cult science-fiction comedy, Evolution (2001). A criminally underrated and largely forgotten pearl directed by Ghostbuster’s very own Ivan Reitman. Although originally conceived as a serious horror thriller by Don Jakoby (author of the story the film is based on) it was inevitably given a Ghostbusters like treatment by Reitman, but still retains some horror elements throughout. With a core cast that includes David Duchovny (The X-Files: I Want to Believe), Julianne Moore (The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Kingsman: The Golden Circle), Orlando Jones and Sean William Scott (American Pie, Ice Age); the story commences with a large meteor crashing into the Arizona desert one night, witnessed by aspiring firefighter Wayne (Scott). The next day science professors form a nearby community college, Ira Kane (Duchovny) and Harry Block (Jones), arrive to investigate the strange crash site, discovering that the meteor possesses a strange blue liquid and harbours extra-terrestrial microorganisms.
The microorganisms are also revealed to be able to evolve both themselves and the environment around them at an alarming rate: developing into fungi, flatworms, and aquatic life within a matter of days. Ira, Harry, and Wayne resolve to stop the organisms evolving any further but face stern opposition from the U.S. Army thanks to Ira’s dubious history with them. The three are eventually joined by CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) researcher and Ira’s former boss, Dr. Allison Reed (Moore), and that puts the team in a much better position to understand just what is happening with organisms and figure out a way to combat them. The only question is… will they succeed?
Evolution got mixed reviews from critics but was unsurprisingly praised for most of its humour, with Todd McCarthy of Variety magazine calling it, “A consistently amusing action romp.” Despite flying under the radar somewhat with audiences, it has become a little bit of a cult film, even having an animated series based on it. While far from your standard alien affair, it’s still well worth a watch for the laughs alone, and you can do just that only on e-stream right now. Get a dose of the comedy this movie brings by watching the clip in the link below:
Now we dive into the world of Zombies, with Paul W. S. Anderson’s (Mortal Kombat, Alien vs. Predator) Resident Evil (2002). Loosely based on the video game series of the same name started in 1996, it is technically a prequel to the story of the first game. It stars Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element) in the lead role of Alice with supporting turns from name such as: Michelle Rodriguez (Fast & Furious series), Colin Salmon (Tomorrow Never Dies) and James Purefoy (John Carter). The film follows a band of commandos as they attempt to contain the outbreak of the T-Virus (that creates Zombies of people when released) at a secret underground facility. The tale initially begins at aforementioned facility (used for genetic research) called The Hive, located underneath Raccoon City. There an organization named the Umbrella corporation have been experimenting with the virus. After a thief steals the virus and contaminates the Hive with it, the facilities A.I. (Red Queen), seals the facility and kills everyone inside (effectively zombifying the staff).
Meanwhile, Alice awakens in a deserted mansion with amnesia, which is suddenly stormed by the commandos who arrest an unknown person after he attacks Alice. The mansion is revealed to be an entrance to The Hive and the man a police officer, who goes down to the facility with the Commandos. Despite Red Queens pleas for them not to enter, they ignore her and shut her down, causing the power to fail and open the doors, thus releasing the zombies and other creatures created through the experiments with the virus. Alice and the commandos bravely battle to stop the zombie horde from reaching the surface while trying to escape from the Hive themselves without getting killed or turned into a zombie.
Resident Evil received mixed reviews but like other films in this month’s blog has become a cult hit over the years, praised for its references and connections to the first two games in the franchise. Robert K. Elder of the Chicago Tribune notes it, “updates the zombie genre with an anti-corporate message while still scaring its audience and providing heart-pounding action.” This zombie infested horror was followed by as many as five sequels (2004-2016) plus a brand-new Netflix series and the original entry is even known to be the guilty pleasure watch of one James Cameron! (The Terminator, Titanic, Avatar) You can share a guilty pleasure with the great director anytime by watching it on e-stream. Get a glimpse of the terror that’s in store by watching the clip in the link bellow:
Having started with Frankenstein, we shall finish with another indispensable costume inspiration for the spooky season everywhere… VAMPIRES! With a bit of Werewolf mixed in for good measure. No, not Twilight but the original Vampires v Werewolves franchise starter that is, Underworld (2006). Directed by Len Wiseman (Total Recall, Die Hard 4.o), it chronicles the secret history of a war between vampires and lycans (short for lycanthrope which in turn means werewolf). The main characters are portrayed by Kate Beckinsale (Much Ado About Nothing, The Aviator), Scott Speedman (XXX: The Next Level), Michael Sheen (The Damned United, Twilight Saga: New Moon) and Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead’s Man Chest, Hot Fuzz). The central figure is that of Selene (Beckinsale), a vampire Death Dealer (assassin), who longs for revenger against the Lycan’s who were responsible for her parents murders when she was a child. Selene is in fact based upon a Marvel comics character of the same name, though the film had no affiliation with Marvel.
At a turning point in this hostile war, the vampires seemingly gain the upper hand when Lycan leader Lucian (Sheen) is killed by vampire Kraven (who then assumes the position of second-in-command to the elders of the vampires). During a skirmish with the Lycans following the death, Selene unearths that they are searching for a medical student named Michael Corvin (Speedman) for an as yet unknown reason. She rescues Michael from them and takes him under her wing, quickly falling for him. After Michael is eventually bitten by a Lycan while they are pursued, Selene must decide whether to carry out her duty of killing him or try to save her him (going against everything she stands for). All may not be as it seems however in this tale of intrigue and war.
This entry received more positive than negative reviews from critics and was a surprise box-office hit, becoming a fan favourite. It was praised for its gothic aesthetic style, visuals, Beckinsales performance (it was this role that kickstarted her career) and the deep mythology of the film’s backstory. It even went on to produce no less than four sequels (2006-2016). Available on both DVD & e-stream, view the epic trailer now by clicking the link below:
That’s it then! There you have four at least slightly scary flicks to feed your thirst for scares this year, and offer some much-needed relief after those painstaking exams. All that’s left to say is…
Bradford College Planet Estream.
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