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Surgeons of Horror

~ Dissecting horror films

Surgeons of Horror

Monthly Archives: October 2016

Podcast: Halloween franchise: Halloween II (1981)

31 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by surgeons of horror in Halloween franchise

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Donald Pleasance, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Carpenter, michael myers

Just three years after the original hit our screens, Michael Myers would return to Haddonfield, transporting him from Horror icon to legendary status.
Along with it, the Halloween franchise was born.

John Carpenter would vacate the director’s chair for Rick Rosenthal, but would still play an active role in the screenwriting and production of the movie, alongside Debra Hill.

Also returning to the franchise would be Donald Pleasance as Dr Sam Loomis and Jamie Lee Curtis as the ever-troubled Laurie Strode.

Interestingly set over the course of the same Hallows Eve of the previous movie as Myers continues on his killing spree.
But does Halloween II fall under the curse of movie sequels, doomed to live in the shadows of its successful predecessor?
Or does it stand out in its own right, a successful addition to the Halloween series?

The team at Surgeons of Horror dissects the movie in question to try and answer these questions and more.

Listen below to our thoughts and opinions in the first of our Halloween franchise discussions.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: Neon Demon (2016)

18 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by surgeons of horror in movie of the week

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neon-demon
LOOKING AT THIS decade alone, Nicolas Winding Refn is carving an interesting film career.

Making his name since The Pusher Trilogy, he has developed something of a love him / hate him approach to his movies.

From a personal perspective, Drive was one of the best films released that year, but Only God Forgives left me trying.

So I went into Neon Demon not knowing which side of the fence I’d fall.

As usual the cinematography was stunning, as you’re treated to a spectacular visual journey into the beautiful, yet vacant world of fashion.

This in part is what Winding Refn has been criticised for, both highly and poorly.

In this case it kind of works in his favour as it shines the light on the vacuous nature that the fashion industry can bring.

Elle Fanning plays the doe-eyed sixteen year old Jesse aspiring to break through as a model.

Innocence is something that Fanning has been typecast of late but it’s a note that she plays well and Neon Demon allows her to be seduced by a dark, intoxicating world.

Among the supporting roles are Jena Malone (an often cruelly overlooked actress) and she deserves due nod here as make up artist, Ruby.

As Jesse falls further into this world, entranced by its beauty. Like is the viewer we fall fowl to this facade, but the deeper you go, the darker and uglier the world around you becomes.

As a side note and a slight spoiler, the movie reminded me of Countess Dracula, a modern interpretation of the Hammer horror film that was released as a novel scribed by Guy Adams.

It’s probably loosely based on Countess Bathory, a notorious serial killer of historical infamy.

In conclusion, it may not be to everyone’s taste, but I found this movie intoxicating and enjoyable all the same, despite the fact that it didn’t necessarily anything new. The journey was a beautiful one and one that I think is worth a visit or two.

– Paul Farrell

Escape From New York (1981)

04 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by surgeons of horror in John Carpenter

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Adrienne Barbeau, ernest borgnine, harry dean stanton, Horror film, Horror movies, isaac hayes, kurt russell, lee van cleef, podcast

escape-from-new-york
THIS DYSOPTIAN VIEW of a troubled America, where crime rate has risen to 400% is the setting of our sixth instalment of the John Carpenter Early Years discussions on Surgeons of Horror.

It would mark a massive turning point in Carpenter’s career where he would stride onto iconic movies such as The Thing, They Live, and Big Trouble in Little China.

It would also prove fruitful for its lead star, Kurt Russell taking on Snake Plissken, a character that has stamped itself into film legend, such is the power of his presence on screen.

It’s setting of the President of the USA (Donald Pleasance) being jettisoned onto Manhattan Island after Air Force One is hijacked, the island in question has been transformed into a giant prison, (Think Alcatraz but on a much larger scale) tips this adventure into an adrenaline-fuelled ride. Even more so, with Plissken’s life is on the line. If he doesn’t retrieve the President in time, the toxins in his system will be released, killing him in the process.

So many things went right for Carpenter in the making of this movie. The ensemble cast all look there having a breeze and produce some memorable characters,

And the film crew, most of whom had been working alongside Carpenter since Assault On Precinct 13 / Halloween have certainly found there stride at this point.

All of which made our podcasts discussions on Escape From New York, such a fun one to take part in.

Check out what we had to say below.

https://surgeonsofhorrordotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/soh-jc-escape-from-new-york.mp3

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