Sean Connery: 1930 - 2020

 

Actor Sean Connery has passed away at 90. 

 

An international star and Oscar winner who shot to fame as the British secret agent James Bond, Thomas Sean Connery was born in Scotland in 1930. Raised in near poverty, he left school in his teens and worked as a skilled laborer. At 17 he was drafted into the Royal Navy and spent three years in service. 

 

After returning to Scotland he worked as a lifeguard and took up bodybuilding; placing third in the 1950 Mr. Universe competition. After a move to London, he picked up a role in the chorus line of a production of South Pacific, which he held for 18 months. With his excellent physique his best asset at the time, he modeled and picked up acting jobs where he could, and in 1956 he landed his first film, NO ROAD BACK.

 

His breakthrough came in 1962 when he was selected to play Ian Fleming’s British secret agent James Bond in DR. NO. He played 007 in the first five Bond films; DR. NO, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963), GOLDFINGER (1964), THUNDERBALL (1965), and YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967). He would step away from the role but return for DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971), and NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (1983). All seven films were commercially successful.

 

Now with global popularity, he would take on high-profile roles in THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING (1975), and ROBIN AND MARIAN (1976). He would win a BAFTA in 1986 for his role as a Franciscan Friar in THE NAME OF THE ROSE, and would take home an Oscar for his hard-nosed, tough Irish cop in THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987). 

 

Other hits would come; he played the father to Indiana Jones in INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989), a defecting Russian submarine captain in THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (1990), and a show-stealing cameo as King Richard the Lionheart in ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES (1991). In 1996 he would draw on his own rich history, channeling his experience in the Royal Navy and as James Bond for his role in THE ROCK (1996). 

 

Other notable films include DARBY O’GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE (1959), THE MOLLY MAGUIRES (1970), MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974), A BRIDGE TOO FAR (1977), TIME BANDITS (1981), HIGHLANDER (1986), THE PRESIDIO (1988), FIRST KNIGHT (1995), DRAGONHEART (1996), ENTRAPMENT (1999), FINDING FORRESTER (2000), and THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN (2003). 

 

He maintained his status as a sex symbol well into his sixties. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2000. 

 

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Sean Connery was a name that has been attached to this Blogger’s movie-watching life from day one. It started, of course, with James Bond. Dad was a fan of the series and we spent many hours on Sunday afternoons watching Connery hop around the world with his gadgets and women…saving the world one smooch at a time. He would become a family favorite; thrilling us as Dr. Henry Jones senior and turning THE LAST CRUSADE into the perfect Father’s Day film. Dad took my brother and I out for a guys night at the movies for THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, and Dad’s taste for bad movies led to becoming a huge fan of THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN. 

 

As Bond, he was stuck into a certain way of acting…and it was a type that he worked long and hard to step out of. He made it work, and was able to develop a range that was far and beyond any secret agent. He had a perfect balance of charm and toughness that worked well for his characters of professors, cops, kings, submarine captains and adventure-seekers. For this Blogger he has always been there…and always will be. 

 

 

A Reel Review: THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7

THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 was originally planned for a wide theatrical release in hopes of an Oscar run. With the ongoing pandemic shuttering most theatres, the film is now playing in a few select theatres and on Netflix. It is directed by Aaron Sorkin, who has been one of Hollywood’s most respected screenwriters over the years, writing hits such as A FEW GOOD MEN (1992), THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT (1995), THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010), and MONEYBALL (2011). His second time in the director’s chair sees him adapting a true story from the turbulent 1960’s; a story that is even more relevant today.  

 

Federal Prosecutor Richard Schulz (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), is assigned by the U.S. government to prosecute eight individuals believed to have been involved in a conspiracy to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. 

 

Operating with a large cast and a timeline that takes place over a year, CHICAGO 7’s early goings introduce us to the eight (which later become seven during the course of the trial), as they prepare to head to Chicago to let their voices be heard about their anger over the Vietnam War. There’s Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne), and Rennie Davis (Alex Sharp), who want to encourage peaceful protests. Hippies Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen) and Jerry Rubin (Jeremy Strong), who want to tear down the establishment. There’s David Dellinger (John Carroll Lynch), a family man and peaceful protester, and Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a member of the Black Panther party. Once the introductions are over, the film jumps ahead a year and sees the U.S. government, with a vengeful Attorney General John Mitchell (John Doman), looking to charge the eight individuals as one crime even though they had not even met each other until after the riots. 

 

It’s a tale of David vs. Goliath, as the large defense team, led by attorney William Kunstler (Mark Rylance), goes up against the massive resources of the U.S. government and a biased judge (Frank Langella). The odds are against them, and things get even more difficult when the seven begin arguing amongst themselves over how to proceed with their defense; with the straight-arrow Hayden often clashing with the two hippies…who just want to poke fun at everything. It makes for good character drama with frequent battles of ideals. 

 

Once the trial does begin the film flashes back to the events of the days and nights of the Convention and the riots, and even though Sorkin and his script are on the side of the seven, the film does open the door for us to question if they really were responsible. Sorkin keeps things even-handed and it never feels preachy. The dialogue is sharp and witty and tight; perhaps too tight as most of it is focused on the trial and very little room for character moments. 

 

The entire cast puts in excellent performances. Mark Rylance turns in one of his best roles as the defense attorney, and his battles with the judge, (Frank Langella), are gripping. Sacha Baron Cohen finds an excellent balance between his usual fuck-you comedy and drama, and Jeremy Strong nearly steals the show. Michael Keaton cameos as Ramsey Clark, the former Attorney General of the U.S., and makes an impression. 

 

One of the most important things that a historical film can do is to show us just how far we’ve come, or in this case…how little things have changed since 1968. Sorkin isn’t blind to the fact that in 2020 the government wants to put limits on protesting, and there’s also a theme of men who have too much power to wield who don’t really understand it. It doesn’t matter how much we read into that, because THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 has a lot to say. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Retro Review: HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

 

Haunted house movies are as essential to October as jack o’ lanterns and dead leaves. We’ve seen family homes with angry spirits (POLTERGEIST), large mansions loaded with terror (THE HAUNTING), and even lighter fare for kids (HAUNTED MANSION). There’s nothing better in horror than a house with long shadows that hide secrets or scares…sometimes the simpler the better. Which brings us to William Castle’s 1959 spook-fest: HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL. 

 

Frederick Loren (Vincent Price), an eccentric millionaire, invites five people to a party he is throwing for his wife Annabelle (Carol Ohmart), in an alleged haunted house he has rented…offering $10,000 to whomever can spend the night at the house after the doors are locked at midnight. 

 

Similar to modern closed-quarters thrillers such as THE THING (any version), or even CLUE (1985), HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL uses the simple premise of locking characters up with nowhere to go and letting them react. Aside from the millionaire and his wife who have too much money to do anything else, we have the dashing young test pilot Lance (Richard Long), newspaper columnist Ruth (Julie Mitchum), psychiatrist Dr. Trent (Alan Marshal), Loren’s employee Nora (Carolyn Craig), and the house’s owner Watson (Elisha Cook). It’s a collection of believers and disbelievers; some truly buy into the house being haunted, while other lean towards a practical explanation for the strange happenings. 

 

And those strange happenings are brought to the glorious black-and-white screen by way of simple tricks and props that were used in carnival haunted houses; skeletons that walk via wire, apparitions that seem to glide on the floor, and lights that dim and turn on quickly to reveal something scary. It’s crude but for the most part it works; some of the scares are laughable by today’s standards, while others are downright impressive. 

 

Director William Castle, who for most of his career was known for using gimmicks in his films, seems to be having a ball as he sends one scare after another after our hapless group of guests. Eventually the plot thickens and certain characters have motivators for scaring off or just killing each other off. It gets a bit convoluted and not all of it makes sense, and by the final scene we’re not quite sure what happened or why. 

 

Acting is very good. Vincent Price of course is charming and scary at the same time, and his scenes with his distrusting wife, played by Carol Ohmart, are full of tension. The poor character of Nora, played by Carolyn Craig, seems to get picked on as for most of the film she’s the only one who sees the ghosts...leading Craig to spend most of her screen-time screaming her head off. 

 

HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL plays it very close to the chest, as the secrets to be revealed come slowly, if they come at all. But the film does play with the unknown quite well, which is what horror is really all about. It’s scary, just as any haunted house movie needs to be. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

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Reel Facts: William Castle had a reputation for churning out cheap B-movies on time and on budget. Alfred Hitchcock credited him as inspiration to make PSYCHO (1960). Castle later was a producer for ROSEMARY’S BABY (1968). HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL was remade in 1999 with Geoffrey Rush (THE KING’S SPEECH), and Famke Janssen (X-MEN). 

 

 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Horror Films of the Eighties; 1980 - 1989

In 1973, William Friedkin’s THE EXORCIST elevated the horror film. As the first film of its genre to be nominated for Best Picture, the scary movie became a legit form of cinema. This cut the way for what was to come in the Eighties…an era that many consider to be one of the best decades in all of horror. There is a lot to choose from with many great titles, so now lurks Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best Horror Films of the Eighties; 1980 – 1989.  

 

Horror films in the 1980’s were defined by three names: Freddy, Jason, and Michael. They were the kings of the slashers; wielding knives and blades and transcending the genre by becoming cultural icons that have lasted over 30 years. While the faces and masks of those creeps may have dominated their era, the Eighties still managed to turn out some excellent entries that had little or nothing to do with sharp objects. Directors such as Clive Barker, John Carpenter, and Wes Craven became household names, and the works of Stephen King were adapted for the big and small screen to varying degrees of success. Horror-comedy had a large share of entries, with Sam Rami’s EVIL DEAD series becoming cult classics…not to mention GHOSTBUSTERS (1984), GREMLINS (1984), MONSTER SQUAD (1987), and Tim Burton’s BEETLEJUICE (1988).  Monster movies also did well, with ALIENS (1986) and PUMPKINHEAD (1988) two of the standouts. Anthologies had a good run, with solid entries such as CREEPSHOW (1982), TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE (1983), and CAT’S EYE (1985), earning screams in the theatres. Reel Speak’s Top 10 are the films that have made a lasting cultural impact, and of course…gave us something scary. 

 

 

 

So let’s tear some souls apart….

 

 

 

 

10. HELLRAISER (1987)

 

Clive Barker is one of the biggest names in horror, and he got his start with this bizarre yet disturbing look at marriage and infidelity. Clare Higgins plays a cheating wife who finds a way to bring her lover back from the dead, and to keep him rejuvenating, has to lure men to him so he can feast on their blood. Revolting and scary, HELLRAISER was a film that was received with mixed results on release but since then has earned legendary status…with Doug Bradley’s “pinhead” character becoming a horror icon. 

 

 

 

9. CHILD’S PLAY (1988)

 

The hardest thing about horror is selling a far-out and even ridiculous concept to your audience, and CHILD’S PLAY, which had a kid’s doll coming to life and going on a killing spree…had its work cut out for it. But somehow, we were able to take the film seriously, and got the pants scared off us in the process. Don Mancini created this little fucker which has also become an icon…as Chucky the doll, voiced by the great Brad Dourif, made for an intense and terrifying villain. 

 

 

 

 

8. WITCHBOARD (1986)

 

This Kevin Tenney-directed chiller about a woman (Tawney Kitaen of Whitesnake fame), who becomes obsessed with a spirit on the other side of an Ouija board has fallen into relative obscurity, but it still stands as one of the scariest films of the decade. Often taking a first-person perspective of the spirit (who isn’t very nice), the film takes a unique vantage point when scaring us without seeing the ghost…and when it finally does creep out of the shadows it’s a great payoff. This Blogger’s personal favorite of Eighties horror. 

 

 

 

 

7. AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981)

 

Werewolves had a bit of a renaissance in 1981, with hairy films such as WOLFEN and THE HOWLING taking a bite out of audiences…but it was John Landis’ horror/comedy about two backpacking Americans who encounter one of those hairy bastards in England that everyone seems to remember the most. David Naughton plays the surviving yank of the two, and he spends the film conversing with his dead friend and wondering if he himself will become a werewolf. He does, of course…and what follows is one of the most terrifying and realistic transformations from man to wolf ever put to screen. Perfectly acted by Naughton and brought to its gruesome life by special effects legend Rick Baker…the film rightfully won an Oscar for Best Makeup and inspired Michael Jackson to make his Thriller video. 

 

 

 

6. THE FLY (1986)

 

Most horror remakes deserve to be swatted, but this second flight of the 1958 film is the rare exception where the remake was miles better. Jeff Goldblum plays a scientist whose experiments lead to his body being merged with that of a fly, and what follows is a revolting and nearly disgusting transformation. A leader in the body-horror genre, this David Cronenberg-directed flick also took home an Oscar for Best Makeup…and the visual effects surpass much of what is being done today. 

 

 

 

5. FRIDAY THE 13^th (1980)

 

The arrival of horror icon Jason Vorhees, who with his skull-white hockey mask and machete terrorizes campers. Sean S. Cunningham helmed this first entry in what would become a long-running franchise that would be known for its creative kills. The franchise was cheap to make and it showed, but people showed up in droves to see them…and to this day any 13^th of the month that falls on a Friday is celebrated with at least one of these films. Jason, along with his cinematic cousin Michael Myers from HALLOWEEN (1978), dominated the slasher genre with a combined 12 films in the Eighties. 

 

 

 

4. POLTERGEIST (1982)

 

Debate rages to this day over who actually directed this; was it Steven Spielberg or TEXAS CHAINSAW director Tobe Hooper? The world may never know, but who really cares when there’s such a good time to be had getting scared? Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams play the parents in the Freeling family, who see their dream home turned into a nightmare. Toys come to life, faces are melted, strange lights are everywhere, and their darling little daughter Carol Anne (played by the late Heather O’Rourke), talks to the TV and vanishes. Packed with scares and visual effects that look great for their age, POLTERGEIST never loses focus on family and it pulls the heartstrings just as much as it terrifies. 

 

 

 

3. THE THING (1982)

 

Horror seems to draw more remakes than any other genre, with many of them swinging and missing badly…but this is one of the grand slams. Kurt Russell leads the way with a team of researchers in Antarctica who encounter an alien that can assume the identity of anyone…or anything. It’s a psychological mind-twister that still has fans debating who was an imposter and who wasn’t at any given point of the film…and the special effects of mutilated bodies and creatures are still startling. Although this Blogger will always prefer the simplicity of the 1951 version, this John Carpenter thriller and gore-fest has made its mark on the genre, showing that horror can be made for the thinkers, too. 

 

 

 

 

2. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984)

 

He wore a dirty brown hat, a torn sweater, had a blade-fixed glove, was disfigured from burns, and if he killed you in your dreams…you were dead. He was Freddy Krueger and his name became next-door neighbors to legends such as Dracula and the Frankenstein monster. Wes Craven created the character that became a household name for non-fans; a type of wide-reach that is rare for horror characters. The character was so popular with a rich mythology that the film inspired a TV series and six sequels, along with one spinoff (FREDDY VS. JASON in 2003), making for one of the best horror franchises in history. Even if we discount the sequels, his debut in 1984 is still scary as hell. Robert Englund played Freddy over the course of eight films and was a marvel; striking a perfect balance between horrifying and funny. 

 

 

 

 

1. THE SHINING (1980)

 

Stanley Kubrick's masterful adaptation of the Stephen King novel. It may seem like low-hanging fruit to pick one of the best films of all time as the best in an era or genre…but it hangs low for all the right reasons. Jack Nicholson plays a recovering alcoholic who takes his family to an isolated hotel to act as caretakers during a Colorado winter…only to be tormented by cabin fever and a host of ghosts. Deeply layered and somewhat ambiguous, THE SHINING reveals more and more with each viewing, and fans and scholars today still debate the meaning behind one thing or another. The scares are excellent and the creep-factor is high, and scenes involving spectral twin children, a ghostly bartender, and a mad swinging of an axe still delivers the chills. Never mind the fact that King has been grumbling about the adaptation of his book for the last 40 years, because this is a masterpiece of horror that has yet to be topped in any era. 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST HORROR FILMS OF THE EIGHTIES

1. THE SHINING 
2. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
3. THE THING
4. POLTERGEIST
5. FRIDAY THE 13TH
6. THE FLY
7. AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
8. WITCHBOARD
9. CHILD'S PLAY
10. HELLRAISER

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Read Reel Speak's Best Horror Films of the Millennium HERE 

A Reel Retro Review: THE HAUNTING (1963)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

 

 

Horror seems to be ripe for remakes more than any other genre. They have ranged from good (DAWN OF THE DEAD), to great (THE THING), to bloody awful (ELM STREET). In 1999, director Jan de Bont, helmer of thrillers such as SPEED (1994), and TWISTER (1996), took a stab at adapting the 1963 horror film THE HAUNTING. The results were less than stellar, and with October/horror movie season in full swing, it’s time to take a look back at the original film. 

 

Dr. John Markway (Richard Johnson), assembles a group of investigators; Eleanor (Julie Harris), and Theodora (Claire Bloom)…to look into the possible haunting of the 90 year-old Hill House mansion. Joined by the presumptive heir to the estate, Luke (Russ Tamblyn), the group begins to encounter bumps in the night and the house’s grisly past. 

 

Shot in glorious black-and-white, the early goings of THE HAUNTING are as harrowing as any modern horror film. Dr. Markway, via narration, provides the bloody history of the house…as the family encounters one tragedy after another. Years later, fascinated by the supernatural, or the potential for the supernatural, Markway brings his patched-together team to the house to find out where are the creaks and bumps are coming from. 

 

Despite being scary as hell, THE HAUNTING is very much a character driven film. Dr. Markway is the scientific one, Theodora has ESP, and Eleanor coming in with an experience or two of her won with the supernatural. Tagging along is Luke who is a disbeliever and is just there to check out his possible future home and party spot. Once the bumps start bumping, the character’s differing reactions makes for good drama, and bit by bit everyone’s past comes to light. 

 

And those bumps are scary as hell. Director Robert Wise, who was only two years removed from winning Oscars for the musical WEST SIDE STORY, does tremendous work with light and sounds. Thumps and bangs come out of nowhere during the night, leaving our imagination to run wild in trying to figure out what’s behind that door. Shot in a rarely used, widescreen 30mm lens, every shot captures a lot and yet feels claustrophobic. There’s something off-putting about the shot compositions and the film makes us squirm more than once. There’s also some hand-held camera-work (new at the time), that also unsettles things. 

 

Acting is excellent all around. Most of the heavy lifting goes to Julie Harris, who reacts to everything with emotion and she goes through every one of them convincingly. Russ Tamblyn, nine years removed from his song-and-dance role in SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954), steals the show as a young playboy. 

 

THE HAUNTING does not quite fill in all the gaps in explaining exactly why the Hill House wants to murder everyone, and by today’s standards it would be a glaring gap. The mystery of it all still works, and not knowing is perhaps part of its charm. Despite its age, THE HAUNTING does feel modern, and can stand up right next to any scary movie. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

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Claire Bloom’s character of Theodora is a lesbian character, and is treated as an equal to her co-stars; a rarity for 1963. Bloom has starred in over 60 films so far, and played Queen Mary in THE KING’S SPEECH (2010). Director Robert Wise would take home more Oscars in 1965 with THE SOUND OF MUSIC, and years later would helm STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979). 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Horror Films of the Millennium : 2000 - 2019

It’s October, which means it’s time to dust off the movies that go bump in the night; the killers and the slashers, the ghosts and ghouls, goblins and devils, and just plain rotten people. Horror movies take on many shapes and forms, and the last 20 years have brought us a unique era in the genre’s long history. So now lurks Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best Horror Films of the Millennium, 2000-2019. 

 

There is no question that ever since the slasher-genre of the 1980’s ended, horror has been looking for a single identity. This has been a good and bad thing; gone were the faces (or masks) of iconic blade-wielders, but in came a wave of cross-genre films that dipped their knives into psychological terror and gore-fests. After the cultural-smashing success of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999), a whole bloody mess of found-footage films came about, with the PARANOMAL ACTIVITY franchise becoming a major money maker across seven films. Franchises were the priority; with THE CONJURING and INSIDIOUS series combing for eleven films including spinoffs. A divisive sub-genre called "torture porn" came about in the early part of the 2000's, with films such as HOSTEL (2006), and WOLF CREEK (2005) leading the blood trail. Zombies have been everywhere…to the point of being overdone, and arthouse directors such as Danny Boyle have been taking a stab at scaring us. The last 20 years have brought us many hits and misses…and here is how the blood spills. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. US (2019)

 

Jordan Peele may have won Oscars for his genre-bending, cultural smash GET OUT in 2017, but his follow-up manages to stand taller as a tighter, and more clever film. US follows a family being menaced by their own doppelgangers, and through one mind-bending twist after another, turns the tables upside down on (ahem), us more than once. It’s a statement on social division with some genuine creepy scenes, and a jaw-dropping performance by Lupita Nyong’o. 

 

 

 

9. THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (2011)

 

One of the reasons why the old slasher genre will probably never make a true comeback is because of this genre-breaker that will never allow us to watch those old films the same way again. Written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, with Goddard at the helm…CABIN takes us behind the curtain of the more cliché elements of 1980’s horror films; showing off an immense knowledge of the genre while making a cultural impact. 

 

 

 

8. SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004) and ZOMBIELAND (2009)

 

This may seem like a bit of a cheat, but these two films are separated only by a pond. One is a British comedy and the other American, but both deal with a zombie plague being battled off by groups of every-day people who are ill-equipped to fight off the walking dead. Both films are endlessly quotable, funny, with more than enough laughs and scares…and both give the tired old zombie genre the swift kick in the head that it needs. If a zombie double-feature is on the October watch-list but you don't want to feel miserable about life, these are your films. 

 

 

 

7. MIDSOMMAR (2019)

 

Ari Aster directs this unnerving tale about a group of friends who travel to Sweden for a secretive festival that only occurs every 90 years. The cult behind the festival may be lacking their reasons for being, and a lot of gaps can be filled in, but that doesn’t keep MIDSOMMAR from being one of the most disturbing films of the last 20 years. Bodies are smashed and burned and mutilated…all towards a purpose and an end. The film is carried by Florence Pugh, who in one scene of extended wailing and crying…establishes herself as one of the best actresses working today. 

 

 

 

6. THE STRANGERS (2008)

 

Sometimes the scariest movies are the ones that show things that can actually happen to us; never mind the ghosts and goblins when a home invasion can always be right around the corner. Bryan Bertino directs this creepy thriller about a couple (Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman), whose home is invaded by a trio of white-masked criminals. Not just a brutal take on having our privacy and safety area destroyed, but downright scary as those simple white masks bring on the chills. 

 

 

 

5. SAW (2004)

 

Feel free to pretend that the endless gaggle of garbage SAW sequels never happened, because this first film stands just fine on its own. James Wan directs this thriller in which two men (Cary Elwes and franchise creator Leigh Whannell), wake up in a derelict building chained to pipes and are manipulated into playing a game of life and death. Told in a non-linear fashion and packed with surprises, SAW brought on a creepy and disturbing atmosphere that was relentless, and the final twist had people talking long after the credits rolled. 

 

 

 

4. THE RING (2002)

 

Before director Gore Verbinski made Captain Jack Sparrow a household name, he was scaring audiences away from their screens with this remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film RING. Naomi Watts plays a journalist investigating a cursed videotape that kills the viewer seven days after watching it. What seems like a silly concept is given a deadly spin, and every scene has a creepy and foreboding atmosphere that is thicker than blood. Tension is high, and a scene with a mad horse on a ferry-boat is unforgettable. 

 

 

 

3. THE OTHERS (2001)

 

Nicole Kidman puts in one of her best performances ever in this gothic supernatural slow-burner, taking home a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. Kidman plays the mother of two light-sensitive children, trapped in their large house during WWII. Things start to go bump in the night and it becomes clear the little family is not alone. Directed by Alejandro Amenabar, THE OTHERS makes great use of lights and shadows and is stunning to look at, and the scares and creep factor are excellent…not to mention a whopper of a twist at the end that makes us want to re-watch it right away. 

 

 

 

2. THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (2005)

 

Rob Zombie’s sequel to his HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES (2003). Where his first film was high on the camp, REJECTS went into the gritty and dirty style of the 1970’s; a change in tone and style that was grounded and effective. The film follows three outlaws on the run; Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie), Otis (Bill Moseley), and Captain Spaulding (the late great Sid Haig), as they rampage across Texas leaving a trail of blood and guts. It’s real-life horror as a grisly tale that could easily happen today…but the genius of it all comes near the end. After an entire film of making the rejects the most despicable and rotten people on Earth, Zombie turns the tables and suddenly makes us feel sympathy for them. It’s a heel-turn that most horror films would not even try. Tack on some excellent music choices, and we’ve got one hell of a scary movie. 

 

 

 

1. THE WITCH (2015)

 

The feature debut of Robert Eggers, who spins this dark yarn about a 1630 Puritan family who encounters forces of evil surrounding their farm. Disturbing down to the bone, the family has their baby go missing and a pet goat showing signs of evil…and the blame gets put on the eldest daughter (Ana Taylor-Joy) as a practitioner of witchcraft. Put together with minimal dialogue, THE WITCH cuts from scene to scene with obvious gaps…leaving the viewer to use their imagination to catch up, and using our imagination to connect the dots is just as terrifying as Egger’s visuals. Where some (or most) films would stumble with this technique, Eggers makes it work in a way that gets into our heads and rattles about. The film plays on fear and belief, and there’s never a moment where we will have it all figured out. Scary as hell, atmospheric, artful, and can follow us out the door. One of those films that will have us looking over our shoulder. 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST HORROR FILMS OF THE MILLENNIUM

1. THE WITCH
2. THE DEVIL'S REJECTS
3. THE OTHERS
4. THE RING
5. SAW
6. THE STRANGERS
7. MIDSOMMAR
8. SHAUN OF THE DEAD/ZOMBIELAND
9. CABIN IN THE WOODS
10. US

A Reel Retro Review: BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT (1956)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

Austrian-German filmmaker Fritz Lang will always be remembered in film history as the man who made the groundbreaking science-fiction drama METROPOLIS in 1927; the film that would blaze the way for every Jedi and droid to come over the decades. Lang would become an American citizen in 1939, and would make 23 features over the next 20 years, working in many genres for nearly every major studio in Hollywood. His 1956 noir film BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT was one of those many features. 

 

Austin Spencer (Sidney Blackmer), a newspaper publisher, wants to prove the inadequacy of circumstantial evidence in the American court system. He talks his daughter’s fiancé Tom (Dana Andrews), into a hoax; to frame himself for a murder. 

 

It is common knowledge that if the audience can’t buy into the basic premise of a film, then the film is a lost cause. Filmmakers have a wide berth to make their sell, as even the most outlandish and super-high concept films can be explained to audiences in more than one way. REASONABLE DOUBT has a premise that is flat-out absurd; frame yourself for murder, and then reveal the hoax after being found guilty just to humiliate the city’s district attorney and to prove a point about the judicial system. 

 

The bulk of the film has Tom and Spencer building their case; planting circumstantial evidence that points to Tom being involved in the death of a random person they found in the news. Their plan involves taking photographs of Tom planting said evidence, with Spencer revealing everything after a guilty verdict. If it sounds like a high risk just to prove a point, it is. Tom’s vindication rests on Spencer counting on his high public standing and credibility only. But if that isn’t enough, the two schemers put all their eggs into one basket…and anyone who has ever seen a movie before can tell early on that the basket will eventually break. 

 

Lang still keeps a tight and enjoyable film going. The entire cast works well together and they all seem committed to a concept that isn’t an easy sell. The courtroom scenes are very well done even for 1950’s simple standards, and even the dry legal scenes click by nicely. 

 

Even though audiences may guess early on where the film is going thanks to that weak basket, the film offers an excellent twist at the end that makes up for a lot. BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT is an oddball of a film in Lang’s long career, but it says a lot about the judicial system and the lengths that can be taken to expose its faults. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

 

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Reel Facts: This would be the final American film Lang would direct, as he returned to Germany the following year. Joan Fontaine, playing Tom’s fiancée, won an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in Alfred Hitchcock’s SUSPICION (1941). She would appear in 45 films in her career that would span five decades.