Horsehead (2015)

Director: Romain Basset

Notable Cast: Lilly-Fleur Pointeaux, Catriona MacColl, Murray Head, Gala Besson

Far be it for me to make the claim that giallo is one of the best horror sub-genres out there (I can leave my brother to do that), but it’s still nice to see that the visual focused Italian style is making a comeback in the last few years. While Horsehead is not strictly a modern giallo, at least not in the intense way that Amer or The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears was, the influence is front and center in how the film goes about using the style to tell its minimalist story. The result is a brilliant blend of modern horror tropes and classic giallo style. It’s a very slow burn picture that rarely fills in the blanks for you when it comes to plot, but the style and execution make it one of the best horror films in a rather weak 2015.

Jessica (Pointeaux) has just found out that her estranged grandmother has passed. Returning home to her overbearing mother (MacColl) and her thoughtful, but fairly new step dad isn’t her idea of a good time. When she arrives though, she finds that there are family secrets that are being dredged up by her grandmother’s passing and some reoccurring nightmares featuring a man with a horsehead that seems to want her to uncover something even more sinister than her mother’s judgement.

Those things are more irritating than scary...

The core of Horsehead resides within a rather basic plot structure that one might have seen in a modern haunting film. A young woman returns home, becomes haunted by visions, uncovers some dark secrets, and attempts to solve the mystery. Bing, bang, boom. Even the basic characters are relatively by-the-numbers with our heroine being a young go getter, her mother being the usual mean and judgmental woman we have seen before, and the understanding person on the outside that desperately wants to help – this time as the concerned stepfather. Hell, Horsehead even throws in a few of the local townfolk that help them understand the mystery. In lesser hands, particularly director wise, Horsehead would have fallen into dire (read: predictable and silly) straits. It could have been a snooze fest.

Yet, despite some of the predictable plot progressions, Horsehead is an engaging and often haunting experience, powered by the visual prowess of the giallo genre and a director’s knack for showing and not telling. If there is anything about this film, it’s visually and audibly beautiful. As the film progresses and our heroine attempts to be the navigator of her dreams (queue “Dream Warriors” music now), Horsehead begins to unravel in some rather shockingly effective ways. The cast are willing to go the distance to sell the concept – including a rather unnerving and sexual moment about our heroine’s mother that really takes the audience out of their comfort zone – and the smothering atmosphere that continually builds tension until the audience is left breathless in the final minutes of the movie. This visual style is punctuated by a phenomenal score that blends classic score elements with a EDM pulsating rhythms and the combination is a Molotov cocktail of horrific effect.

Oh yes, nightMARES. (I went there.)

At times it would be understanding how an audience member might be frustrated by the slow pace of the first two-thirds or how the film continually adds layers to the mystery that are not (and will not) be fully explained by the end of the film. In fact, the end of the film is left open in many regards and its lack of closure is sure to find some horror fans clamoring for more. However, director Romain Basset and his cast and crew make a film that is utterly dynamic and impactful in its execution. Enough so that no matter how formulaic the scripts starts out or how intentionally vague the latter half is, Horsehead is fantastically memorable. Easily one of the best horror films to drop in 2015 thus far. 

Written By Matt Reifschneider

So if you would like to experience the nightmare of atmosphere that is Horsehead, click and purchase the film from Artsploitation Films!

Happiness of the Katakuris, The (2001)

Director: Takashi Miike

Notable Cast: Kenji Sawada, Keiko Matsuzaka, Kiyoshiro Inawano, Shinji Takeda, Naomi Nishida, Tetsuro Tanba

Arrow Video Features:
* New High Definition digital film transfer
* Presented in High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD
* Original uncompressed Stereo PCM audio
* Audio commentary by director Takashi Miike
* The Making of the Katakuris - An original documentary from the film's production featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage with the cast and crew
* Interviews with the Katakuris cast members Kenji Sawada, Keiko Matsuzaka, Kiyoshiro Imawano, Shinji Takeda, Naomi Nishida, Tetsuro Tanba and Miike
* Animating the Katakuris - A look at the creation of the film's stop motion effects with animation director Hideki Kimura and Miike
* Trailer and TV Spots
* Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by the Twins of Evil
* Booklet featuring new writing on the film by author Johnny Mains and a re-printed interview with Miike conducted by Sean Axmaker, illustrated with original stills

Director Takashi Miike has to be the most diverse director one is likely to experience in their film lifetime. Whether it’s the atmospheric horror of Audition, the cartoonish action of Dead or Alive, or the intense drama of Hara Kiri: Death of a Samurai, his work encompasses so many genres and such strange stories that it’s hard not to be fascinated with any of his material. Which is why when I say that The Happiness of the Katakuris is by far his strangest movie that it means something. Playing off as a sort of parody on family drama comedy musicals, Happiness is likely to be one of the most unique film experiences you will ever have…and this latest Blu Ray release by Arrow Video aptly gives the old and new fans a collector’s item worthy of the quirky awesomeness of this film.

All together now!

For the Katakuris family, their recent hand built bed and breakfast is their future. It’s too bad that they built it a bit too far off the beaten path to attract many customers. That’s why when a customer rolls in at a strange hour and is found dead on the premise that they need to get rid of the body or risk a reputation for their family business. From there, the shenanigans are only starting…

If there is anything to be said about director Takashi Miike, it’s that everything in his films are intentional. So going into The Happiness of the Katakuris, viewers should understand that if things feel awkward (because they will) or that if it has radical tone changes (because it does) that those are meant to be there. This movie is very strange, but don’t be afraid of the weirdness. Just run with it. For example, there are moments where the film will convert to stop-motion animation, including an opening sequence with a sort of fairy like creature that will never been seen again in the rest of the film (it doesn’t necessarily work as well as one would assume). Again, just go with it, feel free to laugh at the ridiculousness of the film and the strange concept behind the entire thing. The film is played completely straight forward and serious, but it should rarely be taken as such. This movie is a comedy first and foremost and succeeds at it in spades even when it fringes on hints of horror, drama, and fantasy. Not all of it works, but the strange concoction has to be taken into account.

As was mentioned above, The Happiness of the Katakuris is not only a comedy, but a musical too. Yet, musical fans will probably consider it the worst musical ever made. This is because, in a way, the film acts as a parody of musicals. Songs will randomly pop up at inopportune times, the dancing is often misaligned with the music or with the group of characters doing the dances, and the songs themselves don’t necessarily follow a structure. Hell, most of the actors in the film (who do phenomenal jobs at selling their characters with their acting prowess) are not all great singers or dancers and it just adds to the entire ridiculousness and charm of the film. In particular, one of the secondary characters who dresses in a military outfit for most of the film, is hilariously off from his musical numbers. It just benefits the experience.

...and yes, this is a character in the movie.

Yet, as with all Takashi Miike films, The Happiness of the Katakuris has a remarkable amount of heart underneath the humor. The film takes drastic tonal changes throughout and even dives into some dramatic material which is usually partnered with a comedic punch, but the focus on the family and what happiness means to them is a thread that runs through and gives some structure to many of the more ridiculous moments. The core of the film are themes that many of us can relate to – i.e. forgiveness, love, and life balance, it just all happens to have strange circumstances around it like earthquakes, zombies, and a streak of bad luck that leaves a handful of people dead.

The Happiness of the Katakuris is a film that will alienate cinephiles. It takes a rather basic story about a family who have to overcome some strange circumstances and it whips it into one of the most unique experiences you are apt to have. People will either love it or hate it. Arrow Video’s packed latest release of the film does have enough special features to graft more layers onto an already strange viewing experience. The insightful behind the scenes features, commentaries, interviews, and even a small overview of why Miike is such a unique director make this latest release of The Happiness of the Katakuris a must own for cult film fans. Not only is the film highly recommended, but this release makes it a must own.

Written By Matt Reifschneider

You know you have to see this movie to believe it. Feel free to purchase the film from Arrow Video at the link below!

From Beijing with Love (1994)

Director: Stephen Chow
Notable Cast: Stephen Chow, Anita Yuen, Pauline Chan, Law Kar-Ying

Stephen Chow is a man who genuinely cracks me up, while at the same time making me envious of his comedic talents (prowess, timing, and the way his jokes are edited and executed). One thing that keeps me exploring his films (primarily the ones he directed) is just the timelessness of how funny the films are. I will admit, I was one of those guys (well kids at the time of discovery) that didn't know of Stephen Chow, sadly, until the release of not Kung Fu Hustle (like most), but Shaolin Soccer. My younger brother was given that film on VHS as a gift once, and we both found ourselves being obsessed with the world Chow presented us and the goofy over-the-top visual jokes that seemed to come at a rapid fire pace. This is how Chow films seem to be (I say seem as I haven't seen a ton of his filmography) on average, and thus I want to keep exploring, further and further.

Finally, getting to this film, From Beijing With Love, I found myself not being able to get into the film right off the bat. The opening is sort of funny, but I just found it a bit odd. The villain (spoofing The Man with the Golden Gun) is introduced and we see him kill some people, but for some weird, possibly subconscious decision, I felt going in that I wouldn't enjoy the film. I can't quite explain why, but I felt, maybe this is the Chow film that doesn't impress me. I was gladly wrong.

From Beijing With Love, a spoof on many a things, Bond films being the obvious (complete with a Jaws parody character), is a fun, and surprisingly twisted little ride. It is complete fun and silly craziness, in typical Chow fashion, filled with funny dialogue and plenty of physical gags, but the thing that stands out most to me is how violent and dark the film is in spots (and by spots I mean pretty frequently the more the film runs on). It goes from some kills here and there to a lot of kills (while never reaching a big body count that you would see in an action film or anything), but Chow, who is the lead as usual in his films, kills some baddies via some good ole knife mastery, on more than one occasion. I don't want to really go too into detail on specifics, but I had some parts that sort of shocked me, as I didn't expect some of the brutal moments. Sure, some of the deaths are funny in a ridiculous sort of way, but some of the kills are straight up serious. It's an odd combination, but it totally works, and I found myself laughing much more than I had anticipated.

I haven't gotten into the plot yet, but it's a pretty straight forward concept. A man is sent on a mission, add the lady into the mix, and some set up and backstabbing come to the forefront. That's not spoiler territory either, that's just the simplicity of the plot. The chemistry between Chow and Anita Yuen (who I forgot to mention, does a wonderful job as the leading lady), is spot on. She is set to destroy, while Chow finds himself trying to be a ladykiller towards her. I think my favorite moments come from the scene where they are both in her house after one of the action pieces (again, no spoilers).

If I had any complaints, is that, again, I didn't feel on board until Chow gets his mission and is actually out to pursue it. The opening and things leading up are funny, but not as much as I would have hoped for. I know films take time, and I have no issues waiting (I watch those kind of films often {the slow artsy fartsy ones}), but I felt it took a moment to truly find its footing, which is a shame. Also, there is one moment in particular (a firing squad scene), which goes from being funny, to just being fucked up, and I wasn't quite sure how to take that moment honestly. The scene overall is great, minus that one distilled beat that sort of left an impression even after the film was over (obviously I am recalling it writing this a day later).

On whole though, the film delivers, and I think it is one of the funniest Chow-driven films I have seen so far, and I hope there are plenty left in his back catalog that will leave me laughing as hard as I did with this one. If you ever wanted to see that Chow sensibility, with some really bloody moments and dark humor sprinkled about, then you get it full-on here with 1994's From Beijing With Love. A Chow classic.

Written By Josh Parmer

Island of Death (1976)

Director: Nick Mastorakis

Notable Cast: Robert Behling, Jane Lyle, Jessica Dublin, Gerard Gonalons, Jannice McConnell, Ray Richardson, Marios Tartas, Efi Bani, Clay Half, Nikos Tsachiridis

Arrow Video Features: Brand new restoration from the original negative
* High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation
* Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
* Brand new interview with director Nico Mastorakis
* The Films of Nico Mastorakis - the director hosts this documentary covering his varied career in cinema, including a look at Island of Death
* Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
* Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film, illustrated with original archive stills and posters

There are many mysteries in our world. The heads at the Easter Islands. Things that disappear in the Bermuda Triangle. Where only one sock in a pair disappears during laundry day. The meaning of life. Yet, I’m convinced that the greatest mystery of all is just how the hell Island of Death became a cult classic. I’m all for grindhouse trash appeal with microbudgets, gimmick concepts, and exploitative elements, but Island of Death is just trash. There is no art to this film. There is no meaning to the randomness of its plot. There isn’t even a plot at all. And while I completely understand why Arrow Video would want to release a packed new edition with its fairly enthusiastic cult following, I’m definitely not one to condone the film itself as a ‘must see cult feature.’

This is a baaad idea.

For Christopher (Behling) and Celia (Lyle), the little Greek island was the perfect getaway from London. Once they arrive on the small island they take to the streets of the village to admire the quirky inhabitants. However, these quirky inhabitants are horribly sinful and the deranged couple take to making them suffer for their sins.

One has to give it to Arrow Video for jam packing this release with all kinds of special features. The list above is substantial and very enlightening compared to the uncut, um, ‘film’ that is also included in this release. According to the director, Island of Death was solely made to make a profit as a low budget film. After seeing the amount of money that the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was raking in with its violence and perversion, he decided to double…nay, quadruple down on the violence and perversion for his film. Unlike The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Island of Death has no plot and no characters to care about. Hell, it rarely makes sense from scene to scene. However, for gore hounds and shock junkies, Island of Death is probably enough weirdness and macabre elements to satiate cravings. It’s obvious that director/writer/producer/actor Nick Mastorakis wanted to throw in as many shocking scenes (for the times) as possible into the movie. You name it and it’s in here: crucifixion, incest, bestiality, lesbian and gay sex scenes, sword killings, nude chases, peeing on people, and a variety of other deaths/killings including one with melting. Half of the time I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a joke or not as the lead characters (who are villains with no redeemable or connective traits) seemingly just kill people and drop silly one liners. After a short lived attempt at a plot device including a detective that might have gone somewhere if story had been a focus, they dump his body into the ocean and the character Christopher retorts a quip about hoping that the dead guy has a water proof watch. I’m not sure if I was supposed to be appalled, confused, or humored that the characters made a joke at this moment. And it’s this state of unsure apathy that haunted me throughout the film.

It’s too bad that Island of Death is so horrendously made as there are some intriguing ideas to be found here. The weird religious focus of their killing spree, the police involvement, and even a twist in the end that had our two “protagonists” starting to turn against one another. However, Mastorakis had no plan to take any of these further than to get us to the next random kill or sex (more often than not, both) sequence. It’s these half assed tidbits of stronger themes underneath the surface that indicate the truly horrifying film that Island of Death could have been, instead of the uneven schlock that we get.

A gut ripping scene.

While Island of Death did absolutely nothing but baffle me with its forceful hand of violence and other shock elements, there is definitely a cult following for it and Arrow Video capitalizes on it by releasing a stunning and brimming release with enough special features to impress even the most skeptical of cinephiles. The rating below is based on the film, but the release of the film gets a resounding recommendation from this reviewer. Sure the film is terrible, but this release makes it look like cinema gold.

Written By Matt Reifschneider

If you are one of those cult fans or just curious about Island of Death, here's a link to order your copy from Arrow Video and MVD Entertainment.