Gerald Dean Rice's Blog, page 122
October 15, 2010
No RFR?
The interview didn't happen. I don't have an answer as to why. I called, he didn't pick up. I'll let everyone know what's going on if I find out.
My Wife's List
I completely disagree with this list. At least in order. I think she made hers this way just to spite me.
1. Day of the Dead (1985)
2. Return of the Living Dead
3. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
4. The Exorcist
5. Nightmare on Elm Street
6. The Omen
7. The Howling
8. Halloween
9. Hellraiser
10. The Grudge
11. Silent Hill
12. Jaws
13. The Ring
14. Tales from the Crypt
15. Event Horizon
16. Friday the 13th
17. Alien
18. The Mist
19. 28 Days Later
20. Jeepers Creepers
21. The Blair Witch Project
22. Halloween 2
23. Stir of Echoes
24. Saw & Final Destination
25. Open Water
26. Ju-On
27. Candyman & In the Mouth of Madness
28. Re-Animator
29. House on Haunted Hill
30. The Eye
31. The Thing
There, look at that. The Thing at #31? C'mon, how is that not spite.
October 14, 2010
RE: Podcast Interview
Ah, the glory of children. Jonathan from Rotting Flesh Radio was spending time with his and completely forgot about the interview. So we're back on for tonight at 9pm.
October 13, 2010
Podcast Interview
I'm going to be on Rotting Flesh Radio tonight to promote TGT. I invite everyone to tune in at 9:00 EST.
October 12, 2010
Top 31 Horror Movies
Here's the list, in it's entirety. I'll post my wife's list (and why she says mine was entirely wrong) and my blog later.
The ThingThe ExorcistThe RingJu-OnTales from the Crypt: Demon NightThe Grudge28 Days LaterCandyman & In the Mouth of MadnessHalloween & Halloween 2The MistFrailtyNightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream WarriorsFriday the 13thJeepers CreepersJawsAlienHellraiserSilent HillStir of EchoesUzumakiEvent Horizon (HR rip-off)Re-AnimatorThe EyeSaw & Final DestinationDawn of the Dead (2004)Evil Dead 2The HowlingThe Blair Witch ProjectHouse on Haunted Hill (Thirteen Ghosts)Open WaterDay of the Dead (1985) & Creepshow#1: The Thing
To say that it was a matter of when I saw the #2 and #1 movies that determined which came first is only partially true. I saw The Thing when I was about 10 or 11 and it was dark out. Right after the credits rolled it was bedtime. My brother and I were having a sleepover somewhere and curled up, in a sleeping bag where anything could get you wasn't an ideal sleeping condition.
But it was more than age and time of day. As scary as The Exorcist was, well, you could run away from that. Unless you were Regan you could walk out the front door and never look back. These guys were in the Antarctic. There was no place to run away. Especially when you considered the nature of the alien. Oh, and Blair destroyed the helicopter. Much like the #2 movie, most of this movie's work is done in your mind, not on screen. The Thing running around and chasing people would have been comical. Instead, it chose to hide and push these men into destroying each other. To be trapped in a place where the environment could kill you, where the man standing next to you could be something other than human, where you could be something other than human... that is true terror.
Other than some editing errors (I think there's a boom mike clearly on screen somewhere) there isn't a flaw to be found. Acting, directing, story are all on point and the ending gives you something else to be creeped out by. Are you about to freeze to death or get eaten by the guy sitting across from you?
October 11, 2010
#3: The Ring
I went back and forth between this movie and the one selected at #2. Old versus new, classic versus the upstart. Both were extremely scary movies that inspired lackluster sequels; one put creepy little girls on the map, the other showed us a whole new reason to be afraid of them.
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#2: The Exorcist
The Exorcist could have been my #1, but it may have come down to when I first saw it. I was probably 14 when I first saw this, in the light of day and thus, it was nowhere near as scary as it may have been for someone else. Great movie, unquestionably, flawless in every way. It's even more unsettling if you see the director's cut (the spider-walk scene had me ready to crawl out of my skin).
This movie takes its time to get you. You're locked in for 2 hours, no need to rush anything. And that's part of what makes it work. You KNOW something bad is coming and you are slowly filled with dread in anticipation of what eventually happens. I wouldn't call the climax scary, but it definitely worked.
#4: Ju-On
I know The Grudge appears at #6, but I have a reason for putting the original on the list. I saw The Grudge first and then bought this and it was even scarier. My wife won't even watch it (she only watched the American version once in the theater). I've only watched Ju-On once. It creeps me out.
#5: Tales from the Crypt: Demon Night
Who didn't love the old HBO TV show? It seemed a natural progression for them to make a movie. Ever since Dead Calm I've been wanting to see Billy Zane as the bad guy again and he delivered. One of the most charismatic villains since Hannibal Lecter (granted, Lecter was only human and far scarier, but I'm talking charisma) and he brought his posse of demons with him. Too bad Bordello of Blood was a tremendous letdown. I saw that on the strength of how good Demon Night was.
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