JOHNNY CHAZZ' TURN: "GO WEST"... THE GENRE OF WESTERNS

JOHNNY CHAZZ: We speak of genre in film and there are so many directions to turn: Drama, Foreign, Thriller / Suspense, Fantasy, Comedy, etc. This week however, we go West........

There is little doubt that Film Westerns have been a dying art over the years, and the appreciation by audiences for this genre is fading rapidly.

Westerns typically reflect American ideology more than any other genre. “Brokeback Mountain” (2005) just shows how that's changed, and perhaps there and the changes that our culture is going through in respect to more of a ‘feminist world’, per se. Are Westerns simply becoming, well…..melodramas?

JOHN WAYNE: "THE DUKE"

Heck, just take a close look at one of John Wayne's last two westerns: “Rooster Cogburn” and “The Shootist”, where giant portions of the plot revolved around his character trying to figure out how to fit in a world that includes strong women he wants to settle down and possibly have a relationship with.

 
Let’s drop some names now: John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, and Gary Cooper serve as the classic Western icons in American film. Nobody fits the bill like Wayne, a towering presence both on and off his horse. These are the icons – and the whole world once knew it well.

John Wayne, when teamed up with the likes of the brilliant John Ford or even Director Howard Hawks, delivered movie after movie, playing an idealized version of himself. Starting with the classic “Red River,” and continuing through the late 1950’s release of “The Searchers,” both the cinematography and the performances were second to none. While the “Duke” would play a variety of roles in different types of movies, it was the western for which he became an icon. In films such as “Rio Bravo,” and “El Dorado,” Wayne’s roles took on an air of humor, as the movies became a bit lighter-hearted.

Here now is a great tribute to JOHN WAYNE: "THE DUKE"

GARY COOPER

Gary Cooper starred in 1952’s “High Noon.” Directed by Fred Zinnemann, “High Noon” played out as a story of a solitary man standing up to a gang of red-neck criminals. Here is a film that changed the Western genre by itself. The score to the film, as well as both the camera shots and editing made it so revolutionary.

It was during the 1950's that the genre found its rhythm, as rough-neck cowboys like Wayne, Cooper, Henry Fonda, and perhaps the not-so-tough Jimmy Stewart rode their horses, battled Indians (funny enough: they were usually played by white men in make-up) and rode into one-horse towns with an air of sheer overconfidence.

These films were decidedly different star- making turns than the westerns of the 1940s, ‘50s, and ‘60s. While most of Clint Eastwood’s characters in the 1970’s were memorable and distinctive, his best known Western may have been “The Outlaw Josey Wales” (1976). Here, Eastwood would play in the role of a revenge story moving the genre back into the mainstream for film-going audiences. 

Enjoy the original trailer for THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES

STEVE McQUEEN

As the decade wore on, the western basically began to fall-apart – and virtually vanish. Steve McQueen’s last western was “Tom Horn,” released in 1980, as he died months later. Eastwood would wait until 1985’s release of “Pale Rider” before people could enjoy his style on screen again. In the same year, we must also offer kudos to “Silverado”.

It has been almost 20 years since the release of Academy Award winning “Unforgiven,” and today the western has all but disappeared. The early 1990s saw two dueling variations of Wyatt Earp, the somber (and painfully slow) “Wyatt Earp” with Kevin Costner along with “Tombstone,” starring Kurt Russell.

The flops? Just take one look at the disastrous and utterly ridiculous “Waterworld” (1995) or “Treasure Planet” (2002) directed by Ron Clements. These were utter disappointments.

“No Country for Old Men,” could easily be classified as a Western – and quite a good one at that. Still, is what we call westerns today really just “Thriller / Crime Genres”? The point being, it seems that today’s Western can fit into any sub-genre category including everything from fantasy, to science-fiction and most often than not, the crime-genre. 

Perhaps audiences are just bored and need every genre to fit into another sub-genre. Is this another topic for the future on CINEMA: COUNTERPOINT? The possibilities, therefore, might be considered endless without a doubt!

Your thoughts Jer?

JER's DAD- THE COWBOY

JER: Kudos on another interesting topic brought up by the ever- resourceful JOHNNY CHAZZ! An interesting topic and summarized ‘short and sweet’ by the size of your entry. My dad was a cowboy, of sorts. He loved the outdoors as he walked about in his cowboy boots and wore his traditional hat… he even owned a horse. I recall many rides on that mare as a youngster before my dad went on to that great big corral in the sky. I miss you, dad and this one’s dedicated to you, Fernando!

Westerns marked the earliest of films leaving behind a legacy of actors known specifically for the genre. Here are but a few legends that shot- up the silver screen and left a lasting impression upon this particular critic.

TOM MIX

THE EARLY WEST: One of the true pioneers of the Western world of acting has me immediately giving recognition to Tom Mix, who started off in many genre ‘shorts’ as early as 1909. Mix was hired by Selig Pictures to provide and handle horses before making his screen debut in 1910. Along with acting, Mix was also beginning to write and direct films as well. His popularity made for an astounding 289 appearances in films until 1935, churning out almost five films a year.

Another star that comes to mind is Gene Autry, better known as “The Singing Cowboy”, because of his talented crooning performances in radio before becoming an actor. He began singing on a local radio station in 1928 and found himself starring in his own radio show and recording albums almost three years later in 1931. Three was the magic number again for Autry when he made his debut film appearance, IN OLD SANTA FE, in 1934. He is best known for singing the western anthem “Back In the Saddle Again.”

"Back In The Saddle Again" tribute by Gene Autry

Will Rogers is considered to be an American icon. Debuting in 1918, Rogers was a humorist and a vaudeville actor well before standing in front of a camera. Although he wasn’t a fully- dedicated actor of the Western genre, Rogers still made an impressive amount of films relying on talents that would help define the characters he portrayed. While living in Johannesburg, he appeared in a Wild West show where he learned to ride a horse and use the lasso. Returning back to America, Rogers’ skills landed him into vaudeville and, in 1917, landed him a starring spot in the Ziegfeld follies!

All this talk about the great western actors, one name fails to be mentioned and one that deserves much recognition is “The Queen of the West”… Miss Dale Evans, who was best remembered as the Leading Lady of Country- Western musicals of the 1940s. Making her screen debut in 1942, Evans originally began her career as a singer. She would marry rising western star Roy Rogers in 1947, only having worked with him in several films prior to their marriage. Rogers was already creating quite the name for himself and becoming widely known for his trusty and faithful companion… his horse, Trigger. Both Rogers and Trigger’s footprints are immortalized at the courtyard in front of Grumman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood!

DALE EVANS, TRIGGER & ROY ROGERS

 With the introduction of the new media known as television, Westerns could now be brought right into your living room as well! Some of the long- running shows debuting between the 1940s and 1950s were GUNSMOKE, THE BIG VALLEY, BONANZA, THE LONE RANGER and MAVERICK. Following thereafter between the 1960s through the 1980s were other memorable shows like THE WILD WILD WEST, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, McCLOUD and THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GRIZZLY ADAMS. Other shows were still débuting within the 1990s on throughout the early 2000s included the ever- popular DR. QUINN: MEDICINE WOMAN, WALKER: TEXAS RANGER and the cult favorite THE ADVENTURES OF BRISCO COUNTY JR. starring Bruce Campbell!

It goes without saying that JC remembers and mentions such giants of the genre like John Wayne, Gary Cooper and even Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart, both of whom have had their saddle days as well.

EASTWOOD: The "LEONE" Years

CLINT EASTWOOD: JC also mentions one of the more contemporary ‘cowboys’ to cross the silver screen in the latter 20^th century: Mr. Clint Eastwood. His career began in 1955, starring in bit parts and almost giving up on acting before getting his big break on TV co- starring in RAWHIDE in 1959 for six years. During his television hiatus from the show, Eastwood would make an historical decision by starring in a trilogy of low- budget Italian westerns directed by Sergio Leone: A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS (1964), FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE (1965) and THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966). Leone brought a whole new ‘realistic’ look of dirty outfits and stubble faces that would forever change the previous neat and pressed clean- cut look of the cowboy from yesterday.

BEST DIRECTOR/ BEST FILM= UNFORGIVEN

HANG ‘EM HIGH (1968) was made and released in America and was followed by other westerns like PAINT YOUR WAGON (1969) and TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA in 1970. By the mid to late 1970s, a new wave of westerns were cropping up known as the American revisionist westerns that included Eastwood starring in HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER (1973) and THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (1976).

It would be almost nine years later before Eastwood would return back to the saddle in 1985’s PALE RIDER but it wasn’t until just a few years later that he would strike gold in Hollywood. That gold came in the form of an Academy Award for his double- duty turn as actor and director for the Best Picture winner UNFORGIVEN. Although keeping him extremely busy these days, with his focus mainly as a director, Eastwood would seem to have finally hung up his hat as a cowboy…for now.

1960s WESTERNS: Although the 60s paid closer attention to the Vietnam War than to a slowly- changing genre, a few memorable films were still released and recognized during this turbulent decade.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) based on Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 Japanese film THE SEVEN SAMURAI, the western- remake consisted of an all- star cast including Yul Brynner, Charles Bronson, Steve McQueen, James Colburn, Eli Wallach and Robert Vaughn.  The film’s plot is now the considered the cliché setting of a small village threatened and terrorized by a group of bandits who hire a band of seven American gunmen to protect the village and dispose of the villains. The film’s success spawned three sequels…none of which equaled the same financial returns. 

The original 1960 trailer for THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

HOW THE WEST WAS WON (1962) was an epic Western that follows four generations of a family as they move westward in different stages of their lives. Henry Fonda, Karl Malden, Harry Morgan, Gregory Peck, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart, John Wayne and Richard Widmark head up the fabulous cast.

Other films worth mentioning within the decade are: THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962), ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968) and 1969’s BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID.

DIRECTOR/ WRITER: SAM PECKINPAH

SAM PECKINPAH: Director Sam Peckinpah was an influential western craftsman in helping continue where Leone left off. Having been a continued director of western television shows including BROKEN ARROW, THE WESTERNER and THE RIFLEMEN, Peckinpah was ready to bring forth one of the biggest influences of modern western appearances that changed the genre forever: the year was 1969, the film was THE WILD BUNCH! Dirty, grimy and just straight- up bad-asses, THE WILD BUNCH rode in on a blaze of hellfire that introduced gunplay violence as never seen before. Using his signature slow- motion sequences, Peckinpah allowed the audience to really experience every flying bullet that either missed its target or made a direct hit. The film continues to be plagued by a series of controversial criticism. Some believe the film overly glorifies violence while others consider it a modern American classic. 

MY DAD'S FAVORITE FILM: THE WILD BUNCH

Sam Peckinpah submitted a number of Western- genre entries with other films like RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY (1962), THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE (1970), Steve McQueen in JUNIOR BONNER (1972), 1973’s PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID starring James Colburn and Kris Kristofferson and BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA (1974).

1970s WESTERNS: Hollywood took note of what directors like Leone and Peckinpah had done with the Western genre… as if they had taken it off the shelf and added a whole new layer of dust rather than cleaning it up! Because of the new look to the Western film, the 1970s embraced the rugged appearances and produced a number of well recognized movies.

LITTLE BIG MAN (1970) Starred Dustin Hoffman as a Caucasian boy raised by Cheyenne Indians during the 19^th century. The film largely focuses on the behaviors of the early American pioneers and their interaction with Native Americans.

A MAN CALLED HORSE (1970) is the story of the life and times of an English aristocrat named John Morgan (Richard Harris) who is captured by a Sioux tribe. The film depicts a gruesome initiation never seen before and the rise of Morgan’s beginnings as a capture and finally gaining the respect of the tribe and rising to becoming a leader. The film inspired two sequels: RETURN OF A MAN CALLED HORSE (1976) and TRIUMPHS OF A MAN CALLED HORSE (1983) both of which had Harris reprising his role. 

A wonderful tribute to A MAN CALLED HORSE

Other films that deserve honorable mention include: THEY CALL ME TRINITY (1971), JEREMIAH JOHNSON (1972), THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN (1972), WESTWORLD (1973), BLAZING SADDLES (1974), THE APPLE DUMPLING GANG (1975), THE WHITE BUFFALO (1977) and GOIN’ SOUTH (1978).

1980s WESTERNS: Even in the center of the music television revolution, westerns still survived and thrived in the decade that brought us Madonna and Reagan-omics! Here are but a few highlighted films worth mentioning:

HEAVEN'S GATE

HEAVEN’S GATE (1980) was a heavily controversial film directed by Michael Cimino (THE DEER HUNTER). The publicized events were not centered around the plot: an epic storyline that focused on the dispute between rich cattle owners and poor European immigrants during the 1890s, but rather on the over- budget production cost in making the film. The estimated budget was at a ghastly $44 million and only drew in about $3 million at the box office during its release. This is the film that allegedly broke United Artists (the film studio) which filed for bankruptcy. The film has since gained much respect and has been highlighted at many film festivals today.

THE LONG RIDERS (1980) recalls the detailed accounts of the James- Younger gang directed by Walter Hill (48 HRS, THE WARRIORS). As a personal favorite of mine, this film is a cinematic gift in many shapes and forms. The film centers on Jesse James and his brother along with Cole Younger and his brothers as they robbed banks shortly after the Civil War. The treats begin with the cast alone, which consisted of real- life brothers: The Keaches: James as Jesse James and Stacy as Frank James. The Carradines: David as Cole Younger, Keith as Jim Younger and Robert as Bob Younger. The Quaids: Dennis as Ed Miller and Randy as Clell Miller and finally The Guests: Christopher as Charley Ford and Nicholas as Robert Ford. Hill tributes his method of directing to that of Sam Peckinpah, using only the most realistic locations, seeing and feeling the grime on the characters’ faces and an intense slow- motion shootout as the finale. A high recommendation to any fan of the genre! 

The fantastic trailer to Walter Hill's THE LONG RIDERS

Others that deserve recognition include: TOM HORN (1980), URBAN COWBOY (1980), THE LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER (1981), SILVERADO (1985), THE THREE AMIGOS (1986) and YOUNG GUNS (1988).

BEST DIRECTOR/ PICTURE= DANCES WITH WOLVES

KEVIN COSTNER: Another contemporary actor, whose roots have stayed true in the fields of the Western world is Kevin Costner. After a series of ups and downs in the acting community, Costner finally landed a role in the highly- publicized western SILVERADO, opposite such acting greats including Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover. A few years later, Costner would star in, what was considered an “urban western” by director Brian DePalma, THE UNTOUCHABLES. The truly defined western would come along in 1990 as Costner made his directorial debut in the Academy Award winning Best Picture: DANCES WITH WOLVES. Others that followed included WYATT EARP (1994), THE POSTMAN (1997) and OPEN RANGE (2003). More recently, Costner was awarded a Primetime Emmy for his portrayal of “Devil” Anse Hatfield in the televised miniseries THE HATFIELDS AND THE McCOYS.

(left) Russell in TOMBSTONE/ (right) Costner in WYATT EARP

1990s WESTERNS: As previously mentioned by JC, the decade brought us the rivalry of Wyatt Earp films! In one corner, TOMBSTONE (1993) stood proud with Kurt Russell portraying the handle-bar mustached lawman with Val Kilmer’s memorable and scene- stealing performance as Doc Holiday. On the other corner we have WYATT EARP (1994) directed by SILVERADO’s Lawrence Kasdan. Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid take on the roles of Earp and Holiday, respectfully. So, who was left standing during this gunfight at the O.K. Corral? I guess it just depends on who you talk with. (My opinion? TOMESTONE!)

Other films worth mentioning during this decade include: BACK TO THE FUTURE III (1990), FAR AND AWAY (1992), POSSE (1993), MAVERICK (1994) and THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995).

THE CONTEMPORARY WEST: In short, the Western is a genre like many others: it follows a string of continuous films, and then it dissipates and continues to come back in short revivals. Consider the more temporary films of the recent and the ones coming soon.

Jeff Bridges in TRUE GRIT (2010)

Leave to it the skilled craftsmanship of the Coen Brothers (Joel and Ethan) to re-make the classic John Wayne film TRUE GRIT in 2010 and still allow the film to be its own version without relying on remake values. Jeff Bridges played the one-eyed drunken U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn with a unique style and attention to character without stepping into the territory created by Wayne’s interpretation. Acknowledgements are paid towards directors John Ford, Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah in the presentation of the film, cinematography and set designs.

(left) Craig and (right) Ford: COWBOYS AND ALIENS

Director Jon Favreau (IRONMAN) took westerns in a whole new direction with the graphic novel- inspired COWBOYS AND ALIENS (2011) fusing science fiction with the Old West. Starring Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, a spaceship arrives in Arizona: 1873 and it is up to a posse of cowboys to try to stop them by any means necessary. The film kept true to the natural appearance and feel of the Wild West while keeping it exciting by introducing alien spacecrafts and modern weapons!

Upcoming films to help keep the Western alive will be the highly anticipated Quentin Tarantino entry entitled DJANGO UNCHAINED starring Jamie Foxx. Loosely based on a series of spaghetti westerns released throughout Europe on the mid 1960s, Tarantino definitely puts his signature spin on the tale of a slave- turned- bounty hunter who is freed and sent off to rescue his wife from the hands of a brutal Mississippi plantation owner. This film is set to open on December 25^th, 2012.

Official trailer for Tarantino's DJANGO UNCHAINED

THE LONE RANGER will also be bringing the spirit of the West to life in its projected July 3^rd 2013 release. Produced by uber-successful Jerry Bruckheimer (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, THE ROCK) and directed by Academy Award winning director Gore Verbinski (Best Director for an Animated Film: RANGO). The story follows Native American Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounting the untold stories of the origins of how the Lone Ranger (Armie Hammer) became a man of justice. 

Official trailer for THE LONE RANGER due out July 2013

Overall, Westerns have yet to have the sun set on the genre just yet. Imagination and creativity will always draw an audience to a time long forgotten when the West was wild and the law was settled by a six shooter.

We ask you, the reader, to share your thoughts… what do you think of Westerns? Do you have a favorite and why? We always look forward to your comments and all submissions will be relied. Make sure you head- on back here again on Wednesday November the 28^th, as we observe the Thanksgiving holiday and JER comes back with a great dish of a topic to be served up piping hot!

 Until then, enjoy the THANKSGIVING holiday with family and friends from yours here at CINEMA: COUNTERPOINT!

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JER'S TURN: THE BEST OF THE LESSER- KNOWN HORROR FILMS

JER: The month of October conjures up the ‘spirit’ (no pun intended) to watch the scary stuff more frequently than any other time of the year. In doing so, there are titles that are an annual must- see for the enthusiast. Anything with the slasher Michael Myers (HALLOWEEN) or the metal blades of Freddy Krueger (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET) or the Camp Crystal Lake stalker Jason Voorhees (FRIDAY THE 13^th) might be the electives to begin with before getting into heavier themes like maybe HELLRAISER, THE EXORCIST or even SCREAM.

The thought to bear in mind is the fact that for every film that becomes the horror classic, there are a slew of unsung films that gather a small band of fans but just never see the light of the famous and the recognized. My topic involves bringing some of these titles out into the public’s eye and give them just a little of the recognition they rightfully deserve.

Please refer to last year’s blog topic, when CINEMA: COUNTERPOINT covered THE BEST AND WORST HORROR FILMS. Both JER and JOHNNY CHAZZ provided a Top 10 List and our individual 3 Worst Films as well. Click the link to take you there directly: http://cinemacounterpoint.blogspot.com/2011/10/jer-as-we-enter-my-favorite-month-of.html

Here is my Top 10 Best “Lesser- Known” Horror Films I, JER, recommend:

10- GRAVE ENCOUNTERS (2011): A very limited release with plenty of internet and “On Demand” cable exposure made this indie fright treat rise quickly to securing a small legion of fans. In the ‘realistic/ lost footage’ presentation aspect, like THE BLAIRWITCH PROJECT and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, GRAVE ENCOUNTERS focuses on a small group of paranormal investigators who, for their television show, lock themselves inside an abandoned mental hospital that is allegedly haunted. As the evening gets later, the team may find that the allegations might be true. Shot largely with a “night vision” setting on their digital cameras, The direction team of The Vicious Brothers keeps the pace very steady and play on many fears including darkness, deathly silence and the psychological uncomfortable feelings of shadows and abrupt and loud noises.A sequel, GRAVE ENCOUNTERS 2, was recently released this year.

The frightening trailer for the indie favorite, GRAVE ENCOUNTERS!

9- PHANTASM (1979): This gem of a horror film was quite popular for its time but, alas, lost some of its popularity to the mass production likes of Freddy Kruger and Jason films. Still, there are people that still get the chills at the mere mention of PHANTASM and its harrowing villain with the icy cold stare and the growling voice only known as “The Tall Man” (played with evil and wicked delight by Angus Scrimm). The story plays with the creepiness of cemeteries, morgues and mausoleums as a young boy discovers a series of grave robberies tied- in with The Tall Man. What he discovers is an arsenal of bizarre weapons, including the infamous ‘sphere’ (a silver sphere that can switchblade knives of drills while flying towards its victims in high speed). An original story written and directed by Don Coscarelli (THE BEASTMASTER, BUBBA HO- TEP), who was also responsible in writing and directing three other chapters in the franchise.

8- INNOCENT BLOOD (1992): Though not in the same hemisphere as director John Landis’ other horror film, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, INNOCENT BLOOD still deserves more recognition than what it gets. Marie (Anne Parillaud LA FEMME NIKITA) is a vampire that only weeds out and feeds on the bad and the corrupted, until she gets involved with two different sides of a bad coin: a policeman (Anthony LaPaglia) who she actually begins to fall in love with and feeding on mob kingpin Sallie “The Shark” (Robert Loggia) and gets more than she bargained for. Masterful and gruesome special effects by Steve Johnson (SPIDERMAN 2, THE ABYSS) headline some never- before- seen transformations and death sequences that must be viewed to believe! 

John Landis' horror/ comedy: INNOCENT BLOOD

7- MANIAC: Although the title might be confused with the very recent ‘remake’ released in 2012 with Elijah Wood, I am clearly referring to the original 1980 midnight cult classic instead. So horrific and gory for its time, theatrical advertizing slapped an X rating to the film before lightening the rating to instead refer that no one under 18 would be admitted. The low- budget indie starred Joe Spinell (TAXI DRIVER, ROCKY) as a mentally disturbed man who had been abused as a child roaming the streets of New York. His violent outlet is to murder young women and collect their scalps to try to appease his haunting past. The film basically plays with the audience’s stamina… can one sit through the entire film without being disgusted or revolted? Better yet, can one enjoy the classical make- up effects by Mr. Tom Savini (FRIDAY THE 13^th, CREEPSHOW) including a very graphic scalping sequence? That would be the audience’s decision to make! Check out Savini's cameo as the driver who gets his head blown off by the MANIAC!

6- THE FOG (1980): When the name of director John Carpenter comes up, it is more likely that fans will pair him off with his masterful indie classic HALLOWEEN. Carpenter’s sophomore film, THE FOG, is probably more synonymous with the dreadful attempt of a remake made in 2005… but let’s focus, again, on the better ‘original’ as my recommendation instead! THE FOG is just a bonafied classic in every sense of the word. Directed by the one and only Carpenter, he brought in the elements to create a true ghost story with no expenses overlooked. Classic and respected actors (Janet Leigh, John Houseman, Hal Holbrook) combined with then- contemporary actors (Jamie Lee Curtis, Adrienne Barbeau, Tom Akins) all brought forth a variety of different talents in fleshing out the characters and their interaction with each other. The story takes place on the small seaside Northern Californian town of Antonio Bay as it is about to celebrate its 100^th anniversary. As the day draws nearer, the townsfolk soon realize that something evil and wrong occurred a century ago and those that were wronged are coming back for what is rightfully theirs. Along with directing, Carpenter co- wrote the screenplay, the soundtrack and even makes a cameo in the beginning!

The original 1980 trailer to John Carpenter's THE FOG

5- JEEPERS CREEPERS (2001): There is a certain unstable feeling that an audience gets on the first ride through JEEPERS CREEPERS. It is considerably original, given that it was made within a world of Freddys, Jasons and Pinheads… and yet, it still delivers chills and excitement along the way. A brother and sister are driving home to visit family during Spring break, along driving down the backroads, they encounter a being that may or may not be human. A deathly game of cat-and-mouse ensues as the siblings seek shelter while pursued by the flesh- eating creature. Handsomely written and directed by Victor Salva, another film (JEEPERS CREEPERS 2) continues the tale with a third installment, JEEPERS CREEPERS 3: CATHEDRAL, is in production for a possible 2013 release date.

4- CURSED (2005): Alas, director Wes Craven has seen his days of hits (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, SCREAM) and misses (VAMPIRE IN BROOKLYN, MY SOULD TO TAKE) yet, Craven continues to re-invent the wheel, or ‘genre’, in this case. Consider CURSED as Exhibit A. Written by Kevin Williamson (SCREAM, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER), the story takes place in my favorite city: Hollywood, CA! A werewolf is loose along the winding roads of Mulholland Drive, when a brother and sister are driving home on a late evening. One thing leads to another and the brother is mauled by the hairy beast. Like all good fables, the search for the beast has to take place before the next full moon! The theatrical “young adult” friendly PG-13 version was too light for thrill seekers, so the studio released a more satisfying “unrated” version onto DVD and blu- ray! This is the version to watch with all the lights off!  

Check out the werewolf horror film by Wes Craven- CURSED

3- STAY ALIVE (2006): Ok, let me get this straight…a horror film that involves a video game that kills people? And… we are supposed to take it seriously? The storyline and premise got bunked in its original release, again, suffering the friendly PG-13 rating theatrically. The unrated DVD release is far more intense and creepier than its predecessor. A mysterious underground online computer video game causes the unanswered death of a friend that leaves a group of gamers to solve the mystery themselves. They soon discover that the game in question is based on the true story of an ancient noblewoman known as the Blood Countess, who was buried alive in the grounds of her estate and seeks revenge on anyone who meddles with her. Minor humor lightens the theme, but does not damage the intensity of the plot as the creep factor is played to its fullest! 

Enjoy the very creepy trailer for 2006's STAY ALIVE

2- THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (2012): Admittedly, I was very skeptical upon its original theatrical release…I didn’t want to know too much of the story, so as not to ruin it for me, yet there wasn’t enough to make me want to go see it in theaters in the first place. The general plot centers on five friends that take a break and head out to a secluded cabin out in the middle of nowhere. Upon arrival, they find that it is quite isolated without any means of communicating with the outside world. In the midst of getting their weekend started, the cellar door mysteriously flings open…almost inviting the group to climb down the stairs to investigate…but maybe that is what it was intending to do! No spoilers here from my end, but I can tell you that I was immediately pulled in with plenty of frights and scares to keep me riveted to my seat. Having spent much of his career as a writer of television for episodes of ALIAS and LOST, first time director Drew Goddard also wrote CLOVERFIELD as well as co- writing this very original thriller.

1- THE DECENT (2005): Now we get to my #1! I have dropped much recognition to the way of THE DECENT for many, many reasons! It is bold and very original; the cast is primarily made up of strong (and not- so strong) women and the tension starts off intensely high and only gets higher as the film develops further! To help one of their friends get over a tragic event in her life, a group of extreme thrill seeking women take a self- guiding cave exploration trip. As they ‘descend’ into the unknown dwellings, they find that they may not be alone! Claustrophobic, paranoia and fear quickly takes over with only the strong left to survive. It is, literally, a decent into the audience’s fears as well. Expertly written and directed by Neil Marshall, the film is one that I try to recommend to horror and thrill fans alike as often as possible. It is a New Zealand production that didn’t quite get the respect it deserved during a very limited theatrical run. Now available in a special unrated version on both DVD and blu- ray, the American audience has finally embraced this contemporary find. Warning: a very awful sequel was made in 2009 (THE DECENT: PART 2) with an even lesser theatrical run with the intensions of striking gold on the video store shelves instead. An even bigger warning was the fact that Marshall didn’t have any participation in this production whatsoever! You are better off not renting, buying or stealing this abysmal second chapter and just relish in the original tale as he director/ writer intended! 

The 2005 trailer for the suspenseful and scary THE DECENT!

There you have it, fans, my list of thrillers and chillers that deserve a little time in the spotlight. Possible, I also hoped to have reset the buttons in your heads to gear towards the lesser- known this Hallow’s Eve season with taking a fresher look at what else might go bump in the night!

JOHNNY CHAZZ: With Halloween rapidly approaching, JER turns us to his annual look at creep show films - specifically those of the horror genre that are not "household" names per se. I, admittedly, am not as versed in the horror genre, as my "counterpart" JER. To simply this as best as I can, I came up with a condensed list of only 5, with hopes that it may stir some interests as the elected 10 already mentioned. Here are my thoughts this week:

1. "Suspiria" (1977): I continue to promote this as one of the top horror films of all time coming from the 70's decade. An Italian / foreign film per se, but one that most people have not seen and are not familiar with. The sets, the performances, the lighting as well as the elements of climactic terror and suspense make this a true classic and a horror film that should be examined by students interested in the genre.

2. "May" (2002): A dark yet fairly sad and desperate film with our protagonist named "May". The film is, in most senses a character-study which is something rarely seen in this genre. May only desires to connect with people and the world around her, but it eventually leads to a heartbreaking moment where she basically goes over the edge.

Enjoy the very bizarre trailer for MAY

                       
 

3. "Trick 'r Treat" (2007): Set on Halloween night there is a real "creepshow" factor going on in this flick as well. This movie offers a series of frightening stories focusing on Halloween night in a small town, but each story finds its path leading into another. The casting is actually fairly decent and the movie is actually worth the price of admission and / or rental.

4. "Orphan" (2009): A nightmarish and tragic story about a couple and their unborn child. The film is actually a throw-back to some of the flavors and styles offered by Hitchcock in the sense of camera angles, script and limited but carefully crafted and pertinent scenes of horror and fear.

5. "Audition" (1999): Simply stated, the mannerisms throughout this film of actress Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina) make this thing work at a pretty solid level. Her apartment; the interview scene; her sullenness as well as the final scene of the film are all elements that create tension and are frankly, disturbing on all levels. The film actually offers a degree of emotional depth and intrigue into the lives of the limited, yet solid cast. The final act of this 3-Act film is truly one of the best kept secrets in the world of "chillers and thrillers" as stated by Jer this week. 

Here is the original Japanese trailer for AUDITION

JER: As you can see, the horror genre has many different avenues to get lost on...there are indies, foreign... classic and contemporary... and the great and the appalling! The way the season is spent will be up to you! Which will you choose?

So, we ask our readers...are there some horror films that are your "go- to's" around Halloween time? Do any of our recommendations sound like films you might check out for yoursef? Are there any other films you would like to share or bring forth into the light from your end? We value and reply back to all your submitted comments and we always look forward to hearing from you!

Make sure you check back with us on Wednesday November 7th, 2012 when JOHNNY CHAZZ takes control of a brand new blog topic form to discuss... you know I, JER, will be ready to shoot back my replies and thoughts!!! 

To all of you fright fans, guys and ghouls alike, we at CINEMA: COUNTERPOINT wish you a very Haunting and Fright-filled                                    HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

JOHNNY CHAZZ' TURN: THE FALL/ WINTER FILMS... A GLANCE FORWARD

JOHNNY CHAZZ: Last year around this time I began to discuss how pleased I was that the Summer movies were in our rear view mirror and the focus on Fall and Winter films had begun. I also gave our readers a serious glimpse into the future with my prediction of “The Artist” as quite possibly winning for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in March 6 months later, which it did. Hence, this week’s topic – a glance forward at the films of this Fall / Winter which could make a serious run at the top prize at next year's Academy Awards.

Director Paul Anderson offers an intriguing film coming this fall starring Philip Seymour Hoffman (“Capote”) titled “THE MASTER”, a fictional account of a cult leader during the 1950’s. Anderson has delivered other outstanding productions in the past such as “Magnolia”, “Boogie Nights” and “There Will Be Blood” and he turns it up another notch higher with a film this year that could make a serious run for the coveted Best Picture nomination.. It appears as though this will be a seductive film in all senses and one that focuses on the power of the cult organization with respect to leadership, obedience, power, love, hate and more. This film promises to be impacting and should be in the forefront of film lovers all the way to the red carpet.                   

The official trailer for Paul Anderson's THE MASTER

Ben Affleck will receive praise for his upcoming film “ARGO” this year, but it already promises to appear overrated. Mercifully, we leave the Boston area in an Affleck film (“Gone Baby Gone”, “The Town”) to focus on the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Here is our “Middle-East” token film of the year and Affleck brings in John Goodman as his good-luck charm for a run at the top award next March. The film may be of some intrigue, but this critic is not going to rush to the box office with the herd of other film goers.

There has been quite a bit of talk about “LINCOLN” coming this Fall. This Spielberg film focuses on the life and times of President Lincoln and the issue of slavery being abolished in America. Daniel-Day Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones highlight the cast (heck, Sally Field even makes a return for a role here) and the film appears to have some real potential – at least on the surface. What is key to remember is that looking over the list of recent Spielberg films (past 15 years), there is very little that has been offered which could make a serious run at the Academy Award. This one may be over-hyped and fall short as well. Still, it may be worth a look on the big screen.

Comedies are rarely taken seriously at the awards, but “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” could make a mild bid for the top prize. A decent cast with Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro are in the spotlight here in a film that appears to fall into the “Comedy / Drama” genre and guarantees to have a feel-good ending. Generally that is a recipe for disaster and probably will be the downfall for this film again this year. This looks like the top Fall “date movie” in a sense.

After piecing together the outstanding “Cache” in 2005, Michael Hanecke returns this Fall with a film titled “AMOUR”. The story focuses on a pair of musicians who are in the eighties and dealing with internal family issues. An award winner at the Palme D’Or, this one should be taken seriously at least at this point in time, but with a little-known cast and a fairly low budget, the Academy may see this one as being too “artsy” and “well-crafted” for its’ own good.

“BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD” is another film that will make its mark this Fall. Set in the Southern Delta, the film appears to move from realism to fantasy as our protagonist (a six-year old girl – Quvenzhane Wallis) begins to encounter pre-historic beasts in a possible dream-state…yet that is to be determined. The film does appear somewhat original and creative, but is this really something that the Academy is going to vote for? Doubtful, but it may be in the running longer than we think.

The 2012 trailer for BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

With a cast of Melissa Leo and Denzel Washington, “FLIGHT” appears to be a promising possibility this Fall. The concern here is: When was the last time Denzel Washington was involved in an Academy Award winning film? The film focuses on the accounts underlying an airliner crash. Robert Zemeckis (“Back To The Future”) directs here and that is certainly a plus. John Goodman and Don Cheadle also add to a fairly strong cast in a film that I do believe many film-goers will enjoy. As an Academy Award winner? Doubtful – but it does have a chance to make some noise in the upcoming months.

The intense trailer for Robert Zemickis' FLIGHT

At first glance “THE SESSIONS” looks like an immediate write-off with the strict involvement of Helen Hunt. The film is directed by Ben Lewin who has produced very little in the past – absolutely nothing noteworthy of Academy attention – thus, that does not bode well. Still, the film appears to offer some tear-jerking moments and that always scores points in Hollywood and with audiences. Additionally, the subject material is quite serious and if the script is strong enough and the performances can take that script to another level, this film could be a live long shot to make noise at the awards. Keep an eye on this possible surprise this year.

I was quite shocked to see the cast line-up for “MOONRISE KINGDOM” – a Wes Anderson film that is being released in the upcoming months. The likes of Bruce Willis, Ed Norton, Bill Murray and Harvey Keitel are all present along with Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton. This is indeed a formidable cast, but is it overkill? The film is a simply love story set on the East Coast during the 1960’s. The film promises to be in the running for the “Cinematography” award this coming March and the screenplay may also be considered as well as the Direction. This one is a grab-bag, and it will take a viewing on the big screen before any serious commentary can be made. It looks like hit or miss at this point.

Director Tarantino plants a seed this Fall with “DJANGO UNCHAINED” starring Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel Jackson. A slavery-focused film mirroring a couple of others this fall will guarantee it’s acceptance by movie goers. Additionally, audiences have actually accepted DiCaprio as a tremendous actor and a household name which is quite sad in the eyes of this critic. His films as well as his acting talents are vastly overstated and his versatility remains in question. Jamie Foxx is also a pass-on for this critic and a poor choice for any role in a film. So, sounds like I am beating this film down, does it not? It looks like we, as an audience, are going to be forced to visit every plantation I exchange for “Django’s” freedom. Foxx looks ridiculous in this role and the film appears to have some comedic and funky Tarantino-like elements incorporated into a film that deals with a subject that in no way should be treated that way. The film dominates us with anger, resentment and violence which appears to be way over the top in this feature and could easily be its’ demise at the Awards.

There are indeed other films such as “The Teleportation Accident”, “The Trouble with the Curve”, "Life of Pi", "The Great Gatsby" and “Hyde Park on Hudson” which will receive some hype and attention at the box offices this Fall.

Point being, we have once again arrive at the time of year where real films begin to surface yet again – and mercifully so. The concern however at this point is that the films this Fall really look quite weak at on the surface, thus a series of trips to the theater is the only method of ironing this all out.

Johnny Chazz’s early prediction: “THE MASTER” for Best Picture, 2013.

Your thoughts on the upcoming films this Fall / Winter, Jer?

JER: It was extremely saddening to say that the Summer films of 2012 were, for lack of better wording, pathetic! Anything that was worth seeing came out in the early months and the films weren’t spread- over evenly throughout the classic Summer- months’ run. It is also equally saddening to state that the three BEST films of the Summer were of the comic book persuasion. Before I go further, let me define “saddening” in this context... it would seem as if imagination could only be derived from the pulp print and not from creative imaginations that didn’t involve grounded super- heroes. The three I refer to were: THE AVENGERS, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and the fantastic DARK KNIGHT RISES. These are bound to receive some technical Award recognition. However, JOHNNY CHAZZ wants my thoughts on the Fall/ Winter films in general... as JC focused on the potential Academy Award favorites exclusively, my choices will be on both the entertaining AND potential Award-nominated selections.... here we go!

SKYFALL: Daniel Craig returns as James Bond 007 in the 23^rd installment of Ian Fleming’s ever- popular secret agent series. This time round, Bond’s loyalty to M (Judi Dench) is tested as something from her past comes back to haunt her. Britain’s M16 comes under attack and it is up to 007 find and destroy the threat… no matter what the cost may be. Craig’s take on Bond has breathed a refreshing sense of life into the character, making him more believable for the new generation of high- adrenaline action and thrills! To add a new level of creepiness, Javier Bardem (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN) will portray the baddie Raoul Silva. Ralph Fiennes (SCHINDLER’S LIST) and Albert Finney (BIG FISH) rounds- out the cast. Sam Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY) takes the helm as director, bringing in some highlighted dramatic moments while balancing out the rush commonly known in a Bond film. The film is slated for a November 9^th release in the U.S.

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY: Nothing less can be expected from director Peter Jackson who directed the ever- successful THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy as he returns back to the Shire in this prequel that started it all. Based on the best- selling novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, THE HOBBIT, we meet up with a young Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he swept away on a journey presented to him by Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen returns). Bilbo is asked to accompany thirteen dwarfs on a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Perils and danger awaits them along the paths as Bilbo makes his way through the Goblin tunnels to confront the one creature that would change his life forever… Gollum (Andy Serkis also returns). It is then that Gollum introduces Bilbo to the ‘precious’ ring that will haunt him for years to come. Even though this is the pre- story to the sacred trilogy, there are returning cast members reprising their roles including Elijah Wood (Frodo), Ian Holm (Old Bilbo), Christopher Lee (Saruman), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) and Hugo Weaving (Elrond). The magic is slated to begin on December 14^th.

LINCOLN: Excuse me, Mr. JOHNNY CHAZZ, but I will beg to differ on your remarks on the quality of films presented by director Steven Spielberg within the last 15 years as you stated. Films like AMISTAD, MUNICH, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE and last year’s WAR HORSE were all either nominated or contenders for Best Picture nominations alone and all within those 15 years that you mentioned. Now that I got that bit of business taken care of, let’s talk LINCOLN. I believe that Daniel Day Lewis is a fine actor and it is well about time that he returns back to the silver screen with a worthy Oscar- potential role. The early critical word is that he is a shoe- in for a nomination and the film has all of the appearances of the classic dramatic Spielberg flair we have come to expect from him within the last 15 years. The drama and time period reminds me of AMISTAD, the war sequences are equal parts SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and WAR HORSE with the acting caliber and cast of any fine Spielberg production. This film will take a number of nominations without any doubt. Slated to begin on November 16th.  

See the moving trailer for Speilberg's LINCOLN

CLOUD ATLAS: The best thing to keep in mind before watching this anticipated film comes from its caption: “Everything Is Connected.” With that in mind, welcome to the world directed by three: Tom Tykwer (RUN LOLA RUN) and Lana (formally Larry) and Andy Washowski (both of who directed THE MATRIX and V FOR VENDETTA). Imagine a tie- in of past present and future storylines that include an 1849 diary of an ocean voyage across the Pacific, letters from a composer to a friend, a thriller about a murder within a nuclear power plant, a rebellious clone in futuristic Korea and a tribe living in post- apocalyptic Hawaii. An interesting side note is that most of the actors taken on various roles for the different story lines. For example, Tom Hanks plays four different roles, Halle Berry takes on three, and Hugh Grant presents two. Rounding out the all- star cast are Hugo Weaving (THE MATRIX) and Susan Sarandon (THELMA AND LOUISE). The film is slated as a Drama/ Mystery/ Sci- fi mash. The connection is slated to begin on October 26th.

Enjoy the mind- bending world of CLOUD ATLAS

ZERO DARK THIRTY: Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal return from their 2008 Best Picture THE HURT LOCKER collaboration with another military controversially- based production. The story focuses on the decade- long mission to find Al- Qaeda’s terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks. The story primarily gears towards the Navy Seal Team 6 that terminated bin Laden on May 6, 2011. The Academy may find themselves being favorable to Bigelow and her film, considering the subject matter and the issues that are being recognized within an election year! We could see some possible nominations come forth. Slated for December 19^th.

LES MISERABLES: Talk about a Christmas present! Broadway musical fans are rejoicing with the long- awaited adaptation of the hit smash show! Based on Victor Hugo’s novel, the film is set in 19^th- century France in which paroled prisoner Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) breaks his parole to create a new life for himself. Following closely behind is the persistent Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) while both men find themselves in the backdrop of the French June Rebellion. Director Tom Hooper is the best choice to navigate this period piece. Considering his eye for European history from his previous works, including HBO’s JOHN ADAMS and the Academy Award Best Picture winner THE KING’S SPEECH, Hooper is also innovating a brand new approach to the movie musical that has never been attempted before. Usually, the actors record their singing months before the movie begins filming and all of those tracks are played back during the making of the film and the actor ‘lip-syncs’ to their recordings. Hooper has devised a way of actually recording the actors to sing ‘live’ at the same time that they are being filmed. A pianist actually accompanied them while they sang. The actor was then allowed to set the tempo- or pace and the piano would be replaced with a 70- piece orchestra. Bringing both their acting and singing talents are Anne Hathaway (Fantine), Amanda Seyfried (Cosette), Helena Bonham Carter (Madame Thenardier) and Sacha Baron Cohen as Thenardier. Slated for a December 25^th release.

A great "first look" at the live singing for LES MISERABLES

JOHNNY CHAZZ probably already covered everything that can be said of THE MASTER, DJANGO UNCHAINED and FLIGHT… which are all films I am very interested in seeing as well.

I think it is rather bold for JOHNNY CHAZZ to just come right out and make an early prediction by stating that THE MASTER will win the Academy Award for Best Picture. That now put me into a predicament! However, I am probably torn between a couple of films at this time. I can, undoubtedly guess that both LINCOLN and ZERO DARK THIRTY will be nominated. I can probably narrow it down by saying that maybe one of them might win the coveted prize. So, I will say that LINCOLN is my prediction to win Best Picture! The dark horse might be LES MISERABLES….remember that just a few years back no one thought CHICAGO would walk away with the Best Picture award… and it did! Could it happen again?

What are some the films you are looking forward to for the Fall/ Winter season? How do you feel about the films we covered and do either agree or disagree with our comments? As always, we invite your comments and views and we always reply back!

Stay tuned and come back and visit us on Wednesday October 10, 2012 when JER returns with another interesting take on the world of cinema! Thank you for stopping by!

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