Phil, that scene from Torn Curtain still gets to me! I thought it was one of the most disturbing scenes ever and also the one where Akim Tamiroff is offed by Orson Wells in Touch of Evil.
When you see movies where the victim is fighting for their life, it's harrowing. Wolf Creek gets off on it. Toochis --- Phil Edwards Cinema Arts <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Well, it has to be noted (again) that FRANKENSTEIN, > DRACULA, FREAKS, THE > MUMMY, ISLAND OF LOST SOULS, THE BLACK CAT, THE > RAVEN and about a dozen > others in the 30s were then considered "extreme > horror" with many states > attempting to cut and ban them (and we are talking > the USA) with many > succeeding at both. > > The fact that Clark Gable said "damn" in GWTW was a > major big deal > because of the censorship and moral climate of the > day. > > Society is always looking for an external reason to > blame for its ills. > It has been movies before. It has been comics, pulp > magazines, movies > again, video games, television, movies again in the > form of videotapes, > etc, etc. > > Erik's point is well-made (again). I'd probably > choose to watch KANE > again right now rather than TCM. But tomorrow night > I might prefer to > watch RE-ANIMATOR again than GWTW again. All four > mentioned films > deliver what they promise to. > > A few weeks back, I showed PSYCHO to a 35 year old > who had NEVER seen it > - ever - and had probably never seen another horror > film. It still > worked, i.e. they were scared, they jumped, they > were creeped out by > that last shot of Norman. > > In 1960, PSYCHO was considered "extreme" by many > critics and many of the > public. The box office was huge. It was considered > so extreme that > Australian censors made significant cuts for > Paramount to even get it > released here with the then toughest rating of > SUITABLE ONLY FOR ADULTS. > THE BIRDS also had cuts to get passed by the > Australian censors. > > Just a few short years later, almost an entire > sequence was eliminated > from TORN CURTAN (the murder in the farmhouse) to > get a NOT SUITABLE FOR > CHILDREN rating (because SOA would have damaged the > box office)... why? > Because it was considered TOO EXTREME. > > And the point is.... "extreme" is subjective. > > Phil > > > > > > > > Erik wrote: > > > People watch horror films the same reason some > people ride roller > > coasters, > > or skydive, or watch a sappy tearjerker: it gives > them an emotional > > stimulus > > they enjoy receiving. It's not for everyone. > > > > Tastes are different, and "positive contributions" > may be one thing to > > you > > and another to I. I'll take Tobe Hooper's Texas > Chainsaw Massacre over > > Citizen Kane any day of the week. Re-Animator > trounces Gone With the > > Wind in > > my house. Am I supposed to feel somewhat less of a > movie fan because > > of my > > tastes in cinema? Is the fact that I own Cannibal > Holocaust supposed > > to make > > me a sick, depraved prevert, regardless of how > "normal" my life is? > > I think not. What floats your boat may not work > for me, bunky. Such is > > the > > beauty of choice. > > > > Cheers, > > Erik > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "JOHN REID Vintage Movie Memorabilia" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 9:03 PM > > Subject: Re: [MOPO] HOSTILE TOWARD HOSTEL > > > > > >> I have never been able to understand the > fascination with extreme horror > >> films or the motivation of those who make them. > Perhaps it is just the > >> cheap > >> thrill or a perverted form of shock value but it > is all a mystery to > >> me. I > >> believe that, despite what some sociologists > might claim, there is a > >> direct > >> correlation between violence in movies and the > many violent and horrific > >> crimes that seem to occur daily. I guess those > who make these films will > >> make money from them but it is a pity that they > cannot direct their > >> talents > >> into making films that can make a positive > contribution. > >> > >> > >> JOHN REID VINTAGE MOVIE MEMORABILIA > >> PO Box 92 > >> Palm Beach > >> Qld 4221 > >> Australia > >> > >> Website: www.moviemem.com > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: "Phil Edwards Cinema Arts" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> To: <[email protected]> > >> Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 11:01 AM > >> Subject: Re: [MOPO] HOSTILE TOWARD HOSTEL > >> > >> > >>> Erik is correct of course, most most notably in > his last two paras of > >>> his post. > >>> > >>> I probably won't see HOSTEL unless it's as a > freebie on DVD down the > >>> track. > >>> > >>> I haven't bothered to see remakes of DAWN OF THE > DEAD or TCM either. > >>> It's a matter of choice. I can think of a dozen > movies that I would > >>> choose head of eitehr of these to watch given > the amount of fre rtime I > >>> have to watch movies these days. > >>> > >>> But it has nothing to do with content, although > perhaps subject matter > >>> is an issue in making a choice, preferring an > "emotional adrenalin > >>> rush" > >>> to a more "visceral adrenalin rush". I like > films that disturb me > >>> emotionmally and promote thought about > "difficult" emotions over films > >>> that really just make me choke with a gag > reflex.... > >>> > >>> but.... in past there were films like NOTLD > DEAD, DAWN OF THE DEAD, > >>> TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, HALLOWEEN, NIKGHTMARE > ON ELM STREET, etc, > >>> etc... and they all received similar commenatry > at the time of their > >>> release as films like HOSTEL and SAW receive > today. > >>> > >>> I'm re-reading David Skal's excellent book THE > MONSTER SHOW.... > >>> essential reading for serious horror fans as are > all of David's > >>> books.... and guess what? The contemporary 1932 > critical quotes to > >>> FREAKS and MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE could > almost be identical, just by > >>> replacing 'FEAKS' with 'HOSTEL'. > >>> > >>> So much of this stuff has to do with changing > sensibilities and the > >>> need > >>> every few years for film makers to "revolt" > against the kind of > >>> creeping > === message truncated === Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
