As the complete opposite of The Re-Animator, this Lovecraftian cosmic horror, crafted by writer/director David A. Roberts (Afterlyfe, 2021) checks off every box for horror fans who want to indulge in a mystery that leaves breadcrumbs throughout the film so they can piece together what really happened in the end by themselves. Roberts is guiding the audience by asking, ‘What is this? Who is this? Is it what really happened or is he [Chris] kind of losing his mind?’.
PHILOSOPHICAL
A CAMPY CLOCKWORK ORANGE
What can be said about the heralded dystopian masterpiece A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971), adapted from ANTHONY BURGESS'S book 'A CLOCKWORK ORANGE', by the cinematic giant STANLEY KUBRICK, that's not been said before? Countless articles and a handful of academic books have already analysed the subjects of free will and corruption by the hand of the Law, religious themes, and brainwashing effects, even the notorious scandal which forced Kubrick to withdraw the film from British distribution. Nonetheless, Kubrick's cinematic achievement has many enigmatic layers, which entice adventurous explorations. Many have the opinion that Kubrick...
THE COMPULSIVE REANIMATOR
At first, RE-ANIMATOR, by director STUART GORDON, may seem like a parody of Frankenstein, a mad scientist eager to bring the dead back to life, but it quickly turns into its own ‘thoroughly original’ (Ochoa, 2011, 136) nightmare, drowned in gore, and plastered with bizarre humor. As described by Jeffrey Combs, ‘It has a camp quality […] so it requires a heightened approach. It has its own unique style.’ (Combs, 2014) This film is the adaptation of one of the six horrific stories from the series about Herbert West - Reanimator, written by H.P. LOVECRAFT.
HUNGER AND MISDEMEANORS
This mainly unknown adaptation of the novella HUNGER (Sult), by KNUT HAMSUN, was the first official Danish/Norwegian/Swedish Co-production that happened inside Scandinavian cinema, which was conducted by the director HENNING CARLSEN (Kattrona, 1965.). This extremely creative collaboration was presented as a Scandinavian New Wave film and earned the main actor PER OSCARSSON the award for best actor in Cannes, in the year 1966.
THE MADHOUSE OF THE HANDMAIDEN
Most of the films that are visually stunning like PARK CHAN-WOOK'S THE HANDMAIDEN (2016.) are not inexpensive to produce, so it is an extraordinary feat to have made this incredible looking film for just nine million dollars. The Korean film is the adaptation of Fingermith, a British novel by the writer Sarah Waters.
THE POLISH FEMME FATALE: SZAMANKA
The situation is very familiar, two completely opposite souls find each other one day and begin a turbulent relationship based on raw, sweaty, animalistic sex. They don't try to understand each other or learn about each other's names for that matter, no, the sole point of their relationship is to enjoy the feeling they experience when hitting the sack.
A REPRESSED SNAKE OF JUNE
The Japanese director SHINYA TSUKAMOTO is mainly known for his dystopian cyberpunk extravaganza called TETSUO: THE IRON MAN (1989), connecting action, gore, humor, rapid editing and an experimental approach to the visuals. A Snake of June, erotic thriller
FINDING ORIENTATION IN THE CUT
The erotic thriller IN THE CUT, by director JANE CAMPION, is notorious for being the film that ended the career of America's Sweetheart Meg Ryan.