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Slice 'em and dice 'em flicks can't compare with classics
By mary McWhorter
Movie Reviewer
I remember my first horror movie
well, "The Monster of Boggy Creek."
It was a cheapie about Bigfoot. All I
can remember was slowly slinking
further and further into my seat, un
til I finally rested under it. My mother
promptly removed me from the the
ater and for the next week I black
mailed my parents into letting me
sleep with them. (I was sure Bigfoot
would come crashing through my
closet door). As you have probably
construed, I was a wimpy child. I
shudder to think how Td fare at the
slasher movies shown today.
In fact, I still won't go see those
slice 'em and dice 'em features.
They aren't real honor movies.
They're something altin to exploita
tive pornography and they lack any
artistic or creative expression.
They also lack class. Honor mov
ies with class? Of course. One of the
first horror movies "Nosferatu," a
1922, silent, black and white, vam
pire flick, has become a classic ex
ample of German expressionism.
The film is remarkable in that it cre
ates a succession of haunting visual
images that are authentically "ex
pressive" of horror. For example,
Nosferatu is photographed from ex
tremely low angles to make him ap
pear monstrous and sinister. (Orson
Welles used the same technique
eighteen years later in "Citizen Ka
ne"). Also, a number of shots used
lighting to cast the vampire's gigan
tic shadow across every object in the
frame, (a minor blunder, a vampire
casts no shadows, as all horror buffs
know). Although this movie is a bit
creaky, the techniques it pioneered
are widely used in movies today.
And for those interested, "Nosferatu"
was remade by a great German di
rector, Werner Herzog, in 1978.
Now that we know a little of the
history of hotter films, let's get nos
talgic. For starters, how about those
oldies but goodies. Horror, Ameri
can style. Bela Lugosi's "Dracula"
(1931) comes to mind Beds Karloff's
"Frankenstein" (1931), "Bride of
Frankenstein" (1935), "The Mask of
Fu Manchu" (1932) and "The Mum
my" (1932) are classics to this day.
And let's not forget Lon Chaney's
"The Phantom of the Opera" or Lon
Chaney Jr.'s "The Wolf Man" (1941).
How about Peter Lorre? The villain
you couldn't quite make yourself
hate. And Claude Rains gets an
honorable mention for "The Invisible
Man" (1933), his first feature film,
and he never even got to show his
face.
What makes these movies so
great? Class. They all feature great
character actors who sometimes
broke out of the horror genre and
went on to establish careers with a
broader range of roles. But even if
they were typecast as freaks or
monsters, they were recognized as
innovative actors who could estab
lish and maintain a character under
all the makeup.
Probably the most successful of all
these actors is the invincible Vincent
Price. His list of credits is practically
endless but ray favorite is his despi
cable character Dr. Phibes in "Tlie
Abominable Dr. Phibes" (1971) and
“Dr. Phibes Rises Again." Now these
are real horror films. They're crea
tive works of genius. The films
mainly concern themselves with Dr.
Phibes creating new and interesting
ways to kill people he feels are re
sponsible for his wife's death. In one
movie he squeezes a man to death
with a giant vise as the man sleeps
in a cot, much like a grape. Nasty,
huh? But it's different, you have to
admit. And that's my point. At least
I'm not watching an endless parade
of idiotic people being killed with
butcher knives and ice picks and
skewers and chain saws and axes
by faceless villains for no reason.
Not only is that revolting, but it gets
a little boring alter awhile. After all,
how many different ways can peo
ple bleed to death?
Much to my dismay, these
thoughtless movies keep making lots
of money. And the movie people re
spond by making more of these
thoughtless movies. As for me, I'm
just going to stay home and watch
for reruns of "Abbott and Costello
Meet Frankenstein" on the late late
show and make sure my closet door
is shut before I go to bed. □
RATING KEY
*** = Okay, but not that great.
***** = A Classic!
** - Barely watchable.
**** z= Excellent, but has some Haws.
* = Forget it.
MOuiel
A PASSAGE TO INDIA (PG): This film portrays
the conflict between Britain and its colony,
India. ludy Davis plays a Briton visiting her
fiance in India. Set in India, the film won
two Oscars in 1984. Aggie Cinema, Friday
and Saturday, 7:30, Rudder Theater.
AFTER HOURS (R): Martin's Scorsese's new black
comedy is here. It involves the adventures
of a young man after he gets off of work.
**** Plaza 3
AGNES OF GOD (PG-I3): A young nun gives
birth to a baby. Later, .the baby is found
strangled. Agnes says she doesn't remem
ber the birth or the impregnation. Meg Tilly
from "The Big Chill" is Sister Agnes in this
film that deals with the confrontation of faith
and reason. Anne Bancroft and Jane Fonda
also star. **** Plaza 3
AMADEUS (PG): A loosely biographical film about
composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Swept 'he Oscars last year. Plaza 3
APPOINTMENT WITH FEAR (R): A Halloween
thriller from the producers of "Halloween."
Schulman 6
BACK TO THE FUTURE (R): This is the most fun to
hit the silver screen this year. Michael J.
Fox, from TV's "Family Ties," stars in this
tim?-traveling comedy. *★**★ Cinema 3
BEVERLY HILLS COP (R): Here it is again. Eddie
Murphy makes this flick a winner.
Schulman 6
COMMANDO (R): It's Arnold Schwarzenegger in a
Chuck Norris movie. This is an action-ad
venture flick where Schwarzenegger must
assassinate a South American president in
order to recover his (Schwarzenegger's)
kidnapped daughter from the clutches of
• one of his former special operations strike
force members who has tracked Schwar....
Oh, never mind. This movie shouldn't be
too bad. Arnold actually gets to say some
thing. Cinema 3
COMPROMISING POSITIONS (R): Susan Sa
randon stars as a housewife who is so
shocked by the murder of her dentist she
decides to turn reporter and investigate the
case herself. This movie is a strange, but
not uninteresting, comedy of life in subur
bia. *** Schulman 6
HOLLYWOOD OUT-TAKES
AND RARE FOOTAGE (UNRATED): A collection
of archival clips, snips and cutting room
bloopers, from Marilyn Monroe's home
movies to driving tips from James Dean.
Full of surprises. Aggie Cinema, Friday
and Saturday, midnight, Rudder Theater.
INVASION USA (R): Oh dear. Another "Chuck
Norris saves the world" movie. Much to my
chagrin this movie has been getting decent
reviews. Supposedly, it's full of exciting ac
tion scenes and Norris' superb acting. No
comment. Cinema 3
JAGGED EDGE (R): A mystery-thriller starring
Glenn Close (“The Big Chill") and Jeff
Bridges ("Starman.'') A beautiful and
wealthy San Francisco newspaper heiress
is stabbed to death and the only suspect is
her husband. ★*** Pos: Oak Mall
MARIE (PG-13): Sissy Spacek stars in this true story
of a woman who works :o rid Tennessee's
government of corruption. Manor East III
MY UNCLE ANTOINE (UNRATED): A study of
life, death, fear and desire, this Canadian
film features a 15-year-old boy coming of
age in a small mining town. Aggie Cin
ema, Sunday, 7:30, Rudder Theater.
PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE (PG): A wacky j
comedy starring comedian Pee-Wee Her
man. See at your own risk. *★ Schulman 6
REMO WILLIAMS:
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS (PG-13): Kung Fu I
meets Yoda. Not only is this movie a ripoff |
of "The Karate Kid," its title infers the pro- |
ducers expect this movie to make so much |
money they have already planned sequels, ■
The story revolves around a New York City
cop (Remo) who is recruited by a secret or- I
ganization to be trained by the last living I
master of Sinanju. What is Sinanju? It is the |
sun source of the survival arts, of course. |
Post Oak Mall
SILVER BULLET (R): Another Stephen King story
hits the silver screen. This one is about a ■
werewolf, if you haven't already guessed J
by the title. I sincerely hope this movie is
better than previous King movie-adapta- I
tions. Schulman 6
SILVERADO (PG-13): Ye-Ha! A shoot-em-up if
there ever was one. This western revolves |
around four cowboys that fight off bad
guys, protect innocent folks and generally
do good deeds. **** Manor East III
SWEET DREAMS (PG-13): Jessica Lange stars as I
the country music legend Patsy Cline. This
movie traces the life of Cline including her [
recovery from a terrible car wreck and her
death in a plane crash. Post Oak Mall
TEEN WOLF (PG): Oh no! Here it is again. Michael j
J. Fox of "Family Ties" turns into a werewolf
and becomes his high school basketball
champ. (No Stars).Manor East III
VOLUNTEERS (R): A comedy starring Tom Hanks |
and John Candy. Hanks decides to join the |
Peace Corps to hide from an irate bookie he
owes money to. Schulman 6