Scream
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brucenadler — 10 years ago(August 31, 2015 01:49 PM)
Although I liked many of his films, the one I revisit most often, and will likely b68continue to as the years go on, is The People Under the Stairs. It is wholly unique and executes its premise flawlessly.
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TwoNineOne — 10 years ago(August 31, 2015 02:43 PM)
Scream
It was my first ever favourite movie when I was 4-5 years old, and to this day is still in my top 10.
(Even use a line from Scream as my signature :))
"Movies don't create psychos movies make psychos more creative!" -
Simian_Jack — 10 years ago(August 31, 2015 03:38 PM)
The Serpent and the Rainbow
. A rare, maybe even unheard of movie that treats Voudoun with respect rather than demonizing it for a Western/Christian audience, and then goes the extra step to place it in context politically in Haitian culture and history. IMO it's the smartest movie Craven has made and the most personally engaging.
The movie is often beautiful to behold. When Craven employs fantasy imagery it's imaginative and effective but in no way overwhelms the beauty of the country and towns themselves. It's a highly sensuous movie.
The cast! What a great cast! One of Craven's scariest villains in Zakes Mokae ("I wanna hear you scream!"), Cathy Tyson and Bill Pullman are likable leads not out of central casting and they share a wonderful chemistry onscreen. TSatR is an unexpectedly effective love story that felt genuine rather than obligatory. Tyson plays a real woman, a three dimensional character rather than the usual cypher to hang on the arm of the male lead. Brent Jennings as Louis Mozart is a colorful scoundrel. Michael Gough, Paul Winfield
I've said it's a smart script, it's also a lot of fun to listen to - sharp dialog delivered well.
It goes by at a decent pace that's never rushed but never slow. The story is as compelling as the characters. It even has a nice score by Brad Fiedel (even if his closing titles theme repeats his Terminator beat).
Juts to be a little defensive, I've heard the oft repeated criticism that the finale devolves into ANOES territory, but in fairness the movie does set that up right from the beginning - it's movie of the soul as well as anything else. I find it a beautiful, spiritual, moving and ultimately deeply satisfying movie every time I see it. Holds up to rewatches well. I guess I'm a Craven fanhis body of work is spotty to me but I enjoy even the lesser movies. That said, Serpent is far and away his nest film and a very personal favorite, one of my favorite movies period.
Second favorite is
A Nightmare on Elm Street
. it's almost too much a oart of my youth to look at objectively, too iconic. Freddy before he became a gameshow hostI've always been fascinated by dreams, I love having them. ANOES is one of very few movies that recreate the dream experience, the logic and tactile quality of them. Most directors think that if they throw some wild imagery at the screen, that creates a dream. To me it means they never bothered to pay attention to their own dreams - it's lazy and thoughtless no matter how surreal the image. Craven knew how dreams
feel
, and made the effort to put that on film.