The Crazies (and anticipate upcoming horror remakes thread)

Saw this remake tonight. Thoughts are...disappointing, especially given the 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

I haven't seen the original, but the movie seemed to focus on the very items that I was hoping it wouldn't. Obviously, the storyline/arc isn't the main point - it's not supposed to be a "oh I didn't see that coming" type of thing, but at the same token, many of the shots were predictable. for instance *miniscule not-so-much-a-spoiler* there's a scene where one of the Crazies is driving a pitchfork into women who are strapped down to tables one at a time, and it was plainly obvious that as soon as he got to the protagonist he'd be riddled with bullets by her boyfriend.

Instead of being an interesting take on military conspiracies, populace's reaction to breakdown of organized society, and the age old debate of "do the ends justify the means", the film spent a lot of time being a "boogeyman hiding just around the corner" flick. Too many shots of a 'crazy' inching into the shot and jumping out with an orchestral swell meant to make the audience jump.

That said, Timothy Olyphant was good, and there were good moments overall. I liked the ending, and the more tender moments with the group. And the opening 10 minutes were really nice. But the direction was tepid for too much of it and I wanted to scream "THE CRAZIES ARE THE SUBTEXT, NOT THE MAIN FOCUS"!

Anyway...

*People are getting really overexcited about the Nightmare on Elm Street remake. I will admit, the trailer did look badass. But let's be honest - Michael Bay-affiliated projects always seem to have killer trailers. Even Transformers did, and that was a festering cup of cooter-juice. Jackie Earle Haley seems to be doing his Rorshach voice too, which kinda works...I'm just hoping it has anywhere near the tension of the original.

*I would really like to see someone remake The Mummy again, as more of a horror movie than the action-style they've taken the Brendan Fraser series. Essentially taking the Boris Karloff version and updating it a bit, without flashy camera work.

You should see the original, as it seems to focus on the things you want it to. Sounds like this remake is similar to the Living Dead remakes, in which Romero's subtleties are blown away in favor of big-budget theatrics, explosions, quick-cuts, etc. Of course, the acting in Romero's early films was notoriously bad, so that's one area that remakes are bound to improve upon.

Competent acting in horror movies is often a bad thing imo

it's not always a necessity, that's for sure....btw is it an edict that in every horroe ovie, thefemale protagonist HAS to be fucking pregnant

original is great, that opening scene in the house is fucking creepy.

i tried to find it on itunes to rent but they didn't have it. :/

also lynn lowry as the dippy girl, so fucking hot

watched the original at the weekend lol i'd forgotten about the 'crazy' girl sweeping the grass around the dead soldiers.

eh. this was ok kinda i guess

endless protests by the director that its not a zombie movie somewhat weakened by the fact that its a fucking zombie movie.

yeah, it was alright, not much more, esp the pretty rote second half.

Yeah, I remember putting this on to watch, somewhat looking forward to it because I like the original, like the leads and read a couple of good things. But I think I made it about a third before getting distracted and never bothered finishing it.

yea, like my sock said in the OP, was pretty 'meh' overall

wow, sounds even worse than the original!

https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/suspiria-2018

wow that really does sound terrible

what is this industry fascination w casting Tilda Swinton as a man