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Comics 101
Art tips and techniques, reviews and interviews from my studio. Archived here and at World Famous Comics.

Comics 101 Archives

Comics 101 for 10/09/2003
Movie Reviews - 'The Horrors of Canada'
Hey, everybody! For all of this month and just in time for my favorite holiday, Halloween, Comics 101 will be featuring articles of the more macabre variety as we focus on the theme of 'horror' (one of my favorite genres of comics and film). So here each week in October, sink your plastic fangs into a horror flavored Comics 101 feature!
Earlier this year on Tom Mandrake's Official Message Board we had a discussion on imported horror cinema from... not Italy... nope, not England either... wait for it... yep, you guessed it 'eh. So whether you're looking for some quality chills (the other kind) or laughable and 'not so hot' fright fests for your Halloween party or even your own personal, late night horror movie marathon then check out these scary flicks of 'The Great White North'.

So here's Tom with the weather... er, I mean the horror... take it away, Tom!

Tom: So I've done the research, here's a list of Canadian made horror movies, 1959 to 2000. Any favorites? Honestly I don't know most of these movies but there are several I'm going to track down:

1959
The Bloody Brood (D: Julian Roffman. Starring Peter Falk)
1961
The Mask (D:Julian Roffman. The first Canadian film to be widely distributed in the United States, and the only Canadian 3-D feature.)
1968
Creature of Comfort (D: Graham Driscoll. Starring Donald Pleasance)
1970
Flesh Feast (D: Brad F. Ginter. Veronica Lake's final film.)
Flick (D: Gilbert Taylor. Starring Robin Ward)
1972
The Pyx (D: Harvey Hart. Starring Christopher Plummer.)
1973
Cannibal Girls (Ivan Reitman's first film. Starring Andrea Martin and Eugene Levy.)
Seizure (Oliver Stone's first film. Starring Hervé Villachaise.)
1974
The House That Cried Murder (D: Jean-Marie Pélissé)
1976
House by the Lake (D: William Fruet. a.k.a. Death Weekend)
The Keeper (D: T.Y. Drake. Starring Christopher Lee)
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (D: Nicholas Gessner. Starring Jodie Foster and Martin Sheen.)
1977
Rabid (D: David Cronenberg)
Rituals (D: Peter Carter. Starring Hal Holbrook)
The Uncanny (D: Denis Héroux)
1979
The Brood (D: David Cronenberg)
1980
Death Ship (D: Alvin Rakoff)
Ghost Keeper (D: James Makichuk)
Phobia (D: John Huston)
1981
Funeral Home (D: William Fruet)
Incubus (D: John Hough)
The Pit (D: Lew Lehman)
1982
Curtains (D: Richard Ciupka. Starring John Vernon, Maury Chaykin)
Deadly Eyes (D: Robert Clouse)
1983
Skullduggery (D: Ota Richter)
Spasms (D: William Fruet. Starring Al Waxman, Peter Fonda)
1984
Evil Judgment (D:Claudio Castravelli) (?)
1985
The Blue Man (D: George Mihalka)
Blue Murder (D: Charles Wiener)
Identity Crisis (D: Bruce Pittman. Starring Robin Ward as psychotic twins)
Junior (D: Jim Hanley)
Psycho Girls (D: Gerard Ciccoritti)
1986
The Housekeeper (D: Ousama Rawi)
1987
Blood Relations (D: Graeme Clifford)
Blue Monkey (D: William Fruet. Starring John Vernon, Joe Flaherty)
Graveyard Shift (D: Gerard Ciccoritti)
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night 2 (D: Bruce Pittman. Starring Michael Ironside)
Rock n' Roll Nightmare (D: John Fasano)
Zombie Nightmare (D: Jack Bravman. Written by David Wellington. Starring Adam West and Tia Carrere.)
1988
The Brain (D: Ed Hunt)
Graveyard Shift 2: The Understudy (D: Gerard Ciccoritti)
Pin (D: Sandor Stern)
Watchers (D: Jon Hess. Starring Corey Haim, Michael Ironside)
1989
The Carpenter (D: David Wellington)
Freakshow (D: Constantino Magnatta)
1990
Blood Clan (D: Charles Wilkinson. Starring Gordon Pinsent)
Cursed (D: Mychel Arsenault)
Prom Night 3: The Last Kiss (D: Ron Oliver)
Red Blooded American Girl (D: David Blyth. Written by Allan Moyle.)
1991
Prom Night 4: Deliver Us From Evil (D: Clay Borris)
Whispers (D: Douglas Jackson)
1992
Frat Fright (D: David Mitchell)
Happy Hell Night (D: Brian Owens)
Psychic (D: George Mihalka)
1993
Jack of Hearts (D: Cynthia Roberts)
Little Devils: The Birth (D: George Pavlou)
1994
Blood Symbol (D: Maurice Devereaux, Tony Morello)
The Club (D: Brenton Spencer)
The Dark (D: Craig Pryce. Starring Neve Campbell)
The Paperboy (D: Douglas Jackson)
Relative Fear (D: George Mihalka)
1995
Blood and Donuts (D: Holly Dale. Starring David Cronenberg)
Witchboard III: The Possession (D: Peter Svatek)
1996
Twists of Terror (D: Douglas Jackson)
1997
Bleeders (D: Peter Svatek. Starring Roy Dupuis and Jackie Burroughs)
1998
Lady of the Lake (D: Maurice Devereaux)
Winter Lily (D: Roshell Bissett)
1999
The Clown at Midnight (D: Jean Pellerin. Starring Christopher Plummer, Margot Kidder)
Urban Flesh (D: Alexandre Michaud)
2000
Christina's House (D: Gavin Wilding)
Rats (D: Jacques Holender)


Wow. Alot of these are unknown to me. Some of them do sound like they are indeed worth tracking down for mere title alone. 'The Bloody Brood', 'Cannibal Girls' and 'Flesh Feast' sound fun (though how scary can a Eugene Levy movie be... wait a minute, scratch that, I suddenly remembered 'Armed and Dangerous'). And an Oliver Stone film starring 'Tattoo'? I thought 'The Hand' (written by Stone) starring Michael 'don't fro your bloody Eskimos at me' Caine was bad enough. 'Zombie Nightmare' with Adam West? Sounds too good to be true.

I can comment on the following selections from your list since I've either seen them or am least familiar with them...

1974
Black Christmas (D: Bob Clark. Starring Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin, Doug McGrath, Art Hindle, Kier Dullea)


Supposedly this is a great little horror film according to someone I know who has seen it and recommended it to me along with other really positive reviews I have read. He also mentioned that this film pre-dates some of John Carpenter's more inventive and original storytelling ideas and camera techniques he used for 'Halloween'. I even think Carpenter himself mentioned this movie as an influence for his horror masterpiece. If you find this one let me know what you think and I'll hunt it down in the meantime myself.

1975
Shivers (David Cronenberg's first film. a.k.a. The Parasite Murders, They Came From Within)


One movie I've known about for years and have always been meaning to see. Plus I really have never seen a bad Cronenberg movie yet. They play the original trailer for this movie every year at the 24 Hour Horror Movie Marathon I go to here in Columbus and it looks like cheesy, 'Night' and 'Dawn of the Living Dead' inspired, fun.

1979
The Changeling (D: Peter Medak. Starring George C. Scott.)


I think Justin has reccommended this movie to me on more than one occassion so I need to track this one down.

1979
Terror Train (D: Roger Spottiswoode. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, David Copperfield and Joy Boushel.)


Trashy 70's slasher flick fun. Nothing too exceptional here but worth seeing for early Jamie Lee and a painfully wincing yet hilarious appearance by David Copperfield (yes, that David Copperfield).

1980
Happy Birthday To Me (D: J. Lee Thompson. Starring secret Canadian Glenn Ford.)


I barely remember this one. Saw it as a kid on cable and remember it scared me but then again I was like 9 or 10 years old I think. I did some searching on Amazon.com and surprisingly this film hasn't made it to DVD yet, it's only available in VHS format. Now it I'm really interested in tracking this down since either it's a forgetten gem or maybe best forgotton on purpose.

1980
Prom Night (D: Paul Lynch)


Even more Jamie Lee Curtis plus you get Leslie Nielson in a rare, dramatic role (harking back to is more square-jawed days like in the awesome 'Forbidden Planet'). Not a great movie, mediocre like 'Terror Train' both of which were made to capitalize on Ms. Curtis' previous 'Halloween' popularity but kinda fun on a late, late Saturday night nonetheless.

1981
Humongous (D: Paul Lynch. Written by William Gray. Starring Joy Boushel.)


Actually, not a bad, obscure horror flick. Haven't seen this one in a long time but enjoyed it numerous times renting it in junior high and high school. The beginning and ending are worth it but the middle of the movie is pretty standard stalk and slash fare. This one and 'Hell Night' (starring Linda Blair - check this one out too if you can find it) were two of my favorites to freak my friends out with when we would have all night horror movie fests. Not sure if it has aged well though but maybe I'll come across it again and check it out one more time.

1981
My Bloody Valentine (D: George Mihalka)


Like 'Humongous' and 'Hell Night', worth checking out at least once. Reeks of typical 70's slasher formula but the on location backdrop of a serial killer in the mineshafts makes it kind of fun and interesting to watch for the shadows and overall creepiness factor of the environment. Just watched this again a few months ago on Cinemax while I was up late working and it still holds up better than most similar flicks from the era.

1981
Visiting Hours (D: Jean-Claud Lord. Starring Lee Grant, William Shatner and Michael Ironside.)


You would think a horror flick with such 'icons' like Michael Ironside and Bill Shatner would be worth watching but I remember this one as being... forgettable unfortunately. Sociopath Ironside stalks and attacks a TV reporter (Lee Grant) at a hospital with Captain Kirk in a small supporting role. A curiosity of a film that should be seen at least once if you're a fan of either actor.

1982
Videodrome (D: David Cronenberg)


This one stars Debbie 'Blondie' Harry and James Woods and it's a classic. Some neat special effects for the time and typical Cronenberg psychological, mind-bending material (which he later refines in 'Naked Lunch' and the more accessible 'eXistenZ'). I really liked seeing this one again on the big screen at a sci-fi marathon a few years back. A definite must-see for any fan of the genre (also see 'Scanners' for more interesting Cronenberg gross-out horror fare).

1984
Of Unknown Origin (D: George P. Cosmatos)


Hmm... I'm curious about this one. It's directed by Cosmatos of Tombstone, Cobra and Rambo 2 fame so it can't be too bad.

1986
The Gate (D: Tibor Takacs)


Early Stephen (Blade) Dorff. A good horror film if I recall. Haven't seen this one in years though.

1999
Top of the Food Chain (D: John Paizs)


Bizarre, great, low budget Ed Wood-like inspired horror film. Caught this at a horror marathon back in '99 and really enjoyed some of it's truly ingenious absurdity. Have your friends bring the cheap beer over and check this one out for plenty of laughs.

And finally...
2000
Ginger Snaps (D: John Fawcett)
(my provisional favorite right now).


Great movie, Tom! I loved 'Ginger Snaps'. I've seen it about three times so far. I was really surprised and impressed with this one. Both Emily Perkins (who was just great in her episode of 'X-Files') and Katherine Isabelle (totally beautiful, and totally misplaced in 'Freddy vs. Jason', but perfect here) do a great job of playing angst ridden, semi-suicidal sisters on a downward spiral only to be taken even further down the spiral when big sister is bitten by a big bad werewolf. Great make-up effects, suspense and horror along with believable characters and solid writing. Even Mimi Rogers (see also 'X-Files') performance as the clueless, two dimensional mom character works well here. Probably one of the best, true werewolf flicks to come out in recent memory (even better than 'Dog Soldiers' to a degree I believe).

I'll leave everybody with the following post that originally inspired Tom to investigate these 'Horrors of Canada' for us all. Enjoy...

Tom: I had never seen Silent Night Bloody Night before, this turned out to be another pleasant surprise, well worth the $1.60 it cost me. Many of the '80s slasher movie techniques such as the killers pov camera work, evil phone calls and ax murders were utilized in this cheap early '80s movie. A great movie? NO! It stinks of Canadian film making, usually a death warrant for a horror movie (I probably should check the credits before I say that but I'm too lazy to go downstairs) and it looked like the dog chewed on the film before it was tranfered to digital but another winner anyway!

Sorry, Canada. After all most of the X-Files were filmed there... I take it all back. You're the best country I ever lived next to!


Intrigued by anything that's mentioned? Find out more about some of them on DVD or VHS below!

See you next week for another horrific Comics 101 feature!

-Joe

<< 10/02/2003 | 10/09/2003 | 10/16/2003 >>

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