Idea: Horror Express MOVIE CLUB

[JohnShaft]

The idea is (say, once a month) we all watch a particular movie that we then discuss with each other. Think of it like people have book clubs.

Ideal candidates for the movie would be movies that are likely to generate good discussion (and non-agreement).

Examples:
LOVE/HATE: The Blair Witch Project, Scream...
CONTROVERSIAL: Cannibal Holocaust, extreme movies
CLASSICS: The Exorcist, TCM, DOTD, Suspiria...
CURRENT: Films that have just hit DVD/Cinema

The movie is picked in the following way: Everyone is allowed to nominate one movie. We then vote on the nominations. The winner of the vote is the movie.

I'm posting this to see what people think of the idea. To see if there's any interest in it. Obviously it's not really going to work without a handful of us. I think we've had some good discussion (and very importantly, differing opinions) on specific movies recently. So I think this could work, and perhaps encourage guest readers to register and join in.

Let me know what you think. Or if you have any extra input on the idea.

[Raven]

I like this idea. A Doctor Who site I frequent does the same thing only with DW episodes and it's good fun to do. If you don't want to take part one month or have other plans then it's all good the group can continue and you then join in again next time.

The main problem that I can see is how many of us own certain films. My collection is quite weak at the moment I had to sell some of them off (not through choice).

[TheLurkingFear]

Fantastic idea - count me in!:)

[Francesco Dellamorte]

Great idea, I'm in.

[Miss Italy]

Yes definitely me too!! :)

[JohnShaft]

OK, looking good guys. Thanks for the enthusiastic responses. :teeth:

I think we've got enough to get this idea of the ground.

Does anyone have any input on the idea itself? What you think would help it, or does/don'ts? The more communal we can make this the better.

[Miss Italy]

I think we definitely need a variety of films to choose from so they're not the same every month. Slasher / Psychological / Zombie etc ..
It's also great that we have a few of us interested which will make the discussion interesting and will have varied opinions. Will there be certain things we are looking for when watching the movie that we need to pay attention to? Would we need some common discussion points??

[Francesco Dellamorte]

I think we should avoid The Classics as most of us will pretty much agree with each other & we have a seperate thread to debate those.
I would suggest we pick movies that chances are we have all seen but polarise opinion like Scream, Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity etc

[JohnShaft]

I think we definitely need a variety of films to choose from so they're not the same every month. Slasher / Psychological / Zombie etc ..Variety will definitely be key when uit comes to continuation, so we're not putting people off with Slashers or Zombies every month.
Will there be certain things we are looking for when watching the movie that we need to pay attention to? Would we need some common discussion points??That's a very good question Missy. I'm going to look into this. I don't really know how book clubs go about it for example. I think, given recent days, we could probably get a good discussion going anyway, but this might help that.

[JohnShaft]

I think we should avoid The Classics as most of us will pretty much agree with each other & we have a seperate thread to debate those.
I would suggest we pick movies that chances are we have all seen but polarise opinion like Scream, Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity etcAgree we definitely need something more meaty, to start with especially. My category list is in rough order of suitability. Really the worst thing for this would be a load of agreement.

So I think if we're going for polarising movies, we want to each list a few, and list our "going in" opinion on it then we can make sure we don't pick a movie where we all have the same viewpoint.

So for example:
Person A:
Scream - Pro
Blair Witch - Against

Person B:
Scream - Against
Blair Witch - Against

Person C
Scream - Mixed or Undecided
Blair Witch - Haven't Seen

We'd be much better off going with Scream in the above example.

[Raven]

So I think if we're going for polarising movies, we want to each list a few, and list our "going in" opinion on it then we can make sure we don't pick a movie where we all have the same viewpoint.

So for example:
Person A:
Scream - Pro
Blair Witch - Against

Person B:
Scream - Against
Blair Witch - Against

Person C
Scream - Mixed or Undecided
Blair Witch - Haven't Seen

We'd be much better off going with Scream in the above example.

We could use the same set-up in the event of a tie in the poll results. Find out what the general feeling is on the choices and then agree on the one that's mutual

[KennyThaKilla]

Sounds good, count me in.

[JohnShaft]

Thanks Kenny.

OK, that sounds like a fullish complement of us regulars, so I guess we can get started working out the movie.

I think "one vote each" probably isn't necessary with these numbers (2nd/3rd choices are probably as important here). So everyone feel free to nominate what you think might be good choices. Include movies earlier people nominate that you agree with. And, if you wish, list in order of preference.

I'll start, though really I'm open to anything.
BTW "Against" means my current position on the merits of the film, not Against it as a choice of movie to watch...

In any order:
BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (seen once, heavily Against)
SCREAM (Against)
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (not seen)
CLOVERFIELD (seen once, fairly Pro)
I'll chuck in the first NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET after all the recent debate (and years since I've seen it)

[TheLurkingFear]

I'm easy, really.:)

[KennyThaKilla]

BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (Pro)
SCREAM (Pro)
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (Pro)
CLOVERFIELD (Pro, though I'm thinking this is more sci-fi?)
NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (and of course, very pro :teeth: )

[Francesco Dellamorte]

Shit why am I the bad guy? :(

Blair Witch Project Against
Scream Against
Paranormal Activity Against
Cloverfield AGAINST, REALLY, REALLY AGAINST!
NOES It's ok

[KennyThaKilla]

:lmao::lmao::lmao:

[JohnShaft]

Franc, I thought I was the negative Nelly on the board. Awesome. :awe:

I'm curious about your Cloverfield opinion (don't give it in case we pick it!) because we seem pretty much on point on the whole divisive BWP/Scream debate. And you obviously despise the hell out of it, hah. I thought it was fairly unobjectionable, though dislikable, sure.

You're brining what we need though, and someone has to offset Kenny's positivity! :teeth:

[Raven]

BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (seen once, Against)
SCREAM (Heavily Against)
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (Very Pro)
CLOVERFIELD (seen once, fairly against)
NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (Against)

[Miss Italy]

I will watch anything :)

[JohnShaft]

I'm easy, really.:)
I will watch anything :)
We could do with you fence sitters putting forth an opinion! Specifically if you liked or disliked any of the current 5 films on the list.

So, in the final choice, we can find a reasonable balance between for/against (and ideally one or two "not seen" or mixed)

Anything that ends up with a single person with a Pro or Against opinion is not a good choice.

Personally I don't think I have a set in stone opinion on any of them (except maybe SCREAM), as I think I've seen none of them more than once. Even my anti-BWP opinion could definitely change (given an ideal viewing experience).

[TheLurkingFear]

Blair Witch (pro)
Cloverfield (pro)
Scream (against)
Paranormal Activity (pro)
ANOES (pro)


I haven't yet seen a few of these so I can't really judge too well, but there you go anyway....:)

[Miss Italy]

Blair Witch (Against)
Cloverfield (Against)
Scream (Against)
Paranormal Activity (Bit of both .. might be good for discussion??)
NOES (Pro .. are we talking of the original??)

Hmmmmm .. looks like I'm the bad one now??

[Francesco Dellamorte]

Franc, I thought I was the negative Nelly on the board. Awesome. :awe:

I'm curious about your Cloverfield opinion (don't give it in case we pick it!)

I really could rant for hours on just how piss poor Cloverfield is but here is just one quick point, did the monster tiptoe up to the survivors in Central Park because despite the fact it's bloody huge, no one noticed it until they turned around?

[TheLurkingFear]

I really could rant for hours on just how piss poor Cloverfield is but here is just one quick point, did the monster tiptoe up to the survivors in Central Park because despite the fact it's bloody huge, no one noticed it until they turned around?

Cloverfield is the one I haven't seen. The other is Paranormal Activity. I suppose either of these would be ideal for me.

[JohnShaft]

I think Paranormal Activity is looking a potential good choice.

Two haven't see, two pro (one very), one bit of both, one against.
And I expect I'm more likely to be against, which should balance.

Others:
BWP. 4 Against, 2 Pro. All seen.
SCREAM. 5 Against, 1 Pro. I think we can scratch this.
CLOVERFIELD. 2 Pro, 3 Against, 1 Not Seen. Another decent choice.
NOES. 4 Pros, 1 Against, 1 OK. Again one-sided, another scratch.

So I think the best thing is I'll stick a poll to vote in on to this thread. And include the good (balanced) choices.

Paranormal Activity, Cloverfield, Blair Witch.

[Francesco Dellamorte]

Oh let's do Cloverfield!

I could do with a decent tourettes filled rant :lmao:

[KennyThaKilla]

I really could rant for hours on just how piss poor Cloverfield is but here is just one quick point, did the monster tiptoe up to the survivors in Central Park because despite the fact it's bloody huge, no one noticed it until they turned around?
Maybe the creature was resting somewhere nearby and all the noise they where making drew it's attention. Plus, they were a little preoccupied with trying to put a tourniquet on a bleeding leg. We don't really get a good vantage point to be able to make a clear determination of where the monster came from. It's called "momentary suspension of disbelief" and is sometimes vital if you want to enjoy certain movies. If that's the kind of thing that bothers you, then it would be easy to see why you didn't like the movie.

[Francesco Dellamorte]

Maybe the creature was resting somewhere nearby and all the noise they where making drew it's attention. Plus, they were a little preoccupied with trying to put a tourniquet on a bleeding leg. We don't really get a good vantage point to be able to make a clear determination of where the monster came from. It's called "momentary suspension of disbelief" and is sometimes vital if you want to enjoy certain movies. If that's the kind of thing that bothers you, then it would be easy to see why you didn't like the movie.

Suspension of disbelief I have but that scene was utterly ridiculous. I haven't laughed so much since I saw Titanic's ending (before I'm labelled heartless think about it, she says to his lifeless corpse "I will never let you go" then promptly pitches him straight off the makeshift raft & down into the depths, hilarious!) Preoccupation or not, the monster had been making the earth shake as it moved, was god knows how high & from the camera angles you can clearly see that they are in open ground. Sorry but that is farcical. If that was the only thing wrong with it I could let it slide but that movie sucked the farts out of roadkill from begining to end. I like good old fashioned monster movies. If you haven't seen it check out the Korean film The Host for an example how to make a great modern monster terrorising city movie.

[JohnShaft]

If you haven't seen it check out the Korean film The Host for an example how to make a great modern monster terrorising city movie.Been meaning to check that out for an age. Sounds like I should move it up the queue.

And let's not have too much of a Cloverfield debate in case we end up picking it. ;)

OK, I've attached the poll to this thread.

[TheLurkingFear]

The monster in the Host is seriously great.

[Miss Italy]

Does this mean we watch Paranormal Activity??!

[JohnShaft]

Yup, at 4-1 for Paranormal Activity I think we can call it. LF and I haven't seen it, so this should be interesting. Been meaning to watch it for a while.

So give us a few days to get sorted, and maybe start the latter part of next week. Call it next Friday (9th).

[KennyThaKilla]

Here's what made me laugh....

Suspension of disbelief I have...
Maybe not...

Preoccupation or not, the monster had been making the earth shake as it moved, was god knows how high & from the camera angles you can clearly see that they are in open ground. Sorry but that is farcical.
:lmao::lmao::lmao: Yep, you're all about suspension of disbelief.

When they turned around, the guy with the camera looked straight up at the monster, so we never really got to see what was directly behind them. There could have been a whole forest of trees, or some nearby buildings for all we know. So like I said, we never really got a clear vantage point.

[Francesco Dellamorte]

:lmao::lmao::lmao: Yep, you're all about suspension of disbelief.

When they turned around, the guy with the camera looked straight up at the monster, so we never really got to see what was directly behind them. There could have been a whole forest of trees, or some nearby buildings for all we know. So like I said, we never really got a clear vantage point.

It was fuckin' enormous, way bigger than any tree in Central Park & you did get a quick camera pan of the crash site, no trees in site. The entire army, tanks, helicopters, troops & all are following it's every move so like I said it must have tiptoed Scooby Doo style up to the survivors. There is a limit to suspension of disbelief. Big fuck off mosnsters don't exist yet I still enjoy monster movies, that would be suspension of disbelief, Vampires, werewolves & indestructable teen killing, mask wearing killers don't exist yet I enjoy the halloween & Friday The 13th movies. That would be suspension of disbelief. The Japanese haven't put a bunch of schoolkids on an island with weapons & told them to fight to the death, yet Battle Royale is one of my favourite films of all time. That would be... suspension of disbelief. To be a fan of the horror genre in general takes a fair degree of suspension of disbelief. There is suspension of disbelief, then there is the utter farcical bollocks presented in Cloverfield.

[TheLurkingFear]

'The appeal of the spectrally macabre is generally narrow because it demands from the reader a certain degree of imagination and a capacity of detachment from everyday life...'

HP Lovecraft.

Mr Lovecraft puts it better than I ever could.:)

[Miss Italy]

Yup, at 4-1 for Paranormal Activity I think we can call it. LF and I haven't seen it, so this should be interesting. Been meaning to watch it for a while.

So give us a few days to get sorted, and maybe start the latter part of next week. Call it next Friday (9th).

Sounds good!! :) Are we just going to watch it and chat about it??

Let me know if you need my help in organising it!! :)

[Raven]

Yup, at 4-1 for Paranormal Activity I think we can call it. LF and I haven't seen it, so this should be interesting. Been meaning to watch it for a while.

So give us a few days to get sorted, and maybe start the latter part of next week. Call it next Friday (9th).

Sounds good.

[JohnShaft]

Sounds good!! :) Are we just going to watch it and chat about it??
Let me know if you need my help in organising it!! :)
Thanks Missy, I'll send you a PM.

I'm going to try and watch it as close to next Friday as possible, probably on the night.

[Stygian Underground]

I'll try and join you guys in this...if I don't wind up sucked into something that day, haha.

[Raven]

Do we know what we're doing yet guys? What time are we planning on watching it?

[JohnShaft]

Starting for the weekend looks best, no?

I'm going to watch it for the first time on Friday or Saturday myself.

[Miss Italy]

Shall we all try and watch it by the end of this week and discussion next week??

[KennyThaKilla]

Works for me. ;)

[JohnShaft]

Yes, that sounds good. :)

[Stygian Underground]

Alrighty. I'll try and rewatch it by then. For all those with Netflix, it should be on the instant queue still...I keep seeing it on there, haha.

[TheLurkingFear]

Okay, Paranormal Activity: in a word, boring. Badly acted, unconvincing, and I've honestly seen episodes of Most Haunted that I've found more unnerving. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like PA, but hate it? Wow, I think I do. :(

I know I've bashed the slasher sub-genre here recently, but I was wishing old Jason could have turned up half way through this film, for at least then there would have been the satisfyingly bloody spectacle of these two annoying protagonists being 'slashed' before I wasted anymore of my time watching them.:teeth:

I think the Blair Witch Project is a better film than this; and in turn Noroi (the Curse) is a better film than either, a movie that has more menace and genuine unease in it's first ten minutes than PA manages to muster in it's entire one hour plus.

Another one that comes to mind is Whistle and I'll Come to You: a masterpiece of understated menace and ghostliness!

To end on a positive note, at least now I know unequivocally that I don't want to see PA 2.:)

[KennyThaKilla]

Wow, that's a lot of hate for a movie that really isn't that bad. :unsure:

[TheLurkingFear]

Wow, that's a lot of hate for a movie that really isn't that bad. :unsure:

I thought it was genuinely awful, Kenny, worse than what I was expecting. I thought blair Witch was a much better (scarier) film. How about you?:)

[KennyThaKilla]

I liked them both.

[Stygian Underground]

I didn't know we started the discussion yet? Haha. I haven't rewatched it yet, but given that it's a pretty simple movie and I've seen it probably 3 times I'm certain I can go based on memory.

The first time I saw it in theaters fairly late at night, and it was a fun experience. Everyone feeds off of one another's fear, thus amplifying the effect. So it freaked me out when I first saw it. The second time, it of course wasn't as scary (it's rare to find a movie that's as scary the 2nd time as it is the 1st) but it still managed to creep me out (especially when I watched the alternate endings...which are in my opinion much better than the theatrical ending. If you get a chance watch them but if not I can describe them if you like.)

The third viewing (which was with Rifftrax attached) the movie wasn't very frightening. This movie is like a musket...it gets one shot and it better make it count. Whereas the Exorcist still genuinely creeps me out, PA became merely "Boo! I scared you!" fare.

Did I jump on subsequent viewings? Yeah, but that's because I startle easily (embarassing, but I can't really help it.) But that being said it didn't frighten me. The overall scenario is pretty creepy though, and I liked the way the effects were done, but it's more of a one hit wonder than a classic that I'd rewatch over and over. This would be one I'd return to every five years or so, when I've forgotten about it haha.

That being said, I liked it, and I watched the 2nd one. I will probably watch the third as well, because I've come this far and might as well finish it out, haha

[JohnShaft]

Guys, lets go with Miss Italy's idea of watching it by the weekend and starting discussion next week. It should work better that way as the weekend should give us all chance to watch (or rewatch) it.

Gong on memory is one thing, but it rather defeats the object. And likely the debate.

I'll be watching it tonight.

I'll hide these posts and unhide them (in case you want to cut/paste into that thread) when I activate the discussion thread for it on Monday. Let's hold off on the discussion until then.

That thread is here (http://www.horrorexpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6889).

Cheers.

[Stygian Underground]

Okie! I just wasn't sure what we were doing. I might just go ahead and rewatch it tonight...maybe I'll think differently of it this time around :)

[TheLurkingFear]

Re-watch it??!!

Aww, come on.....:teeth:

[Raven]

No need to tell me twice. I'm never going to say no to Paranormal Activity