Even "Lost Boys" requires some rosetinting, which is allowable because so many of us were young'uns when it came out. I'm thinking particularly of the very end, which was only missing an over-the-top, hands-on-hips, "Oh, Grampa!" followed by the entire cast laughing and then a freeze as the credits roll.
Does anybody mind if I pass out?
Willow ,'Beneath You'
Buffista Movies 4: Straight to Video
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
Mr. Broom - Oct 12, 2005 10:50:10 am PDT #7884 of 10002
"When I look at people that I would like to feel have been a mentor or an inspiring kind of archetype of what I'd love to see my career eventually be mentioned as a footnote for in the same paragraph, it would be, like, Bowie." ~Trent Reznor
§ ita § - Oct 12, 2005 10:52:34 am PDT #7885 of 10002
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
I don't think the original BTVS movie was good either.
There have been vampire movies I've enjoyed, but damned few I'd say were good.
DavidS - Oct 12, 2005 10:52:45 am PDT #7886 of 10002
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Gary Oldman's Romanian, and the accent, were atrocious.
Yeah, but he does a good American accent. As does Emma Thompson.
Tom Waits is a better Renfield than Dwight Frye. He's the new standard.
Gwyneth and RZ are the two American actors I know who seem to do well with a British accent. AD doesn't count since he cheated and grew up over there. Of course, Meryl is probably the accent champ. Though I think it's possibly a crutch and her choice to go Italian in Bridges of Madison County seemed dubious.
Vonnie K - Oct 12, 2005 10:56:46 am PDT #7887 of 10002
Kiss me, my girl, before I'm sick.
There have been no good vampire movies made in Hollywood since Lost Boys, with the exception of the original BTVS movie. Discuss.
I thought Shadow of the Vampire was rather good. Willen Dafoe hamming it up as Max Shreck was a tremendous fun to watch.
Not a feature film, but one of my favorite modern take on the vampire myth is the short-lived British series, Ultraviolet, in which vampirism is approached as a contagious disease and the protagonists work on possible scientific cure. Sharp writing, moody camera-work, and some terrific villains and moral ambiguity galore.
Sean K - Oct 12, 2005 10:58:08 am PDT #7888 of 10002
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
If I turned off my brain I could enjoy a fair bit of the pretty. Kind of like Mary Shelly's Frankenstein.
Visually quite impressive, yes. Especially considering that the vast majority of the special effects were done "in camera" meaning that they happened live on set, with or without using some camera trickery, rather than CGI-ed or other "post production" effects.
All of the creepy shadow effects were done live on set with lighting tricks, for example.
Sean K - Oct 12, 2005 10:58:48 am PDT #7889 of 10002
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
Yes, Shadow of the Vampire was good. Plus Eddie Izzard.
Volans - Oct 12, 2005 10:59:21 am PDT #7890 of 10002
move out and draw fire
Quite possibly. I liked Night Life. It's not to everyone's taste, but I will submit it for consideration.
Calli - Oct 12, 2005 11:00:51 am PDT #7891 of 10002
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
Ultraviolet
Oh yes. Jack Davenport being angsty and brooding. Occasionally shirtless, if I recall correctly. It had some good plotlines, too.
Atropa - Oct 12, 2005 11:04:14 am PDT #7892 of 10002
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
That movie caused a schism between me and a couple of my friends for a little while after it came out because they were all "OMG, IT'S SO SWEEPING AND ROMANTIC AND VAMPIRES AND TAKE ME AWAY FROM ALL OF THIS DEATH!!!!1!!1!," and I was all "You know it's one huge steaming pile of poo, right?"
Bwah-ha-ha-ha!
I still watch it, 'cos it's pretty.
There have been no good vampire movies made in Hollywood since Lost Boys, with the exception of the original BTVS movie. Discuss.
The original BTVS movie wasn't that good. Shadow of the Vampire was.
... nope, every other vampire movie I can think of I watch because they crack me up and usually have good gothy eyecandy, not because they're good movies.
Volans - Oct 12, 2005 11:04:24 am PDT #7893 of 10002
move out and draw fire
Let's not forget Muffy the Vampire Layer (1993). Or Buffy the Vampire Layer (Kristii Myst Goes Down for the Count).
I concur with Shadows of the Vampire.