Most Underrated Horror Movie: 1408

On By R. PettyIn Movies2 Comments

To continue this week’s discussion, I picked a movie that viewers either love or hate, 1408. There is no middle ground. People either give it one or seven to eight stars, and here’s why:

Many reviewers complain it’s not scary enough; the story drags; too many jump scares; not enough blood and guts; it’s not The Shining (of course not because it’s not); and the complaints go on…

1408 (2007) starring John Cusack and is based on a Stephen King short story. As many of you know, Hollywood doesn’t always do a great job with King’s stories. Many B- and C-list actors star in them, so the acting is pretty awful sometimes, and the special effects are often cheesy and cheap.

The movie 1408 is different. Although it only scores a metascore of 68/100 and 78% (audience 61%) on Rotten Tomatoes, don’t let that deter you. This is a great horror movie, and yes, it is a horror movie. It classifies as psychological horror and tries to do more than scare the audience.

Why is it underrated?

Those who did not like this movie didn’t get it, or it was simply not their thing. It’s a psychological thriller, which means the scares come from and warp the mind. Demonic creatures do not climb on ceilings and serial killers do not stalk teenagers. The movie, and the room specifically, uses our darkest moments and personal demons against us.

The best things:

I am a little bias because of three things: Samuel L. Jackson, Tony Shalhoub, and Stephen King. I love all three of these gentlemen for various reasons, so any project that includes all of them automatically wins brownie points. Jackson has a classic line and delivers it only like he can, “It’s an evil $%&*ing room.” Shalhoub plays a slimeball agent who gets Cusack into the room despite all odds. I can’t help but love Shalhoub in those roles. Then there’s King – one of my favorite writers.

Secondly, the story is refreshing and different. In 2007, we had a decent variety of horror movies premiere including 30 Days of Night and lots of sequels like Hostel Part II, 28 Weeks Later, and The Hills Have Eyes 2, and the epic Paranormal Activity. Aside from PA, most movies have been done before or rely on the predecessor’s success. This is where 1408 was different. It was a haunted hotel room that took Cusack’s nightmares and turned them into reality. Imagine being locked in a room with the things that haunt you the most. This is that movie. It forces you to imagine yourself in that situation and makes you think.

Reviewers also complain it’s another King movie about a writer. Guess what? King is a writer, and he expresses himself in his stories! King finds hotel rooms creepy, and puts his own fears and discomforts into the story. In fact, there are direct lines from the short story in the movie. And that is why he is the master he is. Any writer who truly pours their heart and fears into something writes more than just words on a page. They write a masterpiece.

What horror movies do you find underrated? Share them in the comments below!

Most Underrated Horror Movie: Event Horizon

On By James CastroIn Movies, Projects, ReviewsLeave a comment

It’s Halloween and we at RevPub are doing our own horror movie retrospective. Not a list of favorites or least favorites, but specific categories each week! This week I’m taking a look at what I think is the most underrated horror movie in recent memory…

Event Horizon: Do You See?!

What makes a great horror film? Mood, build of tension, and good characters are definitely on the list. Many will point to successful other horror movies, Carpenter’s Halloween, Hitchcock’s Psycho, as achieving these things, but the overlooked gem Event Horizon does them as well as any horror film I’ve seen.

I won’t go into the plot beyond the set up: Sam Neil stars as Dr. Weir, a scientist accompanying a mission to investigate the ship “Event Horizon,” which vanished years ago and he had a hand in designing. Lawrence Fishburn is Miller, the captain of the salvage team which is also full of great character actors and diverse personalities within the film from a no-nonsense pilot, flippant rescue tech, and a motherly XO.

While this all sounds traditionally sci-fi, the film actually belongs more in the haunted house genre, and is one of the most effective in that category. Mixing equal parts Aliens, Hellraiser, The Shining, and Amityville Horror Event Horizon succeeds where so many genre mash ups have failed. Yes, it’s set in space, but the scares are psychological. It has as much in common with Poltergeist as it does Alien 3 and the nature of the scares is actually more personal than many modern horror movies. Since it was in all the adverts for it I don’t think I’m spoiling anything to mention that the ship left space and ended up in a horrifying dimension, an excellent concept and one used to perfect effect. No creepy monsters or aliens here…all the scares and all the evil is cerebral and comes from people… It is terrifically subtle. Yes there are jump scares, but they mostly occur early and due to sound so it gets you tense early and then never uses the “cheap” jump scare tactic again. It also has gore but it is either seen in quick flashes or is obscured by the scene so it never loses its impact.

Add to this the excellent set and sound design and superb cast and you have a perfect storm of horror film-ology. So why isn’t it considered a modern classic instead of a lost treasure? One reason is probably the casting. The actors in the film are terrific character actors known for intense and effective performances and likely cast because they fit the roles perfectly; this rather than shoe horning in some marquee draw who has no place in the film and is only there to sell tickets. There are also no eye-candy characters (see THIS post…), everyone looks like they belong to a crew of a salvage team. And finally, the premise: a space ship that creates a black hole and ends up in another dimension doesn’t sound like horror potential. So many of the slasher (and later torture) fans gave it a miss. And what a tragedy as it does horror far better than many of the movies in those genres have.

The very well-designed and creepy gravity drive.

If you look at it’s the success of its descendants it makes me wonder if the film may be on the verge of a renaissance. Games like Dead Space lifted its premise, tone, and environments whole-cloth. Even my beloved Warhammer 40k, though it predates the film, borrowed some of the concepts in its later editions. I’m hoping, as the audience has matured and become more sophisticated (strangely because of movies like Event Horizon) the progenitor of so much of modern sci-fi horror will finally get its due.

I’m holding out hope the next time I exclaim “Do you See?!” to a room full of horror fans the response from the vast majority will be “Yes……I see….”

 

 

Artist Spotlight: Kevin Litwin

On By R. PettyIn ArtLeave a comment

Happy October! To kick the month off, we’re spotlighting Kevin Litwin, author of Crazy Lucky Dead and a number of great short stories. Be sure to check him out and like him on Facebook at Crazy Luck Dead!

RevPub: How long have you been writing, and why do you enjoy writing horror?

I’ve written professionally for 20 years but have only penned my dark “psychological torment” short stories for the past four. I don’t really classify my stories as horror, which to me evokes images of slashing, blood, and guts all over the place. Cutting a character on the face so they’ll see that scar in the mirror for the rest of their life…that’s what gets my interest.

RevPub: Who is your favorite author and why?

I rarely read – wish I did – but my favorite author is Edgar Allan Poe, and a major reason is because I received a book of Poe short stories for Christmas a few years back and loved it. Until then, I hadn’t read a book since The Great Gatsby in 1994. Oh, I recently read Stephen King’s On Writing, which has good tips for any writer. It made me quit adverbs.

RevPub: What is your favorite piece you’ve written and why?

I like several – Murder Day, Thankless, To Son, To Daughter come to mind – but perhaps my favorite is The Adam’s Apple, one of my first efforts. It’s written from the perspective of a cat, even though cats creep me out.

RevPub:If you could be any fictional character, who would it be?

I recently read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Being that big monster would be kinda cool, and I’m 6 foot 5 anyway. Plus, I look good in a suit coat.

RevPub: What scares you?

I watch those Swamp People alligator hunter shows on TV, so I hope to never come across any gator. Snakes I can also do without – maybe all reptiles bother me. Not much else does.

RevPub: What does a writer need in order to write horror? Any advice for those wanting to write in the genre?

I keep saying that I don’t read much, but I do occasionally search the Internet to find bizarre, murder/suspense-related scenarios that occur in this big world. In addition, I used to be a newspaper reporter and covered a criminal/police beat, and I recall several life-in-the-shadows stories from those days.

I just keep my eyes and ears open. For example, I thought of a story called Blind Date while eating lunch outdoors at a Florida restaurant that fronted a canal, and that became the setting for the story. I also give credit to my parents, who always corrected us kids whenever we used incorrect English growing up. That might have led to my English degree, then my interest in writing. Thanks, Sylvester and Patricia.

And for any writer, having a good editor is vital. My editor is actually this interviewer, Raven Petty, who always edits my short stories before they post, helping to turn my proverbial swine into pearls.

Halloween and RevPub: New Merch Available

On By R. PettyIn Projects, Random FunLeave a comment

Hi everyone! As you may know, the RevPub team loves Halloween. The horror movies, costumes, trick-or-treating, ghouls and gothiness — it’s our favorite time of year. To celebrate this year, James created some great new merchandise! There are T-shirts, pillows, stickers, posters, phone cases and more, so be sure to them check out by clicking on the images below or visiting our Red Bubble site.

Red Bubble is offering 15% off on hoodies with the discount code HOODIE15, until Monday, Sept. 30 at midnight. Here’s one you may want to checkout:
revenant publications hoodie
 
 

Also, coming in October, we’re reviewing the best and worst horror movies (our picks), so don’t miss out. Great things are coming, and here’s to a happy October!

fig,white,mens,ffffff

Slime pillow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

slim ipad casezombie slime

 

 

Off the Top of My Head: Neo-Retro

On By James CastroIn OpinionsLeave a comment

Off The Top of My Head

Neo-Retro

I recently had to explain what a MP3 player was to someone just a few years younger than me. I also had to explain what an MP3 was. Her music player was her phone; her music was “iTunes” or “Amazon.” This conversation made me realize that something as relatively recently widespread as MP3 players have kind of been passed by. And a lot of technology and trends have followed suit. This in my mind is “neo-retro”: items or fashions of very recent history that have briefly dominated a sector of the culture only to be replaced by the ever moving march of progress. Here were some of the ones that crossed my mind:

These envelopes made every trip to the mail box like a trip to the video store…

Netflix Disc Delivery: In 2006 I was given a free month of NetFlix from a friend at work. I was hooked on the service and soon signed up as a regular customer. Sold by the cheap monthly rate that would give me unlimited movie rentals for titles you couldn’t find anywhere else. The service sounded ridiculous. I get a disc in the mail? Then send it back and get another one? But after trying it I was able to watch seasons of TV shows and new-release movies in marathons. You became a master of scheduling; you could calculate when you’d watch a disc so you could have the next one by the weekend. I eventually upped my service to include Blu-Ray discs, and eventually added the streaming service, because it was free with my subscription, despite the paltry video library available digitally. Then a shift occurred. The digital library expanded. NetFlix upped their prices so the digital service was cheaper than disc delivery. I eventually cancelled the disc service and now watch everything on Netflix streaming. During a brief period about 2004-2010 to “Netflix a movie” or “Netflix a TV show” meant you got all the discs delivered and watched them in quick succession. Now no one uses it that way. To “Netflix” only refers to the digital service and while disc deliveries still exist the convenience and vast library available digitally has shifted the rental culture. I still remind people, however, that while Netflix (and later Amazon Prime) changed the way we get movies…it was the disc delivery service that spelled the end of the local video stores. Yes. It was that big. But it has come and gone as the prime mover in movie services.

Don’t laugh. AOL changed the way people contact each other over the computer. Despite what people may say about them!

Email and IM: Yes email still exists. Yes it’s widely used. BUT. There was a time when email was the preferred way to contact people. Now email has been relegated mostly to business/commercial purposes. I use it all the time at work, I use it for internet purchases, and I stay hooked in through email for bills, etc. I even get the occasional email from a friend containing a link or something specific. But is it the most common and popular way I connect with friends and family? Absolutely not. Even though it is available on most smart phones. Now even my friggin’ insurance company offers the choice “enter email address” or “connect via Facebook.” Really? Really? My insurance is good with using my Facebook profile as my main contact info!? Similarly AOL began the wide-spread use of Instant Messenger services. All through high school and college I used IM to connect with friends more than any other form of communication. With the proliferation of affordable cell phone plans, text messaging, and services like Skype the classic instant message has been sent to retro history. So much that the venerable AOL IM sound gets guffaws of retro laughter…..for those who remember it.

MySpace: MySpace is still recent enough and its decline so public it’s not as long-lost as the others on this list. Though it was preceded by other similar concepts, MySpace really started the entire popular social media concept. I had a MySpace page and honestly I still prefer the customizability and personalization capable in a MySpace page. You could set backgrounds…music…colors…all kinds of things. When Facebook started to take over the world MySpace slipped into decline, or rather it went back to what it was created for, advertising bands. But, briefly, MySpace bridged that gap between “here’s my email address, write me sometime” and “here’s my Facebook name, friend me” to dominate social interaction.

Trends move quickly. So quickly sometimes they have come and gone before you can even get used to them. “Retro” has become hipster cool, so having records and tapes is considered fashionable…while using any of the above “neo-retro” items is usually considered “lame” or out-of-date.

So the next time you decide to move all your contact info to Facebook or its inevitable successor…remember nothing stays on top forever. The big thing of today is tomorrow’s has-been!

To see more about RevPub’s thought of tech trends check this post out!

New Technology? I’m Better Off Without It

On By R. PettyIn OpinionsLeave a comment

RavenRant
To Whom It May Concern,

I proudly admit that I activated my first smartphone about two months ago. I also admit I own CDs and DVDs and buy them new when something good comes out. Sure, I have an mp3 player and stream from Amazon, but at the end of the day, I pop in a CD to relax or drive. I receive A LOT of grief about my practices, and people try to argue why their way is better. Well, this week I’m setting the record straight: I’m actually better off than they are. Here’s why:

The smartphone: Ok, they’re not that smart. The text features auto-fill incorrectly so often, I turned mine off. The batteries do not last a full day unless you buy an extended one; they constantly work to connect to wireless or 3 or 4G; and you have to buy separate heavy-duty cases in case you drop it. And if you do, you usually have to replace it. They are also harder to use because you navigate to what you need, whereas with a flip phone, you just flipped it open and away you go!

My flip phones were awesome. Nine-key texting that auto-filled (usually correct). It seems I’m always at a computer, so why do I need to be connected all the time? And when I’m not working, I’m not connected. It’s a well-deserved break, and I’m good with it. No one should be connected all the time. When I dropped my flip phone, I dusted it off and continued using it. No cracked screens, no replacing, and they were more affordable. How much money have you spent on phones the last two years? I’ve spent $30.

Digital music: The difference is compression (thanks, James). The files are compressed (made smaller) so they can fit on the device. Guess what? The sound quality suffers. Most probably don’t realize it, but there is quite a difference in a CD in the car and plugging in your iPhone to listen to music. There’s real bass and clarity. Also, sites go down, devices break and get lost, and believe it or not, the Internet could one day not be there. I’ll still have my CDs though, so I don’t depend on a cloud network or connection for music. Being able to share music so easily is definitely awesome, but we should still buy CDs.

Streaming videos/movies: Same concept. If the connection is slow or there’s bad weather, it spins and buffers and tries really hard to work. But sometimes it doesn’t. With a DVD, you don’t have to worry about it. You place it in the device, and it works – assuming you’ve not abused it, of course. What if Amazon or Netflix takes a movie or show off? You don’t get to watch it and may have to buy it anyway. When you buy a DVD, it’s forever yours.

E-readers and tablets: I love the idea of these, but I prefer hard-copy books for one reason: They are easier on my eyes. I read an average of 30 hours a week, and eye doctors have proven that screens are terrible on your eyes, and cause eye strain, neck pain and headaches. Reading a hard-copy doesn’t cause that damage. You can read in any position and don’t have to worry about glare from the screen or sun. There’s no charging a book, and it won’t break. Once you’re done, you can pass it on or donate it – everyone wins! You don’t have to spend money on special glasses or protectors, and I read faster with hard copies. I bet screens actually slow you down.

To all of you who argue with me about my ways, there’s my argument. I don’t have everything at my fingertips, but walking into the other room or across it is good for me. I don’t lay around or sit for too long, and I enjoy more peace of mind than most I know. Given the choice between connectivity and peace, the latter will win every time.
Feel free to comment below, and I look forward to hearing from everyone!