"Every man... every man has to go through hell to reach paradise." |
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Ahh, well the Oscars have come and gone. Marty finally got his statue; royalty was the theme for best acting and no one yelled at the president during their speech. Well, I feel it's now time for me to tell you of some more kick-ass movies. These might not have been deemed Oscar-worthy, but hey, who says the Academy Awards even matter? Just the entire Hollywood community right? Pffft.
CAPE FEAR (1991)
This remake is one of those few select films, which was able to rise above and beyond the original. Robert DeNiro gives one of the best performances of his life, playing a mildly-psychotic man hell-bent on revenge. This movie was one of the last to show how Bobby used to be. The DeNiro of RAGING BULL, GODFATHER 2 and MEAN STREETS. The angry, grinning, "I'm gonna kick your ass then offer you some coffee." DeNiro. Not the "MEET THE [Insert word 
"Our scars have the power to remind us that the past was real." |
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here]" actor we see today. Nick Nolte and Jennifer Lewis also do very well. And there is an infamous thumb-sucking scene between DeNiro and Lewis that makes your eyes pop out of your head. This film was able to be a modern thriller using 50s techniques. A very good homage to old style Noir film.
RED DRAGON
This film tugs at me shirtsleeve, begging to be my favorite of the Hannibal Lecter series. It's very hard to say no, this film kind of has it all. An insanely good cast, one of the best I've seen in my movie-watching life (Ed Norton, Harvey Keitel, Anthony Hopkins, Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson and Philip Seymour Hoffman). All give fantastic performances that leave me thinking this was much better than the original, MANHUNTER. The romance between the villain (Fiennes) and the innocent victim (Watson) is done so very well, it can bring you to 
"...that they are alive only because you have not decided to the contrary." |
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tears. SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a landmark in film history, but RED DRAGON is one flick not to miss.
APT PUPIL
Based on a novella by Stephen King, this movie tells the story of an elderly, nazi war-criminal and a boy who finds out his hidden secret. It tells of how absolute power corrupts absolutely. Brad Renfro and Ian McKellen play off of each other brilliantly, their age difference become inconsequential. Though the "horror" element of the movie is subdued, it is definitely felt. Even if there is limited killing, and pretty much no gore, this movie is scarier than most Hollywood produced horror flicks. Watching both man and child go through mental anguish, and ultimately breakdown, is a hideous sight unto itself. Some people might say that the power that one has to commit malevolence on their fellow man is more frightening than any monster or ghoul.
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| The Lair of the Mad |
Every other Tuesday
'The Lair' discusses the many aspects and qualities of the horror genre. From actors, to make-up, to music, James Shafie explores everything the "cult" genre spews up.
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| James Shafie |
James Shafie is an avid watcher of movies of all sorts, but the horror genre is closest to his heart. He loves to read and is addicted to music, mostly metal and it’s thousands of sub-genres. He was once fired by Blockbuster, which we see as a strong character trait.
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