It's a Horror to Know You: Craftypants Carol of Craftypants Carol's Fancy Crafty World!
1. What is the first film that ever scared you?
I did a Name That Trauma (HERE) about the very first thing on TV that scared the crap out of me. It was a Movie of the Week commercial for some movie with a dude with a tall, Jack the Ripper-esque hat who was walking through the cobble-stoned streets of some town and scared me so bad I started to cry hysterically. My trauma wasn't "officially" named, but, as a result of all the great guesses, I watched I, MONSTER, which really has some major similarities with what I remembered – and is really good! After that, the movie that scared me beyond reason, that I know the name of, is ENCOUNTER WITH THE UNKNOWN. I included the creepy lady from that movie in a traumafession-style list (HERE) a while back.
2. What is the last film that scared you?
I'd have to say DEAD SILENCE. That lady is just too creepy for someone with a creepy lady phobia.
3. Name three Horror movies that you believe are underrated.
I'm not exactly sure which movies are underrated, mostly cause everyone seems to have their own opinion and I never really know if there is some debate going on about them in the greater horror community or what the deal is. But occasionally I read things that surprise me. So…
1. Dead Silence – I'm pretty sure this is a movie a lot of people think is lame, maybe cause of the really idiotic CGI at the end, but I think it has some majorly genuine creepiness throughout.
2. A Tale of Two Sisters – Again, I don't know if this movie is underrated or not – but I don't really see too many people talking about it. To me it is genuinely creepy.
3. Death Proof – I have this feeling that there may be some sort of, not necessarily anti, but not very pro, Quentin Tarrentino thing amongst some horror folk – but maybe I'm wrong. I don't know. In any event – I have seen this movie at the very least 10 times – and love it more every time I see it. And I always yell "Deathproof Nacho!" during the nacho scene. It is entirely possible that the nacho scene is the reason I love this movie so much.
Honorable Mention: Bloodrage (1979) – I swear I'm gonna do a traumafession about this one soon. I swear!
4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.
1. Nurse Sherri
2. The Legacy (1978)
3. Black Candles (1982) It's not even remotely scary or very good – but I dig the softcore action and that the main chick's name is Carol and they say it like 100 times throughout the movie.
There are also many 70s movies on youtube I could put in both these categories simultaneously.
5. Send us to five places on the Internet!
Yes, Mrs. Davis from ENCOUNTER WITH THE UNKNOWN is truly creepy. She gets a lot of screen-time in the trailer, I guess the people selling the movie knew they had a really spooky face for the film.
Pleased to see Dead Silence mentioned some more in these IAHTKYs. For those who haven't seen it/saw it but didn't like it: I tend to categorize it along with dumb but lurid fun early 80s spookshows that make due for viewers nowadays partially thanks to nostalgia for that period (like an Amityville 3D or a One Dark Night, but obviously without the early 80s VHS style atmosphere to carry it at all). It's hard to take it as seriously as it takes itself, but I found a lot of rewards in there.
If for no other reason, give it a(nother) chance because there's a huge dilapidated Gothic theater in the middle of a swamp, for Pete's sake. I want to go to there.
I really love Tale of Two Sisters too. It's very well done all around but it's also a movie I can really get into on a visual level alone. It's use of color is spot on and I want that crazy wallpaper.
Thanks for this IAHTKY Carol! I gotta see that Bloodrage movie!!!
And Taylor- I'm going to try Dead Silence and approach it differently this time I think it lost me by being too over the top but I'm just going to let it do its thing. Theaters in swamps should count for something!
Oh, I loved Death Proof. Well, most of it. I think the 135 minute European cut is way too long and full of scenes that lead to nowhere (Eli Roth and friend talking forever about their plan to get the girls drunk, only to never be seen again; the Italian Vogue business; Darlene smooching with her boytoy – this was the first Tarantino film where I wished the characters would shut up for a minute).
I loved Dead Silence and A Tale Of Two Sisters (the remake not so much). But for me Deathproof is one of the worst films I have ever seen, purely for the second half and *SPOILERS ish… The way that Kurts character just becomes a complete pussy after the first half where he was a complete badass and didnt give a shit.
Really, Adie? I loved that part the most. I know plenty of roughhewn guys who turn into whiny messes when things don’t go their way.
I actually love how Kurt Russell's char turns into a screaming, crying baby in the end. To me it is freaking perfect. He likes to scare the hell out of women and beat them to a pulp – but when it's his turn to actually "be a man" he turns into a small child. That's my take anyway. And for a long time the last half bored me, but something changed when a watched it a couple of times ago and now I totally dig it as much as the first half.
And Unk – I absolutely love everything about the decor in the Tale of Two Sisters house. The colors and textures and patterned fabrics – it's so amazing and beautiful!
Ooooh… Unk, can I fill out a "Horror to know you…" even though I don't have a site? I has a Facebooks.
Yes please do EE!
You don't need a website or anything to participate. Just fill out the questions.
Here's the first sample one done by me.
https://www.kindertrauma.com/?p=27836
We're getting a lot responses so it may tale a while to post but we will get to all of them.
I'm going to try to do 2 a day until we get caught up!
Anybody out there who wants to join in is more then welcome. The more the merrier and scarier.
Dang, I can't believe all the love for Dead Silence. It's sitting on my shelf with about fifty other unwatched movies, but I'm gonna have to move it to the top of the pile soon.
Erin, do yourself a favor and make sure all the lights are out and maybe even watch it alone. Oh, and if you have any dolls, line them up on the couch next to you.
Regarding your name-that top-hat trauma, I don't think anyone mentioned MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM or how about DARK INTRUDER with Leslie Nielsen?
I love GRINDHOUSE. One of my favourite films ever and the most fun I've probably had seeing a film in the theater. I would have seen it more than 2 times if it had played longer than 2 weeks. I cannot believe the shat DEATH PROOF has taken. I have a problem with fans of any film, who upon learning of those who dislike it,
proclaim that it's because they "didn't get it!" However, the more I read the reasons for the hate, I do myself kinda sorta feel it is maybe possible some folks "didn't get it."
There is a lot of love here for DEAD SILENCE. The atmosphere is killer, I'm not a fan, but I'm not surprised at the love. I found it to be, one of those films that piss me off, because I just, almost, really liked it.
Thank you crabbymoon! I'll check those out.
And Matt Sunshine – I actually put off seeing Dead Silence for a long time cause I was actually totally freaked out by the trailer. And so by the time I saw it I had super high expectations and I was totally not disappointed. Also, I was sort of living in a void before I saw it and didn't hear anyone talk about it at all and was kinda just in my own little world about it when I saw it – which I actually think is the way it should always be. Too much hype can really mess up a good movie. Anyway, I really don't completely understand what it is that people don't like about it – except the CGI, but I also know that not everyone hates bad CGI as much as I do. So who knows.
@cmcmcmcm I agree with you, some of my best movie going/seeing experiences happened when I knew nothing/saw nothing. My hopes were actually down for DEAD SILENCE, I'd heard so much bad about it. I thought it started out great, I loved the look, you can tell the filmmakers really tried with the atmosphere, the dolls, and set design. Though, after the middle I just got so bored and so elements of the ending ruined it for me. YES, the CGI was part of it, I also really have a problem with most CGI.
This is the kind of movie that really pisses me off, because I was so close to liking it, and having a new horror film to enjoy. I might give it another try…sometimes that works.