I do feel compelled to mention that I saw "Ma...

2013-01-29T15:35:53.185+00:00

I do feel compelled to mention that I saw "Maniac" 2012 at Frightfest last year and thought it was one of the best and most artful horrors I had seen in ages, and certainly contender for best horror of the year. I was surprised, but it was a thrilling, nasty and aesthetically riveting "re-imagining" of the original scuzzy flick. At time of writing, anyone I have met who has seen it felt the same, so I certainly recommend checking it out as a very successful remake. The casting of Elijah Wood in the lead turns out to be inspired, in my opinion of course.

I agree that "All the boys love Many Lane" was an underachiever and wasted opportunity. Not nearly thought-out enough. I was expecting something far more satirical.

I also totally agree about "Cabin in the Woods" which offended me for being a half-baked soft-horror criticising the better, harsher edges of its own genre, and thereby its own audience. It tried to appease by having a fanboy monster-mash up at the end but by that point the overall silliness and condescension had left me cold.

And I too bore of horror presenting American young adults as mostly obnoxious, rape-inclined and charmless. I tend to avoid the wealth of horrors whose posters and cover artwork are just a line-up of airbrushed young things pouting.

At Frightfest, when introducing her rather good serial killer film "Chained", Jennifer Lynch said that she felt the horror community was the most intelligent of audiences. Hey, why not? But the majority of films representing the genre does it no favours, for sure. That's probably true of most genres, and you have to wade through a lot of rubbish for the gems. But that is also what makes it an adventure, no?

Comments on Obsolete: On horror remakes and All the Boys Love Mandy Lane.

I do feel compelled to mention that I saw "Ma...