Tag Archives: Rose McGowan

1996 Films, 90's Horror, Horror, Slasher, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films

Scream-1996

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Scream-1996

Director Wes Craven

Starring  Neve Campbell

Top 250 Films #161

Top 40 Horror Films #25

Scott’s Review #710

Reviewed January 5, 2018

Grade: A-

Wes Craven’s 1996 film Scream is a film that greatly helped bring the horror genre back into relevance after a long drought in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when horror films suffered from both oversaturation and clichéd messes.

Thanks to Scream, creativity and plot twists and turns returned to the forefront of good horror films, and a clever film was born.

Fast-forward to 2018, and the film does suffer a bit from a dated 1990s look, but it is still great fun to watch and a treat for all classic horror buffs, with references to classic greats galore.

The film is sectioned off nicely and gets underway quickly (in the best sequence of the film) as Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) receives a flirtatious phone call from a man asking her to name her favorite horror film while making popcorn.

The friendly game quickly turns vicious as the caller threatens to kill her boyfriend should she answer a question incorrectly.

In a clever twist (think 1960s Psycho!) Casey and her boyfriend meet deadly fates as the opening credits roll.

Given Barrymore’s huge star in 1996, this twist was all the more shocking and attention-grabbing.

The remainder of the film centers around Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), a popular California high school student, as she is pursued by an attacker known only as “Ghostface”, who dons a creepy costume and terrorizes victims via phone calls.

The small town, led by police officer Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and bitchy newswoman Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), is determined to unmask the killer and understand their motivations.

Sidney’s boyfriend, Billy (Skeet Ulrich), and other friends are along for the ride as a possible connected sub-plot involving Sidney’s deceased mother is introduced.

A romance between Dewey and Gale is also broached.

Scream is an enormous treat for fans of the horror genre, with numerous references (and film clips!) to classics such as 1978’s Halloween throughout.

Other references to Friday the 13th, Prom Night, and A Nightmare on Elm Street appear during the film.

Writer Kevin Williamson, a horror enthusiast, must have had a ball writing the screenplay that would become Scream.

In 1996, the mega-success of the film not only jump-started the entire genre but also introduced younger fans of Scream to classics from their parents’ generation, sparking their interest in the films.

Classic horror films are not only referenced during the film but also explained, mostly by the supporting character of Jamie, the nerdy kid who works at the video store and adores horror films.

A sequence in which he explains several “rules” of the horror genre is superlative, creative, and just great fun. He tells the teenagers at a party that anyone who drinks, has sex, or says “I will be right back” is doomed to suffer a violent fate.

This clever writing makes Scream enormous fun to watch.

The climax of Scream is quite surprising in itself, and the “great reveal” of the murderer (s) is also intelligent writing and quite the surprise.

Several red herrings are produced along the way, casting suspicion on other characters who may or may not be the killers.

A small gripe of the writing is the motivations of the murderers- when the explanation is given for their killing spree, the reasoning is a bit convoluted and hard to fathom, but this is horror. Suspension of disbelief is always a necessity.

Scream is best remembered for giving the horror genre a good, hard kick in the seat of the pants and shaking up the elements a bit while preserving the core ideals of a good slasher film (suspense, a whodunit, and good, solid kills).

Scream (1996) was followed by several sequels, some of which achieved greater success than others.

In 2018, the film may not be quite as fresh as it once was, but it is still a solid watch and memorable for relaunching a genre.

2007 Films, Horror, Slasher, Thriller

Grindhouse: Death Proof-2007

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Grindhouse: Death Proof-2007

Director Quentin Tarantino

Starring Kurt Russell

Scott’s Review #1,344

Reviewed February 13, 2023

Grade: A

It’s tough to go wrong with a Quentin Tarantino film, recognizing that one needs to be a Tarantino fan. His films are for specific tastes that indulge in stylized violence, dark humor, and cartoonish characters.

Grindhouse: Death Proof (2007) is an easy victory for the director, incorporating his trademark qualities through beautiful female race car drivers and a sadistic stuntman.

As usual, revenge is the name of the game and results in a satisfying ending. The thrill is in the chase that occurs mainly midway through, and plenty of B-movie references and old songs are on display.

The experience is a pure pleasure for any cinema lover who appreciates aspects of the film, like editing, that too often fall beneath the surface.

The scratchy film texture and retro title sequence all help to encompass another Tarantino opus.

The film is part of a double feature with Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror and includes a series of mock-exploitative trailers.

Both, specifically Tarantino’s, harken back to when exploitative films were shown in dusty movie houses with grainy video and a stale popcorn stench.

The mood was immediately set for me while watching the film, which greatly enhanced my enjoyment.

Psychotic stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) is a professional body double who likes to meet unsuspecting women at bars and take them for deadly drives for fun. He has a specially made car that he calls ‘Death Proof,’ but only for the driver, not the passenger.

The first half of the film involves a group of girls out for a good time in a dive bar. Abbie (Rosario Dawson), Pam (Rose McGowan), and others ultimately fall victim to his shenanigans during a particularly well-filmed head-on collision.

Later, he meets a tough group of female race car drivers led by real-life stuntwoman Zoe Bell, who vows to make him pay for causing them trouble.

Their hell-bent vengeance just may be what the doctor ordered to cause Mike’s downfall.

Tarantino fans often overlook Death Proof, and it might be because it’s paired with another film. But it’s not half a movie either, and at one hour and fifty-four minutes, it’s got legs.

The film flies under the radar for me, too, but it’s a high-octane mile-minute experience.

One great part of Death Proof is the throwback to cult films of the 1960s and 1970s, especially Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, a 1965 exploitative masterpiece by Russ Meyer.

These girls are no shrinking violets or damsels in distress who need a man to save the day. Quite the contrary. They kick ass and take names, especially in the flawless second half. Out for blood, the girls assuredly put Mike firmly in his place.

Juxtaposed with the first half, which has a dire ending for the girls, the second half is more upbeat and satisfying.

The lighting is also different in the two halves. The first takes place well beyond midnight, while the second is in the bright afternoon.

Tarantino produces a brilliant piece of feminist progressivism with nasty muscle and female characters not to be messed with. Death Proof (2007) features badass characters, hints of humor, and discussions about men.

The girlie action flick blends perfectly with the 1970s race cars and the sexploitation theme Tarantino is recreating while still making the film feel modern and relevant.

2007 Films, Action, Comedy, Horror, Horror-Comedy, Zombie

Grindhouse: Planet Terror-2007

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Grindhouse: Planet Terror-2007

Director Robert Rodriguez

Starring Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez

Scott’s Review #692

Reviewed October 15, 2017

Grade: B-

The umbrella title “Grindhouse” is part of a 2007 double feature: one film directed by Quentin Tarantino (Death Proof) and the other by Robert Rodriguez (Planet Terror).

The gimmick was part of an attempt at something novel and also bookending fictional trailers within the films.

The term “grindhouse” refers to a cinematic specialty of either B movies or exploitation films, largely during the 1970s.

While Planet Terror gets credit for being unique and fun, it is often too cartoon-like and rather over the top throughout.

The premise of Planet Terror is not one to be taken seriously- as our heroine, Cherry Darling (Rose McGowan), quits her stripper job, vowing to move on to bigger and better things.

She runs into her ex-boyfriend, El Wray (Freddie Rodriguez), and the two team up to lead a group of rebels, who are fleeing for their lives after a vicious zombie outbreak.

The attack was caused by a group of military officials, led by the vicious Lieutenant Muldoon (Bruce Willis).

The film contains an undeniable retro feel- the sets and the props traverse back to the 1970s in style and look; however, characters do use cellular phones.

Rodriguez attempts to make the film an homage or a throwback to a different time in cinema- this feat is quite impressive, and the film is a marvel from a stylized perspective.

Another positive is that the film, through its camera styles and angles, is reminiscent of a 1970s film, with grainy elements and a comforting old-style texture, which works.

The plot, though, is the source of frustration, and many aspects of the film are just plain silly.

The actors play way over the top, as Rodriguez probably directed them to, but the result is too much like watching a cartoon rather than a piece of art.

Rodriguez appears to be copying many aspects of Quentin Tarantino films- specifically, the mixture of violence with camp, although these attempts do not always work.

The acting and casting are fine.

Bruce Willis shines in the lead villain role, playing demented to the hilt. Unquestionably “borrowed” by Rodriguez through Tarantino, Willis, who was dynamic in Pulp Fiction, knows how to do his thing well in films such as this.

Muldoon is quite a different character from boxer Butch Coolidge in 1994’s masterpiece, Pulp Fiction, but the acting style is the same.

Stars such as Josh Brolin, Kurt Russell, and Rosario Dawson also make appearances, so the film is assuredly a star-studded affair.

The casting of McGowan and Freddy Rodriguez as the leads is acceptable, and the pair make a decent screen couple.

Still, her artificial leg, which doubles as a deadly machine gun, and his maniacal persona seem somewhat forced and, again, way over the top.

Planet Terror was a moderate box office success upon release in 2007, but watching the film in 2017, ten years later, unfortunately, some of the clusters have been tarnished, and the gimmick is not as catchy as it was at the time of release.

Still, a decent offering in the horror, cartoon, and campy genres, but there are many better films, like anything by Tarantino.