The WHF Film Club

[strapped for cash]

You do know that Carpenter's original plan for the franchise was to be comprised of different, unrelated stories don't you? I believe Carpenter was roped into the second one which he didn't want to do, hence why he had as little to do with it as possible (i.e. didn't direct).

I appreciate it if you don't like it as a film, but I used to hate - now I love it!

I'm not sure Carpenter envisaged Halloween as a franchise at the outset. Indeed, I think Carpenter was simply happy to get the film made.

To my knowledge, when Carpenter was approached about a third movie, he asserted that a future sequel should dispense with the Myers story -- a view informed by disenchantment with the second film, and strangely at odds with Michael's indestructible nature and clear Freudian interpretations.

I'll happily concede that I could be entirely wrong about this. Halloween franchise production history is something I've investigated in light detail at best, despite being a huge horror fan.

I'll also concede that I haven't watched Halloween III for a very long time. I may revise my view on seeing it again, though this would require a pretty radical shift of opinion. Maybe there's a hook in there about media and ideology, or something of that nature. Out of interest, what do you "love" about the film?

 

[Frank Harvey]

I'm not sure Carpenter envisaged Halloween as a franchise at the outset. Indeed, I think Carpenter was simply happy to get the film made.

Im only really stating what I understand to be the truth, so I could well be wrong

Maybe initially he didn't see it as a franchise, but I know at some point he decided it would be a set of different stories.

I'll also concede that I haven't watched Halloween III for a very long time. I may revise my view on seeing it again, though this would require a pretty radical shift of opinion. Maybe there's a hook in there about media and ideology, or something of that nature. Out of interest, what do you "love" about the film?

As I think I might've mentioned before, I used to hate it, and hadn't seen it for about 15 years. Being a big Carpenter fan, I watch his decent films regularly, but with a big lack of new material (other than The Ward), you sort of get used to not seeing anything new. Maybe Halloween III seemed fresh when I rewatched it, and maybe that is part of the reason why I enjoyed it so much. Leaving aside the cheesiest build up to a sex scene ever recorded on film, the music plays a big part in my enjoyment - it's a mix of The Thing, The Fog, and elements of a few other of his better films too. Visually, the opening scene is just unmistakably a Carpenter/Cundey production, with the feel of Carpenter's better movies.

I don't think there's any message that shines through for modern society, not as strong as They Live anyway. I suppose you could make a link with companies bringing in 'outsiders' for its robot (as in slave) workforce rather than employ locals. I've never really read anything about any meaning to the film, but I'll have a look around and see if there's anything on the net, as I want to know what it's really about now! Most Carpenter films have some meaning to them.

So for me, it's more about the feel owns look of the film I enjoy, more so than the film itself.

 

[strapped for cash]

the music plays a big part in my enjoyment - it's a mix of The Thing, The Fog, and elements of a few other of his better films too....

I don't think there's any message that shines through for modern society, not as strong as They Live anyway. I suppose you could make a link with companies bringing in 'outsiders' for its robot (as in slave) workforce rather than employ locals. I've never really read anything about any meaning to the film, but I'll have a look around and see if there's anything on the net, as I want to know what it's really about now! Most Carpenter films have some meaning to them.

So for me, it's more about the feel owns look of the film I enjoy, more so than the film itself.

I have no memory of the film's score, though the "Silver Shamrock" commercial sticks in your head, which is of course the point. I'm not saying the score's bad, only that I can't recall it.

I'm also fond of '80s electronic film scores (I think we discussed Brad Fiedel on another thread). As an '80s child/teenager, I'm sure nostalgia's a factor.

Did you see The Pervert's Guide to Ideology?

Zizek discusses They Live early in the documentary. I was thinking of They Live when I mentioned media and ideology. I wondered if there's a loose thematic thread running through these two films, despite Carpenter's relatively limited involvement in Halloween III, conceptually and as a directorial presence. (I could go off at a tangent on the subject of directorial authorship, but I'd probably upset bigboss.

) I've forgotten so much of Halloween III that I'd need to see the film again to make any reasonable observation.

 

[BenLaw]

I have now watched the film

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I have now watched the film

Good. David's due to watch it very soon, and hopefully, so is Mike.

I'm not sure how much there will be to discuss about the film, but we'll see once Mike and David have confirmed that they have watched it.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I watched Killer Joe last night. Entertaining stuff.

It's now November 9th, and it doesn't look like everyone has watched last month's film. I'll be honest, I'm frustrated, and if we can't all watch it by the end of this weekend, and watch Ben's choice by the end of November, I don't think I'll continue to bother with the club.

 

[BenLaw]

So have David and Mike watched it yet?

 

[BenLaw]

Did you like the chicken leg scene BBB?

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

So have David and Mike watched it yet?

I hope so because I'm close to giving up with the club.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Did you like the chicken leg scene BBB?

Not as much as Killer Joe did. *wink*

 

[BenLaw]

Did you like the chicken leg scene BBB?

Not as much as Killer Joe did. *wink*

That could still mean you liked it quite a lot!

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Did you like the chicken leg scene BBB?

Not as much as Killer Joe did. *wink*

That could still mean you liked it quite a lot!

It was unusual, but as a non-meat eater, it didn't really do it for me. *smile*

Have you watched Gozu yet?

 

[Frank Harvey]

So have David and Mike watched it yet?

Certainly have

 

[BenLaw]

So have David and Mike watched it yet?

Certainly have

Mike? Mike?

 

[BenLaw]

Did you like the chicken leg scene BBB?

Not as much as Killer Joe did. *wink*

That could still mean you liked it quite a lot!

It was unusual, but as a non-meat eater, it didn't really do it for me. *smile*

Have you watched Gozu yet?

Not yet. I'd pared my recorded films down to about 6 recently but there's been a lot of good stuff on so I now have about 20 to watch, plus keeping the lovefilm films going. Plus all the commercial discs I haven't watched! I've upgraded a few DVDs to Blus lately as well so have some stuff to rewatch. So many films so little time!

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Not yet. I'd pared my recorded films down to about 6 recently but there's been a lot of good stuff on so I now have about 20 to watch, plus keeping the lovefilm films going. Plus all the commercial discs I haven't watched! I've upgraded a few DVDs to Blus lately as well so have some stuff to rewatch. So many films so little time!

Exactly the same for me Ben. I keep having to delete films on my Sky box because I'm running out of available space, and my wife insists on keeping utter a*se on there, though I have managed to whittle that down to a lot less. I have atleast 20 dvds and blu rays that I haven't got around to watching, a blu ray box set of the extended versions of the Stieg Larsson Millennium trilogy, the Godfather trilogy on blu ray, and much much more.

 

[BenLaw]

The Tree of Life is the last film on Film4 tonight. It's almost certainly going to be pretentious, overblown twaddle but may still be worth a watch.

 

[expat_mike]

So have David and Mike watched it yet?

Certainly have

Mike? Mike?

Just finished watching it. Cheered me up no end.

I presume that I am the last, and that the discussion will now start.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I don't think My Life As A Dog has any kind of deep meaning, it's just the story of a period in a young boy's life, which is both traumatic and funny, so I don't think it's necessarily a great subject for any long discussions. I do absolutely love this film though, so I'm really pleased it was chosen.

To me, it's right up there with Cinema Paradiso, and in many ways, it surpasses it. I just love the humour, things like getting his penis stuck in the bottle really made me laugh, because though I didn't actually do that as a kid, I did many similar stupid things. He obviously drove his mother crazy with his antics, but you could really see how much she loved him, and in many ways, it mirrors my relationship with my own mother. My favourite scene, and the one I watched over and over is the unsuccesful milk drinking attempt. It makes no sense at all, but I just roar with laughter every time I watch it.

I hope you all enjoyed the film as much as me, and I can assure you that it's definitely a film that you can watch again, and still get the same enjoyment from it.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I did wonder what that was about - he seemed to be able to drink fine when he ran upstairs at the party, but not when in the presence of other people! I thought it was leading up to shaping us why, but nothing. He was perfect for the role with his extremely cheeky and mischievous looking face.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

So what did you think of the film David?

 

[strapped for cash]

getting his penis stuck in the bottle really made me laugh, because though I didn't actually do that as a kid, I did many similar stupid things.

How similar, or dare I ask?

 

[BenLaw]

The kid in the film got it stuck in a coke bottle, BBB's was fanta. Miles different really.

 

[Frank Harvey]

It's the first time BBB has ever mentioned it since his childhood - he's kept it bottled up all this time...

 

[Frank Harvey]

So what did you think of the film David?

Really enjoyed it. There were a couple of scenes where I didn't know if it was right looking (I'm sure you know the scenes - didn't think that type of thing would be allowed, but I supposed it's Europe, after all). I just wish the Bluray had've turned up in time - I ended up renting the SD version on Amazon Instant Video. It was quite different to what I expected.