The Quarantine Movie Marathon - Part 6

 [For the previous parts, click below. As mentioned before, spoilers ahead!]

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

The People Under the Stairs (1991)

T to U

• Teeth (2007) - It's a great feminist horror but it's still somewhat lame: I'd be more on board with it if the editing weren't so shite. [5/10]
• Terrifier (2016) - Some good quality gore and an iconic, uniquely horrifying villain. [8/10]
• The Amityville Horror (1979) - I wouldn't even say this is a particularly scary horror film but it's certainly well-edited and tense. [7/10]
• The Blue Skeleton (2017) - Confusing, boring and anticlimactic. [4/10]
• The Bunker (2001) - It's not bad...not great either. [6/10]
• The Cabin in the Woods (2011) - I mean, there are no words that will do justice to how good this film is. [9/10]
• The Children (2008) - Guilty pleasure: a lot more fun at parties with friends. [5/10]
• The Dead One (1961) - It's nice to see the 'voodoo' origin used within this era but it's horribly racist: definitely didn't age well. [3/10]
• The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) - Surprisingly balanced and better than your average exorcism film. [8/10]
• The Eye (2002) - The elevator scene gets me every time. [8/10]
• The Giant Spider Invasion (1975) - The spider is actually kind of cute and all of the men are perverts. [2/10]
• The Grudge (2002) - America could never. [8/10]
• The Hills Have Eyes (1977) - Gnarly deaths and decent jump scares! [7/10]
• The Hole in the Ground (2019) - Films like this validate my need to never have children. [7/10]
• The House with 100 Eyes (2013) - Sound editing is abysmal but it's definitely a disturbing watch. [5/10]
• The Lighthouse (2019) - WHY'D YA SPILL YER BEANS? [9/10]
• The Ordeal (2004) - I'll never look at rural pubs the same again. [7/10]
• The People Under the Stairs (1991) - White capitalists get their asses handed to them, so you know it's good. [8/10]
• The Quiet Ones (2014) - The pacing is bad and the storyline doubly so. [4/10]
• The Shining (1980) - I don't have much to say on this other than, despite it being a decent film, it is overrated. [7/10]
• The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Best of the Hannibal films. [8/10]
• The Sin Eater (2003) - Yet another religious fanatic film with a somewhat interesting concept yet a terribly executed storyline. I miss Ledger, man. [5/10]
• The Stand (1994) - The stereotypes have aged poorly but I have such a nostalgic love for this film...even if it is six hours long. [7/10]
• The Stepfather (2009) - Predictable, terrible, awful...other synonyms for bad. [4/10]
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) - A true horror classic. Also can we talk about how fucking fast Leatherface is? That's goddamn terrifying. [9/10]
• The Thing (1982) - Other horrors wish they have the level of practical fx this film has. [9/10]
• The Thing (2011) - I know they used a mix of both but I wish they'd stayed as far away from CGI as possible because it makes everything look tacky. [5/10]
• The Void (2016) - I have no idea what's happening but it looks amazing. [7/10]
• The Witch (2015) - A baby gets mashed in the first 10 minutes...delicious. [8/10]
• Thir13en Ghosts (2001) - If you ignore the racist stereotypes, you can enjoy Matthew Lilliard in one of his most underrated performances. [6/10]
• Thoroughbreds (2017) - Olivia Cooke is an absolute superstar and this film just illustrates how damn talented Anton Yelchin was. [8/10]
• Train to Busan (2016) - Yon-Suk? More like Yon-SUCKS, am I right, lads? [8/10]
• Underground (2011) - What a forgettable and boring film. [2/10]
• Us (2019) - One of my favourite film soundtracks of all time; Lupita is a powerhouse. [9/10]

Next week: V to Z

- K

Ranked: Favourite Film Soundtracks

[Reader disclaimer: there will be spoilers discussed. This piece also contains material that might be sensitive to some readers].

There are many components to a film: cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene, lighting, acting. In certain genres, a key aspect tends to stand out more than others, for example, music composition in horror is essential for creating that tension and unease that we typically associate with scary movies (such as the orchestral stab when we experience a jump scare or the rise of string instruments when tension is being built). 

Before the late 20s (with The Jazz Singer (1927) being one of the first examples of films with synchronised speech in it), films often relied on non-diegetic music to demonstrate the emotions of what we saw on-screen. It's still an important component today, however, music has changed drastically since the Silent Era of piano compositions to modern-day remixes and scores on a grand scale.

Here are some of my favourite examples of music used in film.

10) Time by Hans Zimmer - Inception (2010)

Hans Zimmer is one of my favourite film composers. From the macabre yet stunning soundtrack of The Dark Knight (2008) to his playful and enchanting work on The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Zimmer is undeniably talented at utilising every instrument to evoke emotion from the audience.

One of his greatest examples of work (in my opinion, obviously) is the final scene of Inception (2012), in which we see Dom (Leonardo DiCaprio) using the spinning top but leaving to greet his children before we ever see if the top falls or stays upright, leaving the ending ambiguous as to whether or not Dom and the others have returned to reality.

The song Time is played over this sequence, a powerful yet melancholic piece that finishes with lone keys played on the piano. It conveys almost a sadness and provides the audience with a taste of closure before the song abruptly ends on the shot of the spinning top. In comparison to the rest of the soundtrack, Time feels like a solid landmark at the end of the film, one that beautifully marries rising brass and string instruments with the poignant and saddening notes of the piano.

9) The Kiss by Trevor Jones - The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

I can't say that The Last of the Mohicans (1992) as a film has aged particularly well but there are two aspects of this film which are still unfaltering in their impressive nature: Daniel Day-Lewis' performance and the soundtrack.

When I think back to the films I watched as a child and the songs I remember, this one has always stuck in my mind. The Kiss comprises mainly of violins and drums in a romantic, almost Celtic fashion. At this point in the film, Hawkeye (Day-Lewis) seeks out Cora (Madeline Stowe) and they passionately embrace, finally succumbing to their mutual attraction for each other.

As a viewer, this scene is a moment in the making. We witness the romantic tension between the two lovers for so long and desperately await that climactic moment wherein they kiss, so the rise from minor to major chords feels empowering and relieving. 

8) Hellraiser by Christopher Young - Hellraiser (1987)

Talking of films from childhood, this spot on the list had to go to one of my all-time favourites: Hellraiser (1987). Obviously most horror films from the 70s/80s renaissance are indisputably iconic, from Charles Bernstein on A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), John Carpenter on Halloween (1978) to one of the most famous themes in pop culture, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells for The Exorcist (1973). 

Out of all of them, however, I had to nominate Christopher Young's work on Hellraiser. I believe my attachment to this soundtrack is founded in both nostalgia but also due to its likeness to composer Danny Elfman's discography: they both tend to use gothic themes intertwined with classical styles of musical composition, which I think works effectively when it comes to horror films. 

Either way, as soon as Hellraiser starts playing, I'm immediately thrown back to the first time watching it, sitting in absolute awe of Doug Bradley. 

7) Bundle of Joy by Michael Giacchino - Inside Out (2015)

Let's be honest. There are plenty of Pixar soundtracks that could sit on this list. Some of you might be surprised to see that I've picked something remotely new as opposed to something more nostalgia-based from the 90s, such as Toy Story (1995) or Monsters, Inc (2001).

I went to see this film on my 19th birthday and this is one of the first pieces of music to be introduced to us: the birth of Riley (Kaitlyn Dias). This small piece of music, with just the piano alone, evokes this sense of wonderment and childlike happiness that seemingly captures Riley's personality before we're even able to see her character grow up on-screen. It's heartfelt and light, something that Pixar films are most certainly renowned for. 

I believe that if I had seen this film as a child, I would've had a fond nostalgia for its music. As an adult, I can appreciate what Giacchino is trying to translate to his audience and it works.

6) Bunsen Burner by CUTS - Ex Machina (2014)

It came as a surprise to me when I watched Ex Machina (2014) after listening to The Prodigy's 2015 album, The Day is My Enemy because one of the songs on the tracklisting actually samples Bunsen Burner in a more sped-up format. So, every time I listen to the Ex Machina soundtrack, I'm reminded of The Prodigy.

Regardless, Bunsen Burner has been firmly etched into my memory ever since I watched this film for the first time. It's electronic, ebbing introduction fades effortlessly into a strong, three, minor-notes sequence that never feels repetitive, only tense. Within the context of the film, this is the climactic scene of the final act, wherein Ava (Alicia Vikander) turns on her creator, Nathan (Oscar Isaac) and fatally stabs him: we, as the audience, realise Ava's inability to feel true empathy and that she truly is a threat.

Bunsen Burner feels, in a way, like the empowerment of a freed prisoner but also the final curtain of the characters we have grown to trust and even like within the narrative. It's a musical double-edged sword.

5) Rohan by Howard Shore - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The entire discography of The Lord of the Rings franchise is impressive. There's no denying that. However, I'd argue that the second film, The Two Towers (2002), holds some of the best use of Howard Shore's work; the grand scale of the battle scenes, the intimate moments between characters, the light-hearted nature of comic relief.

Rohan is my favourite of all these themes, as it's used to both present touching scenes (such as the freedom of Théoden, played by Bernard Hill) but also the more melancholic moments, such as Éowyn (Miranda Otto) lamenting the dying landscape of her home and the ill-nature of her people.

Every geographical location in Middle Earth has its theme and Rohan is distinct in its use of string and brass instruments, conveying an atmospheric feeling of grandeur and unity. 

4) I Got 5 On It by Michael Marshall ft. Luniz - Us (2019)

In his first film, Jordan Peele demonstrated his ability to handpick songs that were absolutely perfect for the narrative, with Get Out (2017) featuring artists such as Childish Gambino and Flanagan & Allen. In his second film, Peele truly stepped up his game by not only delivering some more iconic songs but giving one of the most haunting remixes of an R&B song I've ever heard.

I Got 5 On It, originally sung by Luniz, is remixed with a dramatic, high-pitched underscore, which elevates a formerly relaxed song to a song of panic, paranoia and frustration. This, accompanied with the scene of Adelaide and Red's (both played by Lupita Nyong'o) expertly choreographed fight, makes for both an entertaining yet nerve-wracking experience. 

This trend of taking 80s/90s songs and giving them new life is so enjoyable and I genuinely hope we see more of that in the future.

3) In the House, In a Heartbeat by John Murphy - 28 Weeks Later (2007)

This simplistic piece of music is by far one of the best examples I've seen in a horror film, period. John Murphy's In the House, In a Heartbeat begins with two piano notes, then layers that with a four-chord sequence. This builds louder and louder, eventually transgressing into electric guitar and drums, mirroring the increasingly tense scene it accompanies of Don (Robert Carlyle) abandoning his wife to flee from extremely fast zombies. 

As someone who plays music and finds interest in learning chord progressions, this track opened my eyes to the idea that a song doesn't have to have a lot of fancy notes in order to be impactful. What 28 Weeks Later (2007) does so efficiently is creating even more tension through its music, producing almost a sensory overload for the viewer. 

Don's escape scene in the first act is honestly one of the reasons that I actually favour this sequel over its predecessor film.

2) Mr. Moustafa by Alexandre Desplat - The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Wes Anderson is renowned for his quirky characters, pastel backgrounds and oddly catchy music. Out of all the films he has produced thus far, however, I believe The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) has the best soundtrack: it's fast paced, dramatic yet completely endearing. 

Much like The Two Towers, this film has musical themes for locations and chapters of the narrative, the best arguably being the Mr. Moustafa theme in which we are introduced to the titular character (played by Ralph Fiennes). It features a variety of sounds, it's pace is typical of iambic pentameter and it's playful rhythm parallels the playful nature of the character itself. 

I adore it, as I adore the film.

1) Death is the Road to Awe by Clint Mansell - The Fountain (2006)

If you're a new reader of mine, or just unaware of my top 10 films in general, then I'd like to explain that The Fountain (2006) is my favourite film of all time. It's generally regarded as one of director Darren Aronofsky's lesser films, despite it featuring A-list actors such as Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, but to me I think it's more of a spiritual journey rather than purely a film.

In the third act, three timelines merge to demonstrate the acceptance of death, how grief is a valid process and how the inevitability of us dying is not always the end. This, shown through stunning, golden-toned sfx, is accompanied by Death is the Road to Awe; this is one of the first experiences I've had where a song made my heart stop, my hair stand on end, my breath shorten. It is, simply put, exquisiteness. 

There's a specific section of this track where the sound falters and then explodes into a crescendo of violins, harmonic choir voices and drums that mirrors the on-screen scene of Tom (Jackman) ascending into the galactic nebula named Xibalba (also known as the Mayan afterlife). It's dramatic, powerful, almost alien. And it's beautiful.

Honourable mentions

Of course, I didn't have room to fit all of my favourites on here, so here are also some honourable mentions:

• What's Up Danger by Blackway & Black Caviar - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
• Pray For Me by The Weeknd ft. Lamar - Black Panther (2018)
• Bang Bang by Will.I.Am - The Great Gatsby (2013)
• Redeemer by Jonathan Davis ft. Marilyn Manson - Queen of the Damned (2002)
• Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins - Top Gun (1986)
• Burly Brawl by Don Davis - The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
• Main Theme by Marilyn Manson - Resident Evil (2002)
• Down to Earth by Peter Gabriel - Wall-E (2008)

- K

The Gore Scale

[Reader disclaimer: this piece may contain spoilers and material of a sensitive nature].

The Human Centipede: First Sequence (2009)

You decide to sit down and watch a horror film: what's your go-to? Some people are psychological fans, others want to see demons possess people, but some of you twisted bitches are like me and want to see body parts go flying. There are a few subgenres for that: splatter, banned, torture porn, body, Lovecraftian, even snuff horror. They're all good in their respective ways but how do you quantify how much gore you want to see on screen?

I looked at three categories of horror films and put them in ranking order. The classics, the modern marvels and what's known in most circles as "extreme horror", often depicted as the most depraved, disturbing and downright bloody iterations of the genre. A score of 1 to 4 is considered tame, 5 to 7 is moderate, and 8 to 10 would be extreme.

I'd like to point out here, though, that these are just my personal takes and not something to take as gospel. I am somewhat biased in that I prefer gorier films but I can objectively advise you on what is gorier than others: with that being said, let's jump in.

(I'd also like to note that none of the films included scored a 1, the lowest ranking, but there are films out there with minimal gore, such as It Follows (2014)). 

The Classics

The Thing (1982)

The Shining (1980): 2/10

This famous Kubrick classic might be one you haven't watched (I don't know why you wouldn't have) but, if you were considering giving it a go, you'll be surprised to know that The Shining isn't particularly gory at all. It has disturbing imagery galore with body horror interspersed, but the body count stands at a measly one person, and the crippling insanity that Jack Nicholson brings to the table will freak you out much more than the elevator scene. 

The Exorcist (1973): 3/10

Again, if you haven't seen this one, then where have you been? The Exorcist is regarded, perhaps, as the most famous horror film to boot but you'd be wrong if you thought this film was anything other than deeply psychological and rooted in the supernatural, as opposed to sitting comfortably in the gore section. There are some scenes (the crucifix scene in the bedroom is the one to watch out for) that incorporate gore but not hugely: this one will just have you paranoid that a demon is going to get you, not that your limbs are going to be cut off.

I Spit on Your Grave (1978): 5/10

One of the most famous rape-revenge films, I Spit on Your Grave is visceral, unnerving and badass. However, for a film that structures its entire premise on bodily violation and the physical revenge of such, there isn't a great deal of gore. Perhaps its most iconic scene is the "bathtub sequence" but, even so, we cut away before we see anything of real significance: this was more or less rectified in the remake but it's just a shame that the remake was nowhere near as good as the original.

The Evil Dead (1981): 6/10

Sam Raimi's magnum opus, other than clearly the fantastical Spider-Man 3 (2007), is a great summer flick to watch with your friends: it's a horror movie where blood runs like beer on tap and provides one-liners you'll be quoting for years to come. It's gory, yes, but leaps and bounds behind some of the other entries on this list: it also suffers from the 80s curse of fake blood cheapening the effect by becoming less and less realistic as the film ages. Still, a lot of bloody fun (pun intended).

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Day of the Dead (1985), The Fly (1986) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974): 7/10

These four films certainly stray into the moderately gory territory. A Nightmare on Elm Street is arguably the bloodiest of the seven installments, with blood geysers and ragdoll bodies solidifying itself in horror history forever. 

Day of the Dead, my personal favourite of the original Romero trilogy, has a wicked autopsy scene and features some pretty gruesome deaths throughout. 

The Fly is just straight-up disgusting, and body horror doesn't necessarily equal gore, but the acidic spit scene is something akin to the Nazis losing their faces in that equally disturbing part of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). Although tragic, this film is most definitely and intensely graphic.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is, without a doubt, a horror masterpiece. A story of people terrorised by a family of murderous cannibals? One of which is based on real life serial killer Ed Gein, who wore his victims' skin as a makeshift mask? Gross. I love it. TTCM will make you avoid hitchhikers and meat hooks for the rest of your life, I'll tell you that.

Hellraiser (1987) and The Thing (1982): 8/10

Two horrors close to my heart, we close out the "classics" section with Hellraiser and The Thing, two films equally talented in evoking big reactions from its intended audience. 

Hellraiser successfully meshes physical gore with masochistic pleasure, providing us with not only one iconic villain (Pinhead) but two (Frank). Frank's reanimation sequence is still one of the most awe-inspiring things I've ever seen in a horror movie, despite its aged appearance: it'll have your skin crawling (if you have any).

The Thing is a film, much like Hellraiser, that you probably have never seen but don't have to because it's everywhere in pop culture. The deaths are gnarly, the creature is freakishly abnormal and terrifying but best of all, the suspense will keep you on your toes through the runtime.

The Modern Marvels

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

Us (2019): 4/10

I adore this film. I adore both of Jordan Peele's films. However, horror in Peele's filmography doesn't derive from what's explicitly shown to us but by connotations woven throughout his narratives: for that reason, Us doesn't score particularly high on the gore scale. Although it is by far bloodier than Get Out (2017), the violence is not the epicentre of the story, moreover it is a gradual unravelling of shocking and fear-inducing events. A splash of blood here and there but nothing too gory.

Audition (1999) and Hereditary (2018): 6/10

One is a staple of j-horror, one is a classic before its time. Audition is a fantastically twisted psychological film that features some messed-up scenes involving some feet and vomit (don't ask) and Hereditary may as well be known as "that one film with all the neat decapitation", but both (despite the removal of body parts) are actually fairly tame when it comes to gore: it's moderate, and unsettling, but again, not really the main focus. 

The Cabin in the Woods (2012): 7/10

The best way to describe this film would be a loving homage to the 80s, placing a contemporary spin on what we love about creature features and good ol' slashers. There's blood aplenty but the true sentiment lies in what The Cabin in the Woods pays tribute to, as opposed to who or what they kill on-screen: that being said, there's a lot of gory fun to be had. It's a moderate amount, a respectable amount if you will, which will appease the average horror fan and intrigue the general movie-goer.

The Extreme Ones

Martyrs (2008)

Teeth (2007) and The Human Centipede: First Sequence (2009): 3/10

Teeth is actually the lowest ranked of this section for a very good reason: although it's a wonderful portrayal of an empowered female character and a biting, satirical commentary on gender division and sexual control, it's surprisingly tame in terms of gore. We see a few *ahem* "members" being removed but, other than that, the gratuitous violence derives from male entitlement and the horrors of male patriarchy. Great flick, just not very gory at all.

Another film you might be surprised to see ranked so low is the first Human Centipede: it's undeniably vulgar and unsettling, but when we look at it through our red-tinted lens, the gore just isn't there. Bodily fluids, no matter how disgusting they are, don't really constitute gore and even if it did, we don't see much of it on-screen. The Human Centipede is a film founded entirely in its shock factor, rather than its visceral reimagining of horror. It's gross, yes. But gory? Not really.

Antichrist (2009): 5/10

Lars Von Trier: you either hate him or you love him. Maybe you just respect that he's a clever filmmaker yet an all-around terrible human being. Either way, his film Antichrist is up there with the other extreme legends for being one of the most eye-boggling movies to date, an impressive feat considering it's not even technically a "horror" film (I'd classify it more as a psychological thriller/horrendous fever dream). 

To say it's gory would be a misstep: it's not, as such, but the body horror that is there is pretty gruesome (you'll be crossing your legs and looking away from the screen on more than one occasion). 

Cannibal Holocaust (1980), Dead Snow (2009), Hostel (2005) and Ichi the Killer (2001): 8/10

These four films set the bar in the extreme categories: Cannibal Holocaust is legendary, Hostel helped solidify torture porn in the modern genre, Dead Snow gave us Nazi zombies and oodles of fun and Ichi the Killer, though not as well-known, is by far the craziest j-horror flick out there. 

Hostel and Ichi share similarities in their depravity: it's calculated, sadomasochistic and hard to watch. The gore wavers from a simple slash of the Achilles heel to a man's face being sliced off like a carrot through a vegetable grater. It's fun, it's mad and it's a lot. Dead Snow is similar to these two films, in that respect, but it's not calculated gore. There are buckets of blood, entrails pulled out and swung about, flesh-eating zombies tearing off body parts...if you want to just see people being annihilated, this film is for you. 

Cannibal Holocaust, though despondent and violent, is in a different league to the rest of them. It is indeed gory, you've probably all heard about the legal problems director Ruggero Deodato ran into post-release, but the more disturbing part is not the fictional deaths of on-screen natives but the documented murder of real animals that is left in the film (vegans and vegetarians should stay clear of this one, for sure). 

A Serbian Film (2010) and Braindead (1992): 9/10

Now, you might be wondering why on earth these two are paired together, seeing as one is a splatter-comedy and the other is just...beyond reason. But in all honesty, I'd argue that both sit firmly at a 9 when it comes to gore. 

A Serbian Film is, evidently, not for the faint of heart. Such themes shown explicitly on-screen are necrophilia, "newborn porn" and rape: this, plus a hearty douse of gore, is a lot for movie goers. I'd only ever recommend seeing this film if you're able to stomach it and the same goes for Braindead (or otherwise known as Dead or Alive). 

Braindead makes Dead Snow look pathetic in comparison to the sheer amount of guts, blood and pus that it thrown your way. The lawnmower scene at one time held the record for most blood used in a horror film, though I'm pretty sure the Evil Dead remake took the baton for that one back in 2013. Either way, both films are incredibly gross and feature gore only for the truly daring fans.

Martyrs (2008): 10/10

I know already that some people are going to disagree with me here. Surely, you must be thinking, A Serbian Film is worse than Martyrs. And in terms of depravity, I'd agree with you, but that's not what we're looking for today. 

Martyrs is an endurance test, flinging the viewer headfirst out of their comfort zone and into the world of New French Extremity, a shockingly raw and upsetting type of horror. It pulls no punches, spares no feelings and never relents on both the physical violence nor the psychological torment of its characters. 

Plasma doesn't gush like it does in The Shining, guts aren't pulled out like bunting up a magician's sleeve as it does in Dead Snow, but Martyrs is arguably unparalleled in its ability to chip more and more of its own humanity away to reveal its corrupted and bloodied nature. A Serbian Film is only there to shock you: Martyrs will make you question reality (and possibly vomit at the same time).

- K