Ideally the perfect scenario for a monster mash is three
varied films for me. Not always 3 films juxtaposed but rather three that do not
need a common thread to be discussed on the show. Films that are a single
offering or a part of something we may not tackle otherwise. This mash (#9) was
a perfect example I think as we had an early 80s cult horror comedy classic
(feels more 70’s than 80s), a modern release thriller with enough genre stars
to peak interest, and an 80’s cult classic. The end results were those of what
a mash episode should commonly yield for me. 
Now I could gush over how much I already loved Motel Hell or
focus on my excitement over The Stuff living up to what I expected it to be,
but I don’t really want to. I want to focus rather on the third, Devil May Call
(2013). Movies like this frustrate me because for one, I do not enjoy disliking
a film. I have minimal experience with varied types of production and I know that
it is not easy. It is time consuming and very taxing on a person as they
navigate putting together a piece to be viewed. By putting out negative words
on a film, I always remember that somewhere there are people who tried with
this movie, and really hard at that. But that does not change the fact that
viewers are consumers and let’s face it, we love discussing movies. That’s why
we podcast, but I make no mistake in the reality that what I am putting down,
someone worked incredibly hard on. With that said…
Devil May Call was a frustrating disappointment that to me
symbolizes so much of what the movie industry is shoveling out to us. This film
had three names that the horror/cult cinema community would take note of in
English, Mane, and Lords. The movie moved slowly, felt uninspired, and
completely unoriginal. So pedestrian that it makes the viewer wonder why bother
making it? Now, maybe the money ran out and changed the film up dramatically,
but as Adam Green points out frequently, that is not the viewer’s problem to make
excuses for. We are spending our money and time to watch a film, and when you
slap three names on there to entice us, have a movie that delivers somewhat.
Instead, the state of Hollywood
reeks of lowered budgets (because the suits aren’t letting their wallets get
lighter) and uninspired cash grabs that were green-lit for that same reason, to
grab our cash.
It becomes frustrating as a viewer to sit through these films
because you know that the stars are not being used in a way that they should be
and also that this is going to become the more and more common thing in genre
cinema with any kind of distribution. Occasionally a film like The Babadook or
It Follows comes along and defies the odds of indie horror and gets big.
But for the most part genre-fanatics are seeking out their own movies from the
likes of guys like Ti West or Adam Green, not what’s being offered at AMC each
weekend. So, sure don’t give up on trying out movies on the rental shelf, but
just remember the reality of the state of horror today. Many of these cases
will possess a movie that lacks any passion or intention of fulfilling your
money spent. Honestly, I am being a little unfair to pin such a large topic on
one movie watched this episode, which is not directly my intention. It is just
systemically becoming more and more cancerous. I wish nothing but the best to
all involved with Devil May Call. It’s just timing. Until next time…
Beware the moon
The Professor
No comments:
Post a Comment