3. Revenge (2017)
Solid rape/revenge flick, which you basically know what you're getting before seeing it and know how everything will play out. You see...some messages can be blunt and be shouted loud from the rooftops over and over again It's interesting when comparing it to my viewing of Day of the Woman from last October. That film was shot much more amateur-like than this, which actually has some talent behind the camera. Director, Coralie Fargeat brings a much different perspective than Meir Zarchi, whose success here is bolstered having (what I assume) is a woman's touch.
Both films cover similar ground but highlight different aspects. It's fitting that the leads of both films are named Jennifer. Jennifer (1978) was "asking for it" simply by having the audacity to be friendly to her attackers, and for sunbathing at her private residence where others could see her. Jen (2017) has her sexuality put more up front and on full display. She's having an affair with a married man. She does this all while consistently wearing skimpy outfits in front of him and his friends. She also dances with her attacker, effectively teasing and flirting with him. What I like about Revenge's approach, is how it goes farther with the protagonists sexuality while making it absolutely clear that she WAS NOT asking for it. In a world where that disgusting excuse is still used, it's important to put it down as bullshit.
Both films are heavy on violence and blood, with this one using gallons upon gallons of the stuff, which has the effect to make it less disturbing since it's a bit less realistic. Which points to another big difference, Revenge seems to be a take on exploitation without having to be that exploitative. Unlike the miserable experience of watching Jennifer (1978) be raped over and over again over the course of a half hour or so, the actual act in Revenge is mostly off screen and more implied through visual cues. Day of the Woman makes the viewer complicit of the crime on screen, and gets it feminist point through by shocks. Revenge, instead, celebrates Jen becoming a badass as a result of the crimes against her, and wants us to cheer her on.
Which we do.
Granted, there's not much going on here outside of that, and it's a bit too long. While the direction has flair, it doesn't really ramp up any suspense. Its positives are enough to make the ride worth it though.
Cheers. Question for ya, are most of these considered horror or more mystery flicks? I kinda wanna watch as much horror as I can.
I've seen most of those, and I'll definitely place them all as horror. Granted, they all have mystery elements since that's a big part of the subgenre. I think I know where you're getting at though, some Giallo's are more thrillers than horror flicks, but those should all qualify for the latter.
Great films on that list as well.
2. Frankenstein (1931)
Universal was really all in on this "wedding canceled due to science gone wrong!" Plot line. The story of Frankenstein (the movie, anyway) is so heavily ingrained that it's hard to be scared of him now but I can definitely see how this was scary back then. The makeup on Boris Karloff and the camerawork are fantastic. The film could definitely do with an internal score because this may have been back during the time where that was done live. Acting is that level of dramatic that you can only expect from the 30s. Ending is a little abrupt though.. Overall I had fun with it and it lived up to my expectations
Dedicated scores were not really a thing for a couple of more years, if I remember correctly. I don't believe Frankenstein had live music aka like a silent film, and its silence is a deliberate choice. I actually think that approach works better for it, as the silence gives it a creepy vibe.
Bride of Frankenstein, however, does have an original score, and it's amazing. It's a different kind of film though than the first, and lends itself well to the bombastic approach.
A Giallo film question which I realise I should have asked earlier. Sub or dub?
Because I know half the cast was speaking one language and the other half the other language, but is there typically a director preference?
It depends take . I'll go sub, at least until around the 70's or so. I guess I usually decide based on what language is predominately being spoken by the main cast, which you can usually tell by lip reading (although it still isn't going to match in most cases, lol).
I always watch Mario Bava in Italian, and for some of his films the Italian versions are improvements over their American counterparts. Dario Argento, I typically go English.
