I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
"government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
endings.
On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> endings.
Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> endings.
Whereas Canadians, stuck living in Canada, have given up on happy endings a long time ago.
Maybe you need to hang out in massage parlors more often.
> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA<rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
>> effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
>> guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
>> gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
>> "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
>> leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
>> didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
>> and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
>> endings.
> Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
Well, duh. It's not "found footage" because people came out of it alive and left the footage in a closet somewhere.
On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > endings.
> Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
movie.
One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
other, you're going to die.
Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
> On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > endings.
> > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> movie.
> One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> other, you're going to die.
> Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
> trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
> of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
right, the downer's almost a given). Meanwhile, I hope you're
reminded of your happily-ever-after wish next time a horror movie
hands you one. My trouble with CD's ending was that it hurled me back
to the HILLS HAVE EYES remake (where I didn't care for it either). Re
the runtime, I gotta say that, for me nowadays, 80 minutes sounds a-
priori good for almost any genre of movie.
On Monday, May 28, 2012 5:03:04 PM UTC-4, moviePig wrote:
> Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
> right, the downer's almost a given).
Of course it's a given. That's the whole point of the genre, ie, it's "discovered" because the makers are dead. Unlike the Elizabethan diary that might merely be purloined and used to advance the plot, the "found footage" always follows some catastrophic event and is, in a way, part of the plot It's a type of spoiler that is interesting in that you know how it ends but getting there is all the fun.
> > On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA<rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> >> effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> >> guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> >> gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> >> "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> >> leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> >> didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> >> and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> >> endings.
> > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> Well, duh. It's not "found footage" because people came out of it alive
> and left the footage in a closet somewhere.
Doesn't matter, it wasn't a "found footage" movie at all.
> On Monday, May 28, 2012 5:03:04 PM UTC-4, moviePig wrote:
> > Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> > Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
> > right, the downer's almost a given).
> Of course it's a given. That's the whole point of the genre, ie, it's "discovered" because the makers are dead. Unlike the Elizabethan diary that might merely be purloined and used to advance the plot, the "found footage" always follows some catastrophic event and is, in a way, part of the plot It's a type of spoiler that is interesting in that you know how it ends but getting there is all the fun.
Ironically, though, when I ask Amazon for "lost diary", I get 'The
Lost Diary Of Don Juan'... which I'm guessing ends not too badly...
though getting there seems indeed likely half the fun...
> On May 28, 10:57 am, trotsky<gmsi...@email.com> wrote:
>> On 5/28/12 7:49 AM, moviePig wrote:
>>> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA<rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
>>>> effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
>>>> guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
>>>> gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
>>>> "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
>>>> leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
>>>> didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
>>>> and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
>>>> endings.
>>> Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
>>> endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
>> Well, duh. It's not "found footage" because people came out of it alive
>> and left the footage in a closet somewhere.
> Doesn't matter, it wasn't a "found footage" movie at all.
My bad--was it in fact made by Oren Pelli with two "L's"?
> On May 28, 4:16 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > > endings.
> > > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> > I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> > flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> > it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> > school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> > are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> > movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> > while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> > about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> > getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> > I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> > have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> > the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> > Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> > but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> > movie.
> > One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> > already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> > before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> > other, you're going to die.
> > Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
> > trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
> > of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
> Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
> right, the downer's almost a given). Meanwhile, I hope you're
> reminded of your happily-ever-after wish next time a horror movie
> hands you one. My trouble with CD's ending was that it hurled me back
> to the HILLS HAVE EYES remake (where I didn't care for it either).
The movie Chernobyl Diaries most reminded me of, not in its downbeat
tone but more in its plot, was Raw Meat, the English 70s horror about
cannibals in the London subway system; there's a movie that could do
with a remake.
> On May 28, 5:03 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > On May 28, 4:16 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > > > endings.
> > > > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > > > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> > > I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> > > flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> > > it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> > > school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> > > are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> > > movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> > > while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> > > about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> > > getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> > > I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> > > have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> > > the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> > > Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> > > but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> > > movie.
> > > One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> > > already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> > > before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> > > other, you're going to die.
> > > Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
> > > trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
> > > of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
> > Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> > Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
> > right, the downer's almost a given). Meanwhile, I hope you're
> > reminded of your happily-ever-after wish next time a horror movie
> > hands you one. My trouble with CD's ending was that it hurled me back
> > to the HILLS HAVE EYES remake (where I didn't care for it either).
> The movie Chernobyl Diaries most reminded me of, not in its downbeat
> tone but more in its plot, was Raw Meat, the English 70s horror about
> cannibals in the London subway system; there's a movie that could do
> with a remake.
I feel like I saw that, but will have to make sure...
> On May 28, 6:18 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > On May 28, 5:03 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > > On May 28, 4:16 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > > > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > > > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > > > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > > > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > > > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > > > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > > > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > > > > endings.
> > > > > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > > > > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> > > > I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> > > > flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> > > > it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> > > > school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> > > > are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> > > > movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> > > > while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> > > > about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> > > > getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> > > > I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> > > > have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> > > > the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> > > > Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> > > > but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> > > > movie.
> > > > One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> > > > already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> > > > before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> > > > other, you're going to die.
> > > > Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
> > > > trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
> > > > of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
> > > Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> > > Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
> > > right, the downer's almost a given). Meanwhile, I hope you're
> > > reminded of your happily-ever-after wish next time a horror movie
> > > hands you one. My trouble with CD's ending was that it hurled me back
> > > to the HILLS HAVE EYES remake (where I didn't care for it either).
> > The movie Chernobyl Diaries most reminded me of, not in its downbeat
> > tone but more in its plot, was Raw Meat, the English 70s horror about
> > cannibals in the London subway system; there's a movie that could do
> > with a remake.
> I feel like I saw that, but will have to make sure...
One of the things that bothered me about Chernobyl Diaries was how
short that second day was. It was like, it's daybreak and we have to
walk thirteen miles to the checkpoint, oops there's dogs in the road,
look, some cables for the van, oh no, it's dark out.
It wasn't until after seeing CD and reading a few of the reviews, how
tacky and offensive the premise was. It didn't bother me but what's
next--survival horror about dumb yuppies fighting 9/11 victim
zombies?
> On May 28, 6:27 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > On May 28, 6:18 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > On May 28, 5:03 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > > > On May 28, 4:16 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > > On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > > > > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > > > > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > > > > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > > > > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > > > > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > > > > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > > > > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > > > > > endings.
> > > > > > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > > > > > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> > > > > I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> > > > > flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> > > > > it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> > > > > school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> > > > > are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> > > > > movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> > > > > while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> > > > > about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> > > > > getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> > > > > I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> > > > > have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> > > > > the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> > > > > Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> > > > > but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> > > > > movie.
> > > > > One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> > > > > already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> > > > > before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> > > > > other, you're going to die.
> > > > > Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
> > > > > trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
> > > > > of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
> > > > Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> > > > Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
> > > > right, the downer's almost a given). Meanwhile, I hope you're
> > > > reminded of your happily-ever-after wish next time a horror movie
> > > > hands you one. My trouble with CD's ending was that it hurled me back
> > > > to the HILLS HAVE EYES remake (where I didn't care for it either).
> > > The movie Chernobyl Diaries most reminded me of, not in its downbeat
> > > tone but more in its plot, was Raw Meat, the English 70s horror about
> > > cannibals in the London subway system; there's a movie that could do
> > > with a remake.
> > I feel like I saw that, but will have to make sure...
> One of the things that bothered me about Chernobyl Diaries was how
> short that second day was. It was like, it's daybreak and we have to
> walk thirteen miles to the checkpoint, oops there's dogs in the road,
> look, some cables for the van, oh no, it's dark out.
> It wasn't until after seeing CD and reading a few of the reviews, how
> tacky and offensive the premise was. It didn't bother me but what's
> next--survival horror about dumb yuppies fighting 9/11 victim
> zombies?
There should be no sacred cows in movies. I admit that some things
might be uncomfortable to see, but then movies are supposed to be art
and art is supposed to get a free pass. People can choose which they
see and which they don't.
> On May 29, 7:33 am, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > On May 28, 6:27 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > > On May 28, 6:18 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > On May 28, 5:03 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > > > > On May 28, 4:16 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > > > On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > > > > > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > > > > > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > > > > > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > > > > > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > > > > > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > > > > > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > > > > > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > > > > > > endings.
> > > > > > > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > > > > > > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> > > > > > I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> > > > > > flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> > > > > > it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> > > > > > school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> > > > > > are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> > > > > > movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> > > > > > while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> > > > > > about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> > > > > > getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> > > > > > I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> > > > > > have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> > > > > > the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> > > > > > Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> > > > > > but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> > > > > > movie.
> > > > > > One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> > > > > > already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> > > > > > before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> > > > > > other, you're going to die.
> > > > > > Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
> > > > > > trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
> > > > > > of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
> > > > > Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> > > > > Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
> > > > > right, the downer's almost a given). Meanwhile, I hope you're
> > > > > reminded of your happily-ever-after wish next time a horror movie
> > > > > hands you one. My trouble with CD's ending was that it hurled me back
> > > > > to the HILLS HAVE EYES remake (where I didn't care for it either).
> > > > The movie Chernobyl Diaries most reminded me of, not in its downbeat
> > > > tone but more in its plot, was Raw Meat, the English 70s horror about
> > > > cannibals in the London subway system; there's a movie that could do
> > > > with a remake.
> > > I feel like I saw that, but will have to make sure...
> > One of the things that bothered me about Chernobyl Diaries was how
> > short that second day was. It was like, it's daybreak and we have to
> > walk thirteen miles to the checkpoint, oops there's dogs in the road,
> > look, some cables for the van, oh no, it's dark out.
> > It wasn't until after seeing CD and reading a few of the reviews, how
> > tacky and offensive the premise was. It didn't bother me but what's
> > next--survival horror about dumb yuppies fighting 9/11 victim
> > zombies?
> There should be no sacred cows in movies. I admit that some things
> might be uncomfortable to see, but then movies are supposed to be art
> and art is supposed to get a free pass. People can choose which they
> see and which they don't.
No sacred cows, but no ill-timed insensitivity either. Personally,
I'd have thought Chernobyl was long enough past for this movie, but
maybe there's counter-argument from people only slightly closer to
it. (Regardless, in this context -- and outside a courtroom -- I'd
hesitate to call CD 'art'...)
> On May 29, 9:07 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On May 29, 7:33 am, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > On May 28, 6:27 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > > > On May 28, 6:18 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > > On May 28, 5:03 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > > > > > On May 28, 4:16 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > > > > > > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > > > > > > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > > > > > > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > > > > > > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > > > > > > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > > > > > > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > > > > > > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > > > > > > > endings.
> > > > > > > > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > > > > > > > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> > > > > > > I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> > > > > > > flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> > > > > > > it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> > > > > > > school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> > > > > > > are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> > > > > > > movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> > > > > > > while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> > > > > > > about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> > > > > > > getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> > > > > > > I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> > > > > > > have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> > > > > > > the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> > > > > > > Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> > > > > > > but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> > > > > > > movie.
> > > > > > > One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> > > > > > > already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> > > > > > > before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> > > > > > > other, you're going to die.
> > > > > > > Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
> > > > > > > trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
> > > > > > > of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
> > > > > > Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> > > > > > Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
> > > > > > right, the downer's almost a given). Meanwhile, I hope you're
> > > > > > reminded of your happily-ever-after wish next time a horror movie
> > > > > > hands you one. My trouble with CD's ending was that it hurled me back
> > > > > > to the HILLS HAVE EYES remake (where I didn't care for it either).
> > > > > The movie Chernobyl Diaries most reminded me of, not in its downbeat
> > > > > tone but more in its plot, was Raw Meat, the English 70s horror about
> > > > > cannibals in the London subway system; there's a movie that could do
> > > > > with a remake.
> > > > I feel like I saw that, but will have to make sure...
> > > One of the things that bothered me about Chernobyl Diaries was how
> > > short that second day was. It was like, it's daybreak and we have to
> > > walk thirteen miles to the checkpoint, oops there's dogs in the road,
> > > look, some cables for the van, oh no, it's dark out.
> > > It wasn't until after seeing CD and reading a few of the reviews, how
> > > tacky and offensive the premise was. It didn't bother me but what's
> > > next--survival horror about dumb yuppies fighting 9/11 victim
> > > zombies?
> > There should be no sacred cows in movies. I admit that some things
> > might be uncomfortable to see, but then movies are supposed to be art
> > and art is supposed to get a free pass. People can choose which they
> > see and which they don't.
> No sacred cows, but no ill-timed insensitivity either. Personally,
> I'd have thought Chernobyl was long enough past for this movie, but
> maybe there's counter-argument from people only slightly closer to
> it.
I don't know about any protests but this is one case where truth isn't
stranger than fiction. It's more banal and there's no Yuri with his
"extreme touring":
"Pripyat
The famous abandoned city, which once housed 50,000 residents. Sights
to see are the schools, kindergarten, public buildings and the amazing
cultural palace which contains a swimming pool, cinema and gymnasium,
and overlooks the famous ferris wheel. Hazards are the crumbling
buildings, and decaying wooden floors in places - so be careful. As of
July 2008, most tours will not let you enter the buildings due to
their current structural stability.
Minibus day-trips from Kiev typically stop in the town's center, at
the west end of Lenin Street near the Palace of Culture. Short-term
visitors are confined to the pavement at ground level; if you join one
of these tours, your risk exposure is minimal, but so too is your
exposure to the vast cultural reliquary that is Pripyat. A more in-
depth visit (several days, staying overnight at the InterInform hotel
in Chornobyl, eating meals at the InterInform stolovaya) costs about
$200 per person per day in a group of four (2011). The long-term
visitor is rewarded with considerably more freedom to explore,
accompanied of course by an InterInform guide."
> On May 29, 9:36 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > On May 29, 9:07 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > On May 29, 7:33 am, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > On May 28, 6:27 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > > > > On May 28, 6:18 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > > > On May 28, 5:03 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > On May 28, 4:16 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > > On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > > > > > > > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > > > > > > > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > > > > > > > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > > > > > > > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > > > > > > > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > > > > > > > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > > > > > > > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > > > > > > > > endings.
> > > > > > > > > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > > > > > > > > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> > > > > > > > I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> > > > > > > > flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> > > > > > > > it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> > > > > > > > school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> > > > > > > > are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> > > > > > > > movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> > > > > > > > while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> > > > > > > > about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> > > > > > > > getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> > > > > > > > I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> > > > > > > > have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> > > > > > > > the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> > > > > > > > Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> > > > > > > > but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> > > > > > > > movie.
> > > > > > > > One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> > > > > > > > already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> > > > > > > > before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> > > > > > > > other, you're going to die.
> > > > > > > > Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
> > > > > > > > trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
> > > > > > > > of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
> > > > > > > Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> > > > > > > Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
> > > > > > > right, the downer's almost a given). Meanwhile, I hope you're
> > > > > > > reminded of your happily-ever-after wish next time a horror movie
> > > > > > > hands you one. My trouble with CD's ending was that it hurled me back
> > > > > > > to the HILLS HAVE EYES remake (where I didn't care for it either).
> > > > > > The movie Chernobyl Diaries most reminded me of, not in its downbeat
> > > > > > tone but more in its plot, was Raw Meat, the English 70s horror about
> > > > > > cannibals in the London subway system; there's a movie that could do
> > > > > > with a remake.
> > > > > I feel like I saw that, but will have to make sure...
> > > > One of the things that bothered me about Chernobyl Diaries was how
> > > > short that second day was. It was like, it's daybreak and we have to
> > > > walk thirteen miles to the checkpoint, oops there's dogs in the road,
> > > > look, some cables for the van, oh no, it's dark out.
> > > > It wasn't until after seeing CD and reading a few of the reviews, how
> > > > tacky and offensive the premise was. It didn't bother me but what's
> > > > next--survival horror about dumb yuppies fighting 9/11 victim
> > > > zombies?
> > > There should be no sacred cows in movies. I admit that some things
> > > might be uncomfortable to see, but then movies are supposed to be art
> > > and art is supposed to get a free pass. People can choose which they
> > > see and which they don't.
> > No sacred cows, but no ill-timed insensitivity either. Personally,
> > I'd have thought Chernobyl was long enough past for this movie, but
> > maybe there's counter-argument from people only slightly closer to
> > it.
> I don't know about any protests but this is one case where truth isn't
> stranger than fiction. It's more banal and there's no Yuri with his
> "extreme touring":
> "Pripyat
> The famous abandoned city, which once housed 50,000 residents. Sights
> to see are the schools, kindergarten, public buildings and the amazing
> cultural palace which contains a swimming pool, cinema and gymnasium,
> and overlooks the famous ferris wheel. Hazards are the crumbling
> buildings, and decaying wooden floors in places - so be careful. As of
> July 2008, most tours will not let you enter the buildings due to
> their current structural stability.
> Minibus day-trips from Kiev typically stop in the town's center, at
> the west end of Lenin Street near the Palace of Culture. Short-term
> visitors are confined to the pavement at ground level; if you join one
> of these tours, your risk exposure is minimal, but so too is your
> exposure to the vast cultural reliquary that is Pripyat. A more in-
> depth visit (several days, staying overnight at the InterInform hotel
> in Chornobyl, eating meals at the InterInform stolovaya) costs about
> $200 per person per day in a group of four (2011). The long-term
> visitor is rewarded with considerably more freedom to explore,
> accompanied of course by an InterInform guide."
> On May 29, 9:07 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On May 29, 7:33 am, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > On May 28, 6:27 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > > > On May 28, 6:18 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > > On May 28, 5:03 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > > > > > On May 28, 4:16 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:> On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > > > > > > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > > > > > > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > > > > > > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > > > > > > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > > > > > > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > > > > > > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > > > > > > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > > > > > > > endings.
> > > > > > > > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > > > > > > > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> > > > > > > I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> > > > > > > flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> > > > > > > it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> > > > > > > school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> > > > > > > are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> > > > > > > movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> > > > > > > while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> > > > > > > about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> > > > > > > getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> > > > > > > I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> > > > > > > have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> > > > > > > the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> > > > > > > Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> > > > > > > but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> > > > > > > movie.
> > > > > > > One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> > > > > > > already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> > > > > > > before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> > > > > > > other, you're going to die.
> > > > > > > Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
> > > > > > > trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
> > > > > > > of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
> > > > > > Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> > > > > > Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary (...and Trotsky's
> > > > > > right, the downer's almost a given). Meanwhile, I hope you're
> > > > > > reminded of your happily-ever-after wish next time a horror movie
> > > > > > hands you one. My trouble with CD's ending was that it hurled me back
> > > > > > to the HILLS HAVE EYES remake (where I didn't care for it either).
> > > > > The movie Chernobyl Diaries most reminded me of, not in its downbeat
> > > > > tone but more in its plot, was Raw Meat, the English 70s horror about
> > > > > cannibals in the London subway system; there's a movie that could do
> > > > > with a remake.
> > > > I feel like I saw that, but will have to make sure...
> > > One of the things that bothered me about Chernobyl Diaries was how
> > > short that second day was. It was like, it's daybreak and we have to
> > > walk thirteen miles to the checkpoint, oops there's dogs in the road,
> > > look, some cables for the van, oh no, it's dark out.
> > > It wasn't until after seeing CD and reading a few of the reviews, how
> > > tacky and offensive the premise was. It didn't bother me but what's
> > > next--survival horror about dumb yuppies fighting 9/11 victim
> > > zombies?
> > There should be no sacred cows in movies. I admit that some things
> > might be uncomfortable to see, but then movies are supposed to be art
> > and art is supposed to get a free pass. People can choose which they
> > see and which they don't.
> No sacred cows, but no ill-timed insensitivity either. Personally,
> I'd have thought Chernobyl was long enough past for this movie, but
> maybe there's counter-argument from people only slightly closer to
> it. (Regardless, in this context -- and outside a courtroom -- I'd
> hesitate to call CD 'art'...)
The only thing that bothers some mostly anti-nuke lunatics is that
more people didn't die. They don't give a s--- about "sensitivity."
I was a nuke accident, caused by a flawed reactor design (Canada's are
the best which is why more of them are in use than the crap out of
Russia) and a useless, drunken, incompetent group of controllers.
Having said that, I would like to re-iterate for the illiterate, that
the net effect of Chernobyl was not anywhere near as bad as they
thought it would be and contains some notable positives, such as the
cessation of poaching of the wolf population in that region. But just
to pour some negative fuel on the fire, Turkey has a couple of the
same kind of reactors...
RichA wrote:
> I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> endings.
I was sorely disappointed with this and had no sympathy for any of the characters. It was almost like the only interesting thing was going to be the order that they died off. And must every fourth line in the movie be 'What the f**k is that?' or 'We need to get the f**k out of here?' The 'payoff' at the end was just boring, even if a trifle unexpected.
I was left cold and felt my money was wasted (and I seldom get that feeling from most any movie.)
On May 30, 3:26 pm, "WrongWayWade" <rl3166...@excite.com> wrote:
> RichA wrote:
> > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > endings.
> I was sorely disappointed with this and had no sympathy for any of the
> characters.
I had sympathy for the Russian. He was just trying to run a small
business.
> On May 30, 3:26 pm, "WrongWayWade" <rl3166...@excite.com> wrote:
> > RichA wrote:
> > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > endings.
> > I was sorely disappointed with this and had no sympathy for any of the
> > characters.
> I had sympathy for the Russian. He was just trying to run a small
> business.
Especially with all the competition from the professional Chernobyl
tour companies that we never get to see. I bet their vans don't break
down.
RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On May 30, 3:26 pm, "WrongWayWade" <rl3166...@excite.com> wrote:
> > RichA wrote:
> > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > endings.
> > I was sorely disappointed with this and had no sympathy for any of the
> > characters.
> I had sympathy for the Russian. He was just trying to run a small
> business.
And of course, there's the fact that he wasn't Russian. He was Ukrainian.
nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> On May 30, 4:00 pm, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On May 30, 3:26 pm, "WrongWayWade" <rl3166...@excite.com> wrote:
> > > RichA wrote:
> > > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > > endings.
> > > I was sorely disappointed with this and had no sympathy for any of the
> > > characters.
> > I had sympathy for the Russian. He was just trying to run a small
> > business.
> Especially with all the competition from the professional Chernobyl
> tour companies that we never get to see. I bet their vans don't break
> down.
That's what I was thinking. All they had to do was make it through the first night and then get help from one of the half dozen or so other tour groups that go through Pripyat every day. I guess the scene where they were turned away by the gate guards at the beginning was supposed to take care of that plot hole.
nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> > On May 28, 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > endings.
> > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> movie.
> One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> other, you're going to die.
And if your skin is already burning off from radiation exposure, you're dead already, even if you manage to find a way to escape the mutant cannibal people.
moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
> On May 28, 4:16 pm, nick <nickmacpherso...@AOL.com> wrote:
> > On May 28, 8:49 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:> On May 28, > > 8:13 am, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > I found it engaging. Even the short homage to "It's Alive" was
> > > > effective. I believed the characters in this from the Russian tour
> > > > guide to the adventurers, even the Leo DiCaprio (sort of) clone who
> > > > gets attacked early on. And for once, although there was a
> > > > "government conspiracy" it didn't dominate the film, there was no evil
> > > > leader pontificating on things here. The fact the American audience
> > > > didn't really like it doesn't surprise me, since it didn't end well
> > > > and we know Americans (pathetically) need their precious happy
> > > > endings.
> > > Several well-regarded -- even found-footage -- movies have had downer
> > > endings. If there was a sin to this ending, it was sameness.
> > I saw Chernobyl Diaries this afternoon. A holiday, so even if CD is
> > flopping (and while I haven't seen the box office results, I imagine
> > it is) the theater was relatively full with a large number of high
> > school girls and, depressingly, mothers with toddlers (toddlers who
> > are probably cognizant enough to be scared out of their minds my the
> > movie). So maybe not the most ideal of viewing circumstances. But
> > while I thought it was generally well done and the first scare was
> > about as good a jump scare as you're going to get these days, I'm
> > getting tired of the downer endings in horror movies.
> > I don't know what Rich is talking about. Mainstream horror movies
> > have been having downbeat endings since Saw and Hostel right through
> > the found footage pictures. Even something as trad as The Woman in
> > Black had a downbeat ending. The audiences have come to expect it,
> > but for once I would like a "precious happy ending" in a modern horror
> > movie.
> > One thing I learned from Chernobyl Diaries, or maybe I knew it
> > already: if you feel the need to say, "we need to get out of here
> > before the radiation kills us," there's a good chance, one way or the
> > other, you're going to die.
> > Also despite the complaints last week about AMC, we only got two
> > trailers, so between the start of the first trailer and the beginning
> > of CD's end credits, it was a whopping eighty minutes.
> Come to think of it, 'found footage' probably dates back to some
> Elizabethan novel comprising a "discovered" diary
