Lake Mungo (2008)

3 / 5 May '11
Tagline: If you've never seen a ghost... Look closer.
Directed by: Joel Anderson
Written by: Joel Anderson
Actors include: Rosie Traynor, David Pledger, Martin Sharpe
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery
Length: 87 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Well points for creativity should be awarded here, though the dry spots in the story were a little too plentiful. The film is told in the style of a documentary about a family who's Daughter Alice has turned up drowned in the lake. They determine her death as accidental and her family tries to move on, they start seeing shadowy versions of Alice around. They contact some Supernatural specialists and exhume the body to try to determine what has happened. As things unravel we find out things aren't quite what we seem, and the more digging that happens the more the story contorts. Some of the imagery here is yes, somewhat creepy but beyond that I can't say much in the way of horror happens. It at least does try to build mystery and it did have me wondering exactly what was going similar to some of Peter Weir's flicks. I just think if they'd had a better cast and bothered to try to make it a bit more ominous things would have been so much better. Thanks so much to Happywax (http://doomgoryumshorroremporium.blogspot.com/) for this recommendation!

Availability:  On DVD

The Last Wave (1977)

4.5 / 5 Feb '10
Tagline: The Occult Forces. The Ritual Murder. The Sinister Storms. The Prophetic Dreams. The Last Wave.
Directed by: Peter Weir
Written by: Peter Weir, Tony Morphett
Actors include: Richard Chamberlain, Olivia Hamnett, David Gulpilil
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 106 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Another extremely mysterious film from Mr. Peter Weir that is gripping yet puzzling until of course things start to come together. It takes place in Australia of course after an Aboriginal murder, our main character is the lawyer set to defend the Aboriginal client. The deeper he seems to go into their beliefs and the possibility that the murder might be something more. This same lawyer happens to suffer from horrific nightmares of bad things happen and worse still unexplained things are happening in reality. The water seems to overflow, it appears to rain frogs...it's very dark and gloomy which I did like. I've never really seen a film quite like this one as it is sort of part disaster film as well plus it's so depressing, it really should be seen. Without spoiling anything the end is so powerful yet in a way they took the easy way out (you'll see what I mean) which will please some and irritate others. I found this to be beautifully filmed, very interesting and since it deals with things I know basically nothing of I found it to be all the more frightening. Go into this with a blank mind and don't read too much, I think you'll get more from it.

Availability:  On DVD

Dead Calm (1989)

4 / 5 Jun '10
Tagline: A Voyage Into Fear
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Written by: Charles Williams, Terry Hayes
Actors include: Sam Neill, Nicole Kidman, Billy Zane
Genre: Thriller
Length: 96 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I actually brought this over to my Folk's house to watch and they said they'd seen this at least 4 times and that it was amazing so how could I resist? For once I agree with them...okay well maybe I wouldn't watch this four times but it was a very exciting and thrilling flick. John (Sam Neill) and Rae (Nicole Kidman) are a couple who are trying to get their lives together while relaxing on a sailboat after a devastating car crash. Things are going amazing until Hughie (Billy Zane) turns up in a rowboat claiming that he is the lone survivor on his ship. He claimed that disease had killed all of the passengers aboard and that the ship was sinking and that he needed help. They take him aboard but something about his story doesn't seem to click with John (he's from the Navy I believe) so he goes to check out the ship he came from. From there it's all excitement pretty much and it's very tense as of course we find that Hughie isn't exactly what he claims to be. I liked that this plot did sort of edge on horror yet it also crams many exciting and frightening situations within. Very well done and should be the sort of thing that nearly anyone should enjoy.

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

Long Weekend (1978)

4.5 / 5 July '10
Tagline: Their crime was against nature...Nature found them guilty.
Directed by: Colin Eggleston
Written by: Everett De Roche
Actors include: John Hargreaves, Briony Behets, Mike McEwen
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Drama
Length: 92 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is one heck of a film and it most definitely makes it's point. It's an Australian film about a fella named Peter who wants to go camping in the wilderness...the only thing is that he's a menace to the outdoors. He's reluctantly dragging along his girlfriend Marcia who hates the outdoors. This sounds like a comedy and in a demented way it kind of is...I mean this couple does everything but burnt down the outdoors. Peter is particularly evil and cruel, even to Marcia who starts to realize something is terribly wrong. See nature isn't going to take this kind of abuse sitting down...it's going to take revenge! Strange things begin happening to the couple including animals attacking them, so Marcia takes the hint and wants to go home. Thing is Peter isn't about to let her leave, and nature isn't about to let them leave either... It's quite an interesting film, when I read the plot I knew I had to see this to see just exactly how this plays out. It's actually rather well made, nicely filmed and it more than makes it's point. Definitely recommended for those looking to see a different kind of horror film.

Availability:  On DVD

The Plumber (1979) aka The Mad Plumber

4 / 5 Aug '10
Tagline: The Australian New Wave Has Come
Directed by: Peter Weir
Written by: Peter Weir
Actors include: Judy Morris, Ivar Kants, Robert Coleby
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Length: 77 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
So it would appear that The Cable Guy was entirely ripped off from this one. The big difference being that Jim Carrey in his film was just obnoxious, the plumber in this film was disturbing. A couple are adjusting to their relatively new apartment and their new situation (the wife has decided to stay home and study for a bit while the husband works). When the wife is home alone she gets a knock on her door from the plumber, he just needs to check her pipes you see. Next thing you know he's claiming the pipes are rotted and need to be replaced. Before long he's mentally tormenting her in her own home and the bathroom has turned into total destruction. He's writing song lyrics in her shower and performing in her bathroom, watching her change and various other creepy things. Just watching him interact with her is extremely uncomfortable. It's actually a relatively well made film and it was really short (77 minutes) but originally it was shot for tv. Still it packs quite a punch, and well it would make most people think before answering the door to a plumber!

Availability:  On DVD

Turkey Shoot (1982) aka Escape 2000

3.5 / 5 Dec '10
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Written by: Jon George
Actor include: Steve Railsback, Olivia Hussey, Michael Craig
Genre: Science Fiction, Action
Length: 93 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Quite a bloody dystopian picture from Australia that has some parts in common with Mad Max but it mostly mimics The Most Dangerous Game. The idea is that in the future there are reprogramming and punishment camps for "deviants" (those who commit minor offenses it seems like). There they are forced to work, sexually abused and forced to learn to obey at all costs. When a group of new entries (and one old worker) to the camp are given the option to be part of a hunting game in exchange for their freedom. Since they are told that they'll never get out otherwise, they agree and so they are thrown into the woods. Shortly after a bunch of evil rich jerks are out on the prowl with various weapons. From there it's loads of fun and excitement and it's very bloody (some of the effects are cheesy) but it's well worth it for any action or horror fan. Not the most original film ever but it is a rather fun take on an old idea.

Availability:  On DVD