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The Hills Have Eyes remake...

post #1 of 58
2/7/06 at 2:19am
Thread Starter 
...is an huge pile of shit.

Review to come soon...
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post #2 of 58
2/7/06 at 2:21am
I don't think you should review a film when you were told at the screening that the print wasn't for review.
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post #3 of 58
2/7/06 at 10:59am
Thread Starter 
I'm going to do a writeup of the whole event. Can't do that?
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post #4 of 58
2/7/06 at 12:38pm
Fuck the establishment!
Write the review, Connigit!
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post #5 of 58
2/7/06 at 12:55pm
Thread Starter 
To be honest, I don't remember them saying that. They handed out press notes for the thing, after all.

It's not a finished film, but there was one scene they were considering changing- (it was only the color of the film- go figure). I wasn't planning on giving it a numbered review anyway.... just my impressions.

Article's coming, fellas..
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post #6 of 58
2/7/06 at 1:02pm
Almost any screening of a film has press notes, whether it's for review or not. The picture you saw was the final cut, but there were color timing and possibly score issues to be settled. Would your review be accurate for the released film? Probably, but they asked that it not be reviewed.
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post #7 of 58
2/7/06 at 1:11pm
Thread Starter 
Sure are score issues....

Look, I'm not giving it a complete review. I'm just writing about the night- about Night Watch, the reception, the whole shebang. Didn't know you were there, Devin.

I'll give it a full review when it's released, but now i'm just writing impressions. You really think they'd have a problem with that?
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post #8 of 58
2/7/06 at 1:21pm
Beats me. You might want to check with your Fox Searchlight contact.
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post #9 of 58
2/7/06 at 1:51pm
Opinons are always worth it. Spill.
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post #10 of 58
2/7/06 at 5:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by devincf
You might want to check with your Fox Searchlight contact.
Or, since we're all on the same team, you might PM that info to Alex and I so we can verify things prior to a public conversation like this getting started.

Sorry, Devin, we're doing the best we know how over here. We know you've been doing this a lot longer than either of us.
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post #11 of 58
2/7/06 at 5:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Connigit
...is an huge pile of shit.
This is already kind of a review.
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post #12 of 58
2/7/06 at 5:19pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah, a retarded, mispelled review.

I can see the poster now....

THE HILLS HAVE EYES

"AN HUGE PIECE OF SHIT!" - Creature Corner
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post #13 of 58
2/7/06 at 6:44pm
Ted Levine. Robert Joy. Billy Drago. With those folks involved, even my extreme dislike for High Tension ain't going to keep me from seeing it.
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post #14 of 58
2/7/06 at 7:11pm
The nature of the story doesn't require Aja to make an attempt at being "clever" which was the primary problem w/ Haute Tension, so I hadn't really decided on condeming this effort right out the gate, but I'm still between being neutral & moderately curious about this project anyway.

Haute Tension's best moments could *maybe* faze a school girl.
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post #15 of 58
2/9/06 at 1:39pm
Thread Starter 
JacknifeJohnny- you've got that right. I felt the same way about High Tension- everyone talked about it being a throwback to gory, 70s horror.... but nothing in it felt too much for me. Hills have Eyes won't faze you any more.... although there are a few cool kills.

Guys, can't do the review yet- don't want people mad at me already. I'm still new at this thing, anyway. But I put up a little piece about the night.

I'm also considering giving away both the Night Watch windup doll and the Hills squishy ball.... but I don't know if people would be interested...
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post #16 of 58
2/10/06 at 9:18pm
I know Connigit obviously hated it but Johnny Butane over at Dread Central found quite a bit to like.
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post #17 of 58
2/10/06 at 11:35pm
Thread Starter 
That wasn't Johnny Butane- but the reviewer didn't really give any reasons why it might be a good movie, except for the gore and backstory. The gore's good here, very good at points- but the rest of the movie is not.

The fact that he said the opening scene was intense says a lot about the reviewer though. It's actually very tame.... and enough to make your eyes roll.

Bah... I'm telling you, this movie's going to get the same reaction as High Tension. Either you'll love it or you'll hate it.
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post #18 of 58
2/11/06 at 4:46am
There's a spoilerish clip over at Bloody-disgusting that involves Aaron Stanford killing one of the mutants. Some of the scenes in the clip are in the trailer. From seeing that clip and the other one that's spoilerish as well thats over at IGN the flick is looking really good. It's reminding me of the Peacocks from the X-files episode "Home", and the mountain men from Wrong Turn.
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post #19 of 58
3/10/06 at 12:39pm
Thread Starter 
My review (more of a rant, actually) is online.

I'm so interested in what people think of this movie.
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post #20 of 58
3/10/06 at 1:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex Riviello
My review (more of a rant, actually) is online.

I'm so interested in what people think of this movie.
Well that was.....objective.

I really didn't get a feel for the film at all from that review and it kinda sounds like you're treating the director's stylistical choices as mistakes. High Tension was quite darkly funny and from what you're writing it sounds like The Hills... is pretty much the same. I'll still see it when it comes out though.
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post #21 of 58
3/11/06 at 4:31pm
Thread Starter 
Never promised objectivity.

I didn't want to give a feel for the movie cause I hated the feel of the movie.... there were just too many little things about the movie that I couldn't make a regular review out of it.

I'll say it once again- if you managed to get some kind of pleasure out of High Tension, you'll probably like this.

If you thought it was overrated as hell, you'll hate it as much as I did.
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post #22 of 58
3/11/06 at 4:44pm
I absolutely hated HIGH TENSION, and not just because of the twist ending, but I found this film surprisingly enjoyable. I'm not gonna say I loved it, but it was better than most of the recent batch of horror movies.
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post #23 of 58
3/13/06 at 3:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex Riviello
if you managed to get some kind of pleasure out of High Tension, you'll probably like this.
I liked High Tension and thought Hills Have Eyes was crap. But you and I seem to be alone in that feeling. And I did have a drink or two before High Tension...
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post #24 of 58
3/13/06 at 5:23am
Thread Starter 
Hmm. Guess I'll have to abandon my theory then. I thought it was just Aja's direction that everyone either loved or hated.

Heh... I should've had a drink before Hills. I saw that damn thing twice, too... after hearing how much people liked it- to see if there was any reason why this would be. Couldn't find it, though.

Edited to say.... I find it hysterical that 'The Shaggy Dog' came in front of Hills this weekend.
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post #25 of 58
3/13/06 at 4:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex Riviello
Edited to say.... I find it hysterical that 'The Shaggy Dog' came in front of Hills this weekend.
I found the poster for Shaggy Dog more terrifying than anything in Hills Have Eyes. Human eyes on a dog's face? NIGHTMARES.
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post #26 of 58
3/13/06 at 7:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex Riviello
I find it hysterical that 'The Shaggy Dog' came in front of Hills this weekend.
Considering "Hills" played on about 1000 less screens and averaged more money that ''The Shaggy Dog" per screen, I'd say it did better than some would have thought. Less than 2 millions separating the two isn't a huge difference with all things considered.
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post #27 of 58
3/13/06 at 8:36pm
Thread Starter 
C'mon, it's still funny though.
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post #28 of 58
3/14/06 at 12:12am
Not when everybody on the planet was predicting it would happen.
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post #29 of 58
7/25/06 at 9:42am
I guess I can see your point, Alex, but I definitely disagree. This was pretty fantastic. Aja did a fine job of manipulating the action to put you right there in the family's shoes. That breast feeding scene is the most vile thing I've seen in years. Absolutely repulsive, like being caught in one of Fabfunk's wet dreams. I also loved Ted Levine. He really improved on the role from the original. The bit where he makes a point of laughing at his son in law for asking if they could fix the broken axel is priceless.
My biggest criticism is the mutant design. They looked too cartoonish. The third act would have been even more brutal if they looked less like monsters and more like people.
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post #30 of 58
7/25/06 at 10:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobClark
My biggest criticism is the mutant design. They looked too cartoonish. The third act would have been even more brutal if they looked less like monsters and more like people.
That was my main issue with WRONG TURN. I thought it was a pretty good and tense little thriller until they unveiled Sloth's blood relatives.
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post #31 of 58
7/25/06 at 10:07am
They look just like the Wrong Turn mutants. Must be kissin' cousins.
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post #32 of 58
7/25/06 at 10:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobClark
I guess I can see your point, Alex, but I definitely disagree. This was pretty fantastic. Aja did a fine job of manipulating the action to put you right there in the family's shoes. That breast feeding scene is the most vile thing I've seen in years. Absolutely repulsive, like being caught in one of Fabfunk's wet dreams. I also loved Ted Levine. He really improved on the role from the original. The bit where he makes a point of laughing at his son in law for asking if they could fix the broken axel is priceless.
My biggest criticism is the mutant design. They looked too cartoonish. The third act would have been even more brutal if they looked less like monsters and more like people.
Absolutely in agreement on the breast feeding. Hell the whole trailer raid was horrifying. The only criticism I have with the DVD is that they show the oldest daughter getting shot, when, theatrically, he pulled the trigger and it cut to the family picture getting splattered in blood. I appreciated that a little more as it was much more disturbing and visceral then just seeng a bullet go in her head. They cut to the picture afterwards, but it lost a little of its punch.
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post #33 of 58
7/25/06 at 10:49am
Thread Starter 
What else was added in the unrated version? Was it all extra shit around the trailer rape?
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post #34 of 58
7/25/06 at 10:58am
I didn't see it in the theater, but I loved (for lack of a better word) the head shot. I just assumed they cut out the breastfeeding stuff only because it disturbed me so much.
Was the scene where he wakes up in the meat locker in the theatrical? It felt like a quick detour from the narrative. Not that I'm complaining, because it was a cool scene.
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post #35 of 58
7/25/06 at 11:00am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobClark
I guess I can see your point, Alex, but I definitely disagree. This was pretty fantastic. Aja did a fine job of manipulating the action to put you right there in the family's shoes. That breast feeding scene is the most vile thing I've seen in years. Absolutely repulsive, like being caught in one of Fabfunk's wet dreams. I also loved Ted Levine. He really improved on the role from the original. The bit where he makes a point of laughing at his son in law for asking if they could fix the broken axel is priceless.
My biggest criticism is the mutant design. They looked too cartoonish. The third act would have been even more brutal if they looked less like monsters and more like people.
I've received more email rants from this article than most- seems I'm in the definite minority on this one. Ah well.... different strokes and all that...

Ted Levine was definitely an improvement- although I used to get a kick out of the guy from the original because he looked just like my friend's massive, drunken father.

I just could not take this movie seriously. I really wanted to- that's why I went to a second screening of it... but I just felt it was all over the place and didn't like where it went.

On a funny note, I had a few people write me calling me a nationalist because of my use of "frenchman" in the review. Damn people can't take a joke...

Edited to say: Yep, meat locker was in there.
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post #36 of 58
7/25/06 at 11:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex Riviello

Ted Levine was definitely an improvement- although I used to get a kick out of the guy from the original because he looked just like my friend's massive, drunken father.

.
Oh sure, that guy's rant after their car breaks down is the stuff of legends. Levine's take was an even subtler asshole. He showed a few layers of Alpha male competitiveness and basic macho insecurity that was never touched on in the original. I think that's part of what made this version work so well. The son in law not only had to become a killer to survive, but he had to become like his father in law whom he loathed.
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post #37 of 58
7/25/06 at 12:19pm
The movie needed more Drago. Aside from that, I thought it was pretty good. Much better than The Descent.

Glad to hear they're doing a sequel.
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post #38 of 58
7/25/06 at 12:22pm
Claire from Lost is hot. Really, really hot.


That's all I got.
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post #39 of 58
7/26/06 at 3:59pm
And, unfortunately, recently married.
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post #40 of 58
7/27/06 at 3:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobClark
They look just like the Wrong Turn mutants. Must be kissin' cousins.
I liked the wheelchair guy with the big head well enough. Though, I guess, not much of a threat...
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post #41 of 58
8/6/06 at 9:14pm
Finally saw this and it stinks.

It's just as lousy as the original, but for different reasons.

In the original, the actress who played the mother was fucking piss-awful. The acting this time around is much improved, but the characters are still as dumb as in the original.

The mutants were far too nasty to be believeable. The wheelchair dude with the long head looks like Jabba the Hutt's offspring.

And really, I don't find the desert all that scary.

I enjoyed Wrong Turn much more.
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post #42 of 58
8/6/06 at 9:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by General Zod
Finally saw this and it stinks.

It's just as lousy as the original, but for different reasons.

In the original, the actress who played the mother was fucking piss-awful. The acting this time around is much improved, but the characters are still as dumb as in the original.
Granted, none of them were Rommel, but I thought they weren't too dumb for horror protagonists.
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post #43 of 58
8/6/06 at 9:55pm
Not nearly as dumb as most horror protags I will agree, but why on Earth, if the young kid knew how to handle a gun, which from the way his father had orgasms over he surely did, why couldn't he aim the damn thing and blow mutant heads off?

I guess the flick wasn't as awful as most, but it was again, yet another pointless remake. If you are not going to improve upon, why bother?
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post #44 of 58
8/7/06 at 3:33pm
There's a huge difference between learning to shoot and handle a gun within the confines of a firing range and the situations depicted in Hills. You're essentially questioning why this little kid isn't acting like a cold-blooded commando when his family is being systematically butchered around him. Simple answer: he's scared out of his gourd and panicking. I'd suggest that it would be a helluva lot less realistic if he calmly plunked off each mutant with his pistol.
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post #45 of 58
8/7/06 at 6:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobClark
I didn't see it in the theater, but I loved (for lack of a better word) the head shot. I just assumed they cut out the breastfeeding stuff only because it disturbed me so much.
Was the scene where he wakes up in the meat locker in the theatrical? It felt like a quick detour from the narrative. Not that I'm complaining, because it was a cool scene.

I don't remember any breast feeding scene, so I think that was cut. The meat locker scene made it in, though, which was awesome.

For what it's worth, I think it's a great little nasty flick, and I didn't really mind the oddball mutants. The scene where the dad gets roasted alive in front of his family is the stuff out of some sort of Boschian hell-pit.
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post #46 of 58
8/7/06 at 8:01pm
I had to watch some of this movie through my fingers, so it gets a Horror Movie thumbs-up from me. I was truly horrified. It earned it's genre namesake.
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post #47 of 58
8/7/06 at 8:08pm
I never got into it, at all. The characters never interested me, and the tension didn't work, so I was never drawn into it, so when all this horrible shit happened, sure it was vile, but it was never anything more than surface horror.

Also, the weird GLADIATOR-esque dropframe effect, whatever it was, kept pulling me out of a film. It reminded me of TCM 03, where it kept reminding me it was a film because of the techniques it used.
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post #48 of 58
8/7/06 at 8:18pm
I actually connected to the characters because I'm a Doug type and my dad's a Big Bob type. Also, me and my sister can utterly confuse my mom when we speak of things like "the chronic". So that whole "Who smokes pot?!" - "Who indeed!" exchange really put a smile on my face and elevated the family above your standard level slasher-victim fare.
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post #49 of 58
8/7/06 at 8:53pm
I liked the characters a lot and think all the pre-Levine burning stuff was great. It's just that the rest of it didn't really hold up all that well.
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post #50 of 58
8/7/06 at 8:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ServantOfDagon
I actually connected to the characters because I'm a Doug type and my dad's a Big Bob type.
No offence, but I thought Doug was the most annoying out of them all.

Quote:
Also, me and my sister can utterly confuse my mom when we speak of things like "the chronic". So that whole "Who smokes pot?!" - "Who indeed!" exchange really put a smile on my face and elevated the family above your standard level slasher-victim fare.
I just saw that as dialogue that's been done again and again and again. It seems to be rare to find a horror movie nowadays where one of the protagonists doesn't smoke pot.
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