Jackhammer's Horror Corner (member, review, cover, shows, quote)

jackhammer · 10-02-2008, 06:38 PM

The Beyond (AKA L'Aldila/ 7 Doors Of Death) 1981. Dir: Lucio Fulci

The Beyond has the tag of 'The best Horror film you have never seen'. While this might be stretching the truth regarding non /casual Horror film fans, the opposite is apt for those in the know.

The Beyond is a truly unique Horror film. It has many inherent faults but many points for originality. If you are fairly new to the Horror genre then The Beyond is not the best place to start. This is'nt directly linked to it's content, it refers more to it's disregard for 'Internal logic'.

'Internal Logic' is a series of sound's and connecting images that are progressive and provide the viewer with an internal narrative that is relative to the charcters moods or situations. Therefore a sudden change in situation would be alluded to in previous images.

The Beyond works mainly in an 'External Logic' plain. This means that scenes appear not just visually random but aurally too and may not allude to the films previous scenes. This does not mean that The Beyond is an incoherent mess. Far from it. It means that the film cannot be related back to an internal logic which would (no matter how fanciful the subject matter) mean that it would still fit in morally and socially.

An example is 'The Exorcist'. No matter how ridiculous the scenario may become, the story ultimately reaches it's targets in ensuring that good triumphs over evil and social order is restored (I Love The Exorcist BTW).

The Beyonds premise is the fact that a hotel has been built upon one of the seven doors of hell and a brutal murder (the films opening) keeps the door open until a lost relative inherits the hotel in the early 80's. To pontificate on the plot from hereon would defeat the object.

The plot (as stated) takes a back seat to all manner of grisly deaths (eye gouging, rabid dogs, shards of glass, zombies etc).

The real crux of the film is the sheer operatic scale of it all. Extreme close ups of eyeballs, both intact and harmed (a Fulci obsession): stunning photography, dizzying camera zooms, surreal scenes (the deserted highway is a doozy) and sheer imagination.

The Beyond is a film that is not well acted. It has it's fair share of dodgy F/X (check out some of the spiders in the libary) and is badly dubbed, yet it is totally unpredicatable, fascinating, original and almost baroque in it's intentions.

You will rarely see a Horror film quite like it.

Molecules · 10-04-2008, 12:02 PM

the most obscure horror film I've seen and indeed the only Italian one is Dario Argento's Suspiria, so you're talking to an ignorant n00b here. Any suggestions on what to follow up with?

I only managed to find a couple of l'Aldila clips on the 'tube... Honestly I find it difficult to get over the 'acting' in most of these films but something still appeals... Would you say these films were largely responsible of the look/feel of 'Evil Dead'?

cardboard adolescent · 10-04-2008, 04:36 PM

I have had the Beyond sitting on my HD forever but without subtitles... I'll get around to seeing it eventually. Your description is pretty appealing to me.

RUPERT · 10-04-2008, 06:14 PM

Oh nice. I went through a big "horror"-ish phase last year.

Some of my favourites are:

Cannibal Holocaust
Redneck Zombies
Island of Death
Evil Dead

One of the most unusual that I've seen is Centipede Horror.

Molecules · 10-04-2008, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RUPERT

Oh nice. I went through a big "horror"-ish phase last year.

Some of my favourites are:

Cannibal Holocaust
Redneck Zombies
Island of Death
Evil Dead

One of the most unusual that I've seen is Centipede Horror.
I can't embed a video, (THIS 15 POST RULE IS RIDICULOUS!!!), so go here to watch --> youtube.com/watch?v=qga3CO8SRuM

pssshhhahahaa

yes. love it. The hordes/swarms/flocks of ''<insert pest here>'' approach to horror. Birds, spiders, bats, snakes... Centipedes. It's so obvious. There was some piece of arse that used to be on tv all the time about deadly ants... Wish i could narrow that down...
But who was that bloke controlling them with his mind? I have to watch this

RUPERT · 10-04-2008, 06:53 PM

Oh, and Calamity of Snakes!
---> youtube.com/watch?v=2u8NcXbIV0o <---

If you can find downloads for either of these films, let me know!
They're incredibly rare.

I have another weird chinese horror on dvd called RED SPELL SPELLS RED. In one scene a supposedly possessed man bites the wings and head off a live chicken

boo boo · 10-04-2008, 07:06 PM

Man, this is a cool idea for a thread.

I love horror films, when they are done right, which is very rarely unfortunately, theres so many horror films being sh*t out every couple of seconds that quality ones are hard to find.

John Carpenter, Wes Craven and Tobe Hooper were great in their day but holy sh*t do their new films suck.

I would like to see Romero's new Dead film though. Looks pretty sweet.

Rubber · 10-04-2008, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RUPERT

One of the most unusual that I've seen is Centipede Horror.

ugh I HATE centipedes...

RUPERT · 10-04-2008, 07:36 PM

You'll hate them even more after seeing centipede horror

NSW · 10-04-2008, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boo boo

I would like to see Romero's new Dead film though. Looks pretty sweet.

Diary of the Dead...was lacking in plot and had some really unrealistic situations (what am I saying...it's a ZOMBIE movie), but I will say this movie had some of THE BEST zombie death (or would that be re-death) scenes I have ever seen. Particularly in the hospital. But that's all I'm going to say.

10-02-2008, 06:38 PM	#11 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	The Beyond (AKA L'Aldila/ 7 Doors Of Death) 1981. Dir: Lucio Fulci The Beyond has the tag of 'The best Horror film you have never seen'. While this might be stretching the truth regarding non /casual Horror film fans, the opposite is apt for those in the know. The Beyond is a truly unique Horror film. It has many inherent faults but many points for originality. If you are fairly new to the Horror genre then The Beyond is not the best place to start. This is'nt directly linked to it's content, it refers more to it's disregard for 'Internal logic'. 'Internal Logic' is a series of sound's and connecting images that are progressive and provide the viewer with an internal narrative that is relative to the charcters moods or situations. Therefore a sudden change in situation would be alluded to in previous images. The Beyond works mainly in an 'External Logic' plain. This means that scenes appear not just visually random but aurally too and may not allude to the films previous scenes. This does not mean that The Beyond is an incoherent mess. Far from it. It means that the film cannot be related back to an internal logic which would (no matter how fanciful the subject matter) mean that it would still fit in morally and socially. An example is 'The Exorcist'. No matter how ridiculous the scenario may become, the story ultimately reaches it's targets in ensuring that good triumphs over evil and social order is restored (I Love The Exorcist BTW). The Beyonds premise is the fact that a hotel has been built upon one of the seven doors of hell and a brutal murder (the films opening) keeps the door open until a lost relative inherits the hotel in the early 80's. To pontificate on the plot from hereon would defeat the object. The plot (as stated) takes a back seat to all manner of grisly deaths (eye gouging, rabid dogs, shards of glass, zombies etc). The real crux of the film is the sheer operatic scale of it all. Extreme close ups of eyeballs, both intact and harmed (a Fulci obsession): stunning photography, dizzying camera zooms, surreal scenes (the deserted highway is a doozy) and sheer imagination. The Beyond is a film that is not well acted. It has it's fair share of dodgy F/X (check out some of the spiders in the libary) and is badly dubbed, yet it is totally unpredicatable, fascinating, original and almost baroque in it's intentions. You will rarely see a Horror film quite like it. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

10-04-2008, 12:02 PM	#12 (permalink)
Molecules daddy don't Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: the Wastes Posts: 2,577	the most obscure horror film I've seen and indeed the only Italian one is Dario Argento's Suspiria, so you're talking to an ignorant n00b here. Any suggestions on what to follow up with? I only managed to find a couple of l'Aldila clips on the 'tube... Honestly I find it difficult to get over the 'acting' in most of these films but something still appeals... Would you say these films were largely responsible of the look/feel of 'Evil Dead'? __________________ [SIZE="1"]Eff em tumble her

10-04-2008, 04:36 PM	#13 (permalink)
cardboard adolescent ;) Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CA Posts: 3,503	I have had the Beyond sitting on my HD forever but without subtitles... I'll get around to seeing it eventually. Your description is pretty appealing to me.

10-04-2008, 06:14 PM	#14 (permalink)
RUPERT Groupie Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 6	Oh nice. I went through a big "horror"-ish phase last year. Some of my favourites are: Cannibal Holocaust Redneck Zombies Island of Death Evil Dead One of the most unusual that I've seen is Centipede Horror.

10-04-2008, 06:53 PM	#16 (permalink)
RUPERT Groupie Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 6	Oh, and Calamity of Snakes! ---> youtube.com/watch?v=2u8NcXbIV0o <--- If you can find downloads for either of these films, let me know! They're incredibly rare. I have another weird chinese horror on dvd called RED SPELL SPELLS RED. In one scene a supposedly possessed man bites the wings and head off a live chicken

10-04-2008, 07:36 PM	#19 (permalink)
RUPERT Groupie Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 6	You'll hate them even more after seeing centipede horror