Opening movie for a cult horror movie night

[Fatmalky]

Fair point about Tcm but its just not for me. I have never seen Cannibal Holocaust. I read something about a turtle being gutted and it was real not special effects which put me off ever seeing it. Not sure if its true but still put me off

[metternich1815]

Yeah, it is true and there is actually a warning before the film about the graphic imagery in the film. It is one of the most savge films in the entire genre. That is not a compliment. The film is severely on overload in regards to violence and sexual content. It definitely lacks moral compass. Honsetly, the film is on the very edge between horror and pornography. In regards to the TCM, that is fine, we all have our own preferences in horror (among us who like it).

[swiss tony]

Firstly, thanks for all the feedback on the opening movie. I'm pretty sure we're going with Evil Dead II. The movie night is going to be for 'fans' of the genre and I personally think fans would prefer this one. Also, because of the Three Stooges element I believe it makes the movie a lot more rewatchable. Frankly, horror people are probably tiring of TCM, if that isn't blasphemous.

In terms of CH, I think you're being incredibly harsh on a landmark, innovative horror movie that knows very much where it's moral compass is pointed. Here are it's big pros;

- It delivered the original found footage storyline thus inspiring countless others i.e. BWP
- It inspired a new generous of horror directors like Eli Roth, hence the Ruggero Deodato cameo in Hostel II.
- Some of the post production marketing/promoting was so effective it landed the director in jail.
- It served to diminish censorship and desensitise people.
- Finally, given the production year, it was politically the right time to send out an anti colonial/empire message, if you were inclined so to do!

[neverending]

Desensitization is a good thing?

[Fatmalky]

Good choice on the movie. I would agree that it has much more rewatch abillaty.
My only problem the CH it the harm of animals for the amusement for people.

[swiss tony]

Originally Posted by neverending

Desensitization is a good thing?

I mean in the context of where we were in the early eighties to where we are now. Maybe it helped to break down government and BBFC control of what was and wasn't good for us to see.

The censorship in the UK back then was too iron-curtainy!

[Fatmalky]

You are probably right it did help brake down censorship. As I say I don't want to see it because of the animal cruelty

[swiss tony]

Originally Posted by Fatmalky

You are probably right it did help brake down censorship. As I say I don't want to see it because of the animal cruelty

There are versions that leave out the worst bits. I have the Vipco edition and I think it's one of the tamer versions.

[neverending]

Originally Posted by swiss tony

I mean in the context of where we were in the early eighties to where we are now. Maybe it helped to break down government and BBFC control of what was and wasn't good for us to see.

The censorship in the UK back then was too iron-curtainy!

You listed in your pros section that it desinsitized people.

It served to diminish censorship and desensitise people.

Diminishing censorship and desensitizing the audience are two separate things. I'm not asking anything about the censorship. My question was simply "Desensitization is a good thing?"

I think a case could be made that the steady desensitization of the audience is a major factor why horror movies are so crappy these days, as filmmakers continually strive to push the envelope farther and farther in shocks and gore, at the expense of good storytelling, effective pacing and competent acting.

[metternich1815]

I am familiar with the film, I did a great deal of research on the film before I actually watched it. I have multiple books on horror movies and have read virtually all of them and the film came reccomended, but I personally am not a fan of that level of torture, gore, and explicit sex or even torture of any kind. I believe that direction of horror movies was misguided and I am glad to see it seems to have passed. Also, the animal mutilation scenes were the most terrible things I have seen on film. I will retract my statement on lacking a moral compass. I see it now that you mention it. I realize it contained a message on civilization (I pointed it out in my comment). I just could not handle the film. As I mentioned, I personally loved The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), I did not even realize people still knew the original. I am unable to make a statement on Evil Dead II because I have not seen it, but i'm sure it will be a good film. I do agree with some of the other comments that The Evil Dead (1981) would have been a better film, but that was not an option. You're welcome for the feedback.