Loool, I like that one Morbs. Deric, I may be wrong as I haven't seen it, but doesn't the musical Wicked sort of go down the Glenda-isn't-actually-so-nice route?
― emil.y, Monday, 14 May 2012 16:20 (twelve years ago) link
You're all getting technical on me..."In space, no one can hear you scream (except the other people on the ship, if they're still alive)." (You're right, the TCM tagline is just an open-ended question, not descriptive.)
― clemenza, Monday, 14 May 2012 16:20 (twelve years ago) link
xpost
Very possible, but I have also never seen it.
― Bob Bop Perano (Deric W. Haircare), Monday, 14 May 2012 16:21 (twelve years ago) link
You're all getting technical on me...
Actually, no--I'm the one getting overly technical. Proceed a pace!
― clemenza, Monday, 14 May 2012 16:48 (twelve years ago) link
Without revealing too much of your list, any favourite horror-film performances? Horror probably joins action as the genre where performance is most secondary...not that it doesn't matter, but I think you can get by with adequate acting if the film's good enough. (There are a number of films on my list, including right at the top, where the actors aren't a big factor.) I think Spacek in Carrie, Walken in The Dead Zone, and Karloff in Frankenstein are pretty great by any criteria.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 11:25 (twelve years ago) link
Catherine Deneuve in Repulsion, for sure.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 11:43 (twelve years ago) link
I like Michael Redgrave in Dead of Night and Ernest Thesiger in Bride of Frankenstein.
― MrDasher, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 13:48 (twelve years ago) link
Isabelle Adjani in Possession, Naomi Watts in Mulholland Dr.. Two of the most riveting performances in any movie.
― Bob Bop Perano (Deric W. Haircare), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 14:00 (twelve years ago) link
Ernest Thesiger in Bride of Frankenstein.
^^^yes
Also, a bit of an ott performance, but I really liked Brad Dourif in Excorcist III. This association made Doc Cochran super creepy for me.
― He's sick of the Swiss. He don't like em. (Austerity Ponies), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 14:18 (twelve years ago) link
Ugh why do people like Exorcist III?
― a parker full of poseys (Stevie D(eux)), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 14:23 (twelve years ago) link
Because it's not any of the other Exorcists that were produced after the first? Also it's pretty decent (if no match for the first).
― Bob Bop Perano (Deric W. Haircare), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 14:33 (twelve years ago) link
cosign isabelle adjani. the acting is fascinating in that film. and i do love ewar woowar in the wicker man.
― second only to popcorn (or something), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 14:35 (twelve years ago) link
acting apparently not too important to me when it comes to horror films because I don't see too many performances I'd call "great" on my ballot. some interesting performances maybe? I'll rep for these tho...
karloff's frankenstein, the greatest monster perf ever, taken for granted because of its cultural ubiquity, but just amazing and transcendent max schreck in nosferatuklaus kinski in nosferatuangela bettis in may jenny spain in deadgirlterry o'quinn in the stepfatherryo ishibashi and eihi shiina in audition dieter laser in the human centipedemichael moriarty in Qcandace hilligoss in carnival of soulsgoldblum and davis in the flyburstyn and miller in the exorcistmitchum in the night of the hunter
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 15:14 (twelve years ago) link
Sherman "Bub" Howard in Day Of The Dead. So underrated. He commited so hard to that role.
― Bob Bop Perano (Deric W. Haircare), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 15:41 (twelve years ago) link
I would say Goldblum, farther down your list, is the greatest monster performance ever. xp
― i love the large auns pictures! (Phil D.), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 15:50 (twelve years ago) link
hah, xpost!
goldblum and davis in the fly
yeah, definitely my favorite goldblum performance. prob davis too.
― original bgm, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 15:52 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, Burstyn's great in The Exorcist--I love the scene where she curses out all the shrinks.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 15:57 (twelve years ago) link
HOLY CRAP I NEED TO SEE PHANTOM DER NACHT
― He's sick of the Swiss. He don't like em. (Austerity Ponies), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 15:59 (twelve years ago) link
me too! I even own the dvd but haven't gotten around to watching it. what is my problem?!
― original bgm, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 16:00 (twelve years ago) link
probably you're an alchoholic and a wife-beater
― He's sick of the Swiss. He don't like em. (Austerity Ponies), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 16:02 (twelve years ago) link
like karloff, kinski gets both the savagery and the pathos of the beast
love how sudden + intense the physical intimidation is in this scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3upuBWl2Xq4#t=245s
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 16:48 (twelve years ago) link
sutherland and christie - don't look nowangela bettis - mayanthony perkins - psycholaura dern - inland empirevon sydow and ullmann - hour of the wolfcatherine deneuve - repulsion
― The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to (contenderizer), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 16:56 (twelve years ago) link
Was just talking with my brothers about Society today. Kind of wish I'd voted for it, in a way. It's one of those films where the beginning just does not get you interested, but by the end it is so horrific, and that change of pace is superb. (I find Spoorloos a bit like this in that the bulk of it is very prosaic, but the end, oh god the end. More artistic/less teen movie than Society, though, obviously.)
― emil.y, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 17:03 (twelve years ago) link
and karloff! there's just such beauty to what he's doing here w/ stillness and quiet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=uDkpJPNhrF4#t=1912s
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 17:07 (twelve years ago) link
The kid who plays the psycho in Jack Ketchum's The Lost. That movie would be nothing without his performance.
― Hierophantiasis (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 17:13 (twelve years ago) link
angela bettis is pretty much great in anything she does actually.
― O_o-O_0-o_O (jjjusten), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:23 (twelve years ago) link
Agreed!! She's a real fan favorite.
― former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:32 (twelve years ago) link
One big motif I realised is missing from my ballot: the ageing melodramatic actress as a horror unto herself. Need to investigate that trope more, I think.
― emil.y, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:35 (twelve years ago) link
implied in daughters of darkness, perhaps, but that's loving tribute as much as monstrification, so she's still a beautiful horror. certainly not baby jane material.
― The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to (contenderizer), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:39 (twelve years ago) link
are we talking sunset blvd here or
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:42 (twelve years ago) link
Sunset Boulevard is more on the thriller side of the spectrum, but one of the most high profile; Whatever Happened to Baby Jane is probably the epitome of that trope on the horror end.
― emil.y, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:44 (twelve years ago) link
yup
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:44 (twelve years ago) link
But, as I say, I don't know that many of the films - I have friends who talk about a lot more that fit in to this schematic, but I remain mostly in the dark.
― emil.y, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:45 (twelve years ago) link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho-biddy
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:47 (twelve years ago) link
Half amused, half appalled at 'psycho-biddy' and 'hagsploitation'. I like 'Grande Dame Guignol' as a name, though.
― emil.y, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:48 (twelve years ago) link
the wiki examples are pretty broad, like, in no way is trog a psychobiddy film
however I wouldn't argue with anyone who voted for mommie dearest in this poll
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:49 (twelve years ago) link
I have seen zero films with angela bettis in them. If I were to rectify that, what would I watch? Can't say any of them are calling out to me.
― He's sick of the Swiss. He don't like em. (Austerity Ponies), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:50 (twelve years ago) link
hagspoitation is a very gross term.
― He's sick of the Swiss. He don't like em. (Austerity Ponies), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:51 (twelve years ago) link
MAY you should watch May.
― former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:52 (twelve years ago) link
May is prob the best starting point, but if you want something a little more hardcore and unpleasant theres always The Woman
― O_o-O_0-o_O (jjjusten), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:52 (twelve years ago) link
Thanks, guys. This has been a very informative thread.
― He's sick of the Swiss. He don't like em. (Austerity Ponies), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:53 (twelve years ago) link
may, absolutely
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:53 (twelve years ago) link
La Lechera and her lurker gave me this book and it is wonderful and I recommend it: http://www.amazon.com/Grande-Dame-Guignol-Cinema-History/dp/0786445696/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
― Polly biscuit face (carl agatha), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:53 (twelve years ago) link
sunset boulevard may not be a horror film, but norma desmond certainly fits the criteria for the sort of character you're talking about. a lot of movies do this implicitly by casting an iconic older actress in a monstrous role (joan crawford in both strait-jacket and berserk), but few do it explicitly, making the character an actress herself.
― The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to (contenderizer), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:54 (twelve years ago) link
good lord i always forget that she was carrie in the carrie remake. almost makes me want to watch it, but not quite
― O_o-O_0-o_O (jjjusten), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:54 (twelve years ago) link
Not to get all into this, but I have no problem with hagsploitation -- hag horror is my favorite term for this sort of movie because anyone who enjoys these movies isn't like "yuk she's a hag" -- the hag is the draw, the hero. When else do women in their 50s get to be the hero?!
― former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:54 (twelve years ago) link
watch may!
― The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to (contenderizer), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:55 (twelve years ago) link
long live the crone, in other words
― former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:55 (twelve years ago) link
I heard not-bad things about the carrie remake, I imagine these were related bettis' involvement
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 18:56 (twelve years ago) link
wish somebody would invent cronecore