One of the many reasons that the new version of “The Amityville Horror” will kick ass is Philip Baker Hall plays Father McNamara.

In preparation for this coming weekend, I re-watched the 1979 version of “The Amityville Horror.” It’s been a long time since having originally seen it and I remember not thinking too much of it the first time around. Well, that’s the way I felt all over again. Margot Kidder, James Brolin and Rod Steiger try their best but never quite elevate the movie to anything past mediocre. Maybe it’s that nothing really shocking ever happens to set you on edge (except for that great “head splitting” dream sequence). Maybe it’s because they tried to put so many of the events from the book in that the movie seems so muddled. Maybe it’s that George goes so crazy so fast. Maybe it’s all those “colored” shots of the house that are supposedly saying “Look at me. I’m a creepy house!” Maybe it’s that really anticlimactic ending involving the family dog and a pit of goo. Bah. Here’s hoping that the remake is lots, lots better.

Ah. Yet another sequel that shouldn’t have been made. Now, don’t get me totally wrong. This isn’t the most awful horror movie ever made (i.e. “Saw” and “Cabin Fever”). I dug the first “Ring” … not a fantastic horror movie, but good for some chills, thrills and atmosphere. But where do you go from the killer video tape (whose mystery has been solved)? Posession, of course! I think that is ultimately makes “Ring Two” very lackluster. There are a few nice sequences but things never really take off. Plus there are more than a few “loose ends” that the writer and director didn’t seem to wanna bother with (oh … like the string of dead bodies that someone is gonna have to explain to the police). The movie does get some points for a nice little cameo by Sissy Spacek. Oh, well …

Bring on “The Amityville Horror” please.

The Gatekeeper over at Lions Gate Horror writes:

Lions Gate is also busy prepping the release of HIGH TENSION. First, let me tell you. This is one of the best horror movies you can spend your money on. This movie delivers. It’s scary, tense and has plenty of blood and gore. It raises the bar on slasher type films. I describe it as being 90 minutes of gut wrenching adrenaline. You’ll only be using the edge of your seat for this one.

I talked to a lot of people. There seems to be some concern about there being cuts to the movie so it can get an “R” rating. Here is my take for what it’s worth: To my knowledge Lions Gate would like to give HIGH TENSION a wide release. To release this film or any film for that matter, as unrated or NC-17 is commercial suicide. Do you realize that most of your commericial theaters will not play NC-17/unrated movies? Add to that a lot of newspapers won’t even place ads for movies with such ratings. What’s a studio to do??? In the case of Lions Gate, they cut a frame here and there. It doesn’t even amount to a minutes time. That’s less than 60 seconds so a great horror movie can reach as many people possible—yeah, that includes YOU. Besides you’ll probably get that time back when it’s released on DVD. Trust me. The fine folks at Lions Gate know what they’re doing. They’re not going PG-13 on you aka Ring, The Grudge, Alien vs. Predator. Savor the R rating and kudos to Lions Gate for keeping the “R” in horro”R”.

Tallulah Givehead asks what the big deal is over that one minute that’s gonna be missing from “High Tension.” The big deal (for me anyway) is that the tone of the movie will be effected. One minute of blood and guts is a lot of screen time to be trimmed. Especially since Lions Gate has been promoting the film as being a “hardcore slasher flick.” To me the trimming shows no faith on the part of the studio in the horror movie genre or the fans that go see them.

Just think … what would the original “Dawn of the Dead” have been like if Romero has bowed to pressure and originally released the film with an “R” instead of risking releasing it unrated?

There are so many horror films out there that have been trimmed to get an “R” and then released “Unrated” on video. It’s just annoying because LGF has been saying for over a year that the film would be NC-17. I think that I can speak for those of us that have been interested in “High Tension.” The slasher film has been done a bazillion times already. What was going to be so great about “High Tension” was they weren’t gonna edit it. It was gonna get the NC-17 for the violence (and not for any sexual content).

Yeah. I know that eventually we will get it on video. But, it’s just not the same as sitting in a darkened movie theater with a bunch of strangers who are getting the crap scared out of them as well.~

I am so bummed out about this news. Apparently Lion’s Gate didn’t want to go balls-to-the-wall after all. Weenies.

You can now check out the full length trailer for the remake of “The Amityville Horror.”

When TNT announced it’s new miniseries version of “‘Salem’s Lot” it sounded like a dream come true … especially boasting a cast featuring Rob Lowe, Donald Sutherland, Rutger Hauer, Samantha Mathis and James Cromwell. But, even that cast can’t save this pile of smelly poop. I am a huge fan of the book. Maybe that’s my main problem. But even so, this version is filled with so many plot holes and jumps and general silliness. Your loved one turned into a vampire? Well, don’t kill her ’cause she just might revert back to human! Someone trying to blackmail you? Well, forget those vampires for a few and pay off that debt! Your vampire master has been destroyed? Hey, you can always go to Detroit and work in a soup kitchen! Argh. It’s just more “horror” for today’s ADD television viewer. Skip it.

There something to be said for a good “gross out” movie. It looks like “High Tension” is gonna be that kind of film, and I, for one, can’t wait! Now, don’t get me wrong. I generally like my horror to be more subtle ’cause I think scares work better that way. But occassionally I just have to go in for a ball-to-the-wall splatter fest. Yeah! They’re visceral. They make you cringe. They make you look away in disgust. Whoo! If Lion’s Gate doesn’t weenie out before June, “High Tension” will be the first movie to receive an NC-17 for violent content. And that’s a good thing.

Yeah. I am getting really excited about this movie. I love haunted house movies. And there are so very few good ones out there. “The Haunting” (1963) and “The Changeling” are two of the best that immediately leap to mind. I pumped about this one ’cause it has Mr. Reynolds and ghosts and children in peril and ghosts and craziness and Mr. Reynolds and ghosts. Plus, it’s gotten an “R” rating. That means we should be seeing some nice blood and gore. Yes! Pre-release buzz is starting to turn pretty good for “The Amityville Horror” (but that can be misleading … remember “Saw” had good press). The official site has finally been updated. So, check ‘er out. Anyhoo … I heart me some ghosts … and some Ryan Reynolds.

Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannell (a tie!) for Worst Acting in a Major Motion Picture for “Saw.” What sealed the deal for Academy members were 1) Mr. Elwes’ brilliantly overdone “breakdown” towards the film’s end 2) Mr. Whannell entire performance in the film. How could the voters possibly choose between them? Mr. Elwes’ next project will be yet another crappy movie and Mr. Whannell will steal the money out of horror fans’ pockets with a sequel to “Saw.”