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| Movie: | Night Watch, Day Watch, The Haunting, Flesh & Blood, Blade Runner, Nikita, Salem's Lot, Lady in White, Gorky Park, Jaws, Innocent Blood, Goldfinger |
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| Actor: | Zhanna Friske, Konstantin Khabensky, Anne Parillaud, Rutger Hauer, Bruce Campbell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, David Tennant, Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Audrey Tautou, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Ecclestone, Audrey Hepburn, Christian Bale, Clint Eastwood, Sean Bean, Demi Moore, Gina McKee, Ray Winstone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone |
| Director: | Sam Raimi, Wes Craven, George Romero, Ridley Scott, Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, Lars von Trier, John Landis, Timur Bekmambetov, Pedro Almodova, François Truffaut |
| Quote: | All these moments will be lost in time... like tears in the rain... |
 Hello, I am the webmaster of Dr Blood's Video Vault - www.drbloodsvideovault.com - the ultimate guide to the best horror films ever made! Yes, that's right, I'm only interested in the "best" on my own site although sometimes I do stray recklessly into the world of low-budget independents as well.  I also like other genres and have many favourite non-horror films including Truffaut's adventures of Antoine Doinel, James Bond, Michael Caine's "Harry Palmer" series and the ultimate British classic - Quadrophenia. You can see what else I'm into by browsing my lists on here anyway. Apart from watching films, I like listening to eastern European pop music (especially Kraski, Blestyashie, Zhanna Friske, Reflex and t.A.T.u.), eating deadly hot curries, playing computer games and discovering new cheeses. I am also learning Russian and Romanian (to go with the other 5 languages I already know badly!). If you want to know more then look me up on one of the many social networking sites such as MySpace, MyYearbook, YouTube, Live Spaces, AIM, LetsHangOut, UHMN, Yuwie, Tagged or Bebo. Some I use more than others but I decided to join as many as I could. You can never have too many friends, can you? ;o)   Please do not send me "Widgets" or include me in "Conversations" or you will be blocked and deleted. I have no interest in your glittery kittens or your hoax "He's a hacker, block him" nonsense. I'm only here to talk about films. Also do not keep asking me, "How are you?". I'm very well, thank you, but my health is none of your concern anyway and I'm not going to give you an answer. I will not reply to any messages written in "text speak" either. |
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Dr Blood's Recent Reviews
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Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
Unrated
A pretty standard Hammer offering. The formula is starting to get boring with this being the third film in the Hammer Dracula series.
Death Race
R
For those of you who don't know, back in 1975 there was a woefully inadequate futuristic car racing movie called "Death Race 2000" where the drivers got points for running over pedestrians. In fact that's pretty much all that it is remembered for apart from David Caradine playing a "not disfigured at all" character named Frankenstein. Others remember it for one of Sylvester Stallone's earliest roles. The least said about that the better. The whole thing was low-budget and only attained "cult" status because the idea was better than the execution.
This "Death Race" is totally different. Rather than being a direct remake, it borrows heavily from the idea of televised (or webcast) executions as used in Stephen King's "Running Man" and the Japanese "Battle Royale". The "pedestrians as points" idea is abandoned completely in favour of some other gory death scenes, big loud guns, lots of explosions and, most importantly, some high-octane car racing action. This is big-budget stuff and, even if you don't like cars, guns, sci-fi or Jason Statham, you'll still find something to enjoy in this film. I don't particularly like any of those things myself yet I still got the post-movie buzz which I haven't had since the days of "Robocop".
This remake of "Death Race" has also pretty much allowed Paul W.S. Anderson to do the impossible. Not only is it 200% better than the original but he has created a decent film at last after all those awful "Resident Evil" movies. Those people who have written him off lately and placed him in the Michael Bay category will now need to re-evaluate their opinions.
I do agree with the critics that say that 'Death Race" is derivative. Every prison story from "Spartacus" through to "Papillon" and from "Brubaker" to "The Shawshank Redemption" has had an influence on this movie and none of those are very original either. The idea of a futuristic prison where an innocent man gets the better of the evil warden has been done to death by films like "Running Man", "No Escape", "Fortress", "Wedlock", and even "Battle Royale". They are all much the same. For fans of less talky pseudo-political bullshit who, just like me, prefer movies like John Carpenter's "Escape from New York" and "Escape from L.A.", this is great. It's about a million times better than Neil Marshall's "Doomsday" as well.
I certainly don't agree with the critics who have been slamming this film for being a live action version of the "Twisted Metal" computer game. For one thing, I've never even heard of that game, let alone played it, but I can imagine that it was itself based on the infamous "Carmageddon" which we all played about 12 years ago. Since "Carmageddon" (especially "Carmageddon 2000") was inspired by "Death Race 2000" anyway, it's obvious that there would be similarities. Nothing is original in this movie or anywhere else nowadays anyway so get over it.
What else is there to say about "Death Race" other than it has a minimal plot like all action films and just routine performances? It's not that you need to be able to act to be an action hero anyway, Schwarzenegger and Stallone proved that years ago by churning out the same pulp over and over again. All you have to do to be an action film hero is look the part and Jason Statham certainly does that. In fact, he just does his usual "hard man" act which was started in "The Transporter" and is none the worse for it. The only person who could possibly have done a better job is Vin Diesel and he looks much the same as Jason Statham anyway. The accent is an important part of the film though.
The only thing that really annoyed me as a fellow Brit was the irritating pronounciation of the words "offence" and "defence" by Ian McShane. Overstressing the first syllable for "OFFence" and "DEfence" is jarring to the ears and really makes our Lovejoy look like a fool. He did the same thing in "Kung-Fu Panda" recently by completely forgetting how to say his Ts and replacing them with Ds. Ian McShane, you are not an American in spite of being in "Dallas" for all of five minutes so please pick an accent and stick to it!
"Death Race" is currently showing at a cinema near you and online in the usual illicit places. I don't endorse piracy or copyright theft of course but I can see why people wouldn't want to pay the extortionate prices nowadays for a movie theatre ticket especially after the year full of crap that we've had so far. Give it three months and an "Unrated Director's Cut" will undoubtedly be available on DVD anyway. But if you must see a theatrical release this year, I recommend that "Death Race" is the one you watch.
Dr Blood's Favorite Movies
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(488) | Create a MovieBoard
1.
Day Watch (Dnevnoi Dozor)
R
Great stunts, brilliant use of CGI, and there are even one or two love stories going on amongst all the action. This is simply one of the best films that I have ever seen. Watch out for the very important drop of blood!
2.
Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor)
R
Some interesting ideas and very charismatic acting will keep you interested especially as it's a film that you may have to watch more than once to understand everything that is going on.
3.
Them (Ils)
R
The action is real edge-of-your-seat stuff which doesn't let up until the end. Until the final 10 minutes you don't really see or find out who the "them" are. What makes it worse is that it's all very believable!
4.
Salem's Lot
PG
Definitely the best Stephen King miniseries and the most memorable. David Soul does a credible job as Ben Mears, James Mason is also suitably icy as Straker, but not enough is made of Barlow, his Nosferatu-like master.
5.
The Haunting
G
Thought by many to be the best haunted house film ever made, it is sadly becoming quite dated. Great use of sound makes up for never actually seeing the ghost and adds to the dark and uneasy atmosphere.
6.
The Legend of Hell House
PG
Although this is a lot like "The Haunting", it is much more modern and twice as harrowing. Lots of shocks and Gayle Hunnicut being very sexy indeed! The late Roddy McDowall is his usual excellent self.
Dr Blood's Movie Scrapbook
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Dr Blood's Talk
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I recommend you see...
The Midnight Meat Train
by Kellyposted 1 day ago -
I recommend you see...
Alone with Her
by Agnesthis is one sick movie..about a psychopath with an innocent appearance and a twisted mind..he gets obsessed with a girl and starts to film her everywhere she goes..he installs hidden cameras all over her apartment and we only get to see what he is filming..I didn't like this though..a movie like this could be very creepy but not this one, it's kind of boring with not that great acting..
Hey, maybe you should see this..
posted 1 day ago -
I recommend you see...
Mirrors
by AgnesI really liked this..I think it's awesome when they make a movie like this one from time to time, and by that I mean a horror movie with a big famous actor in it..those types of films are usually good ones and this is no exception..this is kind of creepy with a few cool scenes and spooky environments..it's a bit out there but not too much..it's an interesting story with a pretty cool ending..
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 1 day ago -
I recommend you see...Hey, you should really see this!
posted 2 days ago -
Come see this movie with me...
The Haunting
by CJMy ultimate Halloween flick. I must watch this the nite before or on H. The house calls to me too.....
SHOCKTOBER BEGINS!
Let me know what spooky flicks ur watchin...posted 5 days ago -
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I recommend you see...
Hack!
by TatianaQuite interesting. The Ring reference was pretty awesome and somewhat hilarious. As a horror movie it's pretty good.
Hey, you should really see this! Kinda predictible as the other horror movies but definetely worth watching.
posted 8 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Ringu ( Ring)
by TatianaHaven't seen the Hollywood version, and really, don't want to. This movie rocks.
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 8 days ago -
I recommend you see...
La Terza Madre (Mother of Tears: The Third Mother)
by RosieThe final installment of Dario Argento's "Three Mothers" trilogy is so ridiculous,stupid,cheesy & even the acting was bad.This could be the worst horror film i seen this year.
Avoid this film!
Maybe Argento fans will like this film.posted 9 days ago -
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I recommend you see...
99 francs
by TatianaI'd say that the story is too long to tell it in only 2 hours.
Thera was many moments I didn't like but, I guess, it is the way they wanted to create the atmosphere.
I saw the 2 endings: the first one was more realistic and the other one was really "n'importe quoi".
Good movie about the publicity business and stuff. Watch it if you're interested.Hey, you should really see this!
posted 10 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Timber Falls
by Agnesok horror film, you can rest your eyes on it, but it sure is something you have seen before, and this kind of story is getting a bit boring...
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 15 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Cleaner
by Agnesthis is a great thriller with great actors, Eva Mendes is awesome (in real life too) ..interesting story with a good ending...
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 15 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Prom Night
by Agnesat first I thought this was a remake of the horror movie from 1980 with Jamie Lee Curtis, but it doesn't seem like it is..anyway, I really enjoyed it, it was predictable like theese "highschool- teenager-horrorfilms" usually are, but that doesn't bother me..this one is thrilling and entertaining with good acting..I recommend it...
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 15 days ago -
I recommend you see...
The Darjeeling Limited
by ~Lissa~This is definitely a movie worth watching. I really enjoyed the way the characters all played off each other. I think they were cast well because all three actors fit them. Owen Wilson as the older brother all beat up (both inside and out) who brought his two younger brothers to India on a spiritual journey to find their mother. Although that last part is not known to Adrian Brody and Jason Schwartzman.
There were scenes that were funny but touching at the same time. Who knew you could get kicked off a train in the middle of India and still survive.
I have enjoyed other Wes Anderson movies except for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. I'm glad he got me back after this one.
If you already had this movie in your must see list, you gotta bump it up and watch it soon!posted 16 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Scarecrows
by Agnesreally enjoyed this..it starts out awesome: creepy scarecrows, a graveyard and a abandoned spooky house in the middle of nowhere..I have to say that the film continues on pretty good, just like 80s horror movies usually do :) it's a bit thrilling, just enough blood and stuff :) and the end is pretty cool..the best part is the scarecrows, they're scary as hell and very cool in every way, almost like zombies..sweet! (btw I'm a big fan of scarecrows, don't know why, I just really like them ;)
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 19 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Lost Boys 2: The Tribe
by Agneslet me start by saying that i don't really think that this film can be compared with the original, I mean the original is a classic killer 80s vampire film with great actors and it was a long time ago..I'm gonna try to compare it as little as possible :) for a sequel it wasn't that bad and for a stand-alone vampire film it was kind of good, very watchable..the brother and sister in the main roles is a bit dull and it sure is a big lack of rock n roll, but besides that it's pretty good stuff..the coolest thing was of course Corey Feldman playing Edgar Frog once again, love him! and the end of the movie was the best part of the whole thing when Corey Haim suddenly appears in the darkness and the two "kid-actors" stands face to face again as their old characters. Bad ass!!
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 19 days ago
by Footie
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