The Halloween 13: 1. Patrick

Hi,

Sorry I haven't blogged for a little while, but I've been busy with Uni stuff. Thankfully, all my assignments are finished now, so I should have a lot more time to watch, read and blog what I want for four months. Yay! Anyway, the September Recommendations post is almost done, but I think I'll combine it with October's one seeing that we're almost at the end of the month. End of October? That can only mean one thing; it's almost Halloween! Yes, I know, I'm an Australian and it's an American holiday, but I've always quite looked All Hallow's Eve. It's the perfect time for me to watch lots of scary movies which I never would. And seeing I would be doing it anyway, I thought I might as well make it something of a blog celebration; thus, I give you the Halloween 13; 13 horror movies viewed over 10 days (was going to be 13 but, again, Uni). These aren't the best horror movies ever made, they're just those movies I have lying around which I've been wanting to watch for a little while. Anyway, I hope you enjoy these next 10 days as I aim to post a review everyday. The first film is 70s Ozploitation film, Patrick (which I've just learnt is being remade and released this month!) Let's get our scary on!

Thanks,

James

 

1978, Australia, Directed by Richard Franklin

I love movies from the 70s and the 80s, I really do. Especially horror movies. Unlike modern movies, these films don’t aim to gross you out with over the top, but focus on the type of scares that keep you up at night. I was thus quite excited to see Patrick. I’d never heard of it before, but it had a great trailer and it was Australian, so I thought I’d give it a go. I’m so glad I did. It’s a wonderfully creepy and stylish movie that has some nice little scares within. Much of the terror of this film comes from the titular character’s ability to send objects flying across the room in an attempt to kill them, despite the fact that he’s in a coma. What makes this really quite unnerving is that unlike most coma patients, his eyes are open the entire time. Unblinking and wide, it’s just freaky. I don’t know how the actor did it! In fact, much of the acting is quite good. The creepy doctor is a stand-out, especially when he cruelly kills a frog (something that really happened on set. Not something you’d see nowadays), an action that comes back to bite him in a truly disgusting scene. The main problem I had with this film is that it doesn’t climax all that strongly or memorably, somewhat weakening the film’s impact. However, it did make me jump at one point. Oh, and the music’s really good (sounds a bit like the Psycho OST). It was quite a neat little film, ultimately only memorable for its shocking (teehee) set pieces. The opening bathtub double murder is worth the price of entry alone. Cool.

Gore/Violence: 2 (minimal. One burnt hand, one burnt face)
Sex/Nudity: 3 (quite a bit of female nudity and a sex scene at the start)

Scares: 3 (quite scary, but not truly terrifying)

Best Scene: He moved!

VERDICT: 8/10

Yet each man kills the thing he loves
By each let this be heard
Some do it with a bitter look
Some with a flattering word
The coward does it with a kiss
The brave man with a sword
- Patrick, Patrick