Posts by Brandt Sponseller

Although there are still more films of his that I haven't seen than I have as of this writing (I'm catching up, though), when someone mentions Italian horror, the first name that I usually think of is Mario Bava.

I've consistently enjoyed Bava's films more than his Italian competitors - Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, Ruggero Deodato, etc. - and Baron Blood is no exception. Although I like his competitors' films to an extent, and they all have masterpieces of their own, Bava seems to be more focused on his films' construction as a whole--the plot, the characterizations, the dialogue, etc. are all as important as the gore and style.(read more...)

While it's not nearly as successful as its predecessor, I Know What You Did Last Summer (I Know), I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (I Still Know) is an entertaining, atmospheric and tense film with a couple prominent, unfortunate, ugly warts.(read more...)

Yes, it's another slasher film, it has a teen cast, there's an emphasis on campy humor, and it's not an unprecedented plot. But who cares? Dr. Giggles is the perfect example why a good film isn't dependent on novel elements. A quality script, executed by a quality cast and crew does the trick. I loved this film while watching it and had absolutely no complaints. I can't say it's a must see for someone who only a few films a month -- it's excellent, but not more important to see than, say, The Evil Dead.(read more...)

Director John Irvin's 1981 film, Ghost Story, based on a novel by horror fiction icon Peter Straub, is a charming but eerie sojourn into a niche of horror that covers most of the stylistic bases of the genre. It does so in a deceptively simple way that almost demands multiple viewings; each time you watch you're likely to appreciate the film and its atmosphere even more, like nestling further into the ephemeral folding spirals of a numinous chambered nautilus.(read more...)