Escape to the Movies: Fright Night

[walrusaurus]

Thought about seeing this last night but i saw The Whistleblower instead. I daresay that movie filled me with a lot more horror than this one is likely too.

 

[walrusaurus]

"Wait a sec, how will the original cast of Americain Pie reunite...
...Oh, Right."

Uh. Sorry, But I don't get it. Can someone explain this to me?

Basically he's taking a dig at the "success" (not really) of all of the main characters from the film.

I think he was just being facetious, and taking a shot at them that the people from some of the most successful comedy films in the past decade... NONE of those people went on to have any noteworthy career, instead have become sort of peripheral characters that trot around in other movies and shows of various levels of quality.

In other words, of course they will be reuniting to do a sequel because every single one of them has nothing better to do with their time and it keeps MOST of them from becoming side characters on a sitcom permanently or film teachers at the local community college.

Not NONE. Alyson Hannigan at least has done pretty well for herself, How I Met You Mother is one of the biggest sitcoms on TV, and its been on for 6 years now. The rest of them though are pretty washed up.

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

You have to review Conan eventually, Bob...

Next time...

Also, yes, it is nostalgia. The Conan movies are always bad. It just depends if it's a "fun" kind of bad or a "good Christ, turn it off" kind of bad.

 

[ImSkeletor]

Conan is BOMBING BAD. It is only going to have about a ten million dollar opening this weekend based off of yesterday and it has an EIGHTY MILLION dollar budget (140+ with all other costs). Fright Night is only going to make about eight million this weekend but it only has a seventeen million dollar budget (About 30 million with all other costs.) so it is probably going to make a little bit of money and DVD sales will probably be high.

 

[Endocrom]

So Ronon Dex can't even save Conan? Too bad, I hoped better for Jason Momoa.

Oh well at least this Conan is still good
<----

 

[Dhatz]

cant unserstand ahlf shit schwarzie talks, I aint native english myself, so badly spoken english sounds alien.

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

Ugh... I'm not going to bother with the new American Pie movie. Didn't like the original and never watched any of the other movies.

As for Fright Night i've never even heard of it before i guess being both norwegian and born in the early 90's has made me a little sheltered as far as movies go. Probably gonna get to watching the original and then the remake, seeing as i'll probably have the time due to Fright Night probably not hitting theaters here for another couple weeks(if not a full month).

 

[HyenaThePirate]

Really? How is it NOT like Howard's work?

Tough, grizzled Barbarian youth who still towers over other men twice his age with a grim face and smouldering eyes? - Check

"Man of few words" hero who prefers to punch faces and gut suckas for disrespecting him? - Check!

Women dressed in barely anything at all waiting for a wild-thing of a human being who bucks all civilizations trappings with his own gruff moral code? - Check!

Evil warlord/sorcerer who makes the mistake of crossing Conan and then dismisses him as a mere annoyance, barely noticing that a revenge-driven, murder machine in a loin cloth is slowly carving a gory path towards a final showdown until he's practically standing in his throne-room? - Check!

Hero speaks little, mumbles tough, direct phrases that get to the point and lack "tact" or "politeness" when speaking with pompous men from "high society?" - Check!

Ancient evil horror monster unleashed upon a mortal world sent back screaming into the abyss from which it arose by a man who only puts his trust in himself and his ability to slay things really really well? - Check!

Basic plot of a story which basically consists of "wizard/swordsman wrongs Conan... Conan lives to make wizard/swordsman rue the day he ever set foot anywhere near Conan's life.. Conan brutally pwns wizard/swordsman in awesomely bloody revenge? - Check!

Conan taking punishment in stride that would kill a lesser man even just thinking about enduring such punishment? - Check!

Conan bedding hizzos left and right and pretty much being the poster boy for every man's secret fantasy of a life unrestrained by modern civilized convention? - Check!

I'm racking my brain to find ONE of those things that wasn't also true, to say nothing of better-executed, in the original film... and I'm coming up blank.

If that's the case, then why isn't this one considered in the very least AS good if not only moderately not as good as the original film? In fact, I'm trying to figure out how you think ANY of those things were done BETTER in the original film! The action sequences in this version of Conan make the original film's action sequences look like something from a SyFy channel Dungeons and Dragons flick. The women are far better looking and the nudity is far more prolific than in the original. The gore in this one drives home the brutality of the time period in a way that the original film could only have dreamed of making, and the settings were far and away more visually striking. Heck, the opening sequence of that movie when young Conan dispatches a group of unfortunate Picts during the trials was better than the whole original movie.

Let us recall the original Conan again. Opening sequence... Thulsa doom riding in.. kills parents. Little Conan watches. Set to slave wheel. Now big Conan. Montage-esque gladiatorial fight scenes ensue... none of which involve watching a man's entrails spill out hot and steaming in a pile at his feet. Conan then running from wolves. Meets strange woman who invites him to bed. Side boob. Arnold's well-sculpted buttocks. Woman is witch-demon! Aieee throw her in fire! Conan meets other people.. in leftover remnants of Mos Eisley's set. Let's run! Run across the land. Meet chick who he loves but never really gets good and naked. What is best in life? Fall face down in gruel. Fight giant snake. Cut it like a tree vine. No blood. Dude shoots snake arrows...

What part of that apes in any way shape or form the new Conan? The fight scenes are far and away better, more visceral, and exciting. The pacing is far better between action sequences, and the monsters are more lifelike thanks to CGI. When Conan KILLS something he really looks like he's REALLY KILLING it. People get wrecked in that movie, hardcore. The dialogue is about on par with the original as is the plot. Except the plot here has more explanation, making it slightly more comprehensible. The original Conan was filmed and edited like an art-house film, with huge leaps between segments that make you feel like two hours of essential story were left on the cutting room floor somewhere awaiting their release in a director's cut someday.

Now, I'll be honest, I still love the original Conan films, even the Destroyer laughably so, but it is because in full disclosure I am a Conan fanboy. But this film is no where near bad, it's definitely on par with 300 and decidedly better than Clash of the Titans. Momoa is good enough to deserve a shot at the action movie superstardom Arnold had in his better years and that people like Vin Diesel and the Rock missed out on by a hair. In the very least, we deserve more Conan films... the character is iconic, the world has tons of room for exploration, and with some improvements we could be looking at a rather entertaining and successful franchise in the making.

Or... we can poo poo it and not see another Conan big screen adaptation for another 20 years, and instead be given endless sequels to lackluster comedies and big budget action films that don't deserve them, yet another modern day military movie, or spy thriller, etc while we pass the time waiting for Avatar 2 and The Dark Knight to come and save us.
I say Conan deserves another outing, and perhaps someone can get a more visionary director involved. I for one would like to see Del Toro maybe take the reigns. Or even Rob Zombie, who if I recall was rumored to be the one filming this Conan rebirth originally I think.

Hell, let Sam Raimi have a go at it.

But I digress.. I think you're a great guy Bob, and flattery should get me a lot further than it will, but I just feel you should give this Conan movie a second thought, maybe try to look at it from another perspective with fresh eyes. Yes I know you've seen a lot of films. yes I know that there are better movies that have been made. But there is fun to be had here, and to dismiss it so flippantly does it and your fans a disservice. There are people who will miss out on seeing this movie now, when it matters, and then see it on DVD or TNT or something and go, "Hey, this wasn't bad at all. In fact, it was kind of awesome! Bob lied!"
Do you really want that? Do you really want people to start having doubts every time they consider your advice? Think it over, friend. Sometimes it's better to be diplomatic than dogmatic.
And that last statement does make sense, I promise you. Just think about that too.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Woah, woah. Hold on a sec.

Did I see... Mclovin?

"Wait a sec, how will the original cast of Americain Pie reunite...
...Oh, Right."

Uh. Sorry, But I don't get it. Can someone explain this to me?

Basically he's taking a dig at the "success" (not really) of all of the main characters from the film.

I think he was just being facetious, and taking a shot at them that the people from some of the most successful comedy films in the past decade... NONE of those people went on to have any noteworthy career, instead have become sort of peripheral characters that trot around in other movies and shows of various levels of quality.

In other words, of course they will be reuniting to do a sequel because every single one of them has nothing better to do with their time and it keeps MOST of them from becoming side characters on a sitcom permanently or film teachers at the local community college.

Not NONE. Alyson Hannigan at least has done pretty well for herself, How I Met You Mother is one of the biggest sitcoms on TV, and its been on for 6 years now. The rest of them though are pretty washed up.

Sean William-Scott hasn't had a terrible career; he was in Evolution and Role Models and he was actually pretty good in both. Oh, he was in the first Final Destination film too.

 

[HyenaThePirate]

Sean William-Scott hasn't had a terrible career; he was in Evolution and Role Models and he was actually pretty good in both. Oh, he was in the first Final Destination film too.

DUDE, Evolution was like... geez! I remember that being billed as the "Ghostbusters of the 90's!"
A wasted Hollywood opportunity I might... that movie should have spawned a DOZEN sequels by now.
And Role Models? Sure he was good in that, but the MOVIE ITSELF was a pair of balls. Final Destination was so long ago I can't even remember what his role was in Final Destination. For some reason I keep thinking he was in Sole Survivor instead.

Bulletproof Monk WAS pretty awesome though. He was in that.

But I think Bob's point is, these guys have had WORK... I wouldn't exactly call their careers a rousing success. Hell I don't think ANYONE looks at Sean William-scott and DOESN'T instantly cry out "STIFFLER!" There's something about that sort of stigma that reduces his ability to captivate with new roles. He could play Roderigo Borgia in a movie about his youth and life in Spain, completely dramatic role, and some ass in the theater is bound to shout, "STIFFLER" and the illusion is shattered for the rest of us.

I fear for McLovin that he's going to be the same. If only that dude could grow some facial hair, or a goatee. Sadly, he's like the modern day Ralph Macchio... Baby faced, playing teenagers until his mid-30's and then he'll fade away until he starts to reappear in off-beat, quirky comedy shows.

 

[omega 616]

Guess the role of thread iconoclast falls to me- the original conan movies were diabolically bad and the new one looks pretty good in a crappy b movie type of way.

As for fright night, seen bits o the original and will probably give this one a go, even if only to show some of my twilight loving friends what real vampires are like.

I would say underworld would be a better fit, it is a lycan VS vampire with a love story but it keeps the actual horror but I digress.

More on topic. Does Hollywood think "I know what we haven't had in a few months, ..., why don't we make another one of those!"?

There have been so many vampire movies over the last decade or so, how many more can there be? I can't think of many werewolf films though.

I assume a western or alien film will be next.

 

[StriderShinryu]

Not sure if it's been said before, but I just wanted to pop in and say that I really enjoyed the prologue, where you give us the dish about the other movies that came out during the week. If its not too much trouble (and you're already seeing the movies) I'd really look forward to you doing that every week. It's like, I can watch the main review, and still get your opinion on what else is good (or bad) that week. Just a thought!

I totally agree with this, especially since the column that goes along with the video doesn't really cover the non-reviewed movie as much as it covers movie industry related topics. I'd love to see a minute or so spent on other movies of the week before digging into the main review.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

I loved the original Fright Night. I'm glad this one kept the spirit of the old one and did a decent job of modernizing it. I also like the fact that Bob didn't have much bad to say at all, and had to add in his views on 2 other movies to keep the "critic" tone.

 

[Lord_Jaroh]

Snip

More Snip

If that's the case, then why isn't this one considered in the very least AS good if not only moderately not as good as the original film? In fact, I'm trying to figure out how you think ANY of those things were done BETTER in the original film! The action sequences in this version of Conan make the original film's action sequences look like something from a SyFy channel Dungeons and Dragons flick. The women are far better looking and the nudity is far more prolific than in the original. The gore in this one drives home the brutality of the time period in a way that the original film could only have dreamed of making, and the settings were far and away more visually striking. Heck, the opening sequence of that movie when young Conan dispatches a group of unfortunate Picts during the trials was better than the whole original movie.

Sorry, but MovieBob is correct on this one. I am a huge Conan fan. I have read all of the original works of Howard, multiple times. I have read the Marvel Comics and the Newspaper strips. I have read the newer novels by other authors. I read the Dark Horse adaptions of the stories. I have watched the 2 earlier movies. I avoided nearly everything about this movie, from the time I head it was being made to going to the theater to see it, so as not to prematurely raise or lower my expectations. The movie is not only a terrible Conan movie. It is a terrible movie, the worst movie I have seen this year, and easily worse than the earlier movies (even the Destroyer. Even worse than Red Sonja, although I haven't seen that one very recently, so I'll admit I could be remembering that one through rose-tinted glasses).

I really, truely wanted to like this movie. I was hoping upon hope that it would be good. Unfortunately there was nothing redeeming about this movie at all. I definately won't be adding this one to my movie collection.

And I did buy the Destroyer and Red Sonja. That says something for the quality of this film. Oh, and for the record, the second D&D movie was better than this movie was...and that one went straight to video...

 

[Arcanist]

Loved the review, Bob. It's good to see that some movie-makers still know how to handle vampires.

Quick question, though: 30 Minutes or Less. Was it any good? I mean, it was directed by the same guy who made Zombieland, so I have high hopes, but I'm on a bit of a budget this semester...

 

[plugav]

It's a vampire story - how can it not be about demonizing sex? That's what all the great ones are about - "The Vampyre," Carmilla, Dracula... Oh, yeah, and Twilight as well.

Wow. This has suddenly become a depressing conclusion.

This made me very sad ... :<
I had already ceased to associate vampires with the alleged subtext to sexual desires, which you can apply pretty much everywhere, thanks to a little film called "The Man From Earth".

Sorry for that, I was half-joking. It's just that I've been thinking too much about that aspect of vampirism recently, trying to write a paper about it.

The Man From Earth was great, by the way. And it did leave me wondering about the possibility of the guy actually being a vampire.

 

[HyenaThePirate]

I really, truely wanted to like this movie. I was hoping upon hope that it would be good. Unfortunately there was nothing redeeming about this movie at all. I definately won't be adding this one to my movie collection.

And I did buy the Destroyer and Red Sonja. That says something for the quality of this film. Oh, and for the record, the second D&D movie was better than this movie was...and that one went straight to video...

I can only conclude that your expectations for films unfortunately high. I have the feeling that if they had simply titled this movie "Barbarian Slayer" it would be a hit, maybe even an instant cult classic. Instead, since it is called "Conan" people automatically set their minds against it, either for nostalgic reasons or simply because they like to be a stick in the mud. There's little reason to pan this movie. It's not oscar nomination quality, no, but it's a solid flick that makes for a fun movie going experience.

If people don't want the movie fine. Then I urge fans of Conan to DEFINITELY go see this movie... since it'll probably be the LAST Conan film we ever get.

I like the Arnold films as much as the next guy, heck, I even found a certain charm in Rolf's hilariously bad tv series in the late 90's (I own the entire dvd set), but they aren't the end all says all of Conan films. We've got to learn to let go of the past and just accept new visions of our beloved classics or prepare to ONLY have those classics as an option. And while The original Conan is a good flick, it looks worse and worse with age.

I suspect that people will be calling the next Batman film crap too.