list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Midnight Meat Train on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/The_Midnight_Meat_Train/321695/default.aspx Title: The Midnight Meat Train
Year: 2008
Director: Ryuhei Kitamura
Plot: A photographer propelled to explore his dark side begins tracking a subway serial killer whose brutal butchery makes for the most nightmarish images ever captured on camera in director Ryuhei Kitamura's adaptation of a short story by horror heavyweight Clive Barker. Leon Kaufman (Bradley Cooper) is just another struggling photographer in search of the perfect subject. Encouraged to explore the sinister side of humanity by a prominent art gallery proprietor (Brooke Shields) who is set to display his upcoming debut, Leon goes against the wishes of his girlfriend Maya (Leslie Bibb) and begins stalking notorious serial killer Mahogany (Vinnie Jones) - whose sadistic murder spree has been making headlines all across the country. As Leon's fascination with Mahogany gradually grows into obsession, his descent into the killer's putrid world of murder begins to corrupt his soul while simultaneously dragging his concerned girlfriend down a perverse path of darkness from which there is no return. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 20
Number of Lists: 8
Number of blog posts: 4
Number of discussion threads: 6
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:49:52 GMTThe Midnight Meat Train2008Ryuhei KitamuraA photographer propelled to explore his dark side begins tracking a subway serial killer whose brutal butchery makes for the most nightmarish images ever captured on camera in director <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___298842/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ryuhei Kitamura</a>'s adaptation of a short story by horror heavyweight <a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____80708/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Clive Barker</a>. Leon Kaufman (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___292123/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Bradley Cooper</a>) is just another struggling photographer in search of the perfect subject. Encouraged to explore the sinister side of humanity by a prominent art gallery proprietor (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____65290/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Brooke Shields</a>) who is set to display his upcoming debut, Leon goes against the wishes of his girlfriend Maya (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___273467/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Leslie Bibb</a>) and begins stalking notorious serial killer Mahogany (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___242472/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Vinnie Jones</a>) - whose sadistic murder spree has been making headlines all across the country. As Leon's fascination with Mahogany gradually grows into obsession, his descent into the killer's putrid world of murder begins to corrupt his soul while simultaneously dragging his concerned girlfriend down a perverse path of darkness from which there is no return. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide20Tag Target (>10)8463http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s321695.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Midnight_Meat_Train/321695/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_October_05_Killer_Kill_Scenes/625/44153/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 10/8/2009 12:49:08 AM
Body: This one's gonna be another one of those "high-brow" topics y'all have come to love and expect from us here at the Weekly Theme. I know it's late, but in my defense, I was killed in a killer kill scene earlier and my zombie fingers have finally started working well enough to type. So let's talk this week about all of the greatest death scenes ever committed to film. One of my recent favorites is Ted Raimi's character in The Midnight Meat Train. Very very brutal... but still pretty damn fun. Also (without spoiling) I would say that last year's Burn After Reading had one of the most surprisingly and shockingly awesome kill scenes I've ever seen. But I would say my all time favorite comes from a film that I really didn't care for much. Soderberg's Out of Sight ('98) has a death involving a hefty fella running up a flight of stairs with a loaded shotgun...... Hilarity ensues!! Well let's hear it. I left quite a bit off this post, so I'll check back later and add some more. What's your favorite killer kill scene? Peace & Brains Emery the Living Dead.
]]>Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:49:08 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme10/8/2009 12:49:08 AMThis one's gonna be another one of those "high-brow" topics y'all have come to love and expect from us here at the Weekly Theme. I know it's late, but in my defense, I was killed in a killer kill scene earlier and my zombie fingers have finally started working well enough to type. So let's talk this week about all of the greatest death scenes ever committed to film. One of my recent favorites is Ted Raimi's character in The Midnight Meat Train. Very very brutal... but still pretty damn fun. Also (without spoiling) I would say that last year's Burn After Reading had one of the most surprisingly and shockingly awesome kill scenes I've ever seen. But I would say my all time favorite comes from a film that I really didn't care for much. Soderberg's Out of Sight ('98) has a death involving a hefty fella running up a flight of stairs with a loaded shotgun...... Hilarity ensues!! Well let's hear it. I left quite a bit off this post, so I'll check back later and add some more. What's your favorite killer kill scene? Peace &amp; Brains Emery the Living Dead. http://www.spout.com/groups/Worst_Movie_Ever/Re_The_Worst_of_2008/104/40646/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: dickbuist
Post To: Worst Movie Ever
Post Date: 2/25/2009 11:14:15 PM
Body: Where do you find the time to waste on so many bad films? I'm not sure which category to assign to these, but they all are contenders for Worst Picture: Bangkok Dangerous Bedtime Stories Yes Man Jumper Australia? Swing Vote The Midnight Meat Train Hancock Journey to the center of the Earth Mamma Mia X-Files: I want to believe You Don't mess with the Zohan The Happening The Love Guru Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control Wanted Speed Racer Fool's Gold What Happens In Vegas Wow, there were a lot of bad movies in 2008. [/quote]
]]>Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:14:15 GMTdickbuistWorst Movie Ever2/25/2009 11:14:15 PMWhere do you find the time to waste on so many bad films? I'm not sure which category to assign to these, but they all are contenders for Worst Picture: Bangkok Dangerous Bedtime Stories Yes Man Jumper Australia? Swing Vote The Midnight Meat Train Hancock Journey to the center of the Earth Mamma Mia X-Files: I want to believe You Don't mess with the Zohan The Happening The Love Guru Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control Wanted Speed Racer Fool's Gold What Happens In Vegas Wow, there were a lot of bad movies in 2008. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Week_of_2_20_fashion_cheerleaders_prison_an/216/40484/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 2/16/2009 3:10:31 PM
Body: NEW TO THEATRES 2/20 1. Madea Goes to Jail - Watch the trailer. Until today, I thought Tyler Perry's Madea was like a kooky update of Jim Varney's Ernest P. Worrell. (Considering Ernest Goes to Jail, can you blame me?) Then I started looking into Tyler Perry, and even though I don't think his movies are for me, he seems like a really interesting guy. Two quotes from him on Wikipedia really caught my eye: 1) "I know my audience, and they're not people that the studios know anything about." 2) "Did you know you can't say 'Jesus' in a sitcom? They told me that and I was like, You gotta be kiddin' me...God has been too good to me to go and try to sell out to get some money." I was impressed to learn that Tyler Perry's been writing plays since he was 18, and according to Wikipedia, by 2005 his plays earned $75 million in ticket sales! Who knew? Madea Goes to Jail itself was a stage play in 2006, and a filmed version has already appeared on DVD. Has anyone seen that? 2. Fired Up - Watch the trailer. Teen comedy, whooooooo! Two randy football players avoid summer football camp by becoming cheerleaders. 3. Eleven Minutes (limited) - Watch the trailer. A documentary about fashion designer Jay McCarroll trying to set up an independently-produced runway show. NEW TO DVD - 2/17 1. Quarantine - Watch the trailer. This one looked pretty thrilling to me. An inner city apartment building is subjected to a government quarantine, but what's infecting the victims? 2. Body of Lies - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist from FilmCouch saw this and didn't love it. Here's his review. 3. Choke - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist wasn't crazy about this one either, so maybe he's just a big fuddy-duddy. Listen to his review. 4. Changeling - Watch the trailer. This was getting a lot of Oscars buzz until everyone actually saw it. Oh well, Clint Eastwood made a winner with Gran Torino. 5. High School Musical 3 - Watch the trailer. Well, I'm sure that whatever this movie's supposed to do, it does it well. Does anyone else think 'Corbin Bleu' sounds like a gourmet meal? 6. Righteous Kill - Watch the trailer. Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro are in the same movie for only the third time. Since the first two movies were Godfather Pt. II and Heat, this third time is most definitely not 'a charm.' 7. Midnight Meat Train - Watch the trailer. Here's another dose of Bradley Cooper for everyone who's crushing (or man-crushing) on him from He's Just Not That Into You. Myself, I have a bit of a man-crush on the villain, who's played by tough-as-nails Vinnie Jones. 8. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People - Watch the trailer. Simon Pegg starts working for a pompous fashion magazine. Also stars Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Jeff Bridges and Danny Huston -- all people I like. The movie didn't get very good reviews, though... I'm looking forward to Simon Pegg teaming up with Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz) again, and I'm glad he's playing Scotty in the new Star Trek movie.
]]>Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:10:31 GMTspoutComing Soon2/16/2009 3:10:31 PMNEW TO THEATRES 2/20 1. Madea Goes to Jail - Watch the trailer. Until today, I thought Tyler Perry's Madea was like a kooky update of Jim Varney's Ernest P. Worrell. (Considering Ernest Goes to Jail, can you blame me?) Then I started looking into Tyler Perry, and even though I don't think his movies are for me, he seems like a really interesting guy. Two quotes from him on Wikipedia really caught my eye: 1) "I know my audience, and they're not people that the studios know anything about." 2) "Did you know you can't say 'Jesus' in a sitcom? They told me that and I was like, You gotta be kiddin' me...God has been too good to me to go and try to sell out to get some money." I was impressed to learn that Tyler Perry's been writing plays since he was 18, and according to Wikipedia, by 2005 his plays earned $75 million in ticket sales! Who knew? Madea Goes to Jail itself was a stage play in 2006, and a filmed version has already appeared on DVD. Has anyone seen that? 2. Fired Up - Watch the trailer. Teen comedy, whooooooo! Two randy football players avoid summer football camp by becoming cheerleaders. 3. Eleven Minutes (limited) - Watch the trailer. A documentary about fashion designer Jay McCarroll trying to set up an independently-produced runway show. NEW TO DVD - 2/17 1. Quarantine - Watch the trailer. This one looked pretty thrilling to me. An inner city apartment building is subjected to a government quarantine, but what's infecting the victims? 2. Body of Lies - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist from FilmCouch saw this and didn't love it. Here's his review. 3. Choke - Watch the trailer. Kevin Buist wasn't crazy about this one either, so maybe he's just a big fuddy-duddy. Listen to his review. 4. Changeling - Watch the trailer. This was getting a lot of Oscars buzz until everyone actually saw it. Oh well, Clint Eastwood made a winner with Gran Torino. 5. High School Musical 3 - Watch the trailer. Well, I'm sure that whatever this movie's supposed to do, it does it well. Does anyone else think 'Corbin Bleu' sounds like a gourmet meal? 6. Righteous Kill - Watch the trailer. Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro are in the same movie for only the third time. Since the first two movies were Godfather Pt. II and Heat, this third time is most definitely not 'a charm.' 7. Midnight Meat Train - Watch the trailer. Here's another dose of Bradley Cooper for everyone who's crushing (or man-crushing) on him from He's Just Not That Into You. Myself, I have a bit of a man-crush on the villain, who's played by tough-as-nails Vinnie Jones. 8. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People - Watch the trailer. Simon Pegg starts working for a pompous fashion magazine. Also stars Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Jeff Bridges and Danny Huston -- all people I like. The movie didn't get very good reviews, though... I'm looking forward to Simon Pegg teaming up with Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz) again, and I'm glad he's playing Scotty in the new Star Trek movie. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_February_9_Public_Transportat/625/40359/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mciocco
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 2/9/2009 4:21:21 PM
Body: Do airplanes count? Airplane! is pretty darn funny:p These are probably more about road trips in general than public transportation, but Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and Midnight Run might count, right? Transsiberian is a recent thriller on a train. Didn't love it, but a lot of people seemed to think it was pretty good. Another recent horror movie on a train is Midnight Meat Train. Again, not especially groundbreaking stuff, but somewhat entertaining. I keep feeling like I'm really missing something obvious. Grrr. A lot of what I'm thinking of are just road trip movies, or movies that feature scenes on public transit... (like Dogma, which I'm not sure qualifies)
]]>Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:21:21 GMTmcioccoWeekly Theme2/9/2009 4:21:21 PMDo airplanes count? Airplane! is pretty darn funny:p These are probably more about road trips in general than public transportation, but Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and Midnight Run might count, right? Transsiberian is a recent thriller on a train. Didn't love it, but a lot of people seemed to think it was pretty good. Another recent horror movie on a train is Midnight Meat Train. Again, not especially groundbreaking stuff, but somewhat entertaining. I keep feeling like I'm really missing something obvious. Grrr. A lot of what I'm thinking of are just road trip movies, or movies that feature scenes on public transit... (like Dogma, which I'm not sure qualifies) http://www.spout.com/groups/Worst_Movie_Ever/Re_The_Worst_of_2008/104/39247/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: csprague
Post To: Worst Movie Ever
Post Date: 1/8/2009 11:23:32 AM
Body: I'm not sure which category to assign to these, but they all are contenders for Worst Picture: Bangkok Dangerous Bedtime Stories Yes Man Jumper Australia? Swing Vote The Midnight Meat Train Hancock Journey to the center of the Earth Mamma Mia X-Files: I want to believe You Don't mess with the Zohan The Happening The Love Guru Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control Wanted Speed Racer Fool's Gold What Happens In Vegas Wow, there were a lot of bad movies in 2008.
]]>Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:23:32 GMTcspragueWorst Movie Ever1/8/2009 11:23:32 AMI'm not sure which category to assign to these, but they all are contenders for Worst Picture: Bangkok Dangerous Bedtime Stories Yes Man Jumper Australia? Swing Vote The Midnight Meat Train Hancock Journey to the center of the Earth Mamma Mia X-Files: I want to believe You Don't mess with the Zohan The Happening The Love Guru Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control Wanted Speed Racer Fool's Gold What Happens In Vegas Wow, there were a lot of bad movies in 2008. http://www.spout.com/blogs/mercurial/archive/2008/10/12/36212.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: a filmblog
Post Date: 10/12/2008 4:40:27 AM
Body: Despite the above average direction and cinematography, The Midnight Meat Train unfortunately breaks down before reaching the platform. When Leon (Bradley Cooper) begins obsessively looking for dangerous situations to photograph for an upcoming art exhibit, he stumbles upon a peculiar man (Vinnie Jones) that may or may not be tied to a series of gruesome murders occurring in the wee hours of the morning on the subway. Brutally rebuffing his girlfriend (Leslie Bibb) and friend (Roger Bart), Leon's twisted fascination with uncovering the truth behind the mysterious man leads to a horrific, yet haphazardly constructed and anticlimactic end.
]]>Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:40:27 GMTmercuriala filmblog10/12/2008 4:40:27 AMDespite the above average direction and cinematography, The Midnight Meat Train unfortunately breaks down before reaching the platform. When Leon (Bradley Cooper) begins obsessively looking for dangerous situations to photograph for an upcoming art exhibit, he stumbles upon a peculiar man (Vinnie Jones) that may or may not be tied to a series of gruesome murders occurring in the wee hours of the morning on the subway. Brutally rebuffing his girlfriend (Leslie Bibb) and friend (Roger Bart), Leon's twisted fascination with uncovering the truth behind the mysterious man leads to a horrific, yet haphazardly constructed and anticlimactic end. http://www.spout.com/blogs/karina/archive/2008/8/1/33421.aspx Post By: Karina
Post To: Karina on SpoutBlog
Post Date: 8/1/2008 5:01:47 PM
Body: Today Lionsgate releases Midnight Meat Train––by all indications a cousin to the studio’s, um, classic fare like Saw and Hostel, but actually starring some name actors, like Bradley Cooperin just a hundred-something theaters, with no reviews. According to Grady Hendrix, it’s part of the studio’s effort to essentially slap the R-rated horror fans responsible for a decade’s worth of success in the face. “Horror fans, who don’t get much respect anyway, are feeling particularly persecuted these days as R-rated horror films regularly bomb at the box office and lightweight, PG-13-rated horror movies for teens gross buckets of cash,” Hendrix writes in the NY Sun. At the urging of Clive Barker, who wrote the short story on which Meat Train is based, these jilted fans apparently complained to Lionsgate, but the studio persisted with new acquisitions head Joe Drake’s plans to release the film as quickly and quietly as possible. “It’s an indication that Lionsgate is no longer in the business of genre filmmaking and that, with its massive new credit line, it’s aiming to join the ranks of the major studios,” Hendrix sums up. Interestingly, Meat Train is tentatively scheduled to hit DVD in October––right around the planned theatrical release of Lionsgate’s first serious “serious” film since Crash, W. One more tragedy to blame on Oliver Stone, I guess. Via GreenCine Daily Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth
]]>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:01:47 GMTKarinaKarina on SpoutBlog8/1/2008 5:01:47 PMToday Lionsgate releases Midnight Meat Train––by all indications a cousin to the studio’s, um, classic fare like Saw and Hostel, but actually starring some name actors, like Bradley Cooperin just a hundred-something theaters, with no reviews. According to Grady Hendrix, it’s part of the studio’s effort to essentially slap the R-rated horror fans responsible for a decade’s worth of success in the face. “Horror fans, who don’t get much respect anyway, are feeling particularly persecuted these days as R-rated horror films regularly bomb at the box office and lightweight, PG-13-rated horror movies for teens gross buckets of cash,” Hendrix writes in the NY Sun. At the urging of Clive Barker, who wrote the short story on which Meat Train is based, these jilted fans apparently complained to Lionsgate, but the studio persisted with new acquisitions head Joe Drake’s plans to release the film as quickly and quietly as possible. “It’s an indication that Lionsgate is no longer in the business of genre filmmaking and that, with its massive new credit line, it’s aiming to join the ranks of the major studios,” Hendrix sums up. Interestingly, Meat Train is tentatively scheduled to hit DVD in October––right around the planned theatrical release of Lionsgate’s first serious “serious” film since Crash, W. One more tragedy to blame on Oliver Stone, I guess. Via GreenCine Daily Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/1/33420.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/1/2008 5:01:38 PM
Body: Today Lionsgate releases Midnight Meat Train––by all indications a cousin to the studio’s, um, classic fare like Saw and Hostel, but actually starring some name actors, like Bradley Cooperin just a hundred-something theaters, with no reviews. According to Grady Hendrix, it’s part of the studio’s effort to essentially slap the R-rated horror fans responsible for a decade’s worth of success in the face. “Horror fans, who don’t get much respect anyway, are feeling particularly persecuted these days as R-rated horror films regularly bomb at the box office and lightweight, PG-13-rated horror movies for teens gross buckets of cash,” Hendrix writes in the NY Sun. At the urging of Clive Barker, who wrote the short story on which Meat Train is based, these jilted fans apparently complained to Lionsgate, but the studio persisted with new acquisitions head Joe Drake’s plans to release the film as quickly and quietly as possible. “It’s an indication that Lionsgate is no longer in the business of genre filmmaking and that, with its massive new credit line, it’s aiming to join the ranks of the major studios,” Hendrix sums up. Interestingly, Meat Train is tentatively scheduled to hit DVD in October––right around the planned theatrical release of Lionsgate’s first serious “serious” film since Crash, W. One more tragedy to blame on Oliver Stone, I guess. Via GreenCine Daily Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:01:38 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/1/2008 5:01:38 PMToday Lionsgate releases Midnight Meat Train––by all indications a cousin to the studio’s, um, classic fare like Saw and Hostel, but actually starring some name actors, like Bradley Cooperin just a hundred-something theaters, with no reviews. According to Grady Hendrix, it’s part of the studio’s effort to essentially slap the R-rated horror fans responsible for a decade’s worth of success in the face. “Horror fans, who don’t get much respect anyway, are feeling particularly persecuted these days as R-rated horror films regularly bomb at the box office and lightweight, PG-13-rated horror movies for teens gross buckets of cash,” Hendrix writes in the NY Sun. At the urging of Clive Barker, who wrote the short story on which Meat Train is based, these jilted fans apparently complained to Lionsgate, but the studio persisted with new acquisitions head Joe Drake’s plans to release the film as quickly and quietly as possible. “It’s an indication that Lionsgate is no longer in the business of genre filmmaking and that, with its massive new credit line, it’s aiming to join the ranks of the major studios,” Hendrix sums up. Interestingly, Meat Train is tentatively scheduled to hit DVD in October––right around the planned theatrical release of Lionsgate’s first serious “serious” film since Crash, W. One more tragedy to blame on Oliver Stone, I guess. Via GreenCine Daily Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/nakedlunchradioshow/archive/2008/7/23/32978.aspx Post By: NakedLunchRadioShow
Post To: Naked Lunch Radio
Post Date: 7/23/2008 4:30:42 PM
Body: The Midnight Meat Train (2008) The Midnight Meat Train is based on Clive Barker's 1984 short story of the same name, which can be found in Volume One of Barker's collection Books of Blood. The film follows a photographer who attempts to track down a serial killer dubbed the "Subway Butcher" and discovers more than he bargained for under the city streets. Directed by Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura , it stars Bradley Cooper, Roger Bart, Vinnie Jones and Brooke Shields. Despite being the most famous horror novelist next to Stephen King, only very few films have been made from Barker's work. Three of those he actually directed. To be honest I have not been a fan of most of these films save for Candyman and Lord of Illusions. Clive Barker's Books of Blood is considered the holy grail of horror literature but the film adaptation of Midnight Meat Train is hit and miss. I know it is based on a short story but at times the film makers seemed hard up on ideas on where to go with the film. We end up with Cooper following Vinnie Jones playing the Butcher in several scenes with many near-misses. The scenes are repetitive and lack suspense. They seem forced and it comes across as if it they are there to just stretch the film into a feature length. Overall the screenplay is solid. I appreciate that the screenwriter doesn't over explain everything and much was left to the imagination of the viewers (save for a brief explanation towards the end). You have to hand it to screenwriter Jeff Buhler for adapting a Barker story. While not perfect, it's still better than average screenplay, (minus a few really cheesy one liners used here and there such as "Stay away from the meat.)" The adaptation of this script was a labor of love for long-time Barker fan Jeff Buhler, who worked closely with Barker throughout the process. Their intent was to expand the world presented in the original short story while preserving the underlying mythology and themes already there. In fact both Barker and Buhler fought long and hard to retain the original title of the film, which at one point was going to be changed to "Midnight Train." The film has a very unique look and uses a lot of blue hues. Everything seems to shine on screen yet it is also very grainy. To be put simply it is visually stunning and ambitious. Anyone who has seen director Ryuhei Kitamura's film Azumi would know just how well this man can shoot action. In comparison to his earlier film "Azumi", "Kill Bill's" fight sequences look lame. Here he uses a perfect blend of prosthetics and CGI and the director brings some of the most inventive kills to ever hit the big screen. The kill sequences are impressive to say the least but more importantly gory and original. Unlike in the film "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane", the death sequences here are clever and justify it's R rating. Most of the special FX were practical, which gave the film a more believable tone. There were dead bodies hanging from the train, teeth being pulled, an intense scene in which an eyeball pops out of it's socket; and there's a fantastic kill in which a guy, hanging upside down on a meat hook, sees his reflection in a pool of his own blood. What I didn't like was the cast. Actually I really hated the cast of this film. Bradley Cooper was just not right for the role as the main character. He held the same emotion on his face throughout the entire film. He had no range what so ever nor did Leslie Bibb who plays his girlfriend. She was even worse and I found myself hoping someone would kill off her character. Vinnie Jones plays the same mute bad guy he seems to always play, but for an x-football player he's the only one member of the cast who truly shines. Hostel II's Roger Bart pops up in a few scenes and so does Ted Rami but neither gets any serious screen time. However no one was worse that the lady detective in this film who makes M. Knight seem like a great actor. It's a tricky film to recommend. I think that true fans of the original story will find themselves disappointed with the outcome but yet most fans of horror films will truly love it. I am glad I had a chance to see the world premiere if anything for bragging rights. However I don't see it landing in my DVD collection anytime soon. Jimmy D www.naked-lunch.org
]]>Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:30:42 GMTNakedLunchRadioShowNaked Lunch Radio7/23/2008 4:30:42 PM The Midnight Meat Train (2008) The Midnight Meat Train is based on Clive Barker's 1984 short story of the same name, which can be found in Volume One of Barker's collection Books of Blood. The film follows a photographer who attempts to track down a serial killer dubbed the "Subway Butcher" and discovers more than he bargained for under the city streets. Directed by Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura , it stars Bradley Cooper, Roger Bart, Vinnie Jones and Brooke Shields. Despite being the most famous horror novelist next to Stephen King, only very few films have been made from Barker's work. Three of those he actually directed. To be honest I have not been a fan of most of these films save for Candyman and Lord of Illusions. Clive Barker's Books of Blood is considered the holy grail of horror literature but the film adaptation of Midnight Meat Train is hit and miss. I know it is based on a short story but at times the film makers seemed hard up on ideas on where to go with the film. We end up with Cooper following Vinnie Jones playing the Butcher in several scenes with many near-misses. The scenes are repetitive and lack suspense. They seem forced and it comes across as if it they are there to just stretch the film into a feature length. Overall the screenplay is solid. I appreciate that the screenwriter doesn't over explain everything and much was left to the imagination of the viewers (save for a brief explanation towards the end). You have to hand it to screenwriter Jeff Buhler for adapting a Barker story. While not perfect, it's still better than average screenplay, (minus a few really cheesy one liners used here and there such as "Stay away from the meat.)" The adaptation of this script was a labor of love for long-time Barker fan Jeff Buhler, who worked closely with Barker throughout the process. Their intent was to expand the world presented in the original short story while preserving the underlying mythology and themes already there. In fact both Barker and Buhler fought long and hard to retain the original title of the film, which at one point was going to be changed to "Midnight Train." The film has a very unique look and uses a lot of blue hues. Everything seems to shine on screen yet it is also very grainy. To be put simply it is visually stunning and ambitious. Anyone who has seen director Ryuhei Kitamura's film Azumi would know just how well this man can shoot action. In comparison to his earlier film "Azumi", "Kill Bill's" fight sequences look lame. Here he uses a perfect blend of prosthetics and CGI and the director brings some of the most inventive kills to ever hit the big screen. The kill sequences are impressive to say the least but more importantly gory and original. Unlike in the film "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane", the death sequences here are clever and justify it's R rating. Most of the special FX were practical, which gave the film a more believable tone. There were dead bodies hanging from the train, teeth being pulled, an intense scene in which an eyeball pops out of it's socket; and there's a fantastic kill in which a guy, hanging upside down on a meat hook, sees his reflection in a pool of his own blood. What I didn't like was the cast. Actually I really hated the cast of this film. Bradley Cooper was just not right for the role as the main character. He held the same emotion on his face throughout the entire film. He had no range what so ever nor did Leslie Bibb who plays his girlfriend. She was even worse and I found myself hoping someone would kill off her character. Vinnie Jones plays the same mute bad guy he seems to always play, but for an x-football player he's the only one member of the cast who truly shines. Hostel II's Roger Bart pops up in a few scenes and so does Ted Rami but neither gets any serious screen time. However no one was worse that the lady detective in this film who makes M. Knight seem like a great actor. It's a tricky film to recommend. I think that true fans of the original story will find themselves disappointed with the outcome but yet most fans of horror films will truly love it. I am glad I had a chance to see the world premiere if anything for bragging rights. However I don't see it landing in my DVD collection anytime soon. Jimmy D www.naked-lunch.org http://www.spout.com/groups/The_Film_Library/Top_Five_Clive_Barker/512/22445/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: TheWorkingDead
Post To: The Film Library
Post Date: 12/1/2007 8:05:53 PM
Body: Lists. Everybody loves lists! So welcome to a new regular feature here in the Film Library, the Top Five. This can be a simple top five list, like the top five Hitchcock films based on novels(you'd have plenty to choose from), or a bit more complex like Top Five Movies Based On Victorian-Era Science Fiction. I'm going to be posting a new list at least once a month, but by all means, if you have a list, start your own discussion thread and we can all make our opinions heard. I'm going to start with an easy one today, Top Five Films Based On The Works Of Clive Barker. I chose Clive Barker because there are too many discussions about Stephen King movies going on around this site as it is, I didn't think I had anything new to add by this point.1. Nightbreed This a very important film in my life; it's the film that turned me into a horror fan. Before this movie I couldn't stomache even fairly innocuous horror films, but after seeing this movie while in Jr. High, I started devouring as many horror films and books as I could get my hands on. Nightbreed made me look at the world of ghosts and monsters not only as a place for fear and terror, but a place full of it's own beauty and overflowing with mystery. Adapting the film from his own novella, Cabal, Barker's second film as a director may seem a bit choppy, but that's only because the studio forced 45 minutes of edits. I actually wrote Mr. Barker once, inquiring as to the existence of a Director's Cut of this film, since it seemed jumpy. He assured me that 45 minutes were cut, and a special edition DVD would be out by that holiday season. That was in 1998. Don't hold your breath. 2. Hellraiser The best movies based on Clive Barker's books tend to have his direct involvement, and the very best usually have him directing. Parts of Hellraiser certainly have not aged well, particularly some of the acting and often unnatural dialogue, but those are minor quibbles. Lot's of horror directors and goth bands try to pull off the whole 'beautiful yet horrifying' trick, but no one has succeeded as well as Clive Barker. From the sexualized, S&M Cenobites to Frank's haunting and disgusting(and, yes, beautiful) ressurection scene to Kirsty's dreams, the movie has grace amidst all those flesh hooks.3. Candyman Not directed by Clive Barker, but the best attempt by anyone trying to adapt Barker's work. Slowmoving and graceful, yet full of all the grotesque imagery you'd want from a Clive Barker movie(and more hooks!). Tony Todd will forever be Candyman to me, that tortured soul who, in the end, only wants to be with his own love. The setting of this film(and story) were unique at the time, and to a great extent still are. Black villains and Housing Projects are usually relegated to Direct to Video "urban" films that replace the letter S with a Z in their title. It's an aspect of life that is woefully unexplored by mainstream hollywood, particularly in regards to genre output.4. Lord of Illusions This one almost made number three, but I had to admit that the flaws in this film may be greater than any in Candyman. My appreciation of this film seems to vary with each watching; sometimes I love it, sometimes I'm not into it. More often than not I love it, but then, Candyman is a movie I've always enjoyed. So for sheer consistency, this one drops down a peg. Clive Barker plays with our expectations in this one a bit, largely by moving the film almost immediately from rain-soaked New York to bright and sunny California. A hard-boiled noir-horror film should feel dark and opressive, not sunny and open. And yet It works for me, largely due to a great performance from lead Scott Bakula(who really deserves more work) and the always stunning Famke Jannsen. Not helping the movie is Kevin J. O'Conner, who I normally find entertaining, but who can't seem to inhabit the exposition he's given here. Daniel von Bargen makes a slobbish cult leader, who seems an odd vessel for so much power but pulls it off by being charismatic AND quite disturbing.5. Midnight Meat Train It's a bit of a cheat, putting in a movie that hasn't come out yet. I'm sorry, but when the remaining contestants are Underworld(AKA Transmutations), some crappy sequel to Hellraiser of Candyman, or Rawhead Rex(I can't believe I so disliked a movie where the monster baptises a catholic priest in his urine), I'll go with the promising-sounding upcoming project. Although I'm disappointed Clive Barker won't be directing any films in the future, Ryuhei Kitamura was an interesting and hopefully entertaining choice to film the adapted version of this short story. Kitamura's films have so far been hyperkinetic action films, which seems like an odd fit for Clive Barker's world, but it makes some sort of sense. Kitamura's films have all been preoccupied with the supernatural, with gods and demons fighting it out with a varied selection of swords guns and whatever else they can get their hands on. Being no stranger to the world of the supernatural, what with the zombies in Versus, the god of war in Aragami, or the ghosts in Sky High, hopefully this new film will deserve my premature placing on this list.
]]>Sun, 02 Dec 2007 01:05:53 GMTTheWorkingDeadThe Film Library12/1/2007 8:05:53 PMLists. Everybody loves lists! So welcome to a new regular feature here in the Film Library, the Top Five. This can be a simple top five list, like the top five Hitchcock films based on novels(you&#39;d have plenty to choose from), or a bit more complex like Top Five Movies Based On Victorian-Era Science Fiction. I&#39;m going to be posting a new list at least once a month, but by all means, if you have a list, start your own discussion thread and we can all make our opinions heard. I&#39;m going to start with an easy one today, Top Five Films Based On The Works Of Clive Barker. I chose Clive Barker because there are too many discussions about Stephen King movies going on around this site as it is, I didn&#39;t think I had anything new to add by this point.1. Nightbreed This a very important film in my life; it&#39;s the film that turned me into a horror fan. Before this movie I couldn&#39;t stomache even fairly innocuous horror films, but after seeing this movie while in Jr. High, I started devouring as many horror films and books as I could get my hands on. Nightbreed made me look at the world of ghosts and monsters not only as a place for fear and terror, but a place full of it&#39;s own beauty and overflowing with mystery. Adapting the film from his own novella, Cabal, Barker&#39;s second film as a director may seem a bit choppy, but that&#39;s only because the studio forced 45 minutes of edits. I actually wrote Mr. Barker once, inquiring as to the existence of a Director&#39;s Cut of this film, since it seemed jumpy. He assured me that 45 minutes were cut, and a special edition DVD would be out by that holiday season. That was in 1998. Don&#39;t hold your breath. 2. Hellraiser The best movies based on Clive Barker&#39;s books tend to have his direct involvement, and the very best usually have him directing. Parts of Hellraiser certainly have not aged well, particularly some of the acting and often unnatural dialogue, but those are minor quibbles. Lot&#39;s of horror directors and goth bands try to pull off the whole &#39;beautiful yet horrifying&#39; trick, but no one has succeeded as well as Clive Barker. From the sexualized, S&amp;M Cenobites to Frank&#39;s haunting and disgusting(and, yes, beautiful) ressurection scene to Kirsty&#39;s dreams, the movie has grace amidst all those flesh hooks.3. Candyman Not directed by Clive Barker, but the best attempt by anyone trying to adapt Barker&#39;s work. Slowmoving and graceful, yet full of all the grotesque imagery you&#39;d want from a Clive Barker movie(and more hooks!). Tony Todd will forever be Candyman to me, that tortured soul who, in the end, only wants to be with his own love. The setting of this film(and story) were unique at the time, and to a great extent still are. Black villains and Housing Projects are usually relegated to Direct to Video &quot;urban&quot; films that replace the letter S with a Z in their title. It&#39;s an aspect of life that is woefully unexplored by mainstream hollywood, particularly in regards to genre output.4. Lord of Illusions This one almost made number three, but I had to admit that the flaws in this film may be greater than any in Candyman. My appreciation of this film seems to vary with each watching; sometimes I love it, sometimes I&#39;m not into it. More often than not I love it, but then, Candyman is a movie I&#39;ve always enjoyed. So for sheer consistency, this one drops down a peg. Clive Barker plays with our expectations in this one a bit, largely by moving the film almost immediately from rain-soaked New York to bright and sunny California. A hard-boiled noir-horror film should feel dark and opressive, not sunny and open. And yet It works for me, largely due to a great performance from lead Scott Bakula(who really deserves more work) and the always stunning Famke Jannsen. Not helping the movie is Kevin J. O&#39;Conner, who I normally find entertaining, but who can&#39;t seem to inhabit the exposition he&#39;s given here. Daniel von Bargen makes a slobbish cult leader, who seems an odd vessel for so much power but pulls it off by being charismatic AND quite disturbing.5. Midnight Meat Train It&#39;s a bit of a cheat, putting in a movie that hasn&#39;t come out yet. I&#39;m sorry, but when the remaining contestants are Underworld(AKA Transmutations), some crappy sequel to Hellraiser of Candyman, or Rawhead Rex(I can&#39;t believe I so disliked a movie where the monster baptises a catholic priest in his urine), I&#39;ll go with the promising-sounding upcoming project. Although I&#39;m disappointed Clive Barker won&#39;t be directing any films in the future, Ryuhei Kitamura was an interesting and hopefully entertaining choice to film the adapted version of this short story. Kitamura&#39;s films have so far been hyperkinetic action films, which seems like an odd fit for Clive Barker&#39;s world, but it makes some sort of sense. Kitamura&#39;s films have all been preoccupied with the supernatural, with gods and demons fighting it out with a varied selection of swords guns and whatever else they can get their hands on. Being no stranger to the world of the supernatural, what with the zombies in Versus, the god of war in Aragami, or the ghosts in Sky High, hopefully this new film will deserve my premature placing on this list. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/murder/MemberTagFilms.aspxmurder
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