Great movie. It worked in most parts for a slow building horror/thriller.
I am NOT an Apostle fan. Intriguing wind-up, clumsy follow-through, and utterly laughable finale. Dan Stevens needs a new agent. And I will fight anyone who calls it Lovecraftian. Ugh.
Okay, that’s enough of that nonsense. Let’s get down to brass tacks. In what movie will you see this at the 20:20?
-Tom
In agreement, who would call that Lovecraft’ian? But it’s not horrible as a slow building horror. I’ve seen a TON worse. Perhaps that’s the issue, Tom. There is a plethora of crap horror disguised as movies. Silly slashers vs. Apostle though? Apostle in a heartbeat. Sad for the genre maybe, but that escalates it above the chaff.
Well, if your frame of reference is slasher movies, sure, Apostle is better. But slasher movies have been a creatively bankrupt subgenre for decades now. That’s a pretty low bar to clear. :)
Also, it’s way better than the Dan Steven’s other ill-advised genre movie, Kill Switch. And he’s barely even in that one!
-Tom
Certainly true. That’s a failing of this move for sure. Where does it sit within the genre? Slasher? Gore? It’s straddling a few areas.
Good question. It’s certainly distinct. Historical setting, cult thriller, supernatural horror. I think those three things mean “Lovecraftian” to some people. It’s also got some missing person mystery, a touch of unintentionally goofy torture, and even a bit of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre freaky/gross family.
-Tom
Supernatural horror, probably. And sadly, this makes me want to see something new now. I’m wary that because we watch so much horror here, we are tainted in how we view new movies. (Speaking for myself and my girlfriend, Tom.) I know for a fact we forgive a lot more in a comedy or drama than any new horror movie.
But Duvall was awesome!
I like Apostle, but calling it Lovecraftian is just silly. Clive Barker is the obvious literary touchstone.
Edit: and just because you brought up lovecraft, I’m going to guess Banshee Chapter.
Is that Mandy?
No correct guesses so far, but I heartily approve of both of them!
Ah, that makes sense now that you say it. Speaking of, has Clive Barker ever translated well to the screen?
-Tom
I’ll go to bat for Candyman being legitimately great any day of the week.
That map exposition is trying to tell me something, but the only movies that come to mind down there have been done, The Colony and Alive. I have no guesses right now, Mr. Chick.
Tentacles?
I prefer my bad horror/thriller knock-offs star-studded.
I’ll stump for Lord of Illusions and Midnight Meat Train, though I acknowledge their obvious flaws. And then Nightbreed…it’s a misshapen creature, but I love it. Hellraiser is still pretty damn good. I haven’t seen Candyman in a really long time, but I remember it positively.
All in all, he’s doing OK considering that adaptations of his work are usually on indie budgets for low-rent studios. I’d say he’s got a better W-L record than Stephen King adaptations.
That looks like the new King Kong movie to me.
Hmm, could it be Dreamscape (1984)?
An excellent guess! That is incorrect, but still an excellent guess!
-Tom
Judging by that monitor and camera in the 40, this looks to be a Grandpa movie, at least by Tom Chick standards. Is this the original “smart” house goes horribly wrong movie, Demon Seed?