Our first part of this article (for the record, I have no idea why I didn’t shoot for a list of 20 right from the beginning) seemed to draw some fair attention from you loyal DCers, but what struck me was how informative the article quickly became. A good number of readers were quick to point out some gems omitted from the article, which led to debate and recommendation of a follow-up piece. And that’s where we’re at today, where I listen to you, return to a fair number of films I haven’t seen recently, as well as some newer releases, and come up with a respectable list of 10 more movies that make special effects feel special again.
Let’s keep the debate alive, my fellow genre freaks. If you’re noticing a kick-ass flick that deserves to land on lists of this nature, make it known. It’s always a treat to unearth something foreign to me, and I’m never closed to the idea of creating a 10 Modern Horror Films with Awesome Practical Effects Part 3 article.
Maniac (2012): Frank Khalfoun did an amazing job with the remake of William Lustig’s deeply unsettling Maniac. Visually it is an amazingly stimulating film. The filming perspective is clever and effective, and Elijah Wood rises to an occasion many figured he couldn’t possibly achieve. It’s one of those pictures that forces you to think about it well after viewing. And one of the finest elements of the flick just so happens to be the load of all-too-realistic practical effects work that one wildly talented group of effects practitioners make a reality. The murders are brutal, and the scalping scenes look horrendous enough to guarantee the movie earns mention in this list!
Frankenstein’s Army: Let’s just be completely honest here and admit the fact that Frankenstein’s Army isn’t exactly a great film. There’s a lot wrong with the flick (an immediate sign comes in the video and sound itself, which is supposedly captured with a military camera during the second World War, yet looks and sounds so damn crisp it is extremely evident the technology was still a few decades away from arriving, even to the military). But for all the problems, it’s really hard to deny the entertainment value of the pic. Once the insanity really kicks into gear – around the 40- to 45-minute mark – we get to see some of the craziest monster creations ever put to film. And most of it looks absolutely amazing.
Doom: Full disclosure: Doom is a huge guilty pleasure piece for me. It’s so damn goofy, and “The Rock” is so hammy that there are a number of unintentional laughs to be had that tickle my fancy for reasons that could easily be considered wrong. But this video game transfer gets two things very, very right. One, it’s extremely fun. It moves fast and holds our attention (whether we take it seriously or not) with a bunch of cool monsters, human termination, and crazy pacing. The second thing it does very well is nailing the special effects. There are plenty of scenes weighed down with visual effects, but there are a whole hell of a lot of scenes with cool monster makeup and gnarly prosthetics. These beasts are pretty damn awesome… even if the picture as a whole could be considered by some a total waste of time.
V/H/S/2: The best of the franchise, V/H/S/2 showed improvements in screenwriting, technical camera techniques, and concepts in general. It’s an eclectic blend of shorts, and just about every single one proves to be more entertaining than the films featured in V/H/S and – especially – V/H/S Viral. The greatest part of the entire anthology, however, is the consistently impressive special effects. From severed eyeballs to the nastiest bike ride conceivable to true mass carnage, this one considers no territory too taboo; and the visual style of the picture echoes that. This is a damn disturbing film that definitely deserves its place on this list.
Planet Terror: Planet Terror is quite the disgusting film. Especially for a flick that earned a fairly wide theatrical release. In stark contrast to its Grindhouse co-feature, Death Proof, the film leans on insane visuals and a frenetic pace rather than glorious monologues and slow-burn tension. Together they make for a fantastic pairing, but if you’re out for a quick thrill with insane practical effects, there’s no need to tune in to Death Proof. Planet Terror has all the grim visuals one could ask for. From enormous festering boils to melting genitals, this is an insane joy ride of nauseating visuals.
Clown: In some ways, the practical effects in Clown are extremely subtle, and in some ways they’re not. The transformation that Kent undergoes feels very gradual, but when you really take in the final appearance of the man, and the wrath of all things clown, it’s pretty fucking gruesome. In fact, it could be called stunning. There are no punches pulled throughout the production’s runtime, and there is no one on the sidelines waiting to apologize for a devastatingly blunt and damaging feature. The movie shocks, but it isn’t completely without respect to the audience, which comes as a startling surprise.
Wolf Creek 2: While Greg McLean’s Wolf Creek 2 is clearly a gratuitous picture, it’s also a wonder to behold just on the strength of the special effects. McLean and his band of effects artists take viewers back to a time when the blood and guts of film stood as a major point of appeal for fans. Though modern, it has the look and vibe of a ruthless ’80s flick and at moments (severed penis, anyone?) feels almost like a nod to wild man Herschell Gordon Lewis. Mick Taylor is as terrifying as he’s ever been, and the gruesome depths he explores in Wolf Creek 2 ultimately look stunning and mortifying in equal measure.
Charlie’s Farm: There are a lot of mishaps to overlook while checking out Chris Sun’s old school slasher Charlie’s Farm. The dialogue hits quite a few snags and the disregard for basic logical and internal survival instinct can be hard to swallow. But what the film lacks in finesse it makes up for in sheer brutality. This is a mean, mean picture crammed full of disgusting, graphic violence. And it’s all practical… and it’s all amazing to behold. There’s an obvious attempt at creating a new genre villain that will be remembered for years to come, and whether that pans out for Sun or not, he’s at least got himself one attention-grabbing and gruesome picture on his hands. You, sir, are commended for your efforts!
Splinter: Splinter is one of those gems that fuses practical special effects and digital enhancements with absolute perfection. The story itself is also captivating, which leads us to really invest in the picture. When you combine those strengths, you have an absolutely magical picture. The truth is, Splinter is one of the finest indie horror pics to hit the market inside the last decade. Quantum Creation FX enters the fold to assemble one of the coolest monsters ever shot, and one damn flexible gymnast climbs on board to ensure that all kinds of strange, seemingly impossible contortions convince us of the organic alien nature of the creature. It’s a marriage of absolute brilliance.
Hatchet (The Franchise): You simply cannot lose when it comes to the Hatchet films. They’re fun, humorous, nostalgic, and absolutely disgusting. Adam Green did a fine job of introducing a contemporary villain that fans of old drive-in flicks could really get behind. Victor Crowley is frightening and embraced (probably will be for decades to come), and that’s because he rips people apart like few others. Each of the three franchise installments is packed with graphic and over-the-top gore that you’ve got to see to believe, and as impossible as it may seem, each film makes a valid attempt at outscoring its immediate predecessor on the gross-out scale.