The Turin Horse
During a visit to Turin, Italy, Friedrich Nietzsche witnessed a horse getting its ass beaten. Nietzsche was so moved that he ran up to hug the horse, only to collapse on the ground. Nietzsche became mute and bedridden for eleven years after being diagnosed with a mysterious mental illness. A terrific 2011 film by Tarr and Hranitzky tells the story of a horse.
In “The Turin Horse,” you will see the story of a grizzled country farmer who uses his horse drawn wagon to cart around big loads. The film is a very philosophical film and is only suitable for the brave (and possibly pretentious). With his horse, he travels into the city and returns home. It is his best friend. Even though the ancient piece of livestock is old, feeble, and sickly, it goes the extra mile to please the farmer. A beautiful tale of love, loss, and depression emerges when the farmer and his daughter must acknowledge the fact that the horse cannot live forever.
Greed
Adapted from Frank Norris’s novel “McTeague”, “Greed” is a powerful tale about the effects a 5000 dollar lottery prize has on the life of a middle-class dentist and his wife. Human nature follows in a disgusting fashion. You’ll definitely be in a bad mood after watching this film.
“Greed” portrays almost a Lovecraftian horror story, minus the godlike entities. It’s almost like we’re watching the first half of “The Color Out of Space,” in which a toxic meteorite drives the Gardner family insane. Only money and the brutality of human nature are the toxic forces at play here. Only a mangled four-hour cut is available for viewing, and the additional five hours have been lost to time.
The Son
A teen delinquent who killed Oliver’s son must receive vocational lessons from the carpenter. A perfect film from beginning to end, “The Son” is another triumph for the Dardenne brothers! Oliver Gourmet and Morgan Marianne deliver all too believable performances, and the Dardenne brothers’ naturalistic, almost cut-free camerawork never ceases to mesmerize. Oliver Gourmet’s performance at the 2002 Cannes film festival was so mysterious, Christ-like, and tormented that he definitely deserved to win the best actor. The Son is a slow-paced mystery with the intrigue and intensity of a fine thriller. Watching the film’s relationships, you might learn a thing or two about compassion and forgiveness.
The Fog
The massacre of lepers aboard a ship led to the founding of a small village by the sea. The lepers resurrect on the town’s anniversary in search of revenge. It’s what people tell over campfires.
“The Fog” is another classic horror flick by John Carpenter. A small beach town is haunted by ghosts in an innocent little horror flick. Although Carpenter’s horror story where the action is set by the sea isn’t as explicitly scary as his other films, it does provide some fright. The film’s moodiness, which includes the eerie shots of the distant lighthouse and the smoky fog, is what gives viewers the heebie-jeebies.
The Pit and the Pendulum
Francis Barnard (John Kerr) receives tragic news: his sister Elizabeth has died. Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price) is Elizabeth’s widower, and Barnard arrives at the castle of Nicholas Medina. Medina’s household is rocked by strange occurrences, and secrets in the haunted palace begin to unravel.
Edgar Alan Poe, one of the first masters of horror, is one of Robert Eggers’ biggest influences. It is believed that “The Lighthouse” is based on an ancient unfinished Poe story called “The Lighthouse.” And of all the Edgar Alan Poe movies made, Roger Corman’s “The Pit and the Pendulum” is probably the creepiest and most memorable. Adapting one of Poe’s most iconic images, Roger Corman’s film also incorporates elements of Poe’s other works, encapsulating all the mod author’s obsessions in one movie. Also worth watching is Vincent Price’s (as always) superb performance.
