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"The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

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"The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

Old 09-25-12, 11:18 PM
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"The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3






The Dentist (1996)



Selected by Dimension X



IMDB ENTRY

NETFLIX WATCH INSTANTLY

These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.

MAIN THREAD | LIST THREAD

The plan is for everyone to watch this film on the October day in the thread title, and to start discussing it the morning of the following day.
You may start discussion early if you want, but the preferred plan is for this to be as much of a group exercise as possible, with all of us viewing it "together" and discussing after.

Of course, you are totally encouraged to participate in these threads even if you haven't watched the movie on the designated day.
Even if you haven't watched it in years, or are not participating in the Horror Challenge, please feel free to chime in.



Spoiler tags are unnecessary in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF SPOILERS.

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Old 10-02-12, 02:50 PM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

Free streaming on Amazon Prime Instant Video.

http://www.amazon.com/Dentist-Corbin...9206120&sr=1-1
Old 10-03-12, 01:58 AM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

My wife use to love The Dentist but it's always struck me as too cutesy a spin on common dental discomfort to be an effective horror film. I imagine a group of producers sitting in an office pulling everyday topics that make people uncomfortable out of a hat to decide what film to make next. The over emphasis on back story weakens the film but is necessary because there's not anything here but a brief sketch of an idea, dental work is uncomfortable. Some of the more gruesome scenes are frightening in a torture porn way but I'm not a fan. It feels like a lot of satirical wit was missed with this opportunity. Corbin Bernsen is great as The Dentist, especially with the "decay is always busy" obsession. For a killer dentist film it could have been worse but I'm not a fan.

Last edited by Undeadcow; 10-03-12 at 05:57 PM.
Old 10-03-12, 11:37 AM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

finally a subset movie im able top watch *i really need to track down the first two*

I rented The Dentist 2 back in the day and remembered hating it and never bothered with the original.

I had low expectations and ended up enjoying this one. I couple dental work scenes were very basic but actually pretty hard to watch as teeth and nail torture makes me cringe everytime.

it was alot more serious then I thought a horror movie would be based off a dentist may revisit the sequel for the challenge as its been awhile since it came out and my taste in horror has changed drastically
Old 10-03-12, 12:20 PM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

I just finished watching The Dentist. I don't think I had ever seen it all the way through before, just catching bits and pieces on cable over the years. My opinion on it would lean more toward what Undeadcow said. It may not have been that good, but there were some effective scenes.

I cracked up spotting Mark Ruffalo.
Old 10-03-12, 01:29 PM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

I liked it, and it was another first time view for me. Not an amazing movie by any means, but I liked it due to being a typical 90's Cable horror movie. Corbin Bernson is awesome in anything, but he always seems to play a rich douche. Also thought it was funny that Mark Ruffalo was in it...
Old 10-03-12, 04:52 PM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

I didn't love it. I enjoy evil doctors, but this was just tedious to sit through. A much more entertaining dentist.

Last edited by Gobear; 10-03-12 at 06:12 PM.
Old 10-03-12, 10:56 PM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

Omg. I'm so glad I didn't watch this yesterday as I had a dental appointment. I really hated the sound of the drilling! But it wasn't too bad of a film.
Old 10-04-12, 03:06 AM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

My first time seeing this. I had no idea that Brian Yuzna directed this, so when I saw his credit, I already knew I was in good company (Never have had any big complaints with movies he's done....Also let out a big ol' grin when I saw Mark Ruffalo's credit!)
Although I thought the main story concluded far too early, the remaining filler didn't turn out to be that bad.

Spoiler:
Interesting to see 4 out of my 16 movies ending with the killer in an insane asylum. It already feels like I've seen more than that!
Old 10-04-12, 07:32 AM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

First time viewing for me, mainly because I am absolutely petrified of going to the dentist, and hate watching anything involving pain or trauma around the mouth.

I thought it was very well done, and as expected it freaked me out, making me avert my eyes several times. Loved Corbin Bernsen, but will never look at him in Psych the same way again.

I haven't been to a dentist in 25 years, and now it will be another 25.
Old 10-04-12, 12:56 PM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

This was a first-time viewing for me as well. I remember seeing the box in rental stores years ago and being too freaked out to rent it, going to the dentist is scary enough without films like this making it even worse. Was pleasantly surprised to see that Brian Yuzna directed this, having enjoyed Bride of the Re-Animator and Return of the Living Dead 3. Now those films aren't classics or good as their predecessors(although RotlD3 was better than the 2nd...) they had some good moments and the gore/special effects were sufficiently disturbing.

The Dentist is in the same boat, it's got some glaring flaws but overall, it's an enjoyable enough B horror flick. For me, the biggest problem was the motivation of the Dentist, his transformation seemed forced to me, with sloppy narration. I didn't think his wife was unlikable enough to justify his crazy actions. I guess he was supposed to be a psychopath all along, but considering the movie followed the perspective of the villain, I felt like I didn't really get much insight into the character throughout the film.

However the real point of this movie is to make uncomfortable scenes in the dentist's chair, and this film definitely succeeds. Not one, not two, but several scenes had me squirming and turning my head. It's rare that I actually avert my eyes from what's happening in a horror movie, but it happened while viewing this film on several occasions. The filmmakers did a great job pushing your buttons and making you feel uncomfortable, without going overboard.

There were no notable characters except for Sarah, the 13 year old girl waiting to get her braces off. She seemed very sweet and innocent and the actress did a great job making her likable. It was also cool seeing Ken Foree and Mark Ruffalo playing minor roles.

Nice pick for the theme night. Has anybody seen The Dentist 2 or Dr. Giggles?
Old 10-04-12, 03:10 PM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

I haven't seen this movie since around the time it was originally released. I have to say that this is the way to make a solid B horror movie. Over the top but still good acting. Extremely dark humor. Scenes that will make you squirm. Nudity. Recognizable faces scattered about.

I really enjoyed this surprisingly. Didn't go in expecting too much but came out liking it well enough. Kinda funny that the first person he draws blood on is a little kid. And the scene where he is just chewing up a woman's teeth with his drill is almost unbearable. The movie is gross but doesn't seem to go too overboard. Solid pick.

My rating: *** put of *****
Old 10-04-12, 05:36 PM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3



I think that it would take a very special combination of director, screenwriters and actors to make a good film about a homicidal dentist…and The Dentist proves that Brian Yuzna, Stuart Gordon and Dennis Paoli, and Corbin Bernsen et al. were not a very special combination. Probably the worst film in all of their filmographies (well, maybe not in Corbin’s), The Dentist never engaged me. There’s not one character in the film that struck me as being a reasonable facsimile of a real person. I think the film would have been a lot more interesting and/or scary if cardboard cutouts had been used as actors instead of live people--at least that way, I’d be able to cut the film a little slack for having actual cardboard characters instead of people playing cardboard characters. The music score was just plain awful. Apparently, Alan Howarth is only effective as John Carpenter’s extra pair of hands. And no, before you ask, I didn’t squirm once during the dental hijinks that occurred. If the special effects had been up to snuff, I might have squirmed, but inflicting damage on a piece of rubber has never really been something that induces mad squirming in me. As it stands, there’s nothing here worth recommending.
Old 10-06-12, 12:19 PM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

I enjoyed The Dentist. The gore and sex was relatively mild for a movie created by Brian Yuzna, Stuart Gordon and Dennis Paoli, and they passed up a few chances to take it a bit farther, but I think that was the right choice.

Corbin Bernsen gave a nice performance. It would have been easy to have him play it more over the top to create a broader comedy, but I think that would have been a disaster. Overall, it seemed like a nice mix of horror and comedy.

I agree about Sarah being the only likeable character (other than Ken Foree's detective). That's fairly typical for a movie of this type. None of the victim's really deserved what happened to them, but you don't feel the world suffered any great loss due to their deaths. Sarah was the one character in the movie whose survival you could root for.

Looking forward to watching a few more by Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna later in the challenge.

This was the first time that I watched a 31 Film Subset movie on the designated day, and then I forgot to post my thoughts the next day. I may watch 5 to 7 more, so maybe I'll get it right with a little more practice.
Old 10-07-12, 02:18 AM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

Can't stand the squirmy-ness of the first 2 acts. When he flips out and everyone knows I am fine. I just find that hand in the cookie jar/are you crazy unpleasant.

Also whenever I see Corbin Bernsen I think of Major League.
Old 10-08-12, 09:24 AM
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Re: "The Dentist" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 3

Originally Posted by SterlingBen

Also whenever I see Corbin Bernsen I think of Major League.
I think of Arnie Becker (L.A. Law). I think that was the character's name? I haven't watched L.A. Law since it was originally airing on TV but his character was so great that he always reminds me of it.

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