Chad

Mondo Kane

I didn't know this was a subset and watched it last week. Still the most unforgettable movie I've encountered this challenge.

pacaway

I saw it last April at an underground film festival. I really liked the twist ending.

numbercrunch

I loved baskin. The new Hellraiser!. listen carefully for a riff from Cannibal Holocaust - riz ortolani

Dick Laurent

I mentioned on the main thread that this is the first subset film in 9 years I wanted to turn off. Not because of the gore or the crazy content, but because I was enjoying the movie I was watching, but then was pulled out of that wonderful tension and made to divert my attention to appreciate gore with no sense of dread attached. Didn't get the point I guess. The twist ending was cool though. Just wish the prior 45 minutes played out more in my imagination instead of in front of my eyes.

I get it if the point was just to be shocking and try to one-up whatever the grossest horror movie is. I was really getting into the film once we entered the house. But then the gore on top of gore on top of gore was so distracting that I only thought about the grossness of it, and not about the fear I should have been feeling with the characters.

If the point was to be shocking, mission accomplished. If the point was to create an atmosphere of fear and dread for what may happen next, big fail. I just hated the turn the movie took to pull me out of the story to show me really awesome gore effects

Trevor

Similar thoughts to Dick there. Loved the beginnings of the film, even the twist, but all the parts with the villains and gore was just laughably atrociously bad. Not needed at all. Could have been a great film, instead it was the worst daily film of the month so far.

Undeadcow

Cheers for abstract ambitious horror films, people can down Baskin all they like but the surreal elements are a move in the 'right direction' even if here they just end up feeling hollow.

It's unintentionally funny how Arda's 'psychic awakening' is amusingly simple instruction 'take it all in' then he sees stuff and the hell segment suddenly begins - the back and forth (showing hell entry then rewinding) with that scene is brilliant. The way it flashed back to the diner just before the climax seemed to imply the possibility that they had never left the diner after all and for a minute I thought Arda was, perhaps is, just a delusional killer.

The silent leers the police initially react with when entering the house makes for good cinema but don't strike me how police would respond to real blood covered orgies, it gives it a strange 'Halloween Haunted House' feel and they wave flashlights down unending hallway.

The bald headed leader demon is effectively creepy and present; I really liked his role and it gave needed structure to the second half. The demons seems strangely tribal with costumes that vary in effectiveness (some of the headwear looks cheap).

The strange neon lighting used in a lot of scenes are cool looking.

I wonder if knowing more about Turkish culture/lore would illuminate some of the film.

There should definitely be more 'accidentally wandering into hell' movies...I thought the opening half was slow with an odd dependence on character narration of sexual romps or dreams that proved of little immediate significance (I know know this was ultimately foreshadowing their death and maybe justifying their descent to hell, no biggie) - it felt slow to me. I agree that the second half also fails in as many ways as it succeeds. While stylish there isn't much plot overall and it might be too cryptic/random for my taste. The key in the forehead bit is interesting, but it's overly vague what the outcome is other than looking cool (?) and while I appreciate hidden depth or thought provoking story it just feels out to toss around strange meaningless imagery (which has it's place).

There is some hinting that Arda is unique then he just gets run over (by himself), it's gonzo and I appreciate that but also never gets past cheap thrills when it could have been more. Maybe the film was implying Arda had a choice of ending himself by using the key but had he of not used the key...

WillieMLF

Saw this one about a month ago and couldn't finish it, as my head just wasn't in it. I'm glad this was the subset pick this month because it gave the me opportunity to revisit this one and thoroughly enjoy it.

numbercrunch

the last act was a homage or nightmare vision of the grand guignol theater. a nighmarish vision

Dick Laurent

I read somewhere that this was made while police brutality was a big issue in Turkey and they had to kinda film this thing in the shadows. I also think if I knew more about Turkish customs and beliefs or really understood the effect of the social/political climate at the time, I think it would maybe be more relatable. I don't know about more understandable, but I'd guess more relatable. Director and whoever else involved are very talented. That's evident for sure.

ross_r

I absolutely was hating this movie. I just wished that the cops would be slaughtered horribly so the movie could end. I was wishing someone would nuke Turkey and wipe it out for making this third world turd....but then Mehmet Cerrahoglu showed up and blew me the F away. He was one of the best actors I have seen in a horror movie probably ever. Weird how one actor can shine a piece of crap and turn it into gold. Mehmet Cerrahoglu single-handedly turned this from a must avoid movie to a must watch movie. I Hope that Mehmet Cerrahoglu learns English and starts showing up in US horror movies...hell, I would love to see him in a comedy.

rbrown498

I didn't understand this one. I'm still confused about a lot of the things that happened in it, but I also didn't like it enough to expend any effort whatsoever in trying to figure them out.

I will say that I thought that some of the cinematography was exceptional. The film looked good, at least.

TheBigDave

This was my pick. It was a first time view for me.

I loved the first hour. I thought the final act ran too long (30 minutes). It probably would have been more effective if they cut it in half. I wish they had spent more time on the descent into hell which was the part that really creeped me out.

But overall, I thought it was one of the most memorable movies that I've watched this month. And I look forward to seeing more from the director.

pacaway

As I mentioned, I saw this movie in a theater. I'm sure it helped to see it on a big screen with a room full of genre movie lovers. That probably upped the creepy factor by 10. I remember liking it, and the twist as I had said, but I do also remember thinking it went a little to far. I think some of your opinions would change if you had seen it theatrically.

Spiderbite

This is exactly what I was thinking while watching this. Shit...the people behind Hellraiser wish they could currently make a film this good. Did anyone see the last Hellraiser movie? Ugh.

Anyway...Holy Fucking Cow Wow! I loved this movie. And I thought Green Room was intense. This movie blew Green Room away in intensity for me. I sat with a knot in my stomach almost the entire time. I loved not exactly knowing what was going on. Were they dead? Where they dreaming? Are they in Hell? Is this all just a child's nightmare? Just fucking awesome was what it was.

Loved the slick grittiness of the entire movie. And that is exactly what it was...slick but gritty somehow. The director of this movie is amazing and I will have to look him up to see if he has done anything else.

The main dude in Hell was fucking fantastic. What a face! Was there any make-up involved or is that his real face? If so just...damn! And I don;t understand the complaining about the grossness of the film. It is a movie about Hell (or man's concept of what a hell would be). You think it is going to be roses and sunshine? No. I don't believe in a real Hell but if there was one, this would be it.

Fantastic movie and it will likely be my favorite new movie for this challenge.