"Lord of Illusions" Reviews/Discussion - 2022 Horror Challenge
09-26-22, 09:56 PM
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"Lord of Illusions" Reviews/Discussion - 2022 Horror Challenge
Lord of Illusions (1995)  Selected by Fist of Doom Jr |
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These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.
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 aren't always used in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF POSSIBLE SPOILERS.
______________________________
These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.
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 aren't always used in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF POSSIBLE SPOILERS.
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Last edited by Chad; 09-26-22 at 10:28 PM.
10-23-22, 01:50 AM
#2
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Re: "Lord of Illusions" Reviews/Discussion - 2022 Horror Challenge
Taste the darkness.
Lord of Illusions is so under rated.
I love the weird climatic standoff at the opening, what a hook. Clive Barker can write occult horror like no other. The followers being yuppie business people then destroying their everyday lives with Nix's return, a dark and brilliant turn (especially in the Director's Cut when they murder their families). LoI has the feel and scope of an epic but it's best parts are the beginning and end.
I first saw LoI as a VHS tape I bought from Blockbuster - it now looks quite good in HD. I remember finding it a little hard to follow. Nix overshadows Butterfield then the film focuses on an under developed Butterfield - both disappearing for long part of the middle. I now feel some of the mysticism gets tiresome and cheesy. Quaid gasping when he dies is unintentionally funny overacting but it's not the only time - some of what seemed more serious/intense in my youth now just seems way melodramatic (especially Nix at the end). Swann's wife doesnt look anything about Nix's kidnapped girl even if it has been years (and has no chemistry with Swann undermining both characters).
It seems like a missed opportunity for subtext in a film about illusion in performance and hidden reality; ideas ripe with meta commentary on constructed reality and perception in everyday life but it's more sensation minded than deep. The noir vibe is rich.
Lord of Illusions is so under rated.
I love the weird climatic standoff at the opening, what a hook. Clive Barker can write occult horror like no other. The followers being yuppie business people then destroying their everyday lives with Nix's return, a dark and brilliant turn (especially in the Director's Cut when they murder their families). LoI has the feel and scope of an epic but it's best parts are the beginning and end.
I first saw LoI as a VHS tape I bought from Blockbuster - it now looks quite good in HD. I remember finding it a little hard to follow. Nix overshadows Butterfield then the film focuses on an under developed Butterfield - both disappearing for long part of the middle. I now feel some of the mysticism gets tiresome and cheesy. Quaid gasping when he dies is unintentionally funny overacting but it's not the only time - some of what seemed more serious/intense in my youth now just seems way melodramatic (especially Nix at the end). Swann's wife doesnt look anything about Nix's kidnapped girl even if it has been years (and has no chemistry with Swann undermining both characters).
It seems like a missed opportunity for subtext in a film about illusion in performance and hidden reality; ideas ripe with meta commentary on constructed reality and perception in everyday life but it's more sensation minded than deep. The noir vibe is rich.
Last edited by Undeadcow; 10-23-22 at 02:41 AM.
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Gobear (03-31-23)
10-23-22, 11:44 PM
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Re: "Lord of Illusions" Reviews/Discussion - 2022 Horror Challenge
Second watch. This has interesting elements--mostly the cult stuff. But it's a hodgepodge mixture (noir detective, cult horror) that doesn't totally gel IMHO. Maybe it's the high 90's cheese factor, which a lot of Barker's films fall prey to. The ending is so OTT. A harmless watch that is ultimately pretty forgettable. 2.5 out of 5 stars for me.
10-24-22, 07:01 PM
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Re: "Lord of Illusions" Reviews/Discussion - 2022 Horror Challenge
I love Clive Barker. He seems to always transport you to a wild, unique world in his books and movies and Lord of Illusions is no exception. I watched the director's cut Scream Blu Ray.
7/10
7/10
10-28-22, 05:51 PM
#5
Re: "Lord of Illusions" Reviews/Discussion - 2022 Horror Challenge
From my list review:
Hellraiser (1987), Nightbreed (1990), Lord of Illusions (1995) ... the only feature movies Clive Barker directed. With all the movies that have some basic on his work, it really feels like it should be more.
It's been ages since I've seen this ... probably not since it was a new release in Blockbuster Video in the 90s. That probably wasn't the director's cut, which sounds like it strengthened the movie. Like much of his work, Barker has imagination and ambition in bounds. Though it can be a struggle showing in movie form convincingly what he can write in a story. I liked Bakula and Janssen as the leads. I didn't find O'Connor convincing as this supposedly charismatic master illusionist. And Nix just looked so schlubby to be threatening in the beginning (although him in "monster" make-up at the end was good). Hard to believe this was the last movie Barker directed. ***1/2
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Undeadcow (10-28-22)
