Though Raiders of the Lost Ark is a Steven Spielberg/George Lucas action adventure film, it’s also kind of, sort of a horror movie. Am I wrong?
Look, I know genre sticklers will immediately call me silly for writing this, but Raiders of the Lost Ark(and even its followups) are pretty jam-packed with macabre elements. Actually, the opening sequence sets that tone straightway. Dodging booby-traps in a Peruvian temple, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is hellbent on retrieving a golden idol. Along the way we see plenty of corpses, and Indy’s less-than-trustworthy guide (Alfred Molina) betrays him only to gruesomely fall prey to another trap. Even the ball that rolls after Indy could be seen as a freaky moment, honestly — no less so than the recent traps in the (also great) film Escape Room.
As Jones escapes René Belloq (Paul Freeman) and some indigenous arrows, he has to put up with a snake in his getaway plane (And why does that sound familiar? A snake on a plane? Surely that combo would never happen again). Clearly, we have a setup for Indiana Jones’ future ordeal, and it can instantly tap into some viewer’s strong serpent phobias. Of course, you also have Nazis and the blatantly sinister Gestapo interrogator, Major Arnold Toht (Ronald Lacey). Not only does he seem wicked, but definitely sleazy. In fact, he reminds me a little bit of Choptop (Bill Moseley) from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, or maybe even Bricktop (Alan Ford) from Snatch. Sure, he’s not as obscene in his word choice, but the sleaze factor is evident. Also, he’s a friggin’ Nazi.
Watch out for Snakes!
I already hinted at Raiders of the Lost Ark‘s big snake sequence, but it merits mentioning that it lays on the snake scares pretty heavily. In fact, even if a person’s not afraid of snakes, this scene might just turn them right back around. Pretty much only the bravest or most snake-jaded viewer won’t wince a single time, especially when we see snakes morbidly oozing from walls and even from human skulls! Honestly, just watch this scene again and tell me it doesn’t at least win a little horror cred. Of course, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom has gross-out moments which rival this one. Still, that only goes to show a consistency in the series’ tone.
Finally, how could I neglect the face-melting scene? Basically everybody’s seen this, or at least have seen it parodied somewhere. It is not only freaky for this film but for any movie. In fact, any movie that shows people’s paces melting away like wax is kind of a horror movie. So, is this the scariest movie ever devised? Of course not! It also doesn’t have to be. Nevertheless, one shouldn’t shy away from mentioning this as what it is — an action/adventure/fantasy/horror film. In fact, I’ll even say Raiders of the Lost Ark is genuinely scarier (or at least freakier) than some horror films that are supposed to be terrifying
What are your thoughts on Raiders of the Lost Ark‘s horror aspects? Let us know in the comments!
Horror Noire is a horror collection brought by the combined efforts of AMC+ and Shudder. The collection includes “Daddy,” “The Lake,” “Brand of Evil,” “Bride Before You,” “Fugue State,” and “Sundown.” Horror Noire boasts Black directors and screenwriters, providing six unique stories.
As this collection explores six stories, I will skip the usual synopsis to assess the genres and ideas explored, albeit limited as needed. Expect to find supernatural horror, creature features, and psychological thrillers. Many short films deal with these genres while exploring Black issues, but this isn’t universal for the collection.
The directors and writers include Zandashé Brown, Robin Givens, Rob Greenlea, Kimani Ray Smith, Steven Barnes, Ezra Clayton Daniels, Tananarive Due, Shernold Edwards, Victor LaValle, and Al Letson.
Image from “Sundown” Directed by Kimani Ray Smith
What I Like
Each story remains unique, holding different strengths and weaknesses that highlight drastically different perspectives. Collections like VHS hold a similar premise to create their collection, but Horror Noire gives more creative freedom to its talent to be independent.
My personal favorite short film is Zandashé Brown’s “Bride Before You.” This period piece unravels a fable set in the Reconstruction Era. The entry feels Fabulistic in approach, which happens to be my preferred niche.
However, the best example of horror goes to Robin Givens’ “Daddy,” providing an existential horror tied directly to the characters involved.
Image from “Fugue State” directed by Rob Greenlea
What I Dislike
As mentioned, all have a particular style and idea. The downside of this approach always remains to keep the viewer interested long enough to find their favorite. If you find several underwhelming choices, this becomes a chore. But I imagine that is rare as the variety makes the options refreshing.
Personally, “Brand of Evil” had an interesting premise, but the execution fell short. On paper, it might have sounded like my favorite, which makes the lackluster execution a bigger letdown.
Zeth M. Martinez
Final Thoughts
Horror Noire gives power and control to Black creators, providing a formula for a unique collection against others in the space. While the various subjects and approaches mean you aren’t likely to love them all, there should be a short film for everyone. (3.5 / 5)
Episode six of Netflix’s Dahmer was not, honestly about our title character. Instead, it was about one of his victims, a man named Tony. We’ve actually seen Tony a few times during this series. We just didn’t know it was him.
And, well, he wasn’t exactly alive the first time we saw him.
Tony was born into a supportive, loving family. This is good because soon after he was born a viral infection took his hearing. He is black, deaf, and gay in the early 90’s.
Tony has a dream of becoming a model. And he certainly has the looks for it. He is beautiful, body and soul. He has lots of opportunities for romance, but it’s not what he’s looking for. He wants a real relationship.
Eventually Tony moves to Madison, trying to pursue his dream. He gets a job and starts getting modeling work.
Then, he meets Jeff Dahmer at a bar.
At first, we can almost believe that it’s going to be alright. Jeff seems happy. He’s taking care of himself. He’s not drinking as much. He even has his dad and stepmom over for dinner. It seems like his life is getting on track. Even better, he’s treating Tony right.
Then, of course, things go bad.
One thing that has always bothered me as a true crime fan is that we know so much about the killers, but not as much about the victims. Not so much if we don’t know who the killer is, of course. But the names that are part of our pop culture are those of the killers. Dahmer, Manson, Jones, Bundy, Holms. The names we don’t know are Roberta Parks, Beth LaBiancas, Leno LaBiancas, and Tony Hughes. And clearly, we should know them.
If Tony Hughes was half the shining, positive person that the show Dahmer made him out to be, I’m so sad that he isn’t with us anymore. We need so many more people like him. And many of Dahmer’s victims were likely just like him. After all, he was attracted to them for a reason.
This was a significant episode, and I understand why it’s the highest-rated episode of the series. I finished it with a heavy heart, saddened by the loss of a man who should still be with us today.
Mandrake is a 2022 supernatural horror directed by Lynne Davison and written by Matt Harvey. This film boasts a cast that includes Deirdre Mullins, Derbhle Crotty, and Paul Kennedy. It is currently available for subscribers in DirectTV, Shudder, Amazon Prime, or AMC+.
Cathy Madden (Deirdre Mullins) is a probation officer tasked with the most vilified case in her town, Mary Laidlaw (Derbhle Crotty). When a child goes missing, all eyes turn to the infamous Bloody Mary. Cathy, always believing in the best of people, tries to protect Mary. But evidence begins to mount, and Cathy finds herself in increasing danger.
Derbhle Crotty as Mary Laidlaw
What I Like
Deirdre Mullins and Derbhle Crotty add weight to the film in their performances. Cathy proves resilient against the challenges she faces, while Mary can make any actions intimidating. To not spoil anything, the ending is bittersweet in the best of ways, showing Cathy grow and mend relationships.
The atmosphere around Mary Laidlaw brings about the intimidation that earns the nickname Bloody Mary. It becomes easier to see why a town would fear this woman as we find her motives sinister.
Deirdre Mullins as Cathy Madden
What I Dislike
While there may be external magical elements, I found people obeyed Mary Laidlaw a little too easily for a vilified woman. There wasn’t enough for me to be convinced she intimidated them to action or magically charmed them. Or perhaps the performances felt underwhelmingly passive?
There was an irritating moment where a stalker helped save the day. The assistance is minor, but it still irritates me.
The daytime scenes of the film are bland. Perhaps it’s intentional, but the night scenes are stunning, making the contrast greater. While this film focuses on its night scenes, I couldn’t understand why it looked so bland, and sometimes poor quality, in the day.
Zeth M. Martinez
Final Thoughts
Mandrake can be a frightful enjoyment, especially when set at night where the details work. However, many elements left me wanting more or better. If you’re looking for a witchy tale, I’d say there are better options, but Mandrake can keep you entertained. (2.5 / 5)
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