Cutting Room #203: Why You Should Still Care About ‘Bicycle Thieves’

MovieWeb: “The Scariest Movies of the 2000s” #8/10 WENDIGO

Wendigo

Larry Fessenden is one of the current masters of horror, and yet is probably best remembered for his unique appearance as a character actor in numerous films. This is a shame, considering how thoughtful and intellectually stimulating Fessenden’s movies are, none more so than Wendigo. Seen largely through the perspective of a young boy (and more haunting because of it), the film tracks an upper-class family on holiday after a tense encounter with ‘local yokels’ who may wish them ill. A brilliant meditation on imperialism, colonization, and the genocides of First Nations people, Wendigo is an icy cold stunner.

Read the whole list by Matthew Mauler at MovieWeb

MovieWeb: STAKE LAND “Underrated Vampire Films You Need To See”

Movie Web: “The story is emotional, the acting is well-done, and the creatures & gore effects look fantastic. The film keeps its audience invested well after the watch, as the filmmakers released prequel shorts on Youtube that dive into the character’s backstories. The film donned one sequel, The Stakelander (2016), which wasn’t bad!”

STAKE LAND is streaming on Peacock and Amazon Prime. Watch the Stake Land Webisodes available on the Glass Eye Youtube channel.

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BLOODY DISGUSTING: “Wendigo a cult classic.”

From Stephen King to Guillermo del Toro: Tracking the Evolution of the Wendigo in Horror

by Luiz H.C.

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I’d like to take a look back on the evolution of this unique man-eater and what its different portrayals have to say about those who keep its story alive.

Also called Windigoo and Wetiko, with numerous phonetical variations depending on time, place and demographic, the creature we now know as the Wendigo was originally described as a malevolent being associated with winter and starvation. While some Ojibwe traditions depict the beast as a gaunt humanoid from beyond the grave, accompanied by the constant stench of decay and a heart of ice, other stories describe it as a giant that grows as it feeds, remaining in a permanent state of emaciation. The common thread between nearly all versions of the creature is its never-ending hunger for human flesh, with some experts interpreting the monster as a cautionary tale against greed and gluttony.

Contrary to popular belief, these original stories don’t describe the antlers or animalistic features that we now associate with the Wendigo, with scholars theorizing that these details are the result of settlers adding a bit of euro-centric flair to native lore. The Wendigo legend was actually so widespread among first nations that “Wendigo Psychosis” became known as a clinically accepted illness in psychiatry, similar to clinical lycanthropy in western medicine.

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In 2001, the creature would be revitalized in popular culture with Larry Fessenden‘s Wendigo, a cult classic best known for popularizing the beast’s animal-like appearance. Though it’s more of an eerie family drama than a traditional creature feature, the movie interprets the Wendigo as a shapeshifting nature spirit that’s neither good nor evil, ultimately serving as a heroic figure for the young protagonist. The unique design here steals the show, with the monster sporting a creepy silhouette and a deer-like head, complete with the now-iconic antlers. While the movie isn’t widely known, you’ve almost certainly seen its take on the monster.

Ironically, Fessenden was unhappy with the creature’s on-screen presence.

Fessenden would actually go on to revisit the Wendigo several times in his future projects, putting a ghostly incarnation of the creature in his ecologically-minded The Last Winter and having Doug Jones play an ill-fated cannibal in the Fear Itself episode Skin and Bones. The director also contributed to and appeared in Supermassive Games’ Until Dawn, which is arguably the most popular piece of Wendigo-centric media ever made. While none of these takes are 100% mythologically accurate, it’s always fun to see how Fessenden re-shapes the Wendigo to suit his storytelling needs.

Read the article at BLOODy DISGUSTING

Cutting Room #202: Miyazaki retrospective at Academy Museum LA

BLOODY DISGUSTING: “Ron Perlman’s 10 Most Memorable Horror Movies” (2 by Glass Eye Pix)

By Paul Lê From Bloody Disgusting:

Ron Perlman is hard to forget. As soon as his face appears on screen, you immediately recall where you’ve seen him before. And more likely than not, you’re remembering Perlman from a genre movie. He’s accumulated handfuls of them over the last forty years… So, in anticipation of This Game’s Called Murder’s release, we look back at ten of the most memorable horror movies starring the one and only Ron Perlman.

The Last Winter (2006)

Larry Fessenden’s fascination with Wendigos endures in his eco-horror movie, The Last Winter. This 2006 slow burn stars Perlman as Ed Pollack, the head of an isolated ANWR drilling base. When strange and terrible things happen to them, Ed and his peers are left to wonder if this is the work of something supernatural. Have angry spirits been released and are they now targeting anyone who means the area harm? The Last Winter is one of Perlman’s more somber horror movies, which is rife with atmosphere and cosmic dread. On top of that is a transparent message about global warming.

I Sell the Dead (2008)

Perlman stars alongside Larry Fessenden and Dominic Monaghan in Glenn McQuaid’s I Sell the Dead. The 2008 movie is a reunion for the director and actor; Perlman appeared in The Last Winter while McQuaid worked behind the scenes. This low-budget horror-comedy is set during 1850s Ireland — yet filmed on Staten Island — and concerns a pair of foolish corpse snatchers. Told through flashbacks, Monaghan shares his story with the peculiar Father Francis Duffy (Perlman). Fans of gallows humor might appreciate this hidden gem.

Read Full List at Bloody Disgusting