Ringu (1998)

"Ringu" is the movie that started it all, the massive influx and popularity of Japanese horror to American audiences. It was also the highest grossing horror film in Japan when it was released. The original Japanese version and the American remake tell the same story but it two very different styles. The two films follow each other almost exactly up to the point where the father figure, Ryuji (Japanese) / Noah (American) is introduced. Once he watches the video, the two versions take their own path in telling the mystery of Sadako/Samara. In "Ringu", Ryuji has the ability of ESP and plays a more prominent role it helping his ex-wife solve the mystery. Together they go to the island where Sadako's mother, Shizuko, lived. Shizuko was considered a seer on her small island and attracted the attention of a scientist from the city. Shizuko had an affair with him and concieved Sadako. After a public demonstration go astray, Sadako is taken away by her father and never seen again. He is the one responsible for pushing her into the well and leaving her to die alone. Sadako's power is so strong that she curses all who see the video tape; the phone call also only happens at the site of her tomb rather than anywhere as it does in the American version. In order to enjoy and understand the Japanese version of "Ringu", the viewer needs to understand, or at least accept the fact that mental powers such as ESP are readily accepted in their movies.

The Last Broadcast (1998)

Watching "The Last Broadcast" is an exercise of patience and disappointment. The movie had potential but loses and hope early on in the film. It is a slow, lumbering collection of interviews and film clips that never create any sense of dread or scares. The acting is fine considering that they are all amateur but the performance of the narrator is just plain god awful.

A public access show called "Fact of Fiction" goes out into the Pine Barrens in New Jersey to film a show about the Jersey Devil. One of the group, James Suerd, is the only member of the four person group to come back from the trip. He calls 911 and tells them that he doesn't know where the others are; he is then arrested a few days later when two of the bodies are found mutilated. James was added to the group to be the guide and psychic. The movie then shows how the evidence was used to convict him and then later to reveal how the others were really killed.

AVOID THIS FILM

Psycho (1998)

If there was ever a film that was never needed to be made, then the 1998 remake of "Pyscho" is the ultimate example of that. It is almost an exact frame by frame remake of the classic Alfred Hitchcock film which merely uses a different cast and appears in color. Even the music from the original movie is reused. The new cast, with Vince Vaughn in the role of Norman Bates, just doesn't deliver or exceed the performances from the first movie. If anything, both Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche fall vastly short from the stellar performances of Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh. The script doesn't sound real and comes across as hokey in this day and age, especially during the last scene where they psychologist is explaining Norman's mental state. The film was both a commercial and critical bomb. Just watch the original!

The Faculty (1998)

Another great ensemble horror film from 1998 is “The Faculty”, starring established horror or sci-fi actors like Robert Patrick (“Terminator 2”), Famke Janssen (“House on Haunted Hill”), and Piper Laurie (“Carrie”) as well as younger actors like Josh Harnett and Elijah Wood. The film was directed by Robert Rodriguez, who had already shown us that he knew how to have fun with a horror flick after directing “From Dusk Till Dawn”! “The Faculty” is basically a variation of the “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” story with a few plot points adjusted so it comes across as its own movie. The special effects are fine but a bit outdated compared to today’s picky standards. I really enjoyed the film and the tension that is builds when the characters become aware that there might be an alien amongst them.

High school students from various cliques and social circles are forced to band together when their school faculty members become influenced by a water-based alien that is able to take over its host. First the school and then world conquest! The school’s drug dealer Zeke (Hartnett) becomes the unintentional leader of the group after he figures out that his special drug cocktail can kill the alien host. Armed with the drug, Zeke and Casey, the school’s paper photographer, go out hunting for the queen to save their school and their friends.

Favorite moment – there is “The Thing” like scene where Zeke forces the group of students to take his drug in order to prove that they are still human.  Like the scene from “The Thing”, one of them isn’t and destroys the lab and most of the drug supplies they need to kill the invaders.

Urban Legend (1998)

Until the 1990’s, horror movies were typically the genre that people breaking into the movie business often times got their start. Every now and then an established actor would take a role in a horror movie to spice up their career or simply because they thought it would be fun. When the 1990’s came around, young actors who already had something of a reputation began starring together in ensemble pieces. Typically these were actors who currently were in different shows on the same network; the film “Urban Legends” is a great example of both of these styles of casting. It’s a fun film that tries to be like “Scream” but attempts to find its approach to being clever. As always, sequels followed but the original remains the best of the series. There are enough scares to keep the viewer interested, a decent story line, the characters and the actors are ok, and the film quality is great.

College students are being killed one by one in various ways that resemble different urban legends. Is someone trying to prove that they are more than legends? Is the Stanley Hall massacre, the college’s own urban legend, true and is the anniversary going to come in to play in the story? Who’s the real killer, who isn’t the killer?

Great tag line – It happened to someone who knows someone you know…You’re next!

Apt Pupil (1998)

"Apt Pupil" is in the similar vein as "Misery", a horror movie that explores the horrors that can be found in human nature. There is a violent murder that occurs at the end of the second act but the film foes not revolve around this event; the horrors found within this film includes an unhealthy obsession with those who committed atrocities during World War 2.It also deals with multiple cases of blackmail and the very serious allegations that are held over the characters' heads. This was the third major film directed Bryan Singer and had an impressive cast lead by Ian McKellen who appeared with horror actors such as James Karen ("Poltergeist" and "Return of the Living Dead"), Elias Koteas ("The Prophecy"), Bruce Davidson ("Lords of Salem" and "Dahmer"), and Joshua Jackson ("Cursed" and "Urban Legends"). Bryan Singer would work with both Ian McKellan and Bruce Davidson in the "X-Men" films.

Todd Bowen is a disturbed young man who has an unhealthy obsession with the Holocaust and the atrocities that the Nazi regime committed. Todd discovers that an elderly neighbor is a former member of the SS and is a wanted war criminal. Todd complies enough evidence to prove to the police that this old man, Arthur Denker, is actually Kurt Dussander. Todd then blackmails Arthur into telling him stories in full detail about his time at the extermination camps and everything that happened there. Todd even buys an old SS uniform and makes Arthur model it and march in his kitchen. Arthur gets the upper hand when Todd asks him to pose as his grandfather and talk to a guidance councilor when his grades sharply fall. Arthur blackmails Todd to improve his grades or else he'll tell Todd's parents about their son's obsession. Arthur blackmails Todd again when he claims that he has a safe deposit box at a bank that contains a twelve page confession of Arthur and Todd's unique relationship. Things begin to fall apart when Arthur attempts to kill a homeless transient who saw him wearing his SS uniform. During the attempted murder, Arthur has a heart attack and calls Todd for help but locking Todd in the basement with the wounded man. Todd finishes what Arthur started and calls the medics. While in the hospital, Arthur's roommate recognizes Arthur from the War and contacts the police. Arthur's secret is revealed and Todd is able to convince everyone that he never knew who Arthur really was. The final act of blackmail takes place when Todd's guidance councilor threatens to tell the police that Todd does know who Arthur was; Todd is able to turn the tables and make his own threats to take the councilor down with him by telling everyone that the councilor is a pederast.