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30 Dec 2015

DISASTER FILM - Analysis [Part 4]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the Disaster Film Rules accurate?


The results for the rest of the rules for Disaster Films.  (Continued from Part 1Part 2 & Part 3).

23 Dec 2015

CHRISTMAS MOVIES - A Christmas Story (1983)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Christmas movies follow those formulas?

"Christmas was on its way.  Lovely, glorious, beautiful Christmas around which the entire kid year revolved."

A Christmas Story (1983) is a film about a child's view of Christmas in the 1940s.

11 Nov 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?




Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) the fourth Friday the 13th film.  Does it follow the rules?

28 Oct 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?



Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) the third Michael Myers film (Halloween III: Season of the Witch was an unrelated film.)  Does it follow the rules?





The following may include spoilers for
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
and possibly
Halloween (1978) & Halloween II (1981)

8 Oct 2015

DISASTER FILMS - Analysis [Part 3]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the Disaster Film Rules accurate?


The results for the rest of the rules for Disaster Films.  (Continued from Part 1 & Part 2).


30 Sept 2015

DISASTER FILMS - Analysis [Part 2]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the Disaster Film Rules accurate?


The results for the rest of the rules for Disaster Films.  (Continued from Part 1).

23 Sept 2015

DISASTER FILMS - Analysis [Part 1]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the Disaster Film Rules accurate?



The results for the large cast of characters in Disaster Films.

9 Sept 2015

MULTI-GENRE FILM - Imagine Me & You (2005)

Films have formulas and rules, but can one film fit two sets of film rules?


Imagine Me & You was a 2005 romantic comedy about two women falling in love.

2 Sept 2015

VARIOUS RULES - Why Rule #2 [Nudity]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Why do the nudity rules exist?


For every set of rules I've made Rule #2 about nudity.  Also see 10 ways film nudity can be more than gratutious titillation

26 Aug 2015

DISASTER FILMS - Into the Storm (2014)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Disaster films follow those formulas?


Into the Storm is a mostly "found footage" film about a large number of tornadoes hitting a rural town one day. 

19 Aug 2015

DISASTER FILMS - The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Disaster films follow those formulas?


The Day After Tomorrow is a 2004 film about climate change causing a freezing event in the northern hemisphere.

12 Aug 2015

DISASTER FILMS - Deep Impact (1998)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Disaster films follow those formulas?



Deep Impact (1998) a disaster film about a comet coming to hit the Earth.  And not the similar competing film from the same year.

5 Aug 2015

DISASTER FILMS - Dante's Peak (1997)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Disaster films follow those formulas?


Dante's Peak (1997) a disaster film about a volcano.  That's it really.

22 Jul 2015

DISASTER FILMS - Daylight (1996)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Disaster films follow those formulas?




Daylight (1996) is about the collapse of a tunnel under the Hudson River, and the survivors trapped in it.

15 Jul 2015

DISASTER FILMS - Airplane! (1980)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Disaster films follow those formulas?



Flying High! (1980) is the Australian title of the US film Airplane! (also 1980) because at the time Australia was still fighting the US usage and instead official used the term "Aeroplane." Of course, that doesn't explain why "Airplane!" was used in the UK.  I guess the important thing is they kept the exclamation mark.

8 Jul 2015

DISASTER FILMS - Jaws (1975)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Disaster films follow those formulas?


Jaws (1975) is, as if I have to tell you, a film about a shark attacking people.  I did it as a Slasher Film to see how well an animal attack film fit those rules.  Now I'm doing it as a Disaster Film to see how well it fits these rules.

1 Jul 2015

MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL - Why Rule 1 [The Man]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Why do the Manic Pixie Dream Girl rules exist?



Why are MPDG films about a man?  Can't they be about the MPDG?  Or share the film's focus?  Or even be about a same-sex couple?

24 Jun 2015

DISASTER FILMS - Airport 1975 (1974)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Disaster films follow those formulas?


Airport 1975 (1974) is the second film in the "Airport" disaster film series.

17 Jun 2015

DISASTER FILMS - The Towering Inferno (1974)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Disaster films follow those formulas? 


The Towering Inferno (1974) is an Irwin Allen disaster film about a fire in a very tall building.


10 Jun 2015

DISASTER FILMS - The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do Disaster films follow those formulas? 



The Poseidon Adventure (1972) is an Irwin Allen disaster film about a ship capsized by a giant wave and the handful of passengers who survive.

3 Jun 2015

DISASTER FILM RULES - The Rules

Film genres have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?



Disaster films, an ongoing and recurring genre.

20 May 2015

LESBIAN ROMANCE RULES - Why Rule 1 [Coming Out Story]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?


I looked at 10 rules the Lesbian Romance films followed, tested 10 films against them and analysed the results, but I never looked at the rules themselves, so let's look at the first Lesbian Romance film rule...


13 May 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Analysis: List 2 [Part 2]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Why do the Slasher Film rules exist?



Although I'm calling these Slasher Film Rules, the can apply to a range of horror sub-genres.

Ten films were tested:

Of course, these films say nothing about the genre as a whole.  Certainly things can be said about the films, though.  They are usually bigger name films, smaller low-budget or less successful films may rely on the rules more.   One is a post modern film in which the characters know the rules.  About half may not be purely "slasher" films and may not need to follow the rules.

See here for part 1.

6 May 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Analysis: List 2 [Part 1]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?



Although I'm calling these Slasher Film Rules, they can apply to a range of horror sub-genres.

Ten films were tested:

Of course, these films say nothing about the genre as a whole.  Certainly things can be said about the films, though.  They are usually bigger name films, smaller low-budget or less successful films may rely on the rules more.   One is a post modern film in which the characters know the rules.  About half may not be purely "slasher" films and may not need to follow the rules.

1 May 2015

POLL Results

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?


The third place in the poll so far.  This blog will continue on Wednesdays.

~ DUG.

20 Apr 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Why Rule 1 [The Warning]?

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Why do the Slasher Film rules exist?



I looked at 10 rules the Slasher Film genre followed, tested 20 films against them and analysed the results, but I never looked at the rules themselves, so let's look at the first Slasher Film rule...

17 Apr 2015

POLL

I do way too many blogs to follow, so I'm going to cut down.


Big Screen Screener.

Film Reviews.


Comic Book Stepping On Point.

Helping new readers get into comics.

Doctor Who: Time Crash.

Classic Doctor Who (and other) references in new Doctor Who.
Looking at different sets of rules that certain genres of film follow.  Previous rule sets include:

Recommend to Me...

Items recommended to me on social media.


Super Villain Advice.

Advice from a super villain for super villains.



Top X Topics.

Things to do with online lists.

Truly Fiction.

A bunch of blogs about popular culture.

The TV & DVD Completist.

Unamde films, TV shows and episodes of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.


Complete the survey.







~ DUG.


31 Mar 2015

NEXT RULE SET POLL

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  



All ten films have been done for the second batch of Slasher Rules.  The next month will see the results of those (and combined with the original lot)... but what happens after that?  Well, do this poll to choose the next set of rules tested:





At the moment "Disaster Films" is winning and "Bond Films" is losing (the loser will be removed from the list).  To help - or stop - either of those happening, have your say.

~ DUG.

24 Mar 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Saw (2004)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?


Saw (2004) is considered torture porn or gorno film.  But is it also a slasher film?

17 Mar 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Leprechaun (1993)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?




Leprechaun (1993): the touching tale of a leprechaun who goes on a killing spree because someone stole his gold.  The first of a series of films, but does it follow the slasher film rules?

13 Mar 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?

"Jason's body's disappeared from the morgue." ~ Rob Dier.

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) is as the name suggests the final ever film in the Friday the 13th franchise.  Unless the title is lying and they make more.  Whatever happens this is the fourth film in the series.  Just assumed I've asked the regular question about it following the slasher film rules.

10 Mar 2015

ROM COM RULES - Why Rule 1 [The Characters]?

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Why do the Rom Com rules exist?



I looked at 10 rules the Rom Com genre followed, tested 10 films against them and analysed the results, but I never looked at the rules themselves, so let's look at the first Rom Com rule...

2 Mar 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?


Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, is a part-mockumentary post modern homage to slasher films, does it follow or just reference the slasher film rules?

24 Feb 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Jaws (1975)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?


Jaws (1975) is an animal attack horror film.  Probably the ultimate animal attack horror (possibly The Birds rivals it).

17 Feb 2015

THE FILM RULES - Intermission

Film genres have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  


With 5 of the 10 second batch of Slasher films done, and after Friday's special Friday the 13th postt, I thought we'd take a little break... and look at how things work here:

13 Feb 2015

SLASHER RULES: Friday the 13th Part III (1982)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?
Friday the 13th Part III (1982) is a sequel to Part 1 and Part 2 (pretty obvious, huh?) but is it, too, going to follow the slasher film rules?

3 Feb 2015

SLASHER RULES - A Nightmare on Elm St 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?

"Fred Krueger! He's inside me, and he wants to take me again!" ~ Jesse Walsh, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge 


A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2 - Freddy's Revenge (1985) is a sequel to A Nightmare on Elm  Street (the title is a give away) but is it, too, going to follow the slasher film rules?


20 Jan 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - Peeping Tom (1960)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?



Peeping Tom (1960) is a serial killer film, called by some a precursor to slasher films, but does it follow the slasher film rules?


SLASHER FILM RULES - And Then There Were None (1945)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?



And Then There Were None (1981) is a murder mystery (based on the Agatha Christie novel) but as a film where people get killed off one-by-one, does it follow the slasher film rules?


12 Jan 2015

SLASHER FILM RULES - The Rules [2]

Film genres have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?


Like the killer from the a Slasher Film the Slasher Film Rules aren't as dead as people thought... and has returned to kill again (not that it killed anyone the first time, the deaths the first were just a coincidence.)  Once again, these are Horror Film Rules or Slasher Film Rules films that Slasher films follower and that a lot of horror films do. These are rules about films in which a small group are killed off one-by-one and who (if anyone) will survive.