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Deep In The Woods

Deep In The Woods

List Price: $14.98
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Overlooked, Enigmatic Horror/Mystery Gem
Review: Very well-made and underappreciated cryptic horror movie about a small group of performers hired to stage a private play for a strange family of rich recluses 'deep in the woods'. Very mysterious, with a unique strain of eerie sinister tension running throughout. On a much less dark note, features a hot girl-on-girl scene that wins lots of bonus points for being not just a sex scene but actually a very affectionate bona fide Love Scene (albeit rather on the brief side). Other appreciated scenery includes the lush, absolutely gorgeous forest within which the movie takes place, captured well by very fine cinematography. Somehow placing the subtle menace in the midst of such beauty makes it seem all the more dangerous. An ambiguous film that could go in pretty much any direction it wanted if it were to have a sequel. Should appeal to fans of everything from "The Blair Witch Project" to "Friday The 13th" to "Raising Cain".

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Deep In The Woods...Foreign Woods...
Review: "Deep In The Woods" is an outstanding foreign film. Released here in the U.S. it has not fared that well. Many think of it as a bad version of "The Blair Witch Project", it is far from it. "The Blair Witch Project" was shot like a home video wanting to be a movie, this film is a movie. Though the dubbing is not that great, the actors and story make up for it. The story's focus is on the little red riding hood fairy tale, and a bunch of grisly murders. As the characters drop one by one everyone is a suspect. Vincent Lecoeur "Fredrick" is great in his role. Watch this movie for great scenes, and acting. You will not be disappointed, for this is a great thriller.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fresh take on the genre
Review: A French slasher film. Who would've thought? And it's quite good.

To start, this thing is moody as all get out. The one thing I kept thinking was that it most reminded me of Suspiria, and other Dario Argento films. Probably just the European connection.

The plot is simple (always a plus in this genre): five college kids drive out to an old mansion in order to put on a surreal stage version of Little Red Riding Hood for the owner's creepy son (and, boy, was this kid creepy!). After a few tokes (and a gratuitous--although not unappreciated--Lesbian scene), they run out into the woods. After they return to the house, they notice one hasn't come back.

Then they start dying one by one.

For a slasher film, this one really held my interest. I kept wondering who was going to die next. And who was doing the killing. But all that doesn't really matter. The real star here is the direction. The moody eerieness never lets up from the beginning. Plus, effects like the use of after-shower steam as a vision obstruction brought a novelty to a tired field. And then there's that creepy kid. It doesn't take much, just for the kid to stare with wide open eyes, but it works.

The acting I can't really say much about. The English was dubbed instead of subtitled (I guess this was not marketed to foreign film fans, but horror fans), so it's hard to tell whether the acting was being done by the bodies or the voices. I was not disappointed in either, however.

I would definitely recommend this for fans of Argento (or other European horror filmmakers), or anyone looking for fresh ideas in the slasher subgenre.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: I watch a lot of French movies
Review: As teen-slasher movies go, I've seen a lot better, but for a French horror flick, it was a masterpiece. French horror movies usually make me shiver, but sometimes not for the reasons the director intended.

The original French language version of this film is better - the English dubbing on this one sounds a lot like the actors called it in on cell phones - but if you don't speak French, I'd recommend watching the French track with subtitles. The subtitles give a pretty accurate translation of the original - and the photography and directing make suffering them much less painful.

By the way, the original French version, "Promenons-nous dans les Bois," takes its title and underlying theme from a popular French children's song of the same name. The song sort of helps tie the movie together, but as they say "it was lost in the translation."

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: I watch a lot of French movies
Review: As teen-slasher movies go, I've seen a lot better, but for a French horror flick, it was a masterpiece. French horror movies usually make me shiver, but sometimes not for the reasons the director intended.

The original French language version of this film is better - the English dubbing on this one sounds a lot like the actors called it in on cell phones - but if you don't speak French, I'd recommend watching the French track with subtitles. The subtitles give a pretty accurate translation of the original - and the photography and directing make suffering them much less painful.

By the way, the original French version, "Promenons-nous dans les Bois," takes its title and underlying theme from a popular French children's song of the same name. The song sort of helps tie the movie together, but as they say "it was lost in the translation."

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Often called a french version of The Blair Witch Project
Review: Decent French horror movie that has often been referred to as France's version of "The Blair Witch Project." I don't think this one quite measures up to "Blair Witch" but it is a pretty good horror movie. In the story five young actors are hired to perform at a millionaire's estate hidden deep in the woods. They then hear unsettling news bulletins reporting another victim falling prey to a bloody serial killer on the loose where they are. The performance suddenly turns into a night of terror as the actors find themselves stalked by the brutal killer. Here are some details about the DVD release: features special extras including both digitally mastered full frame (aspect ratio 1.33:1) and widescreen (aspect ratio 2.35:1) presentations, audio commentary track with horror film expert & director Brian Yuzna (Bride of Re-Animator, Return of the Living Dead 3), cast & crew biographies, theatrical trailer, photo gallery, English & French 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround sound, optional English subtitles, interactive menus and scene index.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Often called a french version of The Blair Witch Project
Review: Decent French horror movie that has often been referred to as France's version of "The Blair Witch Project." I don't think this one quite measures up to "Blair Witch" but it is a pretty good horror movie. In the story five young actors are hired to perform at a millionaire's estate hidden deep in the woods. They then hear unsettling news bulletins reporting another victim falling prey to a bloody serial killer on the loose where they are. The performance suddenly turns into a night of terror as the actors find themselves stalked by the brutal killer. Here are some details about the DVD release: features special extras including both digitally mastered full frame (aspect ratio 1.33:1) and widescreen (aspect ratio 2.35:1) presentations, audio commentary track with horror film expert & director Brian Yuzna (Bride of Re-Animator, Return of the Living Dead 3), cast & crew biographies, theatrical trailer, photo gallery, English & French 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround sound, optional English subtitles, interactive menus and scene index.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Watchable
Review: I just saw the DVD version of Deep In The Woods, and found
it so/so as Thrillers go. Good plot, but Acting/Directing
fell short.
Some Nudity, though it fit the story line and was not
over done.
It's watchable, but I would not pay (at a theater) to
see it again.

see it again.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: My review
Review: I think personally that this was the worst movie ever made! The dubbing from french to english was horrible. The movie made absolute no sense. This is the type of movie that you get for someone you do not like. ... Axel(who I might add was thought to have died [early] on in the movie...) has a split personality disorder... There is also a little boy who is quite the little [strange one]. For no apparent reason he stabs himself at the dinner table during his own birthday party. Then there is a mute actress who is also a lesbian, i still haven't figured out the reason for her. But she does have a really cool seen(no hints but it was the best part). And i think that the director put it in the beginning to keep the watcher(in this case a horny teenager) "tuned in." All-in-all it is the worst film i have ever seen!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The type of film DARIO ARGENTO SHOULD be making
Review: I've seen mostly negative reviews here about this film, I really don't think americans get it. So bombarded with "scary action horror comedies" like THE MUMMY or the new DAWN OF THE DEAD, the modern American perception of horror is a "non-threatening boo" with no substance. Another great example of modern american "horror" is 13 Ghosts which was ruined by a jive talking, step'n'fetchit maid.

That said, this movie is different. It's very artistic and truly gothic in a surreal Argento way. Of course it had slow spots and faults, but for a first time director, low budget and in France?! I loved it and was shocked by sequences and respected it AND was inspired by it. That's so much more than I've gotten from films over here for the last 25 years.


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