Scout Taylor-Compton & Rooney Mara: Two Great Scream Queens That Admirably Filled Some Big Shoes!

Jamie Lee Curtis & Heather Langenkamp are tough acts to follow, but Scout Taylor Compton & Rooney Mara definitely did a great job filling those shoes they left behind! 

For those of you who haven't seen the movies for which I am talking about, I am talking about the remakes to, Halloween (1978) and, A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)... And for those of you who have seen these movies... As for Rooney Mara and her role in, A Nightmare On Elm Street... I will get in to that in a minute... 

Now before I go on, let me say this, Jamie Lee Curtis (The Fog) & Heather Langenkamp (Shocker) are two actresses that did totally amazing jobs in the roles that they played... I mean Heather Langenkamp's girl next door who ends having to fight against an entity that only appears to exist in dreams... And Jamie Lee Curtis's role from regular high school student to having to fight against a brutal and sadistic killer who has targeted her and is killing off her friends is sheer brilliance, (Jamie Lee Curtis played, 'Laurie Strode' in the original, 'Halloween' and Heather Langenkamp played, 'Nancy Thompson' in the original, 'A Nightmare On Elm Street'...)

Jamie Lee Curtis as, 'Laurie Strode' in one of the most famous scene in horror movie history! 

 With that said though, I will say this, Scout Taylor-Compton (who plays, 'Laurie Strode' in Rob Zombie's Halloween remake series,) delivered a truly inspiring job taking over the role... 

Now Taylor-Compton's, 'Laurie Strode' is different from Jamie Lee Curtis's, 'Laurie Strode' in a lot of ways (a great example is, Scout Taylor-Compton's more, 'sarcastic' Laurie Strode as opposed to Jamie Lee Curtis's more, 'girl next door' type of Laurie Strode... Both are good,  but one of the reasons that Scout Taylor-Compton's Laurie Strode is so good is the differences between the two...) 

She may not be, 'The Girl Next Door', but this Laurie Strode definitely has some chops!

Another reason why she did so good taking over the role, is the fact that she really made the role her own, and her progression from sarcastic teenage girl, to traumatized teen (as seen in part 2), is just sheer brilliance... And a little scary, due to the fact that you could almost see that as how she would descend in to total madness if Ms. Taylor-Compton was really going through it! 

And now on to Rooney Mara... Before I continue... A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010) was not a great movie... But Rooney Mara for me was one of those few shining lights in the movie that really helped make sure that the movie did not totally suck! 

And what I mean by this is the fact that Rooney Mara (who took over the role of: 'Nancy' from Heather Langenkamp,) really did this role justice, by really only emulating Ms. Langenkamp's strength that she gave, 'Nancy' in the original movie... 

Rooney Mara in a modern version of one of the most famous scenes in, 'A Nightmare On Elm Street'! 

Other then that... She really made the role her own, and really just brought this character to life in a new and different, and exciting way! 

For more information on these movies and the differences between the original actresses, and the people that filled in the roles that the original actresses made legendary, and did a pretty damn good job doing so... Please see these trailers for: Halloween (1978) & A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984), as well as: Halloween (2007)  & A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010)! 

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The Hiddien Story In Horror Movies

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor Compton) running away from, 'Michael Myers' in, 'Halloween' (2007)[/caption]

You know, in my family I am unfortunately the only person left who is a major fan of horror movies... And so, a lot of time when I try to talk to my mom, or my wife about my love of horror movies, a lot of times they kind of look at me cross eyed and tease me for my interest in these movies...

They think that most of the horror movies that I really like to watch are to gory... They're not, they also believe that these horror movies that I watch have no plot to them at all... On this, they couldn't be more wrong!

And I say to all of those who don't think of the story with horror movies... There is one, and even though I am pretty convinced that most of the time this little known truth about this genre is generally overlooked, I also think it is one of the most important aspects of a horror movie... Trust me, it is true!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] The start of one of the most famous scenes in horror movie history, from the movie, 'Psycho'... A movie that has a truly amazing story attached to it![/caption]

I mean, to be honest horror fans, how many of you fright fans can say that you would watch just a straight blood bath... I wouldn't... As a matter of fact, the one movie I did see that was pretty much had the plot of some Geisha being brutally and sadistically tortured... Well to say the least, it is the one horror movie I have seen that I have shut off!

No, you see, I believe despite how good the talent naturally is (or cheesy awesome they are), no matter what legendary filmmaker they get for the film that the main story is the most important part of the movie!

I mean despite the fact that the story sets a template for the cast and crew to follow, it also often times has themes that believe it or not generally have some sort of message to it... The most often being the power of women to overcome anything no matter how big or overwhelming the odds maybe.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Heather Langenkamp in, 'A Nightmare On Elm Street'... A movie with a great and empowering message of strength![/caption]

A great example of this is, Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers (1989)... You see in this movie, Jamie Lloyd (Danielle Harris) is essentially on her own against her uncle, (Michael Myers)... And at one point she is alone against him, while he is driving a car against her... In the end she pulls out of the situation with out resorting to any real histerics (Jamie Lloyd was about 10 in the movie)... In this movie, and in all of the other movies that has this character in it, this child essentially survives her Uncle's attacks each time, with a strength well beyond her position as a child in the early movies!

In the end I guess what I am trying to say dear reader, is if you are a horror fan and you got some one teasing you about horror movies having no story line... They do, and not only do they, but story lines like (Dracula), have been around since well before the advent of movies... And also are movies that proudly demonstrates the power and strength of will that women have in abundance... And lastly, all horror movie story lines are essentially what makes a movie, and well... After several decades, these stories have to have proven themselves by now!

http://youtu.be/fTabuTNAZMQ

http://youtu.be/y9klJA1JMbM

http://youtu.be/jdb_HSvf2Zk

5 Final Girls Of The 1980s That Kick Ass

Say what you will about Horror movies, one of the things that they do really well, is empowering women and girls, by showing the fact that 99% of the time it is not the, 'man' (or the hero), that is the final survivor against the, 'big bad' monster, but the girl/women that are the one's that are going up against the big bad monster in an effort to finally destroy these big bad monsters once and for all!

Now these women who end up going up against the big bad monster and finally take him or her out once and for all... Well they are called, 'Final Girls'... I think the name is pretty self explanatory... I mean they are either the last surviving member of the group that the big bad monster has been killing off one by one, or is the girl who ends up winning the final battle against the big bad monster!

And so I thought that I would mention here, '5 Final Girls Of The 1980s That Kick Ass!'

At number 5: Adrienne King (What's Eating Gilbert Grape) in, Friday The 13th (1980):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Alice Hardy (Adrienne King) as she is beginning to realize that there is one more person at, 'Camp Crystal Lake' and that person is not particularly happy![/caption]

For more information, please enjoy this trailer for, Friday The 13th (1980):

http://youtu.be/bcoi-Zgg8BU

At number 4: 'Kirsty Cotton' - Played by: Ashley Laurence (Deuce Coupe) in, Hellraiser (1987), Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 (1988) & Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="320"] Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence).[/caption]

For more information, please enjoy this trailer for, Hellraiser (1987):

http://youtu.be/P7TWm3Akw-s

At number 3: 'Jamie Lloyd' - for the 1980s, she was played by: Danielle Harris (Hatchet 3) in, Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988) & Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers (1989):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Jamie Lloyd (Danielle Harris) as, 'Uncle Mike' is about to wake up and attempt to put her down for a little more then a nap![/caption]

For more information, please enjoy the trailer for the movie, Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988):

http://youtu.be/tozboaohpbk

At number 2: 'Stephanie' - Played by: Jill Schoelen (Cutting Class) in, Stepfather (1987):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Stephanie, (Jill Schoelen) is about to learn the disturbing truth about her new, 'Step Dad'![/caption]

For more information, please enjoy this trailer for, Stepfather (1987):

http://youtu.be/C6dg84FhA9k

At number 1: 'Nancy Thompson' - Played by: Heather Langenkamp (Shocker) in, A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) and, A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors (1987) as well as, Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)... (Although as a side note, she is not a final girl in, A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: The Dream Warrior.):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="470"] Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), as she is about to face her greatest nightmare![/caption]

For more information, please enjoy this trailer for: A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984):

http://youtu.be/jdb_HSvf2Zk

A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_415" align="alignright" width="300"] Official Score = 4 Devils[/caption]

A Nightmare On Elm Street.... Now this one I've loved literally since I was able to talk! You see, when I was young my Dad was a huge fan of horror movies, and one of the earliest horror movies (movies in general) that I can remember seeing is this one, (As a matter of fact the earliest movie I can remember seeing in general was, A Nightmare On Elm Street: The Dream Warriors).

And so it is with great pride that I am able to review, A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)!

Written and Directed by: Wes Craven (Scream). Starring: Heather Langenkamp (Shocker), Johnny Depp (Secret Window), Amanda Wyss (Dexter), Jsu Garcia (Candyman: Day Of The Dead), Robert Englund (Dee Snider: Strangeland), John Saxon (Blood Beach), and Ronee Blakley (The Driver).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Freddy near the beginning of his nightmarish career![/caption]

This legendary horror movie starts off the legend of, 'Freddy Krueger'...

You see, when Freddy Krueger was alive, he used to terrorize families in the town of Springwood by killing their children... Of course that is until he gets caught!

Now the problem is that after he is arrested by the Police, he ends up being released on a technicality! This ends up enraging some of the parents in Springwood. So the parents end up chasing Kruger down and torching him in the building that he used to kill children in!

Now the parents of Springwood can rest easy... Or so they think!

You see Nancy Thompson (Langenkamp), and her friends, Glen Lentz (Depp), Tina Gray (Wyss), Rod Lane (Garcia), are all being terrorized by horrible nightmares...

That would be cool if that's all that it was but, when the kids start dropping like flies when they are in bed... the question becomes, 'Is the curse of Freddy Krueger back to haunt the people of Springwood'?

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="449"] Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) in confronting Freddy (Robert Englund)![/caption]

This movie set the path for a lot of horror movie legends out there. A couple of examples of this of course being the work that Wes Craven has done for Dimension. Robert Englund's long time work in the horror genre, as well as to put New Line Cinema on the map in a major and long term way in the horror field, what with eventually picking up the rights to the Friday The 13th franchise from Paramount, as well as all of the other horror movies that they have produced since A Nightmare On Elm Street came out!

Now this movie would go on to produce six individual sequels, a remake, and the only crossover to date, in horror movie history when Freddy Krueger battled Jason Voorhees in Freddy Vs. Jason (2003).

For all of you new horror movie fans out there, this one would be a good one to introduce yourself to horror with! And for the rest of you guys, this one is a fun one to get back to as well!

http://youtu.be/jdb_HSvf2Zk