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AZupreme (51)
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Good observations. The Satanic theme is not overtly discussed, but the evidence is all there. Visuals aside (which you remark on perfectly), just look at what happens in the movie:
A married couple is happy, but their kids make it difficult for them to be intimate. This is what happens in a lot of marriages with kids. The movie acts as a cautionary tale released during the Satanic Panic, with a husband and then later the wife engaging in mind games and adultery in the titular black room. When shit hits the fan, this couple manages to make up in the face of danger, but I think most couples would break up once cheating enters the equation. The brother and sister killing people for blood is merely a small detail in a larger plot. Rather, the brother and sister encourage couples to engage in these acts in service to Satan, who inflicts harm on (in this case) a happy family in hopes of destroying it.
It is a great movie, very underrated. Much better than a lot of the 80s output that was coming out at that time.
It would be between this one and the fourth one, for sure.
The professor and his student were the only neighbors within the vicinity of the family's mansion so that included them in on the bodycount of people who had to die since they were there at the wrong time. I agree that leaving the bodies on display and the music blasting didn't make much sense to the grand scheme, given that the masked murderers were <spoiler>not killing for sport but rather money.</spoiler>
I chalk this up to the fact that the movie was intended to be a black comedy, so certain elements of it are meant to taken or thought about too seriously. It's probably up there with the "Fuck me next to your dead mom" scene or the blender death.
Here it is :)
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Cult horror fans know who Barbara Steele is. He indicated that Barbara Steele has a pretty expansive career herself. So, to him, she isn't some Bette Davis knockoff but rather an actress in her own right. I agree with him.
I took from it that the threat of getting killed caused Leia to lose her sanity, which the killer probably felt was a fate worse than death. So, the killer let her live so that they could kill the rest.
A Mary Sue is an artist's self-insertion into a work. I don't really think Adam Wingard or Simon Barrett dreamed of putting themselves in Erin's position. They were merely just subverting artist's usual expectations of the final girl, in that she just happened to be more capable at survival than the assailants were at committing murder.
Erin didn't seem to have the respect or admiration that a Mary Sue usually gets, either. I don't think she was particularly well liked amongst the family. Granted, they didn't even like each other either.
I think Erin had setbacks. She hurt her leg really bad jumping out of the window, she made questionable moves like throwing the pot of cooled oil at an attacker, and had a lot of luck. Hell, she might be arrested for murder after the credits rolled ("suspect?"). I think she just had the right amount of luck and skill.
Despite the decent budget (for a horror) and solid cast, the film did have its share of issues. It actually originated as a psychological thriller ~ titled "Chimera" ~ with four cast members so there's that feeling of what might have been. By the time it came to filming, the script was changed to make it a slasher which have never really hit home well with critics. Scream only really did well for its smart script and meta approach, but every single slasher that followed were also raked across the coals. Ghost Ship followed suit. There is also the fact that Ghost Ship, as enjoyable as the film is, just doesn't deliver as a horror movie. It's got its fans (I being one of them), but it's just not that scary as a movie.
The only scene that anyone ever talks about is the opening scene, which is regarded in the horror community as one of the best ever. So, it's got that going for it at least.
I hope you enjoy it! I watched mine not long ago and was blown away. It really is an underrated classic.
It's A when compared to Road House 2.
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