Horror Power Ranking - March 16, 2009
Big surprise of the week? Drag Me to Hell, Sam Raimi's latest, gets a trailer released out of nowhere. Bigger surprise of the week? It's quite possibly the best two minutes of film you'll see all year. A pitch perfect trailer designed with theater audiences in mind -- this is how you sell a movie. Drag Me to Hell isn't just going to be the biggest horror flick of the year, it's going to be one of the biggest movies of the summer. Mark my words. Oh, and of course there is some other horror news to talk about, so check out the Ranking already:
| Horror Power Rankings | ||||
| Rank | LW | Movie | ||
| 1 | - |  |
Drag Me to Hell Best movie fix of the week? The trailer for Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell. This is a trailer so good, I stood up and cheered, alone, in my home, after watching it. This is now my most anticipated movie of the year. No joke. |
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| 2 | 1 |  |
Last House on the Left Hey, who wants a well done-remake of a classic horror movie? Oh, I do! Despite slicking it up, Last House doesn't downplay the uncomfortable moments, and scores big. If not for Drag Me To Hell, this would easily be number one yet again. |
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| 3 | - |  |
It Stephen King's novel is finally getting the big screen treatment. "But wait," you say. "It was already made into a movie!" Nope, it was a TV mini-series... which I never liked. Hopefully the next version won't render this number three ranking premature. |
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| 4 | 2 |  |
Welcome to Hoxford Hoxford gets knocked down a few slots due to the good news up top, but we're still pretty psyched for the prison/horror mash-up from Ben Templesmith. Remember, before you see the movie, read the comic. |
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| 5 | 5 |  |
Twilight Saga It's been a back and forth week (yet again) for the Twilight Saga. Dakota Fanning was cast in the second movie (win!), and Juan Antonio Bayona is directing the third (win!) ...except, he's not, according to Summit Entertainment (lose!). |
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| 6 | 4 |  |
Friday the 13th Part 2 Once again, Friday the 13th takes a tumble in the Ranking. With Last House on the Left showing us how remakes can be done, and Drag Me to Hell reminding us what real horror is, there just doesn't seem to be a place for poor Jason in the mix. |
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| 7 | 8 |  |
Nightmare on Elm Street With Last House on the Left and The Hills Have Eyes as two of the only quality remakes of our modern era, I'm willing to give Nightmare on Elm Street a slight bump up, based on the possibility we may get a Craven remake hat-trick. |
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| 8 | 9 |  |
The Haunting in Connecticut OK, are you happy? I'm moving Haunting up one slot, because maybe judging a horror movie based on its title is a little unfair. I mean, you'd think Dr. Giggles would be terrible, but it turned out to be a smart, tight movie. Oh wait, no it didn't. |
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| 9 | - |  |
Final Destination: Death Trip 3D It was actually a bit of a toss-up what to put in this slot, as the latest FD has moved to August 28, where the Halloween sequel H2 had already parked. My guess? H2 flinches first, and Final Destination claims the last weekend of the summer. |
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| 10 |
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H2 ...Which leads us into our bottom slot this week. Rob Zombie's Halloween sequel has just moved into production in Atlanta. If a remake gets a sequel, someone is doing something right. |
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If a remake gets a sequel, someone is doing something right.
No one involved with the screenplay, filmmaking, or post-production, but someone.
@gil mann: well, the marketing department, I guess?
I'd go with whoever ponied up the money for the rights to a famous and beloved property, but I dunno, I'm not sure who we have to thank for this.
And by "thank," I mean "issue a fatwa against."
By the way, who's remaking "It?" That might be kind of cool as long as it doesn't get hung up on fidelity to the source material. If Mick Garris is involved color me unitntrigued.
First take the extra t out, then color me that. No need to get units involved here.
It may be Sam's big hit...But if they EVER decide to make the book, Demon of Mercy, into a film it will blow everyone out of the box. Like Silence of the Lambs did.
@gilmann: Nobody is involved yet, other than the fabled "production has begun..." News as it breaks, courtesy of your faithful Horror Ranking.
@britwriter: Never heard of it! Do tell...