This kid is my hero. Bless you sir. Lot of effort, some damn fine editing, and a well thought out critique. Makes even my reviews look like ignorant slams.
(This is just part 1, be sure to watch all four (!) parts for the whole story)
(This is just part 1, be sure to watch all four (!) parts for the whole story)
Wow. This dude is my new personal hero. He hits the nail squarely on the head. From the Max Headroom-ish opening to posing the question of how could someone just be handed a multi-million dollar contract with no prior film experience, this critique is very well thought out.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I disagree on this post, big time... just several minutes in, this kid, while well-spoken for someone his age, still exhibits a COMPLETELY juvenile shallowness that I can't un-see if I bother to watch the rest of his videos - he calls out Zombie for "having a lot of money and a nice place on 'Cribs' but still dressing like white trash". He seems to think that just because Zombie still wears metal t-shirts and jeans that he's "posing". Other way around, kid. He has a nice house which is clearly decorated with shit he LIKES, and if I was rich, I wouldn't just start buying classy sweaters and tuxedos at the mall. Zombie clearly wears what's comfortable to him, or at least his wife's Total Skull merchandise, and that's just him doin' his thing, even if it is part of his image. If I was rich, I would still wear metal tshirts and Hawaiian shirts all day, too. In fact, I'd have more freedom to wear what I want; I wouldn't be pressured to wear the working man's "business casual dress code" any more. Whaddya want him to do, kid, get all his tattoos removed too, so he fits your pre-conceived notion of what a successful, non-poser guy looks like? If you see a guy in a Danzig shirt at the food court, do you immediately ask to see his bank records so you can determine if he's "too rich" to be wearing that?
ReplyDeleteHe also makes a big deal about how Rob Zombie is less-legit, apparently, because his entire career has been backed by Universal, which owns Geffen, Zombie's recording label. Well, kid, it must be nice to live in a half-formed world of ideals and d.i.y-spirit, but to really succeed in Hollywood, many people have to have some sort of corporate label to appear on and be promoted through. Not *everyone*, sure - but most of even the more "independent" releases out there have greedy corporate fingers in 'em somewhere along the line. Unless you grow your own food and make your own clothes and wirte your own sogns and films, you are going to be exposed to commercialism - -so how is it valid, even in the slightest, to hold commercialism or corporate sponsorship against a professional entertainer? This is a weak argument, and one I'm sure you wouldn't be making at all if suddenly Universal studios decided to bank-roll YOUR career.
I actually don't like Rob Zombie's first HALLOWEEN at all. I think it's flat and dull and not a fully realized film experience. But I kinda like Part II, and as such, I notice a lot of Zombie-bashing from the majority who hate it. I can see that, no prob. But let's not get sooooo caught up in the wave of Zombie-bashing that we automatically give enthusiastic credibility to every half-baked anti-Zombie thing that comes down the pike. Fancy video editing aside, I think this kid's opinion is clearly shallow, and even if it is his own and he's entitled to it and all that, I would point out that an opinion of Zombie is -not- going to "prove that he's a liar and a traitor".
I'm actually surprised that HMAD doesn't recognize this kid's posturing as just a slightly-more gussied up version of the usual petulant, garden-variety Internet slams to be found out there on a daily basis. It's as if you got caught up in his admittedly WELL-EDITED vid, but forgot to listen to the junky, recycled "criticisms" that countless other people before him have already made. At the end of the day, it's your blog & opinion and you're a big success, regardless of what I think... and so congrats and all; but seriously, I'm a little disappointed in the reverence you show for this hollow-minded kid, who apparently judges Zombie more on the basis of his name and his fashion sense than on any technical merits.
It's people like this kid that make me despise other horror fans, what's the point in making a four-part-video just dedicated to TRASHING someone? It's scummy, what's this kid ever done? What're his credentials? I would love to know. It's just a movie, Rob is just a guy - get over it.
ReplyDeleteI just like how he used Zombie's own words to point out the complete hypocrisy at play here. Yeah he goes off on him for dumb things, but he also points out stuff I myself never even realized. I don't agree with all of his assesments either, I just like having all the things I DO agree with echoed back in one consise package.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, as an editor, I appreciate the professionalism here. How often do you watch something on Youtube and say "Wow, that was really well made"?
LOL at ALL the people who take this seriously either way.
ReplyDeleteThis kid probably had his parents or an older sibling concoct this shit up for him. I'm all for someone not enjoying Zombie as a film maker, but calling him out for dress codes and stage names is just retarded and totally irrelevant to me. I'm not some pissed off fanboy really. I never did care much for Zombie as a musician, and he truthfully doesn't come off as one of the nicest guys, but I have enjoyed all of his films. And I did really like Halloween 2, so maybe I am a poser also because it seems to be nearly hated all across the board.
ReplyDeleteI have heard his Halloween films get called some of the worst movies of all time, and I think that if a friggin stretch, to say the least.
I actually agree with this kid about the contradictions and BS from Zombie's interviews and his inconsistencies, but he undercuts himself with the "he should dress nicer because he's rich" and then the wheels completely come off when he reveals himself to me nothing more than a whiny fanboy when he crucifies Zombie for not listening to fans while making the movie because he "owes" the fans. Some of his "fundamental flaws" are BS too. Why is the amount of swears a flaw? And I'm sorry, but not showing how Michael grew to be 7 feet tall is not a flaw, it's a nitpick. Same with the casting of Danielle Harris.
ReplyDeleteI think the Doc was very interesting, but like the Show "Bullshit!" It's just one opinion, I agree with him in a lot of points and uses Zombie's own words, but you gotta admit the guy made a very professional doc, and that's more than TONS of Fanboys ever bothered to do besides doing flamewars on the net.
ReplyDeleteOkay.... Very cleverly made, and all that.. but- Trashing Rob Zombie because he changed his name to become a rock star? That's stretching things a tad..
ReplyDeleteI don't see how this kid could have spent so much of his life making that vid.
And I've said it before and i'll say it again- I actually love Rob Zombie's Halloween, i'd even go as far to say I find it superior in a few aspects to the original. How?
1. Malcolm McDowell.
2. Malcolm McDowell
3. Mal- just kidding, I think it makes more sense for Mike to walk from the asylum to Haddonfield than drive.
4. I actually really liked the characters and dialogue, I thought the characters were really realistic and the dialogue was charming- except for the godawful rape scene with the two hicks.
The rape scene is the only thing in the film i disliked- I think it was unessecary.
Now I know that liking this flick would get me a serious flaming on BD, but hey, we're all mature here on HMAD, right?
What say you, BC?
- Emmet K
fuck, i may have clicked the post comment link a few times... sorry if it comes up a bunch of times
ReplyDeleteEmmet,
ReplyDeleteI never flame anyone here, and I've always encouraged opposing viewpoints to my own (especially for Halloween) as long as they were well written and not attacks on either myself, other readers, or the filmmakers. If folks dig the remake more than Carpenter's - fine. I'm more interested in reading (well-written) positive reviews of his films than reading negative ones that say the same stuff I've already said.
This is a fantastic video. Even if you disagree with its thesis, it's well researched and very well put together.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm glad it takes Zombie to task for the shit filmmaker he is. I've got no problem with the man personally (obviously, since I don't know him), but his filmmaking abilities are bottom of the barrell.
Firstly: he refuses to grow as a director. There's nothing stylisitically in either Zombieween atrocity that's different or an improvement from either of his "Rejects" films. He thinks his films have to look like shit to be "gritty" (yeah, good idea shooting H2 on super 16 and blowing it up to look like filth) and cannot, for the life of him, shoot a suspensful scene.
He's also a strong candidate for the worst writer of all time. His characters come equipped with exaggerated strings of profanity. Take any character's dialogue (except maybe Loomis) and swap it out for anyone else's dialogue. It would sound just as normal coming out of one person's mouth as another. He cannot write characters of any distinction.
That, coupled with the fact that he can't direct films worth a shit makes him a total bust.
And I did like his first two movies, but after the Zombieweens, I honestly like them less. It's so disappointing to see such a one trick pony that I see now that there's nothing all that special about Devil's Rejects. Rob writes what he knows, and is content to keep doing so.
I think the kid that cobbled together that little expose deserves a pat on the back. Just becuase some of you disagree with it doesn't deter from the fact that it's incredibly focused and fantastically cut together. Besides, it's funny.
The underwhelming box office of H2 tells me that audiences are sick of this guy's schtick. I really hope Zombie can be bothered to stretch his 'talented' muscles before taking a crack at the Blob Redux script. Another white trash go 'round just isn't going to cut it.
I like how this kid completly dismisses the fact that John Carpenter himself never wanted there to be any Halloween movies beyond the original... yet its Rob Zombie who destroyed the franchise... not the flood of lame sequels, not Busta Rhymes, not crazy cults, not John Carpenter's wishes being ignored... nope, it was Rob Zombie... ALL Rob Zombie.
ReplyDeleteAh man I never meant to intend that I was gonna get flamed here, quite the opposite in fact!
ReplyDeleteSorry for the misunderstanding!
Emmet K
I agree with J Asto.
ReplyDeleteThis kid is living in a fantasy world. Given the option who wouldn't take to doing movies if that's what you like and you've got the opportunity to play with a massive budget?
Plus how does a franchise get ruined anyway? The original is still there. This boy could have come up with a much more biting subject than something that ultimately doesn't matter. "Is nothing sacred?" Films bloody well aren't. Horror fans might rival Islam for radical religious views but stamping on the original Halloween dvd won't make you a heretic and translating, dubbing, re-editing or remaking it sure as hell don't.
Every time a remake comes out it's always the same phrase regardless of the genre "the original is better" or "the book is better".
to Anonymous who agreed with me - hey, thanks! And -you- make an excellent point, too - the franchise IS still there. It's NOT ruined. If you don't like Zombies takes on the HALLOWEEN franchise, what does making a whole video accomplish? Will RZ see it and break down crying and instantly repent? Or will he just shrug and go and do his thing? You COULD just ignore the Zombie versions and go watch the ones you like better; he didn't tape OVER 'em, after all. They still exist. For all those who decry something for "sucking so bad" and "ruining" a genre, I ask this: Do you stand at the buffet line in restaurants and bitch about all the stuff you DON'T like, or do you just load your plate up with stuff you do like (of which there is also plenty), and then go about your business?
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't care that this kid doesn't like RZ's movies; that's his business. I'm more put-off by the fact that it didn't take much more than a fancy editing session to win other people over who readily cheer him on, despite his often-flimsy points and childish negativism.
I think the reason people are so upset about Rob's remakes are due to the fact that his fans are so loyal and they see this as their Halloween. In 10 years Rob Zombie's Halloween will likely be regarded simply as Halloween.
ReplyDeleteQuite ironically it's like the comparison of John Carpenter's The Thing versus the original The Thing From Another World. I like Carpenter's version better as I'm sure most of you do. In fact I'll go so far as to say that most of you have not seen the original.
I think given time the original Halloween has the potential to get lost with the next generation of kids who would rather see stylistic editing at the expense of good storytelling and that would be a travesty.
Haha didn't this have an average of almost five stars when you posted the link?
ReplyDeleteI think the guy knows what he's talking about, but I disagree with his view of Zombie. I started looking up his music videos BECAUSE of this, and a couple of them are really great. Others are just psychedelic Michael Bay short films set to good songs.
Some valid points regarding the contradictions from the various Zombie interviews, but that's about it. Like its been said the franchise was "ruined" waaaaay before Zombie came and did his thing.
ReplyDeleteAnd remakes have been a big part of horror films for a long time, going all the way back the the Universal monsters and their various remakes of varying quality. It's just a natural progresion.
The kid just seems to have a sandy vagina (and not to mention an annoying whiny voice).
I only watched the first of these 4 vids, on account of pretty much the exact reasons J. Astro points out in his first posting... You´re spot on, Astro...
ReplyDeleteI´m guessing this videomaking dude is planning slamming "Pride And Predator" already, just because Elton John wasn´t born Elton John (oh, and he also has a record deal, doesn´t he???)
OK, with that off my chest I´ll go watch RZ´s Halloween and see what I think...
Never mind this kid's opinion, the video wasn't half as entertaining as one of the normal HMAD blogs. I watched all 4 parts and was disappointed. It in fact makes your reviews look that much better, knowing that most other critiques are not nearly as fun to read/watch.
ReplyDeleteMore writin' and less linkin'!
The other thing I find really amusing is the raves he's getting for his editing. Sure, it's relatively slick, but it's about 4x as long as it needs to be and some actual EDITING of it with something resembling a critical eye would have made it much more palatable and not come off as so much fanboy whining and wankery.
ReplyDeletepeople, people, people... you're all spelling "poseur" wrong. it's more irritating than this argument.
ReplyDeleteI loved Halloween II. I thought it was beautifully haunting and evocative. I thought it was smart and multi-layered. I thought the characters were well-thought out and realistic, despite all the criticism to the contrary. Most of the criticism I've read towards the way the characters act in the film seems to assume that they should behave like characters in a movie, rather than characters in real life. I've read most of the criticism of the film on various websites, and most of it seems like nit-picking to me. I fear that many horror fans out there no longer want to see a film that makes them think; a film that challenges them in some way or another. This is too bad. And for the record, I'm not some huge Rob Zombie fan. I like his music, but "Dragula" is the only one of his songs I'm really familiar with. I haven't seen Devil's Rejects, and I found House of 1000 Corpses really disturbing. I am a big Halloween fan, however, and RZ's Halloween II is my third favourite of the franchise, after the original and the original Halloween II.
ReplyDeleteI'm a horror buff from Australia and we've yet to even receive a release date for RZ's Halloween II (it'll probably be out sometime in late October no doubt). I for one was a big fan of his original 2007 remake, and this is coming from a guy who's favorite movie of all time is Carpenter's Halloween! Yes, his reboot was far from brilliant but I felt the pros of the film far out-weighed the cons. I'm really looking forward to the sequel and have nothing but respect for Zombie, as at least he's trying to do something completely different with the franchise.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for this kid's video, there's nothing worse than a hate-blogger.