BLOODRIDE

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Gerald

Well-Known Member
Sep 8, 2011
2,201
7,168
The Netherlands
Bloodride

This is a Norwegian entry which I watch with subtitles. Although it is a series of short stories, it very much reminds me of the old anthology movies I love so much.

The entries are entertaining enough. Some better than others.

It's a tv-series, not a movie. I thought the best story was Lab Rats, that reminded me the most of classic stories from King or Dahl. The first story, Ultimate Sacrifice, had a nice premise too, but I felt more could have been done with it.

I thought the series had the right vibe, but it lacked originality in the stories - the stories were not that special. But when you look at the classic movies from Amicus, it's often not that the stories or plots are all that special: they were just beautifully filmed and had great actors who managed to make them fun.

The right vibe for these kind of stories often lies with the same basic subjects and emotions: murder, greed, adultery, insanity/split personalities. And then the usual horror tropes, like witchcraft/voodoo, vampires or zombies. But because of the short length writers are much more limited with what they can do with them. And to give them enough punch the stories have to be relatively simple and straight-forward - if they require too much thinking from the viewer they don't have the right effect. I thought that's what the show did great: the stories were very easy to understand, they just lacked originality mostly. Also they weren't filmed in a striking way (there was enough opportunity to film them in a more exciting way, but it was all kept rather flat) and the actors were okay but none particularly stood out. And although there was not a lot of gore, what there was, was very poorly done.

It's great though that they still make anthology series like this. I thought the opening scene with the bus was great, it's just too bad it didn't really have a conclusion of where the passengers were taken.
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
It's a tv-series, not a movie. I thought the best story was Lab Rats, that reminded me the most of classic stories from King or Dahl. The first story, Ultimate Sacrifice, had a nice premise too, but I felt more could have been done with it.

I thought the series had the right vibe, but it lacked originality in the stories - the stories were not that special. But when you look at the classic movies from Amicus, it's often not that the stories or plots are all that special: they were just beautifully filmed and had great actors who managed to make them fun.

The right vibe for these kind of stories often lies with the same basic subjects and emotions: murder, greed, adultery, insanity/split personalities. And then the usual horror tropes, like witchcraft/voodoo, vampires or zombies. But because of the short length writers are much more limited with what they can do with them. And to give them enough punch the stories have to be relatively simple and straight-forward - if they require too much thinking from the viewer they don't have the right effect. I thought that's what the show did great: the stories were very easy to understand, they just lacked originality mostly. Also they weren't filmed in a striking way (there was enough opportunity to film them in a more exciting way, but it was all kept rather flat) and the actors were okay but none particularly stood out. And although there was not a lot of gore, what there was, was very poorly done.

It's great though that they still make anthology series like this. I thought the opening scene with the bus was great, it's just too bad it didn't really have a conclusion of where the passengers were taken.
Yes, I know it's a series, but it reminded me of the old anthology movies I love, and I watched it in one go so just lumped it as a movie.

I agree with your assessment. These aren't Academy Award winners by any means. But, they short enough to keep your attention span. Had each segment been longer, they might have lost me due to all you said. But the fact they are short little bites of horror, I spent my time entertained just enough.

And yes, that bus opening was creative. How it focused on each passenger whose story we were going to see.
 

Gerald

Well-Known Member
Sep 8, 2011
2,201
7,168
The Netherlands
Yes, I know it's a series, but it reminded me of the old anthology movies I love, and I watched it in one go so just lumped it as a movie.

I agree with your assessment. These aren't Academy Award winners by any means. But, they short enough to keep your attention span. Had each segment been longer, they might have lost me due to all you said. But the fact they are short little bites of horror, I spent my time entertained just enough.

And yes, that bus opening was creative. How it focused on each passenger whose story we were going to see.

But it's placed in the movie thread. Even if it feels like or reminds of a movie, it's still not a movie.

This is by Kjetil Indregard, the same writer of Maniac, which was remade by Cary Joji Fukunage with Emma Stone and Jonah Hill. His original is on Netflix too and not long either.
 

Lina

Committed member
Jun 24, 2009
3,356
6,024
Russia
I finished watching Bloodride, it is rather entertaining. I guess I liked Lab Rats and The Old School most, the only one I absolutely hated was Bad Writer. Other ones are quiet okay, for me there was one big advantage, that each episode lasts for half an hour. It was also exciting for me to watch it dubbed in English.
 

Gerald

Well-Known Member
Sep 8, 2011
2,201
7,168
The Netherlands
I watched the remake of Maniac by the same writer (with some others). I'll watch the original later, but I quite liked the remake. It has Emma Stone and Jonah Hill participating in a pharmaceutical experiment along with some others. During the trial, under the influence of different pills, they keep encountering each other in different guises and locations. Along the way they also have to deal with the traumas they suffered in their real lives. Meanwhile there's also a lot going on with the scientists who are leading the experiment.
It's very different from Bloodride, but it's quite original. So I'd recommend it if you're looking for something a bit unusual.
 
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