Hell hath no fury like Clive Barker scorned
August 12, 2008 2:54 PM Subscribe
Clive Barker's new film The Midnight Meat Train has become a famous casualty of the recent regime change at Lionsgate, which relegated the feature to limited release (and to hit DVD shortly after). Fans (and Barker himself) tried to force Lionsgate to reconsider, whick ultimately backfired. Despite plenty of non-terrible reviews, the company's "limited release" eschewed major cities, shoving MMT into out-of-the-way $1 cheapie cinemas. Horror fans are furious-- but they've found a way to get their point across.
This is embarassing. When I read the post, before I clicked any of the links I made a list of the things I expected the movie to have in it because of how predictable Barker typically is. I then read the review and watched the trailer. Had this list proven accurate, I certainly would have come directly here to crow about it and mock the movie, but since it did not I think it's only fair to share the woefully inaccurate list I made and give due props to Mr. Barker for defying my expectations. I suppose I'll have to see the film, now. However, if the last reel (which Variety claims goes completely awry in a bad way) redeems me, rest assured I'll be in here to mention it.
And now, the list, Things Which Are Likley To Be In Clive Barker's New Movie:
1. Some kind of Fallen God/Angle/Demon
2. Leather Fetishwear (I was so sure of this. Damn it. Suit and Tie, indeed)
3. Creatures with mouths in odd places.
4. A person with a developmental disabiity/mental illness.
Oh well. Cheers to you, Clive.
posted by shmegegge at 3:18 PM on August 12, 2008
And now, the list, Things Which Are Likley To Be In Clive Barker's New Movie:
1. Some kind of Fallen God/Angle/Demon
2. Leather Fetishwear (I was so sure of this. Damn it. Suit and Tie, indeed)
3. Creatures with mouths in odd places.
4. A person with a developmental disabiity/mental illness.
Oh well. Cheers to you, Clive.
posted by shmegegge at 3:18 PM on August 12, 2008
I was at Rambo when I saw the trailer for Midnight Meat Train. When at the end of the ad the title comes up and the scary announcer says "Midnight Meat Train!", the entire audience burst into laughter.
When you can't pass the giggle-test at a screening of Rambo, you are in trouble.
posted by Bookhouse at 3:19 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]
When you can't pass the giggle-test at a screening of Rambo, you are in trouble.
posted by Bookhouse at 3:19 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]
MMT is one of my favorite Clive Barker short stories. But, like much of his fiction, the deeply subjective point-of-view and abrupt transitions from the mundane to the fantastic must be fiendishly difficult to translate into film in a believable way (as the Variety review implies).
It's notable that the only successful Clive Barker movie, Hellraiser, diverged quite a bit from the novella that spawned it.
posted by xthlc at 3:19 PM on August 12, 2008
It's notable that the only successful Clive Barker movie, Hellraiser, diverged quite a bit from the novella that spawned it.
posted by xthlc at 3:19 PM on August 12, 2008
I was completely shrug about this until I saw that Kitamura was the director. Nobody does excess like that dude. I'm on board, ha ha.
posted by Shepherd at 3:20 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by Shepherd at 3:20 PM on August 12, 2008
It's notable that the only successful Clive Barker movie, Hellraiser, diverged quite a bit from the novella that spawned it.
Out of curiosity, does anyone else think of Nightbreed as being successful? I tend to, but I certainly couldn't prove it with sales figures. I just like the movie, for god knows what reason.
I know I know. There is no Cabal.
posted by shmegegge at 3:23 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]
Out of curiosity, does anyone else think of Nightbreed as being successful? I tend to, but I certainly couldn't prove it with sales figures. I just like the movie, for god knows what reason.
I know I know. There is no Cabal.
posted by shmegegge at 3:23 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]
I remember the short story from Books of Blood, i thought it was pretty good. I would be interested in how the movie turns out. I think In the Hills, the Cities would make a interesting movie as well.
posted by stifford at 3:24 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by stifford at 3:24 PM on August 12, 2008
I liked Nightbreed, hell I even though Lord of Illusions was pretty good.
posted by stifford at 3:25 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by stifford at 3:25 PM on August 12, 2008
Yeah; titling your movie MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN is just asking for trouble. I realize that's the title of the short, but there are different imperatives in written fiction and film. For example, it was a great story but good luck with getting a movie titled "Congenital Agenesis of Gender Ideation" green lighted.
posted by Justinian at 3:25 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by Justinian at 3:25 PM on August 12, 2008
I haven't seen the movie (because I'm in NYC) but I think that it's really obvious that quality isn't a factor in MMT's fate. A horror movie with known actors and a rising-star director written by a famous author/filmmaker is pretty much guaranteed a limited release these days -- a REAL limited release, starting in major cities. Most of these horror movies have a decent opening weekend, garner terrible reviews, and ultimately make enough money to justify their worth. MMT might not be any better than any of those movies, but it's certainly no worse, which makes the studio's actions seem incredibly deliberate in this case, especially after the steady fan-campaign that's been running all year. Someone decided that this project would go on the record as a financial failure, and has done a good job of following through.
At this point, I think buying out all the tickets in discount cinemas is more than a signal to Lionsgate-- it's a way to support the project and the artists, symbolically and financially.
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 3:35 PM on August 12, 2008
At this point, I think buying out all the tickets in discount cinemas is more than a signal to Lionsgate-- it's a way to support the project and the artists, symbolically and financially.
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 3:35 PM on August 12, 2008
From the NY Sun link above: For horror fans, this is a sure sign that the landscape is changing and the "hard-R" horror movie is going the way of the dinosaur.
I understand the politics of this specific case, but why would horror movies go away? They're wonderfully profitable, aren't they?
posted by Bookhouse at 3:36 PM on August 12, 2008
I understand the politics of this specific case, but why would horror movies go away? They're wonderfully profitable, aren't they?
posted by Bookhouse at 3:36 PM on August 12, 2008
but they've found a way to get their point across.
That was rather boring I was hoping they kidnapped the Lionsgate board, and after hi-jacking a train, submitting them to the most terrifying ride they'll ever take
Oh and two words. Vinnie. Jones.
This has straight to DVD written all over it
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:39 PM on August 12, 2008
That was rather boring I was hoping they kidnapped the Lionsgate board, and after hi-jacking a train, submitting them to the most terrifying ride they'll ever take
Oh and two words. Vinnie. Jones.
This has straight to DVD written all over it
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:39 PM on August 12, 2008
shmegegge: based on the story, I'm pretty sure #4 and possibly #1 will be present, and if you change the wording of "Leather fetishwear" to "obsession with skins/skinning", I think you may have a good shot at seeing all four.
posted by arcanecrowbar at 3:39 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by arcanecrowbar at 3:39 PM on August 12, 2008
shmegegge – It probably helps that it’s based on an early short from his most inventive period and before he basically became Clive Barker™, originator of samey concepts and cog in the Todd McFarlane toy machine.
posted by Artw at 3:41 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by Artw at 3:41 PM on August 12, 2008
I adored Nightbreed. It had a neat movie tie-in book with more background on each of the monsters and spawned a line of comic books for a while too.
posted by FunkyHelix at 3:41 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by FunkyHelix at 3:41 PM on August 12, 2008
(Not that this isn’t Masters of Horror: Extra length episode)
posted by Artw at 3:42 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by Artw at 3:42 PM on August 12, 2008
This and the recent Doomsday (which I still have not seen, due to technical error -- Netflix, bah) strike me as movies that were solely given the go-ahead working from the assumption that Grindhouse was going to be a smash hit. If it sounds like I'm saying that it's a bad thing, I am so, so not.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 3:45 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by kittens for breakfast at 3:45 PM on August 12, 2008
Dreamweaver, shaman, master of the macabre
posted by Artw at 3:47 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 3:47 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]
From the first comment on the last link:
In fact, this whole fiasco has made me more interested than I might have been otherwise.
Pepsi #990000
posted by Big_B at 3:54 PM on August 12, 2008
In fact, this whole fiasco has made me more interested than I might have been otherwise.
Pepsi #990000
posted by Big_B at 3:54 PM on August 12, 2008
For horror fans, this is a sure sign that the landscape is changing and the "hard-R" horror movie is going the way of the dinosaur.
...or possibly that Lionsgate has decided that the particular vein of horror it has been mining with Saw, Hostel and assorted torture pr0n is tapped out.
With its digital blood, MTV camera movement, and "Se7en"-style set design, "The Midnight Meat Train" hasn't even been released and it's already a fossil.
Ouch.
posted by Artw at 3:57 PM on August 12, 2008
...or possibly that Lionsgate has decided that the particular vein of horror it has been mining with Saw, Hostel and assorted torture pr0n is tapped out.
With its digital blood, MTV camera movement, and "Se7en"-style set design, "The Midnight Meat Train" hasn't even been released and it's already a fossil.
Ouch.
posted by Artw at 3:57 PM on August 12, 2008
Midnight meat train was shorter than Hellbound Heart, wasn't it? ISTR that it was a short, short story, and it puzzled me that they'd try to make a full length movie out of a train ride.
Upside:
* MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN 2: THE MEATENING.
* MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN 2: MEAT HARDER
etc.
posted by boo_radley at 4:02 PM on August 12, 2008 [6 favorites]
Upside:
* MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN 2: THE MEATENING.
* MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN 2: MEAT HARDER
etc.
posted by boo_radley at 4:02 PM on August 12, 2008 [6 favorites]
Well, there’s always tacking on a bunch of overcomplicated, convoluted crap. That’s a sure-fire winner in the horror adaptations field.
posted by Artw at 4:12 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by Artw at 4:12 PM on August 12, 2008
I think In the Hills, the Cities would make a interesting movie as well.
I dunno, isn’t it just drive, drive, drive, sex, sex, sex, “ooh, a big thing” and squish?
posted by Artw at 4:14 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]
I dunno, isn’t it just drive, drive, drive, sex, sex, sex, “ooh, a big thing” and squish?
posted by Artw at 4:14 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]
For horror fans, this is a sure sign that the landscape is changing and the "hard-R" horror movie is going the way of the dinosaur.
What? But it just got here! It's been maybe three, four years since horror movies were back to being made for (chronological) grownups, and I don't see them going away soon -- not with reboots of Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street looming. To be blunt, those movies are probably going to be fucking terrible, but they have the brand names to put asses in seats. And if they do, Hollywood will do its best to churn out more movies just like them, because that's what Hollywood does. So...nah.
What would be nice would be if, I don't know, all the hard-R horror movies were not all about people chopping other people up in settings that look like the Paper Street house from Fight Club with an industrial score playing over the scene and nothing worth writing down coming out of anybody's mouth. I'll defend something like Hostel -- hell, about a year and a half ago I joined MetaFilter just to defend Hostel -- but I can't defend on a critical level 95% of what it's inspired, and even if I could...man. Enough's enough. Seriously, no more psycho killers, no more zombies, no more Creepy Kids for...let's say...ten years?
Please?
...Please?
posted by kittens for breakfast at 4:23 PM on August 12, 2008
What? But it just got here! It's been maybe three, four years since horror movies were back to being made for (chronological) grownups, and I don't see them going away soon -- not with reboots of Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street looming. To be blunt, those movies are probably going to be fucking terrible, but they have the brand names to put asses in seats. And if they do, Hollywood will do its best to churn out more movies just like them, because that's what Hollywood does. So...nah.
What would be nice would be if, I don't know, all the hard-R horror movies were not all about people chopping other people up in settings that look like the Paper Street house from Fight Club with an industrial score playing over the scene and nothing worth writing down coming out of anybody's mouth. I'll defend something like Hostel -- hell, about a year and a half ago I joined MetaFilter just to defend Hostel -- but I can't defend on a critical level 95% of what it's inspired, and even if I could...man. Enough's enough. Seriously, no more psycho killers, no more zombies, no more Creepy Kids for...let's say...ten years?
Please?
...Please?
posted by kittens for breakfast at 4:23 PM on August 12, 2008
shmegegge, I would have substituted "self-mutilation" for #1 and "heroin" for #4, but other than that, yeah. What you said.
posted by lekvar at 4:25 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by lekvar at 4:25 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
shmegegge... you forgot 'Gay Subtext', which in Meat Train's case you don't even have to get past the title (NOT LEATHERBOY-IST)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:38 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:38 PM on August 12, 2008
Metafilter: drive, drive, drive, sex, sex, sex, “ooh, a big thing” and squish.
posted by Rangeboy at 4:40 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by Rangeboy at 4:40 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]
I think the real reason behind production troubles has more to do with copyright issues than anything else, as Midnight Meat Train was originally released in 1984, featuring Peter North and Nina Hartley.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:40 PM on August 12, 2008 [5 favorites]
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:40 PM on August 12, 2008 [5 favorites]
I tell you what true horror is… true horror is when people send you pictures of your face tattooed on themselves, and half the tattoos make it look like you’ve got downs syndrome or alzheimers or something, and you have to put the pictures on your website anyway because that’s how you feed the franchise, especially since in person you’re a bit pudgey and past it now, and you’re locked into an eternal grind of demeaning shit that makes Robert Englund look dignified. That’s true soul melting terror that is.
posted by Artw at 4:42 PM on August 12, 2008 [4 favorites]
posted by Artw at 4:42 PM on August 12, 2008 [4 favorites]
This and the recent Doomsday (which I still have not seen, due to technical error -- Netflix, bah) strike me as movies that were solely given the go-ahead working from the assumption that Grindhouse was going to be a smash hit.
Yeah, but also I think they assumed that were enough x-genners/others for whom this is the greatest thing on the internet to make a profit (given that they made it for buttons in South Africa)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:43 PM on August 12, 2008
Yeah, but also I think they assumed that were enough x-genners/others for whom this is the greatest thing on the internet to make a profit (given that they made it for buttons in South Africa)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:43 PM on August 12, 2008
why would horror movies go away? They're wonderfully profitable, aren't they?
Gary Giddins, famous jazz journalist, once said there are two stories a feature reporter can write at any given time: (1) Jazz is dead, (2) Jazz is making a comeback.
It's all cyclical, horror movies will go away for a while then come back nastier than ever.
posted by jbickers at 4:43 PM on August 12, 2008
Gary Giddins, famous jazz journalist, once said there are two stories a feature reporter can write at any given time: (1) Jazz is dead, (2) Jazz is making a comeback.
It's all cyclical, horror movies will go away for a while then come back nastier than ever.
posted by jbickers at 4:43 PM on August 12, 2008
But that IS the greatest thing ever!
posted by Artw at 4:45 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by Artw at 4:45 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]
Yeah, man, it really kinda is.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 4:49 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by kittens for breakfast at 4:49 PM on August 12, 2008
For horror fans, this is a sure sign that the landscape is changing and the "hard-R" horror movie is going the way of the dinosaur.
Yeah coz they are not still churning out Saw movies like there's no tomorrow as well as all the other franchise reboots...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:55 PM on August 12, 2008
Yeah coz they are not still churning out Saw movies like there's no tomorrow as well as all the other franchise reboots...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:55 PM on August 12, 2008
Yeah coz they are not still churning out Saw movies like there's no tomorrow as well as all the other franchise reboots...
The horror!
posted by Artw at 4:58 PM on August 12, 2008
The horror!
posted by Artw at 4:58 PM on August 12, 2008
I always loved that title. Right up there with "Killdozer" on my list of awesome horror titles.
posted by brundlefly at 5:02 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by brundlefly at 5:02 PM on August 12, 2008
...no more zombies...
I was with you till there, kittens for breakfast.
posted by brundlefly at 5:04 PM on August 12, 2008
I was with you till there, kittens for breakfast.
posted by brundlefly at 5:04 PM on August 12, 2008
You say that, and then you watch, say, Diary of the Dead.
Really they should o World War Z properly* and then have a 10 year moratorium.
*this is unlikely to happen.
posted by Artw at 5:12 PM on August 12, 2008
Really they should o World War Z properly* and then have a 10 year moratorium.
*this is unlikely to happen.
posted by Artw at 5:12 PM on August 12, 2008
I'll never forget some of the horror classics of my teenage years: the first Halloween, The Shining, The Changeling, and the first Friday the 13th (the final moment of which, when a naked and seaweed-covered Jason leaps out of the lake to drag the sole surviving teenager out of the rowboat, scared the crap out of me every time), to name a few. Some of these movies were more, uh, challenging than others to watch. Some relied solely on sudden surprise and our cringe reflex to the sight of violence and blood. Others masterfully built tension throughout, steadily, imperciptably, toying with the audience's perception of what's real and what's not, forcing us to confront our deepest archetypal fear - the unknown. But for the wide spectrum that horror once hailed from, there was one definite rule with my high school friends and I that pervaded them all: if Part 3 isn't in 3D, then it's not worth seeing.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 5:17 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 5:17 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]
Anyone know if the original ending is kept for the film? It seems unfilmable: more metaphor than literal.
posted by basicchannel at 5:25 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by basicchannel at 5:25 PM on August 12, 2008
plenty of non-terrible reviews!!! = 44% on Rotten Tomatoes
posted by Artw at 5:26 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by Artw at 5:26 PM on August 12, 2008
I think In the Hills, the Cities would make a interesting movie as well.
It could make an incredibly interesting movie, but it would take tremendous skill and creativity to turn it into a feature. And with the budget the effects would require, a short is probably impossible.
posted by mr_roboto at 5:27 PM on August 12, 2008
It could make an incredibly interesting movie, but it would take tremendous skill and creativity to turn it into a feature. And with the budget the effects would require, a short is probably impossible.
posted by mr_roboto at 5:27 PM on August 12, 2008
I kind of like the idea of the protest, insofar as it says, "We would have been willing to pay actual movie theatre prices for this movie and you blew it." But the problem is that Lionsgate is still getting the money. In fact, if discount theatres work the way I think they do, Lionsgate is getting considerably more from four two-dollar tickets than they would be for one eight-dollar ticket.
posted by roll truck roll at 5:30 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by roll truck roll at 5:30 PM on August 12, 2008
I dunno, isn’t it just drive, drive, drive, sex, sex, sex, “ooh, a big thing” and squish?
Well, the story would certainly need to be flushed out a bit. I think the special effects for the cities battling (and even being made) could be done really well, these days.
posted by stifford at 5:30 PM on August 12, 2008
Well, the story would certainly need to be flushed out a bit. I think the special effects for the cities battling (and even being made) could be done really well, these days.
posted by stifford at 5:30 PM on August 12, 2008
Animated short might work.
That might be a better idea.
There was a Tales of the Darkside episode of The Yattering and Jack, but I remember it being pretty goofy.
posted by stifford at 5:33 PM on August 12, 2008
That might be a better idea.
There was a Tales of the Darkside episode of The Yattering and Jack, but I remember it being pretty goofy.
posted by stifford at 5:33 PM on August 12, 2008
I bet MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN will be snubbed at Oscar time as well.
There is no justice in this world.
posted by 2sheets at 5:33 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]
There is no justice in this world.
posted by 2sheets at 5:33 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]
There was a period of almost two weeks where it was going to be called The Midnight Train. Which, frankly, would have been an even bigger upset than a half-hearted release.
For all the shit the title takes, and I've seen it fail the giggle-test in theaters as well, at least it's not forgettable. And it pretty much encapsulates the movie.
posted by dogwalker at 5:42 PM on August 12, 2008
For all the shit the title takes, and I've seen it fail the giggle-test in theaters as well, at least it's not forgettable. And it pretty much encapsulates the movie.
posted by dogwalker at 5:42 PM on August 12, 2008
Man I hope this is on the soundtrack... you know a thrash metal remix or something
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 5:44 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 5:44 PM on August 12, 2008
[NOT HERMITOSIS-IST], you know I'm your ally in the horror field, and I was rooting just as hard for Lionsgate to come to their senses regarding MMT as you were, but seeing as how that never happened, I'm not feeling too upset over the outcome. Horror movies aren't dead, and they never will be. As far as I'm concerned, in this case, the lumbering corpse that has yet to come to terms with its demise is the multiplex movie theater. I'll give Barker (and Lionsgate, the bastards) my money in a few months by picking up the DVD, which I'll watch on a big HDTV while drinking a microbrewed beer. No sticky floors and six-dollar popcorn for me, thank you very much.
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:45 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:45 PM on August 12, 2008
I can't see the title for this moving with trying to hum "Midnight Meat Train To Georgia" in my head.
posted by GuyZero at 5:49 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by GuyZero at 5:49 PM on August 12, 2008
I was completely shrug about this until I saw that Kitamura was the director. Nobody does excess like that dude. I'm on board, ha ha.
Check out Takashi Miike's stuff, if you haven't already. Highly recommended, extremely fucked up.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:32 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
Check out Takashi Miike's stuff, if you haven't already. Highly recommended, extremely fucked up.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:32 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
I hear they're changing the title to Pacific Air Flight 121.
posted by brundlefly at 6:35 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by brundlefly at 6:35 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]
I can't see MMT as a feature film. It doesn't really even have a plot, apart from the core shocking revelation. And like so much Barker, it's not horror so much as gross-out. I imagine someone saying "that's a great concept! now write a new story and make that the end."
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 6:45 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 6:45 PM on August 12, 2008
I could totally see Keanu Reeves being in this. Except that it happens to him in real life.
posted by puke & cry at 6:56 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by puke & cry at 6:56 PM on August 12, 2008
I can't see the title for this moving with trying to hum "Midnight Meat Train To Georgia" in my head.
Ooooh, Filet
Sounded just right for the man
(Just right for the man, he had to stab it)
So he's grabbin' the knife,
To gut some ho'
(That's right he's crazy)
He said he's goin' out to find
(goin' out to find)
Ooooh, some promiscuous girl
Gonna carve up a horror cliche,
just like in Psycho
He's leavin' (Leavin!)
On that midnight meat train to Georgia
(Leavin' on a meaty train)
Said he's goin' out to kill
(goin' out to kill)
A bunch of people this time
(Whenever he takes that ride, guess who'll have the big knife by his side)
I'll be with him
(we're gonna kill)
on that midnight meat train to Georgia
(Killin' on the meaty train to Georgia, STAB STAB!)
I'd rather kill in his world
(Kill in his world)
than die without him in mine
(His, world, is blood, blood and guts and gore)
posted by waraw at 8:14 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
Ooooh, Filet
Sounded just right for the man
(Just right for the man, he had to stab it)
So he's grabbin' the knife,
To gut some ho'
(That's right he's crazy)
He said he's goin' out to find
(goin' out to find)
Ooooh, some promiscuous girl
Gonna carve up a horror cliche,
just like in Psycho
He's leavin' (Leavin!)
On that midnight meat train to Georgia
(Leavin' on a meaty train)
Said he's goin' out to kill
(goin' out to kill)
A bunch of people this time
(Whenever he takes that ride, guess who'll have the big knife by his side)
I'll be with him
(we're gonna kill)
on that midnight meat train to Georgia
(Killin' on the meaty train to Georgia, STAB STAB!)
I'd rather kill in his world
(Kill in his world)
than die without him in mine
(His, world, is blood, blood and guts and gore)
posted by waraw at 8:14 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
Clive Barker, bless him, is a typical out-of-ideas striver, incapable of attaining recherché level, much less literary imagination. He is, at the most, a vulgar art director for inane (read tame and amenable) European gorefests. His notoriety, such as it tragically is, is more symptomatic of our own kitschy predispositions. The fact that he's deemed important on Metafilter fills me with dread.
posted by Old Rittenhouse at 8:35 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Old Rittenhouse at 8:35 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
Title reminds me of the Canadian classic BIG MEAT EATER.
posted by dobbs at 8:40 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by dobbs at 8:40 PM on August 12, 2008
Clive Barker, bless him, is a typical out-of-ideas striver, incapable of attaining recherché level, much less literary imagination. He is, at the most, a vulgar art director for inane (read tame and amenable) European gorefests. His notoriety, such as it tragically is, is more symptomatic of our own kitschy predispositions. The fact that he's deemed important on Metafilter fills me with dread.
If you're like me? Meaning that, for some reason, you imagined John Houseman reading this? Well, then you know it's pretty awesome that way.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 8:46 PM on August 12, 2008
If you're like me? Meaning that, for some reason, you imagined John Houseman reading this? Well, then you know it's pretty awesome that way.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 8:46 PM on August 12, 2008
The fact that he's deemed important on Metafilter fills me with dread.
Coming next fall: Midnight Meat Metafilter
posted by Bookhouse at 9:01 PM on August 12, 2008
Coming next fall: Midnight Meat Metafilter
posted by Bookhouse at 9:01 PM on August 12, 2008
Old Rittenhouse: I take exception to that; Metafilter has a special place in its snarky, tarry heart for louche Englishmen.
posted by boo_radley at 9:31 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by boo_radley at 9:31 PM on August 12, 2008
Clive Barker can suck my meat train.
posted by ChickenringNYC at 9:39 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by ChickenringNYC at 9:39 PM on August 12, 2008
Marisa Stole the Precious Thing writes "the first Friday the 13th (the final moment of which, when a naked and seaweed-covered Jason leaps out of the lake to drag the sole surviving teenager out of the rowboat, scared the crap out of me every time),"
This is the very first movie I saw on the then amazing VHS technology; scared the bejesus out of my 11 year old self.
posted by Mitheral at 10:57 PM on August 12, 2008
This is the very first movie I saw on the then amazing VHS technology; scared the bejesus out of my 11 year old self.
posted by Mitheral at 10:57 PM on August 12, 2008
I'm waiting for the sequal Midnight Meat Train II: Blood On The Tracks
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:00 AM on August 13, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:00 AM on August 13, 2008
Artw, you missed the perfect opportunity to use the phrase "pants macabre."
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:34 AM on August 13, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:34 AM on August 13, 2008 [3 favorites]
I'm waiting for the sequal Midnight Meat Train II: Blood On The Tracks
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:00 AM on August 13
Maybe there will be a dismemberment scene, done to Idiot Wind.
posted by stifford at 9:26 AM on August 13, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:00 AM on August 13
Maybe there will be a dismemberment scene, done to Idiot Wind.
posted by stifford at 9:26 AM on August 13, 2008
Of course if you think Clive Barker looks weird you should see fellow horrormeister Brian Lumley, whose wikipedia picture basically resembles an undead owner of a car dealership in the north of England dressed up to sing country and western at the local pub karaoke night. Sadly it’s been deleted, but this one comes close.
posted by Artw at 10:19 AM on August 13, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 10:19 AM on August 13, 2008 [1 favorite]
Check out Takashi Miike's stuff, if you haven't already. Highly recommended, extremely fucked up.
I've only seen Box from the Three Extremes movie but he surely knew all about atmosphere. Good recommendation.
posted by ersatz at 10:30 AM on August 13, 2008
I've only seen Box from the Three Extremes movie but he surely knew all about atmosphere. Good recommendation.
posted by ersatz at 10:30 AM on August 13, 2008
Borked link ... here's Limpalong Lumley
I was looking for a pix of Shaun 'Wizard Of Gore' Hutson in his Heavy metal days... but I don't think you can beat this for a author photo (NSFW)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 10:45 AM on August 13, 2008
I was looking for a pix of Shaun 'Wizard Of Gore' Hutson in his Heavy metal days... but I don't think you can beat this for a author photo (NSFW)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 10:45 AM on August 13, 2008
Midnight Meat Train IV : Rise of the Caboose Cabal
posted by mannequito at 2:41 PM on August 13, 2008
posted by mannequito at 2:41 PM on August 13, 2008
Midnight Meat Train IV: Chipolata Choo Choo
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:51 PM on August 13, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:51 PM on August 13, 2008
tsk... V obviously
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:52 PM on August 13, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:52 PM on August 13, 2008
ersatz - You'll be wanting to see Audition then.
Illl go a-hunting, thanks.
posted by ersatz at 8:54 AM on August 14, 2008
Illl go a-hunting, thanks.
posted by ersatz at 8:54 AM on August 14, 2008
I’d also strongly recommend Dead or Alive and Ichi the Killer, which are more actiony (and utterly mental). If Dark Knight didn’t exist I’d say that the protagonist from Ichi was how the Joker should be done on film.
After Auditoon my wife used to refuse to stay in the room while I watched Miike films, and reported that the sound effects were bad enough, thank you.
posted by Artw at 8:58 AM on August 14, 2008
After Auditoon my wife used to refuse to stay in the room while I watched Miike films, and reported that the sound effects were bad enough, thank you.
posted by Artw at 8:58 AM on August 14, 2008
Anyhow, it could be worse for Barker: Terry Gilliams latest can't get a distributor at all, despite having everyones favorite dead guy in it.
posted by Artw at 1:12 PM on August 18, 2008
posted by Artw at 1:12 PM on August 18, 2008
"For all the elements in this film, it is a Terry Gilliam picture, and as much as you want a movie of his to be good, you have to be careful." (my itallics)
To which I think the rough translation is "Is it a junkie-necro-pedo weird-fest again?"
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:12 PM on August 18, 2008
To which I think the rough translation is "Is it a junkie-necro-pedo weird-fest again?"
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:12 PM on August 18, 2008
To be fair to soulless studio fucks... The Brothers Grimm WAS fucking awful, and I never did bother seeing Tideland. But it's *Gilliam*, FFS.
posted by Artw at 2:23 PM on August 18, 2008
posted by Artw at 2:23 PM on August 18, 2008
Tideland was good. However, it couldn't possibly be promoted as a Hollywood-style movie; it was a bit disquieting at times from what I remember.
posted by ersatz at 2:38 PM on August 18, 2008
posted by ersatz at 2:38 PM on August 18, 2008
In a fair world Gillian would be recognised as some sort of national treasure and given a a few mill to turn out some bit of warped genius every year or some
it was a bit disquieting at times from what I remember.
It's not often you have a movie where the director pops up at the beginning to warn you how fecked it is...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:55 PM on August 18, 2008
it was a bit disquieting at times from what I remember.
It's not often you have a movie where the director pops up at the beginning to warn you how fecked it is...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:55 PM on August 18, 2008
Lars Von Trier just wants EVERYONE to suffer.
Though he;s gone up in my estimation by giving Dogville a happy ending.
posted by Artw at 9:19 AM on August 19, 2008
Though he;s gone up in my estimation by giving Dogville a happy ending.
posted by Artw at 9:19 AM on August 19, 2008
Happy is in the eye of the beholder (nuke 'em, daddy!). I'm a bit annoyed the third part doesn't seem to be coming any time soon.
posted by ersatz at 5:45 AM on August 20, 2008
posted by ersatz at 5:45 AM on August 20, 2008
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posted by longsleeves at 3:13 PM on August 12, 2008 [5 favorites]