Deep in the Woods (2000)

This is a pretty odd little French slasher, that is more concerned about creating an artistic and dark atmosphere than telling a story.You could say that this movie is taking a bit of a more artistic approach to the genre but unfortunately this doesn't exactly make the movie very interesting or exciting to watch. It does a horrible job at building up- and handling its tension and all of its other horror ingredients.The film-makers had probably seen a couple of slashers but it doesn't feel like they understood the genre as well. They thought that it was enough to just have a dark atmosphere, throughout the entire movie but this dark atmosphere actually starts to work against the movie. All of the killings are way too dark for instance and it makes it hard to tell what is exactly going on at time. The darkness also ensures that the movie feels pretty tame with its gore, though with a bit more light the movie still could had been a gore-fest, since it has some pretty gruesome killings in it actually.The story in its core is pretty standard but it loves to see itself as something clever and original. Not that the movie feels pretentious but it's just so that the average movie watcher will find very little original and surprises in this movie, no matter how hard the movie tries at times. You also really won't feel involved with the story at all, or with any of the characters that are in it.Best thing I can say about the movie is that I didn't hated watching it. I therefore am also going to be quite mild with my rating but still it really isn't a movie that is worth checking out.5/10 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

An affectionate tribute to Continental horror movies from the '60s and '70s and a surprise box office blast in its native France, this was misleadingly hyped as a Euro answer to Wes Craven's SCREAM in a concession to the multiplex generation's limited frame of reference. It does boast an at least equally attractive young cast, headed by radiant - now married into royalty - Clotilde Corau, Danny Aiello's teen mistress in Paul Mazursky's undeservedly snubbed, quirky PICKLE, who does a wonderfully gratuitous full frontal nude scene my right hand will forever be grateful for ! Just like so many of the "gialli" it so closely seeks to emulate, the meager plot fails to hold up under close scrutiny. As a matter of fact, narrative sense is pretty much the first thing to go out of the window, so consider yourself forewarned. The story, such as it is, concerns a troupe of amateur actors touring with a private performance of their spectacularly misguided expressionist rendition of Little Red Riding Hood, with two Reds and two hunters for some reason. They wind up at the palatial mansion of an eccentric, wheelchair-bound millionaire (terrifically portrayed by the subtly menacing François Berléand) and his autistic grandson in the middle of the woods. Set-up barely completed, the expected yet exuberantly imaginative slaying commences. This is where the movie's main quality resides as nail gun, harpoon, scalding acid and some not so readily describable objects are put to spectacular use.Youthful director Lionel Delplanque was just 28 when he made this feature debut - since followed by the Albert Dupontel farce LE PRESIDENT - following a number of well received macabre shorts. He shows considerable flair for creepy atmosphere through mood lighting and effectively employed music, masking the fact that the material is really stretched rather thin to sustain the full 90 minutes. Fortunately, there are flamboyant recreations of classic scare scenes from Mario Bava's BAY OF BLOOD, Dario Argento's DEEP RED and even Jean Brismée's unabashedly gaudy DEVIL'S NIGHTMARE. The presence of such art-house alumni as Denis Lavant (the fetish actor of tragically highbrow Léos Carax) and Marie Trintignant (sadly killed daughter of respected actor Jean-Louis) may give this scrumptiously entertaining flick a sheen of Cahiers Du Cinéma respectability, but don't let that discourage you. This is one of the more warped treats to find its way into regular movie theaters.

The debut of french director Lionel Delplanque is a strange horror film that serves as tribute to two apparently similar but different horror sub genres: The Italian Giallo and the American Slasher.The plot is quite typical: A group of young actors is hired by a mysterious rich man to go to his castle and perform the "Little Red Riding Hood" tale for his son in his birthday.The plot gives us everything a slasher demands: a young and very photogenic cast, a location where nobody can escape (the castle is located deep in the forest) and the "theme", in this case, the Little Red Riding Hood.Nevertheless, while the story moves pretty straightforward as any typical horror movie would go; the whole visual aspect is more in tone with the stylistic beauty of the Italian Giallo, with creepy Gothic atmospheres and a beautiful contrast of colors, red being the predominant of course.The cinematography shines and the visuals are of enormous beauty. The location is perfect for the movie and the handle of colors is awesome. Sadly (or fortunately?), most of the time this make you forget the clichéd plot full with twist ending.The acting is quite average, with François Berléand being the only worth mentioning, giving an outstanding performance as the eccentric millionaire. As many reviews have pointed out, the director seemed more concerned in the beauty of his composition than in directing his actors.The script is good, and even when it has scenes that border absurd (like any scene with the clichéd cop), it also includes beautiful surreal scenes, particularly in the killings; clearly inspired by Giallo movies.The film is worth a look, since the atmospheric suspense it develops is almost a rarity nowadays. Also, the beauty of its photography is something that must be seen to be believed. Don't expect too much and you'll be rewarded. 6/10

Apparently this was a huge box office hit in France in 2000. So the French, starved of home-grown horror, lapped up this 'penny dreadful' (centime diabolical?).This gets one star for gorgeous lighting, sets and atmosphere, but no more. Lionel Delplanque and Annabelle Perrichon make the monumental error of creating an entire roll call of unpleasant and unsympathetic characters. Consequently, the viewer just doesn't care about what happens to any of them. Obnoxious Mathilde, ambivalent Jeanne, moody Wilfried, whining Sophie and characterless Matthieu turf up at a scary château. Spooky and unpleasant things happen. Who cares?Denis Lavant? Shame on you!