I remember when I first saw Gremlins.
It was some time after getting the bejezus scared out of me by Ghostbusters – I remember very vividly that I got my mother to rent the VHS tape of that film and as soon as the library ghost appeared I ran screaming out the room in tears, refusing to re-enter the living room until the film had been stopped. Ghostbusters was apparently a comedy! And there’s me, an 8 year old kid, crapping my pants at a comedy.
I was therefore somewhat nervous about what to expect from Gremlins. But there was nothing to fear – I loved it!
And thus I became a fan of director Joe Dante. His work appealed to me – it was quirky, scary, fun, horrific, good humoured, bizarre, scary – you get the idea. Always imaginative and always entertaining.
Now Joe Dante presents Trailers from Hell whereby a series of writers and directors (many of whom found fame infamy back in the 70s and 80s – but there are a few modern masters amongst the Gurus) present a commentary on classic movie trailers – giving information about the movie and the people that made them.
It’s a wonderful concept. Not only because some great writer/directors gave up their time to say why they love a particular movie, but it also serves as a great advertising platform for the movies themselves. Stuck for a great movie to watch? Go to Trailers from Hell and be inspired! Features contributions from the likes of John Landis, Roger Corman, Edgar Wright, Karyn Kasuma, Ed Neumeier, Stuart Gordon, Rick Baker, and many, many more.
Movie studios should be bitch slapping themselves over this concept because this site is likely to appeal to a generation of movie goers who may never have seen the films featured. I haven’t seen the original Attack of the 50ft Woman, but I’m quite eager to get my hands on a copy now Joe Dante has given some thoughts about the film. This in turn should generate revenue for whoever currently owns the rights to the movie – thereby making their archives infinitely more profitable than before.
But Trailers from Hell needs help! It needs to expand, and to make more noise in Hollywoodland! One cannot live on movies and air alone! So they’ve started a Kickstarter to raise at least $30,000 in order to do this. I’ve contributed $25 and – apparently – am the 333rd backer (half the no. of the Beast), although Kickstarter doesn’t seem to show that I’ve contributed anything on the Backers page :\
It’s completely well worth the money. If you love old or new movies – please support the Trailers from Hell Kickstarter project. It absolutely deserves to raise the money – and more besides. If I were a rich man (yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum), I’d happily hand them $1 million+. I love this site.
What movies would I like to see trailers of, and commentary made? Well, first of all I’d love to say a few things about Clive Barker’s Nightbreed. Due for a Director’s cut (called the Cabal Cut) re-release soon, it’s a film that not only features director David Cronenberg in an acting role – but also contains some of the finest make-up effects work that Britain has ever produced. It’s a great story – sympathetic to the “monsters” who are merely trying to live their lives in peace away from the outside world. It’s almost a modern Frankenstein, yet so much more. I wish the Gurus would look towards Nightbreed as a potential contribution to ToH.
Speaking of Kickstarter projects, I have absolutely no idea why I left this comment on Phil Tippett’s Mad God page:
I can only assume I am being haunted by the spirit of Round the Horne – with added superfluous typos. Could be worse mind, I’ve kept mistyping the URL to Trailers from Hell and comes out as tailorsfromhell.com – which I can only assume, if it existed, would be about terrible bespoke suits with commentary from fashion Gurus.
