The Art of Blasphemy

DVD / FILM COLLECTION, P-Z

Nadja (1994, Michael Almereyda)

Thoughtful, unique experimental vampire film. Not a complete home run, but still well worth seeing. An interesting companion piece to Abel Ferrara's The Addiction.

Naked Lunch (1991, David Cronenberg)

Quite possibly Cronenberg's finest film.

The Nameless ("Los sin nombre") (1999, Jaume Balagueró)

Very good thriller begins in the vein of Se7en and ends more akin to the Manson cult. Either way, engrossing and well shot.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004, Jared Hess)

I usually only have one rule for comedies - if they make me laugh. And this one did. In droves.

National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985, Amy Heckerling)

Very fond memories of sleeping over at a friend's house when I was, like, 11, and sneaking out of bed to watch this on cable late at night...so this is totally a "nostalgia own" for me.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989, Jeremiah S. Chechik)

Hated this movie for a lot of years (I found it downright unpleasant)...and I still don't think it's as good as everyone else seems to think...but it's grown on me a little. Plus I got it for free, so...

Natural City ("Naechureol siti") (2003, Min Byung-chun)

Very good Korean variation on Blade Runner themes. Makes a nice companion piece to BR, but is also a successful cyberpunk film in its own right.

The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey (1988, Vincent Ward)

Ward's best film and one of my all-time favorite films. An absolutely incredible experience.

Necromentia (2009, Pearry Reginald Teo)

Not-terribly-good Hellraiser knock-off, but with a few memorable moments (i.e. "The Mr. Skinny Show").

Necronomicon (1993, Christophe Gans, Brian Yuzna, Shusuke Kaneko)

Pretty good first segment - The Drowned by Christophe (Brotherhood of the Wolf) Gans - the other two are trashy and forgettable in this so-so Lovecraft-based anthology. For an infinitely better interpretation of Cool Air, check out Bryan Moore's short film on The H. P. Lovecraft Collection, Volume 1 - Cool Air.

Nekromantik (1987, Jörg Buttgereit)

I won't defend this is as a good film. It's sick, depraved, and endlessly gory and revolting...but I guarantee you won't forget it. (*This review pretty much stands for the sequel, as well).

Nekromantik 2 (1991, Jörg Buttgereit)

Neo Tokyo ("Meikyû monogatar") (1987, Katsuhiro Otomo, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Rintaro)

I saw the Night of the Running Man sequence many years ago and it never left my brain. It's worth seeing for that alone, but it's an all-around amazing film with fantastic animation.

Next Door ("Naboer") (2005, Pål Sletaune, Tony Spataro)

Hidden gem. Very good, very dark Norwegian psychological thriller. Great-looking and reminiscent of early Polanski work (i.e. The Tenant).

Nightcrawler (2014, Dan Gilroy)

One part Taxi Driver, one part American Psycho, and one part Network. Great little thriller with an amazing performance by Gyllenhaal.

Nightflyers (Season One) (2018, Mike Cahill, et al.)

It's a shame this ended before we got a second season, because I thought this was fantastic. An excellent adaptation of the George R. R. Martin science-fiction novel. Unfortunately, it feels incomplete.

Nightmare (1964, Freddie Francis)

Underrated, clever little thriller with some haunting images and Diabolique elements. Not a great film, but well-directed , solid, and engrossing.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993, Henry Selick)

Imaginative animation, catchy songs, fairy tale-like story. A modern classic.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, Wes Craven)

Never a huge Freddy fan (I always felt the concept was better than the execution), but this is a solid little horror thriller.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985, Jack Sholder)

I'm probably the only person alive who thinks this is the best one. It's the only one that actually feels like a nightmare to me (plus I love the "body horror" approach to it). This is also the last time Freddy was actually scary.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987, Chuck Russell)

Not the best Nightmare, but probably the most entertaining. Sadly, this is where the series became a bit too comic-booky (and most sequels after this one became pretty much just remakes of this one).

Night of the Demon (1957, Jacques Tourneur)

One of the best horror films ever made.

Night of the Demons (1988, Kevin Tenney)

Basically an Evil Dead rip-off, but still just good, fun, gory Halloweentime entertainment.

Night of the Creeps (1986, Fred Dekker)

Just good, gory, 80's fun with more creativity than you might imagine. Skip Slither (a shameless rip-off). Watch this instead. A total blast. "Thrill me."

The Night of the Hunter (1955, Charles Laughton)

One of the most suspenseful, poetic, visually arresting films I've ever seen. Absolute masterpiece of cinema.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD:

Night of the Living Dead (1968, George A. Romero)

Absolute classic. Beyond influential. Not only one of the best zombie films ever made, but one of the best horror films ever made. Period.

Dawn of the Dead (1978, George A. Romero)

The "Holy Bible" of zombie films. One of the rare sequels that actually surpasses its predecessor.

Day of the Dead (1985, George A. Romero)

The weakest of Romero's initial trilogy. However, still a classic of the genre (if that gives you any indication of how good - nay, great - the first two were) and one of the best zombie films ever made.

Land of the Dead (2005, George A. Romero)

Doesn't measure up to Romero's original trilogy (At times doesn't really feel like a sequel to them at all). Regardless, it's still a very entertaining film in its own right and, in my opinion, better than the overrated 2004 Dawn remake.

Night of the Living Dead (1990, Tom Savini)

Underrated remake. Not perfect, but holds up very well against the original (and, in some cases, actually does a few things better).

The Night Stalker (1972, John Llewellyn Moxey)

Very fun detective thriller-cum-supernatural horror film with McGavin fantastic in the lead. One of the best of its kind. Kinda feel like this character is the precursor to characters like Constantine and Harry D'Amour.

The Night Strangler (1973, Dan Curtis)

Sequel to The Night Stalker which somehow manages to be even better (which is saying something) and becomes an incredible supernatural thriller in its own right.

NINE INCH NAILS:

Nine Inch Nails: And All That Could Have Been (2002, Rob Sheridan)

My all-time favorite band.

Nine Inch Nails: Beside You In Time (2003, Rob Sheridan)

Nine Inch Nails: Broken (1993, Peter Christopherson)

Nine Inch Nails: Closure (1997, Peter Christopherson, et al.)

The Ninth Configuration (1980,William Peter Blatty)

Strange, bizarre, head-scratchingly odd, but...wow...the bar sequence is unforgettable.

The Ninth Gate (1999, Roman Polanski)

Good, absorbing little supernatural thriller. Only the end disappoints.

Ninja Assassin (2009, James McTeigue)

Obviously not a masterwork, but for fans of movies like Enter the Ninja, it offers a great deal of entertainment value, especially with the updated effects and great action choreography.

Ninja Scroll ("Jûbê ninpûchô") (1993, Yoshiaki Kawajiri)

Classic anime. Absolutely awesome.

Nirvana (1997, Gabriele Salvatores)

Should be essential viewing for any fan of Cyberpunk. Although it's a better, clearer print of the film, try to avoid the horrible dubbed version.

Nocturnal Animals (2016, Tom Ford)

Absolutely blew me away in a way most films never even touch. Literally left me breathless. Best film of 2016.

Noroi (2005, Kôji Shiraishi)

Unnerving, unique, unsettling, atmospherically creepy found footage movie done right.

November (2017, Rainer Sarnet)

Very unusual film. Witches, spells, werewolves, the Devil, weird creatures made out of sticks...and a talking snowman. I guarantee you've never seen anything like this.

THE NUTCRACKER:

The Nutcracker ("Shchelkunchik") (1973, Boris Stepantsev)

Cute little Russian animated short based on the Nutcracker story. Not perfect, but defintely worth a watch.

Nutcracker Fantasy (1979, Takeo Nakamura)

Interesting little Japanese stop-motion animated version of the Nutcracker story. Great animation and voice work, but skews the story more than it should have (and seems to be lacking any Christmas elements). Still, good Christmastime viewing.

Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (1986, Caroll Ballard)

Excellent film version of the stage musical. Pretty much essential Christmastime viewing.

The Nutcracker (1993, Emile Ardolino)

Despite better production values (and a great beginning), inferior to The Motion Picture, but not without its moments. I watch it every Christmas at least once.

The Secret of the Nutcracker (2007, Eric Till)

Nice alternate take on the story. Certainly less nightmarish than The Untold Story, but still loses its way in parts. The music doesn't always fit, but it does have a certain charm.

The Nutcracker: The Untold Story (2010, Andrei Konchalovsky)

Terrible movie, but kinda fun in a "so bad it's good" way.

The Nutcracker - Salzburg Marionette Theater (2014, Klaus Gmeiner)

Really loved the way this began. Great music and puppetry. Cute designs. But it doesn't keep up. So I liked it, but didn't love it. Too bad.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018, Joe Johnston, Lasse Hallström)

Great-looking but a curiously uninvolving storyline. Shame.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000, Joel Coen)

One of the Coens' best. Love it. "We're in a tight spot!"

The Omen (1976, Richard Donner)

Eerie "Devil on Earth" thriller. Not as good as The Exorcist, but has a strange, creepy power all its own.

Once Upon a Time in America (1984, Sergio Leone)

Masterpiece. Simply a masterpiece.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975, Miloš Forman)

Along with Chinatown, probably Nicholson's best performance...and an incredible film overall. 70's cinema at its best.

One Hour Photo (2002, Mark Romanek)

Wiliams' best performance and film, if you ask me...not at all the "psycho thriller" it was advertised as. More akin to something along the lines of Taxi Driver and Falling Down. A tale of isolation, loneliness, and obsession. A powerhouse of a film.

One Night in One City ("Jedné noci v jednom městě") (2007, Jan Balej)

Strange, unique, bizarre little animated film. Kinda wonderful.

One Point O (2004, Jeff Renfroe, Marteinn Þórsson)

Hidden gem. This is smart little claustrophobic thriller in the vein of Aronofsky's Pi and Polanski's Replusion with a touch of Gilliam's Brazil thrown in.

Onibaba (1964, Kaneto Shindō)

One of the best horror films ever made.

Orpheus ("Orphée") (1950, Jean Cocteau)

One of Cocteau's best. Poetic, visually amazing, mesmerizing. An absolutely amazing film.

The Others (2001, Alejandro Amenábar)

A great little cinematic ghost story. Creepy, visually impressive, well acted. Would make a great double feature with The Innocents.

Over the Garden Wall (2014, Nate Cash)

Very cute, imaginative little animated mini-series. A total original. A real Halloween treat.

A Page of Madness ("Kurutta ippêji") (1926, Teinosuke Kinugasa)

Surreal, nightmarish art film (that completely lives up to its title), disturbing in parts, but absolutely memorable in every way.

Pagliacci (1982, Franco Zeffirelli)

Wonderful filmed performance of one of my favorite operas.

Pandorum (2009, Christian Alvart)

It's no Alien or Event Horizon, but if you're itching for some sci-fi horror, it's no slouch, either.

Pan’s Labyrinth ("El laberinto del fauno") (2006, Guillermo del Toro)

One of del Toro's best, along with The Devil's Backbone and Cronos.

Paperhouse (1988, Bernard Rose)

Excellent dreamlike mindf**k thriller. Twisty and absorbing with a fantastic plot that draws you right in. In dire need of an official Region 1 DVD release.

Paranoiac (1963, Freddie Francis)

Very entertaining, suspenseful thriller in the Psycho/Dementia 13 vein. A nice little gem.

Parasite ("Gisaengchung") (2019, Bong Joon-ho)

Loved it. Truly the best film of 2019.

Parasomnia (2008, William Malone)

Malone is a bit of an anomaly to me. He has some good ideas and cool designs, but he hasn't really directed anything "good" (his Tales From the Crypt episode came closest). Still...I keep hoping one of these days... Anyway, this is OK, at best. The finale is quite memorable, though.

PEE WEE HERMAN:

The Pee-wee Herman Show (1981, Paul Reubens, Marty Callner)

I love Pee Wee. Sue me. This is hilarious.

Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985, Tim Burton)

Classic.

Pee-wee's Playhouse (The Complete Series) (1986-91, Stephen R. Johnson, et al.)

Absolutely loved this show.

Big Top Pee-wee (1988, Randal Kleiser)

A letdown after Big Adventure, but it has its moments.

Christmas at Pee-wee’s Playhouse (1988, Paul Reubens, Wayne Orr)

Watch this at least once every year. Brings back a lot of fond memories of taping it off TV when I was 12. Still one of my favorite Christmas specials.

Peeping Tom (1960, Michael Powell)

Classic. Widely considered the template for what would eventually become the "slasher" film (beating Psycho to the punch).

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006, Tom Tykwer)

Excellent period serial killer thriller. Beautiful visuals and great performances. Shame it didn't lead to a more satisfying conclusion (I'll just say that what works on paper doesn't always work on film).

The Periwig-Maker ("Der Perückenmacher") (1999, Steffen Schäffler)

Brilliant animated short. One of my favorites.

Persona (1966, Ingmar Bergman)

One of Bergman's best.

Peter and the Wolf (2006, Suzie Templeton)

Absolutely wonderful short film beautifully brings to life the fairy tale with gorgeous animation and fantastic music. Excellent!

Peter Pan (2003, P.J. Hogan)

Aside from a few questionable choices, I thought this was a fantastic live-action adaptation of the Pan story.

Phantasm (1979, Don Coscarelli)

Unique 70's horror thriller brings about a truly nightmarish world like few others have. Definitely dated now, but it's still very effectively creepy to this day. A classic.

Phantasm II (1988, Don Coscarelli)

Surprisingly good sequel. Almost on par with the original.

Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998, Don Coscarelli)

Not great, but certainly better than the inspid III. Still, has one of the coolest shots in the entire franchise with The Tall Man walking alone down Wilshire Boulevard.

The Phantom (1996, Simon Wincer)

Love these old pulp hero-style films. Makes a great triple feature along with The Shadow and The Rocketeer...and throw Dick Tracy in there, too, for good measure.

The Phantom Carriage ("Körkarlen") (1921, Victor Sjöström)

Classic.

Phantom Museums: The Short Films of the Quay Brothers (2007, Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay)

The Quay Brothers are animation geniuses. Street of Crocodiles is one of my all-time favorite animated shorts. Brilliant stuff here, from The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer to Nocturna Artificialia to Rehearsals for Extinct Anatomies to In Absentia. Amazing.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA:

The Phantom of the Opera (1925, Rupert Julian)

The original and still the best film adaptation of Gaston Leroux's novel (even though it deviates wildly near the end). Lon Chaney was just a genius, plain and simple...and still film's creepiest-looking Phantom.

The Phantom of the Opera (1943, Arthur Lubin)

A far cry from the Chaney version. Great production values, but Rains makes for a fairly weak Phantom...and I believe this is the first version to make the Phantom scarred rather than born deformed (a change which I hated and, unfortunately, caught on and was used in many subsequent versions).

The Phantom of the Opera (1962, Terence Fisher)

Better than the 43 version in that it at least isn't afraid to be a full-on horror movie...but it's still not that memorable (and adds further changes to the story which I wasn't crazy about). A disappointment from Hammer.

The Phantom of the Opera (1983, Robert Markowitz)

Probably my third favorite Phantom film. Yes, the changes to the character are still there, but it's well-directed/acted and it's fairly faithful to the original text, not to mention it has possibly the creepiest Phantom mask in the entire filmography.

The Phantom of the Opera (1988, Al Guest, Jean Mathieson)

Surprisingly good, faithful animated adaptation of the Leroux book. Wins point for making the Phantom resemble Chaney and following the story almost to a T...but the animation itself isn't great, making this fall shorter than othe versions.

The Phantom of the Opera (1989, Dwight H. Little)

My favorite Phantom after the Chaney version. The modern bookends are superfluous, and Englund's performance is hammy at times , but this is one of the few versions that really digs into the real horror of the story.

The Phantom of the Opera (1990, Tony Richardson)

Good, not great, Phantom adaptation. Very well-directed (and shot at the actual Paris Opera House) and acted. However...loses major points by never actually showing the Phantom's face (!!) and, once again, seemingly shying away from being an actual horror movie.

The Phantom of the Opera (2004, Joel Schumacher)

Decent adaptation of the stage musical...with Gerard being a pretty weak phantom (and extremely tame Phantom make-up). But it's okay for what it is...and that cemetery scene is fantastic.

The Phantom of the Opera: Unmasking the Masterpiece (2013, Cortlandt Hull)

Excellent, very thorough documentary on all things Phantom-related.

Phantoms (1997, Joe Chappelle)

Pretty good adaptation of the Koontz book. One might even call this underrated.

Pi (1998, Darren Aronofsky)

Very good debut thriller from Aronofsky feels a little like someone threw Eraserhead, Taxi Driver, Tetsuo: The Iron Man, and mathematics in a blender. Not as polished as his later work, but still a smart, engrossing, almost otherworldly, and very memorable.

The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes (2005, Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay)

Much like Institute Benjamenta, slow-moving, but strange, dreamlike, and enveloping. The Quays should make more feature-length films.

Pig (1999, Rozz Williams, Nico B.)

Harrowing, eerie, hypnotic. Unforgettable.

1334 (2012, Nico B.)

Interesting follow-up (not really a sequel) to Pig. Has a similar atmosphere, but is more...emotional? If one can call it that.

Pin (1988, Sandor Stern)

Hidden gem of a film. Fans of Magic (1978) should check this out.

A Shot in the Dark (1964, Blake Edwards)

Seriously one of the funniest movies ever made.

The Return of the Pink Panther (1975, Blake Edwards)

Very funny return of Sellers to the Clouseau role.

The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976, Blake Edwards)

I know I may be in the minority here, but this is my favorite Pink Panther movie. Just the biggest ratio of hilarious gags and one-liners with Sellers at the top of his game. Absolutely hysterical.

Pinocchio (2019, Matteo Garrone)

To me, this is the best film version of the Pinocchio story, and truest to the Collodi text.

Piranha (1978, Joe Dante)

Very fun semi-Jaws parody and suspenseful "nature runs amok" film all its own.

Piranha (2010, Alexandre Aja)

Fun, "Everything But the Kitchen Sink"-style remake with one unbelievably gory mid-section set piece that just must be seen to be believed.

The Pit and the Pendulum (1961, Roger Corman)

Not the best, but definitely one of the best of Corman's "Poe Cycle," with yet another excellent performance from the always-reliable Vincent Price.

The Pit and the Pendulum (1991, Stuart Gordon)

The best Full Moon movie. A surprisingly faithful adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe story (with a touch of The Cask of Amontillado thrown in). One of Gordon's best.

The Pit and the Pendulum (2007, Marc Lougee)

Good, but brief adaptation of the Poe story with wonderful animation.

Pitch Black (2000, David Twohy)

Pretty decent little Alien-style story. Not great, but...entertaining. (Skip the lousy sequels, though).

The Plague Dogs (1982, Martin Rosen)

Excellent animated adaptation of the Richard Williams book, a fitting companion piece to Watership Down.

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957, Edward D. Wood Jr.)

Often called "The Worst Movie Ever Made," but I disagree. I've seen far, FAR worse. Besides, who can hate a movie this wonderfully goofy?

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987, John Hughes)

One of my favorite comedies. Martin and Candy are an amazing comedy team. Watch it every Thanksgiving.

Planet of the Apes (1968, Franklin J. Schaffner)

Classic.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011, Rupert Wyatt)

Surprisingly good reboot of the classic series.

The Platform ("El hoyo") (2019, Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia)

Excellent confinement thriller in the style of Cube (and is actually superior in many ways). Loved it.

P.O.E. (2011, Domiziano Cristopharo, et al.)

Really only own this for the short stop-motion animated sequence of The Black Cat in this Poe-based anthology. All the other segments are amateurish at best.

Poison for the Fairies ("Veneno para las hadas") (1986, Carlos Enrique Taboada)

Very effective and creepy little Spanish folk horror thriller. Fans of The Wicker Man and The VVitch take note.

The Polar Express (2004, Robert Zemeckis)

Wonderful. I watch it every Christmas at least once.

Poltergeist (1982, Tobe Hooper)

Just about tied with the original The Haunting for best haunted house film.

Popeye (1980, Robert Altman)

This one I own mostly for nostalgia. It's not a terribly good film and most of the songs suck, but I'll never forget my father taking me to see this when I was very little and thinking it was the greatest movie ever. It still has its charms.

Portishead - Roseland New York (1998, Dick Carruthers)

One of my favorite bands.

Possession (1981, Andrzej Żuławski)

One of my favorite films. Strange, experimental, grotesque, indescribable. Best film of 1981.

Possessor (2020, Brandon Cronenberg)

Interesting body swap thriller with surprisingly violent sequences and other weirdness. Not as good as Cronenberg's Antiviral, but...good for what it is and well worth a watch.

Possum (2018, Matthew Holness)

Excellent, unique mind-bending, dark drama/character study, well-directed with great performances. A gem.

Predator (1987, John McTiernan)

Fun, suspenseful sci-fi action movie with a unique creature and great effects. A classic.

Predator 2 (1990, Stephen Hopkins)

Underrated sequel. Not great, but...fun. Love the ending.

Predators (2010, Nimród Antal)

Am I the only one who really enjoyed this one? I thought it was a good, solid sequel to Predator (and better than Predator 2, which I also enjoyed). All three are infiitely better than the absolutely awful The Predator.

Predestination (2014, Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig)

Excellent adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's All You Zombies. Makes a great triple feature with Primer and Timecrimes...and throw Looper in there for good measure.

The Prestige (2006, Christopher Nolan)

Nolan's best film, in the opinion of this decidedly non-Nolan fan.

Primer (2004, Shane Carruth)

The best time-travel film ever made, if you ask me.

Prince of Darkness (1987, John Carpenter)

Not Carpenter's best, but kinda fun, and a unique take on the "Devil on Earth" concept.

Prisoners (2013, Denis Villeneuve)

Excellent, powerful pitch black kidnapping thriller with amazing, spot-on performances all-around and fantastic direction. Only the wrap-up disappoints.

Progeny (1998, Brian Yuzna)

Alternately dull and silly alien abduction thriller...but has its moments for fans of Yuzna.

PSYCHO:

Psycho (1960, Alfred Hitchcock)

Classic. For me, it's a toss up between this and Rear Window as Hitchcock's best.

Psycho II (1983, Richard Franklin)

Surprisingly good sequel. A fine companion piece to the original and an excellent showcase for the late, great Anthony Perkins in his most famous role...and a damn good thriller in its own right.

Psycho III (1986, Anthony Perkins)

Not as good as II, but still has some excellent moments. The scene at the end where Norman crouches at the bottom of the stairs and screams "Mother!!!" always gives me chills.

Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990, Mick Garris)

The flashback scenes with young Norman work beautifully. The modern-day stuff doesn't work quite as well (save for another excellent performance by Anthony Perkins).

The Psycho Legacy (2010, Robert V. Galluzzo)

Excellent documentary on Psycho and its sequels.

Pulp Fiction (1994, Quentin Tarantino)

Tarantino's magnum opus. He's never topped this or Reservoir Dogs...or even come close to matching them.

Pulse ("Kairo") (2001, Kiyoshi Kurosawa)

The pinnacle of J-horror, for me. Smart, creative, and extremely creepy. An outstanding little film that almost defies genre. One of Kurosawa's best.

Pumpkinhead (1988, Stan Winston)