Only one good thing to say about this movie... - Prince of Darkness (1987) Discussion

[–] Hands_of_Fate 14 years ago

So what kind of movies do you like then?

"While you were still learning how to spell your name, I was being trained to conquer galaxies!"

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[–] killdawabbittn 14 years ago

I like all kinds. If they are good. I know most of that is personal opinion. Halloween is a timeless classic.
My top five are: Incident at Loch Ness, Donnie Darko, Broken Flowers, Being There and Twister. The best movies I've seen lately are: Martyrs, Layer Cake, Revolver and The Wolfman.

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[–] TheJesusAndMaryChain 14 years ago

Martyrs was disturbing. I cannot ever imagine sitting through that film again...

I thought it was effective, well directed, brilliantly acted but the subject matter was too much for me.

- Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] TheSolarSailor 14 years ago

The best movies I've seen lately are: Martyrs, Layer Cake, Revolver and The Wolfman. >>> Yikes, you actually liked The Wolfman? Prince of Darkness and They Live may not be perfect, but I'll take them over The Wolfman any day of the week.

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Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

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[–] InfiniteInertia 10 years ago

I admit that TPOD & TL were made on severely limited budgets compared to some, they should be applauded for trying to do original things, despite that.

REVOLVER?...That's all I'm saying...

...You can never put too much thought into something worthwhile; merely not enough...

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[–] Mindeye 14 years ago

"I like the Twilight movies."

No further discussion necessary.

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[–] Obnoxiously-Adorable 14 years ago

LOL I'd forgotten all about this one 'til I stalked you here. I used to watch this movie over and over again back in the day. I never thought it was 'good', but I like this kind of movie anyway. It was much more serious than They Live, which was so much camp you can't help but love it.

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[–] killdawabbittn 14 years ago

I like campy movies that know what they are and maybe I'll admit They Live fits that category. But PoD? I don't think it knew it was camp. It was bad in a non-campy way. Just rottenly bad, I think.
And what's so sad is it had some really interesting ideas about matter, anti-matter and the nature of good and evil. And they ruined it with bad actors and cheesy non-believable special effects.

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[–] ShaftAlmighty 14 years ago

Twister was Special-FX garbage(and i liked it back then). WolfMan was typical, by-the-book storytelling. Nothing remotely original.

Any moron that says 'Worst movie ever' or anything along those lines is immediately void of validity. Prince of Darkness brought an original idea to linking Theology and Science in a way that would, even today, satisfy a viewer.

Your opinion is generalized dog****. Bitching about the special effects?! From an 80's movie?!

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[–] killdawabbittn 14 years ago

Yea. After Alien and Star Wars I would expect better FX in the 80s.

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[–] MadSimian 14 years ago

And, if the SFX budget for this film(and "They Live" too)was in the same range as "Alien", "2001" and "Star Wars"(among many others you've listed), what you just said might have actually had some merit.

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[–] killdawabbittn 14 years ago

Don't make a crappy movie at all if you can't make it good.

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[–] TheJesusAndMaryChain 14 years ago

When did you see it?

Remember, this film was made in the 80s and back then it was actually really effective and not cheesy (saw it in the theatre and I had to sleep with the light on in the bathroom the night I saw it). It's dated, though, so to watch it today, it is a bit of a cheesefest. That said, I still find it incredibly creepy.

- Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine

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[–] Quanfa 14 years ago

Personally I wouldn't rate a John Carpenter film based on the special effects...but then again I think Evilspeak was a good movie so what do I know? Honestly, I didn't care much for several JC movies when they first came out including Christine, Prince of Darkness, and Big Trouble in Little China. Now I think every JC movie from Dark Star through Village of the Damned is fantastic in its own way.

But I couldn't care less if someone else hates Prince of Darkness. It's not exactly a mainstream movie - everybody's not going to like it. But I do wonder how Twister is on anybody's top 5 list... I guess for a so bad it's not a complete waste of time movie, Twister can work on a rainy Saturday afternoon when you want to see Phillip Seymore Hoffman in one of the dorkiest movies the 90's ever put out!

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[–] Spike64 14 years ago

This isn't close to Carpenter's best, but I refuse to take anyone's opinions seriously when "Twister" is one of the best movies they've seen.

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[–] killdawabbittn 14 years ago

And the opinions of conceited snobs are worthless.

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[–] gluelovesyou 14 years ago

Wait, you're calling people "conceited snobs" when you've come in here to bash the movie?????

It's campy 80s horror, get a freaking clue. Though Prince of Darkness isn't as campy as many of flicks from that era. The Thing is definitely not campy and that movie is amazing.

I hope you watch CHUD next!!!!

And btw, TWISTER is the biggest load of crap excreted onto the screen. It's a fact. Look it up.

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[–] killdawabbittn 14 years ago

"And btw, TWISTER is the biggest load of crap excreted onto the screen. It's a fact. Look it up. "

I wouldn't know how to look it up. Would you mind pointing me to that link?
have read a lot of posts on the Twister messageboard and was stunned by how many liked it.
So who's the conceited snob now?

TPOD was not meant to be campy. And it wasn't campy. It was just dreadful. Terrible acting, ridiculous plotting and laughable special effects. And by the time it was made there were already movies with awesome FX--Star Wars, Twister...hell even 2001 and more. TPOD was as dead, dull and stiff as a piece of sheetrock.

No idea why you mentioned The Thing. It was genuinely scary and the acting was great. It's hard to believe the same man directed them both. But I could argue that TT is campy which in its case it doesn't matter.

I can't remember if I've ever seen C.H.U.D. But I do plan to watch someday. After I've seen the 250 that are already in my Netflix queue.

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[–] gluelovesyou 14 years ago

John Carpenter's The Thing......

ahhhhh, the point is that you won't like CHUD, it's campy craptastic horror that is awesome.

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[–] killdawabbittn 14 years ago

Oh, I'll watch it someday. I bet you're right that it's crappy just like, TOPD and TL.

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[–] alexandriarch 14 years ago

The Thing.....campy?

Is Twister campy too?

Are movies about campers...campy as well?

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[–] btodd2001 14 years ago

Oh, the irony.

"You know what, Stewie, if you don't like it, go on the internet and complain."

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[–] Howlin Wolf 13 years ago

I'll still take you seriously because everybody's entitled to their opinion... but seriously man; Twister is awful. There's not only me, but several other people on this thread who've said the very same thing.

This is where the magic happens... and by "magic", I mean nothing.

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[–] killdawabbittn 13 years ago

I won't apologize for liking Twister. Great escapism with tons of cool lines to repeat.

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It's a hormone war zone - boys are out for a fight

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[–] Howlin Wolf 13 years ago

I'm not asking you to apologise, but... you coming on here and slamming Prince of Darkness when you like a movie that a lot of people hate... That's gotta make you understand subjectivity, man.

... and, cool lines in Twister?! There's where we're gonna have to disagree again; I thought the script was crappy.

This is where the magic happens... and by "magic", I mean nothing.

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[–] killdawabbittn 13 years ago

Yea, it's mostly subjective. But just because a lot of people like it doesn't make it a good movie to me, objectively.

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It's a hormone war zone - boys are out for a fight

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[–] Howlin Wolf 13 years ago

I never said it did, but describing John Carpenter as "over-rated" isn't exactly objective... All that means is that you don't see the appeal that others do. For every insult of the "It's crap and dreck!" variety that you throw at this movie, the exact same thing can and has been said about Twister, and us people who hate Twister at least have more people on our side.

This is where the magic happens... and by "magic", I mean nothing.

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[–] ibaihk-1 13 years ago

Honestly, why bash this movie? Aren't there enough crappy horror movies coming out this year? I'd go bash "The Thing" prequel instead.

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[–] Tales-from-the-Goondocks 13 years ago

I kind of like Twister cause it's stupid but entertaining, but I still think you sound like a tasteless idiot. And I don't even liked Prince of Darkness that much but you still sound like a douche. If Prince of Darkness isn't good even if a lot of people like it, then what makes Twister good??? There isn't even a lot of people who liked it. Basically just you and me in here, but I'm not blind and I know it's definitely NOT a good movie. Just cause you like it doesn't make it perfect. You should come to terms with the faults of the movie (wich are many). Prince of Darkness is fine, and John Carpenter is definitely NOT overrated just cause a tasteless guy that knows nothing about film like you say so.

My Completely Biased Top 250 Favorite Movies
http://www.imdb.com/list/KU4T5sDsmRk

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[–] killdawabbittn 13 years ago

"...but I'm not blind and I know it's definitely NOT a good movie."

Just curious. Why is Twister not a good movie?

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It's a hormone war zone - boys are out for a fight

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[–] buckfulkerson 14 years ago

1992's "Toys" and "JJ Abrams' Star Trek" will still rank up there as two of the worst films ever made, but I do understand what you're saying about Carpenter. For some reason, and I think it's the late Lisa Blount, I was fascinated with this movie. Been so long since I have seen it though.

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[–] Max_Lead 13 years ago

Twister" a good movie HAHAHAHAH yeah sure. I prefer TROLL 2 to the garbage the OP named as good movies ANY DAY.

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[–] TheSolarSailor 13 years ago

The OP is such an obvious troll...I don't know why folks bother talking to it.

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Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

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[–] franzkabuki 13 years ago

I have more than one good thing to say about Prince Of Darkness - in fact, I´magonna start off by saying that the first 10-15 minutes seemed to promise an absolutely great film with an impressively ominous yet non-intrusive soundtrack and mostly visual storytelling nicely fit in between one of the longest opening credits sequences I´ve ever seen (10 minutes 15 seconds, to be precise). It created perfect mood with small bits of dialogue inserted here and there - somewhat blunt as it may have been - but it still worked within these early rhythms.

Unfortunately though, after the first hyper promising 15 minutes, the thing just decided to take a willful, obnoxious nose dive; the story just started to get sillier and sillier with The Prince Of Darkness of the title turning out to be a tube filled with green soda given to trouble holding its liqeur; the dialogue getting goofier and goofier with all the pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo spraying in all directions and the acting getting worse and worse (I could bet the young Chinese guy that got caught between the walls was deliberately instructed to go for broad comedy when expressing his "distress" when a pair of those dimestore zombies went after him). In the end, the entire second half of the picture was basically playing "Alien Meets Invasion Of The Body Snatchers" on low budget and lower inspiration.

There were still interesting bits and pieces throughout of which much more coulda been made - the transmitting of premonitions back in time sounded (and looked) like an intriguing concept as was the mirror thing. Unfortunately, Carpenter decided to go for cheap and cheesy thrills instead of trying for something more meaningful (or sensible), all the while overcompensating with the score that had worked so well initially.

Pleasently surprised to see a vicious Alice Cooper though. 6/10.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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[–] Jackeblu 13 years ago

I pretty much agree with Franz's post above mine. I just watched this again, after seeing it for the first time back in 87 or whenever it was released. I didn't have great memories of it, except I DID remember bits and pieces that stuck with me over the years...ESPECIALLY that dream. Watching it again...it SHOULD have been better, but it quickly disolved into a silly piece of crap. In my opinion JC got lazy with this one. Great idea...some great and scary moments, but horrible dialoge, bad acting (for the most part...can never say anything bad about Donald Pleasance), very silly plot developments (the whole puking in peoples mouth thing was laughable), and a horrendous ending. However STILL think that dream with the figure at the door of the church is one of the most haunting scenes ever.

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[–] Dark_Phoenix89 9 years ago

Say what you will, but I think Prince of Darkness and They Live are two of the best scifi horror films ever made; they are both perfect examples of style and substance all in one, and both prove you don't need over the top gore and blood to be suspenseful or creepy.

"Speak of the Devil, and He shall appear."

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[–] sillyspaghetti 9 years ago

Like a few others on here, I really like They Live as well, but that's another subject. The things I like in this are Alice Cooper (just because it's him), the scene with the Chinese student watching the Tom & Jerry cartoon, Donald Pleasance (been a fan since he played Blofeld) and the line "This is cacka!"(funny coming from a grown man). Overall, I liked it - creepy and fun!

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[–] Marmadukebagelhole 9 years ago

The Anti-God waits 7 million years to emerge and one would assume he is more or less all-knowing. But he couldn't see the idiot coming behind him to push him into the mirror?

That wasn't the anti-god.

Please give me a break and quit calling this movie good.

Well, gee. We're all very sorry you can't handle it.

Glasgow's FOREMOST authority Italics = irony. Infer the opposite please.

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[–] ElectricWarlock 8 years ago

I've liked all the other John Carpenter movies I've seen, but I just wasn't feeling this one at all. I enjoyed seeing Donald Pleasence, I thought Walter was funny, and the green cylinder looked cool but other than that I can't say I found much to enjoy about this movie which is a shame. It was a major disappointment for me.

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[–] TheSolarSailor 8 years ago

I've liked all the other John Carpenter movies I've seen, but I just wasn't feeling this one at all. I enjoyed seeing Donald Pleasence, I thought Walter was funny, and the green cylinder looked cool but other than that I can't say I found much to enjoy about this movie which is a shame. It was a major disappointment for me.

That is alright. John Carpenter makes a lot of different types of movies. There is no rule that says you have to love every single one. Even as a big Carpenter fan myself, there are a handful of his films I don't particularly care for: Christine, Starman, Big Trouble In Little China, just to name a few. We are all different, and people who do love the films I listed are fine as well. Opinions make the world go around!

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I am not a fan. I just happen to enjoy movies. Fans are embarrassing.

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