Quarantine

"Quarantine" (2008, John Erick Dowdle, Screen Gems, Vertigo Entertainment, Andale Pictures) is the American remake of 2007's found footage film, "REC".


Duplicating the story, we follow Angela (Jennifer Carpenter) and her crew who are filming a documentary about the lives of a Fire Crew for their news station. When they get a call out, Angela and her camera man tag along, excited to get some action on film. They are called to an apartment building which has been locked down with everyone inside, due to the unusual behaviour of one of the tenants which is suspected to be some kind of virus. The Fire Crew and Camera Crew enter, along with some police but soon find themselves also locked in the building as it is quarantined to contain whatever the hell is going on in there. Soon they are all fighting for survival amongst a horde of infected friends and neighbours... while being sniped down from the outside, barring any hope of escape...


An unnecessary remake that didn't do much other than recreate the original concept scene for scene but in English. The film does have some great effects (that ankle scene) and Carpenter gives an amicable performance as our some-parts terrified, some-parts sassy protagonist.


All in all, the film is well made and enjoyable, but I'd be more inclined to watch Rec above it if given the choice.

[Image: Screen Gems]

Hani

Carrie (1976)

"Carrie" (1976, Brian De Palma, United Artists) is the movie adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name.

The story, in case you've been living under a rock, is about Carrie White (Sissy Spacek); a strange and put-upon misfit teen with no friends or social skills who's mother is an abusive and unsupportive religious nut.

Carrie's mother (Piper Laurie) tells her nothing of puberty and thinks of everything to do with anything to be unclean and sinful. And so, when Carrie finds herself bleeding from an intimate place in the girls' shower room at school she panics and is resultantly ridiculed by all of her peers until a well-meaning teacher, Miss Collins (Betty Buckley), intervenes.

Throughout the film timid young Carrie becomes stronger and begins to exhibit telekintetic powers which finally manifest with tragic consequences after the bullies (including John Travolta) get the better of her in the infamous Prom scene.

A great book and an equally great adaptation, I really like this version. Spacek's performance as Carrie is really excellent, especially in that tear-filled slow motion prom scene. Typical of King stories, however, I would say it is not scary in a conventional sense... well, except for that key iconic end scene. That hand coming from the grave always gave me the chills as a kid!

Looking forward to the remake to compare.

[Image: United Artists]

Hani