trailer break: ‘Quarantine’

This is a remake of a Spanish film called "[Rec]" which got excellent reviews, even from critics who are not really horror fans, as evidenced by 94% on the Tomatometer. (Didn't see the movie myself, due to its lousy distribution over here in Holland.) However, what's to be done about the subtitle phobia that seems to affect so many American moviegoers (present company excluded of course)? Is this a thinly disguised form of xenophobia or mere laziness? Perhaps a literacy programme is called for in the cinemaplex.
On a more self-critical note: Dutch television programmes are now subtitled in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, while Flemish programmes get subtitles in Holland. In spite of our geographic proximity, we are drifting apart just as much as the Brits and the Americans do when they're living on Mars, it seems.

The entire problem with "Quarantine" is that the marketing geniuses in charge of this one are advertising the movie by exploiting the final 60 seconds.

I guess they're banking on the audience being more interested in the "source" over the inevitable "results" of the situation.

NOTE: try to avoid whatching this trailer before watching Rec, because not knowing what the plot of it was going to be is part of what made it so fun. I loved "Rec." It's a very well made movie that starts slowly but keeps the tension rising and never lets it down. Once I got to the last, disturbing 30 minutes I pratically couldn't take my eyes off the screen. And I just loved the twisted ending BIG SPOILERS

(which somehow you clever americans decided to spoil by including it in the trailer)

END SPOILERS
The movie, is, of course, the "BUU!!!" kind of scary, and not the subtle, creepier scary of other foreign (mostly asian) horror films, which I also enjoy, but if you don't have much trouble with gore ( and this is not the torture porn of films like "Hostel"), and like good horror movie ocasionaly, by all means watch it.
"Quarantine", however, seems like a completely pointless, shot by shot remake, plus the usual dumbing down that Hollywood believes you need in order to enjoy a movie in the USA. And even though I like Jennifer Carpenter ( she's really great in "Dexter"), the only way I'd ever watch this film would be on my pc and out of morbid curiosity. Seriously, MaryAnn, if you can, try to check out "Rec" before this movie spoils it for you.

Since we're talking about foreign horror movies, I'd also recommend the the film adaptations of japanese manga "Battle Royale" and "Death Note"

And I just loved the twisted ending.
--D

SPOILERS

Let me guess. In the end, poor Deborah--er, Jennifer gets dragged off into the darkness.

END SPOILERS

Doesn't really sound like a movie I'm eager to see...

Spoilers:If horror movies are not your cup of tea, then I suppose it wouldn't interest you. But like I said before, the movie's all about set up an unpredictability. Knowing the ending takes a bit of the fun out, but it's stilll worth watching. Besides, I meant also who she's dragged by, which comes on the last minutes as something we only been introduced minutes before, and puts the entire movie in a different(and creepier) perspective. Quarantine, though? The title itself is a spoiler...

Well, John Rogers over at Kung Fu Monkey has mentioned that this movie is what Cloverfield was trying to be. I figure if you have no plans to see it, you might not mind me posting his take on it. ;)

http://kfmonkey.blogspot.com/2008/10/quarantine.html

Another great idea taken and desroyed by U.S. film making types.How long before Mary Poppins gets the U.S. remake treatment?- That in the scariest thing I have ever typed

If it's the same production as we had in the west end then it could be good.
Or so I've heard, I'm not the sort of fella who goes to see musicals.