Top 50 Horror Moment's In Film - 36, 35.
I realise it seems a little premature for me to put Wolf Creek into a top 50 horror moments collection (and when you see the full list, you may even question its placement, and other films placement over films that have been left out) but for me, this scene is a scene which has stuck with me ever since I saw the film.
For the American's who read this, this comes out on Christmas day. If you appreciate or love horror movies at all and are going to see a movie on Christmas day, do yourself a favour and go and see Wolf Creek. It has a tepid first forty five minutes, but the last forty five are unrelentless and worthwhile. For everyone else, just wait patiently til it gets to you.
Note, when I saw it, eight people walked out during the movie, six of those people walked out during this scene. It comes quite late in the film and as a real shock.
The two girls have tried to escape the vicious fucker that is John Jarrat's killer. For those that are unfamiliar with Jarrat, for the past eight years or so he was co-host to a gardening show in Australia, and then went and starred as a lovely man in MacLeod's Daughter's, so his portrayal as this mean motherfucker in Wolf Creek is out of the ordinary to say the least.
Anyhow, they've escaped the killer for now, one is injured and the other has gone to get a car to take them to safety. She returns to Jarrat's hideaway which is seemingly in the middle of fucking nowhere. She stumbles upon a shed which is filled with cars galore. She hops into one, fortunately finding the keys in it, she turns the engine. Nothing. She turns it again. Nothing. She turns it a third time and then bang, a knife slams through her chest as Jarrat's killer slides out of the darkness of the back seat.
Screaming out of the car, the girl flies onto the ground. Jarrat follows. Hanging in the air is a car hook - the sort that they lift engines out with - and at first you're thinking, oh yeah, he's going to put her on the hook like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, old school. Instead, Jarrat whips out his knife, quips the timeless Crocodile Dundee line, this is a knife, and in defence the girl throws her hand up to protect herself. Three of her fingers fall to the ground.
Jarrat's killer then proceeds to explain the ritual back in Vietnam called "head on a stick". When an enemy was caught and they wanted to get information out of them without allowing the enemy to get away, they'd create what's called a head on a stick. Now, this scene works without visualisation, but mere suggestion, and damn is it gut churning suggestion.
Head on a stick is to cut the spinal cord so the person cannot escape but can still talk, albeit through immense pain. Jarrat's killer picks up the girl and makes her into a head on a stick. Throwing the whole scream queen heroine on its head - as throughout the whole film you're lead to believe she's going to save herself and her friend, but that's not the case.
This little seen 1984 psychological and ecological thriller from the UK is a real gem. Not only is it well made - sure, the type font used to explain what's going on is dated, as is the clothing, but the main idea still remains - it carries one hell of a scary message. Especially for today's audiences.
Putting you in perspective, Threads is based on the idea that the governing bodies of the UK and the US have started a war against neighbouring countries. Threads focuses on the lives of the inhabitants of bright and sunny London. We're introduced to the main character who we follow - she's pregnant and her parents are less than happy, that is, until the bomb hits. And when the bomb hits, it's not only terrifying, it'll pee inducingly scary.
Early morning in London and unbeknownst to many civilian's, there is an atom bomb headed their way. Happily walking along, they watch as the silent bomb slams into their lovely town. The mushroom cloud blooms and people flee. One poor lady drops her ice cream and pees herself. The rest of the film focuses on the result of the bomb and what effects it has had on the nation. Especially spooky is the effect it has had on the girl who was pregnant - yes, her parents are still angry at her.
For those that haven't seen this film, I do strongly suggest you hunt it down. It's around and about on eBay from the UK for a reasonable price - having just been released on DVD there. Worthwhile viewing if you can ever get your dirty fingers on it.
