Editorials
Bring Back The Live Action ‘Resident Evil’
Now I know a lot of you are probably scoffing already, with memories of the cheese laden introduction to the first Resident Evil way back in 96. Be that as it may, it contributed immensely in making the first game the memorable horror experience it was, bridging the gap between B-grade horror cinema and the brave new world of A-grade horror gaming.
An Editorial By Clark Thompson
When I first sat down to try this ground breaking, genre paving masterpiece of mind numbing dialogue, gory mayhem, and all around creepiness, the intro blew me away. There simply wasn’t much like it at the time; not in good games anyway. Having real flesh and blood people, who weren’t notable actors, to attach to the in-game counterparts, made them feel much more real within the context of the game.
The effects weren’t perfect. The editing was suspect. And Jesus Christ, the acting. But with the buckets of blood, eerie music and the overall concept at work, it has mounds more character than some of the CG work that would later come down the pipe. If you compare the uncut original intro with the CG representation from the 2002 remake, the difference is night and day. Sure, the remake gave the sequence a more competent feel, but it was more akin to a mature children’s cartoon than the blood bath of 96. I craved that horror film turned video game element from the original.
Today, it wouldn’t even have to be cheesy. It could actually be something quite engaging. Just imagine the possibilities with how far green screen work has come, combined with the high production values of triple AAA titles like Resident Evil. It could be the closest thing to an actual Resident Evil film that we ever get, taking it back from the absolutely dreadful offerings from Paul W. S. Anderson. Hell, they pretty much filmed the entirely of Resident Evil 5‘s story sequences with real actors, if only to lend realism to the computer generated versions.
I remember it took me a little while to accept it, as it just didn’t feel the same, but as I said, I soon learned to appreciate this new direction of purely computer generated terror. Also, considering the sheer scope of some of the later sequences, the original approach simply wouldn’t have been feasible at that time. That’s changed.
And with all the influence this series has garnered from the world of horror cinema, making the games a hybrid film experience just seems right to me. Just for fun, let’s take a look at some of the more stand out elements from the early titles in the series that were influenced by popular, and not so popular horror cinema.
Well, the first thing that comes to mind would have to be the series’ self destructing facility routine. It’s hard to pinpoint a single inspiration for this story element, as it’s happened in too many films to name. There were a few clear nods to classic films in Resident Evil 2 however, that are very easy to pinpoint. Like how good old William Birkin would inject an embryo into the mouths of his victims, for it to later burst out when matured enough to survive on its own, a la Alien.
Another scene involving a giant alligator spun two different films together, Alligator, which oddly enough was about a giant mutated alligator roaming a city’s sewage system, and Jaws. You release a canister of highly explosive contents onto the ground for the gator to chew on, blasting it at just the right moment to take the top of its head clean off. “Smile you son of a..”. Feeling like you were playing a movie, for me at least, was a huge part of the enjoyment in Resident Evil, and I always loved spotting these little inclusions. I just missed the actors.
This came into play right from the beginning in Resident Evil with the Tyrant. To say this one came from an unlikely and obscure source would be putting it lightly. The original inspiration for this popular story mechanic came from a 1976 slasher flick called Grizzly. When the film reaches its conclusion, a lone park ranger faces off against a gigantic killer bear. When multiple rifle rounds fail to do the job and certain doom is impending, the ranger runs back to his helicopter, grabs a rocket launcher, readies the weapon, and takes the shot. The grizzly is subsequently blown to smithereens.
Resident Evil is a hybrid experience, and even though it’s extremely unlikely to ever happen again, I truly think a return to the use of live action sequences would serve to greatly reinvigorate the immersion element of the series.
Let’s face it, if ever there was a time to try something like this, it’s now. With the immense popularity of zombie films in the mainstream, along with ridiculously popular shows like The Walking Dead, I could see a genuine attempt being very well received indeed. I do realize a similar cinematic feat could also be accomplished to great effect with excellent CG, but for me It just won’t be right until we’ve got some actors and props up on that screen.
Clark Thompson is a 31-year-old horror fanatic currently residing in Kelowna B.C. His main goals in life are to one day experience a zombie apocolypse,and/or undergo surgery to have his heart mounted on the exterior of his chest. You can reach him at clarkthomspon@yahoo.ca or on facebook Clorkwork Torange.
Despite ancient humans having already overcome several potential doomsday scenarios in real life, post-apocalyptic fiction used to be relatively rare until the invention of the atomic bomb convinced us that the end of the world could be just around the proverbial corner.
Since then, we’ve seen many different stories about the collapse of civilization and the strange societies that might emerge from the rubble, but I’d argue that one of the most interesting of these apocalyptic visions is the post-nuclear America of the iconic Fallout games. A witty satire of American jingoism and cold war shenanigans, it’s honestly baffling that it so long for us to finally see a live-action adaptation of this memorable setting.
Thankfully, Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet’s Fallout TV show isn’t just a great adaptation – it’s also an incredibly fun standalone story that makes the most of its post-apocalyptic worldbuilding. And since fans are going to have to wait a while to see the much-anticipated second season, we’ve decided to come up with a list highlighting six post-apocalyptic thrillers to watch if you’re still craving more Fallout!
As usual, don’t forget to comment below with your own apocalyptic favorites if you think we missed a particularly fun one. And while it’s not on the list, I’d also like to give a shout-out to The Hughes Brothers’ underrated post-apocalyptic action flick The Book of Eli – which I recently covered in its own article.
With that out of the way, onto the list…
6. The Divide (2011)
Xavier Gens may be best known for his memorable contribution to the New French Extremity movement – with the eerily prescient Frontière(s) – but the filmmaker is also responsible for a handful of underrated thrillers that flew under the radar despite being legitimately solid films. One of the most interesting of these flicks is 2011’s The Divide, a single-location exercise in claustrophobic tension.
Telling the story of a group of New Yorkers who find themselves trapped in a bomb shelter after a surprise nuclear attack, this dark thriller is more interested in the ensuing social chaos than effects-heavy physical destruction. And while critics at the time were horrified by the bleak story and cynical characters, I think this mean streak is precisely what makes The Divide worth watching.
5. The Day After (1983)
One of the highest-rated TV films of all time, ABC’s The Day After is one of the scariest movies ever made despite being more of a speculative docu-drama than an actual genre flick. Following an ensemble of families, doctors and scientists as they deal with the horrific aftermath of all-out nuclear war, this radioactive cautionary tale was vital in convincing real-world politicians to review their policies about nuclear deterrence.
In fact, the film is even credited with scaring President Ronald Reagan into changing his mind about expanding the United States’ nuclear arsenal, with this new stance eventually leading to a treaty with the Soviet Union. With a story this powerful, I think it’s safe to say that The Day After is a must watch for Fallout fans interested in the more down-to-earth elements of the apocalypse.
4. The Postman (1997)
If I had a nickel for each unfairly maligned post-apocalyptic epic starring Kevin Costner that was released in the 90s, I’d have two nickels – which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. And while Waterworld has since seen a resurgence in popularity with fans defending it as a bizarrely expensive B-movie, I haven’t seen a lot of discussion surrounding 1997’s more serious vision of a fallen America, The Postman.
Following Costner (who also directed the flick) as a post-apocalyptic nomad who begins to rebuild America by pretending to be a member of the newly reformed postal service, this David Brin adaptation is consistently fascinating – especially if you view the story as a cynical fairy-tale, which was Costner’s original intention.
And while the flick suffers from some goofy dialogue and a bloated runtime, it makes up for this by having directly inspired Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding.
3. Turbo Kid (2015)
Turbo Kid may have been billed as an indie Mad Max with bicycles instead of cars, but François Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell’s comedic throwback to the post-apocalyptic future of 1997 is much more than meets the eye. From quirky characters to madly creative designs, the flick rises above nostalgia bait by being a legitimately fun time even if you don’t get the copious amounts of ’80s and ’90s references.
And despite the horror-inspired ultraviolence that colors the frequent action scenes as we follow a young comic-book fan deluding himself into thinking that he’s a superhero, it’s the childlike sense of wonder that really makes this a treat for cinephiles. It’s just a shame that we’re still waiting on the sequel that was announced back in 2016…
2. Six-String Samurai (1998)
A lo-fi homage to spaghetti westerns and classic samurai films – not to mention the golden age of rock ‘n roll – Six-String Samurai is a must-watch for those who appreciate weird cinema. While I’ve already written about the madly creative vibes that make this such an entertaining flick, I think it’s worth repeating just in case some of you have yet to give this musical fever dream a try.
And appropriately enough for this list, the film was also a source of inspiration for the 3D Fallout games – especially Obsidian’s fan favorite New Vegas. The game even includes a New Vegas Samurai achievement (unlocked by killing enemies with a katana) with a vault-boy illustration modeled after the film’s rendition of Buddy Holly.
1. A Boy and His Dog (1975)
The grisly post-apocalyptic comedy that inspired the original Fallout games, L.Q. Jones’ adaptation of Harlan Ellison’s novella is just as shocking today as it was back in ’75. Telling the story of a teenage scavenger who travels the wastelands of 2024 America alongside his telepathic canine companion, A Boy and His Dog feels like a Heavy Metal comic brought to life.
While the film’s rampant misogyny and brutal violence make it tough to revisit under modern sensibilities, it’s still a landmark in post-apocalyptic cinema and one hell of a memorable ride. Not only that, but the flick also inspired the creation of Fallout’s most beloved NPC, the ever-loyal Dogmeat.
‘Infested’ Review – One of the Best Spiders Attack Horror Movies in Years
Limited Edition Morticia & Wednesday Addams ‘Monster High’ Dolls Releasing Next Week!
‘The King Tide’: An Island Town Rots with Moral Decay in Canadian Folk Horror Fable [Review]
5 Deep Cut Horror Movies to Seek Out in May 2024
TWO New ‘Evil Dead’ Movies Now in the Works; Sébastien Vaniček & Francis Galluppi Directing
You must be logged in to post a comment.