ROTTEN TOMATOES: Eli Roth Presents the Best Horror Movies You've Never Seen Comments

Eli Roth Presents the Best Horror Movies You've Never Seen

by Joe Utichi | November 01, 2007

Summary

As Halloween draws to a close, the Hostel director shares with RT readers seven underappreciated horror movies that have informed his tastes. Back to Article

(121-140 of 167 posts) | Reply

eze543113 writes:
on Nov 24 2007 03:00 PM

In reply to this comment (#1239294)
Horror Guru? how did this happen? the only thing i like that eli has done was "thanksgiving (day)" thats funny. his films are more slasher than horror anyway.

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mattchew86 writes:
on Nov 27 2007 02:35 PM

Horro Guru? Since when is excessive and unnecessary violence considered horror? I know when we think of horror we tend to think of Jason or Micheal, but they at least capture the suspenseful element of surprise, and there's not even a whole lot of violence. Not to the level that they portray in Hostel, anyway. Hostel has an ok storyline, but it's DEFINITELY not a horror genre, and he's DEFINITELY not a "Horror Guru". Has everyone forgot about the "torture porn" genre (if you can call it that) that was pioneered by films such as "Saw" and "Seven"? Those films, and filmakers, are the ones who should be acknowledged. Not guys like Roth.

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Schnozberry writes:
on Nov 28 2007 09:12 AM

Eli Roth is one of the worst directors in Hollywood.

Cabin Fever and Hostel were trash movies,
BUT
Hostel Part 2 was THE WORST MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN.

These movies are not horror - they are what is trying to be passed off as horror - they are just gore/shock fests.

It's been done too many times to be any good - Saw 1-4 (those sucked too), along with numerous movies that lack any shred of plot or cinematic value.

Roth may be the best director of the genre, whether that is a good or bad thing.

Not that it matters.

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PASKOW writes:
on Nov 28 2007 04:35 PM

In reply to this comment (#1239296)
gimy you hit the nail square in the head. i agree 100%! after the literal blood bath, it all went down hill.

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PASKOW writes:
on Nov 28 2007 04:38 PM

In reply to this comment (#1239296)
gimy you hit the nail square on the head. i agree 100%! after the literal blood bath, it all went down hill.

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HellsKitchen writes:
on Dec 07 2007 11:23 AM

In reply to this comment (#1240389)
Thank you! I never use the word "haters" but it's impossible not to in this situation. These geeks don't know anything about exploitation filmmaking. If "Hostel 2" was some obscure '70s flick, all these dorks would be creaming over it. It was really well done, and I actually liked it better than the first one. You are a voice of reason.

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Quadzilla99 writes:
on Dec 07 2007 10:17 PM

I know he's not a profession author, but he really should hire someone to look over his writing. It's filled with redundancies, poor prose, incorrect use (and non-use) of commas, and other punctuation marks, and just plain bad writing. Any copy-editor would laugh at this if someone submitted it to them.

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riyo84 writes:
on Dec 08 2007 02:38 AM

"The best film that I saw which I'd never seen before is a Fellini short film called Toby Dammit."

This one is my favorite. What a waste of words.

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YangBeast writes:
on Dec 08 2007 08:04 PM

In reply to this comment (#1239329)
Writes like a ninth grader? Awesome! Most people nowadays write like 3rd graders. At best.

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YangBeast writes:
on Dec 08 2007 08:07 PM

In reply to this comment (#1239777)
Bobtom, it's "you're" stupid, abbreviating "you are," not "your" stupid. :^)

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SniperCA writes:
on Dec 10 2007 09:06 AM

In reply to this comment (#1335465)
Just because you pop a chubby over crappy 70s sleaze film and think Roth is some kind of wiz kid just because he can recreate the same crappy sexploitation doesn't mean the rest of us have to as well. That doesn't make us "haters" it only makes us true horror fans who want real atmosphere and something more than juvenile trash that has been (even by his own poorly punctuated words) taken from other movies that got Roth's jollies off.

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AgentONeal writes:
on Dec 10 2007 07:35 PM

Hey Eli -- what you make isn't horror. It's shock. They should label you a "Shock Artist" rather than a "Horror Guru." This list should be a compilation of your favorite 'shock videos,' most of which would feature a guy getting kicked in the nuts. You and your kind have ruined horror, just so you know.

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Mr.Darko writes:
on Dec 11 2007 08:25 AM

I respesct Roth for making a movie that produced at least SOME cash. thats one step ahead of me. His definition of horror is gallons of gore and images that make you cringe, but nothing truely terrifying. I saw hostel and regretted spending $8.50 on it. it wasn't even worth $2.50, and i refused to waste my time with Hostel II. I have never seen it and i hopefully will never have to put myself through the torture of viewing it.

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bunbun777 writes:
on Dec 13 2007 06:50 PM

Eli is NOT a GURU. I like rotten tomatoes but it saddens me to see this. Shame on you RT!

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bunbun777 writes:
on Dec 13 2007 06:58 PM

From Eli's summary of "Torso"---"There's tonnes of nudity, hippy orgies and stuff and the girls are so hot in it. But it's completely underrated."---Who did this guy seriously have to blow to get in the business? Rats off to ya Eli, you have inspired a no-talent, lazy, frequently inebriated no-nothing to try and write a script about anything horror related, just so I can hold said script high in the sky and triumphantly declare, "At least it's better than Cabin Fever!"

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TheKnidsROk writes:
on Dec 13 2007 10:26 PM

For those complaining about his "writing" style -- the piece is, obviously, what's called an "as-told-to" story. Note that the byline at the top belongs to one Joe Utichi, and not Roth himself. Utichi interviewed Roth, and then edited the transcript into what you have read.

As anyone who has ever done any work in journalism, at any level, knows, spoken language needs to be radically cleaned up before it begins to make sense on the page. Even the most intelligent, well-spoken people in the world would come off as stilted and incoherent when transcribed directly onto the page.

Usually, when someone is writing an interview or as-told-to story, they do more to make the person sound concise and coherent. Utichi has chosen to leave a good deal of Roth's style of speech in the copy, and sacrifice conventional ease of reading to convey some of Roth's flavor. If the final copy doesn't read well to you, you should be addressing the story's writer with your criticism, and not Roth.

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Phobiabuzz writes:
on Dec 14 2007 08:03 AM

i dnt like any of his movies they all blew

i havent seen a good decent horror movie in a while

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fennis2000 writes:
on Dec 14 2007 12:14 PM

I think a lot of guys have a problem with Mr. Roth because he's so young, and frankly, looks quite sexy naked. Let's not be haters..... Hostel II wasn't a classic, but Cabin Fever was a lot of fun.

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acton acton writes:
on Dec 15 2007 02:11 AM

what in gods name our you people talking about he may have mispelled some words but with all honesty us writers cant spell at all we have a seperate writer rewrite it making it all spelled correctly. His films just plain rock, cabin fever never been done before and well played out. Hostel 1 and 2 2 is better due to more violence and a faster start but both films are great for being a big change in the shock horror genre, so all those who hate it move away from america or kill your radio cause your living in a world that just skips on the same track never progresses, ELI progressed and made a long needed change. I cant wait to see what he has in store and I hope to follow his path in new films that stomp the last.

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guymonkey writes:
on Dec 15 2007 11:11 AM

Eli Roth is a great director. Cabin Fever is amazing! That movie has it all, I am not sure why so many of you hate him and would decide to waste your time letting the world know your opinion. I feel the need to stick up for one of the best new directors of our time. I am 35 years old and have seen more movies than most....the guy is better than good.

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