WARNING: This Article May Contain Spoilers
It’s funny how watching one film that mentions how certain actors got their start in horror can spark a whole article! Some of the biggest names in film didn’t start out in glossy dramas or romantic comedies — they kicked things off by screaming, running, and getting chased by things with too many teeth! They were ‘Final Girls’, doomed boyfriends, or the one character who absolutely should not have gone into the basement. Some of these actors may even surprise you…
Critters 3
Of course, the main film people talk about when discussing Leonardo Di Caprio’s early career is What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and how he didn’t get an Oscar for it. However what people don’t know is that he starred in this sequel at the age of 17. Because of the flashbacks to the previous films as Charlie tells Josh, played by Di Caprio, and his friends about the Critters – you don’t feel out of the loop with the storyline but I can see how it can be a frustration if you’ve seen the previous films. Technically, Johnny and Annie are the lead characters however Josh enters the film only 5 minutes in as a smart-ass kid, not taking Charlie’s warnings seriously. I didn’t think Josh was going to be much bigger than an opening character with a couple of lines however, his connection to the building, Annie and Johnny really surprised me! Of course, his step-father doesn’t realise he’s putting Josh in any danger but he ends up isolated in the apartment building with the others, running for his life!
Leprechaun
It’s crazy to think, that I believed Jennifer Aniston had a bigger role in this film than she actually does, as the Leprechaun’s main focus is on Ozzie and Alex as they are the ones who steal his coins. Aniston’s character of Tory simply gets caught up in the whole mess. With that in mind, she just seems to be there, not really adding anything to the story other than some screams and a couple of flirty scenes with Nathan. For example, the scenes in the diner with the two of them have no impact on the film as a whole. Considering Tory is supposed to be a teenager, Jennifer is quite clearly in her 20s! Annoyingly, from the moment we meet her character all I could think was Rachel Green but then again, the characters aren’t too dissimilar. Listen to the way she complains about her dad’s new house! “I am going to be miserable here. There’s no swimming pool, there’s no shopping malls, there’s no cable. Bet you don’t even have a TV. This sure ain’t Beverly Hills”. In my opinion, the film still could have been made without Tory and her father, just leave it as the workmen who are getting the place ready for their arrival and the events will unfold in the same way.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I need to get this out there from the beginning, this is one of my favourite films! I think I mentioned previously that I never watched the series, but for those uninitiated, this film came first – which makes sense considering this is Hilary Swank’s first ever film. Yes, you heard that right, she made Buffy before starring in Million Dollar Baby. She plays one of Buffy’s close friends who I find rather irritating. Of course, in the beginning all 4 of them, including Buffy, are typical popular girls however, with the acceptance of being a slayer, Buffy’s character matures unlike her friends. A scene that proves this for me is the fact that when the girls go shopping, Swank’s character, Kimberley, refers to a jacket Buffy likes as “so five minutes ago” only to end up wearing it later in the film. Her character isn’t massive, as the focus is obviously on Kristy Swanson but it doesn’t mean I don’t find her any less irritating. So much so, that I really hoped one of the vampires would get her at the dance in the final scenes.
He Knows You’re Alone
Here’s an actor I never thought I would be watching in a horror film, but considering it is literally Tom Hanks first ever acting role, I wonder if he just didn’t think it was for him. Which is interesting, given that he is barely in the film at all, it makes me question why Elliot, his character, was even included – he seems to be just thrown in around half an hour from the end of the film as sort of a “meet-cute” for our lead character’s best friend Nancy. I have to admit, I found his introduction so pointless and annoying that I wish he’d got killed – which could have been easily done with a scene of Nancy returning to his apartment but after the amusement park scene, we never see him again. This film falls into that sub-genre of the slasher film and I have to admit, I wondered a little bit, in the beginning, if the opening murders in Scream 2 are supposed to pay some sort of homage to this.
Side note: I mentioned about thinking Scream 2 was partly paying homage to this film but I also wonder if the composers of the music were inspired by John Carpenter and Halloween.
The Devil’s Rain
Now, when it was referenced in Maxxxine that John Travolta had his first break in films by making a horror, I automatically assumed it was Carrie they were talking about considering he made that before making Grease. Little did I know, this little number existed a year before and was his first, credited film appearance. I have to admit, for someone who doesn’t get creeped out easily, the sounds of people begging for help laid over some very strange artwork in the beginning was rather disturbing. Considering the majority of the film is based around the Preston family, Travolta only plays a small ancillary role as Danny, a member of Corbis’ cultist, who has no lines other than shouting “Blasphemer” at Tom Preston when he infiltrates the cultist ceremony. Without that, because of the way he looks he would be completely unrecognizable to anyone not specifically looking for him during the film.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Considering all these films are the first films for the actors mentioned, Johnny Depp seems to be the only one that has “introducing” before his name in the credits. What I think is great about that though, is that Johnny technically has a lead role in the film even though it’s his first ever as he plays Nancy’s boyfriend, Glen. Well, I say lead role – of course, the majority of the focus is on Nancy following her friend’s murder, but much like the girls, Glen also has nightmares about Freddy Krueger. Interestingly, it is his character that gives Nancy the idea to turn her back on Freddy at the end of the film, in the hope that it will take his power away. I actually wonder if Krueger kills Glen before Nancy in order to protect himself, considering they make a plan to drag him out of the Nancy’s dream and into the real world. Speaking of Glen’s death, what’s so dark about it is the fact that we don’t see what Freddy does to him, only a fountain of blood spraying out of his mattress.
Side Note: I’m sure how many people would have noticed but Scream (1996), also by Wes Craven, paid homage to Depp’s character – including using a similar piece of wardrobe for the lead character’s best friend.
