If we were all wearing our masks still, like we had to for the last couple of years, this movie would not work. How could we be frightened by someone’s maniacal grin if we can’t even see it? In a way, this film shows how devastating a lack of facial expressions can be (Natalie Portman aside). “Smile” is a psychological horror film that was originally headed straight to streaming, but it has made a fortuitous stop in theaters just in time for Halloween.
This week on the Lambcast, the Brits outnumber the Yanks as Darren Lucas of “Movie Reviews 101”, joins Richard along with newcomer Matt Hudson from “What I Watched Tonight” to grin through this two hour treat with a nice trick to it. As usual, all of the folks on the show would have loved the film more if key elements had not been spoilt in the trailers. Still, everyone on the show found some things to recommend the film.
Smile takes advantage of a terrific viral marketing campaign to draw attention to the film on it’s opening weekend. Actors presenting a rictus type grin, in bright colored t-shirts, photobombed Major League baseball games and the Today Show, apparently disturbing the paying fans and the players as well as the TV audience.
Our show talks a little about the marketing tool, a little bit about horror fans, and a lot about jump scares. It seems in Britain at least, there was also a warning slide in front of “Don’t Worry Darling”, hoping to alert anyone who might be triggered by suicide in the film, but oddly, this movie, based on a contagion of suicide lacked the same slide. We however will recommend “Does the Dog Die” website , if you think you might be traumatized by something other than suicide.
No game this week, but all the Rants/Raves and Reviews are on genre related topics and are definitely worth sticking around for.
Introductions
Smile Discussion 5:00
Spoiler Wall Comes Down 29:00
Lambscores 49:20
Rants/Raves/Reviews 51:20
Darren Movie Reviews 101
Richard KAMAD
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https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/lambcast/episodes/2022-10-04T08_21_17-07_00
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