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Frank Peretti’s Hangman’s Curse was the first of his books to finally reach the silver screen, and Melanie Dejesus from Melvin’s church joins him and Daniel on this first of two episodes where the three work through this weird amalgamation of teen scream and early 2000’s “cool” Christian media.
Topics:
- (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 33-minute discussion of “cool” Christian media, the mid-90s to mid-00’s craze of music, clothing, and all things “cool” in the western Christian world (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
- Melvin proposes, since no one on the planet has seen Hangman’s Curse other than Melvin’ sister, that the three detail the entirety of the film from start to finish.
- Daniel, a self-described Frank Peretti novel-fan, details Peretti’s style and talent when it comes to literature.
- Melvin starts describing the opening 5-minutes of the film and all three members of the show levy criticisms.
- Melvin also confesses that, technically speaking, Hangman’s Curse is the first horror movie he remembers watching… and scaring him as a kid.
- The faith-based Christian theming in the film is extremely awkward and often surprising as it’s almost never-expected.
- One can practically feel Hangman’s Curse pleading to have something horrific, shocking, dramatic, or scary happen on screen, anything to bring some life to an otherwise sluggishly paced snooze-fest.
- As the film continued, a lightbulb went off over Daniel’s head, “Wait a minute… this should have been a TV-Show!”
- Hangman’s Curse would have been benefitted by the Hollywood “Christianity” flair of gadgets with crucifixes, weird prayers for protection, the sort of thing we’re used to with the Conjuring Universe.
- Frank Peretti plays a full-fledged non-cameo character in Hangman’s Curse, a performance that is, at the very least, memorable.
- Coming in at 106 minutes, Hangman’s Curse truly pushes the boundaries of patience, while also including many scenes that are obvious chaff. What’s nearly 2 hours could have been a 45-minute TV-Special.
- Passively, the Assemblies of God influence of the film is apparent through its depiction and development of the “goth” subculture within the narrative, including a few other nods and references that otherwise might be missed.
SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE: 988
Recommendations:
- Spy x Family (Show)
- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006) (Movie)
- Bring It On: Cheer or Die (2022) (Movie)
Hangman’s Curse is Rated PG-13 for elements of violence/terror and for brief drug material. It features David Keith, Mel Harris, Leighton Meester, Douglas Smith, Jake Richardson, Bobby Brewer, Daniel Farber, Edwin Hodge, Andrea Morris, and Frank Peretti. Directed by Rafal Zielinski. Hangman’s Curse can be purchased on Amazon.
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Melvin Benson is the Founder, Editor-In-Chief, and Lead Host of Cinematic Doctrine. He’s written fiction and nonfiction for over a decade with short stories featured on the Creepypasta Wiki and Wattpad. His novelette Ethereal Temptation, a teen drama with a tinge of magical-realism, can be read for free here. His hope is to see King Jesus glorified as far as the east is from the west!
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