FilmsHuman LanternsLike this

Films like Human Lanterns.

Human Lanterns (1982) reads as Heavy, breathless, extreme wuxia / shaw-brothers, inventive in texture. Nihilistic, mid-stakes, cold. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

Corpse Mania (1981) poster
1. Corpse Mania1981

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Bewitched (1981) poster
2. Bewitched1981

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701's Grudge Song (1973) poster
3. Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701's Grudge Song1973

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

And God Said to Cain (1970) poster
4. And God Said to Cain1970

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

StageFright (1987) poster
5. StageFright1987

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) poster
6. A Nightmare on Elm Street1984

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable (1973) poster
7. Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable1973

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Lady Snowblood (1973) poster
8. Lady Snowblood1973

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Flying Guillotine (1975) poster
9. The Flying Guillotine1975

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Rabid (1977) poster
10. Rabid1977

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

Blue Sunshine (1977) poster
11. Blue Sunshine1977

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

The Evil Dead (1981) poster
12. The Evil Dead1981

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

These are Human Lanterns’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

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