While I do like the idea of Arkin turning the tables on the Collector, I HATE giving him a backstory and a cute, sunny house and hearing him sound like someone's divorced dad. No. Just NO. He works better as an unknown.
The best part of both films is that the protagonist is actually really smart, he can spot traps and thinks on his feet effectively. It makes the cat-and-mouse relationship between Arkin and the Collector so thrilling. Also while the second movie is sillier, it has one of the best endings of any horror movie I've seen this past decade. Truly knows how to shut the door on unnecessary sequels.
Bruh, I just left a comment about how similar they are. I wasn't sure if I was just high or if Ryan really DOES look just like the actor, but you've given me the answer I needed! :D
I always loved how Artkin wears the same outfit as the Collector. It sort of adds to the creepiness of the Collector, like he is an imitation of a human, not an actual human. The collector's mask is literally a warped nightmare version of Artkins mask. And Artkin having his skills as a home invader justify and allow him to be the perfect foil to the Collector.
@firstname mclast All burglars are home invaders, not all home invaders are burglars. Burglar is just a more specific way to describe what arkin does, but hlme invader is just as good a description. He literally invaded a home
I’m unsure if you saw, but on the DVD it has an alternate ending where when The Arkon realizes the daughter is in the house, instead turning around for her he just flips off the house and runs away- always made me laugh
I just realised The Collector and The Collection have the same relationship as Alien and Aliens. The first movie is a competent but scared protagonist trying to escape a monster, but the sequel is the same character more experienced and confident, contracted to be brought back and lead a team of soldiers to take the fight to the enemy.
The only reason I like the The Collection is because of Arkin's character. It's why i'll watch the next sequel, just to see if he lives. To me the franchise is an example of how if you create a complex and likable character you can keep a series going as long as you bring them back. It's why if they kill him or turn him into the Collector in the next one i'll just immediately stop watching. Arkin just deserves a win at this point.
You don’t have to worry because Arkin is once again the main character in the 3rd movie. I want to see how the Collector escapes Arkin’s capture. I have good feelings about the new movie and so I can’t wait for it to drop.
I really agree, I'm in it for Arkin at this point, I love the dynamic between him and the Collector so much, the only other time i've seen this kind of thing is in Halloween with Laurie and Michale
Right, without Arkin this movie would never have been so special. I love the complexity behind the "bad guy" with a heart of gold. The whole redemption arc makes him compelling and the fact that he's just been struck with a case of the "wrong place, wrong times"s makes him sympathetic even if what got him there in the first place was arguably for the wrong reasons - again - arguably, because we also understand why he's there. There's actually layers upon layers here (yes much like ogres) That makes for a surprisingly well told story within this genre of "torture porn" which of course isn't exactly known for subtlety or interesting characters. The Collector himself I think is a good villain particularly in his truly unrelenting nature. He actually comes off as very mean spirited and intimidating BUT, he also likes spiders..? So there's something there... The mask is also iconic if we want to get superficial about it
I found the first Collector to be very effective. While I do think you need to suspend your believability I was on the edge of my seat the first time I watched that film. I will never forget the gut punch feeling of Arkin finally escaping only to see the daughter of the household is alive. We have seen how difficult it is to maneuver through this house, and it is SO effective knowing we have to go back through this nightmare with Arkin’s character. It reminds me of the best survival horror games, just great world building and tension.
The Collector is such an underrated movie. Arkin’s character is phenomenal. The child actor does a great job. The villain is so dark and evil but then out of nowhere you see his gentleness with spiders leaving the viewer with a lot of questions. Everything just draws the viewers in. I’m excited there’s a third sequel, though I don’t know what I’d think if Arkin doesn’t star in it some way.
While the Third movie “The Collected” was canceled, you noticed the same thing I did. In the first movie, he was a Hispanic exterminator who felt no empathy for humans but sympathized with the bugs he was paid to kill. The Collection abandoned this interesting character motive.
The cinematography in The Collector especially the way they utilize fake walls on sets to pan over rooms and stuff and build tension is fucking brilliant and the movie is highly underrated. The Collection is... schlock... but for its time escalating the ridiculousness was how everyone was competing with Saw, for better or worse... I still really love the end of The Collection and I really enjoy watching a horror movie series that has a persistent protagonist that we can actually care about.
Fun fact about the opening scene of “The Collection” one of the VFX artists who worked on the film tweeted James A. Janisse a little while ago, and gave him the exact number of body-rigs they used for the opening massacre, so that he would be able to do the movie without dealing with the frame-by-frame number crunching. He’ll probably get to it eventually with that information to make his life easier, but I just thought it was cool to see people in the horror community helping each other out like that!
Even these movies are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, I can't help but be reminded of the Predator. Both movies take typical action heroes and subject them to the horror genre.
Like Bruce Willis in Die Hard vs a young Hannibal Lector The Collector is my favorite horror after 41 years. I give this movie my official championship
Calm down Kevin McCallister, you don't have to go that far. I guess the first two Home Alone films really messed you up. No wonder you felt the franchise. So the first 2 Home Alone films were just an origin story....damn. "This is it, no turning back" - Kevin McCallister. Underrated film, wasn't a fan of the ending but hey at least the sequel fixed that cause I like the character of Arkin. And yeah the sequel isnt the greatest but worth a watch.
Apparently John Hughes wanted to do a Home Alone horror film with an older Kevin who'd gone insane and started killing people with traps after his tortures of Harry and Marv gave him a taste for blood. His family would have probably been the first to go because they were assholes.
@@RyanHollinger there’s also a fan “theory” that Kevin goes on to become John Kramer from Saw. It continues the theory that mr McAllister is a mafia bigwig and Kevin is taken away a year or two after home alone 2 and put in foster/witness protection (so name change) but all the trauma screwed him up.
Honestly, in that scene where Arkin digs the fish hook out of his eye, if Ryan had placed his own censor face over it I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
That's the best kind. The number one reason why I dislike horror movies is because the characters are almost always STUPID. Like unbelievably stupid and it takes me out of it. These idiots deserve to die... but the handful of horror movies that show intelligent people who make good decisions and still get outmatched by the killer are spectacular. My favourite of these is the original Terminator.
When I see the collector in the dark, my brain doesn’t connect that his eyes are featureless discs, I just see there reflection off the black and my brain is like “oh, he has big, shiny OwO eyes”
@@dragonkyng Chelsea Rebecca from Dead Meat would totally rock Black Widow. She doesn't pop up in the Kill Counts, but she's always there for the podcasts and stuff. I also vote GoodBadFlicks for Thor.
This is one of those films I saw in the cinema with a great audience so will always remember it fondly. Everyone screaming and cheering at the right moments. It was awesome. Love this movie.
Can I just say I never ever noticed Ryan's "However" until the comments pointed it out, I can't be the only one, maybe it's worth noting I am from Belfast so that might be a factor
I liked the sequel because I liked how it showed Arkin as especially clever. It was obviously an Aliens to the original Alien. But that’s fun on its own
@@celestedivinity2178 yep. A survivor of a harrowing experience barely makes it through based on their own cunning. Then in the sequel is immediately thrown back in to a situation with their own attacker flanked by a bunch of professionals sent to hunt on a rescue mission. Survivor pulls some through with help to find out more about the stalker after mostly casualties and finds a purpose to keep fighting. Is that describing first two Alien or Collector films
I found this movie years ago while looking for something to watch and I thought I’d give it a chance and I remember being super invested and loving it a lot. I recently rewatched it and I still think it’s a good movie, but I was also like ‘why was I so blown away by this when I first watched it?’. Guess I’ve seen too many horror movies in the meantime I’ve become like ‘eh I’ve seen better’.
This. I saw it in theaters and it holds that special place in my memory but in the moment when I rewatch it, it doesn't line up with my nostalgia nearly as much
"Ambiguity is king; especially when it comes to killers or creatures that make you question them in any sort of existential way." This needs to be printed at the top of every horror writer's first page on their screenplay, novel, manuscript, etc. This is what made 'It Follows' so effective for me. They never explain what "it" is, where it came from, why it's passed through sex, why it takes different forms, etc. It just was. This is also why Michael Myers stopped being scary in the sequels (save for the 2018 sequel) with all that Cult of Thorn nonsense.
I sometimes wonder if the Terminator would have been better if they never showed the future scenes. If it remained a little more ambiguous about whether the Terminator really was a robot until the end.
The only good thing about the sequel is that Arkin lived and got the collector in the end. I don't want another movie I want him to have his bloody revenge and for the curtain to close on his finally being the one in control.
"Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil" would be one I'd like to see you do, Ryan. Saw it on Netflix a few years ago and thought the premise was actually very interesting.
I watched it expecting absolutely nothing from it, and found myself loving it. I clicked on it only because I wanted to watch a film in the Basque language, and thought it would be some Z-Grade ghost story. What I got was more like something by Del Toro, or the Jim Henson Creature Workshop.
You know what...since I've watched them so often...it was the Collector who created the rave... which is why he was able to set it up. Please don't let me continue to nerd out on this bc...😳
@@TheAudraReins Mustve taken him months if not longer. Scouting location, thinking up traps, where to put them, predicting where victims would try to flee to. The crushing trap was genius
I'm just trying to imagine the people he contracted to build all that stuff, setting up a combine harvester above a nightclub dancefloor and thinking "Yeah, this seems fine."
"Overexplaining the monster/horror" is often the downfall of many horror stories. I think the worst example I remember is The Silence from Doctor Who, once they explain what they are, they lose all of their horror effect.
Idk I actually don’t mind that much that they did that. In this case if anything, that’s just making The Collector a much more interesting character imo.
So I accidentally saw The Collection in theaters first (my friends and I had no clue it was a sequel) and were so confused by it starting off with Arken getting out and the insane bloodbath. Because of that I kind of loved how ridiculous and campy it was, I also adored Arken and find him incredibly compelling. Then when I went back to The Collector I loved it even more and the ending, knowing he’d end up in the box, chilled me. I totally agree The Collector is much better, but, probably because I watched it incorrectly, I really enjoy both! They’re just good times. Arken is such a great lead we don’t get likable horror leads nowadays so I just loved them.
17:30 The Collector probably rented or bought the nightclub for the massacre since he has the cash for it. Not to mention that he would have enough time to set it up because he would have an unlimited time until he opened the club up.
@@Marcopolo-hg6zb false name, cash payment, maybe he killed the original owner and took the keys? Or maybe he worked/managed the crew to set everything up and would just sneak in after a days work to set up the traps? There’s explanations (if u wanna do the mental gymnastics as I have to make sense of it) but he definitely needed a lot time to plan it and considering that in the first movie how fast he set up all those traps in a huge house within several hours, it’s possible he could’ve done the traps in the club within a week. Who knows really
@@Marcopolo-hg6zb Plus it was an underground, illegal password only type party in a building that looked like an abandoned warehouse until you give the doorman a password. The police would have had a pretty difficult time finding it, assuming they were even called at the start of the massacre and didn't find out after the fact.
I remember watching this years ago. I really enjoyed it then and still do now. I think because of how Arkin is such a relatable character, like what would you do in that crazy scenario try to help the family or gtfo. And how he has a brain unlike most main characters in horror movies. How he controls his breathing, or waits for the killer to make his move then play around him. It's smaller details but it makes Arkin more unique and believable. Great review of the Collector and Collection Ryan.
I love the first collector so much in the way I love the first strangers movie. The utter “because you were home” aspect. The absolute perversion of what should be your safest/most comfortable place. Doesn’t matter if you’re a good or bad person, what you’ve been through, etc. All that matters is You're there and they wanna play. Fantastic video like always dude ❤️
Legit these two films kinda feel like a sped up version of how the Saw franchise went. Starts off with a well written villain and subtle horror topped with gore that only accentuates scenes and isn't the focus, then in the later sequel(s) the villain makes less sense despite having more information, and gore is the focus over plot etc., shame that :p
I always loved The Collector, such a surreal and stylish movie with a lot of self aware attitude and what might be my favorite slasher villain ever. I tapped out of The Collection shortly after the nightclub scene thinking man, they fucked up FAST, sad to see the rest of the movie isn't much better. Hopefully The Collected recaptures what made that first movie and even elements of the second so great.
I actually felt sorry for the family in the original and wanted Arkin to save them which I think he tried to do not only because their daughter reminded her of his and because he felt guilty about planning to rob them even though he was only doing that so the loan shark wouldn't hurt or kill his wife and daughter. But the team he leads into The Collector's hideout in The Collection were generic and I didn't care when any of them died.
The Collector was one of the first horror movies I genuinely loved as a child. When I was a kid I would generally avoid horror movies, but when I saw this, I remember being obsessed with it. It was so freaking good.
The first half before the spoilers - you made the protagonist seem so compelling. Every scene he was in, his acting was compelling too. He looked like he was harrowed by regrets and experiencing some sincere conflict and discomfort at being back into his burglar mode. Really cool. Plus the collector being gormless glowy eye stare is very scary!
I always thought the Collector was setting them up as Arken went through the house, that he missed on or two by luck and then when he went to leave they were all up.
I saw The Collection in theatres purely because it came out on my birthday and I liked the first one. I didn't think it was that bad. More action oriented, more grindhouse-y. It was solid as far as ending a series that could've exhausted itself like Wrong Turn.
I appreciate your insight and dedication, Mr. Hollinger. The best part of The Collection is the ending. I wonder where the next movie will start from. Cheers!
Loved this video! Felt like I was totally alone in thinking this weird ass movie actually has a lot of strengths. I think when the sequel was written, they totally missed the symbolism behind him being an exterminator that collects bugs! he is like the personification of the animal impulse to own, control, and destroy the things you love or desire. That's literally all the motive he needs and the audience should know about, in my opinion. having his collection be a mad scientist lab instead of being similar to how one keeps a bug collection was a really weird misstep.
Its a shame The Collected (third film) will likely never see the light of day as (according to Marcus Dunstan) the producers shot down production when COVID happened and then the props and set pieces were stolen with the producers essentially ghosting the remaining cast and crew about it. That said I don’t mind the origin story so much as the retcon of the urgency of Arkin’s escape. They go from him having until midnight or else harm comes to his family and then suddenly its way after and they’re just fine. The Collection could’ve opened with him narrowly escaping the Collector’s van and making it back with the diamond before the deadline but instead its just a plot line that falls by the wayside to make room for the night club set piece that reintroduces Arkin.
Ryan letting his frustration get the better of himself and shouting whenever he thinks something is dumb is something that can actually be so personal, Seriously though Ryan yelling about something being "FUCKING RIDICULOUS" is my favorite part of any video, it sparks so much joy for me 😂
Ambiguity is part of the reason why i love The Strangers. You dont know who that crazy family is. And when asked why they were attacking the couple the only answer was a simple “because you were home”. That line gave me goosebumps the first time i heard it.
The brilliance of the first movie’s violence is that it takes place in the house of what the main character see’s as his ideal future. Almost like the collector is his dark shadow that won’t let him feel safe or comfortable in his new life. Also the traps set in the house are much more intimate and feel cobbled together with what you can find in a home....for the most part. It also starts more relatable with smaller injuries that a lot of people can relate to like getting snagged on by a fishing hook or get cut/punctured by a nail. This makes us relate to the pain and suffering even more so when the stakes get higher we are still with characters. Also I dig the sequel as a kind of action comedy that’s so out of place that I can’t help but enjoy it. It’s like The Texas Chainsaw massacre part II.
I have a theory that it isn’t the same “Collector” and that they’re two different people wearing the same suit. Only believe this because in the first film he’s bald, whereas in the sequel he has a full set of hair (and I believe the two films only take place months apart if I remember correctly)
Decent theory except Arkin was collected by the collector and I’m sure he would’ve noticed there was at least another one running around. However, it could be pulled off if written well. But I’m gonna doubt it myself.
This is very important and I must let people know; the harsh noise song playing during the opening credits is not labeled correctly on IMDb or the movie. The track is W.A.S.T.E.’s Shut Up And Bleed (Dismembered Remix by combichrist). It’s just that I really like W.A.S.T.E.’s works and I want other people to be able to know about them.
Wouldn't mind seeing your thoughts on terrifier. In regards to the collector, I enjoyed both films initially but when I watched the second one again it did feel a bit eh. It's not as tight or as suspenseful which maybe is part of the point. But still enjoyed it. But yeah I agree with you on the mystery around the collector and that gets blown away in the sequel.
imo the best movies that did the "giving more questions than answers" trope is Alien and Aliens. In the first movie, we as the audience questioned "Where did the Xenomorph came from ? What laid these eggs ?" and in the sequel they answered these 2 questions but left us with more questions like "Where did the Queen came from ? What is the ship from the first movie ? How did the eggs got in LV 426 ? Is the alien pilot from the first movie a different species ? What are the Xenomorphs and who created them ?"
The only really good part of The Collection is when Arkin beats up The Collector after everything he's done and all the people he's killed throughout both films. The Collected will probably start with him being tortured by Arkin before managing to escape and start a new killing spree. And yeah the "His dad went mad after being exposed to chemicals, killed all his family except the young Collector and that drove him insane" explanation was bad.
I was expecting a totally generic slasher when I first watched these movies but found myself very surprised at how compitent the protagonist was compared to how stupid so many horror movie characters are and how much more intense that made the film. Its not scary to see people get killed because theyre idiots, Im not an idiot and wouldnt make the same choices that get most people killed in horror movies. So when I saw the hero of this movie make smart decisions that I would never have thought of and still had to go through everything he did that struck me like no other horror has.
I politely disagree with Ryan Hollinger here. I see where he's coming from, the two movies are very different from one another and the sequel is pretty dumb compared to the first film, but I really like how in the sequel the Collector became almost like a Batman villain. Like a mix between the Punisher and Professor Pyg. It's just fun for me.
The Collector's "look" is so simple yet SO effective. What looks like a melted lucha mask made out of a catcher's mitt is so effectively creepy. And the rest of his outfit, black B&E clothes, coupled with the height and weight, along with him never talking and at-times-unnatural mannerisms, it all just works. Best of all, those creepy contacts (or CGI?) that make his eyes glow unnaturally.
*Ok, so what are your thoughts on The Collector films and... what do you think about the SAW series?*
Get 15% off your order at www.buyraycon.com/ryan
There pretty decent imo, 1st Saw was the best tho
SAW 1 & 2 were the bomb, dropped off after 3 imo
Not that familiar with the SAW movies, so I have nothing to say.
Saw is one of my favorite movies, Saw 2 was very entertaining.
I like all of them, although the novelty sets after the third one pretty much, still one of my favs
The worst thing about giving the Collector a definitive origin, is that it ruins the theory that he's secretly a grown up Kevin from 'Home Alone'
This is a thing?
@@moodyfingers7301 yeah was a fan theory lol
If you watch the first episode of the web series DRYVRS he's actually a ptsd ridden killer wrapped in a christmas motif
But I thought Jigsaw from the saw movies was supposed to be Kevin grown up? Atleast that was a theory. So how did it switch to the Collector?
While I do like the idea of Arkin turning the tables on the Collector, I HATE giving him a backstory and a cute, sunny house and hearing him sound like someone's divorced dad. No. Just NO. He works better as an unknown.
The best part of both films is that the protagonist is actually really smart, he can spot traps and thinks on his feet effectively. It makes the cat-and-mouse relationship between Arkin and the Collector so thrilling. Also while the second movie is sillier, it has one of the best endings of any horror movie I've seen this past decade. Truly knows how to shut the door on unnecessary sequels.
Yes yes yes! Very well put
I also like the fact that the protagonist is not a good guy as he's doing something that would normally make him a villain.
There is a third one coming, since The Collector was always planned as a trilogy. It is named 'The Coll3cted'
And yet... sequel en route!
@@etwregh6676 Ah shit you're right. Oh well, I'm excited to see it.
"This first film has a very relatable protagonist"
*shows man identical to Ryan*
Bruh, I just left a comment about how similar they are. I wasn't sure if I was just high or if Ryan really DOES look just like the actor, but you've given me the answer I needed! :D
@@justinkroboth360 The best of both worlds: high AND right. Lawl.
Ryan: *invents new way of saying “however”*
Audience: “He can’t keep getting away with it!”
BUT I WILL
Is that a reference to breaking bad?
@@ArkaeaFCL3 yeah
@@NastierNate nice. ✌😁
Damn I didn't know Ryan invented Ireland
So we aren’t gonna talk about how arkin looks like Ryan’s older brother?
Came looking for this comment ✊
Maybe Ryan can get a small part in the 3rd film as the estranged brother
Thank god other people are agree with me
Imagine I posted that old thoughtful velociraptor meme...
Haha, YES
I always loved how Artkin wears the same outfit as the Collector. It sort of adds to the creepiness of the Collector, like he is an imitation of a human, not an actual human. The collector's mask is literally a warped nightmare version of Artkins mask. And Artkin having his skills as a home invader justify and allow him to be the perfect foil to the Collector.
@firstname mclast
All burglars are home invaders, not all home invaders are burglars. Burglar is just a more specific way to describe what arkin does, but hlme invader is just as good a description. He literally invaded a home
@firstname mclast Yes according to law ye daft mimsy
There is also the connection where Artkin works to avoid being caught by people and the Collector works to catch people.
The longer he continues, the more ways of saying "however" he creates 😂
One day I will rule the world
@@RyanHollinger yes yes... HOWEVER!
Höwever
Howlnever?
And his power increases tenfold!
I’m unsure if you saw, but on the DVD it has an alternate ending where when The Arkon realizes the daughter is in the house, instead turning around for her he just flips off the house and runs away- always made me laugh
That's fucking amazing.
Tbh I feel like as much guilt as I'd have afterwards, running away is the better option
I just realised The Collector and The Collection have the same relationship as Alien and Aliens.
The first movie is a competent but scared protagonist trying to escape a monster, but the sequel is the same character more experienced and confident, contracted to be brought back and lead a team of soldiers to take the fight to the enemy.
Exactly 👍🏻 bro 😎
Ryan: *says "however" instead of "hoyever"*
Me: I-Impossible!
Glad you noticed hahaha!
@@RyanHollinger we need our Hoyevers!
@@RyanHollinger where are the hoyevers Ryan we really need em
Timestamp?
Each "However" is an angelic choir 😇
I'm surprised no one's made a remix of it yet. 😆
Y E S
“Hyowyever” 😂
👼👼👼👼👼
Love the profile pic and name
The only reason I like the The Collection is because of Arkin's character. It's why i'll watch the next sequel, just to see if he lives. To me the franchise is an example of how if you create a complex and likable character you can keep a series going as long as you bring them back. It's why if they kill him or turn him into the Collector in the next one i'll just immediately stop watching. Arkin just deserves a win at this point.
You don’t have to worry because Arkin is once again the main character in the 3rd movie. I want to see how the Collector escapes Arkin’s capture. I have good feelings about the new movie and so I can’t wait for it to drop.
I really agree, I'm in it for Arkin at this point, I love the dynamic between him and the Collector so much, the only other time i've seen this kind of thing is in Halloween with Laurie and Michale
Right, without Arkin this movie would never have been so special. I love the complexity behind the "bad guy" with a heart of gold. The whole redemption arc makes him compelling and the fact that he's just been struck with a case of the "wrong place, wrong times"s makes him sympathetic even if what got him there in the first place was arguably for the wrong reasons - again - arguably, because we also understand why he's there. There's actually layers upon layers here (yes much like ogres) That makes for a surprisingly well told story within this genre of "torture porn" which of course isn't exactly known for subtlety or interesting characters.
The Collector himself I think is a good villain particularly in his truly unrelenting nature. He actually comes off as very mean spirited and intimidating BUT, he also likes spiders..? So there's something there... The mask is also iconic if we want to get superficial about it
I found the first Collector to be very effective. While I do think you need to suspend your believability I was on the edge of my seat the first time I watched that film. I will never forget the gut punch feeling of Arkin finally escaping only to see the daughter of the household is alive. We have seen how difficult it is to maneuver through this house, and it is SO effective knowing we have to go back through this nightmare with Arkin’s character. It reminds me of the best survival horror games, just great world building and tension.
Well said
Reminds me of Grave Encounters 2 when they got out of the asylum but the ghosts Uno reverse card's their asses.
@@greggaygayakutami1402 i totally forgot about that movie one of my fav pov paranormal movies
The Collector is such an underrated movie. Arkin’s character is phenomenal. The child actor does a great job. The villain is so dark and evil but then out of nowhere you see his gentleness with spiders leaving the viewer with a lot of questions. Everything just draws the viewers in.
I’m excited there’s a third sequel, though I don’t know what I’d think if Arkin doesn’t star in it some way.
While the Third movie “The Collected” was canceled, you noticed the same thing I did. In the first movie, he was a Hispanic exterminator who felt no empathy for humans but sympathized with the bugs he was paid to kill. The Collection abandoned this interesting character motive.
The cinematography in The Collector especially the way they utilize fake walls on sets to pan over rooms and stuff and build tension is fucking brilliant and the movie is highly underrated. The Collection is... schlock... but for its time escalating the ridiculousness was how everyone was competing with Saw, for better or worse... I still really love the end of The Collection and I really enjoy watching a horror movie series that has a persistent protagonist that we can actually care about.
Fun fact about the opening scene of “The Collection” one of the VFX artists who worked on the film tweeted James A. Janisse a little while ago, and gave him the exact number of body-rigs they used for the opening massacre, so that he would be able to do the movie without dealing with the frame-by-frame number crunching.
He’ll probably get to it eventually with that information to make his life easier, but I just thought it was cool to see people in the horror community helping each other out like that!
Arkin is one of my favorite protagonists, no matter what genre. He's like an anti-hero from an action movie placed in a horror movie setting.
Even these movies are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, I can't help but be reminded of the Predator. Both movies take typical action heroes and subject them to the horror genre.
Like Bruce Willis in Die Hard vs a young Hannibal Lector
The Collector is my favorite horror after 41 years. I give this movie my official championship
Ya’ll thought Kevin McAllister grew up to be Jigaw, but he’s clearly the collector.
Mind officially blown!
Calm down Kevin McCallister, you don't have to go that far. I guess the first two Home Alone films really messed you up. No wonder you felt the franchise. So the first 2 Home Alone films were just an origin story....damn.
"This is it, no turning back" - Kevin McCallister.
Underrated film, wasn't a fan of the ending but hey at least the sequel fixed that cause I like the character of Arkin. And yeah the sequel isnt the greatest but worth a watch.
You know... not once did that come to mind, but I’m now treating this as canon
@@RyanHollinger That should have been the twist.
Apparently John Hughes wanted to do a Home Alone horror film with an older Kevin who'd gone insane and started killing people with traps after his tortures of Harry and Marv gave him a taste for blood. His family would have probably been the first to go because they were assholes.
@@RyanHollinger there’s also a fan “theory” that Kevin goes on to become John Kramer from Saw. It continues the theory that mr McAllister is a mafia bigwig and Kevin is taken away a year or two after home alone 2 and put in foster/witness protection (so name change) but all the trauma screwed him up.
It would also make sense why he was an orphan
Honestly, in that scene where Arkin digs the fish hook out of his eye, if Ryan had placed his own censor face over it I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
Arkin is one of my favorite horror movie protagonists. He's smart, clever and becomes a badass.
That's the best kind. The number one reason why I dislike horror movies is because the characters are almost always STUPID. Like unbelievably stupid and it takes me out of it. These idiots deserve to die... but the handful of horror movies that show intelligent people who make good decisions and still get outmatched by the killer are spectacular.
My favourite of these is the original Terminator.
When I see the collector in the dark, my brain doesn’t connect that his eyes are featureless discs, I just see there reflection off the black and my brain is like “oh, he has big, shiny OwO eyes”
I thought he actually had anime eyes for the first like 5 minutes
I love the Dead Meat reference
When do we get the Horror Channel Cinematic Universe?
Dead Meat: Iron Man
Foundflix: Capt America
Ryan Hollinger: Hawkeye
CZWorld: Hulk
I don’t know any female horror channel hosts for black widow
@@dragonkyng either spookyastronauts or possessed by horror!
@@dragonkyng Chelsea Rebecca from Dead Meat would totally rock Black Widow. She doesn't pop up in the Kill Counts, but she's always there for the podcasts and stuff. I also vote GoodBadFlicks for Thor.
@@dragonkyng don't forget spookyrice he's brave enough to do the movies that NO ONE else will talk about
@@zero_foxpants I was going for direct hosts, but I forgot she hosts the Dead Meat podcast.
Also Cecil from GoodBadFlicks is Nick Fury.
“But if you get hooked on the atmosphere...”
*Show’s main character trying to avoid a bunch of hanging hooks*
I see what you did there. Well played...
This is one of those films I saw in the cinema with a great audience so will always remember it fondly. Everyone screaming and cheering at the right moments. It was awesome. Love this movie.
Can I just say I never ever noticed Ryan's "However" until the comments pointed it out, I can't be the only one, maybe it's worth noting I am from Belfast so that might be a factor
We say it correctly, it’s just our thick accents
Yep sounds normal to me too lol
I liked the sequel because I liked how it showed Arkin as especially clever. It was obviously an Aliens to the original Alien. But that’s fun on its own
Plus he looks like a young Liam Neeson, which is badass in its own way
Oh my gosh.... and the third film takes place in a prison......
@@celestedivinity2178 yep. A survivor of a harrowing experience barely makes it through based on their own cunning. Then in the sequel is immediately thrown back in to a situation with their own attacker flanked by a bunch of professionals sent to hunt on a rescue mission. Survivor pulls some through with help to find out more about the stalker after mostly casualties and finds a purpose to keep fighting.
Is that describing first two Alien or Collector films
I found this movie years ago while looking for something to watch and I thought I’d give it a chance and I remember being super invested and loving it a lot. I recently rewatched it and I still think it’s a good movie, but I was also like ‘why was I so blown away by this when I first watched it?’. Guess I’ve seen too many horror movies in the meantime I’ve become like ‘eh I’ve seen better’.
This. I saw it in theaters and it holds that special place in my memory but in the moment when I rewatch it, it doesn't line up with my nostalgia nearly as much
"Ambiguity is king; especially when it comes to killers or creatures that make you question them in any sort of existential way."
This needs to be printed at the top of every horror writer's first page on their screenplay, novel, manuscript, etc. This is what made 'It Follows' so effective for me. They never explain what "it" is, where it came from, why it's passed through sex, why it takes different forms, etc. It just was. This is also why Michael Myers stopped being scary in the sequels (save for the 2018 sequel) with all that Cult of Thorn nonsense.
I sometimes wonder if the Terminator would have been better if they never showed the future scenes. If it remained a little more ambiguous about whether the Terminator really was a robot until the end.
josh stewart is such an under rated actor. he’s great in almost everything he is in and in this one he carries it with his morals clashing
9:08 Yeah with the bug eyes and his obsession with them he's like some insectoid thing with a human form.
this is the only horror movie that left me terrified for days. i could never put a finger on why.
"...but, if you get hooked on the atmosphere..."
*Shows scene of the protagonist picking a fish hook out of his eyelid.*
I see what you did there.
The only good thing about the sequel is that Arkin lived and got the collector in the end. I don't want another movie I want him to have his bloody revenge and for the curtain to close on his finally being the one in control.
"Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil" would be one I'd like to see you do, Ryan. Saw it on Netflix a few years ago and thought the premise was actually very interesting.
I watched it expecting absolutely nothing from it, and found myself loving it. I clicked on it only because I wanted to watch a film in the Basque language, and thought it would be some Z-Grade ghost story. What I got was more like something by Del Toro, or the Jim Henson Creature Workshop.
@@henryglennon3864
You’re absolutely right, brother! Very, very surprised. And what an interesting concept.
17:05 James actually said that the director said how many people died in the club on Twitter so he will count it eventually
Yay!
The collector sequel beginning is awesome
I’m surprised that he was able to set that up
You know what...since I've watched them so often...it was the Collector who created the rave... which is why he was able to set it up. Please don't let me continue to nerd out on this bc...😳
@@TheAudraReins Mustve taken him months if not longer. Scouting location, thinking up traps, where to put them, predicting where victims would try to flee to. The crushing trap was genius
I always assumed he owned that place. Like it was pretending to be a pop up club.
I'm just trying to imagine the people he contracted to build all that stuff, setting up a combine harvester above a nightclub dancefloor and thinking "Yeah, this seems fine."
@@asskicker4000 Possibly but i think that would make it way too easy to find out who he is after the club massacre
"Overexplaining the monster/horror" is often the downfall of many horror stories. I think the worst example I remember is The Silence from Doctor Who, once they explain what they are, they lose all of their horror effect.
oh look another problem with Moffat's time running the show. wouldja lookit that
Idk I actually don’t mind that much that they did that. In this case if anything, that’s just making The Collector a much more interesting character imo.
@@HadalStreetlights Better than Chibnall
Dennis is The Collector confirmed
I was thinking the exact same thing!
you haven't thought of the smell!!
So I accidentally saw The Collection in theaters first (my friends and I had no clue it was a sequel) and were so confused by it starting off with Arken getting out and the insane bloodbath. Because of that I kind of loved how ridiculous and campy it was, I also adored Arken and find him incredibly compelling. Then when I went back to The Collector I loved it even more and the ending, knowing he’d end up in the box, chilled me. I totally agree The Collector is much better, but, probably because I watched it incorrectly, I really enjoy both! They’re just good times. Arken is such a great lead we don’t get likable horror leads nowadays so I just loved them.
17:30 The Collector probably rented or bought the nightclub for the massacre since he has the cash for it. Not to mention that he would have enough time to set it up because he would have an unlimited time until he opened the club up.
So how come he didn't get pinched for killing people there
@@Marcopolo-hg6zb false name, cash payment, maybe he killed the original owner and took the keys? Or maybe he worked/managed the crew to set everything up and would just sneak in after a days work to set up the traps? There’s explanations (if u wanna do the mental gymnastics as I have to make sense of it) but he definitely needed a lot time to plan it and considering that in the first movie how fast he set up all those traps in a huge house within several hours, it’s possible he could’ve done the traps in the club within a week. Who knows really
@@Marcopolo-hg6zb Plus it was an underground, illegal password only type party in a building that looked like an abandoned warehouse until you give the doorman a password. The police would have had a pretty difficult time finding it, assuming they were even called at the start of the massacre and didn't find out after the fact.
Josh Stewart is an amazing actor, he deserves a lot more success.
I remember watching this years ago. I really enjoyed it then and still do now. I think because of how Arkin is such a relatable character, like what would you do in that crazy scenario try to help the family or gtfo. And how he has a brain unlike most main characters in horror movies. How he controls his breathing, or waits for the killer to make his move then play around him. It's smaller details but it makes Arkin more unique and believable. Great review of the Collector and Collection Ryan.
I love the first collector so much in the way I love the first strangers movie. The utter “because you were home” aspect. The absolute perversion of what should be your safest/most comfortable place. Doesn’t matter if you’re a good or bad person, what you’ve been through, etc. All that matters is You're there and they wanna play. Fantastic video like always dude ❤️
Legit these two films kinda feel like a sped up version of how the Saw franchise went. Starts off with a well written villain and subtle horror topped with gore that only accentuates scenes and isn't the focus, then in the later sequel(s) the villain makes less sense despite having more information, and gore is the focus over plot etc., shame that :p
Possibly one of my favourite horror franchises. Its so simple yet so good, Really hoping the third film keeps that trend.
I come for the spooky. I stay for the "hoyevers".
The comments: "He said 'however'! Hoyever! Hoyever!"
Me: "...I miss when he said 'So let's talk about it' at the beginning of each episode."
This video will make a fine addition to my COLLECTION, thanks Horror Daddy!
You made Raycons sound like a halloween chocolates commerical at first 😂😂😂
I love love love these. Tbh, I usually watch both of them at least once a week. I've literally been waiting for you to cover them. 🖤🖤🖤
I can't watch horror movies, but I can definitely binge Ryan's analyses of them. Thanks, Ryan!
Aah. I remember this from my Saw fanboy years. Good stuff!
You are seriously one of my favorite people on CZcams and you've been on fire lately with these analysis, keep up the great work man!
I always loved The Collector, such a surreal and stylish movie with a lot of self aware attitude and what might be my favorite slasher villain ever.
I tapped out of The Collection shortly after the nightclub scene thinking man, they fucked up FAST, sad to see the rest of the movie isn't much better.
Hopefully The Collected recaptures what made that first movie and even elements of the second so great.
I actually felt sorry for the family in the original and wanted Arkin to save them which I think he tried to do not only because their daughter reminded her of his and because he felt guilty about planning to rob them even though he was only doing that so the loan shark wouldn't hurt or kill his wife and daughter. But the team he leads into The Collector's hideout in The Collection were generic and I didn't care when any of them died.
The Collector was one of the first horror movies I genuinely loved as a child. When I was a kid I would generally avoid horror movies, but when I saw this, I remember being obsessed with it. It was so freaking good.
Still won’t hire an exterminator At my house.
After Breaking Bad, I never will
These films are so underrated. Simple story, solid performances and perfect hangover film.
Calling out James like that now means he HAS to do it
An obscure, and unrecognized film is "Stephen Kings: The Night Flier" would love to see a video on it, man.
aw man im glad i saw this comment. Night Flier slaps and is a strange window into a world where vampires are very unsexy
I’m going to start spam posting this comment on all of his videos just so he makes a video about it lol.
The first half before the spoilers - you made the protagonist seem so compelling. Every scene he was in, his acting was compelling too. He looked like he was harrowed by regrets and experiencing some sincere conflict and discomfort at being back into his burglar mode. Really cool. Plus the collector being gormless glowy eye stare is very scary!
Ryan gave us a great "COLLECTION" of films on a weekday? On my birthday none the less! Thanks Ryan :)
James talking about Ryan in the Lake Mungo Podcast and Ryan talking about James here, the horror youtube circle is complete !
I'm still traumatized by what happened to the cat in the first movie.
I really appreciate how you manage to put out high quality content at such a fast rate.
that opening though
"My name is not important. Hoyever, what is important is today's sponsor"
I always thought the Collector was setting them up as Arken went through the house, that he missed on or two by luck and then when he went to leave they were all up.
Whenever someone brought up The Collector I immediately think of The Simpsons Comic Book Guy.
I saw The Collection in theatres purely because it came out on my birthday and I liked the first one. I didn't think it was that bad. More action oriented, more grindhouse-y. It was solid as far as ending a series that could've exhausted itself like Wrong Turn.
Ok Ryan, could you stop making my day?!?!? Much appreciated 🙏
@@maurabewsmedia1688 I'm dowm for this hahaha
czcams.com/video/pDcNDVgss24/video.html
I appreciate your insight and dedication, Mr. Hollinger.
The best part of The Collection is the ending.
I wonder where the next movie will start from.
Cheers!
The closest I'll ever get to my "Jigsaw vs Ant-Man" screenplay seeing the light of day.
Loved this video! Felt like I was totally alone in thinking this weird ass movie actually has a lot of strengths.
I think when the sequel was written, they totally missed the symbolism behind him being an exterminator that collects bugs! he is like the personification of the animal impulse to own, control, and destroy the things you love or desire. That's literally all the motive he needs and the audience should know about, in my opinion.
having his collection be a mad scientist lab instead of being similar to how one keeps a bug collection was a really weird misstep.
Hooked. As though you’re in a room filled with hanging fish hooks
Its a shame The Collected (third film) will likely never see the light of day as (according to Marcus Dunstan) the producers shot down production when COVID happened and then the props and set pieces were stolen with the producers essentially ghosting the remaining cast and crew about it. That said I don’t mind the origin story so much as the retcon of the urgency of Arkin’s escape. They go from him having until midnight or else harm comes to his family and then suddenly its way after and they’re just fine. The Collection could’ve opened with him narrowly escaping the Collector’s van and making it back with the diamond before the deadline but instead its just a plot line that falls by the wayside to make room for the night club set piece that reintroduces Arkin.
"a kill count so staggeringly high it's no surprise why James A. Janisse hasn't covered it yet"
that's why Zoran is covering it instead of him ;)
"If you get hooked on the atmosphere" he says while the clip shows a fishhook going into dude's eye.
Now THAT is good writing, Ryan. Kudos.
Didn't even get a notification yet, I just felt a tremor in my horror senses.
Ryan letting his frustration get the better of himself and shouting whenever he thinks something is dumb is something that can actually be so personal,
Seriously though Ryan yelling about something being "FUCKING RIDICULOUS" is my favorite part of any video, it sparks so much joy for me 😂
Now that you are streaming on twitch have you ever though about discussing horror in media outside of live film such as literature, or animated film
Ambiguity is part of the reason why i love The Strangers. You dont know who that crazy family is. And when asked why they were attacking the couple the only answer was a simple “because you were home”. That line gave me goosebumps the first time i heard it.
The Collector is just Will LaMontagne trying to one-up JJ’s serial killer hunting skills smh
Finally! I was searching the comments for someone to point out the Criminal Minds connection xD Thank you!
I actually like the second one especially the ending where He gets his end fight with the collector :D
YES THE COLLECTOR ! It's my favorite horror movie... Not the greatest but I love it so much.
*FEAST* (2005) is such an underrated horror movie and should be reviewed next
So good
Ryan changing how he says "however" is like a mission impossible movie when they take off that mask. IDK who you are anymore bro
The brilliance of the first movie’s violence is that it takes place in the house of what the main character see’s as his ideal future. Almost like the collector is his dark shadow that won’t let him feel safe or comfortable in his new life. Also the traps set in the house are much more intimate and feel cobbled together with what you can find in a home....for the most part. It also starts more relatable with smaller injuries that a lot of people can relate to like getting snagged on by a fishing hook or get cut/punctured by a nail. This makes us relate to the pain and suffering even more so when the stakes get higher we are still with characters. Also I dig the sequel as a kind of action comedy that’s so out of place that I can’t help but enjoy it. It’s like The Texas Chainsaw massacre part II.
I have a theory that it isn’t the same “Collector” and that they’re two different people wearing the same suit. Only believe this because in the first film he’s bald, whereas in the sequel he has a full set of hair (and I believe the two films only take place months apart if I remember correctly)
Hair can grow within a few months. I've shaved my head bald back in late October of 2019 and my hair was growing back pretty quick by Christmas.
they‘re two different actors
Decent theory except Arkin was collected by the collector and I’m sure he would’ve noticed there was at least another one running around. However, it could be pulled off if written well. But I’m gonna doubt it myself.
This is very important and I must let people know; the harsh noise song playing during the opening credits is not labeled correctly on IMDb or the movie. The track is W.A.S.T.E.’s Shut Up And Bleed (Dismembered Remix by combichrist). It’s just that I really like W.A.S.T.E.’s works and I want other people to be able to know about them.
Wouldn't mind seeing your thoughts on terrifier.
In regards to the collector, I enjoyed both films initially but when I watched the second one again it did feel a bit eh. It's not as tight or as suspenseful which maybe is part of the point. But still enjoyed it. But yeah I agree with you on the mystery around the collector and that gets blown away in the sequel.
imo the best movies that did the "giving more questions than answers" trope is Alien and Aliens. In the first movie, we as the audience questioned "Where did the Xenomorph came from ? What laid these eggs ?" and in the sequel they answered these 2 questions but left us with more questions like "Where did the Queen came from ? What is the ship from the first movie ? How did the eggs got in LV 426 ? Is the alien pilot from the first movie a different species ? What are the Xenomorphs and who created them ?"
The only really good part of The Collection is when Arkin beats up The Collector after everything he's done and all the people he's killed throughout both films. The Collected will probably start with him being tortured by Arkin before managing to escape and start a new killing spree. And yeah the "His dad went mad after being exposed to chemicals, killed all his family except the young Collector and that drove him insane" explanation was bad.
I can always guess when you’re gonna say “ However “ lol I love it
I was expecting a totally generic slasher when I first watched these movies but found myself very surprised at how compitent the protagonist was compared to how stupid so many horror movie characters are and how much more intense that made the film.
Its not scary to see people get killed because theyre idiots, Im not an idiot and wouldnt make the same choices that get most people killed in horror movies. So when I saw the hero of this movie make smart decisions that I would never have thought of and still had to go through everything he did that struck me like no other horror has.
I love the theory that Kevin took the Serial Killer path after his encounter with the wet Bandits
I politely disagree with Ryan Hollinger here. I see where he's coming from, the two movies are very different from one another and the sequel is pretty dumb compared to the first film, but I really like how in the sequel the Collector became almost like a Batman villain. Like a mix between the Punisher and Professor Pyg. It's just fun for me.
The Collector's "look" is so simple yet SO effective. What looks like a melted lucha mask made out of a catcher's mitt is so effectively creepy. And the rest of his outfit, black B&E clothes, coupled with the height and weight, along with him never talking and at-times-unnatural mannerisms, it all just works. Best of all, those creepy contacts (or CGI?) that make his eyes glow unnaturally.