NOT a good movie to wake up to

Rating: 7/10 (11 January 2007)

Though I have not seen the original 1977 film, I cannot help but agree with some of the positive comments about this film, especially those regarding the engrossing use of character development and violence to captivate the viewer. Rather than rehash what has already been said, I would like to share my personal experience with this film with you.
I began watching this film at midnight on cable. At one point, I fell asleep due to personal exhaustion. Not too long later, I awoke to my television blaring the screams and shrieks of the victims in the film. I woke up at what is clearly the most vile, raunchy, and disturbing point of the film. I am a 27 year old male. I love to show gory movies to my girlfriend and friends and creep up on them when they're not suspecting it. Still, I was completely taken aback, appalled, slightly sickened, and disturbed by what I awoke to. Clearly unable to fall back asleep, I HAD to keep watching to see the film's resolution (if any).
This is the power inherent in good film making; to reel the viewer in with character development and then manipulate the viewer's emotions by doing wretched things to those characters.
This is by no means the greatest or scariest horror film, but I found it to be far more enthralling and captivating than any recent teen slasher or pseudo-scary Ring-type movie.
I haven't had this much fun being appalled in years!