It's time. Oh, yes. It's that glorious time of the year once again. Football has kicked off, that colder fall air has made its way here and the Halloween candy is in full stock so it's time for a new round of horror flicks and anything that oozes the Halloween season and this season should be interesting with the new 4K releases and theatrical screenings.
My previous entries as usual:
2017:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...2&postcount=16
2018:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...06&postcount=5
2019:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...3&postcount=20
2020:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...8&postcount=44
2021:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...28&postcount=8
So, without further adieu...
9/2:
Orphan: First Kill (2022) *Theatrical viewing*
This is pure, unadulterated campy horror goodness from start to finish, through and through that goes off the rails and never looks back.
Definitely worth checking out for a fun time.
9/3:
DRIVE-IN/EXPLOITATION SATURDAYS - SPECIAL EDITION
Feature Presentation:
The Blob (1958) *Theatrical viewing*
This one's a special edition because I went to see this in an actual theater, which was a cool experience. It's still simplistic campy, B-movie fun and a solid flick overall.
9/10:
DRIVE-IN/EXPLOITATION SATURDAYS
Feature Presentation:
Devil's Nightmare (1971) *First time viewing*
The gothic atmosphere is off the charts aided by an awesome score but Erika Blanc basically steals the movie the very second she's on screen playing the evil seductress to perfection but despite all of that, the movie never came together as well as it should with bland, uninteresting characters along with no real tension, surprises or suspense to where it just drags and is just predictable with parts that just feel unnecessary.
The movie is decent enough overall but mainly worth watching for the heavy gothic style, the music and for Erika Blanc.
9/20:
Spookies (1986) *First time viewing*
A total dumpster fire of a movie from the horrible acting to its utter incoherency but it's an entertainingly bad movie that goes off the rails fast with some impressive but cheesy creature effects.
9/25:
DRIVE-IN/EXPLOITATION SATURDAYS
Feature Presentation:
The Devil's Rain (1975)
*First time viewing*
This movie was a total mess and a wasted opportunity for B-movie awesomeness. In what should've been a simple story, it's unnecessarily convoluted and a lot of the film feels it's padding the runtime, the atmosphere feels out of place and it's quite jarring but there's some bright spots here and there like the scenery chewing performances from Ernest Borgnine and William Shatner and some weird and trippy sights and sounds.
9/24:
The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) *First time viewing*
Given its notorious dumpster fire of a film production, it's a surprisingly watchable time killer but not in the way it was intended. While failing as a cautionary tale as the story is uneven and all over the place, it unintentionally succeeds in some way as a B-level creature feature action flick. Marlon Brando's eccentric performance is actually one of the movie's bright spots plus Temeura Harrison looked like he was having fun as one of the creatures.
The creature make-up was really good and there's some good action in the halfway point, where it seems to let loose. While the production and the film itself were a mess, it's at least, an enjoyable mess.
John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness (1987)
A true hidden gem and John Carpenter's most underrated film. High concept horror that's heavy on the atmosphere and mood plus it's very suspenseful and really tense where it legitimately gives you the chills and Carpenter does an excellent job building it up.
9/27:
Prophecy (1979)
John Frankenheimer's big budget attempt at the "nature strikes back" genre and like the other Frankenheimer directed film, The Island of Dr. Moreau, it's an entertaining mess. It tries to be a monster movie with an social and environmental message but it takes itsel f too seriously and gets too heavy handed in its messaging but it does succeed as a cheesy creature feature in the vein of similar films like Grizzly or Day of the Animals and that's where fun begins. It's an attempt at A-level horror but turned into B-level schlock and it's worth seeing for the latter.
9/30:
The First Power (1990) *First time viewing*
It feels like a standard cop movie/supernatural serial killer movie but there's a lot of cool scenes, stunt work, some gritty atmosphere and an intense performance from Lou Diamond Phillips plus Jeff Kober made for an very intimidating villain but I didn't think its full potential was utilized and didn't quite stick the landing. Not bad but could've been way better.
10/1:
DRIVE-IN/EXPLOITATION SATURDAYS
Annual staple double feature:
Madman (1982)
Don't Go In The Woods (1981)
10/2:
Child's Play (1988) *New to 4K UHD Blu-ray*
*Halloween staple*
The Video Dead (1987)
10/3:
Witchtrap (1989)
I really enjoyed this one. This has some cool effects, spots of action and lots of fast and funny dialogue, much of it the movie's best actor, James W. Quinn and possibly the best character in the film. It is a cheesy horror flick but it's a fun and very entertaining one.
10/4:
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) *Theatrical viewing*
10/5:
*Halloween staple*
Stage Fright (1987)
10/6:
*Halloween staple*
Hey Arnold!: Season 2, Episode 7 "Arnold's Halloween"
10/7:
Demented (1980) *First time viewing*
An awful I Spit On Your Grave clone. It could've been something but thanks to some horrible acting especially from the lead actress who is utterly obnoxious. Harry Reems seemed to be the only one that pulled in good performance here. There's also a lack of development, build-up and pacing that moves slower than molasses you can tack on to this heap and even when you get to the third act, it's not even worth it.
10/8:
DRIVE-IN/EXPLOITATION SATURDAYS
Double Feature Presentation
*Halloween staple*
Curtains (1983)
Zombie Island Massacre (1984)
It's a mess of a movie as it never really sticks to a tone plus it lacks any real suspense or tension for a horror film in general despite how it was initially marketed but it's actually charming enough and has a few spots of potential that make the film enjoyable.
10/9:
Scream (1981)
This one's kind of a mixed bag for me. The film moves at snail's pace, the plot is utterly confusing and the characters range from average to outright annoying but did like the score and there was some legit moments of creating some atmosphere. The potential was there but it wasn't realized here but there's some early 80s slasher charm that made it interesting enough not to be a total bore.
10/10:
*Theatrical viewing*
*Halloween staple*
Halloween (1978)
10/11:
Halloween (2018)
Despite some minor flaws here and there, it still holds up the superior and worthy sequel to the original.
Halloween Kills (2021)
This still feels like a bridge film but it's still very entertaining and has to be the most brutally hardcore entry of the series. This is Michael Myers unleashed and I liked the utter chaotic and mob vigilante aspect while this too had its fair share of flaws (The "Evil Dies Tonight" catchphrase got old after the 100th time it was said.) but it didn't derail the movie as a whole.
10/12:
The Lost Boys (1987) *Theatrical viewing*
I've seen bits and pieces of this on cable but now I got to see this in its entirety and it is pure unadulterated awesomeness and seeing this on the big screen made it all that more awesome.
Very entertaining vampire flick from start to finish with a cool punk rock style, rocking soundtrack, intense horror action and sprinkles of humor that gives some major laughs. The anamorphic cinematography and atmosphere were incredible and it's so well casted too all around from Kiefer Sutherland's cool and menacing punk rocker vampire to the two Coreys and Barnard Hughes' comedic performances.
This is one of the most stylish and one of the best vampire flicks I've ever seen.
10/13:
Pearl (2022) *Theatrical viewing*
This prequel to Ti West's X is every bit as good as that film that plays like a disturbed Technicolor flick from the 40's and 50's and a lot of it is thanks to Mia Goth's next level performance to where they should just give he the Best Actress Academy Award right now. Ti West so far has managed to give different styles to each film thus far and I cannot wait to see what he what he does with the concluding chapter, Maxxxine and has the potential to be one of the great horror film trilogies.
10/14:
Halloween Ends (2022) *Theatrical viewing*
This one is highly divisive but I liked it a lot. I could tell that this one will be much different and the clues were there from the start but didn't notice it right away. It goes deeper into the effects that Michael Myers had on Haddonfield as a whole, the recovery process of the Strodes and the side effects that manifest more terror. This one's more of a slower burn than the first two entries and the darkest as well but doesn't skimp on the horror and does deliver on its promise serving as a fitting conclusion to this trilogy. Like Halloween III and Friday the 13th Part V, this took a major risk and I can give it credit for trying something different and in my eyes, it succeeded.
10/15:
The Legend of Hell House (1973)
10/16:
HORROR ICONS
After Halloween Ends, I'm checking out some of other horror icons and with the potential.
*Halloween staples*
Saw (2006)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Terrifier (2016) *First time viewing*
This one's pretty decent. It has it's fair share of shortcomings, some cheesiness but it still manages to be a brutal and nasty low budget slasher flick with some impressive gore effects that goes all out but the real driving force of this film is its villain, Art the Clown. He brings some genuine tension, menace and chills in this. He has the potential to be a new horror icon.
10/17:
*Halloween staple*
Garfield's Halloween Adventure (1985)
10/18:
*Two Halloween staples*
My Bloody Valentine (1981) -
Uncut version
The Boogens (1981)
10/19:
*Halloween staple*
Terror Train (1980)
10/20:
Rusty & Buttons in Which Witch is Which (1984) *First time viewing*
It's cute but it just feels more mediocre but watchable enough.
10/21:
Annual Friday the 13th double feature
Friday the 13th (1980)
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
plus another annual staple
Shock Waves (1977)
10/22:
The Blob (1988) *Revisit*
While I prefer the original 1958 film, this remake does work on its own merits and it's really entertaining. While the characters didn't feel all that endearing and it all felt cliched, it has some very impressively awesome though spotty special effects and is loaded with a lot of suspense and intense action scenes.
10/23:
ANNUAL ROB ZOMBIE/FIREFLY TRIPLE FEATURE
House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
The Devil's Rejects (2005)
3 From Hell (2019)
10/24:
UNIVERSAL MONSTER NIGHT
*All new to 4K UltraHD*
Frankenstein (1931)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The Wolf Man (1941)
10/25:
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) *First time viewing*
I was impressed by this one. Another example of a remake done right. It succeeds on its own merits and feels like a totally different film. The tension and suspense slowly starts from the start and moves and builds as it goes along where you can feel the distrust, paranoia and fear through the screen and the film's score and noir style atmosphere adds to that feeling. It's not fair to compare this to the original because both work and succeed in their own way and honestly both films are great.
Totally ranks among the all time best remakes and an awesome sci-fi/horror film in general.
10/26:
Session 9 (2001) *First time viewing*
This one flew under the radar from me and I'm glad to give it a go after many glowing recommendations. A small yet highly effective psychological horror film that delivers a lot of slow building tension and suspense with a lot of it due to the character development, heavy atmosphere and strong performances across the board and this is where shooting on digital video, which was popular around this time adds to the overall look and feel to the story.
Another hidden gem for sure.
10/27:
*Two Halloween staples both new to 4K UltraHD*
The Funhouse (1981)
John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)
10/28:
*Halloween staples*
The Phantom of the Opera (1989)
The Evil Dead (1981)
10/29:
Night of the Demons (1988)
10/30:
*Two Halloween staples*
Night of the Living Dead (1968) *New to 4K UltraHD*
Dawn of the Dead 3D (1978/2013) *Theatrical viewing*
Still a great film and glad I got the chance to see it on the big screen. The 3D conversion was good. It wasn't as depthy as I thought it would be but it was quite solid. Some added effects did made up it and was pretty cool.
10/31:
The Munsters (2022) *First time viewing*
This is not as bad as many have said about it. It's actually a fun movie. Rob Zombie does a solid job mixing the macabre and comedy and a lot of it got laughs out of me and the colorful and insane aesthetic didn't bother me and honestly, it felt like a psychedelic trip and I liked it. The cast also did a solid job all around with Daniel Roebuck and Richard Break being standouts. While it's slightly a couple of minutes too long, it's still worth checking out.
Hell Fest (2018)
Halloween (2007) *Revisit*
After watching The Munsters, I decided to revisit Rob Zombie's take on the original and for me, it's still holds up. I know this doesn't have many fans, but I did like it. His take feels like a different approach to Michael Myers and it does work plus it has a more vicious, gritty and bloody streak to it as well. It's not a perfect film as there's some fair share of iffy dialogue but I didn't think it was outright awful and I cannot compare it to John Carpenter's original because this is its own entity and I enjoyed it for what it was.
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31 Days of Halloween Movies (2022) - Horror Fans Unite!!!!!!
September 
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane 
Theatre Macabre; S1, E1-4 
October 
The Girl with All the Gifts 
Challenge the Devil 
The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism 
The Babadook 
Count Dracula 
Linear Mode
