MONSTERFEST 2024
Blue = blu-ray, * = first viewing
September Warm-upThe list so far:
[Show spoiler]
TV EPISODES
ROUTE 66: LIZARD'S LEG & OWLET'S WING (1962) 1/2 This Halloween episode itself isn't great, but it guest stars Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr, and Peter Lorre. Chaney appears as the Hunchback (his dad's old role), the Mummy, and the Wolf Man. Karloff dons his Frankenstein monster make-up one last time. The story is nothing, but it's worth it to see these guys in something close to the make-ups that made them famous. Nostalgic fun. Cool blu-ray, with vintage horror commercials, a clip of Vampira, an episode of Suspense with Bela Lugosi, and two episodes of the Karlff show, The Veil. TWILIGHT ZONE: JESS-BELLE (1962) One of the best of the 1 hour episodes - a tale of witchcraft and a Were-cat. Great script by Earl Hamner, with a strong folk-tale favor. Really good. TWILIGHT ZONE: NIGHTMARE AT 20,000 FEET (1963) What a great Twilight Zone episode. A true TV-horror landmark. Shatner is GREAT in this. According to their titles, this flies 17,000 feet lower than the similarly titled movie above, but don't believe it. This soars miles above the competition. A stone-cold TZ classic, and a really fun capper to our Shatner-On-A-Plane double feature (with the TV movie The Horror At 37,000 Feet.) KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER - THE ZOMBIE The Zombie is one of the creepiest episodes of this series. In this one, Carl is investigating a crime involving voodoo and the reanimation of the dead. The climax, with our intrepid reporter desperately trying to fill the dead man's mouth and salt and sew it closed before it revives is pretty hair-raising. Fun to see this again. I think my wife and I will try to work the entire 1-season series into this year's Monsterfest.
MOVIES
THE SPELL (1977) 1/2 1970's TV movies appeal mainly to those of us that grew up with them. They have limitations on budget, FX, and gore, but to this former 70s kid they're cheesy fun. This one gets dismissed as a Carrie knock-off (though it was actually written before Carrie) but other than a few surface similarities they're not that much alike. The subject is witchcraft, not telekinesis, and the final revelation is far from Carrie's storyline. Over-all rather good for what it is. Well-acted with some effective moments and a fun surprise ending. WARNING: the Scream-Factory blu-ray only contains the extended version. Unfortunately, the additional scenes were obviously not part of the original movie. They add nothing, they're spliced crudely into the film, and the tagged on ending spoils the very satisfying original conclusion, and lowers my rating by 1/2 skull. I wish the added footage wasn't there, or was a bonus to the original film. *HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM (1959) 1/2 First time viewing this early slasher/gore flick. Not exactly good, but very entertaining! Michael Gough hams it up nicely, and if there are no surprises, there are plenty of smiles at this once-shocking film. Best remembered for those horrible loaded binoculars! LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL[/B] (streaming) (2023) 1/2 Really clever, and very well-done! The recreation of the 70s TV show is totally convincing. It loses me a bit at the ending when the faux-documentary approach is suddenly abandoned. It turns quite dark and, IMO, a bit less fun. Still there's much to like here, and I loved it until the ending. *AFRAID (2024) (Theatrical) This is getting absolutely TERRIBLE reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but my wife and I really enjoyed it. It's a bit silly in parts, but always engrossing, and very well-acted with convincing family relationships. It has a wonderful sense of paranoia, and it doesn't over-stay its welcome. Instead of endless climaxes, it comes to a swift, satisfying, and unsettling conclusion ...and stops. Bravo! Obviously I'm alone on this one, but I found it far more enjoyable than most theatrical horrors I have seen this year. I'm sure I'll add it to the collection when it comes out. *MOON OF THE WOLF (Streaming) 1972 Another of those 70s TV horrors, this time set in the Louisiana bayou and starring David Janssen as a southern sheriff. We had never seen it before, but despite a cool setting, decent story and good acting, it was just too tame. There's more investigation footage than werewolf action, and when the climax did come, it was undercut by weak werewolf make-up. It was fun for our September warm-up, but I doubt we'd watch it again. *THE PSYCHIC (1977) 1/2 First time viewing, and a pretty good film. It's one of those Italian productions where everyone is ridiculously overdressed and badly dubbed. The plot gets a bit murky in spots, but over-all this is quite enjoyable. Very suspenseful as different parts of our heroine's vision come to pass. Well worth watching! THE MUMMY (1932) One of the Founding Fathers of Fear. Moves a bit slower than some, but it's so well shot and edited. Basically an Egyptian-themed re-write of Dracula, with Van Sloan and Manners back in their Van Helsing/Harker roles, the Nubian servant for Renfield, Zita Johann in the Mina role and under the control of the monster. and an amulet replacing the cross. Probably not quite as strong as Frankenstein, but wonderful and still deserving of 5 skulls. DEAD CALM (1988) An impossibly young Nicole Kidman stuck at sea with bonkers Billy Zane, while Sam Neill fights to escape a watery would-be grave. Really quite a good thriller (after a completely unnecessary opening with the death of a child.) Good performances all around. The final moments lapse into been-there-done-that killer clichés, but it's so much fun getting there that it doesn't matter. A minor classic. DEMENTIA 13 (Director's Cut) (1963) I doubt anyone would call this a great film, but Francis Ford Coppola's directorial debut is certainly interesting. This print removes the silly "Dementia 13 test" prologue, and an additional murder added by another director at Roger Corman's insistence to pad the running time. While the story is a bit muddled, it's plain to see the potential of young Coppola. Some great shots and cool scenes. A fun, worthwhile curio. Wonderful print too! *SPEAK NO EVIL (2022) (On Shudder) I hated this film. We watched it in preparation for the remake opening this week, but now I doubt I'll even see it. The premise is fine (though the bombastic score screams "HORROR MOVIE!" before anything sinister even happens.) The behavior of our protagonists gets dumber as it goes, however the film doesn't really derail until the scenes at the end. At that point I was done with it. Why was this made? Not for the poorly developed characters. Not for the plot, which becomes nonsense half-way through when our heroes begin doing thing that NO ONE would ever do. Not for the back-story - there isn't one! No explanation at all for these people and what they do. That just leaves the pointless - and utterly tasteless - cruelty at the end. If watching suffering is all there is, count me out. This isn't entertainment. BAD RONALD (1974) 1/2 This is another of those fun, fondly remembered 70s TV movies, and one of the better ones! Ronald is an outcast kid who lives alone with his sick mother. He gets in trouble with the law, so mom helps hide him in a secret room in the house. Unfortunately mom dies, and Ronald is still hiding in the walls when a new family moves in. Hilarity ensues. If you grew up with these TV films and understand their limitations, make it 4 skulls - it's quite good for what it is. If you're too young to have been there, or have no patience for vintage cheese, you should probably just move along. A really fun film, and a remarkably good looking blu-ray! SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK (1991) This was a 1991 CBS TV movie, and despite a few cheesy elements (the campy "undead" makeup, occasionally cringy dialogue) it's a favorite of mine. It's an engrossing story, mostly well-acted, and ends on a surprisingly bitter-sweet note. I really enjoyed it!
Only complaint: why is this in the 2:35 aspect ratio? It was filmed and shown at 4:3. An earlier blu-ray offered 2 versions - in 4:3 and 2:35 (or possibly 1:78, which would probably look good.) At 2:35 it's way too tight, with lots of heads cut off at the top and the chin. Annoying! *BURIED ALIVE (1990) 1/2 My wife and I have been on a vintage TV movie kick this month, and this was a fun new discovery! Frank Darabont directed it - it was his very first film - for the USA Network. Tim Matheson gets bumped off (almost!) by his cheating wife, and wakes up to find himself ...wait for it ... Buried Alive. I assumed the movie would be a survival flick about his attempt to escape, but no. He was out fairly quickly and the films heads in a completely unexpected direction. It's becomes a campy, comic book-style story that would have fit in well in Creepshow. The second half may not be very realistic, but it's a lot of fun. Great final scene! A really enjoyable blind buy. Good blu-ray from Kino. TRILOGY OF TERROR (1975) 1/2 This landmark TV horror movie gave school kids the screaming meemies for weeks after it aired. No one who saw it then has every forgotten it. It's made up of three stories, all starring Karen Black, who is quite good throughout. The first story, about date rape(!) is tame, but pretty good with a nice twist at the end. 3.5 skulls. The second, a tale of 2 sisters, is obvious and forgettable and would score a 2 at best. However, it's the final story - about a "Zuni fetish doll" - that this film is remembered for. It starts quietly, but once it gets going it's frantically paced and relentless in it's tale of survival between a woman and the action figure from Hell. Unlike anything ever produced for TV up until that time, and still very effective. A solid 5 skulls. That story alone made this film a must-see. *TRILOGY OF TERROR 2 (1996) I had never seen this sequel before, and never even knew it existed until recently. Producer Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows) is back with 3 more stories, this time all featuring Lysette Anthony ...who proves that she is no Karen Black by ranging from poor to just adequate in her three starring roles.
For me, the first story - a tale of infidelity and grave robbery - is the best. The climax features some very nasty inhabitants of the graveyard, and if they're not exactly realistic looking, they work, and had me squirming in my seat. 4 skulls. The second story, of resurrection from the grave, has the poorest acting of the three and would get a 3 at best. The third was perhaps the biggest disappointment. It's a direct sequel to the original Zuni Fetish Doll story, but it offers nothing new. After an adequate set-up it's basically a remake and even copies the original's suitcase scene note for note. Maybe 3 skulls. A fun film, but other than the first gruesome tale, it's no threat to the original. *SPEAK NO EVIL (2024) 1/2 My wife and I watched the original Danish version a few days ago, and hated it. While the premise was great, the ending was so dark, ugly and pointless that it completely wiped out the fun of the film. After reading that this version ended differently, we gave it a chance. Very different animal! Where the original is more "serious" and dark, this is a popcorn thriller. Unfortunately, like many modern popcorn flicks, it didn't know when to stop and had a silly, over-baked climax, but it was still a good time at the movies. It might not be "art" (though McAvoy is excellent) but it's fun. Many will prefer the more brutal original, but we came out of this one smiling instead of depressed. Mission accomplished. *ANTS (aka IT HAPPENED AT LAKEWOOD MANOR) (1977) 1/2 This is one of those films they always had at Blockbuster (the cover was a close-up of Suzanne Somers' cleavage, covered with ants, remember?) Finally saw it, as part of our Ant Attack double feature. Typical 70s TV eco-horror, and a lot of fun. A quaint lakeside hotel does some reconstruction and unleashes a colony of mutant, poison-injecting ants on the guests. (They're gonna hate their Yelp reviews.) Campy fun, with a lot of effects that were never meant to be seen in high-def. Still, a lot of scenes made me squirm. How did Myrna Loy end up in this, along with all those familiar 70s TV actors? Suzanne Somers is an eyeful! Surprisingly for a Kino release, the picture quality was a bit disappointing - clean, and in a choice of two aspect ratios, but waaay too bright looking. THEM! (1953) All-time 50s Sci-Fi classic. Humorously, the film takes great pains to present all the opening unexplained deaths as a mystery ...despite the movie poster and trailer featuring tons of giant ants carrying screaming people away! Look fast for young Leonard Nimoy in an early role. A terrific, suspenseful film, really well-written and acted, with wonderful footage of mid-50s Los Angeles. Easily the best of the "big bug" movies. *FEAR NO EVIL (1969) This movie was a real surprise! It's early for a TV movie - in fact it was the very first ever NBC "Movie Of The Week". Unlike many TV films from the era, it's not cheesey in the slightest. In fact, it's remarkably serious, and quite good. It's definitely a slow-burn film (and maybe a little talky) but the atmosphere is excellent, the acting is quite good and story is intelligent. It's also subtle - we had to rewatch the ending before we picked up an important detail that expalins the action in the climax. Great performance from Carol O'Conner in a small but important role. This was a blind buy, but it's definitely a film I am looking forward to watching again. COUNT DRACULA (DVD) (1977) Dracula gets the BBC Masterpiece Theatre treatment. A really excellent adaptation! It has it's flaws - it was shot on video tape so the picture quality is poor, and special effects shots consist mainly of garishly colored negative images. But story is everything, and it really shines in that department. It's closer to the book than most versions, and includes many bits that are usually left out. Jordan is used sparingly, but he makes a cold, cruel and intelligent Dracula. Renfield and Van Helsing (Frank Finley) are both excellent. (On the other hand, the English actor playing Quincy has a laugh-out-loud bad "Texas accent.")
It's low-tech and soft looking, but truly chilling and even disturbing in parts. For story and atmosphere, I would rank this among the very best adaptations of Dracula. THE HORROR AT 37,000 FEET (DVD) (1973) 1/2 This is the TV movie where former series stars went to die. William Shatner (Kirk!) Buddy Ebsen (Jed!) Russell Johnson (Professor!) Chuck Connors (The Rifleman!) Roy Thinnes (The Invaders!) and other fading stars are stuck on a plane with an evil Druid whatzit that causes freezing temperatures, oozes green glop and makes the plane stand still in mid-air! Before long the passengers are at each other's throats and arguing about who gets to be tonight's human sacrifice. Only alcoholic, defrocked priest Bill Shatner can save us all! This epic may smell as bad as last weeks fish, but it's so much fun. A one-skull cheese-fest with 5-skull entertainment - I'll call it 3 1/2. A must see! *RITUAL OF EVIL (1970) 1/2 What a difference a year makes! This is the sequel to 1969's Fear No Evil. Both films were pilots to a proposed series called Bedeviled, to star Louis Jordan as a psychiatrist battling the occult. The first film (which we just saw for the first time) is intelligent, subtle and creepy, and it ranks among the best of vintage TV horror films. This sequel is talky, muddled and lackluster. Where the first film slowly built in suspense to a great climax, this one meanders along without ever building to much of anything. Enjoyable enough for one viewing, but a real letdown after the excellent first film. *THE SAVAGE BEES (YouTube) (1976) 1/2 Not bad little 70s TV eco-horror, and not nearly as cheesy as I expected. It turned out to be a decent film with a number of tense scenes, and a memorable climax featuring a bee-covered Volkswagen slowly driving through New Orleans to the Super Dome. Soft and choppy print that may have been missing a few shots, judging by the continuity. We watched it because we have a blu-ray of the sequel, and wanted to see the original film first. *TERROR OUT THE SKY (1977) A "more of the same" sequel with some good moments. It spends way too much time on a "who cares?" romantic triangle, but the bee attacks are good, and the ending was strong, and surpisingly, a little poignant. Still, if Kino was only going to put one of these films on blu-ray, the first film would have been the better choice.
DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW (1981) This TV movie came out during the slasher film craze, and while TV standards kept the gore off screen, it's a surprisingly well done entry in the genre. It's also the first (and probably the best) of the few killer scarecrow movies that have been made over the years. The acting is strong, the mood is eerie and the death scenes, while bloodless, are suspenseful and really well ...executed. (Thank you, I'll be here all week!) This film is a little gem among vintage TV horrors, and the VCI blu-ray is really excellent!
*NEVER LET GO (Theatrical) (2024) 1/2 This film is kind of a mixed bag for me. On the plus side it's atmospheric, original, and very well acted (the two boys are really excellent.) But it couldn't seem to make up it's mind about the reality of what we see. It's not merely ambiguous, it shows things that contradict each other, as though the filmmakers wanted to have it both ways, and for me, that didn't work. My wife liked it more than I did and gave it the extra half-skull, but we both agreed that with a little shaping this could have really been great. Well worth seeing, but a bit of a missed opportunity, too.
FRANKENSTEIN (2004) This is a serious two-part TV adaptation of the original Mary Shelly novel, with a story that's a far cry from the Universal and Hammer versions. A good looking film with a good cast (nice to see Donald Sutherland and William Hurt again) and said to be pretty faithful to the book. It's tragic, poignant and thought-provoking ...but also a bit head-scratching in some parts, like Frankenstein's sudden rejection of his creature. Apparently, so is the novel. One complaint: the monster's look is too tame. He's odd looking at worst, so the horrified reactions of the people that see him are a bit hard to buy.
If you're looking for gruesome horror, move along. But for a look at how the legend began, this is well-worth watching.
Last edited by charlieray1; 09-22-2024 at 04:19 PM.
With the new remake now out in theaters, I decided to stream the original on Shudder before I go see it. The trailer for the new one spoiled most of what happens in this film, but it was still intense from beginning to end. Watching Bjorn and Louise interact with Patrick and Karin always had a constant sense of dread because you never knew what they were going to do. I look forward to seeing the new one and seeing whether they keep the ending.
The Once and Future Smash - This is a mockumentary about a fake (but real because the filmmakers actually made it) 1970 horror movie called End Zone 2 and a rivalry between two actors who played the villain Smash Mouth at a horror convention. This has many inside jokes for horror dorks like myself and I assume many of the people posting here. They really went all out to make this seem real because there are interviews with tons of horror celebrities like Mark Patton, Victor Miller and Jennifer Rubin all talking about this fake movie. Unfortunately it kind of runs out of steam by the last half hour and starts to get too silly, and frankly, kinda stupid. Like a cheap MadTV version of Adult Swim humor or something. Once James Dean's hologram shows up I had pretty much checked out. Still worth checking out, the humor might work better for others.
End Zone 2 - This is the movie the mockumentary is about. Like I said, they went all out and actually made this movie. The filmmakers recommend watching the mockumentary before watching this. This only runs 61 minutes long, the reason is explained in The Once and Future Smash. It's an okay, but honestly pretty unremarkable throwback slasher movie about a deformed football player who blends cheerleaders up into smoothies. It looks mostly like a 70s regional horror movie, but some of that Mad TV Adult Swim humor creeps in a couple times. There's a creepy seance scene that's quite good, but overall it's just okay. Pretty interesting experiment though. Both of these were put up on YouTube by the filmmakers. They're also on Tubi, I believe.
Grave Torture - This is a new Joko Anwar movie that's on Netflix. Not as good as Satan's Slaves or Impetigore, but still good if you're a fan of Anwar. I do think it goes a bit off the rails at the end though.
Tomie - I've seen 2 or 3 Tomie movies but I've never seen the first one before this week. Great atmosphere in this and a very odd score. A bit too leisurely paced at times, but I liked it, there are some quite creepy moments here.
Body Parts - Not the Jeff Fahey movie, this is a pretty recent Korean anthology with 5 stories. I've seen a bungload of anthologies (at least 150 of them), and a lot of them are pretty crap. But this is pretty good actually, a couple of lesser segments, but no duds in my opinion. I really enjoyed the 3rd segment about a possessed girl the most, but the last one was really good too.
The Substance - I had to drive 40 minutes to see this but it was well worth it. It's one of my favorites of the year so far. Great acting, great nudity followed by some terrifying nudity and some of the grossest effects I've ever seen in a movie theater. As gross as the effects get, I still think the closeup of Dennis Quaid sucking crayfish heads is grosser. A lot of people are going to hate this or wish it maybe toned down the ending a couple hundred notches, but I had a blast.
[Show spoiler]09/04/24: Blink Twice ^ (2024): Shaun Of The Dead (2004):
09/05/24: Beetlejuice (1988):
09/06/24: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ^ (2024):
09/07/24: Jaws (1975): Jaws 2 (1978):
09/11/24: The Front Room ^ (2024): [ZERO SKULLS]
09/13/24: Speak No Evil ^ (2024):
09/18/24: Sweet Sixteen ^ (1983): Soul Survivors ^ (2001):
09/20/24: The Substance ^ (2024):
09/22/24:
-Fright ^ (1971):
Effective chiller about a young woman, Amanda (Susan George) who accepts a babysitting gig from a well-to-do couple, Helen & Jim (Honor "***** Galore" Blackman and George Cole), who leave her young son with Amanda for the night as they enjoy an evening out. But things start devolving almost immediately, with creaky noises in the night and sinister faces lurking outside the windows. Is it all just Amanda's boorish lout of a boyfriend (Dennis Waterman), who arrives with the prurient intent of relieving Amanda of her virginity, or could it be Helen's ex-husband, Brian (Ian Bannen), recently escaped from a mental institution after a frightening and violent encounter in the recent past?
Directed with screw-tightening efficiency by Peter Collinson, Fright is like a late-70s/early-80s "The calls are coming from inside the house!" stalk & slash feature transported back in time a decade and Across The Pond. the gorgeous George does a good job conveying her character's increasing sense of unease (one felt like any babysitter must when left with a child's well-being in their hands in a secluded, cavernously empty home full of plenty of shadowy nooks and crannies), and Bannen, when he finally reveals his Ill intents (pretending to be a neighbor to gain access to his former homestead), offers up some sweaty, eye-popping menace that generates palpable suspense. Certainly a fascinating precursor to the direction teen-oriented horror cinema would gravitate towards in the years to come (albeit with little of the gratuitous nudity and gore than would become de rigueur in the genre post-Halloween).
Recent viewings in bold:
*Indicates first viewings.
1. The X-Files Season 7
2. The X-Files Season 8
3. The X-Files Season 9
4. The X-Files: I Want to Believe for X-Files for standalone.
*5. The X-Files Season 10 (The Event Series) *6. The X-Files Season 11
And my multi-year X-Files marathon comes to an end. Been watching a season or two for the last bunch of years during the Halloween marathon. Decided to get thru the rest of the series this year. The show first came out when I was in junior high, but I have finally watched all 11 seasons and both movies. Don't want a reimagined reboot, I'd rather they continue the original main series. I'm sure Smoking Man is still alive, I mean how many times did they kill him off. Even rocket launchers from helicopters didn't finish him. Another decent season. Monster of the week episodes were good. Was nice to see the production crew return to Vancouver for the 2nd movie and seasons 10 and 11. And yeah, the old ferry in the Gouli episode is the old BC Ferry Queen of Sydney - I used to sail on it when I was a kid from Vancouver Island to the mainland. Currently it's kind of an environmental disaster on the banks of the Fraser River. Got to meet some of the cast over the years including Gillian, Mitch, Robert, and Lance Henriksen who played Frank Black in the Millennium spinoff, as well as local BC actors who had bit roles here and there (Aaron Douglas [a.k.a Chief on Battlestar Galactica], and Terry David Mulligan in season 1). I remember chatting with Mitch and we were discussing which episodes we preferred. He liked the monster of the week episodes. I liked the combination of both. The mix seemed to balance the series overall. Was a great show.
Ah hell, next year I'm gonna start again with season 1!
#12*
An American Werewolf In Paris (1997) [4K Dolby Vision]
#11* Coraline (2009) [4K Dolby Vision] #10* Flesh For Frankenstein (1973) [Blu-ray] #9 * Friday The 13th (2009) [Blu-ray] #8 * Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday (1993) [Blu-ray] #7 * A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014) [Blu-ray] #6 * Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) [Theatrical] #5 * Ghost Dad (1990) [HD Stream] #4 * The Cat And The Canary (1939) [Blu-ray] #3 * Joshua (2007) [Blu-ray] #2 * Kongo (1932) [DVD] #1 * The Legend Of The 7 Golden Vampires (1974) [Blu-ray]
* = First Time Viewing * = Previously Viewed = Favorite
Ah hell, next year I'm gonna start again with season 1!
HAHA…This is still my favorite series of all time along with LOST. I tried to do a complete rewatch from beginning to end in the last couple or few years but I only got halfway through season 2 maybe
This is my second Umberto Lenzi film for the weekend, only this time instead of cannibals running around the jungle, we have zombies running around the city. While it was a good film, my biggest complaint with "Cannibal Ferox" was the mild inconsistency of its pacing. On the other hand, "Nightmare City" just feels like it goes on and on and on with no end in sight. There's some decent gore (particularly the eye-gouging scene) and quite a bit more nudity than I honestly expected, but some of the zombie make-up effects seem lackluster, the attack sequences felt very repetitive, most of the supporting cast felt wooden, and Stelvio Cipriani's droning score got annoying after awhile. I usually think Lenzi's movies are average to good and I have revisited a number of them over the years. I watched "Nightmare City" once in 1990 and coming back to it now I realize it just doesn't work for me. It's an entirely forgettable affair and I highly doubt I'll watch it again.
The idea of death as some shadowy entity specifically following you around with a master play book in one hand and a scythe forged of fate in the other is a terrifying idea indeed. After being warned off a plane by the premonition of a student, a group of teens and their teacher are stalked by seemingly inescapable death as it hunts them down one-by-one. My favorite death scene
[Show spoiler]is Kristen Cloke's. I've seen this film eight times since it was first released and her death always stays with me the longest. There's something about the set-up with the coffee mug, the computer, and everything that follows (particularly the kitchen knife through the torso) that's just fun to watch. Some people think death - even in horror films such as this - shouldn't be an enjoyable pastime and to them I say nerts! I sincerely believe that laughing in the face of death is a great anxiety-breaker and I plan on doing so as often as possible over the next five weeks.
Devon Sawa and Ali Larter were a couple of my favorite young adult actors at the turn of the century. Their individual quirks here create a unity between them that works wonders. I'm not a big fan of Seann William Scott in this one, however, as I feel like he's trying too hard to ditch the Stifler persona he created in "American Pie" and winds up actually creating a mirror image anti-Stifler that's more of a distraction than anything else. I do like a few of the song selections in this classic as well, although really - did anyone ever think a John Denver song could make a believably spooky omen of death? Show of hands. Anyone? Anyone? I'm also a big fan of
[Show spoiler]the final scene which is such an obvious set-up for a sequel I was surprised it actually took the filmmakers three years to deliver one.
½
I love a sequel that comes close to equaling an original, and that's exactly what "Final Destination 2" does. Oh sure, there's no one in the cast who stands out for me as much as Devon Sawa and Ali Larter did in the first installment, but at least Larter comes back for this second entry, adding some much needed character juice to the proceedings. Even if the cast might come off as somewhat lower tier, the surrounding elements of the film are all top-notch. I was impressed by the plane crash from the first film, but it was like watching a tiny mewling kitten compared to the roaring lion that is the traffic accident here. All the deaths of the survivors are brutal, but my personal favorite this time is
[Show spoiler]James Kirk being mashed by the falling glass outside the dentist's office.
This is an enjoyable sequel and I was glad the franchise went on for (to date) three more chapters. Hopefully "Bloodlines" - supposedly being released next year - will live up to its predecessors.
½
Andy Barclay is back and he's one sick little puppy. He's keeping the damaged head of Chucky and tortures it every time he needs to relieve some of life's frustrations. Nica Pierce is back and she's not one sick little puppy . . . although the people at Lockmore treat her like one before transferring her to the minimum security institution Harrowgate. Chucky's back and he's a group of sick little puppies . . . wait a second. That's right, Chucky's found a way to replicate himself into numerous dolls which is probably one of the better twists writer/director Don Mancini has come up with for this franchise. Mancini strikes the right note blending all-out terror with a modicum of wisecracks while the inmates at Harrowgate provide victims for the slaughter.
It's nice to see a limited playing field again as much of the action takes place in Harrowgate, venturing out only when absolutely necessary to further the story. I'm also glad Joseph LoDuca returned to score the film as his chilling compositions impeccably fit the darker aspects of these last two modern chapters. I was excited by the fact
[Show spoiler]we end the film with Nica being possessed by Chucky, Andy being locked away inside Harrowgate, and - in a pleasant post credits surprise - with the return of Kyle from "Child's Play 2."
Eagerly awaiting another cinematic sequel I knew would arrive, I was stunned to find Chucky return in 2021 on - of all places - television screens with the SYFY series "Chucky." It's had three magnificent seasons but it hasn't been renewed for a fourth . . . yet.
MONSTERFEST 2024
Blue = blu-ray, * = first viewing
September Warm-upThe list so far:
[Show spoiler]
TV EPISODES
ROUTE 66: LIZARD'S LEG & OWLET'S WING (1962) 1/2 This Halloween episode itself isn't great, but it guest stars Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr, and Peter Lorre. Chaney appears as the Hunchback (his dad's old role), the Mummy, and the Wolf Man. Karloff dons his Frankenstein monster make-up one last time. The story is nothing, but it's worth it to see these guys in something close to the make-ups that made them famous. Nostalgic fun. Cool blu-ray, with vintage horror commercials, a clip of Vampira, an episode of Suspense with Bela Lugosi, and two episodes of the Karlff show, The Veil. TWILIGHT ZONE: JESS-BELLE (1962) One of the best of the 1 hour episodes - a tale of witchcraft and a Were-cat. Great script by Earl Hamner, with a strong folk-tale favor. Really good. TWILIGHT ZONE: NIGHTMARE AT 20,000 FEET (1963) What a great Twilight Zone episode. A true TV-horror landmark. Shatner is GREAT in this. According to their titles, this flies 17,000 feet lower than the similarly titled movie above, but don't believe it. This soars miles above the competition. A stone-cold TZ classic, and a really fun capper to our Shatner-On-A-Plane double feature (with the TV movie The Horror At 37,000 Feet.) KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER - THE ZOMBIE The Zombie is one of the creepiest episodes of this series. In this one, Carl is investigating a crime involving voodoo and the reanimation of the dead. The climax, with our intrepid reporter desperately trying to fill the dead man's mouth and salt and sew it closed before it revives is pretty hair-raising. Fun to see this again. I think my wife and I will try to work the entire 1-season series into this year's Monsterfest.
MOVIES
THE SPELL (1977) 1/2 1970's TV movies appeal mainly to those of us that grew up with them. They have limitations on budget, FX, and gore, but to this former 70s kid they're cheesy fun. This one gets dismissed as a Carrie knock-off (though it was actually written before Carrie) but other than a few surface similarities they're not that much alike. The subject is witchcraft, not telekinesis, and the final revelation is far from Carrie's storyline. Over-all rather good for what it is. Well-acted with some effective moments and a fun surprise ending. WARNING: the Scream-Factory blu-ray only contains the extended version. Unfortunately, the additional scenes were obviously not part of the original movie. They add nothing, they're spliced crudely into the film, and the tagged on ending spoils the very satisfying original conclusion, and lowers my rating by 1/2 skull. I wish the added footage wasn't there, or was a bonus to the original film. *HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM (1959) 1/2 First time viewing this early slasher/gore flick. Not exactly good, but very entertaining! Michael Gough hams it up nicely, and if there are no surprises, there are plenty of smiles at this once-shocking film. Best remembered for those horrible loaded binoculars! LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL[/B] (streaming) (2023) 1/2 Really clever, and very well-done! The recreation of the 70s TV show is totally convincing. It loses me a bit at the ending when the faux-documentary approach is suddenly abandoned. It turns quite dark and, IMO, a bit less fun. Still there's much to like here, and I loved it until the ending. *AFRAID (2024) (Theatrical) This is getting absolutely TERRIBLE reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but my wife and I really enjoyed it. It's a bit silly in parts, but always engrossing, and very well-acted with convincing family relationships. It has a wonderful sense of paranoia, and it doesn't over-stay its welcome. Instead of endless climaxes, it comes to a swift, satisfying, and unsettling conclusion ...and stops. Bravo! Obviously I'm alone on this one, but I found it far more enjoyable than most theatrical horrors I have seen this year. I'm sure I'll add it to the collection when it comes out. *MOON OF THE WOLF (Streaming) 1972 Another of those 70s TV horrors, this time set in the Louisiana bayou and starring David Janssen as a southern sheriff. We had never seen it before, but despite a cool setting, decent story and good acting, it was just too tame. There's more investigation footage than werewolf action, and when the climax did come, it was undercut by weak werewolf make-up. It was fun for our September warm-up, but I doubt we'd watch it again. *THE PSYCHIC (1977) 1/2 First time viewing, and a pretty good film. It's one of those Italian productions where everyone is ridiculously overdressed and badly dubbed. The plot gets a bit murky in spots, but over-all this is quite enjoyable. Very suspenseful as different parts of our heroine's vision come to pass. Well worth watching! THE MUMMY (1932) One of the Founding Fathers of Fear. Moves a bit slower than some, but it's so well shot and edited. Basically an Egyptian-themed re-write of Dracula, with Van Sloan and Manners back in their Van Helsing/Harker roles, the Nubian servant for Renfield, Zita Johann in the Mina role and under the control of the monster. and an amulet replacing the cross. Probably not quite as strong as Frankenstein, but wonderful and still deserving of 5 skulls. DEAD CALM (1988) An impossibly young Nicole Kidman stuck at sea with bonkers Billy Zane, while Sam Neill fights to escape a watery would-be grave. Really quite a good thriller (after a completely unnecessary opening with the death of a child.) Good performances all around. The final moments lapse into been-there-done-that killer clichés, but it's so much fun getting there that it doesn't matter. A minor classic. DEMENTIA 13 (Director's Cut) (1963) I doubt anyone would call this a great film, but Francis Ford Coppola's directorial debut is certainly interesting. This print removes the silly "Dementia 13 test" prologue, and an additional murder added by another director at Roger Corman's insistence to pad the running time. While the story is a bit muddled, it's plain to see the potential of young Coppola. Some great shots and cool scenes. A fun, worthwhile curio. Wonderful print too! *SPEAK NO EVIL (2022) (On Shudder) I hated this film. We watched it in preparation for the remake opening this week, but now I doubt I'll even see it. The premise is fine (though the bombastic score screams "HORROR MOVIE!" before anything sinister even happens.) The behavior of our protagonists gets dumber as it goes, however the film doesn't really derail until the scenes at the end. At that point I was done with it. Why was this made? Not for the poorly developed characters. Not for the plot, which becomes nonsense half-way through when our heroes begin doing thing that NO ONE would ever do. Not for the back-story - there isn't one! No explanation at all for these people and what they do. That just leaves the pointless - and utterly tasteless - cruelty at the end. If watching suffering is all there is, count me out. This isn't entertainment. BAD RONALD (1974) 1/2 This is another of those fun, fondly remembered 70s TV movies, and one of the better ones! Ronald is an outcast kid who lives alone with his sick mother. He gets in trouble with the law, so mom helps hide him in a secret room in the house. Unfortunately mom dies, and Ronald is still hiding in the walls when a new family moves in. Hilarity ensues. If you grew up with these TV films and understand their limitations, make it 4 skulls - it's quite good for what it is. If you're too young to have been there, or have no patience for vintage cheese, you should probably just move along. A really fun film, and a remarkably good looking blu-ray! SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK (1991) This was a 1991 CBS TV movie, and despite a few cheesy elements (the campy "undead" makeup, occasionally cringy dialogue) it's a favorite of mine. It's an engrossing story, mostly well-acted, and ends on a surprisingly bitter-sweet note. I really enjoyed it!
Only complaint: why is this in the 2:35 aspect ratio? It was filmed and shown at 4:3. An earlier blu-ray offered 2 versions - in 4:3 and 2:35 (or possibly 1:78, which would probably look good.) At 2:35 it's way too tight, with lots of heads cut off at the top and the chin. Annoying! *BURIED ALIVE (1990) 1/2 My wife and I have been on a vintage TV movie kick this month, and this was a fun new discovery! Frank Darabont directed it - it was his very first film - for the USA Network. Tim Matheson gets bumped off (almost!) by his cheating wife, and wakes up to find himself ...wait for it ... Buried Alive. I assumed the movie would be a survival flick about his attempt to escape, but no. He was out fairly quickly and the films heads in a completely unexpected direction. It's becomes a campy, comic book-style story that would have fit in well in Creepshow. The second half may not be very realistic, but it's a lot of fun. Great final scene! A really enjoyable blind buy. Good blu-ray from Kino. TRILOGY OF TERROR (1975) 1/2 This landmark TV horror movie gave school kids the screaming meemies for weeks after it aired. No one who saw it then has every forgotten it. It's made up of three stories, all starring Karen Black, who is quite good throughout. The first story, about date rape(!) is tame, but pretty good with a nice twist at the end. 3.5 skulls. The second, a tale of 2 sisters, is obvious and forgettable and would score a 2 at best. However, it's the final story - about a "Zuni fetish doll" - that this film is remembered for. It starts quietly, but once it gets going it's frantically paced and relentless in it's tale of survival between a woman and the action figure from Hell. Unlike anything ever produced for TV up until that time, and still very effective. A solid 5 skulls. That story alone made this film a must-see. *TRILOGY OF TERROR 2 (1996) I had never seen this sequel before, and never even knew it existed until recently. Producer Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows) is back with 3 more stories, this time all featuring Lysette Anthony ...who proves that she is no Karen Black by ranging from poor to just adequate in her three starring roles.
For me, the first story - a tale of infidelity and grave robbery - is the best. The climax features some very nasty inhabitants of the graveyard, and if they're not exactly realistic looking, they work, and had me squirming in my seat. 4 skulls. The second story, of resurrection from the grave, has the poorest acting of the three and would get a 3 at best. The third was perhaps the biggest disappointment. It's a direct sequel to the original Zuni Fetish Doll story, but it offers nothing new. After an adequate set-up it's basically a remake and even copies the original's suitcase scene note for note. Maybe 3 skulls. A fun film, but other than the first gruesome tale, it's no threat to the original. *SPEAK NO EVIL (2024) 1/2 My wife and I watched the original Danish version a few days ago, and hated it. While the premise was great, the ending was so dark, ugly and pointless that it completely wiped out the fun of the film. After reading that this version ended differently, we gave it a chance. Very different animal! Where the original is more "serious" and dark, this is a popcorn thriller. Unfortunately, like many modern popcorn flicks, it didn't know when to stop and had a silly, over-baked climax, but it was still a good time at the movies. It might not be "art" (though McAvoy is excellent) but it's fun. Many will prefer the more brutal original, but we came out of this one smiling instead of depressed. Mission accomplished. *ANTS (aka IT HAPPENED AT LAKEWOOD MANOR) (1977) 1/2 This is one of those films they always had at Blockbuster (the cover was a close-up of Suzanne Somers' cleavage, covered with ants, remember?) Finally saw it, as part of our Ant Attack double feature. Typical 70s TV eco-horror, and a lot of fun. A quaint lakeside hotel does some reconstruction and unleashes a colony of mutant, poison-injecting ants on the guests. (They're gonna hate their Yelp reviews.) Campy fun, with a lot of effects that were never meant to be seen in high-def. Still, a lot of scenes made me squirm. How did Myrna Loy end up in this, along with all those familiar 70s TV actors? Suzanne Somers is an eyeful! Surprisingly for a Kino release, the picture quality was a bit disappointing - clean, and in a choice of two aspect ratios, but waaay too bright looking. THEM! (1953) All-time 50s Sci-Fi classic. Humorously, the film takes great pains to present all the opening unexplained deaths as a mystery ...despite the movie poster and trailer featuring tons of giant ants carrying screaming people away! Look fast for young Leonard Nimoy in an early role. A terrific, suspenseful film, really well-written and acted, with wonderful footage of mid-50s Los Angeles. Easily the best of the "big bug" movies. *FEAR NO EVIL (1969) This movie was a real surprise! It's early for a TV movie - in fact it was the very first ever NBC "Movie Of The Week". Unlike many TV films from the era, it's not cheesey in the slightest. In fact, it's remarkably serious, and quite good. It's definitely a slow-burn film (and maybe a little talky) but the atmosphere is excellent, the acting is quite good and story is intelligent. It's also subtle - we had to rewatch the ending before we picked up an important detail that expalins the action in the climax. Great performance from Carol O'Conner in a small but important role. This was a blind buy, but it's definitely a film I am looking forward to watching again. COUNT DRACULA (DVD) (1977) Dracula gets the BBC Masterpiece Theatre treatment. A really excellent adaptation! It has it's flaws - it was shot on video tape so the picture quality is poor, and special effects shots consist mainly of garishly colored negative images. But story is everything, and it really shines in that department. It's closer to the book than most versions, and includes many bits that are usually left out. Jordan is used sparingly, but he makes a cold, cruel and intelligent Dracula. Renfield and Van Helsing (Frank Finley) are both excellent. (On the other hand, the English actor playing Quincy has a laugh-out-loud bad "Texas accent.")
It's low-tech and soft looking, but truly chilling and even disturbing in parts. For story and atmosphere, I would rank this among the very best adaptations of Dracula. THE HORROR AT 37,000 FEET (DVD) (1973) 1/2 This is the TV movie where former series stars went to die. William Shatner (Kirk!) Buddy Ebsen (Jed!) Russell Johnson (Professor!) Chuck Connors (The Rifleman!) Roy Thinnes (The Invaders!) and other fading stars are stuck on a plane with an evil Druid whatzit that causes freezing temperatures, oozes green glop and makes the plane stand still in mid-air! Before long the passengers are at each other's throats and arguing about who gets to be tonight's human sacrifice. Only alcoholic, defrocked priest Bill Shatner can save us all! This epic may smell as bad as last weeks fish, but it's so much fun. A one-skull cheese-fest with 5-skull entertainment - I'll call it 3 1/2. A must see! *RITUAL OF EVIL (1970) 1/2 What a difference a year makes! This is the sequel to 1969's Fear No Evil. Both films were pilots to a proposed series called Bedeviled, to star Louis Jordan as a psychiatrist battling the occult. The first film (which we just saw for the first time) is intelligent, subtle and creepy, and it ranks among the best of vintage TV horror films. This sequel is talky, muddled and lackluster. Where the first film slowly built in suspense to a great climax, this one meanders along without ever building to much of anything. Enjoyable enough for one viewing, but a real letdown after the excellent first film. *THE SAVAGE BEES (YouTube) (1976) 1/2 Not bad little 70s TV eco-horror, and not nearly as cheesy as I expected. It turned out to be a decent film with a number of tense scenes, and a memorable climax featuring a bee-covered Volkswagen slowly driving through New Orleans to the Super Dome. Soft and choppy print that may have been missing a few shots, judging by the continuity. We watched it because we have a blu-ray of the sequel, and wanted to see the original film first. *TERROR OUT THE SKY (1977) A "more of the same" sequel with some good moments. It spends way too much time on a "who cares?" romantic triangle, but the bee attacks are good, and the ending was strong, and surpisingly, a little poignant. Still, if Kino was only going to put one of these films on blu-ray, the first film would have been the better choice. DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW (1981) This TV movie came out during the slasher film craze, and while TV standards kept the gore off screen, it's a surprisingly well done entry in the genre. It's also the first (and probably the best) of the few killer scarecrow movies that have been made over the years. The acting is strong, the mood is eerie and the death scenes, while bloodless, are suspenseful and really well ...executed. (Thank you, I'll be here all week!) This film is a little gem among vintage TV horrors, and the VCI blu-ray is really excellent! *NEVER LET GO (Theatrical) (2024) 1/2 This film is kind of a mixed bag for me. On the plus side it's atmospheric, original, and very well acted (the two boys are really excellent.) But it couldn't seem to make up it's mind about the reality of what we see. It's not merely ambiguous, it shows things that contradict each other, as though the filmmakers wanted to have it both ways, and for me, that didn't work. My wife liked it more than I did and gave it the extra half-skull, but we both agreed that with a little shaping this could have really been great. Well worth seeing, but a bit of a missed opportunity, too. FRANKENSTEIN (2004) This is a serious two-part TV adaptation of the original Mary Shelly novel, with a story that's a far cry from the Universal and Hammer versions. A good looking film with a good cast (nice to see Donald Sutherland and William Hurt again) and said to be pretty faithful to the book. It's tragic, poignant and thought-provoking ...but also a bit head-scratching in some parts, like Frankenstein's sudden rejection of his creature. Apparently, so is the novel. One complaint: the monster's look is too tame. He's odd looking at worst, so the horrified reactions of the people that see him are a bit hard to buy.
If you're looking for gruesome horror, move along. But for a look at how the legend began, this is well-worth watching.
CARRIE (2002) 1/2 Unpopular Opinion: This is a good film, and in at least one way, it's as good as the 1976 classic.
First the bad: Incredibly, this was a pilot for a Carrie TV series(!?) so it has a silly ending that allows the story to continue. The climax goes on too long, and it is loaded with CGI effects that haven't aged well at all - some are very bad indeed.
The good: Angela Bettis is absolutely excellent in the title role! To her credit, she plays it much differently than Sissy Spacek. Where Sissy inspires sympathy, Angela gives off a dangerous vibe. She's a time bomb, and it's obvious from the start that she's damaged and ready to blow. You feel for her but at the same time you fear her. In it's own way, it's every bit as good a performance as Sissy gave in the original. Many of the other roles (in particular, Tommy Ross, the gym teacher, Carrie's mother, and villain Chis Hargensen) are also very good. The writing and flash-back structure are solid and effective.
Yes, the 1976 version is the best and a horror classic. But this film should be remembered as mostly very good TV horror. And despite it's flaws it should be seen, if only for Angela Bettis' excellent, and sadly overlooked, performance.
Last edited by charlieray1; 09-25-2024 at 04:11 PM.
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Shaun Of The Dead (2004): 
Watched
and 
I sincerely believe that laughing in the face of death is a great anxiety-breaker and I plan on doing so as often as possible over the next five weeks.
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