[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):
09/25/24:
-Never Let Go ^ (2024):
Eerie, rustic mood piece starring Halle Berry as "Momma", a survivalist existing in a remote cabin in the woods with her fraternal twin sons, Nolan and Samuel (Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins, both terrific). The three (along with their pooch, Coda) live off the land, skinning squirrels and crunching up toads for sustenance...but never once untying the ropes that literally bind them to their homestead. Momma has taught her sons that an unspecified catastrophe has destroyed the world beyond the woods, and that the three of them are all that remains of humanity. So long as they...well, Never Let Go of their knotted tethers, "The Evil" that consumed everyone else cannot find its way into their hearts and minds, But as a particularly hard winter reduces their stock of food down to virtually nothing (reducing them to noshing on fried wood chips), the boys begin to question whether or not the unseen-by-them "monsters" that haunt the woods are nothing more than a paranoid delusion in Momma's diseased mind, and that she's trapped the pair of them there for no good reason, cut off from a world of people that do exist out there, somewhere.
Directed by blunt-force horror specialist Alexandre Aja, Never Let Go is a film that's, by his standards, fairly restrained in the gore department, acting as more of a psychological pressure-cooker of a suspense melodrama. Berry does a fine job subtly shading her performance so that we can never get a handle on whether she's been traumatized by actual experiences with a terrifying supernatural force she's desperately trying to keep her children safe from, or else she's completely off her rocker, and the two young performers who play her kids do an equally impressive job as their faith that they're being protected by Momma's strict rules begins to fracture under the pressure of rapidly encroaching starvation and an extended case of cabin fever. The movie generates a successful tone of hovering dread, accentuated by a strange, effective score (credited to composer "Rob", aka Robin Coudert), full of distorted, gonging electronics and moody woodwinds that's one of the better horror-movie soundtracks in recent memory. The movie is ultimately a bit slight, playing like a padded episode of a television horror anthology, but it definitely delivers the requisite, autumnal chills as we barrel towards the official start of Scary Season.
I've only ever seen this trilogy once so I decided it was high time I revisited its spirited nastiness. The first film is a simple story involving bar patrons who get stuck fighting a group of unfamiliar entities. The introductory cards for each character are fairly funny, particularly their "life expectancy" notes. It's nice to see people like Krista Allen, Henry Rollins and Clu Gulager (father of director John Gulager) get some fun little roles they can play around with. The film doesn't waste any time getting to the action and it doesn't skimp on the gore which is always a plus. The main drawbacks for me are the sometimes jittery camera and frenetic editing. Some people might enjoy that style of filmmaking but, in my eyes, it's just a distraction. The unexplained grotesqueries are well designed in form, if not all that well executed in function. The biggest attraction for me is the screenplay written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. Their work on some of the later "Saw" films (IV-VII) kept that franchise interesting and their "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" was one of my favorite films from 2019. From vomit-induced body rot to human grenade traps to interspecies oral rape, "Feast" doesn't care who it offends - or how often - and that suits me just fine. It's an amusing little monster romp that I'll probably watch again before the decade's over.
How do we start the second chapter of a truly nauseating trilogy? I know, let's shoot a few shotgun shells into the abdomen of a German Shepherd and show the end result in all its gruesome glory! Anyone who thought the first film was a disgustingly overblown paean to immorality and sanguinary spectacle, sit down . . . I'd like to show you something. And so begins "Feast II: Sloppy Seconds," a longer, gorier companion piece that adds to the mythology and will entertain fans of the original. Biker Queen is looking for the man who killed her sister. Unfortunately, while tracking him down, Queen and her associates enter a town overrun by hungry, horny creatures that want to shred them into sloppy, unrecognizable remains. Having the bulk of the action take place in daylight is a novel approach that helps differentiate this installment from its visually darker predecessor. There's an incredibly repugnant autopsy sequence that has to be seen to be believed and there's even some decent nudity on the part of Melissa Reed and Chelsea Richards. All the right elements are in place and it's on the same level as the first film. Plus, the film
[Show spoiler]ends on one hell of a cliffhanger, as the second and third parts of the series were filmed at the same time.
½
Most times when you're running a marathon, you're supposed to start off slow and build your momentum so you can explode when you're close to the finish line. Unfortunately, the "Feast" trilogy ends up doing the reverse and almost collapses under the weight of its own aberrations in the process. There's some interesting material here, such as
[Show spoiler]the monster/human hybrid and the strange "prophet" who can ward off the grotesqueries.
Of course, if you ever want to see someone get the literal shit kicked out of them . . . that's here, too! It starts well, but once the action moves underground into the sewers, it slows considerably. The film tries to compensate for its lack of momentum by adding a certain sense of style, but it's more annoying than entertaining. "Feast III" so desperately wants to be an awesome finale, yet it only winds up struggling to stay average at best.
HERE'S A LITTLE QUIRKINESS BRIEFLY HEARD IN THE ORIGINAL "FEAST:"
Howling 2 1/2 (New VS 4K. Looks and sounds great. Howling 2 like you've never seen it before! Sure it's bad but this film is pure lunacy that is highly entertaining. They sure don't make 'em like this anymore)
The poll just reminded me why I need to finally watch The Lighthouse, and Hereditary been putting off both titles for years. So I guess I’ll finally pick them up in October as I’m completely missing both titles in my collection.
As a fan of The Raid films as well as The Guest, I was happy to see Dan Stevens team up with Gareth Evans for a horror film. It wasn't a disappointment. The story is intriguing and although it didn't get too horrory till midway through I did think what was there was effective. Good looking and well made folk/period horror film.
Drag me to hell
Raimi seldom disappoints me when it comes to horror and this is no exception. Such a fun film.
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. The German Koch Media release blu-ray offers 2 versions - in 1:78 and 2:35. 2:35 it's way too tight, with lots of heads cut off at the top and the chin. Annoying! (NOTE: After writing this, I bit the bullet and bought the German release. MUCH better! The framing looks much more natural at 1:78.) *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. SCREAM, PRETTY PEGGY (1973) 1/2 Another 70s TV horror cheese-fest. A college student takes a house-keeping job at a creepy old mansion ...where she is warned to stay away from that LOCKED ROOM! (No prize for guessing where she ends up.) Entertaining junk, but the student is so annoying, I quickly found myself wishing the movie was called "Scram, Pushy Peggy!" This movie manages to rip off Jane Eyre, Psycho and House Of Wax without being as good as any of them. It's easy to guess where it's headed, but at least Bette Davis is on hand to look ancient and say rude things. A fun time-waster. DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (1973) This is one of two 70s TV movies (along with Trilogy Of Terror) that absolutely terrorized kids when they first aired. This one came first. It's a low budget, two-week wonder, directed by John Newland - the host of One Step Beyond. Kim Darby unbolts a forgotten little door in her old house, and accidentally releases the tiny creatures that have been waiting inside. The miniature sets and props used to make the creatures appear small work very well, and no kid that saw it then has ever forgotten the whispering voices echoing through the house. Seeing it as an adult, it's interesting to note the strong theme of women being dismissed as "emotional" and kept in their place by the men in their lives. Surprising social commentary for a cheap monster movie. A really fun, spooky film and an all-time favorite.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (2007) 1/2 My wife and I have only seen this once before, as part of our 2019 MonsterFest. Reading my old review, we were pretty impressed then - 4 1/2 skulls. Somehow, it didn't play the same for me this time. It seemed less unique, and much too long. I still admire how it was done, and the ending moments still pack a wallop, but maybe this type of film - all anticipation, with little actual story - doesn't hold up to repeat viewings. Or maybe there have been too many imitators since then. Or maybe it was just the wrong night for it.
GORGO (1961) For nearly 100 years, from The Lost World (1925) to Godzilla Minus One (2023) giant monsters have been trampling the world's cities with alarming regularity. A few of these fearsome creatures stand head and scales above the rest. Unfortunately, Gorgo isn't one of them. He's stuck in the "also ran (amuck)" category. No real characters here, just tons of stock footage and a very familiar plot - but Gorgo does bring a few new things to the table. A different city - no Tokyo for this monster - Technicolor, and his mama! And that's enough. Despite lots of sub-par effects, the miniatures of London are wonderful and there are lots of great, luridly-colored shots of them getting smashed to bits. And who can resist a story of a mother's love? Nothing very original, but we throughly enjoyed all of Gorgo's ferocious adventures. Bless his glowing red eyes and wiggly little ear flaps.
Last edited by charlieray1; 09-26-2024 at 04:38 PM.
As far as remakes go it doesn't get much better than this in my opinion. Full of terror and does things different enough to be it's own thing and similar enough to be recognised as a rework of the original.
How it compares:
I love the original and there isn't anything as good here as the last few minutes of that film and the ending chainsaw dance is just brilliant but this remake beats all other incarnations and sequels that followed the original and it is the absolute next best thing.
Friday the 13th (2009)
It is almost like the first three films fast forwarded and reworked. Some absolutely nice kills and moments throughout the film and as a Jason film it is up there with the best of the series. The cast though is 90% annoying stereotypes that you love to see get killed. Maybe it's not a negative after all.
How it compares:
Well if I put it up against the first two of the series then I don't think it gets there but if I compare it to the other sequels I think there are only one, maybe two films that are close to as good as this. Coming from the same director as that previous one I do see a decline in quality but then again you can't really compare F13 and TCM either.
The Crazies (2010)
Fast moving and action packed horror film. I liked it when it came out and now after revisiting it years later it still holds up.
I really think this deserved a sequel as well.
How it compares:
I am a big, big fan of Romero. Dead trilogy are some of my all time favourite films. However when it comes to Crazies I allways felt it was just a lesser DOD. It is not bad at all but just seemed to fall short of the premise. This is one of those exceptions where I do prefer the remake. I just like it better and I think it takes the premise and makes good with it.
The Hills have eyes 1&2 (2006,2007) and 1/2
The first one was such a delightful surprise. The main character Doug is a wonderful protagonist, the nuclear town is awesome and the creature design is top notch. The action in this one rivals it's horror. A genuinely good movie.
The second tries to kind of rehash Doug and that bothered me as well as the numerous plot holes made to trap our victims so the movie doesn't end after 10 minutes. The idea is great though and there are quite a few good scenes in it. The horror or action doesn't hold up to it's predecessor but is decent. Dumb cliffhanger ending not suited for it.
How they compare:
Again I just like the first remake more than
the original. The original I allways liked but felt it got stuck after the first half and just pushed hard enough to get to the finish line. The remake I think makes the most out of its entire running time. Just a bit better.
The second loses hands down to the original and is quite equally "so bad it's good but not quite" with the original sequel.
Last House on the left (2009)
First time watch and definitely dug it. Nice cast with a good musical score and absolutely delivers on the horror and gore.
Good watch.
How it compares:
I do think the original was more gruesome just because of how and when it was crafted and made me more sick to my stomach. They also sort of happy ended the remake so it wasn't as nihilistic. Perhaps it is for the best though since that way the film wasn't so predictable for us who have seen the original. I give the edge to the original here but ever so slightly.
Verdict
I am surprised how much I liked almost all of these remakes. I did have fond memories of a few and not so fond of the others but on this viewing my experience was mostly positive. It might be because at the time I felt they could have done a lot better and now looking back at it I think this was actually a pretty golden era of horror remakes and are a lot better than they were initially given credit for. I had fun with every film on this list and am happy I gave them all a second chance. Good experience.
#14*
The Rape of the Vampire (1968) [4K Dolby Vision]
#13*
The House That Would Not Die (1970) [Blu-ray]
#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
Hello spooky friends! I just want to thank everyone for making this thread such a success each year! I always mean to post more and just end up getting so busy! I do always love reading what people say though and get recommendations from many of you to add to my yearly list! This thread is about to get a lot busier in the next few days for the "official" start but I just want to thank all the "early birds" who patiently wait each year for this thread and start your viewings with me at the crack of September Happy Haunting!!!
9/24/24 - All Hallows Eve -
Its an ok Anthology film, where the character Art the Clown was created. Not as good as the Terrifier films though.
I went on a walk last night, did a quadruple take when I realized one of my neighbors has a life-sized Art the Clown (not sure if it was a mannequin or animatronic) in their living room window!
Halloween can be good for figuring out which of your neighbors like horror movies!
This is a more condensed yet more visceral iteration of the story. I think the cast did good even Reynolds who went all in with the darkness. It's very much a 00's style horror flick from the Platinum Dunes brand, but it in a way improves on the original film. Though yes a classic, the 1979 film does have quite a bit of padding that drags the pacing. With this remake, they basically trimmed all the fat and made it lean, mean, and to the point.
Overall it's still inferior in terms of horror impact, but it's an entertaining enough reiteration of the controversial "true story".
All countries
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
India
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Shaun Of The Dead (2004): 
I do always love reading what people say though and get recommendations from many of you to add to my yearly list! This thread is about to get a lot busier in the next few days for the "official" start but I just want to thank all the "early birds" who patiently wait each year for this thread and start your viewings with me at the crack of September 
Happy Haunting!!!
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