31 Days of Halloween Movies (2024) - Horror Fans Unite!!!!!!

[Jay H.]

Critters 2: The Main Course (1988)

Critters 2: The Main Course TV Spot (1988) - YouTube

[MassiveMovieBuff]

10/5

The Guest
Fender Bender

[Kill Bren]

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)



The Dark (1979)



House on Haunted Hill (1999)



Zombie aka Zombi 2 aka Zombie Flesh Eaters (1979) FULCI LIVES!




Ash vs. Evil Dead: The Host (Season 1 - Episode 5)

[CelluloidPal]

10/5:
RANDOM ZOMBIE DOUBLE FEATURE

Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror (1981) *New to 4K UHD DOLBY VISION*
Not just one of the worst zombie movies ever made but also one of the most WTF and unintentionally laughable movies ever made. A real hoot.


Night of the Living Dead 3D (2006) *First time viewing*
An enjoyable reimagining of George Romero's original with a dash of meta added. Many aspects are so-so but it doesn't feel like a total rehash plus the 3D is solid and Sid Haig brings some extra pep whenever he's on screen. It feels like any average low budget indie horror flick but some fun can be had with this.

[Monterey Jack]

[Show spoiler]Halloween Horror Marathon '12

Halloween Horror Marathon '13

Halloween Horror Marathon '14

Halloween Horror Marathon '15

Halloween Horror Marathon '16

Halloween Horror Marathon '17

Halloween Horror Marathon '18

Halloween Horror Marathon '19

Halloween Horror Marathon '20

Halloween Horror Marathon '21

Halloween Horror Marathon '22

Halloween Horror Marathon '23

First-time viewings are indicated with an ^

[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):
9/27/24: Terrifier ^ (2016):
09/28/24: Terrifier 2 ^ (2022):
09/30/24: Tarot ^ (2024):
10/01/24: Fear In The Night ^ (1972): Fear No Evil ^ (1981): Werewolves On Wheels ^ (1971):
10/02/24: Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker ^ (1981): Screams Of A Winter Night ^ (1979): The Last Horror Film ^ (1982):
10/03/24: ParaNorman (2012): Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956):
10/04/24: The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935): Corpse Bride (2005): The Unseen (1980):

10/05/24:

Hammer Time...!

-The Horror Of Frankenstein ^ (1970):

-Lust For A Vampire ^ (1971):





A pair of vintage Hammer productions today. 1970's The Horror Of Frankenstein stars Ralph Bates as Baron Victor Frankenstein, obsessed with reanimating dead tissue and restoring life to the dead, even if he has to have a steady supply of disinterred cadavers to have the necessary supplies to fuel his mad experiments, culminating in the creation of a hulking, shambling Monster (played by future Darth Vader David Prowse) who escapes from his laboratory and goes out into the countryside to wreak havoc.

The only film in the Hammer Frankenstein cycle to lack Peter Cushing, Horror is one of the weakest of this series of films, lacking the charismatically supercilious smarm that always enlivened Cushing's portrayal of the Baron. Bates is becalmed and bland in the role, and the overall proceedings lack tension and any notable distinctions in the overall production values or terrorific elements. Even the weakest of the Cushing movies (The Evil Of Frankenstein) had more to recommend it than this.

Meanwhile, Lust For A Vampire (as the title might suggest) is a good example of how Hammer spiced up their usual formula in the early 70s with additional, gratuitous displays of unclothed boobies and more graphic violence. Johnal Johnson plays Richard LeStrange, a novelist specializing in books about the occult who finds himself drawn to Castle Karnstein by local superstition, and finds a girls' school full of nubile young lovelies...and a vampiric curse that comes around every forty years or so to carry off a fresh supply of young victims.

The middle entry in Hammer's "Karnstein Trilogy" (preceded by 1970's The Vampire Lovers and followed by Twins Of Evil, which opened later in '71), Lust For A Vampire offers up some prurient pleasures and looks and sounds great (Harry Robinson's score is nice and lush), but it probably the weakest in this trio of films, lacking the scary/sexy highs of the other two. Still, it's an easier sit than the moribund Horror Of Frankenstein, at any rate.

-M3gan (2023):



Toy designer Gemma (Allison Williams) finds herself in guardianship of her nine-year-old niece, Cady (Violent McGraw), when her sister and her husband are killed in a snowplow accident on a winding mountain road. Questioning her ability to care for a young girl with no prior experience of motherhood, Gemma utilizes his latest creation, M3gan, to take some of the workload off. She's a real doll, an autonomous android in the size and shape of a young girl who speaks in a chirpy, autotuned voice (provided by Jenna Davis) and who sports the porcelain facial features and pale, greenish/grey eyes of Elizabeth Olsen. At first, she seems like a dream come true, "pairing" with Cady and helping her work through her grief while allowing Gemma more time to work through her systematic bugs to prepare for unveiling her creation as the hottest new toy on the market, but M3gan's "bugs" are a little more severe than expected, leading to a possessive intensity over Cady's well-being that induces her to increasingly violent acts of devotion.

Considering how the last 20 years' worth of tech advances have allowed parents to hand off valuable time with their children to a series of ever-more-addictive screens and devices, M3gan is a movie that takes those societal changes and pushes them to amusingly satirical extremes. The special effects that bring M3gan to eerie, Uncanny Valley life are terrific (especially given the movie's thrifty $12 million budget), and the movie does a good job of carefully modulating her acts of aggression so they pay off in a satisfying, scale-model King Kong vs. Godzilla climax. The "unrated" cut available on disc is kind of weak sauce (a handful of additional F-Bombs and a few spurts of obviously digital blood are what the additional footage add up to...this is a PG-13 production through and through), but that doesn't detract from the movie's pleasurable mix of horror and wry humor.

[evilive]

10/5

11. The Return of Godzilla (1984)

12. The Most Dangerous Game (1932)

[mikesncc1701]

[u2popmofo]

10/5

The Hound of the Baskervilles



My first non-region A disc, I may have opened up a can of worms my wallet won't be pleased with in the future! I was tempted to pull the trigger on the new barebones Region A release, and decided to pick up the UK Arrow copy to see if I could make the famous "top menu" trick work on my LG player (it worked). Love this movie, awesome gothic atmosphere, foggy moors, killer tarantulas, creepy distant howling from a monster hound, Cushing and Lee,Terence Fisher, and Hammer blood!

[synkron]

10/5 -

[chad_1138]

10/5 -

and

[Mandalorian]

first time viewing*

V/H/S*
V/H/S/2*
V/H/S: Viral*
V/H/S/94*
V/H/S/99*
V/H/S/85*
V/H/S/Beyond*
Exhuma

[AKORIS]

1/2

doesn't reinvent the wheel but a solid flick that entertains from start to finish.

[Röckzilla]

October 5th - A Spooky Spirited Saturday:

Film #9. Poltergeist (1982)


There's truly nothing quite as wonderful as that special Amblin brand of cinematic magic. Even as a horror fan that's rather indifferent when it comes to films about ghosts and/or haunted houses, this is an amazingly entertaining movie. It's also a great introduction/entry point to "real horror cinema" for kids. Just a suggestion in case anyone is sick of sitting through "friendlier" stuff like Hotel Transylvania (2012) or whatever with the whole family for October/Halloween. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

Points Of Interest include: A creative collaboration between Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg, a haunting yet touching theme by composer Jerry Goldsmith, a hungry golden retriever, a patriotic television sign off (am I the only one who misses these at night?), television that really reaches out to its viewer, vintage star wars merchandise, self stacking chairs, a terrifying tree, a room full of floating knick knacks, some face ripping, a munchkin medium, highly imitable whispering, a pair of slimy balls, a giant screaming skull, a creepy clown doll, a spindly spooky spirit monster, an unfinished pool filled with rotting corpses, and a self imploding house.

Röckzilla's Final Verdict: A fun fright filled family film with a winning combination of horror, humor, and heart.



Film #10. Poltergeist II The Other Side (1986)


This is a fairly decent sequel but it just feels like it's missing that "special something" which made the original film so wonderful. It's definitely still worth checking out though (at least once) especially for the special (creature) effects. Hard to imagine any devote 1980s horror fan who will be disappointed in that department.

Points Of Interest include: Concept designs by H.R. Giger, Native American mysticism, that old guy from the front cover art of Anthrax's album Among The Living , out of control dental braces, a tequila worm induced loogie monster, and a voyage to "the other side".

Röckzilla's Final Verdict: A somewhat subpar follow up but it does have its moments of awesomeness.



And speaking of "Poltergeist" and "The Other Side", a heavy metal Halloween celebration will never be complete without King Diamond! :

[Show spoiler]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKEQ8BnKrRk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-nP9svSZCg

[mikesncc1701]

Originally Posted by Mandalorian

first time viewing*
V/H/S/2*

Man I love the "Safe Haven" segment in that.

[FlamedLiquid]

10/5

Night Swim



6/10

Ended up liking this more then I thought I would. Cast was good, interesting story. Creepy.


Overtime



3/10

Cheesy movie. Cheesy characters. Was fun to see Al Snow though.


Scare Package



6/10

Enjoyed this anthology. The stories/films were all pretty entertaining. Abd I like how they were introduced.


Scare Package II



4/10

Didnt like this as much as the first one. The setup was kinda lame going the Saw route and I didn't care for any of the anthology stories/films in this one.


Sick



6/10

Enjoyed this one. Interesting take on Covid horror. I could see something like the events of this movie actually happening

Mother's Day



5/10

Not bad for a 80s slasher but nothing that really stands out either


Vicious Fun



5/10

Interesting concept but I was losing interest in parts.


The Shed



5/10

Original idea for a vampire film. Didnt mind it.


Scream Queen



2/10

Kinda surprised with some of the higher ratings for this. I thought it was boring and put together badly.

[Cruel Angel]

Oct 5

Dracula
Frankenstein
The Mummy
The Invisible Man
The Bride of Frankenstein

[CZAR]

10/4 - Friday the 13th (1980) -
My fav Horror franchise. Not the best film in the series but its what kicked things off.


10/5 - Friday the 13th Part 2 -
Jason is born! My fav Horror film. Potato Sack Jason. Ginny is the best Final girl in any Horror movie.

[Show spoiler]9/1 - Deliverance - Great performance from Andra Day and refreshing take on Exorcisms.


9/2 - Longlegs - Just terrible and very slow. Nic please stop.


9/11 - The Witch - Good film! Loved the lead actress!


9/12 - Terrifier - Low budget but up my alley.


9/14 - Immaculate - Loved the lead actress and very good film.


9/15 - The Descent Part 2 - Not as good as the first, but love that it was a direct sequel.


9/16 - You'll Never Find Me - Mixed here, but it was ok I guess.


9/18 - Blink Twice - Very good movie and great directorial debut from Zoe.


9/19 - The Rental - Not a bad slasher film.


9/21 - Terrifier 2 -
Good follow up to the OG. Savage kills and the lead actress was fire! Cant wait to see part 3.


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.


9-26 - All Hallows Eve 2 -
Ok film but nuthin special. Very short films in this Anthology Horror.


9/27 - Bloodline -
Stiffler the serial killer. Kinda bland but not the worst film Ive seen.


9/28 - Firestarter -
Love the original but this remake was very underwhelming. The female lead was pretty good but the script wasnt it.


9/29 - Thanksgiving -
Finally a slasher about Thanksgiving. Very entertaining but predictable. Wouldnt mind seeing a sequel...


9/29 - Talk To Me -
Original concept and its something about foreign horror films. Very good watch....


9/30 - Nightmares (1983) -
It was good seeing this classic after so many years. The Video Game & Rat stories are my favs in this.


10/1 - Speak No Evil (2022) -
Im not a big subtitle fan but foreign Horror hits different. Disturbing ending but good movie.


10/2 - The Hangman -
A waste of a hour & half. Just not a good film. Please stay away from this.


10/2 - The Cellar -
Not a good night of films. Elisha Cuthbert couldnt save this film.


10/3 - Break -
This has nuthin on Frozen. Didnt realize it was a foreign film with a terrible English dub version. You can skip this one.

[jeddy3]

10/4 - Salem’s Lot (2024)*
Dracula (1979)*

10/5 - The Simpsons “Treehouse of Horror VIII” (1997)
The Simpsons “Treehouse of Horror XIX” (2008)
Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)
Abigail (2024)*

A childhood flashback of sorts with some Saturday morning cartoons and an Abbott and Costello matinee

(* notes first time viewing)
And the list so far -

[Show spoiler]9/1 - Pandorum (2009)
Life (2017)
9/2 - Event Horizon (1997)
9/3 - Jason X (2001)
9/4 - Beetlejuice (1988)
9/5 - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)*
9/6 - The Watchers (2024)*
9/8 - Sisters (1972)*
9/17 - Feast (2005)*
Demonic (2015)*
9/18 - Cuckoo (2024)*
9/19 - Suspiria (2018)*
Saint Maud (2019)*
9/20 - Evil Dead Rise (2023)
9/21 - The Thing (2011)
The Thing (1982)
9/22 - Se7en (1995)
9/23 - Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)
Starry Eyes (2014)
9/24 - Shaun of the Dead (2004)
9/25 - Revenge (2017)*
9/26 - 1408 (2007)
9/27 - Speak No Evil (2022)
Longlegs (2024)
9/29 - The Dead Don’t Die (2019)
9/30 - What You Wish For (2023)*
10/1 - 30 Days of Night (2007)
The Strangers (2008)
Scream of Fear (1961)*
10/2 - Never Take Candy from A Stranger (1960)*
The Substance (2024)*
The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018)*
10/3 - These Are the Damned (1962)*
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)*
The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024)*
10/4 - Salem’s Lot (2024)*
Dracula (1979)*
10/5 - The Simpsons “Treehouse of Horror VIII” (1997)
The Simpsons “Treehouse of Horror XIX” (2008)
Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)
Abigail (2024)*

[BerC]

½

When I was young, my grandmother used to read me Stephen King stories before bed. "Children of the Corn" was always one of my favorites. I was first introduced to the cinematic version of the story in the late summer of 1985 and I have probably seen it about twelve times since. I never really cared that "He Who Walks Behind the Rows" was more reminiscent of the groundhog from "Caddyshack" than a demonic force lurking behind the corn stalks. Even at the age of six, I understood that this film was aiming to create a specific mood rather than be a traditional schlockfest with cheap frights and lumbering monsters. The emptiness of Gatlin, Nebraska and the religious frenzy gripping the titular youth was enough to fill the movie with an atmosphere of impending danger.

Most of the children are perfunctory in their roles but John Franklin (as Isaac) and Courtney Gains (as Malachai) stand head and shoulders above the others. Franklin might just portray the most disturbing human character in a Stephen King film since Jack Nicholson starred in "The Shining." A pre-"Terminator" Linda Hamilton shows confidence in her abilities as an actress while Peter Horton makes an amiable lead. They display an acceptable amount of chemistry together and each one works well off the children which helps preserve suspension of disbelief in the story itself. Jonathan Elias' score fits well with the tension director Fritz Kiersch brought to the screen. "Children of the Corn" has always been a winner in my book, not in spite of its differences to mainstream horror movies of the mid-eighties, but because of them.

There's a reason the first half of "It" works better when set in the late fifties: I lived through the eighties and all of the kids I knew were far more cynical and a lot less scared than the ones depicted in this film. The kind of innocence needed to make a story like this convincing just didn't exist at that point in time. We were a generation you had to work hard to impress. We were desensitized to the kind of terrors featured in this film and we were basically numb to the world around us in general. Maybe it wasn't that way all across the country, but it damn sure felt that way where I lived. I guess that's why I feel no connection whatsoever to the kids featured in this film - because they are as far removed from me as I was from the kids in Stephen King's original novel. At the very least, the original 1990 television miniseries made me feel like the first half took place in 1960. This version feels like it takes place in 2017 with everyone merely pretending they're living in 1989. I know that my heart is very close to the 1990 film, but I genuinely believe I looked at this updated rendition objectively . . . and it just couldn't hold a candle to Tommy Lee Wallace's version. Perhaps Andy Muschietti was the wrong person to direct an adaptation of "It." I'll be honest, I never really cared for his feature debut "Mama" and "The Flash" was so God-awful I think it turned me off from watching D.C. films permanently.

The actors playing the "Loser's Club" are a mixed bag with some being better than their 1990 counterparts (Beverly, Eddie, Ben and Mike) and some being worse (Richie, Stan, and Bill). Jaeden Martell is supposed to be the one holding the club together as Bill but, in my opinion, he is the least effective person in this film. He lacks the youthful influence Jonathan Brandis brought to the role, making his position as leader more believable. Finn Wolfhard is the second least effective coming off as a highly annoying Richie without any of the good-naturedness Seth Green brought to the role. Nicholas Hamilton makes an incredibly commonplace Henry Bowers, missing out on the "charismatic killer" vibe Jarred Blancard possessed twenty-seven years earlier. As for Bill Skarsgård, I've never understood the fascination. He's a good actor but he's nothing exceptional. He's certainly not as scary as Tim Curry was in the role of Pennywise. Curry made evil look effortless while Skarsgård seems like a buffoonish parody of what Stephen King intended his otherworldly clown to be. Sophia Lillis and Jack Dylan Grazer are the only cast members who really stand out, displaying their talent in full uncontainable force.

Interactions between members of the "Loser's Club" are often the best parts of this film. When it remembers it's a horror movie, it loses steam. Mainstream horror after the year 2000 has always been hit or miss, but some of the sequences that are supposed to be the scariest in this movie left me rolling my eyes with their mediocrity. Moments that should draw me into the terror these children are feeling more often than not drag me right out of the film entirely. Benjamin Wallfisch's throbbing "I'm gonna get ya" style score is unsuitable for the kind of suspense a Stephen King film should present and too sappy for the connectedness the characters are supposed to be experiencing during the post-finale close of the film. The lighting is all wrong, particularly during the finale. Chung-hoon Chung's cinematography is so plain I had to do a double take when I realized it was his name in the credits. Seriously, the man who was director of photography for some of Park Chan-wook's greatest films lensed this? The 2017 version of "It" is an effects-laden, big-budgeted, empty-headed wannabe crowd pleaser that replaces the heart and frights of the 1990 version with maudlin sentiments and manufactured "jump because we tell you to" scares. Ugh.

½

Oh dear Lord, when will "It" end? I remember thinking that the first time I watched these two chapters and now I have the funniest feeling I should have stuck to the original 1990 television miniseries. That version of "It" is perhaps my all-time favorite made-for-television movie. This 2017 updated version is a drawn out affair that runs about two hours longer than said television miniseries and yet it feels like it accomplishes so much less. I'm a very big fan of James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain and Bill Hader but here they feel like they're acting, not blending in with their surroundings like they do in their better films. James Ransone is so abrasive as the older Eddie Kaspbrak and is easily my least favorite of the adults, which is a shame considering his child counterpart was one of the best. There's no real chemistry between the adult actors either. The original adults from the 1990 television miniseries were all well known performers and none of them had a problem fitting into their roles. They were unified in the same way their younger selves were which made the fantastic elements of the film that much easier to accept. Here, in the 2017 version, there's no connective tissue binding these people. They truly are strangers to each other, never feeling like they find their way back into the tight-knit group they had as children. Unquestionably the best actor in this chapter is Stephen King himself with his brief cameo as a pawn shop proprietor.

The shambles of scenes slapped together for this second chapter have some truly abysmal moments. The fortune cookie scene in the 1990 film was disturbing but here it looks over processed and phony as hell. The handling of all the material related to the "Ritual of Chüd" is embarrassingly awful. The effect for

[Show spoiler]the demented daughter of Pennywise

was so laughably ridiculous I almost turned off the film right then and there. By the time

[Show spoiler]the "spider head Stan" arrives as the group moves toward the final confrontation, I was ready for this shit to be over. I can't believe I subjected myself to this horrible monstrosity for a second time. Everything after the "spider head Stan" appearance seems to keep spiraling further and further away from what a Stephen King film should be. And making Pennywise small by verbally insulting him . . . what? After a total of five hours between the two chapters this is the best ending you can present to us?

If I never watch this version of "It" again, it will be too soon. Hopefully this will be the lowest rated film I view over this Halloween season. I had to force myself to give it half a skull, almost preferring not to rate the damn thing at all.

AT LEAST THE FIRST CHAPTER OF "IT" HAD SOME GOOD TUNES! HERE'S ONE OF THEM:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDdF3HWGP54

[thenexus6]

DAY FIVE

The Substance (2024)



I'd heard how insane, gross, and sick this was. And maybe because I'm no stranger to weird cinema, I have to say… it wasn't that bad. Sure it's pretty gross and in your face, but I've seen worse. It's cool to see something mainstream go this far though.

It was a dark and twisted cautionary tale about beauty and self-image. It's pretty sad at times. Everyone gave a great performance, especially Demi Moore who is terrific.

It's accompanied by a lot of satire and tongue-in-cheek too. By the end, it wanders into comedy because of how extreme it goes.
It looked stunning with amazing colours, framing and uncomfortable close-ups. It felt like Cronenberg meets Apex Twin, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

If I had any negatives, it was a little too long. The middle section started to feel a bit repetitive. 20 minutes or so could've been cut.

The sound was also too loud at times. I saw this in a standard screen and I think Dolby would've had my ears bleeding. There's a car crash scene early on and I'm glad I was sat towards the back and not the front of the screen.

SCARES: It's full of body horror but nothing traditionally "scary".

CHEESE FACTOR: N/A, maybe towards the end. It may go too far with the premise by that point. It started to feel like pure shock factor.

KILLS & CREATIVITY: Lots of points for creativity here. It's hard to discuss without spoiling, but the special effects were fantastic. It's one of the best body horror films I've seen in quite a while.