31 Days of Halloween Movies (2015) - Horror Fans Unite!!!!!!

[Jennifer Lawrence Fan]

October 14th, 2015

Piranha (Re-watch)

Best use of a underwater scene ever. Hot girls and blood/gore go hand and hand. Like Peanut Butter and Chocolate

[evilive]

*Denotes first time viewing

10/14


*The Phantom Creeps(1939) Foreign agents get a hold of Dr. Zorka's meteorite, while also kidnapping his former partner.


Friday The 13th Part 2(1981) A rehash of the first with the same type of characters. Jason make his appearance in this installment. The kills weren't that great, and the make up effects wasn't by Tom Savini. Still, its an entertaining flick. I did notice that Jason seemed a bit clumsy when chasing after the main character. But then again he's running around with a cloth bag over his head with one eye hole!


Zombie(1979) I love the voodoo angle to this zombie classic. The make up effects are awesome and I love the main musical score. Good stuff!

[jedi209]

[Show spoiler]10/1
(1) Alien (1979) (BD)
Nothing more needs to be said. A true classic and a strong start to the challenge.

(2) A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) (Streaming)
I think this movie does a very good job of capturing the feeling and effects of being lonely. It may be "slow" by western standards but I think the combination of the black and white was what helps make the story telling work so effectively. Plus. there's some great camera shots/scenes.

10/2
(3) Castle Freak (1995) (DVD)
It's like having the Band back together! Okay, cheesy joke aside, I'm not sure how I haven't seen this movie before. I love the Full Moon movies, Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, The Band Brothers and Stuart Gordon. I had gotten this movie a couple of months ago as I stocked up for this month and when I saw somebody had already watched it, (and loved it) I bumped it up on the to-watch-list. It really is a fun little gore-fest.

I had a nice little double feature at my friends house. We watched both of these out back on his projector. It made for a fun change of pace.

(4) 30 Days Of Night (2007) (DVD)
I am a fan of this movie and of the source material and I think they did a great job conveying the isolation, bleak circumstances and the nature of the vampires. I just wish the sequel had come to close to the original but then the situation did have a lot to do with how much I enjoyed the original.

(5) An American Werewolf in London (1981) (DVD)
A classic! just the right blend of horror and comedy.

10/3
(6) Burnt Offering (1976) (DVD) .5
Burnt Offering is a mildly creepy but predictable haunted house movie. The acting and atmospheric score are very good but there's no surprises here. Which, might be a bit unfair to ask when watching a 39 year old movie for the first time. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the steady progression of the haunting. And for just a second there I really thought they were going to

[Show spoiler]get out of there alive

...just kidding.

(7) The Invisible Ray (1936) (DVD)
I love old sci-fi movies that are filled with the romance of discovering the cosmos. It's an added bonus when those discoveries lead to horrific results. Despite having a superb cast I think this one does drag on just a little in the middle. Overall though, a fun look back at the way science, and its missuses, were written into movies.

10/4
(8) [rec]² (2009) (DVD)
I thought, having loved the first [rec] that I had properly checked my expectations at the door...that didn't seem to help. The first has the advantage of putting the audience into the everyday, perhaps even mundane activities of normal life before going bat-shit crazy. I know the sequel would not have this opportunity and I was prepared for that. Sadly, this movie also has badly written characters and even misplaced character types.

[Show spoiler]I hated how the swat guy was losing his shit first thing and Jefe was inept throughout. If they were going to included the kids, it seems, these would have been the perfect characters to have lose their shit (and they did ad nauseam).

Overall, I'm still hopeful for the remainder of the series.

(9) Fright Night (1985) (BD)
A family favorite! I'm sure that if I were to nit-pick I would have to lower the score but this movie is just such a long time favorite. It's so very fun and campy.

10/5
(10) House of Frankenstein (1944) (DVD)
A sequel to Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), this is a wild ride packed with so much action and monsters that there isn't really time to develop much of a story. But who needs one when you have Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, The Wolf Man, an insane doctor, a hunchback and a gypsy dancer?

(11) Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow (1959) (DVD) .5
A drive-in movie by it's very nature. This one is nothing but a dance-a-thon of a movie made to be "enjoyed" by teenagers at the drive-in, preferably spending the duration making out.

(12) April Fool's Day (1986) (DVD)
An enjoyable who-done-it of a collage age prank movie.

(13) Puppetmaster (1989) (DVD)
Despite Full Moon's attempts to keep the series going, I can't help but think this would benefit from a fresh prospective and possibly a reboot/remake! Of course from somebody that would treat the series with as much reverence as Toulon himself has for his creations.

10/6
(14) The Babadook (2014) (streaming)
This is very taunt tale of a mother and son dealing with the loss of their husband/father in their own ways. Great performances by both Essie Davis as the emotionally drained and ostracized mother and Noah Wiseman as the reclusive but determined son hold the story together with a firm resolve. My only complaint with the movie is I didn't think it was as scary as it could have been. Otherwise, a very entertaining movie.

Despite not having the time to comment here, I have been able to read along and watch the bare minimum of movies.

10/8
(15) Fido (2006) (streaming) .5
I really enjoyed this satire of the McCarthyism era with a zombie twist. I haven't seen Carrie-Anne Moss in much other than The Matrix but I really enjoyed her performance.

10/9
(16) Dracula has Risen from the Grave (1968) (BD)

(17) The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014) (streaming)
I'm adding a half skull for Jill Larson's (as Deborah Logan) performance. The movie was over-all entertaining but the supporting cast was a weak link and I thought the reasons behind the disturbance was a little weak and long in developing.

10/10
(18) The Brain that wouldn't Die (1962) (TV)
A pretty cheap take on the mad scientist turned potential murderer for the woman he loves.

(19) The Devil Bat (1940) (streaming)
Certainly not Lugosi's best work or material to work with but still entertaining. After all, how could it not be when you get to hear: “Ah, my friend! Our theory of glandular stimulation through electrical impulses was correct!” directed at an experimental bat?9

10/11
(20) [rec]³ :Genesis (2012) (DVD)
A much needed recovery after rec². The story has the advantage of starting off in a tradition setting: A Wedding. How could anything ever go wrong at a wedding? Of course things start off perfect but quickly devolve into utter chaos. Leticia Dolera (as Clara) plays the perfect woman. She starts off as the demure bride enjoying her wedding and reception when events separate her from her new husband and nothing will stop her from finding him. The story follows both bride and husband's unrelenting attempts to reach each other. But Clara goes through hell and rises to the occasion including a great scene where she

[Show spoiler]makes a slit in her wedding dress with a chainsaw!

10/12
(21) Exorcismus (2010) (TV)
I could not get into this movie no matter how hard I tried. The BS faux documentary style was too distracting, annoying and didn't help the movie at all.

(22) Maniac (2012) (streaming)
Great performances from Elijah Wood and Nora Arnezeder as Anna. I liked the POV style camera work. A nice little disturbing film.

10/13
(23) Grabbers (2012) (streaming)
Wow, what a fun movie! This would make for a fun drinking game, if you didn't die. The movie is stuffed full of one-liners delivered with amazing timing.

10/14
(24) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (BD)
A classic that looks and sounds really good on Blu-ray!

(25) Season of the Witch aka Hungry Wives (1972) (streaming)
After watching this I saw where Romero remarked that this is the movie he'd most like to remake. It wasn't terrible but budget constraints definitely hampered the quality of the movie.

(26) The Descent (2005) (BD)
I love everything about this movie. The character development is so excellent and so capably executed by the cast. The sets and shots build a very unnerving tale. Sure the cgi scene is a little dated but by the time you come to that shot you're so in the moment nothing can detract from what is about to happen. I would stay away from this movie if you are claustrophobic.

[Jennifer Lawrence Fan]

October 15th, 2015

Once Bitten (Re-watch)
1/2
Hard to believe this movie is 30 years old. I remember seeing this when I was younger.

[Abby is Q]

abby's halloween-a-thon... of HORROR!
Woe be unto him who opens one of the seven gateways to Hell, because through that gateway, evil will invade the world.

Week 1 -

[Show spoiler]October 1st:

1. Village of the Damned (1960) - 1/2
2. Children of the Damned (1964) -
3. Death Valley (1982) - 1/2
4. Dolly Dearest (1991) -
5. Sinister (2012) -

October 2nd:

6. Deadtime Stories (1986) - 1/2
7. The Suckling (1990) -
8. Nightmare Weekend (1986) - 1/2

October 3rd:

9. Subspecies (1991) -
10. The Legacy (1978) - 1/2
11. Amityville 3D (1983) - 1/2
12. The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) - 1/2

October 4th:

13. Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972) - 1/2
14. Eaten Alive (1977) -
15. Cello (2005) -
16. The Oracle (1985) - 1/2

October 5th:

17. Brainiac (1962) - 1/2
18. Cassandra (1987) -
19. Let the Right One In (2008) -
20. Don't Torture a Duckling (1972) -
21. All Night Long 2: Atrocity (1995) -

October 6th:

22. Christine (1983) - 1/2
23. Blood Feast (1963) -
24. Frostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo (1995) - 1/2

October 7th:

25. Savage Weekend (1979) -
26. Curse of Chucky (2013) - 1/2
27. Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964) -
28. The Forest (1982) - 1/2

Week 2 -

[Show spoiler]October 8th:

29. The Tomb of Ligeia (1964) -
30. Carnival of Souls (1962) - 1/2
31. The Changeling (1980) -
32. Color Me Blood Red (1965) - 1/2

October 9th:

33. The Fall of the House of Usher (1960) - 1/2
34. The Monster That Challenged the World (1957) -
35. We're Going to Eat You (1980) -
36. The 'Burbs (1989) -

October 10th:

37. The Sentinel (1977) -
38. The Prowler (1981) - 1/2

October 11th:

39. Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter (1994) -
40. Saw V (2008) -
41. Tremors 5: Bloodlines (2015) -
42. Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998) -
43. Howling V: The Rebirth (1989) -

October 12th:

44. The Masque of the Red Death (1964) - 1/2
45. Rosemary's Baby (1968) -
46. Vengeance of the Zombies (1973) -

October 13th:

47. Casper (1995) - 1/2
48. It Follows (2015) -
49. Wishing Stairs (2003) -

October 14th:

50. Murder Rock (1984) -
For a Lucio Fulci movie, it's really dull. It may be Flashdance meets The New York Ripper, but it's not as good as that idea sounds. There is plenty of great (a bit too erotic for a dance academy if you ask me) dance scenes to some of the cheesiest music from a Lucio Fulci movie. That stuff is great, and it's hilarious and sexy. Makes me want to throw on some spandex, get my hair wet, and whip it around. But the big problem with the movie is its lack of violence and grit. That's something that makes Lucio Fulci movies special. New York Ripper and Don't Torture a Duckling are genre classics because of the extreme violence. In Murder Rock, every girl is killed by being knocked out and having a needle pressed into their heart. It sounds like a good idea on paper, but it doesn't make for the most exciting slasher. Maybe a few scenes where the killer is almost caught, but has to kill the eyewitness quickly to escape the crime scene would have been nice. The ending has a twist, but if you've seen other Fulci movies, it's kind of predictable. Even the shots in the movie don't seem to have the same flare he usually has in his other movies. Some of his trademarks show up, but for the most part it seems like he's going through the motions. And that's what really keeps this movie from being anything special. The novelty of a Flashdance slasher doesn't sustain it well enough.


51. Eyes Without a Face (1960) -
A classic French horror film. It kind of relies on old cliches, while updating it for a modern audience (for the time). The mad scientist has been done since the beginning of horror films, but here the mad scientist acts relatively normal, and is just psychotic underneath the surface. He goes about his daily routine and he never becomes a ranting lunatic (he kinda walks a fine line, but it never goes overboard). The look of Christiane (the girl without a face) is classic, iconic, and creepy. She's not really the villain of this movie or a monster, but she deserves a place alongside Dracula, Frankenstein, the Bride, and the Invisible Man as an iconic horror character. The movie has a lot of subtext to it. There's a theme of vanity and that to be normal is to look beautiful and perfect, but Christiane is the most normal of her small family despite being the one disfigured. The surgery scene is another great scene, and considering the year this was made it's impressive and bloody. One of the great surgery scenes in film. There are plenty of great shots and the pacing is pretty good, though it drags a bit in the third act when they're like, "Well, I guess we need another girl's face to cut off!" The music is a not very fitting and actually sounds like the theme to Curb Your Enthusiasm. It's unintentionally funny. Before re-watching this, I would have been quick to put Eyes Without a Face up there with the classics. Now, I'm a bit unsure. It's still very good for its time and one of the absolute best of the decade, but it doesn't quite reach the level of Psycho, Rosemary's Baby, or Night of the Living Dead. Looking at this movie now, it's more on the level of Village of the Damned and Carnival of Souls. Very, very good 60s horror movies that are under appreciated. Still, Eyes Without a Face is another movie that shows a horror revolution that started in the early 60s, not the 70s.


52. Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971) -
I was originally going to give this a lower score because I found the direction to be drab and the movie kind of tedious. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enthralled and enjoying it throughout. It held my attention despite being like flavorless oatmeal. It was really the characters that kept me entertained. The lead who plays Jessica is actually really good, and walks a fine line between hammy overacting and being a legitimately crazy woman. She reaches that point where you're about to laugh at her acting, but then pulls it back slightly enough to make her character someone the audience can connect to. Like I said before, the direction is really dull. But there are some pretty creepy moments, like the mute girl who seems to be following Jessica and the scene where someone comes out of the water. Though, those parts are creepier more for the context than because they're shot or edited to make you pee your pants. The ending was interesting, but kind of confusing. I didn't quite understand what the antagonist was doing. Then it gets really reminiscent of Dead & Buried for a little bit before ending a bit anticlimactically. I think you're supposed to come away wondering if Jessica was crazy or not, but I didn't really get that. The way the movie portrays it is Jessica is not crazy. It never seems like she's imagining things or jumping to conclusions, even if the voice overs try to make it seem that way. This, again, is kind of a problem because of a director who seemed to be just following the script instead of adding artistic flare. Maybe I'm off base with my assessment, but this was just how my viewing went. Anyway, I'd put Let's Scare Jessica to Death up there with the other movie I mentioned, Dead & Buried. It's not up there with the classics or even a movie you need to go out of your way to see, but once you start getting past the notable horror titles and into more unknown and forgotten movies, they're surprisingly entertaining.

[jeddy3]

10/3 - Warm Bodies (2013)
The Shining (1980)
10/5 - Zombeavers (2014)
10/7 - House of the Dead (2003)
10/8 - A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
10/9 - Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)
10/10 - Shaun of the Dead (2004)
10/12 - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
10/14 - We Are Still Here (2015)
Disturbia (2007)

[snobird]

31 Days Of Horror

Movies:

9/27 - You're Next
9/27 - Housebound
9/28 - Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers
9/29 - Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland
9/30 - Dead Silence
10/1 - The Ward
10/2 - Re-Animator
10/3 - Would You Rather
10/3 - V/H/S
10/3 - Maniac (2012)
10/3 - Cabin Fever: Patient Zero
10/4 - All the Boys Love Mandy Lane
10/4 - It Follows
10/5 - The Orphanage
10/6 - The House of the Devil
10/7 - The Taking of Deborah Logan
10/8 - Castle Freak
10/9 - The Dark Half
10/10 - Poltergeist (2015)
10/11 - Monkey Shines
10/12 - Vile
10/13 - Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
10/14 - Insidious: Chapter 3

Documentaries:

10/4 - The Definitive Document of the Dead
10/10 - Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest

TV Shows:

10/5 - Fear the Walking Dead: Episode 6
10/5 - Fear the Walking Dead Flight 462: Part 1
10/11 - The Walking Dead Season 6: Episode 1
10/11 - Fear the Walking Dead Flight 462: Part 2

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by evilive

Friday The 13th(1981) A rehash of the first with the same type of characters. Jason make his appearance in this installment. The kills weren't that great, and the make up effects wasn't by Tom Savini. Still, its an entertaining flick. I did notice that Jason seemed a bit clumsy when chasing after the main character. But then again he's running around with a cloth bag over his head with one eye hole!

Boo this man! Got Em!!

[Mandalorian]

1. 9/28 - Secret Window - 1/2
2. 9/29 - Eyes Wide Shut* -
3. 10/1 - A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) -
4. 10/3 - The Sixth Sense -
5. 10/4 - Jacob's Ladder* - 1/2
6. 10/4 - Wolfen* -
7. 10/12 - Scanners* -
8. 10/14 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge - 1/2
New:
9. 10/15 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors* - 1/2

* First-time Viewing

[Jennifer Lawrence Fan]

October 15th, 2015

Halloween II (Re-watch)

[evilive]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Boo this man! Got Em!!

Haha, I didn't hate the movie it was still fun to watch.

[callahan09]

* - 1st Time Viewing

PREVIOUS ENTRIES:

[Show spoiler]

10/1 - *Trick 'r Treat (2007)



I really liked the cast and acting throughout this movie, and the cinematography and music were top-notch as well. I liked that it was basically an anthology, but that each of the stories were interconnected. I had a lot of fun with it. It's got plenty of scary scenes, some gross-out stuff, and a lot of funny parts too.

10/1 - *I, Madman (1989)



Cool villain, nice lead actress, some interesting ideas. The occasional goofy stop-motion stuff is kind of weird. A little slow at times, a little cliche. Overall, it was a decently fun movie.

10/1 - *Lost After Dark (2014)



Stereotypical characters, cliche scenario, stiff acting, unconvincing effects and editing, lack of humor... It was gimmicky and failed as an homage, with so much missing the mark. There were only a couple of brief scenes that were pretty fun.

10/1 - *The Editor (2014)



Great job creating the vibe of a traditional giallo, very good cinematography and music. The acting really got on my nerves though, and the whole thing started to feel too much like a gimmick at times. The plot was really confusing for me, but some of the scenes in this movie were truly great, including some that had me literally rolling on the floor laughing. I kind of thought it didn't go all in enough on the parody aspect.

10/1 - *It Follows (2014)



Great atmosphere, great concept, great execution, great music, great acting! I liked the characters and they actually displayed normal levels of human intelligence and intuition in most of the movie.

10/1 - Fright Night (1985)



I really like the feel of this movie, it's kind of light-hearted, but suspenseful as well. Some of the characters are very odd in a charming sort of way. There is a lot of funny stuff in this, and the gore & special effects in the final act are really cool. Just great characters, atmosphere, writing, and everything all around. A lot of fun.

10/1 - *Castle Freak (1995)



Great plot, great atmosphere & setting, excellent acting, convincing effects work, moody lighting, interesting characters. Totally engrossing, enhanced by the gruesomeness of it all. Just a really wonderful, freaky as hell movie.

10/1 - Swamp Thing (1982)



Not a great movie, but it's a pretty fun kid-friendly 1950's drive-in style B-movie. Kind of slow to get going, but the finale is an absolute blast, complete with ridiculous rubber suit special effects and hammy performances.

10/2 - *The Babadook (2014) -



The story was good, I liked how they explored how this kind of psychological torture might effect a family in the real world. The lead actress was absolutely amazing in this. It was a very well-done movie, but it did feel REALLY long to me for some reason, and while I really appreciate the movie a lot, it doesn't strike me as something I'll want to rewatch anytime soon.

10/2 - *The Hole (2009)



This is the kind of movie I probably would have loved if I'd seen it as a kid. It felt pretty juvenile to me. I appreciated a lot of the homage to other horror movies, but it just wasn't that suspenseful to me, and I didn't identify with the relationship between the brothers, or the concept behind their fears. Although I admit I was never bored while watching, and the final scenario was pretty cool with a really awesome set.

10/2 - *Body Bags (1993)



I'm not exaggerating when I say that, for me, this movie is PERFECT. I love the morgue scenes between the stories, I love all 3 stories, and really I just love everything about it. The acting is top notch across the board, as is the special effects & makeup work. Direction is spot-on, great music, great photography, great stories. The Gas Station is very suspenseful and scary, and the other two are quirky and crazy and just awesome. I feel like this is criminally underrated.

10/2 - *Eyes Without a Face (1960)



Immediately I felt like I was watching an early version of Almodovar's The Skin I Live In (one of my favorite films). This is an excellent movie, with a great story, some really creepy and even gruesome scenes, some good suspense, and a general macabre feeling. The acting and direction were top-notch all around, but I was a little disappointed with the musical score, it didn't even try to be suspenseful from what I could tell. This movie might have been even more effective with a more terrifying score, but as is the movie works really well, even if it does only marginally qualify as horror.

10/3 - Halloween (1978)



One of the great intros and most exciting finales in horror history. Personally, I find a lot of the stuff in between to be uneventful, but there is a building sense of impending doom as it goes. Great photography, even better music. Pretty good acting, too. The movie holds up great, but I always thought it could have been edited down a bit to make it a bit more lean and better paced.

10/3 - A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)



Really great music and photography, good acting, and a truly terrifying concept. I don't always like when Freddy comes off as oddly humorous, and I honestly don't think it was intentional in this first one. I don't really care for the ending, either. But the movie has this crazy quality to it that's just downright fun to watch!

10/3 - *The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)



This was very underwhelming to me. It was really kitschy and kind of hokey, but I didn't laugh a single time. It wasn't frightening, but there were some cool special effects that were worth seeing I guess. It didn't really do anything for me.

10/3 - *The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)



Atmospheric lighting, engaging and suspenseful musical score, top-notch acting, wonderful sets & costumes, engrossing plot. Very good movie all around.

10/3 - *Vampire's Kiss (1988)



Uhhh... what? This is an incredibly weird movie. The director clearly had no control over his star, and this is one of the most uneven, over-the-top performances I've ever seen. Cage can't figure out what accent he wants his character to have. The story in this is actually kind of interesting when it's all said and done, it might have been much better in the hands of a more capable director. It had me laughing maniacally a lot of the time. It kind of works as a tale of madness more than it does as a comedy, weirdly enough. Very entertaining, anyway.

10/3 - Zombie (1979)



This movie has really amazing gore effects, violence, and zombie makeup. Unfortunately the pacing is very slow, the plot is basic, the characters are kind of lifeless and uninteresting, and it takes entirely too long to get going (after a brief opening scene that was interesting and fun). I had a hard time keeping focused, actually. That said, there are some truly captivating scenes that make it worth a view. Some parts are extremely intense and very well made, but most of it is boring.

10/4 - *Leprechaun 3 (1995)



So much of this movie was bad. The Leprechaun's rhymes are about as cheezy as it gets, and the plot was really slow and illogical. That said, there were a couple of scenes that made me laugh out loud and have a great time. In general, it's pretty much a "so bad it's good" classic.

10/4 - The Frighteners (1996)



I really like Michael J Fox in this, and while some of it is too silly and cartoonish for me, most of it is really entertaining, with a lot of great humor and even some pretty chilling parts. There's a lot of very cool special effects and camera work in this, too. The story works great for me, and the acting is mostly great as well.

10/4 - *Harper's Island Season 1 (2009)



It takes a few episodes to really get into it, because it starts off a bit too much like a prime time soap kind of show, but I think that was the point. It's humorous and kind of light at first, and eventually it shifts gears into this intense slasher movie with a TON of great kills, a lot of likable characters, and an actually interesting plot/mystery. Absolutely love this! Great way to spend a day.

10/5 - *From a Whisper to a Scream (1987)



Soooo boring. The first of the four stories was mildly entertaining and had some interesting ideas, but the ending was out of left field and incredibly stupid. They just got more and more boring from there. It was nice seeing Vincent Price in a minor role.

10/5 - *Jennifer's Body (2009)



This was just straight up horrible. I hated everything about it. I couldn't stand the characters, the setup was lame, the kills were lame, and the dialogue was about as stupid as it gets. I found myself shifting between bored and irritated throughout. Can I give it 0 skulls? I'll settle for a half.

10/5 - *Pumpkinhead (1988)



I was expecting something funny and really campy, but this movie takes itself VERY seriously, and surprisingly it pulls it off pretty well. It has very good acting, moody music, atmospheric lighting, interesting camera work, and great effects. It was a pretty scary movie, actually. Not really a great plot, nor very interesting characters, but it made up for it by being creepy and well-made.

10/5 - *House (1977)



It took a while for me to get used to watching this frenetic, downright WEIRD movie, but eventually I started to realize I was having a lot of fun and this zany, wacky, totally out there movie might become a favorite of mine some day. Some of it just didn't work for me, but overall it was a lot of fun.

10/5 - *Housebound (2014)



I thought it was really slow paced and the plot was kind of stupid, but it had some funny scenes. I didn't find it scary at all, or funny enough. I really disliked the characters.

10/5 - *Motel Hell (1980)



Pretty fun little movie. I really liked Rory Calhoun in the main role. Some of the set decoration as pretty cool and set the mood well. I appreciate that most of it was played totally straight, but you could tell that this was really some "black as midnight on a moonless night" humor. It wasn't always laugh out loud funny, and it wasn't really scary, so I wouldn't consider it a frequently rewatchable classic, but I definitely appreciate a lot of what it did.

10/6 - Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight (1995)



This movie is just so much fun! Interesting story, lots of great one-liners and other laughs, fun presentation, good acting, interesting characters, quality special effects. A very re-watchable (over and over again) type of movie.

10/7 - *Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990)



I was underwhelmed by the middle story ("The Cat From Hell"), which I had high expectations for since it was based on a story by Stephen King and written by George Romero. This was a weak point for me, I just didn't really get into that segment as much as the other two stories, which were both fantastic. This has a lot of cool special effects and some really fun shocking gore scenes. The cast is excellent throughout, with a lot of great actors appearing in each of the segments. Very fun movie.

10/7 - *From Hell (2001)



The cinematography, camera work, sets, costumes, sound design, and all production aspects in general are top-notch. Acting is consistently great. The movie is a little slow paced and hard to follow for me. I consider it a better movie in terms of its quality than I do in terms of how much I enjoyed watching it.

10/8 - Tales from the Crypt Presents: Bordello of Blood (1996)



There is some really fun stuff in this, and the special effects and music are pretty good, even some of the acting is pretty good, though not always from everyone in the cast. I think it starts off well and has a great middle section, but the finale is kind of underwhelming and loses steam. There's some laugh out loud jokes in this, and a lot of it is fun, but also too much of it misses the mark or just feels exploitative. It's kind of a guilty pleasure, though.

10/8 - *Shocker (1989)



This is ridiculous and undeniably silly, but still kind of infectious and fun, with a killer 80's metal soundtrack and some really cool over-the-top performances from the cast. This is not a good movie and the plot is just stupid, but it's a very enjoyable watch (if a little on the longer side than necessary). It has some cool sets and effects (despite being cheezy) as well.

10/8 - *From Beyond



Ah, what a wonderful movie. It's gory, gross, mind-blowing stuff, with a very good story and theme. Great musical score, awesome lighting and cinematography, amazing special effects (well, there are obvious signs that they ran out of money in the finale sequence, but it works for me). Jeffrey Combs is amazing as always, Barbara Crampton is very good as well. This is just such a cool, fun movie, I loved everything about it.

10/9 - *The People Under the Stairs (1991)



As a big Twin Peaks fan, I was very excited to see Everett McGill & Wendy Robie together. She was harrowing, intense, terrifying, crazy, and downright AMAZING in this movie. He, on the other hand, was a massive disappointment to me. His performance missed the mark on a lot of levels for me, and a lot of it was just too silly to be frightening. This movie overall was very effective, scary, and had an interesting story and characters. The sets, special effects, lighting, camera work, and music were all great and set the tone. I do think it could have been a little more tightly edited and better paced, and a couple of the scenes are silly enough that they took me out of the experience, but overall I think this has some of the best and scariest scenes of any Wes Craven movie.

10/12 - *Night of the Comet



This was a pretty good little low-budget zombie apocalypse / valley girls crossover spoof. It had a lot of cools shots of the city and I liked the neon-hued lighting throughout. The main girls were really badass and cool, and just in general this was a really fun movie, and I think they managed to make a movie that looked a lot less low-budget than it really was.

10/15 - Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)



Wow, what a disappointment! Production design and visuals (sets, costumes, lighting) are absolutely stunning, and it's worth seeing once just for the spectacle and the immaculate musical score. But unfortunately, the acting is atrocious, the plot is convoluted, the pacing is glacial, the special effects are disappointing, and it is loaded with shockingly annoying editing and directorial flourishes. This movie has a great reputation, but it really feels overrated to me. While I can appreciate the director's intent to replicate the in-camera effects & illusions done in movies like Nosferatu and shoot everything on a sound stage like a silent movie (or whatever), I just felt that it didn't work and came off like a director's indulgence and a failed experiment. Had the acting and plot/pacing been better, maybe it wouldn't have taken me out of the movie as much as it did.

[drb124]

10/14

[Show spoiler]-I had forgotten about this one. I usually don't buy dvd's unless I can get them for super cheap and they are not on blu-ray, but I picked this one up used for about $2.75. Well worrh the investment. Very Funny. May be Broken Lizard's best work. Bill Paxton really could have gotten a Golden Globe Nom for his work in this anyway. He is hilarious.

[Show spoiler]9/24 - Strip Nude for Your Killer -

[Show spoiler]-Good Atmosphere, keeps the tension up for about 45 mins, then starts to drag a bit. A LOT of random nudity. Overall, I liked it, about middle of the road giallo. stars Edwige Fenech, so that makes if alright in my book.

9/22 - Night of the Creeps -

[Show spoiler]Love this one. Not really scary, but campy and funny. Plus Tom Atkins in one of my favorite roles.

9/25 - Lost After Dark (3 1/2) - first time viewing.

[Show spoiler]Pretty good "period" slasher. Set in the 80's. Pretty good character development before the slashing starts. Lots of moody shots of the old house. Enjoyable example of a well done slasher.

9/26 - Hardware - First time watching.

[Show spoiler]Loved the music. Like Dylan McDermott and the dystopian setting adds to the atmosphere.

9/26 - The Battery - First time watching.

[Show spoiler]Very very good. A zombie film without that many zombie, but more of 2 man road trip movie meets a zombie movie. Unique and compelling.

9/27 - Eaten Alive (2 1/2) - First time watching.

[Show spoiler]Very very odd film. The whole thing is sort of a sleazy slice of life. I can say I have never seen anything really like it. There is very little lead up, and almost no explanation of why the killer is killing. And if you want to understand anything that the killer says, turn on the subtitles. Hooper fans should check it out. Oh, I almost forgot, I think this is Robert Englund's feature film debut. Anyone that has seen that Kill Bill movies will see the homage to this film by Tarantino.

9/28

Maniac (remake) -

[Show spoiler]- Really liked this one. Shot almost totally in 1st person POV. Gory, with very psychologically stunted main character. Elijah Wood does a great job.

Night of the Scarecrow (1995) -

[Show spoiler]- Not bad at all. Good slasher flick with an early appearance by John Hawkes. The lead actress in this is good, not sure why she didn't do more.

9/29 - Hatchet -

[Show spoiler]-had seen it before, but it has been a while. I really enjoyed it, maybe more than my rating suggests. As serious horror film, I stand by my 3 of 5, but for my enjoyment of it as almost a parody of 80's horror with a few good scares and just as many laughs, I give it 4 of 5.
It also features "Freddy" from Mad Man as a sleazy adult film "producer."

9/30 - Hatchet II / Hatchet III - / 1/2

[Show spoiler]I liked both of these to conclude the trilogy although the ending of III was bt of a letdown. Caroline Williams of Texas Chainsaw Massacre II plays a supporting role, so it was good to see her back. The Second installment was definitely stronger.

While I like Danielle Harris, I much much preferred the original actress that was in the first film, Tamara Feldman. She is much taller and more physical which is necessary since she is being chased by a killer. Also being from the south, most accents attempted on film almost without fail are either not accurate or fall into the Kevin Spacey from a Time to Kill old delta accent that just doesn't exist anymore in anyone under 70 years old. I say that to say that I thought Tamara Feldman did a very good accent. All in all, I thought she fit the part better.

Though, once you accept the actress change, everyone does a good job, especially Tony Todd.

10/1-

[Show spoiler] - Very good early 80's slasher with a dark sense of humor. Though the Canadian accents do get to be a bit much.

10/2

[Show spoiler]- 1st time watching. I enjoyed it enough, but I was expecting more. Not very scary. I still have a hard time understanding why Craig Scheffer never made it bigger. He is a good enough actor, and there he had some good roles. Back on topic, I am glad to finally see this and that I was not one of the fans waiting for this for 20+ years.

- 1st time watching.

[Show spoiler]I really liked this one. Funny and macabre. Gore generally doesn't bother me, but the scene with the soup at the first of the movie was gross.

10/3



1/2

[Show spoiler]- I have seen this before, but it was only bits and pieces.
I am still working my way through the Price-Corman-Poe films. I have both of the Price sets from Shout plus some of the Arrow standalone releases. Pretty much if Price is in it, I will watch it, and The Masque of the Red Death has been one of my favorite Poe stories. Very good for this sort of film.

*First Time Viewing

1/2

[Show spoiler]Loved this one. Price was perfect, and a wax museum with its lifelike figures is creepy to begin with. The atmosphere and mood were great.

I just tried to start House of 1000 Corpses/Devil's Reject's double feature, but my Lionsgate House of 1000 Corpses disc has gone bad. I had checked it a few months ago to be sure, along with most of the other older LG titles. It worked then, but it does not now. It will try to load the menu, but will freeze and I even had half of the screen go purple with digital pixilation. Oh well, I just picked up the 88 Films release of Castle Freak, so I think I will watch that instead.

10/3 (cont.)



*First Time Viewing

1/2

[Show spoiler]
-A great atmosphere of the Italian castle with a secret, plus Jefferey Combs and Barbara Crampton. Nothing not to like here. I may rate it higher on a second viewing.

*First Time Viewing

1/2

[Show spoiler]-The theme or score really made the movie for me. While the actual zombies looked a bit fake, some of the gore was still very visceral. I liked it a lot. It just takes a little while to get where it is going.

10/4

Creep (2015)

*First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]Wow. This one was very good. I did not know what to expect with Mark Duplass in the role of the "Creep," but he was quite unsettling.

*First Time Viewing

1/2

[Show spoiler]-This was more of a mystery than an out and out horror movie. But I always like Albert Finney.

*First Time Viewing

1/2

[Show spoiler]- I will have to rewatch. There is just too much to pick up on during one viewing

.

10/5



1/2

[Show spoiler]
*First Time Viewing

I really wish the dub was better. Some of it is really awful. Also, there is not reason for the guy's face to be deformed, nor is any reason given that I recall.. Just because. I was prepared to give it a lower rating until the "twist" even though I predicted it. Some good kills even though some of it looks very fake. Not bad, but not my favorite Franco either.

10/5



1/2

[Show spoiler]I don't think I have seen this one since I was 15 or so after it came out. Gotta love some throwback 90's horror. I guess part of the Scream horror comedy phase. Not scary, but some good effects and actually pretty funny. Plus a cameo from Fred Willard. I think I picked this up during the Image BOGO maybe back in February, and would have definitely taken longer to watch it. But this thread is a good motivator.

10/6



*First Time Viewing

1/2

[Show spoiler]- I saw a poster above watched this, so I thought I would check it out as well. I really enjoyed this one. I've always liked Treat Williams, and Piscopo was pretty funny as well. The twist on the zombie premise was interesting. A great cameo by

[Show spoiler]Vincent Price

. For a Horror Comedy, this really was funny.

10/7


-On Netflix
*First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]
Good Creature feature. I just finished up the Strain so more Kevin Durand is appreciated. Maybe he can start getting some lead work. Also glad to see Bianca Kajlich and Nick Damici getting more roles as well.

10/8



*First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]This was great. I don't want to give anything away, but this is a very unique movie, though it bears some similarity to Curtis Harrington's Night Tide. Hopefully a breakout for both of the lead actors. They both do great work here.

10/9



*First Time Viewing (Netflix)

1/2

[Show spoiler]
- This was an odd one. It is like the Phantom of the Paradise meets Wet Hot American Summer without as much comedy. Almost like a straight comedy about a theater camp with a slasher element thrown in. Has a short appearance by Minnie Driver and a co-starring role for Meat Loaf Aday. I enoyed it, but much more a musical than a horror film. But oddly very realistic gore when called for.

aka Turistas

*First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]- Pretty much Hostel in Brazil with less humor. I like the leads in this one some of whom of gone on the bigger careers, and the effects are pretty good, but there is just not a lot to this one. An okay time killer.

*First TIme Viewing

[Show spoiler]- This one surprised me in how much I liked it. Lance Henriksen can make any movie at least palatable. And this one had a southern gothic type of atmosphere complete with steam rolling through the swamps. Couple that with a tale of revenge, and you have a pretty good movie.

10/10



1/2

[Show spoiler]
-Everyone has pretty much seen this one, though up until now, this was the only one of the Friday the 13th's I had seen except the remake. An early appearance by Kevin Bacon, some good kills.

*First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]- Good Continuation to the Series.

[Show spoiler]We have Jason as the killer for the first time.

*First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]- I liked that there was a little more character development in this one though the kills are the essential part of the series. I enjoyed the grocery store owner in the first part of the movie as some random comic relief as well.

*First Time Viewing

1/2

[Show spoiler]- Another good entry in the series. You have Crispin Glover in a particulary Glovereqsue performance (read: weird), and you have the lead from The Last American Virgin as well. I always thought Corey Feldman was a good child actor that was not nearly as good once he became a teenager and I guess became more self aware. Regardless, I could have done without all of the awkwardness with Crispin Glover trying to get girls to dance, etc, but once the killing started, it was good.

*First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]
-Odd as a Friday the 13th film due to many many things not making sense with respect to the previous films. But as entertainment, I thought it worked well, though I thought the ending was stupid.

10/11



*First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]-I really liked this one. Thank goodness they ignored the ending to New Beginning and made, my favorite installment so far.

*First Time Viewing

1/2

[Show spoiler]
-Too much Carrie-lite, to little Jason. Though the end showdown was cool.

*First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]- With a different title, this could have been better, but from what I read budget constraints kept this from being the all out assault on Manhattan that it could have been. An okay effort.

*First Time Viewing

1/2

[Show spoiler]- The only good things about this is the bounty hunter, and the actor that played the Don King like promoter in Rocky 5. And I supposed the Jason explosion at the beginning. Other than that, it was bad. No Jason, and all of this new stuff about Jason passing from body to body, etc. If this is what we have to endure to get Freddy vs Jason, then so be it. I do love that movie.

10/12



*First Time Viewing

1/2

[Show spoiler]
-I know it is a dumb plot to put Jason in space, and the set looks like a SyFy movie of the week, but I couldn't help but enjoy it. lots of good kills.

[Show spoiler]
-I love this movie. An early appearance by Jason Ritter, lots of wry humor, and an awesome fight at the end. What's not to like?

10/13



1/2

[Show spoiler]As a generic horror movie, it may rank higher, but as a Friday the 13th movie, it is not great. It had been a while since I had seen it, but now everything with Jason's lair and much of the movie feels just like The Texas Chainsaw remake (the Jessica Biel one). That makes sense because it is the same director. Not to say the movie is not polished, but it lacks much of the fun of other entries. On a side note, I don't think I can watch The Last Ship now and take the character of the actor in this movie seriously anymore. Since the movie is not that great, I recommend the Killer Cut for more of Julianna Guill's extracurriculars.

[Petemo2010]

[Show spoiler]1. Maniac (1980) (Blu Ray)
2. The Wind (1986) (DVD) 1/2
3. The Legacy (1978) (Blu Ray)
4. City of the Living Dead (1980) (Blu Ray) 1/2
5. Friday the 13th (1980) (Blu Ray) 1/2
6. Deranged (1974) (Blu Ray)
7. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (Blu Ray)
8. The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977) (Blu Ray)
9. Devil Dog: Hound of Hell (1978) (Blu Ray)
10. Ghost Town (1988) (Blu Ray)
11. Panic Beats (1982) (DVD)
12. Witchery (1988) (Blu Ray)
13. Dog Soldiers (2002) (Blu Ray)
14. Nightmare Castle (1965) (Blu Ray)
15. Castle of Blood (1964) (Blu Ray)
16. Terror-Creatures from the Grave (1965) (Blu Ray) 1/2
17. The Witchmaker (1969) (DVD) 1/2
18. The Haunting (1963) (Blu Ray)
19. Don't Go in the House (1979) (Blu Ray)
20. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) (DVD)
21. The People Under the Stairs (1991) (Blu Ray) 1/2
22. The Chilling (1989) (DVD) 1/2
23. Morituris (2011) (Blu Ray) 1/2
24. The Children (2008) (Blu Ray)
25. Trick or Treats (1982) (Blu Ray)
26. I, Madman (1989) (Blu Ray)
27. Toy Story of Terror! (2013) (Blu Ray)
28. Cheerleader Camp (1988) (DVD)
29. The Sentinel (1977) (Blu Ray) 1/2
30. The Strangeness (1985) (Blu Ray) 1/2
31. Halloween (1978) (Blu Ray)
32. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (Blu Ray) (1982)
33. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) (Blu Ray) 1/2

34. The Sender (1982) (Blu Ray)
35. The Zero Boys (1985) (DVD)
36. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973) (DVD)
37. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010) (Blu Ray)
38. Sasquatch Mountain (2006) (DVD) I award you no Skulls and may God have mercy on your Soul
39. Beyond the Darkness (1979) (Blu Ray) 1/2
40. Night of the Scarecrow (1995) (Blu Ray) 1/2
41. Black Roses (1988) (DVD) 1/2
42. House on Straw Hill (1976) (Blu Ray) 1/2



Night of the Scarecrow (1995) 1/2 Great little move, loved it. A Warlock buried in the middle of a corn field is inadvertently released from his tomb by John Hawkes. Yes, a very young John Hawkes (Winters Bone and Martha Marcy May Marlene) plays a small Midwest town juvenile delinquent. Anyways he seeks revenge on the decedents of those that murdered and entombed him. Four Brothers, two of which are played by Bruce Glover and Stephen Root. Both are really good in this movie. The Warlocks spirit takes over a nearby scarecrow and begins to wreak murder and mayhem on the small town. The death scenes are inventive, cool and very well done. One scene Bruce Glover gets his lips sewn shut and it looks so real. The acting is good all around. I highly recommend this one, its gorier than its made for TV ancestor Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981) which I would also highly recommend.



Black Roses (1988) 1/2 This one is an oddity from the late 80's. My "stuck in the 80's" meter went through the roof on this one. I remember seeing it at the video rental store all the time but for whatever reason never rented it. This was my first time watching it and I really enjoyed it. Filmed up in Ontario, Canada. The film starts off in some club in New York City with these evil Muppet's on-stage lip syncing to Lizzy Borden's Me against the World. The story goes that the members of Black Roses are really demons with an agenda to spread their evil seed town by town. Vincent Pastore of the Sopranos plays an unlucky dad who gets sucked into a speaker, just bizarre. Carmine Appice, lesser known brother of Vinnie Appice (Dio, Black Sabbath, Etc.) plays the drummer for the Black Roses. The band hypnotizes the towns teenagers with their hard rocking music, turning them into demonic foot soldiers. Anyhoo, the local Canadian populace discovers the bands secret and sets out to destroy the Black Roses before they can murder anymore of the towns people. The acting is mediocre, the story seemed thrown together, last minute. Though, somehow I still enjoyed it. Only recommended if you're stuck in the 80's like me.



House on Straw Hill (1976) 1/2 AKA Trauma, AKA Exposé, this one was slow going. It follows a novelist played by Udo Kier who retreats to a little country cottage in Essex to write the follow up to his widely successful first novel. He hires a live-in typist to dictate his words played by Linda Hayden (Baby Love, Night Watch, Madhouse, etc.) She incessantly masturbates throughout the film, fully nude mind you. Anyways people start to die, the maids throat is slashed, a couple of rapists get blown away with a shot gun. It has its moments and I approved of the ending; my only complaint was all the filler, like I said Linda masturbates a good portion of the film. I say its a decent watch, the Blu Ray also comes with a bonus documentary Ban the Sadist Videos! (2005) which is about Margaret Thatcher's minions banning violent and gory "Video Nasties" in the UK because they were detrimental to proper British society.

[Mandalorian]

1. 9/28 - Secret Window - 1/2
2. 9/29 - Eyes Wide Shut* -
3. 10/1 - A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) -
4. 10/3 - The Sixth Sense -
5. 10/4 - Jacob's Ladder* - 1/2
6. 10/4 - Wolfen* -
7. 10/12 - Scanners* -
8. 10/14 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge - 1/2
9. 10/15 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors* - 1/2
New:
10. 10/15 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master* -
11. 10/15 - Vincent* (Tim Burton Short Film)

* First-time Viewing

[chad_1138]

9/22 - *Devil's Due
9/23 - *Night of the Creeps
9/24 - *Creep (2014)
9/25 - *Hotel Transylvania 2
9/26 - Dreamwork's Spooky Stories
9/26 - *E.T.
9/27 - *Fear the Walking Dead 1.05
9/28 - *As Above, So Below
9/29 - *ATM
9/30 - *Night of the Living Dead (1968)
10/01 - Halloween (1978)
10/02 - Halloween II (1981)
10/03 - Halloween III
10/04 - Mr. Boogedy
10/04 - *Sleepy Hollow 3.01
10/04 - *Fear the Walking Dead 1.06
10/05 - Halloween 4
10/06 - *We Are Still Here
10/07 - Halloween 5
10/08 - Halloween 6 (theatrical)
10/09 - Halloweentown
10/10 - *Digging Up the Marrow
10/11 - Bride of Boogedy
10/11 - *The Walking Dead 6.01
10/13 - Nightmare Before Christmas
10/15 - The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
10/15 - The Woman in Black

*denotes first time viewing

[Leonidas King]

Drag Me to Hell



1/2

[Chloenator]

So I watched this earlier and I must say, it was pretty good. I always liked the R.L. Stine stuff like Goosebumps and The Haunting Hour. I might be going to see the new Goosebumps movie tomorrow. I usually don't go to the movies on opening day, but I might go in the afternoon when it is less crowded because I really want to see the new Goosebumps movie.

[Monterey Jack]

* First-time viewing

[Show spoiler]
9/25/15: Hotel Transylvania (2012):
9/26/15: Hotel Transylvania 2 * (2015): Maggie * (2015):
9/28/15: Black Swan (2010):
9/29/15: Shutter Island (2010):
9/30/15: Cape Fear (1991): Shocker * (1989):
10/01/15: It Follows (2015):
10/02/15: Curse Of Chucky * (2013):
10/03/15: Ginger Snaps (2000): The Legacy * (1979):
10/04/15: The Innocents (1961):
10/05/15: The Wolfman (2010):
10/06/15: The Blob (1958): The Blob (1988):
10/07/15: Byzantium * (2013): My Soul To Take * (2010):
10/08/15: Ghost Story * (1981): The Sentinel * (1977): [ZERO SKULLS]
10/09/15: 30 Days Of Night (2007):
10/10/15: Alice, Sweet Alice * (1976):
10/11/15: ParaNorman (2012): Corpse Bride (2005):
10/12/15: Honeymoon * (2014): The Descent (2006):
10/13/15: The Last House On The Left * (1972):
10/14/15: Scream (1996):

10/15/15:

-The People Under The Stairs * (1991):



By the admittedly atrocious standards of every new-to-me Wes Craven movie I've watched this month, this comes across as a rousing success. That's not to mean it's especially good, merely competent, and at least it attempts some deeper socio-political subtext than you'd expect from such a grisly genre exercise. A bizarre mixture of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Home Alone, this is a film very dated to the era in which it was released, where the tribulations of African-Americans of limited means was used as grist for a spree of inner-city crime dramas and schlocky horror films. This one lacks the elegance and dread of something truly ambitious like Candyman, or the crackling, cat & mouse suspense of something like Trespass, but -- some awkward shifts in tone aside -- it is at least well-crafted, and has some memorably eccentric touches.

-Vampire In Brooklyn * (1995):




This, however, is straight-up swill, wasting the talents of not only Craven but that of Eddie Murphy (at the nadir of his early-90's career slump), portraying a suave, ladykiller of a vamp who has just arrived in New York looking for the reincarnation of his lost love (oh, that moldy oldie...), who appears to him in the form of an NYC detective (Angela Bassett, too good for this material) who he's aching to sink his teeth into. An unholy mess of unfunny comedy and anemic blood-bag effects, this is absolutely painful to sit through, Murphy riffing away in a void while Craven is stuck directing traffic. It's interesting to note that both Murphy and Craven had their "comeback" projects come out a year later...Murphy with The Nutty Professor and Craven with Scream. Good thing, too, because this would have been a career-killer otherwise. On the plus side, Bassett looks stunning, and J. Peter Robinson's score is fine, but otherwise, this is about as entertaining as watching a blank screen for 100 minutes.

[L.J.]

Wes Cravens New Nightmare A solid end to the franchise.