31 Days of Halloween Movies (2018) - Horror Fans Unite!!!!!!

[Kill Bren]

Vamp (1986)

½

[prkchopexpress]

to hell and back - 3/5
that kane hodder documentary is streaming on amazon prime. eh... I mean, this is really niche and is only for hardcore aficionados. I wish it was better.

fido - 4.5/5
I somehow had never seen this, even though I've had a copy forever. this is pretty fun. more comedy than horror. I'd even go so far as to say it's more of a dark satire than anything resembling a horror movie. but it's pretty great. solid in every aspect. not sure why this wasn't a huge hit. other than I don't know how you market it. personally, I wish we had a full on splatter comedy.

[october27]

18. PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 1943
Of the original Universal monsters, this is the one I tend to watch the least. It's not a bad movie by any means but other than the performance by Claude Rains, this one just isn't a favorite for me. It takes a little too long to get moving and Rains is not featured nearly enough.

[Show spoiler]
1. HALLOWEEN 3
2+3. PHANTASM 1+2
4. CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON
5. HALLOWEEN
6. DRACULA 1931
7. ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN
8. THE INVISIBLE MAN
9+10. FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 5+6
11. ZOMBIELAND
12. ALIEN COVENANT
13. VAN HELSING
14-16. SCREAM 1-3
17. EVENT HORIZON

SEPTEMBER
1. 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
2. THE MUMMY 1959
3. SALEM'S LOT
4+5. FRIDAY THE 13TH 1+2
6. THE MUMMY 1932
7. THE THING 1982
8. SHAUN OF THE DEAD
9. FREDDY VS. JASON
10. THE PURGE
11. LAND OF THE DEAD
12. RAMPAGE
13-15. POLTERGEIST 1+2+2015
16. ALIEN VS. PREDATOR
17. THE MEG
18. DAWN OF THE DEAD 2004
19. THE PURGE ANARCHY
20+21. FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3+4
22. THE THING 2011
23. PROMETHEUS
24. THE PURGE ELECTION YEAR

[KenHurd]

23. The Beyond

Fifty years after a painter, accused of being a warlock, was murdered in the basement of a hotel and all of the guests disappeared, a woman inherits the old rundown place and works to restore it. But the hotel was built over one of the seven gateways to Hell, and once opened, the dead will rise and walk the earth.

The Beyond is, in my opinion, Lucio Fulci's masterpiece. It has a unique atmosphere and the graphic, gory death scenes that Fulci was known for. When I was a teenager, I first got into Italian horror films, and The Beyond was my introduction to these films. I didn't know what to expect going into it, but what caught my eye as I passed by the DVD on the store shelves was the warning on the cover that said no one under 17 should be allowed to see the film because of how shocking and violent it was. And I knew immediately that I had to see it; so, I bought the DVD and ventured into the world of Italian horror films. The gore is relatively tame by today's standards, but it still has a style to it that is uniquely Lucio Fulci's. I tend to revisit The Beyond at least once a year, and I consider it in my top 5 list of favorite horror films.

1. House on Haunted Hill
2. The Gorgon
3. The Mummy (1959)
4. The Brides of Dracula
5. The Curse of the Werewolf
6. [REC]
7. [REC] 2
8. [REC] 3: Genesis
9. [REC] 4: Apocalypse
10. The Mummy's Tomb
11. House
12. The Changeling
13. Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
14. The Black Cat
15. A Quiet Place
16. The Evil Dead
17. Demons
18. Demons 2
19. Pumpkinhead
20. Pumpkinhead 2: Blood Wings
21. Midnight Son
22. The Amityville Horror

[chad_1138]

(*denotes first time viewing)

09/01 - *Demon House
09/02 - *The Babysitter
09/03 - *The Ritual
09/04 - *Death Note
09/05 - *American Fable
09/07 - *The Nun
09/07 - *The Bye Bye Man
09/08 - *Before I Wake
09/10 - *Mercy
09/11 - Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
09/12 - Predator (4K)
09/13 - *Ghost Stories
09/15 - Predator 2 (4K)
09/16 - Predators (4K)
09/17 - Zombieland
09/18 - Lake Placid
09/19 - Boo 2!
09/20 - Toy Story of Terror
09/20 - Tucker and Dale vs Evil
09/22 - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (4K)
09/23 - Dreamworks Spooky Stories
09/23 - Young Frankenstein
09/24 - *Flight 7500
09/25 - Mr. Boogedy
09/25 - Body Bags
09/26 - House on Haunted Hill (99) -
09/27 - [REC]
09/29 - Nightmare Before Christmas
09/29 - [REC] 2
09/30 - [REC] 3
10/01 - [REC] 4
10/02 - *The Houses October Built 2
10/03 - *The First Purge
10/04 - Splinter
10/06 - The Tunnel (2011)
10/07 - The Autopsy of Jane Doe
10/08 - The Evil Dead (1981)
10/09 - Evil Dead 2
10/10 - Army of Darkness
10/11 - Evil Dead
10/12 - *Orphan
10/13 - The Shining
10/14 - Hocus Pocus
10/14 - Halloween (1978)
10/15 - Halloween 2 (1981)
10/16 - Halloween 4
10/16 - Halloween 5
10/16 - Halloween 6 (PC)
10/17 - Halloween H20

[BanditoDorito]

[Show spoiler]10/1 - Night Creatures (AKA Captain Clegg) (1962) -


10/2 - The Thing (1982) -


10/3 - Young Frankenstein (1974) -


10/4 - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) -


10/5 - The Conjuring (2013) -


10/6 - Halloween (1978)


10/7 - Christine (1983) -


10/8 - Watcher In The Woods (1980)-


10/9 - A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) -


10/10 - The Gorgon (1974) -


10/11 - Prince Of Darkness (1987)-


10/12 - Deadly Eyes (1982) -


10/13 - From Beyond (1986) -


10/14 - The Conjuring 2 (2016) -


10/15 - I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) -

10/16 - Little Shop Of Horrors (1986) -


10/17 - Tower Of London (1962)-

[kingdoxie]

Snachers1.jpg

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

[jeddy3]

9/5 - Alien vs. Predator (2004)
9/7 - Annihilation (2018)
9/10 - Upgrade (2018)
9/11 - A Quiet Place (2018)
Cooties (2014)
9/12 - I Am Legend (2007)
9/13 - Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Signs (2002)
9/17 - The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Annabelle: Creation (2017)
9/18 - mother! (2017)
9/19 - The Sixth Sense (1999)
9/22 - Hannibal (2001)
9/25 - Hereditary (2018)
9/27 - Poltergeist (1982)
10/1 - Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers [Producer's Cut] (1995)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
10/2 - The Black Room (2017)
10/6 - Suspiria (1977)
10/7 - The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
10/8 - Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
Jason X (2001)
10/9 - The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (2009)
10/14 - The Evil Dead (1981)
10/15 - Evil Dead II (1987)
Army of Darkness (1992)
Get Out (2017)
10/16 - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

[assydingo]

10/16 Dark, Deadly & Dreadful (2018)

Heather Morris from Glee stars in one of the segments as a girl who signed up for a fake live TV exorcism and ends up getting genuinely possessed. It's a neat idea but like most of the shorts the execution just doesn't work very well. While there is some talent, creativity, and humor in this anthology the weaker aspects dragged it down for me.

[Undeadcow]

The Conjuring (2007, 85 minutes) ✰✰✰ Genuinely scary with great tension; some of the effects are cliche and the Warren hero worship seems odd but overall a modern age classic. Format: Digital [Vudu 4K]. Theme
Slumber Party Massacre (1982, 77 minutes) ½✰✰✰✰ Wastes no time getting to proceedings; the driller killer is cheesy but it's a cool weapon that works curiously well as a sexual euphemism. As a slasher SPM is lukewarm but as a stranger social commentary on gender and sexuality with a phallic wielding killer it's fascinating.Format: Digital [Vudu 4K].
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (1982, 100 minutes) ½✰✰✰✰✰ More of a generic Halloween family movie than a Goosebumps film with cursory appearances by a RL Stine character; not that I was ever a fan of Goosebumps. There is a lot more focus on character development than frights so pacing was sometimes off. Format: Theatrical. 1st Viewing
The Brotherhood of Satan (1971, 92 minutes) ✰✰✰✰✰✰✰ References to satanism alone aren't enough to carry a film and the geriatric brood that make up this film do little more than engage in hammy overacting. There is an epic satanic birthday cake. Format: Digital [Vudu HD]. 1st Viewing
Unsane (2018, 98 minutes) ½✰✰✰✰ More straight forward of a thriller than I expected, well directed and discretely tongue in cheek. I enjoyed Unsane as an ok time waster and it has some well executed twists. Format: Digital [Vudu 4K]. 1st Viewing
Blood on Satan's Claw (1971, 93 minutes) ✰✰✰✰ It took a while to peak my interest but the strangeness with the children and increasing paranoia hooked me in. Has a nice folksy vibe to it.Format: Digital [Amazon]. 1st Viewing
Devil In My Ride (2013, 95 minutes) ½✰✰✰✰ A possession movie with zany characters and hit or miss road trip humor. It was fun, rock n roll, and dumb – I liked it more as something different than the usually dark room bible thumbing exorcism movies more than I did as a film on it's own as it's plot is under developed saved mostly by the strength of charismatic leads who just chew up the scenery. Format: Digital [Vudu HD]. 1st Viewing
Sleepy Hollow (1999, 110 minutes) ½✰✰✰✰✰ I love the moodiness and atmosphere in an elaborate retelling/update of the Headless Horseman. Some of the scientific debate could have been more subtly implemented; so many of the early scenes are Crane romanticizing the use of science to grimacing statesmen. Johnny Deph does an effective job here but there are times he overdoes his engineered awkwardness. The crimes seem solved in a surprisingly slapdash fashion suggesting the earlier emphasis on science was a red herring (just kidding, we’re supernatural here). The headless horseman effects was especially well done and nicely choreographed. Format: Digital [Vudu HD]. 1st Viewing
Peeping Tom (1960, 101 minutes) ½✰✰ The lead is an effectively creepy but proper person who seems to calculated and altering the perception to one where the villain watches an inept police force is interesting. Turning the camera on the murders is brilliant especially with that opening scene and then how the camera tends to leer over the main character showing seemingly mundane details tied to the crimes. Despite a tendency towards over explanation, usually a peeve of mine, it works well given character study elements. The aged technicolor film look adds a lot. Format: Digital [thanks to Alyxstarr]. 1st Viewing
Inhuman Resources [aka Redd Inc] (2012, 94 minutes) ✰✰✰✰✰✰✰ Low production diddy that owes a lot to the Saw franchise about six crime witnesses/attorneys who all end up chained to a desk to do legal tasks while the seemingly resurrected killer presides over them. The workplace commentary is not sharp enough and the scares are mostly torture porn level with twists that are dumb rather than twisted. Format: Digital [Vudu HD]. 1st Viewing
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018, 97 minutes) ✰✰✰✰ Loses some of the horror parody of the first two but keeps sight of the upbeat kid friendly dance party energy, there's some nice underwater eye candy and the conclusion is memorable family friendly fun. I felt like the first two films were stronger and that HT3 kicks right into the gags without as much setup, it is more of the same. Format: Digital [Vudu 4K]. 1st Viewing
The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967, 108 minutes) ✰✰ Perfect blend of comedy and atmospheric horror with a eccentric professor and his assistant searching for vampires across as snowscape complete with a vampire ball and ironic plot twists. The vampires have gravitas and never become overly familiar to us. Format: Digital [Vudu HD].
Ayla (2017, 87 minutes) ✰✰✰✰ Moody and strange with a premise that has problems from the go; a grief based plot that defies reason as an adult man pines for his long deceased sister at the expense of his day to day life. The plot really makes little sense other than for the lead to wallow in angst but I liked the cryptic nature and the odd family conflicts around an unusual and vague plot. I could see Ayla not being for everyone and it could have used more subtlety but I liked it. Format: Digital [Vudu HD].
Terrifier (2016, 89 minutes) ✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰ Sometimes Terrifier struck me as showing promise in isolated segments but ultimately obnoxiously disappointing. It felt almost kind of tame despite the gore; there are scarier clown villains and not much to the premise (to be tense a film needs to do more than chuck around some gore). Most of the buildup seemed to be 'Art the Clown is so cool/scary/evil' without plot, more a series of short vignettes than a film itself. The format worked a bit better as an anthology film with All Hallows Eve, where it seemed more far out and envelope pushing. The silent clown gag was sometimes promising but one note and I felt it hurt the film by being so much more about Art than much of anything else - all the characters felt thin. More pathos please. I liked some of the violence but it needed a better hook and buildup instead of 'zomg look how violent out generic villain is.' Format: Digital [Netflix]. 1st Viewing
Trash Fire (2016, 93 minutes) ✰✰✰✰✰ Richard Bates Jr (of Excision fame) writes refreshingly quirky characters and this was a nice slow burn. Some of the population is perhaps too strange but it seems to come together as a smuck tries to reconnect with his family. This guy is such a jerk then he's not and there are some tonal shifts though the pacing works and it's well acted. Some elements feel abruptFormat: Digital [Vudu HD]. 1st Viewing
The Nun (2018, 96 minutes) ½✰✰✰✰✰ Atmospheric and creepy, effectively scary, but too directly clones at least one other movie (the ending is an immediately recognizable rip off) that it left me suffering from second hand embarrassment. Worth seeing but I expected more from a Conjuring film. Format: Theatrical. 1st Viewing
Hellfest (2018, 89 minutes) ✰✰✰✰✰✰ Great idea for a slasher based on a haunted house, not unlike Houses October Build, but the haunted theme park is so elaborate and ever present it feels like too much of a distraction - Hellfest needed more slasher and less theme park. It's nicely seasonal to the point I could practically smell the rubber masks. Format: Theatrical. 1st Viewing
The Demon Inside (2017, 99 minutes) ✰✰✰ Epic indie film that pulls off an ambitious premise that sounds generic, plagued by some of the worse cover art, but delivers on in your face sometimes nicely cartoonish horror comedy (often more tense than funny). Effects are sometimes cheap or acting questionable but never to the point it kills the pace. Format: Digital [Vudu HD]. 1st Viewing
Sendero (2015, 85 minutes) ½✰✰✰✰✰✰ Does little to advance torture with chainsaw massacre lite group dynamics. At one point it seems unintentionally funny that one person shoots someone then someone else shoots them then the shooter or the shooter gets shot. Format: Digital [Netflix]. 1st Viewing
Inside [not the french baby film] (2012, 85 minutes) ½✰✰ Brilliant supernatural prison thriller that's nicely tense with strangeness while at the same time being intentionally predictable. The set sometimes looks like house under construction and sometimes the apparently low budget shows but it's well acted and takes a basic horror trope to fill out the runtime with two inmates sitting in a cell. I have seen worse one location films but I wonder how Inside will hold up on repeat viewings. Format: Digital [Vudu HD]. 1st Viewing
Tenebrae (1982, 101 minutes) ✰✰ Rocking sync music soundtrack and an image that looks especially good on the Synapse blu-ray. I think Tenebrae well deserves the acclaim it gets and is one of Argento's better giallos. Format: Blu-ray [Synapse Films steelbook].

[snobird]

31 Days Of Horror

Movies:

9/7 - The Nun (Theater Showing)
9/8 - Day of the Dead: Bloodline
9/10 - Verónica
9/28 - Killer Klowns from Outer Space
9/29 - BEDEVILED
9/30 - Cabin Fever (2016)
10/1 - All Hallows' Eve
10/2 - The Diabolical
10/3 - The First Purge
10/4 - Slaughter High
10/5 - Tales from the Hood
10/6 - Hell Fest (Theater Showing)
10/7 - Malevolent (2018 Netflix original movie)
10/8 - X-Ray
10/9 - Schizoid
10/10 - Hereditary
10/11 - Mischief Night (2013)
10/12 - Demonic
10/13 - Halloween (1978)
10/14 - 47 Meters Down
10/15 - The Sentinel (1977)
10/16 - Visions

Documentaries:

10/6 - Haunters: The Art of the Scare

TV Shows:

9/8 - The Purge: Season 1 - Episode 1 - What Is America?
9/10 - Fear The Walking Dead: Season 4 - Episode 13 - Blackjack
9/11 - The Purge: Season 1 - Episode 2 - Take What's Yours
9/13 - American Horror Story: Season 8 - Episode 1 - The End
9/18 - Fear The Walking Dead: Season 4 - Episode 14 - MM54
9/18 - The Purge: Season 1 - Episode 3 - The Urge to Purge
9/24 - Fear The Walking Dead: Season 4 - Episode 15 - I Lose People ...
9/24 - American Horror Story: Season 8 - Episode 2 - The Morning After
9/25 - The Purge: Season 1 - Episode 4 - Release the Beast
9/26 - American Horror Story: Season 8 - Episode 3 - Forbidden Fruit
10/1 - Fear The Walking Dead: Season 4 - Episode 16 - ... I Lose Myself
10/3 - The Purge: Season 1 - Episode 5 - Rise Up
10/7 - American Horror Story: Season 8 - Episode 4 - Could It Be... Satan?
10/7 - The Walking Dead: Season 9 - Episode 1 - A New Beginning
10/10 - The Purge: Season 1 - Episode 6 - The Forgotten
10/16 - The Walking Dead: Season 9 - Episode 2 - The Bridge


Non-Horror Halloween:

9/29 - G.I. Joe: Season 3 - Episode 18 - The Phantom Brigade
9/29 - Duck Tales: Season 1- Episode 26 - Curse of Castle McDuck


Previous 31 Days Of Horror:

2013
2014
2015
2016
2017

[Pondosinatra]

Trench 11



2.5 out of 5

Interesting premise...a bit sloppily executed.

[charlieray1]

Blue = blu-ray, * = first time viewing

PREVIOUSLY WATCHED IN SEPTEMBER

[Show spoiler]

The Orphanage (2007) A well-made, creepy, slow burn Spanish horror film. Very effective, and surprisingly moving at the end. This got our annual MonsterFest off to a great start!
Village Of The Damned (1960) Hadn't seen this in a few years. I forgot how very well-made and effective it is. Terrific movie, and a great looking new blu-ray from Warner Archive.
*The Devil's Daughter (1973) 1/2 (YouTube) My wife and I are old enough to have seen a lot of silly 70's TV movies as kids and we have a soft-spot for them. This is a completely predictable "Rosemary's Baby" rip-off -- campy, and a LOT of nostalgic fun. Decent cast too, with Shelly Winters, Joseph Cotton and a post "Dark Shadows" Jonathon Frid. We liked it ... but if you grew up after the '70's, you'll want to knock a couple of skulls off.
The Dead Zone (1983) Easily my favorite SK adaptation -- great story, great cast. Brooke Adams is beautiful! A favorite. Imported the Australian blu-ray. A little disappointing. The audio is definitely an upgrade, and the picture is too, but it's subtle.
Ghost Story (1981) 1/2 Another old favorite. I'm a sucker for slow-burn, well-crafted ghost stories ... and this one has those qualities in spades. Cool to see these old-time actors -- the cast is excellent -- along side Alice Krige, who is perfection as Eva/Alma. Loses half a star for over-reliance on shock cuts to gooey dead faces. They get a bit repetitive after a while, and they're not necessary in this movie -- it's strength is "eerie", not shock.
*The Little Stranger (2018) theatrical Gee, I wanted to love this. It looked like the kind of subtle ghost story that's right up my alley, but I guess even subtle can be overdone. EVERYTHING is laid between the lines, to the point that I really didn't understand what happened in the film. Had to read about it afterwards to figure out what I missed. Good premise, well made and well acted ... but it needs at least a LITTLE more overt storytelling. A big disappointment.
*Cronos (1993) :1/2 This didn't do much for me either. Some nice moments early on, but mostly gooey and pointless. *sigh*
*Cat Creature (1973) youtube 1/2 OK, I knew this wasn't going to be good, but I thought it would be entertaining. As I said (see: The Devil's Daughter) I have a fondness for campy 70's TV movie horror. I don't mind if they're silly, over-acted, unbelievable ... but this one was dull. How do you take a plot about a 2,000 year old cat creature stalking Los Angeles and make it boring? Simple: all "cop investigation" and very little cat. Interesting cast though -- Peter Lorre Jr? Who knew? (NOTE: OK, this is weird! Peter Lorre Jr wasn't related to Peter Lorre! Check this out: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0521137/bio)
The Grudge (2004) 1/2 The best of the 4 we saw this weekend ... and the only one I had seen before. Not a great movie by any means, but fun and entertaining. (Are you listening, Cat Creature?)
The Fog (1980) A favorite, and IMO, one of JC's best films. However, I might skip this one for the next few years. No fault of the movie, but I've seen it many times and it's become so familiar that it didn't do as much for me this year. Still, it earns it's 4 skulls.
Asylum (1972) Boy, did I enjoy this! Never had the DVD, so I hadn't seen it since the VHS days. I love all the old Amicus anthologies, and although I had forgotten some of it, this is one of the best. The wrap around story is much better than most, and each tale worked quite well. Decent blu-ray too -- some nice extras.
Silence Of The Lambs (1991) What a powerful movie this is. Jody Foster and, especially, Anthony Hopkins are so perfect in their roles. Controlled, understated, underplayed and completely chilling. Also, for a film with such gruesome subject matter, it's surprisingly restrained -- it's dark and oppressive, but most of the violence is off-screen. A smart, well-made, grim thriller. My wife and I tend to stick to lighter, "fun" horror movies, but this one is too good to miss.
*Ghost Stories (2018) 1/2 I can't stop thinking about this movie! Too many jump scares perhaps, but there is a lot more here than shock. This film demands to be watched closely with no distractions, and the closer you watch, the more you'll get out of it. Plus, it's a lot of fun! I hate it when people say "You didn't get it" if you don't like a certain movie. However, in this case, if all you see is what's in plain sight ... you didn't get it. Or at least you missed the best part. A new classic.
Trick Or Treat (2007) 1/2 I love the way this movie looks, and the way the stories intertwine. I like the Sam character, and all the Halloween iconography too. It's a fun film, that loses half a skull for me for being a bit too sleazy in spots. (Really don't enjoy hearing a 10 year old say "butt-f***.") Still, very enjoyable.
The Funhouse (1981) 1/2 This gets off to a really lunk-headed start -- dumb characters, cheesy dialogue -- but once they get inside the funhouse and the main story starts, it really goes! We see the "monster" close enough and long enough to realize that it's an immobile mask, but this works as a fun, simple horror movie. Captures the whole garish carnival atmosphere nicely too. Turn off your brain and go for a ride.
*Unsane (2018) (Amazon streaming) 1/2 This has ... *ahem* ... a few problems. It's impossible to like the main character -- she's obnoxious -- and it's really, really far-fetched. Unless, of course, she imagined the whole thing (which I tend to believe. She's obviously nuts.) I like the ambiguity of the ending, but this was pretty "meh.". The most impressive thing was that the whole movie was shot on an iPhone! Looked pretty good too.
Near Dark (1987) I've always liked this one -- it's a really cool reworking of the whole vampire mythology. Great cast -- Lance Henriksen is amazing. So is Bill Paxton -- first time I've seen it since he died. Funny that neither of the leads, Adrian Pasdar (Caleb) or Jenny Wright (Mae), went on to much movie success. They're both quite good -- and she was gorgeous! A favorite ... even if the whole

[Show spoiler]"vampires are cured by a transfusion" idea

is a little unconvincing!
Repulsion (1965) 1/2 This movie takes its time -- there's a lot of mundane details of our main character's life. But there's also a growing sense of unease, the sense that things are not right. By the final third of the movie, she has left all reality behind and what happens is all the more shocking because the first half of the film is so restrained. Maybe not a "fun" movie -- but a disturbing and effective portrait of mental illness. Very chilling.
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) I've seen this many times, but I still have such mixed emotions about it! It's fun to watch, and as eye-candy it's an easy 5 skulls, but as an adaptation of Dracula ... well, it's far more concerned with over-the-top style than substance. It's fun (and occasionally very good, when it calms down a bit) but I wish more of the talent and money had been aimed at the story instead of the flash. (Although it's fun to watch Keanu's hair constantly change color!)
The Fly (1986) 1/2 Watching this last night, I was really admiring it -- it has a literate, witty script, great performances and incredible make-up. I always forget how good it really is. Then the final act hits and pulls me out of the movie. All the sympathy the film has built for the characters is forgotten under a ton of (incredibly well-done) gore. It's still fun in a "Ewww! Look at that!" way, but it's so much more than that before the ick hits the fan. A 5 skull movie that loses 1 and 1/2 under the glop. (Fun fact: I never noticed before that Jeff G says "Help Me, please help me" to Geena D -- that must be a nod to the original film.)
A Quiet Place (2018) 1/2 Who would have thought that a PG-13 film with no profanity, no gore, and no nudity would become such a big hit -- and be so intense? When this came out last spring it was a real breath of fresh air, and it plays just as well at home. Incredibly fun old-school monster movie with an amazing sound design. Yeah, it's got a few plot holes ... but who cares? The most fun I've had at a monster movie in ages.
Psycho (1960) Not a lot to say about this movie, except that it still holds up. Big time. It doesn't matter that everyone knows the reveal -- the acting, the cinematography, the tight construction all really work. Why on earth didn't Tony Perkins get nominated for an Oscar? A classic that I admire more every time I see it.
*Psycho IV (1990) A first time watch, and a disappointing one. The worst of the sequels by a long shot, and surprisingly, where it fails most is the writing. Joseph Stefano, who did the original Psycho script, also wrote this, but it has some truly cringe-worthy dialogue. ("That's all that thing of yours is for, making wee-wee!") Sadly there was potential here, and a few decent ideas, and even a decent moment or two, but it never takes off. It's always good to see Anthony Perkins as Norman, and it's worth owning just for that, but Tony AND Norman both deserved a far better farewell.
City Of The Dead (1960) Quick! Name the movie: a 1960 black and white thriller with a pretty blonde that stays in a lonely hotel, and disappears from the movie halfway through after being

[Show spoiler]stabbed to death by the owner.

The second half of the film has her sibling searching for her and finding out the shocking truth about the innkeeper. Psycho, you say? Nope. City Of The Dead! A fun, old school horror movie with fantastic atmosphere, and Christopher Lee to boot. A low-budget, but very effective and eerie little film, with an especially chilling prologue set in the 1700's. A real Halloween treat, and a great blu-ray too!
Fade To Black (1980) : (Amazon Prime) I'm tempted to call this a first viewing -- it's been over 30 years, and I didn't remember much of it ... if I had, I wouldn't have watched again. There's actually a very good idea here: a movie obsessed kid, killing his enemies in the style of characters from films. There are several cool movie clips, movie references and memorabilia, plus a few nice shots. And Dennis Christopher is pretty good. But everyone else is awful, and the script is a complete mess. A missed opportunity, but at least it was fun to watch.
The House That Dripped Blood (1971) Another old Amicus anthology movie ... but one of the lesser ones. The best story is probably the third, about Christopher Lee and his voo-doo practicing daughter, but none of the four tales have quite the punch of the stories in Asylum, or Tales From The Crypt. Still, a good time ... and a wonderful blu-ray. Great colors on all those cheesy 70's era ascots that everyone wears in this.
The Sentinel (1977) 1/2 Geez, what an incoherent mess! Very campy movie (with an amazing cast!) that tries really hard to horrify ... and misses. A few decent moments, but mostly silly. HOWEVER: If you've always wanted to see Beverly D'Angelo as a mute, nude, cymbal-playing, brain-eating lesbian from Hell ... this film gets my highest recommendation.
The Undying Monster (1947) The first 15 minutes of this are so good, and so atmospheric and so well shot that it could easily give the best Universal horrors a run for their money. Unfortunately, it settles into a talky mystery film. It perks up near the end, but it never lives up to the promise of those wonderful opening scenes.
Black Sabbath (Italian version - 1963) This is absolutely one of the best (and scariest!) anthology films ever made ... and the original Italian version is the way to see it. The American version completely rewrites one of the stories (The Telephone) to remove the lesbian element of the story. They did a clever editing job, but it's not the same story, and not as good. In the original, all three stories are really strong, and surprisingly creepy. The dead witch in A Drop Of Water is still frightening after all these years. Karloff is great as a Wurdalack (Romanian vampire) preying on his family.
Sometimes They Come Back (1991) :1/2 Really enjoyable TV movie. Almost gave it 4 skulls because I really like the story and the film works well for me ...but there's enough cheese in it that 3 1/2 is more realistic. A great way to wrap up September!

PREVIOUSLY WATCHED IN OCTOBER

[Show spoiler]

Dark Night Of The Scarecrow (1981) 1/2 Started off October with a fun one. Not exactly a classic, but quite good for a 1981 TV movie. Lots of effective moments and a good story over-all. Surprisingly good blu-ray too.
The Fly (1958) Hadn't seen this in a few years -- what a great movie! Watched the remake in September, and I have to admit, I prefer the original. The remake starts off incredibly well, but it gets lost in the gore. This movie, while cheesier, is just fun all the way through, and it really is well-constructed. The mystery framework is well done. I imagine audiences in the 50's did a lot of screaming at the big reveal and at the famous "help me!" scene. Favorite moment: When the cat disappears and you can still hear its "disembodied cat atoms" yowling.
Bucket Of Blood (1960) 1/2 Campy, ultra low-budget fun from Roger Corman. This was one of his early quickies (and it shows) but it's quite enjoyable with a strong sense of humor. Dick Miller is great.
Spider Baby (1967) 1/2 If ever a film deserved to be called a cult classic, it's Spider Baby. Lon Chaney is actually quite good, as are Jill Banner, Sid Haig and Beverly Washburn. Funny, sleazy, sexy and creepy all at once. No other film is quite like this.
* Frankenstein (2004) 1/2 Really interesting TV adaptation of Mary Shelly's novel, supposedly the most faithful version. I've never read the book, so I enjoyed seeing how much it differed from the classic Karloff film. A few weak spots, and the monster is too normal looking for the horrified reactions he gets in the film, but it's a great story. Well worth watching.
Straitjacket (1964) I had forgotten how cheesy this is! Fun, though. Over the hill Joan Crawford camping it up for William Castle, with severed heads-a-flyin'. What's not to love?
A Game Of Death (1945) 1/2 Really interesting double feature last night -- the original Most Dangerous Game, and this film - it's remake, made 13 years later, by the same studio, even using quite a bit of the same footage! It's a very close remake, with one interesting plot change in the middle. It's was directed by Robert Wise at the beginning of his career. Pretty good! In fact I was going to give it 4 skulls ... until we watched the original afterwards:
The Most Dangerous Game (1932) Very, very similar to it's remake ... but just better. More tightly paced, punchier, more style to the direction ... and it has the lovely Fay Wray. I liked the character of the brother better in the remake, but otherwise this version was the clear winner. An all-time classic thriller.
Creepshow (1982) 1/2 Fun anthology that really captures that comic book feel. Steven King is very funny in it, and Hal Holbrook and Adrienne Barbeau are amusing too. Their story, The Crate, is the best in the film, although all the tales work well. Not as good a movie as Dead Of Night or Ghost Stories, but it's much more tongue in cheek than those and it's very successful at what it does. One of the better horror anthologies.
Masque Of The Red Death (1964) What a great movie! Probably Roger Corman's best film. Price is wonderful, and the sets are fantastic. Great blu-ray too, with fantastic color. Might be a little padded in the middle (I'm talking to you, dream sequence) but it's still too good to get less than 5 skulls.
It Follows (2015) 1/2 Whaddya know? An original idea in a horror movie! Very enjoyable - and creepy - film, with some interesting quirks to mull over. For example, when is this set? The kids watch old black and white movies on CRT TV's, phones have cords, and only one cell phone is ever seen but it seems contemporary in other ways. It's got a number of plot holes (like how does the first guy know what's going on when he thinks he "must have gotten it" from a one-night stand, who obviously didn't tell him) but it certainly works. One of the better horrors in recent years.
* Magic (1978) (Amazon streaming) I actually saw this back in the 70's(!) when I was in high school, but I didn't remember any of it -- so I'm calling it a first time viewing. Good film! Anthony Hopkins is great. I expected this to be one of those "evil doll is really alive" films, but that's not what it is at all. A terrific, slow-burn suspense thriller. Well worth seeing -- I won't wait another 40 years to watch it again!
Tales From The Crypt (1972) One of the best of the old Amicus anthologies. Every story is a winner. Joan Collins was quite the eyeful back in the day! Fun, fun movie -- and an excellent blu-ray!
* Horror At 37,000 Feet (1973) (YouTube) Capt Kirk, Jed Clampett, the Rifleman, the Professor from Gilligan's Island and a few other out-of-work TV actors battle some oozing, chanting Druid glop on an airliner that's stuck in mid-air. Quality cheese! I can't help myself with these campy 70's TV horrors. Worth watching just to see the Shat as an alcoholic former priest who finds his faith again just in time to get thrown out of the airplane.
* The Spiral Staircase (1945) 1/2 A first viewing, and I bet I will like it even better next time. It has style and atmosphere to spare, and a great gothic mood. Unfortunately, the story wasn't quite as impressive - after a wonderful opening not a lot happens until the end. Still, this was so well done that it was very enjoyable. Great PQ too! BTW - why this called The Spiral Staircase? There is one in the house, but it's certainly not central to the plot.
The Vampire's Ghost (1945) 1/2 A fun little obscure B from the 40's. Really different for a vintage vampire movie -- it's set in the wilds of Africa, the vampire wears white, runs a bar and walks around in the daylight wearing sunglasses! Some low-budget shortcomings - mostly the acting from some of the supporting cast - but a good, and very original film. A nice change of pace, and a really beautiful blu-ray.
War Of The Worlds (1953) (DVD) A wonderfully well-made film with a smart script, fine performances, great color and fantastic special effects. I don't care that you can see the wires -- the ship design is ultra-cool and the models of Los Angeles are flawless. It's of it's time (especially the main female role -- she's there to be pretty and get rescued) but it's still full of wonder, and miles ahead of the Spielberg remake. I can't imagine how amazing this must have been in 1953. WHERE IS THE BLU-RAY?!

* WNUF Halloween Special 1987 (Amazon streaming) (2013) Well, that was different! Probably only deserves 2 skulls as entertainment, but I give it one extra for originality and the convincing look of a small-time 80's TV broadcast. Too long, and the actual "story" ends pretty weak, but it's amazing what can be done by people with no money (supposedly a $1,500 budget!) and a lot of creativity. Love the commercials!



Trilogy Of Terror (1975) 1/2 If you grew up in the 70's, that creepy little doll is seared indelibly into your brain. Of course, the third segment is great and why the film is remembered, but it's all enjoyable. The first story is fairly good, the second is pretty obvious. What I had forgotten - and what is surprising for 70's TV - is how sleazy some of it is! Subtle (and some not so subtle) references to date rape, masochism and gang rape. The entire first story makes you squirm in this in these days of Cosby and the #MeToo movement.

[Monterey Jack]

First-time viewings marked with an *

[Show spoiler]9/06/18: The Little Stranger * (2018):
9/07/18: The Nun * (2018):
9/10/18: Predator (1987):
9/11/18: Predator 2 (1990):
9/12/18: Predators (2010):
9/14/18:The Predator * (2018):
9/21/18: Fade To Black * (1980):
9/23/18: The Hidden (1987):
9/24/18: Season Of The Witch * (1972):
9/25/18: Assassination Nation * (2018):
9/27/18: Thriller (1983): The House With A Clock In Its Walls * (2018):
10/01/18: Night School * (1981): Body Bags * (1993): Pumpkinhead * (1988):
10/02/18: Raising Cain (1992): Split (2017):
10/03/18: Eyes Of A Stranger * (1981): Hell Fest * (2018): Someone's Watching Me! (1978):
10/04/18: Misery (1990):
10/05/18: X: The Man With The X-Ray Eyes * (1963): Body Parts * (1991):
10/06/18: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2011): Island Claws * (1980): The Bride * (1985):
10/07/18: Carrie (1976): The Fury (1978): Jennifer * (1978):
10/08/18: Twice-Told Tales * (1963): All The Boys Love Mandy Lane * (2006): Hideaway * (1995):
10/09/18: Dracula (Spanish version, 1931): Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992):
10/10/18: ParaNorman (2012): Dr. Giggles * (1992): The Cabin In The Woods (2012):
10/11/18: The Omen (1976): Damien: Omen II (1978): The Final Conflict: Omen III (1981):
10/12/18: Corpse Bride (2005): Hush (2016): A Quiet Place (2018):
10/13/18: Trick ‘r Treat (2009): Ghost Stories * (2018):
10/14/18: The Mephisto Waltz * (1971): Dark Shadows (2012):
10/15/18: Night Of The Creeps (1986): Slither (2006):
10/16/18: Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954): The Monster Squad (1987):

10/17/18:

“We’re mutants. There’s something wrong with us, something very, very wrong with us…”

-The Island Of Dr. Moreau * (1977):

-The Relic (1997):





Strange perversions of science we on-tap for today’s twofer. In 1977’s The Island Of Dr. Moreau (the second big-screen adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic cautionary fable), Michael York plays a man left drifting at sea in a lifeboat for weeks until he is finally washed up on the titular Island, where the good Doctor (played with glittering eyes and clenched teeth by Burt Lancaster) has been experimenting with the mixture of human and animal DNA, resulting in a series of piteously deformed half-breeds beholden to Moreau’s “laws” (Richard Baseheart is the key mutanimal, keeping the others in check so that they don’t revert back to their inherent, bloodthirsty natures). York finds himself appalled by Moreau’s indignities to his creations, even as he finds himself smitten with his comely daughter (Barbara Carrera). Directed efficiently by Don Taylor (Damien: Omen II) and with solid makeup effects by, among others, John Chambers and Tom Burman, plus a superb score by Laurence Rosenthal, the 1977 version of Moreau is an effective, respectable version of the story, even if it can’t match the haunting poetry of the 1932 iteration, Island Of Lost Souls (with its great performance by Charles Laughton as Moreau). Still, it’s miles beyond the insipid, unintentionally hilarious 1996 version, directed by John Frankenheimer and featuring a memorably daffy turn by Marlon Brando as the mad Doctor (replete with an ice bucket on his head!).

Skipping ahead two decades, we find 1997’s The Relic, a guilty-pleasure spook show about a giant monster rampaging through the Field Museum Of Natural History in Chicago, ripping off heads left and right for much-needed sustenance, while a brainy, improbably-attractive biologist (Penelope Ann Miller, reaching the end of her brief Leading Lady window in the mid-90’s) and a superstitious police detective (Tom Sizemore) try to figure out what the hell it is and try to stop its reign of decapitations. The last watchable feature from prolific horror/action/sci-fi journeyman Peter Hyams (Capricorn One, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, Running Scared), The Relic is enthusiastic Dumb Fun all the way through, with solid “Kothoga” creature effects by Stan Winston (although the full-body CGI shots of the creature running have aged very poorly) and well-paced bursts of tension and violence. The movie falls prey to the slasher movie law that the monster/killer can warp from one location to another instantaneously in accordance to the needs of the plot (and, considering how LARGE the monster is, one wonders how it can fit down the many narrow corridors it traverses, but whatever), and director Hyams’ cinematography is so RIDICULOUSLY dark, it’s hard to make out much of anything, especially in the second half of the film, where what isn’t swathed in shadow if often covered with a cloud of anamorphic lens flares. I get the idea of keeping the monster cloaked in shadow for atmosphere, but this is the kind of movie where even dialogue scenes consist of pale faces swimming out of a pool of inky blacks. In addition, John Debney’s ploddingly generic musical score is an earsore, treating every moment with the same numbing sense of faux-import. Comparing these two movies, it’s easy to note just how badly film music devolved in the twenty years that separated them, and, sadly, it’s gotten even worse in the two decades since The Relic came out…in another two decades’ time, “movie music” is going to consist of directors banging rocks on trash can lids. Still, for all its flaws, The Relic offers up a good deal of monster-movie fun.

[RCRochester]

10/1 - Piranha (1978)
10/2 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 The Dream Master (1988)
10/3 - Psycho (1960)
10/5 - Christine (1983)
10/6 - Piranha II The Spawning (aka Piranha II Flying Killers) (1982)
10/7 - Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)
10/7 - Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (1968)
10/8 - The Evil Dead (1982)
10/9 - Taste The Blood Of Dracula (1970)
10/10 - Carrie (1976)
10/11 - Evil Dead II (1987)
10/12 - The Exorcist (1973)
10/13 - Army of Darkness (1993)
10/14 - Psycho II (1983)
10/15 - The City of the Dead (aka Horror Hotel) (1960)

10/16 - Psycho III (1986)

After watching the second film the other day, I'm now on a bit of a Psycho kick. Psycho II gets a lot of praise these days while Psycho III still seems quite disliked, but I think the third movie is great. Anthony Perkins directed it and he has a very dark and twisted sense of humour, just like Hitchcock, and that shines through in the film. Some of the kill scenes are standard 80s slasher film fare so those maybe aren't as stylish as what Hitch would have done, but overall I think it's a fun entry that doesn't overstay its welcome.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

10/17
Trick r Treat
The Sixth Sense

[Pizzamorg]

17/10/2018 - The Slayer.

[sandman slim]

35.



Half disaster epic, half haunted house thriller, all monster mayhem! Ignore the generic human villains, just enjoy the rampaging dino action.

[NI-Gunner]

First viewings in bold.

01/10 - Mandy (2018)
01/10 - Blood Fest (2018)
01/10 - Stay Alive (2006)
02/10 - The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014)
02/10 - IT (2017)
03/10 - Society (1989)
04/10 – Hellraiser (1987)
04/10 - Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
05/10 - Ghostwatch (1992)
05/10 - Night Of The Demons (1988)
06/10 - The Prowler (1981) w/Joe Bob Briggs
06/10 - Psycho (1998)
06/10 - Psycho II (1983)
07/10 - Psycho III (1986)
08/10 - Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990)
09/10 – From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
09/10 – Urban Legend (1998)
10/10 - Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000)
11/10 - Kill Your Friends (2015)
11/10 - Severance (2006)
11/10 – Wrong Turn (2003)
12/10 – House On Haunted Hill (1999)
13/10 - The Funhouse (1981)
14/10 – The Addams Family (1991)
14/10 – Addams Family Vaues (1993)
15/10 – The Evil Dead (1981)
16/10 – Evil Dead II (1987)
16/10 – Army Of Darkness (1992)

17/10 - As The God’s Will (2014)



It plays like much more of a satire on video game and youth culture (some of that might just be my interpretation) than a Horror film but there's enough death and destruction for me to include. I enjoyed this one, it's unique and funny. Right up my alley. I will have to go backwards through Takashi Miike's ouvre in the coming days. I've been meaning to watch Ichi The Killer for years etc.

[Mister B Gone]

Half way there.. here's what we watched

Day 1: Halloween II (2009
Day 2: Beyond Re-Animator (2003)
Day 3: Dagon (2001)
Day 4: Tourist Trap (1979)
Day 5: The House That Dripped Blood (1970)
Day 6: The Mummy (2017)
Day 7: A Quiet Place (2018)
Day 8: The Gate (1987)
Day 9: House II: The Second Story (1987)
Day 10: Terrifier (2017)
Day 11: The Video Dead (1987)
Day 12: Doom Asylum (1987)
Day 13: Venom (2018)
Day 14: Copycat (1995)
Day 15: Firestarter (1984)
Day 16: Needful Things (1993)

Bolded selections we watched with our 10 year old son (selected with him in mind)

Other movies we've watched recently that didn't make it in the 'official' marathon (where we are reviewing/blogging about each film: The Changeling, American Werewolf in London, Bloodsuckers from Outer Space, Zombie 3, Se7en, The Silence of the Lambs, Manhunter, The VVitch, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Hocus Pocus, Return of the Living Dead Part II, Re-Animator, Maniac Cop 2, Leatherface, Dark Crystal, I Am Legend, Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich, Hereditary, Christine.