First-time viewings are indicated with an ^
[Show spoiler]09/04/24: Blink Twice ^ (2024): 
Shaun Of The Dead (2004): 
09/05/24: Beetlejuice (1988):
09/06/24: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ^ (2024):
09/07/24: Jaws (1975): Jaws 2 (1978):
09/11/24: The Front Room ^ (2024): [ZERO SKULLS]
09/13/24: Speak No Evil ^ (2024):
09/18/24: Sweet Sixteen ^ (1983): Soul Survivors ^ (2001):
09/20/24: The Substance ^ (2024):
09/22/24: Fright ^ (1971):
09/25/24: Never Let Go ^ (2024):
9/27/24: Terrifier ^ (2016):
09/28/24: Terrifier 2 ^ (2022):
09/30/24: Tarot ^ (2024):
10/01/24: Fear In The Night ^ (1972): Fear No Evil ^ (1981): Werewolves On Wheels ^ (1971):
10/02/24: Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker ^ (1981): Screams Of A Winter Night ^ (1979): The Last Horror Film ^ (1982):
10/03/24: ParaNorman (2012): Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956):
10/04/24: The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935): Corpse Bride (2005): The Unseen (1980):
10/05/24: The Horror Of Frankenstein ^ (1970): Lust For A Vampire ^ (1971): M3gan (2023):
10/06/24: Freaky (2020): Terror Circus ^ (1973):
10/07/24: The Legend Of Hell House (1973): Oculus (2013):
10/08/24: Patrick (1978): Night Of The Demons (1988):
10/09/24: The Funhouse (1981): Hell Fest (2018): Lucky Bastard ^ (2013):
10/10/24: And Soon The Darkness ^ (1970): The Manitou (1978): ( for unintentional amusement)
10/11/24: Terrifier 3 ^ (2024): Five Nights At Freddy's ^ (2023):
10/12/24: The Wolfman (2010): Invasion Of The Bee Girls ^ (1973):
10/13/24: The Deliverance ^ (2024):
10/14/24: Nope (2022): Zombeavers ^ (2014):
10/15/24: Smile (2022): The Convent ^ (2000):
10/16/24: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): Frankenweenie (2012): Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (2005):
10/17/24: The Ring (2002): Piranha 3DD ^ (2012):
10/18/24: The Ward (2010): Smile 2 ^ (2024): Black Friday ^ (2021): American Werewolf In Paris ^ (1997):
10/19/24: Talk To Me (2023): Them! (1954):
10/20/24: Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983): Needful Things (1993): Inferno ^ (1980): Dario Argento's Dracula ^ (2013):
10/21/24: Stagefright ^ (1987): Venom ^ (1981):
10/22/24: Maniac Cop ^ (1988): A Nightmare On Elm St. (1984):
10/23/34: The Haunting (1963): The Innocents (1961): Elvira, Mistress Of The Dark ^ (1988): Vamps ^ (2012):
10/24/24: Blacula (1972): Dark Shadows (2012): From A Whisper To A Scream ^ (1987): Deadtime Stories ^ (1986):
10/25/24:
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Man's Best Friend (1993):
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Monkey Shines: An Experiment In Fear (1988):
Experimental animals run amok in domesticated settings in this pair of furry outings.
Man's Best Friend stars Ally Sheedy as Lori Tanner, investigative reporter looking into accusations of animal cruelty at EMAX, which is run by the brilliant but unstable Dr. Jarrett (horror and sci-fi vet Lance Henriksen), who has utilized DNA plucked from some of the most dangerous and cunning creatures in the animal kingdom and created "Max", a Tibetan Mastiff with wiggy blonde eyebrows, a fierce bark and a bite that's worse than it. Lori is immediately smitten by Max's plight, breaks him out from captivity and takes him home, much to to consternation of her dickish boyfriend Perry (Fredric Lehne), whom the protective Max immediately takes less than a shine to. But, now cut off from the injections that keep him placid, Max is developing an increasing bloodlust, and his enhanced intelligence, power and abilities (he can climb trees with the ease of a panther, which leads to an amusingly violent end for a local kitty, as well as disguise himself like a chameleon, as well as micturition that's corrosive as battery acid) makes him into a formidable fusion of Cujo and the Terminator as he turns on Lori and anyone else that gets in his way.
Scripted and directed by John Lafia (
Child's Play 2),
Man's Best Friend is silly at its core, but has a knowing sense of its own absurdities, and this slick, good-looking production (efficiently scored by Joel Goldsmith) generates as many laughs as thrills (the, uhhhh, "climax" of Max's romantic interlude with a local canine cutie generates the biggest howl). Sheedy makes for an appealing protagonist, while Henriksen attacks his stock Mad Scientist role with his customary terse conviction, and the animal action is extremely well-choreographed, with the handful of pooches that portray Max being alternately endearing and threatening as the movie proceeds from heartwarming to blood-freezing. Good fun.
Monkey Shines (given the subtitle
An Experiment In Fear to make it sound less silly to audiences, one supposes), concerns Allan Mann (Jason Beghe), a young man who's in the prime of life and seems to have it all...an athletic build, a burgeoning career in law and a gorgeous girlfriend, Linda (luscious Janine Turner). But it all comes to a crashing halt when, during a morning run, he's struck by a van, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. Facing life as a quadriplegic, he despairs, even attempting suicide, leading his friend, research scientist Geoffrey Fisher (John Pankow), to suggest a radical idea. He brings one of his research monkeys, a bright, adorable capuchin named "Ella" (played, winningly, by "Boo"), to live with Allan, and with the assistance of Melanie Parker (Kate McNeil), who works at training monkeys to help take care of paralyzed patients, they soon condition Ella to manage household tasks like fetching law books for Allan, brush his hair, answer the phone, and keep the floors and windows looking spic & span. Allan is beguiled by his new housemate ("She's like a miniature person!"), but it seems that Geoffrey was not very forthright in revealing in the experimental injections of human train tissue he's been giving Ella to increase her intelligence. Soon she and Allan begin experiencing an odd mental transfusion, Allan being able to "see" through Ella's eyes and having his thoughts being transferred to Ella, which causes her wee little primate to act out his most unsavory desires and thoughts (like the ones he feels towards the doctor -- played by Stanley Tucci -- who not only potentially botched the surgery that left him confined to his hated wheelchair but also has stolen his unfaithful girl), leading to a spree of death.
Directed by George A. Romero (adapting Michael Stewart's novel),
Monkey Shines generates a good deal of suspense from the confined nature of Allan's existence and the helplessness he feels is coming to grips with Ella's possessive nature, not knowing quite how much of her murderous tendencies are hers alone, and how much have been flooding into her remarkable brain from his own consciousness. Unlike most of his films, which label on the enthusiastic gore,
Monkey Shines is a movie that's restrained in terms of overt violence, and Romero does a great job in setting the parameters of Allan's world so that, when things start going off the rails, we know exactly how much power he possesses, or doesn't, to defend himself. And the animal action throughout is exceptional, Boo's expressive face making Ella into a natural ham as she acts out routines that must have been excessively difficult to capture on camera, but you appreciate more knowing that, today, Ella would be almost certainly computer generated for most if not all of the movie. Set to an excellent David Shire score,
Monkey Shines was a box office misfire in its day, yet remains one of Romero's most satisfying films outside of his most famous zombie franchise.
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