5th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge (1 Viewer)

[Bill McA]

The Order - an okay film that suffers from a complete lack of atmosphere and flat direction. The casting of glamour-puss twenty-somethings as tortured priests and troubled souls doesn't help matters either.

Dracula (The Dirty Old Man) - a super-low budget late '60s soft-core horror/nudie. The film appears to be aiming for laughs as well as titillation as the over-dubbing and narration were quite funny.

Guess What Happened to Count Dracula? - According to this film, he became a '60s swinger!
More dull than funny.

Body Parts - An over-the-top reworking of the Hands of Orlac story that benefits greatly from some nice widescreen photography, a creepy score by Loek Dikker and the casting of Brad Dourif and Lindsay Duncan (Dolphin Blue from The Reflecting Skin).
Yes, the film gets a bit silly, but it's one that's always effectively worked for me. (A nice new budget DVD was just released from Paramount)

Seance - Effective psychological horror film from Kiyoshi Kurosawa that borrows the basic premise of Seance on a Wet Afternoon, but heightens the psychological & occult aspects and provides a much more grim outcome than the original film. Features a pair of fine performance by Kurosawa regulars Koji Yakusho & Jun Fubuki. Made for Japanese TV.

2004 Scary Movie List (First viewings in red)

1. Resident Evil: Apocalypse (Alexander Witt) (1/5)
2. The Order (Brian Helgeland) (2/5)
3. Dracula (The Dirty Old Man) (William Edwards) (2/5)
4. Guess What Happened to Count Dracula? (Laurence Merrick) (1/5)
5. Body Parts (Eric Red) (4/5)
6. Seance (Kiyoshi Kurosawa) (4/5)

 

[Michael Elliott]

10/02/04

Halloween (1978) :star::star::star::star:

The famous John Carpenter masterpiece about Michael Myers returning home to kill some babysitters. No matter how many times I watch this film the ending still packs a wonderful punch with the intense atmosphere, wonderful score and very tight direction. Clearly the greatest of its type and the white faced killer is still very unsettling. The ending when Myers gets away
would have been the perfect way to end a movie but of course this was somewhat ruined by the sequels. One key element is Donald Pleasence who with his wonderful performance makes us buy into the fact that they are really dealing with evil.

Halloween 2 (1981) :star::star::star:

Pretty good sequel picks up right after the events in the first film, which is a fairly rare thing. This time Myers is still stalking Laurie and we find out it’s because she’s his sister. I used to like this film a lot more until I started working in a hospital then I realized how impossible everything in this film is. Even with that the movie has a very nice ending, which again was ruined by the sequels. Pleasence is very good as is Curtis, although she doesn’t have much to do. The Friday the 13th effect of having gore over scares also hampers this movie.

Halloween 3 (1982 ***)

This has one of the worst reputations in horror history and it’s understandable if you’re expecting Michael Myers to show up. The opening makes you think Myers might appear but it becomes obvious this is a different story. I used to hate the film due to Myers not being here but over time I’ve come to really enjoy this film and I’m sure it would be a cult classic only if the name was different. The story is pretty compelling and Tom Atkins does a very good job, especially in the end where he frantically asks for the commercial to be pulled.



01. Dracula’s Daughter (1936 ***)
02. Son of Dracula (1942 ***)
03. Nosferatu (1922 ****)
04. Santo vs. Frankenstein’s Daughter (1971 *)
05. Monster Walks, The (1932 **)
06. Scared to Death (1947 ** ½)
07. Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter (1966 BOMB)
08. Little Shop of Horrors, The (1960 ***)
09. Halloween (1978 ****)
10. Halloween 2 (1981 ***)
11. Halloween 3 (1982 ***)

 

[Adam Portrais]

Okay, I didn't have a chance to see anything last night so I got two in today.

First up was Bride of Frankenstein (1935) :star: :star: :star: 1/2. Many say it's better than Frankenstein but I think I still like Frankenstein just a bit more.

And I just got back from Shaun of the Dead (2004) :star: :star: :star: 1/2. Pretty good flick for a horror/comedy/love story.


So wrapping it up:

2004 Scary Movie Challenge
1. Bride of Frankenstein
2. Shaun of the Dead

First time viewings are in RED


Note: All reviews are based on a five star scale.

 

[Angel Pagan]

3) An American Werewolf In London :star: :star: :star: 1/2

2004 Scary Movie List
1. Evilspeak ***
2. Fright Night ***
3. An American Werewolf In London ***1/2
Movies in bold are new discoveries.

 

[Rick Spruill]

I registered today to participate in the 2004 Horror Challenge. I'll start with what I've seen the past two days. First time viewings will be in bold.


10/1 - Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1973) - 4/5
- After Hammer's Dracula series had run its course, they decided to change the vampire rules. And, I'm glad they did. A lot of fun.

10/2 - The Last Man on Earth (1964) - 4/5
- Vincent Price plays the last survivor on earth of a mysterious plague. This movie would appear to have been quite an influence on Night of the Living Dead. My biggest complaint were the scenes requiring Price to perform physical labor. He just doesn't look natural.

10/2 - Orca (1977) 2/5
- I hadn't seen this in years and wish now I would have left it that way. Ridiculous.

 

[Justin_S]

Forgot to mention in my last post that I watched Alone in the Dark on IFC last night. Nice little slasher flick that ups the suspense factor with four killers instead of just one or two. The cast is surprisingly good as well, with Donald Pleasence, Jack Palance, and Martin Landau in major roles.

Just watched Cronenberg's The Fly a little while ago. Outstanding, gruesome, and quite touching classic that is definitely superior to the original. You can't beat Cronenberg.

On another note, I don't know if I can wait till Halloween to watch Halloween III this year. I got the soundtrack recently, and have been wanting to watch it again.

2004 Horror Challenge List
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth
Christine
Alone in the Dark
The Fly (Cronenberg's)

Lots more to come. I'm starting to hit my stride.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Lotsa movies and very little good to say...

The Legacy (1978) - Katharine Ross and Sam Elliott in a slow and silly haunted house sorta thing. The waka-chika score that kicks in during the couple's failed escape attempt is the best thing in the movie. A few of the kills are pretty slick and there are lots of cats. That's about it. (First-timer!)

The Sentinel (1977) - What a goofy lil Exorcist ripoff this is. But now I can say I've seen a movie featuring Chris Sarandon, John Carradine, Sylvia Miles, Eli Wallach, Martin Balsam, Burgess Meredith, Deborah Raffin, Jose Ferrer, Ava Gardner, Beverly D'Angelo, Jerry Orbach, Christopher Walken, William Hickey, Jeff Goldblum and Tom Berenger. Now that's a cast! Oh and Ms. D'Angelo, as a creepy mute lesbian ghost, masturbates over her clothes. It's realllllly weird. (First-Timer!)

Demon Knight (1995) & Bordello of Blood (1996) - Figured these two were deserving of a double-feature re-visit. I was way wrong. Both are very dull, very stupid and full of truly grating performances (Billy Zane in the former; Dennis Miller in that latter.) Plus, I hate the crypt-keeper. Always have.

But I've got my Netflix queue lined up with some promising stuff. See ya soon.


[c]Scott's 2004 Horror Challenge Movie List[/c]

1. Orca (1977)
2. Christine (1983)
3. Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)
4. The Legacy (1978)*
5. The Sentinel (1977)*
6. Demon Knight (1995)
7. Bordello of Blood (1996)[/list=1]

 

[Ryan Wishton]

Scott hates the Cryptkeeper?

Shame on you. I thought he was cool, but I was a kid. Though I remember you saying you didnt care much for Chucky much either.

Do you just not like the more comical and campy horror guys?

You would have been around more when horror was scary. Did it drive you crazy in the late 80's when horror headed towards way more camp comedy and away from the serious tone for the most part?

As for Tales from the Crypt. Liked some of the tv episodes (most I liked come from the first few seasons). Dont remember caring much for either movie.

 

[Ryan Wishton]

Michael,

Halloween 3. Here was it's mistake. It's not really about the movie itself. Never was. I dont much care for the movie, but I thought the idea for the direction of the series (a film set on Halloween, but about different killers and stories every year) was interesting and would have been a pretty good idea if it had worked out. There would always be something new with the series.

This movie made the drastic mistake of marketing itself as a Halloween movie. Most people who saw previews and ad's expected Michael Myers because the tv ad's showed very little & played Laurie's theme. This was also during the days when everyone was surprised when a new movie was announced as there was no internet or anything.

The majority of the audience definately thought it would be about him. This resulted in a lot of disappointment, tons of walk outs, and the movie doing poorly.

The advertising was a con and it pissed people off.

My cousin who actually went to see this did say that everyone thought it would be about Myers and many left after finding out it had nothing to do with him.

Dont forget this was also released in the early 80's at a peak of a slasher genre when slashers were being released weekly. Of course people will think it's about Myers, especially when it's titled Halloween 3.

Though, I did think the series going in that direction (a different story every year about something completely different) was interesting. Did have potential for some really good stories to come up.

I would have preferred that direction instead of atrocious films like Halloween 6 & 8.

They could have still done a Myers movie every 10 years or so if need be. That way his character would have always been there, but would have never gotten old, remained somewhat fresh, and most likely not dumped into such bad ideas as we would only be up to a 3rd Myers outing by now.

 

[Sebastien S]

I'm in as well. This is my first year so I have just a few questions:

1. Can I watch over 13 without going for 31? I doubt I'll have enough time for 31 but I'm pretty sure I can pass 13...

2. I see people posting each day, updating what they have just watched. Must I also post every day that I watched movies or can I just post once near the end of the month when I'm done?

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I had avoided it for years because it was a comedy and not part of the Invisible Man Series. But when I finally gave it a shot on its own terms, I found it to be a very charming little comedy.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

10/02/04

Taking Lives (2004) BOMB
I feel a little bad including this film as I vowed not to watch anything but actual horror and science fiction films. However, in an effort to include my wife I told her she could pick any new horror-type film she wanted, and unfortunately she chose this turd. So I hope it counts, kind of like in a "crazy murderer" sort of way. Angelina Jolie is gorgeous to look at, and that's the whole film. The rest of it is a totally incomprehensible and muddled mess. Despite her looks and one hot sex scene, Jolie doesn't offer anything of substance to her part, and the central idea of the "plot" is absurd and not clearly defined. French Canadian accents are so hard to understand that you need subtitles even when they're speaking in English. Ethan Hawke is also unbelievable in his role. A real piece of junk.


01) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920)
02) Murders in the Zoo (1933)
03) Taking Lives (2004)

 

[Jim_K]

Had a retro-Sci-Fi/Horror movie marathon yesterday (all from my collection)

The Thing From Another World :star: :star: :star: :star:
Vegetable-creature from outer-space gets thawed out by scientists & the military who must fight for their lives on an isolated Artic post. Howard Hawks ghost-directs this outstanding classic.

Creature From the Black Lagoon :star: :star: :star: 1/2
The first & best of the Creature films as the gill-man stalks a group of scientists in the Amazon. Would love to see the 3-D version again someday.

Them! :star: :star: :star: :star:
The greatest bug film period, as giant ants terrorize southern California. The bug-hunt through the LA drainpipes is a doozey.

The Fly (1958) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
A scientist’s teleportation experiment goes awry as he unwittingly gets fused with a housefly. A real gem for those who’ve never seen it in the original scope aspect ratio.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) :star: :star: :star: :star:
Paranoia rules the day as seed-pods from outer-space start taking over the populace in this cold-war era classic.

Quatermass II; Enemy From Space :star: :star: :star: 1/2
Sort of a British variation of the Body Snatchers theme & my favorite of Hammer’s Quatermass series as a collective organism attempts to colonize Earth.

X the Unknown :star: :star: :star:
A blob-like alien mud creature terrorizes Scotland in this British cult classic.

The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms :star: :star: :star:
Harryhausen’s first solo effort is well worth a look as his Rhedosaurus trashes New York. A minor classic of the genre.

Gojira (1954) :star: :star: :star: :star:
The original Japanese version sans the tacked on Burr scenes is the only way to go. Here the radioactive giant lizard is all death & destruction as he levels Tokyo for the first time. A far cry from the kiddie-superhero antics of the 70’s.

I have to say I’m having a blast just going through & revisiting my collection.

2004 October Horror film challenge
1.) Curse of Frankenstein :star: :star: :star: 1/2
2.) The Revenge of Frankenstein :star: :star: :star: :star:
3.) Frankenstein Created Woman :star: :star: :star:
4.) Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed :star: :star: :star: 1/2
5.) Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell :star: :star: :star: 1/2
6.) The Thing From Another World :star: :star: :star: :star:
7.) Creature From the Black Lagoon :star: :star: :star: 1/2
8.) Them! :star: :star: :star: :star:
9.) The Fly (1958) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
10.) Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) :star: :star: :star: :star:
11.) Quatermass II; Enemy From Space :star: :star: :star: 1/2
12.) X the Unknown :star: :star: :star:
13.) The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms :star: :star: :star:
14.) Gojira (1954) :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[Michael Elliott]

Ryan---The first time I watched H3, my dad warned me before renting it that Myers wasn't in it but I really didn't believe him and thought he was just saying that so I wouldn't rent it. Anyway, I started the movie and thought the guy running at the start of the film was being chased by Myers. When it turned out he wasn't, I still kept waiting for Myers to show up and even after an hour I kept waiting for him to show up. It never happened so I really hated the film but going back I think it's rather good and I'd put it a bit higher than part 2.

The ending to part 1 is so brilliant and I remember seeing it for the first time and not knowing what happened to Myers. We think he's dead and then he's just gone was a perfect way to end the film but it's lost its punch since we did get the sequels. It's really too bad Carpenter didn't get his way and make each HALLOWEEN movie about a different subject. It's funny but this was also Cunningham's plans for F13, which he talks about in that doc.

Had the film been called SEASON OF THE WITCH and people weren't expecting Myers then perhaps it wouldn't have been so hated. Seriously, the idea of having masks kill children was very cleaver and makes for an interesting film. It should have been shortened a bit but it's still quite good and certainly better than 5-8.

 

[Justin_S]

When I was younger, I was told Myers wasn't in H3 as well, and that made me even more curious to check it out. I wound up loving the film on the very first viewing, and it creeped me out more than Myers ever had. While the original Halloween may be considered the best film, Season of the Witch is definitely my favorite.

Watched three more films since my last post, but am about to go to dinner at some relatives' house. Will update later.

 

[Matt Stone]

I didn't get anything in yesterday, because I was up in South Bend watching my Boilers clobber ND.

Today's my Mom's birthday, so it may be light, but I'll add some movies later.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

2. The Raven (1963): Much better than the other Karloff/Price/Lorre colaborration, Comedy of Terrors, which I watched last year. It's hardly a hoorror movie though, more wacky hijinks in a gothic wrapper. Great moments include Dr. Bedlow (Peter Lorre) apparently insisting on gettign revenge on a man who hasn't done anythign to him except beat him in a fair contest. And I can't go without mention Jack Nicholson. Seeing him before he developed his trademark hairline still seems wrong to me.

The ending seemed a bit too conventional and of course, there are no production values to speak of since this is a Roger Corman movie. Still, a fun hour and a half.

 

[Michael Elliott]

10/03/04

Dead Men Walk (1943) :star::star:

George Zucco plays a doctor who is being stalked from the grave by his dead twin who just happens to be a vampire. A fairly entertaining PRC production has Zucco doing a fine job but as usual there really isn’t anything new or too exciting in the picture. There’s some very nice atmosphere that helps matters though.

The Monster Maker (1944) :star:1/2

A poorly done film from PRC has a crazed doctor (J. Carrol Naish) falling in love with a woman who remind him of his dead wife. She refuses his advances so the doctor gives her father a medicine that turns him into a deformed monster. Naish gives a very good performance but the film is so incredibly boring that I couldn’t help but want to turn it off. The makeup effects are also quite good and probably the best I’ve seen from any of these low budget shockers but that’s not enough to keep the film alive. Glenn Strange also has a bit role.

Phantom Ship (1935) :star::star::star:

Hammer Films first movie tries to tell what happened upon the deadly final voyage of the Marie Celeste. The film tells the story of a stormy night when the crew realizes that one member is a crazed killer knocking everyone off. This here is certainly far from the supposed truth but the film is still entertaining enough and the atmosphere is really rich. Bela Lugosi gives a wonderful performance as one of the suspects.

The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961) BOMB

Without a doubt this here is one of the worst films ever made even though it stars the loveable Tor Johnson. Johnson plays a brilliant scientist (go ahead and laugh) who accidentally goes into the deserts of Yucca Flats when an A Bomb is dropped turning him into a killing beast. The film was shot without sound and instead we get narration but the thing is that the narrator seems to be going to sleep, which is exactly what the viewer wants to do. Horrible on all accounts.

Man Beast (1956) :star::star:

Jerry Warren is known for his “so bad they’re good” films but this one here really isn’t too bad. It’s certainly not bad enough to be more enjoyable but oh well. The story deals with an expedition into the mountains where Yeti sittings have occurred. The performances are all bad but we get a few laughs from the Yeti attacks, which are rather funny because the creatures beat people over the head with sticks.

2004 Horror Challenge New viewings in bold.

01.Dracula’s Daughter (1936 ***)
02.Son of Dracula (1942 ***)
03.Nosferatu (1922 ****)
04.Santo vs. Frankenstein’s Daughter (1971 *)
05.Monster Walks, The (1932 **)
06.Scared to Death (1947 ** ½)
07.Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter (1966 BOMB)
08.Little Shop of Horrors, The (1960 ***)
09.Halloween (1978 ****)
10.Halloween 2 (1981 ***)
11.Halloween 3 (1982 ***)
12.Dead Men Walk (1943 **)
13.Monster Maker, The (1944 * ½)
14.Phantom Ship (1935 ***)
15.Beast of Yucca Flats, The (1961 BOMB)
16.Man Beast (1956 **)

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Absolutely - that's what I've always said about it. Too many people go in there unkowingly expecting Myers and not understanding the original concept of the series' change at this point; as a result, they get off to a negative start from the very beginning. It's an underrated film.

 

[Matt Stone]

I missed out on the Halloween 3 fiasco, because I was quite little, but I agree. I grew up knowing it wasn't a MM film, and respected it on it's own terms (only saw it for the first time 2 years ago). I think it's good movie, and certainly better than Halloween 5, 6, 7, and 8. Michael Myers doesn't make the film watchable.