*** Official 11th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2010 *** (1 Viewer)

[John Stell]

[COLOR= #303030]018) 10/05/2010 DVD The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)

[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]Universal was able to produce only one character from the 1950s that truly joined its '30s and '40s' horror icons: the Gill Man. The first and by far the best film in the series has Amazonian explorers discover this legendary creature and grapple with how to handle him. Atmosphere, great photography, and a wonderfully conceived and realized monster help overcome the rather ordinary script.[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]019) 10/05/2010 DVD Revenge of the Creature (1955)

1/2[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]Taken with the original 1954 film, the first two Creature films play like a re-working of King Kong. The Gill Man is captured and brought to a Florida oceanarium for study and display. Of course he escapes and mayhem ensues. Hampered by its romantic subplot, the film still has wonderful moments like the opening segement and the attack at the dance.[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]020) 10/05/2010 DVD The Creature Walks Among Us (1956)

1/2[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]Another expedition, another creature capture. But this time doctors are on hand to bring out the human side of the Gill Man. Some interesting ideas here and a new look for the creature, but again the script relies on troubled romantic waters to pad out the film when the creature isn't around.[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]021) 10/05/2010 DVDR The Magician (1926)

[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]A mad scientist/hypnotist wants to create artificial life and discovers an ancient formula to do so. But he needs the heart blood of a pure maiden so he conspires to steal a lovely lass from her fiance. Visually arresting early mad doctor film is highly entertaining with a thrilling finale, complete with fisticuffs, explosions, and a damsel in distress. Previously available only on bootlegs, the new DVDR from the Warner Archive is lovely, with tinted scenes to help emphasize certain emotional aspects of the story.[/COLOR]

 

[Bryan^H]

Originally Posted by Bryan^H

October 4


1)Stagefright(1987) Grade-A


2)Piranha(1978) I enjoyed this very much. Just a Jaws ripoff but a pretty decent one. Barbara Steele stars in her golden years of acting, she was still fetching in 1978.
Grade-B


October 5


3)Daughters of Darkness(1971) Danielle Ouimet is one very gorgeous blonde gal. Props to the casting department. I didn't care for the film. It's shot beautifully, and has tons of atmosphere but this feels more "art house" than horror. Just not my cup of tea.

Grade-D

update:

4) Gamera vs. Guiron(1969) WOW!! Shout Factory did an amazing job with this. Transfer is great. After years of watching public domain swill of this feature, I'm finally overly satisfied. This childhood favorite of mine looks fantastic.(also has 2!! english dubs).

Better look out little boys, after you eat your donuts, and milk those evil Japanese chicks plane to shave your heads and eat your brains.

Grade-A

 

[Pete Battista]

Title: Monster High
Year: 1989
Director: Rüdiger Poe
Rating: R
Length: 84 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, Japanese


Stars:
Dean Iandoli
Diana Frank
David Marriott
Robert M. Lind
Sean Haines
D. J. Kerzner

Plot:
Every school has its share of space cadets, but this semester, MONtgomery STERling HIGH is about to get theirs, complete with real live ray-guns, in this spaced-out sci-fi comedy. When all-American average guy Norm Median meets fatally-attractive Candace Caine the first day of fall term, they're both too distracted to notice the weird new "transfer" students, even if they include a fashion-conscious zombie, a killer plant and a stone gargoyle. Hey, some kids are like that. But when their leader - famous inter-galactic terrorist Mr. Armageddon - drops in with global destruction on his mind, Norm has to think fast. The end seems near until Norm suggests challenging Mr. A's "team" to a basketball game for the fate of the earth. The stakes are high, if the planet is destroyed, it would seriously wreck Norman's chances with Candace but no one said being a senior was easy in the cosmically-campy campus comedy, MONSTER HIGH.

Extras:
Scene Access
Bonus Trailers
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
I found this Comedy Horror at Big Lots for only $3.00... thankfully I didn't pay more then that. I went in not expecting much of anything... but this is truly one extremely silly and cheesy movie. Sure there may have been a chuckle or two here and there... and the fact that it had some bare boobs for no apparent reason what so even didn't bother me either... but over-all it is pretty bad. It is not something I could recommend to anyone.

My Rating: 2/5


Count:
Movie Count: 17
TV Ep. Count: 11
Other Count: 0
Time Started: 12:30pm

 

[TravisR]

18. Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday (unrated)


Not good and not bad. I'll give them credit for trying to change things up from Jason just stalking the camp.


19. Jason X


I was amused by this movie the first time that I saw it but time hasn't been kind to it.


20. Freddy Vs. Jason


As a fan of both series, I had fun with this movie eventhough it's more like A Nightmare On Elm Street with Jason as the guest star. Once the 'title bout' starts, the movie really delivers.


21. Friday The 13th (2009) (extended)


I didn't hate this movie as much as many fans. It's hardly perfect but I like some of the kills and Derek Mears is a good Jason.

 

[Pete Battista]

Title: Tremors: Collector's Edition
Year: 1990
Director: Ron Underwood
Rating: PG-13
Length: 96 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: Spanish


Stars:
Kevin Bacon
Fred Ward
Finn Carter
Michael Gross
Reba McEntire
Bobby Jacoby

Plot:
Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward star as two country handymen who lead a cast of zany characters to safety in this exciting sci-fi creature comedy.

Just as Val McKee (Bacon) and Earl Basset (Ward) decide to leave Perfection, Nevada, strange rumblings prevent their departure. With the help of a shapely seismology student (Finn Carter), they discover their desolate town is infested with gigantic man-eating creatures that live below the ground.

The race is on to overcome these slimy subterraneans and find a way to higher ground, in this enjoyable thriller co-starring Michael Gross and Reba McEntire.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
This is a movie that for some reason I always enjoyed... ever since I brought it home the very first time... when I rented it on VHS. Wow that was a long time ago. One thing I really liked about this... is you don't have to be a horror fan to enjoy this monster movie. My brother (who hates horror) loves this series of movies. This is what I personally call a "light horror". It is a nice mix of horror and comedy. And even now when I watch it (after watching the entire series of Reba) don't recognize Reba McIntyre when she is on the screen... though her voice with her accent is unmistakable. The DVD release is really good. nice quality and a nice collection of extras! What more can you ask?

My Rating: 4/5


Count:
Movie Count: 18
TV Ep. Count: 11
Other Count: 0
Time Started: 5:30pm

 

[Pete Battista]

Title: Village of the Damned
Year: 1960
Director: Wolf Rilla
Rating: NR
Length: 77 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, French: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish


Stars:
George Sanders
Barbara Shelley
Martin Stephens
Michael Gwynn
Laurence Naismith
The Villagers

Plot:
Something is seriously amiss in the tiny British village of Midwich. At 11 a.m. one morning, every village resident suddenly falls asleep — and then, just as suddenly, everyone wakes up, completely unaffected by the phenomenon. Well, not completely: virtually every woman of childbearing years has become pregnant. All the babies are born on the same night, at precisely the same moment. All look the same, weigh the same, and even have the same curious cross-hatched hair and underdeveloped fingernails. Four years later, the children have all prematurely reached the age of nine or so — and all behave in a weird, conspiratorial manner, comporting themselves more like adults than kids. Resident scientist George Sanders, one of the fathers, surmises that the bizarre manner of the children — from their zombie-like movements to their cold, staring eyes — is the result of radioactivity, possibly extraterrestrial in nature. One thing is certain: the children possess powers far beyond those of ordinary mortals. And they must be stopped.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers

My Thoughts:
I have been wanting to see this movie every since I saw the remake when it was first released. I am glad I finally got to see the original. One I enjoyed very much. Sure some of the few effects they used could have been better. But the glowing of the kids eyes was cool. Now that I have seen the original I can say the remake stayed pretty true to the original... but I prefer the original. One thing is that I liked how the characters were portrayed better. And another... I think the story in black and white added to the eeriness of the movie. I can see myself watching this one again. If you have only ever seen the remake... and enjoyed it... I must urge you to give the original a try.

My Rating: 4/5


Count:
Movie Count: 19
TV Ep. Count: 11
Other Count: 0
Time Started: 4:45am

 

[Pete Battista]

100 Years of Horror: The Complete Collection
This frightfully fascinating five-DVD set chronicles the history of movie horror from earliest experimental chillers through the unforgettable "golden age of movie monsters" and on through today's graphic horror films in 26 horrific, half-hour shows. Hosted by Christopher Lee, the screen's legendary King of Horror, the series features appearances by Robert De Niro, Jamie Lee Curtis, Hugh Hefner, Charlton Heston, Kenneth Branagh, Joe Dante, and many more.

Also featured are rare interviews with Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, and Claude Rains. Included as a special bonus are never-before-seen interviews with the friends and families of the legendary names of horror such as Bela Lugosi, Jr.; Boris Karloff's daughter, Sarah Karloff; Claude Rains' daughter, Jessica Rains, and more.

The collection also includes chilling scenes from such classics as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, and The Invasion of the Body Snatchers as well as more recent chillers such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Halloween, Poltergeist and The Haunting. Plus home movies from the sets of horror classics, outtakes, screen tests, previously "lost" films, and other exciting surprises. Easily the most interesting and informative horror chronology ever assembled.

Short Watched:
Ghosts
Nothing like a good ghost story - except a century's worth of films filled with more ghost stories.

My Thoughts:
This is a nice little (22min) documentary short on ghost films. It had clips from movies that I knew and ones that I didn't know. Giving me some ideas for future purchases. I was particularly interested in the first one they mentioned... The Uninvited. As new as I am to the classic horrors... I was surprised to see I knew more of the movies mentioned then ones I didn't know.

My Rating: 4/5

Count:
Movie Count: 19
TV Ep. Count: 11
Other Count: 1
Time Started: 6:45am

 

[TravisR]

After a long day of watching the rest of the Friday The 13th series, I watched the first NOES movie before going to bed.


22. A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)


This is an all time favorite for me. Violent, scary and best of all, no one is trying to make Freddy or the movie be funny yet. I'm sure that almost everyone reading this thread has already seen it but if not, check it out.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

7. Three...Extremes (first-time viewing)
Three prominent Asian film directors do separate installments in this horror anthology, going for the jugular. All of them explore different territory: the lengths a woman will go to retain her youth, a disgruntled movie extra tortures a famous director and his wife, and a ghost story about two contortionist daughters of a magician. The first movie in particular will be disturbing to women, but none of these are for the faint of heart. Each of these films is successful at what they set out to do.

2010 Horror Movie Marathon List
1. Severance
2. Happy Birthday To Me
3. The Howling
4. Dark Night of the Scarecrow
5. Frankenstein (1931)
6. The Flesh and Blood Show
7. Three...Extremes

 

[PatW]

07 Goblin (2010) 3/5


Better than expected made for tv movie about an ancient curse visited on a small town during halloween. The acting in this opus was decent enough except for two of the female characters who were just downright annoying. They should have spent a few more bucks on the goblin creature but at least he only makes a full appearance at the end. Fairly gory for a tv movie.


08 Thirteen Ghosts (2001) 1/5


This version has nothing on the 1960's movie. Where is William Castle when you need him. Stupid premise, mediocre acting and most importantly very few scares.

 

[Pete Battista]

Title: The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
Year: 1966
Director: Alan Rafkin
Rating: NR
Length: 90 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen :1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish


Stars:
Don Knotts
Joan Staley
Liam Redmond
Dick Sargent
Skip Homeier

Plot:
To convince his boss to let him be a reporter, lowly newspaper typesetter Luther Heggs (Knotts) decides to spend a night at an old haunted house hoping to solve a 20-year-old murder case. After encountering a ghost, he pens a story that makes front-page news. But when he fails to back up his claim, Luthor's branded a fraud - until he and his devoted girlfriend team up to uncover the mystery of the ghostly goings-on in this side-splitting film that will have you screaming with laughter.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers

My Thoughts:
Sure... this is more comedy then anything. But I felt it fit good in the spirit of Halloween. I haven't seen this movie in years. Not since I was a kid. About 30yrs ago! And I while I did enjoy it... it wasn't as funny as I remembered it being as a kid. But I did like it enough to say it will probably be the best movie I got in this Don Knotts box set.

My Rating: 3.5/5


Count:
Movie Count: 20
TV Ep. Count: 11
Other Count: 1
Time Started: 8:00am

 

[John Stell]

[COLOR= #303030]022) 10/06/2010 D The Black Raven (1943)

1/2[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]Criminals, seedy types, and people who cannot leave town thanks to a washed-out bridge gather at the Black Raven Inn. Murder and mayhem ensue. Pretty entertaining poverty row thriller includes George Zucco and Glenn Strange in the cast. The motivations of Zucco's character, a criminal known as the Raven, are perplexing as he emerges something of a hero by film's end. But this is a must for fans of "old dark house" cinema.[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]023) 10/06/2010 D Bluebeard (1944)

[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]John Carradine gives a strong performance as the title character, a puppeteer/artist who strangles women. Some nice visual flourishes by director Edgar G. Ulmer complement the Parisian setting. Only gripe is a music score that doesn't stop.[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]024) 10/06/2010 D Dementia (1953)

1/2[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]Truly one-of-a-kind film is perhaps one of the best representations of a nightmare put on the screen. There is no spoken dialogue, only a music score punctuated by occasional maniacal laughter and minor sound effects. Woman with father issues makes her way through the city streets one night, perhaps committing murder. Not exactly good, but fascinating to watch at least once. The photography is Ed Wood's cameraman![/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]025) 10/06/2010 D The House That Dripped Blood (1970)

[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]Very enjoyable Amicus anthology concerning a cursed house. Stories include: an author whose latest villain has seemingly come to life; a businessman who's haunted by the figure of Salome at the local waxworks; a parent who has child issues; a horror actor who gets more than he bargained for when he acquires an authentic vampire cape; and the wrap-around story about a Scotland Yard inspector investigating the disappearance of aforementioned actor. Great fun, with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in the cast.[/COLOR]



Television Episodes, Specials, etc.

[COLOR= #303030]001) 10/06/2010 D It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! (1966)

[/COLOR]


[COLOR= #303030]Simply put, the best Halloween special ever! Charlie Brown gets invited to a Halloween party, Linus sits in a pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin, and Snoopy battles the Red Baron. Funny, touching, and visually arresting, especially Snoopy's imagined prowl through war-torn France.[/COLOR]

 

[Michael Elliott]

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101006/REVIEWS/101009983


The review I've been waiting for for nearly three years. I know the original I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE was voted by Ebert as the worst film ever made so I really couldn't wait to hear his opinion on the remake. Too bad unrated movies can't get a wider release because I really can't wait to see this one.

 

[Ockeghem]

October 6:


Films:


[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]The Blob (1958)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)[/COLOR][/SIZE]


One of these days, I need to see the remake of The Blob. And I never tire of 'The Creature' trilogy. I will be watching the two remaining films in that trilogy soon.


Television episodes:


[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]The X-Files ("Firewalker") (1994)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]The X-Files ("Red Museum") (1994)[/COLOR][/SIZE]


Last night, my daughter was pleading that we watch more Dark Shadows -- but it was a school night. I think there is more Barnabas on the horizon very soon....


I'm really enjoying The X-Files. I've watched a few episodes sporadically over the years, but our family is now going through the series from the beginning. We're currently working our way through the second season.


[SIZE= 12px]Total:[/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px] [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px]Films:[/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px] [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px]01. The Fly (1958)
02. Escape To Witch Mountain (1975)
03. [COLOR= #181818]Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghosts Out?[/COLOR][COLOR= #181818] [/COLOR][COLOR= #181818](2008)[/COLOR]
04. [COLOR= #181818]The Abominable Dr. Phibes [/COLOR][COLOR= #181818](1971)[/COLOR]
05. [COLOR= #181818]The Screaming Skull [/COLOR][COLOR= #181818](1958)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]06. The Wasp Woman (1959)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]07. The Hand (1960)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]08. The Blob (1958)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]09. The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px] [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px]Television episodes:[/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px] [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #2f2f2f]01. [/COLOR][COLOR= #181818]Dark Shadows [/COLOR][COLOR= #181818](Original series) (episodes nos. 349-350) (1967)[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #2f2f2f]02. [/COLOR]Wizards of Waverly Place ("Wizards vs. Werewolves" (2010)
[COLOR= #181818]03. [/COLOR][COLOR= #2f2f2f]Wizards of Waverly Place[/COLOR][COLOR= #2f2f2f] ("[/COLOR][COLOR= #2f2f2f]Alex Saves Mason[/COLOR][COLOR= #2f2f2f]") (2010)[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #181818]04. [/COLOR][COLOR= #181818]I Dream Of Jeannie[/COLOR][COLOR= #181818] ("[/COLOR][COLOR= #181818]Bigger Than A Bread Box and Better Than A Genie[/COLOR][COLOR= #181818]") (1966)[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #181818]05. [/COLOR][COLOR= #181818]Charmed [/COLOR][COLOR= #181818]("All Halliwell's Eve") (2000)[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #181818]06. [/COLOR][COLOR= #181818]Dark Shadows[/COLOR][COLOR= #181818] (Original series) (episodes nos. 351-352) (1967)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]07. The X-Files ("Firewalker") (1994)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]08. The X-Files ("Red Museum") (1994)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

 

[Pete Battista]

Title: Decoys
Year: 2004
Director: Matt Hastings
Rating: R
Length: 96 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English


Stars:
Corey Sevier
Stefanie von Pfetten
Kim Poirier
Elias Toufexis
Meghan Ory
Enis Esmer

Plot:
Some students aren't exactly what they seem to be in DECOYS, a sci-fi/horror adventure starring Kim Poirier (Dawn of the Dead), Richard Burgi (Starship Troopers 2), Corey Sevier (TV's "North Shore") and Nicole Eggert (TV's "Baywatch").

If college coeds Lily and Constance look like two out-of-this-world blonde beauties, that's because they're actually intergalactic space invaders with a mission: to breed with humans before taking over the Earth. And even though the girls' mating skills have proven fatal to their victims, they keep on trying. So when Luke, a hard-partying freshman, accidentally witnesses the shapely shape-shifters in their full-bodied alien state, he knows it's up to him to save the planet before he truly gets wasted.

Extras:
Scene Access
Bonus Trailers
Featurettes
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
I went into this one not expecting too much.... and it is a good thing I didn't. While not a terribly bad movie... it was no more then an average low-budget fair. It seemed like I seen it all before. It was like they took the idea of 2 or 3 different movies... slapped it together.... and then put it into a cold setting. It even had the all too expected "surprise" ending that I saw coming a mile away. I would say the only thing this one really had going for it is pretty girls in skimpy clothes. Well the did make the aliens in their natural form look pretty cool... but even that reminded me of aliens from another movie.

My Rating: 2.5/5


Count:
Movie Count: 21
TV Ep. Count: 11
Other Count: 1
Time Started: 10:30am

 

[PatW]

Originally Posted by Ockeghem


Television episodes:


[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]The X-Files ("Firewalker") (1994)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #181818]The X-Files ("Red Museum") (1994)[/COLOR][/SIZE]




I'm really enjoying The X-Files. I've watched a few episodes sporadically over the years, but our family is now going through the series from the beginning. We're currently working our way through the second season.

I'm rewatching the whole series as well. I'm up to season 4. Fantastic series. I guess I should count all the episode I'm watching since it is a mesh of sci-fi/horror.

 

[Ockeghem]

Originally Posted by PatW



I'm rewatching the whole series as well. I'm up to season 4. Fantastic series. I guess I should count all the episode I'm watching since it is a mesh of sci-fi/horror.

Pat,


I definitely feel as though this series ought to be counted, at least under 'Television episodes.' The creep factor is very, very high in some of these episodes. (I would venture to say in most that I have seen thus far, actually.)


My wife and I bought the complete series (it was under $100.00) for our son for his birthday. I agree -- a fantastic series.

 

[Radioman970]

Tuesday, October 6th

Personal Notes: Last night I dreamed I was attending some kind of class or seminar that had at least one of the Monkees, Mike Nesmith, teaching a classroom of people (including me) something. He was discussing turning Petticoat Junction, the old TV show taking place in Hooterville, into a film. I noticed he was discussing the wrong characters..ones from some other show. He also sang the theme song, but was holding notes too long…it was like my brain was slow about providing the lyrics for the song and so Nesmith was holding the notes until it caught up. That was a strange thing to remember from the dream. I have no friggin idea why I dreamed this. Good days during this tend to give me some funky nighttime head games that I often can’t recall fully. This one was pretty vivid. Hoping for more...


19. The Mist. (2007) ***Debut Viewing***

And when you need a bigass Walmart just next door to escape to...it ain't there!


Ah yes, after yesterday’s disaster I could sure throw my confidence at a Stephen King adaptation. Haha! But wait…! Where the heck did this critter feature come from?! I’d listened to a audio play version and remember thinking it was okay. Plus, looked at the trailer before the movie version here was even released to theaters and gave it a firm pass. But man…! I missed something great. ***minor spoiler BEGINS*** I’d say the only problem I had with it was the speed at which Mrs. Jim Jones lined people up to the koolade vat….I didn’t buy that. I live in a small town in the Bible belt and even these diehards wouldn’t do what these characters were doing. The actual Jim Jones spent years with the folks he “took to heaven”. Still, she is a fun character and really got me shouting at the screen. ***minor spoiler ENDS*** I love flicks that have me shouting at the screen! And the ending was as left field as I’d heard. Neat! I was sure it was “all a dream”…heh heh…maybe… Unfortunately, this DVD is borrowed…to think for a little more I could have bought the Blu Ray for future viewing instead of that Lost trash from yesterday. Anybody wanna trade?

Hair raising level: Up there..getting tangled in the tentacles!


20. The Other. (1972)

Gramma's always know the best thing to do to make it all better.



A memorable debut viewing from last year. This is pretty much up my alley…a 70s, slow ride. It truly pays to know as little about this film as possible before watching it. I’d look at the DVD case only after watching since it gives away so much that you can google that on the net and get a lot of whining about it. I’ll just describe this as feeling like The Waltons mixed with some lightweight Hitchcock. I was feeling happy after The Mist, and throwing this on was an easy decision. Loved it from beginning to end just like last year. Call this 70s gem a new yearly favorite viewing in my house.

Hair raising level: my brother pulled your hair out by the roots…not me! He’s a bad boy…bad!


21. Dead Silence. (2007) ***Debut Viewing***

So silent you can almost hear the termites...



I had to search hard to find a positive review of this from the folks who did SAW. …they call it a “throw back”. That’s really on the nose. Like 80s or even 70s spook, slow moving…minimal violence but still some effective touches of gore here and there. A negative review compared it to a few episodes of Goosebumps. Well, this is probably scarier than that…but maybe calling it Goosebumps: The Movie wouldn’t be a bad idea. The only problem…when this kind of thing has been done in the past, including some Goosebump episodes called “Living Dummy” something or other, were mostly done tongue in cheek. Here, they take it serously and often it comes off flimsy for that reason. Still, I kind of liked it. The closing moments are pretty good. Oh! And LOVED the ending. That was a neat idea. Watch it for that because it might just “get you” like it did me.

Hair raising level: Like Howdy Doody with a few splinters sticking up...


22. The Vampire. (1958) ***Debut Viewing***

12 years old, his own paper route, but already labeled...


I have about 10 minutes left to watch… Oh oh! How will it end! No, do’t tell me!! I’m sure the MST3K guys considered this for an episode during the Joel years. I’ll bet they would have had fun with it since even I’ve been able to get off a few good ones. It’s not a terrible movie…but there’s not much of a “vampire” on offer…maybe that was the word of the day in Movie Land at the time. I don’t know… But it’s more of a Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde deal we get from American International. I can’t say there’s been a single fright here. But for an old 50s B&W horror flick I’d say it’s not a total waste of time. It came on a double feature DVD in the MGM Midnite movies line along with something called Return of Dracula. Maybe I’ll see about that one later this month.

Hair raising level: Male pattern baldness for Dracula eventually leaves a weird “hair triangle” in the middle of his forehead. Not exactly a babe maginet.

 

[Radioman970]

Wednesday, October 6th

23. Grace. (2008) ***Debut viewing***

She's just trying to set him up for years and years of motherly guilt sessions...



I did minimum research on Grace since it seemed easily ruined. Still, I’d thought it would be different…like something seen in Dead Alive or something. Wrong answer! Instead, pleasantly low key for the subject matter. I was thinking “extreme horror for women” throughout. Kind of right on the nose. Every scene had me waiting and waiting, and wondering and wondering what might happen happen. (sorry) I think I was reading some dark comedy in here as well… (hanging fly traps, Jonesy’s special food delivery, etc) …it’s sometimes clever and sometimes icky. Pretty well acted, with the “mother-in-law” pleasantly 3 dimensional. I can’t say I was bowled over by the ending….shocking yes, but not as creative as the rest and a little bit of a let down how they did it. I could imagine this whole production being far more dark and disturbing with a little more effort. I’d love to call it a future required viewing for October. Can’t do it…even though I’m sure I’ll watch it several more times before it’s all over for my time on the earth. Insult to injury, this bluray transfer is below par.

HAIR RAISING LEVEL: Umh, better not test the hair…baby doesn’t like that…


24. Halloween II. (1981)

Shake a leg, Laurie! The nurse is about the serve your green hospital jello...oh the horror!



Nice little sequel…probably nobody’s fav from the series. Not a classic like the original, but it’s hard to complain about a followup story that lets you see the story continue from the original with no jumping ahead, just like they did Rocky 2. That’s what I like the most about it. The hospital scenes come off too numerous…why spend so much time in the hospital? Get Laurie on her feet and out in the neighborhood running away from Michael as he’s killing people all around here…sneaking around, etc etc. Those scenes near the beginning were great…”you want mayo on this…!” That old woman’s hubby should have been in his chair with a knife slicing his throat or something. Hahah! Still… I always enjoy this one for many reasons, including some unintentional laughs. That big drunk goon, who’s a little too damn old for trick or treats, is carrying a bag of Halloween candy and decides to do a quick bit of jaywalking… hahaha! Poor dude!

HAIR RAISING LEVEL: Like William Shatner’s hair, doesn’t quite appeal like the original did…


25. It’s Alive 3: Island of the Alive. (1987) ***debut viewing***

...no stop-motion kaka going on in this scene even though it was probably a consideration during production...



And The Goofy Meter goes to 11! Hoping for a piece of Italian zombie trash on an island…well, everything but the dubbing. Three monster baby flicks out we get a mutant family of 5 dumped on an island to form their own little community. Ain’t that niiice! Geez! I seriously don’t remember seeing such a stupid movie even after 100s of Mystery Science Theaters. It’s not like you can’t hope for the best with this series…the first film was pretty good. I don’t remember the 1st sequel for some reason…probably forgettable but still okay. But this…hell… Could have used more than just myself watching…like some friends. I’m so lonely during all of this!! Cinematic Titanic/Rifftrax needs to pull this out of the classics closet. Perfectly good actors and actresses on drugs during the shoot. Had to be! I mean, this is worth a few minutes time just to see Michael Moriarty acting like a 10 year old entertaining at the family reunion.

HAIR RAISING LEVEL: silly looking stop motion hairs wiggling around….



26. The Body Snatcher. (1945) *** debut viewing ***

At $10 a pop (1880s money)...quite a lucrative career Boris has going...



A real gem of a movie! Adapts a Robert Louis Stevenson short story from the 1880s with Boris Karloff in the title role, stretching himelf big and tall and almost as creepy as that flat headed fella with the bolts he does better than anybody. Goes to show you disturbing thoughts are nothing new…plus, what’s happening in the story/movie was probably happening somewhere at the time. That’s creepy enough. I have to say, just minutes in I knew this was something great…from the wonderful music, grim filming locations and dark characters. Highly recommended if you’ve never seen it. I got this at Big Lots for $3 with another flick as a double. If you’re like me you’ll watch this again and again.

HAIR RAISING LEVEL: I’d have to open the coffin to check on the hair level…I’ll pass. Just trust me.

 

[Pete Battista]

Title: The Final Destination
Year: 2009
Director: David R. Ellis
Rating: R
Length: 82 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish


Stars:
Bobby Campo
Shantel VanSanten
Nick Zano
Haley Webb
Mykelti Williamson
Krista Allen

Plot:
The movie series that taps into your deepest fears returns with a new and imaginative chapter that delivers the expected — in so many keep-you-guessing, unexpected ways! A strange premonition causes friends to abandon their day at the speedway, just before a crushing pileup hurtles cars into the bleachers with fiery consequences. They have cheated Death. But Death is only getting started. From the director of Snakes on a Plane comes the eerie, innovative tale of the friends' fierce fight to keep themselves and others alive.

Extras:
Scene Access
Bonus Trailers
Deleted Scenes

My Thoughts:
I have heard from more then one person that this movie sucks... but I wanted to see it anyway since I liked all 3 of the previous films. And it is a good thing I didn't listen to them... as I enjoyed every minute of it. I like to watch movies that I don't even have to think about at times. Ones where I can just sit back and watch the mayhem.... watch the blood flow... watch the pure gore of people getting torn apart. And all of that is here. This is definitely not for you if you don't like the gory movies. So while you may not agree with me... this is one I liked a lot... one I am glad I have added to my Final Destination collection.

My Rating: 4/5


Count:
Movie Count: 22
TV Ep. Count: 11
Other Count: 1
Time Started: 12:30pm