*** Official 14th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2013 *** (1 Viewer)

[John Stell]

060) 10/18/2013 The Haunted Strangler (1957)

1/2

Boris Karloff is good as novelist whose research into the innocence of an executed murderer yields surprising results. Clever plot is dragged out a bit but the film is still enjoyable.

061) 10/18/2013 La Momia Azteca Contra El Robot Humano (1958)

Dr. Krupp builds a robot with a human inside to combat the Aztec mummy. Barely a movie, as the first ten minutes or so just recaps the first two Aztec mummy films leaving about 50 minutes for this story. At least the hero doctor has married his fiance in this one. Last and least of the trilogy.

062) 10/18/2013 Curse of the Faceless Man (1958)

Mummified warrior awakens to seek his reincarnated lover. Some effective moments along the way but the story feels awfully familiar.

063) 10/19/2013 Blood of the Vampire (1958)

1/2

Really a mad scientist yarn about "vampire" doctor who was staked through the heart for his unorthodox experiments. Now he's governor of a prison for the criminally insane where he carries on with his work. Donald Wolfit is very good as the villain and makes the film worth seeing. Written by Jimmy Sangster. Barbara Shelley plays the heroine.

064) 10/19/2013 The Vampire's Coffin (1958)

1/2

Count Lavud's staked body is stolen from its tomb, and then the stake is removed! He seeks vengeance on the sweethearts who did him in. Sequel to El Vampiro lacks the atmosphere of its predecessor but is redeemed by its likable cast and rousing finale inside a wax museum.

065) 10/20/2013 Macabre (1958)

William Castle's first excursion into the horror field focuses on disgraced town doctor and his kidnapped daughter. It seems almost everyone has a reason to hate him. There are so many scenes of explaining all the relationships and past history that the film drags when it should be charging ahead, considering the poor little girl may be buried alive. There's a twist at the end, but it doesn't have the punch it should.

066) 10/20/2013 El Castillo de los Monstruos (1957)

When a doctor kidnaps a beautiful young lady on whom to experiment, her lover comes to her rescue. But they must battle the doctor's basement residents, which include a mummy, a werewolf, a vampire, a caged beast, and a gill man. Successful horror comedy takes a while to get going but once the action switches to the castle this movie really rocks. Some very funny moments, including German Robles having fun with his "vampiro" role.

067) 10/20/2013 Frankenstein's Daughter (1958)

1/2

Grandson of the original doctor Frankenstein tries to carry on the family tradition. Creates silly monster, laughable film. Funniest moment has the monster politely knocking on the doctor's front door to regain entry, even though it broke the door down when leaving the house.

068) 10/21/2013 Misterios de la Magia Negra (1957)

1/2

The magician who is dazzling audiences with her stage show is actually a witch. A doctor, who discovers the truth, tries to stop her, placing him and his daughter in danger. There are some fine moments here and the finale is great. But the talky aspects slow the film down.

069) 10/21/2013 Corridors of Blood (1958)

1/2

Boris Karloff plays gifted surgeon in the days before anesthesia who wants to remove pain from surgery. His experiments turn him into addict who gets mixed up with murderers. Another good 1950s role for Karloff but the film, which does have its gruesome moments, is only fitfully successful. Francis Matthews plays Karloff's son, while Christopher Lee plays the villainous Resurrection Joe.

070) 10/21/2013 House on Haunted Hill (1959)

1/2

The very definition of horrific fun: Vincent Price invites five guests to the house on haunted hill for a party. There'll be food, drink, ghosts, and maybe murder. William Castle's best film as a director thanks to a great cast, a witty Robb White script, and some genuinely scary moments. Famous for its Emergo gimmick, the film is perfect Halloween fare. A must.

071) 10/21/2013 The Lady Vampire (1959)

Despite the title, this really focuses on a male vampire whose victim escapes after twenty years, returning to her family. He goes after her, which leads to all kinds of problems. The woman's daughter is dating a reporter, who always seems to be right in the middle of the action and leads the pursuit. Unique elements include the vampire being terrified of moonlight, and a little person henchman who hangs out in the trunk of the vampire's car. The script is a mess, exhausting its coincidence allowance. The over-the-top finale at the vampire's castle features a witch who gets whipped, a bald bouncer type fellow who cannot do his job, a sword fight, and some hidden money. Should have been more fun. The scene in the restaurant where the vampire goes on a rampage will either have you biting your nails or laughing your lungs out, depending on your mood.

 

[Mario Gauci]

19/10/13: TALES OF TOMORROW: PAST TENSE {TV} (Don Medford, 1953) ***

This is another good entry in this interesting series: linking it to the recently-viewed H.G. Wells adaptation THE CRYSTAL EGG (1951) is the fact that, here, we deal with the invention of a time machine (obviously the title of one of the most popular works by that visionary author). The star of the episode under review, then, is a veritable genre icon i.e. Boris Karloff; he plays an altruistic scientist who decides to go back a few decades in time so as to give to the world the benefits of penicillin, in the hope that untreatable sickness can be cured and lives saved…or, so he thinks, since the elderly man’s plea for his drug to be tested on terminal cases is misunderstood at every turn! Even worse, Karloff’s shrewish wife looks with equal mistrust upon his time-travelling device and threatens to destroy it; that said, the protagonist’s own motive is not above simple profiteering – and, while the viewer is apt to sympathize with his plight, one also feels that the doctor’s ultimate fate is a bit his own doing, given that he would not take no for an answer! In spite of the repetition (Karloff’s arguments with his wife and his striving to convince unenlightened ‘colleagues’ about both the ‘miraculous’ remedy he is promoting and his own ‘unrecorded’ origins) and studio-bound look (for obvious reasons, never do we venture outdoors), the premise is sufficiently engaging throughout – and, needless to say, Karloff’s commanding presence (and soft-spoken delivery) always constitutes a pleasure to the undersigned. Amusingly, this being a live telecast, an actor badly flubs a line early on and – boldly – keeps repeating it until he manages to get the correct wording across!

19/10/13: STARTIME: THE TURN OF THE SCREW {TV} (John Frankenheimer, 1959) ***1/2

Henry James’ supernatural (and ambiguous) period novella is among a handful of genuine horror classics; consequently, it has been relentlessly plundered over the years and from myriad countries in both the cinema and TV formats. Jack Clayton’s black-and-white take, THE INNOCENTS (1961), is universally recognized as the source’s finest rendition; personally, up till now, I was only familiar with it, Dan Curtis’ serviceable 1974 TV adaptation and also Michael Winner’s intriguing prequel/offshoot THE NIGHTCOMERS (1972). One of the wonders of the Internet is that, through this medium, several renowned productions from TV’s golden age (intended for immediate consumption, they were even shot live!) – often boasting the participation of up-and-coming talent behind the camera (here including Sydney Pollack as dialogue director) and established stars in front of it – which would otherwise have been lost to the ages are seeing the light of day, garnering new admirers in the process and sometimes, amazingly, going so far as to rewrite history (or, at least, redress the balance somewhat)! Anyway, this version is certainly no slouch in comparison to the afore-mentioned THE INNOCENTS: apart from the necessary streamlining (in fact, the character of the children’s uncle, with whom the governess is enamored, does not appear in the flesh), what it loses in meticulously-crafted artistry and expansive location shooting is gained in editorial dexterity (Frankenheimer never puts a foot wrong in orchestrating the most judicious counterpoint to any given scene or emotion, creating a palpable tension throughout) and, for lack of a better word, the sense of continuity within the performances (obviously akin to stage acting) – with Ingrid Bergman in her small-screen debut, channeling her earlier Gothic success in GASLIGHT (1944), fitting the central part like a glove. The malevolent forces at work, too, are adequately deployed – the little girl being especially creepy but, then, the features of the ghostly woman are never properly seen (though I fear the fault in this case lies with the fuzzy nature of the, presumably, only available print rather than the film itself!). For the record, Eloy de la Iglesia’s 1985 Spanish movie remake will follow presently in my ongoing Halloween Challenge…

19/10/13: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES {TV} (Barry Crane, 1972) **1/2

This is clearly the most popular Sherlock Holmes adventure, since it is the one most actors choose in order to showcase their suitability for the role (notably Basil Rathbone at Universal and Peter Cushing for Hammer) and was even plundered for spoofing purposes in 1978! With this in mind, it is small wonder that Stewart Granger, too, has turned up in an adaptation; the end result, however, was very much disliked by Leonard Maltin – rating it ‘Below Average’ and accorded the unenviable epithet “for masochists only”! Still, all things considered, its main fault is that of being thoroughly superfluous – with no new take on the narrative (apart from presenting us with the first white-haired Holmes!) and, worse, ripping off Dr. Watson’s buffoonish characterization straight from Nigel Bruce! If anything, the film-makers have managed to recruit a serviceable cast (including a fine Anthony Zerbe as a limping and henpecked{!} doctor, a wasted Jane Merrow, a grumpy John Williams, and a surprisingly restrained William Shatner in a dual role), while the titular beast looks vicious enough (unlike some of the better versions, admittedly!) – what is more, this is certainly proof that, in some cases, the plot really is the thing (as the saying goes)...

20/10/13: THE QUEEN OF SPADES (Leonard Keigel, 1965) ***

A title such as this makes my tedious task of recording and editing movies off TV worthwhile, for where else would I have gotten the opportunity to check out and own a copy of this very fine but clearly overlooked rendition of the classic Pushkin story? The production values are truly lavish here, and the film generally elicits comparison – down to its haunting quality – with Robert Enrico’s contemporaneous adaptations of Ambrose Bierce’s and Henry James’ eerie tales. While I still prefer Thorold Dickinson’s 1949 British version, this one obviously improves on the recently-viewed 1916 effort; that said, I do not recall the former well enough to make sensible comparisons narrative-wise! I do know, however (and since I have not read the original source, I cannot tell either which is truer to it!), that the Countess emerges as the protagonist this time around, rather than the luckless officer attempting to extract the secret of winning at cards from her (in fact, she divulges the three-card combination to two others persons before he even enters proceedings and, later, one other tries to make him talk)! With this in mind, the central character is played by the only familiar face among the cast i.e. a gracefully aged Dita Parlo from Jean Vigo’s L’ATALANTE (1934) and Jean Renoir’s LA GRANDE ILLUSION (1937). As I said, the end result is supremely stylish (mostly filmed in sprawling chateaux and with the figure, who turns up from time to time to remind the Countess of their unholy pact, simply but effectively shot from high angles to suggest his supernatural aura) and, underscored by the music of Franz Schubert, extremely evocative. The ending, in which a spectral card game (comprising all the major players) dissolves to the same location being ‘invaded’ by modern-day amenities, is a nice touch.

20/10/13: MAN IN THE ATTIC (Hugo Fregonese, 1953) **1/2

The notorious Jack The Ripper killings have been dealt with by the movies in both ostensibly authentic and outright fictional terms. This one falls in the latter category, and is actually no fewer than the fourth adaptation (all of which I own and have now watched) of Marie Belloc-Lowndes’ novel THE LODGER! Incidentally, though a Fox production, the film has somehow fallen into the Public Domain and, in fact, the print I acquired (presumably culled from the substandard VCI DVD) left a lot to be desired! While generally enjoyable (in spite of the obvious lack of surprise) and benefitting immensely from Jack Palance’s typically intense central performance (making up for the undercasting of the other major roles), the end result does feel redundant – considering that the latest version was only 9 years away – in much the same way that the 1932 Talkie came across with respect to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1927 Silent original! Interestingly, while the first two – both emanating from Britain and starring the same leading man, Ivor Novello – made the protagonist out to be an avenger of one of the Ripper’s victims being himself suspected of the crimes, in each American remake, there is no question about his identity as the guilty party (Laird Cregar had essayed the role in 1944)! The least successful element here, then, is undoubtedly the scoring and staging of the eye-rolling (in more than the expected ways) musical numbers.

 

[Ruz-El]

Got in a couple more last night. I might do "The Burning" tonight to keep the Savini theme going.

10-21 048 The Prowler (1981) 4/5
I figured I’d keep going with the Savini theme and watched this one. I thought I’d seen it before, but I definitely never saw this version. The plot will be ripped off by “My Bloody Valentine”, but this one is superior in every way. Savini’s effects are ridiculously amazing and realistic, and it all adds up to being a fantastic slasher.
10-21 049 Day of the Dead (1985) 4/5
This one was my least favourite of the Romero’s Dead Trilogy. Then he made a bunch of shitfests and this one doesn’t seem so bad anymore. Savini calls this one his effects masterpiece, and they don’t disappoint. For me, the effects are the main reason to watch this. All the characters are so amped up and angry they exhaust me. So in revisiting, I enjoyed this one a lot more than previously, despite the horrible people in it.
10-21 050 World’s End: The Legacy of Day of the Dead (2013) 4/5
A feature length documentary included on the new Scream Factory Bluray. It’s dead solid, and more entertaining than the actual movie since no one’s screaming at you for 40 minutes. Pretty near everyone is interviewed. I don’t know what happened to Joseph Pilato in the past 30 years, but he had me wanting to back away from the TV. Anyway, good stuff and worth a watch, as well as the bonus 30 minutes of camcorder footage from Savini testing the effects.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

I'm a few days behind in updating.

On October 18 I decided to check out Cat People (1982). I had never seen it before and expected it to be a little odd. It was, but in a good way (and that score by Giorgio Moroder is superb). I enjoyed the peculiarity of the idea and the style of the execution.

On the 19th I scared myself silly with the remake of the Evil Dead. Whao! That's how do you do a remake. It was respecful of the original but the updates were all thoughtful and the amount of blood and gore surpassing even Raimi's originals. And you must stay through to the very end of the credits for a lovely little treat. I also watched Kevin Hart's Let Me Explain comedy concert film (that I am working on reviewing) but that doesn't fit the theme of the month (so won't count).

On the 20th I watched a double header. Started with Amityville II: The Possession. Forgettable sequel that has some nice moments. It chooses to deal with some serious issues amongst the demonic house conceit, but it likes itself as a serious film like The Exorcist and in that there is no comparison.

I followed it up with Room 237 - a documentary examining several wild and interesting theories behind Stanley Kubrick's wonderful The Shining. Most of the theories stretch credulity but there are a few that gave me pause. Regardless of the legitimacy of the claims, the entire affair is an attention grabber and whet's the appetite to spin the film itself.

Last night I revisited the original Evil Dead and had a blast. It has been a number of years since I saw this as I typically choose to watch Evil Dead 2 or Army of Darkness to get my Ash fix. It's an inventive, clever and fun film as remarkable for what it shows as for how little it cost to make.

Tonight I have to get stuck back in to the world of Chucky (starting with Child's Play 3) as the boxset of all the films has arrived for me to review.

Monthly Tally:

October 1: Re-Animator (1985) - 4 out of 5
October 2: The Frankenstein Theory (2013) - 2 out of 5
October 3: The Changeling (1980) - 4 out of 5
October 4: Darkness Falls (2003) - 2 out of 5
October 5: This Is The End (2013) - 3.5 out of 5
October 6: From Hell (2001) - 3.5 out of 5
October 7: Absentia (2011) - 4 out of 5
October 8: Europa Report (2013) - 4 out of 5
October 9: Don't Look Now (1973) - 4.5 out of 5
October 10: Child's Play 2 (1990) - 3.5 out of 5
October 11: Bride of Chucky (1998) - 3.5 out of 5
October 12: Rosemary's Baby (1968) - 5 out of 5
October 13: The Innkeepers (2011) - 4 out of 5 and Session 9 (2001) - 4 out of 4
October 14: The Blob (1988) - 3.5 out of 5
October 15: Below (2002) - 3.5 out of 5, The Fly (1986) - 4.5 out of 5
October 16: The Fly II (1989) - 3 out of 5
October 17: The Colony (2013) - 3.5 out of 5
October 18: Cat People (1982) - 3.5 out of 5
October 19: The Evil Dead (2013) - 4 out of 5
October 20: Amityville II: The Possession (1982) - 2 out of 5 / Room 237 (2012) 4 out of 5
October 21: Evil Dead (1981) - 4 out of 5

Interspersed through the month so far are the following episodes of Millennium - Season One (1996):
S1: E3: 'Dead Letters' - 4 out of 5
S1: E4: 'Kingdom Come' - 3.5 out of 5
S1: E5: 'The Judge' - 4 out of 5
S1: E6: '522666' - 4 out of 5
S1: E7: 'Blood Relatives' - 4 out of 5
S1: E8: 'The Well-Worn Lock' - 4.5 out of 5

The Walking Dead
S4: E1: '30 Days Without an Accident' - 4 out of 5

Ghost Ghirls
S1: E1: Home is where the Haunt is - 4.5 out of 5
S1: E2: Hooker with a Heart of Ghoul - 4 out of 5
S1: E3: Field of Screams - 3.5 out of 5
S1: E4: Will You Scary Me? - 4 out of 5
S1: E5: Ghost Writer - 3 out of 5
S1: E6: I Believe in Mira-ghouls - 3 out of 5

 

[Michael Elliott]

Curse of the Devil (1973) **Disappointing entry in Paul Naschy's Waldemar Daninsky series has his character falling victim to a curse put on his family centuries earlier. It turns out Satan worshipers cursed him so now each time the full moon rises he turns into a werewolf. It seems his only saving grace will come from the beautiful woman who loves him. CURSE OF THE DEVIL, also known as RETURN OF THE WEREWOLF, doesn't have too much going for it thanks in large part to a rather slow pace that never really leads to any excitement and a screenplay that seems to try and do too much. The best parts of the story deals with the curse being put on Daninsky but after this there's just a bunch of stuff thrown in that often doesn't make too much sense or adds up to very little. This includes just about everything dealing with the axe and machete carrying maniacs who pop up every now and then. Another negative thing is that the filmmakers were obviously working on a very low-budget but they don't do much with it. Most of the werewolf transformation scenes look pretty cheap and none of the attacks are staged very well. The actual look of the werewolf is quite good as there's a lot more hair this time out and there are several scenes where the blood just gets caught in it for a rather nice effect. The death scenes aren't all that memorable but I'm guessing a lot of this is due to the small budget. Naschy is in fine form as usual and there are some beautiful woman around him who constantly get naked but outside of this the supporting players really don't add too much. There's some nice atmosphere in a few scenes but in the end there's just not enough that works here.


Night of the Howling Beast (1975) ***Cheap but fun horror film has Waldemar Daninsky (Paul Naschy) traveling to Tibet to try and locate the Yeti, which has recently been spotted. He ends up in a bizarre cave with female cannibals and other weirdos and soon he's bitten by a she-wolf. The next full moon he turns into a werewolf, which eventually leads to a battle with the Yeti. Better known as THE WEREWOLF AND THE YETI, this film certainly isn't going to win any awards for style but I really give Naschy, the writer, a lot of credit. When you go through this Daninsky series you can fully see all the short comings but at the same time you have to give the star-writer a lot of credit because he's always coming up with some pretty wild ideas that usually translates to some fun. This film is no exception as there are all sorts of wild things going on. The rather long sequence inside the cave where Daninsky goes up against a variety of strange women is so much fun simply because of how over-the-top it is. The scenes of the females chomping on the fake looking arms is rather fun and especially if you don't take it too serious. This movie also offers up some rather nice werewolf attacks. The film benefits from the wintry locations as it's somewhat neat seeing the werewolf run around in this setting. The attack scenes are also rather silly looking but they're mostly well-staged and features quite a bit of gore when viewed in their uncut form. The actual look of the werewolf isn't quite as good as some of the earlier films but it's still good enough and of course there's all sorts of red stuff flowing. The Yeti looks rather bad and sadly the final fight is rather dark and poorly done but it's still decent enough to put a smile on your face. Naschy, as you'd expect, turns in a good and believable performance in his role. NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST suffers from a low-budget but I think in this case it actually helps add to the "B" movie charm.


The Thing That Couldn't Die (1958) * 1/2

Laughably bad horror film from Universal about a group of people who find a mysterious case buried underneath an old tree. A teenage Jessica (Carolyn Kearney) has the ability to see the future and she warns her friends not to open the thing so naturally they do it anyway. Inside just so happens to be the decapitated head of a devil worshiper who was killed by Sir Francis Drake. THE THING THAT COULDN'T DIE has the reputation of being one of the studio's worst films and I'm not going to defend it too much, although I still think there are worse out there. With that said, there's no doubt that this film is pretty awful at times but thankfully it gets bad enough to where you can actually just sit back and laugh at it. Poor Kearney is the cause of many laughs because her acting is just so bad that you can't help but feel bad for her. Even worse is some of the dialogue she's given to say and just check out the scene where she has a breakdown about "evil" things and then starts screaming how she wants people to die before making a tree fall on a woman. Say what? This entire sequence perfectly shows what's wrong with this movie but it made me laugh. The actual "monster" is just the decapitated head being carried around by a variety of people who then murder for it. This certainly isn't scary and the "effect" is only mildly entertaining. Outside of Kearney, the cast for the most part is decent, although no one really jumps off the screen. Charles Horvath plays a large, slow brute and it's so spot-on for Lon Chaney, Jr. that you have to wonder why the studio just didn't go out and get the real thing. THE THING THAT COULDN'T DIE is a bad film. There's no question about that but I think most will at least be able to laugh at it.


Scooby-Doo! And the Samurai Sword (2009) **The gang travels to Japan so that Daphne can take part in a karate tournament but before long the entire thing is ruined by a group of ninjas who plan to bring back the ghost of The Black Samurai. Obviously the gang tries to determine what's really go on and what led to the supernatural being able to take over. It seems most fans of Scooby-Doo are mixed on some of the latest movies to be made and I must say that this one here didn't win me over. My kid, on the other hand, really enjoyed it but the idea of Scooby and ninjas in the same movie won him over before the thing even started. With that said, when it was over he immediately wanted to watch it again so obviously the film worked for its target audience. I just really didn't enjoy the characters and I thought the villain was also rather lame and didn't add up to much. Like most of the recent movies this one here wants to be more funny than anything else. While some of the jokes worked (like the gang and their catchphrases) the majority of them just fell flat for me. The animation is quite good throughout the picture and I really liked the visual look of the villain as well as the darker tones given to most of the scenes that he was in. I really wish the characters had been better written and this is especially true for Fred, Daphne and Velma. They just never really came to life and for that matter Scooby and Shaggy weren't at the top of their game.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

I've been keeping up with my daily viewing but have gotten a little behind on writing up my reviews.
22. Eye of the Devil (first-time viewing)
A wealthy baron must return to the old country when his vineyards are failing. When his wife discovers her husband's family roots are paganistic, she becomes a prisoner in her own home. Excellent 60's horror in the tradition of "The Innocents" and "The Wicker Man". The cast is something of a horror fan's dream: David Niven, Deborah Kerr, Donald Pleasance, David Hemmings, and Sharon Tate. Tate's achingly beautiful face steals every scene she's in, and makes one long for her short career to have had more villainous roles like this. An overlooked gem, this one isn't currently available through Netflix but for fans of British 60's horror it is required viewing, and is worth buying blind. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
23. Splinter (first-time viewing)
A city couple on a camping trip are taken hostage by an ex-con and his drugged-up girlfriend, but the real threat is a killer creature covered with porcupine-like spikes that are contagious and turn you into one of them. Fun creature feature that has a bit in common with claustrophobic "venereal horror" such as "The Thing". The effects are decent and retro with no CGI, and although the characters do their share of stupid and illogical things, they are fleshed out with decent backstories. Jill Wagner (yes, the girl from TV's "Wipeout") plays a spunky tomboyish woman who wears the pants in the relationship. 3 out of 5 stars.
Bob's October 2013 Horror Movie List
FTV denotes first time viewing
1. Some Guy Who Kills People (FTV)
2. Uzumaki (FTV)
3. The Pact (2011) (FTV)
4. Midnight Son (FTV)
5. Excision (FTV)
6. Absentia (FTV)
7. Sleep Tight (FTV)
8. Lunacy (FTV)
9. Frankenstein's Army (FTV)
10. The Woman in Black (FTV)
11. Color Me Blood Red (FTV)
12. Chained (FTV)
13. Frankenweenie
14. Mum and Dad (FTV)
15. Malevolence (FTV)
16. V/H/S/2 (FTV)
17. Juan of the Dead (FTV)
18. The Awakening (FTV)
19. Blood and Black Lace (FTV)
20. Naboer (Next Door) (FTV)
21. Carrie (2013) (FTV)
22. Eye of the Devil (FTV)
23. Splinter (FTV)

 

[Ruz-El]

Only got in one last night, but it's a classic so don't feel bad for me.

10-22 051 The Beast With Five Fingers (1946) 4/5
A creeping hand movie should not be an effective horror film, but director Florey and writer Siodmak really deliver a suspense film that totally works. A fast moving story, and Peter Lorre putting in a fantastic performance make this one a total winner. IT spooked mum as well, with a bona fide startled “Jeepers!” popping out during one part. I got this via the new Warner Archives release, and as is typical, the transfer leaves you wanting more with lots of speckles and print damage. For the premium price Warners charges, they should be putting more effort in these.
Mum Scare Factor 4/5

I'm taking some days off next week, so polish up the trophy, I AM GOING TO WIN THIS THING!!!

 

[Radioman970]

Tuesday, October 22ndMOVIES:42. Sinister (2012) (N) When grounded, pretty good...when not, doesn't quite impress as much. I liked the look of every everything, but once the story goes from the author and family moving into a home (START slight spoiler--and said home involved in a crime scene to help him write a novel about it---spoiler ENDS) to more out-worldly stuff, it's less of a good thing. The potential was there. The out-worldly stuff, which could have added a Carnival of Souls -like punch at the end, just didn't get me enough. Sad. I wanted this to be good and it starts good. Very scary at times. The video portions are often extremely shocking...they make it worth watching. Just could have been sooo much better, and less hokey with more effort. I"m ultimately disappointed for that reason. Glad I watched it though.43. Shiver of the Vampires. (1970) (N). I didn't go with it before but now...okay! "Freedom Fries" it is then... Stupid French vampire film. Endless boredom... even with the boobs, asses and other female naked body parts. How does one manage that..?44. Friday the 13th The Final Chapter. (1984) Good one! Great cast used well. I like seeing these people in a F13th film. Silly ending, but at this point I couldn't imagine it any other way. I think there's a scarier Jason just down the road, but he's great here. One funny thing I though of, it looks like the kids are staying in a old Long John Silvers Restaurant! Give me a 2 piece Capt'n Hook Fishy Sandwich sliced in half please and... aargh!!! wack! TV56. Dark Shadows. E115. Only 1 watched. I was having withdraws over this like heroin addicts. Watch one at lunch today and all is well again... whew! N=New to me/all Dark Shadows are NMovies:1. Creepshow 2. (1987)2. Seventh Sign. (1988).3. The Willies. (1990) (N)4. Enter Nowhere. (2011) (N)5. Deathdream (or Dead of Night). (1971)6. Red Riding Hood. (2011) (N)7. Dagon. (2001)8. The Oblong Box. (1969)9. Alice, Sweet Alice. (1976) (N)10. Long Pigs. (2006) (N)11. Gremlins. (1984)12. Bloody Pit of Horror. (1965)13. Thale. (2012) (N)14. The Devil Inside. (2012) (N)15. The Mummy. (1959)16. Quarantine. (2008) (N)17. The Children. (2008)(N)18. Blowout. (1981)19. Thirst. (2009) (N)20. Spaced Invaders. (1989)21. Cat's Eye. (1985) 22. Friday the 13th. (1980)23. Christine. (1985)24. Cinematic Titanic Presents The Wasp Woman. (1959/2008) (N)25. Ghostwatch. (1992) (N)26. The Day of the Beast. (1995) (N)27. The Woman in Black. (1989) (N)28. Blood on Satan's Claw. (1971) (N)29. The Possession. (2012) (N)30. Friday the 13th Part 2. (1981)31. Flatliners. (1990)32. Paranoia 1.0. (2004) (N)33. Friday the 13th. Part 3. (1982)34. Duel. (1971)35. Exorcist. The Version You've Never Seen. (1973/2000)36. Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural. (1973) (N)37. Cube Zero. (2004) (N)38. The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007) (N)39. The Bad Seed. (1956) (N)40. Yokai Monsters. 100 Monsters. (1968) (N)41. Brides of Dracula. (1960)42. Sinister (2012) (N)43. Shiver of the Vampires. (1970) (N)44. Friday the 13th The Final Chapter. (1984)TV:1-25. Dark Shadows. E60-8426. X-Files. S8. "Empedocles"27-51. Dark Shadows. E85-10852. Bewitched. Season 2. "My Boss, the Teddy Bear".52-56. Dark Shadows. E111 to 115.

 

[Bryan^H]

Prom Night(1980)
Sub standard slasher, and another starring Jamie Lee Curtis. Not a lot of kills, and the killer is too weak for a good slasher film. The 20 some minute disco dance near the end is a little too much for me
Grade-C

Prom Night 2 Hello Mary Lou(1987)
Very 80's, the syles of clothing are bright, and tubular, and the hair on some of these girls is so poofy, and hair sprayed that I had to laugh. A changing of gears of the first film which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think it tries to be a little too much like A Nightmare On Elm Street, with a little bit of The Exorcist thrown in.
Grade-B-

Prom Night 3 The Las Kiss(1990)
Stylistic but lacking any real scares. Mary Lou is back in ghost form but the kills are very few. This is a horror movie, save the drama for yo momma.
Grade-D

Prom Night 4 Deliver us from Evil(1992)
A waste of 2 hours
Grad-F

 

[Bryan^H]

Don't Open Till Christmas(1984)
Super sleazy slasher(say that three times fast) is just my type. This British horror film finds many creative ways to kill guys dressed as Santa Claus. Lots of deaths low budget, and fun.
Grade B+

Dangerous Game(1987)
A group of kids break into a department store overnight, but are soon dropping like flies from a crazed killer inside.
Australian, and sometimes hard to understand dialogue. But it was alright.
Grade-C

 

[TravisR]

I'm short on time so my reviews are getting to be short enough that I could post them on Twitter. Anyway...

45. The Body Snatcher

Boris Karloff procures dead bodies for a scientist in a sinister way. One of Letwon's best productions. Spooky and well made. Karloff and Bela Lugosi get a rare scene together.


46. Isle Of The Dead

Boris Karloff is a Greek general who has to deal with a plague. Very creepy movie.


47. Bedlam (1946)

Boris Karloff brutally runs an insane asylum in the 18th century. My least favorite Lewton horror production but Karloff adds to the movie.

 

[Radioman970]

^ I liked Bedlam. I don't think I liked Isle of the Dead much though...

I agree Prom Night 2 is better than 1.

I'll have to look for Don't Open til Christmas. I liked Pieces, and still need that good DVD of it.

 

[TravisR]

^ I liked Bedlam. I don't think I liked Isle of the Dead much though...

I think all the powdered wigs and being set centuries ago takes me out of the movie somewhat.

 

[Michael Elliott]

The Night the World Exploded (1957) ** This science-fiction film has pretty much been forgotten because director Fred F. Sears and producer Sam Katzman would follow it up with THE GIANT CLAW, which of course would find a major cult following. This film here has a couple scientists trying to discover the cause for a recent outbreak of earthquakes that are causing major destruction around the world. With the help of a machine, the two realize that the really big one is coming and they must come up with a way to stop it. THE NIGHT THE WORLD EXPLODED runs a quick 64-minutes and is pretty entertaining throughout but at the same time there's just no way for the film to tackle all the important issues brought up in it and especially with such a small budget. The budget is without question one of the smallest I've seen from a Katzman production and there's really no evidence that any money was spent on this thing. Right from the start we're greeted with non-stop stock footage, which shows the destruction of the earthquakes, the mass problems that followed and even the flooding. All of these things have an impact on the story and when we cut away to the stock footage it's just so obvious and it does take away from what you're seeing. I will give the filmmakers a lot of credit for coming up with a pretty good explanation as to why the earthquakes are happening and what it's going to take to stop them. The film is mostly dialogue driven so extra credit has to go to the fact that it really never gets boring. Yes, some of the scenes are dragged out a bit but not to the point where you get bored. Kathryn Grant and William Leslie play the leads and offer up fine performances. If you're looking for a film with ground-breaking effects then you're certainly not going to find it here but fans of the 50's sci-fi should be mildly entertained.


Grave Halloween (2013) * 1/2A young woman (Kaitlyn Leeb) agrees to be a part of a documentary covering a mysterious forest in Japan known as "Suicide Forest." This place is known for countless suicides that have happened there including the girl's mother but while the group tries to determine the cause, they soon realize that angry spirits are there. GRAVE HALLOWEEN, on a technical level, is actually rather impressive and supports some rather gory death scenes and some fine performances but there's still no doubt that it's just a weak imitation of some much better movies. This pretty much plays like a cross between THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, THE RING and just about any other Japanese ghost movie. The biggest problem is that the thing just isn't scary and all the "jump" scenes just don't add up to anything. There are countless times in the film where the documentary makers spot something on their camera and these scenes are meant to make us jump. Well, they never do and instead of being scary they just seem rather forced and eventually boring. As the film moves along we get to some rather bloody death scenes and these are especially gory when you consider this was made for television. Another thing working against the picture is that once the mystery starts to play out you realize that you simply don't care about anything going on or anyone involved. As I said, the performances are better than average with Cassi Thomson really standing out among the cast. Hiro Kanagawa is also very good in his role as a man who leads the group through the woods. Director Steven R. Monroe (I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE) knows how to shoot a film and make it look profession, there's no question about that but hopefully his talents will be used for a better picture.


Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory (1961) **Italian horror film about a girls dormitory that has its members starting to be found brutally murdered. It seems that some sort of wolf is behind the attacks and they all started when a new teacher arrived on the scene. This film gained a pretty bad reputation thanks in large part to its American title (the original was LYCANTHROPUS) as well as the song "The Ghoul in School" that plays over the main title. There's no question that the film is lacking in several aspects and especially when you compare this to various other Italian horror films but with that said there's also quite a bit to enjoy here. For starters, the film manages to have a couple eerie scenes scattered throughout the running time. One of the best and most memorable scenes happens early on when one of the dead bodies is being looked at and the victim still has the horrified look on her face, which she had moments before she was murdered. I also think the werewolf make-up is pretty good. Those wanting the entire face to be covered with hair will probably be disappointed but I like the actual look of the wolf as well as how they use shadows to give him a creepier look. The death scenes are also quite memorable as there's quite a bit of blood and "cutting of the flesh" especially when you consider the era that this was made. With that said, there are still plenty of problems including the fact that the entire mystery really isn't all that hard to figure out. The biggest problem is that there are so many red herrings and it's pretty obvious who isn't the killer because of how silly some of the "hints" are. The performances are also quite weak in spots but this here might be improved by watching a non-dubbed version. WEREWOLF IN A GIRLS' DORMITORY is far from the horrid film many make it out to be. There's no question that it could have been better but what's here is mildly entertaining in its own way.

 

[PatW]

32 Pacific Rim (2013) 3/5


A war is being waged between humans on earth and sea monsters that come from deep within the earth but from another dimension. Being directed by Guillermo del Toro you'd expect better but this was a disappointment. The film looked great, the CGI was great but the film just lacked something like good characters, underwhelming acting and a better story. But I admit to be captivated until the end thus reflecting the rating. I just expected more.




33 Pitch Black (2000) 4.5/5

A transport ship is marooned on a planet inhabited by bloodthirty creatures. The good news is that the creatures seem to be allergic to any sunlight or light source and this planet has three suns. The bad news is the planet is desert-like, it will be a struggle to find food and water and shortly the planet will be plunged into a darkness that occurs every twenty-two years. No worries since they have Van Diesel on board as Riddick to save the day. Actually this is quite a good movie with a great anti-hero and monstrous creatures that seem almost impossible to defeat. Much better than the sequel that followed since this movie with its lower budget kept it simple.

34 I Walked with a Zombie (1943) 4.5/5

A young nurse is hired to take care of the plantation owner sick wife who seems to be suffering from some sort of mental disorder. Having fallen in love with Paul, the plantation owner, Betsy, the young nurse is more determined than ever to find a cure for his wife even if it means that to engage in a voodoo ritual. Unknown to her, his wife is already among the living dead. It was interesting seeing an earlier interpretation of a zombie. The movie was very atmospheric and had a very creepy vibe. Highly recommended.



TV Shows

31 Supernatural S9: I'm No Angel 1/5

Though I enjoyed Castiel's journey in discovering his humanity, the requisite sex scene had dubcon aspects to it. Written by the worse team of writers known for destroying canon in the past. They did not disappoint here. So disappointed in what could have been a great Castiel episode. Misha Collins as Castiel was fantastic though. I just wish he had better material to work with. Early in the season though.

32 American Horror Story S3: Replacements 4/5

Certainly doesn't shy away from questionable topics like bestiality and incest. Though I'm certainly use to it from Game of Thrones, some scenes in this episode
certainly became almost too much for me. Still good episode and I shall keep watching.

 

[Ruz-El]

You guys are making me want to dig out my Lewton set!

10-23 052 The Burning 4/5
I discovered this one last challenge when it was recommended. When Scream Factory announced a bluray I jumped at it. It’s easily the best Not-Friday the 13th movie ever made. Likable characters and the great Tom Savini doing the effects, what’s not to like? I’d even go in for a sequel on this one, bring back Cropsie!
10-23 053 The Devil Bat 3.5/5
Bela Lugosi is up to his usual bastard tricks, this time making giant “Devil Bats” to reap vengeance on a family that got rich off his after shave formulas. the Devil Bat is one of the worse things you’ll see, and the plot is ridiculous since it’s pretty clear that Bela turned down royalties for a cash payment, so it’s not like he got ripped off or anything. That said, it’s a hell of a lot of fun to see the screaming rubber Devil Bat attack people, and to stare in wonderment at Elmer Fudd being a bossy newspaper editor. The parents watched this, and mum declared it “a bit ridiculous”.
Mum Scare Factor 1/5

Not unlike Brigadoon, once every 100 years, Amazon.ca puts up a Criterion title at a reasonable price instead of double the American suggested retail. This week it was "The Uninvited", and I'm hoping it arrives tonight so I can spin it for the first time.

 

[Radioman970]

Thursday, October 24thMOVIES:45. The Shrine. (2010) (N) And you thought it was all parades, candy tossing and dusting off your fez... nope those guys are nuts! Another case of good gore, so-so story and boring actors to drive it with. I developed no connection with the characters... A shame... this could have made good on the box quote but really...a parade would be way more fun. 46. The Innocents. (1961) (N) Very good atmosphere... a bit subdued for today's audiences, but back then I'm sure this was extremely disturbing and caused nightmares. The country house location is truly a sight to behold. I wish I was that rich... Excellent acting from the small children. Was hoping this very young Pamela Franklyn would do that sinister smile she does in Legend of Hell House. She's got a smile that can curl your hair. Good stuff... shows how films used to be made before the makers of crap like The Shrine showed up. TV:57-58. Dark Shadows. E116-117. In one of the interviews on the DVDs, the actor who plays Burke (very cool guy, I'm liking that character as much as David now.. lol ) he talked about how much he liked the actor who plays Mathew. These latest episodes I have been right there with him. Excellent work from "Mathew". He really is THE one to watch right now, he's scary... as "Burke" said, like Lon Chaney Jr. I'm lovin it!

 

[Mario Gauci]

21/10/13: BLACKENSTEIN – THE BLACK FRANKENSTEIN (William A. Levey, 1973) BOMB

I knew going in this did not have much of a reputation but, frankly, I was not expecting the result to be of such an utterly amateurish quality either! Anyway, after the runaway success that the Blaxploitation take on “Dracula” i.e. BLACULA (1972) had been, it was inevitable that Frankenstein would also undergo a similar makeover – pity they did not wait for a better script or, for that matter, a more talented crew of both technicians and performers before experimenting! Incidentally, the critique of the Vietnam War – the monster here is a veteran rendered limbless by the conflict who receives new transplants but goes typically berserk – falls flat on its face. However, neither is the make-up devised for it any better: after his cells are exchanged with those of another patient in white(!) Dr. Stein’s laboratory – by a zombie-like assistant who lusts after his girl, a former pupil of the doc’s – he gets an absurdly elongated and bulging forehead to go along with the recognized arms outstretched countenance and snarling! Though kept in a cell, this is conveniently left open for the creature to roam the streets freely and disembowel(!) any passer-by who happens to cross his path (but starting out with a hospital orderly who had abused him while still a cripple)! For what it is worth, the only scene that elicits a vaguely positive reaction is the irrelevant stand-up comedy routine revolving around a talking dog!


22/10/13: DR. BLACK MR. HYDE (William Crain, 1976) **1/2

Another horror classic receives the Blaxploitation treatment; wisely, the producers recruited for the task the director of the most sustained effort in this vein, namely the original BLACULA (1972). While not emerging a success on a similar level, the film under review is still a reasonably interesting one. The main reason for this is that it keeps a generally sober approach throughout (apart from the caricatured depiction of pimps) and the central performances (notably Bernie Casey and Marie O’Henry) are as committed as can be expected under the circumstances. As in the horrid BLACKENSTEIN (1973), the script contrives to incorporate some half-baked form of social commentary: the effects of substance abuse (since here the doctor injects himself rather than drinks a potion) and – less successfully, given Stan Winston(!)’s ludicrous make-up – race relations (Dr. Pride, as the protagonist has been renamed, turns white as a result of the drug!). Perhaps the most unexpected trait allotted the transformation in this case is “Hyde”’s unearthly shriek, which is effective at first but does begin to grate with the repetition! Unlike in previous versions, too, this monster (apart from the typical savagery of his depredations, at one point, he is made to throw a prostitute clear across the street!) proves remarkably resilient in being put down – necessitating attacks by police dogs, innumerable gun-shot wounds and, finally, a leap from L.A.’s oddly-shaped Watts Tower. Rosalind Cash (from THE OMEGA MAN {1971}) appears as Pride’s conservative colleague-cum-neglected fiancée.


19/10/13-22/10/13: RACCONTI FANTASTICI {TV Mini-Series} (Daniele D’Anza, 1979) ***

I had never heard of this 4-part Italian TV mini-series inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe; recently, however, I have been acquiring many such efforts from the same era (including a number of adaptations of literary classics), so when I stumbled upon this one, I did not think twice about adding it to my collection. An added treat was the fact that the cast was peppered with “Euro-Cult” presences: Philippe Leroy (as Roderick Usher), Gastone Moschin, Erika Blanc, Umberto Orsini, Dagmar Lassander (as Ligeia), Silvia Dionisio, Nino Castelnuovo (as William Wilson) and Janet Agren; for pop music fans, then, it is to be noted that the famous Italian band “I Pooh” supplied the haunting electronic score. The premise is an interesting one, in that it utilizes the framework of “The Fall Of The House Of Usher” but transposes this to a modern setting and filtering it through many another instantly-recognizable horror tale penned by the influential but tortured author. For instance, the first episode incorporates a recounting of “Message In A Bottle”, an incident revolving around “The Oval Portrait”, while the climax is borrowed from “The Tell-Tale Heart”. The second tells the story of “Ligeia” – played as a Jean Harlow-type star (albeit one destroyed by the transition to Talkies) and, interestingly, the actress’ film posters shown hanging around the mansion are genuine titles from that vintage (such as the Greta Garbo vehicle ROMANCE {1930}, Gloria Swanson’s INDISCREET {1931}, Irene Dunne’s BACK STREET {1932} and Harlow’s own RIFFRAFF {1935})!; as for the character of the woman whom she possesses after being hitched to her ex-husband, it is named after the heroine of “Morella”. “William Wilson” updates the protagonist’s lifestyle from that of a career officer to a racing-car driver, with the game of pool added to card-playing as his pastime; his doppelganger, however, is not played by the same actor but rather by the series’ own assistant director! The final episode is a direct adaptation of the “Usher” plot, but the proverbial fall is not a literal one in this case – instead we get the place riddled by the plague at the core of “The Masque Of The Red Death”, with the host himself diverting his trapped costumed guests with vivid narrations of both “The Pit And The Pendulum” and “A Descent Into The Maelstrom”! Quite a nice effort overall: confident in its structure and acted with conviction yet, admittedly, somewhat glum and heavy-going if one is simply looking for an evening (or four)’s entertainment…


23/10/13: THE MASKS OF DEATH {TV} (Roy Ward Baker, 1984) **1/2

This original Sherlock Holmes case (from a story by Anthony Hinds under his John Elder alias) also marks Peter Cushing’s last starring role – he had first played the fastidious Baker Street detective in Hammer’s 1959 version of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, reprised in two TV series in 1964 and 1968 (during the course of which he eventually relinquished the part to Douglas Wilmer). His inseparable sidekick, Dr. John Watson, was interpreted by the likes of Andre` Morell, Nigel Stock and, here, Sir John Mills. Incidentally, given the actors’ age, the film starts off with Holmes (typically and, in spite of Cushing’s frail look, he is made to don a couple of disguises throughout) in retirement, his adventures being recounted to reporter Susan Penhaligon – whose appearance is relegated to this brief prologue, never subsequently picked up! Seeing the cast at work, one gets the feeling he is visiting a veterans’ retirement home: supporting the leads, among others, are Ray Milland and Anne Baxter (both of whom would be dead within 2 years), Anton Diffring and Gordon Jackson! Anyway, the main narrative – set on the eve of WWI – seems to incorporate two unrelated mysteries (mildly thrilling but not really horrific, as I had been led to believe!) but which, unsurprisingly, are found to be connected: the first involves a number of corpses discovered bearing the titular countenance, the second the alleged kidnapping of the young heir to the German throne. The main setting, then, is Diffring’s county manor – where Holmes runs into an old nemesis, Baxter, one of the very few who had ever managed to outwit him! – but the climax takes place in an underground lair, with our heroes incongruously resorting to shooting their way out of trouble! All in all, the film is an adequate (and pleasingly old-fashioned) time-passer, its biggest reward undoubtedly emerging Cushing’s always delightful turn as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s master sleuth. Even so, the sheer fact that so many of its participants – Cushing, Diffring, Milland, Penhaligon, Ward Baker and Elder – had previously excelled in the horror genre makes the surprising lack of it here seem doubly disappointing.


23/10/13: THE BLACK CAT (Luigi Cozzi, 1989) *1/2

I hated Lamberto Bava’s bafflingly popular DEMONS (1985) and DEMONS 2 (1986); later unrelated Italian horror films were inexplicably passed off as sequels to them – Michele Soavi’s THE CHURCH (1989) and THE SECT (1991), Bava’s own THE OGRE (1988) and THE DEVIL’S VEIL (1989), and this one by Cozzi (which is also known as DEMONS 6: DE PROFUNDIS, actually the title borne by the copy I watched)! Truth be told, neither does it have anything to do with Edgar Allan Poe – despite fleetingly irrelevant appearances by the titular creature (by the way, the same source also inspired Sergio Martino’s YOUR VICE IS A LOCKED ROOM AND ONLY I HAVE THE KEY {1972}, Lucio Fulci’s 1981 namesake and, again Dario Argento’s episode in the two-part compendium TWO EVIL EYES {1990})! This ‘version’ also purports to be an unofficial continuation of Argento’s “Three Mothers” saga (complete with cues from the famous SUSPIRIA {1977} soundtrack), years before the third entry got made! Whatever the film strives to be, it is perhaps the effort which definitively put the lid on the “Euro-Cult” style that had flourished for some 40 years! Anyway, the plot revolves around the attempts by a long-dead witch to stop an actress from playing her on-screen in a proposed movie about her exploits (I wonder whether she demanded a casting director credit!). That is it, basically – but the result displays a stupefying ineptness in every department and, as was often the case with this type of film, the script does not make a lick of sense (at the climax, the actress is possessed by the spirit of a dead child in order to combat the witch’s evil force – with extraneous cutaways to outer space reportedly lifted from Cozzi’s “Hercules” flicks)! The latter ‘recruits’ a number of people for this purpose – including fellow actress and rival for the part Caroline Munro, temperamental wheelchair-bound producer Brett Halsey, his female secretary, a refrigerator repair-man(!), a young boy, the heroine’s baby’s nanny and, in the very last shot, the toddler itself!; on the side of good, we get the scriptwriter (Munro’s husband), the director (the protagonist’s own hubby and Munro’s lover!) and a female occult expert (who spectacularly expires from an exploding heart!). As I said, events follow one another without any rhyme or reason – which is not necessarily a bad thing, when it manages to create a dream-like aura (and the only such instance here is a nightmare sequence in which the actress attempts to stab her own child under the witch’s influence, is stopped by her husband, whom she then attacks but he, in turn, removes the knife and sticks it in her) yet, as a rule, here it is just a succession of repugnant make-up and cheesy effects.

 

[John Stell]

072) 10/22/2013 The Monster of Piedras Blancas (1959)

Monster roams coastal village lopping off heads. Should have been much more fun but the film drags. Cast is pretty good and the monster is cool in a low-budget way, making the film watchable.

073) 10/22/2013 Horrors of the Black Museum (1959)

1/2

Michael Gough's first lead role as a horror villain is his typically hammy turn. Here he plays crime writer who institutes series of gruesome murders so he can write about them. Colorful and violent.

074) 10/22/2013 The Headless Ghost (1959)

Three exchange students camp out at haunted British museum. They get caught up in scheme to reunite title character with his head. At barely an hour it moves quickly but isn't very funny or scary.

075) 10/23/2013 Curse of the Undead (1959)

1/2

Michael Pate plays vampire who hires himself out as a hit man, then falls in love with his beautiful client. Her preacher-boyfriend Eric Fleming doesn't approve. Novel approach to the genre doesn't quite come off but it has its moments, especially a verbally intense scene between Pate and Fleming where the former justifies his existence.

076) 10/23/2013 The Hound of the Baskervilles (1958)

Peter Cushing and Andre Morell make an outstanding Holmes and Watson, respectively, in this Hammer version of the classic story. Christopher Lee is the potential victim of the Baskerville curse. Gorgeous looking and moody. I wish Hammer made other Holmes films with the leads.

077) 10/23/2013 The Black Pit of Dr. M (1958)

One of the best Mexican horrors, and a very unique film still today. Two doctors make a deal: the first one who dies will come back and show the other what awaits after death, and then will return him to the living. When one does indeed die, the agreement comes to fruition, although not exactly as imagined. The Rube Goldberg-like machinations of the plot are fascinating, and patience is rewarded with a dizzying final act. A minor gem.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

24. The Shining (1980)
Isolated hotel caretaker loses his marbles while his psychic son dodges the ghosties. I saw this in a full-sized theater screen with a packed audience last night and it was an incredible experience. Not only one of my all-time favorite horror movies, but one of my favorite movies of all time, period, "The Shining" still carries a resonance that has kept people puzzling over and talking about this movie for over 30 years. There's the awesome and epic scale of the setting, never has isolation been so palpable through a movie screen. There's Kubrick's steadicam floating effortlessly down hallways and through the hedge maze. There's the amazing musical soundtrack, and live recorded sounds such as Danny's big wheel trike as it goes over rugs and hardwood floors. There's Jack Nicholson's incredibly over-the-top performance, skewering the facade of the wholesome family unit. And of course there's those creepy girls standing in the hotel hallways! 5 out of 5 stars.
Bob's October 2013 Horror Movie List
FTV denotes first time viewing
1. Some Guy Who Kills People (FTV)
2. Uzumaki (FTV)
3. The Pact (2011) (FTV)
4. Midnight Son (FTV)
5. Excision (FTV)
6. Absentia (FTV)
7. Sleep Tight (FTV)
8. Lunacy (FTV)
9. Frankenstein's Army (FTV)
10. The Woman in Black (FTV)
11. Color Me Blood Red (FTV)
12. Chained (FTV)
13. Frankenweenie
14. Mum and Dad (FTV)
15. Malevolence (FTV)
16. V/H/S/2 (FTV)
17. Juan of the Dead (FTV)
18. The Awakening (FTV)
19. Blood and Black Lace (FTV)
20. Naboer (Next Door) (FTV)
21. Carrie (2013) (FTV)
22. Eye of the Devil (FTV)
23. Splinter (FTV)
24. The Shining (1980)