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

[Michael Elliott]

Jug Face (2013) ***The "redneck-horror" genre has pretty much delivered either really bad movies or interesting and original takes on the format. JUG FACE is certainly unlike any other movie I can recall and on that level alone it's worth watching. Set in the backwoods, a community lives by a religion that includes sacrificing anyone who a local potter (Sean Bridgers) sees as a "Jug Face." If this potter sees someone they are taken to a pit in the woods where they are killed and their blood drained into it. Ada (Lauren Ashley Carter) finds out that she's pregnant with her brother's baby and soon she feels that she might be the one ready for the pit. If the plot makes you think you're getting some sort of weird exploitation movie then you're wrong. Writer-director Chad Crawford Kinkle actually delivers a very serious and straight-forward horror film that manages to be highly entertaining and creepy. In a lot of ways the film reminded me of THE WICKER MAN as both deal with a backwards community that offer up people for what they believe are good reasons. I'm not sure if the director was aware of that film or not but the two actually have quite a bit in common and I'm not saying that in a bad way. JUG FACE really does offer up an interesting story that keeps you glued to the screen because you never know how it's going to play out or what twist might follow. The director does a fantastic job at making you believe that you're actually in the woods with these rather sick people who are living by codes that most would find pathetic. The film also offers up some rather gory moments that never call attention to themselves in a sense of wanting to shock the viewer. Instead the scenes just come off as realistic. Another major plus is that we're given some excellent performances with Carter really delivering. This is the second picture I've seen her in and she's certainly a talent to watch out for. She brings such a warm feeling to this character to where you can care for her and want to see her survive this ordeal. Bridgers is also extremely good in his role as is Sean Young (yes, that Sean Young) who plays the girl's twisted mother. People who are tired of the same old type of horror films will certainly want to check this one out. It's not flawless but it's certainly entertaining and creepy.


Spiders (2013) * 1/2 Another "big monster" movie with this one here centering on a Russian space station that crashes into the subway system of New York City. At first the "issue" seems to be clearing itself up but soon giant spiders are on a killing spree. SPIDERS somehow managed to get a theatrical release, which is kinda strange considering this really isn't any better than the type of monster pictures that show up on SyFy week after week. This is certainly far from a horrible film but I honestly couldn't recommend it over countless other low-budget "B" movies that I've seen here the past decade. At least with the movies that you see on SyFy they are cheap, fun and offer up some sort of badness. SPIDERS, on the other hand, really isn't all that fun. The title of the movie should have been "Walk Around and Talk" because that's pretty much what happens throughout the running time. We're introduced to our "heroes" who pretty much argue with one another as they walk through the streets of New York seeing all the destruction. As for the spiders, the effects are slightly better than what you'd see on SyFy but at the same time they're still pretty cheap and aren't very convincing. The look of the spiders aren't too bad as they're at least mildly entertaining. Of course, they were in 3D in the movie theater so watching at home I wasn't able to judge that. The death scenes in the film are mostly forgettable and there's just nothing special to any of them. The PG-13 rating certainly holds the film back from being "more" and, again, the stuff you see on SyFy is better.


V/H/S/2 (2013) *** Gory sequel to the 2012 film has a pair of investigators breaking into an apartment where they find an assortment of videotapes. The first story involves a man who receives a mechanical eye transplant that soon allows him to see dead people. The second story has a biker with a camera on his helmet getting bit by a zombie and soon he turns into one. The third story takes place at a strange cult school where the leader is being interviewed when "it" happens. The fourth and final story deals with a group of boys who keep playing a prank on one's sister when something joins them. I enjoyed the first film in the series and this one here is actually a tad bit stronger thanks in large part to the first two stories. The majority of the camera work comes from the camera being placed on people head's and I must admit that this gave me a headache at times but I will give the filmmakers credit as this did allow some familiar stories to be told in new ways. This is especially true for the second story when we get the POV shots from the zombie as he goes searching for people to eat. This was a rather unique spin on the genre and it really worked. The first story was also quite good, although this mechanical eye thing left some logical issues. Still, the episode is a good one and features some nice ideas. The fourth episode is one I won't ruin but there's a nice little twist along the way and I think it manages to be quite ambitious. The third film is without question the weakest but it does contain some very twisted scenes and a high level of gore. V/H/S/2 has the same look of the first film as the quality is quite different from one story to the next but this gives the film its own unique feel. Fans of gore will also enjoy that there's plenty of that going on here and especially in the third story, which is a downright bloodbath and even the second one contains a lot of the red stuff. For the most part the performances were just fine and at 95-minutes the film goes by fairly quickly. V/H/S/2 is a nice little gem that has a few flaws but for the most part it works well and I look forward to future installments.

 

[Sandro]

RE: VHS 2Just to be ornery, I actually thought the 3rd segment was easily the best and that the other segments were just average. I think that I just prefer something different as that 3rd segment just gets really crazy. Overall I preferred the first installment but at least this one was shorter and had a more comprehensible wraparound storyRE: Tall ManI agree this is not a horror film and that it completely confounds expectations but I actually really enjoyed the twists and turns which are completely surprising. I also felt that the director was not necessarily endorsing the viewpoint of the featured group just presenting us with some food for thought in a similar way to his previous film Martyrs.

 

[Chucky P]

Films
10-1-13
1. Cat People (1982) (4/5)
10-3-13
2. Ministry Of Fear (1944) (4/5)
3. Watership Down (1978) (4.5/5)
10-4-13
4. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) (5/5)
10-7-13
5. Island Of Lost Souls (1932) (4/5)
10-10-13
6. The Other (1972) (4.5/5)
10-11-13
7. Dead Of Night (1945) (5/5)
10-12-13
8. Repo Man (1984) (4/5)
10-17-13
9. The Wages Of Fear (1953) (4/5)
10-18-13
10. The Cat And The Canary (1927) (4/5)
10-19-13
11. House (1977) (5/5)
10-22-13
12. Dracula (1931) (4/5)
10-24-13
13. Psychomania (1973) (4/5)
10-25-13
14. Raw Meat (1973) (4/5)
10-26-13
15. The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) (5/5)
16. Fiend Without a Face (1958) (3.5/5)
17. Evil Dead (2013) (3/5)
10-27-13
18. Mark Of The Vampire (1935) (4/5)
19. The Mask Of Fu Manchu (1932) (3.5/5)
20. The Brides Of Dracula (1960) (4/5)
21. 20 Million Miles To Earth (1957) (2.5/5)
Television Shows
10-3-13
1. The Walking Dead: Made To Suffer
10-11-13
2. Doctor Who: Terror Of The Zygons Part One (Director's Cut)
10-14-13
3. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode One
10-15-13
4. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Two

 

[TravisR]

I didn't intend to but ended up watching all eight Halloween movies in about two days.

55. Halloween (1978)

A maniac comes back to his home town and begins killing babysitters on Halloween. Everything that needs to be said abut Halloween has been said but I will add that it's my favorite movie and a classic.


56. Halloween II (1981)

Picking up right where the first movie ends, The Shape continues his killing spree. I really like this but I hate that they gave Michael the motive of wanting to kill Laurie because she's his sister. That motive became so attached to the character that most sequels and the remakes all revolve the idea of him killing his family. It's scarier if he just kills people without any reason.


57. Halloween III: Season Of The Witch

A mask maker hatches a plot to kill thousands (maybe millions) of people with his very popular Halloween masks. OK sequel that you have to give some credit to for knowing to be done with Michael Myers and try something new. If a movie is entertaining me, I'm pretty forgiving of plot holes but there's some big ones in this movie.


58. Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers

Michael returns to Haddonfield after 10 years and starts trying to kill his niece and those that stand in his way. Fairly effective and occasionally suspenseful movie. Easily the best non-Carpenter Halloween movie.


59. Halloween 5

Michael returns to Haddonfield again and starts trying to kill his niece again and those that stand in his way again. The movie kills off or sidelines the characters that you liked in the previous movie and replaces them with characters that are obnoxious. This was the first Halloween movie that I saw in the theater and even that bit of nostalgia doesn't save it from me considering it to probably being the weakest Halloween sequel and definitely a lousy movie.


60. Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers

Michael returns to Haddonfield to kill his remaining family, who are now quite conveniently living in his old house. I'll give them credit for trying to tie together elements from other sequels (especially the idiocy from Halloween 5) in this movie but it still isn't very good. It's funny seeing Paul Rudd in his first movie though. The producer's cut is a better version of the movie but in the end, it's another lame sequel.


61. Halloween H20

Michael Myers finds his sister after 20 years and starts killing teens at the school that she teaches at. Scream was very popular at this time and instead of making a Halloween movie, they made a movie that's basically a hybrid of Scream and Halloween. You can tell that the movie wasn't finished in time (ALOT of the music is just the score from Scream) and a lot of it seems like reshoots (L.L. Cool J's survival seems like a test audience addition). It's nice having Jamie Lee Curtis back but it would have been nicer if they had given her a better movie.


62. Halloween Resurrection

Michael Myers goes back to his house and kills kids that are webcasting from the Myers house. Thanks to using computer technology, this movie was almost immediately (and laughably) dated. I'm not big on ironic laughing at movies but between the technology, Tyra Banks and Busta Rhymes, this movie is inadvertently hilarious. And for Battlestar Galactica fans, Katee Sackhoff/Starbuck plays a character.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

27. Maniac (FTV)Elijah Wood: migraine-prone loner, mannequin refurbisher, serial killer. The gimmick here is that nearly the entire movie is done in first-person so you get to see things through the killer's eyes. If that sounds like it could be potentially tedious or dizzying shakey-cam, don't worry, for the most part the filmmakers do well with the concept and play to its strengths. By seeing the killer's side of things at all times, we get to empathize a little more with him and realize he is less an evil person than he is just a sick person. The movie does have a cheap and at the same time overdone feel to it, and the motives for the killer's mindset seem a bit too familiar, but overall this was a decent change of pace. 3 out of 5 stars.

28. Hotel Transylvania (FTV)Enjoyable animated Romeo and Juliet tale, except "Juliet" happens to be Dracula's daughter and "Romeo" is an easygoing backpacking dude who walked down the wrong path while hiking in Transylvania. Lots of monsters, ghosts and mummies populate Dracula's hotel, which is a refuge from the world of humans, who the the monsters are convinced are nothing more than torch-bearing, pitchfork-wielding maniacs (and for good reason, given the past). I watched this with a group of kids and adults and they quite enjoyed it. as did I. There was a bit too much of things swooping around needlessly, seems every kid's film these days has to have a requisite chase scene, and a rock and roll number where the rebel shows the squares how to chill out. What was more intriguing to me was the reluctant friendship that arises between Dracula and his daughter's new human love interest, both realizing that they want what's best for her. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

29. Eden Lake (FTV)Yuppies' romantic camping weekend turns into a nightmare as the locals teens go medievel on them. This film's fatal problem is that we have absolutely no one to root for. Are we supposed to like the interloping yuppies because they're young, good-looking and rich, and are in the process of gentrifying a remote British hamlet with a planned gated community? So maybe we're supposed to root for the psychopathic local teen hoods, whose idea of menace is to swear and yell a lot and talk like they have a mouthful of marbles, and enjoy torturing adults and setting kids on fire? How about the town of abusive grouches who have nonexistent customer service skills? And even though no one in this movie does anything resembling a rational decision, they all at some point demonstrate expert tracking skills as they find people in the deep woods over and over again--a prim nursery school teacher becomes Rambo in no short order. About halfway through this film I was just waiting for it to end. 1 out of 5 stars.

Bob's October 2013 Horror Movie ListFTV denotes first time viewing1. 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. Frankenweenie14. 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)25. Taxidermia (FTV)26. Poltergeist27. Maniac (FTV)28. Hotel Transylvania (FTV)29. Eden Lake (FTV)

 

[John Stell]

084) 10/26/2013 The Tingler (1959)

Scientist Vincent Price discovers creature that grows on the spine during moments of extreme fear. It can be stopped only by screaming. When deaf mute dies with her "tingler" in tact, Price removes it and - watch out! Ludicrous premise is told with a straight face and is a lot of fun. Director William Castle had certain theater seats wired with electric buzzers that gave audience members there own tingles.

085) 10/26/2013 The Bat (1959)

1/2

Re-telling of the exploits of criminal, know as the Bat, that goes after tenants at a rented house that contains ill-gotten gains. Vincent Price is a suspect. OK mystery horror.

086) 10/26/2013 Le testament du Docteur Cordelier (1959)

Attorney Mr. Joly is shocked to learn that the man whose attack on a little girl he just witnessed is Mr. Opale, the loan beneficiary of his friend Dr. Cordelier. As Opale's crimes become more frequent and vicious, Joly is determined to find out what relationship the two men share. Director Jean Renoir's version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde takes the unique approach of preserving the secret (as the novel did) for much of its running time. The film is not as powerful as some of the previous versions because it doesn't dwell of Opale's torture of an Ivy character. But Jean-Louis Barrault's playing of Hyde/Opale - who walks like a wind-up toy, acts like a buffoon, and deadly with a cane - is fascinating to behold.

087) 10/26/2013 Der Student von Prag (1935)

1/2

First sound version of the story of popular student Balduin who makes deal with the devil, then is haunted by his own reflection/alter image. For some reason adding sound to the mix lessens the spooky impact that the previous sound versions had. (There's song is this one as Balduin falls hard for opera star.) But the story itself is so strong that film remains watchable.

088) 10/27/2013 Bugs Bunny's Howl-oween Special (1978)

1/2

Warner Brothers' cartoons with a spooky theme are assembled for this fitfully funny special with Bugs running afoul of Witch Hazel. Of course it's better to see the original cartoons, but me and my kids laughed quite a bit.

089) 10/27/2013 Hair Raising Hare (1946)

One of the all-time great Bugs Bunny 'toons - with our hero doing battle with evil scientist (a caricature of Peter Lorre) and orange, sneaker-wearing monster. Favorite line: "Don't think it hasn't been a little slice of heaven, 'cause it hasn't."

090) 10/27/2013 It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

A bagful of rocks, a night in the pumpkin patch, and a beagle dressed as a World War I flying ace - these are the ingredients of the best Halloween TV special ever. Too good to watch just at Halloween.

091) 10/27/2013 A Bucket of Blood (1959)

Dick Miller first played the character of Walter Paisley in this Roger Corman black comedy. Walter accidentally kills a cat, covers it in plaster and calls it a sculpture. The next thing he knows he's a hit with the beatniks at the cafe where he works. But when poor Walter unknowingly accepts heroin from an admirer, an undercover agent moves in to bust Walter, with fatal consequences. This is unquestionably Miller's best film role as he's the show here, as a lovable loser.

092) 10/27/2013 The Man and the Monster (1958)

1/2

Second-rate pianist sells his soul to the devil to become world's greatest artist - except now every time he plays he turns into hideous monster. His mom sticks around to protect him. A rather original take on the Faust legend, this Mexican horror would have worked better if the monster makeup hadn't made the beast look like a puppy with a huge schnoz.

093) 10/27/2013 Uncle Was A Vampire (1959)

Italian Baron sells his castle to hoteliers to pay back taxes, but stays on as a bellhop. When he learns his wealthy uncle is arriving, he thinks his troubles are over - except uncle sleeps in a coffin. Sporadically amusing horror comedy features Christopher Lee as the vampire. Lots of pretty scenery and a committed performance Renato Rascel as the Baron, especially once he gets vampirized, keeps you watching.

 

[Radioman970]

Friday, October 25thMovies:49. Invaders from Mars. (1986) Saw this on cable in the mid 80s while my family was in a motel waiting for our house to finish renovations. Funny what you remember. Mom kept telling me the turn the sound down so I had to sit with nose on screen. Seriously, loved it. It's cheese... but like chucky cheeses it's fun and cheese at the same time. The cast is so damn loose with it. They must've had a great time. The effects are goofy fun like Mom & Dad Saved the World that came later. I miss effects like this. It does have some of the tension of the original..in some ways I think the overall film is better than the original, in other ways it is not. TV:61-63. Dark Shadows. 120-122Saturday, October 26thMovies:50. The Shining. (1980) On blu...no helicopter blades=great! Feels right. I like it this way. ...was my fav horror film for years. Read the book in the 80s, and it shows some weaknesses of the film version. But on it's own, the film is amazing year after year if I don't get hung up on Kubrick making some changes. Yeah, Jack goes nuts too fast. Many scenes don't make sense. But all of that comes off as surreal, which is a good thing. My history of The Shining (..everybody stops reading here... hee hee) dates back to Nicholson's appearance on The Tonight Show w/ Johnny Carson where they showed that clip. (lots of threads on the net wondering who Johnny is?.. I feel old!!) Anyway, the clip gave me the willies back around 1980. I was sure I'd never see the whole movie, just too scary. Nicholson is menacing as hell, like a real killer... and Duvall's screams were just nerve shattering. She genuinely looks scared as hell...and it brought the fear out like hearing about Charles Manson or something. Uncomfortable fear. So it was a big no...but then it came on commercial TV edited. I fell in love. Rented the tape and saw it uncut. No telling how many more times I rented it before it became 1 of my first 2 VHS buys (bought it at the same time as Time Bandits). Lost track how many times I've watched. The movie means a lot to me. 51. The Witches. (1990) Fullframe DVD with nothing extra. Jim Henson's involvement in anything deserves at least a DVD with a few extras, and certainly proper ratio. Originally, I didn't like this film. Was definitely expecting Labyrinth 2. It ain't quite that good... After years of British humor experience, and missing Henson's kind of entertainment from all through the 70s and 80s, ..old creature effects, etc... This film has elevated with me to among my favorites of movies with his name on them. The story is great, and you just know they held back considering who wrote it. If a remake could be done right I would absolutely LOVE to see it. For now, I'd sure like this on a blu ray before next Halloween. 52. The Company of Wolves. (1986) This really is good. Usually I kind of groan at some of the effects work, but I really felt they did great with this film. It's not up there with An American Werewolf in London, but it's great for 80s effect. Often, jarring in all the right ways. Probably been 10 years since I watched, and the whole thing has aged better than expected. Strange that the effects don't bother me like before.. I've softened on films lately. Anyway, never did ruin the experience for me... this brings in a splendid Grim feel. Really like that.. Anyone who loves this kind of thing like me should grab the series set for Jim Henson's Storyteller. This film reminds me of that old show. At least the first season... well, just noticed it's oop. Hopefully that will change. 53. Burnt Offerings. (1976) This is on that multi-set with Lifeforce and Leviathan. I doubt anybody is surprised the transfer is a mixed bag. For me, it gives the film extra atmosphere...and I'd think maybe that was intended. Splotchy, glaucoma-vision, grainy, etc. The thing isn't perfect, but I really like the overall story and excellent casting. I'm a big Oliver Reed fan, and it's very good in the movie. I LOVE the scene when he can't get out of the chair. That's not easy to pull off but I think he did it. Also, I can relate to the scene in the pool with his boy. My dad did that..! But mine didn't realize I was not able to get enough breath before he violently (I mean gently) pulled me under again and again (and again and again)... well, that's what I tell myself so I can sleep. Now that I'm in my 40s and he's mid70s he's lucky I don't try that with him the one getting dunked! TV:64. Dark Shadows. 123. Hard to do, but I only watched one. And there's a LOT of stuff going on. But I wanted more films this last weekend in October. Sunday, October 27thMovies:54. The Conjuring. (2013)(N) When it looks a bit like Poltergeist you sort of hope it can impress as much. This does impress. Setting it in 1970 was good, although not 100% successful...showing a clip of The Brady Bunch was funny since as the family is entering the house for the first time...so many family, I said "the Brady Bunch moves in..." or something like that. I was thinking about getting everybody on my Christmas list a horror movie. This is a good bet. It does get a little rough near the end so many not for children. 55. V/H/S 2. (2013)(N) I'm a fan of this series. I know everybody has their favorites stories and whatnot, but I'm just glad it's different from the first. That's all I need. Very creative series, skillfully done effects...the stories in this one are familiar, but I'm okay with that. Now, I'm looking forward to V/H/S 3. 56. Blair Witch Project. (1999) One of my mostest mostest favs. For me it's a rare modern classic that just keeps me coming back in spite of the fact I never thought there was anything real about it. I respectfully disagree with probably all of the negatives said about BWP. I'm hoping for a proper sequel. I heard they are working on it... Until then, I'll just be watching this yearly in October. Wanted to also recommend Alien Abduction Incident in Lake County that played on Sci-Fi Channel in the late 90s just before BWP came out. Now that one got me for a bit! After I figured out it wasn't real, then BWP showed up I knew BWP was another one like the Alien thing I'd seen. That's why I wasn't fooled for one minute. 57. Innkeepers. (2011) Characters you actually care about. Just, wow. If only all horror films remembered that. It does unfold a little slowly, but the characters are so likable I don't notice. That young blond girl is among my favorite characters in horror movies from that past few years. It was shocking to see the work of time on Kelly McGillis, but she's so good I had thought of a series of films (or TV series like X-files meets Murder She Wrote) centering around her character. And the guy with the Tin Tin haircut is like a real guy we all know (or it's YOU! lol) Nice, that the characters alone make it worth watching. The rest is a big bonus. This is another I'll buy for X-mas for somebody... 58. Throw Momma from the Train. (1987) I start reciting a random scene over and over again...it's time to watch! Like the cousin Patty bit (you don't have a cousin Patty!!), "...that slut! Slut...!" or this year it's been the lady dramatically reading her shallow action war drama about various characters named "Dave". lol "We fooled those bastards again, didn't we Dave.." Love that! So much to like... Devito, Crystal... and the actress who plays Momma, Miss Ramsey, was amazing in the role. One of my favorites of the 80s. I love watching it every now and then. It never gets old. TV:65. Dark Shadows. 124. o/ Who's thaaaat giiiiirl..? o/Whew! Caught up.... excellent weekend, best since starting in late August. Cured any feeling of burn out I might of had. But really, that feeling passed weeks ago luckily. Having fun...finally! lolN=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)45. The Shrine. (2010) (N)46. The Innocents. (1961) (N)47. Mama (2013) (N)48. Botched! (2007)49. Invaders from Mars. (1986)50. The Shining. (1980)51. The Witches. (1990)52. The Company of Wolves. (1986)53. Burnt Offerings. (1976)54. The conjuring. (2013)(N)55. V/H/S 2. (2013)(N)56. Blair Witch Project. (1999)57. Innkeepers. (2011)58. Throw mama from the Train. (1987)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".52-65. Dark Shadows. E109-124

 

[Ruz-El]

My weekend update:

10-25 056 Psycho II (1983) 3.5/5
I was going to dig out the original film and do a triple header since I was able to pick up the new Blurays of the sequels, but I couldn’t be bothered. I think I did the right thing since I was able to watch this one with some pretty fresh eyes since I hadn’t seen it since the 80’s, and I didn’t have the original masterpiece fresh in my mind. This one works surprisingly well as a sequel, continuing on 22 years later. IT also works as a pretty good “Who Done It?” It’s no masterpiece, few films are as good as the original Psycho, but it can hold it’s head high. Mum was suitably spooked out, and the last act really worked on her.

Mum Scare Factor 3/5

10-26 057 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre II (1986) 5/5
I love the original film, but this one is still my favourite. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen it, but the humour and insanity of it charm me everytime. The new-ish bluray looks fantastic. This is easily in my all time Top Ten.

10-26 058 Terror Train (1980) 2.5/5
A bunch of Canadians go on a train trip and get killed. Not a bad “Who Done It” style slasher, but ultimately I found it more annoying instead of clever. I blame David Copperfield being in it. No matter how well done the plot is with the killer coming up with different disguises, Copperfields smug magic act drives me up the wall.

10-26 059 Lifeforce (1985) 3.5/
Tobe Hooper really pulls this one off. A Space Vampire movie done to epic scale. The plot constantly moves forward a at brisk pace, the effects are really well done and the nearly constantly nude chick doesn’t hurt it either.

10-26 060 Psycho III (1986) 2.5/5
I found this one to be a pretty big step down from the last sequel. It picks up where II left off, but ends up feeling more tongue in cheek than the previous entry. It also had too many call backs to the original instead of being it’s own thing. And what the hell kind of sex fetish is Jeff Fahey partaking in with those lamps? That said, both mum and dad found it really gross and scary, so maybe I’m just jaded.

Mum Scare Factor 3/5

10-27 061 Phantasm (1979) 3.5/5
I think this is the third time I’ve spun this one and it finally worked for me. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but it works as a weird horror/sci-fi thing. I think the problem I had previously with it was a high expectation thing, it was nearly impossible to find on video in my town so I saw the sequel first. Anyway, this was pretty good and worthy of it’s cult status.

10-27 062 Phantasm 2 (1988) 3.5/5
This is my second or third time watching this one too, and it works better for me now as well. It’s really a bit more of the same compared to the first one, except with an 80’s “Rambo” gloss. The gore and effects are top notch though, and the whole thing holds your interest. It’s odd that such a passive villain like The Tall Man works so well in these movies, but he does.

10-27 063 Rosemary's Baby (1968) 5/5
Another of my all time favourite films. Everytime I see it, I get more out of it. Genuinely unsettling and scary, the entire cast is fantastic and Polanski is really at the top of his game. Criterions Bluray of this is a work of art. Terrified mum as well, who once again let us know after the film. “Things like that happen you know, there’s a lot of weirdos around.” All horror films are documentaries after all!

Mum Scare Factor 5/5

 

[Radioman970]

Cool, Scream Factory All Night Movie Marathon Vol 2 is on the way!

Not sure if I'll save that for later or not. We'll see...

 

[Bryan^H]

Grizzly(1976)
This obvious JAWS ripoff is ok for a laugh in that it tries hard to recreate the magic of the film with the shark. It fails, but still enjoyable. Lots of good national park shots, and lots of helicopter footage. "JAWS WITH CLAWS"
Grade-C

Day Of The Animals(1977)
I liked this one better than Grizzly. It takes place in northern California, and the animals run amok. It feels like a tv movie, but I'm not sure. Grade-B

Savage Harvest(1981)Tome Skeritt is really good in this, and Michelle Philips is pretty. Lions attack, and kill a few people. Not too scary, but an average film with good acting. Takes place in Africa.
Grade-B

 

[Radioman970]

TCM 2 is great. I love the radio girl and her engineer LG.

I bought the second release DVD last year (no more zooming in) but have yet to watch it. Since buying it, that blu came out. grrr... wish I'd held off.

 

[Radioman970]

Monday, October 28thMOVIE:59. World War Z. (2013)(N) Funny that my 65 year old mother called shortly after this was over and I could recommend it to her. It's not so much about the brain eating, I told her. It's about the bigger picture, survival...etc. You almost believe this is plausible. The larger zombie attacks took my breath away. Some excellent effects there, something I've never seen before. I'd been wanting to read Max Brooks' works for years but never got around to it. This movie shows it's a must read. Very very good. I think it could support a decent sequel too. 60. Young Poisoner's Handbook. (1994) Black comedy essential. One of my own most most favs. Was wonderful seeing it again. I remember hearing about it from the old Siskel & Ebert TV show. Brought it home back then and me and mom watched it. When she called after WWZ yesterday I told her I was trying to decide between this and Friday the 13th Part uhhhh... 5. (she laughed at my pause) Mom said to watch this. So she doesn't quite understand the appeal of masked brutes with sharp objects lurking in the dark, but genius psychopaths experimenting on family members with chemicals she understands. lol ... "should I be laughing at this...?" comes up now and then. But it really is good. The story reminds me a bit of A Clockwork Orange. A real shame this is oop. Never did get a worthy release. I have the old Platinum Corp DVD with a full frame transfer. Nothing special, but it's the movie and that's what I needed. I pulled it out of Wally World's bin years ago. I'm happy just to have it. TV:66-67. Dark Shadows. 125-126. A edge of the seat story comes to an end. ...well... nothing really ends with DS. Things have a way of coming back!

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

30. The Tunnel (FTV)Investigative journalists venture into the labyrinthine system of tunnels beneath Sidney Australia, seeking a story about the homeless and the water supply, but something in the darkness finds them instead. Although done on the cheap as yet another "found footage" film/documentary, reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project, The Tunnel delivers some effective tension and scares. One mistake is the use of interviews with the crew after the fact, because this cues us as to who is going to survive, although there's still intrigue in seeing how things play out. The real star here is the setting, which are miles of quite real tunnels, which ratchets up the realism and claustrophobia considerably. It's amazing to think of these miles of old tunnels beneath the modern city, and while it's never as overt as "Midnight Meat Train", there's very much the sense that progress has come at a price which officials rightfully want to keep hidden. This is a very dark film and fans of The Descent will find much to like here, even though this is the poorer cousin of that film. Some might complain that it's hard to see what's really down there, but to me that just made it better. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Bob's October 2013 Horror Movie ListFTV denotes first time viewing1. 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. Frankenweenie14. 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)25. Taxidermia (FTV)26. Poltergeist27. Maniac (FTV)28. Hotel Transylvania (FTV)29. Eden Lake (FTV)30. The Tunnel (FTV)

 

[TravisR]

63. The Haunting (1963)

A group of people spend time in a haunted house. I hadn't seen this movie in so long that I should almost call it a new viewing but I was surprised by how spooky it still was. Believable performances, excellent direction and a slow, suspenseful build really make the movie a classic.


64. House Of Wax (1953)

An artist is horribly burned in a fire at a wax museum, loses his mind and kills people to use as replacements for his wax statues. Fun movie with the great Vincent Price. It had also been forever since I've seen this movie and I can see how it was so popular. Price performs a stunt (involving a collapsing and burning set of stairs and upper level) that no actor would be allowed to do today. Also, the new Blu-ray looks great.


65. Mystery Of The Wax Museum

As the source for House Of Wax, the story is basically the same. Solid movie but I prefer the 1953 version due to Vincent Price.

 

[Bryan^H]

Cheerleader Camp(1988)
AKA Bloody Pom Poms. You'd think a film starring Betsy Russell, and Lorie Griffin(remember the mean, voluptuous blonde that Michael J. Fox is hung up on in Teen Wolf?) in cheerleading uniforms being stalked by a psycho killer at a camp in the woods would be the best slasher ever made. And that is the tragedy....it could have been. It seems the director is too intent on trying on build a classic who done it, when he had before him all the key ingredients to make one of the best slasher films ever. Oh its a crying shame to be honest. Betsy Russell, and Lorie Griffin look fantastic, but the director even pulls "quick cuts" on them. ? what? Here is Betsy in a bikini, quick look away. Lorie Griffin looking great, well don't keep her in frame for more than 3 seconds. Leif Garret is also in the movie for some reason. Decent ending, but too many lost opportunities to give this a glowing recommendation.
Grade-C-

Not a screencap from this movie, just Betsy Russell looking good.

 

[TravisR]

66. Pet Sematary

Adaptation of Stephen King's novel about a doctor who uses an indian burial ground to tamper in god's domain. Very scary book is turned into an adequate movie. That being said, Fred Gwynne is wonderful as Jud and two or three year old Miko Hughes is surprisingly good. Best of all is that there's two Ramones songs in the movie.

 

[Film]

Computer croaked so I've been out of the loop the last few days. Since my last post I've seen 3 films can't remember the dates of two of them.









The Witches (1990) C
An ok family film. Not good or bad imo.
Vampires (1998) B
Expected bad things but I actually enjoyed this one quite a bit. It reminded me a lot of From Dusk Till Dawn.
Frankenstein (1994) C
This one felt a little cheesy throughout. Writing was poor and the overall tone was as well.




First time viewings are in bold

10/01
Halloween II (1981) C
10/02
The Cabin in the Woods (2012) B
10/03
The Creeping Terror (1964) F
Horrors of Spider Island (1960) F
10/05
The Willies (1990) D
10/06
Psycho (1960) A
Horror of the Zombies (1974) F
10/07
Spider Baby (1964) B
The Evil Dead (1981) B
10/09
Gammera the Invincible (1966) C
10/10
Earnest Scared Stupid (1991) A
10/13
Bats (1999) D
10/14
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) B
10/15
Frankenstein (1910, short film) A
House of Frankenstein (1944) A
10/20
The Wasp Woman (1959) D
10/21
Carrie (2013) B
10/28
Frankenstein (1994) C
The Witches (1990) C
Vampires (1998) B

TV
Tales from the Crypt 1. "And All Through the House"
Tales from the Crypt 2. "Dig That Cat...He's Real Gone"
Tales from the Crypt 3. "Collection Completed"
Tales from the Crypt 4. "Til Death"
Tales from the Crypt 5. "Three's a Crowd"
Tales from the Crypt 6. "Dead Right"
Tales from the Crypt 7. "For Cryin' Out Loud"
Tales from the Crypt 8. "Judy, You're Not Yourself Today"

[*]
[/list]

 

[Michael Elliott]

Night of the Cobra Woman (1972) *

Really bad Filipino horror movie starts off during WWII when a nurse (Marlene Clark) walks into a cave and is bitten by a special snake, which makes her live forever as long as she has its venom. Flash forward several decades and the nurse has her snake killed by a studying student (Joy Bang), which means she now needs sex to live. NIGHT OF THE COBRA WOMAN is a really, really bad movie that has a few moments that are so bad that they at least keep you mildly entertained. I'm not sure where to start on this sucker because pretty much everything here is bad. I guess the lack of a screenplay could be the biggest issue because scenes just seem to happen out of nowhere and deal with things that really aren't necessary to anything else in the movie. The movie never makes a lick of sense and it appears that the producers were just making things up as they went along. Even worse is that the special effects are going to be some of the worse you've ever witnessed but these here do get some of the biggest laughs in the picture. Just check out the transformation scenes of the woman turning into the "cobra" and have yourself a good laugh. As far as the acting goes, it's clear that most people were never trained and if you check their credits it appears most never appeared in another movie. The best thing about lead actress Joy Bang is her name. Mrs. Bang would appear in a few notable films including PLAY IT Again, SAM but this here was certainly one of her only lead roles. Clark, who appeared in a few cult movies including SWITCHBLADE SISTERS, has several nude scenes, which certainly adds some appeal. The supporting cast members are all equally bad and forgettable. The film does offer up some cheap sex scenes and nudity, which might help keep some awake but there's really no defending a movie like this. It's beyond cheap and so poorly produced that you have to wonder what the entire point was.


Hocus Pocus (1993) **

Three-hundred years after being hung, witches Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy) return to Salem, MA to seek children so that they can get eternal life but it's up to three kids and a talking cat to put their plan to rest. HOCUS POCUS is a film I remember seeing when it was first released. I still remember walking out of the theater hating it and I honestly never planned to revisit it until several friends started talking about how much they loved it. It appears that the film gained a pretty good cult following over the years due to countless television showings around Halloween time but sadly the end result isn't nearly as good as some make it out to be. The film has some good ideas but none of them are really brought out to their full potential for a number of reasons but we'll start with the screenplay. The screenplay to this has a pretty good set-up or at least an interesting idea. Three witches return on Halloween night and aren't used to anything around them. This here leads to a couple good scenes where the witches meet others in costumes and don't fully realize what's going on. There's a scene with a man dressed as the devil, which is pretty funny since the witches think he's the real thing. Another decent moment happens when Midler gets to sing the 1956 song "I Put a Spell on You" but of course there's some nice eye candy as we see all sorts of costumes dancing to the music. On a visual level the film is pretty good as it does at least catch the spirit of Halloween and there's no question that the set design perfectly captures the seasons. With that said, there's really not too much going on here because the story is rather lacking and one-note. The worst thing for me is the fact that all three witches are rather annoying and I couldn't help but want to scratch my eyes out at times. I think one's enjoyment of this will depend on how you find the witches. As I found them annoying it made the entire film's comedy just seem way too forced. I'm guessing those who find the act charming will be laughing at it. The three lead actresses all do fine work in their roles but poor Midler is hidden by some ugly buck teeth and it's hard to look past that. The kid actors, including Thora Birch, are good if not totally award-worthy. HOCUS POCUS wasn't a huge hit when it was released and the critics hate it. The film was forgotten but like many films like this, it's cult audience eventually found it on television. The movie isn't awful but then again I wouldn't watch it again unless I really cared for someone wanting me to watch it with them.

 

[Malcolm R]

Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI​

Grade: B+​

My favorite of the Friday series. Tommy Jarvis leaves the mental institution and travels to Forest Green (formerly known as Crystal Lake) to destroy Jason's corpse once and for all. He digs up Jason's body, intending to cremate him but accidentally revives him instead. While Tommy unsuccessfully tries to warn local law enforcement about Jason's return, Jason slaughters his way back to the campground where a busload of children has just arrived for a summer weekend.

I love the humor in this film. Some people don't enjoy comedy with their Jason, but I think it makes a fun film: from the crazy old cemetery caretaker breaking the fourth wall by addressing the camera ("Some people have a strange idea of entertainment"), to the nutty paintball execs, to the kid reading "No Exit" by Jean-Paul Sartre at camp. The gore seemed to take a step back in this film, after the rather bloody Final Chapter, but it was sufficient for the story, and it does have the second-highest body count of the series (behind Jason X).

Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday​

Grade: D-​

From Jason Lives, my favorite Friday, to my least favorite, this was the second "final" film in the series (after Part IV: The Final Chapter) that really wasn't a final film.

After Jason was last seen in the depths of the sewers of Manhattan, he suddenly appears back at Crystal Lake only to be ambushed and blown up by the FBI. However, his demonic essence survives and "Jason" begins to jump from body to body, attempting to achieve a complete resurrection by tracking down his long lost relatives.

Lots of occult mumbo-jumbo as Jason jumps bodies and even appears as a chestburster alien-type of creature at one point, the only actual hockey mask Jason is at the very start and end of the film. An odd bounty hunter, Creighton Duke, appears in the film but acts more as narrator than actual character, appearing at various points to deliver exposition about Jason's existence and how his remaining family can be the key to his rebirth or destruction.

The tag at the end was supposed to lead into the Freddy vs. Jason showdown (now that New Line had the rights to both franchises), but this was about 10 years premature and Jason returned in another solo film (Jason X) in the interim.

 

[Bryan^H]

64. House Of Wax (1953)

An artist is horribly burned in a fire at a wax museum, loses his mind and kills people to use as replacements for his wax statues. Fun movie with the great Vincent Price. It had also been forever since I've seen this movie and I can see how it was so popular. Price performs a stunt (involving a collapsing and burning set of stairs and upper level) that no actor would be allowed to do today. Also, the new Blu-ray looks great.

I love this movie. It was top priority on my list to purchase and watch this challenge. I ran out of money and time so I guess there is always next year