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

[PatW]

41 The Devil-Doll (1936) 4/5

A framed devil's island convict escapes meets up with a woman who miniaturized animals and humans and devises a plan of revenge against his former banking partners. Very interesting but provides few scares for me. Miniaturization is excellent for its time.

42 Disturbia (2007) 3.5/5

A teenager under house arrest is convinced that his neighbour is a serial killer. Though most of the cast was adequate, David Morse was perfect as the psychopathic killer in this creepy thriller.

43 Halloween (1978) 4/5

No description needed for this movie. It's on my must watch yearly list.


TV episodes

38 Supernatural S7: Reading is Fundamental 4.5/5
39 Supernatural S7: There is Blood 4/5
40 Supernatural S7: Survival of the Fittest 4.5/5

 

[Michael Elliott]

I'm going to try and watch a few more tonight but I did manage to get through the Paul Naschy titles like I wanted to. The only downside is that I ordered Naschy's GOOD MORNING MISTER MONSTER and A WEREWOLF IN THE AMAZON on October 3rd and as of today they still haven't arrived.


Son of Dracula (1974) * 1/2

Merlin the Magician (Ringo Starr) is going to make Count Downe (Harry Nilsson) the new leader of the Netherworld but he falls in love with a human (Suzanna Leigh) and isn't sure he wants the title. The one person who does want it is the Baron Frankenstein (Freddie Jones) and even Van Helsing (Dennis Price) has a say in the matter. SON OF Dracula was produced by Starr and it features some other well-known musicians but in the end this thing is pretty much a dud. You've got some talented musicians and some talented Euro actors and you've got a talented director in Freddie Francis but sadly none of the talents come together (yeah, a cheap Beatles reference) to add up to much. There's no question that a lot of the blame can go towards the screenplay, which doesn't seem to know what type of film it wants to be. I'm guessing they were going for some sort of rock 'n roll monster spoof but none of it works. The entire bit with the Netherworld crown is just boring and the love story between Downe, the son of Dracula, and Amber is just boring. Even worse is that the music itself is pretty boring, although Nilsson's "Without You" is on full display but how it's used is just so corny that if you're a diabetic you'll need to have some insulin ready. Another major problem is the direction by Francis who doesn't seem to know what to do with the picture. Just check out all the music scenes and you'll notice how poorly filmed they are and it just seems like someone told the camera man to just shoot anything because it didn't matter. The performances are also pretty bad with Nilsson coming across as a very boring Count. Those familiar with the career of Price knows he was towards the end when he filmed this and it's rather sad watching the great actor appearing so ill. Starr certainly doesn't give a "good" performance but it's just weird enough to where it adds some comic appeal. Love certainly comes across the best out of all the cast members. Music fans can look quickly for Peter Frampton, Leon Russell, John Bonham and Keith Moon. The one thing that keeps this from being a complete bomb is the fact that it's just so darn weird that it's hard to quit watching it or look away. One highlight is the early scenes with Dracula, which has him looking like the vampire from 1922's NOSFERATU. Still, SON OF Dracula is a complete wreck of a film that's mainly going to appeal to fans of the musicians who want to see anything they've ever been connected to.


The ABCs of Death (2012) **

Incredibly ambitious horror film had 27 directors given a letter of the alphabet and they had to come up with a short film on a certain type of death. Anthology films are always uneven whenever they just have three, four or five stories. Considering this here has twenty-six different short films you can just imagine without watching it that there's going to be a lot of uneven moments but the bad news here is that the majority of the films aren't all that good. With that said, the film is so ambitious and the films that do work are so bizarre that it's still easy to recommend this film to die hard fans of the genre. Of the twenty-six films here I'd say these letters are the best: A, D, K, L, M, N, Q, T, X and Z. As you can see, not too many of them are what I would consider "good" or better. Of all of these I thought "A" got us off to a pretty good start because of how over-the-top and violent it is. Just when you stop laughing from one gore shot you're hit with something even more graphic and shocking for a twisted good time. The "D" episode deals with a fight between a man and a dog with a nice little twist. With "K" we get a somewhat amusing cartoon. "L" is without question the most disturbing, disgusting and rather shocking film. It involves two men being strapped down and they have various sexual acts performed in front of them. The men then will have to get themselves turned up and masturbate with the first one to "finish" being declared the winner. This one here is disturbing on so many levels. "X" is a pretty bizarre and graphic look at an overweight woman who grows tired of being laughed at so goes to an extreme to lose weight. The finale "Z" is so sexually perverted that it's clear the MPAA members must have already walked out for this to have gotten a R-rating. Overall, THE ABCs OF DEATH is mostly a lot of fair films with a few that stick out. The only one I'd call awful was the letter "F," which deals with farts. There are some pretty well-known directors here as well as several up and coming ones but at 129-minutes the film just becomes a real chore to sit through so many will probably just want to break the film up and watch it pieces at a time.


The Mad Magician (1954) ***

Vincent Price followed his success in HOUSE OF WAX with this horror thriller. He plays Don Gallico, a masterful creator of magic tricks who is double crossed by his boss and kills him. He eventually takes the dead man's identity but when the police start to investigate he must commit one murder after another trying to cover his tracks. THE MAD MAGICIAN was originally released in 3D and there are a lot of objects flying towards the screen and even when you view the film flat it's still easy to see that the effects are in good nature and appear to be fun. The movie itself is quite fun from start to finish and a lot of credit has to go to the wonderful Vincent Price. He was such a wonderful actor and his great performance made him a perfect fit for the genre. His soft-spoken nature he just makes you really love his character and made you feel sorry for him once the boss rips him off. Even after he starts murdering people you can't help but wish there's some way for him to get out of it. These added feelings for the character would be missing with so many other actors but Price's perfect performance really adds so much to the film. Mary Murphy is good as his assistant and Eva Gabor is simply snake-worthy as Price's ex-wife. Director John Brahm (THE LODGER) has had experience with the genre so he's able to build up a wonderful atmosphere and keep the film moving at a very fast pace. The biggest flaw with the picture is that it's pretty much HOUSE OF WAX but with a magician. The two film's are very close to one another as it's clear Columbia was trying to capture the success of that Warner film and didn't really come up with a fresh plot. With that said, Price certainly makes this film quite memorable and it ranks as one of the better horror pictures from this period.


Inquisition (1976) ***

Paul Naschy made his directorial debut with this WITCHFINDER GENERAL type film that adds in a ton a nudity, gore and all out sleaze. In the film Naschy plays a man who puts many to death as he finds them to be witches but things take a turn when he falls in love with a young woman (Daniela Giordano) without realizing she has a pact with Satan (also played by Naschy). After watching this film you'll be wishing that Mr. Naschy had directed some of his earlier horror pictures and especially those that didn't quite reach the high entertainment level. I was really shocked to see how wonderful his direction was here because he really nailed the atmosphere and setting and in the end he delivered a sleazy but oh so entertaining picture. By 1976 there had already been several films dealing with this subject. Some were classics (WITCHFINDER GENERAL) and others were just trash (MARK OF THE DEVIL). This film here takes the serious elements of that first film and mixes in the sleaze of the second one but it's really Naschy's direction that makes it work so well. You really do believe the period setting and this here helps you buy into the story even more. Even better is that the "love story" isn't just there to pad out the running time and instead the director makes you get involved with both characters. It helps that Naschy and Giordano work so well together as they two of them can bounce the flirtatious moments off one another as well as the more dramatic ones. Even the supporting players are quite good, although there's no question that the main focus are the two leads. Another major plus the film has working for it are the Satanic cult scenes. These are shot incredibly well and the visual look of them are excellent. The thick fog adds to their quality but the sets are all rather amazing and again, there's Naschy bringing it all together. The gore and violence level isn't stomach-turning but it is pretty thick including one scene where a chained up woman gets her ripped torn off! The nudity level is incredibly high as all the torture victims are always naked plus there are other scenes that appeared to have just been thrown in for the chance of more naked bodies. This includes one scene where four beauties are splashing around naked in a lake for no other reason than they're extremely hot. INQUISITION is certainly one of the better films of its type and deserves to be better known.


The People Who Own the Dark (1976) **

A group of people gather at a home where they enter an underground bunker to do a De Sade worship. After hearing a loud explosion they return to the surface and notice that something strange has happened. They don't realize how strange until they go to town for supplies and notice the title monsters, a group of people who have turned blind due to a nuclear holocaust. THE PEOPLE WHO OWNS THE DARK has a pretty good reputation among Spanish horror fans but I'll be the outsider and say that I was pretty disappointed in the film. People have compared it to a cross between NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS, which is certainly true but I'd also add THE OMEGA MAN in there as another influence. I watched the American cut of the movie, which features twelve fewer minutes than the Spanish cut but apparently only some more detailed character development is missing. With that said, I thought there were some major issues with the screenplay including the fact that none of the characters are all that interesting. When you think about it, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD features a lot of dialogue scenes and more often than not the zombies aren't on the screen. That's the same here but the only problem with this film is that nothing being said is all that interesting and unlike the Romero film you really don't care about any of the characters here either. None of the characters really stood out from one another and outside of the familiar faces (Alberto DeMendoza and Paul Naschy) there's really no one to root for or care about. For the most part the performances seemed fine, although this is always a hard thing to judge when you're watching something with an English dubbing. I will say that the look of the film was quite nice but director Leon Klimovsky just doesn't add any flare to the subject and even at 82-minutes the film drags in spots. Again, I know I'm in the minority on this one but the film just didn't work nearly as well as it should have.


Tender Dracula (1974) * 1/2

Weird French mix of horror and comedy has two screenwriters and their girlfriends going to the home of a retiring horror actor (Peter Cushing) who played Dracula countless times in his career. It doesn't take long for the guests to wonder if he was playing Dracula or if he's the real thing. Well, I'm really not sure what to say about this film other than it's quite rare and that's a good thing. While the film isn't nearly as horrible as it's reputation, the entire thing is quite bizarre to say the least and in the end it comes off like an Abbott and Costello film with a lot of nudity and sex jokes. I do wonder if the filmmakers had Abbott and Costello in mind because I couldn't help but think of some of their monster mash movies and of course it's quite fitting that they've got Peter Cushing here playing the "Dracula" character. The film pretty much has the two writers and their two hot girlfriends running around and encounters countless bizarre things. This includes Cushing but we've also got blood in the bathtub and various other strange things throughout the castle. One running joke involves the horror star wanting to do romantic movies but it's not all that funny. In fact, most of the comedy here just doesn't work because the direction is simply all over the place and if you check out Pierre Grunstein's credits you'll notice this was the first and last time he worked the director's chair. To say the film is uneven would be an insult to the word uneven. You really can't tell what exactly they were going for because the pacing is off but there's also issues with the screenplay. The script simply goes on and on at times and you just sit there wondering what the whole point is. Even worse is that the horror elements really don't work either but I must say that you do get a good performance from Cushing who is at least energized and appears to be having fun. The supporting players really aren't all that memorable, although there is plenty of nudity with the two female leads. TENDER Dracula has pretty much been forgotten and there's really no reason for anyone to re-discover it.

 

[TravisR]

68. Rosemary's Baby

A woman and her husband move into an apartment building and unfortunately, their neighbors are Satanists. Great direction, great performances and just a great movie. I doubt that anyone in this thread hasn't seen Rosemary's Baby but if you haven't, stopped reading my dopey review and go see it!

As is my annual tradition, I'll be watching Halloween and Halloween II tonight (it's the 35th anniversary of when those movies take place) so 68 is going to be my total for this year.

 

[Chucky P]

The couple that appears in The Strangers (2007) were so stupid they made the dumb teens in the Friday The 13th flicks look like Rhodes scholars.

First Time Viewings in Red
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)
10-29-13
22. Phantom Of The Paradise (1974) (5/5)
23. Night Of The Living Dead (1968) (5/5)
10-30-13
24. Dawn of The Dead (1978) (5/5)
25. Day Of The Dead (1985) (5/5)
26. The Fog (1980) (5/5)
10-31-13
27. Mad Love (1935) (4/5)
28. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) (4.5/5)
29. The Devil-Doll (1936) (4/5)
30. The Strangers (1/5)
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
10-16-13
5. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Three
10-28-13
6.Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Four
7.Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Five
8.Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Six
9.Doctor Who: The Web Of Fear Episode One
10. Doctor Who: The Web Of Fear Episode Two
11. Doctor Who: The Web Of Fear Episode Three (Reconstruction)

 

[Radioman970]

I bought this one on VHS for this challenge a few years back under the title THE CRAWLERS. I was on a Joe D'Amato fix (he directed this) at the time. Yeah, it's pretty bad but the campy ending is just priceless. It was originally meant to be TROLL 3 so that should tell people everything they need to know.

Troll 3! lol I guess the trolls were behind the scenes working the cheese machine!

I got this one mixed up with another film called Contamination. some kind of Italian Alien ripoff, I think.

 

[Chucky P]

Finished off the month by watching Halloween again tonight. Fantastic stuff!
First Time Viewings in Red
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)
10-29-13
22. Phantom Of The Paradise (1974) (5/5)
23. Night Of The Living Dead (1968) (5/5)
10-30-13
24. Dawn of The Dead (1978) (5/5)
25. Day Of The Dead (1985) (5/5)
26. The Fog (1980) (5/5)
10-31-13
27. Mad Love (1935) (4/5)
28. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) (4.5/5)
29. The Devil-Doll (1936) (4/5)
30. The Strangers (1/5)
31. Halloween (1978) (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
10-16-13
5. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Three
10-28-13
6.Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Four
7.Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Five
8.Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Six
9.Doctor Who: The Web Of Fear Episode One
10. Doctor Who: The Web Of Fear Episode Two
11. Doctor Who: The Web Of Fear Episode Three (Reconstruction)

 

[Sandro]

Watched 32 films

Rated from * to ****

10/01/13 Child's Play ***
10/01/13 Child's Play 2 ** 1/2
10/01/13 God Told Me To *** 1/2
10/02/13 Selling, The ** 1/2
10/02/13 Night of the Creeps ***
10/03/13 Hangover Square ***
10/04/13 Audrey Rose **
10/05/13 Shining, The *** 1/2

10/06/13 Child's Play 3 **
10/06/13 Resolution ***

10/07/13 Would You Rather **
10/08/13 John Dies at the End ***
10/08/13 Demonia **
10/10/13 Errors of the Human Body ** 1/2
10/10/13 Captivity *
10/12/13 Lords of Salem ***
10/12/13 Bride of Chucky ** 1/2
10/14/13 Dark Waters (1993) ***
10/15/13 Hypnosis/The Hypnotist ***
10/16/13 Seed of Chucky ** 1/2

10/16/13 Scream of Fear ***
10/17/13 Central Park Drifter ** 1/2
10/18/13 VHS 2 ***
10/19/13 Sleep Tight *** 1/2
10/21/13 Antiviral *** 1/2
10/22/13 Dead and Buried ***
10/24/13 Curse of Chucky ***
10/25/13 Paranoia 1.0 ***
10/25/13 Mama ** 1/2
10/28/13 Devil Doll ***

10/30/13 Smiley BOMB
10/31/13 Let Me In *** 1/2

 

[Michael Elliott]

I watched SMILEY in the theater believe it or not. Wow. It was certainly an awful one.


The Dark Eyes of London (1939) ***

Det. Larry Holt (Hugh Williams) is investigated the bizarre "suicides" of several people who seem to have drowned themselves in the Thames. Most people think suicide but the detective believes something more sinister is going on and everything points to a home for blind people being run by Dr. Orloff (Bela Lugosi). Also known as THE HUMAN MONSTER, this British thriller will probably disappoint some expecting a straight horror film but if you go into it as a murder-mystery with horror elements then you should find yourself entertained. It's easy to see why Lugosi would want to go overseas and make this film and especially when you consider the type of mysteries that were being made in America. This here certainly separates itself from others because of its extremely dark atmosphere and rather bleak storyline. The Edgar Wallace story is a pretty strong one and it makes for an entertaining movie. The atmosphere is certainly extremely rich as the setting at the blind home is just the perfect location to match the mood of the picture. Another major plus is that the murders are a tad bit more sinister and graphic than what we'd typically see. This includes the brute of a killer with his deformed look and sinister moans. There's a scene where he's attacking the lead female character, which is quite thrilling even today as the use of shadows are perfectly executed and this was several years before the whole film noir movement. Williams gives a nice performance in the film as he gets a majority of the screen time and manages to carry the picture well. Greta Gynt is good as the girlfriend and Wilfred Walter is extremely effective as the monster. Then there's Lugosi who is certainly extremely good here. He perfectly captures the "good" character but when he switches it's also handled well by the actor. The entire "twist" in the story is pretty obvious today but I'm going to guess that those in 1939 were more caught off by it. With that said, if Lugosi had been able to use different voices and get past that thick accent (dubbing is used here) then it's clear he could have done so much more. THE DARK EYES OF London has some flaws including a few pacing issues and some ill-advised comedy but there's still plenty to enjoy here.


Invisible Invaders (1959) **

Incredibly silly film about an invisible alien who comes to Earth to once again try to wipe us all out. Thankfully for us humans Maj. Bruce Jay (John Agar) is on hand to try and save us. INVISIBLE INVADERS has the reputation of being one of the worst films ever made but I think that's a tad bit too harsh for a number of reasons. The biggest for me is that it's hard for a 66-minute movie to be the worst ever made because the filmmakers are at least smart enough to not keep giving us stuff to make the movie run longer than it should. The 66-minutes actually go by rather fast for the most part and this is always a good thing. Another thing this film has going for it is that we're given some familiar names that cult and "B" movie fans are going to know. Agar certainly looks a bit tired here but maybe he just wasn't feeling good during the production. He's at least entertaining and has no problem carrying the film. John Carradine appears briefly at the start of the picture and while he's certainly not reaching the levels he did in THE GRAPES OF WRATH, it's still fun seeing him. Jean Byron plays the female/love interest and does a nice job as well. Robert Rutton is also in the cast and adds some charm. The special effects are pretty bland as usually we just gets piles of dirt "moving" to show us the invisible creature or we get branches moving. These certainly aren't groundbreaking but at the same time they could have been a lot worse. There's some stock footage used throughout with the funniest bit happening when a plane crashes, due to the aliens, but the stock footage is from a test run and you can see the "X" mark to where it's supposed to hit.


Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire (2011) ***

Feature cartoon has Scooby and the gang solving a mystery and then heading down South to enjoy a vacation. They end up in Louisiana where there's a Vampire Fest being put on and sure enough they soon find themselves in another mystery. This time a vampire wants to make Daphne his new bride. SCOOBY-DOO! MUSIC OF THE VAMPIRE is actually a fairly entertaining film that manages to have a few good laughs, a couple nice throwbacks to the old TV show and of course there's even a little bit of TWILIGHT spoof thrown in. As you'd expect, the animation is really top-notch and we're given some wonderful visuals to look at. This is especially true with the darkness of the swamp, which simply looks wonderful as do the scenes inside the vampire museum. Another major plus is that the monsters themselves are all pretty good. I thought the vampires looked quite effective and especially the main leader who often finds himself flying through the swamps throwing fire balls. I'm sure these vampires will scare some really young kids as they're quite creepy. The vocal performances are also quite good with all of the main cast members doing a fine job and especially Matthew Lillard who has really perfected his Shaggy work. The film even turns into a musical as there are a couple songs played throughout and they're actually not too bad. They're certainly put to better use than some of those songs that were added to episodes in the second season of the original series. Fans of Scooby should certainly find enough here to keep them entertained and at just 75-minutes the film never overstays its welcome.

 

[Sandro]

Most memorable first-time watches:

Sleep Tight
Suspenseful, sick and shocking Spanish thriller (directed by Jaume Balguero) about the supervisor of an apartment building and his activities connected to the tenants of the building. The less said about this film the better for new viewers. Remarkable for the shifts in emotions that we feel for the lead who starts off seeming like a slightly weird and sympathetic man but ends up as one of the most despicable characters I can remember.

Antiviral
Accomplished and stylish sci-fi/satire/horror piece about a disconcerting future where people pay to suffer from the same infection or disease that their entertainment idols are suffering (or have suffered) from. The protagonist, who works at selling these infections, gets wrapped up in a conspiracy involving a new disease and a very famous icon. This film is written and directed by the son of David Cronenberg and it shows with many queasy scenes of body infections and alterations. Excellent performance from the lead, Caleb Landry Jones, looking like an extremely weary vampire.

Let Me In
Excellent version of the Danish original does not deviate too much from that film but still makes a great impression. My only criticism is that the film seems to want to play down its horror elements in favor of the love story and dramatic beats.

Resolution
Ambitious indie horror film with shades of Cabin in the Woods but far more cerebral and serious. Consistently defies expectations which when you think about the movie is kind of the point.

Lords of Salem
Predictable but still a good film. Excellent imagery and atmosphere. If you don't like Rob Zombie's other movies then this is the one for you.

Curse of Chucky
Elegant addition to the series concentrates on suspense with some humor and gore - that car crash scene is awesome. Only problem is the number of false endings.

Best rewatches

Shining, The - Incredibly influential to modern horror and psychological movies
Gold Told Me To - Larry Cohen's best film is so weird
Paranoia 1.0 - Eerie scifi/horror/mystery with excellent cast (Jeremy Sisto, Udo Kier, Lance Henricksen, Deborah Unger)
Dark Waters - For fans of atmospheric Italian horror.
Dead and Buried - Underrated lowkey zombie (?) movie with a beautiful setting and cinematography. Clever (if unlikely) ending.

Worst films seen:

Captivity, Smiley
My fault since I knew they were both bad but I could not stop myself.

 

[PatW]

44 Sinister (2012) 4/5

This film is about a true crime writer who moves into a house where a family was murdered. In the attic he discovers a box of super 8 film depicting various murders dating back to the 1960's. Shortly after this he notices disturbances in the house.

This was one disturbing, scary movie, one of the better ones that I've seen recently.

45 Mama (2013) 3.5/5

Well acted film about two little girls who are brought to live with their uncle after being lost for five years in the woods with only a spirit or entity to look after them.
A creepy well done story. The two young girls shine here and the youngest one is suitably creepy. I didn't really care for the way Mama was rendered on the screen but other than that, it comes recommended.

46 The Exorcist (1973) 5/5

Nothing really much to say about this one other than along with the Uninvited remains my all-time favourite horror movie.


October Re-cap

Total movies watched = 46; 27 of those were new watches

Tv episodes watched (all 1 hour) = 40 equal to 20 movies

October total = 66

Favourite new movie = The Believers

Favourite overall movie = tied between The Exorcist & The Uninvited (44)

Least favourite movie = Apparition

 

[Radioman970]

Thursday, October 31stMOVES:66. The Boogeyman (1980) I watched this for the first time a few years ago. But I'd remembered seeing little bits of it in the early 80s (probably switching back and fourth as it got scary, lol) . What I remembered specifically was the scene of the 2 couples partying by the water with the dilapidated house nearby (I used to play with my friends around an old house like that) and the part with that pretty girl in a dark room with light (artfully) coming in through some thin openings in the blinds. Funny what stays with you. Nowhere near as scary as it was back then. Time is unkind. Still, it's okay. I'm sure that pretty girl is why I braved watching it back in the day. But I sure don't remember the erotic dream sequence, wondering if that is new for the blu ray? It's funny, I remember much more about watching Humongous around this same time, much scarier film. I'd planned to follow this up with it. But I was worried about getting too sleepy... wanted to be sure and get the next film in. No big deal, I'll watch Humongous some other time when I'm not burned out with horror films. 67. The Last Supper. (1995) Another can't miss. One of my favorite films of all time. Basically, a group of liberal grad students invite guests over to judge them on their worthiness to live. The cast playing the grad students are simply outstanding together. They look like real friends to me. A box quote (forgot who says it) compares it with The Big Chill. Not quite in that place, but nice comparison anyway. The cast of guests if varied and fun to watch (Bill Paxton nails it, damn is he scary when he wants to be) Also, the soundtrack is one I still need to buy. The opening theme is "I'm your Boogieman". I played first song on my noon show yesterday, it now reminds me more of this film than it does of the 70s when I originally heard it. Jonathan Penner was actor and 2nd unit director on this, his girlfriend (wife?) directed, etc. Penner was a secret celebrity guest on a season of Survivor, and even though I didn't even know they were doing a celebrity guest, I recognized him right away. Had a great time watching the show that year, one of the last seasons I watched. I hope others enjoy this as much as I do. I almost always watch it in October, over some tomato-based dinner (spaghetti is best, but I had pizza). The transfer on the DVD is good, but there are no real extras. I'd buy a reasonably priced blu ray that included extras. Probably won't happen though. So this DVD is fine. (oops, noticed the DVD is oop... darn... but the soundtrack is still there, I guess I'll go ahead and buy it before it's gone too.) 68. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (Part 5) (1985) Somebody got a list of what should be in one of these, then given the actors, camera and crew. That's my guess. lol But it ain't all that bad. I like it! The last scene is kind of scary, even though we'd seen Jason in a barn already. It also has some of the best boob shots in he history of the series. (yes, I lowered myself to that, since they are all really great! lol) Not the best of the series to end my loooong 2-month marathon on, but I'm a little burned out anyway so it did the trick. There not really a single film in this series that I don't like. Even though I watched none this year, Halloween is probably my favorite slasher franchise with F13th second. Best excuse you can make for an entry like this one, you should know what you're gonna get before you decide to watch it. TV:73. Dark Shadows. #132 Even if you never really knew your mother, don't think she won't blindside you with guilt somehow some way down the line, baby! Look out...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)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)59. World War Z. (2013)(N)60. Young Poisoner's Handbook. (1994)62. Blade Trinity. (2004)(N)63. Paranorman. (2012)(N)64. Evil Dead (2013)(N)65. Contamination .7 (1990)(N)66. The Boogeyman (1980)67. The Last Supper. (1995)68. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (Part 5) (1985)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".52-73. Dark Shadows. 109-132 Totals:68 films/31 new watches (68)72 tv episodes (30 minutes) (24)1 tv episode (60 minutes) (.5)

GRAND TOTAL: 92.5

 

[TravisR]

Back in September, I said

I'm going to go for 31 but will probably lose my mind and watch 50

and that proved to be a low estimate.

1. Psycho (1960)
2. Psycho II
3. Psycho III
4. Psycho IV: The Beginning
5. Prince Of Darkness
6. Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
7. Dawn Of The Dead (1978)
8. Day Of The Dead (1985)
9. Bates Motel
10. Insidious
11. Insidious: Chapter 2
12. White Zombie
13. Maniac Cop
14. An American Werewolf In London
15. I Spit On Your Grave (1978)
16. Friday The 13th (1980) [uncut version]
17. Friday The 13th Part 2
18. Friday The 13th Part III
19. Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter
20. Friday The 13th: A New Beginning
21. Jason Lives: Friday The 13th Part VI
22. Friday The 13th Part VII- The New Blood
23. Friday The 13th Part VIII- Jason Takes Manhattan
24. Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday
25. Jason X
26. Freddy Vs. Jason
27. Friday The 13th (2009) (extended version)
28. Maniac (1980)
29. The Burning (uncut version)
30. A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
31. A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge
32. A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
33. A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
34. A Nightmare On Elm Street: The Dream Child
35. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
36. Wes Craven's New Nightmare
37. Carrie (1976)
38. Carrie (2013)
39. In The Mouth Of Madness
40. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
41. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
42. Cat People (1942)
43. The Curse Of The Cat People
44. I Walked With A Zombie
45. The Body Snatcher
46. Isle Of The Dead
47. Bedlam (1946)
48. The Leopard Man
49. The Ghost Ship (1943)
50. The 7th Victim
51. Scream
52. Scream 2
53. Scream 3
54. Scream 4
55. Halloween (1978)
56. Halloween II (1981)
57. Halloween III: Season Of The Witch
58. Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers
59. Halloween 5
60. Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers
61. Halloween: H20
62. Halloween: Resurrection
63. The Haunting (1963)
64. House Of Wax (1953)
65. Mystery Of The Wax Museum
66. Pet Sematary
67. The Fly (1986)
68. Rosemary's Baby
(--). Halloween (1978)
(--). Halloween II (1981)

Bold = first time viewing

I'm not counting last night's viewings of the Halloween movies so my total is 68 (with a mere 3 new viewings). While I basically just rewatch the same old movies over and over again each year, I had plenty of fun as usual.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

I knew exactly how my last two nights of October would filled - with The Thing (2011) followed by The Thing (1982). The prequel from a couple of years ago was solid, good cast, excellent environment, but it covered up the practical effects too much with CGI augmentations. The gift of the original is how marvelous and inventive those effects were (enough to send Rob Bottin to the hospital with exhaustions when it was all over).

The attempt to recreate the sense of paranoia also doesn't quite succeed though I felt Mary Elizabeth Winstead did a good job of demonstrating fear and suspicion without losing her grip.

The original is a stunning peice of cinema and John Carpenter's greatest cinematic accomplishment. I watch every halloween and it seems to only get better the more I watch it.

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: 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
October 22: Child's Play 3 (1991) - 2 out of 5
October 23: Seed of Chucky* (2014) - 3.5out of 5
October 24: Curse of Chucky* (2013) - 3.5 out of 5
October 25: The Shining (1980) - 4 out of 5
October 26: Evil Dead 2 (1987) - 4 out of 5
October 27: The Host (2006) - 4 out of 5
October 28: Friday the 13th Part III (1982) - 3 out of 5 / Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) 4 out of 5
October 29: Invasion of the Body Snatchers* (1978) - 4 out of 5
October 30: The Thing (2011) 4 out of 5
October 31: The Thing (1982) 5 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
S4: E2: ‘Infected’* – 4 out of 5
S4: E3: ‘Isolation’* – 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

I ended up watching 35 movies, 9 episodes of 1hr television and 6 web episodes that run about 10 minutes each. That's more than I thought I'd find time to get to given my hectic life.

Best rewatch: The Thing (1982)
Favorite Discovery: Absentia and Room 237
Worst Movie: Child's Play III


This was great fun. Looking forward to next year!

[EDIT] Updated to identify first time viewings with *

 

[John Stell]

103) 10/31/2013 Carrie (2013)

Good retelling of the story of the girl with telekinesis (Chloe Grace Moretz), her fanatical mother (Julianne Moore), and a fateful night at the prom. The chemistry between Moretz and Moore is terrific, and some of the characterizations and situations better the 1976 version. I also liked Marco Beltrami's music score. Perhaps not as powerful as Brian De Palma's version, still quite solid.

104) 10/31/2013 Halloween (1978)

As everyone here no doubt knows the story, I'll just say I'd didn't like how they muted the colors on the new Blu Ray, Dean Cundey's participation notwithstanding, which became even more obvious when I popped in the sequel right after. Next time I watch this I may go back to the 1999 version. Who knows, in 5 years for the 40th anniversary maybe we'll get yet another BR.

105) 10/31/2013 Halloween II (1981)

1/2

Decent sequel has Michael track Laurie Strode to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital. The familial twist here makes little sense, and it's set up poorly. When Laurie asks, "Why me?" without acknowledging that her best friends were killed first, it calls attention to how silly this twist is. Still, the atmosphere, tension, fluid camera, and suggestive angles add up to a very watchable thriller.

 

[John Stell]

Thanks everyone for making this another enjoyable challenge. I'll wait a couple of days to post the final scores to allow everyone to post their final reviews and lists. And thanks in advance to everyone who already provided their lists. If you haven't been keeping a tally on your initial tracking post or elsewhere, please just post a final list as your last post.

 

[Radioman970]

Best time overall:Dark Shadows - My own "year of the shadows"... Best/scariest new ones (besides Dark Shadows):V/H/S 1 and 2Ghostwatch. (1992)Blood on Satan's Claw. (1971)The Bad Seed. (1956)Biggest surprises:Long Pigs. (2006) (N)
Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural. (1973)Biggest disappointments:Shiver of the Vampires. (1970)
Blade Trinity. (2004)What I would have liked more of:Universal monsters/Hammer Horror

 

[Malcolm R]

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3:​

Dream Warriors​

Grade: B+​

A new batch of Elm Street kids are having nightmares about razor-fingered Freddy. It's so bad, they've all been committed into the local psychiatric hospital where they're faced with a bunch of non-believing doctors until the arrival of specialist, Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), who has earned multiple degrees and learned to control her nightmares in the six years since the original film. One of the patients, Kristen (Patricia Arquette), has revealed she has the ability to bring other people into her dreams, so the kids are able to fight Freddy together rather than face him one-on-one.

Decided to finish up this year's challenge with my favorite of the Nightmare sequels. As with most FX films of this era, the effects are a bit dated and quaint in the age of CGI, but for the most part they're still effective. The "puppet" sequence, as Freddy manipulates one of the teens to his death, still makes me cringe nearly 30 years later. Decent story, with input from Wes Craven and Frank Darabont, though some of the dialogue is kind of clunky. Acting is adequate, though I still think Heather Langenkamp is a poor actress. It also features a young Larry (aka Laurence) Fishburne. This seems like the true sequel to the original, moreso than the inferior Freddy's Revenge, probably due to Craven's involvement and the inclusion of Langenkamp and John Saxon, as her father.

 

[PatW]

John, are we counting the 1 hour tv episodes as one point or 1/2 point. If they are one point I'll have to adjust my numbers.

 

[John Stell]

John, are we counting the 1 hour tv episodes as one point or 1/2 point. If they are one point I'll have to adjust my numbers.

One hour TV episodes with recurring characters are 1/2 point. 1 hr episodes from anthology shows are 1 point.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

34. The Witches
Witches at an annual convention concoct a plan to turn all children into mice, but a curious boy (with the help of his grandmother) try to foil their plan. Roald Dahl, the author behind dark children's tales such as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "James and the Giant Peach" and "Matilda" has little nostalgia for childhood, as always it is a time to be frightened of adults who are more ill-behaved than the children. Director Nicholas Roeg (Don't Look Now, The Man Who Fell To Earth) pulls no punches here: the witches are grotesque and evil, particularly the excellently cast Angelica Huston who has never had a more delicious role than that of the Grand High Witch. The scary scene where a boy is transformed into a mouse was an example of how practicaI effects can far outshine CGI. 4 out of 5 stars.

35. Drag Me To Hell (Unrated Director's Cut)
A banker is cursed by a gypsy who had been turned down for a loan. Now she must find a way to reverse the curse or risk being dragged to Hell. I'd seen this movie theatrically but I'd never seen the unrated director's cut. Honestly, the film is exactly how I remember it: fun, over-the-top, and a bit lightweight. Sam Raimi's direction and use of sound are the real reasons the movie succeeds, the various creaks and howls make for some fun demo material for your home theater, giving all 7 (or 5) of your speakers a workout. As with the Evil Dead, there are moments where you are laughing at how much bodily fluid can be produced by a single person--my favorite scene is when the corpse tumbles out of the coffin and ejects pea-green vomit directly into the lead actress' mouth. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

36. House of the Devil
A college girl finds out she's gotten more than she'd bargained for when a weird couple hires her as a babysitter. Ti West's tribute to the Satanic films of the late 70's/early 80's is a refreshing change of pace, a movie that is not afraid to explore the silences between horrific events, and to take its time building up the atmosphere. The finale may be a long time coming for the impatient, but it takes your breath away. Tom Noonan (Manhunter, Robocop 2, Monster Squad) is excellent in a creepy understated role as an awkward, almost shy man. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Well, that's it guys! 36 movies in one month (4 on Halloween alone--five if I wanted to count "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"). I'll try to come up with some overall "best of" rankings for the month at some point in the near future.

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)
25. Taxidermia (FTV)
26. Poltergeist
27. Maniac (FTV)
28. Hotel Transylvania (FTV)
29. Eden Lake (FTV)
30. The Tunnel (FTV)
31. Citadel (FTV)
32. The Revenant (FTV)
33. Vampyr
34. The Witches
35. Drag Me to Hell (Unrated Director's Cut)
36. House of the Devil