***Official 8th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge*** (1 Viewer)

[Bob Turnbull]

Man, I just haven't been able to spend as much time this year with the horror films...But I've got a huge backlog to watch and in my zip.ca queue, so I think I'm just gonna keep ploughing through them in November.


10/23/07 - Alone (2007) - As much as I liked Shutter (see below), this follow-up by the same filmmakers is far superior in every way. It's the story of a woman returning home to visit her ill mother and who starts to experience ghostly hauntings from what appears to be her dead twin sister. Not only twin sister, but previously conjoined. As teenagers they had an operation to separate them and one of them passed away. The scares are setup extremely well as evidenced by all the nervous laughter from the audience when a new scene began (not to mention all the tension release laughter afterwards). It's been getting great reviews so expect to see it in the not too distant future.

10/24/07 - Simon Says (2006) - Also to likely be wider released soon, this Crispin Glover vehicle is nowhere near as good. It doesn't really try to be, but aside from Glover (who plays disturbed twins) there isn't much to enjoy here. A couple of inventive ideas (one of the annoying young people gets a pick ax to the back and then dragged through the woods), it just doesn't really build up any tension or deliver any solid jolts (well, except for the terrible fate that befalls the fluffy dog).

10/24/07 - Nightmare Detective (2006) - Shinya Tsukamoto's own take on the J-Horror genre has moments of solid terror. Not only in the way we experience the nightmares of the victims, but also in what we see in the real world. These nightmares are being caused by another man who can enter people's dreams and then essentially manipulate them into killing themselves. Those deaths are also very unsettling as we see a number of the victims repeatedly stabbing themselves. It didn't completely envelop me, but enough so that I want to see it again.

10/25/07 - Murder Party (2007) - Terrific low budget tale of a rather lonely guy who finds an invitation on the street to attend a Halloween eve "Murder Party" and ends up being the target of an "art" project that will use his death. It's a sharp satire, funny and well-paced. I think it's already on DVD in the U.S., but it's also supposed to be touring the country with "Blood Car" as a double feature. I'd really recommend the both of them if they happen to show near you.

10/26/07 - Shutter (2004) - I've seen some recent reviews that said this wasn't anywhere near as good as the hype, but I enjoyed the hell out of it. "Alone" is the stronger film by this Thai duo, but there are some effective scenes.

10/27/07 - The Heirloom (2005) - The concept behind the film is scarier than any of the scenes in it - a family with designs on retaining great power and wealth keep the ghosts of dead babys in a special section of their house. That power is used against them by another member of the family and a mass hanging occurs. It's slow and not perfectly realized, but when you see floating feet (from a hanging body) start showing up it can still throw you off a bit...

10/30/07 - The Changeling (1980) - One of the best ghost stories ever filmed.


2007 Scary Movie Challenge:

1. 10/01/07 - Suspiria (1977 - Dario Argento)
2. 10/01/07 - Tales Of Terror (1962 - Roger Corman)
3. 10/02/07 - All The Colors Of The Dark (1972 - Sergio Martino)
4. 10/03/07 - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974 - Tobe Hooper)
5. 10/03/07 - Trilogy Of Terror (1974 - Dan Curtis)
6. 10/04/07 - Witchfinder General (1968 - Michael Reeves)
7. 10/05/07 - Kill, Baby...Kill (1966 - Mario Bava)
8. 10/07/07 - Bangkok Haunted (2001 - Oxide Pang Chun, Pisut Praesangeam)
9. 10/07/07 - Shivers (1975 - David Cronenberg)
10. 10/08/07 - Creepshow (1982 - George A. Romero)
11. 10/09/07 - Hellraiser (1987 - Clive Barker)
12. 10/10/07 - The Maid (2005 - Kelvin Tong)
13. 10/11/07 - The Legend Of Hell House (1973 - John Hough)
14. 10/13/07 - Slither (2006 - James Gunn)
15. 10/13/07 - A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985 - Jack Sholder)
16. 10/14/07 - Anatomy (2000 - Stefan Ruzowitzky)
17. 10/14/07 - Jeepers Creepers (2001 - Victor Salva)
18. 10/15/07 - Lizard In A Woman's Skin (1971 - Lucio Fulci)
19. 10/16/07 - At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul (1964 - Jose Mojica Marins)
20. 10/17/07 - Circus Of Horrors (1960 - Sidney Hayers)
21. 10/18/07 - Return Of The Living Dead (1985 - Dan O'Bannon)
22. 10/19/07 - Pulse (2001 - Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
23. 10/19/07 - Torso (1973 - Sergio Martino)
24. 10/20/07 - Blood Car (2007 - Alex Orr)
25. 10/21/07 - Automaton Transfusion (2007 - Steven C. Miller)
26. 10/21/07 - Poultrygeist: Night Of The Chicken Dead (2006 - Lloyd Kaufman)
27. 10/22/07 - The Tripper (2007 - David Arquette)
28. 10/23/07 - Alone (2007 - Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoom)
29. 10/24/07 - Simon Says (2006 - Bill Dear)
30. 10/24/07 - Nightmare Detective (2006 - Shinya Tsukamoto)
31. 10/25/07 - Murder Party (2007 - Jeremy Saulnier)
32. 10/26/07 - Shutter (2004 - Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoom)
33. 10/27/07 - The Heirloom (2005 - Leste Chen)
34. 10/30/07 - The Changeling (1980 - Peter Medak)

 

[JohnRice]

(32) Irreversible
When I first watched this about four years ago I wondered why anyone would ever want to make it. My opinion hasn't changed. No rating, because I still don't know what to think of it.

(33) Silent Hill - :star::star::star: / :star::star::star::star::star:
This video game movie is different from most since it isn't a movie adaptation of the game so much as the game being played out in a movie. I think a lot of people didn't catch onto that, and unless you do, it comes off as poorly thought out. It is still a fairly weird experience, too long and the ending seems kind of pointless, other than to set up a sequel. Still, it's cool looking. Story has a heavy dose of Ringu with a touch of Carrie tossed in.

 

[Chucky P]

Here is my list, I’ll write the reviews in the near future.

First Time Viewings in BOLD

October 6
1. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
2. The Monster Squad (1987)
3. Frankenstein VS Baragon (1965)
October 4
4. Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965)
October 11
5. Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. (1966)
October 13
6. MST3K Show #206 Ring Of Terror (1990)
7. The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)
8. Mark of the Vampire (1935)
October 14
9. Doctor X (1932)
10. Dracula (1931)
October 16
11. The Return of Doctor X (1939)
October 17
12. The Fly (1958)
October 18
13. Return of the Fly (1959)
October 19
14. Curse of the Fly (1965)
October 20
15. Hangover Square (1945)
October 21
16. Dracula (1958) AKA Horror of Dracula
October 22
17. The Brides of Dracula (1960)
October 23
18. Death Proof (2007)
October 24
19. Planet Terror (2007)
October 25
20. Frankenstein (1931)
October 26
21. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
October 27
22. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
23. Mad Love (1935)
24. The Devil-Doll (1936)
25. The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
26. Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)
October 28
27. MST3K Show #206 The Unearthly (1991)
28. Red Eye (2005)
October 29
29. Sleepy Hollow (1999)
October 31
30. Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
31. Scars of Dracula (1970

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Okay, I am finished - here are my totals (I'm down 7 from last year)...
Michael, I recorded CRY OF THE WEREWOLF yesterday from TCM because I wanted a better copy, but since I'd already watched this one earlier in the month from 16mm tape dupe, I didn't count it twice. Before it was aired I saw that Tom and Jerry "Jekyll" cartoon too, but of course I didn't count it. Man, when I think of how many titles I could have had on my list if I'd counted cartoons, TV programs, or short subjects...!

TOTALS... SCARY MOVIE CHALLENGE 2007
01) The Phantom of the Opera (1925) ***
02) The Black Cat (1941) **1/2
03) Horror Island (1941) *1/2
04) Man Made Monster (1941) ***
05) Dracula (1931) ***
06) The Monster and the Girl (1941) *
07) The Lodger (1944) ***1/2
08) Hangover Square (1945) ***
09) The Undying Monster (1942) **1/2
10) Cat People (1942) ***
11) Cry of the Werewolf (1944) **
12) Night Monster (1942) **1/2
13) Captive Wild Woman (1943) **1/2
14) The Invisible Man Returns (1940) ***
15) The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944) **1/2
16) The Return of the Vampire (1943) ***
17) The Werewolf (1956) **1/2
18) Creature with the Atom Brain (1955) **1/2
19) The Giant Claw (1957) **
20) The Mummy (1932) **1/2
21) The Mummy's Hand (1940) ***
22) The Mummy's Tomb (1942) **1/2
23) The Mummy's Ghost (1944) ***
24) The Mummy's Curse (1944) **
25) Count Dracula (BBC 1977) ***
26) Frankenstein (1931) ****
27) The Old Dark House (1932) ***1/2
28) Bride of Frankenstein (1935) ****
29) 28 Weeks Later (2007) ***1/2
30) Corridors of Blood (1958) ***
31) Saw IV (2007) BOMB
32) Saw III (2006) **1/2
33) Dracula's Daughter (1936) ***1/2
34) Return of the Ape Man (1944) **1/2
35) The Wolf Man (1941) ****
36) The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) ***1/2
37) Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) ***
38) House of Frankenstein (1944) ***
39) House of Dracula (1945) **1/2
40) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931 - audio commentary ) ****
41) Mad Monster Party? (1966) **1/2
42) Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) ****

 

[John Stell]

078) 10/31/07 Bride of Chucky (1998) :star::star:1/2

Charles Lee Ray's old flame Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) resurrects her boyfriend and then finds herself inhabiting a doll. Amusing entry in the series has a lot of fun with the Chucky/Tiffany relationship. John Ritter has a small, villainous role.

079) 10/31/07 Seed of Chucky (2004) :star::star:

Chucky and Tiffany are reunited with their offspring, but don't know whether to call him Glen or Glenda. Not as funny as it thinks it is, with rather ho-hum murder set pieces, but also has its moments. A real mixed bag.

080) 10/31/07 Halloween (1978) :star::star::star::star:

A 21-year old mental patient escapes on October 30 and returns to the town where he murdered his sister 15 years earlier. John Carpenter's iconic thriller continues to pack a wallop thanks to his stylish direction, an outstanding cast, and a lean, mean screenplay. The numerous sequels and remake have done nothing to harm the original.

Final List:

001) 10/01/07 D The Mummy's Shroud (1966) :star::star:
002) 10/01/07 D Blood From the Mummy's Tomb (1971) :star::star:
003) 10/01/07 D Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1964) :star::star::star:1/2
004) 10/01/07 D From Beyond the Grave (1973) :star::star::star:
005) 10/02/07 D The Black Cat (1941) :star::star:1/2
006) 10/02/07 D Man Made Monster (1941) :star::star:1/2
007) 10/02/07 D Horror Island (1941) :star::star:1/2
008) 10/02/07 D Night Monster (1942) :star::star::star:
009) 10/03/07 D Captive Wild Woman (1943) :star::star:1/2
010) 10/03/07 D City of the Dead (1960) :star::star::star:1/2
011) 10/03/07 D Night of the Eagle (1961) :star::star::star:1/2
012) 10/03/07 D Witchcraft (1964) :star::star:1/2
013) 10/04/07 D The Vampire (1957) :star::star::star:
014) 10/04/07 D The Return of Dracula (1958) :star::star:1/2
015) 10/05/07 D The Undying Monster (1942) :star::star:1/2
016) 10/05/07 D The Lodger (1944) :star::star::star:
017) 10/06/07 D The Burning (1980) :star::star:1/2
018) 10/06/07 D Scarecrows (1988) :star::star:1/2
019) 10/06/07 D Hangover Square (1945) :star::star::star:
020) 10/07/07 D The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) :star::star::star:
021) 10/07/07 D Ghost Ship (1952) :star::star:
022) 10/07/07 D The Screaming Skull (1958) :star::star:
023) 10/07/07 D The Devil's Hand (1959) :star::star:
024) 10/08/07 D Phantasm (1979) :star::star:
025) 10/08/07 D Phantasm II (1987) :star::star:
026) 10/09/07 D Phantasm III (1993) :star:1/2
027) 10/09/07 D Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998) :star:
028) 10/10/07 D Night of the Living Dead (1968) :star::star::star::star:
029) 10/10/07 B Dawn of the Dead (1978) :star::star::star:
030) 10/11/07 B Day of the Dead (1985) :star::star:
031) 10/11/07 H Land of the Dead (2005) :star::star:1/2
032) 10/12/07 D Creature With the Atom Brain (1955) :star::star:
033) 10/12/07 D The Giant Claw (1957) :star:1/2
034) 10/12/07 D The Werewolf (1956) :star::star:1/2
035) 10/13/07 D Zombies of Mora Tau (1957) :star:1/2
036) 10/13/07 D Night of the Living Dead (1990) :star::star:
037) 10/13/07 H Dawn of the Dead (2004) :star::star::star:
038) 10/14/07 D Suspiria (1977) :star::star::star:1/2
039) 10/14/07 D The Toolbox Murders (1977) :star:
040) 10/14/07 D Satan's Cheerleaders (1976) 1/2:star:
041) 10/15/07 D How to Make a Monster (1958) :star::star:
042) 10/15/07 D Blood of Dracula (1957) :star::star:
043) 10/15/07 D Blood of the Vampire (1958) :star::star:1/2
044) 10/16/07 D Night of the Demon (1958) :star::star::star:1/2
045) 10/16/07 D I Vampiri (1956) :star::star:1/2
046) 10/16/07 D Attack of the 50Ft Woman (1958) :star::star:
047) 10/17/07 D The Haunted Strangler (1958) :star::star:1/2
048) 10/17/07 D Corridors of Blood (1958) :star::star:1/2
049) 10/17/07 D Bride of the Gorilla (1951) :star::star:
050) 10/18/07 D The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) :star::star::star:
051) 10/18/07 D Dr. Phibes Rises Again! (1972) :star::star:1/2
052) 10/19/07 D Theater of Blood (1973) :star::star::star::star:
053) 10/19/07 D Madhouse (1974) :star::star::star:
054) 10/19/07 D Witchfinder General (1968) :star::star::star:1/2
055) 10/20/07 D The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) :star::star::star::star:
056) 10/20/07 D The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) :star::star:1/2
057) 10/20/07 D Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) :star::star:
058) 10/21/07 D The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994) :star:
059) 10/21/07 D The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) :star::star:1/2
060) 10/22/07 D The House With Laughing Windows (1976) :star::star::star:1/2
061) 10/23/07 D Prince of Darkness (1987) :star::star:
062) 10/23/07 D The Nameless (1999) :star::star:1/2
063) 10/24/07 B Saw II (2005) :star::star:1/2
064) 10/24/07 D Saw III (2006) :star::star:
065) 10/25/07 D The Return of the Living Dead (1985) :star::star::star:
066) 10/25/07 D Return of the Living Dead 2 (1988) :star:
067) 10/26/07 D Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993) :star::star:
068) 10/26/07 D Bay of Blood (1971) :star::star::star:
069) 10/27/07 D Psycho (1960) :star::star::star::star:
070) 10/27/07 D Psycho II (1983) :star::star::star:
071) 10/28/07 D Psycho III (1986) :star::star::star:
072) 10/28/07 D Psycho IV (1990) :star::star:
073) 10/29/07 D The Brainiac (1961) :star::star:
074) 10/29/07 D Slaughter of the Vampires (1961) :star::star:
075) 10/30/07 D Child's Play (1988) :star::star::star:
076) 10/30/07 D Child's Play 2 (1990) :star::star:
077) 10/30/07 D Child's Play 3 (1991) :star::star:1/2
078) 10/31/07 D Bride of Chucky (1998) :star::star:1/2
079) 10/31/07 H Seed of Chucky (2004) :star::star:
080) 10/31/07 B Halloween (1978) :star::star::star::star:

Totals:

Total Films Watched: 80
New Films Watched: 9

 

[SteveGon]

Here's my final list!

Bolded titles are first viewings.

Ratings range from bomb to ****

Antibodies ***
Bad Taste ***
Black Sheep **1/2
Blade of Death *1/2
Blood of the Beast **1/2
The Burning **
Buttcrack **
The Boneyard ***
Come Get Some! **1/2
Creatures from the Pink Lagoon ***
Dawn of the Dead (1978 - European version) ***
Deadhunter: Sevillian Zombies **
Dead World **1/2
Dracula (1931) ***1/2
Drive Thru *1/2
Ebola Syndrome **1/2
Evil Night (short) **
Feast of the Dead (short) **
Fido ***
Frankenstein (1931) ***1/2
From Beyond **
Gory Gory Hallelujah **1/2
Ghoul School *1/2
Graveyard Disturbance **
Ice Spiders **
The Killbillies 1/2*
Living Dead Lock Up 2: March of the Dead *
Lord of Death **
Meatball Machine **1/2
Meat Market 3 ***
Murder Party ***
Night of the Bums **
Night of the Living Bread (short) **
Night of the Living Dead 3D **1/2
Night of the Zombies *1/2
Planet Terror ***1/2
The Reaping *
The Serpent and the Rainbow **1/2
Special dEaD ***
Splatter Beach *1/2
That Damned Thing ***
28 Weeks Later ***1/2
Wolfen ***
Zombie Xtreme (short) **
Zombie Nightmare **

Total films viewed: 45

First viewings: 34

 

[Brook K]

Ouch, climb aboard the SS Failboat with me. Circumstances broke the Universal horror tradition, the kids didn't get to bed until late, I fell asleep thirty minutes into Suspiria....I did manage to wake up hours later and watch the rest of No Telling. Technically it was November by that point, but I'm still counting it.

1. The Wicker Man "Director's Cut" Version - :star::star::star::star::star:
2. Phenomena - :star::star::star::star::star:
3. The Man Who Laughs - :star::star::star::star: 1/2
4. The Devil Rides Out - :star::star::star::star: 1/2
5. Opera - :star::star::star::star:
6. Dawn of the Dead (2004) - :star::star::star::star:
7. The Curse of Frankenstein - :star::star::star::star:
8. Black Christmas - :star::star::star::star:
9. Basket Case - :star::star::star::star:
10. 28 Weeks Later - :star::star::star::star:
11. Dracula Has Risen from the Grave - :star::star::star::star:
12. Horror of Dracula - :star::star::star:
13. Witchfinder General - :star::star::star:
14. Frankenweenie - :star::star::star:
15. Vincent - :star::star::star:
16. Them! - :star::star::star:
17. The Card Player - :star::star::star:
18. No Telling - :star::star: 1/2
19. Q - :star::star: 1/2
20. The Flesh and the Fiends - :star::star: 1/2
21. Cannibal Holocaust - :star::star: 1/2
22. Do You Like Hitchcock? - :star::star: 1/2
23. The Black Scorpion - :star::star: 1/2
24. 2001 Maniacs - :star::star: 1/2
25. The Church - :star::star: 1/2
26. Trauma - :star::star:
27. Dellamorte Dellamore - :star::star:
28. 1408 - :star::star:
29. SS Hell Camp - :star:1/2
30. Oasis of the Zombies - Bomb

Total Seen: 30
1st Time Viewings: 24
Best New Discoveries: The Man Who Laughs, The Devil Rides Out

 

[Ruz-El]

Holy crap! Looking at the numbers, way more movies were watched this year then last! Great work guys!

I snuck 3 in last night, all pretty random. I front loaded the challenge with the films I really wanted to see, so I sort of ran out and was just throwing in stuff to watch near the end. I really have to program the month better.

TURISTAS 3/5 : Not a bad horror flick in the vein of HOSTEL and the such. Vacationers in Brazil run into organ donors. The final set sequence in the under water caves distinguish this one.

THE DUNWICH HORROR 3/5 : Okay, this one kept putting me to sleep, but I really want to like it cause I tend to really like HP Lovecraft movies. I think this one just caught me on a bad mood, as I would wake up all mad that I missed some. (This is easily my worst review of the month.)

CANNIBAL FEROUX2/5 : Cannibal holocaust gets all the talk, but this one is just as nasty. Too much animal violence for my taste. The gore ranges from great work to laughable.

My final Tally! Posted here for Michaels convenience!

2007 List of HORROR, and Grindhouse trashy stuff (actually skipped the grindhouse biker films and such)... first timers in BLOOD RED!

Ratings based on 5 stars.
1=awful, and not in a fun way, 2=bad, 3=good/average, 4=really good/would watch again for sure, 5= amazing, a fave.

001. 10/01 HELLRAISER 4/5
002. 10/01 HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER 2 3.5/5
003. 10/01 HELLRAISER 3 : HELL ON EARTH 2.5/5
004. 10/02 HELLRAISER 7 : DEADER 1/5
005. 10/02 HELLRAISER 4 BLOODLINE: 2.5/5
006. 10/02 HELLRAISER INFERNO: 1.5/4
007. 10/02 HELLRAISER 6 HELLSEEKER 1/5
008. 10/03 HELLRAISER VIII : HELLWORLD 2/5
009. 10/03 MAD LOVE 4.5/5
010. 10/03 THE DEVIL DOLL 3/5
011. 10/03 DOCTOR X 3.5/5
012. 10/04 BATTLEGROUND 4/5
013. 10/04 THE RETURN OF DOCTOR X 3/5
014. 10/05 MARK OF THE VAMPIRE 2/5
015. 10/05 THE MASK OF FU MANCHU 3.5/5
016. 10/05 ATTACK OF THE 50FT WOMAN 2/5
017. 10/05 THE QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE 2.5/5
018. 10/06 THE GIANT BEHEMOTH 2.5/5
019. 10/06 THE SEALED ROOM 2/5
020. 10/06 THE BLACK ROOM 3/5
021. 10/06 THE MAN THEY COULD NOT HANG 3/5
022. 10/06 BEFORE I HANG 3/5
023. 10/06 THE BOOGIE MAN WILL GET YOU 2/5
024. 10/06 THE DAMNED THING 3.5/5
025. 10/06 THE V WORD 4/5
026. 10/06 SOUNDS LIKE 3.5/5
027. 10/06 THE SCREWFLY SOLUTION 4/5
028. 10/06 VALERIE ON THE STAIRS 4/5
029. 10/07 WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM 2/5
030. 10/07 4-D MAN 3/5
031. 10/07 THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS 2.5/5
032. 10/07 ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES 1.5/5
033. 10/07 SPIDERBABY OR THE MADDEST STORY EVER TOLD 4/5
034. 10/07 THE COMPANY OF WOLVES 3.5/5
035. 10/07 LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES 2.5/5
036. 10/07 TWISTED SISTERS (2005) 3/5
037. 10/07 SANTA SANGRE 3/5
038. 10/08 THE BROOD 4/5
039. 10/08 TALES OF TERROR 3/5
040. 10/08 TWICE TOLD TALES 2/5
041. 10/08 THEATER OF BLOOD 2/5
042. 10/08 MADHOUSE 3/5
043. 10/09 THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES 3.5/5
044. 10/09 DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN! 3/5
045. 10/10 WITCHFINDER GENERAL 4/5
046. 10/12 HORROR EXPRESS 3/5
047. 10/12 THE FURY OF THE WOLFMAN 1.5/5
048. 10/13 PHANTOM FROM SPACE 1/5
049. 10/13 THE PHANTOM PLANET 2/5
050. 10/13 THE DESCENT 4/5
051. 10/13 THE HILLS HAVE EYES 2 1.5/5
052. 10/13 THE BLACK CAT 4/5
053. 10/14 THE WASHINGTONIANS .5/5
054. 10/14 THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE 3.5/5
055. 10/14 FIRST MAN INTO SPACE 3/5
056. 10/14 THE HAUNTED STRANGLER 3/5
057. 10/14 CORRIDORS OF BLOOD 3.5/5
058. 10/14 HOUSE OF A 1000 CORPSES 2/5
059. 10/14 YONGARY 2/5
060. 10/14 KONGA 1.5/5
061. 10/15 COUCH END 2.5/5
062. 10/15 THE FLY 4/5
063. 10/15 FRIDAY THE 13th (UNCUT INTERNATIONAL VERSION) 3/5
064. 10/16 UMNEY'S LAST CASE 3/5
065. 10/16 A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART 2 : FREDDY'S REVENGE 2/5
066. 10/16 A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3 : THE DREAM WARRIORS 4/5
067. 10/16 A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4 : THE DREAM MASTER 2/5
068. 10/17 THE END OF THE WHOLE MESS 4/5
069. 10/17 A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5 : THE DREAM CHILD 2.5/5
070. 10/17 A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 6 : FREDDY'S DEAD 2/5
071. 10/18 THE ROAD VIRUS HEADS NORTH 2.5/5
072. 10/18 WES CRAVEN'S NEW NIGHTMARE 4/5
073. 10/18 SHIVERS 2/5
074. 10/19 THE CHANGLING 4/5
075. 10/19 RETURN OF THE FLY 2/5
076. 10/20 CURSE OF THE FLY 2.5/5
077. 10/20 PREMATURE BURIAL 3.5/5
078. 10/20 X : THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES 4.5/5
079. 10/20 JASON X 1.5/5
080. 10/20 SEVERANCE 3.5/5
081. 10/20 RAZOR BLADE SMILE 0.5/5
082. 10/21 FEAST 4/5
083. 10/21 ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS 4/5
084. 10/21 THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA 0.5/5
085. 10/21 THE HAND 3.5/5
086. 10/21 THE WOODS 3/5
087. 10/21 DEATH PROOF 4.5/5
088. 10/21 CRONOS 4/5
089. 10/22 KARLA 2/5
090. 10/22 HALLOWEEN 6 - THE PRODUCERS CUT 3/5
091. 10/23 THE GORE GORE GIRLS 3.5/5
092. 10/23 A TASTE OF BLOOD 1/5
093. 10/23 NIGHTMARE AT ELM MANOR 2.5/5
094. 10/24 AUTOPSY ROOM FOUR 4/5
095. 10/24 30 DAYS OF NIGHT 3/5
096. 10/24 DOCTOR GORE 2/5
097. 10/25 YOU KNOW THEY GOT A HELL OF A BAND 3.5/5
098. 10/25 QUEST OF THE PERFECT WOMAN - THE VAMPIRE OF MARRAKESH 1/5 / MANIAC HOSPITAL 2/5
099. 10/25 THE WIZARD OF GORE 1.5/5
100. 10/26 FROM HELL 2.5/5
101. 10/26 THE GRUESOME TWOSOME 1.5/5
102. 10/26 SOMETHING WEIRD 2.5/5
103. 10/27 I DRINK YOUR BLOOD 2.5/5
104. 10/27 BLOODSUCKING FREAKS 3/5
105. 10/28 DREAM CRUISE 2/5
106. 10/28 THE NEW YORK RIPPER 2.5/5
107. 10/28 MANIAC 3.5/5
108. 10/28 THE DEVILS 3.5/5
109. 10/28 RAGDOLL 1/5
110. 10/28 THE MANITOU 2/5
111. 10/29 RACE WITH THE DEVIL 4/5
112. 10/29 TED BUNDY 2.5/5
113. 10/29 SHADOW PUPPETS 2.5/5
114. 10/30 HALLOWEEN (2007) 4/5
115. 10/30 STREET TRASH 3/5
116. 10/31 TURISTAS 3/5
117. 10/31 THE DUNWICH HORROR 3/5
118. 10/31 CANNIBAL FEROUX2/5

99 first time viewings.

Now I don't know what to watch, picking movies was so easy during the challenge.

 

[Mario Gauci]

10/31/07: THE PREMONITION (Robert Allen Schnitzer, 1976) :star::star:

This seemed intriguing from its synopsis and, having received a “Special Edition” treatment on DVD, I had high hopes for it – but, ultimately, the movie proved a disappointment! Hence, I contrived to end my Halloween challenge this year with a whimper as opposed to a bang (worse still, it wasn’t even really a horror film:frowning!!

Anyway, the plot has to do with the kidnapping of a child from a foster home by its natural but unbalanced mother (Ellen Barber); aiding her is a creepy carny – played for all the eccentricity he’s worth by Richard Lynch (his egomaniac here isn’t all that different from the actor himself, as seen in his 15-minute career overview included on Media Blasters’ DVD). The foster mother (Sharon Farrell) discovers she has paranormal abilities and attempts to locate her adopted daughter with the help of her befuddled husband’s expert black female colleague. All the while, however, she has to contend with weird hallucinations – apparitions by a bloodied Barber (she having been killed by her own partner) and especially the recurring forming of ice on mirrors as if to obfuscate her view into the psyche (which, at one point, even causes Farrell to crash her car). Reliable veteran character actor Jeff Corey also appears as the investigating Police Detective.

The film had potential (in the accompanying interview, director Schnitzer states that when he was offered the original script – which he reworked – the parapsychology element wasn’t even present!) but the end result is slow, muddled (would-be surreal visuals aren’t enough in this case to keep one interested), pretentious (there’s no explanation, for instance, as to why Lynch and Barber have to go into the occasional psychotic rage – which is as close as it comes to horror throughout), dull and even ludicrous (the finale in which the girl is ‘lured’ into the open by having Farrell play a tune on a grand piano in the town square in the middle of the night in front of an audience of curious onlookers!).


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


As I said earlier, my total tally for this year was 72 – an increase of 10 titles over the 2006 Halloween challenge (though my original schedule included as many as 103!). Still, a lot of circumstances arose over the course of the month – computer trouble, sick dog and my own (and my brother’s) cold – which forced me to postpone a lot of other films I would have liked to watch (I already mentioned some of these in a previous post).

Anyway, not counting shorts/TV episodes I watched during the month, the following are all the titles that received a rating of
:star::star::star: or more from me (listed in order of merit):


1.JEKYLL (1969; TV mini-series)
2.THE RETURN OF DRACULA (1958)
3.WITCHCRAFT (1964)
4.DARK WATERS (1994)
5.THE FLY (1958)
6.THE BLOOD ROSE (1969)
7.THE VAMPIRE (1957)
8.THE VAULT OF HORROR (1973)
9.THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987)
10.BUG (1975)
11.THE DARK HALF (1993)
12.TRANCERS (1985)


Apart from THE FLY and THE MONSTER SQUAD, all of these were first-time viewings.

 

[Jeff Reis]

My final list--I did make it to 31 but didn't keep up with comments....
First time viewings in orange. 5 Star Scale

1) 10/1 The Prowler (1981) :star: :star:
2) 10/1 Cult Of The Cobra (1955) :star: :star:1/2
3) 10/2 Witchfinder General (1968) :star: :star: :star: :star:1/2
4) 10/3 Hatchet For The Honeymoon (1970) :star: :star: :star: :star:
5) 10/4 The Burning (1981) :star: :star:1/2
6) 10/8 Visiting Hours (1982) :star: :star:1/2
7) 10/9 Horror Island (1941) :star: :star:1/2
8) 10/10 The Food Of The Gods (1976) :star: :star: :star:
9) 10/10 Friday The 13th (1980) :star: :star: :star:1/2
10) 10/11 Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (2007) :star: :star:
11) 10/15 The Breed (2006) :star: :star:1/2
12) 10/16 Night Train To Terror (1985) :star:1/2
13) 10/16 Return Of The Blind Dead (1973) :star: :star: :star:
14) 10/17 The Earth Dies Screaming (1965) :star: :star:1/2
15) 10/18 Eaten Alive (1977) :star: :star: :star:1/2
16) 10/18 Gorilla At Large (1954) :star: :star:1/2
17) 10/24 Tales From The Crypt (1972) :star: :star: :star: :star:
18) 10/25 Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) :star: :star:1/2
19) 10/25 Planet Terror (2007) :star: :star: :star: :star:1/2
20) 10/26 Baron Blood (1972) :star: :star: :star:
21) 10/26 Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988) :star: :star:
22) 10/27 Die, Die My Darling (1965) :star: :star:
23) 10/27 Diary of A Madman (1963) :star: :star: :star:
24) 10/28 Them! (1954) :star: :star: :star:1/2
25) 10/28 Man Made Monster (1941) :star: :star: :star:
26) 10/28 Zombies Of Mora Tau (1957) :star: :star:
27) 10/30 Goke: Body Snatcher From Hell (1968) :star: :star:1/2
28) 10/30 Death Curse Of Tartu (1966) :star:1/2
29) 10/31 Lisa And The Devil (1973) :star: :star: :star:
30) 10/31 Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (1982) :star: :star: :star:1/2
31) 10/31 Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon (2006) :star: :star:1/2

 

[Malcolm R]

I never seemed to get my rhythm going for this year's Challenge. Real life seemed to keep interfering, and I became more interested in the fall TV season than I anticipated, all of which conspired to keep my total down from even last year's modest list (compared to most of you). I also didn't watch as much classic horror as I'd hoped. :frowning:

SAW III :star::star:

The cast is smaller, the traps are nastier, but Saw III still delivers some decent tension despite the rather spare plot upon which the gore is hung. Not up to the level of the first two films, but it still makes me want to see Saw IV and remains better than many of Hollywood's attempts within the genre.

HOUSE OF WAX (1953) :star::star:1/2

Vincent Price's disfigured artist loses the use of his hands to make his intricate waxwork figures, so he begins using real corpses instead to fill his historic tableaus and "chamber of horrors". Pretty tame by today's standards, but it must have been a hoot at the time, especially when seen in 3D. It was also fun to see some actors in their early roles who later became much more famous (Carolyn Jones and Charles Bronson).

SUMMARY
Highest rating = :star::star::star::star:
First-Time Viewed Titles in RED

1. THE MUMMY (1932) :star::star::star:
2. THE MUMMY'S HAND (1940) :star::star:
3. AMERICAN PSYCHO :star::star:1/2
4. THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN :star::star:
5. TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA! :star:1/2
6. POLTERGEIST :star::star::star:
7. EIGHT-LEGGED FREAKS :star::star::star:
8. POLTERGEIST II :star::star::star:
9. POLTERGEIST III :star::star:
10. ABOMINABLE :star::star::star:
11. CRITTERS 2 :star::star:1/2
12. BELOW :star::star::star:1/2
13. CANDYMAN :star::star:1/2
14. THE BIRDS :star:1/2
15. CANDYMAN: FAREWELL TO THE FLESH :star::star::star:
16. THE GRAVEDANCERS :star::star:1/2
17. CURSED :star:1/2
18. TFTC: DEMON KNIGHT :star::star:1/2
19. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING :star::star:
20. DARKNESS FALLS :star::star:
21. ROSEMARY'S BABY :star::star:
22. BLACK CHRISTMAS (2006) :star::star:
23. SAW II :star::star::star:
24. SAW III :star::star:
25. HOUSE OF WAX (1953) :star::star:1/2

 

[Brian Kissinger]

As always, it's been fun. My goal was to get at least one more than last year (31) and I made it. Yay me. All told, 29 first viewings.

Final List

1. Freeze Frame C
2. The Lost Boys B
3. Bubba Ho-Tep A-
4. The Messengers F
5. Cannibal Holocaust C
6. When a Stranger Calls (2006) D
7. The Covenant C-
8. Bug A-
9. Tokyo Zombie B
10. Black Sheep C-
11. Vacancy C
12. Hot Wax Zombies on Wheels C-
13. Night of the Comet C
14. Return to Halloweentown D
15. Chaos C-
16. Mustang Sally's Horror House C
17. The Hills Have Eyes II D
18. The Thing From Another World A
19. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon B+
20. Dead and Breakfast C
21. Planet Terror B+
22. Slither A-
23. Family B-
24. Pelts B
25. Nailed B
26. The Number 23 C
27. Turistas C-
28. Battleground B-
29. Crouch End D
30. Umney's Last Case B
31. Hostel II B
32. Zombie Campout C
33. 28 Weeks Later B
34. Pro-Life B
35. Special Dead C

 

[Michael Elliott]

Enlighten us all and tell us how many you would have had if you cheated.

 

[Ruz-El]

I thought we were allowed to cheat no? that reminds me:

119 BABES IN ARMS
120 SOMETHING WEIRD (with commentary)
121 BOXING (awesome gore)
122 A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES (technically a book, but fuck was it annoying and horrible.)
123 MEDAL OF HONOR AIRBORN : I kept getting killed, yet could continue. Sounds like a zombie to me!

XD

Just kidding. It wouldn't be a scary movie challenge without panties getting in a bunch.

 

[Christopher B]

Sorry I don't have time this year to do any reviews, but I did manage a fair amount of movies!

1.Halloween (1978) **** out of ****
2.Halloween 2 **
3.Wes Craven’s New Nightmare ***
4.Love Object ***
5.Poltergeist ****
6.Prophecy ***
7.The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) **
8.The Relic ***
9.Re-Animator ****
10.Dead Zone ****
11.The Thing From Another World ****
12.Cult of the Cobra **
13.Dr. Cyclops **
14.Land of Unknown **
15.The Leech Woman **
16.The Deadly Mantis **
17.Afraid of the Dark ***
18.Spider Baby *** I
19.From Beyond **
20.Planet Terror ****
21.Demons 2 **
22.April Fool’s Day **
23.Friday the 13th Part VI Jason Lives *
24.Friday the 13th Part VIII Jason Takes Manhattan *
25.Jigoku ***
26.Audrey Rose ***
27.Stephen King’s Graveyard Shift **
28.The Mothman Prophecies ***
29.Christine ***
30.Critters ***
31.Land of the Dead ****
32.Ju-On ***
33.Infection ***
34.Prime Evil *
35.Don’t Answer the Phone **
36.The Haunting (1963) ****
37.Seven Days To Live *
38.The Zodiac Killer (1971) ****
39.The Sex Killer *
40.Zero In and Scream *

 

[Joe Karlosi]

"Cheated" is a strong word, and it's yours, not mine!

 

[TravisR]

I think there should be a breakdown of who watched the most new titles (maybe by percentage). No doubt, I'd get my ass kicked that way since I'm happy in my horror rut.

 

[Ruz-El]

Chirstopher B is my hero for ending the challenge with the Something Weird Video triple bill. XD. I watched it last challenge, The Zodiac Killer is interesting, sex killer not bad and the zero in best not mentioned.

 

[Ruz-El]

no way! I think I might sneak a win that way and I don't want the responsibility of starting this next year!

 

[Marc Fedderman]

I managed to squeeze in 31 horror films. I just couldn’t countenance a horror only month though.

I didn’t really comment on the films I was watching, so I’ll note that I had two goals (both met) during this challenge. Firstly I wanted to watch an entire horror franchise from start to finish in chronological order. In this case, it was the Nightmare on Elm Street series. I know that I’ve watched some of these films in the past, but for the life of me, couldn’t remember any other than the first. This is apt I suppose, because there isn’t much to distinguish parts 2 through 6. I’ll agree with the critical consensus, in that the first and last (Wes Craven’s New Nightmare) films are the real standouts and the only entries with significant rewatchability. Although each of the inferior films has something to recommend it, it seems that they exist more like a series of gory vignettes than cohesive, whole films. Freddy, descends to asinine caricature in the sequels and it is Craven’s canny depiction of him as Hollywood creation cum symbol of all that is nightmarish that distinguishes the final film from the others. I don’t know if I’d want to watch most of the films again, but at least that colossal box set no longer feels like a waste of money. I haven’t gotten to the bonus disc yet, but I intend to do so shortly.

My second goal was to focus on a particular theme within the genre, a sub-genre if you will. I decided to explore three gems that might be included under the rubric of dystopian futures. Namely, I watched Delicatessen, Brazil, and Blade Runner. None were first time viewings, but seeing these three superb films in short order gave me a newfound appreciation for their brilliance. Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Delicatessen and Terry Gilliam’s Brazil offer at turns hilarious and harrowing accounts of what the future might hold. Their most marked departure comes in the ways they conclude, presenting disparate visions, which are consistent with the worldview and cinematic ethos of each director. Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner offers a more sobering tone than the other two films. Despite being limited to the technology of the early 1980’s, it is as (if not more) visually arresting as anything made 20+ years later with the benefit of CGI. This time around I was most struck by Rutger Hauer’s chilling portrayal of the replicant Roy Batty. He spends relatively little time on screen (compared to Deckard) but leaves us with some of the films most indelible images, particularly during the rainy rooftop sequence. I eagerly await the release of the Blade Runner mega-set.

All told I watched 25 films for the first time, considering my disclaimer about the NoES films, so I consider this to be a successful challenge.

Below is the complete list of films, with first time viewings in bold.

1. 10/1: April Fool's Day :star: :star: 1/2
2. 10/1: Buffy the Vampire Slayer :star: :star:
3. 10/2: Scream :star: :star: :star: :star:
4. 10/3: Scream 2 :star: :star: :star:
5. 10/4: Scream 3 :star: :star: :star:
6. 10/4: My Bloddy Valentine :star: 1/2
7. 10/5: Homicidal :star: :star: :star:
8. 10/6: Delicatessen :star: :star: :star: 1/2
9. 10/6: Plan 9 From Outer Space :star: :star:
10. 10/9: Night of the Ghouls :star:
11. 10/10: I Bury the Living :star: :star: 1/2
12. 10/10: The Stuff :star: :star:
13. 10/11: Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 :star: :star: 1/2
14. 10/12: A Nightmare on Elm Street :star: :star: :star:
15. 10/13: Prom Night :star: :star:
16. 10/15: A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy'd Revenge :star: :star:
17. 10/16: Carnival of Souls :star: :star: :star:
18. 10/18: A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors :star: :star:
19. 10/18: Pan's Labyrinth :star: :star: :star:
20. 10/20: Shaun of the Dead :star: :star: :star: 1/2
21. 10/20: The Tomb of Ligea :star: :star:
22. 10/21: The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
23. 10/23: The Wasp Woman :star: 1/2
24. 10/23: The Abominable Dr. Phibes :star: :star: :star:
25. 10/25: The Devil's Rejects :star: :star: :star:
26. 10/25: Brazil :star: :star: :star: :star:
27. 10/26: A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master :star: 1/2
28. 10/27: Blade Runner (DC) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
29. 10/28: A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child :star: :star:
30. 10/29: Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare :star: :star: 1/2
31. 10/30: Wes Craven's New Nightmare :star: :star: :star: