***Official 6th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge*** - Page 15

Quote (originally posted by Joe Karlosi):

"Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (2005)

Oh, brother. I had my hopes up with everyone else that Paul Schrader's vision of this film would be good, but it stank up my living room this afternoon. Talky, uninteresting and insipid. I was one of those who expected to hate Renny Harlin's BEGINNING because I was annoyed that Warner switched to him after dumping Schrader's version because it wasn't "scary enough". Well, Harlin's version turned out to be a pleasant surprise for me - not a great film, but an interesting take on a priest's loss of faith which was more serious than I expected. Stellan Skarsgard was terrific in Harlin's film; I thought he was less so in Schrader's, and his character less intriguing. While the silly ending of Harlin's version sinks that film, this one's not a hell of a lot less lame. Just as there were "annoying CGI effects" in Harlin's version, they're here too. Though it was far from perfect, I'll take the Harlin film over this."


Joe, it's weird how we both ended up watching this almost simultaneously!

Anyway, I'm kind of ambivalent towards it: while undeniably superior to Renny Harlin's version, in my opinion, it still felt underwhelming when stacked up against Friedkin's original or the 1990 entry in the "Exorcist" saga. Of course, the film differs (for the better) in several ways from Harlin's EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING (2004; my review of which, by the way, appears on Page 19 of the "2005 Track The Films You Watch" thread) and, while I had found the plotline of that one intermittently intriguing, DOMINION is definitely interesting in the way Christianity is shown as paradoxical rather than reassuring but also in how Fr. Merrin's dilemma, which shook his faith to be begin with, resurfaces (in a very similar context) just as the demon makes his presence felt for the first time. This latter aspect, however, is actually where the film disappoints: Schrader's demon is nowhere near as impressive - for lack of a better word - as the one concocted by William Peter Blatty in the first and third films in the series; one almost feels that it was included, against the director's wishes, simply because it was a prerequisite - especially when considering that most of the "evil" perpetrated in the film is committed not by the "possessed" boy but by ostensibly normal people (albeit with a misguided sense of civil authority and moral justice)! The two brief dream sequences with a bandaged-up Merrin confronting the demon add a welcome touch of strangeness to the film but - as was the case with the Harlin version - the CGI effects are truly pathetic, sad to say. As a final note, I can't say that I blame Warners much for panicking and wanting to re-shoot the whole thing with a new director...except that what they ended up with was more commercial, yes, but even less worthwhile in the long run!


P.S. Mike, I've been trying to find some time to reply to some of your latest "reviews" but, hang on in there, tomorrow's my last day at work THANK GOD and I'll be free for the next 3 days before departing for the U.S.A.

10/27/05

Hellraiser (1987)
Don't ask me how I never got around to seeing this until now, even though I did see both HELLRAISER 2 and 3 in the theaters (both of which did little for me; maybe that's why) but I felt it was about time I got to this modern 'classic'. I thought this original was very interesting and creepy, though what I really liked most about it was the character of the middle-aged Julia (Clare Higgins) and how she is the instrument by which all the mayhem occurs. Higgins was the best thing about it, and it was a nice change of pace to see an adult becoming the center of the story rather than another typical teenager. The ironic thing is that the sinister Pinhead and his sillier fellow demons were the least interesting ingredients to me here; and their appearances were kept to a minimum for this first hurrah, which I think actually benefited the film.


SCARY MOVIE CHALLENGE 2005 (First timers in BOLD)
01) Indestructible Man (1956) **1/2
02) The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) ***1/2
03) The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) ***
04) The Seventh Victim (1943) **
05) Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) **1/2
06) Isle of the Dead (1945) **1/2
07) The Body Snatcher (1945) ****
08) Cat People (1942) **
09) Carrie (1976) ***
10) Bedlam (1946) ***
11) Abbott & Costello Meet Dr Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1953) **1/2
12) I Walked With a Zombie (1943) ***
13) The Invisible Man (1933) ****
14) The Devil's Rain (1975) **1/2
15) Grizzly (1976) **
16) Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968) ***
17) Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) **
18) The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) ***
19) I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) ***
20) I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957) **
21) Blood of Dracula (1957) **
22) How to Make a Monster (1958) ***
23) Night of Terror (1933) **
24) Invisible Ghost (1941) ***
25) Werewolf of London (1935) **1/2
26) She-Wolf of London (1946) *
27) The Wolf Man (1941) ****
28) Phantasm (1979) **1/2
29) Freddy vs. Jason (2003) ***
30) Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) ***
31) Saw (2004) ****
32) Phantasm II (1988) **
33) House of Dracula (1945) **1/2
34) Dracula's Daughter (1936) ***1/2
35) House on Haunted Hill (1958) **1/2
36) The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) **1/2
37) Island of Lost Souls (1933) ****
38) The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) **1/2
39) Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (2005) *
40) Hellraiser (1987) ***

This looks awesome.

Warning: mature content!

Love that theme song!

"Oh my God, here's another verse
just when you thought it couldn't get any worse..."

The Fly Can't say for sure why I'd never seen this film before. I'm a fan of Cronenberg, I love scifi/horror... It just doesn't add up. Anyway, I finally did see it and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I have to say that it isn't a choice time to watch the last half hour of this film while eating your breakfast. So anyone who plans on doing so has been forewarned. (3.5/5)

The Making of Psycho As Michael said earlier, this is an excellent "making of" documentary, giving great insight into the creation of the masterpiece and of Hitchcock's proclivities while making his films. A must for any aspiring filmmaker or film fan in general, this will educate and inspire. (4.5/5)

2005 Scary Movie List
1. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (4/5) (new)
2. Night of the Living Dead (5/5)
3. Dawn of the Dead (2.5/5) (new)
4. Poltergeist (4/5)
5. Creepshow (1/5) (new)
6. Land of the Dead (3/5) (new)
7. Young Frankenstein (5/5)
8. 28 Days Later (4.5/5) (new)
9. Ghostbusters (5/5)
10. Evil Dead (3/5)
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas Commentary Track(3.5/5) (new)
12. House of 1000 Corpses (2/5) (new)
13. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (4/5) (new)
14. Friday the 13th Part 3 (1.5/5) (new)
15. Son of Frankenstein (4.5/5) (new)
16. Saw (3/5) (new)
17. House of Frankenstein (2.5/5) (new)
18. Seven (4.5/5)
19. Jaws (5/5)
20. From Hell (3.5/5) (new)
21. House of the Dead (BOMB) (new)
22. Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (2.5/5) (new)
23. Identity (2.5/5) (new)
24. Blood Simple (3/5) (new)
25. The Wicker Man (3/5) (new)
26. High Tension (2/5) (new)
27. Dementia 13 (3.5/5) (new)
28. The Others (3.5/5)
29. Last House on the Left (1/5) (new)
30. Friday the 13th Part 2 (2/5) (new)
31. The Amityville Horror, 2005 (1/5) (new)
32. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (4/5) (new)
33. Resident Evil: Apocalypse (1/5) (new)
34. The Omen (5/5) (new)
35. Halloween (5/5)
36. Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (2/5) (new)
37. Shaun of the Dead (4.5/5)
38. Rebecca (4/5) (new)
39. Friday the 13th Part 4 (3/5) (new)
40. Scream (3.5/5)
41. Friday the 13th Part 5 (3/5) (new)
42. The Last House on the Left Commentary Track (2/5) (new)
43. Scream Commentary Track (3/5) (new)
44. The Fly, 1986 (3.5/5) (new)
45. The Making of Psycho (4.5/5) (new)

Cat People - The Val Lewton set is here! The Val Lewton set is here!! Finally...This film is mainly about shadows and light. Some gorgeous photography adds to the suspense (particularly in the pool scene as the rippling water bounces off the ceiling while the "cat" prowls around the edges). Not much horror going on, but still a great film.

Wendigo - A family goes off to a winter retreat and runs afoul of a local hunter. Meanwhile, the young boy is having "visions" of a creature thought to inhabit the woods. Occasionally spooky with some neat editing work, but overall it stumbles along. A big reason is the dialogue between the husband and wife which feels off - I'm sure a good portion is improvised, but it works against the movie. Strange too, because Patricia Clarkson is one of my favourite actresses.

Dog Soldiers - Seriously intense stuff. The cow scene at the campfire literally made me jump off the couch. And once they get to the stand off between the soldiers and the dog soldiers, it doesn't let up. Phew!

Curse Of The Cat People - Doesn't fit into horror in my book, but it's still a really interesting film. Whoever mentioned that the creepiest part of the film is the way that the parents deal with the child was right. Good story told well.

Wild Zero - Alien zombies invade and it's up to Japan's punk rock band Guitar Wolf to save the day! Silly beyond belief and not scary, but a whole bunch of fun. Even has a Crying Game moment.


October Scary Movie Challenge 2005 (first time viewings in bold):

1. April Fool's Day - 10/03/05
2. In The Mouth Of Madness - 10/04/05
3. Dead Ringers - 10/08/05
4. Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer - 10/09/05
5. Psycho - 10/10/05
6. Nightmare - 10/12/05
7. Wishing Stairs - 10/12/05
8. Tetsuo: The Iron Man - 10/12/05
9. The Innocents - 10/15/05
10. The Thing - 10/15/05
11. Scream - 10/16/05
12. Scream 2 - 10/16/05
13. Scream 3 - 10/17/05
14. Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed - 10/18/05
15. Ginger Snaps III: The Beginning - 10/18/05
16. Eraserhead - 10/19/05
17. Dawn Of The Dead (2004) - 10/21/05
18. The Sixth Sense - 10/21/05
19. Tenebre - 10/22/05
20. Shallow Ground - 10/22/05
21. The Grudge - 10/23/05
22. Saw - 10/23/05
23. When A Stranger Calls - 10/24/05
24. Ghost Story - 10/24/05
25. They - 10/25/05
26. Cat People - 10/26/05
27. Wendigo - 10/26/05
28. Dog Soldiers - 10/27/05
29. Curse Of The Cat People - 10/27/05
30. Wild Zero - 10/28/05

First time viewings in Red

Zombies on Broadway (1945)
Really dumb Horror/Comedy features a pair of Abbott & Costello wannabe’s against Voodoo Doctor Bela Lugosi and his zombie hordes. Oh my.

Circus of Fear (1966)
More schlock from Blue Underground, this one is essentially a British crime film marketed as a horror flick with cheapo production values & a murky plot about some stolen loot hidden away in a circus. Poor Chris Lee looks embarrassed as the lion tamer.

Demon Seed (1977)
Essentially 2001: A Space Odyssey meets Rosemary’s Baby as an evil A.I. seeks to impregnate a woman. Hey it’s typical 70’s Sci-fi so pass the cheese.

Small Soldiers (1998)
This Joe Dante fantasy is best described as a cross between Toy Story and Gremlins, though it falls short of both.

Ginger Snaps Unleashed (2004)
Well since Ginger is dead, her sister takes the lead as the new chick with a tail. Meh, Ginger was way hotter.



2005 HTF October Scary Movie Challenge
1. The Return of Dr X (1939)
2. The Amityville Horror (2005)
3. The Cat People (1942)
4. The Curse of the Cat People (1944)
5. I Walked With A Zombie (1943)
6. The Body Snatcher (1945)
7. Bedlam (1946)
8. Isle of the Dead (1945)
9. The Ghost Ship (1943)
10. The Leopard Man (1943)
11. The Seventh Victim (1943)
12. The Fly (1986)
13. The Vampire Bat (1933)
14. High Tension (2003)
15. Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
16. The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1974)
17. Psycho (1960)
18. The Birds (1962)
19. Frenzy (1972)
20. The Flesh and the Fiends (1959)
21. Land of the Dead (2005)
22. And Soon the Darkness (1970)
23. Daikaiju Baran (1958)
24. Rope (1948)
25. Zombies on Broadway (1945)
26. Circus of Fear (1966)
27. Demon Seed (1977)
28. Small Soldiers (1998)
29. Ginger Snaps Unleashed (2004)

Basket Case (1981)

Siamese twin brothers - one normal and one deformed and murderous - seek revenge on the doctors who separated them. Low-budget horror classic that's effective despite the poor acting.

out of

Got a taste of badly dubbed Mexican 1960's horror. Unfortunately it left me with the same feeling as that time I ate 10 hardshells at Taco Bell: Satisfied, but gassy and kinda gross:

"Robot Vs. The Aztec Mummy" 2.5/5: It's got a mummy, it's got a robot, they fight. To bad it has a plot that makes no sense, dubbing that just adds to the confusion, and the feeling that 3 films were cut into one, with a constant narration used to make sense of it all.

"Braniac" 2.5/5: A fact based historical tale about a Baron 1661 who swears to come back in 300 hundred years to kill the ancestors of the inquesitioners who are burning him to death (NO ONE ESCAPES THE SPANISH INQUISITION!). Funny enough, he comes back 300 years later, to 1961, realizes that vengeance is wrong, drops acid, hitchhikes across America, finds himself, and starts an organic farm. Okay, he doesn't do that, what he does is return as a big headed demon thing with a long tongue to suck out peoples brains and claw hands that look suspiciously like those on the Robot from the Aztec Mummy movie. Not as fun as Robot Vs. Aztec Mummy, as this film had neither robots or mummy's to explore that age old question of the superiority of science Vs. faith, but it did have a historically accurate Spanish inquisition theme, I think.

"The Ghost Ship" 3.5/5: Another winner from the Val Lewton set. Others have spoke of it, so my silence shall deafen you!

See post 45 on page 2 for my scrumptious list of tasty treats.

First time viewings in bold:


10/26 - The Witch - 3.5/5
- A man goes to work for an old woman cataloging her library because he has seen and immediately fallen in love with her daughter. Before he can get the daughter, though, he must take care of the man is replacing in both the job and as lover. Interesting movie even if the big twist doesn't payoff because of its predictability. While there aren't a lot of horror moments, there are a few creepy scenes. Just the thought of what was happening to all of those cats was enough to make me feel uneasy.


10/27 - What Have You Done to Solange? - 4.5/5
- One of my favorite gialli. This one deals with the grisly murders of stundents at an all girls school. Solange is much more serious and has a darker tone than a lot of the other gialli I've seen. Although most of the death scenes occur offscreen, what is implied is very uncomforable.



2005 Scary Movie Challenge Summary

1. Don't Torture a Duckling - 4/5
2. Dungeon of Harrow - 1/5
3. The Big Alligator River - 2.5/5
4. Son of Frankenstein - 4.5/5
5. Halloween: Resurrection - 2/5
6. The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake - 3/5
7. Tombs of the Blind Dead - 4/5
8. Return of the Evil Dead - 3.5/5
9. The Ghost Galleon - 3/5
10. Night of the Seagulls - 2.5/5
11. Jaws: The Revenge - 1/5
12. Dracula A.D. 1972 - 3.5/5
13. The Man with Nine Lives - 2.5/5
14. Swamp Thing - 2/5
15. Pyro - 3/5
16. The Mummy's Ghost - 2.5/5
17. Good Against Evil - 1.5/5
18. High Tension - 4.5/5
19. The Long Hair of Death - 3/5
20. A Whisper in the Dark - 4/5
21. Night of the Lepus - 1.5/5
22. Midnight - 0/5
23. Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy - 2.5/5
24. The Spiral Staircase - 4/5
25. I Walked with a Zombie - 5/5
26. The Seventh Victim - 3.5/5
27. Cat People - 4/5
28. Exorcist II: The Heretic - 1.5/5
29. Slaughter of the Vampires - 1.5/5
30. The Body Snatcher - 4/5
31. The Evil of Frankenstein - 2/5
32. The Wolf Man - 4.5/5
33. Hold That Ghost - 3.5/5
34. The Leopard Man - 4/5
35. Deep Red - 4.5/5
36. The Witch - 3.5/5
37. What Have You Done to Solange? - 4.5/5

29. Werewolf of London 1/2
'30s film about a botanist who is bitten by a werewolf while on a plant-hunting expedition. This works pretty well as a period piece and offers a few engaging performances.

30. Dead Men Walk 1/2
George Zucco, in a dual role, plays twin brothers, one kindly, the other a nasty vampire. Zucco is good, rising above the lackluster material. This moves rather slowly, but the climactic good vs. evil, Zucco vs. Zucco battle is memorable.

31. The Monster Maker
An often convoluted, but surprisingly decent movie about a mad scientist who infects his nemesis with acromegaly. The prosthetics are convincing, especially considering the obvious budgetary constraints.

I love Fessenden's Habit but I agree that Wendigo is problematic. I still need to track down his earlier Frankenstein film.

The Solange film sounds like something I'd like. I've never heard of it. How did you see it, Rick?

The Plague of the Zombies (1966) - A doctor and his daughter are called to a Cornish village to assist the doctor's former pupil in diagnosing a mysterious illness. When graves turn up empty, black magic is afoot. Hammer's stab at a zombie film is a good entry in the genre. Typical of their style with dark atmosphere at times reminiscent of I Walked With a Zombie and quality acting. I also liked the practical use to which the zombies are put, but I'm not sure why they had to be whipped and beaten. Isn't the whole point of the "voodoo zombie" that they are at their creator's command? - B+

Raw Meat (1973) - Cannibals in the tubes with Donald Pleasance on the case. This is a tale of two films. I found the long, dark shots, slowly moving over the cannibal HQ and all the bones and carnage to be rather dull and the villain pretty uninteresting despite some later efforts to humanize the character somewhat. The younger lead characters fulfill their functions in the story ably. However it is Donald Pleasance, just chewing up every scene in highly entertaining ways that make's this a film worth seeing. Add in an absolutely electric faceoff with Christopher Lee in the film's best scene to top things off. - B+

Deep Red (1976) - One of Dario Argento's best and most successful films, this mysterious tale of murder contains wonderful imagery and stylishness. I love the terrific opening scene that establishes what sort of film we'll be watching. Of course there's also that classic Goblin score and the ultra creepy "La La La" children's music. Leads David Hemmings and Daria Nicolodi have very good chemistry together though perhaps some of their scenes could have been cut or trimmed. The film does run a touch long, but is still a deserved horror classic. - A-

It's Alive (1974) - A woman gives birth to a murderous, monster baby in this film from Larry Cohen. The film concentrates more on how the baby affects the parents than on the monster/scare aspects and goes for something of a psychological journey. But I didn't find the parents, particulary the father who is the lead character in the film, very sympathetic. It makes a half-hearted attempt at portraying sinister academic, science, business, and journalistic figures out to exploit the situation, but doesn't really follow-up or provide a conclusion for this part of the storyline. Combine this with the killing scenes which are all filmed in a similar manner and not very interesting, and I just couldn't get into this movie. The one thing of note is that it has a Bernard Hermann score. - C

6th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge

1. Psycho (1960) - A
2. Peeping Tom (1960) - A
3. Night of the Living Dead (1968) - A
4. Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror (1922) - A
5. Nosferatu: Phantom Der Nacht (1979) - A
6. Carrie (1976) - A
7. Deep Red (1976) - A-
8. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) - A-
9. The Curse of the Cat People (1944) - A-
10. Trouble Every Day (2000) - A-
11. They Came Back (2004) - A-
12. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) - A-
13. The Wolf Man (1942) - A-
14. Zombie Lake (1981) - B+
15. The Body Snatcher (1945) - B+
16. The Brides of Dracula (1960) - B+
17. The Plague of the Zombies (1966) - B+
18. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) - B+
19. Raw Meat (1973) - B+
20. Cat People (1942) - B
21. Let Sleeping Corses Lie (1973) - B
22. One Missed Call (2003) - B
23. The Innocents (1961) - B
24. The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) - B
25. Return of the Blind Dead (1973) - B
26. The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953) - B
27. I Walked With a Zombie (1943) - B-
28. Tombs of the Blind Dead (1971) - B-
29. Zombie Holocaust (1980) - B-
30. The Ghost Galleon (1974) - C+
31. Night of the Seagulls (1975) - C+
32. It's Alive (1974) - C
33. S.S. Experiment (1976) - D+
34. Ring 2 (2005) - D


First timers in Blue

10/29/05 - "Cursed (Uncensored)" - 8/10

I had heard some bad things about this movie but I was actually pleasently surprised!

It's basically a modern "Werewolf" tale. "Ellie" and her brother live together on their own since the death of both their parents (which is never really talked about or explained but it's not really important).

One night as their driving home they swerve to avoid an animal on the road (wolf?) and in the process hit another car which they send crashing off the road down a hill into some small forested location. Not having suffered any major injuries, they race down the hill to find the other motorist who is traped in her car upside down. After a few minutes, they manage to set her free only to have her attacked by a werewolf that was hiding in the nearby bush. The woman is killed (quite brutaly) and durring the scuffle, both "Ellie" and her brother are scratched/biten by the werewolf and thus infected!

The next few days finds both "Ellie" and her brother starting to slowly undergo changes... Increased strenght, speed and enhanced senses. Unfortunately, the creature that infected them is still out there and on a killing spree.

The movie is by no means perfect. It's really not that hard to figure out who the killer is though... Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

The special effects are for the most part good with one or two small exceptions.

Overall I thought the story was good, well acted and wasn't too long (about 1 1/2 hr).

The only problem I had with the story is that Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

Really enjoyed this movie!


October 2005 Scary Movie Challenge. All never seen titles are listed in "Red" and ranked on a scale of 1 to 10.

1. Resident Evil - 8.5/10 - 10/01/05
2. Resident Evil: Apocalypse - 7.5/10 - 10/02/05
3. Nightmare on Elm Street - 8/10 - 10/08/05
4. Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors - 9/10 - 10/08/05
5. Sleepy Hollow - 9/10 - 10/09/05
6. Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master - 6.5/10 - 10/10/05
7. Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child - 4/10 - 10/15/05
8. John Carpenter's: Vampires - 7/10 - 10/15/05
9. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare - 5.5/10 - 10/22/05
10. Evil Dead 2 - 7/10 - 10/23/05
11. Hide and Seek - 8.5/10 - 10/23/05
12. Cursed (Uncensored) - 8/10 - 10/29/05

10/29/05

Spooks Run Wild (1941)
The first meeting between Bela Lugosi and the Eastside Kids is an average affair, but at least it is considerably more watchable than GHOSTS ON THE LOOSE (1943). It's not terribly funny, but it features a lot of gloomy secret passageways and haunted house follies. It's nice to have Bela walking around in his Dracula-esque tux and it's a welcome addition whenever we get to see his tiny partner, Angelo Rossitto.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931))
One of the all-time greatest of the early classics. Fredric March is exceptional in his dual performance of Jekyll & Hyde (he's better as Hyde; as Jekyll, he tends to get over-theatrical on occasion). Miriam Hopkins is excellent as Ivy, and her scenes together with Hyde are still horrifying, even today.


SCARY MOVIE CHALLENGE 2005 (First timers in BOLD)
01) Indestructible Man (1956) **1/2
02) The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) ***1/2
03) The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) ***
04) The Seventh Victim (1943) **
05) Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) **1/2
06) Isle of the Dead (1945) **1/2
07) The Body Snatcher (1945) ****
08) Cat People (1942) **
09) Carrie (1976) ***
10) Bedlam (1946) ***
11) Abbott & Costello Meet Dr Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1953) **1/2
12) I Walked With a Zombie (1943) ***
13) The Invisible Man (1933) ****
14) The Devil's Rain (1975) **1/2
15) Grizzly (1976) **
16) Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968) ***
17) Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) **
18) The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) ***
19) I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) ***
20) I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957) **
21) Blood of Dracula (1957) **
22) How to Make a Monster (1958) ***
23) Night of Terror (1933) **
24) Invisible Ghost (1941) ***
25) Werewolf of London (1935) **1/2
26) She-Wolf of London (1946) *
27) The Wolf Man (1941) ****
28) Phantasm (1979) **1/2
29) Freddy vs. Jason (2003) ***
30) Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) ***
31) Saw (2004) ****
32) Phantasm II (1988) **
33) House of Dracula (1945) **1/2
34) Dracula's Daughter (1936) ***1/2
35) House on Haunted Hill (1958) **1/2
36) The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) **1/2
37) Island of Lost Souls (1933) ****
38) The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) **1/2
39) Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (2005) *
40) Hellraiser (1987) ***
41) Spooks Run Wild (1941) **
42) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) ****

Planet of the Vampires (1965)

(first viewing)

Atmospheric Mario Bava chiller. A group of astronauts land on a mysterious planet where they're menaced by the vampiric, disembodied inhabitants. One of the obvious influences on Alien.

out of

I finished the Lewton set, and got in a couple of personal faves that I hadn't seen in some time:

"The Leopard Man" 3.5/5: Another nice mix between the supernatural and "real" world.

"The 7th Victom" 3.5/5: A good murder mystery that I think suffered a little for me as I watched it after "Rosemary's Baby" which is more effective in showing real world Satanists.

"Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy" 3/5: Good insite into the man who made these movies, it's still a rather glossy biography, but interesting all the same. Is it just me that thinks William Freidkin just might be the most conceited man in the world?

"Rosemary's Baby" 5/5: My favorite of the devil movies, still packs all of it punch! I think it's Polanski's best work.

"Christine" 4/5: While not Carpenters best film ("The Thing" well get that honor, in my opinion), it's still a highly enjoyable fright flick. The idea of a killer car is a pretty tough sell, but the set ups and the portrayal of the car itself make it work. An uderrated classic to be sure.

See page 2, post 45 for my running taly.

Yeah, I know. Thought that Doom wasn't really a bad movie if it had been called something else. Unfortunately I'm not enjoying these monster legacy movies as much as I thought I would. Sorry! :b

7. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

8. Godsend

Scary Movie List

1. Dracula (1931)
2. Scream
3. The Fly SE (1986)
4. Doom
5. High Tension
6. Frankenstein (1931)
7. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
8. Godsend

DVD/High Def/Theatrical/Bold=1st time viewing

Poltergeist II: The Other Side - Carol-Anne, what did we tell you about going into the light? The H.R. Giger designs are a plus. 1/5

Poltergeist III - The Carol-Anne drinking game continues. Carol-Anne!, Carol-Anne! 1/5

Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist - Interesting, if not entirely sucessful prequel along the lines of Exorcist III. A better film than Harlin's version, despite that film's kitchy charms. 3/5

Amityville II: The Possession - Sleazy, brain-dead sequel without a single realistic character in sight and Burt Young does his same old annoying schtick yet again... 1/5

It's Alive (1974) - Fun and entertaining parable of modern medicine in typically loopy Larry Cohen fashion. 4/5

La Residencia (aka The House That Screamed) - A late 60s Spanish slasher that plays very much like a gothic Mario Bava film. A strict and sadistic headmistress (Lili Palmer) runs a dark and oppressive private school for girls, complete with psycho killers and lesbian cliques.
Early 70s flavor-of-the-month John Moulder-Brown (Ludwig, Deep End, Vampire Circus) plays her horny teenaged son who must be kept shielded from the bad influences of the 'evil' girls. Interesting death scenes which are a combination of slow-motion, overlap dissolves and freeze frames and an evocative score by Waldo de los Rios help make this one a winner. 4/5


2005 Scary Movie List

First viewings in RED

1. I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958) (3/5)
2. Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream (2005) (3/5)
3. Galaxy of Terror (1981) (2/5)
4. Tombs of the Blind Dead (1971) (3/5)
5. The Return of the Blind Dead (1973) (3/5)
6. The House on Sorority Row (1983) (2/5)
7. Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) (3/5)
8. The Ghost Galleon (1974) (3/5)
9. Corpse Bride (2005) (4/5)
10. Countess Dracula (1970) (2/5)
11. The Vampire Lovers (1971) (3/5)
12. The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) (3/5)
13. The Night of the Sea Gulls (1975) (3/5)
14. The Mummy (1932) (3/5)
15. The Mummy's Hand (1940) (2/5)
16. The Mummy's Tomb (1942) (2/5)
17. The Mummy's Ghost (1944) (2/5)
18. The Mummy's Curse (1944) (2/5)
19. Nekromantik (1987) (2/5)
20. Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) (3/5)
21. Demon Seed (1977) (3/5)
22. Sur le Seuil (Evil Words) (2003) (4/5)
23. Toolbox Murders (2004) (2/5)
24. The Phantom of the Opera (1962) (3/5)
25. Paranoiac (1963) (3/5)
26. The House That Dripped Blood (1970) (3/5)
27. Darkness (2002) (2/5)
28. Trespassing (Evil Remains) (2004) (1/5)
29. Love Object (2003) (4/5)
30. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) (5/5)
31. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) (3/5)
32. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) (3/5)
33. Twice-Told Tales (1963) (3/5)
34. The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) (3/5)
35. The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) (3/5)
36. White Noise (2005) (2/5)
37. Land of the Dead (2005) (3/5)
38. The Card Player (2004) (4/5)
39. Sleepless (2001) (3/5)
40. A Lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971) (3/5)
41. Riding the Bullet (2004) (3/5)
42. Martin (1977) (4/5)
43. The Crazies (1973) (3/5)
44. Sombre (1998) (4/5)
45. They Came Back (2004) (5/5)
46. Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) (1/5)
47. Poltergeist III (1988) (1/5)
48. Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005) (3/5)
49. Amityville II: The Possession (1982) (1/5)
50. It's Alive (1974) (4/5)
51. La Residencia (The House That Screamed) (1969) (4/5)

A Bruce Campbell double header this afternoon.

"Man with the Screaming Brain" 2/5: I really wanted to like this more than I did, based on the long history this film had getting made, but I just couldn't get into it. Bruce was in fine form as always, unfortunately, his direction made the film play exactly as it was: a cheapo made for TV movie.

"Bubba Ho-Tep" 4.5/5: A poignant examination of the elderly in our culture, played against the back drop of Elvis and JFK fighting a soul sucking mummy at a rest home. Really a great film, with one of Bruce's best performances.

See page 2, post 45 for my running tally

The Wolfman This was a new one for me. I'm really catching up on all the classics this year! It was very good, but I don't think it resonated with me as much as it has for others. I've never been a big fan of werewolf films though so I can't say it had anything to do with a lack of skill on anyone involved. In fact, I was actually surprised at how much I did enjoy it considering. I thought Chaney did an excellent job as did Claude Raines. The atmosphere was well captured. I think any serious horror fan needs to view this film at least once. (4/5)

Bride of Frankenstein I was blown away by this film. Another classic I'd missed over the years, this was simply sensational. Everything from the progression of the Monster's cognition to the compassion you are made to feel for this misunderstood creature are just magnificently portrayed here by Karloff. The sets were spectacular. I cannot recommend this higher. As someone said earlier in the thread - this could be the best horror film ever made. It's been a long time since I had this sensation, but when I finished watching the film I found myself anticipating the next time I would watch it and I was jealous at my future self for getting to sit down with the film again. (5/5)

The Birds Yep, you guessed it - another missed classic for me until now. I watched this with my wife this evening. Of course I'd seen various scenes from the film before; I've just never seen it all the way through. I don't agree with the many who've considered this one of Hitchcock's best. There are incredible moments (the best of which was when Melanie was sitting unaware of the masses of birds piling on the jungle gym - I love when Hitch would let the audience in on something the characters are yet unawares) I also loved the scene in the diner when everyone is getting their say. And the ending was perfect. I guess I just expected more from Hitch. I'm still giving this a high rating because it deserves it. I just expect to always give Hitchcock films straight 5/5 ratings. Not this time. (4/5)

2005 Scary Movie List
1. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (4/5) (new)
2. Night of the Living Dead (5/5)
3. Dawn of the Dead (2.5/5) (new)
4. Poltergeist (4/5)
5. Creepshow (1/5) (new)
6. Land of the Dead (3/5) (new)
7. Young Frankenstein (5/5)
8. 28 Days Later (4.5/5) (new)
9. Ghostbusters (5/5)
10. Evil Dead (3/5)
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas Commentary Track(3.5/5) (new)
12. House of 1000 Corpses (2/5) (new)
13. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (4/5) (new)
14. Friday the 13th Part 3 (1.5/5) (new)
15. Son of Frankenstein (4.5/5) (new)
16. Saw (3/5) (new)
17. House of Frankenstein (2.5/5) (new)
18. Seven (4.5/5)
19. Jaws (5/5)
20. From Hell (3.5/5) (new)
21. House of the Dead (BOMB) (new)
22. Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (2.5/5) (new)
23. Identity (2.5/5) (new)
24. Blood Simple (3/5) (new)
25. The Wicker Man (3/5) (new)
26. High Tension (2/5) (new)
27. Dementia 13 (3.5/5) (new)
28. The Others (3.5/5)
29. Last House on the Left (1/5) (new)
30. Friday the 13th Part 2 (2/5) (new)
31. The Amityville Horror, 2005 (1/5) (new)
32. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (4/5) (new)
33. Resident Evil: Apocalypse (1/5) (new)
34. The Omen (5/5) (new)
35. Halloween (5/5)
36. Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (2/5) (new)
37. Shaun of the Dead (4.5/5)
38. Rebecca (4/5) (new)
39. Friday the 13th Part 4 (3/5) (new)
40. Scream (3.5/5)
41. Friday the 13th Part 5 (3/5) (new)
42. The Last House on the Left Commentary Track (2/5) (new)
43. Scream Commentary Track (3/5) (new)
44. The Fly, 1986 (3.5/5) (new)
45. The Making of Psycho (4.5/5) (new)
46. The Wolfman (4/5) (new)
47. The Bride of Frankenstein (5/5) (new)
48. The Birds (4/5) (new)

First time viewings in bold:


10/29 - Kill Baby...Kill! - 4.5/5
- The first Mario Bava film I ever saw and it remains a favorite of mine today. Creepy and beautiful, the movie is a true gothic masterpiece.


10/29 - Bride of Chucky - 1.5/5
- If you like this kind of thing then I suppose the movie isn't that bad. Unfortunately, I don't think I fall into the age group that Ronny Yu was gong for.

10/30 - Pit and the Pendulum - 4.5/5
- My favorite of the Corman/Price movies. Price was never better and Corman provides some real scares. The final shot of Barbara Steele is something I never forget.



2005 Scary Movie Challenge Summary

1. Don't Torture a Duckling - 4/5
2. Dungeon of Harrow - 1/5
3. The Big Alligator River - 2.5/5
4. Son of Frankenstein - 4.5/5
5. Halloween: Resurrection - 2/5
6. The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake - 3/5
7. Tombs of the Blind Dead - 4/5
8. Return of the Evil Dead - 3.5/5
9. The Ghost Galleon - 3/5
10. Night of the Seagulls - 2.5/5
11. Jaws: The Revenge - 1/5
12. Dracula A.D. 1972 - 3.5/5
13. The Man with Nine Lives - 2.5/5
14. Swamp Thing - 2/5
15. Pyro - 3/5
16. The Mummy's Ghost - 2.5/5
17. Good Against Evil - 1.5/5
18. High Tension - 4.5/5
19. The Long Hair of Death - 3/5
20. A Whisper in the Dark - 4/5
21. Night of the Lepus - 1.5/5
22. Midnight - 0/5
23. Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy - 2.5/5
24. The Spiral Staircase - 4/5
25. I Walked with a Zombie - 5/5
26. The Seventh Victim - 3.5/5
27. Cat People - 4/5
28. Exorcist II: The Heretic - 1.5/5
29. Slaughter of the Vampires - 1.5/5
30. The Body Snatcher - 4/5
31. The Evil of Frankenstein - 2/5
32. The Wolf Man - 4.5/5
33. Hold That Ghost - 3.5/5
34. The Leopard Man - 4/5
35. Deep Red - 4.5/5
36. The Witch - 3.5/5
37. What Have You Done to Solange? - 4.5/5
38. Kill Baby...Kill! - 4.5/5
39. Bride of Chucky - 1.5/5
40. Pit and the Pendulum - 4.5/5

Alone in the Dark C 10/26
Other than great over-the-top performaces from Jack Palance, Martin Landau and Donald Pleasence and Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) this is just an average '80s slasher.

Saw 2 B+ 10/28
I'm still not sure if I like it better than the first one. It has much better acting (even Donnie Wahlberg is decent). Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) This is a little more disturbing than the first, but I don't think it's nearly as memorable.


The Beast Must Die D+ 10/30
A poor ripoff of Ten Little Indians, with a werewolf instead of a killer. Wastes a good cast including Peter Cushing and a young Michael Gambon. The film is incredibly cheesy, using a poorly lit dog as its werewolf. The "werewolf break" at the end, in which the film stops for 2 minutes to let viewers guess who the werewolf is, is a neat idea. I expected better.

Session 9 A 10/30
This was my fourth or fifth viewing and it still does not fail to creep me out for a while after. Highly recommended.

2005 Scary Movie Challenge:
New titles in bold

1. The Innocents A
2. Bay of Blood C
3. A History of Violence B
4. Cat O'Nine Tails B+
5. Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit A-
6. Satan's Little Helper C-
7. The Dead Zone B+
8. The Cat and the Canary B
9. The Nameless B-
10. Alone in the Dark C
11. Saw 2 B+
12. The Beast Must Die D+
13. Session 9 A

10/30/05

Saw II (2005)
Not as fresh and consistent as the first, but a good sequel. I thought Donnie Wahlberg was quite good in his role. I liked the way things played out for the ending, but am not too convinced that the direction this seems to be going in for a possible Part III is a wise one.

Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
When waiting to see this in the theatre in '04 I was very annoyed with Warner for reportedly bumping Schrader off this project and substituting Renny Harlin, for what was already pre-hyped to be a "dumbed down, FX-laden hack job". Man, I hate that about many new horror films. But when I saw this for myself, I was completely surprised that it was, in fact, a serious-toned film dealing with Father Merrin's struggle with his faith in God, as a man torn by flashbacks of the Nazis. I re-watched BEGINNING after finally seeing Schrader's DOMINION, which I had expected to be even better than Harlin's (it wasn't; it was just a bore). Re-watching Harlin's so soon after Scrader's I'm still convinced it was more interesting, with a better performance from Stellan Skarsgard, and the Merrin character himself more likeable. At least BEGINNING has "Exorcist"-type references and scares (this is, after all, a film about demonic possession), without going that far "over-the-top", as was pre-imagined. One exception, however, is in the very silly climax - which was unnecessary and spoiled what could have been an even better film:

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)


SCARY MOVIE CHALLENGE 2005 (First timers in BOLD)
01) Indestructible Man (1956) **1/2
02) The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) ***1/2
03) The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) ***
04) The Seventh Victim (1943) **
05) Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) **1/2
06) Isle of the Dead (1945) **1/2
07) The Body Snatcher (1945) ****
08) Cat People (1942) **
09) Carrie (1976) ***
10) Bedlam (1946) ***
11) Abbott & Costello Meet Dr Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1953) **1/2
12) I Walked With a Zombie (1943) ***
13) The Invisible Man (1933) ****
14) The Devil's Rain (1975) **1/2
15) Grizzly (1976) **
16) Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968) ***
17) Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) **
18) The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) ***
19) I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) ***
20) I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957) **
21) Blood of Dracula (1957) **
22) How to Make a Monster (1958) ***
23) Night of Terror (1933) **
24) Invisible Ghost (1941) ***
25) Werewolf of London (1935) **1/2
26) She-Wolf of London (1946) *
27) The Wolf Man (1941) ****
28) Phantasm (1979) **1/2
29) Freddy vs. Jason (2003) ***
30) Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) ***
31) Saw (2004) ****
32) Phantasm II (1988) **
33) House of Dracula (1945) **1/2
34) Dracula's Daughter (1936) ***1/2
35) House on Haunted Hill (1958) **1/2
36) The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) **1/2
37) Island of Lost Souls (1933) ****
38) The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) **1/2
39) Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (2005) *
40) Hellraiser (1987) ***
41) Spooks Run Wild (1941) **
42) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) ****
43) Saw II (2005) ***
44) Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) ***

9. Hellraiser: Hellseeker

10. Leprauchan: Back 2 Tha Hood 0 stars

11. Batman Begins

Scary Movie List

1. Dracula (1931)
2. Scream
3. The Fly SE (1986)
4. Doom
5. High Tension
6. Frankenstein (1931)
7. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
8. Godsend
9. Hellraiser
10. Leprauchan: Back 2 Tha Hood 0 stars
11. Batman Begins

DVD/High Def/Theatrical/Bold=1st time viewing

Knocked off two Halloween staples:


Halloween (1978)

John Carpenter's slasher classic about the night HE came home. Still tense and exciting.

out of


Night of the Living Dead (1968)

George Romero's undead classic gave rise to the flesh-eating zombie genre.

"They're coming to get you, Barbara!"

out of

10/30/05 - "The Blair Witch Project" - 10+/10

This is my absolute favorite scary movie ever!!!

Three teenagers (about 16) get together (in October no less) to work on a school project on the "Blair Witch" (some urban legend in those parts).

Armed with a tent, a few sleeping bags, a few video cameras and enough provisions to last a few days, they interview a few locals in town before heading off on a hiking/camping trip into the woods.

The entire excursion was only supposed to last a few days, however... Once they entered those woods, they were never seen nor heard from again...

A year later, their video equipement and the footage they shot durring their three days in the woods was found and that footage is the movie we see.

Their is something to be said about a movie that does not show you the "evil" in a physical/face to face manner but that none the less actually let's you feel it's presence and makes it quite apparent that, even though you can't see it... It's there!

This movie stimulates one's imagination to the extreme! From the locations, to the sounds and the acting of the three actors as they go from a calm and playfull state to a more concerned and worried state to finally a total panic and desperation state!

This movie is now a tradition for me, I watch it every year (usualy last) and as close to "Halloween" as possible.



10/30/05 - "The Others" - 10/10

I really hadn't planed on watching a 14th movie this year but found myself with some extra time on my hands and decided that this movie would be the perfect movie to end this year's challenge with!

In 1945 we find a small family (a mother and her two young children) living alone in a huge mansion (without electricity, radio or telephone) in the middle of the woods somewhere in Europe.

The "husband/father" of the household left to go to war a few years back and has never returned nor has anyone heard or received any news from him.

The house help (maid, nany, gardner ect...) mysteriously left a few weeks ago leaving the family all by themselves.

The Children also suffer from some rare alergic reaction to "daylight" and as a result cannot leave the mansion and are "home schooled" by their mother. Also, every window must be covered, every room in the house must be kept in total darkness!

One day out of nowhere, three mysterious figures (an old man & woman and a young girl) appear at the front door and claim to have come for the newly available "house positions" and are immediately hired!

Not long after that strange things start to happen. Strange noises can be heard throughout the mansion and the children begin to see unknown beings roaming about in the house and then simply vanishing into nowhere?

This movie can easily be spoiled if too much about it is revealed so I will simply stop here. Needless to say this is one of the finest scary movies ever made!

The dark, sombre and somewhat depressing ambeance really set the mood and the performance by all the actors (including "Nicole Kidman") are nothing short of perfect!



October 2005 Scary Movie Challenge. All never seen titles are listed in "Red" and ranked on a scale of 1 to 10.

1. Resident Evil - 8.5/10 - 10/01/05
2. Resident Evil: Apocalypse - 7.5/10 - 10/02/05
3. Nightmare on Elm Street - 8/10 - 10/08/05
4. Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors - 9/10 - 10/08/05
5. Sleepy Hollow - 9/10 - 10/09/05
6. Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master - 6.5/10 - 10/10/05
7. Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child - 4/10 - 10/15/05
8. John Carpenter's: Vampires - 7/10 - 10/15/05
9. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare - 5.5/10 - 10/22/05
10. Evil Dead 2 - 7/10 - 10/23/05
11. Hide and Seek - 8.5/10 - 10/23/05
12. Cursed (Uncensored) - 8/10 - 10/29/05
13. The Blair Witch Project - 10+/10 - 10/30/05
14. The Others - 10/10 - 10/30/05

Well, this concludes this years chalenge for me.

I did 14 (nothing compared to some of you) and had a fun time. Last year, out of 13 movies only 3 were new and never before seen by me.

This year, half of my list (7) were new to me. Movies that I owned but hadn't gotten around to watching and had never seen before.

Overall, I'm happy with my selections.

So to recap:



October 2005 Scary Movie Challenge. All never seen titles are listed in "Red" and ranked on a scale of 1 to 10.

1. Resident Evil - 8.5/10 - 10/01/05
2. Resident Evil: Apocalypse - 7.5/10 - 10/02/05
3. Nightmare on Elm Street - 8/10 - 10/08/05
4. Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors - 9/10 - 10/08/05
5. Sleepy Hollow - 9/10 - 10/09/05
6. Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master - 6.5/10 - 10/10/05
7. Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child - 4/10 - 10/15/05
8. John Carpenter's: Vampires - 7/10 - 10/15/05
9. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare - 5.5/10 - 10/22/05
10. Evil Dead 2 - 7/10 - 10/23/05
11. Hide and Seek - 8.5/10 - 10/23/05
12. Cursed (Uncensored) - 8/10 - 10/29/05
13. The Blair Witch Project - 10+/10 - 10/30/05
14. The Others - 10/10 - 10/30/05


See you guys next year!

Squeezed in 2 more Campbell films last night:

"Evil Dead 2" 5/5: It's funny, the last "Evil Dead" film I watch becomes my favorite! This is the new "Book Of The Dead" release that some have complained about. I liked it, thought the film looked great.

"Within The Woods" 1.5/5: this is the super 8 film Raimi made to get financing for "Evil Dead". It sucked, showing none of the flair thta he ended up having in his debut. the only interesting bit is he uses some gags in this in "Evil Dead 2", to much better effect.

Nine Inch Nails : Broken" 4/5: I know what your thinking, RG is really pushing the limits of what we can count in this horror challenge. Well, if people can list titles like "rings" in their tally, I sure as hell can put down this collection of music videos. This is easilly the "Cannible Holocaust" of music videos. Running about 30mins, it has more gore, torture and disturbing imagry than 90% of the films listed here.


I'm sad this is running to an end. I'll probably only get 1 more movie in tonight. What challenge should we have next month?

Mad Love (1935) Peter Lorre certainly is quite good at these maniacal roles. Here he reminded me of his performance in M. I was enthralled with this film. I enjoyed the story, the lighting and atmosphere and most of all the performances. Highly recommended. (4/5)

Cat People I didn't enjoy this one as much as others have so far. It was really more of a drama/love storythan a horror flick. I do like when a film is more than just the typical genre fare, but this didn't hold with me. I did like some of the ideas and I thought it was well done. But I found myself looking away from time to time. (3/5)

Village of the Damned The original creepy kid flick! I love a good story about creepy children and this was done so well right from the opening. In fact, the opening was a fantastic set up as you wonder what happened to all these people. And the story continued throughout with the mystery and ultimately the payoff at the end. Not your standard ending and thank god for it. (4/5)

The Day the Earth Stood Still Great message without ever seeming too preachy that is as relevent today as it was when the film was produced in 1951. Excellent execution of a wonderful allegory. More sci-fi than horror, there were still a few scares and nifty shots. Crisp direction and good acting - but the real treat here is the idea. (5/5)

The Uninvited A ghost story about a brother and sister who move into a haunted house. I'd heard great things about this film and have always wanted to see it. But it just didn't hold my interest. I definately liked it, but I think I wanted to like it more than I did. I would certainly recommend it and will be giving it another go perhaps for next year's challenge. (3/5)

2005 Scary Movie List
1. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (4/5) (new)
2. Night of the Living Dead (5/5)
3. Dawn of the Dead (2.5/5) (new)
4. Poltergeist (4/5)
5. Creepshow (1/5) (new)
6. Land of the Dead (3/5) (new)
7. Young Frankenstein (5/5)
8. 28 Days Later (4.5/5) (new)
9. Ghostbusters (5/5)
10. Evil Dead (3/5)
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas Commentary Track(3.5/5) (new)
12. House of 1000 Corpses (2/5) (new)
13. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (4/5) (new)
14. Friday the 13th Part 3 (1.5/5) (new)
15. Son of Frankenstein (4.5/5) (new)
16. Saw (3/5) (new)
17. House of Frankenstein (2.5/5) (new)
18. Seven (4.5/5)
19. Jaws (5/5)
20. From Hell (3.5/5) (new)
21. House of the Dead (BOMB) (new)
22. Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (2.5/5) (new)
23. Identity (2.5/5) (new)
24. Blood Simple (3/5) (new)
25. The Wicker Man (3/5) (new)
26. High Tension (2/5) (new)
27. Dementia 13 (3.5/5) (new)
28. The Others (3.5/5)
29. Last House on the Left (1/5) (new)
30. Friday the 13th Part 2 (2/5) (new)
31. The Amityville Horror, 2005 (1/5) (new)
32. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (4/5) (new)
33. Resident Evil: Apocalypse (1/5) (new)
34. The Omen (5/5) (new)
35. Halloween (5/5)
36. Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (2/5) (new)
37. Shaun of the Dead (4.5/5)
38. Rebecca (4/5) (new)
39. Friday the 13th Part 4 (3/5) (new)
40. Scream (3.5/5)
41. Friday the 13th Part 5 (3/5) (new)
42. The Last House on the Left Commentary Track (2/5) (new)
43. Scream Commentary Track (3/5) (new)
44. The Fly, 1986 (3.5/5) (new)
45. The Making of Psycho (4.5/5) (new)
46. The Wolfman (4/5) (new)
47. The Bride of Frankenstein (5/5) (new)
48. The Birds (4/5) (new)
49. Mad Love, 1935 (4/5) (new)
50. Cat People (3/5) (new)
51. Village of the Damned (4/5) (new)
52. The Day the Earth Stood Still (5/5) (new)
53. The Uninvited (3/5) (new)

12. Fire In The Sky

13. Halloween

14. Halloween II

Scary Movie List

1. Dracula (1931)
2. Scream
3. The Fly SE (1986)
4. Doom
5. High Tension
6. Frankenstein (1931)
7. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
8. Godsend
9. Hellraiser
10. Leprauchan: Back 2 Tha Hood 0 stars
11. Batman Begins
12. Fire In The Sky
13. Halloween
14. Halloween II

DVD/High Def/Theatrical/Bold=1st time viewing