***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge*** - Page 23

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Okay, here’s my viewing list for this years tournament. Sorry for the tardiness and the short reviews.
New Viewings in BOLD
Ratings out of 5 stars

October 1
1. Final Destination (2000) (3.5/5)
This film along with the first two Scream films is one of the best teen horror/slasher films from the 90’s early 00’s and I would have given it a 4 rating if it weren’t for the two FBI agents.
2. Jaws 2 (1978) (3.5)
This film lacks build up and the character development of the first film but it does have some good action scenes, the return of Martin Brody and a decent John Williams score.
3. Final Destination 2 (2003) (2.5/5)
Apart from a couple of good kill scenes early on in the film there’s nothing much else going on here in this movie.
October 2
4. Final Destination 3 (2006) (4/5)
This is my favorite of this particular series with a good performance by Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
October 4
5. Halloween - A Cut Above the Rest (2003) (4/5)
Most of the information given in this documentary is stuff I’ve heard before but there was some stuff in there that I’ve never heard before like the reactions to the film from USC and UCLA students and the fact the Carpenter drank a case of Budweiser a night while writing the script for the sequel.
6. Doctor Who - Spearhead from Space (1970) (4.5/5)
The newly regenerated 3rd doctor reunites with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and finds a new companion in Liz Shaw and battles the nightmare inducing Autons for the first time.
7. Doctor Who - The Aztecs (1964) (3.5/5)
I usually find these early episodes a tad on the boring side and this one is no exception but I did enjoy seeing the first doctor, his granddaughter Susan and Barbara & Ian in this early adventure.
October 6
8. Doctor Who - The Robots Of Death (1977) (4/5)
To me Tom Baker is the best Doctor since I think he brings this particular show up some notches otherwise this one would have been somewhat mediocre.
October 8
9. Halloween (1978) (5/5)
I saw this movie about 10 years ago on a small 15” television and it scared the crap out of me (the flick, not the TV).
October 9
10. Dead of Night (1945) (5/5)
I been wanting to this film for awhile and I wished I’ve seen it earlier. It was nice to see the comedy duo from The Lady Vanishes in the golf story.
11. The Night Stalker (1972) (4.5/5)
One of the TV movies I have ever seen. Watch out for that fight between the vampire and the cops near the swimming pool!
October 10
12. The Night Strangler (1973) (4/5)
Not as good as Stalker but good enough with a good group of character actors.
October 11
13. Homicidal (1961) (3.5/5)
God bless William Castle for this movie. I admit not seeing the ending coming.
October 13
14. Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988) (3/5)
I would have liked this one more if it were not for the Redneck posse and the shootout ending
October 14
15. The Queen Of Spades (1949) (3.5/5)
The love story section of the film slowed this one down a bit but the creepy parts brought it back up to standard.
October 15
16. Silent Hill (2006) (2/5)
Started off good (never played the Games) but dropped off steeply. I never want to hear “burn the witch” ever again.
October 15
17. Halloween II (1981) (3.5/5)
This was the first Halloween film I saw (alternate tv version) and it has two of my favorite lines in motion picture history (“You don’t know what death is” & “I SHOT HIM SIX TIMES!”).
October 17
18. Eight Legged Freaks (2002) (2.5/5)
After seeing this film I never want to see giant CGI spiders jump on one-dimensional characters ever again.
October 18
19. Doctor Who – Inferno (1970) (5/5)
This is probably the most ambitious Doctor Who show I’ve never seen (its got radioactive werewolves and a parallel universe).
20. Doctor Who – Genesis Of The Daleks (1975) (5/5)
Another classic Who where the 4th Doctor, Harry and Sarah Jane Smith (I love her) meet Davros, the creator of the Daleks.
21. Halloween: Resurrection (2002) (1.5/5)
God Damn Kung Fucking Fu Busta Rhymes!
22. Doctor Who – Resurrection Of The Daleks (1984) (3.5/5)
This weakest Dalek story I’ve seen so far, but with the highest death count.
23. Doctor Who – The Caves Of Androzani (1984) (2.5/5)
The worst Doctor Who I’ve ever seen.
October 20
24. Halloween: H20 Twenty Years Later (1998) (3.5/5)
I’ll take LL Cool J over Busta anytime. JLC also gives a very good performance.
October 22
25. The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959) (4/5)
Good atmospheric film with good performances from Cushing and company.
October 24
26. Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers (1989) (2.5/5)
I hated this one less then the last time and Tina seemed less annoying because I was too busy starring at her.
October 25
27. Halloween: 25 Years Of Terror (2006) (4/5)
A good collection of interviews and convention footage detailing the Halloween Horror Series.
October 26
28. Mark Of The Vampire (1935) (4/5)
Yeah, the ending of this film was a copout but I liked the atmosphere of this one enough to watch it again.
29. Mark Of The Vampire (1935) Commentary by genre historians Kim Newman and Steve Jones (4.5/5)
I enjoyed this commentary more then the film itself. These guys do not stop talking and deliver a fountain of info.


October 27
30. The Man Who Changed His Mind (1936) (4/5)
I watched this one last year and I watched it again because it’s short and I enjoyed the performance from Karloff and the plot of the film.
31. The Lost Continent (1968) (3.5/5)
What a goofy movie with shady characters, killer seaweed and explosives that go off when they touch the water!
32. A World Of Hammer Episode: Lands Before Time (3/5)
Just a bunch of Hammer clips with Oliver Reed narrating.
October 28
33. Can You Hear the Earth Scream?: Making Inferno (2006) (4.5/5)
Good extensive documentary detailing the Doctor Who show seen earlier.
34. The U.N.I.T Family: Part One (2006) (4.5/5)
Another good Who doc.
October 29
35. Genesis Of A Classic: The Making Of Genesis Of The Daleks (2006) (4.5/5)
ditto
36. The Dalek Tapes (2006) (4.5/5)
ditto part deux
October 30
37. Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers (1995) (Producer’s Cut) (2.5/5)
If this is better then the theatrical version then the theatrical version must be craptacular.
38. Halloween III:The Season Of The Witch (1982) (3.5/5)
This is the last Halloween flick I can enjoy until H20.
October 31
39. The Mask Of Fu Manchu (1932) (4.5/5)
Another film I wished I saw earlier, Karloff and Loy are great together and watch out for those torture/death devices.
40. The Mask Of Fu Manchu (1932) Commentary By Greg Mank (4.5/5)
Mank does a great job discussing the history of the film including the actors, the filmmakers, and the controversy surrounding it.


October 1
1. Final Destination (2000) (3.5/5)
2. Jaws 2 (1978) (3.5)
3. Final Destination 2 (2003) (2.5/5)
October 2
4. Final Destination 3 (2006) (4/5)
October 4
5. Halloween - A Cut Above the Rest (2003) (4/5)
6. Doctor Who - Spearhead from Space (1970) (4.5/5)
7. Doctor Who - The Aztecs (1964) (3.5/5)
October 6
8. Doctor Who - The Robots Of Death (1977) (3.5/5)
October 8
9. Halloween (1978) (5/5)
October 9
10. Dead of Night (1945) (5/5)
11. The Night Stalker (1972) (4.5/5)
October 10
12. The Night Strangler (1973) (4/5)
October 11
13. Homicidal (1961) (3.5/5)
October 13
14. Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988) (3/5)
October 14
15. The Queen Of Spades (1949) (3.5/5)
October 15
16. Silent Hill (2006) (2/5)
October 16
17. Halloween II (1981) (3.5/5)
October 17
18. Eight Legged Freaks (2002) (2.5/5)
October 18
19. Doctor Who – Inferno (1970) (5/5)
20. Doctor Who – Genesis Of The Daleks (1975) (5/5)
21. Halloween: Resurrection (2002) (1.5/5)
22. Doctor Who – Resurrection Of The Daleks (1984) (3.5/5)
23. Doctor Who – The Caves Of Androzani (1984) (2.5/5)
October 20
24. Halloween: H20 Twenty Years Later (1998) (3.5/5)
October 22
25. The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959) (4/5)
October 24
26. Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers (1989) (2.5/5)
October 25
27. Halloween: 25 Years Of Terror (2006) (4/5)
October 26
28. Mark Of The Vampire (1935) (4/5)
29. Mark Of The Vampire (1935) Commentary by genre historians Kim Newman and Steve Jones (4.5/5)
October 27
30. The Man Who Changed His Mind (1936) (4/5)
31. The Lost Continent (1968) (3.5/5)
32. A World Of Hammer Episode: Lands Before Time (3/5)
October 28
33. Can You Hear the Earth Scream?: Making Inferno (2006) (4.5)
34. The U.N.I.T Family: Part One (2006) (4.5)
October 29
35. Genesis Of A Classic: The Making Of Genesis Of The Daleks (2006) (4.5/5)
36. The Dalek Tapes (2006) (4.5/5)
October 30
37. Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers (1995) (Producer’s Cut) (2.5/5)
38. Halloween III:The Season Of The Witch (1982) (3.5/5)
October 31
39. The Mask Of Fu Manchu (1932) (4.5/5)
40. The Mask Of Fu Manchu (1932) Commentary By Greg Mank (4.5/5)

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

edited

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

I agree with your now deleted post Joe. Of course, that doesn't mean everyone did that.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

I agree to a point with Joe to. The only special feature I counted was the feature length "Universal Monsters", and only because it actually was shown on television. I would love to coutn the friggin hours of TExas Chainsaw stuff I watched last weekend, but couldn't with a clear conceance

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

This was a blast. I finished the challenge at 11:59 on Halloween Night. But, then I saw that The People Under the Stairs was starting on HDNet Movies at midnight, so I crammed another one in just for the hell of it. Okay, so here is how I finished:

9. Rosemary's Baby- 3.75/5 First time I have seen this. Good movie. I am not a big fan of older horror movies, but this one was quite good. Not as scary as I was expecting, but the suspense held my attention throughout.

10. The Grudge 2- 3.75/5 First time I have seen this also. I liked this one about as much as the original. It definitely creeped me out at times and I plan to add this to my collection once it comes out on dvd. Overall I felt the sequel was well done and it seemed to shed some light on the original.

11. Friday the 13th- 4/5 This one is a classic. The story sort of plugs along slowly killing the counselors off one by one, but once we meet Jason's mother the movie takes off. Her character still freaks me out after all these years, especially when she starts speaking in her son's voice. "Kill her mommy, kill her...." That shit still scares the hell out of me.

12. The Omen(2006)- 3.5/5 First time viewing. Good flick. The kid successfully creeped me out. I liked the story, but man how long does it take to decide that the kid needs to be dealt with. Regardless of that, I still had a good time watching it.

13. House of 1000 Corpses- 4.75/5 This is the one I was waiting for. I purposely left this one for Halloween Night. I absolutely love this movie. That includes the story, cinematography, acting, dialog and music. This is one of the best movies I own. Rob Zombie created a masterpiece IMO. I plan to watch it on Halloween Night for many years to come.

14. The People Under the Stairs- 3.5/5 I crammed this one in for shits and giggles. It is actually not bad and I enjoyed watching it after all these years. The movie has some good humor mixed with some good old-fashioned evil. I guess I only had a complaint with Fool saving the day. Why not tell the police or an adult or someone what was going on?

I had a blast participating and definitely look forward to next year. It was semi-cool that I finished at exactly 11:59 on Halloween. It was competely unplanned. Anyway, see y'all next year!!!!

Complete list is located on Page 2 post #38.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Final List. First-time viewings in bold.

01) 10/01/06 Crimes at the Dark House (1939) 1/2
02) 10/01/06 The Face at the Window (1939) 1/2
03) 10/02/06 Murder in the Red Barn (1935) 1/2
04) 10/02/06 King of the Zombies (1941)
05) 10/02/06 The Gorilla (1939)
06) 10/03/06 Nabonga (1944)
07) 10/03/06 Herencia Macabra (1939)
08) 10/04/06 House of Fear (1939)
09) 10/04/06 The Dark Eyes of London (1939) 1/2
10) 10/06/06 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) 1/2
11) 10/06/06 Torture Ship (1939)
12) 10/07/06 The Ape (1940)
13) 10/07/06 Angel Heart (1987)
14) 10/09/06 Boys of the City (1940)
15) 10/09/06 Chamber of Horrors (1940) 1/2
16) 10/09/06 Dr. Cyclops (1940)
17) 10/10/06 The Ghost Breakers (1940)
18) 10/11/06 Doctor X (1932)
19) 10/11/06 Return of Dr. X (1939) 1/2
20) 10/12/06 The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)
21) 10/12/06 Mark of the Vampire (1935)
22) 10/13/06 Mad Love (1935) 1/2
23) 10/13/06 The Devil-Doll (1936)
24) 10/13/06 The Black Room (1935) 1/2
25) 10/14/06 The Corpse Bride (2005)
26) 10/16/06 The Man They Could Not Hang (1939)
27) 10/16/06 Before I Hang (1940) 1/2
28) 10/17/06 The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942) 1/2
29) 10/24/06 The House of Seven Gables (1940)
30) 10/24/06 Son of Ingagi (1940) 1/2
31) 10/25/06 A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
32) 10/25/06 A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) 1/2
33) 10/26/06 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
34) 10/27/06 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
35) 10/27/06 A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
36) 10/28/06 Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)
37) 10/28/06 Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) 1/2
38) 10/29/06 Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) 1/2
39) 10/29/06 The Evil Dead (1982)
40) 10/29/06 Halloween (1978)
41) 10/30/06 Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn (1987) 1/2
42) 10/30/06 The Thing (1982) 1/2
43) 10/31/06 Saw III (2006)

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

...and JAWS THE REVENGE (1987).

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

I’m guessing that the comments about counting special features are directed towards me and I’m sorry if I upset anybody here on the forum. If you want me to I will delete the Doctor Who/Hammer docs and commentaries from my list.

Edit: Nevermind, I did it already.

Edit2: Ah lets let bygones be bygones.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

I wouldn't worry about it Chucky! The challenge is all about fun, it's not like there is a prize involved or anything. Heck I've got a 13 minute movie and a porno on my list.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Thanks Russell for your post.

Hope you enjoyed the porno.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

How did my original post ever even get read? I deleted it almost immediately!

Chucky - didn't mean to offend you and I wish you didn't edit your list. I agree that this challenge is supposed to be fun, and so I didn't want my comments to be taken to heart, which is why I went and deleted them in case someone took them the wrong way. But since my now-deleted post was referred to, what I originally wrote was to speak for myself that I personally could have added about 10 more films on my list if I had counted every movie I fell asleep during (there were a few!), or every "made for DVD" extra bonus documentary feature I watched, short subjects, or the several audio commentaries I listened to.

To each his own - really! - but I just thought it was interesting how many more features I might have added by using those standards.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

It's called "Subscribe to this thread".

FWIW, I was only expressing agreement with your opinion. I think it was valid and I had been thinking the same thing myself. It's too bad if someone (and no, I'm not meaning anyone in particular) is upset by it. And yes, this is all for fun, but it's also slightly possible that fun can be diminished in some minute way. Beyond that, it is no big deal. So, let's get the final tallies.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

I don't think there's a problem with adding a view with a commentary. It's really no different than counting a MST3K thing.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Hey All,

I agree with Michael. This is all about honoring a great genre and that includes hearing what a director/crew/ or actor has to say about the film in question. I also feel a documentary on the subject should count. This is about exploring horror films, right? I made some great discoveries this year including a bunch of silent films and learning more about some series I've always loved (Halloween) and directors too (Wes Craven). Had I not watched these docs or listened to these commentaries, I wouldn't have this new knowledge.

It was a great year, and I'm glad I viewed everything I did (even the rare bomb). But I'll gladly wipe anything from my list that people don't feel should be there. I still got to see them and this challenge is the reason I forced so many in, so I'm happy either way.

Cheers,

Jason

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

The way I look at it is that if you feel you should count it then you should count it. While I wouldn't include a documentary or a commentary in my tally, that doesn't mean that anyone has to follow my dumb rules.

And like everyone is saying, it's all about having fun so it's no big deal either way.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Well I’m glad were all cool and that’s no big deal and I’ve decided to restore my original list.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

You guys can put whatever you want on your lists, so long as you don't have more than me.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

LOL! Glad I wasn't the only one! It took me 3 nights to get through that bloody "night of the lupus"! I had a second adult title I attempted to watch and it put me to sleep within about 10 minutes in. ("Grub Girl" was the name if you were curious).

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Exactly!

I just want to make it clear that I'm not suggesting that anyone "erase" anything... everyone can do as they feel works best for them. I'm just offering my own opinion as to what I'll count and why. It's not a requirement that everyone agree. I just feel my goal is to watch only feature films, and as they were intended - and that means without falling asleep and missing any of the show, not being on the computer or otherwise engaged while a movie runs in the background, and also hearing the accompanying audio to the film as it was intended. These are just my own personal guidelines. I'm just thinking about how many more titles I might have added if I had counted all of the above.

It's not a "race" thing, as I never expect to have the highest amount of films watched at the end of the month - not even close! But I like to try and beat my own personal record from year to year.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Here is my final list for the challenge this year. I did not even come close to the personal record that I set last year. I did however manage to watch 20 movies that I had not seen before.

Thankfully I am not as burned out (movie wise) as I was last year. Although I am looking forward to doing some gaming and catching up on some work around the place this weekend.



01. The Rejuvenator3.5 (Laserdisc)
02. The Relic 5.3 (Laserdisc)
03. Transformations 2.0 (Laserdisc)
04. Full Eclipse 3.8 (VHS)
05. Route 666 1.8 (VHS)
06. The Monster Club 3.9 (Laserdisc)
07. Creature 6.0 (Laserdisc)
08. Baby Blood 4.7
09. Stephen King's The Night Flier 4.5
10. The House On Haunted Hill (1999) 4.8
11. Suburban Nightmare 4.2
12. American Nightmare 3.0
13. Dog Soldiers 5.0
14. Your Vice Is A Locked Room And Only I Have The Key 6.0
15. Resident Evil 5.8
16. Resident Evil: Apocalypse 4.7
17. The Incubus (1981) 4.7
18. The Kindred 4.9 (Laserdisc)
19. Creepozoids 2.7 (Laserdisc)
20. Thirteen Ghosts (2001) 5.3
21. The Monster That Challenged The World 2.0
22. IT! The Terror From Beyond Space 3.3
23. Them 5.3
24. Shocker 3.9
25. The People Under The Stairs 4.5
26. Invitation To Hell 5.9
27. Amityville 1992: It's About Time 5.7 (Laserdisc)
28. The Borrower 4.8
29. Murder Weapon 2.7 (Laserdisc)
30. Night Breed 6.5 (Laserdisc)
31. The Deadly Spawn 4.3
32. Ghost Ship 5.5
33. Phantoms 3.9
34. Die Monster Die! 4.0
35. The Dunwhich Horror (1970) 3.0
36. The Serpent And The Rainbow 5.3
37. Ghost Story 4.8
38. Friday The 13th 3.8
39. Let Sleeping Corpses Lie 5.0
40. Prom Night 3.0
41. Poltergeist 5.8
42. Poltergeist 2 4.0
43. Poltergeist 3 3.7
44. The Changeling 5.7
45. The Blob (1988) 5.0
46. The Irrefutable Truth About Demons 3.6
47. Inseminoid 3.6
48. The Omen (2006) 4.5
49. Raven Dance: Mirror Mirror 2 2.6 (Laserdisc)
50. The Return Of The Living Dead 6.8 (Laserdisc)
51. Return Of The Living Dead 3 (Unrated) 5.0 (laserdisc)
52. Child's Play 3.8
53. The Lost Continent 4.1
54. Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm 2.7
55. Cannibal Apocalypse 7.4
56. Masters Of Horror: The Deer Woman 4.7
57. Masters Of Horror: Sick Girl 4.5
58. Saw 3 4.8
59. Saw 5.3
60. Ginger Snaps 5.8
61. Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed 4.4
62. Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning 4.0
63. Madhouse 4.4
64. Theater Of Blood 5.5
65. Feast 5.8

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Here's my final tally:

2006 Scary Movie List
1) Hills Have Eyes (2006) [DVD]
2) The Descent [Theatrical] 1/2
3) House Of Wax (2005) [DVD]
4) Hostel [DVD]
5) Sleepy Hollow [HD-DVD]
6) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning [Theatrical] 1/2
7) The Grudge [DVD]
8) The Grudge 2 [Theatrical] 1/2
9) Boogeyman (2005) [DVD]
10) Tim Burton's Corpse Bride [HD-DVD] 1/2
11) The Exorcism Of Emily Rose [DVD]
12) George Romero's Land Of The Dead [DVD]
13) Saw [DVD]
14) Saw II [DVD]
15) Saw III [Theatrical] 1/2
16) High Tension [DVD]
17) Wrong Turn [DVD]
18) Cabin Fever [DVD] 1/2
19) Slither [HD-DVD] 1/2
20) The Eye [DVD] 1/2
21) Final Destination [DVD]

Was able to watch more than last year but not reach the 35 I viewed 2 years ago. 13 of the 22 at least were new viewings.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...1&postcount=12

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Sounds good.

It's weird, I haven't been watching horror movie after horror movie this weekend so it feels like I'm slacking off.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

10/14/06: THE BODY SNATCHER (Robert Wise, 1945) ****

The Val Lewton cycle of horror films were noted for their departure from traditional horror elements – so it’s perhaps ironic that the best of them is the one most steeped in Hollywood horror conventions and, by extension, perhaps the least Lewtonesque of his movies! Still, it seems that it was his decision to take the cycle away from a contemporary setting – given that he contributed a great deal to the script (even receiving credit for the first time, albeit under a pseudonym).

It’s an almost flawless piece of work, as literate and atmospheric as ever – indeed more so given the period (1830s Edinburgh recreated on standing sets from earlier RKO ‘A’ pictures such as THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME [1939]) and the source (Robert Louis Stevenson’s short story, although it apparently only retained the character names and the climactic scene!). Besides, Lewton still managed to incorporate his trademark ‘walk’ (perhaps the best one of all) and ‘bus’ sequences. The former is a seminal scene in horror cinema: as we hear a girl sing from inside Boris Karloff’s house, we watch him observe her through the window; the camera picks her up as she walks away – after which we hear the sound of horses’ hooves approaching; the girl sings her way through a dark alley, followed by Karloff’s cab; after a few seconds, the singing stops in mid-aria and we realize that that voice is gone forever (when her body turns up at Henry Daniell’s house, it’s here that Russell Wade – much like John Cairney in THE FLESH AND THE FIENDS [1959] – becomes aware of Karloff’s evil side of business, having met the girl only moments prior to her demise outside Karloff’s own lodgings!).

We’ve seen many films about grave-robbing (two of the best-known being CORRIDORS OF BLOOD [1958], again with Boris Karloff and which I’ve never watched, though it should be released by Criterion next January, and the afore-mentioned THE FLESH AND THE FIENDS, which I got to check out only a few days following this viewing of THE BODY SNATCHER) – and, specifically, the Burke & Hare case – since, but it was something of a novelty at the time (judging also by contemporary reviews, who objected to the repellent subject matter – the film was even banned in Chicago and Ohio!). Karloff (who missed out on the Lewton Tourneurs but eventually got a chance to work with the director on THE COMEDY OF TERRORS [1964]) is somewhere near his best as “Cabman” Gray, the nefarious title character; ditto Daniell in his signature role as the dogged, ruthless and finally crazed medico; Bela Lugosi’s bit – which, in spite of his second-billing and effective playing, he could not elevate above a minor supporting one – is somewhat thankless (though his big scene with Karloff, in which he attempts to blackmail him but ends up drunk and eventually strangled by the demonic cabman, emerges as one of the definite highlights of the film, thus ending their screen collaboration on a high note…and, in any case, his Joseph characterization here inspired a similarly-named one I included in a script I wrote with my twin brother called “New Age Or: The Children Of Liberty”!); Wade is competent as the young assistant, Edith Atwater quite good as Daniell’s long-suffering ‘wife’.

In the film, the distrust of doctors by the common people is immediately made evident to Wade by an old woman he meets at the cemetery in the opening sequence. Karloff goads a crippled young girl into stroking his horse’s shining white mane and tells her that it would be able to recognize her whenever his cab passes by – thus sadistically forcing the girl up from the wheelchair in order to watch for it over the balcony; clearly, she’s terrified of Gray but doesn’t seem comfortable in the hands of Daniell’s Toddy MacFarlane either; the doctor is unwilling to operate on the girl but is eventually persuaded, as much by Wade’s pleas as by Karloff’s threats (ironically, it’s when the girl makes that extra effort to catch a glimpse of Karloff’s cab that Daniell’s intervention is proven to have been a success!). Daniell goes to a pub occasionally to seek peace and tranquility after having lectured students all day but, even here, he’s unable to get rid of Karloff – who turns up to remind him that he holds the doctor in his grasp for having saved him from the gallows (by omitting to mention his name during the Burke & Hare trial); Karloff tells Daniell that he has been envious all his life of other people’s wealth and power – and the apparent right that gives them to abuse of their ‘inferiors’ – so, through the doctor’s indebtedness towards him (MacFarlane debasing himself by pleading to be spared Gray’s torments), he’s finally able to feel a man inside! After he’s forced to kill the cabman, the doctor seems to have regained his old self but it’s already too late (as Atwater tells Wade) – and it’s not long before MacFarlane succumbs to grave-robbing himself (which proves his undoing)! The film’s climax, then, is extremely impressive – with Karloff’s rapping of the phrase “never get rid of me” particularly chilling.

Unfortunately, the DVD transfer is rather dark but even the Audio Commentary is a bit of a let-down: Steve Haberman’s contribution only takes up the last half-hour of the film, so that it feels somewhat rushed – though still highly informative (and, happily, also deals a bit with ISLE OF THE DEAD [1945], which actually started shooting prior to THE BODY SNATCHER but production had to be shutdown after just one week due to Karloff’s back problems!); Robert Wise’s comments are certainly welcome, even if he spends too much time relaying his background at RKO and his work on other pictures – mind you, it’s all fascinating but then proper discussion of the film at hand is left somewhat lacking (but he does take care to praise Karloff for the gentleman he was, especially in the way he helped the ailing Lugosi through his performance…while also passing some unwise [sic] derogatory remarks regarding fellow Lewtonite Jacques Tourneur’s subsequent career)! Thanks to this track, I learnt that Bela Lugosi’s morphine addiction started around the time of this film’s production rather than a decade earlier, as I originally believed – and also that the first Karloff/Lewton collaboration was to have been a Technicolor version of J. Sheridan LeFanu classic vampire tale “Carmilla”!


10/23/06: THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (Paul Leni, 1928) ****

This had been one of my “holy grail” films – one which I seemed destined to read about but never actually have the opportunity to watch; Kino changed all that in 2003, and they’re to be congratulated for having rescued it from virtual oblivion!

I recently watched the low-brow 1966 “Euro-Cult” remake and which appears even poorer now, following this re-acquaintance with the sublime original!; it’s definitely one of the greatest Silent films, an opinion which is only enforced by a second viewing: in fact, I had jotted down some of these comments when I first watched the film in 2003 but hadn’t expanded them in the form of a proper review and it’s interesting to note how my feeling about certain things has changed since then. Besides, little did I know at the time that THE MAN WHO LAUGHS would be referenced – indeed serve as quite a major plot-point, albeit a far-fetched one – in THE BLACK DAHLIA (2006), which I also just watched!!

Anyway, despite the Expressionistic atmosphere, the lead character is not presented as someone to fear (apart from feel sympathy for) like The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, so that the film’s horror potential is somewhat diluted – but, then, this element was intended to be its raison d’etre; in fact, akin to the definitive 1925 version of “The Phantom of the Opera”, the film is more aptly described as an elaborately mounted period melodrama with macabre overtones. However, once one gets over this, it can be appreciated for what it is: along with F.W. Murnau’s SUNRISE – A SONG OF TWO HUMANS (1927) – incidentally also made by an expatriate director who had been instrumental to the German Expressionist movement – perhaps the Silent American cinema’s most artistic (not to be confused with arty) achievement! The gothic atmosphere is impeccably deployed (one of its most memorable and haunting images being the child Gwynplaine’s walk through the snow under a nightmarish view of the gallows, with corpses dangling in the wind) by means of cinematography that’s quite mobile and technically inventive – at the end of the Silent era, experimentation with the possibilities of the camera were rampant. Its influence on Universal’s horror classics of the 1920s is thus immediately apparent, and this with respect to the sets as well – what with the studio exteriors conveniently able to double for practically any city which, besides the Transylvania/Vasaria of the horror films themselves, was later to be seen standing in for the German town of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT [1930] and the Vienna of LETTER FROM AN UNKNWOWN WOMAN [1948])!

Conrad Veidt is magnificent in his two roles: the proud (but all-too-human in yearning for his beloved son) Lord Clancharlie and the pitiable yet optimistic clown (and star attraction of the modest but popular gypsy caravan) Gwynplaine; his all-too-brief ascension to wealth and position (as a Member of the British Parliament) is doomed to failure in view of his appearance (he is ridiculed by his ‘peers’), though it’s pretty obvious he feels out of place in such surroundings and, realizing that the attentions of the Olga Baclanova caharcter are not true, he is all-too-happy to go back to a life of poverty but relative contentedness – and heroine Mary Philbin ‘s genuine, undemanding love. That said, the tragic fate that befalls Gwynplaine (induced rather than natural as in Philbin’s blindness) seems to be accepted far too easily; the Comprachicos who perpetrated this infamy on the innocent child are virtually not heard from again after the film’s opening moments (in fact, its background of sadistic mercenaries and circus freaks is fascinating but, alas, not analyzed in adequate detail in my opinion) – though George Siegmann (playing the surgeon actually responsible for the deed) does try to make amends by contriving to restore Gwynplaine to his rightful place in society!

Mary Philbin (who even gets top billing!) may, at first, seem too low-key for a leading lady; however, she manages to be very effective during sequences which require particular emotion. Though not technically a villainess, Olga Baclanova is not seen to receive a satisfactory come-uppance (at least by the standards of Hollywood cinema – note, for instance, her fate at the hands of the FREAKS [1932] in her most famous role); still, I guess that her humiliation at being rejected by Gwynplaine (thus being ousted from sharing in his fortune) is more than an adequate justice – and, if anything, comes off as more realistic. Baclanova’s scenes are pretty steamy for their time (and would doubtless have pleased the Surrealists) – though having a Duchess ingratiate herself so freely with ‘ruffians’ and ‘freaks’ doesn’t quite ring true; dramatically, of course, it’s an interesting and unusual tangent for such films though, again, this point is all but abandoned later on in the story! The film had quite a strong cast for the time including notable supporting turns by: Cesare Gravina as the traveling showman who takes in Veidt’s Gwynplaine and Philbin’s Dea; Brandon Hurst as the conniving villain Barkilphedro – amusingly, in the 2-page illustrated review of the film in “The Movie” (which is where I first came to know of it and my expectations were thus raised sky-high!), he’s described as a do-gooder (evidently, the author was recounting the plot from memory) – who gets his just desserts, in a rather vicious scene for the time, at the hands of Gravina’s faithful dog (unfortunately named Homo); Stuart Holmes as Baclanova’s prissy aristocratic intended; and Sam DeGrasse (who appears briefly, but memorably, at the beginning) as the tyrannical and vaguely unhinged King James II, fitted with a dressing-gown strikingly similar to that worn by Max Schreck’s vampire in NOSFERATU (1922)!

The frenzied but rousing climax ends the film on a highly satisfactory note, despite its essential departure from the Victor Hugo novel. The familiar music score (perhaps re-used for subsequent Universal horrors?), features a maudlin romantic song heard on the soundtrack (which also includes the various effects created by the general hubbub of the impressively-staged crowd scenes) that is, however, delightfully typical of the period. The print/transfer quality is very adequate for such a rare item – though there’s an amusing gaffe in the form of an untranslated Italian title card. The extras are pretty interesting and longer than one would have thought (particularly the “Making Of’ documentary, the essay on star Conrad Veidt and the excerpt from the novel); the photo gallery, then, includes stills from a couple of deleted scenes – and there’s even mention of an earlier (and now, presumably, lost) cinematic adaptation of Hugo’s novel.

Unfortunately, my viewing of the film was marred unexpectedly by having the playback freeze for a couple of instances during the first half-hour, until the picture began to pixellate and break up and I had to unload the disc (jokingly, I had told my brother the day before that we ought to consider ourselves lucky that Image’s DVD of THE CAT AND THE CANARY [1927], released back in 1997, still played faultlessly – given our similarly problematic second encounter with their double-feature edition of LISA AND THE DEVIL [1972]/THE HOUSE OF EXORCISM [1975])!! It just happens that I’ve only just purchased a new DVD player (compatible with DivX, which I’ve been downloading – and borrowing from a friend – quite a bit of lately!) for a little over $80: I tried the Kino disc on that one and it played without a glitch; bottom-line: I was all ready to write an angry e-mail to Kino, complaining that the disc had rotted on me after a mere 3 years (so much for the format’s guarantee to last a lifetime!), when the problem seems to lie with my 6 year-old and evidently rather anal Pioneer model! Needless to say, somewhere along the line I’ll spot check the other 18 discs(!) which I’ve had problems with over the years on this new player too, and see if the trouble is likewise resolved…


10/30/06: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VIII – JASON TAKES MANHATTAN (Rob Hedden, 1989) *1/2

Other than the fact that the film is largely set aboard ship (complete with doom-spouting caretaker) – with Manhattan itself serving mainly as a backdrop for the finale – this is strictly formula stuff: perturbed heroine, her bitchy rival for the attentions of the misfit hero, her bossy guardian; plus a plethora of stereotypical teenagers (black sidekick, rocker, film-geek armed with a camera, etc.). The shipboard antics don’t generate much interest or excitement – but when the scene shifts to New York, it becomes tolerable enough (with even a number of amusing bits such as Jason – wearing his trademark hockey mask – coming face to face with a large billboard with an ad for an ice hockey match, his being accosted by junkies and street gangs, and the scene where the heroine dashes into a bar screaming that a maniac is stalking her – followed by the unalarmed female barteneder’s quip, “Welcome to New York!”). The climax in the sewers – with Jason drowning during a flooding of chemical waste – is effectively handled as well.


10/31/06: HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION (Rick Rosenthal, 2002) *1/2

The Michael Myers saga was always more respectable than that of Jason Voorhees – not that the immediate sequels to the classic original were any better than its myriad clones or the typical slasher! Anyway, I only managed to catch up with 3 of the sequels a couple of years back – but did get the opportunity to watch the above-average 1998 outing, HALLOWEEN: H20, during its original run; I’m not able to get a hold of nos. 5 and 6, so I had to make do with “Halloween 8” – directed by the man who brought us the atrocious first sequel!

After a pre-credits sequence depicting the final confrontation between Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her homicidal sibling, the film takes up a premise that showed promise (sort of bringing the saga up-to-date with a “Blair Witch Project” perspective) – a Reality TV show set inside the ill-fated Myers house. While the heroine is adequate (though still made to share an icky relationship over the Internet with a whiz-kid teenager), the rest of the participants are the usual mixture of the bland and the obnoxious (particularly her publicity-seeking best friend); the cast also includes the two black producers of the show – with foul-mouthed (and top-billed) Busta Rhymes eventually engaging in an idiotic karate fight with “The Shape”!! Besides, the unattractive color (simulating the look of Digital Video) doesn’t help…though John Carpenter’s simple, effortlessly eerie “Halloween” theme still manages to generate the required response whenever it comes on! The DVD includes a few worthless deleted scenes and even 3 alternate endings (a sure sign, if any was needed, of the film’s general dissatisfaction).

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

As an addendum to my Halloween marathon reviews:


Ranking The Val Lewton Horror cycle:

1. THE BODY SNATCHER (1945) ****
2. CAT PEOPLE (1942) ***1/2
3. I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943) ***1/2
4. THE SEVENTH VICTIM (1943) ***1/2
5. THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (1944) ***1/2
6. ISLE OF THE DEAD (1945) ***1/2
7. THE LEOPARD MAN (1943) ***
8. BEDLAM (1946) ***
9. THE GHOST SHIP (1943) ***


Ranking The Boris Karloff “Mad Doctor” cycle:

1. THE MAN WITH NINE LIVES (1940) **1/2
2. THE MAN THEY COULD NOT HANG (1939) **1/2
3. THE DEVIL COMMANDS (1941) **1/2
4. BEFORE I HANG (1940) **1/2


Ranking The Lon Chaney Jr. “Inner Sanctum” cycle:

1. STRANGE CONFESSION (1945) **1/2
2. WEIRD WOMAN (1944) **1/2
3. THE FROZEN GHOST (1945) **1/2
4. CALLING DR. DEATH (1943) **1/2
5. DEAD MAN’S EYES (1944) **
6. PILLOW OF DEATH (1945) **

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

anyone else withdrawing from not having horror movies to watch? I just got Cannibal Feroux and "Masters Of Horror - Pick Me up" in the mail and my first thought was of the challenge.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Russell,

I'm still watching them! Watched Freddy vs. Jason, The Faculty, and An American Werewolf in London this past week! But I tend to watch a heck of a lot of horror films throughout the year. I did take a break and went to see Borat. Loved it!

Cheers,

Jason

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

I saw Borat too. My problem is, I get these movies and I want to tuck them away to save for next year.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

I just watched Bad Moon. Cool werewolf.

Also did Van Helsing last week.

Re: ***Official 7th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge***

Russell,

There will always be enough horror films to check out for the challenge. I say enjoy what you have now - if you want to of course.

Haven't seen Bad Moon yet. But I love werewolf movies. I'll have to check it out. Also, does anyone have any good witch movies? I'm particularly interested in that sub-genre right now. I guess any Gypsy/Devilry/Witchcraft story will do.

Cheers,

Jason