*** Official 10th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2009 *** - Page 18

Jungle Woman (1944)

Sequel to CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN is often said to be one of Universal's worst horror films, and with some good reason. For one thing the first 15 or 20 minutes agonizingly drone on and on with flashback sequences from the first movie, and has to be seen to be believed (it actually feels like you're watching 3 different films at times). Acquanetta returns as Paula the Ape Woman and it's hilarious to watch her terrible acting performance, especially the robotic way in which she delivers her lines! At least the original had her mute throughout; this one gives her a lot of dialogue she can't handle. Along with the unintended laughs to make things survivable, at least this one features the competent J. Carrol Naish as the latest scientist trying to experiment with Paula, and to its very slight credit director Reginald LeBorg directs a couple of scenes in a Val Lewtonesque manner (such as Paula's creepy attack on a row boat and her eerily stalking her victim through the woods). I've never understood why these films didn't take more advantage of using more of their Ape Woman woman in full makeup to keep things more lively. 

The Jungle Captive (1945)   

Pretty good and under-appreciated finale to Universal's "Ape Woman Trilogy". Otto Kruger plays an older and grandfatherly doctor who appears kind and respectable but has sinister plans up his sleeve to revive Paula the Ape Woman and transform her into Vicky Lane (since Acquanetta left the series). His perfect assistant is none other than Rondo Hatton, the actor who in real life suffered from the disease Acromegaly, which enlarged his face and hands. Rondo was never an actor, but he's better here than in any of his other films, with a generous helping of dialogue and emotions on display. We also get a little more time with the actual Ape Woman than usual and this is a short 60 minutes of typical mad doctor/assistant/monster nonsense that's fun, if not anything exceptional. A favorite line is when the doc looks at the deformed Rondo Hatton who's admiring the human female patient on the table and says to him: "No offense, but with that face you're not exactly a Casanova, you know". And then, pointing at the beastly Ape Woman on the next table: "This is more in your line". I wonder how Otto Kruger felt delivering an insult like that to the unfortunate Rondo?  

TV:

The Munsters: "Mummy Munster" -- Herman goes to a museum to meet Marilyn but winds up trapped and asleep inside a mummy case and is misidentified as a mummy.

The Munsters: "Lily Munster - Girl Model" -- Lily gets a job modeling woman's clothes, so Herman and Grandpa crash the festivities to make her jealous, with Grandpa whipping up a magic disguise turning Herman into a filandering Texas Playboy, and Grandpa into the beautiful blonde on his arm. 

The Munsters: "Munster the Magnificent" -- Eddie wants his dad to perform as a magician at his school's talent show, but Herman has no ability performing magic.So Grandpa secretly hides in the wings and makes Herman's tricks work for him.

The Munsters: "Love Comes to Mockingbird Heights" -- Uncle Gilbert (the Creature from the Black Lagoon) leaves the family a fortune in rare gold coins. Marilyn meets a young man who intends to elope with her, but just because he's out to get her money.  
Edited by Joe Karlosi - 10/20/09 at 3:55am

Edited by Mario Gauci - 10/20/09 at 12:23pm

I love Seed of Chucky.  Maybe my favorite one of the whole series.

Right on about The UNBORN.  And that's exactly what I was thinking about that poster.  Reason for watching the film:  her ass.  :D 

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Sorry I'm so darn late. Work is really sucking badly. This thing is really needed this year because of it.

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DAY FIFTEEN: OCTOBER 15TH

 

So...pea soup anyone?

 

 

 

58. THE EXORCIST. THE VERSION YOU'VE NEVER SEEN. (1973/2000) I've "seen" this version about 5 times. Somehow, this time, I got a little inpatient during the doctor visits. I can't remember how all that flowed in the original cut but I'd sure love to see that cut again. Of course, some things about this newer cut would be missed. Father Karras is probably my favorite character. He's fairly complex...very well played by the actor. There's some much perceived pain that comes out throughout his performance/background story and it gives the ending so much more impact. The effects have aged and that's a real shame. But I'm not so jaded that I can't see the film for what it did when it originally came out. It can still be an exhausting ride. Blair plays herself well enough, but they sure gave her a lot of too once she turns. She had some excellent direction. Not the best experience I've had watching this film. I was sure it would counteract the lackluster day before. Nope. Still, always a pleasure to watch it. By the way, in the 80s I rented this to show to my cousins and the fell asleep before it was over. But they stayed awake during the really crappy b-movies they rented. At least we all laughed at those. Funny thing I remember about my cousins, was my aunt Susan coming in the room and saying "Where is it?!" She confiscated FACES OF DEATH I rented for my underage cousins. Oops! I never got around to seeing that for that reason. Kind of glad since I remember those similar films in driver's ed making me sick. Haha! Funny what you tie to a film. As for this one there is so much to admire and enjoy, I didn't even mention that movie-loving detective or the scenes set in Iraq in the opening.

 

HORRORTHON SUCCESS LEVEL: 8

 

There just aren't enough nice demons possessing people these days.

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You think she needs a, uh...HE-CREATURE ?!  I'll volunteer!   

 

 

59. SHE-CREATURE. REMAKE. (2001) I saw the original one afternoon at my grandma's when I was about 10 yrs old. Yeah, mom told me to watch that and I'd like it. I did. I can still picture myself sitting there watching it and thinking it was a little scary but not a whole lot. I'd been watching the Universal monster movies for a little while and CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON was probably my scary benchmark at the time. At time time SHE-CREATURE was lacking in comparison from what I remember. Now, this remake version would have been worth a therapy session if I'd seen it back then. The Stan Winston effects would be nightmare fuel for some younguns. I loved how everything looks. The actress playing the "creature" is so gorgeous I'd just love to be her He-Creature, baby! The story plays out pretty well for the most part. I'd say things get a little rough around the edges before it ends. I was all ready to declare it a solid and unexpectedly brilliant remake. But I'll stop short of that. Worth seeing for monster movie fans? Yeah. Better than the original? Maybe. But not great.

 

HORRORTHON SUCCESS LEVEL: 7

 

Hot...and wet...

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Not quite as good as a Wii...

 

 

60. DEADLY FRIEND. (1986) This might have been much better as an intended horror/comedy. The cast is interesting, the subject matter is perfect! It has a feel of not being well planned out, kind of like a TV movie. I saw it for the first time last year and loved it. Buy this year it's flaws were glaring and I didn't really have a strong desire to watch this kind of film at the time. Saturday morning would have been better. I'd love to see this kooky idea done on a bigger budget with somebody who knows how to mix comedy in with the horror properly. This one is all over the place with exploding heads, incest, genius tech wizards, teens drugging their moms...and has a cast member from LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE in it! Hell, I'm dizzy! hahaaa!

 

HORRORTHON SUCCESS LEVEL: 7

 

Needs an upgrade...

64. The Hitcher (1986)
C. Thomas Howell picks up crazy maniac Rutger Hauer hitch hiking on the road and bad things ensue. It's been a long time since I've seen the movie but I enjoyed it more than I remember. I still think it has the 'curse' of having such a strong opening sequence that the rest of the movie pales in comparison though.

65. Creepshow
Stephen King and George Romero's tribute to/take on EC Comics. It's an anthology of five tales involving revenge, corpses rising from the dead and monsters in the dark. As a big fan of EC Comics, I like this movie alot even if all the stories aren't entirely successful. For me, the comic book-style flourishes overcome some of the problems.

Part 1 of the endless Frankenstein flicks.  None would really hit into the challenge but they were fun.

Mickey's Gala Premier (1933)
 

Burt Gillett
 

Simple Disney short has all of Hollywood shutting down so that the major stars can show up at Grauman's Chinese Theater to see Mickey Mouse's latest movie.  Mickey arrives with Minnie and Pluto but the real stars include Wallace Beery, Marie Dressler, Laurel and Hardy, Edward G. Robinson, Clark Gable, Ginger Rogers, Joan Crawford, Joe E. Brown, Chaplin, Keaton, Mae West, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Fredric March and countless others.  This isn't the greatest written cartoon ever made but the real reason to watch is for the A-list talent from Hollywood.  Laurel and Hardy probably get the most screentime but the Marx Bros. get a few good jokes in as well.  The stuff dealing with Greta Garbo coming onto Mickey was pretty funny but the other highlight is the twist that follows.  The short features Lugosi as Dracula and Karloff as the Frankenstein monster but they really don't play too close to detail.  The same is true for March who appears with them as Mr. Hyde but he looks more like a werewolf than anything else. 
 

Betty Boop's Penthouse (1933)
 

Dave Fleischer

Funny short in Flesicher's series has Bimbo and Kobo playing mad scientist who are trying to come up with the perfect formula.  When they see Betty Boop across the way they start paying more attention to her and don't realize that a Frankenstein like monster is being created.  Soon the monster goes after Betty and she must fight him off with her perfume.  Fans of Boop will get a nice kick out of this short as it features plenty of pre-code sexual humor that anyone can eat up.  The scenes dealing with a towel wanting to dry off Boop's butt is very funny as is the way the monster gets turned on by her and the aftermath of him smelling her perfume.  The animation is quite nice from start to finish and there are a few nice homages to Whale's FRANKENSTEIN, although the square head is changed to the chin. 
 

Bosko's Mechanical Man (1933)
 

Hugh Harman
 

Early Looney Tunes short from Warner has Bosko at his girlfriend's house and he's not too happy to be having to do all sorts of chores.  He then reads that robots can do whatever you want so he gathers up various parts lying around the house and builds one but, like Frankenstein, learns not to build things from the dead.  This is a fair short that manages to keep you entertained throughout the running time but in the end there aren't enough laughs to make it anything overly special.  The highlight, of course, is the robot coming to life and causing all sorts of damage but it's the dog that gets most of the pain as the robot electrocutes him!  The animation is pretty good if you like this early form and Bosko is as lively as ever. 
 

Hollywood Capers (1935)
 

Jack King

Warner animation has Beans trying to sneak into their studio but he keeps getting kick out until he decides to dress as Oliver Hardy.  Once inside he can't stay out of trouble when he accidentally brings to life Frankenstein's monster.  This Looney Tunes short manages to be quite funny from start to finish and the nice pace makes it one of the better shorts I've seen from Beans.  His character certainly isn't the greatest thing the company ever made but he has enough innocent charm to make you care for him.  The monster here looks pretty good and that includes that square head and it's good to see what those bolts in the side of his neck are really used for.  One of the best scenes in the movie has the monster coming towards the camera and screaming right before eating it.  The way the animation has this play out is very well done and it's clearly the highlight. 

Porky's Road Race (1937)
 

Decent Looney Tunes episode has Porky joining an All-Star celebrity race but while most are willing to play fair, Borox Karoff, a Frankenstein type monster, wants to cheat to win.  This is another early short that tries to fit in as many Hollywood stars as possible.  We not only get the spoof of Karloff's Frankenstein but there's also Laurel and Hardy, Greta Garbo, Gable, Fields, Chaplin, the Marx Bros. and various others.  Overall this is a mildly entertaining short but I don't think the story is strong enough to carry it all the way through.  While it's fun seeing all of the stars, at the same time you can't help but with they had done something more with them instead of just a quick cameo and that's that.  Writing something better for them would have helped but so would have writing Porky something better to do.  The movie just doesn't have enough laughs to make it work as well as it could have so in the end this is a mildly entertaining film but at the same time you can't help but be disappointed in what could have been more.

Have You Got Any Castles? (1938)
 

Frank Tashlin

Extremely entertaining Merrie Melodies short has a familiar plot but it's taken to the limit here.  The animated film pretty much takes place on a book shelf as various forms of literature comes to life.  We get various stories including Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The House of Seven "Gables", So Big, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Little Women, The Thin Man, The Good Earth and countless others.  The animation is quite good throughout this short with a lot of great attention to various details.  There are a few Hollywood celebs who make appearances here including W.C. Fields and a funny spoof with Clark Gable.  Mel Blanc does fine work in the form of several of the characters but we'd come to expect nothing less.  What really makes this film stand apart from countless others that tried the same story is the actual music, which is incredibly entertaining.  Carl W. Stalling and Milt Franklyn hit all the right notes and really keep the action moving.  Everything mixed together makes this one of the better ways to tell this familiar stories so fans of animation or any of the books mentioned should have a grand time.
 

Hollywood Steps Out (1941)
 

Tex Avery
 

Delightful Warner short doesn't have any real story to speak of but the highlight here is seeing all sorts of Hollywood stars out dancing at a club.  We get countless cameos including Gable, Garbo, Hardy, Cagney, Bogart, Robinson, The Three Stooges, Rooney, Stewart, Weismuller, Grant and many others including Karloff as the Frankenstein monster.  Again, there's no real story going on here as the entire seven-minutes is just a set up for the various stars to run into one another.  There are quite a few highlights but one would have to be the seen with Cagney and Bogart planning some crimes.  Another is the brilliant final gag that I won't spoil here but it certainly ends the film on a big laugh.  It was also fun seeing all the spoofs thrown at Gable but one of the biggest laughs comes from an Andy Hardy joke.  The film contains the usual great animation, nice score and the brilliant voice work by Mel Blanc.
 

Porky's Movie Mystery (1939)
 

Robert Clampett

Fun short from Warner has a mysterious creature known as The Phantom stalking various Hollywood studios.  Actors are too scared to act, cameras are being destroyed and all productions have been shut down.  It turns out that the Invisible Man is behind all the destruction so it's up to Mr. Moto (Porky Pig) to track him down.  This is a pretty fun short from start to finish as we get a lot of winks to previous movies.  It's obvious the film is spoofing James Whale's THE INVISIBLE MAN who, at this point, had only been in one movie but a sequel would follow a year after this cartoon.  How ironic.  The jokes are all pretty good with Porky getting a lot of laughs as Moto but obviously those sensitive to certain politically incorrect humor might not want to watch this.  The stutter is still there of course and it makes for plenty of laughs.  The scene with the Frankenstein monster being "bullied" into talking was quite funny but the final joke of the film pretty much falls flat. 
 

66. Creepshow 2
Three more tales dealing with a cigar store indian come to life, a hungry blob in a lake and a hitch hiker that's really angry about being killed by a hit and run driver. They cut the budget down so much between the two movies that this could have been called Cheapshow 2 (rim shot). It's been a long time since I saw this movie and the story about the blob in the water eating kids is OK and I like the story about the hitch hiker getting revenge for his hit and run but I think the lower budget killed this movie.

67. The Funhouse
A group of teens decide to hide in a carnival's funhouse over night. Unfortunately, there's a deformed mutant that kills people in there too. Outside of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, this is my favorite Tobe Hooper movie by far. It's got some good scares, a nice spooky mood (I keep waiting for something to jump out of the shadows at the kids), likable enough characters, some really warped peripheral characters (what kind of maniac pulls a rifle on a little kid just to get his kicks?) and nice widescreen photography.

Land of the Lost (2009)

I suppose if you're a Will Ferrell fan you will enjoy this. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. There probably is only a couple of movies of his that I truly enjoyed and it's a shame because he is likable. For me this film had very few good moments but I thought the T-Rex was great. Overall a bust for me.

 Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

This is another great Vincent Price movie. Though it has little resemblance to the classic Poe short story, Richard Matheson did a great job putting his own spin on the story.  I thought all the acting was good here except for John Kerr, who gave a stilted performance. As usual Vincent Price shines in a role that was made for him. After seeing alot of crap movies from Roger Corman he certainly redeems himself here.

 

Oct. 20:
 

Films:

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

A true gem -- one of the best of its kind.  I have to say that this film just solidifies my love for Herrmann's music.  He's been my favorite composer of film music (unless one counts Shostakovich's work in this area) for many years.  And he does not disappoint.  I am not certain of this, but I think some of the music was later used in Lost In Space (television series, season one).  I have thought this for years, but have never followed up on whether it is true or not.  It could just be so very similar in parts that I think the passages are identical.

This film was probably the most chilling film I ever saw as a child, and it continues to invoke emotions and shivers in me during two scenes in particular.  The first is the flashlight scene.  The relative darkness and the contrast of flashing light -- coupled with the shock of the child looking on as Klaatu enters the saucer -- is unnerving.  And of course, the wonderful scene with Patricia Neal as she backs up and trips over the chairs.  When I first saw this film many years ago, I didn't know if she would remember those singularly significant words....

One tidbit: I still can't stop thinking about Dr. Zorba (Ben Casey) whenever I see Prof. Barnhardt. :)

Frankenstein (1931)

I finally got to see this film.  What a treat.  I can't speak to the technical aspects of the film, but I can write a little about what I observed and enjoyed.  I thought Karloff and Barron von Frankenstein were excellent.  (The latter was quite a hoot with his humor -- almost Twain-like in parts.)  My favorite segments of the film were the unexpected death of the little girl (I was very surprised by that); the scene when the father walks into town with the girl in his arms (I especially liked watching the crowd's reaction as he passed by each of the groups -- what a brilliant juxtaposition of major modality in the music with/during such a tragic scene); and the firery inferno in the windmill at the conclusion of the film.  This is one I will need to watch again.  (See note below -- my daughter wants to see it again, so that's probably going to happen soon.)

When the townspeople are hunting for Frankenstein's monster, I heard a few echoes of peoples' footsteps on the sets used for the 'ground.'  I suppose that this couldn't be helped, but I was a bit surprised that it was there, and I understand that this film is roughly seventy-eight years old.  It's not a quibble, just an observation.
 

Update:

Films:

01. The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)  1/2
02. Burnt Offerings (1976)
03. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (2007)  1/2
04. The Three Stooges ("We Want Our Mummy") (1939)  1/2
05. The Three Stooges ("Spook Louder") (1943)
06. The Three Stooges ("Hot Scots") (1948)
07. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)  1/2
08. Games (1967) 
09. The Monster That Challenged the World (1957)
10. Halloweentown (1998)
11. The Screaming Skull (1958)  1/2
12. Tales of Terror (1962) 
13. Halloweentown II (Kalabar's Revenge) (2001)
14. The Fly (1958)
15. Them! (1954)  1/2
16. Signs (2002)  1/2
17. Halloweentown High (2004)  1/2
18. Return To Halloweentown (2006)
19. Revenge Of the Creature (1955)
20. The Bad Seed (1956) 
21. The Creature Walks Among Us (1956)  1/2
22. Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghosts Out? (2008) 
23. The Three Stooges ("If A Body Meets A Body") (1945)
24. The Three Stooges ("The Ghost Talks") (1949)  1/2
25. The Haunted Mansion (2003)  1/2
26. Tower of Terror (1997)  1/2
27. The Giant Gila Monster (1959)  1/2
28. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
29. Frankenstein (1931)

Television episodes:

01. The Avengers ("Castle De'ath") (1965)
02. Charmed ("From Here To Eternity") (1999) 
03. Scooby Doo, Where Are You! ("A Night of Fright Is No Delight") (1969)  1/2
04. Scooby Doo, Where Are You! ("That's Snow Ghost") (1969)  1/2
05. Mr. Monk Goes Home Again (2005) 
06. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) 
07. Dark Shadows (Episode #78) (1966)
08. Dark Shadows (Episode #79) (1966)
09. Scooby Doo, Where Are You! ("Bedlam In the Big Top") (1969)  1/2
10. Scooby Doo, Where Are You! ("Scooby-Doo, and a Mummy Too") (1969)  1/2

11. Wizards of Waverly Place ("Franken-girl") (2009)

12. The Waltons ("Ghost Story") (1974)
13. 7th Heaven ("Halloween") (1996)  1/2
14. Jonas ("The Tale of the Haunted Firehouse") (2009)
15. Charmed ("All Halliwell's Eve") (2000) 
16. The Nightmare Room ("Camp Nowhere" pts. 1 and 2; "Don't Forget Me"; "Full Moon Halloween") (2002)

Edited by Ockeghem - 10/21/09 at 7:35am

I'm in a fun mood this morning, so bear with me   :


My Halloween Home Movies 1970
In this short I dressed up like Dracula.

Grandpa's Vacation at Lake George
In this short film we went on vacation and had a good time. So this isn't all that spooky, except that one of the street signs we filmed eerily said "DEAD END".

My Halloween Home Movies 1971
I dressed up like Frankenstein's Monster in this one-reel 50 footer.

My Halloween Home Movies 1972
Not totally horror because in this short movie I dressed up only as a pirate. BUT my sister dressed up as a witch...

Happy 9th Birhday!
4-minute feature where my cousin had a birthday party. Things get really scary when she blows out her candles and the edge of the tablecloth catches fire for three seconds until Uncle Bob pours a cup of soda on it to save the day.

Junior Gets a Haircut (1950)
Educational short subject features a little boy at the barber who's terrified for his life getting his first haircut. Chills and thrills abound.

The Burning (Original Version) (1969)
Creepy short film about attending my cousin's high school graduation. It appears that several frames of this 8mm home movie previously got a hole burned into them from a projector's lamp in the past. As a result,now just as my cuz is accepting his diploma, the movie appears to BURN!

The Shock (1973)
During a seemingly dull and routine 4-minute travelogue of sight-seeing in Europe, the home movie camera suddenly runs out of footage and creates a "GASP!" shock effect. This was banned in England.
Edited by Joe Karlosi - 10/21/09 at 4:20am

 Scott, 

Where have you been that you have missed Frankenstein your whole life. As a kid it used to be on late night TV (all over the country) all the time!

Rick,.

Hey.  I was probably just watching other things.  I'm glad I finally got to see it.  We rented disc one of the five Frankenstein films included in the Legacy Collection.  Tonight, our oldest daughter wants to see the first film again -- surely a good sign!

BTW, I added commentary for the film (and one other) above. :)
Edited by Ockeghem - 10/21/09 at 7:36am

Let me ask you something buddy.  How big of a hit would it be to put a video on YouTube with a 40+ year old man dressed up as a werewolf putting on fake intros to horror movies that he can watch at a later time in order to "recapture" the spirit of watching movies like when he was a kid. 

Two site owners can't get something through your head so you're obviously never to learn.  Either way, I'll play along and will have it posted in the next week or so.  Screw PARANORMAL, this will really scare the shit out of people. 

046) 10/16/2009 The Black Room (1935) 1/2

Boris Karloff gives three great performances (twin brothers and then one twin impersonating the other) in this moody period piece about a family curse where one brother will kill the other.  Karloff plays a tyrannical ruler whose twin brother returns at the former's request.  But there's a double cross and murder in store.  One of Karloff's best films.

047) 10/16/2009 The Man They Could Not Hang (1939) 

First entry in Karloff's Mad Scientist series of films for Columbia Pictures is one of the best.  Karloff plays a scientist who is arrested before he can revive via an artificial heart a boy he scientifically put to death.  He's hanged but is brought back to life by his assistant, and plans a ghastly revenge against all those responsible for his execution.  Fast-paced, exciting little thriller never wears out its welcome and Karloff really seems to be enjoying himself.

048) 10/16/2009 The Man With Nine Lives (1940) 1/2

Karloff is a doctor who inadvertently discovers a gas that can preserve life and allow people to be frozen.  He's thawed out after ten years but needs to re-discover his formula when the original is destroyed.  Really silly scientific aspects of the story are somewhat offset by Karloff's performance and some unusual plot turns.

049) 10/16/2009 Before I Hang (1940) 1/2

 

Karloff is a doctor convicted for a mercy killing, but he is allowed to go on experimenting with a serum that will reverse aging.  When he uses the blood of a convicted killer for his latest test, there are disasterous results.  Karloff is once again convincing, but the film become repetitive.

050) 10/17/2009 The Devil Commands (1941) 

Karloff and creepy medium conduct bizarre experiments to communicate with Karloff's dead wife.  One of the best in the mad scientist series, with great atmosphere and a sinister performance from Anne Revere as the vicious medium.

051) 10/18/2009 Night of Terror (1933)

 

Bela Lugosi is a suspect in this mediocre combination of science fiction and horror.  While a scientist claims to have discovered a formula that will keep him alive for eight hours while buried alive, a maniac prowls the doctor's estate killing at every opportunity.  The basic plot here is pretty good, but the execution is lacking.  Lugosi's servant character rarely makes any sense.  The ending is a real hoot though.

052) 10/18/2009 Happy Birthday to Me (1981)

A snobby band of high schoolers who call themselves the Top Ten are being murdered is grisly ways.  For a slasher film this has a really complicated plot in addition to outlandish murder scenes.  But it's overlong and poorly edited.

053) 10/20/2009 Voodoo Man (1944)

This must be one of the earliest of self-referencial horror films.  The hero writes horror films for Banner Pictures (the film's real production company) and the studio head is referred to as "SK" (the film's producer is Sam Katzman).  At the end of the film it's recommended Bela Lugosi play the lead in the writer's new horror picture, The Voodoo Man.  In the film proper Lugosi plays a doctor trying to transfer the life force from kidnapped damsels to his late wife.  George Zucco mumbles voodoo rites and John Carradine is an idiot assistant.  A real oddity that has some charm to offset the awful script.

054) 10/20/2009 The Devil Bat (1940) 1/2

One of the better Lugosi Poverty Row films has him playing a jilted scientist who invents a shaving lotion that attracts bats he has enlarged.  Lugosi has a lot of screen time and gets to ham it up tastily.

055) 10/20/2009 Invisible Ghost (1941) 1/2

Lugosi doesn't realize he is the killer of sundry household staff and guests.  His mania is triggered by seeing the wife he thinks is dead, but is actually alive roaming the estate's grounds.  Lugosi gets to play a sympathetic villain here and does well.  Clarence Muse also does good work as the family butler.  Basic story is ludicrous but film is enjoyable nonetheless.

Television

021) 10/17/2009 Angel Season 3, Episode 14: Couplet (2001) 

Cordelia's love from another dimension returns, while Gunn and Fred's relationship heats up.  Wesley discovers something alarming about the scrolls he's translating.  Solid episode.

022) 10/17/2009 Angel Season 3, Episode 15: Loyalty (2001) 1/2

While Holtz continues to plot his revenge, Wesley fears Angel may harm his son.  Very well plotted episode where the emotional groundwork laid in the previous episodes really begins to pay off.

023) 10/17/2009 Angel Season 3, Episode 16: Sleep Tight (2001) 

In this powerhouse episode Wesley makes a shocking move to avert the prophecy, while Holtz and his team of vampire killers make their move on Angel.  Heartbreaking episode for numerous reasons, and the season's high point.

024) 10/17/2009 Angel Season 3, Episode 17: Forgiving (2001) 

Now that baby Connor is trapped in a hell dimension with Holtz, Angel will do anything he can to get his son back.  Meanwhile Fred and Gunn search for Wesley, unaware he lies helpless with a slit throat in a nearby park.  An extremely intense episode, with a kick-ass final scene.

025) 10/18/2009 It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

Classic Halloween television, as Linus awaits the arrival of the Great Pumpkin.  I never get tired of watching this.

026) 10/18/2009 Angel Season 3, Episode 18: Double or Nothing (2001) 

Angel puts his grief on hold to save Gunn, who years ago sold his soul to a casino boss who now wants to collect.  Typically solid episode.

027) 10/18/2009 Angel Season 3, Episode 19: The Price (2001) 1/2

When Angel summoned up dark forces to get Connor, he may have left open a "time rip" whereby all sorts of creatures can enter the human world.  Pretty scary episode ends with a shocking revelation.

028) 10/18/2009 Angel Season 3, Episode 20: A New World (2001) 1/2

 

Connor has returned, now a teenager, from the hell dimension determined to murder his father - Angel.  Very good series entry.

029) 10/19/2009 Angel Season 3, Episode 21: Benediction (2001) 1/2

While Connor and Angel start to bond, Holtz has also returned to Los Angeles and comes with a new plan of vengeance against Angel.  Meanwhile Wesley is approached to join Wolfram & Hart.  Suspenseful series entry.

030) 10/19/2009 Angel Season 3, Episode 22: Tomorrow (2001) 1/2

 

Holtz's final revenge is realized, and that spells trouble for Angel, while Cordelia gets an unexpected visit concerning her destiny.  Terrific season-ending cliffhanger.

031) 10/19/2009 Angel Season 4, Episode 01: Deep Down (2002) 

Connor continues to work with Gunn and Fred while they search for Angel and Cordelia.  But it's Wesley who may actually prove to be Angel's salvation.  A perfectly fine season opener.

032) 10/20/2009 Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?: Vampire Bats and Scaredy Cats

A friend of the Mystery, Inc. gang is about to turn 18 and inherit her estate on Skull Island.  But there seems to be a vampire in her ancestry.  Average episode with a way too obvious clue.

033) 10/20/2009 Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?: A Gaggle of Galloping Ghosts

One of the episodes from the series first season is an entertaining variation on the Universal monster rallys, as Scooby and the gang face a werewolf, a vampire, and a monster a la the Frankenstein movies.

034) 10/20/2009 Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?: That's Snow Ghost 1/2

Fans of Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre will get a a kick out this episode where a ghostly yeti haunts a ski lodge.

035) 10/20/2009 Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?: Which Witch is Which? 1/2

A witch and her zombie associate haunt a local swamp.  But the Mystery, Inc. gang think the monsters may have another agenda.  Enjoyable first season episode.

036) 10/20/2009 Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?: The Headless Horseman of Halloween

As a fan of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, this episode remains one of my favorites.  At a Halloween party at Crane Manor, a headless spectre rides in on horseback demanding a head.

037) 10/20/2009 Angel Season 4, Episode 02: Ground State (2002)

While Cordelia continues to be bored in her new dimension, Angel, Gunn, and Fred search for a means to contact her.  Unforunately for them, what they need is about to stolen from an auction house by an unusually qualified thief.  Entertaining episode.

038) 10/20/2009 Angel Season 4, Episode 03: The House Always Wins (2002)

 

When Angel and company go searching for Lorne to ask his help in finding Cordelia, they discover a casino whose owner can steal futures and sell them to the highest bidder.  A really clever variation on stock market futures.

039) 10/20/2009 Angel Season 4, Episode 04: Slouching Towards Bethlehem (2002)

 

Cordelia has returned but has no memory.  Connor struggles on his own after being kicked out of Angel's hotel.  Wesley's loyalties continue to remain a mystery.  And Lorne does not like what he sees when he peaks into Cordelia's future.  Yet another totally satisfying series entry.

040) 10/20/2009 Angel Season 4, Episode 05: Supersymmetry (2002)

Fred's published physics article leads to an unexpected revelation when she discovers several of her favorite professor's students have disappeared over the years.  A good episode but nothing exceptional.

Edited by John Stell - 10/21/09 at 8:35am

Drag Me To Hell (2009) 1/2 - A loan officer denies an extension on a mortgage to an old gypsy woman.  Not a good idea.  I went into this not really knowing what to expect.  The first trailers did nothing for me but when I started reading reviews of the Blu-ray I decided it would be worth a blind purchase.  My expectations were met.  It was a decent film with some good scares and some pretty good gross out moments.

House on Haunted Hill (1959) B

Frederick Loren (Vincent Price) rents house rumored to be haunted for an evening so his wife can throw a party. However, it's Frederick that picks the guest list...why he picks certain people is never really made clear. But they all seem to need money and agree to attend as Frederick is offering to pay $10,000 to each guest that stays (and stays alive) all night.

There's not really much plot involved here. Basically just seven strangers locked in an old house for eight hours and some creepy things happen. But it's still an enjoyable film for this time of year, even despite Carolyn Craig's incessant screeching throughout. And it does contain one of my favorite scare scenes of all time. In spoiler tags, just in case:

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

Jesus, Joe - that was one stupid stunt you pulled today!

First he threatens to abandon this Challenge due to my imaginary teasing of him, then he fires off a PM to me saying that I won't be the cause for his leaving it after all...and, now, he pulls out this truly childish 'stroke of genius' that only serves to show him off as the bad loser I've always known him to be. Unbelievable!
Edited by Mario Gauci - 10/30/09 at 11:04pm

I love Pit and hte Pendulum.  I already had the single DVD but gave it to my mom and bought the double with House of Usher.  Still need to watch those during this.

My theater didn't even get land of the lost.  Me and a fellow DJ wrote the theater owners and they said they would get it but lied and never did.  He really gave them the business on the air. 



____________________________________________

DAY SIXTEEN:  OCTOBER 16TH

 

What...again?  Damn you kids! 

 

 

61. FRIDAY THE 13TH JASON LIVES/PART VI. (1986)  Funny how it seems they are just throwing small groups of people in at random to be killed during the first 30 minutes or so.  It's like a few appetizers until the full meal is brought to the table.  Yum!  Delicious!  And for dessert?  KIDS!!!  Have there ever been kids at the summer camp before?  Usually it's mainly counselors, right?  Damn, I can't remember.  At any rate, I don't remember seeing this entry before a few years ago when I picked up the box set.  Sure comes off like a crowd pleasing production! Long time fans may not be bowled over by it...somehow I like it though.  Favorite part might be the guy driving the RV while his girlfriend gets taken to the bathroom.  Rediculously funny and obviously the guy is ad libbing the whole thing.  Alice Cooper tunes...and it was filmed in my home state of Georgia just miles from where my dear daddy grew up?  Me like! 

 

HORRORTHON SUCCESS LEVEL:  8

 

We grow some sweet slashers in the Peach State.

_______________________________________________
 

Sometimes it does hurt when you laugh...

 

 

62. SEVERANCE.  (2006)  The front of the box says "THE OFFICE meets THE HILLS HAVE EYES".  I agree with THE OFFICE part, they get that right.  Pretty funny stuff.  But THE HILLS HAVE EYES isn't quite on target since there are no mutant hill people in this film.  haha!  The storyline does quickly go from funny to gory in jarring fashion without a whole lot of warning so I guess that part of it is right.  I hope others kind of like that aspect of it because it kept me wondering what the hell would happen next.  This is the film I couldn't decide on next to THE COTTAGE so I bought both.  Damn glad I did!  Really fun stuff I'll watch year after year. The ending is a hoot!  In fact, there is one huge laugh near the end that I would love to talk about freely but I don't want to ruin it for anybody...will just say there are many many things that give off more heat than a small group of people.  Hee hee hee!     

 

HORRORTHON SUCCESS LEVEL:  9

 

Highly recommended if you would welcome your hand being tickled as it's being chopped off...

_____________________________________

 

These chicks have more balls than the LOST BOYS!

 

63. THE CRAFT. (1996)  What if the LOST BOYS were girls and they were casting spells instead of sucking blood? You have this 90s girly equivilent of the superior 80s young vamps classic.  Balk is something special in THE CRAFT and helps pull the whole production up and over!  Wonderfully over the top sometimes and pleasantly subdued at other times.  I shamelessly enjoyed watching her throughout the running time. I think I've been bewitched!!   Been many many years for me on this one and I had a ball seeing it again with all these cute girls.  Was lucky to find THE CRAFT/WILD THINGS DVD set in Big Lots recently for just $3.  The soundtrack is still excellent...you'd think all the no-hit tunes (assuming "no-hit" since I recognized NONE) would give the whole thing a horrible out of date feel.  Not for me anyway. 

 

HORRORTHON SUCCESS LEVEL:  9

 

Anybody for more eye of newt?  It's gettin cold... 

________________________________

 

An albino zombie.  There...I'll bet you actually want to see this film after reading those words.  Hee hee hee! 

 

 

64. MESSIAH OF EVIL/DEAD PEOPLE. (1973) Got this film in one of those multi-movie PD sets with 8 other movies for like $5.50.  Four or 5 years ago I was having a bad day during that year's 'thon (some things don't change, haha!) and just kind of threw it on to see what the hell it was.  It proceeded to knock me out with it's cheap, yet creepy and effective atmosphere!  There are about 3 really great scenes that make the whole thing worth a look.  Actress Joy Bang is also a joy I'd like to bang (had to do that, sorry).  The transfer is all over the place with color (or seems that way anyway) and that gave it such an odd feel.  I really like that feel.  Some quick research told me there's a new 35th Anniversary DVD coming late this month from CODE RED.  I saw some screen shots and it certainly won't get mistaken for a major studio release, but it looks good.  I was worried that the strange feel will be lost with a new print.  But I'll sure be buying for next time!  The film is just a very cheap kind of zombie movie with the "Messiah" of the title heading back to earth from wherever he'd been partying to claim his son or something like that.  Kind of like God and Jesus only on the dark side of things.  The cast of extras is an example of a very successful casting call.  They got some great people who are probably from the town where they filmed it.  And the main cast isn't too bad.  The main character of "Tom" (I think it's spelled Thom) is underplayed by the actor.  He probably didn't take the role seriously.  He has a good look, along with his harem of ladies. 

 

HORRORTHON SUCCESS LEVEL:  8

 

Once in a while those B-movie makers strike a little gold...

___________________________________________

A good days movie watching! 

 

Time to start 10/21.  Damn I'm so far behind in commenting.  Sorry about that.  I'm up to 82 as of Tuesday, October 20th.  And I'll continue to comment until it's done...even if I have to take a break for Christmas, haha!

Theatre of Blood (1973) 

Ahh another good one from the master. I received my Vincent Price scream collection yesterday so I couldn't wait to start delving into these movies.

Vincent Price plays Edward Lionheart a Shakespearean actor who is not appeciated by the critics. When he fails to win the coveted Critics Circle award he unsuccessfully tries to commit suicide by jumping off the building into the water below. He is found by some raggedy street people who do appreciate his talent. With the help of his street people he starts to systemically and inventively kill the members of the Critics Circle who had mocked his work in the past.

 

There is some very spectacular deaths in this movie, some quite frightening, This is a British made movie with great acting from everyone involved. You could see that Price must have had such fun with the script. This has just the right amount of black humour and chills to make for an enjoyable watch.
 
Darkwolf (2003) 

Wow, this was dreadful. Thankfully it was only $10.00 and there is two others on this set. I know I enjoyed the Howling. Perfect Creature is an unknown entity but it had to be better than this crap. This is a modern werewolf story with a terrible script and even worse acting. If you're a guy you might get a thrill with some of the nude scenes especially the two girls making out. But according to my husband it wears thin after awhile. It seems to me they didn't have enough material in the script and those prolonged scenes were just used as filler. Extremely disappointing.

 

68. The Blob (1958)
An asteroid lands on Earth and inside resides a blob that eats/absorbs people. Now it's up to teen Steve(n) McQueen to make the adults believe that the blob is out there and they need to stop it. Despite its flaws, this is a very fun movie and, in my mind, a highlight of the 1950's monster invasion movies. Just the theme song alone ("Beware of the blob, it creeps and leaps...") makes this movie a winner.

You should probably be thanking your theater owner for shielding you from LotL.

Friday VI has always been my favorite from the series. I need to watch it again soon.

I hope to get this on this weekend at some point.  I remember watching this years ago and really loving it so I can't wait to put it back on.  I've enjoyed reading all your reviews this month and they've put a big smile on my face because I remember watching stuff like MANIAC, TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE and those Price films for the first time. 

ATTENTION!

I am going to say this only once.

The next person that makes an attack upon another
member is going to find themselves banned from this
forum.

I have already removed some derogatory comments
towards another member.

If any of you have any problems you need to make
me aware of, please do so by mail.  My email
address is below.

69. The Blob (1988)
A mutated virus comes back to Earth on a crashed U.S. satellite and starts eating people. I really like this movie. It's not a masterpiece or anything but it does have some really good makeup effects in it and it takes all the best bits of the original movie (the old man discovering the blob in the woods, the blob eating people in the doctor's office, the diner attack and the movie theater sequence) and puts a nice spin on them.

I get such a kick watching these terrible old movies. Even though I've given some of them bad ratings, it's still great fun watching them. You never know when a gem might fall into your lap. Like you, I just love reading reviews especially if it's a first time watch for that viewer. It's like experiencing the film all over again and sometimes fresh eyes will give you a different perspective on something you really didn't like before.

I know I've always said Horror was my least favourite category. I should probably qualify that by saying, I love all the old stuff. It's mostly the modern day slasher horror eg. Hostel, Saw movies that I can't stand. If it has a vampire, werewolf, alien I'm there. I'm glad you're enjoying my reviews. I certainly enjoy yours.

Malcolm,

I love this film.  It's actually somewhat late in the season for me not to have watched it yet.  I think I've watched it for nine or ten years straight in October.

I love your teaser as well, and I also love the skeleton pulley scenes.  Additionally, there are a couple of twists that you may not expect the first couple of times you watch this film.

I might be the only one who thinks that this is one of Price's best vehicles.  It may not be his very best, but to me it's right up there with his most chilling work.  I also like the film because of Richard Long and Elisha Cook -- both are quite good in the film.

Four Days.  Four PHANTASM movies.  Wish I had watched them in one day so that the pain didn't last for so many days.


Phantasm (1979)
 

Don Coscarelli
 

Mildly effective horror film has a young man (A. Michael Baldwin) and his older brother (Bill Thornbury) investigating some strange events at the Morningside Mortuary where a bizarre Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) appears to be doing more than just burying the bodies.  This is without a doubt a classic horror film but that comment might leave some scratching their heads.  How could I call a two-star movie a classic?  Because as bad as some of this film and as highly flawed as some of it is, there's no doubt that it also contains some great atmosphere and a couple very effective scenes.  It's a real shame that this film is so uneven because it really could have been something terrific had only some of the errors been fixed.  The screenplay is very limited in terms of story direction and character development and I think this is a problem.  I never could really find much of a story going on and I think too many things happen without being explained.  I also think both brothers are rather underwritten and this is a problem that pops up throughout the film.  What Coscarelli seems more interesting in is building up the atmosphere and suspense, which he does quite well.  The low budget nature of the film is the greatest strength because this adds a very dark and gloomy atmosphere that the viewer can really gets wrapped up in.  The scene where the younger brother first breaks into the mortuary is extremely effective and manages to be quite creepy but after this things start to go downhill.  The lack of a real story really kills the 88-minute film, which starts to feel dragged out by the hour mark.  The performances are decent, although there are a few moments where some are so over the top you can't help but giggle.  Scrimm is very effective as the "Tall Man" and is another reason to watch the film.

Phantasm II (1988)
 

Don Coscarelli
 

Sequel to the 1979 cult shocker has the two survivors, Mike (James LeGros) and Reggie (Reggie Bannister) once again trying to track down the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) so that they can finally destroy him once and for all.  While in a mental hospital, Mike was able to communicate with a young woman (Paula Irvine) who might just hold the key to something very deadly.  I'm not a major fan of the original film but I remember watching this one as a kid many times because the subject was rather interesting to me and of course I had heard so much about it receiving a "X" rating for gore.  I remember not caring for it too much back then and those feelings hold true with this latest viewing, which is at least a decade apart from the last one.  I think the biggest issue I have with the film is that it seems like every scene should only last a few minutes yet they continue to drag on beyond belief.  Just when you think the ending is near, you realize there's twenty-five minutes left to go.  Instead of wrapping any of the scenes up, they just continue on and on and it makes the film rather boring due to all the dry spots where not much is going on.  We keep hearing Mike and Reggie talk about what they're going to do yet it takes forever for them to do it.  We know their main goal is to kill the Tall Man yet it takes forever.  The stint in the psych hospital is drawn out, various car rides are drawn out and we get multiple dialogue sequences that are all drawn out.  Once again none of the characters are developed that much and the reasons behind what the Tall Man is doing isn't ever too clear.  The film does have a few good aspects with one being the special effects that are quite good.  The sphere is back once again and the damage done with it certainly makes it one of the greatest killing devices in screen history.  The performances are a mixed bag but Bannister is very natural and fun to like.  Scrimm is back once again as the Tall Man and one has no problem seeing him in the role.

Phantasm III (1994)
 

Don Coscarelli
 

Reggie (Reggie Bannister) and Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) are again looking for the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) who is (once again) going from town to town killing everyone.  This time the two have the help of a 8-year-old boy, a tough black chick (Gloria Lynne Henry) and Mike's dead brother Jody (Bill Thornbury).  This third film in the series takes a giant leap into the territory of horror/comedy as we get a lot of slapstick bits but in the end both elements fail and the final product is another disappointment.  I'm really not sure why this series is so popular outside of the atmosphere of the first one and the gore of the second, this third entry has very little going for it.  Once again Bannister manages to be entertaining in terms of his dramatic style and I must admit that his comic timing got a few laughs.  Scrimm is once again back of the Tall Man and he fits the the role perfectly.  Both Baldwin and Thornbury, members of the original film, are back and both are decent but nothing great.  The gore this time out doesn't come anywhere close to the previous film and even the classic sphere isn't used as nicely as the previous films.  I'm really not sure why the director decided to cut out the red stuff while adding more laughs but that's exactly what happened.  The movie runs out of gas around the hour mark and this here makes the final thirty-minutes rather hard to take and the screenplay really doesn't give us too much.
 

Phantasm IV (1998)
 

Don Coscarelli
 

Fourth and final film in the series takes a different approach to the familiar storyline of the previous two films.  This time out, starting off at the end of part three, the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) travels throughout time trying to capture Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) who is trying to figure out the origins of the Tall Man and the secrets behind the death of his brother.  Reggie (Reggie Banister) is also out there trying to locate Mike so that he can save him.  This fourth film in the series at least had the Tall Man looking for someone instead of the same story of Reggie and Mike looking for him.  The one benefit of this is that we get more screentime devoted to the Tall Man but most of the good stuff ends there.  Seeing as how parts two through four take place as one continuous story, I couldn't help but think that had the three sequels been edited together as one movie then perhaps the series would have worked better.  I felt a lot of the stuff in parts two and three was just carried on to the point of it being boring and I think that holds true here so if the director had simply made one good story instead of three weak ones, I might have enjoyed the series more.  Once again the performances are decent, if nothing great with Banister and Scrimm standing out.  The gore this time out is rather low, although we do get a few good kills scattered out.  The story itself isn't the strongest in the world but it is a mildly interesting one but I wish there had been more backbone to it.  We do learn a few new things about the Tall Man but there's still not too much and it really doesn't do any good considering the series is now over.
 

70. The Strangers
A couple gets a knock on the door in the middle of the night and it's three maniacs who terrorize and try to kill them. I know there some debate over this movie last year but I'm definitely still a fan. I guess it works for me since I find the idea of home invasion plausibly scary and that they have no real motive for their terrible deeds to be equally scary.