Official 13th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2012 (1 Viewer)

[Ockeghem]

October 1 (cont.):
I watched a couple of R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series last night ("Ghostly Stare" and "Catching Cold") and then around 11 p.m. I put on my DVD copy of one of my favorite films, featuring one of my favorite actors.
House On Haunted Hill (1959)
Every time I watch this film I love it more and more. The mechanical skeleton is fun, and the twist at the end is IMO creative.
I think it's Vincent Price's acting and the house itself that captivates me the most. I love homes with secret rooms, hidden panels, etc. (hence my great love and appreciation for the original Dark Shadows). The scene where Nora is first frightened by the blind woman is very creepy. You know that when you get an EC of Nora that she is in trouble. I really like the way the ghostly figure exits the darkened room on a lateral line. (It reminds me of the technique used for the Seekers in Charmed ("Death Takes A Halliwell"), except that in the latter two perpendiculars are used to great effect.) And Nora's screams are quite convincing, even if they used stock audio for them for much of the remainder of the film. (I can't imagine that having her scream over and over at that fever pitch would have been too good for her vocal cords.)
Other aspects of the film I admire are the lighting used (particularly during the wine cellar scenes). The gradual darkening of each section a couple of times in the film was very well done. It made me want to be in that basement, provided of course that the vat was closed. I also love Elisha Cook in this one. He's both genuinely frightened and a bit looney, which I thought he pulled off very well. This must have been quite a neat film to see during its original showing. It would have been awesome to be present when the skeleton on pulleys glided over the crowd in selected theaters.
I listened quite closely to the level of dissonance occupied by the music score. I would like to see the autograph score for this film and study it. I was listening to various tone clusters throughout, and was greatly intrigued by the harmonic vocabulary used and by the prominence of the piano.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

1. The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) (first-time viewing)
Classic horror done well. Not on par with Universal Pictures monster classics, and not particularly scary--the horror is derived from witnessing a man's descent into a creature without a soul, as he systematically erases his humanity, with only his hidden portrait showing the effects. The use of color to show the portrait (in an otherwise black and white film) was an inspired and breathtaking choice. The pacing of the film was a bit languid by today's standards, this one felt about 20 minutes too long, but the ending still packed a punch even though it wasn't really a surprise. George Sanders is loads of fun as a hedonistic gentleman who somewhat resembles the devil himself, and a young Angela Lansbury and Donna Reed are lovely to look at.

 

[Ruz-El]

[SIZE= 14px]Looks like everyone is off to a strong start this year! I was able to cram in two last night. Both silent films. [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 14px]001 10-01 Phantom of the Opera (1929 Reissue at 20fps) There are no less than 3 versions of this on the bluray put out from Image so I watched the version with the middle running time since it was in HD. A fantastic film, I’ve certainly never seen this version before. I think the cut I had previously seen was somewhere between this one and the 114min 1925 original silent version. Anyways, it holds up surprisingly well. The Orchestral score by Gabriel Thibaudeau fits the film wonderful and avoids feeling modern and distracting like some scores do on silent pictures. The film itself is still a joy, the plot moves at a pretty quick pace and the iconic scene where the Phantom is unmasked still packs a hell of a punch. I might have to watch the long version later. 4/5
002 10-01 The Phantom Carriage (1921) Not a proper horror movie, but creepy all the same. It’s basically “A Christmas Story” except better. The last soul to die on new years eve becomes Death for the new year and has to drive the phantom carriage. So the film is about a horrible man who is shown his wicked ways by Death. Coming out of Sweden, they really get the tone right. There’s a sense of dread through the whole thing that is palpable. The Criterion Bluray is exceptional, as to be expected. 3.5/5[/SIZE]


I might move on to some Herschel Gordon Lewis tonight. Bwa ha ha! Looking at my shelves I have a William Castle set and the Universal Cult Horror sset from TCM to watch too. I'm going to struggle to get in everything this year!

 

[Sandro]

Rated from 1/2








Full List

 

[Sandro]

Hidden Face 1/2

For some reason I was under the impression that this was some kind of occult/possession movie but it is not. In fact it is really a thriller/suspense piece with horror elements. I cannot reveal too much about the plot except to say that it involves an orchestra conductor, his ex-girlfriend who is now missing and his new girlfriend. There are some good (perhaps unlikely) twists in the movie and they are presented in a clever way but I thought that the movie overall was bland and concentrated too much on character development and not enough on horror and thrills. And the ending is a disappointment. However I could see that some would enjoy it. Available on Netflix Instant.

Blood on Satan's Claw 1/2

Horror movie concerning a Satanic cult in an 17th century English village. This underrated cult item conjures up a convincing atmosphere of evil loose amongst a group of unprepared villagers and has some shocking scenes. Worth watching for fans of Linda Hayden and Witchfinder General, this runs on MGMHD occasionally.

 

[JohnS]

Sandro,
I've added your placeholder list link to the list.
Reminder: every Wednesday night on TCM they will be showing a handful of horror movies and then other days just a few. Be sure to check them out. They have a good line up this month.

 

[Chucky P]

New Discoveries in Bold
October 1
1. The Invisible Man (1933) (5/5) Netflix Instant
October 2
2. Werewolf Of London (1935) (3.5/5) Netflix Instant
I have these films on VHS in a box somewhere but it is easier to watch these on NI and I haven't seen these films in awhile so why not? I loved The Invisible Man as a kid and I still think that it is a great film now. I also liked Werewolf Of London when I was younger but now sadly it seems that it hasn't hold up well since I first saw it almost 20 years ago.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Unfortunately, October 1st was a very busy night and I couldn't get to any movies until 10 pm. So I only watched one, and tonight (Oct. 2nd) also looks to be a rough one.
01) Scared to Death (1947) :star: :half:
It's been a long time since I tried this one and it still wasn't good and barely made any sense. However, I can get through it just to see Bela Lugosi in his only color film (and his entrance scene in particular is fun).

 

[JohnS]

I only watched one movie today before I had to go into work.
Wednesday and Thursday are my days off and I'll be getting a lot more in.
The Fall of the House of Usher (1960) watched it on Epix HD on demand. They are showing a few Vincent Price movies, so take a look.
This is my first Vincent Price movie. For the most part, I enjoyed this movie. I liked it for the creepiness and liked it for that rather then it trying to be scary.
My favorite part is what Roderick did to Madeline.
It looked great in HD and from what I could tell was in it's original aspect ratio. This movie makes me want to watch other Vincent Price movies which I'm going to try and do this year.

 

[Sandro]

Originally Posted by JohnS /t/323882/official-13th-annual-htf-october-scary-movie-challenge-2012/90#post_3982891
Sandro,
I've added your placeholder list link to the list.

Thanks John

 

[Michael Elliott]

Bela Lugosi: The Forgotten King (1985)
Oh, how time has changed. When this documentary came out it was okay to say Bela Lugosi was "forgotten" but today you could argue that he's one of the most popular horror stars out there. This documentary has a few of its facts wrong and there's no question that there are better ones out there but at the same time this here has a couple things that make it a must see. What made this a must see for me back in the day as a child is that it featured footage from various Lugosi movies that weren't available then. If you wanted to see clips from these movies the only way to do so was by watching a documentary like this. This here is what kept this in my player all through my young years. Today all of these films are easy to get your hands on so the documentary doesn't have that same need it factor. What keeps it entertaining and worth viewing to people of today is that it features actual interviews with those who knew Lugosi or worked with him. Host Forrest J. Ackerman does a fine job and gets to tell some good stories. We also get Carroll Borland talking about working with Lugosi on Dracula and we've also got Ralph Bellamy, John Carradine and Alex Gordon telling some stories. It's these interviews that make the film worth seeing and one wishes that we had more of them. BELA LUGOSI: THE FORGOTTEN KING isn't the greatest documentary out there but fans of the horror legend should enjoy it.
Movie: :star::star::star:
Format: VHS
Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf (1988)
Monsters from around the world gather at their annual car race but the werewolf is missing so Count Dracula demands that they get another. The Hunch Bunch decide to turn Shaggy into a werewolf so Dracula tells him that if he takes part in the race and wins that he'll lift the curse. Scooby, Scrappy and Shag's girlfriend must make sure he wins. SCOOBY-DOO AND THE RELUCTANT WEREWOLF is a fairly entertaining feature but the biggest problem is that it feels incredibly long at 91-minutes. When you consider that this here is close to five individual episodes of the TV series you realize that the subject is best served in smaller portions. With that said, outside the length this here contains some pretty big laughs including the highlight, which takes place during a drive-in horror movie where Shaggy first gets turned into a werewolf. The only problem is that he has the hiccups and keeps transforming back and forth but never realizing it. Another funny thing about the film is Count Dracula who is simply delightful. I really thought he made for some great jokes throughout and Hamilton Camp did a fantastic job with the vocals. The film features all sorts of monsters like Dracula, the mummy, Frankenstein's monster, swamp thing, the bride and various others. Fans of the genre should get a kick out of seeing all of these monsters together and packed into one film. I think the film really would have benefited from fifteen-minutes being shaved off but it's still entertaining.
Movie: :star::star::half:
Format: DVD
Oni (1972)
Also known as THE DEMON, this was the first film I had watched from Japanese director Kihachiro Kawamoto. The tale is pretty simple as a couple brothers leave their elderly and ill mother at home while they go into the woods to try and catch some deer. While there the youngest brother is grabbed by a demon and the older brother is able to free him by shooting off the demon's arm. The boys take the arm home with tragic results. ONI is quite simply a rather amazing movie to watch because of how much atmosphere and dread it contains. I've seen quite a few puppet films in my time but there was just something really special and original about this one. After the film was over I learned that the story is based on a 12th century tale known as "Konjaku Monogatari" and needless to say, this here is a lot darker than the rather cute tales America gets about what happens to the elderly. I won't spoil exactly what happens but it was rather morbid to say the least. The animation was certainly terrific and I really loved the various backgrounds used.
Movie: :star::star::star::half:
Format: Fandor stream
Carnival of Souls (1962)
Cult classic about a woman (Candace Hilligoss) who survives a car crash and soon afterwards she begins to see a strange man as well as being attracted to a strange carnival out in the middle of nowhere. CARNIVAL OF SOULS has always been a love-hate movie to me because each time I watch it I really feel something different. During some viewings I get caught up in the mood and atmosphere of the film and really love. During other viewings I simple grow tired of the slow pacing. I really can't remember a film that had me switching back and forth so much in regards to my feelings on it. With that said, I think it's rather amazing that the film turned out the way it did. Having gone through some of director Herk Harvey's other films, I think it's a minor miracle that the film turned out this way. I think the strongest thing working for the film is the low-budget because this helps build up an atmosphere that is really thick and at times it almost feels as if it's smothering you. This is especially true during the first night sequence where Mary comes across the strange man. This scene is quite hypnotic and there's no question that it contains a surreal feel. I think the lack of any known actors also really helped because you can't connect the people to anything else except for the story going on here. The performances by some of the minor players are certainly on the rough side of things but for the most part I thought Hilligoss did a fine job. The film also contains some extremely good cinematography as well as a rather creepy and mood setting score. CARNIVAL OF SOULS is certainly rough around a few of its edges but at the same time it's pretty remarkable what the crew was able to pull off.
Movie: :star::star::star:
Format: HuluPlus Criterion
Carnival of Souls (1998)
Worthless remake of the 1962 film has a young girl seeing a man brutally murder her mother. This man just happened to play a clown at the local circus and years later the girl, now an adult (Bobbie Phillips), begins to be haunted by visions of him. I'm not one who is against remakes as I usually like seeing how a different artist puts their spin on a familiar story. This remake only borrows a few elements from the original film with writer-director Adam Grossman making up the rest on his own. What he added is pretty silly stuff and it's really a shame because I think a straight remake could have been much better. The entire subplot dealing with the pedophile clown just adds up to nothing in the end and if you are familiar with the original then the biggest twists are already going to be known. While watching the film I couldn't help but think that perhaps the director's original story might have been a good one but at the same time you can just tell that it wasn't getting on film. The entire movie is meant to make one wonder about what's really going on but you never really have this happen because it's just so poorly made and executed that you really don't care. Another major problem is that the film lacks any real atmosphere and there's certainly no scares to be had. Even what murders are in the film are all forgettable and in the end you really start to wonder what the point of the film was. Phillips offers up a fine performance but sadly she isn't given much to work with. Larry Miller plays the clown and to say his role is weak would be an understatement. The beautiful Shawnee Smith appears briefly but she too is wasted. Wes Craven served as Executive Producer but it seems he was just cashing a paycheck and not really paying attention to anything that was going on the screen.
Movie: :star:
Format: Netflix stream

 

[John Stell]

005) 10/02/2012 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQoQ2OVKdfIyFVKxt3k65iJmIHQGzjO7RxvT-6dS7nWxr81bYo6AQhttp://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQoQ2OVKdfIyFVKxt3k65iJmIHQGzjO7RxvT-6dS7nWxr81bYo6AQhttp://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQoQ2OVKdfIyFVKxt3k65iJmIHQGzjO7RxvT-6dS7nWxr81bYo6AQ

Ten years after Michael Myers and Dr. Sam Loomis "nearly burnt to death" on Halloween night, Michael overhears he has niece and makes her his newest target. Well-done sequel has a likable cast and good atmosphere which makes the difference. Good jolts, a terrific rooftop chase, and a chilling ending make this a solid sequel.

006) 10/02/2012 Halloween 5 (1989) http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQoQ2OVKdfIyFVKxt3k65iJmIHQGzjO7RxvT-6dS7nWxr81bYo6AQ1/2

They couldn't leave well-enough alone - Michael returns one year after the events of Halloween 4 to resume his pursuit of niece Jamie. Pretty bad sequel has a loopy Loomis, plenty of annoying teen characters, and a messy plot. Tina is the kind of character you want to wack upside the head. The only intriguing part is the "man in black" whose ultimate function provides the set up for yet another sequel. The next installment is even worse. So I'm going to stop the series here for the challenge.

007) 10/02/2012 Halloween: 25 Years of Terror (2005) http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQoQ2OVKdfIyFVKxt3k65iJmIHQGzjO7RxvT-6dS7nWxr81bYo6AQhttp://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQoQ2OVKdfIyFVKxt3k65iJmIHQGzjO7RxvT-6dS7nWxr81bYo6AQ1/2

Well-intentioned look at the Halloween franchise and its enduring popularity. Lots of interviews and such, but there probably isn't anything new presented here that fans don't already know. Also the documentary never really explains just why the series has lasted so long.

 

[Malcolm R]

The Innkeepers - Grade: D+
Not a great beginning for this year's challenge.
The last two staff members are working during the final weekend of business for the Yankee Pedler Inn, a historic inn that has fallen on hard times. Claire and Luke welcome just a few guests, including Kelly McGillis as a has-been actress/current psychic, and an odd old man; however, they are more interested in trying to document the paranormal occurrences that have been reported at the hotel over the years. They finally begin to see some results, but wish they hadn't when it becomes a little too real for their amateur ghost-hunter tastes.
A rather ho-hum, run-of-the-mill "haunted hotel" film which might have made a good 30-minute television episode on a horror anthology series, but is exposed to be only three or four good scenes stretched over 100 minutes at feature length. The film is nearly 1/2 over before anything of note happens, and it's nothing that hasn't been done over and over again in any number of ghost films. It was also kind of odd that Claire and Luke, for being aspiring paranormal researchers, seemed pretty spineless and were very easily shaken by every little noise or oddity. They make Scooby-Doo and Shaggy seem like paragons of bravery.
Bumped up a half grade, as it actually kept me awake for the whole film despite the plodding pace and dull dialogue (I was quite tired and almost sure I'd fall asleep before the end).

 

[Joe Karlosi]

02) Zombies of Mora Tau (1957) :star: :star:
Back when zombies were zombies (not flesh-eating ghouls, though they're okay too). Love to admire the gorgeous Allison Hayes here as part of a group of diamond-seekers seeking out their treasure. Only problem is, the diamonds are guarded by ten "walking dead men" who perished 60 years ago and have been killing every new greedy party who tries to take the loot. This is only a so-so horror film, but it's a tough one for me to dislike. The zombies walk underwater and remind me of when I saw this on television's CHILLER THEATER in 1973 -- I was spending summer vacation over at an aunt's house and she had an in-ground pool; the next day after seeing the movie some of us tried to pretend we were zombies walking on the ocean floor.

 

[Radioman970]

Tuesday, October 2nd
Trilogy of Terror: Story 2. More entertaining than the first story... still, I thought how much more I'd enjoy a certain Sally Field movie.
Cried for my mama (scare score): 2/10
Enjoyment of the movie: 6/10
How good I think the thing actually is: 7/10
Story 3. Not a fan. The "trilogy" thing is accurate, but the rest of the title...? I don't think so...
Cried for my mama (scare score): 4/10
Enjoyment of the movie: 5/10
How good I think the thing actually is: 6/10
4. Land of the Dead. Not a classic, but a pretty good zombie movie. I like the woodsy portions, but there ain't much of that.
Cried for my mama (scare score): 7/10
Enjoyment of the movie: 7/10
How good I think the thing actually is: 6/10
5. Frankenstein Unbound. Reminds me of a Saturday morning at the local 1 or 2 screen movie theater of the 70s and 80s. I miss those, and this type of film. Corman threw almost everything and the kitchen sink in this. Really fun film with many of his earmarks. Not bowled over by the look of the monsters, but they have been done worse. Good looking transfer on the DVD, which I've had for several years and only just today pulled the plastic off it.
*** BEST SO FAR ** The one to beat. Great time!
Cried for my mama (scare score): 5/10
Enjoyment of the movie: 9/10
How good I think the thing actually is: 7/10

 

[JohnS]

I have the whole day off and I'll be watching horror movies all day long.
My first movie today is another new one.
The Thing (2011) I haven't seen John Carpenter's original. But this updated version was just too boring. Thought it had terrible effects,especially the transformation from human to alien. Even the scenes during the end credits are dull. It also had the few normal jump scenes and those were weak. Marco Beltrami's score that plays during the first part of the end credits is great. Saw this on HBO HD on Demand if anyone wants to see it. It will be up until October 29th.
Note: This Sundays Bob's Burgers and The Cleveland Show are going to be Halloween episodes.
Tonight on TCM
Mark of the Vampire
House of Dracula
I Walk with a Zombie
Mystery of the Wax Museum
Doctor X
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Today on Epix
The Devil Inside
Tonight on Showtime
The Bleeding House
Thursday on encore
Let Me In
Thursday on HBO2
Dream House
Friday (midnight)
On Antenna TV
Picture Mommy Dead

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

2. Santa Sangre (first-time viewing)
Having seen earlier Alejandro Jodorowsky films, I had some idea of what I would be in for: blood, nudity, violence, shocking imagery, deformity, corruption, filth, insanity, religious and sexual themes, all against the backdrop of Mexico. Santa Sangre easily fills all of these bills, but despite this, it's hard to call this one a true horror film (even though Netflix categorized it as such). We are shown these images with a non-judgmental, almost documentarian eye, and there is no real fear factor coming into play here. Rather, this is done almost artistically--although I would hesitate to label this as an "art-film", which calls to mind pretentious art for art's sake. Everything here serves a role and a function in the story, although it may not always be apparent until later. Plot-wise, what we have here is something like "Psycho" told from Norman Bates point of view from childhood to adulthood--assuming that Norman Bates was raised in a traveling Mexican circus, and his mother throws acid on her husband's genitals when she catches him cheating with another woman. Part of the reason to watch a Jodorowsky film is to see a succession of incredible images, but this isn't just surface, there is a subtext and logic of its own that is surprisingly cohesive, if not always coherent. Do you want to see a dying elephant shooting blood out of its trunk, placed in a giant coffin and thrown off a cliff, only so the locals can crack open the coffin and feast on its dead body? Do you want to see a group of boys with Down syndrome shopping for whores? Do you want to see a woman's arms cut off and eaten by chickens? You get to see all that in Santa Sangre, but by the end you'll be most surprised that you actually saw something that kinda made sense.
Bob's October 2012 Horror Movie List
FTV denotes first time viewing
1. The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) (FTV)
2. Santa Sangre (FTV)

 

[Ockeghem]

October 2:
I had a pretty good day yesterday. It's not often that I watch three films -- two is usually my limit due to time constraints.
Films:
Return Of the Fly (1959)
Curse Of the Fly (1965)
The Blob (1958)
I think Curse Of the Fly (due mostly to the grotesqueries we see in the various cells) is the most frightening film in this 'trilogy,' with the possible exception of the scene where we see the initial unvailing of Andre Delambre (David Hedison) in the first film. That moment will live with me forever as far as frightening scenes in a film are concerned. I saw it first when I was about eight years old.
When I came home last night, my daughters were asking me to watch R. L. Stine's The Nightmare Room, which I really like. I own about 8-10 (of about thirteen total) of these episodes. I wish that more of these had been made.
Television episodes:
R. L. Stine's The Nightmare Room ("Camp Nowhere" (pt. 1) and "Camp Nowhere" (pt. 2); "Don't Forget Me"; "Full Moon Halloween") (2002)

 

[Ruz-El]

Originally Posted by Ockeghem /t/323882/official-13th-annual-htf-october-scary-movie-challenge-2012/90#post_3983416
October 2:
I had a pretty good day yesterday. It's not often that I watch three films -- two is usually my limit due to time constraints.
Films:
Return Of the Fly (1959)
Curse Of the Fly (1965)
The Blob (1958)
I think Curse Of the Fly (due mostly to the grotesqueries we see in the various cells) is the most frightening film in this 'trilogy,' with the possible exception of the scene where we see the initial unvailing of Andre Delambre (David Hedison) in the first film. That moment will live with me forever as far as frightening scenes in a film are concerned. I saw it first when I was about eight years old.

That's a pretty nice chunk of 50's horror you watched there. I'll have to revisit the Fly sequels, I don't recall them holding a flame to the original, but you have me intrigued to watch Curse again and re-evaluate.

I fell down the pawn wars pickers rabbit hole and only got one movie in. I picked up the latest Hershel Gorden Lewis two-fer Bluray of "The Wizard of Gore" and "The Gore Gore Girls". Only got to watch the one though.

[SIZE= 15px]003 10-02 [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px]The Wizard Of Gore [/SIZE][SIZE= 15px](1970) This came out on bluray and I doubt it will ever look any better though the sound is still pretty noisy. That said, this movie is a mess! Not just in the gore, which is hilarious, but it literally makes no sense whatsoever. It seems that the Wizard Of Gore is pulling off some kind of zombie/hypnotism act, but seeing how the victims are gutted with their eyes poked out, only to walk away seemingly fine to die later in their homes... how does this work? Is he hypnotizing the planet? Anyone outside the theater should be seeing gutted corpses walking around. It should drive you crazy but the film is ultimately so stupid it’s fun to watch. Michael Bay should take notes.[/SIZE] 3/5

 

[Tarkin The Ewok]

Twilight Zone - "The Lateness of the Hour"
This is the one where the daughter of a reclusive couple is upset with the routine of their life and worries that their robotic servants have led them into a deadly complacency. This installment has plenty of juicy ideas to ponder, including the role of memory, what makes a person alive, and the dangers of detachment from the world. There are a couple of parallels to the Frankenstein story. "The Lateness of the Hour" is disturbing intellectually, but not viscerally. I am very fond of this episode.