***Official 4th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge*** (1 Viewer)

[Scott Weinberg]

Nah, you're right. There is a scene in which some "natives" hack all the limbs off of a big tortoise.

 

[Andy Sheets]

Does Cannibal Ferox have any relation to Cannibal Holocaust? I'm wondering if they're the same movie with an alternate title since I know that Cannibal Holocaust is notorious for live animal mutilation (so I've heard).

 

[Robin Warren]

Uh, it is a great movie, but I don't think this should count. I watched it yesterday but don't count it since, well, it's not a horror movie. Would you consider The Godfather a horror movie? I think not. Just because there is violence doesn't make it a horror film.

I did not realize that I had to pick movies that you consider frightening or scary. My apologies.

If we are going to nitpick each others lists, than that really will take the fun out of it.


1. Cabin Fever* (2003). Saw this last week. Good fun flick.
2. Irreversible* (2002). Ugh, need a shower after watching this incredible film.
3. Scarface (1983). Have to count this one. There are chainsaw murders, hangings, countless shootings, stabbings, etc. Great movie and horrific to me.
4. Last House on the Left (1972). Watched it last year at this time and this was my second viewing. Did not hold my attention all that well.
5. The Thing (1982). Watched 10/7/03. This movie just keeps getting better and better. Is this one of the most atmospheric sci-fi horrors ever? I think so.

Up next? The wife mentioned she wouldn't mind seeing Alien. We have a new border living with us who has never seen it, so this should be fun.

 

[Robin Warren]

There is a scene in which some "natives" hack all the limbs off of a big tortoise.

Is this in the same vein as the oxen mutilation scene in Apocalypse Now?

 

[Brook K]

Yes, something like that Robin. There was a whole series of Italian "cannibal" films in the late 70's-early 80's. Cannibal Ferox and Cannibal Holocaust are two different films. There's also Cannibal Apocalypse and several others but it does get confusing because each of these movies has about 5 alternate titles.

Next up was Identity: It has your basic solid horror setup of stranding 10 people together in a remote hotel with a killer on the loose. Nice cast with John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet. It all moves along nicely with a fair amount of suspense and tension. But it trips up when it tries to explain the events in a way that made the movie completely meaningless and ridiculous to me. Count me in the "the ending of Identity doesn't work" crowd.

Next up: Willard, Candyman

October List: (* First time viewing/Ranked by quality and enjoyment)
1. Day Of The Dead
2. Play Misty For Me *
3. The Vanishing *
4. The Tingler *
5. Identity *
6. The Legend Of Hell House *

 

[RyanPC]

Wait a minute, Cannibal Ferox has scenes of animals actually being tortured? For real? I'm sorry, but that's just totally fucked up. I like horror films as much as anyone, and the gorier the better, but there is a big difference between watching special effects and watching animals (or humans, for that matter) being tortured in real life...That crosses a clear ethical line and I find it disturbing that anyone could casually refer to it in this thread as if it were no big deal...It is a big deal. It's just plain evil.

I agree with everything you say here, but if you are a fan of the cannibal genre (as I am) you learn to look past it and just try to pretend you didn't see it or anything. I just don't pay any attention to it, actually. Besides, compared to films like Cannibal Holocaust (which is a damned good movie, btw), the animal violence in Cannibal Ferox doesn't seem as harsh (although violence towards animals in any way, shape or form is horrible). There is a nasty turtle scene in CF, which is pretty gruesome and hard to watch. But in the scene with the constrictor and the rodent, the director states that it didn't really kill the thing because the snake wasn't hungry... you might think otherwise when you watch it, however, although it doesn't really show it being eaten, just crushed to death. :frowning:

 

[RyanPC]

I did not realize that I had to pick movies that you consider frightening or scary. My apologies.

If we are going to nitpick each others lists, than that really will take the fun out of it.

I'm sorry, didn't mean to sound so pushy... it just seems weird to me that someone would consider SCARFACE a horror film... since it's usually not counted as one. I can see your point, though.

 

[James Sarno]

Update on what I've watched so far...
10/2 The Relic
10/3 Resurrection
10/4 Pumpkinhead
10/5 The Prophecy
10/6 Identity*
10/7 Invasion Of The Body Snatchers-1978


*First Time Viewing

It's gonna be a little tough,with the ALCS starting tonight...(Go Yankees! )
...But It looks like I'll be able to catch one before gametime...

Up Next: Jacob's Ladder

update:
10/8 Jacob's Ladder
10/9 The Fog

Yanks down 0-1...

Up Next:The Thing

 

[Raymond_H]

Hi,

I am up for this challenge, starting late but I just added some NetFlix stuff and in the mail today arrived The Wicker Man which I have never seen, so me and the wifey are going to be watching this once I get home tonight.

I will mark this as my first title in this challenge even though I watched Identity a couple of nights ago, but I feel without knowning I am doing a challenge it doesn't qualify.


Raymond

 

[Matt Stone]

Today's update only includes the eternal classic, The Evil Dead.


Full List
1. Day of the Dead
2. The Hills Have Eyes
3. They Live
4. The Fog
5. Return of the Living Dead
6. Cube
7. Halloween
8. Halloween 2
9. The Evil Dead

Red = First Timer

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Added a lot more CRAP to my list. :frowning: Not that I should have been expecting much from a Howling 5: The Rebirth / Howling 6: The Freaks double-feature.

Also added two that I originally saw waaaaay back in my teen years:

Much worse than I remembered it being: Frank LaLoggia's Fear No Evil

Much better than I remembered it being: Gary Sherman's Dead and Buried

Coming up soon: House of the Dead (which, not surprisingly, did not have any press or promotional screenings here in Philly) and (if my festival contact comes through for me) that Aussie zombie flick entitled Undead. I also a few more double features on the way from Netflix!

October List!

Blue = First-Time Visits

The Howling
Sleepless Nights
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Prom Night 3: The Last Kiss
Prom Night 4: Deliver Us From Evil
Cannibal Ferox
Howling 5: The Rebirth
Howling 6: The Freaks
Fear No Evil
Dead and Buried

 

[Brook K]

Added Willard with no scares, suspense or tension, the movie doesn't really have much going for it other than the pleasure of watching R. Lee Ermey browbeat Crispin Glover. Rather than make Willard an evil genius commander of ratkind or a shy, downtrodden hero, the movie shoots for somewhere in the middle and comes out much blander than you would expect.

Next up: Candyman, May

October List: (* First time viewing/Ranked by quality and enjoyment)
1. Day Of The Dead
2. Play Misty For Me *
3. The Vanishing *
4. The Tingler *
5. Identity *
6. Willard *
7. The Legend Of Hell House *

 

[Larry Talbot]

I can't believe no one has included Phantasm yet (or have they and I missed it?) All time classic right up there with Suspiria. I plan to screen it for a few family friends who haven't seen it yet.

 

[Brian Kissinger]

MESSED UP! OOPS, Stupid Brian!

 

[RyanPC]

Theater of Blood

Great film, IMO. Glad someone decided to watch this one for Halloween... I don't own the disc but rented it a while back.

And yes, Price IS the man!

 

[Brian Kissinger]

Theater of Blood (1973)
directed by Douglas Hickox



Vincent Price (a.k.a. "the man") plays Edward Lionheart, a Shakespearean actor who try as he might, can never seem to win over the critics. And after he was denied actor of the year award (which he was certain he was going to win), he turns to suicide. But, Lionheart is saved by some kind-hearted winos, and realizes that he shouldn't be the one to pay, the critics should. And how should they pay? By murdering them in ways inspired by the plays of the Bard. And this sets up some deliciously, deviant scenes!

This movie has it all. This one really allowed Vincent to go all over the map playing everything from Shakespear, to a gay hairdresser! And he doesn't disappoint. The murders are quite clever and often hilarious. And this film features what may be the first ever swordfight on a trampoline.

If your into black comedies, Shakespear, Vincent Price or just a plain old fashioned good time, then I highly recommend this wonderful film!

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

Gore Factor-While not overly graphic, this puppy features some great stuff
Flesh Factor-None
Best To Be Viewed-After reading The Tempest



Spirits of the Dead (1968)
directed by Federico Fellini, Louis Malle, Roger Vadim


This film features three shorts based on three different Edgar Allan Poe tales. And it's one of those "Obscure French Movies" SteveGon loves watching, so I was a bit apprehensive going in. Not to mention is features Fellini...which I understand almost as much as I understand women.

Our first story, Metzemgerstein by Roger Vadim, neither captured my attention or fear. And it even features some orgies. The story couldn't have been less coherent if it tried. It would start to seem interesting, and then would just go to something completely different and unrelated. Once the whole stroy was done, you could look back and realize there was a decent story there, but the execution was just poor.

Up next, William Willson by Louis Malle, really turned things around for me. William Willson (Alain Delon) begins the story by confessing to a priest that he has just committed murder, and to help the priest understand, he tells him some backstory. William Willson is a bit of a bastard. Through flashbacks, we see William in different stages of his life doing some really horrible things to folks. And at each time, a man shows up making William end his torture. This features an awesome scene of a battle of wills between Mr. Willson and Giuseppina (brigitte Bardot in a superb role) through a heated card game. Great tension and suspense through the whole scene. More stuff happens, but I don't want to spoil anything. This was by far my favorite of the three, and is worth viewing alone.

Ending our trio, Toby Dammit by Frederico Fellini, is a split decision for me. On one level, Terence Stamp as the title character, delivers a great performance. And his journey into madness does have some flair to it. And there is one Hell of a creepy little girl with a ball running around. However, much of the short just leaves me cold. I understand there's more at work when we get 25 minutes of Toby driving through back streets and seeing manakin waiters. But it just didn't work for me. Instead of drawing me into Toby's mindset and madness, it just pissed me off. The camera work left me quite dizzy. Perhaps a viewing when my sinus infection wasn't quite as distracting might help my enjoyment, but I somewhat doubt it.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

Gore Factor-Not much
Flesh Factor-Slight
Best To Be Viewed- With something delicious to eat

 

[Greg Black]

3. They Live (1988) viewed on 10/09/03
My personal favorite out of all of John Carpenter's movies. Halloween and The Thing are of course classics, but this movie just has something "special" going for it. I think the interraction between the characters, such as between Roddy Piper and Keith David is neat, especially during the fight scene! That has to be one of the greatest fight scenes ever filmed. Surprisingly good performance from "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. Classic one-liners such as "I'm here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum" make the movie even more enjoyable to me. I think this movie also marks the end of Carpenter's "Golden Age". 9/10 Highly Recommended.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Just watched Queen of the Damned, a truly horrific movie.

And by horrific, I mean bad.

Even ignoring Interview With the Vampire and the novels The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned, and regarding the movie as its own thing, it isn't very good. We're left with little indication of anyone's motivations. I recognize this amterial is difficult to adapt. Anything about a vampire rock god is in serious jeopardy of becoming silly. This movie fell headlong into that trap.

The soundtrack was quite well done, and there were aspects of the special effects and production design I liked, but I still wouldn't recommend to anyone but the morbidly curious.

 

[RyanPC]

11. Dressed To Kill - Another of my all-time favorites, this is one I just had to watch. Fantastic performances by Angie Dickinson, Michael Caine, and the lovely Nancy Allen, and brilliant direction by Brian De Palma. Some may say it's a rip-off of Psycho, but I consider it more of a homage. It's also an extremely sensual film, not to mention suspenseful, shocking, and violent (even more so if you watch the unrated version like I did and always do). Glad I watched this, it's an excellent film.

 

[Brian Kissinger]

The Birds (1963)
directed by Alfred Hitchcock


What can I say about this movie? Well, by the time the final act begins to roll, I was silently apologizing for shooting birds with my B.B. gun back when I was a little guy. And that's about it. I did enjoy the first half of the movie (the romantic comedy part) and did enjoy the second half (the birds are pissed and aren't gonna take it anymore part) but the sum of both is less than dazzling.

Both Tippi Hedren (Melanie Daniels) and Rod Taylor (Mitch Brenner) were both good in their respective roles. And maybe it's just me, but at several different times in the movie, I found Rod Taylor reminding me very much of Bruce Campbell. Just flashes when he would move a certain way, or deliver a certain line. I fully expected him to spout off a "groovy baby" somewhere in there.

I'm not saying The Birds is bad. It most certainly isn't. But, I didn't find it to be nearly as engrossing as many other "Hitch's" and not as enjoyable or frightening as many other horror "classics." The one exception has to be the scene with Melanie at the school where the crows begin to amass on the playground. That shot is classic. All in all, though, it was a bit of a let-down.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

Gore Factor-Slight
Flesh Factor-Nill
Best To Be Viewed- With bird hunters