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*** Official 10th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2009 *** (1 Viewer)

Larry Sutliff

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The titles are bold for anything I've watched for the first time.

October 1st:


CHAMBER OF HORRORS(1966)-Three/Four

I've wanted to see this one since I was a kid. It was always on the Late,Late, Late Show, and could never stay up to watch it. I was very pleasantly surprised. Patrick O'Neal plays a wonderful villian, in the tradition of Vincent Price and Karloff. The movie has a very gruesome premise, but it's done with a very light touch.

HALLOWEEN(1978)-Three and a half/Four

It started the slasher cycle, and it's still the best. The Blu-ray of this film is servicable, but there is room for improvement.
 

PatW

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Congrats to John on his new baby.

Voodoo Moon (2005)

A brother and sister joins forces to combat the evil one. What sounded like a good movie when reading the synopsis turned out really bad, laughable bad. The acting, the effects pretty well everything in this movie stunk. The only actor that was half way decent was Charisma Carpenter and she didn't have much to do. There was a couple of interesting scenes that's why I gave it one star.
 

Greg Black

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D'oh! I'm a little late this year in setting up camp...

Ratings out of four stars, first timers in dark red.

[COLOR= rgb(255, 102, 0)]October Scary Movie Challenge 2009[/COLOR]


01) 10/01 - The Fog


 

Steve Christou

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eek I see everyone's started already. The good thing about the horror genre is that I can watch a few films with the missus, she loves horror, she hates sci-fi, my favourite genre. Oh well.

I let Sandra choose a film for me tonight and it's one we've watched many times -











 

Mario Gauci

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10/01/09: THE MAD GENIUS (Michael Curtiz, 1931) One of the lesser Universal horrors is a still enjoyable if decidedly silly outing. The former is due largely to the typical low-budget atmosphere (from intermittent graveyard raids, for plot purposes, down to the recycled music cues), George Zucco’s equally reliable presence as the obligatory mad scientist (with this in mind, the title – actually referring to the ‘human monster’ of the piece – has always struck me as kind of desperate) and, to a lesser extent, Robert Armstrong ditto as the fast-talking but ill-fated reporter who cracks the case. The ‘monster’ (afflicted by sudden ‘attacks’ which transform him, in a matter of seconds, into a scruffy and wizened zombie) is a student in love with a renowned singer (resident Universal scream queen Evelyn Ankers), predictably also desired by the elderly Professor (deluding himself, a` la the Bela Lugosi of THE RAVEN [1935], that she corresponds this affection), but who has herself fallen for the accompanying pianist (the just-as-ubiquitous Turhan Bey) of her concert tour. Obsessed with the Ancient Egyptian ritual of death-in-life (improbably involving a release of poison gas followed by an impromptu heart transplant!), Zucco first experiments with a monkey but soon turns his attentions to a human specimen…for which his naive assistant (a surgical genius no less) fits the bill perfectly (however, no attempt is made to explain how he manages to operate repeatedly on himself – since, naturally, it transpires the effect of the revivification is only temporary – without being fully conscious of the fact!). As I said, this is standard low-grade fare – not quite as good as even the minor classics among Universal’s second outburst within the genre, though certainly nowhere near as bad as the worst of the lot (THE CAT CREEPS, SHE-WOLF OF LONDON and THE SPIDER WOMAN STRIKES BACK [all 1946]).
 

TravisR

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I was at the theater seeing The Invention Of Lying and Whip It this afternoon (and I don't see a way to add either of those to a horror challenge) so I only got to view one more movie today.

4. Jaws 2

Maybe it's due to nostalgia but I really like this movie. By no means is it as good as the original but I think it's fun. Onward to Jaws 3.
 

Radioman970

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Originally Posted by PatW


I loved that movie. Isn't Chris Walken perfectly cast?
A huge thrill when he shows up. I saw this with my mom and niece on the big screen and we were all floored. I didn't tell them about Walken being in it...I'd read online he was in it so I already knew.



Originally Posted by Ockeghem

Radioman,

Glad to see you've joined the party. :)
Thank you. Mine is getting off to a slow start...having to work today. I'm foreseeing some serious competition!


Originally Posted by Ben Cheshire


re: Radioman. I loved Mirrors. Big fan of Aja (Haute Tension, Hills Have Eyes remake, Mirrors) even though he's got a tendency to go hokey and pretentious (cf. his twists, and "philosophical horror movies"). First viewing of Haute Tension was one of chillingest experiences ever.

Another fan of Sleepy Hollow here...
I had a chilly experience with Haute Tension as well. One of the highlights of my Horrorthon a few years back. I read a lot of people disliked the twisty turny ending. I was just the opposite.

I like Child's Play. But I remember liking one of the sequels better. Bride of Chucky I think is it. Great fun! But they are all worth watching.
 

Originally Posted by Radioman970

I like Child's Play. But I remember liking one of the sequels better. Bride of Chucky I think is it. Great fun! But they are all worth watching.

I think 3 is set at the army camp... Whichever one that is, that's the one I first saw. Bride of Chucky was great. Jennifer Tilly is great whenever she shows up, and she's a perfect fit for the series.

Edit: I just looked them up. Confirmed: Child's Play 3 (Military school) and Bride of Chucky (Jennifer Tilly's first). Seems like I've seen all of them except 2004's Seed of Chucky. And enjoyed all of them. I just like the whole attitude of them. Its a great tone; i just see the titles coming on cable or whatever and I just know I'm going to have a good time.

6) [COLOR= #ff0000]The Hills Have Eyes 2 [/COLOR](2007) (no stars) If anyone's thinking of checking this one out, please read this first. If you liked Aja's take on the remake, you're probably aware he had nothing to do with this "sequel to the remake."Aja's 2006 Hills Have Eyes was an uncompromising survival horror, playful in its approach to the monsters, but brutal in their effects on the humans. Plus, it has a great soundtrack, direction and performances. The reason I mention all of this is because the sequel is the absolute opposite in every regard. To start with, the mutant designs are all the same, lacking the imagination of Aja's film, which gave each a separate personality through their appearance which mirrored their behaviour. In this one, they're all indistiguishable. The great industrial score of the first one doesn't reprise; with more conventional, stereotypical scoring. The worst part, however, is the cowardly treatment of the humans, who are a bunch of unlikeable cocky trainee GI's. Instead of putting them in danger, the second the danger is hinted at, they spend the rest of the film successfully killing mutants. It makes no sense. Why franchise a dark remake or a dark low-fi original and just make it into a cruisey, cliched mutant-hunting expedition. Add to that cheesey dialogue that clogs up the script like so much rat-poison, and you're in for a very distasteful experience; like the 2006 film, but this time, not in a good way.
 

Pete Battista

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I could only fit in a couple today...

Oct. 2nd:
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Not as good as the series... but the movie is good for a few laughs
5. Dead Teenagers
This is one of those movies that is in that 50 movie boxset. This one actually impressed me! Sure the acting and the effects could use some major help... it feels like a student film. But the writing... the stories themselves were definitely enjoyable. This is an anthology... and I liked all the stories except the first one.
 

Radioman970

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DAY TWO: OCTOBER 2

So...where's all the stick figures and rock formations? Josh? JOOOSH?!!! TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE JOOOOOSH!!! .... Oh wait...that's Blair Witch...sorry...carry on....

woodsSPLASH.jpg


4. THE WOODS. Bruce Campbell does bookends in this film...a film that has a few shades of Suspiria. I was also reminded of Phenomena. So I'm not saying this is a witch movie...not say that. Just that it's a film about a weird school and belongs in the same video store section as those other 2. I have to say I was hopeful during some scenes but it never reached a point too much higher than mediocrity. I was predicting several early plot points...ended up getting real sleepy but I was able to stay with it. Even with Bruce, who's kind of funny here, this is real hard to recommend. There was a point near the end when I was wishing Brucie would enlist the aid of a bunch of old people and take out a siege on that straaaange school in the Woods. If the thing had become a Bruce Campbell movie there would have been some magic happening. As it is...uninspired but worth a look when you got nothing else to do. And the redhead (natural or not) is kind of cute and fun to watch as she interacted with the other girl. Well...thats about it for this one.

HORRORTHON SUCCESS LEVEL: 6

Witches in the woods should be heard...and not seen!

________________________________________________________

Send more radio station managers....

rotld-10-1.jpg


5. RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. I was hoping this would make me forget I had to work late today at my lame radio job...essentially ruining DAY TWO of my Horrorthon. Didn't quite get there with this "sure thing". Usually every line is like magic...but I found myself only laughing at the hand full of brilliant lines and not the rest that range from major funny to giggle worthy. ...and that sucks! I hate working radio in the fall. :( Just didn't enjoy this great film like I usually do. That's about all I'll say about it..except that it looked great on my new 23" monitor screen. The mono soundtrack also wasn't half bad through my new equipment. Still, an updated transfer of this is badly needed. I'd buy it!

HORRORTHON SUCCESS LEVEL: 7

Radio sales people are safe from zombies since zombies mainly eat brains.

_______________________________________________

6. (was lucky enough to start another..coming soon)
 

Radioman970

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Originally Posted by Pete Battista

...

Oct. 2nd:
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Not as good as the series... but the movie is good for a few laughs
...
I remembered that one the same. I really like that blond actress in that. Very cute. A shame she didn't do more. I remember the pretty fun Deadly Friend and the laughable Flowers in the Attic.
 

Radioman970

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Originally Posted by Ben Cheshire
I think 3 is set at the army camp... Whichever one that is, that's the one I first saw. Bride of Chucky was great. Jennifer Tilly is great whenever she shows up, and she's a perfect fit for the series.

Edit: I just looked them up. Confirmed: Child's Play 3 (Military school) and Bride of Chucky (Jennifer Tilly's first). Seems like I've seen all of them except 2004's Seed of Chucky. And enjoyed all of them. I just like the whole attitude of them. Its a great tone; i just see the titles coming on cable or whatever and I just know I'm going to have a good time.
I saw the first 3 in order when they first appeared on cable. I like the army one a lot too..much better than the first sequel which was a little too rehash.

I have "a thing" for Tilly (her sister too). She was wonderfully self mocking in SEEDS. I could watch her in anything.
 

Justin_S

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Paranormal Activity (2007, First time viewing) - Katie and Micah are your typical young couple. Unfortunately for them, Katie has been shadowed by some kind of entity ever since she was very young. Micah decides it would be a good idea to try and catch the presence on camera, so he installs a camera in their bedroom to see what happens when they sleep. It was a real pain in the ass having to drive up to Dallas at midnight to see this, but at least I can say it was worth the effort. For a film I've been following for close to two years, it lived up to all the hype I'd built up in my head. Not an easy task. It is exactly what I've been looking for this past decade. Ten years ago, The Blair Witch Project managed to scare me like no film before it. Since then, I've been waiting for another film to make me feel that way again, and Paranormal Activity is a case of better late than never.
Despite some light-hearted, occasionally comedic banter in the early half of the film, the feeling of dread and unease is present from the very first frame. It only worsens as the film goes on, the night scenes pushing the tension to the highest levels. The acting is strong, especially on the part of Katie Featherston, who is actually from my home away from home, Arlington, TX. The most unnerving part for me was when
Katie stands over Micah as he sleeps, just staring at him for hours on end.

That really got to me, though it's just one of many chilling moments present here. It is definitely a case of less is more, which is usually the type of horror that I find most effective on a strictly frightening level. The theater was packed, and yet I haven't felt this creeped out while watching a film in years. That feeling also stayed with me long after the screening had ended. As a hardened horror fan, it is incredibly refreshing to find that a film still has the power to scare me. It doesn't happen often. In fact, it is exceedingly rare, but this one got the job done. I will need to let it sink in for a good while longer, but this is potentially horror film of the decade for me.
 

Michael Elliott

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Originally Posted by John Stell
William Castle



Wonderfully entertaining "B" movie from Columbia deals with a silly subject but director Castle and star Vincent Price pull it off and deliver one of the most memorable horror films from this period. Price plays Dr. Warren Chapin, a man who discovers that everyone has a small creature on the back on their spine, which he eventually calls The Tingler. This creature, when the person is scared, is what might lead to death unless they can scream loud enough to paralyze the thing. What's so entertaining about this film is the actual thought of a creature on your spine. That sets up for a campy movie and most films would have played it for camp value but Price and Castle instead play it straight and that's what makes this film hold up after all these years. A lot of movies from this era are just downright silly and they come off as being such. That's not the case here because of Price's wonderful performance and he's so good that you really don't care how silly the story is because he makes you believe in what you're seeing. I love the way Price delivers his line with the best example coming when he's trying to get his wife to sign over some cash to her sister. Another memorable sequence is Price's LSD trip, which was a first for mainstream cinema. We also have the famous death sequence, which had a few color scenes added to it. These scenes still remain rather effective, which is just more credit for the director. The supporting players deliver some nice performances but there's no question that the film belongs to Price. I think he did the horror genre a great service because he was an incredibly talented man who, luckily for us, got put into this genre and really delivered some of its most memorable roles.
 

Mario Gauci

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Originally Posted by Michael Elliott !

By the way, what happened to the second entry in the original CHILDREN OF THE CORN series?
 

Michael Elliott

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Yeah, I figured I might as well cram as much in as this might be my last challenge. The new viewings really aren't paying off yet. I'm starting to think that those 11 hours at the hospital was my girlfriend's desperate attempts at getting me away from the television or perhaps Dylan just wanted to watch some of this trash with me and wanted out early,

I also haven't taken a sleeping pill in the past couple days so I'm remember what insomnia is all about for the first time in many, many months.

As for COTC2, it's not on DVD except from "other" sources and I really don't want to pay the cash for it. Apparently Paramount owns the rights here. There's a R2 release but I don't want to pay for it. I did see it back when it was first released in theaters and remember somewhat liking it but not enough to fork over any cash. The rest are all from Netflix but I'm going to try and wrap them up in the next few days.
 

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