*** Official 12th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2011 *** (1 Viewer)

[Ockeghem]

Michael, I saw The Brain from Planet Arous in the late 1960s (when I was about twelve) and loved it then. I would probably feel a bit differently about it if I saw it today. Watching films at work is about the only way I can get a fair amount of viewing in during the day. But it's not quite the same as watching them at home on our 57" screen. October 6 Films: 11. The Giant Gila Monster (1959) 12. Them! (1954) I have always loved Them! I was scared by this film when I was a child, and I think the film holds up rather well. The sound effects that accompany the mutant creatures are IMO very chilling. I also like the tunnel sequences. There is something about being in a very closed-in space that is quite unnerving. Television episodes: 19. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Scary Mary") (pt. 1) (2011) 20. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Scary Mary") (pt. 2) (2011) 21. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Pool Shark") (2011) 22. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("My Sister the Witch") (2011) I have a few more episodes of R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour DVRd from a Friday night marathon that aired a month or two ago. My children love this show, and I enjoy it as well. Some of the episodes are quite creepy. Total: Films: 01. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) 02. Halloweentown (1998) 03. Atomic Rulers Of the World (1964) 04. The Alpha Incident (1977) 05. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (2007) 06. The Fly (1958) 07. The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954) 08. Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghosts Out? (2008) 09. Return Of the Fly (1959) 10. The Wasp Woman (1959) 11. The Giant Gila Monster (1959) 12. Them! (1954) Television episodes: 01. Dark Shadows (Original series) (episodes nos. 476-478) (1967) 02. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("The Dead Body") (2010) 03. Charmed ("Trial By Magic") (2002) 04. Charmed ("Lost and Bound") (2002) 05. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("The Perfect Brother") (2011) 06. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Wrong Number") (2011) 07. House of Anubis ("House of Secrets"; "House of Attitude"; "House of the Black Bird"; "House of Dares"; "House of Lies") (2010) 08. Wizards Of Waverly Place ("My Two Harpers") (2011) 09. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Lights Out") (2011) 10. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Best Friend Forever") (2011) 11. Star Trek ("Catspaw") (1967) 12. Charmed ("Charmed and Dangerous") (2002) 13. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Ghostly Stare") (2011) 14. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Catching Cold") (2011) 15. 7th Heaven ("Halloween") (1996) 16. Charmed ("The Three Faces of Phoebe") (2002) 17. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Nightmare Inn") (2011) 18. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Walls") (2011) 19. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Scary Mary") (pt. 1) (2011) 20. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Scary Mary") (pt. 2) (2011) 21. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("Pool Shark") (2011) 22. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series ("My Sister the Witch") (2011)

 

[Radioman970]

^ Stine. I edit the wants ad page on my station's web site and somebody just sent me one for a stack of those for about $1 each.

 

[Ockeghem]

^ Stine. I edit the wants ad page on my station's web site and somebody just sent me one for a stack of those for about $1 each.

Radioman, Cool. I forgot to mention that the marathon that was shown aired *thirteen* episodes. I enjoy his films, and a couple of my daughters are reading some of his books this month.

 

[PatW]

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957):star::star::star::star::half: A gem from the Hammer studios this is a reimagining of the classic Mary Shelley story this time with Peter Cushing as the Baron and Christopher Lee as the monster. This one has it all from atmosphere to music to direction and great acting by our two stars. Though Christopher Lee's part is very small nonetheless it is memorable. And dare I say it but I prefer this version to the original. The Mistress of Atlantis (1932):star::star: The was on the Mill Creek 50 movie pack and the movie had its moments.Two French Foreign Legion soldiers are lost in the Sahara and stumble across an underground city which they find out is the lost city of Atlantis. There they meet the ruler, an evil women who I gather tries to possess them through mind control. At least I think that was what was happening. Parts of it were quite bazarre especially the laughing baron. The film was in such poor repair, I got the impression parts were missing, but what was there was interesting. The progression of the movie was quite slow and there was little dialogue to help but still a worthwhile watch. Totals 01 The Hitcher (2007) 2.5/5 * 02 Curse of the Living Corpse (1964) 2.5/5 * 03 House of the Living Dead (1976) 2/5 * 04 The Omen (2006) 3/5 * 05 The Last Exorcism (2010) 3.5/5 * 06 The Mothman Prophecies (2002) 4/5 07 The Haunted Palace (1963) 4/5 * 08 Sorority Row (2009) 2/5 * 09 The Lost City (1935) 4/5 * 10 The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) 4.5/5 * 11 The Mistress of Atlantis (1932) 2/5 * TV 01 Supernatural S2: Houses of the Holy 4.5/5 * 02 Supernatural S2: Born Under a Bad Sign 4/5 * 03 Supernatural S2: Tall Tales 3/5 * 04 Supernatural S2: Roadkill 4/5 * 05 Supernatural S2: Heart 4/5 * 06 Supernatural S2: Hollywood Babylon 2/5 *

 

[Radioman970]

8. Last House on the Left. Remake. (2009) (FIRST TIME VIEWING) This would be my selection as a big surprise it even exists. Just shows they will remake anything for a buck these days. Craven's original film had me squirming, even cursing at the screen and just on edge the entire running time. I was mad at the movie when it was over..even feeling bad that I'd even watched it. I've seen that one about 3 times since and have even gotten bored with parts of it at times on the later viewing. It does show the raw power of horror film making...how a film can grab you and let you know anything can happen, so watch out! This remake doesn't. It's a remake that tries to throw new stuff at you (featuring various home appliances, haha) but just comes off laughable and even mocking of the first film at times. Not that it's a bad film... Actually, a good horror film... I'd like the rape scenes cut back but I guess they felt they had to keep the first films most controversial moments by making their updated versions even more unwatchable, as if anybody thought that was possible. So it's a pretty good horror film with overdone rape scenes and obvious teasing and tantilizing at the beginning. Plus, the behavior of the people that existed in the early 70s is retained (like trusting strangers, not bothering with firearms even though you are miles out in the sticks, etc)...and that really does hurt the film. People are doing stupid stuff here because they have not been updated to modern times. ...but still, this ain't a bad horror film overall. 9. MST3K: Beginning of the End. Never been a fav episode of mine...in fact, quite weak compared to the ones leading up to it. The film used is semi-fun. I kind of wish they'd included the un MYstied version on the Shout! DVD (I understand Rhino did include it). NOTE: My DVD seemed to have video problems, picture fluttering and even going black for a second during the ending host segment. Disappointed in that since this Shout! DVD cost me a lot! Going to see if I need to have it replaced. Had planned a 3rd but played some Portal 2 instead. ------------------------------------- Movies: 1. Sixth Sense. 2. The Nanny. Bette Davis. (1965) 3. Malevolence. (2004) 4. Gamera: Guardian of the Universe. (1995) 5. Halloween: Curse of Michael Myers (6th film). 6. John Carpenters Vampires. 7. Invasion. (first viewing) TVs: 1. Sigmund & the seamonsters. "Is there a doctor in the cave?" 2. Tales from the Cryptkeeper/animated. "Pleasant Screams". (first time seeing) Watched and not including: MST3K: The Alien from LA. Flightplan Stephen King's Golden Years miniseries. (first time seeing)

 

[Jim_K]

The Nightmare Before Christmas - An annual holiday viewing tradition and a great Halloween film that I can watch with my girls, who love it. I think I need to show them Corpse Bride someday.


Event Horizon - Alien meets Hellraiser. Great concept (spaceship designed to warp space for interstellar travel is lost for 7 years then mysteriously returns without it's crew.......where was the ship..........did it return........ from Hell), very good cast, excellent production values/set design and a very suspenseful first hour. Unfortunately it all comes apart at the seams in the nonsensical final act, but still it's easily the greatest film that Paul WS Anderson will ever make. Guilty pleasure and I recently picked up the Blu-ray at Fry's for a measly $6


movie count is 7, I think

 

[Ockeghem]

The Nightmare Before Christmas - An annual holiday viewing tradition and a great Halloween film that I can watch with my girls, who love it. I think I need to show them Corpse Bride someday.

Jim, I don't own The Nightmare Before Christmas, so I've been searching our program guide daily to DVR it. My oldest girl loves this film, and told me that I have to see it. Thus far, I haven't seen it listed on the program, but I'm hopeful.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

6. Frontier(s) (first-time viewing) And speaking of dreary torture porn, we have the French to thank for Frontier(s). Not sure why they need the parentheses around the "s", what is it with the French, they did the same with the title "Fear(s) of the Dark"? Anyway, as torture porns go, this one isn't bad, and the weird family in this movie makes the family from Texas Chainsaw Massacre (and House of 1000 Corpses, for that matter) look as wholesome as the Brady Bunch. Problem is, this movie is highly derivative of those better films, even ripping off the dinner table scene where the elderly family member needs assistance to eat the victims. Also, at 108 minutes this is just too long--the whole opening segment about political riots and the hospital trip could have been done away with. Another annoyance is the inability of anyone to successfully shoot anyone, even when firing at nearly point blank range. But if you're looking for a creepy cannibalistic family out in the sticks kind of movie, this one hits all the right buttons, including a tunnel-crawling scene with great claustrophobic effect. Bob's A-Z 2011 Horror Movie Marathon 1. Antichrist 2. Burning Bright 3. The Crimson Cult 4. Dead of Night 5. Evil Dead 2 6. Frontier(s)

 

[TravisR]

I finished off the Friday The 13th series yesterday and this morning. 19. Jason Lives: Friday The 13th Part VI One of the best sequels since they inject some self-referential humor into the series. 20. Friday The 13th Part VII- The New Blood A fan favorite but I don't really care for it that much. I'll give them credit for trying to do something new (introducing a telekinetic protagonist for Jason to battle) but the movie is filled with characters that for the most part, you either don't care about or hate. 21. Friday The 13th Part VIII- Jason Takes Manhattan A lousy movie but despite its shortcomings, it has grown on me over time and I imagine that's only because this was the first F13 that I saw in theaters. Since nearly all of the movie is shot on a cruise ship/cruise ship set or the streets of Vancouver, the title is pretty deceptive. 22. Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday It has a cool opening and nice effects throughout but the movie went too far away from the usual F13 standards and gets into goofy black magic or curses or whatever is supposed to be going on. 23. Jason X The movie has a couple of good kills and a handful of decent jokes but the rest of the movie is really bad. 24. Freddy Vs. Jason Having grown up watching Freddy and Jason, this was my dream movie and I have to say that it lived up to my expectations. The scenes with the teen characters are completely forgettable but the battle between Freddy and Jason is what everyone is watching this movie for and they did that right. 25. Friday The 13th (2009) (uncut) They took the best elements of the first four F13s and made a decent enough movie out of it. I wish they had a few less unlikable characters but the effects are cool and the new guy playing Jason is pretty badass. Totals: 1. A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) 2. A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 2- Freddy's Revenge 3. A Nightmare On Elm Street 3- Dream Warriors 4. A Nightmare On Elm Street 4- The Dream Master 5. A Nightmare On Elm Street- The Dream Child 6. Freddy's Dead- The Final Nightmare 7. Wes Craven's New Nightmare 8. A Nightmare On Elm Steet (2010) 9. The Hills Have Eyes (1977) 10. Scream 11. Scream 2 12. Scream 3 13. Scream 4 14. Friday The 13th (1980) (uncut) 15. Friday The 13th Part 2 16. Friday The 13th Part 3 17. Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter 18. Friday The 13th: A New Beginning 19. Jason Lives: Friday The 13th Part VI 20. Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood 21. Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan 22. Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday 23. Jason X 24. Freddy Vs. Jason 25. Friday The 13th (2009) (uncut)

 

[Ruz-El]

[SIZE= 14px]It's not even a week in and I'm already getting the Horror Challenge Panic that I'm watching the wrong movies since the ones you guys are reviewing sound so great! I'm still mostly sticking with the Video Naties list, but I'm noticing my DVD shelves are swelling with Blurays I should really watch. Most of those though are re-watched though... I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!! [/SIZE]


[SIZE= 14px]Quick questions. Roman Polanskis "Repulsion", I picked it up the Criterion previously viewed cheap, would it count as a horror or is it more of a crime thriller? I've never seen it, and I know the rules of Horror Challenge is there are no rules, but I don't want to feel like I cheated. [/SIZE]


[SIZE= 14px]Here's the other two films I got down on the challenge. [/SIZE]


[SIZE= 14px]009 (10-06) Chromeskull: Laid To Rest 2 (2011) 3/5
Not a bad sequel in that it furthers the story by showing that Chromeskull is rather organized for a bat shit crazy killer, but a typical sequel in that it never really works. Some good gore, but ultimately forgettable to me.

010 (10-06) The Beast In Heat (AKA Horrifying Experiments of S.S.Last days (1977) 3/5
Ah Nazisploitation, how I never miss you! Another one off the Video Nasties list, and I hate to say it, a not bad film. I hate saying that since I can’t really defend this genre, but this was entertaining. A goofy plot featuring a genetic sex-fiend mutant beast that the surprisingly hot Nazi doctor has made to torture rape women prisoners... ummm, yeah... I’ll stop and just say the film delivers what the title suggest with some hilariously cheap gore thrown in.[/SIZE]


[SIZE= 14px]I really want to like these Chromeskull films more since they are a pretty decent throw back to the Freddy/Jason days. They just don't work. Well, the sequel didn't anyways. Too cheap maybe?[/SIZE]

 

[TravisR]

Quick questions. Roman Polanskis "Repulsion", I picked it up the Criterion previously viewed cheap, would it count as a horror or is it more of a crime thriller? I've never seen it, and I know the rules of Horror Challenge is there are no rules, but I don't want to feel like I cheated.

I'd consider Repulsion a drama but if someone counted it in this, I don't think it would be 'wrong'.

 

[Ruz-El]

Originally Posted by TravisR

Originally Posted by Russell G [url=/t/314914/official-12th-annual-htf-october-scary-movie-challenge-2011/90#post_3858599]

Quick questions. Roman Polanskis "Repulsion", I picked it up the Criterion previously viewed cheap, would it count as a horror or is it more of a crime thriller? I've never seen it, and I know the rules of Horror Challenge is there are no rules, but I don't want to feel like I cheated.

I'd consider Repulsion a drama but if someone counted it in this, I don't think it would be 'wrong'.

Thanks Travis, that's what I was thinking. It will have to wait until next month when I do fancy movie night and watch it with 400 Blows that I got at the same time ha ha. Not like I don't have 10 odd video nasties to watch this month, plus others!

 

[John Stell]

Repulsion is listed in nearly every horror study I've seen of 1960s horror films. It is also listed in The Encyclopedia of Horror Movies. I would include in my list if I watched it. So you're covered whether you wish watch it or not.

 

[Mario Gauci]

10/03/11: NIGHT WATCH (Brian G. Hutton, 1973) **1/2 Back in the 1980s, the local TV channel had a now long-defunct custom of showing several movies throughout the week; since my film-buff father worked on Saturday nights, he used to record on VHS any movie shown during that time-slot which he had missed out on during its local theatrical run and watch it on Sunday afternoon; one of those films I distinctly recall receiving this ‘treatment’ is NIGHT WATCH. Director Brian G. Hutton is better-known for directing action pictures like WHERE EAGLES DARE (1968) and KELLY’S HEROES (1970) and he might not seem ideally suited to an “old dark house”-type of chiller; the probable sequence of events is that Richard Burton (star of EAGLES) had recommended him to his wife Elizabeth Taylor for X, Y AND ZEE (1971) and she later asked for his services again on NIGHT WATCH. Sadly, he only made two more films after this – THE FIRST DEADLY SIN (1980) and HIGH ROAD TO CHINA (1982) – before retiring to become a plumber! Although the “let’s-drive-an-heiress-mad” plotline had recently been done to death in Britain by Hammer Films following the success of their TASTE OF FEAR (1961), here we have a similar tale that harks back to an even closer degree to GASLIGHT (1940 and 1944) but, thankfully, cleverly adds an effective twist at the finale. Even so, it speaks of the dispiriting lack of direction in British cinema at the time that, with the opening-up of censorship, film-makers responded by merely updating creaky old properties (that were outdated even 30 years earlier) with the newly-sanctioned gore and nudity than letting their creative juices flow more freely! Actually, NIGHT WATCH (obviously unrelated to any of the films with which it happens to share its profusely-used title) is based on a Lucille Fletcher play from 1972 but, as already intimated earlier, the standard genre thread to which it adhered had long since been established; incidentally, Fletcher is best-known for penning SORRY, WRONG NUMBER (1948; yet another stage property on similar lines) and for having been married to legendary film composer Bernard Herrmann between 1939-48! Taylor is a mentally disturbed woman (haunted by images of the car-crash death of her former philandering husband and his mistress – played, via intermittent silent appearances, by Linda Hayden) married to stockbroker Laurence Harvey, who is himself two-timing Taylor with her own best friend Billie Whitelaw. Insomniac Taylor starts seeing mutilated bodies propped up in a chair by the window of the neighboring dilapidated house and she keeps pestering the local Police about her ‘visions’ which, needless to say, produce no result when actually investigated – and, initially, a lonesome widowed gardener who used to inhabit Taylor’s mansion gets to become the prime suspect of the potential foul play! The affair between Harvey and Whitelaw (quite subtly depicted in spite of a fleetingly bare-assed Harvey!) makes them the obvious red-herrings with the man’s unexplained comings-and-goings and the woman constantly mixing odd-looking drinks to calm the wife’s shattered nerves. Indeed, the ingenious twist takes one by surprise when it comes and, I for one, did not recall that this was how things would play out from my sole viewing all those years ago. It should be said here that Harvey had previously co-starred with Taylor in her Oscar-winning BUTTERFIELD 8 (1960); besides, all three leads would follow this atypical appearance in a horror film with even stranger ones: Taylor in THE DRIVER’S SEAT (1974), Harvey in WELCOME TO ARROW BEACH (1974; like the film under review, also “A Brut Production”) and Whitelaw in THE OMEN (1976; her most famous role as the diabolical nanny). Although the film uses the admirable pictorial talents of cinematographer Billy Williams (of WOMEN IN LOVE fame), the shoddy VHS quality of the copy I acquired nullifies much of the effect – particularly in the garbled first few minutes and the frustratingly murky climax (where one is often uncertain of just what is going on)! Even so, when these obscure but nevertheless worthwhile pictures are neglected by both DVD-producing companies and TV-channel programmers, one is grateful for getting the film any which way he can! Incidentally, NIGHT WATCH is also available to view in its entirety on “You Tube” in both English and Italian languages! 10/04/11: THE BALLAD OF TAM LIN (Roddy McDowall, 1970) *** The reputation of this one rests largely on the fact that it was the sole directorial effort of former child actor McDowall; for fantasy buffs, he had just appeared as Cornelius in PLANET OF THE APES (1968) and would feature in 4 of the movie sequels and even the spin-off TV series – indeed, he only missed out on BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES (1970) because he was involved in making the film under review; his other genre efforts include IT! (1967), THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE (1973) and the two FRIGHT NIGHT pictures from the latter half of the 1980s. Inspired by a Robert Burns poem, TAM-LIN (as it is better-known – another alternate title is the terminally silly THE DEVIL’S WIDOW!) deals with a Succubus-like wealthy woman called “Mickey” (played by Ava Gardner in pretty much her last leading role, which she naturally gives it her all and, even at 48, looks ravishing, apart from being decked-out in expensive clothes) who, as a means of preserving her own vitality surrounds herself by myriad youths in her vast country estate (this being the “Age Of Aquarius” these are hip, uninhibited – indulge in all sorts of charades to while away the time, including a fortune-telling bid which suddenly turns scary – but also aimless types, so that whenever she decides to let one of them go, they invariably plead with her to remain). Occasionally, she even chooses a young man among them as her lover but holds the reins tightly on him, as if forever conscious of the volatile nature of the relationship; tending her affairs is waspish Richard Wattis (usually seen in comedies but perfectly cast here, especially effective when he provides details to Gardner’s current partner about his predecessors’ tragic deaths, subtly alluding to his own fate were he to break free of his mistress’ clutches!). The latter (named Tom Lynn!) is played by Ian McShane and, needless to say, he falls for an outsider before long – minister Cyril Cusack’s daughter Stephanie Beacham; though Gardner does not mind his attentions towards the latter initially – she is even protective of the girl when the latter pays them a visit and is taunted by the others (these include Cusack’s real-life daughter Sinead, future film director Bruce Robinson, as well as Hammer starlets Joanna Lumley and Madeleine Smith, who demonstrates her immaturity by yearning for a puppy though she still gets to utter a line that perfectly encapsulates the predominant liberalism of the era, “I’ll swallow anything as long as it’s illegal”!) – but when things get serious, and Beacham becomes pregnant, she takes a different attitude altogether. Consequently, Mickey becomes bored with her ‘guests’ and has them replaced – keeping only one young man who had most actively pursued McShane for his ‘betrayal’ – only these seem to be most receptive to her ‘evil’ nature. They kidnap the hero (just as he is about to elope with Beacham, whom he had even dissuaded from aborting her child), who is then let loose to literally be chased through the swamps; however, he has been drugged and he hallucinates himself at the center of a number of terrible predicaments: he is turned into a living teddy-bear(!), attacked by a giant snake and even engulfed in flames (unfortunately, the otherwise quite satisfactory widescreen VHS source is exceedingly dark during this sequence, so that one has to make an effort to discern just what is going on…though I wonder whether it was intentionally mystifying – again, shot by Billy Williams!). Anyway, with Beacham by his side, he manages to overcome these ‘punishments’, so that Gardner has no alternative but to give up and seek her ‘life-affirming’ kind of thrills elsewhere, with Wattis and the afore-mentioned hanger-on (who has effectively become McShane’s replacement) in tow. The pictorial Scottish setting and evocative folk score (by Stanley Myers and the group Pentangle – coincidentally, former band member Bert Jansch would pass away the very day after this viewing!) anticipate THE WICKER MAN (1973; whose co-star Diane Cilento, eerily enough, I have just learned died yesterday!); similarly, the depiction of a romantic idyll through a series of freeze-frames (a tell-tale sign of McDowall’s passion for photography) look forward to the bloody murder set-piece in the recently-viewed WELCOME TO ARROW BEACH – released 4 years later and, as it happens, a film made by another actor-turned-director i.e. Laurence Harvey. By the way, THE BALLAD OF TAM LIN was originally released in the U.S. via a reportedly much-altered version that stressed the horror elements; this came to be because the company that financed it, Commonwealth, folded around this same time and the picture was subsequently bought and distributed by AIP! In the 1990s (the days of VHS and shortly before McDowall’s death), the film was restored more or less to its original form by none other than Martin Scorsese – but, being currently unavailable on any official digital format, it remains an elusive beast… 10/05/11: BLUE BLOOD (Andrew Sinclair, 1973) **1/2 This is another title which is considered as horror but whose ties to the genre are tenuous at best; intriguingly described by the late eminent movie critic Leslie Halliwell as “a Grand Guignol version of THE SERVANT{1963}” and starring everybody’s favorite brooding Brit, Oliver Reed, I was looking forward to it but the end result was a disappointment; the “satanic” climax remarked upon by Halliwell in his review of that Joseph Losey film is displayed quite literally here! Derek Jacobi is a fey (despite being married to the stunning Fiona Lewis and having the no-less gorgeous Anna Gael for a mistress) English lord who still parades in the height of aristocratic fashion around his estate. Reed (stiffly made-up and saddled with a comical, almost unintelligible accent that is even worse than the notorious one adopted by Marlon Brando for MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY {1962}!) is his Macchiavellian butler who oversees and tends to the property “as if it were his own” – like in THE SERVANT itself, we all know where this is heading, with Reed effectively replacing Jacobi as the master of the house. Having contrived to bear two children, Jacobi has a nanny looking after them but, the charges being spoilt rotten like himself (not to mention being intimidated by Reed’s presence), they invariably quit their job (ostensibly after having externalized their frustration upon the kids). Though not especially pretty, the new girl to fill this post is still seduced by the butler and, soon, she begins to have weird dreams of the mansion being engaged in covert diabolical rituals (which is the film’s only claim to genre trappings, culminating in the all-stops-out finale) presided over by a red-clad Reed clasping a dagger and flanked by a naked Lewis and Gael under their see-through silk dresses! Anyway, Jacobi indulges in a hedonistic lifestyle, the massive halls filled with his similarly jaded peers…but, unbeknownst to him, the servants – naturally, at the instigation of Reed – carry on with their own ‘wild party’ downstairs! The ending, then, sees Jacobi dead and the nanny leaving the premises in disgust, with Reed’s manipulation now complete (Lewis herself having willingly joined his side). The estate on which this was filmed (by distinguished cinematographer Harry Waxman) is owned by Alexander Thynne who not only bears the title Marquis Of Bath but actually wrote the novel, “The Carry-Cot”, which inspired BLUE BLOOD to begin with and is also Gael’s husband in real-life! As for writer-director Sinclair, his most notable credit was the strongly-cast Dylan Thomas adaptation UNDER MILK WOOD (1972) and his only other film after this one was an obscure secret agent spoof with the desperate-sounding title of TUXEDO WARRIOR (1982)!! 10/06/11: THE BLACK TORMENT (Robert Hartford-Davies, 1964) *** Though owing a bit to the Gothic tradition of Hammer Horror, this British ghost story is actually more attuned to the cycle made in this vein and running parallel to it emanating from Italy. Apart from the color scheme (courtesy of cinematographer Peter Newbrook, later director of the literate horror film THE ASPHYX {1972}) and languid pace, obvious links include the haunted protagonist (with many a skeleton in his family closet), the innocent heroine, the killing spree, the apparitions (which are usually revealed to be far closer to home and reality than one could have foreseen), etc. Leading lady Heather Sears had just appeared in Hammer’s underrated version of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1962). Her male counterpart, John Turner (and resembling John Payne quite a bit actually), was new to me but he certainly left an impression – making for one of the most irascible heroes in any film, constantly blowing his top at everyone and everything, sometimes without provocation!; indeed, the whole unfolds at a somewhat hysterical pitch which seems to be an idiosyncrasy of the director. As it happens, this is one of a handful of interesting genre efforts from him: the others are CORRUPTION (1968), THE FIEND aka BEWARE, MY BRETHREN (1972) – both of which I am familiar with – and the as-yet-unwatched BLOODSUCKERS aka INCENSE FOR THE DAMNED (1972); for the record, I also own and still need to check out his star-studded comedy THE SANDWICH MAN (1966). Anyway, also on hand here are Peter Arne (seemingly devoted to the estate’s invalid master and his son but unsurprisingly proving to be villainous), Patrick Troughton (as Turner’s stable-master), Raymond Huntley (as a seasoned Colonel also serving as Magistrate in the community) and Francis de Wolff (as a stout blacksmith who acts gruffly and confrontationally towards Turner upon the latter’s return from abroad with a second wife over a series of apparent hauntings/murders). The hero’s father is cared for by the sister (Ann Lynn) of Turner’s first bride – who, it seems committed suicide by leaping from a window because she could not produce a male heir (again, this alone should immediately alert one to her role in the elaborate revenge scheme!). Another party who comes into play towards the end is a man who is the spitting image of the hero, a twin whom the old man kept institutionalized (he is repeatedly described as an “imbecile”) and a secret to everybody, but who was ‘reclaimed’ for their own devious ends once Arne and Lynn take control of the household following their master’s debilitating condition; with this in mind, the family tree (called “Bible”!?) and motto (which pretty much conditioned the extreme actions of Turner’s late spouse) have much to do with the proceedings. As I said, we get a number of motiveless murders of wayward wenches, as well as one that is clearly premeditated (the old man is found hanging from a chandelier after his empty wheelchair has come crashing down the stairs!) – not to mention eerie sightings outside the window, with the ‘phantom’ even giving chase to the cry of “Murderer” and, for the grand finale, a gun-shot wound to the face plus a rather well-choreographed swordfight!

 

[Ruz-El]

Thanks John, now I don't know what to do again ha ha. I'm thinking it's a classy arthouse horror as opposed to more genre wallowing. I'll see how the month goes.I might need a palette cleanse with all these cheap-o video nasties I'm watching. Maybe I'll do a fancy criterion horror night with Antichrist and Repulsion.

 

[Mario Gauci]

10/03/11: THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM (TV) (Alexandre Astruc , 1964) ***1/2 Director Astruc was originally a film theorist; though best-known for the short THE CRIMSON CURTAIN (1952) – which, alas, is available only in an unsubtitled version with Russian voice-over to boot! – he also turned out a few features, among them, the superb melodrama adapted from an Emile Zola novel UNE VIE (1958). Another author whose work he tackled, surprisingly enough, was Edgar Allan Poe: this was the first such effort, followed several years later by the similarly made-for-TV production of THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (1981; which, again, has yet to be rendered in English-friendly form). The film under review is only the second work of his that I have checked out and, so far, Astruc has demonstrated himself to have an unerring eye for detail but, by choosing actors who can be relied upon to extract the essence of any given tale, at the same time he makes certain to give characterization its due. This was perhaps never more evident than here, in which a perplexed and subsequently distraught Maurice Ronet (usually a purveyor of decadent bourgeois types) is virtually the whole show (even if it only lasts for 37 minutes). For the record, I had watched the 1961 Roger Corman and 1990 Stuart Gordon versions of the Poe source, both of which bowdlerize the text virtually beyond recognition; this, however, remains scrupulously faithful to it and, while the result may seem set-bound, uneventful and even pretentious (since the only dialogue relates to the protagonist’s externalization of his thoughts) to horror purists, the film ought to elicit a more encouraging response from all-round movie-buffs (if it were deemed of a greater exposure, that is!) and would have undoubtedly made the author himself proud. Ronet is a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition and, when we first see him, he is being escorted toward his place of confinement, a darkened room within the dungeon of a castle and where he is tied to a slab. Slowly, a giant pendulum begins to fall gradually, swaying from side to side, from the ceiling directly above him: if it were to reach the captive, this would invariably slice his torso open and he would bleed to death. Sharing the cell with its inmate him are a number of rats, nonchalantly going through the food carelessly left for him on the floor. However, he gets an idea: by smearing the contents of the platter onto his straps, he hopes the rats will climb on top of him to gnaw at the ropes, thus setting him free! As the relentless blade draws ever nearer, one of the rats is unflinchingly tossed to the side by a blow of the contraption, but Ronet manages to break free of his reins in time…only for the room to start closing in on itself soon after, so that the hero realizes he is being watched and that, having escaped the death his captors had planned for him, this merely led to a second and even more sadistic option for execution – the sole space left for him in which to move is that near an open hole in the ground, with the deep drop into the pit giving way to a well bearing foul water and snakes! Just as he is about to give up, having even lost consciousness at the futility of his endeavor and the dim prospects ahead, the French army is heard breaking into the building – with Ronet’s concluding narration pertaining to the downfall of the singularly harsh system that condemned him. To a large extent, the film’s success depends on the overpowering atmosphere of claustrophobia and desperation it manages to evoke throughout and, thanks in equal parts to stark monochrome photography (courtesy of ORPHEE's lenser Nicolas Hayer) and authentic Gothic locations, this element is certainly not to be faulted here. 10/04/11: CHICKAMAUGA (Robert Enrico, 1962) *** Second episode in the three-part French anthology based on eerie Ambrose Beirce tales IN THE MIDST OF LIFE – since I had first watched the last and most famous segment, AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE, I opted to keep going through the film in reverse order! It is unusual that such an intrinsically American subject (since all the stories have a Civil War backdrop) be handled by European hands, but the results are both evocative and impressive. Incidentally, though the credits and opening text are in the ‘original’ French language, the brief instances of dialogue and singing are authentically presented in English; by the way, this bore the subtitle THE RIVER OF DEATH, which is what Chickamauga refers to. The plot deals with a young boy’s personal experiences of the conflict, and the whole makes for one of the most harrowing yet perceptive films I have seen about childhood. After playing around with the elderly black manservant of the family, he sets about roaming the countryside on his own (having kicked a wooden toy out on the porch, suggesting he was after something more exciting). Soon, shooting and cannon-fire can be heard in the distance and, as he gets deeper into the woods (even the branches look distinctly ominous now!), the kid runs straight into a decimated battalion (with the trees still smoking from all the consumed gunpowder). They move about slowly and in pain, trying to get back on their feet or giving out their last breath…but, the boy being what he is, believes them to be ‘putting on a show’ for his benefit (at one point, the ‘performance’ becomes so real that a dying drummer-soldier is literally seen through the child’s innocent eyes in clown outfit!). Later, when he goes back home (I was not sure where he was until I noticed the very toy he had rejected, followed by the charred corpse of his mother), he finds this has also been ransacked and set ablaze by the enemy troops; the boy is thus left all alone to ponder an uncertain future. Admittedly, like OWL CREEK itself, the short film (lasting for 28 minutes) is only marginally horror-related but, as I said, the images of carnage are so powerful (vividly-captured by cinematographer Jean Boffety who, ironically, around this same time lent his services to a number of Pierre Etaix slapstick comedies and which I only recently caught up with as part of my ongoing Jean-Claude Carriere retrospective!) that the overall impression proves quite disturbing and undeniably haunting. 10/05/11: THE MOCKINGBIRD (Robert Enrico, 1962) *** The first segment of the French anthology based on Civil War writings by Ambrose Beirce IN THE MIDST OF LIFE, this is actually the least of the three stories (being somewhat draggy at 37 minutes) but still pretty good taken on its own merits. If anything, it sets the tone perfectly for the other two: being partially a story about childhood (like CHICKAMAUGA) and also sort of a plot-within-a-plot (like AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE), in this case a flashback to the protagonist’s past. As expected, the period detail feels authentic and is exquisitely captured by the camera. Regrettably, some of the narration here is only presented in unsubtitled French! The premise involves a soldier on guard in a forest shooting an unseen enemy who tries to cross the lines; in the excitement (being young and, thus, inexperienced), he recalls his life growing up and in particular how he was separated from his twin brother. This sets up the predictable but nevertheless effective twist ending, where it transpires that the man he killed was his own sibling (leaving one in doubt whether the latter was conscious of the other’s identity and had come to greet him)! Incidentally, the title refers to the children’s pet which is heard chirping a tune subsequently picked up by the fallen twin! I followed this with yet another horror effort from this director – the made-for-TV but feature-length ‘haunted house’ tale THE GHOSTLY RENTAL (1965) and, for the sake of comparison, I also intend checking out the ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS episode from 1959 of “An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge”.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

Repulsion I would definitely consider horror. It's scarier than many so-called horror movies I have seen, and very disturbing as well--particularly for women. If people are going to call "Rosemary's Baby" horror based on the last 5 minutes (and one dream sequence) of that movie, then Repulsion is absolutely horror through and through.

 

[PatW]

Watched Disc 4 of Supernatural Season 2. Episodes are: Folsom Prison Blues :star::star::star::star: What is and What Should Never Be :star::star::star::star: All Hell Breaks Loose pt. 1 :star::star::star::star::star: All Hell Breaks Loose pt. 2 :star::star::star::star::star: Demon Hunters Dean and Sam Winchester finally meet the yellow eyed demon in the two part Season ender my favourite of this particular season. It took a while for me to warm up to this series but I think I finally have. Bought the first four seasons on bluray on sale and the investment is finally paying off. Hopefully will be able to get in a movie sometime this evening. Totals 01 The Hitcher (2007) 2.5/5 * 02 Curse of the Living Corpse (1964) 2.5/5 * 03 House of the Living Dead (1976) 2/5 * 04 The Omen (2006) 3/5 * 05 The Last Exorcism (2010) 3.5/5 * 06 The Mothman Prophecies (2002) 4/5 07 The Haunted Palace (1963) 4/5 * 08 Sorority Row (2009) 2/5 * 09 The Lost City (1935) 4/5 * 10 The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) 4.5/5 * 11 The Mistress of Atlantis (1932) 2/5 * TV 01 Supernatural S2: Houses of the Holy 4.5/5 * 02 Supernatural S2: Born Under a Bad Sign 4/5 * 03 Supernatural S2: Tall Tales 3/5 * 04 Supernatural S2: Roadkill 4/5 * 05 Supernatural S2: Heart 4/5 * 06 Supernatural S2: Hollywood Babylon 2/5 * 07 Supernatural S2: Folsom Prison Blues 4/5 * 08 Supernatural S2: What is and What Should Never Be 4/5 * 09 Supernatural S2: All Hell Breaks Loose pt. 1 5/5 * 10 Supernatural S2: All Hell Breaks Loose pt. 2 5/5 *

 

[Radioman970]

Put me down for "yes" on Repulsion as horror. Incredible atmosphere in that one. Few horror films can even come close to that madness. Closest thing I'd compare it to would be Eraserhead.

 

[Ruz-El]

Originally Posted by Radioman970

Put me down for "yes" on Repulsion as horror. Incredible atmosphere in that one. Few horror films can even come close to that madness. Closest thing I'd compare it to would be Eraserhead.

Whoah ho there Radioman! Let's not be crazy now and compare it to one of my all time favourites!


I might have to check it out now. We need more days in October for horror challenge month!