*** Official 14th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2013 *** (1 Viewer)

[Radioman970]

I own Blackenstein. lol was waiting for a chance to admit that.

 

[TravisR]

48. The Leopard Man

A leopard escapes and people think that it's killing people. Great Lewton production with a few suspense scenes that still work after 70 years.


49. The Ghost Ship (1943)

A crazed captain is offing his crew and no one believes the new crew member trying to warn everyone. A weaker but OK Lewton movie. It's funny seeing a young Lawrence Tierney.


50. The 7th Victim

A woman goes missing and her younger sister tries to find her and runs into a satanic cult. This is one of my favorite Lewton productions. I have to imagine that some of the elements of this movie would be pretty shocking in their day.


Anyone in this thread already knows that all of Lewton's horror movies are excellent examples of low budget 1940's horror movies. Great photography, spooky atmosphere and some are just plain creepy.

 

[Chucky P]

Films
10-1-13
1. Cat People (1982) (4/5)
10-3-13
2. Ministry Of Fear (1944) (4/5)
3. Watership Down (1978) (4.5/5)
10-4-13
4. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) (5/5)
10-7-13
5. Island Of Lost Souls (1932) (4/5)
10-10-13
6. The Other (1972) (4.5/5)
10-11-13
7. Dead Of Night (1945) (5/5)
10-12-13
8. Repo Man (1984) (4/5)
10-17-13
9. The Wages Of Fear (1953) (4/5)
10-18-13
10. The Cat And The Canary (1927) (4/5)
10-19-13
11. House (1977) (5/5)
10-22-13
12. Dracula (1931) (4/5)
10-24-13
13. Psychomania (1973) (4/5)
Television Shows
10-3-13
1. The Walking Dead: Made To Suffer
10-11-13
2. Doctor Who: Terror Of The Zygons Part One (Director's Cut)
10-14-13
3. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode One
10-15-13
4. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Two

 

[Malcolm R]

World War Z​

Grade: A-​

A mysterious infection spreads wildly throughout the world population, changing people into feral, zombie-like creatures. Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt), a special envoy to the UN, travels the world to try and find the source of the infection and a cure before the entire world is destroyed. Meanwhile, his family is caught in a delicate tug-of-war between the UN and the US military, their safety depending on Gerry's success in his mission.

I'm not a big fan of most zombie films, but I did enjoy WWZ. I think it's because the film provides plenty of suspense and tension, without resorting to a lot of over the top blood and guts. The creatures in this film are killing machines, but there isn't the flesh-eating fixation of a lot of zombie flicks.

 

[Radioman970]

Thursday, October 24thMOVIES: 47. Mama (2013) (N) Spooky! Weird! Good things... and the whole family is probably safe to watch it. If you let em watch Poltergeist or (especially) Insidious, all is okay. The strange story could have easily been an anime like Spirited Away or Totoro. Not comparing its quality to those, just it's storytelling. In fact, I think this film would have worked better as an animation. But as live action, some pretty good visuals...although MAMA isn't as horrifying as the film deserved. I'd say Mama is the biggest weakness of MAMA! Biggest strength is strong kid actors and very nice color scheme. As it is, I liked it to a point. 48. Botched! (2007) Ridiculous! They talk about Severance on the box, and I say don't even...! Craziest thing is someone actually bankrolled this story. Not to say it isn't worth watching... it's intentionally funny most of the time. One of my favorite lines was from the kill-happy Russian guy where he mentions "...and then the big scissors came out..." or something like that. I laughed at length. I guess it was how he said it. The effects are bloody as hell and almost never cheesy. But the thing is nearly a farce more than anything else. One of last year's disappointments. I liked it better this year even though I seem negative. Not one I'll watch all the time. TV:59-60. Dark Shadows. 118-119. I believe the shows first real fistfight happens. It's about time! N=New to me/all Dark Shadows are NMovies:1. Creepshow 2. (1987)2. Seventh Sign. (1988).3. The Willies. (1990) (N)4. Enter Nowhere. (2011) (N)5. Deathdream (or Dead of Night). (1971)6. Red Riding Hood. (2011) (N)7. Dagon. (2001)8. The Oblong Box. (1969)9. Alice, Sweet Alice. (1976) (N)10. Long Pigs. (2006) (N)11. Gremlins. (1984)12. Bloody Pit of Horror. (1965)13. Thale. (2012) (N)14. The Devil Inside. (2012) (N)15. The Mummy. (1959)16. Quarantine. (2008) (N)17. The Children. (2008)(N)18. Blowout. (1981)19. Thirst. (2009) (N)20. Spaced Invaders. (1989)21. Cat's Eye. (1985) 22. Friday the 13th. (1980)23. Christine. (1985)24. Cinematic Titanic Presents The Wasp Woman. (1959/2008) (N)25. Ghostwatch. (1992) (N)26. The Day of the Beast. (1995) (N)27. The Woman in Black. (1989) (N)28. Blood on Satan's Claw. (1971) (N)29. The Possession. (2012) (N)30. Friday the 13th Part 2. (1981)31. Flatliners. (1990)32. Paranoia 1.0. (2004) (N)33. Friday the 13th. Part 3. (1982)34. Duel. (1971)35. Exorcist. The Version You've Never Seen. (1973/2000)36. Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural. (1973) (N)37. Cube Zero. (2004) (N)38. The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007) (N)39. The Bad Seed. (1956) (N)40. Yokai Monsters. 100 Monsters. (1968) (N)41. Brides of Dracula. (1960)42. Sinister (2012) (N)43. Shiver of the Vampires. (1970) (N)44. Friday the 13th The Final Chapter. (1984)45. The Shrine. (2010) (N)46. The Innocents. (1961) (N)47. Mama (2013) (N)48. Botched! (2007)TV:1-25. Dark Shadows. E60-8426. X-Files. S8. "Empedocles"27-51. Dark Shadows. E85-10852. Bewitched. Season 2. "My Boss, the Teddy Bear".53-60. Dark Shadows. E111 to 119.

 

[Ruz-El]

10-25 054 The Uninvited (1944) 3.5/5
Ray Milland gets a spook house. Very atmospheric and spooky at time which is where it earns it’s praise as one of the best haunted house films. That said, I was a little let down by this one. Maybe it was the high expectations preceding it, but there was way too much comic relief/ light hearted bits that pulled me out. If they kept up the spooky bits instead of cutting back, it could of been “Curse of the Demon” amazing. Which is not to say it’s not spooky, mum was pretty positive that not only that “These things happen”, but that they happen all the time and this will probably give her nightmares. So I’m the asshole for being hard on this film.
Mum Scare Factor 5/5
10-25 055 The Funhouse (1981) 3.5/5
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this one, but I’ve never really liked it. Revisiting it on Bluray, I liked it! I think it’s an expectation thing with Tobe Hooper. It’s not as grimey as Texas Chainsaw Massacre, or as gonzo-nutty as Texas Chainsaw Massacre II, it’s a bit run of the mill. Seeing it this time though, that mill runs pretty tasty. The monster is pretty out of control which makes him work since the Rick Baker designed mask is bit crap. The main characters are annoying, other than the lead girl who looks so ridiculously innocent you actually kind of care that she makes it out alive. So yeah, a fun revisit.

Going to try to get in LIFEFORCE tonight, I blind bought the Scream Factory Blu.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

25. Taxidermia
Strange, dark tale of three generations of oddball Hungarian men: a perverted groundskeeper ruled by a tyrannical ex military man, a world-class competitive eater, and a taxidermist who raises show cats the size of St. Bernards. This is more of a transgressive fantasy tale (in the vein of Jeunet & Caro's "Delicatessen") than a true horror story, but the film does manage to horrify, shock, and certainly disgust. Although some might call this an anthology, there are common threads of ancestry and depravity throughout the story, with each segment featuring the son of the man from the prior segment, and each with a strange obsession. From the opening scene where within minutes we are treated to the sight of a masturbating man ejaculating a jet of blue-orange flames with the assistance of a lit candle, to the most repulsive eating competition since "The Revenge of Lardass Hogan" barf-o-rama segment from "Stand By Me", to the final ten minutes when the taxidermist/cat raiser does something so viscerally painful that I defy anyone to watch it while eating, "Taxidermia" may not strictly be horror, but it's something that will get under your skin. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Bob's October 2013 Horror Movie List
FTV denotes first time viewing
1. Some Guy Who Kills People (FTV)
2. Uzumaki (FTV)
3. The Pact (2011) (FTV)
4. Midnight Son (FTV)
5. Excision (FTV)
6. Absentia (FTV)
7. Sleep Tight (FTV)
8. Lunacy (FTV)
9. Frankenstein's Army (FTV)
10. The Woman in Black (FTV)
11. Color Me Blood Red (FTV)
12. Chained (FTV)
13. Frankenweenie
14. Mum and Dad (FTV)
15. Malevolence (FTV)
16. V/H/S/2 (FTV)
17. Juan of the Dead (FTV)
18. The Awakening (FTV)
19. Blood and Black Lace (FTV)
20. Naboer (Next Door) (FTV)
21. Carrie (2013) (FTV)
22. Eye of the Devil (FTV)
23. Splinter (FTV)
24. The Shining (1980)
25. Taxidermia (FTV)

 

[Malcolm R]

The Haunting (1999)​

Grade: C+​

Eleanor (Lili Taylor) has led a very sheltered life, caring for her invalid mother. Once her mother passes, she's not quite sure what to do with her life, as well as being at odds with the family over the contents of her mother's will. She is one of several people (including Catherine Zeta-Jones and Owen Wilson) who answer an advertisement requesting subjects to enroll in a study of insomniacs, not knowing it's really a study of fear response being held a a huge, foreboding mansion known as Hill House. The study is supposed to be controlled by Dr. Marrow (Liam Neeson), but he hasn't counted on Hill House actually being haunted. Once at the house, Eleanor begins to experience visions and mysterious messages that lead her to discover the horrible secret of Hill House as she tries to free the spirits trapped there.

A CGI-heavy adaptation of Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House," the film has some creepy moments, largely due to the sound effects and the house itself, but overall suffers from too much CGI and a cast that I really think was too small. Two characters leave the house early after an accident and never return, and the caretakers (Bruce Dern and Marion Seldes) are barely seen again after their spooky introductions. But the sets and the house are incredible and the soundtrack will really test your subwoofer (I watched the DTS version DVD).

For a classic version that many people enjoy more than this modern take, check out 1963's The Haunting by Robert Wise. I'm not as big a fan of the older version as many around here, but it has it's charms.

A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)​

Grade: A-​

Child-killer, Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), begins stalking the teenagers of Elm Street via their dreams to take his revenge on the parents who burned him to death. Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) and her friends realize what's happening in their shared nightmares, but cannot convince their parents that the notorious killer is hunting them down whenever they fall asleep. And, if he kills you in your dreams, you die for real.

An original idea from the mind of Wes Craven, and it makes for a pretty scary movie. For anyone that's had a nightmare, the idea that you can be stalked and killed when you're at your most vulnerable is unsettling, to say the least. I know there are times after a vivid nightmare when I've been reluctant to sleep again, even knowing it's all in my mind.

Freddy is brought to life through some great make-up effects, costuming, and an iconic performance by Englund (before the sequels where Freddy became more stand-up comedian than terrifying dream killer). Aside from a couple of sketchy effects at the end, and a weak performance from Langenkamp (who I consider the weakest link in the film), this is a classic of the horror genre.

 

[Chucky P]

I've wanted to see Raw Meat for some time and I think it's very good with a great performance by Donald Pleasence.
Films
10-1-13
1. Cat People (1982) (4/5)
10-3-13
2. Ministry Of Fear (1944) (4/5)
3. Watership Down (1978) (4.5/5)
10-4-13
4. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) (5/5)
10-7-13
5. Island Of Lost Souls (1932) (4/5)
10-10-13
6. The Other (1972) (4.5/5)
10-11-13
7. Dead Of Night (1945) (5/5)
10-12-13
8. Repo Man (1984) (4/5)
10-17-13
9. The Wages Of Fear (1953) (4/5)
10-18-13
10. The Cat And The Canary (1927) (4/5)
10-19-13
11. House (1977) (5/5)
10-22-13
12. Dracula (1931) (4/5)
10-24-13
13. Psychomania (1973) (4/5)
10-25-13
14. Raw Meat (1973) (4/5)
Television Shows
10-3-13
1. The Walking Dead: Made To Suffer
10-11-13
2. Doctor Who: Terror Of The Zygons Part One (Director's Cut)
10-14-13
3. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode One
10-15-13
4. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Two

 

[Sandro]

Rated from * to ****

10/01/13 Child's Play ***
10/01/13 Child's Play 2 ** 1/2
10/01/13 God Told Me To *** 1/2
10/02/13 Selling, The ** 1/2
10/02/13 Night of the Creeps ***
10/03/13 Hangover Square ***
10/04/13 Audrey Rose **
10/05/13 Shining, The *** 1/2
10/06/13 Child's Play 3 **
10/06/13 Resolution ***

10/07/13 Would You Rather **
10/08/13 John Dies at the End ***
10/08/13 Demonia **
10/10/13 Errors of the Human Body ** 1/2
10/10/13 Captivity *
10/12/13 Lords of Salem ***
10/12/13 Bride of Chucky ** 1/2
10/14/13 Dark Waters (1993) ***
10/15/13 Hypnosis/The Hypnotist ***
10/16/13 Seed of Chucky ** 1/2

10/16/13 Scream of Fear ***
10/17/13 Central Park Drifter ** 1/2
10/18/13 VHS 2 ***
10/19/13 Sleep Tight *** 1/2
10/21/13 Antiviral *** 1/2
10/22/13 Dead and Buried ***
10/24/13 Curse of Chucky ***
10/25/13 Paranoia 1.0 ***
10/25/13 Mama ** 1/2

 

[PatW]

35 Apparition (2012) bomb

A couple are haunted by a supernatural entity that is trying to come through to our reality. This event started as a result of a parapsychology experiment that was conducted while they were in college.

Dreadfully bad in every way. I was tempted to turn it off but I did sit through Beast of Yucca Flats and this one wasn't quite as bad. Still fairly boring with lame scares.


36 The Mad Magician (1954) 3.5/5

Don Gallico is a master at designing illusions for other magicians. When he decides to break out on his own, he is prevented from doing so by his greedy employer who tries to confiscate Gallico new illusion. Naturally he meets his death. Unfortunately that's not the only one and Gallico finds himself under suspicion for the murders.

This movie is a perfect vehicle for Vincent Price who is of course the master of horror. This was released after House of Wax and is of a similar kind being that of revenge. Not as flashy but still a good story. I was surprised that I hadn't seen it before.

TV Episodes

Grimm S3: The Ungrateful Dead 4/5

 

[TravisR]

51. Scream

A year after her mother's murder, a high school girl and her friends are menaced by a killer with a knife and a cell phone. I'd say this is Wes Craven's best movie and an all time favorite of mine. Suspenseful, has an excellent opening sequence, has likable characters, is smart and manages to perfectly walk the line of having humor and horror. The best horror movie of the 1990's.


52. Scream 2

The survivors from the first movie are at college when more murders begin occurring. Just like the original, there's a great opening, characters you actually like and it's funny. A top notch sequel.


53. Scream 3

The survivors from the first two movies are in Hollywood when even more murders being to occur. Easily the weakest of the series but still an entertaining movie and it has its moments of suspense and humor. And Parker Posey is wonderful as a crazy actress.


54. Scream 4

A decade after the events of the last movie, Sydney is in her hometown when new murders occur. I love this movie because a) it was a great walk down memory lane and b) because it points out how obsessed with fame our society has gotten. Personally, I think this movie will get 'rediscovered' by people when someone commits a murder for the same sick and stupid reason.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

26. Poltergeist
Poltergest took the musty old haunted house tale and turned it into a white upper-middle-class suburban effects-driven thrill ride, peppered with feel-good New Age occultism and yuppie angst. It's easy to see why Poltergeist was so successful and became a part of 1982 mainstream America's collective pop language ("They're here!) despite its obvious flaws. Historically the film has been overshadowed by the "was this Tobe Hooper's or Steven Spielberg's film?" debate, making it nearly impossible to watch the film without hypothesizing who created each segment, the assumption being that Spielberg directed the more docile and humorous elements, occasionally letting Hooper have his way when there was a need to go for the jugular. But none of that matters during the 114 minutes the film has you under its strange spell and we willingly check our disbeliefs at the front door. There's a certain roller-coaster giddiness about the film as we jump from scene to eye-popping scene, with lithe JoBeth Williams and hairy-yet-balding Craig T. Nelson often giggling about their odd predicament, and us along with them as we can't decide whether to be horrified or amused by the sight of a tree snatching a boy out of his bedroom and trying to eat him. By the time the dwarf woman with the big sunglasses starts drawling well-intentioned hogwash about "going to the light" and "The Beast", it doesn't matter because we've already given up resisting and are just enjoying the ride. 4 out of 5 stars.

Bob's October 2013 Horror Movie List
FTV denotes first time viewing
1. Some Guy Who Kills People (FTV)
2. Uzumaki (FTV)
3. The Pact (2011) (FTV)
4. Midnight Son (FTV)
5. Excision (FTV)
6. Absentia (FTV)
7. Sleep Tight (FTV)
8. Lunacy (FTV)
9. Frankenstein's Army (FTV)
10. The Woman in Black (FTV)
11. Color Me Blood Red (FTV)
12. Chained (FTV)
13. Frankenweenie
14. Mum and Dad (FTV)
15. Malevolence (FTV)
16. V/H/S/2 (FTV)
17. Juan of the Dead (FTV)
18. The Awakening (FTV)
19. Blood and Black Lace (FTV)
20. Naboer (Next Door) (FTV)
21. Carrie (2013) (FTV)
22. Eye of the Devil (FTV)
23. Splinter (FTV)
24. The Shining (1980)
25. Taxidermia (FTV)
26. Poltergeist

 

[Michael Elliott]

Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare (2010) *** Fred takes the gang back to his childhood camp where they're going to be councilors for the summer. However, once they arrive they learn that a ghost and a lake monster are stalking the place so they must try and learn what's really going on. SCOOBY-DOO! CAMP SCARE works on many levels but the highlight is without question the darker elements, which make it a throwback to the original series. You can tell that the writers were trying to return the series back to its origins and for the most part they did a very good job. This is especially true in regards to the villains, both of whom are just like you'd expect to see in the first few seasons of the series. The ghost, a tall ghoul that carries an axe, is perfectly brought to life and is quite memorable with the way he stalks the woods. The lake monster, an obvious homage to the Gil Man from CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, is also fun and especially during the scene where the gang are out on boats and come under attack. The animation is also extremely good with some wonderful details. Some of my favorite moments happen when the characters are gathered around a beautiful camp fire that lights up the woods around them. The main characters are all in fine form with the vocal actors doing a very good job with their roles. Then there's the added humor that's brought into the film. Usually some of the later day features had too much comedy but that's not the case here as it pretty much stays in the background but whenever it's brought to the front it's usually very funny. There's also some rather fun moments dealing with Velma being the one getting hit on and not Daphne. Speaking of Daphne, I couldn't help but notice that they really tried to "sexy" her up with the tight short shorts and bikini shots. Apparently one of the animators had a major crush on her.


Big Top Scooby-Doo! (2012) *** 1/2There's no question that the Scooby-Doo features have been up and down throughout the two decades that they've been made. This one here has the gang arriving at the carnival to find out that it has been taken over by werewolves who are stalking it for an unknown reason. The gang agrees to go undercover and join the circus so that they can find out what's really going on. BIG TOP SCOOBY-DOO is without a doubt one of the best features to be made in the series and it might very well be the best. There's so much that works here that even someone who hates Scooby Doo could probably love this film. Fans of the original series when it was meant as a dark, creepy and atmospheric ride will certainly enjoy this film because it really goes back to its roots. The monsters are all extremely well-made but even better is that the film allows them to be dangerous and I'm sure scary to many of the younger viewers watching. The werewolves are all excellent looking and come across quite menacing at times. The atmosphere is about as thick as any animated feature in history with a certain bleak darkness running throughout the film. The entire visual look of the film is wonderful as the darkness just really soaks up everything going on and makes it all the more memorable. The animation is another major plus as this is probably the best looking feature I've seen from the series. All of the main characters are quite memorable and they're really brought to life by their vocal actors. Scooby is pitch-perfect here as is Shaggy as the two share many great scenes together. Even the new characters are quite memorable. Best of all is that the actual mystery really works well and keeps you guessing right until the end. BIG TOP SCOOBY-DOO has all the horror and comedy that the best episodes in the television series had.


Toy Story of Terror (2013) *** 1/2 Made-for-TV short has Woody, Buzz and the rest of the toys staying the night at a hotel when they wonder off and are captured by the desk clerk who plans on selling them over the internet. TOY STORY OF TERROR comes three years after the third film in the series, which was without question a true masterpiece of the genre. This short doesn't come anywhere close to that but fans of the series will find plenty here to enjoy. It's great that the regular voice members are back with Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack doing their usual wonderful work. There's also Don Rickles back as Mr. Potato Head and we even get Carl Weathers and Timothy Dalton for a good time. The animation is wonderful but then again you really wouldn't expect anything less from the gang at Pixar. The film contains some nice excitement as the toys go on their adventure and the finale will certainly have you cheering. Mix in all the great laughs and you're really left with a nice little gem that lives up to the features in the series. New characters like Combat Carl (Weathers) and PezCat just added to all the fun.


Crimson (1973) **
Paul Naschy would often borrow elements from the Universal monster movies and he does so again, although with this film it borrows from BLACK Friday. In the movie Naschy plays a gangster who is shot in the head during a heist. His crew manages to find a doctor that could save his life but he's going to need to brain from another human. The crew decide to get the brain of a rival gangster known as The Sadist and while this transplant saves their bosses life, it also causes him to be even more dangerous to those around him. CRIMSON is also known as several other titles including THE MAN WITH THE SEVERED HEAD as well as THE RATS COME OUT AT NIGHT. Those expecting a straight horror film are going to be disappointed as will those coming into the picture expecting to see a lot of Naschy. The Euro legend gets top billing but sadly he appears in very little of the actual picture and it almost seems like his scenes weren't a part of the original screenplay and were just added to try and cash-in on his appeal at the time. CRIMSON isn't a bad movie but it is a rather needless one that doesn't add up to much in the end. I think the biggest problem is the screenplay that just doesn't know what it wants to do. The Euro-Crime genre is certainly on full display here but all of the elements are rather weak here. The stuff dealing with the gangsters really isn't interesting and you certainly never fear these guys. The horror elements are also incredibly weak because very little is done with them. Naschy has a bandage on his head, screams about his brain not working right and every once in a while he briefly acts out. He certainly doesn't get much to work with performance wise and that's true for the rest of the cast. To be fair, the English dubbing certainly doesn't help because it makes all of these tough gangsters sound like school girls. When the film was released in France it contained some more graphic sex scenes but this wasn't the version I watched but I'm going to guess that these scenes certainly livened up the picture a bit, which is something it certainly needed.


5 Dolls for an August Moon (1971) ** Mario Bava's twist on the "Ten Little Indians" story has a group of people being invited to an isolated island where one by one they're murdered. 5 DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON isn't considered one of the director's best films and it's easy to see why as it's lacking the flair and style of his earlier giallos but it's also quite tame when compared to what the director would do a year later with TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE. This film here pretty much falls well below what one would come to expect from the director, although there are a few good moments scattered throughout. One such moment happens to be the twist that happens towards the end of the picture but after the twist the events that play out really aren't all that special. I'm going to place the majority of the blame on the screenplay because it's simply never all that exciting and there's really no one you like or care about. It takes quite a while for everything to get going and once it does you realize that the characters are rather bland and it also appears that the director isn't all that interested in anything going on. That typical Bava style is missing throughout the picture and this is certainly true during the murder scenes. The majority of them happens off camera and we're slowly let in on them in ways that are just rather dull and lifeless as the bodies themselves. Even the sexuality in the film is pretty tame to the point where it really does seem like Bava isn't interested in anything that's happening. Of course, this tame sexuality and violence might be why he went full steam ahead the next year with TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE. Cult favorites William Berger and Edwige Fenech are on hand but neither add enough to save the film.


Orloff and the Invisible Man (1970) **Answering the call of a medical emergency, a young doctor avoids all warnings and goes to the home of Dr. Orloff (Howard Vernon) where he is told about a medical breakthrough where Orloff has created an invisible man. Vernon would play the Dr. Orloff character several times in his career so it's obvious a role he has no trouble in doing. ORLOFF AND THE INVISIBLE MAN (one of its many titles) is a decent time killer if you don't expect anything too good or too serious. The entire film suffers from a very low-budget and it appears that director Pierre Chevalier doesn't have much faith in anything that he's doing. Most of the scenes seem extremely rushed or at least made quickly without too much effort put into them. There really isn't any story of vision on display here as it almost seems as if Chevalier was just a director-for-hire who got the film in the can as quickly as he could. It's certainly not on the same page as THE AWFUL DR. ORLOFF or DR. ORLOFF'S MONSTER but there are a few interesting ideas here. It's funny how the entire doctor coming to the castle is handled because it's clearly ripping off the start of Dracula. The entire relationship between this young doctor and Orloff is a tad bit weird to say the least and the story never really bothered to explain why we need this younger doctor around. At just 75-minutes the film certainly goes by pretty quickly, although, to be honest, not much really happens in regards to the invisible man. The strangest sequence comes towards the end when a woman is stripped totally naked and sexually assaulted by the invisible man. Obviously the special effects aren't that good and the actresses acting isn't all that good either so we're left with an extremely weird sequence that belongs in the Euro Horror Hall of Fame. Vernon is good in his role and the supporting players aren't too bad either. There's plenty of nudity to keep fans of that entertained and there's some mild humor as well.


Full Moon High (1981) *Larry Cohen produced, wrote and directed this horror comedy about a popular high school football player (Adam Arkin) who goes on a vacation to Transylvania with his father (Ed McMahon). While there the teen is bitten by a werewolf and soon he begins to change himself. Decades go by and he realizes that the only way to break the curse is by returning to school and beating the rival football team. FULL MOON HIGH has its heart in the right place but I thought that the film was a complete disaster that just never really took off. While watching the film you have to at least give it credit for "inspiring" TEEN WOLF but in my opinion that film there did much better with the similar plot. The problem with this film is that it really isn't well written. I say that because instead of coming up with good jokes it seems that Cohen just sit around writing down every joke that came to him and then he put it in the movie whether it was funny or not. There are non-stop jokes going on here but sadly very few of them work and for every funny one there are at least ten that don't work. Again, there are some clever jokes to be found including a very good bit with the police beating up a guy in a gorilla suit not realizing that they're looking for a wolf. Another funny sequence deals with terrorist taking over an airplane, which will certainly remind people of Cohen's days in Blaxploitation. Arkin is decent in his role but he really doesn't have too much to work with and in the end his character comes across rather boring. McMahon, on the other hand, appears to be having a blast and certainly keeps the film moving while he's in it. Familiar names like Alan Arkin, Pat Morita and Bob Saget also show up in small roles. FULL MOON HIGH has enough funny moments for a short film but at 93-minutes the thing is just way too long and the plot drags on to the point where you'll feel as if you're in a never ending movie.

 

[John Stell]

078) 10/24/2013 Jack the Ripper (1958)

1/2

British thriller chronicling the exploits of Jack the Ripper. Atmospheric direction and some good performances. A brief shot of blood is shown in color during the finale.

079) 10/24/2013 The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1958)

1/2

To retain his youth, a 104 year old scientist must have surgery every so often to replace his pituitary gland. Things get tricky when he reunites with old love. Anton Diffring, Hazel Court, and Christopher Lee head fine cast, even if story offers few surprises. Pretty good Hammer chiller is a remake of Paramount's The Man in Half Moon Street (1944).

080) 10/24/2013 Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow (1959)

Flat, tedious horror-comedy about group of drag racing teens who run afoul a monster in their new digs. Very much of its time, this film has not aged well at all.

081) 10/25/2013 Ama No Bakemono Yashiki (1959)

1/2

Poor Japanese horror about ghost that supposedly is guarding family treasure, buried beneath the sea. There are lots of shots of pretty girls in diving gear; some female brawls; sudden appearances of a bloody-faced ghost, accompanied by musical stinger; and a lousing ending.

082) 10/25/2013 The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959)

Fine version of the classic Japanese ghost story: poor samurai murders his wife in order to marry into wealthy family. But the ghosts of the past will not stay buried. Great use of color and sound, with the Iemon character especially loathsome. Gruesome make-up effects for the poor wife.

083) 10/25/2013 The Head (1959)

1/2

Dr. Ood (love that name) removes the head of his brilliant, but dying, boss so they can continue their transplant experiments. Very moody film, with tremendously eerie music score, is somewhat sabotaged by sleazier aspects concerning strip club. Overlong too, but it's still worth checking out.

 

[Chucky P]

Films
10-1-13
1. Cat People (1982) (4/5)
10-3-13
2. Ministry Of Fear (1944) (4/5)
3. Watership Down (1978) (4.5/5)
10-4-13
4. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) (5/5)
10-7-13
5. Island Of Lost Souls (1932) (4/5)
10-10-13
6. The Other (1972) (4.5/5)
10-11-13
7. Dead Of Night (1945) (5/5)
10-12-13
8. Repo Man (1984) (4/5)
10-17-13
9. The Wages Of Fear (1953) (4/5)
10-18-13
10. The Cat And The Canary (1927) (4/5)
10-19-13
11. House (1977) (5/5)
10-22-13
12. Dracula (1931) (4/5)
10-24-13
13. Psychomania (1973) (4/5)
10-25-13
14. Raw Meat (1973) (4/5)
10-26-13
15. The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) (5/5)
16. Fiend Without a Face (1958) (3.5/5)
17. Evil Dead (2013) (3/5)
Television Shows
10-3-13
1. The Walking Dead: Made To Suffer
10-11-13
2. Doctor Who: Terror Of The Zygons Part One (Director's Cut)
10-14-13
3. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode One
10-15-13
4. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Two

 

[Malcolm R]

The Tall Man​

Grade: D​

Julia Denning (Jessica Biel) is a nurse in the dying town of Cold Rock, Washington. The mine that had employed most of the residents has closed and the town is quickly descending into poverty. On top of the day-to-day problems, eighteen of the town's children have disappeared without a trace in the past few years. The limited eyewitness reports refer to a shadowy "Tall Man" which, churned through the rumor mill, has become the local boogeyman. One stormy night, the Tall Man enters Julia's house and takes young David. Julia gives chase, hoping to save David and solve the mystery of the Tall Man.

This is one of those films that really pisses me off, because it's marketed as one thing, then when you watch it, it becomes apparent that it's really something different. It really probably does not belong in this challenge, but since it was marketed as a horror film (even with the tagline, "Fear Takes a New Shape"), and that's why I picked it during the challenge, it's going to count. But it's not really a horror film, it's just a thriller with a rather elitist social commentary/message.

The only reason I'm not giving it an "F" grade for the deception is that until the reality of the story was revealed, it did an OK job of disguising itself in the garb of a decent scary story. Also, the cast includes Samantha Ferris and William B. Davis, a couple actors I enjoy (though both have pretty limited parts).

 

[Mario Gauci]

24/10/13: THE SIGN OF FOUR {TV} (Desmond Davis, 1983) **1/2

This was stage actor Ian Richardson’s second stab at playing master sleuth Sherlock Holmes in the same year; while quite fine in the role, he does occasionally resort to hamminess. Both films were sourced from two of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s more popular stories and, in fact, I also own the 1932 movie and 1968 TV versions of it (but have yet to watch either [color=rgb(51,51,51);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);]and will need to wait for a subsequent Holmes marathon!); the latter stars horror icon Peter Cushing and, for what it is worth, here we get genre regular Thorley Walters in a brief but pivotal role. The central mystery – involving loot, a map, betrayal, and a peg-legged villain – owes something to R.L. Stevenson’s “Treasure Island”, yet also incorporating a welcome macabre element in the presence throughout of a cannibalistic pygmy! Similarly unexpected, though, is the incongruity of having Dr. Watson smitten with the detectives’ latest client (played here by Cherie Lunghi); however, an obtuse Scotland Yard Inspector – basically a given in any Holmes case – is on hand to counter with logical (and, by intimation, comical) reasoning the intelligent (and, obviously, correct) deduction supplied by the famed occupant of 221B Baker Street. For the record, the 1991 TV-movie THE CRUCIFER OF BLOOD (with Charlton Heston and Richard Johnson as Holmes and Watson respectively) is an alternate retelling of the tale which I also have yet to catch up with, despite having been regularly shown on that medium in my neck of the woods… [/color]


24/10/13: DR. PYCKLE AND MR. PRIDE {Short} (Percy Pembroke, 1925) **1/2

During this Halloween Challenge, I berated the lack of Dr. Watson’s presence in a Sherlock Holmes adventure as being akin to a Laurel & Hardy vehicle without the latter; well, this film, the nth version I have watched inspired by the R.L. Stevenson novella, is just that…since it was made before the great comic duo became a fixture! The film gets the essence of the tale across in broad slapstick terms fairly adequately, if crudely given its age. The most successful element here is the repeated situation of the “Hyde” figure, agreeably prone not to sadistic violence as in the original but to childish pranks, being pursued by practically the entire townsfolk – which actually reminded me of Buster Keaton falling foul of the L.A.P.D. in perhaps his greatest short, COPS (1922). Incidentally, Laurel’s snobbish “Jekyll” characterization looks forward to his Lord Paddington caricature in the beloved L&H feature A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940), and the whole is also not too far removed from their classic two-reeler DIRTY WORK (1933), down to having animals the unwitting recipients of the transforming formula!


25/10/13: ABC MOVIE OF THE WEEK: HOW AWFUL ABOUT ALLAN {TV} (Curtis Harrington, 1970) **1/2

This film involves cast and crew members from two of the most influential horror films of the previous decade – star Anthony Perkins from PSYCHO (1960) and novelist/scriptwriter Henry Farrell from WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962); for the record, director Harrington would make another effort in the latter vein i.e. the superior WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH HELEN? (1971). In any case, the leading man works better here (Perkins is always worth watching) than the premise – which offers little in the way of novelty and, frankly, surprise. He plays a man half-blinded by his guilt feeling over the inability to save dad Kent Smith from a fire, an incident which also left sister (and father’s favorite) Julie Harris facially scarred. Released from an institution, he discovers Harris has taken lodgers (the latest among whom he, rather unjustifiably, suspects of being hostile towards him) from the University where the siblings both teach (or used to, in his case). Living nearby is Joan Hackett, formerly Perkins’ fiancée – but he resents her genuine interest, taking it for pity. As I said, the mystery (which also involves Harris’ own ex-boyfriend, who may or may not be masquerading as the would-be student) – or, rather the party responsible for the protagonist’s persecution – is not hard to figure out (and where even a past trauma is revealed to have been faked)…but, again, Perkins’ nervous acting (he has not yet gone the over-the-top route that would occupy the latter part of his career, a less subtle but equally compelling approach and one that I suspect will be at the forefront in THE SINS OF DORIAN GRAY {1983}, another made-for-TV movie of his I will be getting to presently) makes it all worthwhile for the duration.


25/10/13: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES {TV} (Douglas Hickox, 1983) ***

Quite a solid rendition of the quintessential Sherlock Holmes case as TV movies go, though clearly still not a patch on either the 1939 Fox or 1959 Hammer big-screen versions. I liked Ian Richardson better here than in the same year’s THE SIGN OF FOUR – perhaps because his tendency to go over-the-top gets channeled this time around through Holmes’ own penchant for disguise! Even the rapport with Dr. Watson (a different actor from his subsequent effort) seems to be more congenial – if still basically a comic foil a` la Nigel Bruce. Again, the rest of the cast list is peppered with established performers: Martin Shaw (amusingly decked-out in Texan attire!), Nicholas Clay (in the proverbial dual role at the core of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic tale), Denholm Elliott (playing a different role to the one he had had in the 1978 spoof), Ronald Lacey (as Inspector Lestrade), Brian Blessed (though his gruffness borders on caricature!), Connie Booth (Mrs. John Cleese!), Edward Judd (nearly unrecognizable) and Eleanor Bron. The titular creature, too, with its constantly radiant eyes and at, one point, his entire frame appears to glow, was presumably envisaged as the typical movie monster (let us not forget there were at least two ‘hell hound’ movies some years previously – one of which I should be checking out soon, incidentally – while the Stephen King adaptation CUJO was released the same year). That said, director Hickox was well-versed in this sort of thing, and he handles proceedings with customary professionalism (albeit, understandably, on a small scale). This is now the seventh version of the tale that I have watched – 1939, 1959, 1968, 1972, 1978 and 2002 – and, for what it is worth, there are still a few out there which I would not mind checking out in the long run…


26/10/13: NIGHTMARE CLASSICS: CARMILLA {TV} (Gabrielle Beaumont, 1989) **1/2

Like many literary horror classics, Irish writer J. Sheridan LeFanu’s lesbian vampire tale received its fair share of cinematic adaptations; unfortunately, one made in 1966 for the “Mystery And Imagination” TV series no longer exists. Still, this made-for-TV version (which I was not aware of until now) is the sixth one that I have watched – after Dreyer’s very liberal VAMPYR (1932), Roger Vadim’s BLOOD AND ROSES (1960), the Italian-made CRYPT OF THE VAMPIRE (1964), the Hammer/AIP co-production THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (1970), the Spanish THE BLOOD-SPATTERED BRIDE (1972) – and the only one which kept the original title. Which is quite surprising since, not only is the setting changed from Victorian England to the American South, but there is no mention at all of Carmilla’s true identity, Mircalla Karnstein! Also, it is unsurprising, given its pedigree, that the lesbian overtones prevalent in the short story and some of the earlier film versions, are highly underplayed here; even so, the cast is quite decent – Meg Tilly in the title role; Ione Skye as her main victim; Roy Dotrice as her father; and “Inspector” Roddy McDowall – and there are a couple of standout scenes: the bat attack on the maid; the bizarre high-flying seduction in the park; and McDowall’s weird and unexpected, bloody come-uppance. For the record, this adaptation was an episode in the obscure and short-lived TV series entitled “Nightmare Classics” which bore the executive producer credit of actress Shelley Duvall!; unfortunately, I came across this on “You Tube” via a print with an askew aspect ratio that often (ironically enough) ‘beheads’ the characters appearing onscreen!


26/10/13: MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION: THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER {TV} (Kim Mills, 1966) ***

This is one of just 8 episodes out of an original 24(!) that still exist today from this classy British TV series; it is also the fourth one from it that I am watching – after FRANKENSTEIN (1968), DRACULA (1968; with Denholm Elliott in the title role), and THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY (1970). Denholm Elliott, here essaying with maniacal relish the role of the deranged protagonist Roderick Usher, is joined by the beautiful Susannah York as his equally disturbed and cataleptic sister Madeleine; on the other side of the coin we have David Buck (as Roderick’s boyhood friend, who is curiously named Richard Beckett – as had been the main character in J. Sheridan LeFanu’s “The Room In The Dragon Volant” – a TV adaptation of which was also made for “Mystery And Imagination” but is now believed lost!) and Mary Miller as the couple who inadvertently falls under the sickly spell of the house of Usher. The only other two characters who appear are the Ushers’ bald-headed, mute butler and the clueless doctor attending to Madeleine’s failing health. The brooding black-and-white photography and production design (by Assheton Gorton) add immeasurably to the atmosphere of dread (real and imagined) and decay (moral and architectural) – although the literate dialogue does make for a rather heavy-going if decidedly stylish whole. Incidentally, among the missing episodes of “Mystery And Imagination” is another Edgar Allan Poe adaptation: THE TELL-TALE HEART (1968)…


26/10/13: NIGHTMARE CLASSICS: THE TURN OF THE SCREW {TV} (Graeme Clifford, 1989) **1/2

Having just watched the CARMILLA (1989) episode from the “Nightmare Classics” TV series, I quickly followed it up with this which was actually its first episode. Stacked against the distinguished actresses that had played the main role of the governess before her – Ingrid Bergman and Lynn Redgrave (on TV) plus Deborah Kerr (on film) – I must say that the usually decorative Amy Irving makes a surprisingly good impression; David Hemmings as the children’s very broad-minded uncle is another asset here, despite the relative brevity of his role that relegates his appearances to the start and end of the production. Where this particular version gets stumped is in the casting of the other roles: the children are decidedly unsympathetic from the start so when they start showing their true colors, it registers as less the evil influence of the ghosts and more the whims of the spoilt kids! Compared to the earlier 1959 version I watched, with regards to Peter Quint and Miss Jessel, the former’s “Riff Raff” (more on this later) looks are distracting and not as menacing and the latter is better-looking but not as moving; nor does the all-important sinister atmosphere of the house come off as strongly. Having said that, one of the pleasures of watching several adaptations of the same tale is noting the narrative differences between them: the boy is absent at the start here because he is at the market buying a stallion, which he rides on a rainy night against the express wishes of the new governess, and which also costs the life of the uncle when he is summoned by the latter, who also seems to become possessed by the spirit of her predecessor in the very last shot! Interestingly enough, the director credit here belongs to the Australian editor of such fragmented Nicolas Roeg classics as DON’T LOOK NOW (1973) and THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (1976), as well as…wait for it…the cult phenomenon THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975)!


26/10/13: SUPERNATURAL: NIGHT OF THE MARIONETTES {TV} (Alan Cooke, 1977) **1/2

I came by pure coincidence on this, yet another segment from Robert Fuller’s interesting but obscure (in every sense) British TV series, while performing a “You Tube” search for more MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION (1966-1970) episodes! Like the previous ones I caught a few days ago from the same source, the print quality is far from optimal and time coded throughout; this particular entry is also plagued by intermittent audio issues which required me to alter the volume as it played out! Anyway, as with the other two episodes I watched, the main narrative of this is retold in flashback to a gathering of disbelieving men; here the raconteur is a long-white-haired Gordon Jackson – who, on his quest to chronicle what really went on in the Villa Deodati in that haunted Summer of 1816 in Geneva – lands his wife (the aptly-named Kathleen Byron) and daughter in Vladek Sheybal’s pretty vacant guesthouse. The enigmatic exploits of Lord Byron, Percy and Mary Shelley and John Polidori – which spawned the publication of the latter’s “Frankenstein” and “The Vampire” respectively – will later also engage the imaginations of Ken Russell in the maligned GOTHIC (1986) and Ivan Passer in the ultra-rare HAUNTED SUMMER (1988). What we have here, however, is that Sheybal’s previous lodgers were transformed into lifesize (and very rowdy) marionettes for his own act and one of them – dressed as Frankenstein’s Monster, no less! – runs amok and assaults Jackson’s daughter who, in the meantime, seems to have become possessed by the spirit of the latter’s literary creator herself! Incidentally, I have two (or three) more adaptations of “Frankenstein” to go through before this ongoing Halloween Challenge reaches its conclusion…

 

[PatW]

37 Chernobyl Diaries (2012) 3/5

Young tourists in Russia hire a tour guide who takes them to the abandoned city of Pripyat where the workers at the Chernobyl power planet lived. The town is creepy is say the least. The residents had to leave at a moments notice and left most of their belongings behind. While poking around the town they discover that they are not alone.

Certainly not a great film but it was creepy enough for my tastes. Good idea for a story that could have been executed better.


38 House of Usher (1960) 4/5

One of Vincent Price's best performances in this Edgar Allen Poe tale. Very atmospheric and well done and probably also one of Roger Corman's better films.

 

[Chucky P]

Films
10-1-13
1. Cat People (1982) (4/5)
10-3-13
2. Ministry Of Fear (1944) (4/5)
3. Watership Down (1978) (4.5/5)
10-4-13
4. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) (5/5)
10-7-13
5. Island Of Lost Souls (1932) (4/5)
10-10-13
6. The Other (1972) (4.5/5)
10-11-13
7. Dead Of Night (1945) (5/5)
10-12-13
8. Repo Man (1984) (4/5)
10-17-13
9. The Wages Of Fear (1953) (4/5)
10-18-13
10. The Cat And The Canary (1927) (4/5)
10-19-13
11. House (1977) (5/5)
10-22-13
12. Dracula (1931) (4/5)
10-24-13
13. Psychomania (1973) (4/5)
10-25-13
14. Raw Meat (1973) (4/5)
10-26-13
15. The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) (5/5)
16. Fiend Without a Face (1958) (3.5/5)
17. Evil Dead (2013) (3/5)
10-27-13
18. Mark Of The Vampire (1935) (4/5)
19. The Mask Of Fu Manchu (1932) (3.5/5)
20. The Brides Of Dracula (1960) (4/5)

Television Shows
10-3-13
1. The Walking Dead: Made To Suffer
10-11-13
2. Doctor Who: Terror Of The Zygons Part One (Director's Cut)
10-14-13
3. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode One
10-15-13
4. Doctor Who: The Enemy Of The World Episode Two