***Official 19th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2018*** (1 Viewer)

[Michael Elliott]

Puppet Master: Axis Termination (2017) * 1/2

The final film in the original series as well as the final film in the Nazi trilogy. This was certainly a step down from the previous film, which means it's right on par for the series. This one does offer more blood than some of the previous films but at the same time it's clear that the crowd funding didn't get them enough money as the effects are still rather bad and there just aren't any interesting characters here. Oh well, it was a nice run.

Porno Holocaust (1981) 1/2

Where in the hell are we as a society when a film like this is on a terrific Blu-ray while stuff like GREED and THE WIND are unreleased? This Joe D'Amato film is downright horrid on pretty much every level outside of a couple brief scenes but it's amazing how much worse it is on a crystal clear disc. This is truly a wretched film that has very little going for it as a group of people end up on an island where they are attacked by a creature with a large you know what. What the fuck was D'Amato thinking? Why in the hell would anyone think someone like this needed to run just short of two hours? Why were women having sex with Shannon and his wart balls? How much were these people paid? Why the hell did I know this film was so horrid yet dropped $32?

A Return to Salem's Lot (1987) ** 1/2

This was my first time watching this Larry Cohen sequel to the Tobe Hooper film. The negative reviews kept me away but after watching the film it was rather funny to see so many people probably hated this because it wasn't like the original. It's also funny to think that Hooper was also in trouble "with the fans" because his CHAINSAW sequel wasn't like the original. For the most part I thought this was a fairly entertaining vampire movie that offered some nice vampire action and effects. I also thought Samuel Fuller was a lot of fun as the Nazi killer who decides to go after the vampires. The only problem is that it runs way too long at 100-minutes.

Chaos (2005) ***

This remake of THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT starts off with some bullshit about it being a message film meant to warn people of the horrors that are out there. Bullshit. This is a straight up exploitation movie. It will probably always be remembered for the Roger Ebert controversy and I still remember his review and everything that followed. Why he ever watched the movie is what I'd love to know. With all of that being said, the point of an exploitation mover is to make you have a reaction and there's no doubt that this movie does that. The movie is sick and vile and the violence is gross enough to make you react. There are a lot of sloppy moments and some poorly executed things but this is typical of the genre.

Giallo in Venice (1979) ** 1/2

A couple dead bodies turn up and a detective must figure out what happened. The story to this giallo is rather weak and in all honesty the characters are rather bland too. I'd also add that there's not a bit of style so on that level this giallo isn't all that special. With that being said, the sleaze here is so outrageous that you can't help but be entertained by this film. This is as perverted as Fulci's THE NEW YORK RIPPER with some full masturbation scenes as well as some violence so graphic that you're brain is going to wonder what the fuck you're watching. I won't ruin the biggest and most violent scene in the movie but it's just downright shocking what they went for and it's these moments that make the film worth watching even with all the flaws.

Absurd (1981) **

Chilling film that was clearly an attempt by Joe D'Amato to warn us against voting for Hilary Clinton. The George Eastman killer stalking a house full of people was obviously an attempt by D'Amato to warn us against Clinton who would have killed our babies, killed our income and killed everything great about our country. It's amazing to see how spot on D'Amato was. Sorry, just an absurd spoof of the shit I'm constantly reading on my timeline. In reality I don't see why people enjoy this movie as it really is deadly slow, contains the worst Super Bowl party in history and there's just really not much here outside of the terrific score and some gory death scenes. The film is okay but once again D'Amato shows that he really wasn't much of a director.

Phantom of Death (1988) ** 1/2

Ruggero Deodato's tale of a concert pianist (Michael York) who comes down with a disfiguring disease that turns him into a killing maniac. This here is basically a slasher version of The Phantom of the Opera and I was surprised to see Deodato given such a decent budget as well as a nice cast. The problem with the film is that the cat and mouse game between the killer and the police inspector doesn't work and there isn't any suspense. The story itself is pretty lame but that's to be expected of the genre. What does work are the performances with York, Edwige Fenech, Donald Pleasence and Giovanni Lombardo Radic offering up good work. The make-up effects used on York's face were also extremely good and there are a couple extremely bloody murders that really set themselves apart.

Twins of Evil (1971) ***

Story wise there's really nothing fresh or original here but it's certainly a very entertaining movie thanks in large part to its cast. By 1971 there were countless films with an actor playing a religious freak going around killing people in the name of God but Peter Cushing takes the role and really makes it his own. Unlike the blood-thirsty characters of other films, I think Cushing really brings something to the role that makes you really care for this guy as he does feel and think he's doing the right thing when he's killing these women. I won't spoil certain aspects of the film but I'll just say that Cushing is truly great here and makes this one of his more memorable Hammer performances. The supporting cast is a lot of fun with Dennis Price turning in one of his better performances from this period and then there are the Collinson twins. Sure, they aren't Oscar-worthy actresses but they look great and the cinematography does both of them justice. The added blood, sexuality and nudity makes this one of Hammer's better products from this era.

Countess Dracula (1971) ** 1/2

Elderly Countess Elisabeth (Ingrid Pitt) discovers that she can restore her youth and beauty with the blood of virgins. This Hammer production isn't quite what I'd consider a "good" film but it's certainly an entertaining one thanks in large part to the terrific cast. Pitt turns in an excellent performance in what's basically two different roles. There's no question that her beauty is what makes this film as she was in the prime of her looks. No one would argue with the sexuality that she brings to the film. Nigel Green was also excellent in the role of her former lover who agrees to help her. I thought the atmosphere was good, the cinematography was nice and the score is good as well. There were some pacing issues and I'd argue that the real story was so dark that the film should have gone for a more "R" rated feel. This film seems just a tad bit above what a kid could see but it still well short of an adult movie.

 

[Sandro]

Some recent watches (rated * to ****)

Keep My Grave Open ***
SF Brownrigg (Don’t Look in the Basement and Don't Open the Door) 1970s low budget weirdness. This one is about a strange woman, her brother and some killings and has a predictable twist. Depending on your interest in this kind of movie, your mileage may vary.

Apostle ***
Intense and slow-building horror story with some obvious influences. Given the material it could have been a classic but this new film is too long and overbaked but still has some weirdness (who exactly were the masked man and the woman walking around the church near the beginning?). However my personal view is that a great action director should be making action movies rather than horror.

Fantasist, The **½
Very odd film from Robin Hardy about a sex killer in Dublin and 3 or 4 characters involved in the case. Uneasy mixture of comedy and whodunit which may not sit well with a modern audience – some of the victims seem to welcome the pervert's telephone calls and there's a strange sex scene.

Suicide Club *** ½
Fantastic and weird concoction from Japan about a rash of teen suicides and the connection to a website, some strange gangsters and a teen girl pop band. This rewatch cemented Suicide Circle as one of the best of the weirdo Japanese horror films of the century. It doesn't really make sense but who cares when you have a succession of brilliant scenes.

Killer Workout * ½
Leaden slasher movie – watch Death Spa instead.

Strangers Prey at Night ** ½
Pretty good slasher movie has a neat setup and some good sequences. I preferred the first one.

 

[whacky blacky]

53. The Obsidian Curse (2016). FTV. Streamed. A really bad one about a woman who gets cursed with being a magnet for evil entities such as zombies, demons and serial killers. The creature creators must love Clive Barker and Pan's Labyrinth. 2/5.

54. Bloodline (2013). FTV. Watched on DVD. A nasty spirit jumps from body to body. 2/5.

 

[John Stell]

Rating - Out of a possible 4

103) 10/27/2018 Daimajin (1966)

When disbelieving warlord attempts to have its image destroyed, the god of oppressed village comes to life in the form of giant statue to take vengeance. Entertaining blend of samurai action and kaiju genres boasts great effects (starting an hour in), intense situations, and sympathetic characters.

104) 10/27/2018 Return of Diamajin (1966)

1/2
Benevolent ruler Juro is betrayed and his village overtaken. But he escapes capture and is now hunted by would-be killer, who subsequently kidnaps a citizen of yet another village thinking Juro is hiding there. So, the persecuted pray to their god for protection. Pretty much a repeat of the previous film: the bad guys destroy the statue image of Majin and Majin gets his revenge. Good effects and hissable villains who get theirs make this entertaining if familiar.​

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

October 27: I Had a Bloody Good Time at House Harker (2016) - 4 out of 5 - First Time Viewing

Generations removed from the man who slayed Dracula, the Harkin family has fallen on hard times. On the brink of losing their American ancestral home, they concoct a crazy idea to fake a real vampire to drum up the cash needed to save their home, but a real vampire shows up complicating matters.

This film is a hoot. Shot on what had to have been a paltry budget (they used a Kickstarter campaign to finish the film), the filmmakers compensate with a script that's filled with clever gags and pacing that has this thing running full speed almost non-stop. The Harken family (two brothers and a sister, along with the family friend, and the sister's soon-to-be husband) make for a seriously entertaining collection of characters with quirks and arcs that bizarrely go somewhere and make sense by the time all the blood has been spilled. I laughed out loud a number of times and found the 'throw things at the wall and see what sticks' approach to be a winning way.

This is ultra-low budget stuff and works wonders because it's actually funny and, a wobbly moment or two aside, this thing was fun to watch. Good stuff.

Thanks to @Malcolm R for the great recommendation!

 

[Malcolm R]

The Night Stalker A-
The Night Strangler B+

Carl Kolchak is a crack reporter with a nose for news and a knack for finding the weirdest story leads. But he also has a wide open mind that leads him to conclusions that drive his editors and the local police absolutely crazy.

In Las Vegas, a string of murders where the women are drained of blood, and the theft of blood from local hospitals, lead Kolchak to believe that a vampire is on the loose. Of course no one is willing to believe an actual vampire is responsible, to it falls to Kolchak to prove the existence of the beast himself.

After he's railroaded out of Vegas, he settles in Seattle where a string of odd murders catches his attention. The women are strangled, their necks crushed, and a small amount of blood is taken from each. With the help of the local records archivist, Kolchak is able to find links to prior similar murder sprees occurring every 21 years back to the Civil War. The authorities are not willing to consider this pattern, and his editors are unwilling to freely publish Kolchak's theories given his reputation. He soon finds himself in a fight for his life in the bowels of "Old Seattle," buried under the present day city.

Darren McGavin is great as Kolchak, owning the character from his very first scenes where you learn exactly what the character is like and how his tenacious brand of journalism, finding and printing the truth no matter what, will frustrate those that want to control him. It was also kind of refresing that there were no cheats in these films. Often these types of procedurals that seem to be drifting into the supernatural cop out at the end with a "rational explanation," like an episode of Scooby-Doo.

ParaNorman 3D B-
It's all fun and games until someone raises the dead.

Norman can see and speak with the dead, much to the frustration of his father who wants him to be a "normal" kid. Norman soon finds it's his legacy to continue the annual tradition that keeps a witch's curse at bay or else the dead will rise and take revenge upon the town.

Not bad but kind of poky and plodding compared to many current animated films. Also, surprisingly risque in a couple scenes for a film aimed at families. But there was a good message in the story, the zombies were funny and creepy at the same time, and the 3D was pretty nice.

 

[John Stell]

Rating - Out of a possible 4

105) 10/27/2018 The Mephisto Waltz (1971)

Dying pianist Curt Jurgens, a Satanist, transfers his soul to Alan Alda, whose wife must now figure out why her husband has changed so much. The story is not bad, and director Paul Wendkos likes his odd camera angles. But at almost two hours the film is too long for the material, and Jerry Goldsmith’s score is obtrusive more often than not.

106) 10/28/2018 The Night Digger (1971)

Maura (Patricia Neal) lives a life of servitude taking care of her blind, adoptive mother and the crumbling Victorian house in which they live. Then Mom hires handsome stranger to take care of the home, and Maura starts developing feelings for him. The only wrinkle is that he’s a serial killer. Moody, well-acted thriller delivers a serious case of the creeps. Ending is unexpectedly poignant.​

 

[Tino]

By far the best thing I’ve seen this Halloween season is The Hanting Of Hill House on Netflix.

It has more scares per episode than any film I’ve seen in years.

It is absolutely fantastic.

 

[whacky blacky]

55. Crypt Of The Vampire (1964). FTV. Watched on DVR. Christopher Lee is the only reason to watch this one which could have been way better with a decent script. 2.5/5.

56. Plan Z (2016). FTV. Watched on DVD. A British zombie flick that tends to drag on but has its moments. 2/5.

 

[Ruz-El]

Yesterdays viewing

090 10/27 The Visitor (1979) 3.5/5 A young girl with psychic powers is in the middle of a galactic battle where young psychic kids are harvested… I don’t know. It didn’t make much sense, but the cast is insane and it’s visually arresting which was enough in this case to keep me invested. Hats off to John Huston as one of the galactic forces with a costume being the usual hat and safari jacket he always wears.

091 10/27 Dead American Woman (2010) 2/5 The cover blurb declares this one to be “The Most Controversial Film Ever Made!”, and it tries really hard. It’s a good concept about a Christian snuff film outfit, and it has a John Waters feel to it as they try to offend, it just didn’t work despite it’s ambitions.

092 10/27 Neon Demon (2016) 3.5/5 Beautifully filmed look at the sinister underbelly of the fashion world. I was left flat by Refn previous film but really enjoyed this one.

093 10/27 The ‘Burbs (1989) 4/5 I remember being underwhelmed by this one when it came out but revisiting it all these years later I really enjoyed it. It’s a comedy with a spooky neighbour theme that while not playing the humour subtle, director Joe Dante manages to keep it in check with the thriller/horror elements. Makes for a real fun movie.

094 10/27 Raising Cain (1992) 3/5 When this one came out I simply didn’t like it mainly due to an irrational dislike of John Lithgow. I now have an appreciation for Lithgow, but the movie still doesn’t really work. It feels like a mess, I’m really curious to see how the new cut works

Started watching HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD since it's tagged as a thriller and a comedy online, but it looked more comedy in the first 15 minutes so I ditched it. Thoughts?

Back to work tomorrow, so today will be my last full day of movie watching.

 

[TravisR]

Started watching HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD since it's tagged as a thriller and a comedy online, but it looked more comedy in the first 15 minutes so I ditched it. Thoughts?

Hollywood Boulevard is a comedy to me. Any Joe Dante movie is worth watching so finish watching it in 4 days.

 

[Malcolm R]

From a Whisper to a Scream (aka The Offspring) B+
Welcome to Oldfield Tennessee. Population: Deadly!

Julien White's niece has just been executed as a mass murderer. After the execution, a reporter visits Julien who indicates that the death of his niece will make no difference, as Oldfield, Tennessee, is a hotbed of evil and depravity. She was but one cog in the machine of terror that has plagued the town throughout the past and likely continuing into the future. Julien then relates four stories from history to illustrate his point.

The great Vincent Price stars as Julien White in the bookending story that ties together this anthology. Reportedly Price did not like this film and felt it was misrepresented to him up front, but he was under contract so had little choice but to complete the role. If this is true, he still gives a typically good performance rather than phoning it in. The film also stars Terry Kiser and Clu Gulager.

The stories are all quite dark, bloody, and surprisingly twisted, running the gamut from implied necrophilia and incest, to voodoo and cannibalism. The case indicates this is rated R, but without consulting the case, I would have expected it was an unrated version. The segments seem to improve as the film progresses, with the first probably being the weakest and the final being the creepiest, though all have their freaky, gross moments.

The Shout/Scream blu-ray also includes a couple of extended featurette extras, one on the making of the film that runs nearly 2 hours, and another on teenage Super 8 filmmaking in the 70's by director Jeff Burr and his friends, that runs over an hour.

Also, this is another of multiple horror films and novels I've watched or read this month that are set in Tennessee. Not sure what's up with that.

 

[Michael Elliott]

The new cut of RAISING CAIN makes it a very good movie IMO. The man who did the new edit on it contacted me through Facebook back before this disc came out and he's a really cool guy and deserves the credit more than DePalma.

 

[Ruz-El]

Hollywood Boulevard is a comedy to me. Any Joe Dante movie is worth watching so finish watching it in 4 days.

That's what I was thinking, It will be my November 1st movie!

The new cut of RAISING CAIN makes it a very good movie IMO. The man who did the new edit on it contacted me through Facebook back before this disc came out and he's a really cool guy and deserves the credit more than DePalma.

I imagined it would be, I might sneak it in still for the challenge, or it will be my November 2nd film haha

 

[Sandro]

The new cut of RAISING CAIN makes it a very good movie IMO. The man who did the new edit on it contacted me through Facebook back before this disc came out and he's a really cool guy and deserves the credit more than DePalma.

Michael, I am curious about this comment. I thought that the cut is supposed to reflect DePalma's original intent for the structure of the movie. Or are you just referring to the actual work done on the edit?

 

[whacky blacky]

57. Return Of The Scarecrow (2018). FTV. Streamed. 2/5.

58. 19 Doors (2011). FTV. Watched on DVD. 1.5/5.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Michael, I am curious about this comment. I thought that the cut is supposed to reflect DePalma's original intent for the structure of the movie. Or are you just referring to the actual work done on the edit?

I don't think this cut was DePalma's intent for the structure of the movie. I was under the impression that he wanted the film the way it was in theaters. The person who did this cut originally was just a fan who re-edited the movie to make it play this way. From what he said, this was all him. I'm sure DePalma had to sign off on it at some point but I don't think he ever planned for it to be that way.

 

[Michael Elliott]

The Ring Two (2005) * 1/2

God, what an awful damn movie from start to finish. Since the "curse" was "cured" in the first film they had to come up with something new for Naomi Watts to battle and the story here is just downright bad. What's so shocking about how bad this movie is the fact that Hideo Nakata directed it. He did the original RINGU and to see how flat this movie is was shocking to say the least. The performances are rather bland, there's not a bit of suspense and there's not an ounce of atmosphere. To make matters worse this thing clocks in at over two hours and I really wanted to scream countless times.

In the Mouth of Madness (1994) ***

Wow, I was fourteen years old when I watched this on opening night in theaters. Believe it or not this was my first time watching it since. This John Carpenter movie has EVERYTHING going right for it except for the fact that it's not scary. That one major flaw with this picture is that we never get a psychological feel for the main character and we never feel the terror that he is feeling. That's a major issue for the film then and I found myself feeling the same on this second viewing. Outside of that I really love the way Carpenter plays up the reality of the film and what's real or not. Sam Neill was wonderful in his role and really delivered an excellent performance. It was even fun seeing Charlton Heston in his small role. I guess at the end of the day this will turn out to be the last successful Carpenter movie (although I enjoyed both his Masters of Horror episodes).

Chamber of Horrors (1940) **

I've never been to the U.K. but I've seen plenty of their films and I've often wondered if people there talk as much as they do in their movies. This film deals with a rich man who dies and who buries his treasure with him. It takes seven keys to reach it and a lot of people want the money. There's some nice atmosphere here and I did enjoy the cast but this film just got bogged down with non-stop dialogue and it didn't take long to lose focus on what was happening. I'm not even sure if the story added up at the end of the thing. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. Jeez. It kind of reminded me of those old Bud commercials where the New Yorker would ask "how ya doing?" and then the redneck would just start chatting up a storm.

The Bride's Initiation (1973) **

A newlywed couple are kidnapped by Count Dracula because he needs certain "things" from the male so that he can restore his sex powers to take on the virgin bride. Umm... what a strange little film this thing turned out to be. I thought the first forty-minutes were pretty damn fun in a silly and over-the-top way. I really thought Marc Brock was hilarious as Count Dracula and he gave off a vibe like we saw Tim Curry do in THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. The witch assistant was hilarious as was the fact that this virgin bride seemed to know more about sex than anyone else in the picture. The final twenty-minutes really begin to drag once the new girl is brought in but overall this was better (or at least weirder) than I expected.

April Fool's Day (2008) 1/2

I had forgotten about this remake to the 1986 slasher until I saw it on one of those "8 Films for $5 Collections" that I've bought too many of. This film basically has the same plot as the first film but it struggles to know if it wants to be a remake of APRIL FOOL'S DAY or a rehash of I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. I'm not a huge fan of the original movie but it looks like CITIZEN KANE compared to this horse shit and I do apologize to both horses and shit for comparing this film to them. The biggest problem with this film is that I hated every single character by the five-minute mark so having to spend an entire movie with them was painful. Add in that the film wants us to like these idiots and you've got a disaster. I will send a congrats to Scout Taylor-Compton who managed to appear in a worse remake than HALLOWEEN.

The Bat People (1974) *

A husband and wife are on their honeymoon and decide to go see a cave where the husband is bitten and eventually turns into the title character (should have called this THE BAT PERSON). This is a pretty damn bad movie from AIP that has Stan Winston doing the creature design but sadly they decide to have everything off screen until the final seven-minutes. Once we finally see the creature you really wonder why they didn't show it off more. As it is, this is a really bland and really boring horror movie that has very little going for it. I'm sure this scared some 5-year-old back in the drive-in era but it's pretty damn bad.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

October 28a: Trollhunter (2010) - 4 out of 5

Students on a video project investigating bear killings in the beautiful Norwegian countryside stumble upon a lone man, Hans, acting suspiciously, driving around in his battered land rover and heading out in the middle of the night going goodness knows where. Following him, they discover he's actually a troll hunter. They think he's lost his mind, until they see the truth.

This is a terrific piece of filmmaking. Shot as a 'found footage' style project, it is perhaps the very best example of that approach, with clever cuts and a narrative that pulls us into the absurd premise expertly. There's a sense of fun, playfulness as the group of students chase their story, but as they encounter the large trolls and are gripped by fear and exhilaration, the film becomes a more serious affair - and it's thoroughly enjoyable all the way through. A few quibbles here and there (the seeding of the Troll Security Force as a threat isn't terribly convincing), aren't enough to do any real harm to what is a terrifically entertaining with stunning views of Norway's beautiful landscapes.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

October 28b: Maggie (2015) - 3.5 out of 5

The world has been greatly devastated by an infectious disease that slowly turns victims into zombiefied people with violent urges (like the desire to bite and feast on others). A man, Wade Vogel, rescues his daughter, who has been bitten, from the hospital where she would have slowly turned alone, and been mistreated as her threat grew. At home, she prepares for her eventual death while her family around her try to adjust. Slowly becoming a zombie is painful, and the world still isn't completely safe.

Maggie is an indie art film about death and change and our fear of both, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Wade Vogel and Abigail Breslin as his infected daughter. Arnold is superb in the role., his most restrained and reserved performance. Breslin is equally good here, unsettled, fearful and at times frightening. This is a very low budget affair (Arnie reportedly took no paycheck for his performance), and is interesting for its use of camera work, slow pacing, focus on performance, and establishment of a heavily used, lived in world. There is some horror here, but it's used as groundwork for the world in which the story takes place, and ultimately this is more a drama. It is slow, but I was very impressed with the performances, Schwarzenegger's in particular, and am glad I finally got around to watching this.