***Official 22nd Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2021*** (1 Viewer)

[TravisR]

31. The Mummy's Tomb

Egypt (even on a soundstage) is too pricey so the movie is set in Massachusetts now as the Mummy strangles more people. This is the movie where the series shifts to the Mummy that I love where he just shuffles around and kills a bunch of people. After the previous semi-comedic entry in the series, it's a big change in tone where they take the humorous characters from that movie and do things that are decidedly unfunny to them.


32. Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man

Lawrence Talbot comes back to life and he goes to Castle Frankenstein (recently destroyed in The Ghost Of Frankenstein) and he finds the monster. The first of the Monster Rally movies where they brought characters from other movies together in one movie. I love The Wolfman so this is a favorite of mine.


33. Captive Wild Woman

John Carradine turns a gorilla into Acquanetta. The first of the Paula Dupree trilogy is probably the best. It's not a great movie but mad scientist/gorilla B-movies are always enjoyable.


34. Phantom Of The Opera (1943)

The rare time in the 1940's that Universal spent money on a horror movie so it's less focused on scares than most of their movies of this era. Claude Raines is good as always but this movie has never done a whole lot for me. Seeing a movie in color was strange after about 30 B&W pictures in a row.


35. Son Of Dracula

Lon Chaney, Jr. plays Dracula in this one. I go back and forth between liking and not liking Chaney in this role and this time, I liked him and the movie.


36. The Mad Ghoul

A mad scientist turns one of his students into a heart-eating ghoul. Cheap but fun movie that has a number of the usual Universal suspects of this time (Evelyn Ankers, George Zucco, and Milburn Stone).


37. Calling Dr. Death

Lon Chaney is a hypnotist who is suspected of killing his wife. The first of the Inner Sanctum mysteries is possibly my favorite but I really enjoy almost all of them.


38. Weird Woman

Lon Chaney is a college professor that meets a woman from an island tribe that practices voodoo and somehow thinks it's a good idea to marry her and bring her to the U.S. The second Inner Sanctum movie is another fun one.


39. The Invisible Man's Revenge

Another man is exposed to the invisibility formula, goes nuts, and starts killing people. Once again, you can't go wrong when you've got a cast with Universal actors like John Carradine, Evelyn Ankers, and Gale Sondergaard.


40. Jungle Woman

Picking up after Captive Wild Woman, another mad scientist wants to tamper in god's domain so he brings Paula back to life resulting in even more dead people. The second of the Paula Dupree/Ape Woman movies is another fun for fans of ape movies.



I've only got about another 70 or 80 movies to write about by tomorrow so I better pick up the pace.

 

[Bryan^H]

25. Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)
Tarantulas, grown five times more venomous, begin massing together in Valley Verde, AZ and start preying upon livestock and then, eventually, humans. William Shatner cowboys it up as a local vet who calls in an entomologist (Tiffany Bolling) from the big city to help investigate just what the hell is going on.

Hadn't seen this one for probably 40 years, but certain images from it have stuck in my brain all this time, including the crazy, apocalyptic finale. I'm not particularly scared of spiders, but this one is guaranteed to give most viewers the heebie-jeebies, due to the use of (reportedly) 5,000 real tarantulas. Kudos to the actors who let dozens of those hairy little guys crawl all over them. While undoubtedly many of the spiders were killed during production, which is unfortunate and would never be allowed today, there's no denying that seeing thousands of the things scampering around adds to the overall effect. Arachnaphobes best stay far away. John "Bud" Cardos directs the pandemonium with a sure hand, and there's lots of beautiful scenery on display (and I'm not just talking about Ms. Bolling). We also get some nice character parts for Woody Strode, Roy Engel and former Marlboro Man (and star of the short-lived western Tate), David McLean. Shatner's then-wife Marcy Lafferty also appears in the movie. The HD print I watched looks super sharp. Highly recommended to fans of the "nature revolts" subgenre.

I had a blast watching it, and hope to upgrade to BD soon.

OCTOBER 27:

48) Fright Night (1985) (Blu-ray Disc) 4/5 stars - A perennial fave, Fright Night is a fun, affectionate, and well-done homage to the local Saturday afternoon horror TV shows many of us grew up with. So '80's it has its own perm, the film has aged pretty well, although I find that William Ragsdale's performance as Charlie Brewster gets more annoying with each watch. Still, Roddy McDowell and Chris Sarandon are excellent, and the practical effects are pretty engaging.

One of my favorite horror films of all time. It does everything so right. Horror, a bit of comedy, and tons of suspense. I just love it.

 

[John Stell]

Rating - Out of a possible 4

110) 10/30/2021 The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

1/2

Hammer's only werewolf film is elegant fairy tale-like story of unwanted child born on Christmas day, doomed to become a savage beast. Oliver Reed is terrific as sympathetic Leon. Just shows Hammer could make a great film with Peter Cushing or Christopher Lee.

111) 10/30/2021 The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964)

1/2

Hammer's mummy series is an odd one, as each has nothing to do with the others. This mostly familiar story does have an interesting twist regarding the mummy's human protector. Stylish exercise is lively enough.

112) 10/30/2021 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Beautifully animated stop motion effort from the imagination of Tim Burton. Jack Skellington of Halloween Town is bored with his master of ceremonies duties for Halloween so he decides to take over Christmas. Visually dazzling with such detail it's impossible to take it all in with just one viewing. The songs are serviceable but one wishes they were better.

113) 10/30/2021 The Mummy's Shroud (1967)

Another violated tomb, another mummy on the loose. The mummy is particularly vicious in this one though. Michael Ripper is memorable as suffering servant of wealthy stuffed shirt.

114) 10/30/2021 Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971)

1/2

Evil queen is reincarnated as daughter of one her tomb's violators. Now she's viscously murdering those who burgled her resting place as well as anyone else who gets in her way. Based on novel by Bram Stoker; one of the characters is named Tod Browning! Unique take on mummy legend become repetitive before all is said and done. Cast is solid.

 

[Ruz-El]

Got in a few more. I find the final days like today tricky since I know I'm not going to get in all I want so it's harder to choose what to watch.

083 10/30 WNUF Halloween Special (2013) 3/5 This one is a great idea, presented as an old VHS of a live Halloween broadcast where things go bump in the night in an old house where grisly murders took place. As far as the look goes they completely nail the small town newscast aspect, it made me think of a horror version of SCTV as far as world building goes. The main problem with it is the slow build, a build slowed mostly by a never ending series of commercial breaks with well done fake commercials. There are so many of them it feels like padding, especially when the video is “fast forwarded” in parts outside of the commercials. Once the live broadcast gets going, it gets good but that front loaded beginning needed better editing.

084 10/30 Freddy Vs. Jason (2003) 4/5 Finally we get the film that was teased at the end of JASON GOES TO HELL, with Freddy using Jason as a blunt weapon to attack kids and get Freddy’s name remembered so he can make a comeback. Freddy is driving the plot so it feels more like a Freddy film than a Jason film which makes sense since Jason is mute, but Yu does a great job showcasing both the icons. Jason tearing up that rave is an all time great sequence for either franchise. So while they do a pretty good job incorporating the lore of both franchises, Yu really knocks it out of the park for what this is really is: an old school monster fight movie. Add in a mostly decent cast and this one is a personal favourite for me.

085 10/30 Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021) 2.5/5 A young woman who was raised adopted learns about her birth mom and goes to an Amish community to document and learn more than she wants to know about her ancestry. For what it is it’s not terrible, there’s some creepy scenes and what not. The main problem is this one has been tagged in the “Paranormal Activity” franchise which has always been more miss than hit, and the movie just doesn't feel like it belongs. There’s constant shifting between the first person documentary look you would expect to flat out third person regular movie shots which makes it uneven and has me wondering if this was a script that had the Paranormal Activity tropes jammed into it for marketing since it has no resemblance look or plot wise to the other films. If it was just called “Next of Kin” it wouldn’t have been much better, but the PA aspect hurts it more than it helps it.

086 10/30 Taste The Blood of Dracula (1970) 3/5 A trio of bored aristocrats go to a black mass for a thrill and end up helping the most annoying Duke in England bring Dracula back to life. Plot wise it plays like pretty standard stuff but they do manage to start this one right where the last film ended in a way that mostly makes sense. It helps too that Lee is so good as Dracula that even if this one is going through the motions plot wise Lee is charismatic enough to carry the film, and the rest of the actors are interesting enough to go along with it. It’s certainly a lesser film compared to some in the series, but there’s enough here to keep me interested.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Blue - Physical Media
Orange - Streaming
Black - Theatrical
Green - Cable/Broadcast Television

Bold - Denotes first ever viewing

Points as of 10/30/2021: 25.5

35) 10/30/2021 Last Night in Soho (2021)

(1 point)

Aspiring fashion designer Eloise Turner is literally haunted by the past in Edgar Wright's latest, which both celebrates and indicts the Swinging Sixties. While there is a strong supernatural element to the picture, all of the movie's most acute horrors are rooted in real world trauma. Great cast, impactful story, stylishly executed.

36) 10/30/2021 Carrie (1976)

(1 point)

This is technically the first time I've sat down and watched the movie straight through, but I've seen it in bits and pieces on cable TV over the years, and I feel like all of the key moments are just seared into our collective cultural consciousness.

It works because it interrogates the puritanical streak that runs through American society, and because it understands the sense of isolation and alienation that comes from being an outsider looking in when you're in high school. In the title role, Sissy Spacek fearlessly embodies all of the qualities that make Carrie White such an easy target for her peers. The genius of King's story is asking what would happen if the bullied kid had the extraordinary means to hit back way harder.

Piper Laurie is also brilliant as Carrie's unyieldingly pious fundamentalist mother. In her performance is the complete absence of doubt; this is someone who believes in what she is doing unreservedly. I also liked the performances from William Katt and John Travolta as the boyfriends of the chief mean girl and the one nice girl respectively. Katt manages to convince us that Tommy actually is having a good time at prom with Carrie, in spite of himself. And Travolta is terrific at being a, to quote Chris Hargensen, "dumb shit".

37) 10/30/2021 Things Heard And Seen (2021)

(1 point)

A young artist's life begins to unravel when she moves upstate with her husband and young daughter, and secrets about her marriage and her new house come to light.

The bulk of the movie takes place in 1980, and it's a period piece mainly because certain plot points wouldn't make sense in the era of the internet and smartphones. In 1980, most information was still analog and that is crucial to this story in particular.

Good cast, a few decent twists and turns I didn't see coming among plenty I did, and an ending that doesn't quite come together.

 

[JasonRoer]

Got in a few more. I find the final days like today tricky since I know I'm not going to get in all I want so it's harder to choose what to watch.

083 10/30 WNUF Halloween Special (2013) 3/5 This one is a great idea, presented as an old VHS of a live Halloween broadcast where things go bump in the night in an old house where grisly murders took place. As far as the look goes they completely nail the small town newscast aspect, it made me think of a horror version of SCTV as far as world building goes. The main problem with it is the slow build, a build slowed mostly by a never ending series of commercial breaks with well done fake commercials. There are so many of them it feels like padding, especially when the video is “fast forwarded” in parts outside of the commercials. Once the live broadcast gets going, it gets good but that front loaded beginning needed better editing.

084 10/30 Freddy Vs. Jason (2003) 4/5 Finally we get the film that was teased at the end of JASON GOES TO HELL, with Freddy using Jason as a blunt weapon to attack kids and get Freddy’s name remembered so he can make a comeback. Freddy is driving the plot so it feels more like a Freddy film than a Jason film which makes sense since Jason is mute, but Yu does a great job showcasing both the icons. Jason tearing up that rave is an all time great sequence for either franchise. So while they do a pretty good job incorporating the lore of both franchises, Yu really knocks it out of the park for what this is really is: an old school monster fight movie. Add in a mostly decent cast and this one is a personal favourite for me.

085 10/30 Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021) 2.5/5 A young woman who was raised adopted learns about her birth mom and goes to an Amish community to document and learn more than she wants to know about her ancestry. For what it is it’s not terrible, there’s some creepy scenes and what not. The main problem is this one has been tagged in the “Paranormal Activity” franchise which has always been more miss than hit, and the movie just doesn't feel like it belongs. There’s constant shifting between the first person documentary look you would expect to flat out third person regular movie shots which makes it uneven and has me wondering if this was a script that had the Paranormal Activity tropes jammed into it for marketing since it has no resemblance look or plot wise to the other films. If it was just called “Next of Kin” it wouldn’t have been much better, but the PA aspect hurts it more than it helps it.

086 10/30 Taste The Blood of Dracula (1970) 3/5 A trio of bored aristocrats go to a black mass for a thrill and end up helping the most annoying Duke in England bring Dracula back to life. Plot wise it plays like pretty standard stuff but they do manage to start this one right where the last film ended in a way that mostly makes sense. It helps too that Lee is so good as Dracula that even if this one is going through the motions plot wise Lee is charismatic enough to carry the film, and the rest of the actors are interesting enough to go along with it. It’s certainly a lesser film compared to some in the series, but there’s enough here to keep me interested.

I totally understand about trying to scramble to pick out the last few films. I know I'm closing with Frankenstein, I'll watch The Wolfman, and I'm pretty sure I want to finally check out the 2020 Invisible Man. But there are SO many others I wanted to see this year too! It's almost like we can't watch horror films at any other point of the year and have to squeeze them all in 31 days.

 

[BobO'Link]

Rating - Out of a possible 4

112) 10/30/2021 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Beautifully animated stop motion effort from the imagination of Tim Burton. Jack Skellington of Halloween Town is bored with his master of ceremonies duties for Halloween so he decides to take over Christmas. Visually dazzling with such detail it's impossible to take it all in with just one viewing. The songs are serviceable but one wishes they were better.

I really wanted to like this film and generally like Burton's work. It's the music that killed it for me - I just don't like it (the songs are what kills many Disney animated films for me). I wish the songs were just gone.

 

[sleroi]

34. Creepshow (1982) - - Loved this as a kid, watched it repeatedly on HBO. Havent seen it in several years, but I picked up Shout's special edition on sale recently. The Blu-ray looks spectacular and the film still holds up for me.

Its an anthology film inspired by the E.C. comics from the 50s. Tonally and stylistically Romero nailed it. Short, simple stories that are both creepy and dark, but upbeat and funny. The animation between the tales is cool, and there are great lighting and filter effects as well that highlight the feel of the comics. And while the host of it all, who appears in the wraparound story, looks kind of cheap and puppety, the rest of the effects look fantastic.

All 6 stories are good. The first two are kind of campy fun. The third one is my favorite as Leslie Nielsen is fantastic as a husband executing an elaborate revenge plot on his wife and her new man. The Crate is great. As is the last one about a miserly germaphobe. And for anyone who read comics as a kid and remembers the ads, the wraparound story makes for a perfect ending. The only weak link is the second story, wich works well enough, but Stephen King just cant act.

 

[BobO'Link]

October 29th
120. It - Pt2 (1990) ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
I thought I'd not get in any movies this day. As it turned out, I checked my 10yo granddaughter out of school when I left and we got home before my son made it back from lunch with his sister (her mom). She asked to finish the movie so we did.

I'm still not a fan of this story. She mostly enjoyed it. There you go...

October 30th
121. An American Werewolf in London (1991) ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
A long time favorite.

Two American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.

A funny and terrifying story featuring some excellent practical visual effects. I like werewolf movies - this is one of the best.

122. Brightburn (2019) ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲☼
Elseworlds: publications set in alternate realities that deviate from the established continuity of DC’s regular comics.

What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister?

Yeah... it's the story of Superman but he turns out bad. The town Brightburn is in Kansas, where Kal-El landed and grew up to become Superman. 12 years later the ship begins transmitting an alien message, causing Brandon to "sleepwalk" to the barn. Brandon begins to exhibit superhuman powers. The parallels to Superman's origin are many. It's also a very cliche' story with all the expected tropes and events (especially if you're familiar with Superman's origin story, Superboy comics, and the way most Elseworld stories play out). Due to the almost identical story and setup before turning into a horror story it's surprising that DC hasn't sued them. As a horror story it's also cliche' and very predictable. I've never been a fan of DC's "Elseworld" stories. I don't particularly care for this "Elseworlds in everything but name" film.

123. The Mummy Returns (2001) ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
Sequel to 1999's The Mummy.

The mummified body of Imhotep is shipped to a museum in London, where he once again wakes and begins his campaign of rage and terror.

While it's mostly a fun film there's little story. It's mostly a string of impressive set pieces showing off CGI and visual effects "wizardry." At least it still has the main cast members on board and provides enough horror with the action/adventure bits making it more entertaining than it has a right to be.

124. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
The 4th of the Mummy series - I'd rearranged the discs in the case, taking them out of order, on purpose.

In the Far East, Alex O'Connell, the son of famed mummy fighters Rick and Evy O'Connell, unearths the mummy of the first Emperor of Qin -- a shape-shifting entity cursed by a witch centuries ago.

Even more CGI work on display with the terra cotta army. Lots of action, a bit more horror than the 2nd film, and Rachel Weisz replaced with Maria Bello because she didn't like the script so opted out. It's OK and mostly fun but overall a rather weak entry into the series. The visuals remain mostly impressive.

125. The Scorpion King (2002) ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
The prequel to the sequel and 3rd film in the series.

A desert warrior rises up against the evil army that is destroying his homeland. He captures the enemy's key sorcerer, takes her deep into the desert and prepares for a final showdown.

The first starring film for Dwayne Johnson (aka "The Rock") is one I've always considered a lesser entry into this series. He did a cameo of sorts in The Mummy Returns which sets up this film. So... a wrestler is positioned to be a movie star - IMHO this is stunt casting of a high order. Surprisingly, he turns in a passable performance in spite of a rather weak movie. I really should put this one back in order in the case but as I don't watch it nearly as much as the others... They really should have stopped with this one but then they made sequels to this as well... They're not that good.

126. Psycho (unrated, restored)(1960) ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲☼
I'd not intended to purchase this, mostly cash grab, release as it only adds ~30 seconds of very minor scene extensions to the film. Had I not known what they were going in I'd have never picked them out. Then Gruv.com (Universal's online store) had it on sale with a 20% off coupon and free shipping making it ~$7 so I went for it...

A Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run, and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.

IMHO, this is one of Hitchcock's best films. It stands out for me, as much as anything, for the lack of his somewhat annoying habit of inter-cutting location footage with obviously stage bound rear screen material (when he does that it always takes me out of the story a bit - and some of his most famous films have this on display). More mystery than horror it works on several levels and features some excellent cinematography.

It's a bit of a cheat to flag this one as a "first time viewing" as the new, added, footage is so incredibly minor as to be inconsequential.

 

[dpippel]

OCTOBER 30:

49) The World's End* (2013) (iTunes 4K Streaming) 3.5/5 stars - Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost attempt to get a third lightning strike with this film after Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, with mixed results. It certainly has its moments, and much of their trademark comedic witty banter is here, but the film takes a sharp left turn about halfway through and it mostly didn't work for me. Give me Shaun of the Dead any day.

50) The Monolith Monsters (1957) (Blu-ray Disc) 3.5/5 stars - One of the most unique sci-fi films to come out of the 1950s, The Monolith Monsters is based on an interesting premise. After a meteor slams into the California desert, nearby residents find strange rocks around the crater and take some into town. Turns out they contain every type of "silica" known to man and leech it out of their surroundings, including people. Plus, they grow and "reproduce" when exposed to water, causing major problems for the nearby town. The Blu-ray looks great, and today I'll be watching the Criterion release of The Incredible Shrinking Man, which also stars Grant Williams, for a double-header.

 

[Johnny Angell]

October 26: Little Monsters (2019) – 4 out of 5 – First Time Viewing

Dave (Alexander England), a loser musician moves in with his sister and her son, Felix, after a nasty break up. He’s pathetic, childish, selfish, and going nowhere in life. When he takes Felix to kindergarten, he meets the incredible and beautiful Miss Caroline (Lupita Nyong’o) and finds himself signing up to join the class on a school trip to an amazing outdoor petting zoo. Things seem to be going well until the U.S. military base down the road from the zoo suffers a catastrophic breach and the release of a horde of the undead.

Little Monsters, made and set in Australia, is terrific. It’s very, very funny as the immature, flummoxed, and oddly likable loser, Dave, but the super star of this film is Lupita Nyong’o who delights as the teacher who’ll do anything to protect her kids not only from the marauding zombies, but from them even knowing that they’re in danger (she pretends the zombies are playing a game of tag). The gore is unafraid of showing itself and that makes the humor even funnier.

The plot arc is familiar, but it’s the performances and predicaments that make this one a delight. It also helps that the Dave character enjoys an honest-to-goodness arc, and the film isn’t afraid of making you feel the feels by the time the credits roll. This was a blast. Loved it.

I watched this last night based on your recommendation. Had I bought the disc for $20 I would have considered the money well spent. First there’s Lupita Nyong’o who is drop-dead-gorgeous. I’d write more but you’ve said it all. I will add the Josh Gad adds a lot of disgusting humor to the movie. BTW, if you have sensitive ears, stay away as the F word and others are in abundant use, yet never seem superfluous. I’m sure the language would be streaming from me in their situation.

When in retrospect I find myself not wanting the filmmakers to do something different, to make a different story choice, then I find I’m usually very happy with the movie.

 

[Tony Bensley]

19. GHOST CHASERS (1951) - THE BOWERY BOYS VOLUME 2 DVD Set (WB)

This early ‘50s Bowery Boys feature includes a rather endearing performance by Lloyd Corrigan as a Pilgrim like spirit who is determined to put an end to some fake psychics’ money making shenanigans. I especially love his and Sach’s interactions! Lloyd Corrigan is also prominently featured in the next Bowery Boys scare fest, THE BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS (1954).

Lloyd Corrigan (Edgar Alden Franklin Smith) and Huntz Hall (Sach Jones) in GHOST CHASERS (1951):

20. THE BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS (1954) - THE BOWERY BOYS VOLUME 2 DVD Set (WB)

By this stage of the long running Bowery Boys series, we pretty much have the Slip & Sach show, which isn’t at all a bad thing! This time around, they have to contend with a Robot and a Man eating plant, among other things!

Besides Lloyd Corrigan (This time as a struggling, somewhat bumbling scientist!), THE BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS (1954) also features Ellen Corby (Nearly two decades before THE WALTONS, already portraying a grandmotherly type, although then just in her early forties!) and John Dehner among another solid supporting cast, in this very entertaining Widescreen entry!

Lloyd Corrigan (Anton Gravesend), Leo Gorcey (Slip Mahoney) and Huntz Hall (Sach Jones), with John Dehner (Derek Gravesend) in the background, having just entered the lab room in THE BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS (1954):

John Dehner in a closer shot:

Laura Mason and Ellen Corby as Francine and Amelia Gravesend in THE BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS (1954):

CHEERS!

 

[John Stell]

Rating - Out of a possible 4

115) 10/31/2021 The Thing (1982)

Superior horror from director John Carpenter was inexplicably given the cold shoulder by critics and audiences in June 1982. Great cast, nonstop tension, special effects that holdup today... this is a timeless masterpiece of suspense and terror. The most ambitious film Carpenter has ever made and probably his best work as director.

116) 10/31/2021 The Fog (1980)

1/2

Underappreciated, old fashioned ghost story about small town celebrating its 100th anniversary, unaware of the circumstances under which the town was founded. Beautifully lensed, with great score by director/co-writer John Carpenter. The familiar cast makes it even better, like a favorite warm sweater.

 

[Suzanne.S]

Happy Halloween! I have enjoyed reading everyone's reviews. I only watched a very few movies this year. My dad passed away suddenly on September 28 and my heart just hasn't been in it.

I did take my mom out to a few movies, though. She was never a movie person and I've been dragging her along and teaching her Film History 101 on the way.

We saw Young Frankenstein at the local library on October 4. It was a welcome relief after all stress of planning the celebration of life and other details. On October 10, we saw Hitchcock's excellent silent The Lodger at the Arkadin. It's a microcinema that does their showings outdoors in a small courtyard behind The Heavy Anchor bar. It was preceded by Buster Keaton in The Haunted House. It was sponsored by a new organization in St. Louis called, Silents, Please STL. Kate (the organizer) is trying to get at least one silent film showing each month on a big screen. I am super excited about this.

On October 20, we were back at the Arkadin for Vincent Price in The Masque of the Red Death. This was preceded by Price's appearance on The Muppet Show. (I love that they try to include appropriate shorts and trailers at all their screenings.)

Last night we saw Filibus (1915) at Webster University. It's not horror, but the Kino blu-ray looks great. The bonkers plot is like Swiss cheese but it is a fun film.

I watched The Haunting of Rosalind (1973) on October 7. It was a presentation by UCLA Virtual Screening room. It is an episode of the TV anthology series The Wide World of Mystery. It was an interesting tale of two sisters in love with the same mysterious man. His previous wives have all died suddenly and the sister who loses out predicts that her pretty sister played by Susan Sarandon, will be next. It's creepy and the style is similar to a Dark Shadows episode. I enjoyed it.

Hopefully next year will be better.

 

[JasonRoer]

Rating - Out of a possible 4

115) 10/31/2021 The Thing (1982)

Superior horror from director John Carpenter was inexplicably given the cold shoulder by critics and audiences in June 1982. Great cast, nonstop tension, special effects that holdup today... this is a timeless masterpiece of suspense and terror. The most ambitious film Carpenter has ever made and probably his best work as director.

116) 10/31/2021 The Fog (1980)

1/2

Underappreciated, old fashioned ghost story about small town celebrating its 100th anniversary, unaware of the circumstances under which the town was founded. Beautifully lensed, with great score by director/co-writer John Carpenter. The familiar cast makes it even better, like a favorite warm sweater.

I have always loved The Fog and never understood why it was underappreciated. I thought the tone and atmosphere were perfect. Creepy old fashioned ghost story.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Happy Halloween! I have enjoyed reading everyone's reviews. I only watched a very few movies this year. My dad passed away suddenly on September 28 and my heart just hasn't been in it.

I did take my mom out to a few movies, though. She was never a movie person and I've been dragging her along and teaching her Film History 101 on the way.

We saw Young Frankenstein at the local library on October 4. It was a welcome relief after all stress of planning the celebration of life and other details. On October 10, we saw Hitchcock's excellent silent The Lodger at the Arkadin. It's a microcinema that does their showings outdoors in a small courtyard behind The Heavy Anchor bar. It was preceded by Buster Keaton in The Haunted House. It was sponsored by a new organization in St. Louis called, Silents, Please STL. Kate (the organizer) is trying to get at least one silent film showing each month on a big screen. I am super excited about this.

On October 20, we were back at the Arkadin for Vincent Price in The Masque of the Red Death. This was preceded by Price's appearance on The Muppet Show. (I love that they try to include appropriate shorts and trailers at all their screenings.)

Last night we saw Filibus (1915) at Webster University. It's not horror, but the Kino blu-ray looks great. The bonkers plot is like Swiss cheese but it is a fun film.

I watched The Haunting of Rosalind (1973) on October 7. It was a presentation by UCLA Virtual Screening room. It is an episode of the TV anthology series The Wide World of Mystery. It was an interesting tale of two sisters in love with the same mysterious man. His previous wives have all died suddenly and the sister who loses out predicts that her pretty sister played by Susan Sarandon, will be next. It's creepy and the style is similar to a Dark Shadows episode. I enjoyed it.

Hopefully next year will be better.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Suzanne!

Your public viewings sound like they were very interesting and worthwhile outings, and represent a sort of triumph given the past 19 months, or thereabouts.

Let's all hope for a better 2022!

CHEERS!

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Happy Halloween! I have enjoyed reading everyone's reviews. I only watched a very few movies this year. My dad passed away suddenly on September 28 and my heart just hasn't been in it.

Very sorry to hear about the loss of your dad, Suzanne.

 

[JasonRoer]

Happy Halloween! I have enjoyed reading everyone's reviews. I only watched a very few movies this year. My dad passed away suddenly on September 28 and my heart just hasn't been in it.

I did take my mom out to a few movies, though. She was never a movie person and I've been dragging her along and teaching her Film History 101 on the way.

We saw Young Frankenstein at the local library on October 4. It was a welcome relief after all stress of planning the celebration of life and other details. On October 10, we saw Hitchcock's excellent silent The Lodger at the Arkadin. It's a microcinema that does their showings outdoors in a small courtyard behind The Heavy Anchor bar. It was preceded by Buster Keaton in The Haunted House. It was sponsored by a new organization in St. Louis called, Silents, Please STL. Kate (the organizer) is trying to get at least one silent film showing each month on a big screen. I am super excited about this.

On October 20, we were back at the Arkadin for Vincent Price in The Masque of the Red Death. This was preceded by Price's appearance on The Muppet Show. (I love that they try to include appropriate shorts and trailers at all their screenings.)

Last night we saw Filibus (1915) at Webster University. It's not horror, but the Kino blu-ray looks great. The bonkers plot is like Swiss cheese but it is a fun film.

I watched The Haunting of Rosalind (1973) on October 7. It was a presentation by UCLA Virtual Screening room. It is an episode of the TV anthology series The Wide World of Mystery. It was an interesting tale of two sisters in love with the same mysterious man. His previous wives have all died suddenly and the sister who loses out predicts that her pretty sister played by Susan Sarandon, will be next. It's creepy and the style is similar to a Dark Shadows episode. I enjoyed it.

Hopefully next year will be better.

Very sorry to hear about the passing of your father, Suzanne. My father-in-law passed away on Oct 2nd. And yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of my grandmother's death. In fact, 20 years ago today was the most surreal Halloween I've experienced. We buried my grandmother in a cemetery on Long Island under the cover of a gray, cloudy sky, a soft wind blowing leaves about, and gentle rain coming down.

I'm happy to hear you've helped your mother taking her to see films and spending time with her. It's truly the best thing you can do for her. My wife has been going back and forth between our house in CA and her mother's in NV to do the same.

May we all experience a more peaceful 2022.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Well, much like many others have mentioned here, I didn't get to several titles on my "to watch" list, but I did finish out with a couple of picks which felt very Halloween-y to me. I'll try and get to some of those other titles on my list next year.

26. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
I hesitated to put this one on, because I've seen it so many times. But I felt in the mood for something light and fun, and IMO you can't go wrong with an old favorite on Halloween night itself. No real need to give any plot synopsis for this one, as I'm pretty sure most everyone here has seen it, but in a nutshell: Drac is back, played by Bela Lugosi, out to put a new, pliable brain in the Frankenstein's monster (Glenn Strange). His associate, Dr. Morney (Lenore Aubert) has found the perfect candidate - Wilbur Gray (Costello). Meanwhile, Lawrence Talbot, a.k.a The Wolfman, is in town as well, desperate to stop Dracula from carrying out his plans. This one is just plain fun - and funny - pretty much all the way through, while still managing to treat its trio of classic Universal monsters with the respect they deserve. This is probably the one A & C flick more people have seen than any other, and for good reason - it's terrific.

27. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
Haven't seen this particular Peanuts' special in a very long time, but was hit with a big wave of nostalgia watching it last night, just before midnight on the 31st (we're almost a day ahead of you folks in North America over here in Japan). Simple yet evocative animation, great music, some sly political commentary, and a nice seasonal vibe. Good stuff!

Happy Halloween, everybody! I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Oops, sorry...duplicate post.