***Official 24th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2023*** (2 Viewers)

[John Stell]

Rating out of 4

Bold denotes first-time viewing

097) 10/30/2023 The Cat and the Canary (1939)

Ten years after Cyrus Norman's death, his relatives are assembled for the reading of his will. There's only one heir, played by Paulette Goddard. But if she's determined to be be mentally unfit, an unnamed second heir will inherit instead. Bob Hope is around to deliver one-liners aplenty in this enjoyable, atmospheric chiller. (Kino Blu Ray)

098) 10/30/2023 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) 1/2

Charles Laughton gives heartfelt, mesmerizing performance as title character. Maureen O'Hara is a striking Esmeralda. Cedric Hardwicke is the contemptible villain. With all due to respect to Lon Chaney, this is the best version of oft-filmed classic. (Warner Bros. Blu Ray)

099) 10/30/2023 Infinity Pool (2023) 1/2

Couple at exclusive but security-conscious resort in fictional foreign country get involved with hit-and-run accident and the bizarre sense of justice that ensues. Initially intriguing take on the decadence and power of the wealthy, and how far they'll go if they can get away with murder. Runs out of steam and ideas before the finale, which is unsatisfying. (Decal Releasing Blu Ray)

100) 10/30/2023 Crimes of the Future (2022)

Certain humans are growing new organs, which alarms the authorities because of the implications of a new humanity. Meanwhile a performance artist informs the police of underground group whose members are able to digest plastic! Typically bizarre but engrossing effort from writer/director David Cronenberg takes some time to connect the dots. But it's worth sticking with. (Decal Releasing Blu Ray)

101) 10/30/2023 Halloween Ends (2022) 1/2

After his examination of individual trauma in Halloween (2018) and group trauma in the underrated sequel Halloween Kills, director David Gordon Green fumbles on the goal line in his trilogy wrap up. Supposedly a reflection on the origin of evil (are we born with it or does society cause it?), the film spends much of its time following a babysitter who inadvertently caused the death of his bratty charge. Now a pariah, he's befriended by Laurie Strode, who sets him up with her granddaughter. But then Laurie has second thoughts when she thinks she sees Michael Myers eyes in her new friend. Motivations are messy and inconsistent here, with actions dictated by desired plot turns instead of consistency of character. Michael is relegated to the sewer until needed for the final showdown. Not boring, but not a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy either. (SDS Blu Ray)

 

[Ruz-El]

Infinity Pool was my favorite new film for this challenge, and honestly, for the past few years. Glad you enjoyed it as well. I thought it was fantastic and look forward to watching it again.

Same, I'm going to bite on that 4K disc I think. I watched it streaming. I've liked all of Cronenberg Jr. films. He's becoming a favourite of mine.

 

[John Stell]

Rating out of a possible 4

Bold denotes first-time viewing

102) 10/31/2023 Firestarter (2022)

Young Charlie, whose parents were given experimental drugs by the government, has the power to start fires with her will. Now on the run from the authorities, the small family have been found again and must flee to avoid being locked up for further study. I don't get the hate for this film. The characters are sympathetic and their situation quite involving. The performances are mostly solid, except for Gloria Reuben who's over-the-top as the sinister in-charge of the evil government agency. I also like how they completely re-invented the character of Rainbird from the 1984 version. (SDS Blu Ray)

103) 10/31/2023 Bugs Bunny's Howl-Oween Special (1977)

Spooky Looney Tunes shorts are mixed with new animation for this very enjoyable Halloween special. Lots of laughs. (Warner Bros. DVD)

104) 10/31/2023 It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! (1966)

Classic Halloween special about Linus' belief in the Great Pumpkin. Beautifully animated, with great punchline. (Warner Bros. Blu Ray)

105) 10/31/2023 A Disney Halloween (1983) 1/2

Not entirely successful attempt to blend horror-themed Disney animated shorts with sequences from various Disney films. Results will have viewer scratching their head on why some sequences are present. (DVD-R recording from the Disney Channel)

106) 10/31/2023 Halloween (1978)

Still potent thriller introduced Michael Myers as killer who targets babysitters on Halloween night. Stylish, beautiful, and suspenseful. Much imitated, never equaled. (Shout! Factory Blu Ray)

107) 10/31/2023 Halloween II (1981) 1/2

Direct sequel follows Michael as he hunts the one that got away. Well shot with intense atmosphere but is hurt by keeping Laurie Strode bedridden for most of the runtime and a silly twist that gives Michael a motive he doesn't need. (Shout! Factory Blu Ray)

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

(See my 2023 Summary for information on color coding and rating categories)

37) 10/31/2023 Halloween Ends (2022)

What a tremendous letdown. It would have been bad enough as a generic Halloween sequel. But as the purported finale of the Halloween franchise, and almost certainly the last entry to star Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, it's more or less unforgivable.

There are some interesting ideas in Green's sequel trilogy, particularly the way that living under the specter of Michael Myers for all of these decades has warped Haddonfield.

But none of those ideas can compensate for a Michael Myers movie where Michael Myers is barely a supporting character. Instead, we spend most of the movie focused on a copycat who does what Michael does but not nearly as well.

Andi Matichak was believably cast as Jamie Lee Curtis's granddaughter, and her character looks particularly like a young Laurie Stroud here. But this trilogy has never known what to do with Allyson, and the character is served particularly poorly here.

I wasn't opposed to giving the franchise a concrete ending, but for it to work the final confrontation between Michael and Laurie needed to be absolutely epic. And it just wasn't here. Not even close.

38) 10/31/2023 A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)

Ana Lily Amirpour's debut feature-length film was shot in California's Central Valley with a predominantly American cast, but it is set in Iran, with Farsi dialog, in a place referred to by the characters as "Bad City". The landscape of Bad City is still scarred from the Islamic Revolution, and feels mostly abandoned; there are more oil wells than there are people.

Stylistically, it's a hard movie to pin down. The monochrome cinematography calls to mind classic vampire movies like the 1931 Dracula and the 1922 German Expressionist Nosferatu. But it also owes a huge debt to Spaghetti westerns, both stylistically and structurally, with its nameless avenging antihero whose motives conflict with the other characters that she finds herself aligned with.

Sheila Vand is extraordinary as the titular "Girl". She is equally credible as the ferocious apex predator and as the lonely young woman who loves Western music and gets shy around the boy she likes.

Thanks for another good challenge, everybody! I still have plenty on my watch list I didn't get to for next year.

 

[EricSchulz]

My list (first time viewings in red)

1. Meg 2
2. Them/Ils
3. The Brain Eaters
4. The Dare
5. Green Room
6. Chernobyl Diaries
7. Monster
8. Nosferatu
9. Dracula
10.Dan Curtis’ Dracula
11.The Exorcist
12.Dr. X
13.Mystery of the Wax Museum
14.Tales from the Crypt
15.The Crawling Hand
16.Young Frankenstein
17.The Tingler
18.House On Haunted Hill (original)

 

[HawksFord]

Our Monday and Tuesday movies, to finish out the month, were both rewatches. My goal was to get 13 movies in, and we did a little better than I expected.

21.
The Rocketeer (1991) — Maybe a bit of a stretch as an October movie, but the documentary on Rondo Hatton included with House of Horrors reminded us that there is a character made up to resemble Hatton in this film which we had on an old DVD. It’s still a lot of pulpy fun and pays tribute to old Hollywood in a variety of ways.

22.
Dragonwyck (1946) — The last time I watched Dragonwyck, I thought it was a bit plodding at times. I didn’t feel that way this time around. The film hasn’t changed, so I guess it must be me. In this Gothic thriller, Vincent Price plays a Dutch patroon in mid-19th century New York who invites a distant relative, Gene Tierney, to come to his estate to help care for his daughter. It’s the first film directed by Joseph Mankiewicz and thoroughly enjoyable.

 

[BobO'Link]

Rating out of 4 View attachment 202747

094) 10/29/2023 Son of Frankenstein (1939) View attachment 202747 View attachment 202747 View attachment 202747 1/2

Grand installment in the series, with superlative cast including Basil Rathbone, Lionel Atwill, and, of course Karloff. But it's Bela Lugosi who steals the show as the body snatching Ygor. He's never been better. Epic in terms of its length (it's a half hour longer than the typical Universal) and there's never a dull moment. (Universal Blu Ray)

I always enjoyed this entry in the Frankenstein films, and then saw Young Frankenstein, which gave me an even greater appreciation. Mel Brooks lifted entire sections of this one for his parody, right down the the dialog. It's really kind of neat and fun how it works as a drama but then is put in a comedy and works equally well. If you've never watched the two films back-to-back you should.

 

[TravisR]

Here's the rest of my list that I just didn't have time to write a synopsis for. I'll add my thoughts on them as soon as possible.

43. The Mummy's Ghost
44. The Climax
45. Dead Man's Eyes
46. House Of Frankenstein
47. The Mummy's Curse
48. The Frozen Ghost
49. Jungle Captive
50. Strange Confession
51. House Of Dracula
52. Pillow Of Death
53. House Of Horrors
54. The Spider Woman Strikes Back
55. She-Wolf Of London
56. The Cat Creeps
57. Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein
58. Abbott And Costello Meet The Killer, Boris Karloff
59. Abbott And Costello Meet The Invisible Man
60. The Strange Door
61. The Black Castle
62. It Came From Outer Space
63. Abbott And Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde
64. Creature From The Black Lagoon
65. Revenge Of The Creature
66. Cult Of The Cobra
67. This Island Earth
68. Abbott And Costello Meet The Mummy
69. Tarantula
70. The Creature Walks Among Us
71. Curucu, Beast Of The Amazon
72. The Mole People
73. The Incredible Shrinking Man
74. The Deadly Mantis
75. The Land Unknown
76. The Monolith Monsters
77. The Thing That Couldn't Die
78. Monster On The Campus
79. Curse Of The Undead
80. The Leech Woman
81. The Exorcist: Believer
82. Halloween (1978)
83. Halloween II (1981)
84. Halloween III-: Season Of The Witch
85. Halloween 4: The Return Of The Michael Myers
86. Halloween 5
87. Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers
88. Halloween H20
89. Halloween: Ressurection
90. Friday The 13th (uncut version) (1980)
91. Friday The 13th Part 2
92. Friday The 13th Part 3
93. Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter
94. Friday The 13th: A New Beginning
95. Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
96. Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood
97. Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
98. A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
99. A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge
100. A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
101. A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
102. A Nightmare On Elm Street: The Dream Child
103. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
104. Wes Craven's New Nightmare
(---). Halloween (1978)
(---). Halloween II (1981)

 

[BobO'Link]

/10 for score

First Time viewing

134. The Ape Man (1943)

A crazed scientist accidentally turns himself into a half ape, half human creature, and scrambles to find a cure.

Not a sequel to the slightly better Return of the Ape Man, this one's still as goofy. Watching films like this really makes you feel sorry for how much Lugosi put up with during his career, yet he gamely pushed on. Make up effects on Lugosi are serviceable but the story and guy in the gorilla suit... oy. Lugosi looks better in his makeup than that suit. The ending pretty much discounts the entire film. Only watch this if you're a Lugosi fan (and in spite of saying that I wish there was a BR release for this one).

135. Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952)

Two goofy entertainers meet a mad scientist on a jungle island.

This also features the comedy team of Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo, who are quite obviously a Martin & Lewis rip off act, though Mitchell is more Tony Curtis than Martin and really can't sing that well. It's somewhat frightening how much Petrillo looks like Lewis at certain angles. His schtick is absolutely a Jerry Lewis rip off (so much so that Martin & Lewis almost sued the pair - Lewis was reportedly so frightened of the duo's possibility to replace them that he pretty much destroyed their careers by threatening "no Martin & Lewis bookings for you if you hire those guys"). Mitchell does his best to be Martin though isn't as convincing as Petrillo's Lewis. Also on board is the original Cheetah (from the Tarzan films). And from The Three Stooges short Sweet and Hot (1958), we have Muriel Landers as a native girl who's hot for Petrillo's character.

Surprisingly there are a few laughs in the film, some unintentional I'm sure, and it's not a total train wreck. Lugosi is good and has a couple of humorous lines. And there's another bad gorilla suit... It'd have been a better film with Martin & Lewis but it's not one they'd have done (not up to their quality level). This one's absolutely one to watch for the Mitchell/Petrillo paring (their only film) solely to marvel at how well they pull off being Martin & Lewis... and for Cheetah. I watched this one with my 20yo grandson, who's never seen a Martin & Lewis film (how did I let *that* happen?!?!), and he thought it was funny. I *really* need to introduce him to the *real* Martin & Lewis!

136. Let's Kill Uncle (1966)

A 12-year-old orphan who has just inherited a fortune is trapped on an island with his uncle, a former British Intelligence commander who intends to kill him. A young girl is the boy's only ally against the sarcastic uncle, who uses hypnotism, a pool of sharks, fire, and poisonous mushrooms as weapons.

The "child actors" (a pair of ~14yos) do a good job and have a decent chemistry. It's the Uncle who pretty much steals the show. It's a dark comedy in a more thriller type film that's also lacking in the typical William Castle gimmickry and that really doesn't hurt it at all. The ways in which the 2 kids play a game of cat-and-mouse with the Uncle, each trying to kill the other, is interestingly fun. And it ends rather abruptly... All-in-all it was a decent film with which to end the month.

 

[BobO'Link]

I wound up with a half dozen or so unopened movies I just didn't get around to watching. I blame my 12yo & 17yo granddaughters for a few as they are movies I wanted to watch with them - and they never made the time. The others are things I ordered during the month (various sales) that arrived over the weekend. At least the ones I was holding to watch with my granddaughters are all films I've seen before - The Incredible Shrinking Man, Trollhunter, and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil - all of which are new BR upgrades.

 

[JasonRoer]

117. It Conquered the World (1956) - 3.5 out of 5, new
Basically an Invasion of the body Snatchers ripoff, Roger Corman style, which is to say that it was worth the watch due to Corman's ability to stretch the dollar and make some fantastic films.

118. FTWD S6 EP1/2 - 4 out of 5, new
Man - season 6 starts off just fantastically. A couple episodes in and I'm hooked. My wife and I were both suspicious after the end of season 5 if season 6 would be able to go in a good direction, but the answer was clear real quick - yes.

119. Halloween - 5 out of 5
My favorite horror film. Expertly directed, and frankly, just legendary music and atmosphere. I often find myself walking through the hospital or outside on break walking through the pathways, barbed wire on the chain link fences to keep those patients locked in - and I'm humming the Halloween theme. Sets the tone for my days right, yeah? Every year I so desperately want to dress as Michael Myers for Halloween at the hospital, but I also want to keep my job. But yeah, the thought of walking through a psychiatric correctional hospital dressed as Michael Myers is pretty awesome.

120. Muppets Haunted Mansion - 4 out of 5
I saw this last year and was absolutely tickled by it. I'm a sucker for The Muppets anyway, and my family - we're a Disney family for sure, with my daughter (now in her twenties) the leader of the band. She still has the annual pass to Disneyland, if that tells you anything. And we're all Halloween junkies. So this movie was a no-brainer to watch for me. It's an instant classic for me, and I'm likely to return to it each year for the challenge due to the humor, the story, the music, and the endless charm.

121. The Brain That Wouldn't Die - 4 out of 5
Another classic for me. The effects are fun, the story moves along briskly, great atmosphere. True 60s monster/mad scientist flick.

122. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari - 5 out of 5
My favorite silent era horror picture. The atmosphere is creepy from the opening frame and grabs you throughout. The imagery is sensational, and is clearly inspiration for Tim Burton's artistic style. The acting is quite good as well. And the twist.. the movie was really ahead of its time on all fronts.

123. The Rocky Horror Picture Show - 4 out of 5
The music! Oh the music. I listen to the soundtrack often, but it's always great to watch the film. It's absolutely, ridiculously cheesy in every way, yet it just works perfectly.

124. Michael Jackson's Thriller - 4.5 out of 5
I remember when this short film/video first came out that my father would not let me watch it. He said I would be too frightened and have nightmares. I was also not supposed to play dungeons and dragons because I would, of course, become an assassin and begin killing unsuspecting folk in our neighborhood. Def Leppard - Damn satanists! At least, that's what my father told me when I wore ripped jeans and had any hairband music on. All of this he said and yet I became a horror movie freak and I work with serial killers for a living. Take that, dad!

125. Tales From The Crypt: Only Sin Deep - 3.5 out of 5
Not the greatest Tales from the Crypt episode, but Lea Thompson saves it. A call girl with a nasty habit of doing sinister deeds, a woman obsessed with her beauty, makes a deal she may better have thought twice about.

126. FTWD S6 EP 3/4 - 4 out of 5, new
Season 6 continues to impress.

127. Halloween 3 - 4 out of 5
I was saving this for my final movie since the beginning of the challenge, however, I had a little time left and went with another. See below. However - Halloween 3? This movie has so much ridiculous action and fun. Things make absolutely no sense - a car travelling a quarter mile an hour at best is likely not going to crush a steel android with super strength. Yet - it all adds up to some serious 80s dumb glee. I watch it every year, and it deserves its place on my shelf.

128. Evil Dead 2 - 4.5 out of 5
I previously thought I would not be able to fit in an evil dead movie this year. But dang it - I had 2 hours left before midnight and I used it wisely!! The only sad thing is I now have an itch to watch Ash vs The Evil Dead for the 4th time!! Gahhhh!

Thanks everyone for another fun challenge. As always, it's fantastic to see what everyone is watching and finding some new gems as a result. My favorite new film of the year, Infinity Pool, was a result of seeing someone else mention it. That's why this challenge is so important - the fun of discovery and chatting about our passion with others.

I'll post my final list tomorrow.

 

[dpippel]

OCTOBER 31:
33) Doctor Sleep Director's Cut (2019) (iTunes 4K Streaming) 4/5 stars - I followed up my viewing of The Shining by making Doctor Sleep my final film in the challenge. A worthy sequel to its predecessor, I find the Director's Cut to be superior to the theatrical by a large margin. Picking up many years after the events at the Overlook Hotel, Ewan McGregor is perfectly cast as an adult Danny Torrance, who has been fighting alcoholism and PTSD from his horrific childhood experiences in Colorado. Try as he might to use drinking to suppress his "shine," it doesn't work, and he's contacted telepathically by a young girl whose talent far surpasses his own. She becomes the target of a group of beings called The True Knot, who extend their lives unnaturally by feeding on the "steam" of children who possess the shine, released as they are brutally murdered. Led by Rose the Hat, chillingly portrayed by Rebecca Furguson, they work to track down Dan and his new friend, a journey that eventually leads back to the Overlook. Directed by Mike Flanagan, it's truly amazing that Doctor Sleep can stand side-by-side with Kubrick's film. It doesn't reach those heights, not nearly, but the fact that Flanagan's film manages to compliment such a classic of cinema as well as it does is a minor miracle.

 

[Ruz-El]

I wrapped up the night with a trio of favourites. I'll post my final tally round-up later.

129 10/31 It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) 4/5 Revisited this one and it’s wild how little it gets talked about these days, aside from ALIEN remixing it. Even without that connection it’s a hell of a picture. The cast is strong, and they play it dead straight. The creature design is great in the context in which it was made, and the film wastes no time in getting going. They do a great job keeping the tension going as each attempt against the creature fails. I really dig this one, it’s a top 5 sci-fi from a decade that had a bunch of classics.

130 10/31 Freaks (1933) 5/5 Tod Browning had already made a culture-shifting masterpiece with DRACULA. Returning to the circus, he makes the film that is still shocking today in many ways. Genuinely weird and fascinating at the same time that its exploitation makes you uncomfortable and question watching it. All while being a legitimate document of life for sideshow performers in the circus that makes you care for them before they scare the shit out of you in the last act. There are no other films like it.

131 10/31 Dracula (1931) 5/5 I’ve watched so many Tod Browning films this past month for the scary movie challenge I figured I’d watch his most iconic film. I love this one dearly. It’s stagey, slow paced, quiet, genuinely weird, creepy, suspenseful and all held together by Bela Lugosi putting in one of the greatest performances ever put to film. It’s perfect and I adore it.

 

[Malcolm R]

“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,​

Over many a quaint and curious volume of [unwatched movies],..."​

...I decided to wrap up the Challenge with a Vincent Price mini-marathon!

So I cracked open my Vincent Price Collection Vol 2 (which was still in shrink wrap), and watched:

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

A mysterious millionaire has invited five seeming strangers to spend the night at his "haunted" house. If they can make it through until morning, and survive the murderous spirits, he'll pay each person $10,000. All of the invited have secrets and are pretty desperate for the cash, but the real danger in the house may not be supernatural in nature.

With all the discussions about this recently, I decided to give this one another watch. Not my favorite Vincent Price picture, as it's more murder mystery than horror and features many questionable performances and lackluster FX (though the reasons for this likely exist within the story). I really tired of Nora's screeching. How many times did she storm/run out of the basement and up the stairs, three? Four?

The Raven (1963) 1/2

Apparently set in the early 1500's, a mysterious talking raven taps at the window of magician Erasmus Craven. Come to find out, this is a rival magician, Dr. Bedlo, who has been transformed into a bird by another evil sorcerer, Dr. Scarabus. Craven concocts a potion to return Bedlo to his human form, and they decide they must visit Scarabus as Bedlo reports he's seen Craven's dead wife, Lenore, at Scarabus' castle. This results in a magic duel to the death between Craven and Scarabus after Bedlo is once again turned into a raven.

Though made as part of a series of Corman/Price/Poe horror films, this was largely played for comedy. My blu-rays include introductions by Vincent Price recorded for PBS in 1982, and he explains that the cast, which includes Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, and a so-young-as-to-be-unrecognizable Jack Nicholson, found the script so nonsensical that they didn't know what to do with it other than to play it for broad laughs. He also noted that Peter Lorre was prone to much improvisation and ad-libs, and that while Price learned to work with it, it really flummoxed Karloff at times.

Really kind of a fun film, watching these three icons work together, and many of the magic effects are pretty decent for the time. Some of the shots, especially of the raven, are kind of soft and fuzzy. Not quite sure why. The film drags a bit until Karloff appears, then things really kick off. I ended up liking this more than I expected when I heard Price's intro about it being a comedy.

Tomb of Ligeia (1964)

Vernon Fell, after the death of his wife, Ligeia, haunts an old ruined abbey. Not entirely sure if she's truly dead, as she had some odd thoughts about death and was a disciple of Egyptian theology, he waits under a constant anticipation that she may return. One day, Rowen, the daughter of a local nobleman, has a horse-riding accident on his property and the two strike up a relationship. However, even after they marry, Rowen feels like she's the third wheel in the relationship as Vernon is constantly preoccupied by ... something. Plus there's a crazy cat running around the property.

Some beautiful shots of the countryside and set within the ruins of an actual English abbey, as this was one of the few Corman pics he actually shot on location vs. in a studio. Performances are also convincing, with Elizabeth Shepherd playing the dual role of Rowen and Ligeia. I'm not sure the story makes a whole lot of sense, though I haven't read Poe's original so I'm not sure how many liberties were taken with the script vs. story. Also, I'm not sure if the cat screeching/growling more like a jaguar/panther was really necessary. A normal cat screech is usually pretty freaky.

As usual, I had a lot more films I intended to watch than I ended up having time for. Life often gets in the way these days. Will tally up my final list in the next day or two. Thanks for all the great reviews and insights. I really enjoy reading everyone's reactions to what they're watching (which probably eats into my potential "watching" time, as well ).

 

[Michael Elliott]

IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE is a film that never gets talked about enough. It's as if ALIEN fans want to keep it a major secret or something lol

 

[BobO'Link]

IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE is a film that never gets talked about enough. It's as if ALIEN fans want to keep it a major secret or something lol

And the Wikipedia page for Alien doesn't mention the film at all - in spite of it being a *major* influence with more than a few mostly duplicate scenes as well as the premise. The Alien page cites several *minor* influences but *not* "IT!". You have to go to the wikipedia page for "IT!" to find the information about Alien being inspired by the film. "Someone" seems to want it kept rather hush-hush...

There's also the similarity to a story in A. E. van Vogt’s space opera anthology The Voyage of the Space Beagle (1950) which he felt was close enough that he sued Fox for plagiarism. There was an out-of-court settlement.

 

[Michael Elliott]

For years Sean Cunningham said he hadn't seen TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE even though parts one of two of F13 ripped it off. He finally came clean. I'm honestly not sure if anyone involved with ALIEN ever came clear to have at least seeing IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE.

 

[Malcolm R]

Edited to adjust "new" viewings. Missed two.

Total Points 28.5 (25 films; 3.5 anthology episodes)

Best New Viewings (12 total): Unwelcome, The Gorgon, The Raven

Old Favorites: Antlers, Sleepy Hollow, Fright Night (1985)

Not a great year for new discoveries, as my top ratings of new views were only 2-1/2 (of four), and I was so disappointed by Halloween Kills that I didn't even watch Halloween Ends.

 

[John Stell]

107 total; 20 first time viewings (list is on the first page)

 

[JasonRoer]

Here's my final list:

1. Barbarian - 5 out of 5, new
2. Fear the Walking Dead S2 Ep1/2 - 3 out of 5, new
3. The Innkeepers - 2 out of 5, new
4. Fear the Walking Dead S2 Ep3/Ep4 - 3 out of 5 new
5. Creepshow S1 Ep3 - 4 out of 5, new
6. The Brainiac - 2.5 out of 5, new
7. TWD: Daryl Dixon, S1 EP1/2 - 5 out of 5, new
8. Creepshow S1 EP4 - 3 out of 5, new
9. Primal Rage - 3.5 out of 5, new
10. Terror Creatures from the Grave - 2 out of 5, new
11. TWD: Daryl Dixon, S1 EP 3/4 - 5 out of 5, new
12. Creepshow S1 EP 5 - 3 out of 5, new
13. Ghostbusters - 10 out of 5
14. The Sadist (1963) - 4 out of 5, new
15. FTWD S2, EP 6/7 - 3 out of 5, new
16. Creepshow S1 EP 6 - 3 out of 5, new
17. Happy Hell Night - 1.5 out of 5, new
18. Murders in the Rue Morgue - 3.5 out of 5
19. Night of the Living Dead - 5 out of 5
20. FTWD S2 8/9 - 3 out of 5, new
21. Creepshow S2 EP 1 - 4 out of 4, new
22. Dawn of the Dead extended cut - 4 out of 5
23. Plan 9 From Outer Space - 5 out of 5
24. FTWD S2 EP 10/11 - 3 out of 4, new
25. Creepshow S2 EP2 - 4 out of 5, new
26. Hell House, LLC - 3 out of 5, new
27. Infinity Pool, 5 out of 5, new
28. Creepshow S2 EP3 - 4 out of 5, new
29. FTWD S2 EP 12/13 - 3 out of 5, new
30. No One Will Save You - 3.5 out of 5, new
31. Creepshow S2 EP 4 - 4 out of 5, new
32. FTWD S2 EP 14/15 - 3 out of 5, new
33. Creepshow S2 EP 5 - 4 out of 5, new
34. White Zombie - 4 out of 5
35. The Fog, - 4 out of 5
36. The Devil Bat – 3.5 out of 5
37. FTWD S3 Ep 1/2 – 4 out of 5, new
38. Creepshow S3 EP 1 – 4 out of 5, new
39. The Nightmare Before Christmas – 5 out of 5
40, The Exorcist 3 – 3.5 out of 5, new
41. FTWD S3 EP 3/4 – 4 out of 5, new
42. Creepshow S3 EP 2 – 4 out of 5, new
43. Creepshow S3 EP 3 – 4 out of 5, new
44. The Human Monster - 3 out of 5, new
45. BeetleJuice - 5 out of 5
46. FTWD S3 Ep 5/6 – 4 out of 5, new
47. Creepshow S3 Ep 4 – 4 out of 5, new
48. Dead Men Walk – 2.5 out of 5, new
49. Jekyll and Hyde 1913 - 3 out of 5, new
50. FTWD S3 EP 7/8 - 4 out of 5, new
51. Creepshow S3 EP5 - 4 out of 5, new
52. Twilight Zone S1 EP30 A Stop at Willoughby - 5 out of 5,
53. The Creature of the Walking Dead (1965) - 3.5 out of 5, new
54. Flesh and the Fiends, new
55. FTWD S3 EP 9/10 - 4 out of 5, new
56. FTWD S3 Ep 11/12 - 4 out of 5, new
57. Lair of the White Worm 3 out of 5, new
58. Pearl - 4 out of 5, new
59. Daryl Dixon S1 EP 5/6 - 5 out of 5, new
60. FTWD S3 EP 13/14 - 4 out of 5, new
61. FTWD S3 EP 15/16 4 out of 5, new
62. Creepshow S3 EP 6 3.5 out of 5, new
63. The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai in the 8th Dimension - 4 out of 5
64. FTWD S4 EP 1/2 - 4 out of 5, new
65. Creepshow S4 Ep1 - 3.5 out of 5, new
66. Creepshow S4 Ep2 - 3.5 out of 5, new
67. The Old Dark House - 3.5 out of 5
68. FTWD S4 EP 3/4 - 4 out of 5, new
69. Creepshow S4 EP 3 - 3 out of 5, new
70. Sleepy Hallow - 5 out of 5
71. FTWD S4 EP 5/6 - 4 out of 5, new
72. FTWD S4 EP 7/8 - 4 out of 5, new
73. Creepshow S4 EP 4 - 4 out of 5, new
74. Night of Terror (1933) - 2.5 out of 5
75. Jekyll and Hyde (1920) - 4.5 out of 5
76. The City of the Dead (aka Horror Hotel) - 4 out of 5
77. Shaun of the Dead - 5 out of 5
78. Creepshow S4 EP 5 - 4 out of 5, new
79. Carnival of Souls - 4.5 out of 5
80. The Headless Horseman (1922) - 2.5 out of 5, new
81. FTWDS4 EP 9/10 4 out of 5, new
82. FTWD S4 EP 11/12 4 out of 5, new
83. Creepshow S4 EP 6 4 out of 5, new
84. Phantasm 4 out of 5
85. FTWD S4 EP 13/14 4 out of 5, new
86. Hellraiser - 4 out of 5
87. FTWD S4 EP 15/16 - 4 out of 5, new
88. Nightmare on Elm Street - 4 out of 5
89. FTWD S5 EP 1/2 - 4 out of 5, new
90. FTWD S5 EP 3/4 - 4 out of 5, new
91. Resident Evil - 3 out of 5, new
92. FTWD S5 EP 5/6 - 4 out of 5, new
93. Nosferatu - 4.5 out of 5
94. FTWD S5 EP 7/8 - 4 out of 5, new
95. Reanimator - 4 out of 5
96 The Mummy 1959 - 4 out of 5
97. Crypt of the Vampire 1964 - 3 out of 5, new
98. Dungeon of Harrow - 3.5 out of 5, new
99. Devil Girl From Mars 1954 - 3.5 out of 5, new
100. An American Werewolf in London - 4 out of 5
101. FTWD S5 EP 9/10 - 4 out of 5, new
102. Curse of Frankenstein 4 out of 5
103. Frankenstein - 5 out of 5
104. The Real Ghostbusters S1 EP 1/2/3 - 4 out of 5, new
105. House on Haunted Hill (1959) - 4 out of 5
106. Attack of the Crab Monsters - 3.5 out of 5
107. FTWD S5 EP 11/12 - 4 out of 5, new
108. Horror of Dracula - 4 out of 5
109. Smile - 4 out of 5, new
110. Simpsons Treehouse of Terror S34 - 4 out of 5, new
111. War of the Worlds - 3.5 out of 5
112. FTWD S5 EP13/14 - 4 out of 5, new
113. FTWD S5 EP 15/16 - 4 out of 5, new
114. The Thing From Another World - 5 out of 5
115. Tales From The Crypt, Death of Some Salesman - 4 out of 5
116. The Unknown - 3.5 out of 5, new
117. It Conquered the World (1956) - 3,5 out of 5, new Invasion of the body snatchers ripoff
118. FTWD S6 EP1/2 - 4 out of 5, new
119. Halloween - 5 out of 5
120. Muppets Haunted Mansion - 4 out of 5
121. The Brain That Wouldn't Die - 4 out of 5
122. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari - 5 out of 5
123. Tales From The Crypt: Only Sin Deep,
124. Michael Jackson's Thriller - 4.5 out of 5
125. The Rocky Horror Picture Show - 4 out of 5
126. FTWD S6 EP 3/4 - 4 out of 5, new
127. Halloween 3 - 4 out of 5
128. Evil Dead 2 - 4.5 out of 5

It sure was a fun one with 119 new for me. Favorite new find: Infinity Pool.

As I expected, I got into the Ash vs The Evil Dead mood following watching The Evil Dead 2 as my last film on Halloween night. I watched the first episode of Ash last night. I guess the challenge continues for me. Though I'm sure I'll drift off on that shortly. After all, it is now officially Christmas season!