***Official 4th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge*** (1 Viewer)

[Alex Spindler]

I had quite the reverse reaction to you with regards to Candyman. For whatever reason, this worked so well for me that I would consider it one of the most effective modern ghost story/mythologies that I had seen. When I had seen it in the theater, the opressive sound of him speaking inside her head, the prophetic control he had over her to create his myth, and the excellent resolution all struck just the right chord.

Sadly, they just made it into a franchise and drummed it into the ground, but the first is quite the good horror flick.

 

[Alex Spindler]

Have another new one to add, the Japanese import Pyrokinesis. I should say that there are few things that bring a grin to my face than stuntmen doing a fire walk. Easily one of my favorite practical effects and often on display in the B movies I love so much.

This one plays out like an interesting mix of Firestarter and X-Men with young Junko Aoki being torn by her desire to bring some juvenile thrill killers to justice and to be brought into the fold of a some psychic vigilantes. The movie has some very impressive fire effects on display, and the DVD has a nice featurette on them as well. I'd recommend it to anyone who has some torched baddies missing from their cinematic diet.

 

[Alex Spindler]

And I forgot to add The Boneyard to my list as well. I will sum up the film with this image...

[url=http://home.kc.rr.com/aspindler/images/BY_tn.jpg] [/url]

 

[Scotty_McW]

I watched Darkness Falls tonight. Not too bad until the last half hour where it all fell apart. I guess my main problem is that it was working fairly well as a creepy movie, then relied too heavily on effects. Worth a rent for a few jumps, but glad I didn't see it in the theater.

First Time

1. Frailty
2. Scream
3. Stir of Echoes
4. From Hell
5. Wrong Turn
6. The Howling
7. Identity
8. Darkness Falls

 

[Brook K]

Greg, I'm in agreement with you, a lot of people consider The Birds one of Hitch's lesser films (or at least not in the top tier), but its right up near the top with Psycho, Rear Window, and Vertigo for me.

Alex, I rented Candyman because I saw it had some very good reviews. I wish I had a reaction like yours but didn't. I haven't faired too well with my new picks this year. I'm under .500 with only Play Misty For Me truly impressing me enough to be added to the "buy" category.

Hoping my last group of picks will raise the bar. Unfortunately this week is it for me since I'm going on a business trip the 27th-31st, though I'm hoping I can catch the Chain Saw remake assuming Johnstown PA has a theater.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Watched Night of the Living Dead. Very well crafted and tightly paced movie. (original version, not remake or 30th anniversary). Breaking convention and making the black man the hero rather than someone to kill in the first few minutes was a very good movie.

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

I'm back with 22 more horror films watched (first-time viewings in blue):

39. HALLOWEEN III (1983) watched 10/14/03 Almost the beginning of a good idea, badly botched. It's been years since I last saw this, and I had forgotten how the uncharismatic Tom Adkins played a doctor as if he was a truck driver posing as a doctor, and other bad aspects (like the lame explanation for the inhumanly-strong killers, and the overall scheme is ill-defined). The film is almost saved by Ed Herlihy's arch role, the "Silver Shamrock" commercials, and the sight of bugs & snakes crawling out of tv-blasted unfortunates.

40. THE NIGHT STALKER (1971) watched 10/15/03 One of the better made-for-TV movies ever made, and a great introduction to Darren McGavin's "Carl Kolchak" character, later spun off into the classic (if short-lived) TV series. Here he investigates a possible vampire at large in Las Vegas, while at loggerheads with both the police force and city government. Co-stars the lovely, always-welcome Carol Lynley.

41. WHAT LIES BENEATH (2000) watched 10/15/03 Robert Zemeckis' take on a supernatural mystery, with Hitchcock-like touches, starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer. Decent performances all around (and a nice departure from the norm for Ford), and a few good shock moments (some unfortunate cheats, too), but I found this to be merely okay. Took longer than it needed to get the tale across.

42. THE NIGHT STRANGLER (1972) watched 10/15/03 Kolchak returns for a second good TV-movie adventure, in which an over century-old fiend is killing young women in Seattle, to complete his periodic dosage of his "elixir of life". Not quite on the level of the first movie, but still very good.

43. HOMICIDAL (1961) watched 10/17/03 Wacky Willam Castle attempt to ride the PSYCHO gravy train. Not convincing in the least, but it's fun to see "Jean Arliss's" icy blonde freak out and stab a justice of the peace, smash little wedding groom figures, terrorize her elderly/mute charge, etc. And then there's "Warren"...and the "Fright Break" (for the chicken-hearted to flea the room before the scariest stuff supposedly happens).

44. THE OBLONG BOX (1969-British) watched 10/17/03 A typical blown opportunity from director Gordon Hessler. The story is a half-interesting mess about Vincent Price's cursed brother, who wears a crimson mask to hide his voodoo-cursed face, and Price's attempts to keep him hidden away. He escapes, of course, with the help of others (including Christopher Lee), and tries to get his face fixed, but is prone to homicidal rages, which complicates things. Price and Lee get no opportunities to interact (they might as well be in different movies), and you don't really care what happens to anybody. Not a bad-looking film, but it should be more stylish than it is.

45. SCREAM & SCREAM AGAIN (1969-British) watched 10/17/03 Another Gordon Hessler film, but this actually more-or-less works. Story combines elements of medical horror, sci-fi, espionage, and police procedural genres. Vincent Price and Christopher Lee get better parts in this (and actually appear together in one scene, unlike the previous film), and Peter Cushing shows up for a glorified bit part (in a foreign country). Though convoluted, the plot is interesting, and the film moves. This has to be Hessler's one good film.

46. THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954) watched 10/17/03 An all-time classic monster, in a classic monster movie. Go Gill-Man, go!!! How I'd love to see this in 3-D some day.

47. IT CONQUERED THE WORLD (1956) watched 10/17/03 A sci-fi quickie from Roger Corman, in which scientist Lee "Angel Eyes" Van Cleef makes contact with a Venusian rutabaga, and acts as a fifth columnist for it, as it attempts to rule the world from its base in Bronson Canyon. Beverly Garland is great in this, especially when she confronts the alien with a rifles and says, "You want to rule our world? I'll see you in Hell first!". Peter Graves plays Peter Graves, and is humorously effective doing so. Ditto Dick Miller.

48. CARRIE (1976) watched 10/17/03 I remember this being good, but I forgot how outstanding this early Brian DePalma adaptation of Stephen King really was. And though the anticipation of the bucket-drop was somewhat reminicent of Doris Day spotting an assassin in the 1956 version of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, I didn't see anything like the usual ripping off of other director's sequences in this, as I've seen in some other DePalma efforts. Pitch-perfect on every level. Highly recommended.

49. SLEEPLESS (2000-Italian) watched 10/17/03 Recent Dario Argento gory giallo, involving the seeming reappearance of a "killer dwarf", 17 years after his killing spree and supposed death. Retired detective Max Von Sydow returns in unofficial capacity to try and crack the case. Stylish as usual from Argento (though the Artisan DVD is Fool-Screen -- Boo! Hiss!), but logic is a rarity (an Argento hallmark), and red herrings are piled-up like cordwood. Okay Argento, but he's done better.

50. CAPE FEAR (1991) watched 10/18/03 Slick remake of the 1962 thriller, with De Niro in Robert Mitchum's part, and Nick Nolte playing Gregory Peck's lawyer character. Good performances, fine direction by Scorsese, nice to hear a recreation of Bernard Herrmann's score in stereo, but I prefer the original film. Mitchum's "Max Cady" comes across as scarier, smarter and more convincing than De Niro's tattoo-bedecked baddie. The remake goes over-the-top towards the end (since when does having parents that are supposed "snake handlers" and "drink arsenic" make one not feel the pain of a pan of boiling water in the face?), whereas the analogous scene in the original was reasonably realistic and smart.

51. X THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES (1963) watched 10/18/03 Ray Milland can see through everything! And it hurts! More goofy sci-fi/horror from Roger Corman, but one of his better stabs at the genre. Don Rickles is good as the sleazy sideshow hustler Milland is forced to team up with. Hey look, there's Dick Miller!

52. DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1965-British) watched 10/18/03 Pretty good Hammer Drac flick, with Christopher Lee returning to the role after a 7-year absence. The usual stuff is going on here, but things are livened by the great Andrew Kier as a vampire-hunting monk. Too bad his character wasn't used in a few more films.

53. THE THING (1982) watched 10/19/03 John Carpenter's best film to date. I like the original 1951 THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, but this works equally well. The effects work is still amazing, a great cast, tense direction.

54. DRACULA (1931) watched 10/19/03 Ultra-creepy atmosphere and Lugosi's immortal performance (and Dwight Frye's Renfield, as well) help this classic rise above its more static moments. Love those armadillos in Drac's castle!

55. THE MUMMY (1932) watched 10/19/03 Another kool Karloff performance, as Im-ho-tep. Apart from a few effective scenes (like when the mummy first comes to life), this would be a forgotten, routine horror film without Karloff's presence. Basically a re-do of the 1931 DRACULA, in Egyptian garb.

56. 28 DAYS LATER (2003-British) watched 10/19/03 Rage-filled plague victims chase a close-knit group of survivors through an otherwise-abandoned London, and beyond. I was quite impressed with this. I like end-of-the-world survivalist stories, and this is one of the better examples. Some parts reminded me a little of bits of DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS (1963) and NO BLADE OF GRASS (1970). The story makes sense, the performances are good, the film moves at a good clip, special effects don't overwhelm the story, and the film has style to burn. Highly recommended.

57. THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (1939) watched 10/19/03 A true classic. Every part of this film works beautifully.

58. BLOOD & BLACK LACE (1964-Italian) watched 10/19/03 Early giallo whodonit from maestro Mario Bava. You won't care about the mystery, or who the guilty party really is, but Bava's visuals make it worth watching. Plus, if you watch the english-dubbed version, Paul Frees does two-thirds of the male character voices!

59. GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS (1956-Japanese) watched 10/19/03 The first appearance of the Big Guy, in a serious, no-holds-barred opus of destruction. Unlike later efforts, Godzilla actually fries some individual people here. Many of the effects still look good now, though some don't, and a few look almost like test footage subbing for final shots, but this was an early effort, so some slack should be cut for 'em. I'd love to see Toho finally give us a subtitled DVD of the proper cut of this film, but this American cut, with fairly effective Raymond Burr insert shots, still works pretty well.

60. PIRANHA (1978) watched 10/19/03 Fun semi-parody/rip-off of JAWS, from Joe Dante and John Sayles. The lean budget is well-used. Nice seeing Richard Deacon, Barbara Steele, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn, and Dick Miller (again!) do their stuff here, as well as some brief stop-motion work from Phil Tippett in the lab scenes.

I'll be back sometime soon with still more...

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Watched Deranged. Creepy movie, which like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Silence of the Lambs and Psycho is based on the story of Ed Gein, but unlike those, sticks fairly close to the actual case. Bad editing, but otherwise good.

 

[RyanPC]

17. The Shining (1980) - Another one of my favorites. Although it is a little overlong, it's still a fascinating portrait of a man gone mad and Nicholson is absolutely brilliant.

 

[Raymond_H]

I'm running really behind, (Netflix is really lagging it up) but I'm confident I will get to 13 as I got some horror flicks sitting on the shelf, but I kinda want all 13 films to be first time seen.


2. Day of the Dead (1985)

A pretty decent movie with some cool scenes that do leave an impact, but overral nothing great. It did scare my wife a bunch of times due to gore, so thats always a positive.


Octoberfest 2003 ( All 1st time viewings)

1. The Wicker Man
2. Day of the Dead (1985)


Next up is Exorcist : The Restored Version


Raymond

 

[Malcolm R]

Well, I'm a bit late to the party but I guess I might be able to add 10 more films in the next 10 days or so. Here's the start of my list (highest rating = :star: :star: :star: :star: ) :

1. The Last House on the Left (first time)

Over the years I've constantly heard how horrifying this film is, how the tension is relentless and the brutality absolutely pushes the limits. Well, I must be way 'round the bend beyond jaded as I found LHOTL to be an incredibly over-hyped, non-scary, boring film. This is supposed to one of the all-time classics of the genre? Unbelievable. And to think this film has sat on my shelf for over a year because it's reputation alone made me put off viewing it, expecting a horrifying experience where I'd have nightmares for weeks. Sheesh! What a disappointment! :frowning: :star:

2. Darkness Falls (repeat)

Nonsensical story that violates it's own rules numerous times, but the surround sound effects are absolutely creepy. :star: :star:

3. Final Destination 2 (repeat)

A worthy sequel to the original film. Some good scares and effects work, but becomes too silly by the end of the film. An extra 1/2 star simply for the appearance by Tony Todd. :star: :star: 1/2

 

[Walt Riarson]

Getting started pretty late, but here's my list thus far. I hope I'm able make 31 again.

Full List (New Discoveries)
1. May (ND)
2. House of Wax
3. Identity
4. Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III
5. Sorority House Massacre
6. The Hills Have Eyes
7. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
8. Stephen King's IT (ND)
9. The House on Sorority Row
10. The Birds
11. The Omen
12. Phantasm
13. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) (ND)

(Note: I also watched Bloody Murder 2, but due to how terrible the movie is, I am willingly leaving it off of my list.)

 

[Matt Stone]

I've been busy with school and non-horror flicks for the last couple of days, so only one to add...the terrific

A Nightmare on Elm Street - Yet another Wes Craven classic with a great underlying story of the troubles of being a teenager without a strong parent to rely on. Great musings on dreams as well. This is a movie that I never "got" when I watched it as a little tike, but over the last few years it has really grown on me. Also, props to Wes + Heather + John + Jacques (the DP) for a great commentary track.


Full List
1. Day of the Dead
2. The Hills Have Eyes
3. They Live
4. The Fog
5. Return of the Living Dead
6. Cube
7. Halloween
8. Halloween 2
9. The Evil Dead
10. Suspiria
11. The Thing From Another World
12. Scream Unrated DC
13. Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter
14. In the Mouth of Madness
15. It's Alive
16. It Lives Again
17. Disturbing Behavior
18. Halloween 3
19. Night of the Living Dead
20. The People Under the Stairs
21. Wrong Turn
22. Creepshow
23. Valentine
24. Prince of Darkness
25. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre(remake)
26. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
27. The Last House on the Left
28. Phantasm
29. Cabin Fever
30. A Nightmare on Elm Street

Red = First Timer

 

[Angel Pagan]

OK, I'm jumping in with 10 days to go so going for the 13.

1. Dead-Alive

Not scary or spooky but it has zombies, lots o' blood and kung-fu fighting priests. How can you not love a movie with lines like "Your mom ate my dog!" and "I kick ass for the Lord!"

2. Wrong Turn (1st time)

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I'm wary of movies with 5 kids out in the woods but this one was quite satisfying for me, albeit too short.

List
1. Dead-Alive
2. Wrong Turn*

*-viewed for 1st time

 

[Brian Kissinger]

Malcolm,

I think the reason this one gets the rep it has is based on two different principles. 1, you managed to catch a viewing upon its release (which in 1972 really pushed the limits) or 2, you've caught it since and the documentary type feel lends more realism to the tale.

I have to admit, I didn't have as strong a reaction to it my initial viewing as I did a more recent spin. Perhaps that is do to the fact that I'm a parent now, or maybe just a bit more maturity. Or it could be as simple as the rep had me expecting more. At any rate, I don't think you could argue against the brutality of the film, which Craven captures quite well. Few moments in cinema are as hard for me to sit through as a few of those torture scenes in the woods.


And thanks to Angel, my necessary Dead-Alive quote: "That's my mother you're pissing on."

 

[Brian Kissinger]

The Blair Witch Project (1999)
directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez

I first saw this film in the theaters upon release. I have to admit it was a powerful film. But, it's only powerful as long as you buy into it. I did have a dream that night that I awoke and there was a pile of rocks at the foot of my bed. While not a real scary dream, it was apparent that the film did strike a chord with me.

For those who may not be in the know, the film is supposedly the actual footage recovered from a trio of students who went missing in the woods near Burkittsville. If you buy into that premise, the film is quite frightening. If you do not, then the film probably plays out like something you and your friends might have made somewhere around your sophomore year in high school. My first viewing, I was able to buy into it.

Flash forward to a few months ago when I found the movie for 5 bucks. I figured it would make a good entry for this challenge. Well, I finally got around to a spin. It still has its moments, but overall the power was diminished. And Heather (Heather Donahue) did start to play on my nerves.

Final Words
A great initial view, but not a whole lot of replay value.

:star: :star: 3/4 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
directed by Joe Berlinger

Being a fan of Joe Berlinger's Paradise Lost documentary, I was both apprehensive and excited to see this film. I think he did a great job with it. Where I think the movie is weak is in the filmmaker's decision to try and merge a form of the first film into a more traditional horror film.

You can almost see the studio heads sitting around the "table" and discussing. "A lot of people didn't like the jerky look of the first one." "And a lot of others didn't like that there was no gore and you never really saw anything. We should get some of that in there." "Hey, let's not forget that the first one made over 150 million. Something there worked." "Ooooh, let's just combine all of it into one and make everyone happy!"

I listened to the commentary track by Mr. Berlinger awhile back (not on this viewing though) and if I remember correctly, I believe he mentioned being tied down on a few of the things he had to do with this film. And that's a shame. While I do enjoy the film, I think it could have been better.

What I did like was how he used the different styles (film vs video) to further the story. And all the little "secrets" (words in the carpet and grass etc.) did lead to an enjoyable repeat viewing.

Final Words
All in all not as bad as its reputation, but not as good as it could have been.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Masque of the Red Death (1964)
directed by Roger Corman

I haven't read many Edgar Allan Poe stories. And I also haven't seen that many Roger Corman films. The two have a vastly different reputation. So I had no clue what to expect with this film. Much to my surprise, I found Masque to be an excellent little film.

Revolving around a satanic prince (played by the man, Vincent Price) Masque reached deep into the movie bag of tricks and pulled out all the best. Some great visuals (especially using the color red), great acting (can't go wrong with Price) and a story, that while has had several different incantations, still managed to chill.

Final Words
The absolute best satanic prince and evil plague movie I've ever seen.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Premature Burial (1962)
directed by Roger Corman

Burial is an hour and a half movie that feels like it's two and a half. In its core, there is a decent premise of a man's incredible fear of being buried alive. However, I don't think the story warrants an entire feature length film. It would have been a perfect for the Hitchcock show or Twilight Zone.

If there's one thing I took away from this film, it's that Corman equates fog with fear. Damn near every scene has some kind of fog in it. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but after awhile it just lost its luster. There's also a betrayal story here, but it just isn't played upon enough to be anything other than a tack-on.

Final Words
Not a bad movie, but not one I'd be quick to recommend.

:star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

UPDATE (*=New Discovery)
1 The Collector*
2 Ginger Snaps
3 Theater of Blood*
4 Spirits of the Dead*
5 The Birds*
6 The Tenant*
7 The Asphyx*
8 The Legend of Hell House*
9 The Last Man on Earth*
10 House on Haunted Hill (1959)*
11 An Amercian Werewolf in London
12 The Shining
13 The Blair Witch Project
14 Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
15 The Masque of the Red Death*
16 The Premature Burial*

 

[Brook K]

In The Mouth of Madness: I'm not the Carpenter fan many around these parts are (I don't count Halloween or The Thing in the annals of great horror films and my fav Carpenter is Big Trouble in Little China), so there are still several of his films I've never gotten around to. This movie got quite a bit of praise in one of the recent horror tournaments and I do love HP Lovecraft, so I gave it a rent.

A good, creative story with typically solid Carpenter direction but one that never ventured into scary/horror territory for me or even generated much tension. While I was interested to see where the story went, I really wasn't emotionally engaged. Part of this is Sam Neill, an actor I don't generally care for. Also whenever the movie went for comic relief, I thought it fell flat. Put it down as a mild like, but not something I'll be revisitng any time soon.

Also finished the Day of the Dead extras. on 30 minutes of zombie oozing and gore effects.

Vampyros Lesbos concerns a female vampire who attracts young women to control and feed. Things are going swimmingly until she falls in love with her latest conquest. This forces her to reveal herself and engage in violent acts to defend her conquests from a prying vampire-wannabe and the girl's boyfriend, that sap her strength. Or at least I think so, the story begins to lose coherence as it goes along. I'm not sure why the film ends as it does. Oh yeah, there are also several asides where characters attend a lesbian sex show.

This movie should have been a lot more fun than it is. Had the actors camped it up this would have been a good time, but its basically played straight and given the "quality" of the actors, comes across flat and dull. There's a decent gore level, lots of funny 70's production design elements, and a multicultural score that features psychedelic rock, funk, and sitars but with dull acting and direction there's not much reason to watch beyond the naked chicks.

Next Up: The Thing From Another World, Audition

October List: (* First time viewing/Ranked by quality and enjoyment)
1. Day Of The Dead
2. Play Misty For Me *
3. The Vanishing *
4. May *
5. Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things *
6. The Tingler *
7. In The Mouth Of Madness *
8. Identity *
9. Vampyros Lesbos *
10. Willard *
11. Mr. Vampire *
12. Candyman *
13. The Legend Of Hell House *

 

[Brian Kissinger]

Also whenever the movie went for comic relief, I thought it fell flat

"Never, and I mean never, throw chips at the driver!"

 

[Raymond_H]

3. The Exorcist (1973)

Saw it for the first time today, with the "The Version You Never Seen" and while its obvious it had a much higher impact with the 70's public then it does today, you can still appreciate the greatness of the movie and its enduring impact its had for 30 years.

Just a great movie.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

HTF Octoberfest 2003 (All for the first time)
1. The Wicker Man
2. Day of the Dead (1985)
3. The Exorcist

Next up : Texas Chainsaw Massacre (remake)



Raymond

 

[Angel Pagan]

3. John Carpenter's Prince Of Darkness

Hadn't seen this in awhile. IMO, one of Carpenter's classics.

4. Night Of The Living Dead (remake)

An ok remake of a classic that I still haven't seen. The characters were so annoying in this one that I was rooting for the zombies.

List
1. Dead-Alive
2. Wrong Turn*
3. Prince Of Darkness
4. Night Of The Living Dead (remake)

*-viewed for 1st time