Michael Elliott
Senior HTF Member
Thanks. Thankfully for my back writers back in the 30's could only pen sixty minute movies. :b
Haunted House, The (1921) :star::star::star:
Two reeler has Buster Keaton going into a legendary haunted house to battle ghosts, the devil and a group of bank robbers. The staircase scenes are probably the best remembered thing about this Keaton film but I love the reactions he gives to seeing the devil and the various ghosts. Plenty of laughs throughout even though this isn’t one of Keaton’s best.
Phantom of the Opera, The (1962) :star::star:
Hammer’s remake doesn’t even come close to the Chaney or Rains versions. As usual, the opening hour is pure boredom as the Phantom whispers to the leading singer and we’ve got the usual bad guys and romantic lead. The final twenty minutes are excellent as we get to see the backstory of the Phantom and I don’t mind the ending too much, although some hate it.
Paranoiac (1963) :star::star::star:
A brother (Oliver Reed) tries to drive his sister insane so that he can collect their full inheritance but he’s in for a shock when their dead brother returns. I wasn’t expecting too much out of this film but I found myself quickly caught up in the rather interesting story, although I wish they had kept the secret hidden a tad bit longer. The second secret didn’t work as well but it’s still a nice little film with elements borrowed from Vertigo. Reed’s horribly over the top performance doesn’t help matters.
Mark of the Vampire (1935) :star::star:
Tod Browning’s remake of his very own 1927 movie London After Midnight is a dull and boring mess. An investigator (Lionel Atwill) and vampire expert (Lionel Barrymore) try to track the case of recent murders, which appear to have been committed by a vampire. All fingers point to Bela Lugosi and his sexy daughter. As with other Browning films of this period, the direction is so lackluster that not a single drop of energy is in the film, which is a real shame considering the great cast. The story never gets too interesting and the shock ending feels more like a cheat than anything else.
Humanoids From the Deep (1996) :star:1/2
Remake of the 1980 film pretty much has the same story as chemicals turn regular salmon into walking killers. The 80’s film was a lot of fun due to the violence, gore, nudity, sex and outrageous politically incorrect humor but pretty much all of that is missing here. The director throws out all sorts of gore but he forgets to make the film very fun. David Carradine is horrid in the lead but Clint Howard has a pretty funny role. Stick with the original.
Voodoo Woman (1957) :star:
Really bad film about a mad scientist in the African jungle turning a woman into a monster by using voodoo. I love these old “B” movies and AIP was always one of the best but this film here is just downright boring, slow and not interesting in anyway. Everything about the film from the screenplay to the acting is bad but sadly it never gets bad enough to where you can laugh at it.
Undead, The (1957) :star::star:1/2
Interesting Roger Corman film could have been a lot more with a bigger budget. A psychic researching pays a hooker to be hypnotized but he accidentally sends her back to the Dark Ages. While talking with the woman he learns that she was a witch who’s to be executed. The film has a lot of interesting ideas but this is one film where the low budget actually works against Corman. There’s some nice atmosphere throughout and Allison Hayes is always worth watching. Also stars Pamela Duncan, Richard Garland, Dick Miller and Mel Welles.
2005 Horror Challenge First time view in bold.
1.Frankenstein (1910) :star::star::star:
2.Golem, The (1920) :star::star::star:1/2
3.Maniac (1934) BOMB
4.Werewolf of London (1935) :star::star:1/2
5.Chloe, Love Is Calling You (1934) BOMB
6.Devil’s Daughter, The (1939) :star:
7.Audition (1999) :star::star::star:1/2
8.Silver Bullet (1985) :star::star::star:1/2
9.Grudge, The (2004) :star:1/2
10.Humanoids From the Deep (1980) :star::star::star:
11.Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) :star::star:1/2
12.Chandu the Magician (1932) :star:1/2
13.Return of the Ape Man (1944) :star::star::star:
14.Sleepaway Camp (1983) :star::star::star:
15.Sleepaway Camp 2 (1988) :star::star::star:
16.Sleepaway Camp 3 (1989) :star::star:
17.Walking Dead, The (1936) :star::star::star:
18.Doctor X (1932) :star::star:1/2
19.Return of Doctor X, The (1939) :star::star:1/2
20.Mask of Fu Manchu, The (1932) :star::star::star:
21.Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1953) :star::star::star:
22.Black Room, The (1935) :star::star::star:
23.Brides of Dracula, The (1960) :star::star:1/2
24.Curse of the Werewolf, The (1961) :star::star:1/2
25.Psycho 2 (1983) :star::star::star:1/2
26.Psycho 3 (1986) :star::star::star:
27.Haunted House, The (1921) :star::star::star:
28.Phantom of the Opera, The (1962) :star::star:
29.Paranoiac (1963) :star::star::star:
30.Mark of the Vampire (1935) :star::star:
31.Humanoids From the Deep (1996) :star:1/2
32.Voodoo Woman (1957) :star:
33.Undead, The (1957) :star::star:1/2