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31 Days of Horror 5 |OT| The October Movie Marathon

T

ThirstyFly

Member
2XHaC0z.png


October is slowly shambling towards us, so it's time again for the 5th annual 31 Days of Horror Movie Marathon!
Remember gremlins and ghoulies, this thread is posted early to allow people time to begin hording movies if they wish to participate - please do not begin your marathon viewings until Oct 1st.


What is 31 Days of Horror?

31 Days of Horror is a torturous, self-inflected horror movie marathon in honor of Halloween. Attempted by only the most depraved of us, the survivors always come back for more (and sometimes the non-survivors too).
The goal of the marathon is to watch and share your thoughts on as many horror or Halloween themed movies as you can throughout the month of October. Ideally, participants are to do 1 movie a day until reaching a full 31 movies by October 31st - however this is only accomplished by the most depraved of souls. You may participate no matter how many movies you plan to watch.


The MANDATORY Rules

- Beginning October 1st, watch as many full-length horror movies as you can until October 31st. Please only include movies watched during this period.
- After each viewing, you must post which movie(s) you've watched and your thoughts/opinions on them. Be as brief or as detailed in your review as you'd like, but don't just list what you've watched - none wants to read a list. Please number your movies and keep a running tally of your progress.
- Short films may be included - but should be 45 minutes in length or longer.
- TV series (The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Halloween themed episodes of sitcoms, etc) do not count - please do not include them in your tally. You may discuss them as "extra credit" if you view them along with your full movies.
- TV series consisting of stand alone short films (such as Masters of Horror) are allowed as long as they meet the 45 minutes or longer time requirement.
- Please use the SPOILER tag to hide any possible spoilers. Remember, a lot of people use these threads for recommendations so let's not ruin anything, regardless of the movie's age.
- No cheating, the Great Pumpkin will know.


xKUb2QE.png


Continuing on from last year, we're doing 2 mandatory movies again. One in the public domain for everyone to watch in the first half of the month, and one selected by Divius for Netflix streaming users (or anyone else who has access to it) to be watched in the second half of the month. Please do your best to watch and discuss the movies during the defined period.


The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Watch & discuss between October 1st - 15th.
Internet Archive
YouTube


Creep (2014) (Divius pick)
Watch & discuss between October 16th - 31st.
Netflix


The OPTIONAL Challenges

- Do 1 movie every day, so you end up with a full 31 films as your final total. This year the 31 films total is fully optional. Only attempt this if you have a lot of free time and/or are completely insane and self-abusive.
- As the purpose of this is to expose yourself to new horror films, attempt to watch as many movies you haven't seen as possible. This makes going for the full 31 movies a lot more interesting than slogging though the same movies every year.
- Adding poster images, screenshots, quotes, trailer links, etc to your opinion posts are not mandatory, but will help bring attention to your reviews of each film - especially useful if you feel it's a film worth recommending to other participants.


eG0n2Pw.png

Thanks for the Scares
This year's marathon is dedicated to the memory of Wes Craven (1939–2015), a man whose imagination kept us up at night. Thanks for the nightmares, Wes.

Y23d16r.png


Please don't bump old threads, these are listed for reference only.
 
I

Infernostew

Member
Got my prelim list worked on at the moment. Like last year, I'll have to do a few films at the end of this month since I'm always gone the last 2 days due to NYC halloween party stuff I do every year. Doing Cinema Wasteland Con on the 2nd-4th so I may add/replace some stuff I see there and maybe theater stuff too.

Edit: Last years list:
Google Spreadsheet
Letterdbox List

1. Near Dark
2. Bram Stoker's Dracula
3. White Zombie
4. House
5. Ginger Snaps
6. The Toxic Avenger Part II
7. A Tale of Two Sisters
8. Fright Night
9. Wishmaster
10. Hellbound: Hellraiser II
11. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
12. Thirst
13. Night of the Creeps
14. Candyman
15. Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead
16. An American Werewolf in London
17. The Gift
18. A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
19. A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
20. Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers
21. Ravenous
22. Creepshow
23. Creepshow 2
24. The Strangers
25. Inferno
26. The Host
27. Prom Night
28. The Fog
29. Excision
30. The Exorcist
31. Rosemary's Baby

I guess I got lazy and didn't write stuff about the others.
 
B

Blader

Member
I'm doing it this year! I was shadowing last year's thread (holy shit does time fly, can't believe it's already been a full year) and between that and binging Cinemassacre's monster madness stuff, I'm definitely in for this year's.

I've settled on a mostly complete list, but I'll look to work at least Caligari into it -- I've never actually seen the whole thing.
 
G

GK86

Homeland Security Fail
My favorite time of the year. I have been able to finish the challenge my first two years here.

My first year (thread number 3).
My second year (thread number 4).

This year, since I'm also doing the 50/50 challenge, I'm aiming for 31 movies I have never watched before. Might be hard since I'm using Netflix as my main source. As always, I'm winging it. I might throw in 5 movies that I want to rewatch.

Edit

1) Evil Dead (2013) 3/5
2) Curse of Chucky 3/5
3) Creep .5/5
4) Spring 3/5
5) The Orphanage 3/5
6) The House at the End of Time 3.5/5
7) Nightbreed: Director's Cut 2/5
8) Teeth 3.5/5
9) Dead End 2/5
10) It Follows 5/5
11) Eden Lake 4/5
12) The Loved Ones 4/5
13) The Relic 3.5/5
14) Afflicted 4/5
 
R

Ridley327

Member
No full list yet, but here's a sneak peak at what I have in store:

-Will legitimately be constrained from Oct 1 to Halloween this time around.

-Will likely see more than 31 films this year, but not nearly as crazy as I've gotten. Maybe.

-Theme weeks? With this being my seventh annual marathon, we're going big with the core 31 films having one thing in common: they're all films from the 70s! With the decade being such a potpourri of films, it's only right to throw them in all together for one crazy ride.

-There will be some canonized films I'll be seeing for the first time.

-There is probably going to be a surplus of nudity this year. Not from me, though!

-I will avoid turning the Curse of October 6 this year!
 
Fox Mulder

Fox Mulder

Member
Had fun doing this for the first time last year, found some new favorites and plenty of great recommendations. Will be diving into Vincent Price and hammer movies more this year.
 
S

ShabbadooJr

Member
So far I'm planning on watching the following, some are required yearly viewings.

1. Halloween
2. Halloween 2
3. Halloween 3: Season of the Witch
4. Trick R Treat
5. The Thing
6. It Follows
7. The Harvest
8. Blair Witch Project
9. The Mist
10. Grave Encounters
11. New Year's Evil
12. Under the Skin
13. American Werewolf in London
14. Sleepaway Camp
15. Monster Squad
16. Sorority Row
17. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
18. The Lost Boys
19. The Fog
20. Cop Car
21. Dracula has Risen from the Grave
22. A Nightmare on Elm Street
23. It
24. As Above, So Below
25. What Lies Beneath
26. Maggie
27. Phantasm
28. Troll Hunter
29. Return of the Living Dead
30. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
31. Shaun of the Dead


Things may change but this is the list I'm looking to complete.
 
E

ElephantShell

Banned
Every year I tell myself I want to do something like this but never end up going as all-out as I'd like to. Hopefully this thread is the motivation I need!

Looking forward to some suggestions from y'all.
 
obin_gam

obin_gam

Member
I have no idea what I'm gonna watch. I have started a bit with a list... Some of which depends on if they are out by the date.

Oct 1. Cabinet of Dr Caligari
Oct 16. Crimson Peak
Oct 17. Creep (have already seen this though)

[tbd] We are still here (2014)
[tbd] The Gallows (2015)
[tbd] The Beyond
[tbd] Suspiria
[tbd] In A Glass Cage
[tbd] Eyes without a face
 
T

ThirstyFly

Member
Ridley327 said:
-Theme weeks? With this being my seventh annual marathon, we're going big with the core 31 films having one thing in common: they're all films from the 70s! With the decade being such a potpourri of films, it's only right to throw them in all together for one crazy ride.
Click to expand...

I can't wait to see what you watch. I'm always on the look out for more gems from the 70s. Such a great period for horror and trash cinema.

Ridley327 said:
-There is probably going to be a surplus of nudity this year. Not from me, though!
Click to expand...

I think that's a given when watching only stuff from the 70s.
 
L

lordxar

Member
I'm going to try this...probably fall out like a blond chick running from Jason but I'm gonna try. Now to find some movies!
 
S

Steamlord

Member
Hell yes! This is the first year I've already seen both mandatory films, but I'm definitely down to watch them again. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a masterpiece and I own it on Blu-ray, and Creep is lots of fun. I do hope people keep in mind the time Cabinet was made, though. It may strike some first-time viewers as silly, but it was the first feature-length horror film, and it's been an immense influence along with Nosferatu ever since. Last year I watched a total of 50 movies, none of which I had seen before, so I'm hoping to get at least 31 never-before-seen films in this year too.


If anyone is looking for recommendations, here are some horror films I thoroughly enjoyed during last year's marathon and in the time between that one and this one:

Amer - This one is especially meant for fans of the Giallo subgenre of horror (by directors such as Argento, Bava, and Fulci). It's filled to the brim with style, with gorgeous colorful cinematography and nearly orgasmic foley. It's very deliberately paced and switches styles very suddenly, so be prepared for that. It may not be for everyone, but when it hits it hits hard.

Cemetery Man - This one is absolutely bonkers. It's part trashy zombie/demon flick in the tradition of The Evil Dead, Dead Alive, Re-Animator, etc., but it's got a cerebral artsy aspect to it as well. It's also funny as hell, and always in the darkest way possible.

Nadja - If you liked A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, chances are you'll enjoy this deliberately paced black-and-white '90s vampire film. It's about one of Dracula's daughters living in New York and dealing with her father's death at Van Helsing's hand. The soundtrack includes songs by My Bloody Valentine and Portishead. It's weird, charming, and funny. What's not to like?

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night - Or, if you liked Nadja, you'll probably like this one. It's also about a lost vampire who just sort of coasts through her life in a fictional city in Iran. It's also in black and white and has some gorgeous shots hearkening back to the tradition of German expressionism. A fun, beautiful film. Plus skateboarding vampires - the best thing since Fright Night 2's rollerblading vampires.

Jigoku - A lot of Japanese horror films from the 50s-60s are period pieces, such as the excellent Kuroneko and Onibaba. This film, however, takes place in the (then) modern day, and also doesn't feature any kaiju or anything. It does, however, feature a visceral descent into hell, and I mean that literally. It's a beautiful film to look at, and you can feel the characters' physical and emotional suffering, which sets it apart from most schlocky films of that sort. That said, it came out in 1960 and I was frankly shocked by how graphic it was. It's fairly tame by today's standards, but it's much more gruesome than pretty much anything else that was coming out at the time.

Kwaidan - Another Japanese horror film, this one a period piece - well, multiple period pieces, since it's an anthology. Unlike most anthologies, this one is pretty much hit after hit, and its dreamlike cinematography is a wonder to behold.

Phenomena - Suspiria is my favorite Argento film (surprise surprise). Beyond that, it gets difficult to choose a second favorite. Inferno and Phenomena are his other two most famous supernatural horror films, and I waffle back and forth on which I prefer...but I have to give it to Phenomena. Don't expect to be scared by this movie, that's not what it's about. It's about Jennifer Connelly communicating with bugs. It's about a wheelchair-bound Donald Pleasence and his pet chimpanzee. It's about swimming in a putrid pool of rotting corpses and maggots. It's about Goblin and Iron Maiden playing in the background interchangeably. It's about being as goddamn nuts as possible (without being Hausu) and that's why I love it.

EDIT: Housebound - Somehow forgot about this one. If you're looking for a great horror comedy, this is the one. It's tense but it also had me laughing out loud consistently. It's quite possibly my favorite horror comedy since Shaun of the Dead.


And in addition to those films I've seen within the last year, here are some of my favorite horror films of all time (that I haven't already mentioned and that aren't included in the mandatory viewing section):

Repulsion
Eraserhead
Nosferatu (free on YouTube!)
Vampyr (also free on YouTube!)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Alien
The Thing
Hausu
Let the Right One In
Eyes Without a Face
Suspiria
Possession
The Evil Dead
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
The Innocents

And finally, Sleepaway Camp, that nigh-unclassifiable film, is also available for free on YouTube and you owe it to yourself to experience it at least once.

Here's my wrap-up post from last year with links to every post in that thread in which I discussed one of the movies I watched, if anyone cares.
 
I

Infernostew

Member
hsikod said:
I really liked "It Follows". Any recommendation for me?
Click to expand...

The Descent
Some Carpenter stuff (The Thing, Prince of Darkness, In the Mouth of Madness, They Live)
Housebound (not all the similar since there's more comedy but a fun modern horror film)
Possession (1981)
 
O

Oreoleo

Member
Won't be participating this year but will definitely be following along to see if there's any surprise hits for me to check out like "You're Next" was last year.

^It Follows was great. It sort of stands alone as far as recent horror movies go. Maybe check out House of the Devil if you haven't seen it. Goes for the same understated retro vibe like It Follows does but doesn't peter out in the final act in the way It Follows does.

And not to be a shit but I thought Creep was kinda bad. Doesn't really do anything particularly new or interesting.

Edit: Would also like to recommend the short film AM1200 to anyone who can track it down. It's only 39 minutes so it's a tad under the minimum length suggested in the OP but it's pretty solid so maybe the rules can be bent a little? ;)
 
B

bob_arctor

Tough_Smooth
hsikod said:
I really liked "It Follows". Any recommendation for me?
Click to expand...

We Are Still Here. It blends genre references and has a fun finale/end credits. Solid little flick. Doesn't approach It Follows on technical and thematic levels but still worth a watch if you like 70's low budget style creepers.
 
S

Steamlord

Member
Infernostew said:
The Descent
Some Carpenter stuff (The Thing, Prince of Darkness, In the Mouth of Madness, They Live)
Housebound (not all the similar since there's more comedy but a fun modern horror film)
Possession (1981)
Click to expand...

Shit, I forgot about Housebound. Editing that into my recommendations list now. So fun.

bob_arctor said:
We Are Still Here. It blends genre references and has a fun finale/end credits. Solid little flick. Doesn't approach It Follows on technical and thematic levels but still worth a watch if you like 70's low budget style creepers.
Click to expand...

And this one is fantastic too, especially if you're a fan of Fulci. The greatest film Fulci never made.
 
P

Penguin

Member
It was fun last year, shall give it a try again

Based on reading last year's thread, said would try to do horror movie remakes/reboots this year

Why do I hate myself?
 
J

JigglesBunny

Banned
I'm in.

1. Blair Witch Project
2. The Conjuring
3. Alien
4. Insidious: Chapter 3
5. The Ring (US)
6. It Follows
7. Shutter (US)
8. Curse of Chucky
9. Friday The 13th
10 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
11. A Nightmare on Elm Street
12. The Descent
13. It
14. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Original)
15. You're Next
16. Dark Skies
17. Drag Me To Hell
18. Evil Dead (2013)
19. Creep
20. The Taking of Deborah Logan
21. The Strangers
22. Dead Silence
23. Silent Hill
24. The Exorcist
25. Freddy vs. Jason
26. As Above So Below
27. Paranormal Activity
28. A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
29. Jason X
30. Halloween + Halloween II
31. Trick R' Treat
 
T

ThirstyFly

Member
Steamlord said:
Amer - This one is especially meant for fans of the Giallo subgenre of horror (by directors such as Argento, Bava, and Fulci). It's filled to the brim with style, with gorgeous colorful cinematography and nearly orgasmic foley. It's very deliberately paced and switches styles very suddenly, so be prepared for that. It may not be for everyone, but when it hits it hits hard.
Click to expand...

I bought that blu-ray after reading about it in the last thread. It's been sitting on my shelf for months waiting for this.

I probably don't have enough horror gialli on hand to do a whole giallo week like I did a few years ago, but I'm going to do a weekend dedicated to the modern throwbacks. I've got Amer and Berberian Sound Studio ready to go, and The Editor ordered on Amazon. I can't wait!
 
R

Ridley327

Member
By the way, there's a horror-specific streaming service from AMC called Shudder that's in public beta right now that could be really useful for a lot of people here. It has a 14-day free trial and is only going to be $4.99 if you continue to use it past that point. It's not the largest library out there, but it is very, very varied, with a good mix of the essentials, underdogs and movies you've never heard of from all over the world.
 
S

Steamlord

Member
obin_gam said:
Just saw that Del Toros Crimson Peak is opening on the 16th here.
great timing! *adding that*
Click to expand...

Oh man, I'm all over that. Hoping he recaptures his Cronos/Devil's Backbone/Pan's Labyrinth days.

ThirstyFly said:
I bought that blu-ray after reading about it in the last thread. It's been sitting on my shelf for months waiting for this.

I probably don't have enough horror gialli on hand to do a whole giallo week like I did a few years ago, but I'm going to do a weekend dedicated to the modern throwbacks. I've god Amer and Berberian Sound Studio ready to go, and The Editor ordered on Amazon. I can't wait!
Click to expand...

Berberian Sound Studio is great as well. Haven't seen The Editor, I'll have to look into it.
 
G

GK86

Homeland Security Fail
Ridley327 said:
By the way, there's a horror-specific streaming service from AMC called Shudder that's in public beta right now that could be really useful for a lot of people here. It has a 14-day free trial and is only going to be $4.99 if you continue to use it past that point. It's not the largest library out there, but it is very, very varied, with a good mix of the essentials, underdogs and movies you've never heard of from all over the world.
Click to expand...

You, sir, are a hero.
 
M

mariachi507

Member
1. The Blob 8/10
2. Stagefright 9/10
3. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari 7/10
4. Nightbreed 4/10
5. Zombie 8/10
6. Unfriended 7.5/10
7. The Hills Have Eyes (Craven) 7.5/10
8. Christine 8/10
9. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 7/10
10. Misery 8.5/10
11. Don't Torture a Duckling 7.5/10
12. Alice Sweet Alice 8.5/10
13. Night of the Hunter 9/10
14. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage 8/10
15. Little Shop of Horrors 8.5/10
16. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 8/10
17. Tremors 5 5.5/10
18. Housebound 8/10
19. Trick r' Treat 9/10
20. Prince of Darkness 8/10
21. Re-Animator 9/10
22. The Beyond 8.5/10
23. The Taking of Deborah Logan 7.5/10
24. Cube 6/10
25. Lifeforce 7/10
26. Bay of Blood (Twitch of the Death Nerve) 8/10
27. Black Sabbath 9/10
28. We Are Still Here 7.5/10
29. The Evil Dead 9/10
30. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn 9.5/10
31. Army of Darkness 8.5/10
 
E

ElephantShell

Banned
Ridley327 said:
By the way, there's a horror-specific streaming service from AMC called Shudder that's in public beta right now that could be really useful for a lot of people here. It has a 14-day free trial and is only going to be $4.99 if you continue to use it past that point. It's not the largest library out there, but it is very, very varied, with a good mix of the essentials, underdogs and movies you've never heard of from all over the world.
Click to expand...

Uuuggghh wish this was available in Canada :(
 
S

Steamlord

Member
Ridley327 said:
By the way, there's a horror-specific streaming service from AMC called Shudder that's in public beta right now that could be really useful for a lot of people here. It has a 14-day free trial and is only going to be $4.99 if you continue to use it past that point. It's not the largest library out there, but it is very, very varied, with a good mix of the essentials, underdogs and movies you've never heard of from all over the world.
Click to expand...

Ooh, looks useful. I'll wait until October to start the trial though.
 
I

inm8num2

Member
Should be able to do 31 viewings again this year. Last year was really fun - always interesting to see what others are watching and learn about other horror movies I may not otherwise come across.

My viewings:
10/1 - Island of the Damned (Who Can Kill a Child?) (1976)
10/2 - Bug (2006)
10/3 - The Craft (1996)
10/4 - Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000)
10/5 - Dracula (1979)
10/6 - The Mummy (1959)
10/7 - Wolfen (1981)
10/8 - The Faculty (1998)
10/9 - Dolls (1987)
10/10 - Night of the Living Dead (1990)
10/11 - Village of the Damned (1995)
10/12 - The Other (1972)
10/13 - The Leopard Man (1943)
10/14 - Deathdream (1974)
10/15 - My Bloody Valentine (1981)
10/16 - Eyes of Laura Mars (1980)
10/17 - Night of the Comet (1984)
10/18 - Twins of Evil (1971)
10/19 - Intruder (1989)
10/20 - Cat's Eye (1985)
10/21 - Demons (1985)
10/22 - missed
10/23 - Demon Seed (1977)
10/24 - The Reflecting Skin (1990)
10/25 - The Blob (1988)
10/26 - Someone's Watching Me! (1978)
10/27 - The Tingler (1959)
10/28 - Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)
10/29 - Creep (2014) + The Sentinel (1977)
10/30 - Kairo [Pulse] (2001)
10/31 - Warlock (1989)
 
A

Akahige

Member
I'm in, I should probably make a list to figure out what to watch and hold off on some horror films I have to watch till this.

some favorites I'll be watching for sure:

Alien (1979)
The Thing (1982)
The Descent (2005)
[REC] (2007)
30 Days of Night (2007)
 
T

The_Kid

Member
Oh Im so into this. Itll be tricky to come up with 31 new movies for the month, but Ill manage.


Honestly Ill have to throw in some Wes Craven classics. I miss the man so much, especially with A Nightmare on Elm Street being my fav.
 
Rhomega Beta

Rhomega Beta

Member
I'm ready to watch some spooky movies!

Last year's list:
Original post
Letterboxd
Ranking

This year:
1. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (mandatory, rewatch)
2. Hotel Transylvania
3. Scream 2
4. Scream 3
5. An American Werewolf in London
6. The Babadook
7. The Evil Dead (1981)
8. The Fly (1958)
9. The House of the Devil
10. The Monster Squad
11. The Omen
12. The Shining
13. Creep (mandatory)
14. Tales From The Darkside: The Movie
15. Corpse Bride
16. A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
17. Re-Animator
18. V/H/S
19. Carnival of Souls
20. John Dies At The End
21. Oculus
22. The Last Man On Earth
23. The City of the Dead
24. Room 237
25. Nightmares in Red, White, and Blue
26. The Others
27. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Ranking
 
A

AgentOtaku

Member
YYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

iBdKJ6iIubtRK.gif




Didn't participate last year due just wanting to focus on playing Evil Within all month. Back on this year tho! (^____^)
 
G

GhaleonEB

Member
I haven't settled on a theme for this year, but given I went back to streaming only on Netflix, it will probably be "what ever crap I can find on Netflix" augmented with my regular watches. :lol

Super excited, I look forward to this all year.
 
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