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Fox Mulder · Oct 23, 2016

#19 Dr Jekyl and Mr. Hyde (1931)

Great movie.

Some really neat pov filming shots and great effects for the time. Has that pre-code sex appeal too. This should be up there with the universal horror films of the time, but it's not on bluray and the dvd is out of print.

Man with Knife · Oct 23, 2016

Fancy Clown said:
I looooved Don't Look Now, definitely my favorite from last year's marathon. It's definitely not an "exciting" movie with traditional scares, but there's such a sense of dread built into it that I was creeped out the whole way through, and the ending was one of the most horrifying things I've ever seen. And of course the cinematography and editing are maserful, as is the use of Venice, so the whole film feels like this shadowy, labrythine puzzle where all the other characters are in on some sick joke that the central couple isn't. The scene of the sisters laughing in their room was super creepy. And the movie is a sick joke in a sense, it's a perverse and nihilistic stab at a pair of grieving parents, which definitely ups the "this is horrifying" factor for me.

Don't know if it's true, but I always thought the scene in Mulholland Drive with the old couple in the car was inspired by this. Both very creepy, I agree.

Steamlord · Oct 23, 2016

#33 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master [1988]

A dog pisses a jet of fire that opens Freddy's grave. That's a thing that happens in this movie. The reanimation scene is pretty cool, as is his death scene at the end. Aside from that the movie just feels like it's going through the motions and suffers from some pretty terrible acting. Freddy also goes officially too over the top with his silliness in this one. Still, there are some nice touches of dream logic and effects so the movie isn't a complete waste of time. By the way, while the Dream Warriors theme song was pretty goofy, the rap in this one is...ugh.

#34 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child [1989]

This one dials back the ridiculousness of the previous film slightly, but of course it's still pretty ridiculous...and to be honest, I think overall it's weaker and more nonsensical. I can't dislike these as much as some of the worse entries in the Friday the 13th franchise. At least they come up with something that's a bit new and interesting with each film. Still, I couldn't call ANoES 4 or 5 good.

Letterboxd list

Bits N Pieces · Oct 23, 2016

I'm currently trying to seek out Train to Busan and was wondering if its worth it, anyone seen it and recommend it?

Divius · Oct 23, 2016

^It's ok. Don't believe the hype.

Currently running a bit behind but I got a few days off so I will catch up shortly.

Mortimer Brewster · Oct 23, 2016

Steamlord said:
#33 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master [1988]

A dog pisses a jet of fire that opens Freddy's grave. That's a thing that happens in this movie. The reanimation scene is pretty cool, as is his death scene at the end. Aside from that the movie just feels like it's going through the motions and suffers from some pretty terrible acting. Freddy also goes officially too over the top with his silliness in this one. Still, there are some nice touches of dream logic and effects so the movie isn't a complete waste of time. By the way, while the Dream Warriors theme song was pretty goofy, the rap in this one is...ugh.

Letterboxd list

I have a soft spot for The Dream Master. It is the most unabashedly 80's film in the franchise which has led to it being nicknamed the "MTV Nightmare". Renny Harlin showed he had a strong knack for cool visuals and it has the most kinetic editing of the series moving from setpiece to setpiece at breakneck pace. The story is paper thin but it was going up against a Writers Strike and an immovable Mid August 1988 release date with production only starting in the spring of that year. Harlin pretty much was forced to make it up as they went along( the flaming dog urine was his idea). It is also home to some very sketchy over the top acting( I'm looking at you Andras Jones) but Lisa Wilcox was great and I consider her the 1b to Nancy in best heroines in the series. It also has some amazing visual effects with the movie being home to whose who of Makeup effects artists at the time. Kevin Yagher got promoted up to head of FX, Howard Berger handled Freddy's makeup. John Carl Buechler, R Christopher Biggs and John Vulich helped on various effects, Screaming Mad George created the Cockroach sequence and Steve Johnson did Freddy's death at the end( trivia fact, the pair of boobs inside the Chest of Souls were Johnson's girlfriend Linnea Quigley's).

Also the soundtrack is amazing The Divynl's, Billy Idol, Dramarama, Sinead O'Conner, Tuesday Knights title track, Peter Cox of Go West fame.

Plus no dissing on The Fat Boys.

Divius · Oct 23, 2016

#21 - The Black Cat (1934)
Lovely little old classic that deals with some supernatural stuff, satanism and paranoia that it just fine and everything, but we all know the best thing about it is that we get Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi on the screen together. They both are such charismatic presences on the screen that I can't even tell if the cheesy lines they deliver are actually cheesy or just awesome. I didn't experience it as the classic it appears to be regarded as, but the Karloff+Lugosi performances, the short runtime and creepy atmosphere make this a fun watch. 6/10

DeathoftheEndless · Oct 23, 2016

20. Ouija: Origin of Evil

Well, my gf and I made the mistake of seeing a PG-13 horror movie on opening weekend. Ouija: Origin of Evil is a solidly-crafted horror film, even if I was a bit distracted by large groups of kids talking throughout the whole thing. A family contacts entities from the spirit world, but doesn't immediately see the warning signs it presents. The film works unlike the original movie because its actually pretty smart. The characters are sympathetic, the story has some interesting developments, and the scares are well-executed. I thought the trailer looked awful, so I was pleasantly surprised.

21. The Blair Witch Project

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I also watched The Blair Witch Project late last night. I think its important to understand the context of the film's release before watching it. Because on its own, its a simple story about three 20-somethings wandering in the woods, being freaked out by noises, and getting lost. But when it actually came out, there was a lot of talk about whether the footage was real or not. Seeing the film now, I can easily see why because the actors give such realistic performances. Its still an effective little horror story that plays with your imagination and the ending is excellent. Its the type of film that I think of more as an experience.

ehead · Oct 23, 2016

Oct. 23

Inside (2007)

Yooo, wtf?! This one was so hard to watch. I didn't expect things to go the way it is. Christ. French filmmakers know their stuff when it comes to blood and gore. The twist was kinda lame but it didn't matter. It just continued escalating on and on and on.

Fancy Clown · Oct 23, 2016

30) The Innocents - (Jack Clayton, 1961)

"What shall I say when my lord comes a calling? What shall I say when he knocks on my door? What shall I say when his feet enter softly? Leaving the marks of his grave on my floor. Enter my lord. Come from your prison. Come from your grave, for the moon is a risen. Welcome, my lord."

If it weren't for the chilling pre-credits sequence, in which children hauntingly sing over a black screen (and even over the 20th century fox logo, in place of its traditional fanfare!), one might mistake the opening scenes of this film for a fairytale reconstruction of Victorian era, with sunny, idyllic landscapes, and cheerful music to accompany the cheerful personalities. But this is by design, for Truman Capote's excellent screenplay for The Innocents, even moreso than its source material--Henry James' The Turn of the Screw--is about the dark secrets that lie repressed underneath the pleasantries of Victorian life-stlye. And boy does this film hide some dark secrets. In fact I was pretty shocked that some of the exceptionally disturbing content here made it past the censors, but I'm glad it did because it adds the necessary horror to really make this film work beyond simply being a ghost story. The corruption that lies beneath innocent exteriors is portrayed in every aspect of the film, not just the characters. In one memorable scene a cockroach scuttles out from the mouth of an angelic statue in the garden. From what I understand, this is one of the earliest examples of a film taking the haunted house genre seriously, after 1944's The Uninvited laid the groundwork. And as a gothic ghost story it works fantastically, as the hauntings are portrayed sparingly and chillingly, and the amazing widescreen compositions, shadowy lighting, and gothic architecture are used to great effect. The best thing about the ghosts is the ambiguity with which they are portrayed, as this may have been the progenitor of the "are the ghosts real or are they just part of a warped imagination?" trope, and I think it probably does it the best I've seen, even besting Rosemary's Baby in that regard (as an aside, Roman Polanski must have been a big fan of this film, because I see lots of aspects of it in both Rosemary's Baby, and Repulsion). For those looking for a good old fashioned gothic ghost story with a genuinely sinister undercurrent that goes beyond the supernatural, this is as good as it gets.

Divius · Oct 23, 2016

#22 - They Look Like People (2015)
The first feature film by director Perry Blackshear is a fine low-budget high-concept movie that clocks in at only 80 minutes. It does a great job setting up this creepy atmosphere where you can't shake this unsettling, crawling under your skin feeling that something is off. It keeps building and building the tension, while being a really fleshed out psychological drama with great acting as well. TLLP really needs those performances since so much hinges on it, it's mostly dialogue driven plot in confined spaces. The mystery element keeps you guessing, and while the climax left me somewhat cold it's an interesting viewing nonetheless. 6.5/10

Nappuccino · Oct 23, 2016

Watched Halloween for the first time last night. Jesus, was it effective. Those early long shots of Michael just watching Laurie: when you are just waiting for her to look over her shoulder or him to move forward and he never does. Christ.

Not every jump scare works--the kid right after the pumpkin smashing, for instance--and the constant musical cues when he was around became a little tedious. But those quibbles aside, I completely understand why Halloween is held up so high. I might like it more than The Thing. Maybe.

Divius · Oct 23, 2016

DeathoftheEndless said:
20. Ouija: Origin of Evil

Well, my gf and I made the mistake of seeing a PG-13 horror movie on opening weekend. Ouija: Origin of Evil is a solidly-crafted horror film, even if I was a bit distracted by large groups of kids talking throughout the whole thing.

May ghosts and evil spirits haunt their homes and kill every single one of them.

Fancy Clown said:
30) The Innocents - (Jack Clayton, 1961)
[...] this is as good as it gets.

So good, I loved that movie. Miranda Kerr was amazing in it and I remember it looked gorgeous as well.

Bits N Pieces · Oct 23, 2016

Divius said:
^It's ok. Don't believe the hype.

Currently running a bit behind but I got a few days off so I will catch up shortly.

Cheers. I'll give it a watch but keep my expectations in check. The trailer does make it look amazing though, lol.

Ridley327 · Oct 23, 2016

October 23, film 1

Too silly to be scary, but too ridiculous to not be entertaining, Pet Sematary is some pretty solid schlock masquerading as something more sinister. Sure, it does dive into that ever uncomfortable subject matter of how you explain death to kids and dealing with grief when a loved one dies, but it's not particularly interested in that once business begins. It's tempting to say that the film suffers from one-more-damn-thing plotting, with flashbacks, backstories and revelations piling up faster than the film can keep up with. Reading into the production, King apparently didn't want his screenplay touched, which seems like a fairly straight adaptation of the novel, which gives the film a literary quality that the filmmaking on display here can't support. What it does do pretty well, though, is that it throws caution to the wind and goes through with the overstuffed story and suffuses it with a surprising amount of camp that helps to move things along when they would ordinarily drag, manifesting ever so majestically in a funeral brawl that looks and feels like something out of a daytime soap opera. It also helps that director Mary Lambert has a lot of fun at our hero's expense, making damn sure that we know how much of a dangerous idiot he is as curiosity and grief gets to him and he allows for everyone to be doomed by the end. Dale Midkiff's hilariously bad performance already helps out, but Lambert seals the deal with a growing series of physical gags that he's capable of getting through like a champ, though it does make me wonder what kind of improvement the film would have made in this regard if they had gone with the original choice of Bruce Campbell as our stupid, stupid patriarch. That does get into the territory of what would have happened if George Romero had gone ahead and made this, too, and while it's tempting to think about what this film would have been like under his watch, what we did get here is a good time out and is filled with a lot of devious touches that keep the entertainment factor high long after the suspension of disbelief has been severed. As long as you don't take it too seriously, and I feel like it's practically impossible to do so, it's a hoot.

Fancy Clown · Oct 23, 2016

Divius said:
So good, I loved that movie. Miranda Kerr was amazing in it and I remember it looked gorgeous as well.

Right on both counts, even if she was practically twice the age of the character she was playing!

pitcairn55 · Oct 23, 2016

23/10/16
Film 28
Dead End (2003)

I normally enjoy

dead but they dont know it

movies, but this one didnt work for me. Im not sure why; maybe because the film is so visually unappealing (a family of five, on a dark and more or less empty road, for more or less the whole running time), or maybe because its blindingly obvious from five minutes in exactly whats going on.

I suspect the characters that are the real problem with this film though. For instance, no real teenager since the dawn of time has been as much of an obnoxious fuckwit as Richard, the familys youngest member, is in this film. I was as excitable as the next teen lad back in the day, but Im pretty sure I would never have walked off into the woods on my own in the dark in a place I didnt know, in the midst of a crisis, with my family and strangers in close proximity, nor would I have then proceeded to drop my pants and jerk off to a picture I brought with me for that express purpose, having just stuck it to a tree with gum, even to relieve the boredom of Christmas Eve roadtrip with my parents. But maybe Im unusual in that respect. And maybe this scene was supposed to be funny, though unless you think a young man having to abruptly stop masturbating just as he was achieving climax is inherently funny, there was no humour to be found.

Which is something you can also say for the rest of the movie. I am reasonably sure some parts of the film were supposed to be comedic, just as some were presumably supposed to be frightening, but Dead End comes up short on all counts. I came very close to giving up on it.

Not one Ill be bothering with again.

Films I've watched so far

MattyH · Oct 23, 2016

i really enjoyed As Above,So Below wasnt expecting a found footage movie but wow anyways onto #23 Dawn Of The Dead 78 the original and best

CharminUltra · Oct 23, 2016

Fancy Clown said:
30) The Innocents - (Jack Clayton, 1961)

"What shall I say when my lord comes a calling? What shall I say when he knocks on my door? What shall I say when his feet enter softly? Leaving the marks of his grave on my floor. Enter my lord. Come from your prison. Come from your grave, for the moon is a risen. Welcome, my lord."

If it weren't for the chilling pre-credits sequence, in which children hauntingly sing over a black screen (and even over the 20th century fox logo, in place of its traditional fanfare!), one might mistake the opening scenes of this film for a fairytale reconstruction of Victorian era, with sunny, idyllic landscapes, and cheerful music to accompany the cheerful personalities. But this is by design, for Truman Capote's excellent screenplay for The Innocents, even moreso than its source material--Henry James' The Turn of the Screw--is about the dark secrets that lie repressed underneath the pleasantries of Victorian life-stlye. And boy does this film hide some dark secrets. In fact I was pretty shocked that some of the exceptionally disturbing content here made it past the censors, but I'm glad it did because it adds the necessary horror to really make this film work beyond simply being a ghost story. The corruption that lies beneath innocent exteriors is portrayed in every aspect of the film, not just the characters. In one memorable scene a cockroach scuttles out from the mouth of an angelic statue in the garden. From what I understand, this is one of the earliest examples of a film taking the haunted house genre seriously, after 1944's The Uninvited laid the groundwork. And as a gothic ghost story it works fantastically, as the hauntings are portrayed sparingly and chillingly, and the amazing widescreen compositions, shadowy lighting, and gothic architecture are used to great effect. The best thing about the ghosts is the ambiguity with which they are portrayed, as this may have been the progenitor of the "are the ghosts real or are they just part of a warped imagination?" trope, and I think it probably does it the best I've seen, even besting Rosemary's Baby in that regard (as an aside, Roman Polanski must have been a big fan of this film, because I see lots of aspects of it in both Rosemary's Baby, and Repulsion). For those looking for a good old fashioned gothic ghost story with a genuinely sinister undercurrent that goes beyond the supernatural, this is as good as it gets.

I watched The Innocents and Eyes Without A Face on the same night. It was perhaps the best Double Feature of my life.

DeathoftheEndless · Oct 23, 2016

Divius said:
May ghosts and evil spirits haunt their homes and kill every single one of them.

I wouldn't go that far, but it was very frustrating.

22. Day of the Dead

I had always heard that Day of the Dead was a bit of a disappointment, but after watching it, I think its right up there with the two earlier entries. Its about the conflict between medical staff and soldiers holed up in a giant underground military base. The leader of the soldiers, Rhodes, is a really arrogant piece of shit. You can't help but feel for the doctors as they are outmuscled and outgunned. There's also a sideplot about a zombie who demonstrates a higher intelligence. The stories intertwine into a very satisfying conclusion. Tom Savini does great work as always on the special effects and it all adds up to one hell of a movie.

23. The Howling

The Howling is a trashy '80s werewolf movie. The story is definitely on the level of a b-movie, but the special effects are solid and I was engaged throughout.

GK86 · Oct 23, 2016

The Blob ('58) - I did not like this anywhere near as much as the remake. There was a lack suspense (and campy-ness) for me. Never felt like any of the characters were really in any danger.

Child's Play - A classic to me. I still love it to this day.

Blader · Oct 23, 2016

Theatre of Blood
Vincent Price never disappoints, even if his movies usually do. I wasn't a fan of The Abominable Dr. Phibes (same director), but I liked this one more. The depiction of theater critics as some kind of high nobility is kind of funny. The kills feels too tame, although tying them to Shakespeare is creative. The ending is a bit of a dud.
6/10

You're Next
Oh man, what a rollercoaster. I was into it after that opening sequence, then for the next 30 or so minutes, the movie really plummeted. Not only are many of the characters incredibly obnoxious, but the acting is SO BAD. Even by horror movie standards, the quality of acting in this film is so shit that it became a huge distraction; I've never before wanted a slasher movie to get on with the killing so quickly as I did here. Then as the threat escalates and the plot twists start to emerge (which actually are kind of interesting), the movie just goes off the walls. From the kills to the off-beat tone to the weird self-aware humor, this movie jumped from interesting to near-unwatchable to completely crazy and strangely funny by the end. Definitely not did love this like I did The Guest, but I ended up liking it in its own weird way.
7/10

Penguin · Oct 23, 2016

Penguin said:
27. Cube
28. Cube 2: Hypercube

Chiller had a marathon with these 3 films, but could only watch the first 2 due to time. Pretty good isolated/thrillers. I prefer the first with them trying to figure out and test the Cube. The 2nd is more sci-fi in nature and sterile in design, but still enjoyble.

29. Murder in the Dark - An interesting gimmick for a movie. There was no script for the movie so the actors were mostly improv and reacting in real-time to plot twists and advancements. The suspense is cool, the acting is vry spotty.

Fancy Clown · Oct 23, 2016

31) The Haunting - (Robert Wise, 1963)

"It was an evil house from the beginning - a house that was born bad."

I thought a rewatch of this to follow up The Innocents would be a good choice (especially since I haven't seen it in years) so I could compare the two most notable haunted house/ghost films of the 60's. I actually think The Innocents is the better, more elegant, and more disturbing film of the two, but that's not to knock The Haunting, because while it may be a little hokier and a lot more surface level, it makes up for it by being entertaining as hell. To start, the film has a playful sense of humor so there's always some strife going on between the great cast of characters (Twin Peaks fans should get a kick out of a young Russ Tamblyn being awesome). This makes some of the hokier aspects more tolerable since the film knows that paranormal hunting is kind of silly...but then it knocks you on your ass by having some genuinely chilling moments. This one is also filmed excellently, and the house itself is the real star here. Never has there been such a gothic gothic haunted house, and the mise en scene is packed with all sorts of ornate carvings, statues, arches, and shadows. Each room is a creepy pleasure to behold. The film feels like a nice complement to The Innocents in the end, where the latter is all about interior dread and outward elegance, The Haunting is largely about external threats. Although, like The Innocents the protagonist here has her own psychological dilemmas.

EmpressInYellow · Oct 24, 2016

ehead said:
Oct. 23

Yooo, wtf?! This one was so hard to watch. I didn't expect things to go the way it is. Christ. French filmmakers know their stuff when it comes to blood and gore. The twist was kinda lame but it didn't matter. It just continued escalating on and on and on.

Hurray for the New French Extremity!

That movie is actually a little more clever than it seems on the surface. Not only is there the double-meaning behind the title ("inside" meaning the interior of the house, and "inside" meaning the child inside the pregnant mother), but the entire film plays on the darker side of domesticity. Note how most/all of the weapons are things associated with domestic life: scissors, knitting needles...hell, someone even gets hit with a toaster.

Barely hanging on here, but I'm still a day or two ahead - last night was the recently-released anthology film Patient Seven.

Summary - A man who appears to be the world's worst psychiatrist (played by Michael Ironside) interviews a series of patients at a maximum-security mental facility to get material for his new book. Each patient has (allegedly) committed some horrible act in his or her past, with each story comprising a single segment in the anthology.

Thoughts - I have a weakness for anthology films. They have to be pretty bad (All Hallow's Eve) before I outright hate them. This, thankfully, does not sink to that level. It's perfectly watchable. Michael Ironside does a decent job holding it all together as an extremely shitty psychiatrist, and there's an amusing cameo by Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy) as a cheerfully murderous contract killer. The film is also generally competently shot, lit, and edited. The dialogue is sometimes a little stilted, but it's nowhere near as bad No One Lives.

The problem, I guess, is that the segments just aren't especially imaginative, and (until the end), a lot of them just don't really seem to fit the theme very well. In one instance, it's really obvious the director wanted to make a short zombie film, so that's what we got, regardless of whether it makes a lot of sense in the context of the larger anthology. There are actually two zombie segments, and neither of them really do anything new or surprising with the idea; you've already seen both of these stories before, more or less. The second segment is amusing despite being, in essence, one joke stretched out for several minutes. One segment (involving a shovel) is really more of a comedy, with the only horror elements coming at the very end. There's a haunted house/possession story that takes an interesting angle, but even that gives way to a somewhat predictable ending.

It's a shame, too, because anthologies have the same advantage over feature-length films that short stories do over novels - you can take a lot more risks and change things up, keeping the viewer off balance. You can get away with outrageous twists and reversals in a way that's hard to pull off with a longer piece. None of these really feel like they take advantage of that.

Still, for all the negative stuff I've been say, it's totally watchable. The ending for the frame story is pretty weak, but the rest of it more or less holds up. I'd still recommend Southbound or Tales of Halloween or V/H/S 2 over this, but it's still better than V/H/S: Viral.

lordxar · Oct 24, 2016

The Skin I Live In. At first this really didn't seem horror related at all. About the first hour or so is just some weird boring stuff with a lot of sex but eventually you find something out that completely changes everything you've just watched. In the end this was pretty good but it started off way too boring.

Ridley327 · Oct 24, 2016

October 23, film 2

Despite the warning of Dino De Laurentiis' name at the beginning of the credits, The Dead Zone is exactly what you would expect out of a Cronenberg-directed King adaptation. While it feels a bit out of place in Cronenberg's output at the time, sandwiched between Videodrome and The Fly, it is an early attempt for Cronenberg to move away from the outwardly graphic elements he was known for at the time and focus more on character development and understated ways of building existential dread while losing none of his probing intellect and capacity for potent imagery. In the case of this film, the emphasis placed on how much our hero suffers as a result of gaining his second sight adds a refreshing twist on the subject matter, and is further aided by the sensitive and understated performance that Christopher Walken turns in. The constant reminder of the life he could have had and the life he is being pulled into is a nice way to tear someone apart without violence, and it's explored at depth with an unusual triptych structure that does a fine job of diving into Johnny's struggle for some kind of normalcy. The structure is challenging at times, as you have to come to grips with the fact that each episode has characters in them that will never be seen or heard from again, but it all serves the focus film rather well. That being said, there are some attempts to wrestle the film away from Johnny, so to speak, and those scenes don't fair as well, including an early revelation of the antagonist's true nature that takes away the impact from what should have been a more later reveal. And while the film is definitely a Cronenberg film through and through, it's hard not to recognize that Cronenberg handled the relationship aspects for his characters in a more satisfying way in his two follow-up features: what's here is not bad at all, but the romance here isn't as rich as the one The Fly is centered upon, and the philosophical quandaries here aren't as powerful as the ones seen in Dead Ringers. But what is here is still quite strong, and proves the film to be more than worthy of the director's legendary output in the 80s. If your worst film over the course of the decade is something like Scanners, you know you're doing a hell of a lot right.

Ridley327 · Oct 24, 2016

October 23, film 3

It's The Shining. In a theater. Come on folks, this needs no further elaboration, other than to remind people that Fathom Events is doing another pair of screenings on Wednesday. Run, don't walk!

Film for October 24: We're heading into the home stretch, with a week geared for some surprise additions and a substitution or two, thanks to some time-off to house-sit and some more opportunities that opened up. But before then, our attention turns to one of the earliest films to be locked in for this year's marathon: Possession. With leads like Sam Neill and Isabelle Adjani, an interesting premise to begin a horror film and a long overdue first look into a director I've been meaning to get into, there's a lot of hype from my side already. Let's see if it can match my possibly unrealistic expectations!

ehead · Oct 24, 2016

EmpressInYellow said:
Hurray for the New French Extremity!

That movie is actually a little more clever than it seems on the surface. Not only is there the double-meaning behind the title ("inside" meaning the interior of the house, and "inside" meaning the child inside the pregnant mother), but the entire film plays on the darker side of domesticity. Note how most/all of the weapons are things associated with domestic life: scissors, knitting needles...hell, someone even gets hit with a toaster.

I wasn't really able to notice the domestic stuff but, yeah, all the weapons used were house tools except maybe for the guns. I really loved how they shot the scene

of the woman staring outside through the glass door, then she proceeds with lighting a cigarette.

That actually gave me some chills.

GhaleonEB · Oct 24, 2016

#19: Ginger Snaps | via Netflix DVD

Ginger Snaps is one of the better films I've seen about kids entering the rocky patch called puberty that lies between childhood and adulthood. At the center of the film is the relationship between two sisters a year apart, a year that seems like an eternity when one has hormones raging, and is suddenly in a hurry to grow up, and the other isn't. The film works because it's anchored by two riveting performances, immediately creating an authentic bond before all hell breaks loose.

Special mention also needs to be made of the score, which balances striking a deadly serious, even sad undertone to the proceedings, with rock Gothic stylings. Unfortunately, outside of one other co-star (a student who inadvertently comes between the sisters), the quality of the performances falters. The film is also much more successful when commenting on teenage life during puberty than it is on the merits of hands-off parenting techniques. That said, I'm still trying to decide if Mimi Rogers was dreadful or brilliant as their aloof mother, trying to take in how her daughters are turning into little monsters (ho ho) before her eyes. There's a moment when she suggests a plan to get away from everything that has befallen them that's nothing short of amazing.

The ending left way too many important threads unresolved, though the closing shots were beautiful and moving. Overall it's a great film and one I'd highly recommend.

Oh, and there are werewolves.

**** out of five

Fox Mulder · Oct 24, 2016

#20 Phantasm (1979)

The remaster is like $6 digitally on Amazon and I wanted to watch it now instead of waiting for the bluray.

What a bizarre film.

CharminUltra · Oct 24, 2016

23. Panic in Year Zero - 2/4 stars
Not strictly Horror, mind you, but similar enough to "The Last Man on Earth" to count IMO. A fun and well-paced apocalyptic movie from the 60s. The excitement starts early on and doesn't let up (in fact, it keeps on going through the end credits.) Again, nothing super scary, but a little intense in parts (for the era, at least.)

24. Paranoiac - 1/4 stars
An uneven Hammer thriller that still manages to be somewhat intriguing despite of some far-fetched twists. It contains a couple eerie and weird scenes that made it worth my while. Lots of wasted potential if you ask me.

25. Kiss of the Vampire - 1/4 stars
A nice-looking vampire flick that could have been a fun 20 minute short. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough content to sustain a 90 minute feature film. The masquerade ball in particular felt like a missed opportunity.

26. Ouija: Origin of Evil - 2/4 stars
One of the rare Horror sequels that manages to surpass its predecessor. Not much different than what you'd expect from current Horror trends, but it still contains quite a few creepy and grotesque scenes that are worth the price of admission. Oh, and the acting is surprisingly top notch.

27. Unrest - 1/4 stars
This movie is part of a "After Dark Horrorfest Films to Die For" collection that I have never heard from before. Frankly, I thought it was more gross than scary. I think it was copious amounts of people splashing around corpse juice that made me feel this way, I dunno.

nightmare-1964-movie-review-hammer-horror-dead-body-stabbed-janet-jennie-linden.jpg

28. Nightmare - 2/4 stars
Easily one of my favorite Hammer thrillers. Not sure yet if I liked it as much as Scream of Fear, but I was genuinely surprised by some of the twists. The movie's structure was a little unconventional, and yet, somehow, it all worked. Not gonna lie, I clapped a little at the end.

29. The Evil Frankenstein - 1/4 stars
A Frankenstein tale from Hammer. Somehow, it felt like most of the budget went into the sets. I say this because the Monster costume was one of the cheapest monsters costumes I've ever seen in my life. I mean, I wasn't expecting Universal Monster Flick-level make up, but COME ON! The Monster's face might as well be described as baby's first cosplay. Everything else was... just fine.

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30. I Spit On Your Grave - 2/4 stars
One of those "classics" that somehow managed to elude me for years. I've always heard it compared to "The Last House on the Left", but I gotta say this movie was way more shocking to me. It's not Cannibal Holocaust shocking, but still fairly close. Anyway, the content of the movie is pretty disturbing. I'm not sure what else to say other than the revenge kills were as entertaining as I had hoped.

31. Demonicus - 0/4 stars
Full Moon Feature. Predictably, it was shit.
And that's all I'm saying about it. Avoid like the plague.

32. White Slave - 1/4 stars
A generic exploitation film. I'm not sure it'd fit the "Cannibal Film" subgenre (it does feature cannibals, but they're not the focus of the story) but if you've seen one of those then you know what to expect from this. Story is very minimal with lots of filler, although I will admit the frame story was intriguing enough for me to finish it.

33. Twixt - 1/4 stars
I saw it before actually checking out who made it and, well, woah! The movie felt cheap, looked cheap, and told a cheap story. The acting was terrible even by Horror movie standards. Just a very disappointing time all around.

Steamlord · Oct 24, 2016

#35 - Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare [1991]

I just watched Friday the 13th 4-10. This was worse than all of them. That should pretty much sum up my thoughts on this movie.

#36 - Freddy vs. Jason [2003]

I have to admit, this was a guilty pleasure. It all came together so perfectly, right down to the hilarious nu metal soundtrack. I'm not saying it's good, but I am saying it's kind of entertaining.

And on to the next slog of slasher sequels...

#37 - Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers [1988]

Halloween shouldn't have had any sequels. What a stupid ending. I should have seen it coming but I didn't think they could possibly do something that dumb. As for the rest of the movie, it was maybe a tad better than Halloween II but when it's this bad the comparisons don't really matter.

Letterboxd list

walkmetothelake · Oct 24, 2016

OP

---

Film #54 - Halloween II (2009)

Halloween II: Michael is pissed

Wow. I couldn't see myself rating this above a 1 at release, let alone the 3.5 I'm giving it now. The director's cut is really a huge improvement on what was sent to theaters and I can't stress that enough.

Before getting into anything else I just want to praise the first twenty minutes. I know this wasn't a direct remake of Halloween II and doesn't have a hospital setting for nearly the whole film but after that opening, I wouldn't even be mad. That sequence is such an improvement on the first film that it surprised me even upon my first watch where I came out wholly unamused. There's actually a bit of intensity to be found in there that was missing completely from the other. The increase in violence is also a pretty big surprise but in context of this film it works.

While I knocked the first of Zombie's Halloween films for delving too much into the background while still sticking too closely to the original plot, I don't have as many issues here. I think this benefits a lot from feeling so far removed from the series at nearly all times that you can't help but take it as it's own thing other than being a direct continuation of the first Zombie film. This picks up after the original film and it's very interesting to see how Laurie, Annie, Loomis and Sheriff Brackett have all held up. I can see why people were annoyed with how the characters turned out (especially when comparing to the original series/films) but it really makes sense how everything turned out here, at least to me. This is sort of an interesting look at grief that we don't see in the genre all too often.

I was really taken back by how grim this was. While not everything (Michael deciding to finally break his silence being one notable bad moment) works, this has grown on me. While it's not a pleasant ending by any means, it's almost a relief of sorts when it comes down to it. This definitely isn't a good feeling film if that's what you're searching for.

At the very least, I want to give credit to Zombie to fully committing to his vision. Whether you're a fan or not, I'm sure you'd agree that this is truly something. I'm not sure if there was any compromise made with his first entry but I can't help but wish that one really went for it like this one does.

Film #55 - Puppet Master II (1990)

This was almost as wild as the first one at times. The flamethrower puppet was amazing and I hope they were smart enough to make use of it again in later entries. I was also relieved there wasn't any severely sickening leech stuff to be found here because I had enough of that after the first one.

I don't know, I can tell this was really bad but I had a lot of fun with it. It's fun to see the puppets show up and especially in the case of this one where new ones are introduced. I'll probably slowly watch the rest of the series bit by bit as I have so far.

Film #56 - The Others (2001)

Not sure how I went into this completely fresh in 2016 but I'm so glad I did. It's nice to go into something with no expectations and end up enjoying yourself sometimes. The ending had me shook. I wish it was a little bit scarier but I wish that with a lot of horror films. Just a very solid watch.

Everyone who would be interested has probs seen this by now but if you're like me, you should get to it.

Film #57 - Ginger Snaps (2000)

- Didn't expect to see so much of myself in the Fitzgerald sisters before starting this. The film really packed quite the punch overall.

- Both Katharine Isabelle and Emily Perkins were absolutely fantastic here.

- Wasn't a fan so much of the horror elements but they definitely worked in context of everything else. They just weren't the drawing point for me.

- Practical effects for werewolves seriously peaked at An American Werewolf in London apparently. 😒

- I was pleased to see that both leads returned for their roles in the sequel and prequel but I'm not sure if they are worth seeing. I wouldn't want them to tarnish this one.

GhaleonEB · Oct 24, 2016

walkmetothelake said:
- I was pleased to see that both leads returned for their roles in the sequel and prequel but I'm not sure if they are worth seeing. I wouldn't want them to tarnish this one.

I had the same thought after seeing this tonight. I think I'll just call it good here. I'm not really sure how

both leads could be back for them, and I don't want to know.

Steamlord · Oct 24, 2016

Ginger Snaps 2 is actually pretty decent. Skip the prequel though.

Aiii · Oct 24, 2016

#1 - P.O.V. - A Cursed Film (2012) - 3.5/5
#2 - Satanic (2016) - 0/5
#3 - The Shining (1980) - 5/5
#4 - The Awakening (2011) - 3/5
#5 - Teketeke (2009) - 2.5/5
#6 - Teketeke 2 (2009) - 3.5/5
#7 - The Conjuring 2 (2016) 5*/5
#8 - Southbound (2016) - 2/5
#9 - The Silenced (2015) - 3/5
#10 - Evil Dead (2013) - 3/5
#11 - One Missed Call 2 (2005) - 1/5
#12 - The Neon Demon (2016) - 4/5
#13 - Sint (2010) - 3/5
#14 - Rosemary's Baby (1968) - 5/5
#15 - The Last Man on Earth (1964) - 3/5
#16 - Tag (2015) - 4/5
#17 - The Invitation (2015) - 3.5/5
#18 - Pet Sematary (1989) - 4/5
#19 - The Visit (2015) - 3/5
#20 - Krampus (2015) - 5/5
#21 - The Boy (2016) - 3.5/5
#22 - Ouija (2014) - 1/5
#23 - Hush (2016) - 3/5
#24 - Whispering Corridors (1998) - 3.5/5

#25 - Mirrors (2008)
Pretty cool supernatural thriller where a suspended alcoholic drug-addicted cop, played by Kiefer Sutherland, takes up a job as a night's watchman of a burned down department store. One night, upon patrolling the building (you're doing it wrong Kiefer, you don't enter the abandonded building, you just sit on your ass watching TV/taking naps in the trailer next to it) he notices something in the mirror. Soon after his entire family is haunted by evil mirror monsters as the cop begins an investigation into what is happening. This one actually surprised me, saw it on Netflix and wasn't expecting too much, but Sutherland really does a good job in selling the concept and his slow descent into despair and the entire movie is pretty fun to watch as a result. There are some pretty cool and gory effects, too and the mystery is nicely unfolded during the movie. 3 years of bad luck out of 5.

lordxar · Oct 24, 2016

GhaleonEB said:
I had the same thought after seeing this tonight. I think I'll just call it good here. I'm not really sure how

both leads could be back for them, and I don't want to know.

Part 2 was almost as good as the original and

seeing them both actually makes a hell of a lot of sense in the sequel.

I heard the prequel was trash thpugh.

Divius · Oct 24, 2016

Severe lack of fanged creatures of the night for me this month, guess I need to change that with Carpenter's Vampires!

Only 9 movies left for me this month, yet still so much more stuff on my list!

ehead · Oct 24, 2016

Oct. 24

Saw (2004)

Never knew James Wan directed the first movie of this franchise. Its okay for a horror movie but I feel I like the Cube series more - just because of the mystery surrounding it.

Violence Jack · Oct 24, 2016

#30 Nosferatu the Vampyre (FTV) (1979) - This movie was gorgeous to look at and listen to. I loved the gothic atmosphere. Dare I say it might almost look better than Bram Stoker's Dracula? Klaus Kinski was perfect as Dracula, and the actress playing Lucy was absolutely stunning. However, I think the film was just a bit too slow for my liking. I can appreciate the aesthetics, but I need a little more going on to keep me interested.

Rating: 6/10
Genre: Gothic Horror

Fancy Clown · Oct 24, 2016

Violence Jack said:
#30 Nosferatu the Vampyre (FTV) (1979) - This movie was gorgeous to look at and listen to. I loved the gothic atmosphere. Dare I say it might almost look better than Bram Stoker's Dracula? Klaus Kinski was perfect as Dracula, and the actress playing Lucy was absolutely stunning. However, I think the film was just a bit too slow for my liking. I can appreciate the aesthetics, but I need a little more going on to keep me interested.

Rating: 6/10
Genre: Gothic Horror

It's the GOAT Vampire film imo.

pitcairn55 · Oct 24, 2016

24/10/16
Film 29
Dont Open Till Christmas

A masked killer is roaming the streets of London, slaughtering any man dressed in a Santa suit that he comes across, in this fabulously sleazy, boobs n blood cheesefest from 1984. Like the bad guys in Christmas Evil and Silent Night, Deadly Night, our killer was driven demented as a child, having seen Santa (in this case, his dad in costume at a family party) doing something extremely naughty. Now grown up, he must do his utmost to destroy all the evil that Christmas is.

The film is set-up as a police procedural / murder mystery, and features a pair of the most sensationally unrealistic coppers I think Ive ever seen. It also features some hilariously terrible acting, from pretty much everyone (apart from the tragic Alan Lake, in what was to be his final film). The script is awful, 1980s London appears far grimmer than I remember it being from my childhood visits, and everybody looks like they could do with a good wash. Theres plenty of blood spilt, but some of the gore effects leave a lot to be desired, and the production troubles (director quitting, new director being fired after two days, reshoots galore, ending completely rewritten, old director returning, that kind of thing) are evident from the clumsiness of the finished article.

But I really, really loved it. I think this is a rare case of a film that is genuinely so bad its good. Its crappiness is truly what makes it fun, and Im pretty convinced that a slight improvement in any area where the film fails would actually result in a movie that was less enjoyable. But as it is I can easily see myself rewatching it. And for all its faults, it manages to stage a killing in the London Dungeon, which I actually thought was pretty cool.

Its been called a Christmas turkey, and thats probably an apt description. But its tasty nonetheless.

Films I've watched so far

MattyH · Oct 24, 2016

#24 - Demons one of my all time faves plus awesome soundtrack

ThirstyFly · Oct 24, 2016

So I'm suffering though Jean Rollin's The Demoniacs and had to take a break because a

clown

showed up.

Someone please tell me this turns into something resembling a movie soon.

DeathoftheEndless · Oct 25, 2016

24. Near Dark

Near Dark is pretty good, but I feel like it could have been great if it was paced better. A lot of the crucial moments felt rushed and there wasn't much build-up. What's there is cool though. Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen are awesome in their supporting roles. The scene in the bar is excellent.

Rhomega Beta · Oct 25, 2016

23. Evil Dead 2 (1987)

This movie is just insane. It wastes no time in setting up the plot and so much happens in the first 10 minutes. The headless zombie of Ash's girlfriend bursts into the room with a chainsaw. There's geysers of blood. There's the zombie designs and transformation effects. I love the POV shots. I love how Ash can carry a scene by himself. One of the best movies I've seen this month.

Full list

Penguin · Oct 25, 2016

Penguin said:
29. Murder in the Dark - An interesting gimmick for a movie. There was no script for the movie so the actors were mostly improv and reacting in real-time to plot twists and advancements. The suspense is cool, the acting is vry spotty.

30. Knucklebones - Took the suggestion from someone in this thread, the movie attempts to create a new Freddy-esque slasher villain, but really doesn't know how to make it stick. The premise is also kind of goofy. I prefer Fender Bender

31. What We Do in Shadows - A fun little vamp-doc. It has some charm and looks different.

Violence Jack · Oct 25, 2016

#31 Possession (FTV) (1981) - What the hell did I just watch, and why was it still so entertaining? I haven't seen an actress in a horror movie seem like she was put through hell like this since Shelley Duvall in The Shining. Sam Neill turned in a powerful performance as well. But damn this was weird. I felt exhausted at the end of the movie. A total mind fuck, but at least I could follow this one. Good movie with an absolutely nuts ending.

Rating: 7.5/10
Genre: Psychological horror

Fox Mulder · Oct 25, 2016

#21 Neon Demon (2016)

I watched this because it's a Nicolas Winding Refn film, and yeah. That's what it was.

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