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[flipping_heck]

Day 8: Day of the Dead (2008)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSjJZCiQN-M

This is prime example of a remake in the loosest sense of the word, Day of the Dead in name only, it's neither scary, intelligent or iconic as the original. Just avoid for your sanity.

Overall: 1/10

Day 9 Day of the Dead (1985)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g9XorBCikM

To wash the thoughts of that god awful, this would be my first re-watch for this year. Day of the Dead is a thought-provoking zombie film that's more drama than horror, but add in amazing death scenes and colourful characters, it becomes an amazing film in its own right.

If you haven't seen this film , i totally recommend this, its not too long and if you want depth in a zombie film, this is it.

Overall: 9/10

Day 10: Unfriended (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q72LWqCx3pc

Feels like i am flip-flopping between 80s and modern day horror films but this was on my list to watch, and after watching 'The Social Network' (Great film btw), i thought it be appropriate to watch this straight afterwards.

The premise of the film is that a group of teenagers gets 'spooked' by the ghost of a teen who committed suicide, however, the difference is that the whole film is on purely on a computer screen with internet browsers, Facebook, Skype, youtube etc filling the screen. The teens talk to each other via Skype and a mysterious figure haunts each of them and picks them off one by one.

The gimmick of the film is how it is presented, almost everything is on a laptop screen, it has a sense of claustrophobia and though there are some typical horror tropes on here (i.e. stupid character actions), i really enjoyed the film and didn't mind the fact the whole film was about cyber-bullying. An enjoyable gimmick.

Overall: 7.5/10

 

[ph1l0z0ph3r]

You might like Hellraiser part 5.

Ughh such a big debate I'm having with myself right now. Like the series is all over the place something inside me wants to finish the rest of the series while its still on Netflix. Updated list of what I've seen (Bold) and intend to watch this month so far!

Wes Craven Hour
A Nightmare on Elm Street [1984] * - Google Play
Wes Craven's New Nightmare [1994] - Netflix
Scream [1996] * - Netflix
Scream 2 [1997] * - Netflix
Scream 3 [2000] * - Netflix
Scream 4 [2011] * - Google Play
The People Under the Stairs [1991] - Google Play

Stephen King Hour
Tales from the Darkside: The Movie [1990] - Netflix
Children of the Corn [1984] * - Netflix
IT [1990] * - Amazon Instant Video
Cujo [1983] - Netflix

Rob Zombie Hour
House of 1000 Corpses [2003] * - Google Play
The Devil's Rejects [2005] - Netflix
The Lords of Salem [2012] - Google Play

Hellraiser Series Continuation
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth [1992] - Netflix
Hellraiser: Bloodline [1996] - Netflix
Hellraiser: Hellword [2005] - Netflix

Del Toro Hour
Crimson Peak [2015] - Movie Theathers
The Devil's Backbone [2011]
Pan's Labyrinth [2006]

International Horror
Inside [2007] - Google Play
A Tale of Two Sisters [2003] -
Them [2006] - Amazon Instant Video
I Saw the Devil [2010] * - Netflix
The Cabinet of Dr Caligari [1920] - Netflix
The Host [2006] - Netflix

Misc.
Re-Animator [1985] - Netflix
It Follows [2014] - Google Play
Creep [2014] - Netflix

John Carpenter Hour
The Thing [1982] *
The Ward [2010] - Netflix
Halloween [1978] * - DVD

* = Rewatch

Bonus Section
Nosferatu the Vampyre [1979]
Nightmares in Red, White, and Blue [2009]
As Above, So Below [2014]
Rocky Horror Picture Show [1975] *
Little Shop of Horrors [1986] *
Nightbreed [1990]
The Fly [1986]
Suspiria [1977]
Fright Night part 2 [1988] - Youtube
One Missed Call [2013]

 

[John Dunbar]

16. Paranormal Activity 2 (2010): What can you say. It's like the first one except less scary. If someone enjoys found footage horror and liked the first movie, they might enjoy this one. I personally did not care for it even though found footage is usually effective on me scarewise. Of course this is particularly lazy even for a found footage movie: there is for example a scene where those two sisters are discussing some messed up stuff from their childhoods, and one of them in no way acknowledges that the other has a camera in her face. Or when you hear horrible noises downstairs and go investigate in the middle of the night, of course the first thing you do is grab your camera. Will not be in any hurry to check out the rest of the franchise.

 

[pitcairn55]

13 – The Blood on Satan’s Claw

“I’m the devil’s child.”

A fantastic example of 1970s British folk horror, this tale of a satanic beast being resurrected by a series of gruesome rituals in early 18th century rural England is a lot of fun. Patrick Wymark, Linda Hayden and in particular a young Michele Dotrice give excellent performances, and there’s a lovely cameo from the late, great Geoffrey Hughes. Some of the other acting is a bit ropey, though none of the performers are helped by a script that tries far too hard with the Olde Worlde speech; everyone ends up sounding a bit like Nursey out of Blackadder II.

Marc Wilkinson’s strange and haunting music is a real highlight of the film, and some great cinematography from Dick Bush makes the English countryside look both sinister and beautiful. The monster effects are terrible, but the film knows this, and sensibly keeps them to a minimum, and I was pleased to see the inclusion of a flaming torches and pitchforks scene.

Verdict: It’s not scary and it’s not gory, but it’s very atmospheric and I enjoyed it a lot.

 

[Marty Chinn]

7) Don't Blink

A movie about a group of friends on vacation at a mountain top resort where people start to vanish suddenly when nobody is looking. It's pretty straight forward and you're watching to see who will survive and how. I have to say the ending wasn't satisfying, but it wasn't cliche. Stars Mena Suvari and Brian Austin Green.

 

[Ivan A Nguyen]

11. 30 Days of Night: Dark Days (2010)
[Or, What it looks like to steal money from a studio.]

This direct to DVD gem is everything that's wrong with a movie sequel. I'm going to borrow from the IMDB page because it hits the nail on the head so well.

[T]he first sequel, follows the pattern of most. that is as you move farther from the original, the budget shrinks.

and the consequences are: less sets, less location shoots, less action, no helicopter or overhead shots, cheaper actors, cheaper scripts and cheaper directors.

now some directors can take less money and turn out comparable or even better efforts than the original--but these are few and far between.

The moment I saw this was set in LA I knew it was going to be trash. There is no quicker way to say you have no imagination than to shoot a movie in LA or NY. This move brought nothing good to the series. I give it 1 socially networked Vampire queen out 5.

12. The Visit (2015)
[Or, How Cocoon could have gone much differently.]

Here's the twist. Growing old sucks hard. Avoid it at all costs. This found footage movie provides a look at how we'll look to our grandkids when they come to visit. Simple rules like stay out of the basement or shed become the focal point of their young curiosity. Unexplained sounds in an old house away from the city are scary when compared to the constant din of life. God forbid you don't have WiFi. Then everything gets twice as spooky.

Spoiler

The real twist is a bit expected, but part of me just hoped it was two asshole kids making a bunch of something over nothing and that these sad people were just trying to enjoy their one visit with their grand children.

The reviews on this thread gave me a good frame of mind when it came to watching this movie so I feel comfortable in giving it 4 ethnically challenged boys out of 5.

 

[walkmetothelake]

so i watched Halloween 6 the producers cut last night (ive seen it several times) but this time it was the restored bluray rather than the bootleg dvd that ive had for many years and as great as it was to see it all nice and shiny it kinda wasn't as enjoyable to me as watching the grainy sometimes very rough bootleg

I viewed this for the first time last year during this challenge as it came with my box set. I preferred elements of both the theatrical and producer's cut unfortunately. I wonder if there's any decent fan edits around.

 

[lordxar]

Beneath was damn good. I give it five pickaxes dripping with blood.

 

[ThirstyFly]

I'm finally sitting down to watch the much loved Kill List, which has been in my pile for more years than I should probably mention.

Then it's time to catch up on my reviews. Gonna be a long night.

 

[ElTopo]

Ughh such a big debate I'm having with myself right now. Like the series is all over the place something inside me wants to finish the rest of the series while its still on Netflix. Updated list of what I've seen (Bold) and intend to watch this month so far!

Most fans agree that part 5 was the last good film in the franchise.

 

[BioHazard]

Beneath was damn good. I give it five pickaxes dripping with blood.

Yeah, I recently watched it too, not a five-bagger IMO, but definitely quite surprising.

 

[Ridley327]

I'm finally sitting down to watch the much loved Kill List, which has been in my pile for more years than I should probably mention.

Then it's time to catch up on my reviews. Gonna be a long night.

Thank you.

 

[ThirstyFly]

Most fans agree that part 5 was the last good film in the franchise.

Personally I really enjoyed Part 6 too, even more than 5. But I have some kind of weird affection for the series I can't quite explain so I don't know if I'm the best person to listen to.

 

[Ivan A Nguyen]

13. Sinister (2012)
[Or, Michael Jackson wear's a mask.]

A family seems to be pretty weird. Standing with bags over their heads as a grainy saw is moved by the wind. It cuts through a branch and the suicidal family's legs start to swing. I rewound the first section because I wasn't paying too much attention. I was afraid the movie would just show this gruesome scene once and then allude to it for the rest of the movie. I was wrong. This movie is almost equal parts implied snuff and family drama. Once I got started I couldn't hit pause again.

This movie is an easy 5 8mm reels out of 5.

14. The Others (2001)
[Or, These are not the vampires you are looking for.]

Everything about the start of this movie screams, "My children are Vampires!" I'm glad I stuck with it. This movie is about single parenting as well as the stress of living in a place that's clearly being haunted. Every turn makes this movie weirder until you are sure that there isn't enough time to wrap up all the loose ends before the movie is over. Once you make it past the climax everything falls into place and might make the movie warrant another viewing.

I'll give it 4 missing drapes out of 5.

14.5 Dragon Ball Z: Resurection of Freeza (2015)
[or, A Golden Tail of Horror]

Strongest guy in the known universe shows up at your door step after having killed you once and now wants to murder you again. Tell me that isn't scary. What's worse is that your best bro is off somewhere in space and has no clue that you or his family are in danger. Still not scared? Just try not to flash back to the fact that the last time he killed you he did it by impaling you on his horn then exploding your chest from the inside. He's also brought a thousand or so of his guys who also want you dead. You can tell me this movie isn't scary but,

Spoiler

after he blows up a city then the planet,

things are looking pretty dark. The movie might not qualify by everyone's standards, but it's enough to get a .5 out of me.

I'd rate it 4 murderous space aliens out of 5.

 

[inm8num2]

#12 - The Other (1972)

Very good psychological horror. It's the good twin, bad twin story with a couple twists. This film doesn't hold back from going to some pretty dark places. There's an eerie, haunting quality to the whole thing from start to finish. Creepy children are...creepy.

viewing list

 

[Penguin]

1. Maniac
2. I Spit on Your Grave
3. House of Wax
4. Stag Night
5. Halloween 2007
6. Funny Games
7. Fright Night
8. The Hills Have Eyes
9. The Strangers
10. Mercy
11. John Carpenter's The Thing
12. Mother's Day
13. Truth or Die
14. ATM
15. Stay Alive

Movie 16 - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Remake)

Really good thriller. I like that the audience knows what's going on, and the movie doesn't try to hide it so it's about the characters discovering it for themselves, and seeing them... well try to survive.
Entertaining ending too.

Movie 17 - Prom Night (Remake)
This movie has so little to do with the original. Other than having a prom at some point of the film.

Not sure why they "chose" to remake it, but it was okay. A rather bland and safe slasher film.

Movie 18 - The Final Girls

Well was looking forward to this one and was thrilled to find out it came to video-on-demand over the week.

It's fun and entertaining. Not as clever or genre-studying as stuff like Cabin in the Woods and Scream, but still a fun send-up to the 80s-era slasher. Some likeable characters also helps it out.

And really nice looking movie too. Great soundtrack/score.
I wish it had more horror components than essentially Friday the 13th, but guess easiest to ape.

 

[TheSlySoul]

22. The Den (2013)

Impressive for a straight to DVD movie. It is like Chatrollette gone wrong. Probably the scariest of the movies I watched yet. It had flaws of course (everyone was a dick to Elizabeth), but the acting and atmosphere puts it a must watch on Netflix. Overall if you managed to enjoy Unfriended (I was laughing through that), you will like this. I give it 3 creepy messages out of 5

 

[Rhomega Beta]

9. The House Of The Devil

This movie takes a while to build up, but once it starts going, it gets going. In watching this, I think to James Rolfe's recent discussion of The Monster for Monster Madness, and this fits the Old Dark House trope. It also comes with a double twist at the end, but I can't help but think of the nature of lunar eclipses. Overall, this was an OK movie. I'm sure you'll like it better if you're interested in satanic rituals.

Full list

 

[Ridley327]

October 12

While not entirely successful at bring so many disparate elements together, Horror Express has to be commended for being completely unlike what you expect it to be, and in such a delightfully bizarre manner. There is a uneven nature to it inherent to the long game that it's ultimately playing, so it's good that the payoff is so worth it, but it's not without some speed bumps. In particular, the very nature of the way the story progresses gives way a large cast of characters with somewhat nebulous relationships to one another, and while they do find a way of integrating most of them in a satisfactory way by the end, there is a sense that some of the character development feels a bit rushed, particularly with the implausibility of our protagonists (Lee and Cushing, naturally) smoothing over their rivalry without even breathing a word about it, ultimately working in close collaboration with one another that disavows any knowledge of the rocky road they started on and seemed destined to go down. Lee and Cushing do well in their roles, but there's definitely a sense that some of the other important characters wind up being an opportunity for some of the actors to ham it up a bit: while Alberto de Mendoza's stark raving mad Rasputin impression does wind up in a fantastic place, it needs to be said that I have no idea what the hell Telly Savalas was doing in his small role as a sadistic Cossack officer looking for an excuse to hurt people. It's the kind of over-the-top performance that you simultaneously want no more of shortly after it begins, and yet you actually want to see it keep going to see how batshit loco the actor wants to take it, and Savalas certainly plays it to the hilt the whole way through. The setting aboard the train feels a tad underutilized, although I did quite like the unspoken paranoia that winds up consuming the other passengers as word gets around about the murders taking place. It's the kind of film that does get a lot better once the full scope becomes much clearer, which winds up with a great climax where the world is at stake in a way that never feels too overstuffed or beyond the capability of the filmmakers to render effectively, and it does offer up some novel uses of special makeup effects beyond the gore that leaves quite a mark, especially with a late image of a frosted window that obscures everything about the person behind it beyond the one major distinguishing feature, nailing the dread and offering up a nice visual callback to how the film began. Throw in an anachronistic but effective giallo-like soundtrack that helps set the mood while keeping you as off balance as well as the visuals do, and you have a remarkably effective and solid horror film that isn't afraid to flip the script in a drastic way and, risking a bad train pun, having the steam to carry on through for a great finish as it heads into the station. If it's not a great film, it's certainly a rather good one.

Film for October 13: After being blown away by Picnic at Hanging Rock last year, we turn back the clock to Peter Weir's previous horror film in The Cars That Ate Paris, which is not set in the Paris you're thinking of, and possibly doesn't feature cars actually eating it.

 

[walkmetothelake]

YMMV with this one depending on how invested you get but I loved this the first time I saw it and still do. There's a constant sense of dread throughout and at one point

Spoiler

there's probably the most effective jump scare I've ever seen

. Kind of a sad/depressing watch overall though so if you aren't up for that I'd put this off for something else.

OP

 

[tav7623]

12. Halloween Resurrection (Watched on 10/12/15) - I don't know what possessed me to want to watch this movie again after 9 plus years, but I did and man it was pretty much just as bad as I remember it....the bit towards the end still kinda pisses me off (though now not as much as Rob Zombie's Halloween 2, I could rant and rave how horrible a movie that one was) no one is suppose to karate kick Mikey and live to tell the tale.

 

[JetForceGemini]

for the person that recommeded Trilogy of Terror, I will find you, and I will eat all your food and unplug your freezer for recommending me such shit

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

Just try not to flash back to the fact that the last time he killed you he did it by impaling you on his horn then exploding your chest from the inside.

That idiot had it coming after he cut off my tail. Besides, I can hardly imagine anyone missing someone that weak. What's that, monkey? Your best friend? Ha! Wait, what's with your hair?

12. Halloween Resurrection (Watched on 10/12/15) - I don't know what possessed me to want to watch this movie again after 9 plus years, but I did and man it was pretty much just as bad as I remember it....the bit towards the end still kinda pisses me off (though now not as much as Rob Zombie's Halloween 2, I could rant and rave how horrible a movie that one was) no one is suppose to karate kick Mikey and live to tell the tale.

I know I just did in the 'movies you watched' thread. Giving Zombie free range on a sequel (that he didn't even want to do) was not a good idea, apparently. At least they ended it at that. I have no faith in the Saw people for a new movie either though.

btw, as a very soft recommendation for the squeamish: Forbidden Planet (1951). It's not horror, but it has a related theme anyway.

 

[JetForceGemini]

The final girls is an amazing movie

 

[Linkhero1]

31 Days of Horror
Pre-31 Days of Horror 1 - Behind the Mask
Pre-31 Days of Horror 2 - Unfriended
Day 1 - The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
Day 2 - The Thing (1982)
Day 3 - The Cabinet of Dr. Calagari
Day 3 Double Feature - Dead Silence
Day 4 - Black Death
Day 5 - Maniac Cop
Day 6 - The Omen (1976)
Day 7 - Creep (2014)
Day 8 - The Taking of Deborah Logan
Day 9 - The Return of the Living Dead
Day 10 - ATM
Day 10 Double Feature - From Dusk Till Dawn
Day 11 - The People Under the Stairs
Day 11 Double Feature - The Strangers
31 Days of Horror
Pre-31 Days of Horror 1 - Behind the Mask
Pre-31 Days of Horror 2 - Unfriended
Day 1 - The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
Day 2 - The Thing (1982)
Day 3 - The Cabinet of Dr. Calagari
Day 3 Double Feature - Dead Silence
Day 4 - Black Death
Day 5 - Maniac Cop
Day 6 - The Omen (1976)
Day 7 - Creep (2014)
Day 8 - The Taking of Deborah Logan
Day 9 - The Return of the Living Dead
Day 10 - ATM
Day 10 Double Feature - From Dusk Till Dawn
Day 11 - The People Under the Stairs
Day 11 Double Feature - The Strangers
Day 12 - Stake Land

Stake Land
A vampire outbreak overtakes the world and plagues the good old U S of A. Martin, a teenager, witnesses the death of his family at the hands of a vampire. Mister, a man who happened to be tailing the vampire who attacked Martin's family, aids Martin in killing the vampire. From that point on, the two travel together on the road to New Eden which is said to be a safe haven.

This is the second vampire movie on my list this year and possibly the final one. The film felt like a mix of The Walking Dead and The Last of Us, except with vampires instead of zombies. For a straight-to-dvd film, this movie really knocked it out of the park. The acting was pretty decent and the cinematography was gorgeous. The movie does not focus on vampires, but a man and a boy's experience during an epidemic. Don't go into the movie expecting some sort of explanation with where these vampires came from or anything like that. It's sort of similar to The Walking Dead in that manner. Overall, I think it's a must watch for people who haven't seen it before.

Rating: Must Watch

 

[mariachi507]

Super far behind on write-ups, not so much on viewings. Need to find a time to sit down and write my thoughts on the movies.

Then again, my memory of the horror movie I saw 6 horror movies ago might not be super accurate anymore...

I have the same problem with my write-up procrastination, luckily I've been jotting down a few notes after I finish each film. Makes it a little easier.

 

[kurisu1974]

#9 La Casa 5 (aka Beyond Darkness) (1990)

Typical Italian horror movie remixing elements from both Poltergeist and Exorcist, including little children getting lost in other dimensions and drunken priests losing their faith. It did exactly what it set out to do.

The La Casa series is interesting in itself since, much like the Zombi series, it mostly consists of unrelated movies rebadged for the Italian market.

In Italy, The Evil Dead was released under the title La Casa and Evil Dead II became La Casa II; these were followed by three other unrelated horror films, branded with consecutive titles so as to appear as part of a series: La Casa 3, La Casa 4 (also known as Witchery), and La Casa 5. In the United States, La Casa 3 was released as Ghosthouse, with director Lenzi being credited under the alias "Humphrey Humbert".

 

[mariachi507]

Note: if you took a shot every time I use the word "film" in one of my write-ups, you wouldn't make it to the end.

8. Christine

"Show me."

This is another one of those rewatches of mine where I haven't seen the film in well over a decade. I was pretty pumped about revisiting it because: 1. Its John Carpenter in his prime and 2. It was recently released on blu. Immediately upon starting up the film I was treated to Carpenters trademark atmospheric score and 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The film looks and sounds pretty good. Plot wise, I believe Christine holds one of the better love stories in the genre. Of course I'm talking about the romance between Arnie and his car. They are truly made for one another, even if we are told that Arnie isn't Christine first love. Their relationship is full of sacrifice, devotion, and learning to love unconditionally. Just look at the way Arnie touches Christine, he's not touching a car. At least he doesn't think so. Also of note is that the special effects are mindblowing at times, specifically when Christine is fixing herself. I also noticed that Christine pulled the whole "car talking through songs" decades before Michael Bay did the same thing with Bumblebee in the Transformers franchise. It's an amusing gag, but it also lets us dive into Christine's emotions at the time.

Spoilers:

Spoiler

The friendship between the two male leads makes gives Arnie's transformation some depth, and it gives the first half of the film an emotional center for the audience to latch onto. This friendship gets pushed to the background when Dennis get's hurt. I feel this hurts the plot a little as he isn't around for the majority of Arnie's "heel" turn. The stalking scenes are well done but the film kind of turns into your standard slasher flick about halfway through, and after the bullies are dispatched the story kind of messily bring Dennis and Leigh together to tie up the loose ends. It makes sense that Dennis was out of the picture where he was hurt and how Leigh and Arnie split up, but it still feels a bit rushed. There are a couple nice scenes where Dennis is made aware of Arnie and Christine's true relationship and the phone call between Arnie and Leigh is particularly traumatic. Despite this few problems, the film remains very effective, and I challenge anyone to bring up an evil car movie that can match it. Well, maybe Duel can, it's been years.

To close out, this film is a huge recommendation, especially to any Carpenter fans. The "show me" scene is still one of my favorite scenes from 80's horror. One question though, what is up with everybody using the word "shitters" every five seconds? Did people use that word back then? Am I being a shitter right now?

8/10

9. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2

"Dog will Hunt!"

How does one make a sequel to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Really though, how do you make a sequel to what many call the greatest horror movie ever made. The answer is, you don't. However, I bet Toby Hooper felt like finally making some money off his most famous work (check out the details on this with the financing of TCM 1), and he figured he could probably make the craziest film he could. The results are.......he almost pulls it off. Toby's original vision for TCM2 was apparently too comedic for Cannon films who wanted to "see the monster". As a result, we have another horror film where studio meddling fucks with the director's vision. This is way too common for horror films, especially horror films from the 80's. What we're left with is a film that........well it kind of works in some spots, but knowing that Hooper's original vision was tarnished makes the finished project easier to swallow. This is assuming that the original version delivered on the goods, and that's not anything I would bet money on either. Needless to say, we've still got an interesting picture, and as far as Chainsaw sequels go, it's the cream of the crop.

I want to note that is isn't my first rodeo with TCM 2. I saw the film half a decade ago and my reaction to it wasn't very warm at all. However, despite my initial panning of TCM 2, I would often think back to various parts of the movie with appreciation. Knowing this, I had to revisit it. I remember on my first viewing I thought that Toby had gotten lazy or had simply ran out of ideas with revisiting so many parts of the first film. An example of this is the infamous dinner sequence. The sequels plays many of the same beats, but what I didn't realize on my first viewing is that instead of simply being a retread we've been treated to more of a parody of the dinner sequence. Another difference between them that I appreciated is

Spoiler

grandpa actually hit her with the hammer! Good for grandpa.

In fact there are many callbacks to the first film and on my second viewing it kind of worked. Maybe I'm becoming as crazy as some of the characters in TCM 2. Speaking of which, it was great to see the Cook back. Jim Siedel's return establishing a continuity with the first film along with the uncle of Sally and Frank known as Lefty. Let me tell you about Lefty, he's played by Dennis Hopper and he's more fucking nutty than the Sawyer's ever thought of being. In fact, everybody in this movie is off their rocker, and it's fun.

There are some very memorable scenes that have stuck with me since my first watch, these include

Spoiler

the opening sequence with Leatherface dancing with what I believe is The Hitchhiker's corpse (from the first one) as he saws a car in half going down the hallway. There is a scene where leatherface uses his chainsaw in a phallic gesture against our heroine Stretch. (This scene is the definition of that silly me gusta meme from a few years back) The most memorable scene is one where Toby Hooper reminds us what fear looks like. This scene is Choptop's introduction which is capped off with what I consider one of the greatest scares in all of horror. This scene takes its time and establishes a very earned level of tension which leads to a fantastic payoff.

The film does wear a bit thin by the end of it's runtime, there's only so many times I can see leatherface do his stupid chainsaw dance before I get sick of it. In addition, I was ready for Choptop to make his exit from the film long before it ended. He started off great, and I appreciate Bill Mosely's work, but I grew tired of him. Also, what is up with the final shot in the movie?

Spoiler

I understand what Hooper was going for, but there had to have been a better take of that. Stretch looks ridiculous in the sequence as is, so it kind of left me with a bad taste in my mouth when the film ended.

To close up, how do you make a GOOD sequel to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Hell, I really don't know if that's possible, but I do think Toby Hooper went in the right direction. Featuring some great gore effects from Tom Savini and starring Caroline Williams legs, TCM 2 is worth a watch for horror fans. Try to have an open mind as you watch it though.

7.5/10 (I'm being a little generous with that rating).

 

[ThirstyFly]

Thank you.

So that happened.

Spoiler

Damn....

 

[Ridley327]

So that happened.

Spoiler

Damn....

I rarely cringe at on-screen violence, but everything that happened to

Spoiler

the librarian

was just... man, I don't know. It does something.

 

[TheSlySoul]

So I got an idea to watch "Masters of Horror" via OP. It is on Hulu luckily.

Anyways, going to link the list below to my reviews so people can see the history. Going to split it once the 15th comes so that it isn't a huge post.

10/1/15
ABCs of Death - 2/5
10/2/15
ABCs of Death 2 - 4/5
V/H/S/ - 2/5
10/3/15
V/H/S/ 2 - 3/5
V/H/S/ Viral - 1/5
10/4/15
Dale and Tucker vs. Evil - 5/5
10/5/15
Shaun of the Dead - 4/5
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari - 3/5
The Babadook - 4/5
10/6/15
Case 39 - 0/5
10/7/15
The Omen - 4/5
R.L. Stine's Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls – 2/5
Would You Rather – 2/5
10/8/15
Tales from the Darkside: The Movie – 3/5
The Loved Ones – 3/5
10/9/15
Scream – 3/5
Oculus – 2/5
Creepshow – 4/5
Tales from the Dark – 4/5
10/10/15
Tales from the Dark 2 – 3/5
10/11/15
Creepshow 2 – 2/5
10/12/15
The Den – 3/5
10/13/15
Masters of Horror (TV Show) - 3/5
10/14/15
*Rest*
10/15/15
Goosebumps (TV Show) - 3/5

 

[JetForceGemini]

I come to the conclusion that 80style horror is the best... The slasher/ campsite style films


The final girls was just that... The mask threw me off though

 

[Blader]

Son of Frankenstein
Ignoring the events of Bride of Frankenstein, this sequel picks up some decades after the original movie (though with a few new plot points retconned into it) with Frankenstein's son moving his family into his father's house, being constantly harangued for his father's legacy of creating a monster, and then...promptly resolves to bring the Monster back to life. It's an interesting take for a sequel; I like how the original film are treated as a sort of feared history in this movie, and makes for a unique set-up.

Basil Rathbone is solid, he doesn't really compare to Colin Clive but I like his arc. Bela Lugosi is excellent as Ygor though, as is Inspector Krough. Karloff is fine as the Monster but his characterization and the way he's directed is pretty disappointing. It's fine that he's lost the humanized touches from Bride, since that movie's being ignored anyway, but he doesn't feel as menacing as in the original either. And it doesn't really make much sense to me that the Monster would be capable of stealthily killing anyone, much less arranging their bodies to place the blame elsewhere.

It's a solid movie all in all but not as thematically interesting or visually impressive as Whale's films (who certainly did more with less real estate), and doesn't have the same sense of urgency.

The Wolf Man (1941)
What sets this apart from the other classic Universal monsters is that the Wolf Man is just a normal guy. Larry Talbot's a bit of creeper around women, but he's not an ancient vampire or a corpse brought back to life, he's a relatively normal person who had some bad thing happen to him as a consequence of doing a good thing, so there's an element of tragedy to this that isn't really part of the other monsters' characters. It's a shame that we don't get to see much of the Wolf Man at all -- or his transformations, which were mostly just shot at the feet.

Lon Chaney Jr. is just okay in this; he does that hangdog look well to sell Talbot's relative nice guy-ness, but he's not hugely memorable either. Claude Rains on the other hand is excellent. I also appreciated how the love interest is actually semi-important to the story, considering how the women in these movies are always relegated to these bit parts on the sidelines that don't matter at all.

 

[Violence Jack]

15. Cronos (1993) - My warm up for Crimson Peak tonight (won tickets to an advanced screening). Interesting take on vampires. While it wasn't really scary or all that creepy, it was an entertaining watch. Ron Perlman was great in this as well. 7.5/10.

 

[Brerlappin]

Note: if you took a shot every time I use the word "film" in one of my write-ups, you wouldn't make it to the end.

8. Christine



"Show me."

This is another one of those rewatches of mine where I haven't seen the film in well over a decade. I was pretty pumped about revisiting it because: 1. Its John Carpenter in his prime and 2. It was recently released on blu. Immediately upon starting up the film I was treated to Carpenters trademark atmospheric score and 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The film looks and sounds pretty good. Plot wise, I believe Christine holds one of the better love stories in the genre. Of course I'm talking about the romance between Arnie and his car. They are truly made for one another, even if we are told that Arnie isn't Christine first love. Their relationship is full of sacrifice, devotion, and learning to love unconditionally. Just look at the way Arnie touches Christine, he's not touching a car. At least he doesn't think so. Also of note is that the special effects are mindblowing at times, specifically when Christine is fixing herself. I also noticed that Christine pulled the whole "car talking through songs" decades before Michael Bay did the same thing with Bumblebee in the Transformers franchise. It's an amusing gag, but it also lets us dive into Christine's emotions at the time.

Spoilers:

Spoiler

The friendship between the two male leads makes gives Arnie's transformation some depth, and it gives the first half of the film an emotional center for the audience to latch onto. This friendship gets pushed to the background when Dennis get's hurt. I feel this hurts the plot a little as he isn't around for the majority of Arnie's "heel" turn. The stalking scenes are well done but the film kind of turns into your standard slasher flick about halfway through, and after the bullies are dispatched the story kind of messily bring Dennis and Leigh together to tie up the loose ends. It makes sense that Dennis was out of the picture where he was hurt and how Leigh and Arnie split up, but it still feels a bit rushed. There are a couple nice scenes where Dennis is made aware of Arnie and Christine's true relationship and the phone call between Arnie and Leigh is particularly traumatic. Despite this few problems, the film remains very effective, and I challenge anyone to bring up an evil car movie that can match it. Well, maybe Duel can, it's been years.

To close out, this film is a huge recommendation, especially to any Carpenter fans. The "show me" scene is still one of my favorite scenes from 80's horror. One question though, what is up with everybody using the word "shitters" every five seconds? Did people use that word back then? Am I being a shitter right now?

8/10

In the book, calling someone a "shitter" was Roland D. LeBays go-to insult. It was like his catchphrase. So when Arnie starts using it all the time it was supposed to be a tell tale sign that LeBay was kinda taking over Arnie. I havent seen the film in years but if i remember rightly i think they totally downplay the role of Lebay (the original owner of Christine), right? Cause in the book, its essentially Lebays soul that takes over Arnie and corrupts him. He has a much bigger role in the book.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

can anyone reccommend some top picks for the Grande Dame Guignol genre and 1950s era sci fi/horror/nuclear+communism fearmongering thanks - looking for some GREAT classics.

edit - THANKS for the recs so far !

 

[Violence Jack]

16. Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) - I enjoyed it the first time around, but not so much on re-watches. I still enjoy the twist at the end. 5.5/10

 

[BioHazard]

can anyone reccommend some top picks for the Grande Dame Guignol genre and 1950s era sci fi/horror/nuclear+communism fearmongering thanks - looking for some GREAT classics.

Not a horror but a noir: Kiss Me Deadly

 

[John Dunbar]

17. Bad Taste (1987): The movie might be called Bad Taste, but it takes good taste to enjoy it. It is very fun stuff, and reading the credits really makes you appreciate Peter Jackson. Despite having pretty much a zero budget, the practical effects were hilarious and the aliens looked so ridiculous it was awesome. When combined with tons of gore and some nice humour, it is easy to see how this became a cult classic. Will have to check out Meet the Feebles and Braindead now.

 

[Blue Submarine No. 6]

can anyone reccommend some top picks for the Grande Dame Guignol genre and 1950s era sci fi/horror/nuclear+communism fearmongering thanks - looking for some GREAT classics.

Okay, one of my favorite eras of sci-fi/horror... I'm just going to spit a bunch of my fave stuff at you:

First the ABSOLUTELY MUST SEE list:

1. The Thing From Another World (1951)
2. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
3. Godzilla (1954) - original Japanese version only, NOT the Raymond Burr American edit
4. The Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954)

And the REALLY GREAT YOU GOTTA WATCH 'EM list:

1. It Came From Outer Space (1953)
2. War of the Worlds (1953)
3. Them (1954)
4. Tarantula (1955)
5. The Quatermass Xperiment (1955)
6. Forbidden Planet (1956)
7. Rodan (1956)
8. X The Unknown (1956)
9. The Fly (1958)
10. I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958) - way, way better than you'd think

Those are my first recommendations off the top of my head, and there are so many others: When Worlds Collide (1951), Invaders from Mars (1953), Tarantula! (1955), The Trollenburg Terror (aka The Crawling Eye) (1958), The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953), Fiend Without a Face (1958), Quatermass II (1957), This Island Earth(1955) etc. etc... Really an incredibly rich period in Sci-Fi cinema.

 

[Blader]

Rodan (1956)

And I'll add also the original Japanese version, not the American edit which for some reason features a neverending narration.

 

[MattyH]

#13 - Evil Dead (81) really hyped for Ash Vs Evil Dead so the whole trilogy may just get a rewatch before the 31st

 

[Marty Chinn]

8) At The Devil's Door

Ugh this was the first bad movie I've watched this Halloween season. It's too disjointed, jumps around a bit, and takes too long to get going and then not much happens. The only reason it caught my eye was Naya Rivera was listed as the star and I always liked her in Glee so I was curious. It was tough to make it until the end.

 

[Fancy Clown]

11. The Dunwich Horror. By most metrics it's really not a very good movie at all, but the first two thirds are quite fun thanks to seeing Dean Stockwell (and others) hamming things up. He plays a loony cult leader who successfully woos the most gormless damsel in distress ever, just giving her a look like he's trying to strain a poo. It's a slathered in a wonderful 70's vibe, has a pretty cool soundtrack, and the core HP Lovecraft story works in conjunction with the levels of camp. The last third is really irredeemably bad though, as it just becomes boring when it attempts to be a monster movie but doesn't have the budget to have a monster, so you just sort of have to sit through a lot of shots of the camera slowly moving towards an actor giving unconvincing screams while various color filters are applied.

 

[tav7623]

I know I just did in the 'movies you watched' thread. Giving Zombie free range on a sequel (that he didn't even want to do) was not a good idea, apparently. At least they ended it at that. I have no faith in the Saw people for a new movie either though.

Just read your post in that thread and I sorta agree that the opening sequence (not the very first part but everything after the ambulance crash up to the end of the hospital sequence) was pretty much the best part of the movie, but I totally disagree with Malcom McDowell's performance being one of the (few) positive things about this movie (I feel Danielle Harris' performance was 10 times better) and I actually liked the dream sequence involving the glass coffin (though I kinda wished it wasn't a dream sequence and that Laurie really was drowning in that blood filled coffin cause I F*****g hated her character in this movie) even though it was utterly pointless. Oh and as a little "bonus" (if you are interested) I managed to find my original expletive laden H2 rant that I had posted on another forum about 5 - 6 years ago a few months after seeing it in theaters, it will be in spoiler tags below as it's a very very spoilerific rant, just in case others (for some inexplicable reason) decide to watch it for the first time.

Spoiler

just thinking about this movie............pisses me off.............this whole movie is a big fuck you to the audience.........think about it...... 1. the opening scrawl telling us the meaning of that white fuckin horse ......like we can't figure it out just by watching the movie......we get it ...it means Mikey is angry about his mama blowing her brains all over the living room wall .....2. overuse/misuse of cuss words (3 mins straight of one guy saying nothing but the word fuck....and a bunch of girls calling each other dick lickers....wtf.... I don't know any girl who'd let another girl, let alone a girl friend call her a dick licker without beating the ever living shit out of her) 3. The entire hospital sequence was a put in as a fuckin tease to make people think that maybe just maybe the movie would be better than Zombie's first Halloween film and that it was indeed going to be a remake of the second Halloween movie and it was also a giant fuck you to those people who would have wished to see a remake of the second Halloween instead .........4. The return of the song Love Hurts only instead of the regular version used in the first one we get the slow/drawn out version ( Rob Zombie must have been thinking hey if people think this awesome song was misused in the first one (i.e. people bitched about it) .......guess what........ fuck you..... I'm going to put a longer more drawn out version in the sequel just to make you suffer) 5. Bad Editing......The Bookstore signing scene ...need I say more.....6. Dr. Loomis has no other reason for being in this movie other than to be a douche bag and to show up at the end to try and save the day(again)......and again ends up as shush kabob .....ps....wtf I thought he died in the first one....didn't Mikey poke out both his eyes with his bare hands.....6. at about the half way point you wish Mikey would show up already and kill the annoying whinny little bitch formerly known as Laurie Strode.....( I know it is an interesting way of giving a new twist on a character and exploring new ground.....but you still got to make her likable/sympathetic for the audience in order for them to be able to root for her at the end) 7.Sherri Moon Zombie......everyone thought oh thank god we don't have to endure Sherri Moon's Mrs. Myers in the sequel YAY!!!.....guess what ......fuck you ......she's back as a ghost......with a white fuckin horse........8. This was the Lord of the Rings of slashers.......half the movie is Mikey walking through open terrain on his way to Haddonfield ....occasionally stabbing any random redneck assholes he comes across... (btw why didn't he just steal their truck and drive to Haddonfield like he did in the first one).... ..I swear I could hear the soaring music from Lord of the Rings playing in the background as mickey hiked along the backwoods of Illinois..........9. The bobble-head scene at the end of the movie with Laurie.....thanks Rob .....I needed to see that along with the image of a "female" Michael Myers wearing a french maids outfit.............10. Grizzly Grunting Myers......wtf .....does it really take that much effort to stab someone multiple times to the point that it causes you grunt....a lot...................moving on...................the only things I liked about this movie was Annie's character development and tragic end........the surreal imagery involving the dinner table/the great pumpkin king/Laurie in a glass coffin filling up with blood ( I wished it was real and that she was dead/drowned)...and the hospital sequence............ despite it being one of Rob Zombie's Fuck You moments in the movie......I think Zombie should stick to his original scripts/hillbilly horror movies and never touch another remake/franchise ever again ( I loved the Devil's Rejects)......cause he'll fuck it up somehow every time ( have ya'll heard Rob Zombie is making a blob-less blob remake....yeah ......still scratching my head on that one......)......... this movie really pisses me off.....if I could get a copy of the actual film they shot for this film I'd take a shit all over it and then set it on fire making shit burgers.........I give it a fuck you negative 100 out of 10......

 

[lordxar]

Yeah, I recently watched it too, not a five-bagger IMO, but definitely quite surprising.

I will revise that score to a four. Watching Dark Was the Night right now and if this stays together to the end its most certainly a five. May even make my GAF horror list on the other thread. Has potential. Its funny, I've enjoyed a lot of these movies and given a few fives but holy shit this is next level here so I may revise some other scores down slightly. This one just needs to go the distance...

 

[Infernostew]

11) Frankenhooker - Well, it's been some number of years since I first got my eyes on this one and it feels like the first time. I may be biased but I love most films set in New Jersey and this one bleeds it. Also, the nostalgia of rundown midtown and 42nd street is another thing I love in films (aside: Brian De Palma nails this in a ton of his films). Patty Mullen is great and the mixture of Shelley and Lovecraft is so absurd that it's works great. Whole film is hilarious but I absolutely loved the ending. "Wanna date? Need some company?" 8/10

12) Ringu - Welp, I saw the remake when it came out in theaters and still really like the film. I remember hearing chatter from people that the original was scarier and better than the remake around the time it came out and the truth is.... it isn't. Ringu is actually not really even a good film. The story is an interesting mystery but I felt the tone was really off. I saw it more of a lighthearted adventure to secure the main character's survival from the curse rather than a clear sense of dread that hangs over the remake. Maybe seeing the remake first spoiled the good story but everything else didn't really sit well with me. I also wasn't expecting it to end where it did and the felt the remake's ending was more satisfying instead of being like, "Oh, the credits are rolling now... ok?". 5/10

13) Ju-on - Easily the better of the two most popular japanese ghost stories. What I liked most about this film is who it was told non-linearly in what amounts to 6 short stories. Each one has it's own subject whether it being following a different character or someone at a different time. The film takes place over the course of many years as the curse is not bound to any specific time but to a place. Ju-on excels at being very creepy and atmospheric. Easily a more superior story and well.. everything than Ringu. If you're looking to watch top notch japanese horror, look no further. 7/10

14) Three... Extremes - 3 unsettling stories from some of Asia's best directors. Dumplings follows a woman's search for youth through a sinister dumpling recipe. Cut stars a kidnapped director who is the one taking direction as a disgruntled extra makes him act or he'll chop off his wife's fingers. Box tells of a girl who begins having nightmares of her long lost sister which somehow relates to her childhood and a... box. I really enjoyed all three of these shorts which are all extremely different but complement each other very well as an anthology package. Dumplings being a pretty straightforward story but has plenty of fun gross out moments, Cut plays like a violent black comedy with a very clever story (my favorite of the 3 films) and Box being an artistic mind puzzle. This beats the crap out of all those junky V/H/S nonsense. 8/10

 

[pitcairn55]

14 - Alien 3 – Special Edition assembly cut

“You’ve been in my life so long I can’t remember anything else…”

I was going to watch Alien, but when I dug out the quadrilogy dvd box set that I’ve had for many years I discovered that it includes the assembly cut of Alien 3, which I’ve somehow never watched. I decided to rectify this inexplicable oversight tonight.

People shit on this film a lot, and it certainly has its faults, but I’ve always had a soft spot for it. All of the alien movies have been fortunate to have great casts, and this is no exception. Brian Glover, Pete Postlethwaite, Danny Web, Phil Davis, Paul McGann and Charles Dance are all fantastic, but it’s the wonderful Charles S Dutton who’s the best of the men. His performance as the facility’s fire and brimstone psycho preacher man is compelling. Of course even he’s upstaged by the coolest person on the planet, the amazing, awe-inspiring Sigourney Weaver. I always think it must be a bit depressing being in a film with her, because no matter how good you are, you’re always going to be second best.

The changes from the theatrical version are more substantial than I was expecting, and do make for a better overall experience I think. The inclusion of more Paul McGann scenes was particularly welcome, because you can never have too much Paul McGann. Having said that, the movie’s still a bit of a bloody mess, particularly in the final act, and some of the CGI is atrocious.

Verdict: Not as good as 1 or 2, better than 4.

 

[canoli2006]

Film 11: Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

Well I survived. However, it was very difficult and honestly, I had to fast forward a couple of seconds when I got the jist of some of where the scenes were going. I had had enough towards the end.

The story is about a group of filmmakers (dumb shits) that go to the Amazon jungle and go missing. So, that leads to a rescue mission to find out what happened to them. Hmmm...I wonder? This film is a very big undertaking and I don't think a film has had that much of an emotional effect on me. Good luck to any that attempt to venture in the cannibal holocaust.

Off to watch the bluray diamond edition of Aladdin to cheer me up.

 

[mariachi507]

In the book, calling someone a "shitter" was Roland D. LeBays go-to insult. It was like his catchphrase. So when Arnie starts using it all the time it was supposed to be a tell tale sign that LeBay was kinda taking over Arnie. I havent seen the film in years but if i remember rightly i think they totally downplay the role of Lebay (the original owner of Christine), right? Cause in the book, its essentially Lebays soul that takes over Arnie and corrupts him. He has a much bigger role in the book.

Yeah, Lebay has a less prominent role in the film. All that's mentioned is that he was the previous owner of Christine, his family died in the vehicle, then he kills himself using Christine's exhaust fumes. His brother is the one that sells the car and mentions how nobody could come between Roland and Christine. Which mirrors Arnie and Christine later in the film.

Good looking out!