The 2013 Annual October Horror Movie Watching Thread!!!

4. The Walking Dead - 30 Days Without an Accident

Not a bad season premiere, but I have to admit I'm getting burned out by the story, and zombies in general. While you can like both series, I do feel American Horror Story is the better horror-related show on right now, with the way they reinvent themselves.

5. World War Z

Yeah, I was reluctant to even put this in the player, as I'm burned out on zombies (see above comments). I have to admit though, this was a very pleasant surprise. I don't care if the gore was in this version or not, I've seen more than enough zombie gore scenes in my life to satisfy that particular urge. And I actually kinda liked the way this played out, even if it's more action/adventure than horror. In fact, maybe that's the reason.

 

10.14.13 (19)



Monsteroid (1980) (DVD)

Watchability:
Energy drain:

Chemical factory in Colombia pollutes lake creating man-eating creature. John Carradine shows up as a Priest and burns a witch on a stake. A bitchy reporter films everything and some guys blow up the beast. Based on true story.
This was dull and dreadful viewing and made The Spawn of Slithis (1978) look good.

 

October 14

Friday the 13th The Final Chapter

 

25.) Pet Sematary II (1992) 5 / 5 (DVD)
I love this sequel! It's a bit campier than the first, but more stylish and every bit as fun. Somebody give Clancy Brown an Oscar, because his performance here is incredible!

26.) Eyes Of Laura Mars (1978) 2 / 5 (TV)
I had never seen this before, but have always wanted to because of John Carpenter's involvement and the interesting premise. Have to say, I was disappointed. Very melodramatic and ordinary. So much missed potential.



27.) House Of Fears (2007) 3 / 5 (DVD)
Even though this movie is incredibly tame and hollow, it is still fairly entertaining and extremely easy to look at. This was my second viewing.

28.) The Fly (1986) 5 / 5 (blu-ray)
It has been years since I've seen this, and while I've always liked the movie, I don't know if I ever appreciated how good it really is. The script is fantastic, fast-paced and dialogue driven. There's so much creativity on display here that it seems wrong to call it a remake.



29.) The Fear: Halloween Night (1999) 4 / 5 (VHS)
I was very generous with my rating because these movies are a huge guilty pleasure of mine. I have a bit more of a fondness for the first film, but I think this one is every bit as fun. Plus, it's always fun to see Betsy Palmer (the movie also stars Gordon Currie from Jason Takes Manhattan). So there's a bit of a Friday connection here.


Previous movies:
1.) Return To Sleepaway Camp (2008)
2.) The Burning (1981)
3.) Dead Before Dawn (2012)
4.) Jack Ketchum's The Lost (2006)
5.) Hallows' Eve (2013)
6.) Helter Skelter (1976)
7.) Arachnophobia (1990)
8.) 100 Bloody Acres (2012)
9.) Scarecrow (2013)
10.) Wither (2012)
11.) My Babysitter's A Vampire (2010)
12.) Phantasm II (1988)
13.) Sorority House Massacre (1986)
14.) Sorority House Massacre II (1990)
15.) Return Of The Living Dead III (1993)
16.) Curse Of Chucky (2013)
17.) Static (2012)
18.) Nothing Left To Fear (2013)
19.) Strangeland (1998)
20.) The Return Of The Living Dead (1985)
21.) The Absent (2011)
22.) Silver Bullet (1985)
23.) Night Of The Demons (1988)
24.) Pet Sematary (1989)

 

Oct. 14th (#10)

Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)



I loved the look of this otherwise insufferable film. The camp was too self-aware, the songs were more bombastic than clever, but thank goodness for Anthony Stewart Head's reliable pipes.

I've tried to watch this before and finally made it all the way through this time. Bleh!

 

October 14th:

Wolfen
Stephen King's Silver Bullet
Ginger Snaps
Dog Soldiers
Bad Moon

 

Oct. 14th (#11)

Bloody Birthday (1981)

A slasher with two great posters!



This one is a lot of fun, mostly due to the inept nature of the town. At each funeral, the three children stare, wink, nod, and smile at one another. They leave fingerprints everywhere and even pools of blood in bedrooms. They are noisy and murder in broad daylight--yet the police are baffled!

Plenty of nudity, unintentional laughs, and a very 80s-cheese atmosphere make this one worthwhile.

 

Oct. 14th (#12)

The American Scream (2012)



Wow, what a great documentary about amateur haunted houses. The father-son team was truly bizarre, the junk-hoarder was sad, and the family business was inspiring--if not nerve-wracking. How do they afford all this? Eek!

And yet, I wish the doc focused a little more on the actual houses once open for business--and some of the day-after processes would have been nice to see.

Perfect seasonal viewing. Recommended!

 

October 1st

01. Night Gallery: The Cemetery


October 2nd

02. Night Gallery: Little Black Bag


October 3rd

03. Night Gallery: Finnegan's Flight


October 4th

04. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)


October 5th

05. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)


October 6th

06. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)


October 7th

07. Night Gallery: Class of '99


October 8th

08. Night Gallery: The Return of the Sorcerer


October 9th

09. Night Gallery: Aunt Ada


October 10th

10. Night Gallery: A Question of Fear


October 11th

11. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)


October 12th

12. The Shining (1980)


October 13th

13. The Fog (1980)


October 14th

14. Christine (1983)

 

10/2/13

The Walking Dead “The Suicide King” (2013)
The Walking Dead “Home” (2013)
The Walking Dead “I Ain’t A Judas” (2013)

10/4/13

The Walking Dead "Clear" (2013)
The Walking Dead "Arrow on the Doorpost" (2013)
The Walking Dead "Prey" (2013)

10/5/13

The Walking Dead "This Sorrowful Life" (2013)
The Walking Dead "Welcome to the Tombs" (2013)
The Fog (1980)
Prince of Darkness (1987)

10/6/13

Psycho II (1983)
Psycho III (1986)

10/7/13

Baron Blood (1972)
Lisa and the Devil (1974)

10/9/13

American Horror Story: Asylum "Welcome To Briarcliff" (2012)
American Horror Story: Asylum "Tricks & Treats" (2012)

10/11/13

Dracula (1958)
The Vampire Lovers (1970)
Twins of Evil (1971)

10/12/13

Asylum (1972)

10/13/13

American Horror Story: Asylum “Nor’easter” (2012)
American Horror Story: Asylum “I Am Anne Frank Part 1” (2012)
American Horror Story: Asylum “I Am Anne Frank Part 2” (2012)
American Horror Story: Asylum “The Origins of Monstrosity” (2012)

 

Oct. 14th (#12)

Switchblade Sisters aka Maggie's Stiletto Sisters aka The Jezebels (1975)




Stellar cheese! This was a helluva riot. I liked the jail beatdown, the wacky roller-rink shootout, and the female performances--the male characters were all scum and slime caricatures, but the females were elevated by the acting. Plenty of cattiness, sure, but these women sold it!

 

October 14:




The Mummy (1932): I just couldn't get into this one. Some cool sets and Karloff was bad-ass but the movie was just so slow.

The Invisible Man (1933): Was this supposed to be a comedy? Sure felt like it. It's pretty silly but not without it's charms.

Frankenstein (1931): Great as always!! Love everything about it.

 

31. Two Evil Eyes
32. The Living Dead Girl

 

October 14th:

Night Warning (1982)-8/10
Spooky Encounters (1980)-9/10
Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1973)-8/10
Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye (1973)-7/10

 

Oct. 14th (#13)

Pet Sematary (1989)



Why anyone would ever buy this house is an integral part of your suspension of disbelief. 1. A truck roars past the house at least every thirty minutes. 2. A pet cemetery is attached to the property, filled with graves and a patch of thorns piled so high that they cover the mountain and Indian burial ground behind it.

This time around, I wondered about Fred Gwynne's character, Jud Crandall.

Spoiler

Wonderfully played, Fred imbues a moral ambiguity into the character in the early scenes--his tone is always ominous (and always talking about "the road"--there's a drinking game waiting to happen)--and even while leading Louis to his doom. But then he shifts in his later moments, blaming himself for Gage's death.

Is he an agent of the soil? When Louis storms into Judd's house after following Gage's footprints, the home is initially overgrown with soil and foliage. Then it reverts back to normal. Hallucination or a glimpse into the true "form" of the house?

King's screenplay is not subtle. At any moment, a nearby truck is careening, and then Church is constantly mewing, hissing, and it all devolves into thunder strikes. But there are powerful moments as well, and it's so damn spooky and watchable.

 

10.13.13
The Walking Dead: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray
The Walking Dead "30 Days Without An Accident" (S4 EP.1) TV





10.14.13
Headless Eyes DVD
Invasion Of The Blood Farmers DVD
Silent Night, Bloody Night DVD
Blood Bath DVD

 

On horror film hiatus for two days, thanks to this damned flu from hell.
This year has been brutal.

 

** = first time viewing
10/01 - Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) 5/10
10/02 - Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) 6/10
10/03 - The Awful Dr. Orlof (1962) 4/10 **
10/04 - Black Sunday (1960) **
10/05 - World War Z [Unrated] (2013) 6/10 **
10/05 - Stripperland (2011) 4/10 **
10/06 - A Bay of Blood (1971) 8/10 **
10/07 - Female Vampire (1973) 1/10 **
10/08 - Student Bodies (1981) 5/10 **
10/09 - Return to Horror High (1987) 6/10 **
10/10 - Kill Baby, Kill (1966) **
10/11 - Lisa and the Devil (1973) **
10/11 - The Hitchhiker: A Whole New You (1991) 1/10 **
10/12 - The Hitchhiker: True Believer (1986) 4/10 **
10/12 - The Hitchhiker: W.G.O.D. (1985) 5/10 **




The Hitchhiker: A Whole New You (1991) 1/10 **
Elliot Gould plays a violent criminal preparing to testify against his old boss. He goes to a clinic to have plastic surgery to conceal his identity.

Elliot Gould puts on a good performance, but there was nothing interesting and no surprises.


The Hitchhiker: True Believer (1986) 4/10 **
Tom Skerritt plays a troubled investigator looking into the suicide of a priest in an abandoned convent.

Skerritt does his part but this one plays it too straight. No surprises and then the credits roll.


The Hitchhiker: W.G.O.D. (1985) 5/10 **
Gary Busey plays an evangelist who has achieved tremendous fame but a long-suppressed shameful secret from his dark family past threatens to destroy him.

Busey is a hoot in everything he does. This isn’t any different but the episode is a bit too predictable.

 

October 15th
​

29) Bleeding House: I don't know if anyone else has seen this but the premise is loosely reminiscent of Takashi Miike's Visitor Q. Unfortunately it is nowhere near as bizarre or visceral as that film. It starts out well enough but, around the middle of the run time, it seems to forget what it's trying to accomplish. The actor who plays the visitor is very charismatic and does a great job carrying the movie along, but it starts to come undone resulting in a frustrating and lackluster ending. (5/10)

30) Terror Tract: A quirky and stupid Tales From The Crypt-esque horror anthology. All three segments have their highs and lows, but it's the wrap around with John Ritter that is the most entertaining. I would have liked this a whole lot more if the segments weren't so under though, over acted and poorly executed. They all had a lot of potential to be great, the third segment in particular since is had the most unique story line, but the mediocre writing really held them back. (6/10)

 

October 15-Death Ship. 3.5/5. So much better than I remembered and quite effective.
This Is The End. 3/5.
Horror of Dracula. 5/5.
Fright Night. 5/5.