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[kinggroin]

A super fun high school horror romp that does a unique take on the zombie sub-genre; turned, by alien slugs! Night of the Creeps sports a vibe that's simultaneously 80s and 50s, leveraging aesthetics, music, and style from both decades to deliver an at-the-time fresh horror film, with an old spirit. A head-burstin' good time that makes for a perfect viewing any time of the year.

But since this is October, it feels a little extra special.


https://letterboxd.com/kinggroin/film/night-of-the-creeps/

 

[Divius]

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

For some reason stupid Tommy is back again and he decides to resurrect the thought dead Jason, so now we have superstrength-unstoppable-zombie-Jason going on yet another killing spree. Great. Good job, Tommy. This movie again switches it up, this time into a more wacky direction, which is fine not only because it fits the movie but moreso because it is a welcome change of pace. It’s a bit more loose, fun and lighthearted, while still bringing better sexing youngsters, brutal killings and scary/awesome moments than any of the previous movies. The ‘new’ Jason works really well, he’s more imposing and scarier. Best one yet! 6.5/10

 

[Fancy Clown]

After giving Romero his due for this list with Creepshow, I would be remiss not to pay my respects to Tobe Hooper as well. So I finally decided to give Salem's lot a shot (especially fitting since it slots in nicely with my fairly vampire heavy schedule).

9. Salem's Lot (Tobe Hooper, 1979)

Despite being made five years later, Salem's Lot feels a decade older than Tobe Hooper's horror masterpiece and directorial debut The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It's a staunchly old fashioned genre fusion of gothic vampire tale, and small town haunted house flick, indulging in all the most overt tropes of both --replete even with brash theatrical score that telegraphs its every move.

And though it has very little of discomfortingly nonchalant violence that defined Texas Chain Saw Massacre and made it so horrifying, there's comfort in Salem's Lot's obstinately old fashioned approach to the horror. But for things to play out so expectedly, this movie really need to be at least an hour shorter than it is. This probably played a lot better in its original two-part miniseries format, with all its small town melodrama slowly –very slowly– giving way to viral spread of terror.

There are a lot of good moments peppered throughout here (the main antagonists, both human and undead, both have particularly compelling screen presences) , but there's far too much flab for a feature film. And if you're gonna have three hour run time, you better give us more than three minutes of Elisha Cook Jr.

 

[More_Badass]

Bonus 01) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) (Oct 7) (rewatch)

Okay, I'll admit it. I was never really a huge fan of the original TCM. I had seen (and enjoyed) the 2003 remake first and when I finally got around to watching the original, I was just left with a "that's it?" reaction.

I haven't rewatched it until now, and I must say, I was completely wrong. It's a fantastic movie and I see what the draw is now. It's also much more slickly shot than I recall. There's some really inedible camera work on display in this one. My only real beef is Franklin. Goddamn is he annoying and front-loading the movie so much oh him is probably what gave me my initial lukewarm impression of the film to begin with.

I won't be giving scores to rewatches. If they weren't good, I wouldn't have watched them again. Highly recommended.

No horror villain entrance will ever top this

Freddie’s long arms are great, but the suddenness of it, the hammerblow to the head, the fact that it’s during the day...it’s perfect

 

[Ridley327]

October 8, film 1

For those of you who think that Lucio Fulci makes psychologically dangerous films, it might offer up some solace that in the opinion presented in Cat in the Brain, Lucio Fulci thinks so to. Writing, directing and starring as a slightly fictionalized version of himself, Fucli does right by pointing the camera directly at himself in an attempt to atone for the kind of imagery that audiences have been subject to over the course of his career. Indeed, scenes from some of his most recent films at the time play a big part in the film, as he's hallucinating their existence into his perception of reality, making it hard for him to function normally to the point where even the sight of steak tartare is enough to reduce him to a mumbling mess. He does what any sensible human being does and seeks psychiatric help from a wildly overacting David L. Thompson, who winds up being the last person anyone should trust with their mental well-being.

On one hand, it's nice to see someone like Fulci allow for some introspection and even some warranted self-critique of their chosen career path, as the film bombards you with one ridiculously gory scene after another as a reminder of the things he would be more well known for than the skill he had with creating a thick atmosphere. On the other hand, Fulci maaaaaay not be the most skilled when it comes to bringing that together on a story level, as his familiar problems with staying in one lane crop up frequently. As mentioned, the film almost immediately dives into a separate subplot featuring an actual killer on the loose that's taking advantage of Fulci's condition in order to have an out once all of his deeds are done, without much regard to how he's actually planning to implicate him beyond breaching patient confidentiality. Characters arrive unannounced as if we're supposed to know who they are right away, and leave just as quickly. Anything that tends to go wrong in a Fulci film does here, and often, which undermines some of the finer points that he's attempting to make. Hell, even the ending, as obvious a conclusion as they get, feels like an attempt of self-sabotage for the sake of making an obvious joke about the very nature of the story that they're dealing with here.

It's not a bad film, really; just one that feels like a colossal missed opportunity. For a film that is about 50% clip reel, Fulci does a good job of integrating them without feeling lazy, and there is so much unintentional humor to see him freak out while muttering "put it in the pocket" over and over again that the film could qualify as a comedy between lines like that and whenever David L. Thompson is on screen (seriously folks, he starts at an 11 and never turns the volume down, especially during his kill scenes). Self-reflexive horror films would be better served just a few years later from the likes of Wes Craven, who managed to stay on message while also having a lot of fun being able to play around with his classic character, which makes Fulci a pioneer as far as horror is concerned, if hardly the pinnacle.

 

[Penguin]

Movie 1 - Dracula (1931) [NEW]
Movie 2 - Dracula 2000 [NEW]
Movie 3 - Dracula (1979) [NEW]
Movie 4- The Creature from The Black Lagoon [NEW]
Movie 5 - Dracula's Daughter [New]
Movie 6 - Son of Dracula [New]
Movie 7 - El Bar [New]
Movie 8 - Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula [New]
Movie 9 - John Carpenter's Vampires [New]
Movie 10 - Blacula [New]

Movie 11 - Dollman vs Demonic Toys [New]
I said that another theme for this month would be "Vs." horror movies for my Friday night fun, and this one was a bit of a mess since friend recommended and turned out to just be over an hour so only... half counts?

The movie itself was a giant mess. It's a crossover of two other film franchises that I had never seen before, but don't worry like half the movie is recapping both of those movies to catch you up to speed on that.

Then the main hero, Dollman, is literally a doll sized man who is like what maybe 12 inches and his foes are evil toys that are trying to resurrect their dead god, it's a strange bizarre movie that I hard remember.

Movie 12 - Frankenstein 1931 [New]
Movie 13 - Bride of Frankenstein [New]

I've got to say I'm extraordinarily happy that I decided to dive into the Universal Monsters this year, it has been an utter delight discovering so many horror gems. Thus far not a bad film among them.

Frankenstein was such an eye-opening experience because so much of what I've absorbed about the tale from pop culture was wrong. Some things, I get change over time like Igor being Fritz and Henry being his first name instead of Victor.

But I always thought that Frankenstein was a mad scientist with grand ambitions and he kind of is, but he creates the monster and realizes it was a mistake within like the first act of the movie. Maybe act and a half.

After that he turns into a fairly rational man who is devoted to getting his life back to normal.

The movie itself is great. Especially once the monster gets loose. The only thing, and not movies fault, is watching on blu and can totally tell when backgrounds are just like images pasted in the back of a set or something.

Bride of Frankenstein much like Dracula's Daughter, I was surprised by how much I really liked the sequel. And both for similar reasons, they aren't trying to redo the original instead dealing with the consequences of the previous film in a logical manner.

I like that they try to humanize the monster in this version and the scene with him and the blind man is an utterly fantastic piece of cinema. And I like that it takes the creation of the Bride for him to realize that he is an mistake. A bittersweet ending.

 

[Toa TAK]

Day 8

8. Wrong Turn 2: Dead End

Cannibals in West Virginia. Bleh.

This movie had to be written by a Virginian.

Thanks for nothing, free Vudu movie.

 

[kinggroin]

No horror villain entrance will ever top this

Freddie’s long arms are great, but the suddenness of it, the hammerblow to the head, the fact that it’s during the day...it’s perfect

The ominous hum that hits at the moment the door slams shut. You know shit is about to get real.

TTCM is a perfect horror film. One of the few.

 

[Linkhero1]

Any recommendations on something creepy and unsettling? Not really looking for jump scares but a film that builds up tension. Have had a couple misses this year so I'm hoping for several good recommendations.

 

[gamz]

What Lies Beneath

It's been years since I saw it, but holy shit does RZ direct the shit out of it! Bums me out that he hasn't directed a mystery thriller since. So well crafted.

 

[gamz]

Any recommendations on something creepy and unsettling? Not really looking for jump scares but a film that builds up tension. Have had a couple misses this year so I'm hoping for several good recommendations.

The Strangers

 

[ThirstyFly]

No horror villain entrance will ever top this

Freddie's long arms are great, but the suddenness of it, the hammerblow to the head, the fact that it's during the day...it's perfect

Oh yeah. The blood red of the wall, the twitching, the SLAM. Amazing stuff.

I really do love that most of the movie takes place during the day too.

 

[Ridley327]

October 8, film 2

While the names involved include both Lucio Fulci (one of the writers and once slated to direct before his death) and Dario Argento, The Wax Mask seems better steeped in the likes of Hammer, with the film coming across as the kind of spin that they would put on the likes of House of Wax. It boasts some nice affectation for the era it depicts and a rather stirring score, while also being considerably more explicit with the sex and violence. Of course, with Fucli and Argento as the masterminds behind the project, you can certainly expect those elements to be played up even further, with plenty of skin and gruesome gore to go around. It's tempting to wonder just how this would have come together under Fulci, but for his part, frequent Argento effects collaborator Sergio Stivaletti does a decent job for his first film, giving you exactly what you want out a film like this. It is perhaps on the unambitious side, as the mystery as to who the killer is couldn't possibly surprise anyone and there's really not much to the character relationships to fosters any kind of real passion or animosity that they may have towards one another, leading to a lot of flat performances that merely go through the motions. That being said, the last 10 minutes or so of the film do offer up some genuine wackadoo moments that could only come from a production like this, leading to a solid finale that can only be faulted for baiting a sequel that would surely never happen. I don't doubt that the intended director would have lead to a more interesting film, but the final product here is a solid if somewhat unspectacular effort that has a decent appeal with its mix of period details and gory kills.

 

[Linkhero1]

The Strangers

I've seen this one. Great film. Apologies that I can't share a list of everything I've viewed.

 

[gamz]

I've seen this one. Great film. Apologies that I can't share a list of everything I've viewed.

Session 9

 

[GhaleonEB]

Any recommendations on something creepy and unsettling? Not really looking for jump scares but a film that builds up tension. Have had a couple misses this year so I'm hoping for several good recommendations.

The Witch
House of the Devil (slow burn horror)

 

[J-Roderton]

9. Tales of Halloween - Nowhere as great as Trick R Treat, but there are a few neat stories in it. A few bad ones too, though.

 

[kinggroin]

Suspiria is a film that relies heavily on the quality of it's audio visual presentation to properly deliver on it's intended atmosphere. And while Goblins' work has always been done justice, unfortunately we have yet to get a version of this film, at least on Blu-ray, that is able to translate the visual side of the atmosphere faithfully.

I first watched Suspiria a few years ago on a YouTube stream, a version of the film presented in a resolution no higher than a VHS tape, and despite the myriad of visual problems, I still dug it. Argento films, even when they look like shit, are at least thematically interesting - typically playing out like some hallucinatory Italian fever dream. Suspiria was no exception, and as a result, I had a freaky good time with it. Fast forward to tonight. With my Blu-ray release of a promised "improved" transfer in tow, I was set to experience Suspiria in a fashion it truly deserved. Sort of.

While this Korean version of the Argento classic delivered on natural skin tones and color tone accuracy, luminance and contrast sat way too high and as a result, highlights were blown out and certain flashes of color ate into scene detail. It was still better - a LOT better - than my previous YouTube outing, but it looks I won't be experiencing anything close to a definitive version of Suspiria, at least not until Synapse releases their remastered 4k edition. Oh well.

I guess I could talk about the film itself, again, but I'd rather wait to properly review this once I have experienced it at its best.


https://letterboxd.com/kinggroin/film/suspiria/1/

 

[mariachi507]

#8 is up and tonight its Slither such a fun zombie/alien movie

Bitch is hardcore.

 

[More_Badass]

14) Society (1989)

So that was something. Too bad the first hour was such a slog, because the finale sure makes sitting through that very very worth it. There's a lot flawed about Society - its message being as blunt and blatant as a sledgehammer being one - but the final twenty minutes is one wonderfully fucked up nightmare.

 

[kinggroin]

14) Society (1989)


So that was something. Too bad the first hour was such a slog, because the finale sure makes sitting through that very very worth it. There's a lot flawed about Society - its message being as blunt and blatant as a sledgehammer being one - but the final twenty minutes is one wonderfully fucked up nightmare.

Oh man, can't agree.

There are so many fun moments - many of which wonderfully fueled by paranoia - leading up to the finale, that my anticipation only grew as time wore on. Never felt pacing was an issue.

The sex scene following the pool-side party being one stand out.

 

[mariachi507]

7. Cult of Chucky

I am what you can call an unashamed fan of the Chucky series. Ever since I was a child it has been near and dear to me. With that being said, there is a good chance I could have blinders on when it comes to new installments because I've mostly enjoyed every single one so far...mostly. Cult picks up right where Curse ended in more ways that one. Whereas Curse was a more restrained gothic horror take of the series that took its time in showing us Chucky in action, he is front and center throughout Cult. Were also seeing his more zany side in action similar to Bride and Seed, but he is still able to be menacing when he wants to.

Mancini has so far been able to make each installment feel unique and Cult is no different. The hospital setting is welcome and provides some nice imagery. Where the film suffers is in the depiction of many of the patients and staff at the hospital. With so much Chucky on the screen there wasn't enough time to invest in the other characters which makes them seem a bit one-dimensional and existing only to kill off. At least their death scenes make up for it, sort of.

As mentioned before, the majority of time is spent with Brad Dourif's "Chucky" and his daughter Fiona's "Nica". Fiona gives a fine performance that makes me curious why I don't see her working elsewhere. As for Chucky himself, I believe this is the best he's been since Bride. I had thought a few of the big lines and moments in Curse were a little off the mark, but Dourif's VO work is on point, memorable, and hilarious. "I just can't with this guy."

Basically, as long as Don Mancini is able to keep up this quality, I'm in for the long haul. He's able to deliver sequels that have their own identity while also paying respect to the installments that came before.
I'm thankful that he decided to go in this direction instead of going through with the plans to remake the original. The other big horror franchises should take note.

Verdict: 8/10

"The greatest direct-to-video, seventh installment of any horror franchise ever. However, it's only the second best film that features Brad Dourif trapped in a mental hospital."

 

[DeathoftheEndless]

11. Prince of Darkness - This was a fascinating movie about scientists caught up in a battle with the devil. There's a large cast, but most of them are given something interesting to do. Its not a great movie, but its a unique story and I enjoyed it.

12. The Blob (1958) - This is a pretty fun creature feature about an alien blob on the loose. There are some great moments of humor and action, but they come a little too infrequently. Needed a bit more blob action.

 

[Roronoa Zoro]

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

For some reason stupid Tommy is back again and he decides to resurrect the thought dead Jason, so now we have superstrength-unstoppable-zombie-Jason going on yet another killing spree. Great. Good job, Tommy. This movie again switches it up, this time into a more wacky direction, which is fine not only because it fits the movie but moreso because it is a welcome change of pace. It’s a bit more loose, fun and lighthearted, while still bringing better sexing youngsters, brutal killings and scary/awesome moments than any of the previous movies. The ‘new’ Jason works really well, he’s more imposing and scarier. Best one yet! 6.5/10

I agree with you on 6 and if you haven’t seen 7 it’s quite fun as well

I watched Jason takes Manhattan tonight
I think it should be renamed considering

Spoiler

he only goes there for like 5 minutes at the end

It does provide some fun kills and the series was definitely losing steam and desperately grasping at this point. All right we’ve done psychics, resurrections, copy cats (the worst one), and now he’s sight seeing! I’ve got one more to go and I’m just about at my limit so it’s Well timed. I haven’t seen any of the sequels all the way through of the big 3 horror villains (Freddy, jason, and Michael Myers) so I’m doing a crap ton of them if not all of them this October.

 

[Fancy Clown]

10. Son of Dracula (Robert Siodmak, 1943)

A far more conventional sequel than Dracula’s Daughter, Son of Dracula dispenses any psychological nuance in favor of hammy and predictable monster thrills. It’s still fun, mind you, but is thoroughly uninspired. Lon Chaney Jr. makes for a schlubby Dracula, and get prepared for a lot of unconvincing special effects (goofiest use of Bat puppet this side of Fulci’s House by the Cemetery?)

I still scraped some enjoyment out of this though, thanks mostly to the gorgeous southern gothic atmosphere —full of shadowy manors and moonlit swamps— and the idea of Dracula preying on racist plantation owners.

 

[JigglesBunny]

Evil Dead (2013)

My favorite in the franchise, Evil Dead 2013 takes a different approach to the trilogy that came before it. Stripping out the wacky tone and series protagonist Ash, this sequel opts for straight horror and an entirely dark tone and it fucking works. The film is grimy, blood drenched (in accordance with series tradition) and unforgivingly brutal. The story is surprisingly dramatic and emotional, covering Mia (played by the excellent Jane Levy), a cocaine addict on the mend accompanied by her brother and friends as they isolate her in her mother’s old cabin deep within the woods in hopes of cutting her off and breaking the addition. Despite the overbearingly grim tone, the film managed to maintain the charm of the franchise - it’s every bit as over the top, repulsively gory and shocking as its forebearers, just without the comedic twist to lighten the mood. It’s overwhelmingly effective and as I’m sure will be the case this time as with every viewing, it always manages to leave me with nightmares. There is some traumatizing shit here. That said, it’s not flawless.

Most of the performances are a crapshoot aside from Shiloh Fernandez and Jane Levy and the dialogue is often cheesy and absurd, something that doesn’t gel with the serious tone. There is also the problem of excess - it’s hard to

Spoiler

make a character losing an arm seem brutal when it’s literally raining blood.

There are times where the horror would have been better served with some restraint, but the film always throws everything in AND the kitchen sink. There’s no time for subtlety, it’s all gore, all shock, all the time, no moments to breathe or build tension. If you’re looking for a slow burn or chilling atmosphere, this isn’t your bag. If you want imagery that will burn into your brain, this is the film for you.

Evil Dead 2013 is a horrifying ride from beginning to end. It’s horror in its purest form - relentless, brutal and it leaves one hell of an impression. Having watched the film roughly two times a year since release, it only continues to grow on me with every viewing. There’s really no movie as primal and vicious released in the mainstream circuit and it continues to shock me how well it resonated with audiences, though clearly, it wasn’t enough to justify a sequel. Instead, we get the painfully mediocre Ash vs. Evil Dead, though that’s a topic for another time.

Evil Dead ‘13 is an 8/10

 

[sp3ctr3]

#1 Serial Mom
#2 [REC]2
#3. Bloodsucking Bastards
#4. Train to Busan
#5 It Follows
#6 Hush
#7 Lights Out

#8 Cabin in the Woods (Re-watch)

A great movie that puts a new twist on the teen stereotypes that goes to a cabin in the woods.

I love this movie and could imagine it will become a modern classic. It's a fun ride with the jock, the whore, the scholar, the fool and the virgin. Don't want to reveal too much about the plot but it soon becomes apparant what going on and who's pulling the strings.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

No horror villain entrance will ever top this

Freddie’s long arms are great, but the suddenness of it, the hammerblow to the head, the fact that it’s during the day...it’s perfect

Yeah. TTCM is not my favorite film, but this was a tremendously great intro. Door just flies open and he's there.

 

[kinggroin]

Yeah. TTCM is not my favorite film, but this was a tremendously great intro. Door just flies open and he's there.

Door was already open

 

[sadromeo]

October 8, 2017:

8 of 31 - Train to Busan
This is an absolute masterpiece of a movie. This is amazing considering it is a zombie movie. But honestly, it is way more than that. From the story, to the characters, to the cinematography, special effects and everything in between, just a complete masterpiece. By the time you have finished watching this, you would have felt every emotion in the emotional spectrum. The movie is intense and terrifying, where the zombies are 28 days later style, running, aggressive, bloodthirsty and completely savage. You will be on the edge of your seat throughout. But, what really elevates this movie is the greatness of the story and the emotions and richness of the characters. The relationship arcs between a father and daughter, a husband and pregnant wife, a young baseball player, his girl and his team, a COO and his greed, two older female best friends and their tense interactions among themselves and the other people on the train, with the backdrop of crazy zombies and life as they know it being horrificly torn away as the train speeds to what they hope is their last chance of survival, are some of the best, beautifully done and has you right at the center of it, feeling everything. This movie is complete.

This movie should absolutely be watched, whether you like zombie movies or not, period. Where is the sequel already!?! -100/10

 

[Hex]

City of the Living Dead
The Beyond
The House by the Cemetary

Will cover these together, because they make an unofficial trilogy.

These are Fulci at his best, and not for the weak of stomach or heart.

We start off with a seance in New York, where a priest in the small town of Dunwich (some nice Lovecraft nods in this series) hanging himself is seen in a vision.
Magical tome says this is a really bad thing..hell coming back...you get the idea.
What follows is a very stylized zombie x supernatural mystery.
City of the Living Dead also contains the one scene that made me say "wtf" when I was younger and rented the VHS.
I will just say it takes place in a car.

The Beyond has a very similar feel, but kicks off with a Warlock being condemned and in modern day some renovations open a portal to hell.
Zombie hell and mayhem ensue.

The House by the Cemetery takes a slightly different feel, and deals with a house with a secret.

All and all this is a series that I have loved since my walking up to the Video Store on fridays and raiding the horror section.
Back then I did not know they were related but the relation is loose.
Highly recommended for fans of supernatural horror with a dash of gore

 

[lordxar]

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer When I put my serial killer list together I knew some of it wouldn't fit. Meaning I tossed some slashers in there thinking their close enough. Seeing Henry though really puts what I should have sought out in perspective because this is very much the serial killer type film I was after. Man Bites Dog would fit the bill too but I've already watched that one.

The death scenes are largely shown after the fact with sounds of the event as background noise. Even then your left feeling grimy seeing it all. This is exactly the film I had in mind for this list but I have a feeling these are few and far between with more conventional cops and robbers flicks regarding serial killers rather than an outright horrifying display such as this.

Edit: almost forgot the most important part...

I give this one three and a half victims in luggage by the side of the road.

 

[Zombine]

I’ve been a bit behind due to Comic Con and life in general, but I have currently landed on my 5th (and most disappointing) film of the bunch.

After watching Curse of Chucky last October and loving every moment of it, my hype for Cult of Chucky was significantly higher than it should have been. A colossal failure and downgrade from that film in every sense —returning to the self aware bullshit that was present through all of Seed of Chucky. The entire gimmick fell flat, and would be an easy film to avoid for any genre fan. 4/10

 

[FUBAR McDangles]

Running a bit behind but my fourth of the month was Life (2017). Wasnt particularly good, but wasnt bad either. The creature was entertaining though, made me feel uncomfortable in a way that most alien/monsters do not. Solid movie. Worth a watch to pad your list a bit, but not much more. 6/10

List so far:
Conjuring - 8/10
Hush - 7/10
Alien - 8/10
Life - 6/10

 

[halfbeast]

text

text

ha, I kinda agree with both of you. this movie is so bizarre! the good parts I really liked and the bad parts really put me off. I'd say it's very dependant on your mood if you can enjoy it or not.

 

[Hamoody]

8) The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

The story follows teenagers who retreat to a remote forest cabin, where they fall victim to its horrors.

This movie is pretty smart, and actually pretty funny. Not only does it have horror elements, but it satirizes those horror elements we see horror movies, making it all the while interesting.

Spoiler

The idea that these teenagers are in manipulated events by two technicians is pretty original as well as the variety of creatures/ entities that show up and are a option in the movie.

I 100% recommend this movie, its satirical, its horror, its just bloody brilliant, and I want a sequel.

 

[kinggroin]

Heads up. There is an animated prequel of sorts to 'Train to Busan', found on the Shudder network.

 

[J-Roderton]

Heads up. There is an animated prequel of sorts to 'Train to Busan', found on the Shudder network.

I think I'm going to watch it this week. Train To Busan was the shit.

 

[excelsiorlef]

10. The Mangler 1995

This one is.... not good. Over acting, nonsense plot, not even some nice little gore effects can save this. Robert Englund is wasted and Toby Hooper swings and misses... T'was quite shit.

 

[MysteryQuesadilla]

Currently watching The House that October Built. Shot pseudo-documentary style following friends that go on a road trip to check out haunted houses (the kind someone jumps out at your kind). It's sort of meh but I like the premise of some of these weird scare spots they hit up (zombie paintball).

 

[thenexus6]

So over the last week I watched The Nightmare on Elm Street films. I skipped 1 and 3 because I watched them last year and are quite fresh in my head.

1 and New Nightmare are the best. Freddy's Dead is the worst close with Freddy's Revenge. The others are okay. I always enjoy the practical effects and kills in these movies. I'd like to see another with Robert Englund reprising the role.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

I've not been doing this properly, but I've watched a few horror films lately as I've been in the mood. Maybe because of Halloween approaching?

1. Harbinger Down (aka Inanimate)
- Not bad, not great. Mediocre The Thing wannabe. It boasted practical effects as one of its major selling points, but they obviously didn't have the budget to do a whole lot of practical stuff as most of it is hidden by quick cuts.

2. Insidious
- I really liked this film when I first saw it, but it doesn't hold up quite so well a few years down the line IMO. Some nice creepy stuff and good scares, but also a lot of silly shit that really isn't scary (like the Darth Maul demon, the 'scary' bit when Elise wears the gas mask, the bit where Ed super-pushes the ghost to dispatch it, etc).

3. It Follows
- An excellent film and a modern horror classic. Excellent subtle scares and the perfect example of a very ordinary scenario made creepy.

4. Mama
- Not bad. I like the premise, it was well acted, but I would have liked it much better if the use of CGI hadn't been so heavy and they'd done more practical effects.

5. Lights Out
- Merely okay. The short film on YouTube worked better.

6. The Ouija Experiment
- Total shit. Annoying 'found footage' bullshit, absolutely laughable backstory that made me think of a soap opera the way it was filmed, crap predictable scares and godawful special effects.

7. Ouija: Origin of Evil
- Not bad. Fairly standard demonic possession film, but some good spooky imagery and surprisingly subtle in some of its more creepy moments. It tries to go 'big' in the final act which never seems to work IMO, but I enjoyed the preceding 80-ish minutes.

8. Train to Busan
- Excellent film; one of the most intense and engrossing zombies movies I've seen in years. A superb simple premise, excellent make up and special effects, great acting and good pacing. The first half is stronger than the second half, but it's a strong film and worth watching for fans of the genre.

9. Circle
- I saw this on Netflix. It's a simple film about 50 people trapped in a room, and if they move they die, and every 2 minutes a nominated person dies. They have to work out why they're here and what control they have over the situation. Intriguing premise executed very well.

 

[Linkhero1]

The Witch
House of the Devil (slow burn horror)

Session 9

I've seen all of these. Fantastic films.

I ended up watching Late Phases, which was decent but not what I was looking for.

 

[Zombine]

ha, I kinda agree with both of you. this movie is so bizarre! the good parts I really liked and the bad parts really put me off. I'd say it's very dependant on your mood if you can enjoy it or not.

I was all over the place when I went to review it. At first I was going to give it a 5 or a 6, but once you hold it up against the film which released prior to this, and how it so happily shit on the atmosphere that Curse tried to regain all for a strange “voodoo.com” punchline and getting to watch two chicks kiss was enough for me to slam dunk my score into the garbage. I did love the eyeball kill though.

Edit: I also laughed at how different our reviews are!

 

[Jill Sandwich]

Heads up. There is an animated prequel of sorts to 'Train to Busan', found on the Shudder network.

Double heads up, Seoul Station is on Amazon Prime in the UK

 

[Ridley327]

October 8, film 3

Boasting a striking amount of period detail, Arcane Sorcerer gets a lot of points because of how well it's able to capture the era it depicts. Edgar Wright wasn't that far off the mark when he described this film as "the Barry Lyndon of horror films," as the film makes strong use of its setting, further aided by its striking photography and commitment to immersion. Rarely has the genre seen such great lengths towards an effort of this kind, and that's worth a lot of points in my book.

As far as the story is concerned, there's a mystery central to it all that takes its time to make itself fully known, with all the pieces coming together in the final 10 minutes. One major element that the film works with in order to generate the scares that it does is having our protagonist slowly come to realize just how out of his depth as the film progresses, with each revelation driving home just how little he truly knows, and how much closer that draws him to the looming danger that may very well be demonic in nature. And it's also another credit to the adherence to the period details that the devil is treated as a certainty, as its presence is felt among the entire cast of characters, as everyone nervously waits to see how next that it will take shape. It's rather nice to see a film where the threat is constantly present without having to rely on anything fancy to do it with.

That being said, this is definitely a slow one, and not given to a lot of very explicit scares, so your investment will be determined by one's patience and willingness to engage with the film with its aims. Some of the more expected scares that the film has are also the film's weakest, as they involve poor effects work that clashes with the grounded reality that the film operates with otherwise, including a ghostly fade-out effect that would look bad for a TV show of that time. Those moments aren't conceptually bad, really, but it does highlight that the money the film had was being spent elsewhere, and as wise a decision as I felt that was, it did come with its own compromises. The ending is also sure to frustrate, as it suddenly adds in an unexpected layer that quickly cuts right into the credits with little warning. Personally, I'm a fan of the implications that it has on the story itself without necessarily being an outright explanation, but I suspect that I'm not going to have the majority opinion on that front.

If this film reminded me of anything, it must surely be The Witch, and while that one has more of the expected scares and gruesome moments that most horror fans like to have with everything else, I can't help but be struck even more by how I appreciate the effort taken to nail the period so strongly and allowing for a story to build up over its duration, without feeling the need to cater to shorter attention spans. This is the kind of film that reminds me why I'm not into the genre simply because I enjoy being scared, because there are far more engaging things that a filmmaker can do that can leave a more lasting impression. This may not be a masterpiece, but I can't help but love a lot of what's on display.

Film for October 9: The first of several Japanese films this marathon, we kick things off with the spectacularly titled Mikadroid: Robokill Beneath Disco Club Layla. No doubt that there's truth in advertising there, as I expect a lot of underground robokilling in this cyberpunk horror feature.

 

[Divius]

#07 - Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

Featuring a cast of bland characters, who all have a single character trait (besides being annoying) that are hard to care about, Jason returns from his watery grave and swiftly starts killing them. He seems to be killing for sport now because his motivation from the previous movies has completely disappeared. But oh boy, at least this time telekinesis is involved! Unfortunately Tina is kind of the worst, but at least she manages to challenge Jason. Speaking of; Half decayed Jason with shredded clothes and thick chained necklace looks completely badass and menacing as he works his way through these horny teenagers with ease. Overall pretty dumb (especially the ending), but there’s still plenty of fun little moments to keep me excited for the rest of the movies. 5/10

 

[DeathoftheEndless]

13. Them! - This is one of the best giant monster movies I've seen. Giant ants threaten to take over the city and wipe out humanity. Its consistently exciting as soldiers and policemen fight the ants with bullets and flamethrowers. There's even some nice detective work, where they crowd-source info to pinpoint the ants' location. And the special effects on the ants are outstanding.

 

[zeemumu]

Going to a movie night at a friend's house so I'm gonna have to rapid fire the next few reviews.

 

[Divius]

#08 - Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

More like Jason Takes a Boat Ride and ends up spending a couple of minutes in Manhattan at the end. I wasn’t too bummed out by that part though, I liked the boat setting. It works really well, because of the implication. Think about it. They’re out in the middle of nowhere with some dude they barely know. They look around, what do they see? Nothing but open ocean. “Oh, there’s nowhere for me to run, what am I gonna do, survive?” No. The sleazy, filthy 80s New York is also a great setting for a F13 movie. As expected, the characters are still paper thin and there’s lots of nonsensical (the flashbacks?) and cheesy things, but there are some more inventive kills and awesome little moments (the boxing match!) sprinkled throughout the movie. Objectively it might be one of the worst entries, but I enjoyed the hell out of this one. 6/10