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October fun: 31 days of Horror, Blood, Guts and Gore! (and zombies, too....)

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#1 ·

*edit*

 

Watch as many horror movies you can take in 31 days.

 

Thirty-one total.  One a day.  Thirteen.  Twenty-two.  Six?

As many as you want, just have fun.

 

****

 

Every night (or day) in October! It's tough, but can it be done? I tried last year but ended up having to go away for business and it buggered up my schedule.



Half of the fun was creating the spreadsheet of movies/format/date.


Who's in with me?
 
 
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#721 ·




This list is 100% medically accurate

10/1 Double Feature Kickoff!


1. Frozen (2010) BD


How in the hell do 3 people get stranded on a ski lift? "Oh, that's how!" Kudos to Adam Green for trying something new and creating something completely different than Hatchet. Green does a great job at building suspense in truly ridiculous situation but I felt this movie was missing something to put it over the top. "Stupidity" is the enemy here. A welcome change from all the slasher/monster remakes. C+


2. Madman (1982) DVD


Warning: Madman should only be watched in groups and expect lots of laughs. It's Friday the 13th without the terror. The campiest of the "camp" movies. Cheesy music, bad acting, horrible dialogue, etc. The Madman theme song sung 'round the campfire will have your head rolling in laughter. PS - Madman Marz is in serious need of a mani pedi. Movie: D Fun Factor: B+

10/2


3. The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue aka Let Sleeping Corpses Lie aka Don't Open the Window (1974) BD


JACKPOT! This is truly one of the best zombie movies I've seen. Radiation waves are reanimating the dead and giving them a taste for flesh. I loved the two lead characters and how the movie played like a zombie crime thriller. The scenery looked incredible and mostly all of the blood and guts popped off the screen. And the ending......NICE! B+
10/3


4. The Killer Inside Me (2010) BD


Casey Afleck plays a low-key sexually deranged murderer. This could have been a good movie but the violent sex was way overdone. After a dozen times I'm thinking "OK NOW WE GET IT!" I hate to hop on the chick bashing bandwagon but Alba and Hudson were the other weak points. I think Kate Hudson even lost her accent during a heated exchange. I had high expectations for this one. Meh.... C-

10/4


5. Blood Creek (2009) DVD


What a pleasant surprise. Joel Schumacher directs this supernatural Nazi zombie flick. Looks great, sounds great, pretty cool story and bearable acting. Very good efx too! Aside from some of the usual horror pitfalls Blood Creek was a good time. Who doesn't like Nazi zombies?! B-
10/5

6. C.H.U.D. (1984) DVD


Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers! Toxic waste in the NY sewers is creating monsters and the government tries to cover it up. Pretty cheesy but has a charm to it. The lead cop plays it over the top and that's great for some laughs. Corny monsters, Daniel Stern and a young John Goodman also add to the goodness. C+

10/6


7. La Horde (2009) DVD


French. High energy. Zombies. Crooked cops & criminals. Gore. La Horde = Dawn of the Dead + Assault on Precinct 13 on cocaine. B

10/7 Accidental Double Feature


8. The Screaming Skull (1958) DVD


There's a warning from the producers before the movie saying they will pay for your coffin if you die of fright. OH SNAP - this has to be good! NOPE! I'll never complain about modern day horror movies again. For every s**t remake today there's a turd from the 50's/ 60's. Recap: Homeboy's rich wife dies in a mysterious accident. His new wife is rich too and has mental issues. She starts seeing the ghost of his old lady every time Mickey the suspicious gardener is around. Is she crazy? Do we care? Highlight was the 68 minute running time I needed to fit it in. D+


9. The Evil Dead II (1987) DVD


I'm more of an Evil Dead guy. I prefer the raw and gritty feel of it. ED2 is just a polished, funnier version that serves as the bridge to Army of Darkness. A great companion piece I suppose. The bread in this horror sandwich is much tastier than the meat in the middle. My horror fan license may be revoked here: C+

10/8


10. The Video Dead (1987) MGMhd


Zombies come out of a television. There's a fine line between "so bad it's good" and just plain bad. The Video Dead teeters on that line and luckily it lands on the good side (barely). Bad 80's acting and dialogue. Even worse directing. The kid smokes a little reefer, watches TV and all hell breaks loose. Kudos for the use of a bow & arrow. It's not often we get to see archery skills utilized in a horror film. C+

10/9


11. The Nail Gun Massacre (1985) DVD


This movie was grindhouse gold! It starts with a gal getting gang-r@ped at a construction site. It then turns into a wild vigilante tale with a disguised killer and his/her weapon of choice: A nail gun. Construction workers get punctured left and right in various body parts. There's lots of the other "nailing" too (T&A). A great revenge tale with the killer delivering hilarious one-liners after each murder. The acting is atrocious and the material these "actors" are given is some of the worst I've seen. The Nail Gun Massacre is a really bad movie but very entertaining trash cinema. Nails, B00bs & blood. B-


12. Inside (À l'intérieur) (2007) DVD


Inside is one the most violent, bloody and brutal horror movies I've ever seen. This crazy film never loses its impact no matter how many times I watch it. A home invasion on your last day of pregnancy? Talk about a bad night. And that's just the beginning! "La femme" is right up there on my favorite horror villains list. She's [Rick James voice]"cold blooded!" Oh and the 5.1 sound mix is a kicker. Inside leads the pack in the recent French horror invasion. A-


13. Re-Animator (1985) DVD


Nothing new to say here. Jeffrey Combs gives an outstanding performance as the insanely demented scientist Herbert West. Who wouldn't want to play God? Glowy green glowstick juice brings the dead back to life!


50% Frankenstein

50% Zombie movie

100% PURE INSANITY!

Re-Animator is a blast and contains one of the best 3rd acts in horror. It gets better every time I see it! A-

10/10


14. The Blob (1988) DVD


Congratulations to Kevin Dillon on winning the “worst hair ever in a horror movie” award. The Blob is a gooey good time from beginning to end. I forgot Shawnee Smith was in this too. She must have been lying in a ditch somewhere between 1988 and 2004 (Saw). Like The Thing, The Blob is one of the rare instances where the remake owns the original. The fast pace, fun story and gross kills (including an all time great involving a sink) make The Blob a very entertaining small town horror movie. The rich pink/purple/blue visuals are a nice touch too. I'll coin it: “Bubblegum Argento”. B

10/11


15. So Sweet, So Dead (1972) DVD


Pretty good giallo where the killer is slicing up cheating wives one by one and leaving photos of them in the act. All of the murders are pretty much the same with little variation. Beautiful wife cheats, gets naked, then cut up. Rinse, repeat. The uncut footage (mostly sex) that was spliced in wasn't needed and didn't add anything to the movie. Wait did I just write that?! So Sweet, So Dead is decent genre pic and definitely worth checking out – just not at $35! C+

10/12


16. The Wizard of Gore (1970) DVD


I've been meaning to watch this for a long time but never got around to it. Everything about this movie is so horribly bad, yet it's so damn good. In Juno Jason Bateman and Ellen Page have an Argento vs. HG Lewis discussion that leads to a viewing of this movie. Juno ends up loving it and gives the "Godfather of Gore" his props. The acting and sets are worse than anything I've seen in a student film. The gore is fresh, wet and extra sloppy. The story is fun and Montag the Magician is highly entertaining with his commanding stage presence. This fine film wraps up with an ending that blew my mind in a way that only Inception could top [pun] this year. Definitely my favorite of 2010 so far. A

10/13


17. Ben (1972) DVD


This was my wife's pick for 2010. Mostly for nostalgia reasons I guess. Ben is the original "squeakel" I guess since it picks up where Willard left off. Little kid with health and mental issues befriends the lead human killing rat pack. Very tame and lame. The title song by Michael Jackson is the best part. C-

10/14


18. The Pit (1981) DVD


I wanted to reach in and strangle the main character Jaime. That little 12 year old son of a *****! He's weird, creepy and mischievous. He finds a hold in the ground where little trolls live. Whoever pisses him gets pushed into the pit. Highlight of the movie is his baby-sitter giving him a bath and him asking her to wash his back like his mom does. WHAT!? Very strange movie. Not enough monsters but enough wackiness to make it watchable. C

10/15


19. Phantasm II (1988) DVD


More Tall Man. More sphere. More killin'. Not much more to say other than how is "bald-with-a-pony-tail" Reggie such a ladies man? A worthy sequel. B-

10/16


20. Dark Ride (2006) DVD


When will this lame ride be over? Lets break into the haunted house! Uh oh, there's a deranged killer on the loose inside. Blah blah blah. Jamie Lynn Siegler you are too good for this mess! I liked that it took place in Asbury Park NJ. D+

10/17


21. Orphan (2009) BD


Esther I love you. I couldn't help but root for this sinister little *****! Adopted kid tale gone wrong. Fun movie. Some stuff is pretty unbelivable though. Peter Sarsgaard does not have the acting chops for a male lead. Vera Farminga was great. I believed her. I didn't believe that there would be a homeless person living in their neighborhood park. Nicest house in a horror movie. Movie: C- Entertainment factor: B

10/18


22. I Spit on Your Grave (1978) DVD


Holy cow! R@.pe, revenge, s3x, & dismemberment. The ending nearly propelled me from my seat! *rimshot* Wow they really don't make them like they used to. Thank God! I was entertained the whole movie though so I have to go with: C
10/19


23. Critters 2 (1988) DVD


The Crites are back! Critters 2 is a good time. Just like the first it's Gremlins but not as good and with more gore. I'd trade my 3 dogs for 1 critter in a heartbeat. The babies are so darn cute, even with their gnarly teeth and a taste for flesh. I needed something light-hearted after yesterday's movie and this fit the bill nicely. B-

10/20


24. Lake Mungo (2008) Netflix streaming


I thought this was pretty good! A ghost documentary with lots of eerie atmosphere. Just when you think they're going to play it straightforward it takes a very unexpected turn. Not 100% sure if I'm down with the twist but either way it was still good. TONS better than Paranormal Actrocity. B-


10/21


25. Blood and Lace (1971) Netflix streaming *not on dvd


First time viewing. Right off the bat I recognized a part of the music. It sounds very similar to what you hear in the beginning of Hard Eight and I think the parking lot scene in Boogie Nights. Was PTA a fan of this movie?

Blood and Lace is way ahead of its time. Part slasher part murder mystery with an interesting twist. After witnessing her whore mother's murder Elle is forced to stay at an Orphanage until she's 21. Here's the problem: Elle is a free spirited babe and the old hussy that runs the orphanage is crooked & murders kids. Uncle Leo from Seinfeld does a great job at playing the creepy handyman and Mel from TV's Alice is also a nice addition as the caring yet self serving detective. I was smitten with Melody Patterson after watching and was sad to see she didn't do too many other movies. Tame by today's standards but very good. B

10/22


26. The Wolfman (2010) BD


Since there was a full moon last night my wife suggested we watch a werewolf movie. Good thinkin'! I've been wanting to see In the Company of Wolves but since this was a last second decision we settled for The Wolfman (2010). It should have been great but half of it felt like a jumbled mess. I don't feel like expending energy on coming up with why. I did enjoy the sfx (even though lots of CGI) and was surprised to see Rick Baker did them. When the credits came up and the music started I said "wow this sure does sound like the Batman score". Sure enough Danny Elfman's name popped up. Hey Danny, your stuff is getting tired and weak. You need to change it up! :shakes head: C-
10/23


27. Der Golem (1920) web stream


This morning was redemption with the silent film Der Golem (1920) accompanied with Black Francis' (The Pixies) score. This was a first time viewing and I enjoyed it. The Golem is summoned to protect a Jews but things eventually go wrong and Golem goes Frankenstein on the ghetto. A-


28. Dead Alive (1992) DVD

Dead Alive was a blast as expected. I haven't watched it in a few years and forgot how many ridiculous scenes there are. The movie hovers at 1 for a while but eventually the zombie insanity goes to 11 and stays there for the entire third act. Maybe one day Peter Jackson will go back to his roots and he'll treat us with another masterpiece like this. A


Best "group movie" ever? Yes

10/24


29. Imprint (2006) Netflix stream


Totally wacko with an almost Lovecraftian type twist that comes waaaaaay out from left field. Gross torture scene that made me sweat. Holy cow! Haven't seen anything like that since Guinea Pig: The Devil's Experiment. Beautifully shot as well. B-

10/25


30. Mirrors (2008) BD


Pretty good but started to fall apart towards the end. I selected the "unrated" version but didn't really see anything that should be removed from the R cut. Maybe I missed something? I love the look of Aja's movies and this was right up there in the PQ department. He's a great horror director that knows how to fill up a frame with delicious visuals. SCOPE FTW! C+

10/26


31. Swamp Thing (1982) Netflix stream


Tonight was Swamp Thing in HD on Netflix streaming. Didn't really look HD but Adrienne Barbeau's b00bs looked as nice as I remember them. This was one of my favorite movies as a kid. It's not as good as I remember but still has its charm. They sure don't make like the 80's anymore. I forgot Wes Craven directed this! B

10/29


32. Contamination (1980) DVD


Crazy Italian alien movie with lots of ridiculousness and bodies exploding all over the place. Extreme gore with an excess of guts. Very slow in the middel but the first and third acts make up for it - big time! B-


33. Inferno (1980) DVD


Checked out Inferno tonight. Creeped me the hell out. Suspiria gets all the attention but I think this gives it a run for its money. Especially the last scene. Colors, music & gore. Extremely creepy and Intense! B+

10/31


34. Halloween (1978) BD


The greatest horror movie hands down. I still scream when the shape sits up in the background and turns to Laurie. Yikes! I can't express my love for this film. Carpenter is a genius. A+

11/1


35. Trick 'r Treat (2008) BD


Good gory fun. Twisted stories that twist together nicely. The outcast chidren on the bus sequence is amazing. What a great little movie that should be watched before Halloween. One year I'll be able to do it. A-
 
#722 ·
1. Sugar Hill, 1974. Blacksploitation, racism, voodoo, zombies, tale of venegenance. 3/5

2. The Video Dead, 1987. Killer zombies come out of a TV and kill everybody with big hair. 3/5

3.Shock Waves, 1977. Nazi mutant underwater zombies trash a hotel. Death by sea urchin and glass bottom boats. 3/5

4. John Carpenter's Pro Life (Masters of Horror), 2006. Right to life activist raids a clinic to save the spawn of a demon. 2/5

5. Survival of the Dead, 2009. Probably my least favorite "of the Dead" ever. 1/5

6. The New York Ripper, 1982. Solid, gritty, gory, cop flick. 3/5

7. Lake Mungo, 2008. I dug this. It was creepy and convincing. The dark atmosphere and subject matter were portrayed nicely. 5/5
 
#723 ·
Day 3, and again I watched early in the morning. I am continuing with my Masters Of Horror dvds, and while not as spectacular as a full-blown movie, some are pretty good.


Today I watched number 3 for the month:


Master of Horror - JENIFER - directed by Dario Argento


This was very good. Almost could be called porn-horror as it did have a lot of nudity and sex in it, but its a horror movie. Great make-up, it has the feel of an Argento movie, really worth watching. It doesnt have a slow start to a big finish, its strong throughout. Basically a cop rescues a facially-disfigured woman, and takes her in. Then the fun and horror begin.........


My list so far is, with ratings on a 1-10 scale:


1 - Grotesque - 9+

2 - MOH Haeckels Tale - 6

3 - MOH Jenifer - 8
 
#724 ·
1. Sugar Hill, 1974. Blacksploitation, racism, voodoo, zombies, tale of venegenance. 3/5

2. The Video Dead, 1987. Killer zombies come out of a TV and kill everybody with big hair. 3/5

3.Shock Waves, 1977. Nazi mutant underwater zombies trash a hotel. Death by sea urchin and glass bottom boats. 3/5

4. John Carpenter's Pro Life (Masters of Horror), 2006. Right to life activist raids a clinic to save the spawn of a demon. 2/5

5. Survival of the Dead, 2009. Probably my least favorite "of the Dead" ever. 1/5

6. The New York Ripper, 1982. Solid, gritty, gory, cop flick. 3/5

7. Lake Mungo, 2008. I dug this. It was creepy and convincing. The dark atmosphere and subject matter were portrayed nicely. 5/5

8. Tombs of the Blind Dead, 1971. Didn't know it was a series, now I want to see the rest. Great classic horror flick and beautiful women as well. 4/5

9. Crawlspace, 1986. Enjoyed Klinski the most in this one, such a quiet, reserved freak. 4/5
 
#725 ·
Hey folks, sorry for not posting. It has been a craptastic weekend... crying baby, sick toddler, and I sliced the hell out of my thumb which should have had about 4-5 stitches but I used some super glue and was able to get the bleeding to stop after a bit so on with the show!

Quote:
Originally Posted by yankeeman /forum/post/19280128


Deadgirl is EXCELLANT. Great choice!!!!

Yeah, that movie was out there!



lwright84 - I watched Tale of Two sisters about 2 months ago and enjoyed it, done well but I felt the climax was a bit obvious and saw it coming a little sooner that I'd have preferred. I still enjoyed the movie but a more complex twist would have been nice.


Anyway, here's the catch up on my weekend start:

1. Return of the Living Dead 1985 - Rating 3/5. My first zombie movie as a kid, saw it when I was about 12. To this day it is campy and fun. The wife didn't appreciate it but oh well. Friday night was a late start so we just got the one in.

2. Man Bites Dog - Rating 3/5 - Interesting movie and very original.

3. An American Werewolf in London - Rating 5/5 - My all time favorite werewolf movie, nothing else comes close in my book.

4. Hostel - Rating 4/5 - I remember enjoying this one less the first time around but it was actually done very well.

5. Amityville Horror (2005) - Rating 3/5 - I enjoyed this remake and like both the leads. I just got my bluray copy so it was nice to see and hear this in a way I hadn't before.

6. In The Company of Wolves - Rating 4/5 - I'd never seen this before so wasn't sure what to expect but I found it to be very original with some excellent fx and creature creations for its time.


I may hit the theaters for Let Me In and My Soul To Take after next week. No schedule for AMC'S fearfeast yet, what's up with that? At any rate regardless of this awful weekend I'm still off to a good start and am looking forward to some bluray titles releasing next week - Splice, Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Exorcist. I guess it's weird that I'm buying Beauty and the BEAST TOO
 
#726 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by General Kenobi /forum/post/19284441


4. Hostel - Rating 4/5 - I remember enjoying this one less the first time around but it was actually done very well.

I find that about a lot of films. I think i see them the first time with very high expectations and i get disappointed. Then much later i will watch them again with no expectations and realize that the movie i didnt like is actually really good. As to Hostel, i have liked that one right from the start.
 
#727 ·
3. The Howling

This could almost count as a first-time viewing since I haven't seen this since I rented a blurry VHS copy back in the mid-80's. Joe Dante directs his take on the werewolf genre with mostly good results. Although released in 1981, there is a very 70's sensibility with the grit and grime of New York City's porn district, and the idea of a cult that lives out in the sticks. The special effects are great, so much better than CGI, although we never believe for a moment that they could be real. The movie is more spectacle than scary, but it never winks at the audience the way "An American Werewolf in London" does. A little bit of humor might have put this one in the same league but it gets played straight, making it a near-miss.

2010 Horror Movie Marathon List

1. Severance

2. Happy Birthday To Me

3. The Howling
 
#728 ·
For day four i started the morning off with another Masters of Horror, this one being PICK ME UP. An interesting character study with good acting. Two "hunters" are out there, one picks up people to kill in his truck, the other hitchhikes to kill people. Of course there is prey as a bus has broken down in their area of the woods. Ultimately they meet and inter-act with each other. A decent concept, not heavy horror, but interesting.


I will now have to skip three days, but will start again Friday morning.


My list so far is, with ratings on a 1-10 scale:

1 - Grotesque - 9+

2 - MOH Haeckels Tale - 6

3 - MOH Jenifer - 8

4 - MOH Pick Me Up - 5
 
#729 ·
In The Company of Wolves was my favorite of last year and the first time I'd seen it. Instant Classic for me.


On a another note the rating scale I use, if you care, is pretty basic.


1/5 flick was work to watch and I want my time back

2/5 liked effects/music etc

3/5 enjoyed it

4/5 really enjoyed it

5/5 I'll stop and watch it if I ever see it again and suggest it to people and got creeped out even just a little
 
#730 ·
Finally got some time to update my sig with my first 2 reviews from October 1. I should be able to get back on track starting tomorrow night.


Anyway, Grotesque is now on my short list and I definitely need to re-visit An American Werewolf in London. Great participation thus far and I look forward to getting home as "Teeth" has been patiently awaiting my return.
 
#731 ·
My one and only movie from yesterday:

Eraserhead


It was the only one from yesterday simply because it was work to actually sit and watch for more than 15 minutes at a time. I don't get it. I don't wanna get it. I didn't like it.


I know what Lynch is capable of and I enjoy several of his (Blue Velvet is among my favorites of all time).


2/10.


Makes me want to go back and change my rating of "Warlock."
 
#732 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by BMaugans /forum/post/19285368


Makes me want to go back and change my rating of "Warlock."

Do it. No ratings are cast in stone. I have changed one of my ratings twice already as I see other movies (first lowering MOH Haeckels Tale, then raising it, or did i change it three times, now i have myself confused, not a hard thing to do). By the end of the month, everything should be correct.



By the way, i find a 1-5 scale too limiting when movies are similar as many times i do think one is a little better than the other, thats why i like the larger 1-10 scale that i use.
 
#733 ·
darth I'm liking your list so far. The Video Dead - now that's a bad one! Right up there with Troll 2. Just noticed it's available on Netflix streaming and I can't wait to see it.


BMaugans, that movie always looked weird to me and not in a good way like Lost Highway. Will be skipping it!


I watched The Killer Inside Me last night. Very disappointed. I think it had more scenes of unnecessary violence towards women than most grindhouse/exploitation movies. I ain't no softy but there's a limit!
 
#735 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by wizzack /forum/post/19285441


darth I'm liking your list so far. The Video Dead - now that's a bad one! Right up there with Troll 2. Just noticed it's available on Netflix streaming and I can't wait to see it.

Thanks, check out Laserblast if you want really bad



@yankeeman I feel you on the scale but I wanted to keep it easy. That Tombs of the Blind Dead is probably a 5 the more I think about it.
 
#737 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by wizzack /forum/post/19285441


I watched The Killer Inside Me last night. Very disappointed. I think it had more scenes of unnecessary violence towards women than most grindhouse/exploitation movies. I ain't no softy but there's a limit!

That sounds like a good movie to me Wiz. Not that specifically the violence is towards women, but i just like a lot of unnecessary violence. Its so nice to be sick.......



And yes, Grotesque is so great!!!!!
 
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