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 IT BEGINS!!As Franchy said, some of us make up our own rules. I'm one of those masochists. How I do things is starting October 1st, I try to watch as many horror films I've never seen before by the end of October 31st. No goal, no limit, just hit maximum spookerdrive. Last year I hit 78 films in the month. This year I'm going to try harder. I can't count films that I've already seen before, and I have commitments like Lurdiak's Scream Stream in the way. This is my annual Ironman Marathon, and I look forward to it all year. Think you can beat me? You got a sixteen day head start on my personal honor system. To make a long story short: I'm in.
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Sep 14, 2018 18:18
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CRAYON posted:I'm going to give this a shot, but with Godzilla films. Currently my list is the 29 films made in Japan. I've seen about half of them but did so in a haze where I was consuming 3-4 films a night and don't remember a ton about each one. It would be nice to write down my thoughts while they're fresh. The Gamera movies are worth a watch. The 60s/70s "Showa" run are insane in all sorts of ways. The Heisei trilogy from the 90s is some of the best kaiju cinema of all time (made by the same guy who made GMK later). I can't speak for the 00s Gamera movie as I've not seen it. X From Outer Space got a sequel in the 00s. "The Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit!" by the guy who made such hits as "The Calamari Wrestler", "Rug Cop" and "The World Sinks Except Japan". He might be certifiably insane. Another weird one is Yongarry, which came from South Korea, and got a really loopy remake in 2000, released in the US as "Reptilian". Finally, if you REALLY want something strange, there's the harder to get NORTH Korean kaiju film Pulgasari, which takes place in feudal times, much like Daimajin, and is about a creature that the revolting peasants take in that eats metal and constantly grows as he does. It's kinda uncomfortable to watch this early 80s film, because the crewmembers were uh, abducted from Japan and force by Kim Jong-Il to make the film before he would release them.
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Sep 15, 2018 00:05
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TheKingslayer posted:6. Grave Encounters 2 (2012) I can see how this movie would make people unhappy, but once you realize that it's actually spending all its efforts on satire of the FF phenomenon, it starts getting really really funny. I mean towards the end The ghosts hold the cameras!!. At least, that's my take on things, and I'm a little softer on the film for it than most.
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Sep 18, 2018 03:59
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Hey, the rules are to watch horror movies. They don't say they can't be PG non-scary kids horror. Little Monsters is 100% "Kids' Horror" and counts 100%. Earlier today in the Scream Stream Discord, Ramadu decided I have to watch Ravenous as part of my October watches as I've never gotten around to seeing it, and that got me thinking, I'm going to be trying to watch as many new-to-me as I can (hopefully hitting triple digit numbers, but I won't be sad if all I do is top my personal record from last year of 78), and was wondering if a fun thing I could do would be to let the people of the thread slot in films they think are shameful that I've missed or whatever besides my normal freestyle approach. It'd be awkward at best however, the most I can do is post a link to my not 100% reliable letterboxd watched list, and for sanity's sake allow people only one demanded film of me each? I dunno, this could be a stupid idea that won't work at all. I'll give it a week and if the thread likes the idea I'll link my list for you all? Feel free to shoot down the idea.
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Sep 18, 2018 23:57
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CRAYON posted:
You might like knowing there's a deleted scene where Godzilla and Manda fight (I'm sure they cut it because the photography didn't work AT ALL.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZesM1kkY7A Friends Are Evil posted:
This movie is amazing if you're handicapped. It really, REALLY gets into the mind of the disabled person and their frustrations and hard to control negative emotions towards even the people they need. Also a few years back it aired on regular antenna tv here, and I was shocked by how little they censored from the love scene.
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Sep 21, 2018 02:55
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I remember watching a documentary years ago that claimed Caltiki was the first real Italian Horror movie. Also, it talked about how they did some of the effects with shocking simplicity. (Wanna show the blob crawling along? Stick the gelatin on a slope, and tilt the camera to match!)
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Sep 21, 2018 15:34
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Spatulater bro! posted:I'd just like to point out that M_Sinistrari has watched 29 horror movies in the last 7 days. If he keeps this pace up he'll hit 194 movies by November 1. *rechecking math* poo poo yep that's right. Yeah, it's killing me that she's moving this fast while I'm still waiting behind the starting line for 10 more days... I actually love that some people are putting as much effort into this as I do, and the only person I truly aim to beat is myself
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Sep 21, 2018 16:24
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Jedit posted:31 Jean Rollin movies on your slate, then? Nah (but his inclusion in my slate isn't unlikely truth to tell) if you recall I'm an "ironman" october challenger, where I try to top my own record annually (presently the record sits at 78 for me). My personal scruples mean I can't start til the first and you all are dirty dirty cheaters. (joking about the last bit. Maybe.) Hey, Fran, what about people like me who don't start til the 1st? Is there an expiration on your challenges?
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Sep 21, 2018 17:54
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James Woods Fan posted:I never really see Christine and Starman mentioned when Carpenter's body of work is being discussed. Starman in particular is a drat fine film but I am guessing it's because its the least Carpenter-esque of his films. That was a purely for-hire, mercenary job for him right? Was Christine the same? That's because they're low on the totem pole for quality of Carpenter, meaning they're just "Really freakin good". Dude made himself a very high bar to clear in his career.
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Sep 23, 2018 18:35
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CRAYON posted:
If you look close sometimes in the fight scenes, you'll spot shots where Anguirus or King Ghidorah are partially in shot from recycled footage from the last film. It's hilarious. Lurdiak posted:It's actually because no one wanted to watch a movie about a car that kills people. Their loss man.
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Sep 23, 2018 22:44
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graventy posted:(uncounted) Devil Fetus 2: The Rape After Sounds like you didn't last much longer than me. Last scene I remember clearly was the "autopsy" scene after the firey car crash. I must have been super tired that THAT didn't keep me awake.
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Sep 25, 2018 03:23
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So. There's one week left til the month starts, and I can actually begin my watching of stuff I've never seen. As I said earlier, I'd love if this year I would get some major goon input what to watch. This is difficult, because as you can see from My Letterboxd which is I'm sure by no means 100% accurate, (not to mention the site has a whole separate section for "thrillers" whatever that means) I've watched quite a few, so this marathon challenge of my personal rules gets harder each year. Anyways, I'm basically asking for your help. I'll let any goon command me in October to watch a horror movie I haven't. Only one title per person, so as not to make a mess of things. I'll do my best to include it in my lineup. There's no toxxing or anything here, it's just for fun, I just like the idea of you all making up my mind for me. To make things least error-filled, I guess you can go through that Letterboxd list linked above. If you name something I've already seen but is missing from the list, we both have a laugh, and you get to choose again. I don't care where you suggest the title to me; here, in the scream stream discord, in my pm inbox, whatever floats your boat. Thanks for the help!Presently mandated films posted:Ramadu--Ravenous Choco1980 fucked around with this message at 08:30 on Sep 25, 2018 |
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Sep 25, 2018 03:51
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Random Stranger posted:That is a lot of horror movies so I tried to come up with the most obscure things I've seen in the past few years that are interesting. So Kuroneko is a genuinely great movie from the director of Onibaba which has many of the same themes. Kuroneko is much more obscure, though, so even people who have seen Onibaba are unlikely to have seen it. Well you're a butt for suggesting so much. I'll see what I can do as the month goes on. Drunkboxer posted:Have you seen The Transfiguration from 2016? I heard about it from someone in the discord channel months ago so I’m kinda poaching their find but it’s on Netflix. graventy posted:You should watch The Autopsy of Jane Doe, which I didn’t see. 21st Century made films, especially from this decade are the biggest gaps in my viewing. Noted. LORD OF BOOTY posted:I notice a distinctly Belladonna of Sadness-shaped hole in your Letterboxd. It needs to get filled with some Tatsuya Nakadai-voiced satan dick.  Dr.Caligari posted:
yeah....I've tried that movie several times. I've got strange issues with Black and White French subtitled films. They're like my kryptonite. (and that made film school difficult at times) I was planning on trying again for Yeux Sans Visage this year, but now I can blame you. Friends Are Evil posted:Unless it’s on the list and I just missed it, I’d go with City of The Living Dead. Gotta complete the trilogy. You must have, because yeah, I went and double checked, and it shows as "watched" on there.
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Sep 25, 2018 08:27
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CRAYON posted:
This is one of the handful where I can say safely that the Japanese and American cuts are dramatic enough that one should seek out the different edits (and I don't say that solely because of the bare breasts). You thought the US cut was somber and dark, the Japanese cut is downright bleak, with a super duper downer ending that just leaves you feeling bad. Ambitious Spider posted:Choco 3 recs- I said you get ONE you rear end! Neither you OR Phantom Stranger know how to listen. 
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Sep 25, 2018 19:33
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Which movie are you counting as the queer horror one Sini? And why?
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Sep 26, 2018 03:02
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Same, the one movie actually filmed entirely in my town is actually a horror movie, "The Carrier" (1988) and I watched it like, 15 years ago...
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Sep 26, 2018 14:55
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Jedit posted:7) Spider Baby (1964) Not to mention it has one of the last performances of Mantan Moreland in the beginning. And a young Sid Haig. The movie has an impressive cast for being such an out there weird thing.
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Sep 27, 2018 02:17
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Random Stranger posted:Day -4 - All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. I love you.
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Sep 28, 2018 03:14
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Deny it all you want, you're a machine without pity or remorse, built for movie watching. There's a strong chance you'll beat my record before I even get a chance to start this year's watching in a little over 36 hours. Lol that you think people will pass your lead that start on the 1st. Regarding your nice update, I love the true kaijuu nature of Daimaijin where first yeah he goes after whatever oppressive bad guy, he then just turns around and rampages and destroys the peasants too.
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Sep 29, 2018 19:19
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They're each weird and crazy in their own unique ways, but yeah, V is really kinda bad, and you can definitely tell Coscarelli didn't direct it. Lots of bad computer effects and no budget scenery and acting. Reggie's still fantastic as always at least.
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Sep 29, 2018 20:56
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married but discreet posted:7. Suspiria 4000 Reloaded This was exactly my experience watching it on the big screen last year. It was just eye-opening, and like watching it for the first time. Much of the film's artistry is lost on the small screen at a reasonable volume.
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Sep 30, 2018 19:10
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Annnnd, Sinistri beat my record from last year before October even started. And you all wonder why some of us think the head start is horsegarbage.
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Oct 1, 2018 01:24
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Let's get this party started #1. Ravenous (1999) (commanded by Ramadu) A team of soldiers manning a California fort in the 19th century find a haggard man who tells a harrowing tale of his own survival, that has great and terrible impact on the men in the days to come. For years this has been a guilty blindspot in my viewing history, and I regret it's taken this long for me to see it. It's an immaculate movie, full of atmosphere, great acting, top notch music, and a strange way about it of directing where the violence comes quick but never seems expected or even accented by the music, keeping the viewer constantly off-kilter. It's an amazing movie, and definitely recommended. out of Five#2. Ghost Stories (2018) A famous TV paranormal debunker has presented to him three cases by his lifelong idol that were never solvable, and tasked with getting to the bottom of things. These seemingly normal instances prove to be anything but. This one wasn't bad at all, though I suspect that Martin Freeman being one of the stars had much to do with its notice in most circles. For the most part, I'd say it's a very by-the-book spooky story film, and the third act feels very rushed together. That said, it's not BAD, just not really groundbreaking in any way. out of Five
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Oct 1, 2018 14:46
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Franchescanado posted:
#3. Insidious (2010) Soon after moving into a new house, a family starts having terrifying encounters, and one son goes into a deep coma. Soon they discover that it is not their house that is what's haunted, but their boy... I was challenged to watch something I knew I wouldn't like, and James Wan's low effort, sterile, Hollywood ghost flicks fit the bill. Having never got more than a couple minutes into this, I finally watched the dang thing today. Everything about it feels very much like they're trying to pay a very low cost to scare you, from the child endangerment, to the shaky camerawork, to the "demon" painted up like Darth Maul. If it weren't for Lin Shaye as a psychic trying to help the family, carrying every scene she's in, the film would be a total loss. As it is, I can't in good conscience recommend this film. out of 54. Baby Blood (1990) (Commanded by Windows98) A French woman gets impregnated by a strange alien parasite, and then becomes helpless to the entity growing inside her, commanding her to feed it blood to grow and survive. This was a wild and weird one in many ways. It's not at all afraid of the red stuff, and is in fact pretty over the top with it. The story was strange and continued to escalate as it went, keeping me at attention, up until its bizarre climax. One surprise to me was how well done the English dub performance was, where if you squint, you'd almost think it was the natural actors acting (except for two bits where the track suddenly lapses into French again oddly. This seems true of every copy I could find). Anyways, if you're looking for something odd and gory, you can't go wrong here. out of 5Franchescanado posted:
5. The Tenderness of the Wolves (1973) Set in post-war Germany, Fritz is a man of many labels. Thief, black-marketeer, police officer, pedophile, cannibal. Through this failing town of poverty, he indulges in his vices of young boys in near plain sight while the police grow ever more suspicious of the man. Based on a very real serial killer of the 1920s, this movie is crawling with grime and sleaze as we watch Fritz continue to seduce underage boys, and commit various other crimes, while those around him celebrate his friendship. It's a depiction of a town whose policeforce is understaffed and overcorrupt. It's the kind of film you want to take a shower afterwards from. out of 5
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Oct 1, 2018 23:02
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FRAN CHALLENGE #1: Love Something You Hate
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#6. The VVitch (2015) (Commanded by DrunkBoxer) A 17th century Puritan family becomes beplagued by mystical doings, festering mistrust for each other, especially the eldest daughter. This one has been talked up for a while for me, and I think I got the right impression of what it would be like--deeply realistic to the hard, miserable life settlers had trying to make this country livable for them. This almost seems more the point of the film than the occult influences, especially with how very little special effects to that end are seen. The film is incredibly bleak, with harsh, realistic lighting that chills you to the bone. Also, the film's script strives for accuracy in language of the time, living in the point where English was in-between its Middle and Modern structures, which can in fact make the film sometimes hard to follow. out of 5Franchescanado posted:
#7. The Rosary Murders (1987) Donald Sutherland plays a Detroit based priest, where a serial killer is slowly picking off area priests and nuns one by one, and leaving a black rosary chain in their hands. Halfway through, Sutherland discovers the identity of the killer through the Seal of Confession, and then begins attempting to discover the why of everything, as well as attempting to figure out how to stop the madman without breaking the seal and destroying the faith in the church. It's funny, so many movies are set in New York, or LA, or whatever, and they may as well be a fantasy land as far as I'm concerned. However, this film being solidly a Detroit creature gives a strange feeling in me. I may not live in Detroit, but I live close enough that it's all quite familiar to me. As far as serial killer mystery-thrillers go, this film is also a little out of the ordinary. It's much more a character piece than it is a chase or a mystery. Most of the plot just falls into place while the protagonist struggles to make sense of it all--in fact, it stops even being a whodunnit halfway through the runtime. I did like the film, but it's very much an 80s melodrama at times, and those can be rough to get through with modern sensibilities. out of 5#8. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) (Commanded by Graventy) A father and son team of morticians are delivered an unidentified woman's body found at a crime scene and tasked with determining the cause of death as soon as possible. As the night wears on, more and more strange details start being discovered, and the danger for the pair of examiners grows more and more... It's crazy how well Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch go together as a father and son team. They look close enough alike, they have close enough speech mannerism, and they have great chemistry together, and I could honestly believe they were family. Which is good, because this is a bit of a "bottle" story, mostly consisting of the pair working together within a small number of setpieces. If you're squeamish at all, I can't in good faith recommend this film, as it is extremely graphic in accurate detail of the inner workings, but like its main characters, much of it is shown in a highly analytical manner. The first half of the film has not really even any scary elements so much as the pair slowly trying to unravel the puzzle before them in a highly professional manner that is extremely satisfying. Once the spooky stuff starts up however, it ramps quite deliberately and continually. I enjoyed the crap out of this film, probably because it was so small scale yet detailed. out of 5
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Oct 2, 2018 06:18
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Franchescanado posted:
#9. Count Dracula (1970) Do I really need to summarize this one? Count Dracula takes solicitor Johnathon Harker prisoner and goes and invades England. Hijinx ensue. Jess Franco is legendarily awful in many movie circles, though I have a soft spot for him, due to my love of out-there filmmakers. This is said to be his best film, and I think from a conventional sense it certainly is. It has a name cast, with high production values, despite his penchant for pointless zooms like, constantly. Christopher Lee calls it his favorite Dracula film, and besides some trimming of things for speed and brevity, it's one of the most accurate adaptations to the book surprisingly. Also it's got a great soundtrack with an eerie mandolin springing along. .5 out of 5#10. 1922 (2017) A Nebraska farmer feuds with his wife over land she has inherited, and he conspires with their son to murder her. Her death however leads to misery to come... Up until this point, there's very few Stephen King feature adaptations I've yet to see. I must say, this one is not one of the best. Thomas Jane as the lead mumbles his lines in a thick drawl and the plot just seems to drag on and on despite not much going on. Meh. out of 5#11. Belladonna of Sadness (1973) (Commanded by Lord of Booty) In a medieval land, a woman is savagely raped by her king on her wedding night, leading eventually to her making a deal with the devil to grant her the power of revenge. Well. People like to recommend this one because of its classic horror plot, and its surreal imagery. It's a Japanese made animated movie, taking after the psychedelic styles of the LSD generation of work. However...it's probably more than half just graphic sexual imagery back and forth that gets super old super fast, and makes me rather embarrassed to watch. Approach with caution. out of 5#12. Soft Matter (2018). Young art punks break into a closed up nursing home to put on a street art show, and discover the place holds a secret lab where the scientists are attempting to merge humans with fish to find the secret to immortality, which angers a sea god, who feels they're stealing her secrets. Yeah. Holy poo poo. 18 out of 5
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Oct 3, 2018 04:26
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Got my whole day's worth in one post here: 13. Pet (2016) A lonely shy man that works as a janitor at the local dog pound meets a woman on the bus and immediately, obsessively falls for her, stalking her every move. Eventually he builds a cage and locks her in it, however his motives might not be as cut and dried as they appear... This was a fun one. More than half the runtime of the film are the two leads bouncing off each other and seeming to chase each other in mental circles, while the other half would be sudden bouts of graphic violence, and suspense at the outside world coming closer and closer to find out the truth. It's a good little mental film that I think deserves more attention. out of 514. The Doctor and the Devils (1985) Dramatizing the real life crimes of Burke and Hare, we find Dr. Thomas Knox, a highly skilled anatomist in 19th century London, running out of bodies for scholarly study, and resorting to paying graverobbers for new specimens. Enter Broom and Fallon, a pair of ne'er-do-wells who find out of this scheme and that the fresher the bodies, the better the pay. And how much fresher can you get than newly-killed? Despite the horrific nature of the real life case, I can't really call this film "scary". It's extremely high in its British pedigree, with an all-star cast, and the direction of Freddie Francis, famous for his Amicus horror films of the 60s and 70s. There's also a high eye for the detail of things, where each set is carefully constructed right down to the muddy slums. I mean, it's a fine film, but nothing to give you nightmares. out of 5Franchescanado posted:
15. Ghost Dance (1980?) After an archaeological dig finds an old mummified corpse of a Pueblo cult leader, a local Medicine Man becomes possessed by the spirit and sets about magically killing those he feel wronged him, leaving it up to the local university staff, and tribal shamen to find and stop this magical menace. The question mark on the date is because some sources place this movie as being made in 1980, and some in 1981. As some pretty good things were created in 80 (like this guy!) I'll call it there. That said, this is a pretty poor film. I don't know if it was just my print, or a really bad lighting tech or what, but half the movie was shrouded in near complete darkness and near impossible to make out. The story seemed okay I guess, and I appreciated that while it didn't really go very far into colonialism issues, it at least felt halfway respectful of the Native cultures, and not nearly as racist as I expected from the description. That said, it'll be a pass from me. out of 516. Creep (2015) Aaron, a videographer, is hired by Peter to follow him around for a day. However, Peter turns out to be very strange, and appears more and more dangerous as the day goes on. It's so refreshing to see a "found footage" horror film that doesn't sit itself firmly in the ghost corner. Instead we have a very realistic horror film with no fantastic elements, but quite a bit of mounting tension. Mark Duplass does a simply fantastic job as Peter, first just seeming a little odd, only to slowly get more and more threatening as the movie continues. I've heard that the sequel is even better, and plan on watching it later this month. out of 517. Eyes Without A Face (1960) (commanded by Dr. Caligari) A doctor's daughter has been horribly disfigured in an auto accident. Mad, the man and his assistant kidnap young women to attempt to use them as donors for face transplants for her. This French film has, for years, been a sort of kryptonite for me, where it's taken many attempts to sit down and actually watch it. I seem to always try when I'm tired, and conk out like, immediately. Something about French Black and White films. Anyways, the plot here is pretty brisk and sparse, and the real meat of the film is its visual flair. Much of the imagery is strikingly dynamic for its time, such as the daughter's creepy masked face, or other quiet angles. Not only that, but there's rather graphic surgery shown (all fake of course) which is shockingly gory for the time, many years before even Night of the Living Dead. Also, for my own personal health reasons, it's always strange to me seeing films of the past about "futuristic" transplant science, where in places like this, or say "Frankenstein '80", transplant surgery, and immunosuppression are nowhere near modern style. It's very jarring to me. out of 518. Housewife (2017) Holly had a traumatic childhood, where her mother went mad and murdered her sister and her father. Now all grown up and married, one day they couple find themselves reunited with their old girlfriend, and as the three way relationship sparks up, she introduces Holly to her religious organization, and its enigmatic leader who is some sort of psychic emotional healer, leading Holly's life to spiral into maddening chaos. Well then. Made by Turkish Can Evenol, this film is a leaps and bounds improvement over his past film, Baskin, which itself was a darling of the horror community, but lacked much in the way of cohesion. That is not a problem with this film, which is a complete story, from alarming beginning, to rising middle, to maddening ending, without sacrificing the disorientation or fantastic eye for visual design that Evenol is clearly showing to be his auteur touch. The film reminds me of the sort of hidden gems I loved in the 90s and early 00s that are mindscrews set in lavish upscale settings, while still dripping with the red stuff. Definitely recommended. out of 5
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Oct 4, 2018 06:44
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#19. Celia (1989) A little girl growing up in 50s Australia struggles to understand events around her such as the Red Scare and the Rabbit Cull, leading to a disturbed mind mixing with her overactive imagination. Well. I was suggested this by someone who hadn't actually watched the movie, CoughFranchescanadoCough and I don't really blame them for the suggestion, as the marketing pushes this as a horror for sure. But...it's really not. It's not even fantasy. It's got some dark moments, and some bits in Celia's imagination with monsters, but that's it. If you like the kind of movie this is, where it shows a kid growing up in the 50s, then by all means, check it out. I was not a fan. out of 5.#20. Resolution (2012) Chris is a drug addict, squatting in a small building on a Native Reservation. His friend Michael, after getting a strange video of Chris' antics, goes to him, and chains him to the wall in hopes of successfully detoxing him within a week. Then, Michael starts making strange discoveries about the area that put them at risk. I loved this film, and hate that it's hard to talk about without spoilers. The strengths of the film are twofold: Obviously, the strange horror factor is strong in it, but just as good are Chris and Michael's natural chemistry and humor. The movie is kind of scary and very creepy, but it's also legitimately funny as well, which is an incredibly hard balance to keep up. Apparently these characters also show up in the filmmakers' followup from last year, The Endless, so I'll be trying to watch that this month with excitement. out of 5#21. Human Lanterns 1982. Two Ming Dynasty era bigwigs are in a constant feud, and with a contest for best lanterns coming up, one searches out and finds a crafter he beat in duel years ago to make him the very finest. Turns out the guy is a psycho, and you'll never guess his secret technique for making lanterns. I'm a fan of horror, obviously, and I'm also a fan of kung fu movies. To my surprise, this film is a perfect blend of the two genres, something I've never seen before. The plot is a very solid slasher style one, yet is constantly punctuated with intense, wire-based fight scenes that are absolutely top tier, and are diagetically justified. Color me impressed with the seamless blending of the two genres. out of 5#22. Skeletons In The Closet (2018). Set in the 80s, Emily is a young horror fanatic, and tonight is her favorite program, a weekly horror movie shown by a horror hostess, The Widow, and her corpse husband, much to the misgivings of her babysitter. The movie The Widow watches, Chop Shop, is an anthology, featuring a handful of seemingly unrelated stories, or are they? I have to give this film credit for trying, I really do, but it's kind of a flop. The fact that we have an anthology three layers deep in bookend kinda confuses things, and the tone seems all over the place. Also, the stories are pretty bland. out of 5#23. Monster X! (2017) A couple goes to a horror movie marathon at the local cineplex for a first date, and finds that in this theater, the monsters are very much real, and must run and hide while the features play. Another flub of an anthology film, this one is at least competently made, collecting a score of short films that had circulated the festivals before the making of the movie. However, they're all fairly predictable, and quite short and forgettable. out of 5#24. Beyond The Door (1972) After she gets pregnant, a wife and mother becomes possessed by the devil. A strange man from her past comes forward to her rescue, but is actually in league with the evil one himself! When this Italian film came out, it was promptly sued by Warner Bros for being a copy of Exorcist, and it's obvious why Warner won that lawsuit. What's odd however is that's it's not strictly exactly the same, even though much of the possession stuff is copied. Like, it has the weird element of maybe Rosemary's Baby to it? Also there's a pretty cool brief poltergeist sequence a full decade before the Tobe Hooper film made that sort of thing popular. It's weird plot earns it an extra point from me. out of 5
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Oct 5, 2018 15:26
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Franchescanado posted:
You son of a... Last year I used the Nasties as a clearing house for my challenge list. I've already watched all 72! I've even given a talk on the subject at conventions. Unless you will allow one of the 83 "Section 3" films, I've failed this one.
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Oct 5, 2018 23:12
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Watch a Video Nasty*
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Franchescanado posted:You specifically can have this exception, since I knew there'd be an issue for you with this challenge before posting it. Oh you...you're too much. Okay, I love you again. Also, for everyone else, Fran did say you could watch movies ABOUT the Video Nasties, and if you have Shudder, there's some pretty great documentaries on there about them, I highly recommend. (My schedule's all flipped turned upside down for health reasons but I'll try to update my views in a few movies)
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Oct 6, 2018 06:30
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#25. Microwave Massacre (1982) An average over the hill schmoe has a wife who just got a new oversized microwave to further her experiments in bad cooking. In the midst of a drunken fight, he ends up killing her, and after accidentally trying a bite, realizes he likes human meat far more than he ever liked her. Soon he moves on to having to find his own new food stocks on the street. Oof, this one is lousy as all creation. First off, it's a bad comedy, where all the standup style jokes of the lead (who was also the beloved voice of Frosty the Snowman in all the old Ruby-Spears specials!) were bad when this movie came out 35 years ago. Now they're just painful, and not in the good way. On top of that there's plenty of visual slapstick as well, equally unfunny. There's very little gore even, and the whole thing is just bad, and I mean bad-bad, not so bad it's good. 0 out of 5. Franchescanado posted:
#26. The Last Horror Film (1982) Vinny (Joe Spinell!)is a horror film fanatic, and his obsessions take him from his low life in New York to Cannes, so he can try to recruit his idol, Jana Bates (Caroline Munroe!) to make a horror film with him. Bates herself is in the running for best actress that year at Cannes, but the people around her career are slowly getting killed by a masked assailant, while someone films these encounters... In a lot of ways, this film makes for a good companion with the film Maniac. Both star Spinell as an obsessed weirdo stalking Munroe, and both have all kinds of good special effects, as well as a sleazy aftertaste-though this one in the ritzy high class French Riviera rather than the dirty New York. The plot is also a legit whodunnit, with Vinny being the main, but hardly only suspect in the murders. Finally, another neat feature is that they shot this film actually in Cannes, guerrilla-style, and much of the film industry in 1981, particularly the horror element, is on display, in plenty of billboards and crowd scenes set to a rock soundtrack. At one point you can even spy French director Jean Rollin working at his own booth in the background of a sequence. out of 5#27. Who Can Kill A Child? (1976) Ted and Evie are British tourists visiting a small island town off the coast of Spain, and are expecting their third child. The town however is strangely deserted save for the children, who our couple soon realize have some sort of mental infection of some kind compelling them to treat all adults as deadly enemies that need to be killed... Well, this is a pretty unique film. One might see it as a Spanish knock-off to Stephen King's "Children of the Corn"...except King didn't publish his story until the next year, making this a wholly original concept. The film has a strange rhythm, where I can't say it's constantly ramping up, as it's more a start and stop bit, with plenty of plateaus in the tension and action, but it never dips, and whoo boy the final 20 minutes are jaw-dropping. Highly recommended. out of 5#28. All The Colors of the Dark (1972) Jane is a troubled woman. As a child, her mother was murdered in front of her, and recently a car accident caused a miscarriage. Now, she can't bring herself to be intimate with her common law husband, Roger. First, her sister has her see the psychologist she works for for help, and then Jane meets a new neighbor who convinces her to come enter into her new age coven to instead try to fix her problems. The entire time however, Jane is sure she's being stalked by the man who murdered her mother, but can't quite tell what is real or not anymore... Wow is this a weird movie. Like, it moves in ways akin to a giallo in the plot, but at the same time the whole film is filled with bizarre imagery and camera angles, and feels like when you're in a dream--and not the fun kind, but the kind where you're trying to run but your legs don't move. Also, it feels like it reaches an ending several times before it actually does, and leaves the viewer second guessing throughout. It's a really bizarre film, one of the weirdest I've seen from Italy in the 70s. out of 5
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Oct 6, 2018 12:00
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#29. Demon Wind (1990) Cory learns that his family history is connected to witchcraft and some terrible tragedy. So he gets a group of friends and goes to the remains of his grandmother's house, and finds himself trapped in a battle against a demon and his undead minions for the fate of the Earth. I'm really surprised this one doesn't get more notice. It's creative in the special effects, has a bonkers story, and has an honestly likable cast. I'd even go so far as to call it a spiritual successor to the Evil Dead franchise, it has the same feel as those. And who doesn't want more of that stuff? out of 5#30. Lord of Tears (2013) When James' estranged mother passes away, he inherits the family Scottish Manor, as well as begins remembering repressed childhood bits about being scared of some strange monster shaped like a man with an owl's head. So he returns to the manor, where he meets American caretaker Evie, who happily agrees to help him figure out the mystery of the place, and slowly start coming closer and closer to one another, and Jamie becomes more and more convinced his home is haunted. This film feels very...British in its nature of being an eerie ghost story set in the Scottish Highlands, in an old empty manor along the cold hills and dales. It reminds me of the older stories of authors like MR James and his ilk in the way it captures that sort of unique feel it seems like you can't quite get anywhere else in the world. So I'll be doubly curious when I later try for a film the writer made later that's a sort of spiritual sequel, also involving the Owlman, but set in Mexico. My one big complaint however is with the actress playing Evie. Evie is certainly charming and flirtatious, but every single line of hers is delivered in over the top, community theater levels of emoting, and it gets very tiresome very quickly. out of 5#31 (!) Dead End Drive-In (1986) In a world of the far future of 2010, civilization is slowly starting to crumble, but only just at the seams at this point. Crabs (yes that's his nickname) takes his girlfriend on a date in his brother's classic car to the drive-in, only to get his wheels stolen, and to discover that the place is government trap for keeping the undesirable youths off the street, like some kind of concentration camp. Naturally this means a closed in area full of nothing but punks and degenerates and gang members, struggling each day to survive, while Crabs only struggles to find a way out. I can see why this film is so highly regarded in the exploitation circles. It's almost feels like a preclude to its fellow Australian film, Mad Max, and even features a climax full of wild car stunts, not to mention a plot that feels full to the gills with social commentary. I feel like I got a lot of it, but that there were probably just as much bits that were unique to 1980s Australia and went right over my head. That said, it's a good movie, with poster art that makes it seem like a kinda different film altogether. out of 
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Oct 7, 2018 09:11
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#32. November (2017). Set several centuries ago in Estonia, this film tells of a peasant boy in unrequited love for the local Baroness, and a peasant girl unrequitedly in love with him. This Shakespearan love triangle is then set against the backdrop of the area's rich mythological lore, where things like witches and werewolves are commonplace, as is a creature known as a "Krall" which would be when a person crafts a servant out of whatever they choose, and then makes a deal with the devil to place a soul inside it. This was a very singular movie I must say. Its stark black and white photography does much to reinforce the harshness of the poverty the people are living in. Also, the story is quite dense, with lots of wild folklore unfamiliar to someone from the West like me, and many different subplots working together. It's quite a well done film worth taking a look at. out of 5#33. Creep 2 (2017) Our arguably "main" character from the first film returns, now finding himself in a bit of a midlife crisis. So he winds up recruiting a lady videographer and admits to being a serial killer in the purpose of having her document a day in his life. I'm really impressed with the Creep films, and how they continue to keep the central character interesting and tension providing, not to mention keep the use of "found footage" style filmmaking relevant. I'm very interested to see where they go with the announced part 3. out of 5#34. I am the Pretty Thing That Lives In The House (2016) Lily is assigned as a live in nurse for an elderly woman with dementia. The house itself is old and creepy, and the woman is a successful author who wrote a book about a woman being murdered that may in fact be non-fiction. Sigh. I really wanted to like this one. It's got some intensely spooky atmosphere, and is a fine story. But...it's just dreadfully lacking in substance. The main character, who often is the only character, just quietly monologues in a near whisper, and there is very long stretches where nothing really happens at all. I just couldn't help but be bored watching nearly the whole way through. What a shame. out of 5#35. Nailgun Massacre (1985) After a brutal gangrape in a small town, the men who are possible suspects start getting taken out by a wisecracking masked assailant with, as the title suggests, a nail gun. This is an extremely low budget film, with a cast of obvious locals, but it's definitely a case where it's so bad it's good. So much of it is hilariously dumb and inept you can't help but enjoy it. Also, it's got an amazing 80s synth soundtrack that is far better than the movie could ever deserve. out of 5
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Oct 8, 2018 05:22
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#36. Mutations (1976) (aka The Freakmaker) A genetics professor (Donald Pleasance!) believes he has found the secrets to genetic engineering. He is assisted by a deformed man who co-owns a traveling freak show (Tom Baker!) who kidnaps young men and women for him to experiment on, in hopes that the professor will be able to cure him of his own abnormalities. All the not so good doctor actually accomplishes however, is making monsters himself. I've been meaning to see this film for a little while now, and I could never remember the name. It's pretty wild that the movie isn't well known today considering it's two big names, the fact that it's a crazy monster movie, and the film's efforts to replicate some of the success of Tod Browning's Freaks by casting actual circus performers in the freak show (there's even a "one of us!" scene) That said, the film is definitely low budget, and filled with bare production values and pseudo-science. It's fun, but it won't win any awards. out of 5#37. Shock Waves (1977) A small pleasure cruise runs into a ghost ship overnight and the people aboard are forced to make for a small nearby island, deserted save for an older ex-Nazi (Peter Cushing!) who tells them how in the second world war he was in charge of a special experimental battalion of men, scientifically experimented on to turn into living weapons impervious to most natural and environmental causes of death. Now these strange man-creatures have risen up out of the sea and are stalking our survivors. This is such a weird film to place in any one pigeonhole. Like, it feels very European in its look, but it is definitely an American production, with the improved line delivery in English. It kinda feels like a zombie movie (an underwater nazi one no less), but the monsters aren't quite zombies either, in that they're smart, and quick, and creative instead of some mindless beasts. Even the rhythm of the film is off balance. Don't get me wrong, it's surprisingly well done for what it is, but figuring out exactly what that is is what makes it strange. out of 5#38. Fury of the Demon (2016) In 2012, in Paris, there was a special, much-hyped screening of a film thought lost for over a hundred years, "le Rage Du Demon", which had only been screened two other times in historical record. All three screenings of this film, thought to be made by a former protege of Georges Melies, pretty much the inventor of film special effects, resulted in a strange temporary madness wherein the audience went into rages and attacked each other. This film investigates the mystery of the film. I enjoyed this hour long mockumentary, mostly because of just how much work is put into it to make it seem believable. The film spends a good portion of its running time talking about Melies' history, and has many talking heads portraying themselves in the film. However, frustratingly, there are some places it just drops the ball. There's next to no description of what actually happens in the film in question, though it's theorized that the contents are not the cause of the panics. Also, more damning to my eyes is when they show "photos" of the protege thought responsible while talking about them, which are clearly doctored photos to include this actor. That is far too common a problem in my opinion--how badly people do photoshopping the very old photography; it takes a lot more than dressing your actor up and matching the tint and lights. In this case, it ruins the whole illusion for me and just disappoints. out of 5#39. Delirium (1987) Gloria is a former nude model who struck it big making her own magazine. Now suddenly people around her start being killed off, and the killer is mailing photos of the corpses posed in front of pictures of Gloria to her. Oh well. I turned this one on because of a super weird looking cover, which references the first kill scene, where for some odd reason, from the killer's perspective the victim's head is replaced by a giant eyeball. It's strange. And nothing about it is mentioned or repeated again the whole movie. Other than that, it's a fairly bog-standard giallo, made in the late 80s, with lots of nudity and sex, and an environment of wealthy and miserable people. Eh. out of 5.#40. Blood Diner (1987) Brothers Michael and Georgie, as boys, are visited by their uncle Anwar, while he's in mid crime spree, and he imports on them the lesson to follow the family religion, worshipping the ancient Lumarian goddess Shitar. Cut to twenty years later, and the brothers are digging up their uncle's corpse, and stick his brain and eyes in a bottle, and the three of them begin a plan using their restaurant to prepare a cannibalistic ceremony to bring their goddess to life on the mortal plane. If this sounds familiar at all, it's because in the early stages of development, the film was to be a sequel to Blood Feast, with Anwar obviously being Fuad Ramses from that film. This film is a lot of fun, with good acting, and actually funny jokes mixed in with the bad ones, and high production values, all accented by a real enthusiasm seeming to come across by everyone involved. There's plenty of gore, but it's almost all so over the top cartoonish, that it's hard to imagine people actually being upset by it. It's cheese, but it's FUN, deliberate cheese. out of 5
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Oct 9, 2018 06:41
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#41. Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman (2007). In a Japanese city, the urban legend popular since the 70s comes to life and begins kidnapping children. It's up to a pair of grade school teachers to find out where she takes them, and try to stop her before anyone else can get hurt or worse. The Kuchisake-Onna is a strange piece of popular culture. First off, the woman has only been around since the 70s, and likely based on a real maniac, second is the strange ritualistic style of her-a woman wearing a trenchcoat and medical mask, she asks if you think she's pretty, and the answers don't really matter because she kills you regardless. This movie should be just a by-the-numbers J-Horror ghost film, but instead the filmmakers use her to talk all about child abuse, and the film is harrowingly unafraid to show children as victims of violence and murder. If you take issue with the subject, this film is very difficult indeed to watch. out of 5#42. Thoroughbreds (2017) (Commanded by Franchescanado) Lily is an upper class teenager who is constantly fighting with her stepfather. Through a tutoring session, she reconnects with her old friend Amanda, who is deeply emotionally disturbed and vacant. Together, the two of them decide to start planning the murder of Lily's stepdad. This film was really well done. Like, there are other movies I've seen that feel like they're trying for the same type of message or tone (such as Excision) that I just don't feel get there like this does. It's extremely dark and distubing, while still also being fully funny and without feeling like its rapid fire dialog and wit give it a sense of superiority. Also it's funny, this is the second film I've seen this month starring Anya Taylor-Joy, and I hadn't even heard of her before. She's quite the talented actress, and I'm sure she'll go far. out of 5#43. The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015) (Commanded by Gey Muckle Mowser) After two girls are forced to stay over break at a Catholic School, strange and disturbing events slowly unfold. This movie is a slow burn, from the same director as "I am the Pretty Thing that Lives in the House", but is in my opinion, substantially better. There is more time spent on building up the dread and isolation, and more time on actually paying off that dread too. How strange that this one came first. out of 5#44. The Endless (2017) Aaron and Justin are brothers who have escaped from a cult of UFO worshipers who choose to return at Aaron's insistence after they get a video mailed to them alluding to the group's impending mass suicide. Once there, the pair start noticing stranger and stranger phenomenon that can't be ignored. Remember when I said last week that Resolution has a sort of sequel? This is it. Sort of. It's almost like a reverse-matryoshka doll, where the plot of the first movie is just a very small part of this movie's plot. Many questions are answered, but not nearly all of them. This film also isn't as funny as the first one, but out of deliberateness, as the few funny parts are still funny, and the cast still comes off extremely natural. So far, these two movies are my favorites of the challenge. out of 5#45. The Litch (2018) Vinnie is a small time hood and all around screw-up. After stealing an amulet from a crystal store in a robbery, an ancient evil known as The Litch is freed onto the mortal plane, and seeks to get the amulet back from Vinnie to allow for him to conquer all existence. Before that description gets you excited, be aware this is a no-budget indie film on par with the sorts of stuff that Troma distributes on the cheap. It has next to no special effects shown on screen, and very amateur acting, but I will say that it's got lots of funny jokes (especially from a character known as "Sven, the Selfie Hitman") and also some not half bad cartoon animation in places. It relies quite a bit on gross out type effects and is obviously filmed in people's apartments, but if you can dig that kind of thing, you could do a lot worse. out of 5#46. Xibalba (2017) After a discovery of Mayan records buried deep in the ground, an expert calls together a team of underwater cavers to help him discover and explore a temple he believes holds the lost secrets of the civilization. What they don't know however (and is told to us at the outset) is that the temple actually serves as a prison for an ancient alien race hellbent on conquering the earth. This Mexican film is kinda uneven to me. Like, the writing and the acting feel like they'd be very much in line with a straight to syfy disaster/embiggened animal movie. But at the same time, the production values are quite high. In fact, they even use practical effects for the rather decent monsters once they finally show up late in the film. Also, the film is filled to the brim with beautiful underwater cave footage that really kinda brings out fears in me I wouldn't normally have otherwise. My biggest complaint is just that the movie takes so long to really get rolling with the plot that there doesn't seem time to really get to much action. It almost feels like it's supposed to be a set up for a sequel. out of 5
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Oct 10, 2018 16:57
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#47 Found Footage 3D (2017) A small film crew decides to make the first ever 3D Found Footage film, and they decide to document the process along the way, also in 3D. However, the old farmhouse they're filming in might have more than a fictional haunting... Well, I have to say this is kinda generic as a low budget Found Footage fest. It is at least having fun with its meta narrative so there is that. I have some red-blue anaglyph glasses so I watched it in the full 3D experience. I'd suggest not doing that, unless you want to get sick. Turns out it doesn't work well with shaky cameras. out of 5#48. Bedeviled (2018) After one of their friends dies, a group of teens get requests from her phone to download a new personal assistant app. However, this app is actually demonic, and preys on them using their own fears against them. woof. This one is really bad, grabbed off Netflix on a whim. It's about the most generic teen ensemble horror film out there, with lots of bad writing (including hand wavey "hacking"), it is completely devoid of any shown violence or gore, and the villain is completely ripping off Stephen King's It. It's real bad, and I only recommend watching it to laugh at it. out of 5Franchescanado posted:
#49. Diary of an Exorcist 0 (2017) A pair of filmmakers interview an aging Father Lucas Vidal, a man who has spent over thirty years as an exorcist for the Catholic church in Brazil, who tells his stories of how he first came into that field, and the cases he worked on. This is a pretty tame exorcism movie really. The most shocking moments probably happen when the priest's sister is possessed and she propositions him mid exorcism. But I'd say it's pretty inoffensive as a movie. I mostly decided to watch it so I could see something from Brazil not involving Coffin Joe, to see what other stuff is out there. I'd say this is a very Catholic film, which I mean, Brazil is a very Catholic country, so that's not a shock. out of 5
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Oct 11, 2018 10:10
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#50 (!) The Lure (2015) A pair of mermaids, Silver and Golden are found in the 1980s and taken to a small cabaret and booked as talent. One is looking for love in the human race, the other for lunch. This little picture from Poland is kinda bonkers in the best ways. It's a horror film, a love story, a fantasy, AND a musical all rolled up into one. The cinematography is drop dead gorgeous, and the songs are actually very catchy. I loved the film, and had a lot of fun with it. out of 5#51. Eko Eko Azarak (1995) Just as Misa, a teenage witch, starts attending a new high school, it becomes the center of a dark ritual. As her and other students are taking a make-up quiz after class, the school becomes magically sealed, and one by one the students start getting picked off in sacrifice. This is another on my long list of "I'll get around to it some day" movies. Most sources I have put it as one of the trailblazers of the j-horror renaissance of the late 90s to mid 00s. It's a neat little movie, filled with lots of gore, and some pretty sleazy teachers too. If you're a fan of Japanese School horror movies (something there's a lot of) this is the granddaddy right here. out of 5#52. Beyond The Darkness (1979) Franchesco is a rich young man with a hobby for taxidermy. When his wife dies of illness, he goes mad, steals her body, and stuffs it so it's with him all the time, and starts going off killing other women, all with the help of his insanely obssessed housekeeper. Whenever I see the name "Joe D'Amato" as director of Italian sleaze, I always know I'm setting up a gamble for myself. Some of his films are the absolute dankest pits, while some are shocking yet interesting. Luckily this is the latter. The plot is sparse, but the gore is prolonged, and incredibly detailed. It's probably not for most audiences. It feels like a precursor to fake snuff movies like the Guinea Pig flicks to me. out of 5#53. Zombie 4: After Death (1988) Scientists working on a cure for cancer on a tropical isle meet the ire of a local witchdoctor who opens a gate to hell, unleashing the living dead. Years later, one of the survivors finds herself stranded back on this same island tasked with closing the gate. It's really weird to me seeing an Italian Zombie flick on a more modern filmstock instead of the scratch 16mm the older ones are on. That said, this is a mess of a film that can barely keep track of its own plot, and has terrible acting. Probably the big draw is it's the one with gay porn superstar Rick Stryker in it, though without his own trademark deep voice, unfortunately. out of 5#54 Bone Sickness (2005) A young man has a nasty bone based disease, so his wife turns to a holistic cure she's found, and is aided in by her husband's best friend: Eating the meat and bones of corpses. But such a cure has some pretty nasty side effects of its own... This is one of the many, many no-budget digital camcorder films that arrived in the 00s. Unlike many of them however, they use their meager budget in some impressive ways: No, not in sets or acting or whatever, but in the gory special effects. There's just TONS of it in the film, and much of it looks VERY good. It also hits on a couple of my personal weakspots: Being chronically ill, and there's lots of worm action going on (I'm not scared of worms, they just gross me out), so there's that going on too. However, at the end of the day, it's still a cheesy no-budget zombie flick. out of 5
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Oct 12, 2018 23:01
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Random Stranger posted:Here's an anime horror movie that's on youtube that illustrates how good anime is: Unfortunately, it's not at all the same kind of bonkers as the Dracula one, just a heads up. There's nothing wrong with it though. Anyways, on to my write-ups: Franchescanado posted:
#55. Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1955) A trio of high school students get in trouble when one tries to cheat for their final grade. When they go over to the horrid teacher's (the aforementioned Mrs Tingle) home, things quickly get out of control, and they end up taking her captive, with great potential for violence along the way. This movie watching was the result of me looking for someone who has only directed one movie, and that it's even marginally horror. In this case, Kevin Williamson, the writer for Scream. The fact that he specializes in pg-13 vapid 90s teen flicks shows in full here. It's bad, real bad, with lame dialogue and teen actors (including Katie Holmes in the lead) that can't hold a candle to the adult cast. This is especially true of the role of Mrs. Tingle, played by Helen Mirren, who just carries the whole film on her back and makes you wish you were watching her in something better. The rating is all on account of her. out of 5#56. Splinter (2008) A young couple on a anniversary trip run afoul of a criminal couple on the lam who take them captive. The foursome then encounter a strange new life form of rapidly growing spine-like splinters that take over animation of whatever they implant themselves in, and are fully capable of fusing themselves together, forcing the group to take shelter in an all-night gas station. Wow was this a cool monster flick. Lots of clever scary designs, and truly wince worthy violence. On the other hand, the cast of characters are all dumber than a five pound sack of rocks. Nonetheless, A good movie. out of 5#57. CreepTales ("2004"). A group of monsters have a party to watch their favorite movie, CreepTales, which is a collection of different short films. They very in quality, but some of them are really good, especially one where Tom "Voice of Spongebob" Kenny plays a punk purse-snatcher (and he sings his own theme song!) or one where a rundown housewife sick of her husband gets a magical vacuum. The quotes in the release date is because these shorts come from a variety of times and sources, extending from 2004 to 1998, but the anthology itself did not come out until that year. I'd say it's most fun in a party atmosphere, like how I saw it. out of 5
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Oct 13, 2018 08:43
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#58. Doom Asylum (1987) A sleazy lawyer and his wife win a super high paying lawsuit and while celebrating get in an accident killing her and mangling him. At the hospital the doctors mistake him for dead but he comes back to life and goes crazy, killing everyone. 20 years later his step-daughter and equally dumb-as rocks group of friends come to explore the closed down hospital, where a punk lesbian trio are squatting, and he comes out of hiding to stalk and slay them all one by one. Wow was this a dumb movie. Like, both critically, and diagetically, d-u-m-b DUMB. Every single character is deliberately stupid and one-note to cartoonish levels, and can't at all think for themselves. The makeup and gore effects are pretty great at least so I enjoyed that. out of 559. Shock! (1977) Dora moves into a new house with her son Bruno, and her new husband Marco. Slowly her son starts acting stranger and stranger, and memories of his deceased father, and her trouble remembering the details of his death start to haunt and terrorize the housewife. This is a weird one. Like, at times it feels at home in Roman Polanski's "Apartment" trilogy, being about a woman trapped in her own home losing her mind, at other points it's a full on ghost movie, with a creepy kid. Regardless, Mario Bava pulls out a full magic hat's worth of optical tricks along the way that are just masterful and fun to watch (including one that was later stolen for Housewife, which I watched earlier in the month that I just love). Of all the movies I've seen Daria Niccolodi (Mother to Asia Argento) in, I'd say this is her best performance. out of 5#60. Project Metalbeast (1995) A military experiment to put werewolf blood into human soldiers goes bad and the project is put into cryogenic storage. A decade later, scientists are working on an artificial metal based skin to make soldiers bullet resistant. The evil man in charge (Barry Bostwick!) sees a "Chocolate and Peanut Butter" potential and has them start using the comatose were-soldier as their guinea pig. I'm sure you can guess what happens next. Wow, from the description, you'd think this was actually a cool movie! It's not. It's dull as dirt, with a big fat lot of nothing happening most of the movie. It's the worst kind of "B" movie--"BORING". Avoid. out of 5#61. Evil Dead Trap 2 (1992) Aki is a film projectionist who is kinda a wallflower. Because of guilt over an abortion she once had, she is seeing visions of a young boy, perhaps the child she didn't have. Her boss persuades her to see a mystic for this. Also, she's a serial killer, going after young women in car parks and construction lots. Her friend Emi, who is her total opposite, is a reporter that is making a name for herself covering these killings. Her boyfriend, Kurahashi, is very much into Aki despite her rebuking him repeatedly. Emi encourages him chasing after her. I...think he's married as well, and the kid Aki keeps seeing is living with his wife? Am...am I having a stroke? This movie was super confusing to me, something that's an ultra rarity for myself. It feels like I was watching the film a schizophrenic might make, with the tone flopping around to different ideas rapidly and without as much cohesion as it thought it had. Don't get me wrong, I liked it a lot, but my head hurts trying to make sense of it. For the record, it has nothing to do with the first Evil Dead Trap film. One thing that also raised my eyebrows was that its protagonist was a plus sized woman-which are about as rare as friggin unicorns in Japanese films-and that there is zero attention brought to this fact in this weird sort of psycho-sexual film. out of 5
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Oct 14, 2018 20:43
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Spatulater bro! posted:I'm anxiously awaiting reviews of Winterbeast. #62. Bad Dreams (1988) A young girl is the sole survivor of a cult mass suicide in the seventies. Thirteen years later she awakens from her coma and is put into a group therapy at the hospital. While there, she starts seeing visions of her former leader, and those around her start dying off in ways that look like accidents. This is a curious film. In some ways it brings to mind Nightmare on Elm Street, with the protagonist seeing a burnt up villain that no one else sees, seemingly responsible for deaths around her. However, it really is its own thing, and tries to accurately show the way mood swings work in the mentally unstable. It's not bad, and Richard Lynch as the villain is always fun. out of 5#63. Pumpkinhead 2: Blood Wings (1993) A sheriff and his family move into the rural town he grew up in as a kid. His rebel daughter and the local troublemakers wind up setting fire to an old witch's house, and she calls forth the demon of vengeance to hunt them down and kill them all in return. I have such a soft spot for mid-90s monster movies. They're always so cheesy, but they're just before CGI became ubiquitous so the practical effects are still fun. This movie is no different, reusing the costume from the first film to good effect, as teens slowly get in worse and worse trouble, and Andrew Robinson pretends he's in a far better quality picture. out of 5#64. Winterbeast (1992) A Native American portal to Hell opens up in the mountains, unleashing a number of embiggened monstrosities, and it's up to some lowly forest rangers to try to stop them. I'll be brutally honest, I fell asleep for about 10 minutes while watching this, and I don't think I really missed a lot. I certainly didn't miss any plot. This feels way older than it is, by like, a decade at least, with very much a feeling of "let's put on a show! We can use my dad's barn!", not to mention most of the monsters being claymation. Of course, while that is a shoddy thing, the whole method brings about a lot of charm to it in my opinion, and reminds me of things like The Alien Factor for its creativity in the face of not much talent. out of 5#65. Road Games (1981) Quid is an American truck driver working in Australia. While hauling meat from one side of the continent to the other, he starts noticing a suspicious motorist that makes him think of news reports about a serial killer, and becomes obsessed with proving he's right. Along the way he picks up a young lady hitchhiker who joins him in the mystery. This movie should get more notice than it does. It's really more than anything a character piece about the intelligent yet blue collar Quid, played charmingly by Stacy Keach. The scenes he has with Jamie Lee Curtis as Hitch are incredibly likable and the two have a natural chemistry that is a delight to watch. The mystery itself also brings with it a great sense of urgency without diluting the road trip nature of the film and keeps up the suspense. out of 5#66. I bought a vampire motorcycle (1990) Noddy is a motorcycle buff. After he buys a motorcycle that was cursed by a satanic cult, it starts going around killing people for their blood. Noddy in turn has to recruit a priest to help him exorcise the machine before it kills more innocents. Well this is a goofy one. There's plenty of black humor in it, but the vampire angle is played remarkably straight. It's not a vampire that turns into a motorcycle or anything like that, it's a friggin animate bike that grows spikes and jaws and eats people. Also, I think this is the only non-Star Wars film I've seen Anthony Daniels in. Very silly. out of 5#67. Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996) The titular Leprechaun is in the process of arranging a marriage with a space princess when the space marines come and shoot him up with their space guns, and bring the princess up into their space ship, only for the guy to reform up there (by pulling an "Alien" on a guy's space-boner) and starts killing them all. In space. I knew going in this would be stupid. And it is! But at least it seems to KNOW it's stupid. The effects are below straight-to-syfy tv series level budget, and the dialog and acting are as generic as can be. Some of the kills can be fun however. If you're into cheesy movies, this is catnip for you, I assure you. out of 5
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Oct 15, 2018 16:17
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