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Most of you are probably sick of me posting my list, but here it is one last time officially: https://letterboxd.com/caiman/list/october-2018-horror-challenge/ I may change up the order a bit as I go, but those are definitely the 31 films I'm aiming for. I haven't seen any of them, and I tried to set a good eclectic mix of styles, decades and countries. My wife just gave birth to our second son (the other being a toddler), and I work full time. So this is going to truly be a "challenge" for me. I'm glad for the September head start.
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Sep 14, 2018 18:48
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Friends Are Evil posted:Trying to set some extra challenges for myself. No sequels, no remakes, first-time viewings only, and nothing coming out in theaters counts towards the list. Great list.
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Sep 14, 2018 21:35
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I just realized I have two films on my list that barely meet the minimum length requirement. Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Black Cat (1934) are 61 minutes and 63 minutes respectively.
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Sep 14, 2018 22:24
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 HERE WE GO 1. The Blob (1988, Chuck Russell) Now THIS is how to do a remake. Retain everything that was good about the original and expand on it in fun and interesting ways. I like the original, but this one beats it by a country mile. We still get all of the trappings of the classic alien monster feature: the small town, the old man discovering something weird in the woods, the teenagers that nobody believes. Only now we also get: an abundance of spectacular practical goo and gore effects, more developed characters, and a government conspiracy. I can't stress enough how wonderful the effects are. I know it's trite to harp on CGI, but seeing the humongous blob oozing its way through a crowded movie theater and not seeing a drop of computer effects fills me with glee. And unlike the original, this film doesn't shy away from showing the grisly effects of people being consumed by the monster. These are some seriously gnarly makeup effects. I let out an audible laugh when the girl in the car had her face get sucked into itself. These are effects that Stuart Gordon or Frank Hennenlotter would be proud of. Something else I admire about this is how unpredictable it is in terms of which characters are going to die. Nobody's safe in this movie. Not the handsome jock that seems like he's going to be the main character, not the local sheriff with a crush on the lady working at the diner, not the lady working at the diner, hell not even children. This is pretty much the perfect movie of its type.    (4.5 hosed up blob victims out of 5)
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Sep 15, 2018 16:46
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2. Mandy (2018, Panos Cosmatos) Cosmatos' Beyond the Black Rainbow was a (mostly successful) exercise in stunning visuals, but where that film was missing some heart, Mandy isn't. It's seriously affecting. By the time the film reaches its manic, blood-soaked third act, I cared about the outcome. This is a movie made for people who don't like the way most movies are made. It's deliberately paced, hyper stylized, hyper violent and it has Nic Cage snorting cocaine off of broken glass. i.e. not your typical movie. And I thank god it exists. If the best death metal could be transposed into a film, it'd look a lot like Mandy. It's the sort of film I wait patiently for, dredging through movies with humdrum visuals, conventional narratives and soulless music. This is a movie that reminds me why I love movies.   (5 cheddar goblins out of 5) Spatulater bro! fucked around with this message at 22:27 on Sep 15, 2018 |
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Sep 15, 2018 22:23
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Man you guys are watching some seriously interesting stuff. This thread is already awesome.
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Sep 16, 2018 17:13
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M_Sinistrari posted:
Did you happen to see it on Blu-ray? I've got the Masters of Cinema release and it looks gorgeous, especially the color scenes. Speaking of that, it kinda blows my mind to think that Technicolor was a thing in 1925.
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Sep 16, 2018 17:44
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Random Stranger posted:Day -15 - A Chinese Ghost Story This looks totally my poo poo. HK horror is operating on a different plane.
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Sep 16, 2018 21:01
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chitoryu12 posted:utterly beautiful color choices. Not enough people mention this. It's a NICE looking film. Also anyone who liked Terrifier should also like the director's short film on which it's based: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlEZXlFVgfM Spatulater bro! fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Sep 16, 2018 |
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Sep 16, 2018 21:50
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STAC Goat posted:I was once working on a indy horror film where the director took us aside one day and made us watch The Faculty to know what he didn't want his film to be. It's so 90s that Usher's in it twice.
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Sep 16, 2018 22:15
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Retro Futurist posted:I wasn't thinking and packed all my movies away as we're moving November 1st. Had to hit up the storage locker today and managed to grab these If you're going to watch Caligari I HIGHLY recommend picking up the restored Blu-ray from Kino (or Masters of Cinema). It's a miraculous restoration.
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Sep 17, 2018 00:24
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Retro Futurist posted:4-Angst Oooh I love Angst! I'm glad you touched on the camera work 'cause it's awesome. This is one of Gaspar Noe's favorite films and you can really see its influence in I Stand Alone.
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Sep 17, 2018 18:17
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Basebf555 posted:my favorite of the original run of Universal horror movies. I thought I was the only one! As much as I love Frankenstein/Bride, The Invisible Man is where it's at.
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Sep 17, 2018 21:06
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gey muckle mowser posted:I should re-watch The Invisible Man, last time I saw it was about 6 years ago and it didn't do much for me at the time. If I were invisible I'd do cooler stuff than just knock stuff off tables and steal hats. They probably couldn't film women's locker rooms in the 1930s.
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Sep 17, 2018 21:15
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Several Goblins posted:4. The Gingerdead Man (2005) That they managed to make a killer gingerbread man movie starring Gary Busey completely un-fun is perplexing and criminal. Several Goblins posted:6. Martyrs (2015) I know it's trite to complain about the pointlessness of remakes, but I really don't understand why they would make watered down versions of movies notable primarily for their shocking and disturbing nature. It's like rebuilding an exciting roller coaster but flattening it out and removing the loops. Spatulater bro! fucked around with this message at 01:26 on Sep 18, 2018 |
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Sep 18, 2018 01:13
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3. The Hands of Orlac (1924, Robert Wiene) What I love most about these classic horror movies is how they tackle high concepts with such sincerity. "A man loses his hands in an accident and they're replaced with the hands of a recently executed murderer. And now the murders continue!" That's a premise that nowadays nearly writes itself. But in 1924 this was novel stuff and the film works because of it. Since the film buys into it, so do we. Conrad Veidt gives a strong, albeit highly theatrical, performance. I mean I know the exaggerated performances are par for the course in films this early so that's not a complaint. In fact Veidt's overwrought physical movements kinda work in harmony with his chiseled features, intense eyes and tall slender stance. He's a bit spooky looking even when he's not trying to be (it's quite apparent why Wiene cast him as Caesar in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari). I really enjoyed watching him here. He very effectively paints a picture of a man nearing the edge of sanity. Something else worth mentioning is the wonderful score by Paul Mercer on the copy I watched. Something that often bugs me about silent film scores is when the tone of the music doesn't match that of the film. But this one nails it. It's ominous and serious without being cheesy. It fits the film quite well. I'm not sure what other scores are out there, but I highly recommend this one. If I have one small complaint about the movie it's its leisurely pacing. The film might have benefited from being a 90 minute movie instead of a 113 minute one. There were a few times when I was ready for a shot to cut away and it just... didn't. But again, that's pretty typical for silents, and it's a tiny quibble.   (4 murderous hands out of 5) Spatulater bro! fucked around with this message at 19:25 on Sep 18, 2018 |
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Sep 18, 2018 19:15
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I'm happy that so many people are watching Terrifier.
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Sep 19, 2018 00:54
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4. Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972, Sergio Martino) I didn't realize until someone pointed it out in the horror thread recently that this is an adaption of Poe's The Black Cat. Cool. It's a great story and this film does it justice. This is the second Sergio Martino giallo I've seen (the other being The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh), and I can now say I'm a fan. Many gialli seem to consider their characters as ancillary to the murder story (often cardboard, underdeveloped or otherwise uninteresting), but Martino does the opposite. Here he keeps his characters as the centerpiece of the film, which adds depth to a sub-genre that, we should admit, isn't rife with it. The abusive relationship between the main couple works nicely as a catalyst for the distrust and hate that drives the story. And the character of Floriana adds a wonderful spice to the whole thing. She's just wonderful. All the acting here is well above average for giallo standards. In terms of gore this won't do a whole lot to scratch the gorehound itch (though it surely meets its nudity quota). But what it lacks in gore it makes up for in, well, everything else. Martino's direction is delicate and suave. His shots glide and flow with smooth confidence, and he's not afraid to throw in interesting shots that punctuate a scene, like a straight down tracking shot. He really knows his poo poo. In terms of cinematographic adeptness, I'd definitely put him above Fulci. And maybe even above Argento (depending on the movie, I guess. Argento's quality varies wildly). His style reminds me more of Bava who I consider the greatest Italian horror director. This is definitely one of the best directed gialli I've seen. In fact, this is one of the best gialli I've seen period. I loved it.     (4.5 Satan cats out of 5)
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Sep 19, 2018 15:50
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Franchescanado posted:My biggest complaint against that movie is that the poster implies it's an Edwige Fenech movie, and while she's in it for about a 1/3rd of the run-time, she's not in it as much as I want. Which would just be the whole run-time. She's the best part of the movie, for me. Agreed, she was incredible.
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Sep 19, 2018 18:57
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As far as I'm concerned, The Strangers simply doesn't need to exist in a world where Them, Hush and You're Next do.
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Sep 19, 2018 19:07
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Franchescanado posted:Dead Alive is a perfect movie. Just about, yeah. I hate to admit it but the playground scene is a B- in a movie otherwise filled with A+ scenes. But it's still my favorite horror movie.
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Sep 19, 2018 20:33
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STAC Goat posted:Dead Alive... I think I know which one that is and liked it but I'm not sure. Lawnmower, right? Yes. Its original title is Braindead.
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Sep 19, 2018 20:40
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Jedit posted:4) Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) I like this movie, and I actually dig the weird 2-tone technicolor. It's strange and cool.
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Sep 21, 2018 01:34
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5. Fright Night (1985, Tom Holland) This is a movie that appeals more to my 15 year old self than my current 35 year old self, and I wish I had seen it back then because I'm positive it would have been one of my favorites. I mean it's pretty cool, it has fun effects and makeup, and good performances (except for the kid's friend - what the hell sort of acting was that?), but it's just a bit, I dunno, straight forward? There weren't any surprises. But that could very likely be due to my overexposure to these sorts of vampire stories over the past three decades (many of which are probably influenced by this). Despite not loving it I am glad to have finally seen it.   (3 Amy vampires out of 5)
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Sep 21, 2018 02:07
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Lurdiak posted:How do you not love Evil Ed? Or mention Roddy McDowall's loving tribute to Peter Cushing? Yeah Peter Vincent was pretty good. Definitely the best character. But that kid... I don't know. His strange performance distracted me in every scene he was in.
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Sep 21, 2018 15:56
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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.
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Sep 21, 2018 16:15
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Basebf555 posted:The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long. You hear that M_Sinistrari? Your dedication is being challenged. Prove 'em wrong. I'm rooting for you. e; and I apologize for saying "he". Not too many ladies in these parts. Force of habit. Spatulater bro! fucked around with this message at 16:29 on Sep 21, 2018 |
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Sep 21, 2018 16:19
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6. Black Magic Part 2 (1976, Ho Meng-Hua) Shaw Brothers horror movies fascinate me. Within the confines of a tiny budget, the filmmakers deliver unique, highly imaginative stories and concepts that make Hollywood horror look decidedly boilerplate by comparison. All the ones I've watched so far have been this way and Black Magic 2 is as well. What it lacks in convincing effects it makes up for with hilariously bizarre ideas and creative set pieces. Imagine this: A man who appears about 40 but is actually in his 80s uses black magic to cast spells on woman in order to turn them into zombies so he can, wait for it, drink their breast milk. You see, it's the milk that causes him to retain his youthful appearance and vibrancy. But these aren't regular zombies. These are what I'd call On-Demand Zombies. He keeps them in coma-like states in a hidden chamber. When he needs them he drives a huge nail into the top of their head and they spring to life to perform his bidding. Oh, and he also offers his black magic skills as a service for people looking to cast spells on their friends and relatives. What his patrons don't realize is that he's a tricky son of a bitch and everyone usually ends up as one of his automatons. And this just scratches the surface of the shenanigans that goes on in this film. Eyes are gouged, alligators are sliced, wounds look like people, cats are thrown, and there's enough female nudity to fill three Jean Rollin movies. This is goofy Hong Kong horror at its finest.   (4 wise eyes out of 5)
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Sep 21, 2018 20:28
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Basebf555 posted:The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms(1953) This is a good flick in its own right, but probably the best thing about it is that it was the main inspiration for Godzilla.
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Sep 21, 2018 20:32
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Mover posted:Cosmatos isn't winking at the audience or trying to coast by on references. He is completely serious in his aesthetic and his film making. 
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Sep 22, 2018 02:35
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7. Body Melt (1993, Philip Brophy) This is an ultra low budget Australian film very much in line with (and obviously inspired by) early Peter Jackson stuff, namely Bad Taste. And a lot like Bad Taste it's imaginative and competently made despite its limitations. I mean it definitely looks and feels cheap, but that doesn't stop it from being creative and fun. It's not quite on the same level of Bad Taste (and it doesn't hold a candle to Braindead), but it's suitably adept for being a cheap 90s body horror flick. Oh, and it's incredibly GROSS. The gore effects are its strongest trait, and the director utilizes them expertly to gross us out at every opportunity. I don't want to spoil much 'cause it's a movie worth watching, but I'll mention there's one scene in particular that will make any expecting or new parents squirm: A pregnant woman, who's been taking the poison chemical, goes into a sort of early labor in which her placenta falls out of her and attacks her husband by stuffing itself down his throat. Then the woman's belly blows wide open and we see down into the dried out cavity. I was drinking some nasty cheap beer as I watched this and about a third of the way in I started getting literally nauseous. I only place about 50% of the blame on the beer.    (3.5 Vimuville capsules out of 5)
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Sep 23, 2018 20:32
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8. Suspiria (1977, Dario Argento) (rewatch) I had the pleasure of seeing the 4k restoration of this film at the Kansas City Alamo Drafthouse this evening. What an absolute loving treat this was. I've seen the movie at least five times before tonight, but it's never felt this alive. The vibrant colors jumped off the screen and the sonic details came out loud and articulate. A seriously awesome experience that I highly recommend to anyone who even remotely likes this film. This is the way Suspiria is meant to be seen. As I said, I've seen the film many times, and each time I see it I become even more sure that this is the singular masterpiece of Italian horror. Nobody before or since, not even Argento himself, has come close to matching this film's aesthetic perfection. It's shot masterfully. And not just the famous colors; Argento uses all sorts of interesting compositions, focal tricks and camera moves. There's not an un-interesting shot in the whole thing. This is full fledged cinematographic bliss. But the visuals are just one half of the puzzle. Suspiria wouldn't be nearly as wonderful as it is without one of the greatest horror scores ever. Strike that. It's the greatest. Nothing else comes close. Not even Psycho. Goblin's score is delicate, mysterious and completely engrossing. Every time that main theme starts I get goosebumps. I can't think of a better marriage in film between visual and aural aesthetic. I love this god drat movie.   (5 secret irises out of 5)
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Sep 24, 2018 04:50
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M_Sinistrari posted:
Jacques Tourneur was actually against showing the demon at all but the producer insisted. As much respect as I have for Tourneur I have to say I'm glad his opinion got trumped. The demon adds a wonderful visceral, almost campy, element to the film that I feel benefits it. There's an awesome looking Blu-ray set coming out from Indicator next month. It includes four(!) versions of the film and a shitload of features. 
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Sep 24, 2018 16:39
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Dr.Caligari posted:Microwave Massacre That's just mean.
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Sep 25, 2018 05:44
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9. The Old Dark House (1932, James Whale) This is definitely not a "Boris Karloff movie". He gets top billing, but he's at most the fourth or fifth most important/prominent character. That's not a bad thing, as he does excellently in his small role, but it's important to note for anyone going into this expecting to see scenery-chewing Karloff. No, this is very much a Charles Laughton movie. He plays a gregarious character named Sir William Porterhouse, and I can't think of a more suiting name. The dude energizes every scene he's in. It's also worth noting that this film features Gloria Stuart who you may know as the old lady from Titanic. She looks... better here. What great atmosphere this movie has. The torrential rain, clapping thunder, the incessant wind noise, the candle-lit rooms, the roaring fire - it all creates the kind of spooky mood that I adore in these old horror movies. The dialog is clever, even funny at times, and the story takes a couple very interesting turns. You can sense the pre-code nature here which is always a big plus (the allusion to what one female character does or doesn't do for a male character is the sort of dialogue we wouldn't see for another three decades). A witty script, a mysterious plot, and wonderfully spooky atmosphere. I enjoyed this a lot.    (4.5 potatoes out of 5)
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Sep 25, 2018 16:26
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So what's up with the theatrical run for Climax? Is it getting a wide-ish release?
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Sep 25, 2018 23:09
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Franchescanado posted:
This is a loving awesome challenge and it makes me want to complete all the challenges now. I live in Kansas so this is gonna be interesting. (e: man, most movies filmed in the KC area are filmed in Missouri  )Do the challenges need to be completed in order? Spatulater bro! fucked around with this message at 16:48 on Sep 26, 2018 |
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Sep 26, 2018 16:44
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10. The Nude Vampire (1970, Jean Rollin) Jean Rollin's great asset is his ability to take ultra low budget schlock and, through stylistic adeptness, elevate it to something much more respectable. I don't see Criterion releasing them or anything, but his films are definitely working on a higher level than most others of their ilk. If you've seen any Jean Rollin before you'll know what you're in for with The Nude Vampire. It's a bare bones plot punctuated by two important trademarks: a haunting ethereal atmosphere, and lots of beautiful naked women. Here, as in all of his other films I've seen, he's much more interested in letting his camera gaze at a gorgeous woman in sheer clothing walking down a hallway than he is on pushing a narrative. In conjunction with a languid pace and a great minimalist score, it creates a wonderful dreamlike vibe that totally works.    (3.5 creepy suicide cult masks out of 5)
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Sep 26, 2018 19:06
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Franchescanado posted:Real talk: what did you think about the music? Loved it. Quite an unusual choice but it worked great.
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Sep 26, 2018 20:03
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Franchescanado posted:9. Vampyr I love that this kind of awesome poo poo is showing up in this thread. Vampyr is a trippy masterpiece. I love how it screws around with conventional film language to serve its dreamlike, disorienting vibe.
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Sep 27, 2018 15:13
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