Topic: Jimmy's - 2011 Ooctober Horror Marathon

[Achim]

I did mean It.

I know the sequel to Salem's Lot and quite like it. It was directed by Larry Cohen and had Moriarty (lacking the first name right now) and Sam Fuller in it. I wish it was available on DVD to a reasonable price; I know Warner had it in their DVR program, but that price was too high.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Boogeyman (2005)

Genre: Horror
Director: Stephen Kay
Rating: 14+
Length: 1h29
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English / French
Subtitles: English / French / Chinese

Stars:
Barry Watson
Emily Deschanel
Skye McCole Bartusiak
Tory Mussett
Andrew Glover

Plot:
Every culture has one – the horrible monster fueling young children's nightmares. But for Tim, the Boogeyman still lives in his memories as a creature that devoured his father 16 years earlier. Is the Boogeyman real? Or did Tim make him up to explain why his father abandoned his family? The answer lies hidden behind every dark corner and half-opened closet of his childhood home – a place he must return to and face the chilling unanswered question...does the Boogeyman really exist?

My Thoughts:

The pre-title openning is good, but the problem is that it's really the only positive thing I can say. Too many non-sense, plot holes and ugly CGI to please me. Since when the Boogeyman is a stalker??? Since when he attacks adult??? Sorry not my cup of tea.


 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Genre: Science-Fiction / Horror
Director: Don Siegel
Rating: NR
Length: 1h20
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English / Spanish / Italian
Subtitles: English / French / Spanish

Stars:
Kevin McCarthy
Dana Wynter
Larry Gates
King Donovan
Carolyn Jones

Plot:
Something evil has taken possession of the small town of Santa Mira, California. Hysterical people accuse their loved ones of being emotionless imposters; of not being themselves. At first, Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) tries to convince them they're wrong...but they're not. Plant-like extraterrestrials have invaded Earth, replicating the villagers in giant seed "pods" and taking possession of their souls while they sleep. Soon the entire town is overwhelmed by the inhuman horror, but it won't stop there. In a terrifying race for his life, Dr. Bennell escapes to warn the world of the deadly invasion of the pod people!

My Thoughts:

I don't feel it's necessary to write a lot about this one since it's a classic, if you have never watch it go and do it

Like I say one of the better science-fiction film made in the fifties with of course the recurent theme of the US taken by an alien form (who is of course the evil communist, but I'm sure everybody know that). Great performance by Kevin McCarthy (he was very talented so no surprise) and good use of the paranoiac mood. Some of the acting is a little bit too theatrical and the music is overly-dramatic at times, but all things considered this movie is excellent.


 
Rating :

[addicted2dvd]

I seen the one from 1978 and from 1993... but never that version! 

[Jimmy]

I'm sure you would like this one Pete. Even if I mentioned the music in my review don't worry, the music is not intrusive just too dramatic.

You get a get out of jail free card even if you haven't watch this one since you haven't watch a lot of "old" movies, but like I wrote "go and do it".

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Pyx (1973)

Genre: Thriller / Horror
Director: Harvey Hart
Rating: R
Length: 1h47
Video: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Karen Black
Christopher Plummer
Donald Pilon
Jean-Louis Roux
Yvette Brind'amour

Plot:
Two Academy Award® nominated actors, CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER and KAREN BLACK join forces in this suspense thriller about the murder of a prostitute with satanic overtones.

My Thoughts:

Always nice to see a french canadian production get the release it merits. After year of crappy bootleg, most of them imcomplete as the last 11 minutes of the film are not there, we finally get a wonderfull remastered transfer of this one (even a commentary with Karen Black). I've said it often but nothing beat the quality of what my part of the country did in the seventies. What we have here is a good crime thriller (who is consider partially an horror film because of the satanist element) where we see in parallel the investigation on a prostitute murder and what lead to this murder, the story is told in flashback. The acting by the two principals characters is flawless and Donald Pilon is as good as usual. Another positive is the fact they don't try to make Montreal looks like an american city, the event happen there and if you want a confirmation it's easy (the french dialogue). One thing I've really like is the fact a part of this film is in french so I can say I have an advantage over most of you as this dialogue isn't subtitled in english, but that will probably add to the mystery for an english speaker.

No problem to recommand this one who is one of the best production of this genre.


 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

For us French Canadians it worth mentionning that a lot of well known actors (by us, but no one else) are in the cast. You will recognize, among others, Jacques Godin (Montréal P.Q., Sous le signe du lion, ...), Francine Morand (Épopée rock), Thérèse Morange (Entre chien et loup) and Jean-Louis Paris (Symphorien; remember he was the funeral home director).

Of course Donald Pilon and Jean-Louis Roux were already mentioned in the review.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Time Walker (1982)

Genre: Horror
Director: Tom Kennedy
Rating: PG
Length: 1h23
Video: Widescreen 2.78:1
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Ben Murphy
Nina Axelrod
Kevin Brophy
Robert Random
James Karen

Plot:
From deep within the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, Professor Douglas McCadden ships the coffin of Ankh-Vanharis to the California Institute of Sciences, where X-rays reveal five diamondlike crystals hidden within the coffin. Technician Peter Sharpe steals the crystals, but he doesn’t notice that the powerful X-ray has revived a green fungus. When the coffin is opened at a university press conference, the reporters uncover more than they bargained for. The mummy has disappeared . . . the Time Walker is alive again!

My Thoughts:

Don't trust the imdb rating or reviews on this one, this movie was shown in MSTK3000 so the retarded fans of this show vote and review it based on what was shown in the show and not the film (not to mention that for the retarded fans of this show a movie presented in it is automatically bad). Not that it is a good film per se, but this isn't a movie I would call bad. In fact the problem is mostly the fact it was too ambitious for the budget available. All the elements are there (even if I ain't a big fan of the mummy's movie, for me they are just not scary) to make it scary. A mummy on a revenge path to get back what was stolen from her and killing everything on her way (kind of) with a surprise ending. Give a better budget to this one and it would be better than average. Probably the only time you will read this coming from me, but a remake of this one would be a good idea


 
Rating :

[samuelrichardscott]

Has Lady Frankenstein got an Italian audio track on this set Jimmy?

[Jimmy]

No but it's the better version I've ever seen of this film. Also the longer european version is included, but the quality isn't as good since the extra materials came from an italian TV print (subtitled in english) and a video tape (not sure if this is a VHS or a tape master, but it is in rough shape). Even with the lower quality of the extras scenes this is a nice bonus.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Within the Woods (2005)

Genre: Horror
Director: Brad Sykes
Rating: R
Length: 1h25
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Stephanie Mathis
Phil Lander
Erin Holt
Adam Van Conant
Denise Lorraine

Plot:
A new reality show invites five brave souls to spend the night at Camp Blood, where over a dozen people were murdered by the infamous "clown" years ago. whoever remains at the end of twenty-four hours will split a million dollars.

To drive away the contestants, the producers have rigged several "scare" as well as hiring a stuntman dressed as a clown.

But as nightfalls, screams of terror fill the desolate wood as a real bloodthirsty killer begins cutting down the competition, one by one.

Is the legendary clown back, or is one of the group willing to kill for the prize ?

My Thoughts:

OK this one is in fact Blood Camp 3, so don't expect too much. This is one of the many direct to DVD films made by Razor Digital and it shows. The story is an amateurish job, doesn't really make sense (wait at the end to find who is the killer, I mean common...), the camera work is bad (we see the micro often), the sound recording equipment leave a lot to desire (can you believe that we lost the sound when the killer explain why he did it???) and the acting is incredibly wooden. I mean seriously just watch the trailer!!! Last thing when you do an horror movie at least try to have a scary killer and don't make everything happen in bright light, unless you don't want to be scary... But Stephanie Mathis is hot so it isn't a total waste of time and it worth the 9$ I've paid for.


 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Pulse (2006)

Genre: Horror
Director: Jim Sonzero
Rating: NR
Length: 1h28
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English / French
Subtitles: English / Spanish

Stars:
Kristen Bell
Ian Somerhalder
Christina Milian
Rick Gonzalez
Jonathan Tucker

Plot:
The year's most original horror film, Pulse takes fear into new territory – the very devices we trust to get us through the day. When the dead discover a means to contact the living through electronic devices, cellphones and computers become open gateways to monstrosities and destruction. Starring Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars), Christina Milian (Love Don't Cost a Thing), Ian Somerhalder (Lost) and Rick Gonzalez (Coach Carter), Pulse is loaded with terrifying thrills and gruesome special effects, and capped with an astonishing surprise ending.

My Thoughts:

Was 2006 a year where no original horror movies were made? I need to ask since it's supposed to be "The year's most original horror film"... Problem is that it isn't an original movie at all.

OK the film itself judging by the synopsis and the trailer looks like a good time waster, but it wasn't. A waste of time it is, but good it isn't. Something just don't work and this is the script, this film is just badly written... it doesn't really begin, give some half-ass explanation (because one is needed) and doesn't end. Yes the basic idea is scary, but it is an heartless hack job.


 
Rating :

[addicted2dvd]

I see I enjoyed Pulse a bit more then you did (no surprise there ). Though it isn't one of my favorites. To me it was a pretty good (to average) movie. The best thing about it to me is the fact that Kristen Bell is in it. I have liked her since Veronica Mars.

[Jimmy]

It could have been a good movie. The ambiance is mysterious and the creature are scary in the way they attack, but the script is just poor. I felt like watching 28 Days Later with electric monsters in place of blood infected people, even the end is where the second half of 28 Days Later start. Seriously did they made a sequel where all hell break loose at the technology free zone because an electric monster possess a team of telephone technicians who go there to install a cellular antenna

[samuelrichardscott]

I seem to be between you both... This is what I wrote on another site:
Pulse (remake) - Meh.  I expected it to be very poor but it was actually watchable despite poor scripting.  Not as good as the original though.  2.5/5