Topic: Jimmy's - 2012 Ooctober Horror Marathon

[Jimmy]

I wanted to wait a little to post my own thread, but Pete posted his already so I won't look that excited to start

For the fifth years it's the time for my annual horror marathon

I don't have a goal but of course I want to do better than last year

As usual you can count on a mix of known, a little bit known and not known at all movie. Maybe I'll slip a couple of adult films this year if I feel like it.

Now if that week could pass fast

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Mortuary (1983)

Genre: Horror
Director: Howard Avedis
Rating: R
Length: 1h33
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Mary Beth McDonough
David Wallace
Bill Paxton
Lynda Day George
Christopher George   

Plot:
Bill Paxton, Christopher George, and Lynda Day George star in this chilling tale of horror-filled nightmares that comes startlingly close to reality! Christie Parson (Mary McDonough: The Waltons) has been having terrifying nightmares ever since her father drowned in the familly swimming pool. She knows his death was not an accident, but no one believes her. That his, untill her boyfriend Greg (David Wallace: Humongous) sees a hooded figure, identical to the one that Christie has described as being in her nightmares, in the town's mortuary. Greg and Christie's curiosity plummets them into a series of bizarre and terror-filled circumstances at the mortuary, a dark and ghastly place run by a Mr. Andrews (Christopher George: Gates of Hell, Pieces, TV's Rat Patrol) and his son Paul (Bill Paxton: Apollo 13, Near Dark, TV's Big Love). Christie will soon discover the ghastly truth behind her father's death, but in doing so, she may not live to see the morning.

My Thoughts:

First thing I can say is that you can watch the trailer right now. Really don't worry it won't spoiled the film for you as it has nothing to do with the film, but it's a cool one.

Howard Avedis isn't really known as an horror director as he did mostly drive-in drama in the seventies (and some pretty good one like The Teacher and The Stepmother) and that kind of show that it isn't his usual genre. Sure it isn't bad, but it is kind of obvious and predictable... at least for me it was. So we pretty know from the start who is the killer.

The acting for me most part is ok, even if Mary Beth McDonough overact a little bit too much by moment. It's always great to have Christopher George in a film as he was way underated as an actor and you get Bill Paxton in a starring role many years before Weird Science who was the moment when he became known. The special effects works from Jim Gillespie are well done without being too over the top.

As I said, a little bit too obvious but a nice way to pass an hour and a half.


 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Kids Go To the Woods... Kids Get Dead (2009)

Genre: Horror
Director: Michael Hall
Rating: NR
Length: 1h23
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Leah Rudick
Andrew Waffenschmidt
Meghan Miller
Eric Carpenter
Amanda Rising   

Plot:
t's Casey's (Leah Rudick) birthday and to celebrate, she and her friends are headed to a cabin in the woods for a wild weekend of sex, drugs and partying. A crazed killer (Joseph Campellone) has other plans for them and it's up to Casey's younger brother Scott (Andrew Waffenschmidt), aided by a mysterious novel that seems to spell out their fate, to find their only hope of survival.

My Thoughts:

Pretty much what I expected it to be... Not really original, awfull acting (no one do a good job in this and overacting is the norm), the actresses aren't that good looking and the direction is lacking. But it got some point for the very good cinematography, really surprising in that kind of no budget film. At least it is short as its running time include publicities and an hostess act (yeah the film is made with that).

Not really recommanded, maybe a cheap rent and even that I'm not sure it will worth it. BTW this is marketed as an horror comedy and let me tell you that it isn't for sure.


 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: It Came From Outer Space (1953)

Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Jack Arnold
Rating: G
Length: 1h20
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English
Subtitles: English, French and Spanish

Stars:
Richard Carlson
Barbara Rush
Charles Drake
Joe Sawyer
Russell Johnson   

Plot:
Amateur astronomer John Putnam (Richard Carlson) and his fiancee Ellen Fields (Barbara Rush) are stargazing in the desert when a spaceship bursts from the sky and crashes to the ground. Just before a landslide buries the ship, a mysterious creature emerges and disappears into the darkness. Of course, when he tells his story to the sheriff (Charles Drake), John is branded a crackpot; but before long, strange things begin to happen, and the tide of disbelief turns.

My Thoughts:

Of course this film isn't scary anymore, but I'm sure it was 60 years ago. Usually the science fiction films of this era are a metaphor on the danger of the invaders who were of course those godamn communist (you must be blind to not get it as it is usually quite in your face). But strangely here the alien aren't really bad or good, but just unlucky as their spacecraft crash on earth. They don't want to interact with the human and want to go as fast as they can, because they know one thing about us and they are kind of right : we destroy what we don't understand. They even had another bad card in their deck as they are quite ugly... at least from our point of view. So this is more or less the movie, they are on a race against time to do their reparation while an human try to convince the autority that a spacecraft landed on earth because he think they have bad intentions.

Like I said this one isn't the habitual "we must fight those communists invaders" science fiction non-sense and it is a good thing. Anyway this film is a classic and I'm sure most people know it already.

Highly recommanded and sad that the 3D version is probably lost as it was probably great in this form. Also the DVD come with many extras I can't watch wich is the downside of a marathon, but I'm sure I'll check them next month.


 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Scream (1981)

Genre: Horror
Director: Byron Quisenberry
Rating: R
Length: 1h22
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Pepper Martin
Hank Worden
Ethan Wayne
Ann Bronston
Julie Marine   

Plot:
A group of friends on a rafting excursion happen upon a deserted town and decide to setup camp for the night. When their rafts disappear, the killing starts.

My Thoughts:

This one had some potential as it's about a group of adult, but it have some serious problems. The adults are kind of dumb and act like kid, they always go out alone for no reasons even after the first killing. Every killing happen off-screen wich make me felt like I was cheated (the reason is certainly because they didn't have the money for the special effects). The story doesn't make a lot of sense, at one point Woody Strode (he was there to cash a check, so don't expect too much here) appear for no reasons to tell a story about a bad captain just because.

Really nothing special here...
 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Barn of the Naked Dead (1974)

Genre: Horror
Director: Alan Rudolph
Rating: R
Length: 1h24
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Andrew Prine
Manuela Thiess
Sherry Alberoni
Gyl Roland
Sheila Bromley   

Plot:
Showgirls on their way to Las Vegas are stranded in the middle of the Nevada desert. A local man offers them a ride and a tow, but as the girls soon learn, they should have declined the help.

My Thoughts:

The title for this one is deceiving for sure. The movie is Nightmare Circus that is a title that makes a lot more sense, it was renamed Barn of the Naked Dead when it was reissue some years later (that happen often in the past to milk more money on a film). This isn't as bad as its reputation make it, in fact this is pretty good. Of course this mostly due to the performance of Andrew Prine who was always reliable in those movies (just watch The Centerfold Girls if you want to see how great he is). The rest of the cast isn't important as the girls doesn't have much to do (Jennifer Ashley is one of them). I Like the fact that it doesn't have a good ending.

But the theme song is awfully bad...  

 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Toolbox Murders (1977)

Genre: Horror
Director: Dennis Donnelly
Rating: NR
Length: 1h34
Video: Widescreen 1.66:1
Audio: English
Subtitles: English, French and Spanish

Stars:
Cameron Mitchell   
Pamelyn Ferdin
Wesley Eure
Nicolas Beauvy
Tim Donnelly   

Plot:
In a quiet apartment complex in Los Angeles, a deranged handyman goes on a killing spree, savagely murdering 'immoral' women with the tools of his trade – claw-hammers, screwdrivers, power drills and even a deadly nail gun! But these gruesome massacres are just the beginning of this landmark epic of violence and depravity that was vilified by critics, banned by censors, and treasured by splatter fans worldwide. This is... THE TOOLBOX MURDERS!

My Thoughts:

Often when you start a movie with high expectations this doesn't turn well, but it wasn't the case here. The movie is as good as I expected it too be. It starts fast, not even 30 minutes are passed that we had four gruesome murders and one kidnapping. Evidently after we that got a cooling of time out and it is needed. Really this is the kind of film you'll not see anymore (I know they did a shitty remake of it, but only clueless kid watch those forgetable piece of crap), violent and politically incorrect. Cameron Mitchell as usual did a great acting job and most of the cast do well.

The scene with Kelly Nichols is one of the best one I have seen in an horror movie. But it isn't a surprise since I love her (it isn't for nothing if I have an autograph picture of her  that she signed for me on my desk). A great actress and a wonderfull person all around.

Of course this is highly recommanded.


 
Rating :

[samuelrichardscott]

I didn't think the remake of The Toolbox Murders was that bad. Was mindless fun, but not a patch on the original though.

[Jimmy]

I made the comment mostly to get a reaction as I know I got some when I do one like that  

I don't even see the Tobe Hooper's version as a remake... just two movies sharing the same title as Hooper said it himself he had never seen the original movie.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Land Of The Minotaur (1977)

Genre: Horror
Director: Kostas Karagiannis
Rating: PG
Length: 1h26
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Donald Pleasence   
Peter Cushing
Luan Peters
Kostas Karagiannis
Dimitris Bislanis   

Plot:
Tourists visiting a Greek archeological site are being abducted by a strange cult, intent on providing their God - the Minotaur - with sacrifice. Father Raoche (Donald Pleasance) enlists the help of former pupil and NY private detective to find out what has happened to them. Bodacious red klansman sacrifice hot sexy chick in Mikenos!

My Thoughts:

I didn't like this one when I watched it the first time in january last year, I didn't like it when I watched the uncut version in april this year and you can bet I didn't like it anymore this time...

But I'm sure you think I'm stupid for buying a movie I don't like three times. Normally you would be, but... I got it the last two times for the second film coming with it : Norman Warren's Terror in january and Robert O'Neil's Blood Mania in september.

This is my old review of this film if you want to read it... I will certainly not write a new one for a film I don't like


 
Rating :

[Alien Redrum]

I didn't think the remake of The Toolbox Murders was that bad. Was mindless fun, but not a patch on the original though.

Me too. Plus it had Angela Bettis in it. Win/win.

I did not know Hooper had not seen the original.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Blood Beach (1980)

Genre: Horror
Director: Jeffrey Bloom
Rating: NR
Length: 1h29
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
David Huffman   
Marianna Hill
John Saxon
Otis Young
Stefan Gierasch   

Plot:
Something or someone is attacking people one by one on the beach. Some of them are mutilated, but most of them are sucked into the sand, disappearing without a trace. What is the creature responsible? Where does it live, and where did it come from? And is there any chance of it reproducing?

My Thoughts:

This is a film who is strangely missing in action on DVD, I remember seeing the trailer often on TV when I was a kid so it was kind of a small hit. So what I've watched came from a video tape sadly... Sad because the image is way too dark, the framing is awfull (you sure see the boom mike often wich come with the VHS territory) and the sound isn't much to call home about (a high noise is present for all the running time). But this had nothing to do with the film itself...  

The film is original even if it make you think to Jaws a little bit as we talk of a creature attacking a beach... but this is the only comparaison as here the creature live under the beach and not in the water. The idea of an invisible creature able to catch you from below when you walk is sure scary. The effects for the attack are well done but don't expect anything bloody (the only bloody one is more silly than anything else). The acting is OK for the most part, Burt Young play a smartass detective and I sure found him funny.

Just hope it will be release someday...


 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Graduation Day (1981)

Genre: Horror
Director: Herb Freed
Rating: NR
Length: 1h37
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Christopher George   
Patch Mackenzie
E. Danny Murphy
E.J. Peaker
Michael Pataki   

Plot:
After a high school track runner, named Laura, suddenly dies from a heart attack after finishing a 30-second 200-meter race, a killer wearing a sweat suit and a fencing mask begins killing off her friends on the school track team one by one.

My Thoughts:

Even with the presence in the cast of Christopher George, Michael Pataki, Carmen Argenziano, Linnea Quigley, Patrick Wright, Linda Shayne and a young Vanna White (she is much prettier with her natural hair color) this film was a chore to watch. Not original and too much by the book for my taste. But I gave it a point for the cool (in the eighties way) scene with Felony playing at the graduation while a group of students on roller skate turn arround them. I'm sure that Pete would hate that scene that was the only good thing in that film for me

By the way you can watch the film for nothing on the Troma YouTube channel if you want to.


 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Night of the Living Dead (1990)

Genre: Horror
Director: Tom Savini
Rating: R
Length: 1h28
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English and Portuguese
Subtitles: English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai

Stars:
Tony Todd   
Patricia Tallman
Tom Towles
McKee Anderson
William Butler   

Plot:
Seven strangers are trapped in an isolated farmhouse while cannibalistic zombies – awakened from death by the return of a radioactive space probe – wage a relentless attack, killing (and eating) everyone in their path. The classic for the 90’s graphic, gruesome and more terrifying than ever!

My Thoughts:

One of the shitiest blu-ray ever made was just released a couple of days ago for this movie, so to celebrate this event I've decided to watch the DVD.

As I've already said here a couple of times I'm not the biggest fan of this remake. Of course if the original version was this one it would be different as the movie is not that bad but far for flawless. But I can't isolate this film from the original as hard as I try. So this is my problem with it... Barbara does not react realistically. I know that she act like a whiner in the original wich is annoying but understandable as she's under a shock. But in this one she goes from a total mental shock to Rambo in less than 5 minutes... and that doesn't make sense. But this isn't my only problem... they change too many things, the fate of the character being the worst of those modifications.

But not everything is negative, by exemple Tom Towles and Tony Todd are two good cast choice, even if personally I prefer the interpretation of Duane Jones. The special effects are convenable too (but certainly not as good as those in Day of the Dead). Tom Savini is certainly not a good director (honestly he is a really crappy one) but at least he didn't add 500 new characters that we don't care for in his version of this film...

If you can watch it and forget the original you will certainly appreciate it, if you can't you'll do like me and find it ok.


 
Rating :

[Jimmy]

BTW guys don't hesitate to do some comments as I like to know what you think whatever you agree with me or not...

Sure there is a discussion topic, but that doesn't mean that we can't do it in a member personal thread.