Topic: Horror/Halloween Marathon 2015

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Horror/Halloween Marathon 2015



3 DAYS AND COUNTING!

Woohoo!... It's that time of the year again!

I don't know what to expect from this month. Not sure how much time I will be able to put into it. Don't know if I will be going back to work. Or if I will be having surgery on my knee. If I need the surgery then I should have lots of time in front of the TV. But there is just too many unknowns at this time. So I am not making any goals for myself. I am just going to watch as much horror and Halloween movies/episodes/shorts that I can till the end of the month.

I hope to see other people watching horror as well!

[Danae Cassandra]

Pete said he didn't mind if we shared the thread for reviews, so I'm going to post mine here as well.

[Danae Cassandra]

The Tomb of Ligeia
Year of Release: 1964
Directed By: Roger Corman
Starring: Vincent Price, Elizabeth Shepherd, John Westbrook, Derek Francis, Oliver Johnston
Genre: Horror

Overview:
Roger Corman and Vincent Price hook up for horror in Edgar Allan Poe's "most terrifying" (L.A. Herald Examiner) tale of passion, possession and PURR-fect evil! When a dead wife sinks her claws into immortality – and comes back as a ferocious feline – she leads her husband's (Price) new bride on a deadly game of cat and mouse. And when the fur starts flying, she soon learns that even in death...she can land on her feet!

My Thoughts:
Have I ever mentioned how much I love Vincent Price?  I do, I adore him.  He's one of my all-time favorites, and he certainly doesn't disappoint here.  All of the cast give very performances, but Price is always the absolute star.  It's old-fashioned Gothic horror, so there's very little blood and no gore. The film relies on atmosphere, and in that it's perfect, filled with unseen menace and creepy details.  This is one of my favorite of Price's films, and it's better with a re-watch.  Highly recommended!

Note on the blu-ray:  While I would have liked to see Shout! Factory clean up the PBS opening and closing pieces they included as extras (which look like they were ported over from VHS), the film itself is absolutely beautiful, with wonderful color and depth; well worth the upgrade from the old Midnite Movies release I had on DVD.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 4/5

2015 Horror Movie Count: 1

[addicted2dvd]

100 Feet: Unrated and Uncut (2008/United States) IMDb |Trailer |Wikipedia | Exclusive Entertainment, The Asylum Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Eric Red Writing: Eric Red (Writer) Length: 96 min. Video: Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.1, English: PCM: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles:

Stars:
Famke Janssen as Marnie
Bobby Cannavale as Shanks
Ed Westwick as Joey
Michael Paré as The Ghost / Mike
Patricia Charbonneau as Frances

Plot:
After Marnie Watson (Famke Janssen) kills her abusive husband in self-defense, she is confined to a 100 feet radius in her home... only to discover that the house is possessed by the enraged and violent spirit of her dead husband.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers

My Thoughts:

I never even heard of this film before I got a copy. The overview on the back cover sounded interesting to me... and the trailer looked like fun so decided tp pop it in. I found it to be a pretty good film. I did enjoy it... but have seen better in it's genre. I liked gthe characters.... and enjoyed the storyline. I just wish they would have put that little extra something into it to make it a great movie. But it is a good watch for when you looking to waste a good 90 minutes.

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

Salem's Lot (1979/United States) Warner Home Video (United States) Director: Tobe Hooper Writing: Stephen King (1947) (Original Material By), Paul Monash (Screenwriter) Length: 183 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono Subtitles: English, French

Stars:
David Soul as Ben Mears
James Mason (1909) as Richard K. Straker
Lance Kerwin as Mark Petrie
Bonnie Bedelia as Susan Norton
Lew Ayres as Jason Berk

Plot:
With Salem’s Lot, a blood-curdling shocker based on the novel by Stephen King, director Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist) sends the time-honored vampire legend soaring on bat wings into the modern era.

Sinister events bring together a writer (David Soul) fascinated with an old hilltop house, a suave antiques dealer (James Mason) whose expertise goes beyond bric-a-brac and the dealer’s mysterious, pale-skinned "partner" (Reggie Nalder). The solid supporting cast of vampire victims and fighters includes Bonnie Bedelia, Lew Ayres, Elisha Cook, Ed Flanders, George Dzundza, Lance Kerwin, Geoffrey Lewis and Marie Windsor. It’s hard to keep the undead down. And so easy to be scared in Salem’s Lot.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

I have loved this one since the first time I saw it back in my teen years. Of course this is an adaptation from the book that Stephen King wrote. Who of course is my favorite horror writer. For a movie that is just over 30 years old... this movie has some decent scares in it. I personally haven't been scared from it since I was a kid... but I do remember it would scare my wife every time we watched it. A couple of my favorite spooky parts in this movie is ..

1. The kid vampire scratching at his friends window.... pleading with him to let him in.
2. The grave digger rocking in the rocking chair... looks over at you and hisses at you with his eyes glowing

I am really enjoying watching this one again. As for comparing this one to the remake... that is something I don't normally like to do... but sometimes it is just too hard not to. I really like both versions... like them both a lot! but I think I have to say I enjoy this one the most between the 2. I don't know why... but to me this one is a pure classic when it comes to vampire movies... it is one of the ones to beat!

Needless to say... this is one I would always highly recommend to any horror fan... and an absolute must see for any fan of vampire movies. Now... please lets see a dvd release of Return to Salem's Lot! It has been so long since I seen the sequel I can't remember anything other then it's existence.

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

Vamp (1986/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Anchor Bay Entertainment (United States) Director: Richard Wenk Writing: Donald P. Borchers (Story By), Richard Wenk (Story By), Richard Wenk (Screenwriter) Length: 94 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles:

Stars:
Chris Makepeace as Keith
Sandy Baron as Vic
Robert Rusler as AJ
Dedee Pfeiffer as Amaretto
Gedde Watanabe as Duncan

Plot:
A group of fraternity pledges head for the seedy side of the city in search of strippers and discover a sinister spot called The After Dark Club. But when the bar's luscious dancers turn out to be bloodthirsty vampires led by the kinky Katrina (GRACE JONES), the evening takes on a freaky new twist. Can these guys survive a bizarre onslaught on vixens and vamps, or will the armies of the undead take the ultimate bite out of their night.

CHRIS MAKEPEACE (MEATBALLS), ROBERT RUSLER (WEIRD SCIENCE), GEDDE WATANABE (SIXTEEN CANDLES) and DEDEE PFEIFFER co-star in this outrageously sexy horror comedy that features wild makeup effects by Oscar®-winner GREG CANNOM (DRACULA, THE MASK).

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Feature Trailers
• Featurettes
• Gallery
• Outtakes/Bloopers
• Closed Captioned
• Short 'Dracula Bites The Big Apple'

My Thoughts:

Vamp is not what I would call a great movie by any means... but it is definitely a lot of fun. It has a good mixture of comedy and horror. Though it is over the top at times. At first I wasn't sure what I thought of Grace Jones as the Vampire Katrina... but she did fine in this movie... and definitely brought something to the role. Over-all this is just a leave your brain at the door pop-corn flick type of movie. One that I just enjoy popping in once in a while.

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

Vamps (2012/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Anchor Bay Entertainment (United States) Director: Amy Heckerling Writing: Amy Heckerling (Writer) Length: 93 min. Video: Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1 Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Alicia Silverstone as Goody
Krysten Ritter as Stacy
Larry Wilmore as Professor Quincy
Bettina Bresnan as Maryanne Cachillio
Todd Barry as Ivan

Plot:
Goody (Alicia Silverstone) and Stacy (Krysten Ritter) love the night life, clubbing, hooking up, and always looking for the next thrill, all the while keeping a big secret – they happen to be modern-day vampires. But even with lifetimes of dating experience behind them, the duo realizes they still have a lot to learn about love when Stacy unexpectedly falls for the son of a vampire hunter, and Goody runs into the man of her dreams from decades earlier. With their destinies at stake, the girls are faced with a difficult choice: give up their eternal youth for a chance at love, or continue to live their uncomplicated fabulously single lives forever. Vamps is written and directed by Amy Heckerling and also features an all-star supporting cast, including Sigourney Weaver, Richard Lewis, Dan Stevens, Justin Kirk, Wallace Shawn, Marilu Henner, and Kristen Johnston.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Bonus Trailers

My Thoughts:

OK.. what did I think of this one? It is a very silly comedy/horror. Not that that is a bad thing. I did find myself enjoying this one... though there wasn't anything too special about it. I found it to be a fun and entertaining film... but pretty much no more then average. Not one I can see watching often but sure I will watch again.

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

The Babadook (2014/Australia) IMDb |Trailer |Wikipedia | Shout! Factory, IFC in Theaters (United States) Director: Jennifer Kent Writing: Jennifer Kent (Writer) Length: 94 min. Video: Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.1, English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Essie Davis as Amelia
Noah Wiseman as Samuel
Hayley McElhinney as Claire
Daniel Henshall as Robbie
Barbara West as Mrs Roach

Plot:
Amelia (AFI Award winner Essie Davis, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, The Slap) is a single mother plagued by the violent death of her husband. When a disturbing storybook called Mister Babadook turns up at her house, she is forced to battle with her son's deep-seated fear of a monster. Soon she discovers a sinister presence all around her.

A chilling tale of unseen and otherworldly horror in the haunting tradition of The Orphanage, Jennifer Kent's visceral journey into the heart of fear itself is as terrifying as it is believable.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Interviews
• Reversible Cover

My Thoughts:

This one I enjoyed quite a bit. I will say it is a different type of horror movie and it is one that leaves lot to the imagination. Which means different people can take different thing from it. But that is not a bad thing at all. I did have a little trouble warming up to some of the characters, though I was able to. This is definitely one I recommend checking out.

Rating:

[Danae Cassandra]

The Babadook
Year of Release: 2014
Directed By: Jennifer Kent
Starring: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman
Genre: Horror

Overview:
Amelia (AFI Award winner Essie Davis, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, The Slap) is a single mother plagued by the violent death of her husband. When a disturbing storybook called Mister Babadook turns up at her house, she is forced to battle with her son's deep-seated fear of a monster. Soon she discovers a sinister presence all around her.

A chilling tale of unseen and otherworldly horror in the haunting tradition of The Orphanage, Jennifer Kent's visceral journey into the heart of fear itself is as terrifying as it is believable.

My Thoughts:
Monsters are real.  But what is a monster?  Is the alien other the monster?  Or are the true monsters, the more menacing ones, lurking inside of us?  Is it more frightening when you don't know which it is?

Strong performances from the two leads, an interesting monster, good choices by the filmmakers in set design, editing and cinematography, escalating threat in the atmosphere, and a script that leaves you open to your own interpretation combine to make this an excellent little film. 

There's not a lot of gore, and this is a film that makes you think, so take that into consideration, but I'd highly recommend it to the discerning fan.

Bechdel Test: Pass

Overall: 4/5

2015 Horror Movie Count: 2

[Danae Cassandra]

The Comedy of Terrors
Year of Release: 1963
Directed By: Jacques Tourneur
Starring: Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Joyce Jameson, Basil Rathbone, Rhubarb
Genre: Horror, Comedy

Overview:
Four Masters of the Macabre star in this sinister and screamingly funny scare-fest! Waldo Trumbull (Vincent Price) is running his father-in-law's (Boris Karloff) funeral home business...straight into the ground! Hounded by his landlord (Basil Rathbone), Trumbull and his assistant (Peter Lorre) devise a way to make death pay: by increasing their customer base through murder and burying the secrets to their success...body by body!

My Thoughts:
This was a lot of fun.  Sure, it's silly, and there's some pretty broad slapstick here, but the script is witty and you've got such stars as Price, Lorre, Karloff and Rathbone.  They really work well together, especially Price and Lorre playing off each other.  Don't take it seriously, and just sit back and laugh.  My only criticism is that I wish they'd let up a bit on the annoying opera singing gag. 

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 3/5

2015 Horror Movie Count: 3

[addicted2dvd]

The Comedy of Terrors (1963/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | MGM Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Jacques Tourneur Writing: Richard Matheson (Writer) Length: 84 min. Video: Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English

Stars:
Vincent Price as Trumbull
Peter Lorre as Felix Gillie
Boris Karloff as Hinchley
Joyce Jameson as Amaryllis
Joe E. Brown as Cemetery Keeper

Plot:
Four Masters of the Macabre star in this sinister and screamingly funny scare-fest! Waldo Trumbull (Vincent Price) is running his father-in-law's (Boris Karloff) funeral home business...straight into the ground! Hounded by his landlord (Basil Rathbone), Trumbull and his assistant (Peter Lorre) devise a way to make death pay: by increasing their customer base through murder and burying the secrets to their success...body by body!

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Feature Trailers
• Featurettes
• Gallery
• Introduction and parting words by Vincent Price

My Thoughts:

Let me start this review by saying I probably wasn't in the right state of mind when watching this film so take this review with a grain of salt. Don't get me wrong... I did enjoy this movie. How can you not with such great classic genre stars. Some of the comedy in this one I found to be fun... some was a little out there. But the whole wife attempting to sing (off and on through-out the film) I found to just be terribly painful. Over-ll I found this one to be a fairly average film. It is worth the time put in to watch it.

Rating:

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Stephen King's Silver Bullet: Widescreen Collection (1985/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Paramount Home Video (United States) Director: Daniel Attias Writing: Stephen King (1947) (Original Material By), Stephen King (1947) (Screenwriter) Length: 95 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, French: Dolby Digital: Mono Subtitles: English

Stars:
Gary Busey as Uncle Red
Everett McGill as Reverend Lowe
Corey Haim as Marty Coslaw
Megan Follows as Jane Coslaw
Robin Groves as Nan Coslaw

Plot:
Something is killing off townsfolk in Tarker's Mills. Something mysterious. Something ingenious. Something remotely human. But the only person in town with courage to stop this lurking menace is a 13-year-old boy, confined to a wheelchair since birth. Adapted to the screen by suspense master Stephen King from his "Cycle of the Werewolf" novelette, this exhilarating thriller features astounding special effects by three-time Oscar® winner Carlo Rambaldi ("E.T.," "Alien," "King Kong").

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

I have loved it since I first saw it when I was just a teen. I absolutely love the supped up wheel chair... The Silver Bullet! I really enjoyed the scene when he first got it... finding out just how fast it went. I believe Stephen King's take on the werewolf legend is just right on the spot. And I liked who the werewolf turned out to be. While it is not what I would call a gory movie... there is a scene or two that shows it's fair share of blood. There was nothing about this movie that was not just plain enjoyable. It is definitely one of my favorite werewolf movies.If by chance you never seen this film it is one I highly recommend!

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

My Babysitter's a Vampire: The First Season: Disc 3 (2011/United States) IMDb |Trailer |Wikipedia | Warner Home Video (United States) Director: Bruce McDonald Writing: Tim Burns Length: 80 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround Subtitles: English

Stars:
Matthew Knight as Ethan Morgan
Vanessa Morgan as Sarah
Atticus Mitchell as Benny Weir
Cameron Kennedy as Rory

Plot:
Since Ethan's parents don't trust him to babysit his little sister alone, they hire teenager Sarah to help out. Unfortunately, Ethan and his best friend Benny find out that Sarah is actually a vampire. Sarah asks the boys to help defeat her evil ex-boyfriend and save the town of Whitechapel.

Extras:

• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes

My Thoughts:

This is the TV Movie that started the series. Going into this show I really didn't know what to expect. I mean I really like pretty much anything to do with Vampires... but at the same time it is a Disney Channel show. And they can be geared towards a much younger crowd.... if not the entire family. Though I must say that over-all I enjoyed the movie. Sure it is geared towards a younger crowd. Mainly pre-teens and lower teen years. But I was still able to enjoy it. And they did the vampire deaths pretty good.

Rating:

[Achim]

This one I enjoyed quite a bit. I will say it is a different type of horror movie and it is one that leaves lot to the imagination. Which means different people can take different thing from it. But that is not a bad thing at all. I did have a little trouble warming up to some of the characters, though I was able to. This is definitely one I recommend checking out.

I liked this a lot too! While I found the "message" of the film to be less than subtle, I quite liked...

(click to show/hide)

...the twist: It's the mom having the issue and not the kid!

[addicted2dvd]

Masters of Horror: The V Word (2006/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | (United States) Director: Ernest Dickerson Writing: Mick Garris (Writer) Length: 59 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles:

Stars:
Arjay Smith as Kerry
Branden Nadon as Justin
Michael Ironside as Mr. Chaney
Lynda Boyd as Carolyn
Jodelle Ferland as Lisa

Plot:
For two geeky best friends who’ve only experienced carnage via their video games, it’s the ultimate late night dare: Ever seen a real dead guy? But when the pair breaks into a creepy local mortuary, they unleash a ferocious ghoul (Michael Ironside of SCANNERS and STARSHIP TROOPERS ) who’s hungry to share a few depraved urges of his own. Even if these pals-for-life can resist a violent suburban blood-spree, is there any peer pressure more horrific than that of the undead? Jodelle Ferland of SILENT HILL co-stars in this grisly twist on teenage vampirism written by series creator Mick Garris.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Feature Trailers
• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• Gallery
• DVD-ROM Content
• Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

This has to be one of my favorite episodes of the series. I am sure that is of no surprise to anyone that knows me... come on it is about vampires! Though done differently then most vampire shows... this one has no fangs... in this one they literally tear at their victims to feed. If you never seen this one I highly recommend it... as I do the entire Masters of Horror series.

Rating: