Topic: My Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon: 2008

[addicted2dvd]

Damn!... it seems that Image Shack is having a problem with one of it's servers... my full skulls are not showing up any longer.

[RossRoy]

Yeah, ImageShack has been shaky lately.

If you want, I could host your skulls on my website, you'd just have to change the link. Let me know.

[addicted2dvd]

I would appreciate it. Thanks! It is only 2 small images. I will attach them to this message. Just let me know the address to them and I will fix the previous posts. Thanks again!

[RossRoy]

There you go:

= http://www.dvdalistic.com/dvdcol/Skull_full.png

= http://www.dvdalistic.com/dvdcol/Skull_half.png

[addicted2dvd]

Thank You Sébastien... it is very much appreciated! 

[addicted2dvd]

Title: Psycho
Movie Count: 11
TV Ep Count: 3
Other Count: 0
Time Started: 9:30am
Plot:
'Alfred Hitchcock's' masterpiece of the macabre stars 'Anthony Perkins' as the troubled Norman Bates, whose "old dark house" and adjoining motel are not the place to spend a quiet evening. No one knows that better than 'Janet Leigh', the film's ill-fated heroine who is victimized in the now-notorious "shower scene." 'Vera Miles', 'Martin Balsam', 'John Gavin' and 'John McIntire' co-star in Hitchcock's most compelling and terrifying film. Screenplay by Joseph Stefano.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed every minute of this movie. I thought Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh both did a wonderful job.  I have watched this movie a few times since I started to get into classics... and this one never fails to keep my attention. My eyes are always glued to the screen with this great classic. The DVD itself is very good quality and there is a nice collection of extras to check out as well.

My Rating:
Out of a possible 5:

[addicted2dvd]

Thanks again Sébastien... Thread is all fixed! 

[RossRoy]

No problem Pete, glad to be of service! 

[addicted2dvd]

Title: The Tingler
Movie Count: 12
TV Ep Count: 3
Other Count: 0
Time Started: 1:30pm
Plot:
Vincent Price stars as an obsessed doctor who discovers that fear manifests itself as a parasitic creature, which grows on the spinal cords of terrified people. If they scream, the Tingler can be destroyed. If they don't, it will sever the spinal column and kill them. He successfully isolates and removes the Tingler from a deaf mute (Judith Evelyn) who has been scared to death by her devious husband. Once captured, the Tingler escapes and runs amok in a crowded movie theater. Terror is loose, but can it be stopped?

The Tingler is legendary horror director William Castle's magnum opus. After the success of House On Haunted Hill, Castle devised a new gimmick called "Percepto" for The Tingler. Participating theaters would wire seats so that random moviegoers would get a tangible electric shock during climactic moments in the film. Another novelty used to maximum effect is the short color sequence depicting blood pouring from a faucet and filling a bathtub. Castle went on to direct more cult classics like Homicidal and 13 Ghosts and later produced the mainstream hit Rosemary's Baby.

My Thoughts:
I found this movie to be a lot of fun. It is not what I would call one of the best classic horrors I have seen. But it is definitely one I can see myself watching again. The Tingler itself looked like someone forgot to flush the toilet... but it definitely served it's purpose. I liked how William Castle came on the screen before the movie to talk to you. Much like he did in the movie 13 Ghosts I can see his gimmicks really added something to the movie going experience. Almost makes me sad I was not around to see this stuff originally air in the theater.

My Rating:
Out of a possible 5:

[Najemikon]

My Rating:
Out of a possible 5:

Pete, what does a movie have to do to get a full five skulls from you? There are few films -never mind horror films- more perfectly executed or original than the pure genius that is Psycho. Surely it deserves full marks! Go on! Go mad!

[addicted2dvd]

  I was probably a little stingy on Psycho... should of probably did 4 and a half... maybe even a full 5. But you know... I don't think I ever gave a movie a full 5 rating in my life. Seems like to me that is saying the movie is perfect... but in my eyes there is always room for improvement.

[Jimmy]

I've observe the same thing than Jon. Pete, you are more severe than usual with your note are you affraid that some of us tease you if you give a perfect score for something like "Maximum Overdrive" or "The Omen 4" 

I've already give a perfect note to one movie and usually I'm less forgiving than you.

[Najemikon]

I was probably a little stingy on Psycho... should of probably did 4 and a half... maybe even a full 5. But you know... I don't think I ever gave a movie a full 5 rating in my life. Seems like to me that is saying the movie is perfect... but in my eyes there is always room for improvement.

I've already give a perfect note to one movie and usually I'm less forgiving than you.

Yes, I'm finding this odd! The man who can find something, anything, to like in a film like The Haunting (remake!), can be just as focused at the other end of the scale. With me, I'm a sucker when movie magic truly happens and Hitchcock was a magician if ever there was one. I can't think of any way to improve it.

The only way to improve Omen IV involves petrol and a lighter...  

[addicted2dvd]

Title: Psycho II
Movie Count: 13
TV Ep Count: 3
Other Count: 0
Time Started: 5:00pm
Plot:
After years of treatment at a mental institution for the criminally insane, Norman Bates ('Anthony Perkins') still can't quite elude the demands of "Mother." 'Vera Miles' also returns as the inquisitive woman who is haunted by her sister's brutal murder and the ominous motel where it all occurred.

'Meg Tilly' and 'Dennis Franz' co-star in this terrifying sequel to one of the most suspenseful films of all time.

My Thoughts:
I wasn't really expecting too much with this sequel. After all... no Hitchcock involvement with this one. But you know... I enjoyed this movie much more then I expected to. Of course it is not as good as the original... but it is definitely worth the time to watch it. Surprisingly I didn't even recognize Meg Tilly playing Mary. She of course was much younger then she was in anything else I have seen her in. She never did much for me before... but she was right cute when she was young. The only extra attached to this movie is the trailer... which I was thrilled to see after seeing so many here lately without the trailer! Anyway... as I said... much better then I was expecting. Which gives me some hope for the other sequels as well.

My Rating:
Out of a possible 5:

[addicted2dvd]

Title: 976-EVIL
Movie Count: 14
TV Ep Count: 3
Other Count: 0
Time Started: 5:45am
Plot:
High school underdog Hoax Wilmoth (Stephen Geoffreys, 'Fright Night'), fills up the idle hours in his seedy little hometown fending off the local leather-jacketed thugs, avoiding his overbearing, religious fanatic mother (Academy Award® winner Sandy Dennis) and dreaming of a date with trailer park temptress Suzie (Lezlie Deane). But his quietly desperate life takes a terrifying turn when his cousin Spike introduces him to an unusual new hobby - phoning in for his "horrorscope." Instead of the slightly kinky astrological predictions he's expecting, Hoax is hooked up with a compellingly hideous demonic force that slowly begins to overtake his entire life. Now there's more than just a phone bill to pay for anyone and everyone who ever dared cross the neighborhood nerd.

My Thoughts:
This is one I never seen before. But found it on sale and picked it up for a couple reasons. First of all it is directed by Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger). And then it stars Stephen Geoffreys who I really enjoyed as "Evil Ed" in Fright Night. And I found him very entertaining in that. The movie really is just an average '80s horror film.  No more then mildly entertaining. But the last half hour of the movie did show some slight improvement... which made my score of it go up a half a point. But even with the improvement it was still no more then average. Then there is the fact that the DVD itself left some to be desired. For one thing it is full framed. But I don't know if this was a direct to video movie or if it was released in the theaters. If direct to video and being a movie from the '80s full framed could be right. Then there is the fact that the only extras you get is 2 trailers... neither of which is for this movie. This is a movie I can see watching now and then... but not very often.

My Rating:
Out of a possible 5: