Topic: Marie's 2012 Horror Movie Thread

[Dragonfire]

Dracula: Dead and Loving It

Dracula: Dead and Loving It Mel Brooks, the unhinged movie parodist whose Blazing Saddles sent us Westward ho-ho-ho and whose Young Frankenstein electrified with mad-scientist nuts and jolts, now stokes the Bram Stoker vein with the comedy transfusion: Dracula Dead and Loving It. Leslie Nielsen plays the title role, and what's not to love? His Count is a pratfalling evil prince of a guy who believes in long relationships. Brooks portrays vampire hunter Van Helsing who won't give a bloodsucker an even break. Stakes, garlic, mirrors and more – they're all part of vampire lore. And along with top supporting players Steven Weber, Peter MacNicol and Harvey Korman, they're all part of Brooks' tricks and shticks assuring that from dusk to dawn, the hilarity's on.

After how creepy the last movie got in some scenes, I decided to go with something more on the silly side this time.  I've seen this one several times over the years and I do enjoy it.  The movie is a more silly take on the Dracula story, but I think it works well.  The movie is fun and entertaining and I still enjoy it when I watch it.  I know it is too silly for some people.  The characters are a little more over the top than they have been in other versions, but I think that works with the lighter nature of this movie.  There is a little bit of violence in a few scenes and a lot of blood at times, but with the way it is handled, it really isn't gory or gross.  There are some creepy elements to what is going on and Reinfield is just freaky. 



I did post a longer review at Epinions a few years ago.  I think I have posted about it here before too.

Dracula: Dead and Loving It

[Dragonfire]

One Body Too Many A big-city salesman, Albert Tuttle, arrives at the spooky mansion of tyrannical millionaire Cyrus Wentworth hoping to sell him an expensive life insurance policy. Tuttle is surprised to find that the prospective customer is lying in his coffin surrounded by greedy heirs awaiting the reading of his will. A mysterious killer is at large, picking off the conniving relatives one-by-one. Trapped by a raging storm, the salesman becomes involved in the family's double-crossings and death threats. In a spectacular climax atop a mountain observatory, Tuttle comes face-to-face with the murderer. Bela Lugosi manages to steal the show as the creepy butler. While his presence is a dark shadow against the often laughable antics of the ravenous treasure seekers, Lugosi ends up with the film's funniest lines.

This is another one from the 50 movie set.  It really doesn't seem like horror to me..there is just a little suspense, but it seems like more of a comedy than anything.  Albert is just seeing dollar signs when he arrives at the house, hoping to sell a huge policy.  The heirs are seeing dollar signs as well, as they all want what they consider to be their fair share of Cyrus's estate.  The will is a bit odd with not saying for sure who is getting what and the provision that everyone has to stay at the house until his special tomb is built.  The body keeps disappearing and some of the heirs, and even the housekeeper, end up dead.  Even with the murder going on, things are done in a more humorous way.  The movie is entertaining and interesting, but the plot could be stronger and there could be more development for all the characters.  The picture and sound quality isn't that good.  Too often, the picture is so dark that I couldn't tell what was going on. 

The movie is entertaining..but again really not horror.

[Dragonfire]

Monster Squad

The Monster Squad You know who to call when you have ghosts, but who do you call about monsters? Whether it's a bat in your belfry or a mummy in your microwave, THE MONSTER SQUAD ain't afraid of no ghouls! Count Dracula has until midnight to retrieve an ancient amulet that will give him final control over the delicate balance between good and evil in the world. To help him, the creepy count calls on some old friends: the weird Wolfman, grotesque Gill-Man, mildewed Mummy and freaky Frankenstein. As the ghoulish group gets closer to the amulet, it's up to THE MONSTER SQUAD, headquartered in the local tree house, to pool its questionable resources and stop the monster mayhem!

I almost forgot to post about this one this year.
I ended up getting this one a few years ago after Pete - and maybe someone else - posted about it.  I don't think I saw this movie when it originally came out.  I really enjoy it and think it is a fun, entertaining family friendly monster movie.  All the classic monsters are here, though they are a little different from the way they were originally shown.  I like that a group of kids that are interested in or even obsessed with monsters are the ones who deal with what is going on.  There is humor and some stuff that could be a little scary or suspenseful to children.  The movie is really fun and entertaining and I'm glad I have it in my collection.



I did post a longer review at Epinions a few years ago. I may have posted about this one here before too.

The Monster Squad

[Dragonfire]

Invisible Agent

Invisible Agent A perfect blend of espionage, adventure and romance, this World War II tale of intrigue and invisibility is a perennial favorite.  Frank Raymond (Jon Hall) becomes the Allied Forces' secret weapon after they discover a way to render him invisible.  But in the midst of stealing secrets and infiltrating enemy meetings, Raymond falls for a beautiful counter-espionage agent (Ilona Massey), complicating everything.  Favorite screen heavies Peter Lorre and Sir Cedric Hardwicke add wit and style to the escapades.

This is the fourth movie in the Invisible Man set and it does have a connection to the first movie.  Frank is the grandson of the main character from the first movie and he has possession of his grandfather's formula.  He has taken precautions, but members of the Axis find him and try to get the formula.  Frank does let the US military know, but he won't let them use the formula either.  He changes his mind after Pearl Harbor is attacked, but with the condition that he is the only one to take the formula even though he has no training as a spy.  He gets into Germany and meets with contacts, including Maria, and sets out to find information that will help the US.  He just walks into where ever he wants to go, even if people are by the door and he doesn't care that those people can see the door open and close by itself.  Just because he was invisible doesn't mean he shouldn't use some caution and care when carrying out his mission, especially when going into Nazi offices when he knows that they know he had the formula.  He was a nice enough character.  He just didn't stop to think about certain things.  Even though the movie is dealing with things tied to WWII, it still is more of a comedy than the first two movies.  I did enjoy the movie and think it is worth checking out.

[addicted2dvd]

I have a different movie set then you do. I believe I have some of the movies in that set in mine... but not all of them.

[Dragonfire]

I thought you had the same one.  Hmm..ok.

[Dragonfire]

Poltergeist

Poltergeist "THEY'RE HERE," playful at first...but not for long. A storm erupts, a tree attacks and little Carol Anne Freeling is whisked into a spectral void. As her family confronts horrors galore, something else is here too: a new benchmark in Hollywood ghost stories. Producers Steven Speilberg and Frank Marshall and director Tobe Hooper head the elite scream team of this classic. Welcome to Home Sweet Haunted Home.

I saw at least some of this movie on tv over the years several times.  I'm not sure I saw all of the movie until I got the DVD.  I think the DVD was the first time I saw the unedited version of the movie.  It really isn't too gory, though there are a few scenes that push that a bit.  The movie works very well as a scary movie with a build up of the tension.  It is creepy and freaky.  That stupid toy clown in the kid's room is full on freaky.  I never had a issue with clowns before, but that thing is enough to start a life long clown phobia. 

This is a great creepy, scary movie that still works really well.  I've heard that there were talks about doing a remake..I don't know how well that would work, especially if it is set in modern times.  Most people have cable or satellite now, and there wouldn't be any stations with static like the one Carol Ann used to talk to them. 



I did get a longer review posted on Epinions a few years ago if anyone would like to look.

Poltergeist

[Jimmy]

Marie I just saw in your banner that you have watched Fright Night. In case you are interested I've found where are the two commentaries I have used to create my disc.


FRIGHT NIGHT, 1985: Commentary Track #1 with Writer/Director Tom Holland, Stars Chris Sarandon (Jerry Dandrige) & Jonathan Stark (Billy Cole), moderated by Tim Sullivan.

Direct Download (143 Mo)


RIGHT NIGHT, 1985: Commentary Track #2 with Writer/Director Tom Holland, Stars William Ragsdale (Charley Brewster), Stephen Geoffreys (“Evil” Ed Thompson) & FX Artist Randall William Cook, moderated byJeremy Smith (Mr. Beaks from Ain’t It Cool News.com) & hosted by Tim Sullivan.

Direct download (99.3 Mo)

If you don't want to download them you can listen them dirrectly on the website.

[Dragonfire]

I'll try to check those out later.  Thanks.

[Dragonfire]

The Invisible Man's Revenge

The Invisible Man's Revenge Determined to settle the score after his partners abandoned him during an African expedition, Robert Griffin (Jon Hall) finds a doctor with the perfect solution - an invisibility potion!  Griffin gets his revenge, but there's a price to pay, and its far more than he ever imagined.  The fifth film to be inspired by H.G. Wells' classic novel, The Invisible Man, this is considered one of the best, an intriguing blend of fantasy and chills that swiftly moves from whimsy to menace to out-and-out horror.

This is the last of the Invisible Man movies from Universal.  The plot is interesting, though I don't think it is handled as well as it could have been.  It seems to be going in a more serious direction, but then there are times when it seems to be going more humorous.  That makes things a little uneven, but the movie is entertaining overall.  The effects are fine for the most part, though a few things don't look as good.  The characters aren't that developed, but I've come to expect that from these monster movies.  Robert seems a bit unhinged to begin with, and he just gets worse as the movie progresses. 

Overall I enjoyed the movie and think it is worth checking out. 



I just got a longer review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

The Invisible Man's Revenge

[Dragonfire]

White Zombie ..."For you, my friend, they are the angels of death."  Thus replies Murder Legendre (Bela Lugosi) to John Harron when he inquires about the zombies he encounters on the island of Haiti, the locale of this horror classic.  When Harron arrives on the isle with his lovely fiancee, Madeline (Madge Bellamy), a wealthy fellow traveler, Charles Beaumont (Robert Frazer), offers his lush plantation home for their nuptials.  Unfortunately, Beaumont has become smitten with Madeline and enters into an unholy alliance with zombie master Legendre to win possession of her - alive or undead.  They arrange for Madeline to fall ill and die, and then be resurrected as a zombie - and Charles' love slave.  Who will untimately possess the beautiful bride is decided in the film's final deadly struggle.  Filmed just after he completed Dracula, screen legend Bela Lugosi has one of his most haunting roles in White Zombie.  Director Victor Halperin weaves a dreamlike web of images - faceless zombies endlessly laboring to push a gigantic mill wheel as it creaks and groans, a single poisoned bridal rose, a shrieking pet vulture, a long white wedding gown that more closely resembles a death shroud - that combine to create a poetic and eerie tale not soon forgotten.

This is another one from the 50 movie set.  I really couldn't get into to this one.  Part of it is just how horrible the picture and sound quality is.  It was too hard to tell what was going on, so I pretty much lost interest in a hurry.  Maybe I'll try it again someday.

[Dragonfire]

The Wolf Man (1941)

The Wolf Man THE WOLF MAN (1941) The original horror classic that introduced one of the screen's most infamous monsters! Lon Chaney Jr. portrays Larry Talbot, who returns to his father's (Claude Rains) castle in Wales and meets a beautiful woman (Evelyn Ankers). One fateful night, Talbot escorts her to a local carnival where Jenny's fate is revealed by a mysterious gypsy fortune teller. The dreamlike atmosphere and elaborate settings combined with a chiling musical score make The Wolf Man a masterpiece not only of the genre, but for all time!

This is another of the classic Universal Monster movies.  I've seen it a few times now and I still enjoy it.  Larry is a nice enough guy, though he seems to be a borderline stalker with how he goes after Gwen after spying on her with a telescope..and he talks about her earrings and where they are in her bedroom the first time they meet.  That made him a bit creepy.  The plot works well and is interesting and entertaining.  Larry can't control what happens when he transforms, and he is distraught when he figures out what he has done.  He has more remorse than some of the other monsters.  The effects are done well considering when the movie was made.  Nothing too violent is shown, though it is clear that people are killed.  Compared to more recently made movies, this one is pretty tame, but I think it works really well.  It builds more suspense and in many ways, what you don't specifically see is more scary than what you do see.  The picture and sound quality on my DVD is really good.  The movie has held up well and definitely deserves to be seen.



I did get a longer review posted on Epinions last year if anyone wants to take a look at that.

The Wolf Man (1941)

[Dragonfire]

I do intend to finish writing about the movies I watched...I just got way behind ..again.     I need more hours in the day.
I got a few more watched than are showing in my sig right now....I'll get that updated tomorrow too.  I'm just so tired now, I'd probably manage to delete something important instead of uploading the profiles.     I'll check the count tomorrow too..  I'm thinking I may have managed to watch more this year than I did last year..and I believe that last year is when I did the most.

Anyway, I'll work on getting caught up tomorrow posting about the movies tomorrow.  There are a few more movies I wanted to get in that I didn't get to..I'm thinking I'll still watch them here in the next few days anyway.  It will still be close enough to Halloween.

[Jimmy]

After four years we are use to it Marie

[Dragonfire]

Ha ha :p

Besides, it just wouldn't be a marathon if I wasn't the straggler.  We must respect our traditions.