The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I got more use out of my PS3 since I can use it to stream movie files off my computer as well as using the PlayOn program that lets me stream Hulu, CBS, Netflix, and other videos through it.

It was great for Hulu but there's a queue limit for Netflix and it doesn't work as good as the Netflix Roku box I have. The program is a 2 week trial, $30 for life if you want it but they shouldn't be charging anything yet if they can't get everything working right.

I pretty much dropped out of the challenge on the 11th. I had other stuff I wanted to watch and stopped forcing horror movies down my throat whenever I had time. Too much of a chore. I also pretty much slowed down my movie watching in general. The last one I finished was last Sunday.

cinemaphile

A new member this year, I stumbled across this challenge well into October, so didn't squeeze in too much. Next year, though, I'll be prepared!!

I was actually going to ask if there's a Holiday Challenge as well, but then a quick search showed me there is!! I can't wait!

...and might I make an early recommendation to kick it off with the best Thanksgiving film, Home For The Holidays, with Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr, etc... A GREAT holiday film, and far more reflective of how Thanksgiving really is around MY family!

LickTheABCs

I just realized that updating my list is going to take like an extra 2 days. Damn.

shadokitty

Not going to add it to my list as I only came in half way through it, but watched House of Frankenstein 1997 on Halloween. I thought I saw some similiarities with Van Helsing, and even the Bride. Van Helsing was as dracula was the giant humanoid bat thing, and the Monster was actually a wise and kind soul. Similar to the Bride, the Monster was just a victim, it was the doctor who made him who was crazy.

Side note, watched Freddy's Dead last night and noticed something. Peter Spellos had a small role in it. Some of you may remember him from MIB II as the subway driver or American Dreams the tv show where he ran the tv station. I have a soft spot for him after having met him in person at a transformers convention and talked to him besides just an autograph line. I was sitting outside the hotel on a bench, he came out and asked to sit down, we got to talking and in the end he asked me my name, I told him. He shook my hand and said nice to meet you, Im Peter Spellos. And 2 days later on Sunday was in line for his autograph, while he did not remember my name, which was understandable given all the names he has to sign, he did remember meeting me, which raised him a few nothces in my respect book.

Chad

I managed to hit 163 and surpass last year's total by 10 ...85 of those first-time viewings. Surprisingly, none of that included TCM programming.

Regrets:
-Once again, not following through with the mini-reviews/comments. Even in this very thread. Old habits die hard.
-Neglecting to post and converse more.
-Missing roughly 50 titles ordered specifically for the challenge due to excruciatingly slow shipping times (some still haven't showed up!) and postal service incompetence. Thankfully the Roku Player was there to save the day.
-A lack of older films. See above.

(Thanks to Mondo Kane for some of these categories )

It's Cheesetastic!
Hard Rock Zombies - Ironically, the soundtrack was comprised mostly of '80s pop rock.
Mother of Tears - Probably not intentionally so, but that's not such a good thing considering the company it keeps. Holds up fairly well as a stand-alone.

Biggest Disappointment(s)
Beyond the Door - A textbook example of how trailers can be deceiving.
Anatomy 2 - Dr. Frankenstein wannabe defies medical ethics in hopes of creating his "master race" of bionic people. Not as exciting as it sounds.
Axe - Zzzzzzzz
Calvaire
Faces of Death - Next time I'll simply a) turn on the Discovery channel and/or b) watch "Cannibal Holocaust" instead ...much more realism.
Flavia the Heretic - My first foray into "nunsploitation" was unfortunately not a pleasant experience ...for me or the nuns!

More Enjoyable Upon the 2nd Viewing
Diary of the Dead
Blue Sunshine

Most Impressive 1st Time Viewing
Blood and Black Lace
The Strangers
Stuck
Frankentein's Bloody Terror - Paul Naschy gives Lon Chaney Jr. a run for his money! Unfortunately Frankenstein got held up in customs and was unable to make an appearance.
Who Can Kill a Child? - Excellent film despite suffering from the most idiotic and annoying female character since Shelley Duvall in The Shining.
Shutter (original)
Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead

Imagine My Surprise! (aka "holy shit, I actually enjoyed that!")
Microwave Massacre - Frosty defrosts his wife!
The Psycho sequels
The Phantom of the Opera ('89) It's basically a combination of the musical and a slasher film with Freddy Krueger thrown in for good measure. Surprisingly effective.

"WTF Did I Just Watch?"
Suicide Club
Splatter: Naked Blood -

2nd Viewing Required -or- No Opinion Formed ...Yet
The House with Laughing Windows
Jigoku


Results ...coming soon.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I envy you in a way, as I've sat through things that would make her seem like the least annoying character on Earth.

Dick Laurent

I've had this movie on an import DVD for about six years now, and still have yet to bring myself to watch it. I just look at the cover and get disturbed. This makes me think looking into it further may disturb me even more...

stonecountry

Well, I made it to 114, beating out last year's total by 3. I wanted to try to get to at least 120, but October was unexpectedly busy at times.

THE ETERNAL HORROR PARADOX: I've always loved horror films, but when I really think about the truly great ones, it's a very short list, much shorter than probably any other genre. Yet, especially nowadays, there's probably more horror films coming out than any other genre because they're cheaper to make and have a built-in audience always hoping usually in vain for that next great cult classic. Why is it so hard to do horror right, or is it that it's just the wrong people trying? I'd like to see some great filmmakers like Eastwood and Spielberg try their hand at the genre.

Shack

Interestingly, The Onion's AV Club just did an article on that subject, the glut of horror coming out and the odds of finding the next classic:
http://www.avclub.com/content/featur..._to_zombies_in

JerryKILL

Best Movie(s) (First time viewing)
El Vampiro (1957, Fernando Méndez)
The Unknown (1927, Tod Browning)

Worst Movie(s)
Curse of the Aztec Mummy (1957, Rafael Portillo)
Midnight Faces (1926, Bennett Cohen)

Imagine My Surprise! (aka "holy sh*t, I actually enjoyed that!")
Beyond the Door III (1989, Jeff Kwitny)
Queen of Blood (1966, Curtis Harrington)

Biggest Disappointment
Alligator (1980, Lewis Teague)
The Unseen (1981, Danny Steinmann)

"WTF did I just watch?"
Boardinghouse (1982, John Wintergate)
The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living
and Became Mixed-Up Zombies!!? (1964, Ray Dennis Steckler)

clckworang

I've always said that a truly good horror film shows the absolute best in filmmaking. I'm not saying it necessarily makes it the best movie ever, but so many things have to go right to make a good horror movie. There needs to be good direction, not just what to see but what not to see. And then there's the editing and music. Both need to be in a good sync to build up suspense. The acting at least has to be adequate. You have to believe in the characters at least somewhat. In a regular film, you can usually get away with some of those things not really working, but I don't think that's true with a horror movie. Things just have to line up correctly to make something truly scary across a diverse group of people.

Of course, this obviously doesn't take into account those horror films that are so bad that they somehow seem brilliant.

stonecountry

I think you're pretty much right. Upon examining the situation a little more closely I think that horror probably has more imitators than any other genre, thus breeding less originality. Generally the best horror films have done something that's either never been done before or never been done quite so well with as much style. I mean how many films have ripped off something from Halloween, The Shining, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Psycho, Evil Dead, Dawn of the Dead and numerous others?

I think most people who set out to make a horror film these days are so heavily influenced by the films that got them into the genre that they end up trying to copy them or at least pay homage to them, and generally speaking that's a hard thing to live up to when you're stacking yourself up against the best of the best from the get-go. Generally speaking, I think there's probably much less of this in other film genres, or if it's there, it's not nearly as obvious.

Another thing is that the audience these films are made for are generally familiar with that handful of great films that so greatly influenced the very people that are making today's horror films. So when those filmmakers try to blatantly rip off things from the great films that came before, it definitely doesn't go unnoticed. I mean you could blatantly steal scenes and dialogue from say a Billy Wilder comedy and insert them into a teen comedy, and it'd go unnoticed for the most part just due to the intended audience's familiarity with the reference material. However, that's nearly impossible with horror.

That's why there are so many genre conventions now, as if there are only so many original things you can do with the genre, and when someone does do something completely original and pulls it off it's like the second coming of horror. Even when people have tried to steer from conventions or put new takes on old conventions, they've only ended up creating new genre conventions like the cell phone that has no bars when you need it, etc. Then when somebody does have an original idea, it gets beat to absolute death by a thousand rip off films, trying to cash in on the same idea which. This can even retrospectively hurt the original film that once seemed so original and unconventional cause when new viewers discover it in years to come they're already so aware of all these other films and conventions that have been created, not knowing how much the original film was influential in making that happen and thusly not appreciating it as much.

Also, there is without a doubt that sub-genre in horror of the "So Bad It's Good" kind. If it weren't for this genre, Troma wouldn't be in business, Peter Jackson would have never made big budget films, and numerous celebrities wouldn't be ashamed of their early film work. These films are generally easier and cheaper to make since you don't really need good actors, just a ridiculous concept to exploit, which Troma does probably better than any company. But I don't think any of these films have aspirations of being the next Psycho or anything like that.

stonecountry

END OF CHALLENGE RECAP AND USELESS STATISTICS:

First Time Viewings: 87 or 76.3%

Titles I've Already Sold or Traded Since Watching Them For The Challenge: 43

Movies Watched on Blu-ray: 9

Movies Watched Online: 5

Rented For Free From Redbox Using Promo Codes: 4

Watched Via Comcast On Demand: 8

Movies I Do Not Own But Will Purchase As A Result of Watching Them in This Challenge: 3 ([REC], Dance of the Dead, The Strangers: Unrated)


Movies That Will Probably Give Me Lingering Nightmares:

1. Teeth (2007) - There were just far too many atrocities committed to the male genatalia for my liking in this one, the kind of imagery that stays with a a man.

Movies That Are So Bad They're...BAD! (A.K.A. Blasphemous Film Atrocities):

1. Hard Rock Zombies (1985) - They weren't very good zombies or very good rockers since all the music was pretty much the worst pop rock of the early 1980's. It doesn't help that at least a 1/3 of the film is pretty much entire performances of this crappy music that is the furthest thing from hard rock as you can get short of Yo Yo Ma.
2. The Happening (2008) - M. Night Shyamalan is the worst highest paid filmmaker in Hollywood. This film further proves why. Nobody can take decent actors and make them seem like horrible ones better than good ol' M. Night. Nobody can beat a ridiculous concept into the ground with less than subtle and irrelevant social commentary like M. Night either. I'd say M. Night is the king of doing both of these things. As wretched as it is, it's just a tiny mark above his previous film, Lady in the Water, which makes my eyes bleed and my heart cry.

Best Movies First Time Viewing:

1. [REC] (2007) - The last 30 mins. make the whole thing with a breakneck pace of realish images of horror, yet the real horror comes in what you don't see and what is hinted at.
2. Diary of the Dead (2008) - I was surprised how much I enjoyed this film despite all the bad press. I think Romero went a step in the right direction with this one.
3. Dance of the Dead (2008) - This film was great fun and for my money one of the best zombie films of the last few years.
4. The Strangers: Unrated Version (2008) - This thriller did a lot with a little and shows that true suspense can be made with use of sound and shadows.

I Can't Believe I Actually Liked These:

1. Vampire's Kiss (1989) - This film is hilarious as a dark comedy with Nic Cage. It's over the top, and I love it completely. This was the biggest surprise of all to me cause I'd heard this was crap and ended up loving it.
2. Werewolf of Washington (1973) - This actually ended up being a pretty decent satire
3. Satan's Little Helper (2004) - This actually ended up being a decent dark horror satire and wasn't at all what I expected. The only really negative about it was the kid was annoying.

What the Deuce? (Still Scratching My Head Over This):

1. Hour of the Wolf (1968) - I had to read about this one afterwards to even halfway understand what happened. I just don't get Ingmar Bergman I think.
2. Masters of Horror: The Washingtonians (2007) - This was utterly ridiculous but has potential camp value just due to the ludicrousness of it all. An underground society of people who dress up like George Washington and Eat people...? I don't even quite know what to say about that.
3. Inside (2007) - I had to read a little about this one afterwards to really get what happened. They tried to be clever, and many folks think it turned out right. I'm not sure I'm one of them though.

Better Upon 2nd Viewing:

1. Land of the Dead (2005) - I don't know why, but I like this one more each time I watch it. I'm becoming more accepting of it as a Romero zombie film, even though the style sticks out from the others.

edwardnortonfan

I love you.

And yeah, the woman in "Who Can Kill a Child" made me want to tear my heir out. Or tear HER hair out and give her a reason for her incessant screaming.

Trevor

That's got to hurt.

edwardnortonfan

Not if you do it quick, like a band aid.

I amm a gud tiper adn i kan spel anithing rite exspecially heir.

Trevor

This will likely be part of my official follow-up post, but did anyone watch the "6 Films to Keep You Awake"?

The first one wasn't all that great, but I was shocked at how much I enjoyed them overall. Very well done films.

NoirFan

If they had torn her heir out,

terrycloth

i unfortunately did not get to hit 100and ended up stopping a couple days before halloween. This year was more enjoyable tho bc last year i just re watched a bunch of horror movies i owned and this year had a bunch of new stuff. I think for next year ill just pick upnew horror i havent seen and just store for the challenge and try to do 100 unseen movies.

clckworang

I was just thinking that he shouldn't have said it was a typo. It actually made a pretty good joke ...

NoirFan

I ended up watching 133 films, which was a bit below my goal of 150, but there were a couple of days when I watched nothing at all, so perhaps I can reach 150 next year if I give up all social interaction for the month. 83 of them were first time viewings, which seemed like a good number. I really enjoyed tracking down obscure films like Son of Dracula, Crawl Space, or Three on Meathook, titles which I'd normally have zero interest in or knowledge of. Borrowing Jerry Kill's format, here are the high and low lights of my month, including only first time viewings:

Best Movie(s) (First time viewing)
1. The Abominable Dr. Phibes
2. Who Can Kill a Child?
3. The Blood on Satan's Claw

Worst Movie(s)
1. Grotesque (possibly the worst film I have ever seen)
2. Maniac (1934)
3. Rock n' Roll Nightmare

Imagine My Surprise! (aka "holy sh*t, I actually enjoyed that!")
1. Night of the Comet
2. Crawl Space
3. Alice, Sweet Alice

Biggest Disappointment
1. Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural
2. The Uninvited
3. Quatermass and the Pit


"WTF did I just watch?"
1. Death Bed
2. Xtro
3. One Dark Night

Trevor

She.

And sadly, I think that most of my best jokes are unintentional.

edwardnortonfan

I thought it was pretty funny myself, I wish I had thought of it.

Alas, I am plagued by typos in every one of my posts, even with the spellchecker function on Firefox.

I wish I had gotten to 100 movies this year. My health took a serious downturn though, along with my ability to concentrate, and I'm glad I at least passed 31.

smashthesymbols

These are in my list as well, but I'll join in on the awards and useless stats posting here.


Stats.

Movies by Decade.

• 1930s: 3
• 1940s: 6
• 1950s: 5
• 1960s: 6
• 1970s: 10
• 1980s: 17
• 1990s: 8
• 2000s: 39

Movies by Media Source

• DVD: 78
• Blu-Ray: 11
• Internet: 2
• Starz HD: 2
• HD-DVD: 1

Movies by Language.

• English: 90
• Japanese: 3
• Korean: 1

Movies by Director.

• Roger Corman: 4
• Wes Craven: 3
• Darren Lynn Bousman: 2
• William Castle: 2
• Alfred Hitchcock: 2
• Ivan Reitman: 2
• Mark Robson: 2
• Robert Rodriguez: 2
• Jacques Tourneur: 2
• S.S. Wilson: 2
• Robert Wise: 2
• Rob Zombie: 2

Awards.

Best Movie(s) (First time viewing)
1. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
2. The Host
3. 28 Days Later

Worst Movie(s)
1. Grizzly Park
2. Hack!
3. Shutter (2008)

Imagine My Surprise! (aka "holy sh*t, I actually enjoyed that!")
1. The Ruins
2. Lost Boys: The Tribe
3. P2

Biggest Disappointment
1. Mulberry St.
2. Open Water

caligulathegod

I'll have a go.

Best Movie(s) (First time viewing) (best, being relative considering the shit I watched)
1. House on Sorority Row. Very 70s-80s in a good way.
2. The Burning. Pretty good slasher.
3. My Bloody Valentine. Another good film in a genre I don't like.

Worst Movie(s)
1. Brute Man. Terrible. Iconic villain, but he couldn't act
2. The Dorm that Dripped Blood. Boring.
3. Inseminoid. How could this be bad?

Imagine My Surprise! (aka "holy sh*t, I actually enjoyed that!")
1. Carrie the Musical. Cheesy but fun retelling of Carrie.
2. Don't Look in the Basement. I had no hopes for this one but I really liked it.
3. Ilsa (any of them). Maybe it helps to have met the people behind these films this year.

Biggest Disappointment
1. Ghostbusters. I thought I liked it years ago. It doesn't hold up.
2. Nothing But Night. Christopher Lee's attempt at a serious Horror film. Boring.
3. Multiple Maniacs. I am John Waters' biggest fan and kind of liked this in the past. It just didn't catch me this time.

"WTF did I just watch?"
1. Dr Wong's Virtual Hell. OMG. Just finished it to have something to hate.
2. Wicked Wicked. The most annoying gimmick in cinema history.
3. The Burning Hell. Religious exploitation scare film. Remembered seeing this ad when I was a kid. It's fun watching these things now after 20 years of atheism.