J. Farley

Goal - To best my total of 41 from the 2009 Challenge.

First time viewings are in orange.

October 3rd

1: Red White & Blue (2010) [Netflix streaming] - incredibly dark indie deals with Erica, an emotionally empty young woman who has unprotected sex with anyone she can, including a four-way with a garage band and it's lead player, Franki. Enter Nate, an oddball stranger who helps her find work when she's about to be kicked out of her apartment. The two form an unlikely bond. Meanwhile, Franki is caring for his cancer-stricken mother. After he gives some blood to help her, he's soon informed that he has HIV. Horrified not only for himself but for what he's given his mother, he and his bandmates set out to find Erica. Bad choices are made and revenge is brutally dished out. Simon Rumley's film is one of the bleakest I've seen in a while. Austin is the backdrop as we watch damaged characters making choices that lead to their undoing. It's hard to say who's to root for here, and a revelation regarding Erica midway through adds a whole new layer to the proceedings. I respected that Rumley left in numerous ambiguities throughout, as it made for a more intriguing structure. The acting is strong across the board with Noah Taylor, Amanda Fuller and Marc Senter all vying for the title of most disturbed. Senter, who played memorable nutjobs in The Lost and Cabin Fever 2, actually gets outdone this time around. There's also a memorable scene of a family being held hostage. As far as first time viewings for the challenge go, it'll be hard to beat this one. It's nice to start things off with a bang.

October 4th

2: Christine (1983) [Sony HD] - John Carpenter's adaptation of the Stephen King novel in which geeky Arnie buys Christine, a 1958 Plymouth Fury with a mind of her own. Carpenter is among my top three favorite directors, and his films get a lot of play around my house. It seems that I don't get around to this one too often though. No idea why, as it's certainly a solid film. Christine is a beautiful car, and I can't help but cringe whenever she gets crushed, sledged or smashed. The scenes in which she reforms herself make for some of the most effective moments in the film. Another strong bit sees a fiery Christine chasing a soon-to-be victim down the road. Keith Gordon is Arnie, and his transformation from geek to sociopath under the influence of Christine is certainly interesting to behold. Alexandra Paul plays his annoying girlfriend.

3: Hatchet II (2010) [DVR/Cinemax] - this sequel picks up right where the first left off as Marybeth (now played by genre favorite, Danielle Harris) struggles with Victor Crowley in the swamp. She escapes, but returns the next night with Reverend Zombie, her uncle and a group of hunters to take out Crowley for good. The first film received a great deal of praise when released, but I didn't think too highly of it. I'm a huge slasher fan, but it just didn't do it for me, and it wasn't the throwback many claimed. That said, I enjoyed this one a lot more due to an overall better cast, Tony Todd getting more to do and an expanded backstory. The attempts at humor also didn't feel as awkward this time around. As expected, there's a hefty helping of gore, none of it all that realistic looking. Better than CGI, yes, but far from the best gore effects I've seen. Tom Holland, director of Fright Night, Thinner and various other films, pops up as Marybeth's uncle. The Signal's AJ Bowen is here too as one of the hunters. His demise is similar to that of Eli Roth in his own faux Thanksgiving trailer. In the end, while this is more fun than the first, I still can't say it's anything special. It's just lacking that unique charm that many of the older slashers possess in spades. I did love the brief reference to Frozen, which is easily Adam Green's best film.

October 5th

4: The Ghost Dance (1980) [VHS/own] - Kay Foster is the head anthropology professor at an Arizona museum and university. Overseeing the excavation of Indian artifacts in the desert, she and her crew unearth the remains of a sadistic Indian shaman named Nahalla. After the remains are taken to a nearby museum, Nalhalla's spirit possesses a thief and begins a killing spree. The Ghost Dance is a relatively obscure slasher from the sub-genre's early days. It's obscurity is certainly undeserved, as it's one of the better slashers I've come across. Horror films which center on Native American themes are often among my favorites to watch. I've always been fascinated by the various Indian tribes and their ways of life. Learning about their cultures, legends and beliefs was one of my favorite parts of history class. What's more, the mythology and superstitions of their people are fertile grounds for horror tales. Hell, many of the old Indian legends are basically horror stories in and of themselves, ones that are actually frightening. Combining such elements with a slasher was a novel idea. The film is well-made, one or two jarring scene transitions not withstanding. The VHS transfer is beat up, but you can tell that it's an exceptionally filmed picture. The secluded desert vistas definitely help, as does the atmospheric museum which is effectively imposing at night. There are some striking visuals too, especially the one in which Nahalla stands in front of a stuffed eagle, his back looking like it has sprouted wings. Not only the most memorable shot of the film, but a thematically rich one as well. The film's score has it's moments, enhancing the mood at it's best, sounding generic or even somewhat cartoonish (during the museum chase) at worst. The ending is a little sudden, but it works.

5: Night Ripper (1986) [VHS/own] - "This isn't love! This is two sweaty bodies fucking under a flood lamp!" Ah, the joys of Night Ripper. A guy who does glamour shots for models gets mixed up in a series of mutilation killings. The murders bare a resemblance to those committed by Jack the Ripper, and the victims are all models. Naturally, the photographer becomes a suspect. He also falls for one of his models and must try to protect her from the true killer. Shot on video, this film looks better and less amateurish than some of the SOV films I've seen. That sure as hell doesn't stop it from being heavy of the cheese factor though! The so-called love story between the lead and his new squeeze makes for some true hilarity. We also get a pair of cops who are way past being past their prime, yet they give chase to a fleeing suspect anyway. Then there's the other photographer, himself a suspect, who mugs for the camera on a nonstop basis. The killer's identity is kept a secret until the climax, though I managed to accurately guess who it was from the character's very first scene. As if I wasn't sure enough already, there's also a later scene that's a dead giveaway if you've been paying attention. The climax takes place in a mannequin factory, and the final death scene of the film is really something to see. Not because of gore, mind you, but the way in which it happens. A cheesy delight, Night Ripper is probably my favorite SOV slasher. I certainly found it more fun than Sledgehammer, which I got on VHS around the same time. Director Jeff Hathcock's prior movie, Victims!, wasn't anywhere near as entertaining either.

6: Inside (2007) [DVD/owned but now gotten rid of] - a mother-to-be is menaced by a strange woman who traps her inside her own house. What does the stranger want? Why, her unborn baby, of course. This film received a great deal of praise from the horror community, but when I watched it shortly after it's U.S. DVD release, I didn't think it was worthy of any of it. Two repeat viewings (this one included) didn't change my mind. French horror seems to be all the rage among fellow genre fans these days, but where films like Haute Tension and Martyrs succeed at being more than envelope-pushing for the sheer hell of it, Inside fails miserably. Béatrice Dalle of 37°2 le matin is the villain, and her menacing performance is the only thing this mess has going for it. Alysson Paradis is the victim, but pregnant or not, the film didn't give me much of a reason to invest in her character. Clearly, this kills any potential suspense factor. Another suspense vacuum is the rampant idiocy on display here, most notably from the police. I also didn't care for the inside shots of the baby at all. I thought it was an awful idea, made all the more annoying by the obvious CGI and ridiculous expressions the baby would make. Was I supposed to be disturbed whenever this popped up? Now, onto the film's sole reason for existing... The gore effects are wet and brutal. They're not always convincing, but they're very graphic. And that's all there is to Inside. The only true horror that comes from watching this is realizing that something so bad is actually being praised to the heavens.

7: Prince of Darkness (1987) [DVD/own] - John Carpenter's masterpiece about a priest enlisting the help of a college professor and his students in preventing the coming of the Anti-God. Yep, I said masterpiece. I consider this to be Carpenter's crowning achievement. In fact, it's my favorite horror film aside from the original Black Christmas. Carpenter really struck gold with the script, as it's both intelligent and thought-provoking. I love all of the theoretical, scientific and religious discussion in this film. He takes all of these wonderful ideas and forms them into one of the most intriguing storylines the genre has ever seen. It all makes for a very engaging viewing experience, especially if this sort of material fascinates you as much as it does me. The film is slow-burning, yet intensely unnerving. The overall mood, the creepy street people, the church itself and the eerie occurences caused by the Anti-God's growing power all make for an unettling watch. I also must make mention of the recurring dream projections via tachyons. A brilliant idea that adds an even deeper level to the film's frightening nature. The sense of hopeless isolation that Carpenter is able to convey despite the church being in L.A. is yet another impressive accomplishment in a film that never fails to impress. It's a rare case when I have not one bad thing to say about a movie, but this is one of those instances. It all works beautifully for me.

October 6th

8: Dead & Buried (1981) [DVD/own] - the sheriff of small coastal town, Potter's Bluff, is baffled by a series of murders. Things get even more bizarre when the victims of said murders seem to reappear around the community. This overlooked gem is among my favorite horror films. It's as moody as they come, the atmosphere of Potter's Bluff being wonderfully bleak. It also has what are probably the creepiest zombies of any film I've seen. Lisa Blount makes an especially lasting impression, both in the opening scene and a disturbing bit involving a syringe and a helpless guy with a look of sheer terror in his eyes. Throw in one hell of an ending and Jack Albertson's great performance as Dobbs, and you've got a real winner. Robert Englund has a small part as one of the townspeople. The special effects are mostly solid, though one kill involving acid up the nose comes off poorly. Director Gary Sherman never directed a better film before or after, but his 1990 horror/thriller, Lisa, is quite good in it's own right.

9: Innocent Prey (1984) [VHS/own] - P.J. Soles is Cathy, a Dallas native who discovers that her husband, Joe, is a psychotic killer when she witnesses him murder a hooker (the luscious Debbie Sue Voorhees of Friday the 13th: A New Beginning). He's arrested before he can kill her too, but he later escapes, prompting Cathy to join her friend in Australia. Once there, she immediately catches the attention of another lunatic, her voyeuristic landlord, Phillip. Meanwhile, Joe is also determined to track her down and finish what he started. What we have here is an Australian slasher taking place partly in Dallas and directed by Colin Eggleston. Innocent Prey isn't on the same level as Eggleston's masterful Long Weekend, but it's certainly a fun picture with an underlying playfulness aimed at certain genre conventions, namely that of the final girl. The tone of the film is serious, but you get a sense of the true intent with the habitual victim scenario and a terrific final shot. Soles is decent here, but she doesn't exactly come across as lead actress material. It doesn't help that Cathy isn't the brightest heroine to ever grace the genre. Not only is she painted as being quite naive, she can also be truly dense at times. Following his escape, Joe shows up at Cathy's and is chased off by the cops. Two officers search for him while Cathy stays inside with a female officer watching over her. When the policewoman disappears, Cathy calls for her repeatedly before stating "If this is you're idea of a joke, it isn't funny!". As if a cop who she just met would be pranking her in such a serious situation! Sure, this could be just a furthering of the joke on the final girl, almost as if she's talking directly to the filmmakers for putting her through such hell. However, in context of the film itself, it just makes her stupid. The villains fare better, particularly John Warnock as Phillip, the awkward voyeur with a mean streak. His "shocking" method of murder may be rather over the top, but it's a unique touch. Those who watch slashers just to see some bloodshed should look elsewhere, as this isn't a gory film. Anyone wanting to view an entertaining slasher with an out there plot and a sense of fun beneath the seriousness should go for it.

10: Out of the Body (1989) [VHS/own] - an invisible force is killing prominent women in Sydney. David is a twitchy musician who has visions of the victims whenever he's asleep, usually right before they're attacked. Wondering why he's seeing this, David attempts to warn several women of the danger as well as find out who or what is behind the killings. From cult director Brian Trenchard-Smith, this film is a complete and utter blast. The story isn't always the most coherent, but the film is fun from beginning to end. The lead is quite the dope too, never missing an opportunity to make himself look like the #1 suspect. He even gets involved in some bedtime cat-fu at one point. The first kill scene is pretty out there, and the use of lighting at the TV reporter's house sorta' reminded me of Argento's Inferno. When we get to the big reveal behind the killings, it's a bizarre turn, that's for sure. I wouldn't say this is a good film, but as far as entertainment goes, it delivers in spades.

11: Long Weekend (1977) [DVD/own] - a bickering couple decide to spend a long weekend at a secluded beach. Once there, the disrespect they show for their surroundings leads to nature taking it's revenge on them. This is the epitome of Australian horror. Not only is it the best horror film to come from down under, but it's one of the best, period. I first discovered this film back in the late 90's and was quite blown away by it. I love the nature strike back sub-genre, but never had I found such films to be legitimately frightening. Long Weekend, however, really got to me. The mood, the haunting score, the atmosphere of the beach and the overall sense of nature conspiring against the characters all makes for a remarkable amount of tension. I love this film for many of the same reasons that I love Blair Witch, though there are many differences between the two as well. What's more, the animals attacks never come off as fake. A scene where an eagle comes in search of it's egg is raw and eerie. No fake birds on wires or men in bear suits. Our two leads aren't very likable, but that doesn't keep the film from being an effective experience. Gotta' love the ending too, which brings things full circle.

12: Next of Kin (1982) [VHS/own] - following the death of her mother, Linda inherits the retirement home that she ran. Once there, reading through her mother's diary sets off a series of unsettling memories. Bizarre occurences begin taking place as well, almost as if someone were toying with her. I've seen this Aussie gem referred to as a slasher film on more than one occasion, though I wouldn't neccesarily call it a slasher myself. It's more of a slow-burning mood piece, one that's quite ambiguous at times. It's also effectively creepy, one of my favorite scenes involving a figure watching the heroine just out of her eye range as she roams the woods in search of her boyfriend. Said boyfriend is played by John Jarratt, a mainstay in Australian horror. Naturally, the filming locations are gorgeous and the cinematography does a fine job of catching them in all of their glory. The film is complimented by a unique score and some stylish sequences, such as one terrific slow motion bit where Linda is rushing down a flight of stairs. The ending gets really wild, leaving the film's more subdued nature behind for an extravagant finale. All said and done, this is one of Australia's finest contributions to the genre.

October 8th

13: Psychic (1992) [Netflix streaming] - directed by George Mihalka, the man behind My Bloody Valentine, this made for cable flick features another psycho on the loose. The one here is strangling women in Boston. Annoying Zach Galligan stars as Patrick, a psychic who has visions of the murderer in action. Turns out, the teacher he has feelings for is involved with the man from his visions, Professor Steering. Patrick thus sets out to prove that Steering is responsible so that he doesn't make her his next victim. The story here is pretty typical, and there aren't many surprises along the way. It is, however, a well-made picture, handsomely photographed and coming off as if it had a bigger budget than it actually did. The vision/murder sequences are my favorites of the film, edited in such a way that makes for an especially surreal vibe. Story-wise, one of the few surprises that we do get reminded me of a similarly effective one in the 80's anthology film, Screamtime. Other than that, you pretty much know how this thing will end long before the halfway point.

14: Sometimes They Come Back (1991) [Netflix streaming] - a man, along with his wife and son, reluctantly returns to his hometown years later to take a teaching job. It isn't long before ghosts from his past come back to haunt him and do much worse. Tom McLoughlin, director of the most overrated film in the Friday the 13th franchise, directed this made for TV adaptation of the Stephen King short story. Tim Matheson stars as the man tortured by memories of his brother's death and the men responsible. The film is strong on mood, successfully bringing to life that sense of time, place and small town atmosphere that King's stories thrive on. The film's best quality is it's villains. Robert Rusler is particularly intimidating as leather-clad gang leader, Lawson. The scene where Matheson first sees him again, posing as a student in his class, makes for a strong moment. Another great scene takes place in the gang's phantom car as they show their true forms to a jock victim. Unfortunately, the film doesn't keep it's momentum going as we head toward the ending. The climax is a bit of a mess, and the ending gets overly schmaltzy, another thing some King stories have a tendency to do. The ending to the original tale would have worked a lot better than what we get here. This is worth seeing for the villains and overall mood, but not much else. Brooke Adams doesn't get a lot to do as Matheson's wife.

October 10th

15: Sometimes They Come Back... Again (1996) [Youtube] - direct-to-video sequel is actually more of a re-adaptation of King's story. Michael Gross plays a psychiatrist who goes back to his hometown following his mother's death. Accompanying him is his teenage daughter, Michelle (Hilary Swank before she made it big). Gross soon realizes that they're being targeted by the men who sacrificed his sister in a satanic ritual 27 years earlier, only they're no longer human. In some ways, this is better than the first film. For one, it features an overall darker tone. It doesn't get all sappy either, and the idea to have the gang return as demons instead of ghosts works well, also tying into a ritual from the original story that the first adaptation omitted. I preferred the father/daughter dynamic over the family one too, and the addition of side characters, Maria and Jules, was certainly welcome. On the other hand, even as demons, Alexis Arquette and company didn't come off quite as menacing as the gang from the previous flick. I think that had to do with some lame one-liners and the fact that I recognized one of the gang, Glen Beaudin, from Superhuman Samurai Syber Squad. The priest character is way over the top as well, and the lawnmower guy couldn't get off my screen fast enough. Still, this is a fun take on the King tale, and we get some interesting imagery such as death by flying tarot cards and Swank getting it on with a demonized Arquette. Makes a nice companion to the first, as both have their qualities and misfires.

16: Edge of the Axe (1988) [Youtube] - a rural community is plagued by a series of brutal axe murders. The sheriff is hesitant to do anything at first, as he doesn't want his town getting a bad name. Meanwhile, oddball computer whiz and gamer, Gerald, meets beautiful Lillian and the two begin dating. I had seen bits and pieces of this thing in the past, but never far past the opening, which is quite effective as we bare witness to a woman being slaughtered while going through a car wash. It's a solid scene that immediately gets you hooked. We're then introduced to Gerald, who's definitely on the weirder side of quirky. A good portion of the film is spent building up the romance between he and Lillian. I actually thought they had some pretty good chemistry. The film itself can be a bit of a mess as far as tone goes, bouncing all over the place at times. It does even out eventually. The sheriff struck me as an asshole who was so preoccupied with ignoring the obvious that I wouldn't have been surprised had he turned out to be the killer. That said, I was able to correctly guess the killer's identity about midway through. I was also hoping this person would be the killer, as I thought it would be the best course the film could take, so I wasn't disappointed. The killings are mainly people being chopped with an axe. As a dog-lover, one scene involving a dog got under my skin. Absolutely loved the ending and the final shot. From José Ramón Larraz, the man who gave us Vampyres and the awful Rest in Pieces.

October 11th

17: The Shadow of Chikara (1976) [VHS/own] - having just been on the losing end of the Civil War, Wishbone Cutter decides to go after the diamonds his friend hid on a sacred mountain that the Indians supposedly fear. Accompanied by his long-time half Indian, half Irish friend, Moon, and a gem specialist, Cutter heads into the wilds of Arkansas. Along the way, they add a woman who was accosted by Indians to their group. Before long, the four are being pursued by some unknown tribe, possibly not even of this world. An intriguing mixture of western and horror archetypes, this was directed by Earl E. Smith, the man who served as writer on The Town that Dreaded Sundown and The Legend of Boggy Creek. Once we get past all the battlefield stuff and over-the-top machismo with Cutter confronting his wife's new husband, the film really gets going and develops an eerie vibe relatively quickly. The threat is all the more unnerving when you see how freaked out Moon, the level-headed badass of the group, becomes. The film is sort of stopped dead in it's tracks midway through when we're introduced to some bushwhackers, but this segment doesn't last too long. My tape is pretty choppy at 96 minutes, a good deal shy of the original 114 minute running time. Unfortunately, this seems to be the longest version available. The framing is very poor as well. One scene late in the film has caused a bit of controversy, as a few horses fall over a cliff. I'm not sure how they did it, but it certainly seems realistic. While I saw the ending coming, it's still effectively creepy in it's execution.

18: Eyes of Fire (1983) [VHS/own] - one good horror western deserves another. In 1750 during the early colonization of America, a hypocritical preacher and his followers are excommunicated from the small settlement of Dalton's Ferry. While attempting to find their own personal "promised land", the group is forced into a valley by marauding Indians. The preacher declares the valley to be the place they've been seeking. As they begin to start a new life, little do they know that this place is already inhabited by a devil witch and her ghastly minions. Filmed in the wilds of Missouri, Avery Crounse's offbeat gem is one of the most beautifully photographed horror films of the 80's. The dense woodlands are naturally pleasing to the eye, but they become something else entirely when seen through the stunning direction of Crounse. His style combines the contemplative visual poetry of a Terrence Malick with truly nightmarish imagery and acidic color fades. He makes sure that, while lovely in appearance, these woods are deeply foreboding. Brad Fiedel's score adds to the unease of the situation and gives off an otherworldly vibe to match. In spite of a low budget, the period setting feels authentic. You never once believe that these people aren't living in the colonial days. It was a fascinating period, the colonial era, and I feel that more horror films should be set in and around that time. The all-encompassing isolation, the lack of modern weapons or technology and the endless amount of rich history are all elements which are positively ripe for tales of the macabre. This continent was still a relatively unknown place then, none of the settlers really having a clue as to what they might encounter. I don't think there is anything more terrifying than the unknown, so what better time than the days of the unknown to tell a story of this nature?

October 14th

19: DeepStar Six (1989) [DVD/borrowed] - while attempting to install a nuclear missile silo on the ocean floor, the crew of the DeepStar Six program accidentally unleashes a prehistoric terror. I hadn't seen this in many years, so I borrowed the DVD from a friend. I remembered that I thought it was pretty boring. Watching it now, it's still far from the most exciting film in the world. I was definitely more into it this time, but it really drags at certain points. There's an eclectic cast here, but the only one who really stands out is Miguel Ferrer, who is one of my favorite actors and always worth watching. The creature looks pretty cool and Nancy Everhard is most lovely, but really, Ferrer's manic performance is the main reason to see this thing. The ending feels like a huge anti-climax.

20: Sauna (2008) [DVD/own] - following the end of the decades-long war between Russia and Sweden, a group of soldiers from both countries is assigned the task of defining a new border. Among this group are Eerik and Knut, two brothers who couldn't be more different. The former is a vicious soldier who has been fighting his entire life, while the latter is a civilized collegian who came along due to his expertise in crafting maps. On a scouting run separate from the rest of the group, the two encounter a farmer and his daughter. Bad things happen and the brothers rejoin the expedition the next morning, but what transpired at the remote farm leads to severe feelings of guilt for Knut. He even feels that he's being followed. Continuing their trek across the barren terrain, the men eventually come across a mysterious town where no such place should logically exist. What's more, something seems very off with the inhabitants and, more importantly, with the sauna that stands just outside of the village's reach. I caught this two Decembers ago on a cold, dreary night. As much as I despise cold weather, it actually made for a fitting atmosphere in which to watch this film. Not just because of the snowy locales or skies drained of color, but also due to the chilling predicament of the characters and the weight of the film's themes. Sauna is a picture that festered in my mind for a good while afterward. I didn't know what to expect going in, but I came out thinking that this was one of the most intriguing horror films I had seen in years. I bought the DVD almost immediately after my initial viewing. This film has stayed with me in a way that only a truly haunting piece of work could. It boasts a strong period setting and some effectively unsettling moments (all about that first time Knut catches a glimpse of a figure across the swamp) set against a mood of pure despair. The characters here are as cold and gloomy as the atmosphere which surrounds them. The acting is resoundingly strong across the board, most notably that of Ville Virtanen as the bloodthirsty Eerik. His character is that of a murderous sociopath who has never known anything but war, yet Virtanen instills the part with a certain sense of empathy and regret underneath the seething hatred. We are also privy to cinematography that, while dark and drained of life, has an exquisite beauty to it. You really feel the chilled air right along with the characters. I'm still not sure that I fully understand everything that goes on in the film, but that only makes it all the more intriguing. There are numerous layers here to keep your mind busy with interpretation. Alas, discussion around the web appears to be sparse when it comes to this title. If you like eerie, artistic horror, you owe it to yourself to give Sauna a shot. You may not care for it, as this kind of film will never be for everyone, but you will witness one of the more unique genre entries in many a year. The more I watch it, the higher it climbs on my list of all-time favorites. All in all, it's a fascinating film that is rewarding in more ways than I can count.

October 15th

21: Terminal Choice (1985) [Youtube] - all is not right in a hospital that uses a hi-tech computer system to control everything from IV drips to defibrillators. Not only are some of the staff placing bets on patient recovery time, but someone is also using the computer's abilities for a more sinister agenda. This unknown Canadian film is slow-moving and doesn't have many likable characters, but I was still rather drawn into the proceedings. The futuristic hospital system makes for a unique plot device, and it's interesting to see how it'll be used next. There are some nasty bits here as helpless patients meet mean-spirited ends. The death of one of the only characters that I did like made for a very suspenseful sequence. There's also a nice scene with repeated attempts on the lead's life as he's stuck in a hospital bed with a broken foot. Said lead is Joe Spano as Dr. Frank Holt, who finds that the culprit is making it so that all the murders look like mistakes he made with his patients. A dull subplot involves Holt and his ex-fiancee rekindling their romance. Despite the flaws, I'd say it's worth a look, especially if you're into medical horror. The beautiful Ellen Barkin has an early role as the medical examiner.

22: Scream for Help (1984) [Youtube] - Christie is a suspicious teen who believes her stepfather, the smooth Paul Fox, is trying to kill her mother. She begins her own investigation, following Paul and doing everything she can to expose the affair he's having with another woman, who, along with her "brother", seems to be in on the plot with him. No one believes her though, and once she gets definitive proof, it may indeed be too late. Michael Winner's second horror film (the first being the underrated The Sentinel) is wild, trashy, melodramatic and so much fun! As Christie, Rachael Kelly makes for a quirky heroine, foul-mouthed, sexually awkward and very determined. She's quite the looker too. The three villains are over-the-top, but then, so is the whole film. Never one for subtlety, Winner throws in all sorts of crazy situations, like the relationship between Christie and her murdered best friend's boyfriend, which leads to an amusing sex scene and it's aftermath. I've seen this thing a few times, and it never fails to entertain. The horrid use of music is the only thing I don't care for. This is 80's cheese at it's most entertaining. Tom Holland, known more for his own directorial work, penned the screenplay.

October 16th

23: Lurking Fear (1994) [VHS/own] - very loosely based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft, this Full Moon cheapie deals with an ex-con going to the town of Leffert's Corner to dig up a corpse that his late father stuffed with money. Unfortunately for him, his father's old partners are on his trail. On top of that, Leffert's Corner has been dealing with attacks from underground creatures for years, and they live beneath the very cemetery the money is buried in. Anyone going into this expecting a faithful Lovecraft adaptation certainly aren't going to find one here. Don't expect a good movie either. Right from the opening scene, we're immediately hit with some horrible acting, and it doesn't get much better from there. The lead, who also narrates on occasion, is particularly awful. The only actors who don't come off too poorly here are Allison Mackie as an eccentric femme fatale and Jeffrey Combs as the town doctor. Ashley Laurence (credited as Ashley Lauren for some reason), such a likable heroine in the Hellraiser films, is just annoying here as a bitchy Rambo wannabe. There's a lot of really bad editing in this thing, and the attempts at action suffer for it. What little story there is doesn't come together in any satisfactory manner either. The ending is laughable, especially when you throw in the lead's final voice-over. Full Moon has managed to churn out a few good movies, but this isn't one of them. I bought the VHS for 50 cents at a video store that was going out of business, so at least it was cheap.

24: Sting of Death (1965) [DVD/Netflix] - biology students having a party on an island are stalked by some kind of half man, half jellyfish thing. I only watched this one because it came on the same disc as Death Curse of Tartu, which I viewed a good while back and is directed by the same guy. Some bonus! I should have just skipped it instead of wasting all that time not getting something better to rent. Terrible movie with a ridiculous premise, seriously annoying characters and jellyfish that are clearly just plastic bags floating on the water. I also had to sit through another one of those godawful 60's song and dance routines after having just suffered through one not all that long ago in the even worse Playgirl Killer. I can't believe that kind of nonsense was actually popular. Ugh! My only solace was that Neil Sedaka didn't actually have a role in this one!

October 17th

25: Body Count (1987) [Youtube] - two teens are murdered at a wooded Colorado campground said to have been cursed long ago by an Indian shaman. 15 years later, a group of annoying people decide to stay at the same campground and are systematically picked off by a masked killer. Ruggero Deodato is a long way from Cannibal Holocaust with this sloppy mess of a slasher flick. Being a fan of slashers and Deodato's previous work, I had been wanting to see this one for a while, but I came away disappointed. The stalking scenes jump all over the place as the killer's abilities are exaggerated to an extent too absurd to ignore. The kills themselves are pretty bland, a scene involving an axe being the notable exception. One victim's hair color changes as he (or, more accurately, his stuntman) falls off of a cliff. There's also a kill that echoes one from the first Friday the 13th, though not as competently done. The characters are annoying troublemakers who bitch about everything and pull stupid pranks on each other. Horrible dubbing doesn't help. David Hess and Mimsy Farmer are present as the camp owners. They don't have much to do other than act suspicious. Some major plot points are left wide open, and the ending doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Even Claudio Simonetti's score fails to stike a chord. The best thing going for Body Count is the filming location. There's a nice nightmare sequence too, but as a whole, this is the weakest Deodato film I've seen.

26: Screams of a Winter Night (1979) [Youtube] - regional horror film about a group of friends who go on a weekend excursion to a lakeside cabin in the wilds of Louisiana. Once there, they start telling each others various "true" stories of the macabre. The place they're staying happens to have a morbid history of it's own, but is it really true? I had been wanting to see this film for many years, but the tape is exceedingly rare and goes for big bucks on Ebay. So, it was nice to see that someone finally put it up for watching online. After finally checking it out, this just may be my new favorite anthology. The first story is a combination of bigfoot tale and old urban legend. It's the weakest of the lot, but it's short. The second bit is the best as three fraternity pledges must spend the night in an old building where a mysterious green light has been seen emanating from the upper floors. This one has a unique ending and some creepy moments with the guys hearing sounds from the floors above them. The third and final tale involves a girl who goes crazy after an attempted date rape. The story is typical, but it's well-acted by the main girl. That said, this is the only omnibus I've seen where the wrap-around segment is actually the strongest aspect of the picture. The area our characters are staying is said to be plagued by an Indian wind demon. The opening credits are very effective as one family's encounter with the malevolent entity plays out via sound only. Once our main group arrives, John, the one guy who know about the place's history, shows another guy the old house and graves of the family. This is another unsettling scene, one that gave me a Blair Witch vibe. As the film plays out, the wind builds and builds, culminating in a terrific ending. There's also some intriguing subtext about the nature of scary stories and the basis behind them.

October 18th

27: Cassandra (1986) [VHS/own] - Australian charmer about Cassandra, a young woman who wonders about a curious nightmare she keeps having. Her problems soon get much worse, however, as she begins seeing visions of murder from the killer's point of view. While this film is predictable, especially if you've seen one of my favorite slashers (which I won't name to avoid the obvious), it's quite compelling throughout. This is due in large part to a talented cast and the assured direction of one Colin Eggleston, director of the magnificent Long Weekend. The opening moments of the film are particularly stylish as we see a streak of images through a continually blinking eye, the eyelids evoking the feel of a camera shutter. Another particularly strong bit of imagery comes toward the end, and I'll just say that it involves fire. We also get a quality score, at varying times eerie and beautiful. Of the three Eggleston films I've seen, this is my least favorite, but that's certainly not a slight against it.

October 20th

28: The Disappeared (2008) [DVD/Netflix] - after having a breakdown following the disappearance of his younger brother, Matt is released from the hospital and tries to get back to a sense of normalcy. However, his father blames him and Matt's own guilt continues to haunt him. Before long, visions of his brother begin to plague him as well. Is it just Matt having another breakdown, or is his brother really appearing to him? This interesting British horror works as a sort of old school mystery by way of ghost story. The overall feel of the film is very ominous from the start. Matt, previously a happy teen, is now alienated and deeply troubled. He meets a girl who lives next door, herself a rather distant sort. Some of the ghostly encounters with the brother are typical. Other bits, like a scene with a psychic, are eerie and add to the intrigue of the picture. One major aspect of the story is easily telegraphed. Another, not so much. The climactic scenes are strong, the ending suitably somber. While the film falls back on certain cliches at times, it's still an effective slice of ghostly horror that packs a nice bit of emotional resonance.

October 21st

29: End of the Line (2007) [DVD/own] - taking place in a subway, the story involves several members of a large religious cult who simultaneously receive notice via pagers that it's Judgment Day. This gives them the go ahead to bring out their special daggers and "save" all the nonbelievers by way of murder. Maurice Devereaux's End of the Line possesses the kind of raw ambition that reminds me of why I love horror films in the first place. It's an original and highly imaginative effort, even more so when you realize the director had to finance the film out of his own pocket. The director's prior effort, Slashers, was a most cheesy affair. This, on the other hand, is quite serious. The film can be rather unnerving, especially if you find fanatical cult members to be disturbing sorts. I'm a big fan of religion themed horror in general. Throw in apocalyptic scenarios and you have my attention entirely. There are many underlying hints as to what's truly going on in the film. Little things that don't beat you over the head and really enrich the viewing experience. After ending on a particularly strong note, the strength of the finale is carried over into the end credits thanks to the eerie song which plays over them. Say what you will, but this piece of music strikes a chord with me. It's flat-out haunting, yet beautiful at the same time. This was my subset pick back in 2009, and I still think it deserves far more attention than it's received two years later.


October 22nd

30: A Reflection of Fear (1973) [Youtube] - Sondra Locke stars in this obscure gem as Marguerite, an odd, but very intellectual teenage girl who is kept isolated by her vindictive mother and grandmother. When her father comes to visit with his new fiancee, a perverted love triangle develops with Marguerite as the other woman. Directed by famed cinematographer William A. Fraker, this is a solid psychological horror film with an ending that took me by surprise and adds a whole new layer to everything seen prior. The relationship between Marguerite and her dad, played by Robert Shaw, is quite uncomforable, especially when he does nothing to discourage her attempts to court him right in front of his fiancee. Marguerite, clearly unhinged from being raised by her man-hating mother, also has hateful conversations with one of her dolls, believing it to be a real person. This, along with Marguerite's fears of being left in her hell, of her father abandoning her again, eventually leads to a murder mystery. There's strong acting across the board, especially from Locke, who I just saw in a similarly off-kilter role earlier this challenge. She definitely had a knack for playing creepy. Back to the ending, it's definitely a stunner. I can think of at least two later slashers that may have been inspired by it. The film was apparently edited by the studio for no apparent reason, and this shows in the latter half, as scenes seem to end before they've really even begun. It can be a little confusing, and one hopes that the cut bits will be restored some day.

October 24th

31: Fatal Pulse (1988) [Youtube] - a late 80's slasher with a depraved psycho who seems fixated on the women of one particular sorority house. Mainly remembered for the infamous kill via record, this one has never had a good reputation. No doubt, there's some stupid stuff here. For starters, the sorority bimbos are dumb enough to keep staying in the same house despite the fact that they're obviously in danger. Joe Estevez has a ridiculous role as the resident red herring, a Vietnam vet who owns the house and enjoys spying on the girls as they undress. He also has one of the more amusing flashback scenes you're likely to witness. The main character is a bland douchebag who whines for the majority of the film. His rival looks like someone who stepped out of the 50's. The cops are idiots who don't even remember the name of a prime suspect. All that said, this is fun to watch if you're a lover of cheese. This is a bad movie, no doubt, but I had a good time with it. Certainly more so than with overrated slasher trash like Halloween II or Prom Night. For no apparent reason, the killer strips the women before each murder. The explanation behind the killings is certainly different, though the identity of the killer comes as no surprise. The lead has an obnoxious friend who acts like a complete moron and is even accompanied by his own "boing" sound whenever he enters a scene. At one point, he dresses up like a superhero to fend off a mob. Yep, this is a weird one.

32: Shadow of the Hawk (1976) [Youtube] -

October 25th

33: The Centerfold Girls (1974) [VHS/own] -

October 26th

34: When a Stranger Calls (2006) [FX HD] -

October 27th

35: Psycho II (1983) [DVD/friend's house] -

October 28th

36: Psycho III (1986) [DVD/own] -

October 30th

37: Prowl (2010) [DVD/Netflix] -

38: Demented (1980) [VHS/own] -

39: The Deadly Spawn (1983) [DVD/own] -

40: Sole Survivor (1983) [DVD/own] -

October 31st

41: Haunted-ween (1991) [Youtube] -

42: A Horrible Way to Die (2010) [DVD/Redbox] -

43: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) [DVD/own] -

44: The Blair Witch Project (1999) [DVD/own] -


LIST FINALIZED

acdcrocks1980

Goal:31
Last couple years havent been close, usually started strong and then died off.

NoirFan

10/1:
1. Dementia (1955)
2. The Lodger (1944)
3. The Undying Monster (1942)
4. Hangover Square (1945)
5. Dragonwyck (1946)
6. Chandu the Magician (1932)
7. Dr. Renault's Secret (1947) ☼
8. The Prowler (1981)
9. Sherlock Holmes (2009) ☼ *
10. Gremlins (1984)
10/2:
11. Cat People (1943)
12. Curse of the Cat People (1944)
13. I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
14. The Seventh Victim (1943)
15. Doctor X (1932)
16. Mad Love (1935)
17. The Max of Fu Manchu (1932)
18. Troll Hunter (2010) ☼
19. The Devil Doll (1936)
20. Mad Love (1935)
21. Mark of the Vampire (1935)
10/3:
22. Chandu the Magician (with commentary)
23. House of Wax (1953)
24. The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960) ☼
25. Scream of Fear (1961) ☼
26. Martin (1977)
27. Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971)
10/4:
28. Don't Look Now (1973)
29. The Innocents (1961)
30. The Black Cat (1934)
10/5:
31. Mad Love (with commentary)
32. Night Creatures (1962) ☼
33. The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) ☼
10/6:
34. The Old Dark House (1932)
35. Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933)
36. It's Alive (1973)
37. Starship Troopers (1997)
38. Black Sunday (1960)
39. Black Sabbath (1963)
10/7:
40. Wolf Creek (2005) ☼
41. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
42. Basket Case (1982)
10/8:
43. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 (1985)
44. The Lost Boys (1987)
45. The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1981)
46. Child's Play (1988)
47. Mimic (1997)
48. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 (1987)
10/9:
49. The Mummy (1932)
50. The Invisible Man (1933)
51. The Wolf Man (1941)
52. Phantom of the Opera (1943)
53. M (1931)
54. Faust (1926)
55. Diabolique (1955)
56. Deep End (1970) *
10/10:
57. Nosferatu (1921)
58. Isle of the Dead (1945)
59. The Ghost Ship (1943)
60. The Leopard Man (1943)
61. Bedlam (1946)
62. The Body Snatcher (1945)
63. Doctor X (with commentary)
64. Kill, Baby...Kill! (1966)
65. The Evil Dead (1981)
66. Dead and Buried (1981)
10/11:
67. Black Swan (2010) ☼
68. The Seventh Seal (1957)
69. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
70. King Kong (1933)
10/12:
71. Black Sunday (with commentary)
72. The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963)
73. The Wicker Man (1973)
10/13:
74. Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981) ☼
75. The Blood on Satan's Claw (1970)
76. Alice (1988) ☼
10/14:
77. Halloween (1978)
78. Eyes without a Face (1959)
79. Cul-de-sac (1966) ☼
79. Torso (1973) ☼
80. Maniac Cop (1988)
81. Maniac (1980)
10/15:
82. Dracula (1931)
83. Frankenstein (1931)
84. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
85. Son of Dracula (1943) ☼
86. Dracula's Daughter (1936)
87. The Amityville Horror (1979) ☼
88. Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990)
89. The Sentinel (1977) ☼
90. Blue Sunshine (1976)
10/16:
91. The Thing from Another World (1951)
92. The Thing (1982)
10/17:
93. The Thing (2011) ☼
94. Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)
95. Spider Baby (1968)
10/18:
96. The Ghoul (1933)
97. Night of the Demon (1957)
98. Black Sunday (with commentary)
10/19:
99. Cronos (1993) ☼
100. The Omen (1976)
10/20:
101. Deathdream (1974)
102. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
103. The Haunted Castle (1921)
104. The Shout (1978)
10/21:
105. I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
106. Phantasm (1979)
107. The Hypnotic Eye (1960) ☼
108. The Burning (1981)
109. The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (1974)
10/22:
110. House of Dracula (1945) ☼
111. Werewolf of London (1935) ☼
112. The Mummy's Hand (1940) ☼
113. Son of Frankenstein (1939) ☼
114. Frankenstein (with commentary)
115. Witchfinder General (1968)
116. Vamp (1986)
117. Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
118. My Bloody Valentine (1981)
119. The Ward (2011)
10/23:
120. Carnival of Souls (1962)
121. Fright Night (1985)
122. Christine (1983)
123. The Evil Dead (with 2010 commentary)
124. Alien (1979)
125. Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship and Videotape (2010) ☼
126. Deep Red (1975)
10/24:
127. The Most Dangerous Game (1932)
128. Night of the Eagle (1962)
129. Morgiana (1973) ☼
130. Quatermass and the Pit (1967)
131. Frenzy (1972)
132. Eye of the Devil (1966)
10/25:
133. The Disembodied (1957) ☼
134. The Cyclops (1957) ☼
135. Psycho (1960)
136. Phenomena (1985)
137. The Spiral Staircase (1945)
138. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
10/26:
139. Kill, Baby...Kill! (with commentary)
140. The Haunted Strangler (1958)
141. The Orphanage (2007) ☼
142. Corridors of Blood (1958)
10/27:
143. Ringu (1998)
144. The Funhouse (1981)
145. Near Dark (1987)
146. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
10/28:
147. The Entity (1982) ☼
148. The Howling (1981)
149. They Live (1988)
150. Prince of Darkness (1987)
151. The Fog (1980)
10/29:
152. The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)
153. The Witches (1966)
154. Fright Night (with commentary #1)
155. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
156. Halloween II (1981)
157. Creepshow (1982)
158. Jurassic Park (1993) *
10/30:
159. Night Tide (1963)
160. Repulsion (1965)
161. Psycho (with commentary)
162. Forbidden World (1982)
163. Galaxy of Terror (1981)
164. Friday the 13th (1980)
165. Friday the 13th: Part 2 (1981)
166. Friday the 13th: Part 3 (1982)
167. Terror in the Aisles (1984)
168. Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957)
10/31:
169. Angel Heart (1987)
170. Island of Lost Souls (1932)
171. The Haunting (1963)
172. The Skull (1965) ☼
173. The Fly (1986)
174. Filmgore (1983) ☼


Blu-ray
HD Broadcast
☼ = First viewing (33)
* = Wild Card

Checklist:

MrStayPuft

Goal: 100

Blue = Repeated viewing
Green = 1st time viewing

RESULTS:
First Time Views: 81/125 = 64.8%
Blu Ray Views: 37/125 = 29.6%

Oct 1st
1)Halloween (2007) - Don't know why I do it, but four years running now, I guess it's just tradition to start with Zombie's remake. There's still not much I like about this movie. Now if you'll excuse me, I got a taco deluxe supreme talking back at me, so I'ma be a while. Would you mind waiting somewhere else and let me pass this beast in peace? 4/10
2)Feast - Seen this once before, thought it was ok. Liked it a lot more my second time. The character bios with life expectancies was a nice touch. It's got Jason Mewes, monster sex, and Henry Rollins in pink sweatpants. Love how it wastes no time getting started. I'm gonna call all old people "Cocoon" from now on. 7/10
3)Zombi 3 - Actually pretty decent! Only thing I didn't like was the inconsistency of the zombies. Some run, some are jumping from roofs, some use weapons, some even talk! I also prefer the rotting corpse look from Zombi 2 over these zombies, they look more like burn victims here. Pretty sure they just borrowed the zombie origin from Return of the Living Dead 6/10
4)Puppet Master - Puppets coming to life I have no problem with, but it's the whole psychic storyline I don't buy into. Movies like this make me really miss the lost art of stop motion animation. Hilarious grunting sound effects from the puppets at times. WTF at the leach puppet. 6/10
5)The Hills Have Eyes (1977) - Still holds up. Like the "ugly baby so I left him in the desert to die" storyline better than the "atomic bomb testing created mutant babies" plot. I think the dog may have the highest kill count in the movie. 7/10
6)Troll - Besides its sequal, is this the only fantasy horror movie? Is this a stand alone genre? Not only does the dad have a now-famous name, but he also has some wicked air guitar skills. Hope I can be as cool as him. Near naked Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a plus. 5/10
7)The Mummy (1932) - Definately some genuinely creepy scenes that still deliver a scare. For instance, the beginning when Imhotep first opens his eyes and moves. Love the costumes and makeup, brilliant work! 8/10
8)Feast 2: Sloppy Seconds - Huge step down from the first. The sense of isolation made the first great, whereas the second film features wide open spaces. The Sy-Fy channel quality cgi isn't helping either. The disection scene gag went on for way too long, unless you're into vomit. Why would a car salesman be into science anyways? There are two seperate arcs going one, one involving Honey Pie (a survivor from the first film), and the other involving another gang of survivors. A huge WTF at the baby scene, I laughed, but I'm sure others (like my girlfriend) will be insulted. Also featured is a midget wrestling scene and a midget catapault. 4/10
9)Birdemic - (BLU RAY) Whoever edited this movie needs to be shot. Two people will be having dialogue, and they just cut to whoever is speaking...EVERYTIME! For example: "I made a big sale today!" ... *cut to girl* "Congratulations!" *cut back to guy* "thanks!" Seems like this movie is composed of 1000 single second shots. Usually I can tolerate a message, but this movie's anti-war and anti-global warming is shoved down our throats too much. It's a giant commercial for hybrid cars. For example, one "bird expert" says "It's not the birds that are the evil species, it's humans!". Luckily I had a few drinks in me by the time I got to this movie, trust me, you'll need them. 0/10

Oct 2nd
10)Coraline - (BLU RAY) The main theme is kind of catchy. The claymation is top quality, as well as all the voice acting. 8/10
11)Leprachaun - Wonder if the CEO of General Mills hates this movie for ruining the mascot of Lucky Charms. Just about anything with wheels is used by the Leprachaun in this movie, including wheelchair, skateboard, pogo stick, go cart, and roller skates. Seriously, this movie gets me to laugh out loud many times over. From the script to the acting of Warwick Davis (especially his grunting), I love this film. 7/10
12)The Black Cat (1941) - Wonderful murder mystery. Mr. Penny is quite the eccentric character. I have a growing fear that my girlfriend will turn into a cat lady, I just hope she becomes as rich. 7/10
13)Zombie 4: After Death - I had one huge problem with the movie, and it's a scene in which a zombie is being chased by a human. The costumes are pathetic, they're just merely actors in black pants/shirt and either a mask or white makeup on the face. I'm sure my local haunted house make-up artists could create better. There are also some zombies that use guns. Besides all these problems, it isn't that bad of movie. 5/10
14)Puppet Master 2 - Torch is a cool addition to the puppet gang. Pretty boring throughout. I did like the Indiana Jones kid, what parents let their child play with a bullwhip? 3/10
15)The Mummy's Hand (1940) - Wasn't too fond of replacing the scroll of Osiris to magical tana leaves to raise the mummy. Seeing re-used footage is never welcomed either. Otherwise, everything else was enjoyable. The two main actors played off each other well. Some humor throughout as well in the dialogue and magic tricks. Costume on the mummy looked a little scarier. 7/10
16)Feast 3: Happy Finish - Easily the most bizarrre ending in a film ever. It's not a twist ending, it's more of a "are the filmmakers trying to screw with me?" ending. Seriously, just try to guess the ending, I dare you! At this point, I've had enough with the monster poop/fart/ejaculation gags, sadly they're still continued in this installment. The strobe light scene near the end was terrible, couldn't make out a darn thing. Although I'm pretty sure I made out a girl being gutted through her cootch by another woman. 3/10

Oct 3rd
17)Zombie 5: Killing Birds Pretty sure there were only two zombies in the entire movie, and only one scene in which a bird attacks. So in my opinion, the film is underserving of both titles. There was one scene in which a kid runs back for his computer after being attacked. Either his computer has his stash of porn, or perhaps his crops were ready to be harvested on farmville. 1/10
18)The Mummy's Tomb (1942) - Do you think the Mummy feels bad when people faint at just the sight of him? Even 3000 year old mummys have feelings, you know. Other than the first ten minutes being a complete recap of the last film complete with re-used footage, I greatly enjoyed this entry. Loved that the mummy had a lot more screen time, which he deserves. 8/10
19)Puppet Master 3: Toulon's Revenge - So far the best in the series! Six Shooter is the new puppet introduced, and I know this was an origins, but Torch is missed. Toulon's beginnings are explored, and of course the backstory of how the puppets are created is explained. Some decent violence, and great animation from the puppets make this one highly enjoyable. 6/10
20)The Descent - (BLU RAY) All these girls make me look as tough as a 2nd grade school child. A true modern horror masterpiece, easily in my top five horror films from the past 10 years. Great suspense throughout, great scares and a huge sense of claustrophobia. Just a perfect film altogether. 9/10

Oct 4th
21)Leprechaun 2 - Loved seeing Clint Howard as a LA tourist. We learn a few new things about the Leprechaun, including he's not a fan of Canadian whiskey, and he would rather search for his lost gold than be with his new wife (like any man). Once again, Leprechaun is always cracking a rhyme and here we get to see him practice his dentistry skills, testing his drinking capacity, as well as go-karting. Michael McDonald may be a great comic actor, and his talents gave me a great laugh here, but sadly he's not so good at death acting. 6/10
22)The Mummy's Ghost (1944) - Another worthy follow up. This time the plot revolves around reuniting Khanis (the Mummy) with the princess Ananka. Great to see the Mummy displaying some emotion in this film, from being frustrated, sad and angry. 7/10
23)Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror - Wow, loved the zombie makeup, very reminiscent of Fulci's Zombi 2. Complete with rotting skulls, worms and maggots. As creepy as the zombies looked, even creepier was the "kid" in the film. Not only was he really into his mom (and I mean really), but he was also played by a 25 year old dwarf. And not a 3-4 feet twall dwarf, I mean a 4-5 feet tall skinny dwarf that looks 10 years old. There was one scene in which a zombie throws a knife which I wasn't fond of. I mean, I can't even throw a knife with that much force and accuracy, so how can I believe a zombie can do it? 7/10
24)Puppet Master 4 - Why was Torch featured on the dvd menu when he wasn't in the movie? I got a good chuckle at the punch sound effects when the puppets were fighting each other. While the puppets turning good might be a charm to some, I didn't really buy into it. I guess this was made to "revive" the series with a new puppet as well as new puppet master. Not much blood at all in this movie, easily the least gory so far. 5/10
25)The House of the Devil - Easily the best part of the film was the retro feel. For starters, I am SHOCKED that the director who gave us Cabin Fever 2 also directed this film. CF2 was easily the worst horror movie I watched last year. This film may be slow for some, but I was glued to my seat the whole movie. Loved it! 8/10

Oct 5th
26)The Mummy's Curse (1944) - Continuing after a few years from the last film, Khanis is wakened using Tanis leaves and searches for Princess Ananka after the swamp is cleared. Nothing oustanding about this sequal, just sort of ordinary. 5/10
27)Flesh Eater - I don't get it, did the actor that played the original zombie from the graveyard in Night of the Living Dead think he was such a big star that he should direct and star in his own zombie movie? Wonder what Romero thinks of this movie? I applaud that this movie has the balls to kill off little kids. The acting is incredibly stale, there is no emotion at all. None! I guess it has decent makeup effects for such a low budget and an ample amount of T&A. 3/10
28)Puppet Master 5 - ugh, can't take this series anymore! Almost the same movie as the fourth, with the puppets squaring off against an evil force with humans caught in the middle. Almost no gore/blood at all. Nice to see Torch back though. I guess the filmmakers were going for an "epic" finale, but puppets squaring off Dragon Ball Z style is just laughable. 2/10
29)MoH: The Black Cat - I seriously love Jeffrey Combs just as much as Bruce Campbell, never understood why he doesn't have as big of cult status as Bruce. Not sure how faithful it is to the source, but I thought Combs' New England accent was good. He certainly can play a drunkard alright. 7/10
30)Critters 3 - The Chiodo Bros. return for the design of the Critters, so they're still looking as good as ever. Sadly, the PG13 rating really takes effect here. The Critters are doing funny things like burping bubbles, farting, throwing food and watching Food Network. The kids are also the ones who take charge in the movie. Decent, but didn't like how it took place in one building. 6/10

Oct 6th
31)Leprechaun 3 - Same stuff, different scenery. Still hilarious though! Loved the saw in half gag as well as meeting Elvis. Dialogue is a bit iffy, especially one scene in which two tough guys talk about their preferences for underwear and socks. 5/10
32)Fright Night (1985) - One big negative thing I can say about this movie is the acting from Evil Ed, the best friend in the movie. I really wish I would have watched this more as a kid, just discovered it for the first time two years ago. Best vampire in a film ever along Keither Sutherland. 7/10
33)The Wolf Man (1941) - Not my favorite Univeral monster, but a classic representation. Great costume that I still prefer to any CGI stuff from today's films. 8/10
34)Scream 4 - (BLU RAY) Out with the trilogy rules, in with the remake rules. A great refresher, amazing how Craven can keep this series alive. Truthfully, I wonder how long it will take before Scream does get remade? Love the random posters scattered throughout the film! 7/10
35)Curse of the Puppet Master - A direct influence on the movie Dead Silence. Sadly, Torch is missing once again. A funny error to spot is how Jester's hat changes back and forth from purple and long to blue and short. I appreciate that the series went in a new direction, and I guess the puppets are back to being villians in a way. I'm glad to see the gore come back, easily the bloodiest so far in the series. 4/10

Oct 7th
36)Zombie Holocaust - Both a zombie and cannibal movie in one! Nothing too extraordinary, some decent cannibal effects. 6/10
37)Leprechaun 4: In Space - Scy Fy channel quality film. Lot more action than horror, even the Leprechaun is using guns! For some reason (lazy writing), Leprechaun doesn't really speak in rhymes anymore. I'll give it a 2/10, one point for a pair of boobs and one for Davis's John Wayne impression. 2/10
38)Insidious - (BLU RAY) It's like a mix between Poltergeist and Paranormal Activity. Some decent thrills, but it didn't live up to the expectations I've read. Great sound quality though! 5/10
39)Nightmare Before Christmas - (BLU RAY) - Having seen this movie so many times and owning the soundtrack, I swear I could sing along with the songs. I honestly couldn't pick one favorite song, they're all of great quality. Easily in my top five Disney movies. 9/10
40)Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) - Correct me if I'm wrong horror fans, but is this the first monster icon square off? Even if they don't battle until so late into the movie, this movie had a great plot that kept me engaged. A great addition to both the Wolf Man and Frankenstein franchise. 9/10

Oct 8th
41)She-Wolf of London (1946) - More of a murdery mystery than a werewolf movie. There isn't even any werwolf makeup! Story was good, but missed seeing an actual werwolf. 6/10
42)Leprechaun in the Hood - Jesse Jackson's favorite movie? 2nd film in a row for the Leprechaun franchise to feature crossdressers, not sure whose idea these are. Not only is Leprechaun rhyming himself, but he's also smoking blunts, collecting "ho's" and getting into the rap game. 2/10

Oct 9th
43)Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood - Better than the previous if only for the absence of rap and better characters. The animated intro was kind of cool. I hope my ninjas like this movie. 3/10
44)Dead & Buried - Great story that kept me guessing throughout. Of course the effects by Stan Winston are amazing to see. Odd to see Grandpa Joe (from Willy Wonka) in a horror movie. Very unique movie! 8/10
45)Retro Puppet Master - A prequel to a prequel! (only in the horror genre...) Only positive I can think of is that Guy Rolfe reprises his role as older Toulon. I can't remember a single drop of blood being in this movie. 2/10
46)[REC] - (BLU RAY) Watched this for the first time last year, and even though I've seen it before, it still gets me to jump in my seat. Easily a modern horror masterpiece, probably my favorite in the past decade. The last fifteen minutes is the most tense I have ever been while watching a film. 10/10

Oct 10th
47)MoH: Family - Favorite from Season 2. No guessing or tricks, you know what's going on right away. Love that it takes place in WI (Lombardi Drive is mentioned as a street name). 8/10
48)Zombieland - (BLU RAY) - Such a great film. Metallica opening credits is epic. Lots of fun throughout, loved the rules showing up more than once, and an epic cameo. Even my girlfriend liked it! 9/10
49)Critters 4 - Brad Dourif was the only thing that kept me from turning it off. Not much blood or Critter action. Don't know why Ug (from 1 and 2) is now the bad guy. Had one butt shot though. 3/10
50)Werewolf in London (1935) - Not as good as The Wolf Man, but holds its own. A lot more emphasis on the wolfsbane plant as compared to more emphasis on silver in the 41 version. 7/10
51)[REC 2] - (BLU RAY) Worthy follow up. Like most horror sequals, spends more time explaining origins of the spread. A lot more action and fewer scares. Two different point of views that later meet up. 8/10

Oct 11th
52)Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954) - First time watching this, but can already place it as my second favorite Universal monster movie after Frankenstein. Great underwater sequences, wonderful creature design, and genuinely suspensful in some spots. 10/10
53)From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter - Similar to the first in a lot of ways, minus Tarantino's perfect dialogue, Rodriguez's action, and the acting talent. Has two parts like the first, the first half being the introduction of characters and the second half being the blood bath. Danny Trejo returns once again. Make up effects were decent, but whoa, they really amped up the nudity! 6/10
54)MoH: The Screwfly Solution - Enjoyable, and in my opinion, one of the scariest episodes. Not for the gore or suspense, but rather for the story contents. Everything was good up until the ending. 6/10
55)Puppet Master: The Legacy - Well I can safely say I'll never watch this one again. Seriously, it's just a "movie" composed of clips from the past seven movies, what's the point if you've already seen them all? There is a story that ties the clips together, but again, completely pointless. 0/10
56)Blood Feast - (BLU RAY) My first introduction to Herschell Gordon Lewis. Great movie for the time, the ending still has lots of tension. Gore is plentiful, and has that vintage feel to it which I love oh, so much. 8/10

Oct 12th
57)Puppet Master: Axis of Evil - I like how according to this movie, the Axis of Evil consists of two Germans and three Japanese. Puppets don't get much screen time, and acting is beyond atrocious. 2/10
58)Sexy Nights of the Living Dead - Don't know why I bothered with buying the uncut hardcore version just to save it for this challenge. Throughout the film I was saying to myself "enough with the sex, where are the zombies?" Zombies do show up, but not til the last 30 minutes of the film. Besides zombies waking up from the graves, nothing really positive about the film. 2/10

Oct 13th
59)Santa's Slay - Entertaining movie that doesn't take itself seriously at all. Not only is Santa doing some slaying, but he's also running old people off the road, visiting strip clubs, and kicking puppies. Great if nothing else to see Goldberg do his spear right through a deli counter. 6/10
60)The Hitcher (1986) - What horrible dvd quality, I've seen VHS tapes that look better than this. Great movie and very tense throughout. Lots of action and good car chase scenes. Rutger Hauer plays one of the best maniacs ever on screen, possibly my favorite next to Nicholson's Shining performance. 8/10
61)MoH: Valerie on the Stairs - Christopher Lloyd hams it up in this episode. Tony Todd was a good casting choice with his deep voice, but his makeup looks slightly cheap. 5/10
62)Jennifer's Body - As always, loved J.K. Simmons in his small role. Look closely and you'll also spot Lance Henrickson. Absolutely loathed Cody's writing style here, just way too much all the time. Wonder if all indie bands hate this movie just for how it portrays indie bands? (mascara, hair styles, clothes) 5/10

Oct 14th
63)It's Alive - Decent movie on a cheap budget that works. Very much a psychological movie. Liked that it discusses several reasons for the mutation, including pharmaceutical pills, pesticides, lead, pollution, etc. 6/10
64)Night of the Creeps - (BLU RAY) Definately an 80's classic that is a must see. Love all the horror homages, easily identifiable in the characters' last names (Cronenberg, Romero, Hooper, etc). Good effects for the time, and give me slugs being pulled on strings over CGI anyday. 8/10
65)Planet Terror - (BLU RAY) Did a back to back grindhouse presentation with Death Proof, complete with faux trailers thanks to the blu ray. Tons of gore, nailed the vintage look, and an all star cast. 7/10
66)Death Proof - (BLU RAY) Not as much action here, but Tarantino's perfect dialogue makes time fly. Wish Tarantino would have kept the vintage feel with grainy picture during the story involving the second group of girls. 8/10
67)It's Alive 2: It Lives Again - More or less the same as the first, just on a slightly bigger scale. Instead of one baby, we get three, but you really don't see a lot of them much like the first film. Good to see the character Frank Davis return. 5/10

Oct 15th
68)Sleepy Hollow - (BLU RAY) Only Tim Burton could bring the town of Sleepy Hollow to life, and he does this masterfully. Sure the novel is bastardized, but you got to create a feature length film somehow. Christopher Walken as the Horseman was a bizarre casting choice. 6/10
69)Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - (BLU RAY) Not a fan of musicals AT ALL, but can easily tolerate this one with its ample amount of blood spewage. Great casting all around, and I always enjoy hearing that creepy opening organ music. 7/10
70)Pumpkinhead - Sad film in a lot of ways. Much more than just an average creature movie. RIP Stan Winston, you will always be a great loss to Hollywood. 8/10
71)Pumpkinhead 2: Blood Wings - Tries to give a backstory to Pumpkinhead, which is just unacceptable. Decent follow up that's worth a watch once I guess. Pumpkinhead still looks good, but why is there a strobe light following him everywhere? 4/10
72)It's Alive 3: Island of the Alive - Worth a watch just to witness Michael Moriarty acting like a goof the whole movie. Karen Black (Ellen) is just ugly in this movie, don't know how she ever got into the business. Features two of the nicest Cubans I've ever seen in a movie. Lot more mutants featured here, both in terms of the claymation babys, and the actors in suits grown ups. 5/10

Oct 16th
73)Color Me Blood Red - (BLU RAY) 2nd Herschell Gordon Lewis film for me. Definatley enjoyable, laughed at the smearing the corpse's head across the canvas style of painting rather than using the brush. 6/10
74)Revenge of the Creature (1955) - Good follow up to my second favorite Universal monster. Creature gets a lot more screen time here, and is more terrorizing. Didn't like the "roar" noise they gave him though. Some of the underwater scenes were just beautiful. 8/10
75)Let the Right One In - (BLU RAY) Absolutely beautiful movie in terms of filmmaking and story. The ONLY negative I could come up with is the bad looking cgi cats. Everything else was perfect. Easily put this in my top five horror movies of the past decade. 9/10
76)MoH: Pelts - My 2nd favorite of season 2 after Family. Just brutal all around, but with some instances of bad cgi. Seeing ample breasts more than makes up for seeing Meat Loaf shirtless. 7/10

Oct 17th
77)The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) - My first introduction to Hammer horror. Makeup on Christpher Lee as the Monster was great, he really looked like a corpse. Not sure how close this is to the book, but I still prefer the Karloff version. 7/10
78)Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes - Liked that it's a "sequel" to the first film, taking place 20 years later and with two characters from the first. Don't let Lance Henricksen's name fool you, he's barely featured here. Terrible cgi, almost looked like the dog alien from Alien3 when it was running on walls. Since when does Pumpkinhead use his tail to kill? This isn't Alien folks! 2/10
79)Troll 2 - Famous for all the wrong reasons. For such a bad movie, it wasn't that bad. It's actually a masterpiece compared to Birdemic. The acting is beyond terrible, script is laughable, and the goblins are just ridiculous, but yet I still had fun watching this movie. Why? Can anyone explain this? 5/10
80)I Spit On Your Grave (2010) - (BLU RAY) Liked that it's not a shot for shot remake like most horror remakes, but rather adds a few new plot points. Didn't expect to see the smark kid from Fast and the Furious show up here. Same stuff here, just one-ups the original in terms of gore. Definately a "once a year" view film. 4/10

Oct 18th
81)Basket Case - (BLU RAY) - Is this considered a cult classic, cause it darned well should be. Absolutely loved it, just a fun watch. The stop motion used during the movement scenes are awesome, especially during the tantrum scene. Just wish I didn't have the movie spoiled by reading so many reviews and the back of the case. Easily the most unique horror movie I have ever seen, highly recommend! 9/10
82)The Creature Walks Among Us (1956) - I would consider this a lesser quality Universal monster sequel, but still worth a watch. Portrays the Creature in a sympathetic manner more than any of the previous films. Didn't like the whole doctor being suspicious of his wife subplot, but it played a big part in the end storyline. Why was the Creature so huge in this one? He was built like a linebacker! 6/10
83)MoH: Pro-Life - Politics about the content manner aside, this entry is enjoyable, but not my favorite. I guess Demons from Hell get horny too sometimes, right? Ron Perlman was great in his role, he plays a menacing character effortlessly. The whole premise is silly, no way would a clinic risk the lives of staff and patients over protection of one patient. 5/10

Oct 19th
84)Frogs - Boring! Characters die of their own stupidity moreso from the creatures. Cool to see a mustache-less and young version of Sam Elliot. There must be at least 100 shots of frogs jumping in this film, next time, I'll count. I'm sure there's an environmental message in here somewhere, but whatever. Who cares? 2/10
85)Tombs of the Blind Dead - Watched the uncut Spanish version of this one. The Templar knights were a pretty cool concept, something different from a typical zombie story. They reminded me a lot of the ring wraiths on steeds from Lord of the Rings though. 6/10
86)Two Thousand Maniacs! - (BLU RAY) My last Gordon Lewis film for this challenge. I'd say this is the goriest of the three I watched. Some great kills, with the barrell roll being my favorite. While I definately think the banjo theme fit the movie, I do miss Lewis' heavy drum soundtrack from previous films. 7/10

Oct 20th
87)Countess Dracula - Fine addition to any Hammer horror collection. Ingrid Pitt is hot, as always. Lots of sexuality here, which is always a good thing. 6/10
88)The Lost Boys - (BLU RAY) Not much else to say, easily my favorite vampire film ever. Lots of fun throughout, Keifer Sutherland is the best vampire ever put to screen, and it features the coolest grandpa in a film ever. 9/10
89)Return of the Evil Dead - Not better or worse than the first film in the series, but just as enjoyable. Don't know why they had to give a different reason for why the Knights had their eyes missing though. It's hilarious to see the Knights hitting doors with the butts of their swords rather than trying to barge in. A bigger scale than the first with the Templar Knights getting revenge on a whole town that wronged them rather than just a few individuals. Sounds good, but the battle scenes are badly edited. Just confusing, a random mess of people running. 6/10
90)Rosemary's Baby - Been sitting on my shelves for a few years, and boy do I regret missing out on this classic. Great performances from everybody and the script is perfect. May be slow to some, but it's methodical and every scene is needed. Not one second of the movie is wasted. 10/10

Oct 21st
91)The Ghost Galleon - Another good installment of the Blind Dead saga. For what it is, I certainly enjoyed it. Not as good as the two previous films, and I miss the Knights not having their steeds or swords. Not too many good creepy boat movies (*cough* Ghost Ship *cough*), so I thought this was a pretty good one. The ship looked pretty creepy, although the lighting was too dark often times. 5/10
92)Black Sabbath - My first introduction to Bava. Three stories in an anthology, with each one getting progressively better. I thought The Telephone was the weakest of the three, but the next two more than make up for it. The Drop of Water was my favorite and features the creepiest corpse I have EVER seen in a movie. Wanted to give it a 7, but will bump it up simply for how good Drop of Water was and for the lighthearted intro and outro from Boris Karloff. 8/10

Oct 22nd
93)The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll - Freud was right! Great Hammer entry, and was a pleasure to watch. Paul Massie did an outstanding job of playing the dual personalities, giving both sides a life of their own and ultimately, believable. Loved Christopher Lee here as well, playing a gambling, in debt womanizer. 8/10
94)Night of the Seagulls - Worse of the four Blind Dead films. Maybe I have a softspot for these movies, but still wasn't that bad. Glad the knights are back on their horses and have their swords again. I wonder how these knights even survived the Crusades based on how bad their swordsmanship is as the undead. I guess their reflexes slow along with the rest of their body. 4/10
95)The Orphanage - (BLU RAY) - Such a good film! Only a few scares, but has a great atmosphere throughout. Similar to Poltergeist in many ways. Really powerful filmmaking, had my girlfriend in tears at the end. 9/10
96)The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb - Good, but my least liked Hammer horror film so far. Has some originality in terms of story, but didn't hold my interest for most of it. 5/10
97)The Toolbox Murders - (BLU RAY) First thirty minutes are great, but then drops off in quality. The kills aren't spectacular, but does have some nice breasts and the best bush I have ever seen in a horror movie. One victim in particular spent quite some time enjoying a bath, and spent a lot of time moaning while cleaning in between her legs. I guess she was really dirty? 5/10

Oct 23rd
98)Wicked Lake - I'd be shocked to learn that this movie was written by someone with beyond a high school education. Even a cash register in the movie has the word "penis" written across it in numbers and symbols. I remember doing that in 6th grade (haha, it says 80085). The characters are completely dull, and the colors are all either too bright or fuzzy. Will rate it a 3 for the awesome amounts of T&A, some decent gore, and the greatest end credit sequence in the history of film. 3/10
99)The Haunting (1963) - Pretty effective thriller, and I'm a sucker for good haunted house movies, which this might be the best there is. Starts out with a great prologue telling the story of Hill House. For a film from the 60's, it still holds up and the scenes with the noises banging on the wall had me creeped out. 7/10
100)American Psycho - (BLU RAY) - Easily tops my favorite horror films in recent years, and in my top ten films of all time even. There's so much good here. For one, Bale's performance nails the character. He can be as many characters as he wants in the future, but he will ALWAYS be Patrick Bateman to me. Also, the movie is infinately quotable. Way too many great lines, I find myself memorizing the entire script. Last, I give major props to the director and screenwriters who adapted the novel. It's shot in such a way that gives a perfect "did he or didn't he" viewpoint. While the novel isn't like this and is way more graphic, this movie adaptation is nearly flawless. This is one I constantly re-watch myself, and always recommend to friends. 10/10

Oct 24th
101)Mirrors - Interesting concept, but not nearly as good as Aja's other films. He is one horror director who, so far, I could always rely upon. Just seemed a bit too long. Not one of Keifer's best performance either. 5/10
102)Piranha (2010) - (BLU RAY) Aja's best film in my opinion. Completely fun and everything I want in a horror movie like this. All the casting was simply genius, and even though Dreyfuss and Lloyd are featured, Jerry O'Connell outshines them as a porn producer. Loved Eli Roth as a wet t-shirt DJ as well. He comes up with an almost unlimited amount of nicknames for boobs, my favorite being "Show me your Danny Devitos!" Aja masterfully recreated that spring break feel with the music, locations and bikinis everywhere! The final 30 minutes is a little over the top, but I loved every second. 9/10

Oct 25th
103)The New York Ripper - (BLU RAY) - Slightly better than your typical slasher. The killer's quack voice got annoying real fast, but the movie makes up for it in both great gore effects and great nudity. 6/10
104)Black Sunday (aka The Mask of Satan) - Wow, 2nd first time view of a Bava flick, and he is 2 for 2. Completely gothic in it's tone and I enjoyed every second of it. 9/10
105)The Devil's Backbone - Don't know why it took me so long to watch as Del Toro is easily one of my favorite directors. Great story and I never looked at the clock once despite the long run time. I'd say this is just a more spooky version of Pan's Labyrinth, but I prefer Pan's. 9/10
106)Gutterballs - Initially bought because since I'm a bowler, naturally I thought a horror film setting in a bowling alley would be cool. I liked it, but wow, has my opinion of this film fallen hard after a few years. The dialogue is beyond acceptable, it's like a Rob Zombie film times ten. The actors certainly didn't help either, just incredibly annoying. Heck, even the ball wax machine is dropping F-bombs. If you were to watch this on mute, it wouldn't be half bad. Plenty of gore and T&A to satisfy. One thing that did concern me is the bowling scores. I know it was shot in Canada, but does a bowling game only consist of seven frames in Canada? And since when are all scores marked with a / or X? Where are the numbers? 2/10

Oct 26th
107)House on Haunted Hill (1958) - Sort of a haunted house movie, but more of a murdery mystery. I don't care what it is, as long as it stars Vincent Price, I'm game. 7/10
108)Dark Night of the Scarecrow - (BLU RAY) - Whoa, thanks for all the recommendations. Great movie, and even better when you consider it was made for tv. Loved it! 8/10
109)Torso - (BLU RAY) Red herrings everywhere! Very influential to this day, and might be my first introduction to giallo horror. Holy moly did this have tons of nudity. 7/10

Oct 27th
110)Nightmare on Elm Street - (BLU RAY) - Craven't best film and such an influence on horror cinema. Yea, it's a slasher, but it's so much more than that. The story is fantastic, makeup and effects are great, and Robert Englund was born to play Freddy. 10/10

Oct 28th
111)Terror Train - Friend introduced me to this one a few years back, had to rewatch it since I already forgot who the killer was. Slightly better than your average slasher. Screw you Criss Angel, David Copperfield is the shit! Especially for appearing in a movie like this. 6/10
112)Horror of Dracula (1958) - Whoa, tons of liberties taken from the original novel, almost like a completely new story! Christopher Lee is good, but he doesn't get that much screen time. 7/10

Oct 29th
113)Vertigo - Can't go wrong with Hitchcock. Great thriller, and amazing performance by Stewart. 8/10
114)The Shining (1980) - After so many watches, I just may place this as my new #1 favorite horror movie. Everything is flawless. Nicholson's performance is truely frightening. Add to that the music, isolation, and creepy twins and I feel like it's the best horror movie ever. 10/10

Oct 30th
115)Ginger Snaps - Fun werewolf movie. Effects and makeup were pretty good, but not a fan of the clueless parents. I know goths are strange, but whoa! 6/10
116)House by the Cemetery - (BLU RAY) - You can never go wrong with Fulci, in my opinion, he delivers some of the best gore in the business and this movie doesn't disappoint. Not his best, and kind of slow up until the ending. 7/10
117)Psycho (1960) - (BLU RAY) - PERFECT horror film. Doesn't matter how many times I've seen it, it keeps getting better. 10/10
118)Drag Me To Hell - (BLU RAY) Turn up your surround sound folks cause this movie is a blast! Sam Raimi has proven to be a master of practical effects, now he shows his stuff with cgi. Such a fun horror movie, great blend of gross out horror, jump scares, and use of shadows. Remind me not to piss off any old ladies. 9/10

Oct 31st
119)Zombie - (BLU RAY) - Best Fulci flick and in many ways I prefer this to Dawn of the Dead. Best zombies ever put to screen. Looks great on blu ray also! 9/10
120)Dead Alive - (BLU RAY) The only way I can think to describe this is Evil Dead meets Looney Tunes. The puppetry, makeup and all the other effects are just crazy good. I have to agree with the front of the blu ray cover when it claims its the goriest film of all time. 10/10
121)Ernest Scared Stupid - (BLU RAY) - Fun kids horror film I used to watch repeatedly in my youth. Holds up, and I have a greater appreciation for the trolls makeup knowing it was done by the Chiodo Bros. Watch out for that miak. 6/10
122)Trick 'R Treat - (BLU RAY) - Yearly custom by now. Best horror anthology I've seen. 9/10
123)Halloween (1978) - (BLU RAY) - Used to be my favorite horror film, but I'm giving that honor to The Shining. 10/10
124)Halloween 2 (1981) - (BLU RAY) - Criminally understaffed hospital, but best breasts in a horror film ever. Nothing better than your average slasher. Somehow, Carpenter managed to make the score even more perfect. 6/10
125)Halloween 3: Season of the Witch - Fun for a first time watch, but I guess I was expecting more. 5/10

Darkgod

2011 Horror Challenge
Total Viewed: 108
Pace: 108
New Watched (Spade denotes new):76/108
Ratio: 70%
2007: 61
2008: 62
2009: 122
2010: 107
2011: 108
2011 Goal Bronze(108) (108)Silver (123) Gold (124+)
100 Movies on 10.29 at 11:45 AM
31 Films Complete 10.31 at 10AM
Subset Complete 10.31 at 10AM
Complete Checklist on 10/31

Body Count: 672
Boob Count: 92

Oct. 1st
1. House of Exorcism (Bava*,1974) 45/100 - Really wish I watched Lisa and the Devil instead
2. Night of the Creeps (Dekker,1986) 73/100 - Was lucky enough to meet Tom Atkins 2 weeks ago
Oct. 2nd
3. Frogs(McCowan,1972) 40/100 If it's called Frogs, why was there more then frogs killing
4. Inferno (Argento,1980) 75/100 Missed this Argento Gem, clad I caught it
5. [Rec] (Balaguero,2007) -65/100 Liked this one.. and don't even mind the remake.
Oct. 3rd
6. Santa Sangre (Jodorowsky,1989) 75/100 Excellent movie, just plain excellent
7. Orca (Anderson,1977) 48/100 People like to say its a Jaws ripoff.... and they're right.
8. Zombies of Mora Tau (Cahn,1957) 42/100 Kind of just ends....
9. Fritt Vilt 3 (Sandemose,2010) 52/100 Worst of the 3 by far
10. Don't be afraid of the dark (Nixey,2010) 45/100 CGI killed it for me
11. Blood Diner (Kong,1987) terrible....
12. [Rec]2 (Balaguero,2009) I liked the virus having demonic roots
13. The Keep (Mann, 1983) didn't keep my attention, but had a cool premise
Oct 4th
14. Cat People (Tourneur, 1942) 60/100 I liked it, but I think I am still biased towards older movies
15. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Mamoulian, 1931) 68/100 Really liked it, and the effects where good for 1931
16. The House on Skull Mountain (Honthaner, 1974) voodoo, murder and blacksploitation
17. Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte (Aldrich, 1964) 65/100 Liked it better then I thought I would
18. Trauma (Argento,1993) 55/100 Not the best Argento, but it does the job
19. Terror in the Aisles (Kuehn, 1984) 53/100 A nicely edited package of some horror and non-horror clips
20. La terza madre a.k.a Mother of Tears (Argento,2007) 52/100 Def. the worst of the 3 mothers,but wasn't bad on the gore.
21. Creepshow (Romero, 1982) 63/100 Still a classic in my mind, and an allstar b-level cast
Oct. 5th
22. The Horde (Dahan, 2009) 55/100 Def. keeps the action going
23. I walked with a Zombie (lewton, 1943) 58/100 I liked it, but I still hold a bias to older movies.
24. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Wiene, 1920) 60/100 I liked the premise
25. It! The Terror from Beyond Space (Cahn, 1958) 55/100 the monster was quick, and strong. made it seem scarier.
Oct. 6th
26. Dead and Burried (O'Bannon, 1981) 65/100 I love the idea, feels like Lovecraft
27. The Thing from another world (Nyby,1951 65/100 You can see why Carpenter loves it
28. The Booth(Nakamura,2005) 55/100 Well done with limited story
Oct. 7th
29. Vampire Circus (Young, 1972) 59/100 Not hammer's Best, but good none the less
30. The Last Exorcism (Stamm,2010) 61/100 If it didn't have the twist, I thought it would have been a terrible movie
31. The Human Centipede: First Sequence (Six,20009) 48/100 not as sickening as I thought it would be.



Checklist
Subset

31 Films

Part 2
Part 3

Bladz

2011 Horror Challenge

First Time Viewing = Orange


October 1
1. Videodrome (1983) - 5/5
2. Santa Sangre (1989) - 4/5
3. Dawn of the Dead: European Version (1978) - 4.5/5 ... though I would give the theatrical version a 5/5

October 2
4. 28 Days Later (2002) - 5/5
5. Viy (1967) - 2.5/5

October 3
6. Deep Blue Sea (1999) - 2.5/5 ... Hadn't seen this in 12 years. Next time I see it will be a lot longer than 12 years.

October 4
7. The Last House on the Left (1972) - 4/5

October 5
8. The Horde (2009) - 3.5/5
9. American Horror Story: S01E01 Pilot (2011) - 5/5 ... Creepy, dramatic horror, with a touch of surrealism and a unique style. This show looks promising.

October 6
10. Dead and Buried (1981) - 4/5

October 7
11. Vampire Circus (1972) - 2.5/5
12. The Devil Rides Out (1968) - 3/5

October 8
13. Underworld (2003) - 4/5
14. Underworld: Evolution (2006) - 3.5/5

October 9
15. Premonition (2004) - 3/5

October 10
16. The Grapes of Death (1978) - 3/5

October 11
17. The Call of Cthulhu (2005) - 2.5/5
18. Dog Soldiers (2002) - 3.5/5

October 12
19. Stephen King's Cat's Eye (1985) - 3/5
20. American Horror Story: S01E02 Home Invasion (2011) - 5/5

October 13
21. Lake Mungo (2008) - 3/5

October 14
22. Sauna (2008) - 3.5/5
23. 1408 (2007) - 4/5

October 15
24. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) - 2.5/5
25. Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) - 3.5/5 ... First time I've watched this in over 20 years and I'm glad I did. I remember liking it when I first saw it at the age of around 13, but didn't think I would like it so much this time around. I was pleasantly surprised.

October 16
26. The Walking Dead: S02E01 What Lies Ahead (2011) - 4/5
27. The Beyond (1981) - 2.5/5

October 17
28. Asylum (1972) - 3.5/5

October 18
29. Pumpkinhead (1988) - 3/5

October 19
30. Halloween II (1981) - 4.5/5
31. American Horror Story: S01E03 Murder House (2011) - 5/5

October 20
32. Bay of Blood (1971) - 4/5
33. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) - 5/5

October 21
34. The Last Man on Earth (1964) - 3.5/5

October 22
35. Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) - 3/5
36. Deathdream (1974) - 4.5/5
37. The Stepfather (1987) - 4/5

October 23
38. Treevenge (2008) - 4/5 ... Fun Christmas horror short from the director of Hobo With A Shotgun. This might become a yearly holiday tradition for me.
39. The Walking Dead: S02E02 Bloodletting (2011) - 4/5
40. The Fog (1980) - 3/5

October 24
41. A Night at the Movies: The Horrors of Stephen King (2011) - 3.5/5
42. Island of Lost Souls (1932) - 3.5/5

October 25
43. Theater of Blood (1973) - 3.5/5

October 26
44. The Burning (1981) - 3.5/5
45. American Horror Story: S01E04 Halloween (Part 1) (2011) - 5/5

October 27
46. Repulsion (1965) - 5/5 ... My all-time favorite movie. A masterpiece.

October 28
47. Inferno (1980) - 4/5
48. Insidious (2010) - 4/5

October 29
49. Death Proof (2007) - 4.5/5
50. Planet Terror (2007) - 4.5/5
51. Basket Case (1982) - 2.5/5 ... First time I had seen this in about 25 years.

October 30
52. The Walking Dead: S02E03 Save the Last One (2011) - 4/5
53. The Sentinel (1977) - 3.5/5

October 31
54. Halloween III (1982) - 3/5
55. Trick 'r Treat (2007) - 4/5
56. My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009) - 3.5/5


LIST COMPLETE
Final Count = 51

Movie Count By Decade

1930's - 1
1940's - 1
1950's - 0
1960's - 4
1970's - 9
1980's - 14
1990's - 2
2000's - 15
2010's - 2


Favorite Movie of the Month - Repulsion
Least Favorite Movie of the Month - The Call of Cthulhu
Favorite First Time Viewing - Deathdream
Average Movie Rating - 3.6/5



Theme Nights - Completed




31 Film Subset

mallratcal

Mallratcal's 3rd October Horror Movie Challenge!

List is Final!


I hit 55 this year which is 1 more then my previous best.

I'm hoping for 50 again this year.

Total: 55
Blu-Ray: 7
DVD: 48
New Movies: 24

Average run time (not including Wildcards) 84 and a half minutes. Masters of Horror definitely lowered that.
Average star rating: 2.9
Only 43% of what I watched was new this year. Usually I'm over 50% but I had a hankering for some Friday the 13th.

Oct 1st
1. Final Destination *** / DVD / 98 min / 2000
Interesting premise, I think the 2nd installment in the series was slightly better though.

2. Final Destination 2 ***1/2 / DVD / 90 min / 2003
So far the best in the series, I remember the deaths being a little more creative then they actually were.

3. Final Destination 3 *** / DVD / 93 min / 2006
Better than I remembered it. The series needs more Tony Todd.

4. The Final Destination **1/2 / New / Blu-Ray / 82 min / 2009
Weakest of the series so far. It never felt like death was stalking them. Some of the acting was hilariously bad, Shantel VanSanten is cute but a ridiculously bad actress.

Oct 2nd
5. Bloody Birthday *** / New / DVD / 85 min / 1981
Pretty solid killer kid flick.

6. Return to Sleepaway Camp *1/2 / New / DVD / 86 min / 2008
Pretty bad. I don't know why you would make a movie with no likable characters. Ok one likable character who just disappears and is forgotten about.

7. Best Worst Movie **** / New / DVD / 93 min / 2009
Very good documentary. I still have to watch Troll 2 in full, maybe I will do that tomorrow.

Oct 3rd
8. Troll 2 ** / New / DVD / 95 min / 1990
As hilariously bad as I was hoping for.

9. Frankenhooker ***1/2 / New / DVD / 85 min / 1990
Good flick, plenty of laughs with a shocking amount of social commentary.

10. Delta Delta Die! *1/2 / New / DVD / 83 min / 2003
The only reason to watch this movie is for the boobs.

Oct 4th
11. It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown ***** / Wildcard / DVD / 25 min / 1966
Had to use a wildcard on this Halloween classic.

Oct 5th
12. MST3K: Zombie Nightmare ***** / DVD / 100 min / 1994
This was the first MST3K episode I had ever seen and it is just as funny as I had remembered.

Oct 6th
13. Die Monster Die! ** / New / DVD / 79 min / 1965
Not a bad movie but not a lot happened either.

Oct 7th
14. Vampire Circus *** / New / Blu-Ray / 87 min / 1972
My first first ever entry to the 31 film subset, I'm glad it was such a good flick.

Oct 8th
15. Mountaintop Motel Massacre *1/2 / New / DVD / 95 min / 1986
Not very good. Slow and kind of boring really.

Oct 9th
16. The Dorm That Dripped Blood ** / New / Blu-Ray / 88 min / 1982
Pretty nice gore effects and some of the kills were fairly vicious. The killer reveal was completely nonsensical.

17. Scary Movie *** / Blu-Ray / 90 min / 2000
Some of the jokes were dated and the CGI looked terrible. Still good for a few laughs though.

Oct 10th
18. Intruder *** / DVD / 87 min / 1989
I watched this 2 years ago to kick off my first horror challenge, and didn't really care for it. But after a second viewing this was a really solid slasher, the editing and directing was really good.

Oct 11th
19. MOH: The Damned Thing *** / New / DVD / 57 min / 2006
Much better than Hooper's other entry Dance of the Dead.

Oct 12th
20. MOH: Family ***1/2 / DVD / 58 min / 2006
Years of alcohol abuse have really taken their toll on Norm. I always thought Cliff would be the one to snap.

Oct 13th
21. MOH: The V Word ***** / DVD / 59 min / 2006
Great atmosphere with some tense moments. Defiantly top tier of this series.

Oct 14th
22. MOH: Sounds Like **1/2 / DVD / 58 min / 2006
Didn't really fell like horror. Meh entry.

23. From Beyond *** / New / DVD / 86 min / 1986
Pretty good flick with some good effects.

Oct 15th
24. Diary of the Dead **1/2 / New / DVD / 96 min / 2007
Not as good as I had hoped but not bad.

25. In the Mouth of Madness *** / DVD / 95 min / 1994
I disliked this movie when I first saw it, so until tonight I had never re-watched it. Upon second viewing this was a really solid movie.

Oct 16th
26. MOH: Pro-Life **1/2 / DVD / 57 min / 2006
An alright entry but nothing special.

Oct 17th
27. Tombs of the Blind Dead *** / New / DVD / 101 / 1972
Good flick, I really liked the atmosphere and the knights were very creepy looking (despite their T-rex arms). Plus they ride horses, how cool is that?

Oct 18th
28. MST3K: Devil Doll ***1/2 / New / DVD / 92 min / 1997
I watched my first MST3K 2 years ago to the day so why not mark that by watching a new episode.

Oct 19th
29. MOH: Pelts ***1/2 / New / DVD / 58 min / 2006
Good episode and tons of gore.

Oct 20th
30. MOH: The Screwfly Solution *** / New / DVD / 59 min / 2006
Pretty heavy handed with it's message and the ending was weak sauce.

Oct 21st
31. MOH: Valerie on the Stairs *** 1/2 / New / DVD / 60 min / 2006
Pretty good and it fulfilled my need of Tony Todd.

Oct 22nd
32. The Boneyard **1/2 / New / DVD / 98 min / 1991
Been wanting to see this one for awhile and it was a bit of a let down. I liked the creature effects but the movie would have been better if it were left in more able hands.

33. Suicide Girls Must Die! ** / New / DVD / 96 min / 2010
Lots of nudity but I was hoping for more.. you know.. horror.

Oct 23rd
34. Nightbreed ** / DVD / 101 min / 1990
I would like to see the extended version as a lot of things went unanswered. Also I would love to see more Zipperface, in anything.

35. Phantasm **** / DVD / 88 min / 1979
A classic. I had forgotten how low the body count was in this.

Oct 24th
36. Phantasm 2 **1/2 / DVD / 97 min / 1988
I've only seen this one once before and I think it is the weakest of the series.

37. Phantasm 3 *** / DVD / 91 min / 1994
Poor Reggie has some seriously bad luck.

38. MOH: Right to Die *** / DVD / 58 min / 2007
Decent entry. Julia Benson is fucking stacked!

Oct 25th
39. MOH: We All Scream for Ice Cream *1/2 / New / DVD / 57 min / 2007
So far the weakest I've seen from season 2. It just wasn't able to hold my interest.

40. Phantasm 4 **1/2 / DVD / 90 min / 1998
It's to bad we will never get another entry in the series.

Oct 26th
41. Friday the 13th *** / DVD / 95 min / 1980
Fucking Ralph. I liked how Alice took all that time barricading the door then just closed the curtains on the windows.

42. Friday the 13th Part 2 ***1/2 / DVD / 86 min / 1981
Ralph nooo! No dull spots in this one.

43. Friday the 13th Part 3 **1/2 / DVD / 95 min / 1982
Ralph's spirit lives on! I didn't really care for the heroine in this one.

Oct 27th
44. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter **1/2 / DVD / 91 min / 1984
The Feld Dog was an ugly little kid.

Oct 28th
45. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning **1/2 / DVD / 92 min / 1985
Corey Feldman update: Still ugly. The characters really felt like they were there just to die, no one was developed at all.

46. Friday the 13th: Jason Lives ***1/2 / DVD / 86 min / 1986
One of the best, if not the best of the entire series.

47. The Rocky Horror Picture Show ***** / Blu-Ray / 100 min / 1975
One of my all time favorite movies.

Oct 29th
48. MOH: The Black Cat ** / New / DVD / 58 min / 2007
Alright but nothing special.

49. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood ** / DVD / 88 min / 1988
A weird entry in the series. Pretty weak too.

Oct 30th
50. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan ** / DVD / 100 min / 1989
Pretty much everyone is a faceless victim. Rivals 7 as the worst entry.

51. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday *** / DVD / 91 min / 1993
Friday Fact: Jason does not makeout with guys who have facial hair.

Oct 31st
52. House ***1/2 / Blu-Ray / 88 min / 1977
I don't even.

53. Scary Movie 2 ** / Blu-Ray / 83 min / 2001
It was never very good but it has aged terribly.

54. Invader Zim: Halloween Spectacular of Spooky Doom ***** / Wildcard / DVD / 22 min / 2001
Something I watch every year.

55. Dawn of the Dead ***1/2 / DVD / 110 min / 2004
One of the best horror remakes ever.

Darkgod

ctd. Part 1
Oct. 8th
32. Childs Play 2 (Lafia,1990) 51/100 Loved this as a kid
33. Childs Play 3 (Bender,1991) 44/100 Def. starts its decent.
34. Maniac Cop(Lustig,1988) 59/100 Atkins and Campbell in the same movie
35. The Mighty Peking Man(Ho,1977) 51/100 Shaws do King Kong
Oct. 9th
36.Premonition(Tsuruta,2004) 56/100 Excellent little movie
37. Dexter"Those kinds of Things/Once Upon a Time"
Oct. 10th
38. Hour of the Wolf(Bergman,1968) 72/100 Max Von Sydow could have played H.P Lovecraft
Oct. 11th
39. Beserk(O'Connely,1967) 53/100 Had some decent effects
40. The Woman(Mckee,2011) 55/100 Became one messed up family
41. Creepshow 2 (Gornick,1987)50/100 I love the Raft story
42. Childs Play (Holland,1988) 65/100 Only if somone listened to him.
43. Torso(Martino,1973) 60/100 The killers mask is awesome
44. Night of the Comet (Eberhardt, 1984) 58/100 One of the movies I love from my childhood.
Oct. 12th
NOTHING
Oct. 13th
45. The Caller(Parkhill,2011) 47/100 Can guess the twists from afar
46. Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 (Hall,2011) 53/100 Not as good as the first one
47. Maximum Overdrive(King,1986) WC#1(Wrong theme night) 53/100Love the Green Goblin
48. Grave Encounters (Vicious Brothers,2011) 58/100 Really liked this found footage movie
49. Curse of the Werewolf (Fincher,1961)WC#2(Wrong theme night) 63/100 Love me some hammer
Oct. 14th
50. Alacurda (Moctezuma,1978)52/100 A little overated
51. Peter Cushing: One Way Ticket to Hollywood (Bell,1989) the man is a pimp
52. Venom(Haggard,1981) 48/100 Kinski scares me
53. Let Me In(Reeves,2010) 69/100 Not as good as the original, but does the trick
54. Sweet Pia(DiFerdinando,2011) 50/100 Local Indy movie showing
55. The Fog(Carpenter,1980) 58/100 Not his best but Carpenter still owns
Oct. 15th
56. American Horror Story "Pilot/Home Invasion"
57. Poultrygiest:Night of the Chicken Dead(Kaufman,2006)50/100 Troma's a guilty pleasure
Oct. 16th
58. Ghoulies(Bercovici,1985)40/100 Not as fun as critters
59. Kill Baby, Kill(Bava,1966) 55/100 A little slow for me
60. The Walking Dead "What Lies Ahead"
Oct. 17th
61. Asylum(Baker,1972) 55/100 Amicus is as good as Hammer.
62. Dexter"Smokey and the Bandit"/Pretty Little Liars "The First Secret"
63. Horror Show(Isaac,1989)44/100 Was apparently House 3
64. The Masque of Red Death (Corman,1964) 66/100 Vincent Price is evil in this
Oct. 18th
65. Pumpkinhead(Winston,1988) 60/100 We have a guy at work we call Pumpkin Head
66. Dog Soilders(Marshall,2002) 65/100 Love the werewolfs in this
Oct. 19th
67. MOH: Sick Girl (Mckee,2005) 50/100 Bettis is the poor mans Asia Argento
68. MOH: Chocolate(Garris,2005) 40/100 Might have seen this or something like it before
69. 100 Tears(Kock, 2007) 44/100 Some scenes gore is good, others its terrible
70. MOH: The Damned Thing(Hooper,2006)40/100 Think I saw this one
Oct. 20th
71. From Dusk Til Dawn(Rodriguez,1996) I love all the little Carpenter inspired things
72. The Anniversary at Shallow Creek(Wagner,2010) 30/100 Terrible
73. American Horror Story "Murder House/Haloween 1"
74. Re-Animator
Oct. 21st
75. Dawn of the Dead(Romero,1978)80/100 Perfect Baby, Perfect
76. Video Drome(w/commentary)(Cronenberg,1983) Liked it alot, loved it after hearing the commentary
Oct. 22nd
77. Deathdream(Clark,1974) 55/100 Clark was awesome...
78. Red State(Smith,2011) 65/100 Love the social commentary

Darkgod

Oct. 23rd
79. The Stepfather(Ruben,1987) 64/100 Quinn is amazing as the bad guy
80. Wrong Turn 4(O'Brien,2011) 36/100 Just Terrible
81. The Uninvited(Allen,1944) 60/100 Had a creepy vibe
Oct. 24th
82. Dexter"A Horse of a Different Color" Walking Dead"Bloodletting"
83. Dr. Renault's Secret(Lachman,1942)60/100 Would not want to see Noel bouncing around
84. Peeping Tom(Powell,1960) 70/100 See so much of where the Giallo/Slasher came from
Oct. 25th
85. Theatre of Blood(Hickox,1973) 55/100 Vincent Price shows his acting chops, as if he had to
86. Sauna(Annila,2008) 65/100 Had a great sense of doom
87. Exorcist 2:The Heretic(Boorman,1977) 40/100 Directors name is fitting
88. Mystery Science Theatre:Industrictable man 30/100 Don't find MST Funny
89. MOH: Pick me Up(Cohen,2005) 54/100 Liked the ending
Oct. 26th
90. The Black Belly of the Tarantula(Cavara,1971)60/100 A nice little giallo
91. Leviathan(Cosmatos,1989) 54/100 Loved as a kid, and holds up
Oct. 27th
92. A Dead Calling(Feifer,2006) 34/100 Was like a second job for the "Rejects" cast
93. The Mummy's Curse(Goodwins,1944) 53/100 Set in 1997....
94. Repulsion(Polanski,1965) 75/100 The dread, and psychosis is so scary
95. Trolhunter(Ovredal,2010) 68/100 One of the best found footage movies
Oct. 28th
96. Burn Witch, Burn(Hayers, 1962) scenes with the eagle were good for today
97. Grapes of Death(Rolin,1978) 64/100 As much a social comentary as Dawn
Oct. 29th
98. Amusement(Simpson,2008)55/100 Did I miss where the start ties in to the end
99. Return of the Living Dead(O'Bannon,1985) 70/100 Wan't to see them.... the corpses?
100. Elvira's Movie Macabre:Attack of the Killer tomatoes(De Bello,1978) 40/100 pretty terrible
Oct. 30th
101. The Snow Creature(Wilder,1954) 30/100 Terrible
102. Possesion of David O'Riley(Cull,2010) 40/100 could have been better then it was
103. (WC#3) It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
104. Dexter "The Angel of Death" /Grimm "Pilot"106. The Thing
Halloween
105. The Lady in white(LaLoggia,1988)65/100 Haas was even creepy as a kid
106. Revenge of the Zombies(Sekley,1943) Think I have seen this one before
107. Trick r' Treat(Dougherty,2007) 80/100 Have to watch it on Halloween
108. Day of the Beast(Iglesia,1995) 70/100 Perfect match of black comedy and horror

Indy24LA

Indy's 3rd Annual Halloween/Horror Challenge

Indy's 2010 Halloween/Horror Challenge
Indy's 2009 Halloween/Horror Challenge


Goal= 50, Finished with 54 (Finished last year with 50)
* indicates first time viewing
Final List

October 1
1. House (1986)- Reminded me of an early Raimi knockoff

October 2
2. Hellraiser 3- Better than I remembered, not a bad chapter to the series
3. Hellraiser 4- Was that really Adam Scott???
4. 1408- Decent little ghost story, but the PG-13 really held it back
5. Haunted Mansion- There's not a lot of family ghost stories, so it's got that going for it

October 3
6. Paranormal Activity- Great spine chiller, plus I have a thing for slightly chunky possessed women

October 4

October 5
7. Tales from the Crypt S1- Ep 1: The Man Who Was Death, Ep 2: And All Through the House, Ep3: Dig That Cat... He's Real Gone, Episode 4: Only Sin Deep
8. Dexter* S5- Ep 4: Beauty and the Beast, Ep 5: First Blood
9. Scream 4*- aka Blood & Botox, if you like your horror self referential then this is a fun time
10. Hocus Pocus- A Halloween staple for the family, wish they'd make more like this
11. Return of the Living Dead 3- Low budget, but good low budget... and Mindy Clarke


October 6
12. Dexter* S5- Ep 6: Everything Is Illumenated, Ep 7: Circle Us

October 7

October 8
13. The Birds- Classic Hitchcock, it's dated, but that's part of it's charm... and talk about your angry birds
14. The Hills Run Red*- My kinda flick, lots of nudity and interesting kills
15. IT Part 1- Good stuff but I never understood how it scared anyone, too "TV"
16. Below*- A little slow, but interesting setting for a long Twilight Zone style movie

October 9
17. From Dust Till Dawn- Two different movies, a 90's Tarantino flick and then suddenly turns into Tales from the Crypt
18. Ghost Ship- Had enough suspense and thrills to make it a decent ghost story
19. IT Part 2- Loses steam without much of the kid's story and the monster is ridiculous
20. Halloween 3- Definitely not good, but so 80s cheesy it's entertaining

October 10

October 11

October 12
21. House 2- All pretense of horror is out the window for this comedy
22. Monster House- Probably the best animated Halloween cartoon ever made
23. The Thing (1982)- A top 5 greatest horror movie

October 13
24. Dexter* S5- Ep 8: Take It!, Ep 9: Teenage Wasteland

October 14
25. The Thing* (2011)- Had neither the heart or soul of the og, but relativity speaking it was enjoyable

October 15
26. Dexter* S5- Ep 10: In the Beginning, Ep 11: Hop a Freighter
27. Dark Night of the Scarecrow*- Okay I guess, didn't have enough suspense or sense of horror for me
28. Tales from the Crypt S1- Ep 5: Lover Come Hack to Me, Ep 6: Collection Completed, Tales from the Crypt: From Comic Books to Television
29. The Blair Witch Project- All about suspense and mood, wish more people would take risks like that
30. The Howling- Brought werewolves into the modern world and made them scary again

October 16
31. Burnt Offerings*- A little slow, but I can see where the Shining and Amityville got there inspiration from
32. Lifeforce*- Nice little vampire/alien/zombie mash up film
33. Twilight- Well, the girls loved it
34. The Walking Dead* S2- Ep. 1 What Lies Ahead

October 17
35. Dexter* S5- Ep 12: The Big One, Curse of the Blair Witch

October 18
36. Leviathan- For a cheesy Alien/Thing rip-off, it's somewhat enjoyable

October 19
37. The Funhouse- This was a very decent early 80s slasher-type flick
38. Red State*- There wasn't really a story, or anyone you could root for, or much "horror"
39. Paranormal Activity 2- Everything good about the first one ramped up a couple notches

October 20

October 21
40. Paranormal Activity 3*- More of the same except less subtle and more creative

October 22
41. Deep Star Six- Leviathan with an external monster instead of an internal one
42. The Ward*- Pretty good fake ghost story, Sucker Punch should have been this entertaining
43. Twilight: New Moon- Girls loved it even more than the 1st one
44. Phantasm II- Not bad, but a little boring

October 23
45. The Shining (1980)- Probably the last movie from the golden age of horror and easily one of the best
46. Day of the Dead- The 80s Dead film, good, but a step down in overall quality
47. The Shining (1997) Part 1- True to the book version, but lacks that Kubrick touch

October 24

October 25

October 26

October 27

October 28

October 29
48. Halloween 4- Nice little chapter in the Halloween story, wish they'd pick up with this story line
49. The Shining Part II

October 30
50. Legend of Hell House*- Spooky, but a little too British and the machine at the end was just silly
51. The Shining Part III
52. The Walking Dead* S2- Ep. 2 Bloodletting/Ep. 3 Save the Last One

October 31 Halloween
53. Trick 'r Treat- This is my challenge staple, love the humor, mood and acting
54. It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (WC)- This is some funny stuff

Giles

Count: 61

- Basket Case / Blu-ray 10-1
- South Park [episode: Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery] / DVD 10-1 ☼
- Bewitched [episode: George Washington Zapped Here (Part 2)] 10-1 ☼
- Rosanne [episode: Boo!] 10-1 ☼
- Outsourced [episode: Bolloween] 10/1 ☼
- Freaks and Geeks [episode: Trick or Treat] 10-2 ☼
- Bewitched [episode: School Days School Daze] 10-3 ☼
- Ghost Adventures [episode: Mizpah Motel] 10-3 ☼
- Making Monsters [episode: It's Not Easy Making a Monster] 10-3 ☼
- Drácula / 1931 / dir. George Melford / 104min Spanish language version ☼ / 10-4
- Universal Horror / 1998 / dir. Kevin Brownlow / 10-4 ☼
- Bewitched [episode: A Good Turn Never Goes Unpunished] / 10-4 ☼
- Dream House / 2011 / 10-5 ☼
- The Phantom of the Opera at Royal Albert Hall / 2011 / 10-5 ☼
- The Horde / 2009 / 10-6 ☼
- A Night at the Movies: The Horrors of Stephen King / 2011 / dir. Laurent Bouzereau / 10-6 ☼
- Paranormal Witness [episode: The Dangerous Game; Trumbull County UFO] / 10-6 ☼
- Ghost Hunters [episode: Well of Horror] / 10-6 ☼
- Scre4m / Blu-ray 10-7 ☼
- Tenebrae / Blu-ray 10-7
-----with Kim Newman & Alan Jones commentary track ☼
- Insidious / Blu-ray 10-8 ☼
- The Haunting in Connecticut / extended unrated cut / Blu-ray 10-8 ☼
- Paranormal Activity 2 / extended unrated cut / Blu-ray 10-8 ☼
- We Are What We Are (Somos lo que hay) / 10-9 ☼
- Scream of Fear / 10-10 ☼
- Regular Show [episode: Terror Tales of the Park] / 10-10 ☼
- Ghost Adventures [episode: Old Town San Diego] / 10-10 ☼
- The Curse of the Werewolf / 10-10 ☼
- The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll / 10-11 ☼
- Brides of Dracula / 10-12 ☼
- The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb 10-13 ☼
- Paranoiac / 10-14 ☼
- The Phantom of the Opera / 1962 / 10-15 ☼
- American Horror Story [Pilot episode] 10-15 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: The Silent Scream] 10-16 ☼
- Ghost Hunters [episode: Roasts and Ghosts] 10-16 ☼
- Paranormal Witness [episode: The Rain Man] 10-17 ☼
- Haunted House for Sale / 10-17 ☼
- Ghost Adventures [episode: Winchester Mysterious House] / 10-17 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: Children of the Full Moon] / 10-17 ☼
- The Walking Dead [episode: What Lies Ahead / Season 2] / 10-18 ☼
- American Horror Story [episode: Home Invasion] 10-18 ☼
- [Rec] ² / 10-18 ☼
- The Last Exorcism / 10-18 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: The Mark of Satan] / 10-18 ☼
- The Thing (2011) / 10-19 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: Carpathian Eagle] / 10-19 ☼
- Vampire Circus / Blu-ray / 10-20 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: Visitor From the Grave] 10-20 ☼
- Nightmare 10-21 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: The Two Faces of Evil] 10-21 ☼
- American Horror Story [episode: Murder House] 10-22 ☼
- Night Creatures 10-22 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: Guardian of the Abyss] 10-22 ☼
- Ghost Adventures [episode: Lizzy Bordon House] 10-23 ☼
- The Skin I Live In / 10-23 ☼
- The Entity / 10-23 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: The Thirteenth Reunion] / 10-23 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: Witching Time] / 10-24 ☼
- Paranormal Activity 3 / 10-24 ☼
- Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown / Blu-ray / 2009 / 10-24 ☼
- Hatchet II / 10-25 ☼
- The Walking Dead [episode: Bloodletting] / 10-25 ☼
- Zombie / Blu-ray / 10-26
- House by the Cemetary / Blu-ray / 10-26
- Adventure Time [episode: From Bad to Worse] / 10-27 ☼
- Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files [episode: Graveyard Ghost] (30min extract) / 10-27 ☼
- Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files [episode: Cajun Apparition] (30min extract) / 10-27 ☼
- Ghost Hunters [episode: Murdered Matron] / 10-27 ☼
- Dark Night of the Scarecrow / 10-27 ☼
- Attack the Block / Blu-ray / 10-27 ☼
- Community [episode: Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps] / 10-28 ☼
- The Office [episode: Spooked] / 10-28 ☼
- The Haunted [episode: Murder at the Black Horse] / 10-28 ☼
- Ghost Hunters [episode: Stage Fright] / 10-28 ☼
- Parks and Recreation [episode: Meet and Greet] / 10-28 ☼
- Making Monsters [episode: Haunted Houses] / 10-28 ☼
- MAD [episode: Kitchen Nightmare Before Christmas; How I Met Your Mummy] / 10-28 ☼ [WILD CARD #1]
- Taxidermia / 10-28 ☼
- The Ward / 2010 / 10-28 ☼
- Tales from the Crypt [episode: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime] / 10-29 ☼
- Tales from the Crypt [episode: Only Skin Deep] / 10-29 ☼
- American Horror Story [episode: Halloween Part 1] / 10-29 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: Charly Boy] / 10-29 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: House that Bled to Death] / 10-29 ☼
- The Evil of Frankenstein / 10-29 ☼
- Tales from the Crypt [episode: Whirlpool] / 10-30 ☼
- Tales from the Crypt [episode: Operation Friendship] / 10-30 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: Rude Awakening] / 10-30 ☼
- Hammer House of Horror [episode: Growing Pains] / 10-30 ☼
- The Kiss of the Vampire / 10-30 ☼
- The Walking Dead [episode: Save the Last One] / 10-30 ☼
- Zombies: A Living History / 10-31 ☼
- Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll / 10-31 ☼
- Dick Van Dyke Show [episode: Ghost of A. Chantz] / 10-31 ☼
- How I Met Your Mother [episode: The Slutty Pumpkin Returns] 10-31 ☼
- Tales from the Crypt [episode: Revenge is the Nuts] / 10-31 ☼
- Tales from the Crypt [episode: The Bride] / 10-31 ☼
- Courage the Cowardly Dog [episode: The Demon in the Mattress] / 10-31 ☼
- Courage the Cowardly Dog [episode: Courage Meets the Mummy] / 10-31 ☼
- Fear of the Living Dead / 2009 / dir. Randy Smith / 15min / 10-31 ☼ [WILD CARD #2]
- The Reptile / 10-31 ☼
- Frankenstein Created Women / 10-31 ☼
- Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas - Original Poem narrated by Christopher Lee / 10-31 ☼ [WILD CARD #3]

☼ = First viewing

takingchase

Goals: Have 90% of entries be first viewings for me or at the very least for my wife 50 entries Complete the theme night and subset checklists
October 1st	1. The Loved Ones (2009) "Bring the hammer, Daddy" I've been seeing a lot of buzz about this movie for awhile now so my expectations were moderately high. Unfortunately there isn't much here that hasn't been done before. It plays out like a pretty standard horror flick which isn't to say it's bad. It's a fully competent movie, it's just nothing special. RATING: 6/10
	2. Santa Sangre (1989) | Subset Pick | Theme Night Qualifier "You can't atone for your sins with nightmares." There are some movies that I just can't properly digest what I witnessed upon first viewings. Santa Sangre is one of those movies. This is a surreal gem not to be missed and one that I look forward to revisiting many times. RATING: 8.5/10
	3. Stake Land (2010) "I hate vamps" A road movie where an experienced vampire hunter takes a boy under his wing. I can see how Stake Land draws comparisons to Zombieland but with vampires. Hell they even have near identical movie titles but make no mistake Stake Land is an entirely different beast. While Zombieland mixes lighthearted fun with it's gore Stake Land is grim and tense throughout and I loved every minute of it. It's not perfect but it's one of the best examples of newer Vampire movies. If you're sick of vampire lore being all about teenage heartthrob and prefer a meaner, more brutal vampire then look no further. RATING: 8.5/10
October 2nd	4. Perkins 14 (2009) "Think of it as a mercy killing for a sick animal" A crazed man abducts 14 children and brainwashes them into becoming his own army of zombies. Sounds awesome doesn't it? Too bad it unfolds so poorly. When I read the plot of Perkins 14 I got really excited and in the right hands it could have been great. What we have hear is a mess of a movie with poor pacing and bad acting trying to make the best of a great idea. It doesn't fail all the time but mostly expect to be bored. RATING: 5.5/10
	5. [REC] (2007) | Subset Pick | Theme Night Qualifier "There's something more to this place. Our cells don't work. Neither does the T.V. or radio. We're isolated." I enjoy foreign movies, reading subtitles was never a problem for me. That said there is a certain disconnect that I always feel when watching something foreign. It's not the same true immersion that I get from watching something in my own language. REC blows right past that, despite reading the dialogue I was immersed every shot. The tension and atmosphere is just so perfect you can't help it. REC doesn't do anything new but what it does, it does damn well. RATING: 9/10
	6. House on Haunted Hill (1959) "Only the ghosts in this house are glad we're here." Admittedly, I have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to the horror classics. I haven't seen much of any Vincent Price movie so this was my first foray into the horror icon. I see why he was as popular as he was, he's a show just in himself. There is something oddly compelling and creepy about the man that keeps me glued to the screen. The rest of the movie was standard fare, weaving horror and whodunnit very well but the real attraction is Vincent Price and I can't wait to delve further into his filmography. RATING: 7/10
	7. Psychoville (2009) "Red Raw Stump!" Season 1 Episodes 1,2,3 and 4. First Impressions: The humor is spot on with exception of some that is lost in translation. As far as the horror goes it plays out mostly like episodes of tales from the crypt in cheesy fashion. Where the horror really hit's is in the characters odd quirks which are downright disturbing. I'm not sure how I feel about this show but I'm oddly compelled to watch it.
October 3rd	8. Orca (1977) | Subset Pick | Theme Night Qualifier "You want revenge? Well, you'll have it! I'll come out and fight you! You revengeful sonofabitch!" Orca was a lot better than I expected it to be. Moby Dick mixed with jawsploitation is a potent mix. The acting is solid all across the board and even the captains cheesy Irish accent works. An all around decent flick that I'll probably never revisit but I'm glad I saw it once. RATING: 7/10
	9. Todd and the Book of Pure Evil (2010) "You already started reading the evil words, didn't you? Then could you pass me my blood mop? I'm gonna need it later." Season 1 episodes 1,2,3 and 4 First Impressions: This Canadian horror comedy is a hell of a lot of fun. It's the perfect buffer between movies. Think Evil Dead mixed with Degrassi. I know thats a weird mix but it works well. It even has Jason Mewes who only adds to the fun in his brief role as the school janitor.
	10. Monkey Shines (1988) "You're a clinical ****" A quadriplegic man has a trained monkey help him with his paralysis, until the little monkey begins to develop feelings, and rage, against its new master. It turns out Romero - zombies still makes for pretty good movies. Despite being about a evil helper monkey the movie manages to be pretty damn suspenseful which is anchored down by a well round cast. My only gripe is the first half of the movie I wasn't sure if I was watching a lifetime drama or a psychological horror flick. RATING: 7/10
October 4th	11. Frogs (1972) | Subset Pick | Theme Night Qualifier "I still believe man is master of the world." Typical nature strikes back movie. Nothing special but it was entertaining enough. RATING: 6/10
	12. Mother's Day (2010) "I'm proud of my boys, they never forget their momma." Director Darren Lynn Bousmans previous films have done nothing for me. I never enjoyed the Saw sequels and Repo! Genetic Opera wasn't my cup of tea. So maybe it's just that I went into Mother's Day with low expectations but I loved it. The performances are all good but Rebecca De Mornay steals the show in every scene she's in. She is absolutely perfect as the calm, sinister mother. I've never seen the original so I can't comment on how they stack up but Bousmans Mother's day is a hell of a tense take on the home invasion genre. RATING: 8/10
	13. Psychoville (2011) "Let me tell you something about those bitches!" Season 1 episodes 5 and 6 Season 2 episodes 1 and 2 Season 1 wrapup/Season 2 impressions: Season 1 wrapped up nicely tying up some loose ends. I'm still not sure how much I actually enjoy the show but I'm hooked. Season 2 started up and introduced 2 new characters. One of them is easily the most annoying character I've ever seen on any show. The character isn't funny and just drags all the other humor down.
	14. Dexter (2010) "I've imagined her naked plenty times, but never like this" Season 5 Episode 1 Season 5 Episode 2

takingchase

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