Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Thank you, sir! I'll be in contact with you soon.

Sounds like a plan.

The big boy mack daddy of all the challenges that's a shit-ton of fun? :D

It wasn't so much the 300+ people were questioning as it was him supposedly reaching those numbers at just over the halfway point of the challenge. That, coupled with the fact that he went batshitcrazy after the first accusation of cheating.

Let's just hope he immediately checked himself into a proper psychiatric facility and got the help he so desperately needed. ;)

And it's really a shame all of his old posts were deleted after being banned--all that's left remaining is a PM telling me to "go fuck yourself" for not exercising my nonexistent mod powers.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

After being disillusioned with some challenges in the past due to drama coming up, I approach challenges with a different viewpoint now. I just watch what I think counts and ignore any drama that comes up. I'm in the challenges to have fun and enjoy myself after all.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

My sentiments exactly - this is supposed to be fun. :)

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Celluloid Terror (my site) is in to be a sponsor yet again.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Look, I challenge anyone to disagree that being trapped in Lindsay Lohan's body constitutes true horror. And that is why I counted the Freaky Friday remake last year.

Okay, not really.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

They DO mention the Cryptkeeper in that movie. Wild Card!

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

If this is aimed at me, I don't really care whether you believe it or not. I am an admin of this forum: http://s15.zetaboards.com/iCheckMovies/index/, which is where I'm active every single day, and I come here just for the Horror Challenge (which coincidentally, I also host on my forum) because there is more active discussion and participation than on my own. I only found out about this challenge because of MisterPeepers mentioning it to me and I thought it sounded awesome, I stayed on my own forum for the first few years but since I had a lot of free time on my hands last year, I thought I'd join in here as well. It is entirely possible to watch 300 in a month; exhausting, but possible.

Although it does leave a sour taste in your mouth when you can't just enjoy yourself and watch a bunch of horror films without being questioned about it. Wtf would be the purpose of pretending how many I watched? To impress some random people on a forum I don't otherwise participate on? I'm sure there are plenty of sad people who would do that (just take a look at the number of 'cheater' discussions there are on iCM), but maybe people should lighten up about this challenge and accept everyone has different amounts of free time, limits to how much they can watch, attention spans etc.

Anyway, I popped back in here to see if there was any discussion about the upcoming FrightFest but I forgot that most people here are American. I mentioned last year during the challenge that I was moving to London (from Australia) this year - and I have been in London since May. Have very little time for films now as I'm working full time, but I will still be participating this year (although I will be delighted to get to 30 this time :lol: ). FrightFest is looking pretty awesome and I'm attending that next week, but then will try and stay off horror until October again.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

You certainly wouldn't be the first person who has had doubt cast upon their totals. Although not many will come right out and say it, I don't think I'm alone in feeling that averaging 10+ movies a day for 31 days is pretty far-fetched. And frankly, I don't give a shit who agrees with me or not.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Well, when you live with parents who do everything for you, have a casual job, no friends, no commitments, no interest in anything other than movies, it's not that difficult...

And I never believed it was possible either, well I mean, I believed it but I thought it would be impossible for me to do. I was already averaging around 100 a month just on a normal basis, so it wasn't a huge stretch for me anyway. I don't think I could - or would - ever do it again, but I'm glad I did just to experience it. I was in the mood for it, I knew it would be the last chance for me to do it, I had fun. Doubt all you want, but I know I had a fecking good time.

It does kind of make me wonder though, who has less of a life; the people who can watch 300 movies in a month or the people who seriously cry and whinge about how many movies someone watches? It's a fecking forum challenge where people watch movies, why are people taking this so seriously? Have fun, watch movies, stop questioning how people live their lives.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I'm fecking very happy for you.

And I'm gonna be fecking honest, I'd say the person who watches 10+ movies every day for 31 days probably has less of a life than someone who works full-time, has a family etc. I'm just going on a fecking limb here though.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

people are already pissing and moaning? i'm glad i only look at about 4 other people's lists and that is just for ideas on what to watch next.

sidenote: i wonder if NoirFan will come back for this. miss that guy.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Holy crap. I know a bunch of people left recently, and knew something was missing from the Challenges. I miss NF too.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I'm excited, finished last year at 148, just two shy of my goal!

Couple reasons why I'm excited:
1)Getting into horror mood, reading Salem's Lot right now, watching Tales from the Crypt until Oct
2)Just moved into new duplex, got a new tv, will be exciting to watch movies that never scared me in new surroundings
3)Got married in April this year to a non-horror fan, so will be going through the history of horror with her :)

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Glad to have you back for another round.

I know he posts over at the Blu-ray.com boards, so I could PM him a reminder.

Congrats and my condolences, but mostly the former. :D

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

This goes for me, too. It has to be fun, otherwise why bother?

And no offense to anyone, but I'm against the idea of multi-tasking while watching films. I think that's how some people get their totals so high. It just seems more in the spirit (so to speak) to turn down the lights, plop down in front of the TV and just watch the film... with no distractions. Not trying to pick a fight! :) ... that's just my 2 cents.

But anyway.... I just happened to check the forum tonight and I'm glad to see there's life in this thread already. I started setting films aside back in June. -eek-

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I'm working full time now and I can understand how implausible it might seem now because I have 4-5 free hours after work and there's no time to get anything done at all, but at least I don't spend it worrying about what other people are doing with their lives. I took 31 days out of my life to do the challenge, enjoy myself and see if I could actually do it. The rest of my life was spent working towards me moving to London, by myself, and fulfilling a lifelong dream, so I wouldn't say I have any less of a life than you or anyone else.

I didn't want to get into an argument about this, but I look forward the Horror Challenge every year and it was a bit of a punch in the face to see people bitching about me. If there was a cash prize for the winner or something, then obviously you'd expect some proof that they'd watched all the films, but since you actually get nothing (except pride) for watching the most, I'm not really sure why everyone is taking it so seriously... I won't be watching anywhere near that many again, but I think I'll just stick to the discussion thread on my own forum this year.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Without going back and checking last year's discussion, I assume that you were the New Zealand neophyte (on this forum) who had an amazingly high total number of movies watched, but also took pains to explain how you watched so many movies. I know that you are very active in horror movie discussion on the Officially Unofficial iCheckMovies Forum, so I actually believe that you watched what you said that you did. Trevor did similarly high numbers during one challenge, and I believed his numbers for the same reason. I'm sure EdTheRipper was referring to the situation a few years earlier, when at least one participant was on a pace for about 20 hours per day of viewing, and left in a huff when challenged after attacking everyone who questioned his numbers ( I think there were a few others that years whose lists were almost as unlikely). At that time, there was a prize for the highest total, but as a result of that drama that was changed, and most of the controversy about numbers has subsided.

I hope you will participate in the discussion here. I know from the Officially Unofficial iCheckMovies Forum that you are a passionate fan of horror movies, and I'm sure that we would benefit from your input (you probably will too-there is plenty of posting over there, but I think that there is a bit more back and forth over here, and it's easy in a genre challenge to talk past each other, as we are mostly watching different movies.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I agree totally. I used be a bit more loose about this, but now I want my first time viewings to be under optimum conditions (dark, no distractions) although I have started re-watching stuff with my children earlier in the day. I assume that the concept of an October challenge anticipated putting the participants in the seasonal mood, which is not likely if you are cooking dinner, web surfing, falling asleep during your 8th movie of the day, taking a shower with the TV volume turned all the way up, etc.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Whether it is far-fetched or not (I think some totals were honest, and some were not), I don't think those kind of numbers were ever a good idea. I have noticed that quite a few people will indicate in the discussion that they were half way through a movie before they realized that they had seen it before. While I can't say that this has never happened to me, watching ten movies a day in the same genre (or even different genres) is likely to produce this effect.

Even if these totals are legitimate, it doesn't seem like fun.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Regarding potential sponsors Scorpion Releasing has been releasing a lot more stuff lately and Walter is very open/active on blu-ray.com, where Scorpion Releasing has it's own thread under North America. Likewise Scream Factory is another contender and an employee, cmac, also posts on blu-ray.com. I don't recall if either has been on the sponsor list before.

Here's an amusing home living site with horror movie pillows and pot holders, etc: http://horrordecor.net/

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Exactly my thoughts. The concept behind all of these challenges is to actually WATCH movies. Having a movie playing in the background while you're doing something else isn't exactly true to the concept of WATCHING movies.

Agreed,also. While I enjoy occasionally blasting through an all-day movie marathon, it isn't something I'd want to do daily for an entire month. And I wonder exactly what someone retains from each movie while watching that many. In the two years that I "won" this challenge, I find that I don't recall quite a few of the movies at all. And my numbers were nowhere near as high.

While the ZOMBIEDAVE situation also falls into this category, I was most definitely referring to mightysparks. I didn't believe her numbers at the time of the challenge, and I still don't. I KNOW that there are several others who agree with me. Whether they choose to come forward or not is up to them. I think a lot of members were too busy tripping over themselves because of the whole "OMG!!!!1!! A GIRL WHO LOVES HORROR MOVIES" aspect of it to consider the validity of her list.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Admittedly, quite a few films I don't remember because they were just unmemorable, but then I watched 2 movies yesterday and one was boring as hell and I barely remember anything from that. I try not to do anything else while watching a film but I will multitask sometimes. It was quite easy for the first 20 or so days and then I really had to force myself (I was so exhausted by that point. I took a before/after photo to show what a day does, but I'm at work right now and don't have it on me. Basically fresh faced -> exhausted). I was trying to push myself to the max because I figured I had the whole month free, it's my favourite genre; might as well take the opportunity and watch as many films as possible :P

Are you on the iCM forum ororama or did you just glance at the link? (also I'm Australian not a Kiwi :P close enough though).

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

The year I managed 159 was exhausting and 136 the year before that one wore me out. The year I hit 159 for Horror I pushed myself in the others too and within 6 months had totally wrecked my sleeping patterns. For me those higher counts were neat to get but absolutely not fun. By the time I finally stopped it had started to feel too much like work and I tended to totally exclude everything else for the sake of higher numbers. I was unbearable by the end of the challenges those years (my will will attest to this). Had I not had to work it would have been OK as then there would have only been 1 "job" for the month and I'd not have spent sleepless nights just to squeeze in another film. :)

While I believe someone with nothing else to do and no family pulling on them can hit 300+ viewings a month (especially if they go for older films which tend to run in the 70 minute or less range) I can see the fun leaving after a week or two at most.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I know what you mean here. I caught myself a few times picking up a movie months ago and thinking to myself "Not now, I have to wait for October!"

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Yeah, it was fun to experience once, but never again. I could've fit in an extra few films each day if I cut down on my sleep and didn't do my daily exercise, but it probably would've killed me. I had forgotten I did 176 the previous year, and I was working part-time, but it wasn't anywhere near as difficult. This is the pic I mentioned earlier. Taken on the 10th October last year. The first one was taken in the morning, after showering the night before, and the second was at the end of the day. Not a good feeling, haha. Sometimes I was just too tired for another movie and would just go to sleep instead.

The London FrightFest I am attending on Thurs-Mon will be 3 films on Thurs, 6 on Fri, Sat and Sun, and 5 on Monday. I live an hour away, which means early mornings and late nights and I am going to be exhausted just for a 5 day stretch! There is a 30-60 odd minute break between each showing though, and a longer break at dinner time, which should help keep things going (better than my occasional 5-10 minute pee breaks). Plus I will have company to keep up motivation :D

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I'd just like to point out the part I bolded (and clicking on "find more posts by" shows you weren't kidding). People would be more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt if they saw you post here some time other than September or October (like they do other members who have listed similar high numbers in previous challenges). :shrug:
Same here. If you see a movie on one of my lists, I watched the movie. If I felt the need to surf the net, or take a nap, or read a book while watching that movie, I shut the damn thing off and went back to watching it later on. Every time I see someone make a post in one of the discussion threads like "I just started Movie X" or "now watching Movie Y," I think, no you didn't, you're playing around on the internet.
I hit 164 one year (and 159 the year before). I have no desire to do that again. Like you say, it became too much like work after a few weeks.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Yeah I know, but I am already constantly active on one forum (one that I started), so joining an already established community on yet another forum seems kind of redundant. I honestly didn't think there'd be any issue with believability either, tbh. I just like to pop in here for the horror challenge because there is a bigger horror community here than on my forum (where we've been lovingly labelled 'the horror mafia' -rolleyes- )

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Getting close again. Been buying a few more titles to view for the challenge. Always looking for more horror to watch. Waiting for a few titles in September just before the challenge.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Well, to your credit, last year was your third Horror Challenge, which, for me at least, tells me to give you the benefit of the doubt for your crazy-high number last year (since it'd take a really dedicated troll to wait three years to actually get to the trolling). But, I have to wonder, since it was your third year with us, why you're surprised that some folks don't believe your total? I'm pretty sure the unfortunate incidents from the early years have been discussed almost every year, if only briefly.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Just curious, but why do some people care about others' totals whether they seem outlandish or not? Is it that there are prizes involved?

I used to get bent out of shape over some of the non-horror titles people would list (and also when they weren't movies since this was called the horror "movie" challenge) but I just don't care anymore. I do my list and read others' list for recommendations and then leave it at that. I personally enjoy people's comments and reviews on movies more than anything (and I wish more people participated in the reviews section during this time more than concentrated on their numbers, but that is just me).

I agree with people actually paying attention to the movies they claim to watch but how can you police that? Personally it wouldn't bother me if all the prizes were just randomly given away since no claims can be substantiated but hell, I think it is cool just to have prizes for an activity I had been doing personally for years before this challenge even began.

I say just enjoy the movies you watch and reviewing other people's lists. No need to worry with claims being made that don't affect you and that you cannot have any affect on anyway.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I just assume everyone's totals are bullshit, including my own.

Been a few years since I've done a challenge, but I've been hankering for some horror, so I might jump in this year.

Oh, and I'll be multi-tasking like hell while I'm doing it. :)

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Yes, I vote for not caring what other people are posting or watching or posting while watching and just tend to your own garden.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I agree with you shadokitty. I'm in it to have a good time and get over my fear of horror movies!!

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

For me personally, the reason I get so irked by lists that seem like obvious bullshit is because we are all supposed to be on the honor system here. I have a competitve streak in me, so when I see people that don't seem to be operating by the same set of rules, I tend to call them on it. For anyone who has been here for a while, my speaking out on this shouldn't come as a surprise. This was the first DVD Talk challenge and when it started, it was all about the numbers. And to me, all these years later, this challenge is still all about the numbers. If this isn't the case, then why do we have such strict guidelines regarding counting tv shows and wildcards when none of the other challenges are quite as rigid?

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Not that mightysparks needs anyone to stand up for her, but for what it's worth I can confirm that she's an active member of ICM and one of the most prominent posters on the (officially) unofficial ICM forum where she regularly posts comments and ratings for the movies she watches.

Of course, it is the internet and it's possible that she could be making those numbers up. But it would take a lot of persistent, thorough, and consistent lying over the course of years and across multiple sites - and I just don't think there's any incentive strong enough for that.Those numbers may seem implausible (even if I had the time, I wouldn't be able to watch a third that many titles without wanting to die), but they're not impossible. And in this case I'm pretty confident that they're not "bullshit."

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

We don't all post on icheckmovies. We do post here, however.

And I never said I thought her numbers were "bullshit." Here's what I said:
Pretty close to your reasoning in believing her numbers, I'd say. :shrug:

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

Awesome, thanks for the link! Purchased The Exorcist and The Thing pillows, will make great decoration for my new black leather loveseat I bought specifically for my new tv/theater room in my basement.

Few goals this year for me:
1)Watch every Scream Factory blu ray release I own this far (which is a lot, I think all but maybe 3 released)
2)50% first time views
3)More Jean Rollin and Hammer

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I never participated in the discussion threads the previous years; I think I may have briefly glanced at them, but that's it. We've never had any similar issues with the iCM forum, but then we are a fairly small community and we know each other pretty well by now.

Also, being on iCM - I understand about the competitive streak and relying on the 'honor system'. We have a thread on the forum for discussing possible cheaters and such and are regularly getting them removed from the site. And the 2011 horror challenge, I came second on my forum and was really annoyed that I didn't win (I was working part-time and I couldn't squeeze in any more than I already was), so that kind of motivated me to go all out the next year.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I'm also working on overcoming my fear! Learning to handle guts and gore or even unexpected deaths in film has been an uphill battle for me. That said, I'm not sure about participating this year. I typically use these challenges to whittle down my unwatched pile, and there isn't much in my collection that qualifies. I suppose I could use the time to catch up on The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, and Supernatural.

Re: Comments, Suggestions & Feedback for the 2013 Horror Challenge
 

I signed up on the iCM forum shortly after it began, but didn't post before I was invited by Angel to participate in the 2013 Favorite Movies poll. My second post was yesterday, in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge.

I check out what's going on over there when I'm caught up with what I'm interested in here and on mubi, and when I'm there, the Horror Lounge is something I usually look in on.

Sorry about mixing up your nationality. When I'm writing when I should be sleeping, I often don't feel like doing even the simplest fact checking.