clckworang

Yep, I was talking about the sequel to the original. I still think it's pretty lousy.

exharrison

I'll have to just agree to disagree with you and your friend.

brainee

I've been working my way through Dark Shadows from the beginning. For a few weeks in the mid 90s, I was watching the Barnabas episodes on SciFi (I liked it ... it was just hard to keep up recording everything on the VCR). Man, these episodes really move at a snail's crawl I'm 24 episodes in, so without commercials and skipping credits that's a little more than 8 hours of viewing time. And the amount of story that's been told could've been done in a reasonably scripted 30 minutes or so.

I guess that's part of the pacing of daily soap operas (where it's like you're looking in on the everyday lives of these people, minutia and all). But I remember things being a lot more interesting when Barnabas was around. I guess it's one thing to hear a lot of discussion about topics like curing vampirism, casting curses, and raising the dead. And it's another to hear discussions on why Caroline won't marry Joe and David not doing his homework.

Still, it's pretty easy to watch a few episodes on DVD on the smaller TV in my bedroom before nodding off to sleep. And if I nod off in the middle of an episode, when I wake up I found I haven't missed much (since every single key plot point is repeated about a dozen times over several episodes).

BobO'Link

I'll side with clckworang - I saw it when it came out and thought it was pretty lousy. I'd still like to have a copy for my library - but I'd likely only watch it once and I'm certainly not going to pay the prices it's been going for ($30+).

I've not seen the sequel to the remake as I thought the remake of the original was "just OK" and just don't need another "bad" sequel...

numbercrunch

totally agree and its not just a phenomena with Dark Shadows. I think alot of the TV series shows like Stranger Things, Slasher, etc i felt like they took a 90 minute movie and stretched it to 6-7 hours. just not enough content to justify 6-7 45 minute episodes

Undeadcow

I've never been able to appreciate House by the Cemetery as much as Fulci's other films either; it seems too hockey (Dr Freudstein - blah) and while there is a place for incoherent eurotrash horror HbyC is plagued by pacing problems and just seems too slow in many places.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

Here's me trying to catch up with the thread, plus the Frankenstein collection is $20 at Best Buy and Amazon has price matched them.

You could do an advanced search by user and name of the movie and set it to show results by post. If you had it in a list, it should show up.

I found it boring and not something I care to rewatch ever again.

Unless you're into nude grandmas and zero budget movies, skip Franco's later films. I've seen too many of his movies and I've been able to, with 100% accuracy, play a DVD I haven't watched yet and before I get to the credits I can get up, take the disc out of the player, look at the case and see that I was correct in that it's one of his films and then toss that case in my sell pile.

I did like the first Ilsa film but I'm kind of scared to try watching it again because his techniques, like his incessant panning, might annoy me enough to get rid of it.

Exorcist II was the first of the series I ever watched and by watched I mean, it's the one they always aired on TV and I could never get very far into it without getting bored and turning it off.

I've noticed that too in the past when I started checking around other places. Kind of the same deal with amazon lightning sales. There was a Hammer double feature yesterday they said was 50 or 60% off but that's compared to list price. The actual difference between regular and the sale was a buck fifty. I can wait around and find a lower price than that.

I watched House of Seven Corpses last night and didn't care for it. The most amusing part was with the cat looking at the painting, partially because we have a cat that looks like that. If I didn't buy it during that sale, I probably would have went with House instead. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091223/reference

I have to skip out on Killer Klowns tonight. I loved it as a kid but it just hasn't aged well for me at all. I think I'll watch Xtro and maybe Xtro 2. Picked up a triple feature with them and never got around to watching them https://www.amazon.com/Skeeter-Xtro-...dp/B000PISZ9A/

Spiderbite

I just want to second the killing of this tradition. It made sense years ago when they limited the lengths of threads but now it makes zero sense, even with the "tradition" excuse. I don't really understand why it is a desired tradition anyway. Why not just have everything all under one thread instead of treading out the challenge over multiple threads?

Anyway...if this ever got put to a vote, I side with BobO'Link.

DaveyJoe

The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave (1972)

This dreamy Giallo is about a wealthy man named Alan who is institutionalized for murdering his red-headed wife after discovering her carrying out an affair on their estate. Upon his release, he tiptoes the line of sanity and takes out his grief by luring beautiful, red-haired prostitutes to his estate, where he tortures and murders them. The guilt slowly drives him crazy, as he sees visions of a red-haired woman flowing through his luxurious estate. If you're a fan of Giallo films, you know what to expect. Beautiful women, stunning photography and locations, plenty of sleaze, and several twists and turns along the way.

I love this genre, and this film doesn't disappoint. While the opening scene was disorienting and ultimately seemed unnecessary, once underway, the plot moves along at a nice pace as the audience watches Alan's gradual descent into madness; we wonder if there may be something to his hallucinations of his "deceased" wife. There is no shortage of mystery and intrigue, and the never ending parade of beautiful women seem especially scantily-clad, even for this genre's standards. Some of the visions of Evelyn are quite creepy, and the film kept me guessing until the very end, but the ending seemed just a tad abrupt, and the final freeze frame was bizarre to say the least. Ultimately, I really enjoyed this first time viewing.




The House of Seven Corpses (1974)

This one was a little dull, but not totally without merit. A low budget film crew is making a horror movie at an old Estate where a wealthy family of seven died in mysterious ways. Many films from the 70s were more deliberately paced, but this one definitely could have used a little more excitement during its first hour. The movie mainly revolves around the melodrama of the characters making the movie, and I generally like movies about film-making, so that helped me enjoy the movie even though its at least an hour before anything spooky happens. My favorite character was the ginger production assistant, he doesn't say much, he just shows up and does his job.

There is plenty of behind-the-scenes drama between the cast and crew, including drunken advances, swollen egos, and feline-trauma. John Ireland plays what must be one of the most irritable characters in horror film history. His constant abuse of his cast and crew is amusing and cringe-worthy at the same time. John Carradine plays a creepy caretaker that confusingly switches back and forth between lurking around graveyards, and quietly reading in his study. Who is this guy? I also enjoyed the creepy choral music, and the montages that bookend the film. Once the zombie action starts it really picks up steam, but some of the scenes of potential victims quietly walking toward their doom are drawn out to nearly unbearable lengths.

BobO'Link

Innit great! I was all set to ignore those and wait for the inevitable box set when they did that. $20 each is too good a price for me to pass up so I ordered both Frankenstein and The Wolf Man sets, in spite of only getting 2 new-to-BD films in The Wolf Man set (and I already own a BD copy of The Wolf Man). It doesn't hurt that there's extra footage in Son of Frankenstein that's not been seen in decades...

RE: The Exorcist
After purchasing "The version you've never seen" (Director's cut?) edition for ~$3 last year at BL and watching it again after over a decade I'd agree. It just didn't grab me the way it did back in the 70s. But I think I want to give it another try in BW again. I think that'd help tremendously.

Trevor

Screw you Bob! I was going to resist, but new footage? Crap.

I did already bite when the Werewolf set was $15, but, like you, I was going to try to wait for the inevitable box set with minor exclusive to make us double dip. Wait, did I say double dip? Make that quintuple dip or so if you count DVD.

jacob_b

What are some other good Gothic horror films? I found myself really into Crimson Peak (the set and the acting) so would love to see more.

I also 3rd killing the idea of doing a lot of threads to discuss.

BobO'Link

Sorry! If it helps it's not much. A few scenes amounting to a minute or so IIRC. Supposedly this is a new scan/remaster using the original 35mm nitrate negative (as are all the films) and has stuff not seen since the original release. BUT - that coupled with a $20 price is something I couldn't resist.
Same here - well except for purchasing the Wolf Man set. $19.99 at Amazon is a bit less after factoring shipping/tax from BB so I'm coming out a bit ahead. I have 4+ copies of some of the Universal Horror films.

mrcellophane

My favorites include The Innocents, The Others, Rebecca (not horror), Sleepy Hollow, and Mary Reilly. IndieWire came out with a primer around the release of Crimson Peak. Hope those suggestions help!

cwileyy

I was never a big fan of the Director's Cut (or, The Version You've Never Seen"). It didn't ruin my enjoyment of the film, but I feel that the theatrical cut works much better overall.

brainee

Functionally, I think a single thread is better. It seems most ongoing discussions get ended with a new thread.

So many of the Corman/Price/Poe 60's movies are great examples of gothic horror. And there were a lot of good Italian 60's gothic horror movies. Barbara Steele was in a number of them, like: Castle of Blood, Mask of Satan, An Angel for Satan.

Trevor

Thanks, that was easier! I think searching for posts by user is something that I must have known about for years, but just occasionally forget about.

Oddly, I've apparently never watched a Species film in any horror or sci-fi Challenge. Could have sworn I'd marathoned them before.

Doing it now and likely never will again. Talk about diminishing returns!

rbrown498

I agree with cwileyy; the "Version You've Never Seen" added in too much obvious crap that only served to dilute the original cut. To paraphrase Jeff Goldblum's character in Jurassic Park, Friedkin was so preoccupied with whether or not he could re-edit the film that he didn’t stop to think if he should. Still, we've always got the original cut...although it's getting more and more difficult to find. Only the VERY first DVD issue of the film presents it as it was seen in theaters; even the "25th Anniversary Edition" tweaked a couple of shots...and, of course, replaced the 1973 WB logo at the beginning.

Chad

One of the interviews from a writer, producer, or whoever said the storylines were intentionally dragged out until Friday when the week's big "hook" was revealed. That way people could effortlessly slip into that week's plot despite missing an episode or two in the pre-VCR days of misery. It's also the reason I'll be putting Dark Shadows on hiatus during the challenge.

Damn. I must have missed the memo when that went OOP. A boutique label seriously needs to release that on Blu-ray.

BobO'Link

In no particular order:

Hammer Films The Horror of Dracula (1958), The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) and just about any other Hammer Horror film between those and ~1972.
Roger Corman's "Poe Cycle" of films: House of Usher (1960), The Pit and the Pendulum (1961), The Premature Burial (1962), Tales of Terror (1962), The Raven (1963), The Haunted Palace (1963), The Masque of the Red Death (1964), and The Tomb of Ligeia (1964).
Mario Bava's The Whip and The Body (1963) and Black Sunday (1960)
Many of the Universal Horror series, especially Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), and The Wolf Man (1941)
Mr. Sardonicus (1961)
City of the Dead (aka Horror Hotel) (1960)
The Witches Mirror (1962)
The Terror (1963)

and lots more...

SterlingBen

Maybe next year one of the checklist checks could be:
--- Force someone to watch The Killer Tongue with you

Trevor

Found an unopened boxset with that "film". Open it, or burn it, hmmm, tough call.

ViewAskewbian

How I've never seen Intruder and Pieces (seriously, Bruce Campbell cameo) I don't know. Some just squeak by you no matter how many horror flicks you watch each October.

ViewAskewbian

So here's a question. If you could create your ultimate box set of 80s horror what would be included?

SterlingBen

If anyone is in the mood for a great commentary, surprisingly the track on Bordello Of Blood is amazing!!!!!