brainee

The selection is pretty small compared to other streaming services (and there are a number of things I've seen on Netflix at one point). But for $5, it sounds like a good deal for at least a month. What is their streaming quality like though? If I can't stream in good-looking HD, I won't bother (understanding that some movies aren't available in HD).

Besides Mandy, the other "exclusives" I've seen (and enjoyed to different degrees) are:
Cold Skin
Mayhem
Noroi the Curse
Seoul Station
Summer of 84
and Last Cut of the Dead is coming later this month (I don't know what other things are starting this month additionally)

Exclusives I haven't been but are on my "want to watch" list are:
Monster Party
Revenge
Still/Born
Tigers are not Afraid

I noticed Shudder has November, which I watched for the summer sci-fi/fantasy challenge and thought was excellent (and has a 96% score at RT, if that means anything to you). Horror isn't it's first genre (it's more of an Eastern European fairy tale) and it's style is more "arthouse", but there is enough to qualify for this challenge (with witches, ghosts, devils, golem-like creatures, and one character who's kind of a werewolf).

shadokitty

Shack

In case anyone's looking for some reading during the Challenge, Seth Grahame-Smith's How to Survive a Horror Movie is on sale today.

Chad

I just stumbled across this 60 free days of Shudder code for anyone interested: SHOCKUK

It was reported as being active a month ago. With Shudder codes you never know.

It's occasionally the other way around as well. While adding the links for the subset threads, I noticed Audition was only available via Amazon Shudder.

Chad

Just wanted to mention I've gotten in touch with GoldenWheels and he's currently prepping the prize packs. More details to come.

As far as other potential sponsors that I contact go, I'm still waiting for some responses. I haven't even heard back from Synapse yet and they've been sponsoring us for the past 7 challenges. That said, we've had plenty in the past that have joined us well into the festivities already being underway, so it probably just means we'll have some late announcements this year. And I have reached out to some more just today (including Synapse again). I'll keep you posted.

jacob_b

Thank you! Those are up there for me as well as Hell House so should keep me happy for a trial run.

Bladz

I just tried it and the code still works. I was planning on paying for 1 month so I could watch the new Creepshow series and a few of the subset picks, so thanks for the heads up.

cwileyy

Speaking of Shudder, anyone have luck using a promo code on a renewal of an annual membership? I know it's maybe petty, but my budget is getting tighter...

MysterioMan007

Less than two hours to go! Whoohoo!

numbercrunch

Five minutes into Eraserhead and i am like...WTF? Believe it or not, i have never seen it until tonight.

shadokitty

numbercrunch

I am now an hour into Eraserhead....WTF???

MysterioMan007

I have never seen Eraserhead, either, but depending on time, I might sneak it in before midnight tonight before I move onto dogs and cats.

DaveyJoe

"I have now finished Eraserhead....WTF???"

Chad

I'm kicking it off with my usual theme of 80's cheeseball. Immediately looked toward my Vinegar Syndrome section and Evils of the Night jumped out. Will probably follow that up with The Curse of the Faceless Man since it's only 67 minutes. Both first time views.

mightysparks

Not off to a great start...

1. Midsommar (2019) 5/10
After a traumatic event, a young woman and her partner travel to Sweden for a mid-summer festival that happens every 90 years. The film starts off strong, building some pretty great tension and dread - even just in a simple long-take phone call - but around the halfway point it becomes obvious the film doesn't really know what it wants to be. It drags on far too long, and all that dread that it was building up slowly turns into boredom. Florence Pugh's performance is great and her character is interesting, her crumbling relationship with the douchebag boyfriend is genuinely sad and frustrating to watch, but none of it seems to have any relevance to the festival, which just seems like a cheap take on The Wicker Man, and the ending almost turns it into a pathetic revenge film.

2. Konchû daisensô (1968) 5/10 (theme night: Criterion)
After a swarm of insects takes down an American fighter plane, scientists and soldiers try to find the reason for the insects' attack. Though this gave the impression it was going to be Godzilla with insects, it ends up being something of a cross between Matango and Phase IV. It takes itself super seriously in its attempts to be an anti-war film, but combined with the terrible acting, bad dubbing and silly effects it comes across as a bit of a joke, and nothing more than a bad low budget film. Phase IV would later do a much better (though still not great) job at turning insects into peace-wanting destroyers. The abrupt ending was also pretty hilarious.

shadokitty

MysterioMan007

I watched Midsommar pre-challenge due to the lengthy runtime and feel pretty much the same way. It's just an updated Wicker Man with a bigger budget and better direction. That said, I don't see myself ever sitting down to rewatch it.

SethDLH

If anyone is looking for a new anthology to check out I recommend Nightmare Cinema which was just released to Blu-ray a month ago. It has a little bit of everything and though it starts stronger than it ends I still really enjoyed it.

SterlingBen

Videodrome

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MysterioMan007

I'm about an hour into Crawl.... wow, this is intense.

Undeadcow

The Lure is a far out colorful pop odyssey with some great mermaid creature effects; I ended up enjoying that more than I thought. It's a bizzare and never too serious musical adaptation of the The Little Mermaid.

WillieMLF

I caught The Ranger a few weeks ago, and felt it was pretty good. May revisit it for the challenge.

Trevor

Just watched the first episode of the new Creepshow on Shudder and was not very impressed.

The connecting segments/opening/closing are weak with no dialogue and poor comic art, just hints of the original and attempting to be nostalgic and atmospheric I guess, but just blah.

Enjoyed seeing Tobin Bell and Adrienne Barbeau in the first story, but the story was predictable as hell with not much punch.

The second story had a great premise and could have been great, but I found the ending abrupt and lame.

I’ll watch another episode and see if it improves, but not a good start at all imho.

Trevor

Yeah, The Lure was trippy, enjoyed it more than I expected.

I hate to say it this early, but it’s going to be hard for me to have a more enjoyable night this Challenge than last night. Sort of to be expected, given the high quality generally seen in Criterion titles. Godzilla, Cat People, and Carnival of Souls are probably in my top 20 or 30 horror films, add the Cronenberg subset Videodrome and a fantastic ftv in The Lure and wow, what a start! But darn am I tired.